Chapter Six – Till I Get Over You

Sometimes I watch the world go by

I wonder what it’s like

To wake up every single day

You never try

We both know

We can’t change it

We both know

That we have to face it

‘Till I Get Over You’ – Michelle Branch

            Syd sat on the steps of SPD, smoking. She took the cigarette out of her mouth, coughing and waving the smoke away.

            “God only knows how people do it?” Syd said to herself.

            “You and I both, Sweetie.” Syd looked over her shoulder to see Kat. “You know those are against regulation.”

            “Sleeping with a fellow cadet is too and look at Z and Sky,” Syd said.

            “Touché,” Kat nodded once, sitting next to Syd. “Can I have one?” Syd handed Kat a cigarette.

            “I didn’t know you smoked,” Syd said.

            “Well, only on special occasions,” Kat said, lighting the cigarette. She put it in her mouth and let it fall apart. She blew out the smoke in her mouth and inhaled the smell. “I didn’t know you did either.” Syd sighed. “What’s wrong, Kid?”

            “Life’s a bitch, Kat,” Syd said to her mentor and friend. Kat nodded in agreement.

            “I knew that, Dear,” the feline mentor said, blowing the smoke out her mouth again. “Did you and Jack get in another fight?” Syd started to cry. Kat dropped her cigarette to the ground and stomped on it. She took Syd’s and did the same to it. Syd shook her head no.

            “I was talking with Boom this morning. He kissed me. I kissed back. The next thing I know, I’m sleeping with him, Kat!” she sobbed. Kat took Syd in her arms and hugged her, rocking from one side to the other, trying to comfort the pink ranger.

            Z lay in her room asleep. Sky sat next to her. He knew he had to tell someone what had happened, but Z had him promise not to.

            “Why would you do this to me?” he asked softly, touching her cheek with the back of his hand.

            For a while now, Z had bottled up all her fears of dieing, anger, and hate. He knew Jack had been her rock all these years, Syd soon took that place, and now he had to be her stronghold, the one to turn to when the tears won’t stop, her everything. Earlier that day, Z had a slight headache, which turned out that she was having a seizure.

            Sky started to cry, watching his sick, pregnant girlfriend sleep in her bed next to him. She stirred, but didn’t awaken; making Sky fear she would have another seizure soon.

            Jack sat there listening to Boom.

            “I’m sorry, Jack,” Boom said.

            “It’s not an ‘I’m sorry’! It’s an ‘I’ll get the hell away from me and my girl forever’!” Jack yelled. He clutched his fists and held back the rage that was eating him alive. If anything would kill him, it was his feelings for Sydney Lynn Drew. “How could she do this to me?” Boom shrugged, getting up to leave.

            Jack turned him around and punched him in the gut. Boom punched Jack in the face and kicked him to the ground. He pounced on the red ranger and punched Jack till he was out. Jack just let him.

            Boom looked at the ranger leader and then at his blood covered hands. He ran away, not wanting to face the consequences of any of his actions with Jack, or Sydney Lynn.

            Ashley walked around the academy with Bridge. The two found themselves in the training area.

            “So, Taylor’s not so well?” Ashley assumed.

            “Yeah,” Bridge nodded, trying not to cry. Ashley looked at him.

            “Bridge, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you,” Ashley said.

            “You’re not. Mom is!” Bridge exclaimed. “All I wanted to do in life was make her proud.” He paused, looking at the gray sky above. “Did you know she was a war hero? Lieutenant Taylor Regina Earhardt. She was so beautiful, but the toughest person I’d ever met. She pushed me to my best, but she hid her scars, bruises, and bleeding cuts and wounds well. My dad abused us. She finally had enough. She ran away and a few years later he died. She went back to war, I was sent to Aunt Alyssa and Uncle Danny’s. She had been sent home in a comma. That’s all I have now is the corpse of her. I’ve prayed my whole life for her to be proud of me, and now . . . I may never know.”

            “I’m sure, if she knew, she’d be extremely proud of you, Green Ranger,” Ashley said. He hugged her and she hugged back, kissing his cheek. “You’re so special, Bridge. Don’t let anyone tell or make you think that otherwise.” He nodded.

            “I know, Ashie,” he said. She smiled.

            Cruger watched Jack being pushed into the infirmary on a stretcher. He shook his head no, not believing what was happening. His very own red ranger was in danger of death and his yellow ranger would be on permanent bed rest within a few months. Kat was in anger mode half the time he was with her. His bubbly, blond, pink ranger was heartbroken and soon to be torn, the green ranger was desperate twenty-four seven, and the blue ranger was constantly watching Z’s every move. Life was hell!

            Syd walked into HQ, linking arms with Kat. It took her every bit of strength not to lose her pride by crying right then and there.

            “Commander,” Syd said. “Is there something you want me to do?”

            “Cadet Drew. Just the girl I need to see! Kat,” he acknowledged the good doctor before talking to Syd again. “Jack was placed in the infirmary this afternoon.” Syd stood there in shock and disbelief. She closed her eyes as thoughts clouded her mind and she covered her ears, screaming and falling to her knees.

            “Syd!” Kat exclaimed, kneeling next to her.

            Syd opened her eyes and ran to the infirmary. She didn’t care that everyone saw her cry anymore; her pride had been torn when she slept with Boom and it was probably rumored around the whole academy by now, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was seeing Jack, making sure he was alright, and being with him no matter what the cause. She ran to the reception desk.

            “Jack Landors?” she said. She didn’t really want to talk.

            “Right around the left corner, room 109,” the receptionist said in reply. Syd nodded her thank you and ran to the room.

            She gasped, crying again at the sight of her boyfriend lying in the bed. He was covered in bruises and he looked like if someone touched him, he would break. She sat in the chair next to him and cried, watching him sleep calm and peacefully.