Amaris' POV
"Thank you for the food," I said softly, placing my chopsticks neatly on the rest before me.
My parents both smiled at me from across the long dining table, though I noticed the faint guilt in their eyes. They had already told me earlier that they could not see me off to school today—their schedules at the company were, as usual, quite demanding. Still, after yesterday's… coming out occasion, as I have come to call it, there was a strange warmth among us that had not been there before.
If anything, my relationship with my parents felt like it had reached its highest point. There was no longer any sense of invisible distance, no tension to tiptoe around. Just honesty—and acceptance.
I stood from my seat and bowed politely. "Then, I shall take my leave. Please take care of yourselves, Father, Mother."
They both nodded with fond smiles. "Have a good day at school, dear," Mother said, her voice gentle. Father raised a hand in a casual salute. "Study hard, and make sure to eat lunch, all right?"
"I shall, Father."
With that, I excused myself from the dining hall.
As I walked through the marble corridor, the household staff I passed along the way bowed respectfully. I offered them each a soft greeting and a courteous smile. "Good morning, everyone. I hope you all have a pleasant day."
When I reached the front entrance, our driver, Mr. Toya, was already waiting beside the car. He bowed, then opened the back door for me with his usual precision.
"Thank you kindly," I said, stepping inside.
As the car began to move, I allowed myself to sink into thought. Now that my personal matters have been settled, I mused silently, it is time to focus once again on Trent's situation.
The White Dino Gem's corruption removal plan has been engaged. The next step was securing his bond with his zord. A ranger needs a zord, after all—it is the symbol of trust between power and spirit.
'But where did Trent find his dino egg originally?'
I crossed my arms thoughtfully. 'Perhaps…' I recalled something from the archives—a specialized energy tracking device, capable of locating dormant Dino energy signatures. 'Yes,' I thought with a decisive nod. 'That might work.'
"We have arrived, Young Miss," came Mr. Toya's calm voice from the front seat.
I blinked, startled at how quickly time had passed. "Ah—thank you, Mr. Toya."
He exited the driver's seat and moved to open the door for me once again. "Thank you. I shall take my leave now," I said, stepping out gracefully.
As I approached the school gates, I spotted a familiar figure standing by the entrance.
"Good morning, Amaris!" Trent greeted me cheerfully, waving.
"A pleasant morning to you as well, Trent," I replied with a small smile, returning his gesture.
We began walking inside together. The hallways were still quiet, filled only with the soft echo of our footsteps. Being early had its perks.
"Trent," I began softly, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.
"Hm?" He looked at me curiously.
"Are you familiar with the giant robots the Power Rangers use?" I asked, my tone casual yet deliberate.
He tilted his head before nodding. "Yeah, those… uh, dinosaur things, right?"
I nodded approvingly. "Indeed. Those 'robots' are known as Zords. Every Ranger possesses one."
He furrowed his brows, clearly trying to piece my words together. I waited patiently, and then his expression brightened with realization. "Wait, you mean… I'll get one too?"
His voice carried both excitement and hesitation.
I smiled faintly, hoping to reassure him. "Yes, Trent. You will have one."
We continued walking down the hall, the sound of distant lockers opening filling the air.
"So that means… I don't have a Zord yet," he said quietly after a moment.
I nodded. "That would appear to be the case."
He sighed softly but shrugged. "Well, I guess there's nothing we can do about it."
"There is, in fact, something we could do," I replied with a hint of amusement.
His head perked up immediately, eyes wide with curiosity.
"After your daily check-ups later," I continued, "we shall return to the archives. I believe there is a device capable of detecting latent Dino energy. If my assumption is correct, we may be able to find your Zord's location."
Trent's eyes lit up. "Cool! Thanks, Amaris."
I inclined my head slightly. "It is no trouble. Let us hope it proves fruitful."
We continued to chatter lightly, taking our little time before heading the classroom.
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*A few minutes later*
We entered the classroom just as the bell rang. Professor Smith, our Social Studies teacher, was already at the front, holding a clipboard.
"Now, for your next assignment," she began. "I want you all to pick a discipline of the social sciences and research it thoroughly. Then, provide ten real-life examples of its applications."
A collective groan rippled through the class, followed by resigned murmurs of acknowledgment.
"I've already partnered you all up," Professor Smith continued. "When I call your name, find your partner."
The room quieted as she began reading names aloud.
"Ethan James with…" she started, and a long list followed. I kept my attention focused, waiting patiently.
Then—
"Amaris Shin with Kira Ford."
My posture stiffened just slightly, and I glanced to my right where Kira sat. She smiled, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"I suppose we do not have to move anywhere, Ms. Ford," I said with a small laugh.
She chuckled. "Yeah, looks like we lucked out."
"How about Psychology?" I suggested.
Kira nodded. "Sounds good to me."
I smiled faintly and began outlining possible topics we could explore. My handwriting glided neatly across my notebook as ideas took shape.
Behind us, I heard Professor Smith call again, "Conner McKnight with Trent Fernandez-Mercer."
"Oh nice," Conner said, grinning as he and Trent bumped fists. "Guess we don't have to move either."
Trent laughed. "I guess we're lucky."
"Yeah," Conner added teasingly, "Ethan's probably gonna roast us alive again."
Ethan shot him a glare, prompting laughter from the group.
I smiled softly at their banter and focused back on the assignment. When we were finished, we submitted it promptly to Professor Smith before leaving the school grounds for the day.
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By the time we reached Hayley's Cyberspace, the café was already bustling. The air was filled with the aroma of roasted beans, chocolate syrup, and faint traces of vanilla. Staff members weaved around each other behind the counter, tending to endless orders.
Trent and I exchanged glances before wordlessly moving into action. He grabbed a tray of orders, while I slipped behind the brewing counter. I scanned the order slips pinned above—"One coconut milkshake, one decaf coffee."
"Understood," I murmured to myself, tying my apron and starting my work.
Hours passed in a blur of motion—the sound of blenders whirring, espresso machines hissing, and chatter blending into white noise. Finally, when the last of the customers had left, the café fell silent.
I exhaled quietly, removing my apron. Trent handed me a cold drink—a lavender milkshake—and smiled. "You deserve it, Amaris."
"Thank you kindly," I replied, taking it with both hands.
We joined the others at a nearby table.
"Lookie, they're finally done!" Ethan called out, grinning broadly.
"Yep," Trent said as he sank into a seat beside Conner. "Did we miss anything?"
"Nothing much," Kira said, leaning back. "We were just talking about how to beat the Ender Dragon."
Trent laughed. "Ah, of course."
I quietly sipped my drink as the group discussed strategies. Eventually, they turned their attention to me. I swallowed my sip, thinking briefly, then shared the most efficient way to defeat the creature—logical, tactical, precise.
They listened intently, and to my mild surprise, agreed unanimously.
"So, we're playing at seven?" Ethan asked with a mischievous grin.
We all nodded.
"Sweet. You're ours, Ender Dragon!" Ethan cackled dramatically, earning collective laughter.
The conversation drifted to other topics—light, meaningless chatter that filled the air with warmth.
Then, I felt something on my shoulder—soft, warm, and unexpectedly heavy.
I froze.
Kira had leaned against me, her head resting lightly on my shoulder.
My heart skipped several beats, pounding in my chest like the tolling of a clock tower. I could barely breathe, my mind scrambling for proper response. Slowly, carefully, I adjusted my posture to make her more comfortable.
Her hair brushed lightly against my sleeve, and I tried—desperately—to steady my heartbeat.
But before I could fully process the moment, Kira abruptly stood up. Ethan and Conner exchanged nervous glances, then all three made eye contact.
"Sorry to be a killjoy, but I've got soccer practice," Conner said suddenly, scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh, me too—I have to help my mom with something," Kira followed, smiling awkwardly.
"No way, same here!" Ethan added, already halfway out of his chair. "Computer club meeting."
And just like that, the three of them bolted out, leaving the café in a strangely abrupt silence.
Trent and I looked at each other, bewildered.
"Well," I said softly, placing my drink down. "We must also take our leave soon, Trent."
He nodded, finishing the last of his drink. "Yeah. Guess so."
I rose from my seat, the quiet hum of the café filling the space between us. The day had begun like any other—but somehow, it felt different now. There was something quietly shifting beneath the surface, though I could not yet name it.
Something was changing.
And I wasn't sure whether I was ready for it—or already in the middle of it.