Rangers:
Red: Jared Scott
Blue: Omar Ellis
Yellow: Jennifer/Jenny Callahan
Green: Hunter Jacobson
Pink: Katherine/KZ Walker

IT WAS another day at Clover Hill High, and what was going on was something as if was tradition to the school itself though it was making the senior class either really excited or just plan annoyed. The case for the rangers, well they were on either the excited side of the annoyed side.

Walking up to the gym KZ and Omar, the two had left physics together and promised to meet up with their friends at the gym where it was going down. Omar glanced from the white piece of paper, that was hanging on the wall, then to KZ.

"Can't believe our senior class musical is Footloose." Omar said.

KZ crossed her arms on her chest, "And they'll force the entire class to audition. It'll be embarrassing."

"Ditto," Said Jenny coming over with Hunter.

Hunter and Jenny were holding hand, "The whole musical idea is just exhausting. We have too much to worry about, throwing a musical on top of it." Hunter said and exhaled.

Omar, KZ, and Jenny partly chuckled at Hunter's use of being overly dramatic. The four were talking back and forth, then coming over was Jared with Artie trailing behind like a lost puppy. The rangers could hear Artie's curiosity about how Jared got himself hurt the way he did, it made the teens wondered what Jared did tell his dad and sister what happened to him.

Clearly, Jared wasn't telling Artie but who could blame Jared. Last time Jared and Artie really talked, the two of them were beating each other up. Jared finally stopped by his girlfriend, KZ could see how the bruising on his forehead was lightening up but he did still have some scraps on his face.

"Hey," Jared says, "So what's the musical?"

"Footloose," Omar said.

Artie turns from his half-brother to the others, "Huh?"

Jenny decided to be nice, "Every year Clove Hill High has their senior class put on a musical involving all the seniors whether they be in the cast or working behind the scene. Every student has to audition and if they don't make the cast they are basically forced to work on the stage crew." Jenny said.

Hunter nods, "I remember watching last year. Their musical was just awful." Hunter said.

Omar chuckled, "I felt so bad for Penny Clark though, she was so nervous to begin with." Omar said.

KZ sighs as she sees Artie's confusion, "Poor girl threw up on the front row." She said.

Artie made a face, "Gross."

Jared nods, "You're telling us."

Artie turns to Jared, "So you all are auditioning?"

Jared nods, "We kinda have to." He said.

Omar motions to the rooms, "Well shall we?"

Hunter groans, "Better get this over with."

Jenny smiles softly, "It can't be that bad."

Hunter glances at his girlfriend as they walk into the gym, "I swim. I don't dance or sing." He says.

---

THE GIRLS were sitting down as the guys were all lined up and had a guy leading them to teach them a dance routine. They were given an eight count dance routine, a simple dance so the musical director could make the hard choice of cutting the guys who had no shot. Mostly to see who can actually dance.

The dance teacher counted back and started to dance, as this was happening the director was cutting guys quickly. Somehow, the three male rangers went on after the first cut. This also included Artie, who was so happy for some weird reason.

After all the first cut, the guys went to sit down on the bleachers to caught a breathe. While the girls went next. Omar, Hunter, and Jared sat near the bottom of the bleachers whereas Artie sat near the top with a few other guys just talking.

Omar took a drink of water and then turned back to look at Artie, he looked so much like Jared it was sorta creepy. Omar saw the way Artie acted around those guys and he seemed genuine, and maybe there was a nice guy from this shell he was protecting around himself mostly from Jared.

"So do you think we'll get cut next?" Hunter asks.

Jared glanced over, "Why? You want to be in the musical?"

Hunter shakes his head, "Just curious."

Jared smirks, "Who knows."

Omar turns back to his friends, "So how is Artie adjusting at your house?"

Jared turns to Omar, "Eh he's doing okay."

Omar nods, "So you helping him around?" Omar asks.

Jared eyes his friend, "Why the sudden interest?" He asks.

Omar turns to Jared, "Just curious man."

Jared frowns, "Well mind your own business." He said.

Jared went into that silent mode when he doesn't want to open up about his feelings, which tend to happen a lot. Mostly with Artie moving in. Omar groans to himself and turned his attention to the girls dancing, little by little some of the girls were being cut just like the guys.

Violet was cut as well as a handful of other students, but Jenny and KZ remained in the next group. The girls came over with big smiles on their faces as they walked over to their boyfriends. Omar sees Violet begin to walk over to her deaf friends, but saw Omar looking at her. She smiles and waves back at him, he returns to smile and wave.

The bell rang and the students hear, "To those who weren't cut we'll continue the rest of the auditions tomorrow." Said the director.

---

THE RANGERS were sitting at their lunch table, Omar was chattering rather loudly like usual. With Jenny and KZ laughing about his random bantering, then there was Hunter chiming in about how stupid some of Omar's ideas were. Lastly, Jared just sat there in silence.

More so than usual, it was probably because of Omar poking around in stuff Jared doesn't like to address out loud. Though no one dared to bring it up, it was normal that Jared would just eat his lunch in silence and maybe say a few things.

"Ellis, where do you come up with these stupid ideas?" Hunter asks.

Omar turns to Hunter, "Give me a cannon and we can prove if the idea is stupid or not."

Jenny giggles, "I think its silly but it would be fun to see what would happen."

KZ nods, "Oh boys."

Then standing by their table was none other than Artie, "Hey- guys."

Jared looks up, "What?"

Artie met Jared's gaze then shifted away, "I was wondering if I could sit here."

Jared folded his arms on his chest, "Don't you have friends?"

Artie nods, "Yeah but we don't have lunch together- if not its cool."

Jenny felt soft for her "cousin" so she stopped him, "Wait. You can sit here."

Artie smiles faintly, "Thanks."

Artie sits down and everything just got silent, a very uncomfortable silence. Jared turned away and remained to eat his lunch, whereas everyone else exchanged looks. Finally, KZ nudged her boyfriend. Jared glanced at KZ and she gave him a look, he sighed and then looked up at Artie.

"How is the school treating?" Jared asks.

Artie looks up, "Fine."

Hunter nods, "Yeah Clover Hill isn't quite an intense school."

Artie chuckles faintly, "Yeah my old school West Jefferson Height was a bit intense."

Jenny turns, "Why is that?"

Artie turns to her, "Uh- well there were a bit of troublemakers there."

Jared muttered to himself, "You included."

Artie heard that and glanced over, "No."

Omar turns to Artie, "So you excited about the musical?"

Artie shrugs, "Eh my school never did plays or musicals so its new for me." He said.

KZ nods, "Well you made it past the dancing part next is the acting part." She said.

Jenny nods, "And believe us it's hard." Jenny says.

Artie looks a bit nervous, "Really?"

Jared stands up, "I'm going to throw my trash away."

Jared leaves the table and then KZ sighs loudly.

Artie frowns, "This is my fault."

"Huh?" Omar spoke.

"I was a jerk to Jared at first, I just thought- if I seemed tough that I wouldn't be picked on. It's how my old school was, it was hell. I thought if I seemed tough enough that maybe he'd leave me alone, but after finding out he is more than just talk like myself- that he is not only a good fighter but a nice guy that I messed up." Artie said.

"You like Jared? Seriously?" Hunter asks.

Artie nods, "He seems cool and the way Brooke talks about him- she's his hero. But he won't let me get past one single sentence." Artie said.

KZ turns to Artie, "Give him time. Jared- he's never been simple, believe us. He'll come around."

Jenny nods, "Yeah, he's complicated like a puzzle."

Artie nods, "He seems that way."

KZ turns her head in the direction where her boyfriend walked off from and sighs.

---

KZ WAITED for her boyfriend as they both headed off in the direction for their next class.

"Did you have to be rude to Artie?" KZ asks.

Jared turns to her, "You don't know what's going on."

KZ sighs, "Then explain it." She said.

Jared exhales deeply, "It's hard to explain. I'm mad at him but I'm not." He said.

KZ turns to her boyfriend, "What?"

The two were walking down the hallway, "Look I'm pissed at my dad and that's really not going to change. He lied to his wife and broke vows, he kept this secret of this affair from everyone. So yeah, I'm mad. Regarding Artie, I just- I don't know how to deal with him. He acted like a jerk before and now he seems less than a jerk- I don't know." Jared said.

KZ sighs, "Jared, you need to stop pushing people back. He wants to be a brother, you need to let him do so." She said.

Jared nods, "I'll try." He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Jared kisses the top of KZ's head and the two went in different classrooms.

---

AFTER SCHOOL the rangers began to head out, as they were walking out Omar saw Violet grab his attention. He stopped and told his friends to give him a second.

"You okay?" Omar asks.

Violet nods, "Yeah- yeah. I was wondering how you'd feel to dinner at my house Saturday night?" She asks.

Omar's eyes widen, "Really? You think your dad would be okay with it?"

Violet shrugs, "Dad needs to get it together that I'm a big girl. Besides, if we are wanting to- you know date. I think the least we could do is meet the family and take things slow." Violet said.

Omar smiles, "Yeah. I'd like that."

Violet grins, "And don't worry. My aunt will be there, she tends to translate if we have hearing people over for a visit so it isn't just me translating." She said.

Omar nods, "Okay well it's a date." He said.

Violet leans over and kisses him on the cheek, "That is it."

Violet walked off and caught up with her deaf friends, Omar touched the cheek Violet kissed and smiled. Jared walked over and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Omar turned to his friend, Jared saw the blushing appear on Omar's face and the genuine happiness that being with Violet brought.

"She is amazing." Omar said.

Jared chuckles, "Yeah I can see that."

"Jared," Said Artie from behind.

Jared and Omar turned, a little ahead was KZ, Jenny, and Hunter. Jenny was trying to keep Hunter from growing impatient, and KZ was wondering what Jared was going to do. Omar left cloud nine and turned to Jared, Jared moved his hand from his friend's shoulder and turned to face Artie completely.

"Hey, Omar. Tell the others I'll catch up, okay." Jared said.

Omar nods, "Yeah sure."

Omar heads off toward the others, he talked to them silently and they began to head off. One by one, they all exit the building well besides the Scott siblings. Artie held his backpack with both hands on one strap, looking a bit nervous and trying to seem calm. Jared adjusted his backpack strap on his right shoulder, he was giving off his annoyed expression but sighed to show he was in deep thought for what he was about to say.

"Look, Artie," Jared started, "I'm sorry."

Artie looked at Jared a bit shocked, "What?"

Jared looks at him, "Listen I don't expect you to think of me as a brother and I don't expect to see you as a brother. It's too weird and complicated right now."

Artie nods, "Yeah."

Jared awkwardly rubs his hand behind his neck, "I was pissed at first at you. Now I don't seem to really have an opinion of you, and maybe we should fix that." Jared said.

Artie nods, "Yeah and I should apologize. I was a jerk."

Jared shrugs, "We both were jerks."

Artie grins, "I'll say."

Jared looks forward at Artie, "Truce?" Jared holds out his hand.

Artie nods, "Yeah. Truce." Artie reaches out and grasp Jared's hand.

The half-brothers shook hands and shared smiles.

"So we good?" Artie asks.

Jared nods while grinning, "Yeah. We're good."