Arrow To The Heart
By
Jnr Cpl Scarlett
This is dedicated to my best friend, Ra Ra, who I love to bits! Couldn’t be without you! And even though he won’t ever read this, to Oz.
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Sydney Drew turned her head towards the mirror. She reached into her pocket and brought out a tube of lip-gloss. She began to apply it to her lips, creating the pink pout that she was famous for. She checked every inch of herself to make sure she looked presentable. Well, as presentable as possible in the not-so-flattering SPD uniform. The pink ranger inspected her blonde curls, and finally she decided she was ready for the most important day of the year. It wasn’t her birthday, nor was it Christmas. Today was Valentine’s Day.
She left her quarters and proceeded to the mess hall for breakfast. She spied many cadets and higher ranking officials exchanging gifts and cards. Syd couldn’t help but smile. She herself had received many cards pushed under her door, but she knew that there was at least one person who hadn’t sent her one. Syd shrugged and decided not to let it bother her, but concentrated on getting the right amount of calories in her breakfast.
She piled her plate with wholemeal toast and poached egg, and helped herself to a bowl of muesli and plain yoghurt. After deciding that would suffice, she scanned the hall for someone to sit with. She found Bridge, Sky and Jack sitting together. Syd put on a cheerful smile and bounced over to their table.
“Morning!” she said brightly as she sat beside Bridge. “Happy Valentine’s Day!”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Syd, Valentine’s Day is just like any other day of the year.”
Syd shook her blonde head. “Jack!” she pouted. “Valentine’s Day is the day where two people can freely express their feelings for each other. Plus we girls receive fantastic gifts!” She let her eyes wander around her friends’ faces. “Did you get any Valentines?”
“I got one from Sophie,” Bridge said half-heartedly.
“Z sent me one,” Jack added.
“Did you send her one back?” asked Sky.
“But it’s a mutual sibling relationship,” Syd cut in, not allowing Jack to answer, “that doesn’t count. Did you send one to anyone?” The bubbly pink ranger seemed very interested in the others’ personal affairs, so much that Jack got up from his seat.
“Listen Syd, why don’t you find out for yourself,” he said, half-joking. He gathered his plate and cup and left the table.
“What did he mean by that?” asked Syd, confused.
Bridge leapt up. “Maybe he sent you one Syd!”
Syd frowned. “I doubt it. If he didn’t send Z one he wouldn’t have sent me one.”
“We don’t know if he sent Z one. You didn’t give him a chance to answer! I hate Valentine’s Day…” Sky exclaimed. Syd could tell something had upset him.
“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” grinned Syd.
He stood up, knocking his cup of juice over. “Nothing!” he almost shouted, causing the entire hall to fall silent. He turned on his heel and stormed from the hall, everyone staring after him.
“What’s his problem?” mused Syd aloud.
“You don’t know?” said Bridge incredulously.
“No! They don’t call me blonde for nothing! You’ll have to fill me in.”
Bridge opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again rather quickly. “It’s not for me to say,” he said finally.
“Oh? I’ll jus have to ask him myself then, won’t I?” Syd declared. She pushed back her seat and left the table.
“Syd, wait!” Bridge called after the pink ranger, but it was too late. He got lost in the sea of cadets trying to get breakfast.
Syd preceded hurriedly down yet another SPD corridor to Sky’s room. It opened automatically and she let herself in. The room was a mess. One side of the room, clothed in green, was unusually tidy and organised. The other, draped in blue, had clothes littered everywhere. A suitcase lay on the bed, piled with random CDs, shoes and underwear.
The pink ranger took an uneasy step backwards. Sky was leaving?
She heard footsteps behind her.
“Syd?” came Bridge’s voice from what seemed like no-where.
“Sky’s leaving?” she breathed. Bridge pulled her into a hug.
“He’s been assigned to Space Patrol Delta in London,” he explained, “he’ll be gone for about a year.”
To her surprise, Syd started to cry. Bridge held her closer.
“Listen, I know you liked him, but he just needed to get away from certain…things for a while.”
Syd looked up. “What things?” she asked, wiping away her tears.
Bridge raised his eyebrows as he broke apart from her. “You’re seriously asking that question?” He paused for a moment as realisation hit Syd. Her eyes lit up. “He’s been pining for you since forever. When you started dating Ryan from C-Squad he was crushed, when you split up he was over the moon. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed?”
She sniffed. “Can’t say I have.”
“Syd listen to me,” her best friend said slowly, “he’ll be back to pick up his suitcase soon. He’s saying his goodbyes at midday, then he’ll be going. I know for a fact that about two minutes ago he posted something under your door.”
Syd gasped. “Bridgey, you’re the best!” She kissed him on the cheek and practically skipped back towards her room. As she arrived, noticed a small envelope on the floor. Trembling, she picked it up. It was addressed to her. As she entered her quarters she opened it with utmost care. Inside was a hand decorated card.
The card itself was pink, and the artwork on the front was a simple heart with an arrow through it. After a few moments, Syd opened the card.
Syd,
Jack’s known as red,
I’m known as blue,
But my heart is now pink
All because of you.
I’m leaving for England today, but I couldn’t go without giving you my badly written poem. You have my heart, Syd, and I’ve wanted yours for a long time. Yes, pig headed Sky was, and still is scared. Long distance relationships don’t work out so well, so, I, um, have to go. I’ll see you around.
Forever yours,
Sky
Syd felt her heart stop. She felt the tears come again. She threw herself onto her bed and cried into her pillow, for how long, she didn’t know.
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At five minutes to twelve the same day, all the cadets and officers were gathered at the top of the stairs which led down to the main door of the SPD building. Sky was shaking hands with every cadet, smiling in spite of himself. He reached Commander Cruger and Kat.
“Well, good luck Cadet Tate,” said Cruger, shaking the blue ranger’s hand firmly. “I hope you enjoy England. Give my regards to Commander Mackintosh.”
“Will do, sir, and thank you for all you’ve done for me.”
Kat stepped forward. “Hope to see you soon Sky, don’t forget us little people here.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it Kat,” he grinned.
Finally, Sky came to B Squad. He noticed Syd wasn’t there. He felt his mood sink underground. But still, he put on a smile. After all, he couldn’t appear too sad to be going. This was a huge opportunity to travel to places he’d never been before and to gain more experience. Sky stood before Jack.
“Best wishes, buddy,” Jack said sentimentally, pulling Sky into a bear hug. When they broke apart, Jack grimaced. “I know we’ve had our differences, but have an awesome time in Europe.” He lowered his voice. “I hear the chicks are hot…”
Z slapped him playfully on the arm. “Ignore him,” she said to Sky. “Have a good time, just make sure to come back!”
Sky nodded and smiled at the spirited yellow ranger. “You can email me.” He moved to Bridge.
“Bye Bridge,” he began, holding back sentimental tears, “I’ll miss you a lot. You’re like a brother to me.”
“Ditto, bro, ditto,” he replied, pulling him into a hug. “Good luck.”
Sky reluctantly pulled away from his best friend and gazed around at the family he’d had there at the academy for the past few years. He felt his eyes well up with tears. He wiped then away quickly with his sleeve and grabbed his suitcase.
“Well, bye everyone!” he called. “I’ll be back soon!” He turned and stepped onto the moving escalator which would take him to the main door. The cadets began to clap and cheer. As he moved down he saw his life flash before his eyes. There he was, leaving his friends, his morpher and his home behind, all for the experience of being in a new environment. It didn’t feel as good as he thought it would.
Just has he reached the end of the escalator, he heard someone calling his name over the endless cheering. Everyone had turned around to see the bubbly blonde pink ranger pushing her way through the crowd. Syd got onto the escalator as Sky turned to see who was calling for him. He dropped his suitcase and ran to her. She was holding his card.
They threw their arms round each other in a tender embrace. Sky buried his face in her blonde curls.
“Does this mean,” he whispered, “that you possibly feel the same?”
She turned her head to face him. Syd closed her eyes and placed a soft kiss on his lips. The crowd watched in awe and ‘ahh’ed. Bridge smiled, Jack smiled and Z smiled at their friends.
Soon later they broke away from each other. Sky picked up his suitcase again.
“Bye, Syd.”
“Bye, Sky, don’t forget me.”
He grinned. “How could I?” He began to walk away.
“Sky?”
He turned back. “Yes?”
“Happy Valentine’s Day.”
The End
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