Always an Angel, Never a God

I didn’t have time to linger on it before I felt an arm slung around my shoulders.

“Y/n! What a pleasant surprise,” Bulk said, smacking a roll of tickets into Skulls chest who stumbled back.

“We go to the same school Bulk, how is that a surprise?”

“Well… we- anyways, Tommy! Kimberly!” He exlaimed, pulling the couple into the group by their arm, “Uh hey you know you two look really good together, isn't that right Skull? Haven't i always said that they make a lovely couple?”

“Yes, you're right, lovely…” Skull deadpanned, staring at Kimberly.

“By the way Tommy, when's the last time you took this lovely lady you're out for ah,” Bulk motioned to skull who started singing operatically, “an enchanted romantic evening?”

I rolled my eyes, why did I get roped into this conversation again? My ears hurt. Kimberly nudged Tommy, and gave me a hopeful smile. Tommy looked at them with a frown, “What?”

”Yeah, we got to sell all these tickets to the junior police ball or lieutenant stone is going to throw us in the brig!” Skull said.

I turned on my heel ready to walk away before I was stopped again by Skull. “And you! How does a night of music and dancing sound?”

“I don’t even have a date,” I sighed, wishing I was in class or anywhere else.

“We sell singles tickets!” Bulk said chipperly.

“Oh come on Y/n,” Kimberly said, “It’ll be fun!”

Tommy reached into his pocket for his wallet, “Alright, two tickets please.”

Bulk looked to me expectantly.

“I’ll even go dress shopping with you!” Kimberly pleaded.

“Fine,” I sighed, tugging my wallet out before I could talk myself out of it. I peeled a few bills away with more force than necessary and slapped them into Bulk’s open palm.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” he said, way too smug for someone selling police ball tickets in the middle of a hallway.

Skull scribbled something on a little receipt pad—like he was running a real operation—and handed me a pair of tickets with a dramatic flourish. “For the record,” he deadpanned, “we accept cash, checks, and… unearned confidence.”

I snorted despite myself, stuffing the tickets into my binder. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t spend it all on… whatever you guys spend it on.”

Kimberly squealed like I’d just agreed to a week-long vacation instead of a school dance. She grabbed my shoulders and gave me a playful shake, her ponytail bouncing. “This is gonna be so fun! And—and I think Adam’s going. You should totally ask him.”

The name hit me like a sudden jolt of electricity—warm and humiliating. My stomach did this ridiculous little flip, like it was trying to escape my body.

“Wha—what?” I stammered, instantly hating how high my voice went.

Tommy raised an eyebrow, like he’d been waiting for this moment for years. He took the tickets Bulk had shoved at him and tucked them into his bag, calm as ever. “Oh, come on, Y/n. You’ve been crushing on him since sophomore year. Now’s the time to make your move.”

“I have not,” I said automatically—too fast, too loud, which probably proved his point. I cleared my throat and tried again, quieter. “I mean… I-I don’t know what you mean. He’s a good friend.”

“A good friend you stare at like he personally invented sunshine,” Kimberly sing-songed, tilting her head with an annoyingly sweet smile.

My face heated. “I do not stare.”

“You do,” Tommy said, not even mean about it—just factual, like he was stating the weather.

Kimberly looped her arm through mine like she was physically anchoring me in place before I could run away. “You guys already hang out. You already laugh at his dumb jokes. You already—” she wiggled her eyebrows, “—get all soft and quiet when he says your name.”

“I do not get soft and quiet,” I protested, even though I could feel myself doing it just thinking about it.

Tommy’s mouth twitched like he was holding back a smile. “Just ask him. Worst case, he says no and you’re mildly embarrassed for, what, a week?”

“A week?” I repeated, horrified. “Try forever.”

“And best case,” Kimberly said, squeezing my arm, “you’re dancing with Adam Park at the ball while everyone else is stuck watching Bulk and Skull trip over their own feet.”

Bulk gasped, offended. “Excuse you, I am an elegant dancer.”

Skull pointed at him. “You dislocated my shoulder at last year’s pep rally.”

“Okay,” I said quickly, cutting them off before this turned into another performance. I drew in a breath, trying to gather the courage Kimberly seemed convinced I had. “I’ll… think about it. Happy?”

Kimberly beamed like she’d just won something. “Ecstatic.”

I shook my head, clutching my binder to my chest like it could shield me from my own feelings. “I gotta get to class, guys.”

I turned on my heel, walking away before they could keep pushing. My heart hammered hard enough that I was sure everyone in the hall could hear it.

“I’ll pick you up at five!” Kimberly called after me. “We’ll go downtown to that boutique!”

I lifted a hand in what was supposed to be a casual wave, but it came out more like surrender. I didn’t look back.

Because if I did, and I saw Adam anywhere in the crowd—if he smiled at me the way he always did—I’d probably do something stupid like actually believe I had a chance.

After class I was once again grabbed by Kimberly (gently, of course) and led over to her locker where Tommy stood waiting.

Kimberly was practically vibrating with excitement. “Oh this is gonna be so fun!” she gushed, already yanking open her locker with way too much force. “I already know what dress I’m going to wear, and I’m gonna put my hair up like this and— and…”

She stopped mid-gesture. Her hand froze halfway to her ponytail. Her smile went slack, like someone had unplugged her.

“Kimberly?” I leaned closer, eyebrows knitting together. “You okay?”

Tommy stepped forward too, concern replacing the amused patience he usually had for her spirals. He glanced at me, then back at her, like maybe I had an explanation tucked into my backpack. Kimberly blinked—slow, dreamy—and her eyes drifted over our shoulders.

And then she walked away. Not hurried, not distracted like she’d remembered homework. Just… gliding down the hall like she was following music none of us could hear. My mouth fell open.

“Uh… Kim?” Tommy let out a quiet, confused laugh that didn’t sound like a laugh at all.

“Okay, what—?” We watched her weave between students, not even looking where she was going, until she stopped directly in front of Skull. Skull, who was standing there with Bulk, both of them messing with their receipt pad like they were running a high-end ticketing booth instead of a hallway hustle.

Kimberly stared at him for a long second. Then, with the sincerity of someone confessing a life-altering secret, she breathed, “You are just about the cutest thing that I have ever seen.”

Skull’s head snapped up so fast I thought he might sprain his neck, “Me?”

Kimberly stepped closer, batting her lashes like she was in a soap opera. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the *most* beautiful eyes?”

Bulk choked on absolutely nothing. Skull blinked twice, face blank. “No… not recently.”

Kimberly bit her lip—bit her lip—like she was trying to be coy. “Listen, handsome,” she said, voice dropping like she was flirting in a movie. “Uh… you got a date for the ball?”

I felt my soul leave my body. Okay, this is getting *super* weird.

Skull’s expression shifted from confusion to sudden, delighted realization. “Now that you mention it… no!”

Bulk’s eyebrows shot up. He looked between them like he was watching a tennis match he didn’t understand.

Tommy, bless him, tried to step in before this could become a full-blown disaster. He moved closer to Kimberly, lowering his voice like he could talk her down from whatever cliff she’d wandered onto. “Kimberly, what’s going on?” he asked carefully. “I thought we were gonna go to the ball—”

“No way,” Kimberly said, breezy and sweet, like Tommy hadn’t spoken at all. And before Tommy could even react, Skull grabbed Kimberly by the waist—way too confidently for someone who usually treated gravity as a personal enemy—and dipped her. Kimberly giggled. Tommy went rigid.

I didn’t even think. I caught Tommy by the sleeve and tugged him away from the circus, steering him a few steps down the hall where the noise dulled into background chaos.

“This is weird…” I whispered, glancing back just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. “This is weird, right? What’s going on?”

Tommy rubbed the back of his neck, eyes darting like he was scanning for cameras.

“No idea,” he muttered, but there was something tight in his voice—something strained. I swallowed, trying to connect the dots.

“Well… it has to do with those monster attacks in the city, right? Something… something magical or whatever. Maybe the Power Rangers will fix it.”

Tommy’s jaw clenched. “Yeah…” he said, too quickly, like he was grabbing onto the excuse the way I was. “Maybe.”

His gaze flicked past me, toward the doors, toward the outside world where the Rangers always seemed to appear when things got bad. He shifted his backpack higher on his shoulder like he’d suddenly remembered somewhere he *needed* to be.

“I should definitely talk to my friends about it,” he said, forcing a thin smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Catch you later?”

I nodded, but my stomach twisted as I watched him take a step back. “Yeah,” I said quietly. “Later.” T

ommy turned and walked away with purpose, leaving me standing there with the uncomfortable realization that this wasn’t just silly Kimberly being silly. And the look in Tommy’s eye—hurt, worried, *determined*—told me he already knew exactly what was happening. I just didn’t know it yet.

Kimberly walked around like a lovesick puppy the rest of the day—twirling her hair, sighing at nothing, staring at Skull like he’d personally invented oxygen. In history, she doodled K + S in the margin of her notes so many times that our teacher had to ask if she needed a new sheet of paper.

Something weird was going on for sure. And if it wasn’t just some random crush phase—if it was Ranger weird—then I needed to keep an eye on her.

The final bell rang, and the hallway erupted into its usual end-of-day chaos: lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking, people shouting goodbyes over each other like we were all being released from captivity.

I spotted Kimberly weaving through the crowd like she was floating, her gaze locked over everyone’s heads.

“Kim!” I jogged to catch up, falling into step beside her. “Hey—still down for dress shopping?”

She blinked at me like she was remembering I existed. “Hmmm… well,” she said slowly, dreamy, “I do have a dress at home in Skull’s favorite color, so maybe I should just wear that.”

I stopped short. “Skull’s… favorite color?”

Kimberly sighed like I was the one being unreasonable. “Yeah. You know. Because he’ll like it.”

My stomach dropped. “Okay, that is officially not normal.”

I tried to keep my voice light, like I wasn’t one more weird sentence away from hauling her to the nurse’s office myself. “Well, if you say so… would you wanna walk home together then?” Surely she couldn’t turn down something we did regularly, right?

“Yeah… sure,” she said with a long, melodramatic sigh—like walking with me was a major sacrifice. And then, because apparently the universe wanted to test my patience, her eyes immediately drifted past me again.

If she stared at Skull any harder, hearts would’ve appeared on her face.

I led her outside, and the late-afternoon sun hit us like a warm blanket. The air smelled like cut grass and someone’s backyard barbecue. The normalcy of it almost made me doubt myself—almost.

We cut through the park on our usual route, the path lined with trees that threw speckled shadows across the pavement. Kids yelled on the playground in the distance, and somewhere nearby a dog barked like it was losing an argument.

Kimberly didn’t say much. She just hummed to herself, swinging her bag and occasionally whispering something that sounded suspiciously like, “Skully…”

“Kim,” I said again, gentler this time. “Are you feeling okay? Like… actually okay?”

She smiled at me, bright and sunny and completely empty. “Never better.”

That did not make me feel better.

Up ahead, I spotted Tommy and his friends gathered on the path like they were waiting for someone. For a split second, relief washed through me—Tommy would know what to do. Tommy always knew what to do.

Then Adam looked up.

Adam waved me over with an easy, friendly smile, and my heart almost leapt out of my chest.

For a second I was worried I was affected by whatever was wrong with Kimberly—before remembering I was always like this.

A hopeless lovesick idiot.

As we got closer, I noticed something off in the way they were standing—too alert, like they were listening for something no one else could hear.

“Hey,” Adam said, stepping forward. His voice was casual, but his eyes kept flicking around the park like he was scanning for trouble. “Have you guys noticed anything strange going on at school today?”

“Definitely,” I said, eyeing Kimberly—still twirling her hair and rocking on her heels like she had an invisible waltz partner.

“Well, if you call falling in love weird then color me guilty!” she giggled, spinning in a little circle. “Skull is just… so dreamy.”

Adam’s eyebrows shot up, and Billy’s glasses caught the sunlight as Billy leaned forward like he was trying to study Kimberly’s expression up close. Rocky made a face like he’d just bitten into something sour.

My eyes flicked to Tommy.

He was trying to look calm, but there was something rigid in the way his shoulders were set—like he was holding himself together with pure willpower. His mouth twitched, not quite a frown and not quite a smile, and the tightness around his eyes made my stomach knot. He didn’t say anything, but it felt like I could hear the thought in his head anyway: That’s not her. That’s not her at all.

“Okay,” I said, forcing a laugh that came out thinner than I wanted, “seriously. Did she hit her head? Should we take her to the doctor?”

Kimberly gasped like I’d insulted her soulmate. “Excuse you, I am perfectly fine. I’ve never been better.”

Aisha crossed her arms. “You’ve called him ‘Skully’ twelve times in the last two minutes.”

“And?” Kimberly said, batting her lashes.

“Kim,” Tommy tried, stepping closer. His voice was gentle, but the strain underneath it was obvious. “Just—can you focus for a second? Look at me.”

Kimberly turned toward him… and then her attention slid right past him like he was a lamppost. She started humming to herself again.

My throat went dry.

I looked to Adam without really thinking—because Adam was always steady, always the one who found the practical answer, the grounded one when everyone else spiraled. He stepped closer, and when he placed a hand on my shoulder it was like my whole body forgot what it was doing.

Warmth bled through the fabric of my shirt, and my brain did that annoying thing it always did around him—turned into static and soft thoughts. His thumb shifted slightly, almost absentminded, and I swear I felt sparks.

“We might know someone who can help,” he said, voice low, like he didn’t want to freak Kimberly out. His eyes held mine for a second too long, and my heart did a ridiculous little flip. “But—”

The word cut off as the ground shuddered.

A flash of lightning split the air—too bright, too close—and a deep rumble rolled through the park like the earth itself had growled. I stumbled, instinctively reaching for balance.

Adam caught me by the waist so easily it was like he’d been ready for it.

My breath hitched.

His arm was solid around me, the kind of hold that made my brain briefly forget there were such things as monsters, Rangers, or common sense. His face was close enough that I could see the little freckle near his cheekbone, and the way his eyes sharpened from gentle to alert in half a second.

“Stay behind us,” he murmured.

“W-what is—”

Another tremor. Leaves shook loose from a tree overhead.

A shape dropped into the path ahead of us with a wet, heavy thud, cracking the pavement. It straightened, towering and ugly, all jagged armor and slime-slick limbs—like someone had tried to build a nightmare out of junkyard scraps and forgot to add a face that made sense.

I froze.

Every horror movie instinct screamed run, but my legs refused to move.

“Nice to see you again, Rangers!” it boomed, voice echoing too loud for something that looked like it had crawled out of a sewer. Its head tilted, and I could feel the way its attention landed on me like a cold hand. “And I see you’ve brought a friend!”

Kimberly made a small, frightened sound. “Oh,” she whimpered, suddenly clutching her hands to her chest. “I have to protect Skull.”

“Kimberly, no,” Tommy snapped—sharp and urgent, a tone I’d never heard from him at school.

Adam’s grip on my waist tightened just slightly, anchoring me. Rocky and Aisha moved in front of us in a practiced line, and Billy’s eyes were already scanning the monster like he was memorizing weak points.

Tommy shoved his arm out, blocking me without even looking back. “Run,” he ordered. “Get away from here!”

My lungs finally remembered how to work. “But what about you—?”

“Now!” Adam said, and for a second his eyes met mine again—soft, apologetic, and determined all at once. Like he was promising I mattered and also telling me he didn’t have time to explain.

Tommy’s hand snapped to the morpher at his wrist. “Ninja power, now!”

There was a burst of light—so bright I had to blink—and the air seemed to crackle with energy. In the span of a heartbeat, my friends weren’t my friends anymore.

They were the Power Rangers.

My stomach dropped through the ground.

The world tilted. The park, the path, the normal afternoon sun—it all felt wrong, like I’d stepped through some invisible door into a reality I wasn’t supposed to know existed.

My friends… are the Rangers?

I took an unsteady step back, horror and awe tangling in my chest so tight it hurt.

The monster laughed, raising its arms like it was about to tear the park in half.

Adam—the Black Ranger—turned his helmeted head toward me for a split second. Even without seeing his face, I knew that look. Go.

Yeah.

Maybe I should run.

They’re totally fine… right?

I took off back toward the school, because apparently today was the day my life decided to become a disaster and my parents were definitely going to kill me for being home so late.

I didn’t stop running until my legs ached and my lungs burned like I’d swallowed fire. My sneakers slapped against the path, and every time I glanced over my shoulder I expected to see that monster crashing through the trees after me.

Nothing.

Just the late-afternoon sun and the wind in the leaves.

I finally stumbled off the path and braced myself against a tree, bending forward with my hands on my knees. My whole body trembled—part exhaustion, part adrenaline, part the lingering shock of what I’d just seen.

My friends… are the Power Rangers.

The thought didn’t feel real. It sounded like something you’d say as a joke, like the kind of rumor Bulk and Skull would start just to get attention.

But I’d seen it.

The light. The suits. The way Tommy’s voice had changed—more commanding, more urgent. The way Adam had moved like he’d done it a thousand times.

Adam.

My chest tightened on his name alone, and I immediately hated myself for it. This was not the time to be thinking about him.

A low rumble rolled through the ground, vibrating up my spine.

I jerked upright, heart slamming into my ribs. “Oh god, what now?”

I spun in a circle, scanning the trees for any sign of jagged armor or slime-slick limbs.

Nothing.

No monster. No screams. No explosions.

Just… quiet.

Too quiet.

A breeze swept through, cool against my flushed skin, and it blew my hair into my face. I pushed it back, irritated—until my fingers froze.

Tiny red bubbles drifted lazily through the air around me.

Not regular bubbles.

They were shaped like hearts.

My stomach sank. “Okay… that’s not normal.”

I reached out, hesitating for only a second before gently tapping one with my fingertip.

Pop.

A faint, sweet scent hit me—like strawberries and something fizzy—and the world seemed to tilt.

It wasn’t dramatic at first. Just a strange warmth spreading under my skin. A fog curling around the edges of my thoughts.

Then—

Adam.

It was like someone had yanked a string tied directly to my heart. Adam’s smile. Adam’s hands. Adam’s voice saying my name like it was something important.

My brain tried to shove the thoughts away, tried to remind me I’d just watched him turn into the Black Ranger and fight a monster, but the feeling only got stronger—bright and insistent, like a spotlight shining on him in the middle of my mind.

“Oh no,” I whispered.

More heart bubbles floated past my face, and suddenly it was hard to breathe.

I sank to my knees in the grass, pressing my palms to my temples like I could physically push the thoughts out.

Stop. Stop it. Stop thinking about him.

But the harder I tried, the more my chest fluttered with stupid, giddy warmth.

I let out a frustrated sound, half laugh and half sob. “This is so unfair.”

Footsteps pounded nearby.

“Y/n!”

I whipped my head up, blinking through the haze. My friends rushed into view—Tommy first, then Rocky, Billy, Aisha… and then Adam.

Adam, in his normal clothes again, breathing hard like he’d run just as far as I had.

My heart actually skipped.

I stared at him like the sun had decided to wear a leather jacket and look at me.

Someone grabbed my arm and hauled me gently to my feet—Tommy, steadying me like I was going to topple over.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked immediately, voice tight with worry. “Did they hurt you?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but all that came out was the softest, dumbest little sigh.

“I’m fine…”

The words were technically true. But they sounded like a confession anyway.

Aisha moved closer, eyes narrowing as she studied my face. “Oh my god. Did she get hit with what Kimberly did?”

Tommy’s jaw tightened. He tipped my chin up with careful fingers, like he was checking for injuries—but the second he looked into my eyes, his expression shifted.

“Maybe…” he muttered.

Rocky leaned toward Billy with a half-smothered chuckle. “But they always look at Adam like that.”

Billy pushed his glasses up his nose, trying and failing to hide a smile. “Rocky.”

“What?” Adam asked, confused.

Everyone answered at once.

“Nothing.”

“Not the time.”

“Focus.”

Adam’s brows knit together, and he turned back to me, concern deepening. “Can you tell me what happened? We lost sight of you when we—when everything started.”

I tried to form a coherent sentence.

But the bubble-fog made my thoughts slippery, and the only thing my brain wanted to hold onto was Adam is right here.

Billy’s expression sharpened, shifting from amused to practical in half a second. “We should get them to the Power Chamber,” he said firmly.

Adam’s hand settled on my shoulder—warm, steady, grounding.

Without thinking, I covered his hand with mine.

His eyes widened slightly, like he wasn’t sure what to do with the contact.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Can we take you to our friend? He might be able to help you.”

I stared at him, heart pounding, and the words tumbled out before I could stop them.

“I’d go with you anywhere, Adam.”

Aisha made a noise that was halfway between a groan and a laugh. “Yep. Definitely hit with something.”

Adam’s cheeks flushed pink, and for a second the worry on his face flickered into something else—something hopeful, almost fragile.

Then Tommy cleared their throat, snapping the group back into motion. “Okay. No more standing around. Let’s go—now.”

If you had told me a couple days ago I’d witness my friends morphing into the Power Rangers and be teleported to their secret base, I would’ve laughed in your face—and then probably run away screaming that you were crazy. But here I stood. The room around me hummed with a low, constant energy that made the hair on my arms prickle.

Giant metal columns stretched up into darkness, screens blinked with colors I didn’t recognize, and everything smelled faintly like electricity and warm metal—like the inside of a computer lab times a hundred. And in the center of it all, a *floating head* stared down at us from inside a glowing tube. I pressed closer to Adam without even realizing I was doing it, like proximity to him could keep my brain from short-circuiting.

“Zordon,” Tommy said, voice steady in a way that made it clear this was not the first time they’d stood here like this. “There’s something wrong with Kim and Y/n. They’re… not themselves.”

Kimberly giggled beside me, dreamy and airy, like we were at the mall and not in a sci‑fi bunker under a mountain.

“Skull is just… so romantic,” she sighed, clasping her hands to her chest. My stomach twisted. I knew Kimberly. This wasn’t her.

Zordon’s voice echoed throughout the chamber, deep and calm and *too* loud for someone who was only a head. “Alpha, run a scan for abnormal biowaves.”

The humanoid robot—Alpha, apparently—bounced forward on quick, clanky feet, holding up a metal wand that whirred and blinked at the tip. “Hold still! It will only take a moment!”

I tried to, honestly. I tried to keep my hands to myself, to stand like a normal person and not like someone who’d been dropped into a fever dream. But the second Adam shifted to step aside so Alpha could scan me, something in my chest went tight and needy. My hand reached out (seemingly on its own) and grabbed his.

Adam froze.

For a split second his eyes flicked down to where my fingers were laced with his, and then up to my face again, like he was trying to decide if I was joking. I wasn’t.

Kimberly leaned forward, squinting at the wand like it was going to reveal the answer to every romantic question in the universe. “Kimberly and….” She gasped dramatically, then sighed. “Skullovich. Kimberly Hart Skullovich.”

“Kim,” Aisha muttered, rubbing her forehead. “Please.”

My eyes drifted to Adam the way they always did—only now it was turned up to a thousand. His hair was slightly mussed like he’d been running, his flannel tank top clung faintly to his shoulders, and his hands—his *hands*—were warm and steady in mine.

My brain, traitorous and useless, offered me an entirely unhelpful thought: *If he asked me to jump off a cliff right now, I probably would.*

What is going on? Why couldn’t I shake this off like normal? Why did being near him feel like oxygen and being away feel like I was missing a limb?

Alpha’s wand beeped rapidly. “Oh! Oh dear,” Alpha said, pulling back. “They seem to be under the spell of a love potion!”

“Thank goodness,” Aisha sighed, like the words alone had lowered her blood pressure. Adam’s grip tightened just slightly.

“A love potion,” he repeated, quieter, like he didn’t like the way it sounded. Before anyone could say anything else, a loud alarm blared. I flinched hard, a sharp gasp leaving me before I could stop it. My shoulder bumped Adam’s chest, and he reacted instantly—an arm sliding around me like it was instinct. The contact made my heart do something embarrassing.

Zordon’s voice rumbled again. “This is exactly as I suspected. Observe the viewing globe.”

A sphere in the middle of the room lit up, swirling with cloudy images. Adam stepped forward to get a better look, but the second he moved even a foot away it felt like someone had yanked a string tied directly to my ribs. My body followed before my brain could catch up. I stepped forward too, wrapping my arm around his. Adam’s head snapped toward me, surprised, but he didn’t pull away.

The globe cleared to reveal a witchy figure spraying glittering mist across Angel Grove—heart-shaped bubbles drifting through the air like poison confetti.

“This is Mischief,” Zordon explained. “She has wreaked havoc throughout Angel Grove by haphazardly spraying her powerful love potion.”

“I’m all for love,” Aisha said, and then glanced at Kimberly with a grimace as Kimberly whispered something into her ear and giggled again. “But this is getting out of hand. Other than you two, of course,” she added, nodding toward me and Adam with a smirk. “Glad this is finally happening.”

My face flamed. I turned to Aisha, confused, and then to Adam—whose face was already bright red, like he’d been dipped in blush. Rocky made a low, amused sound. Billy tried—and failed—to hide a smile. Zordon continued, unfazed by our collective humiliation.

“Do not underestimate Mischief’s power. Her love potion undermines common sense, leaving the individual vulnerable to danger.” Adam’s jaw tightened. He stared at the globe for a second longer than the others, like he was imagining all the ways this could go wrong.

“Zordon,” Adam asked, voice firm, “can you help them?”

“I am hesitant to tamper with the delicate balance of human emotion,” Zordon replied. Tommy let out a frustrated breath.

“We need Kimberly back like she was. What are we gonna do?”

“Perhaps Mischief’s love potion will gradually wear off Kimberly and the others,” Zordon said. “Until then, keep them under close watch.”

I swallowed, fingers tightening around Adam’s hand.

“What about Y/n?” Adam asked, turning toward Tommy, like the question mattered more than he wanted anyone to notice.

Tommy shrugged, a little too casual. “They can stay here with Alpha for now.”

“But—” Adam’s gaze dropped to my arm still looped around his. His voice lowered. “What happens when this wears off?”

The air went very still. Because even through the fog in my head, I understood what he meant. When the spell wore off, I’d remember everything. The way I was clinging to him like it was my right. The way my body leaned into his touch like it belonged there. The way my mouth kept wanting to say things I’d never had the courage to say.

Rocky clapped Adam on the shoulder with a chuckle that was maybe a little too gentle, "I guess you’ll have that conversation when it happens.”

Adam didn’t laugh. Instead he looked at me—really looked—eyes intense with determination and… something else I couldn’t place. Something fragile. Something hopeful. “Can you stay here until I get back?” he asked quietly.

“I can’t go with you?” I almost whined, hating how my voice turned soft around him.

“No.” Adam shook his head, expression firm. “Too dangerous.”

My hand rose to his face like I’d done it a thousand times. I brushed my thumb along his cheekbone, and his breath hitched.

“Just be careful,” I whispered. He looked shocked, like he didn’t know what to do with someone touching him that gently—especially me. It was too cute. Before I could stop myself, I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Adam went completely still, eyes wide, like his brain had short-circuited.

“Lovebirds!” Rocky shouted from across the room. “We gotta go!”

Adam tore his gaze away from me like it physically hurt. For a second his expression was almost pained, like he was leaving something unfinished.

“We’ll talk later,” he said softly.

Talk later? My stomach fluttered so hard it almost hurt.

Talk about what?

About the fact that I’d just kissed him like it was the most natural thing in the world? About the way his eyes had gone wide—surprised, yes, but not… angry. Not disgusted. Just startled, like he’d been caught holding something fragile he didn’t want to drop.

About how I couldn’t tell if that softness in his voice was sympathy for me because I was spellbound… or something he’d been holding back for a long time? My fingers hovered near my lips, like I could still feel the warmth of his cheek against them.

He said we’ll talk later.

Not “stop.”

Not “don’t.”

Not “what are you doing?”

And somehow that was worse, because my brain immediately filled the silence with possibilities. Maybe he was going to laugh it off when the potion wore off. Maybe he was going to tell me it didn’t count. Or maybe— My heart thumped, loud in my ears. Maybe he meant it. I swallowed, forcing my feet to stay planted even though every instinct in me screamed to chase after him and cling to his sleeve like a lovesick ghost.

“Adam,” I started, voice coming out small. He paused—just for a second—like he heard me. Like he was considering turning back. Then Rocky shouted again, and the moment snapped like a thread pulled too tight. Adam’s shoulders tensed. He looked over his shoulder one last time, and even from here I could feel the conflict in it.

“I promise,” he said—so quiet it was almost just for me—“okay?” And then he was gone.

I didn’t see my friends for the rest of the day.

I tried. I really did.

But I couldn’t focus on anything. In English, my pencil kept drifting across the margins of my notes, sketching hearts before I could even catch myself. In algebra, I stared at the same problem long enough that the numbers started to blur.

I scratched it out the heart I had drawn instead.

Five minutes later, there it was again, only now I’d accidentally added little lightning bolts around it like I was twelve.

Every time the hallway got loud outside the classroom, my head snapped up, half expecting to see Adam leaning in the doorway with that careful, shy smile—like he was debating whether he was allowed to look at me for too long.

By lunch I’d worked myself into such a frantic mess that I actually waited by his locker, pretending I had a reason to be there. Like I was just… casually hanging out in the exact place Adam would show up.

He didn’t.

My chest stayed tight anyway.

I needed to clear my head before I did something worse than kissing him under a love spell—like kissing him on purpose and then spontaneously combusting in front of the whole school.

So I slipped away to the single-stall bathroom near the gym, the one no one ever used unless they were trying to hide. The door clicked shut behind me with a final, blessed sound.

It was quiet. Too quiet, like the air itself was holding its breath.

I tossed my bag onto the tile floor beside the sink and leaned forward, gripping the edges of the counter.

“Okay,” I whispered to my reflection. “Get it together.”

Cold water should help, right?

I turned on the faucet and let it run until it was icy, then splashed my face once—twice—enough to make my skin sting. I inhaled slowly, trying to force the panic out of my lungs.

When I looked back up at the mirror, my heart stopped.

Tiny bubbles drifted lazily through the air around my head.

Not the red heart ones from the park.

These were blue—pale and shimmering, like pieces of sky floating inside the bathroom light.

“No,” I breathed, blinking hard.

One of them bobbed closer, like it had heard me. It landed on the tip of my nose.

I went cross-eyed trying to look at it.

Then it popped.

A cool, fizzy sensation burst across my face like I’d stuck my head into a carbonated drink. I sputtered, jerking back, immediately turning to the sink to rinse it off.

“Ew—what is that?”

I scrubbed at my nose like the potion was going to leave glitter residue behind. The water ran cold over my fingers. I lifted my face again.

The bubbles were gone.

Just like that.

And with them… the fog in my brain lifted.

Not all the way—because my thoughts still clung to Adam like a stubborn song stuck in my head—but the dizzy, floaty spell feeling was gone. The giddy urgency faded into something sharper, more real.

Which was somehow worse.

Because now I could remember everything with perfect, horrifying clarity.

The way I’d grabbed his hand.

The way I’d clung to him.

The way I’d kissed him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Oh my god,” I whispered.

I kissed him.

I kissed Adam Park.

And he’d looked so surprised—so stunned—that my stomach twisted all over again.

I pressed my back to the wall and slid down until I was sitting on the cold tile, knees pulled to my chest.

He’s never going to want to talk to me again.

I just ruined my friendship.

I should move schools, change my name, maybe even get a motorbike and ride far away—

The bathroom door burst open.

I flinched so hard my shoulder hit the wall with a thud.

Kimberly and Aisha stood in the doorway like they’d been on a mission.

“Is it gone?” Aisha asked immediately, eyes scanning my face.

“Is what gone?” I said, still trying to make my voice work.

Kimberly sighed in relief, bright and airy like she’d just crossed something off a checklist. “Yeah, the spell’s definitely worn off. You don’t look as… lovesick.” She paused, then added with a grin, “Well. Not more than normal.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I muttered, crossing my arms like that would stop my face from betraying me.

Kimberly ignored me entirely and crouched, reaching for my bag.

“Kim, don’t—”

Too late.

She pulled out my notebook with the confidence of someone who had never once respected personal space. Her eyes flicked to the open page, and her expression turned so smug that I wanted to evaporate.

“Well,” Kimberly said sweetly, holding it up just out of my reach, “I know these are from a month ago.”

My blood went ice-cold.

I lunged forward, snatching the notebook and slamming it shut so hard it echoed in the tiny room.

“That means nothing,” I said, voice cracking on the last word.

Aisha leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, trying and failing to hide a laugh. “Sure. Totally. Nothing at all.”

I groaned, dropping my forehead into my hands. “Can we please not do this right now?”

“Fine,” Aisha said, lifting both hands in surrender. Then, like she’d been waiting to drop the real bomb, she added, “Anyways—Adam’s looking for you.”

My head snapped up.

“What?”

My eyes went wide, and panic flooded back into my chest like someone had opened a dam.

“I can’t talk to him,” I blurted. “I can’t talk to him ever again.”

Kimberly blinked at me. “Why?”

Because I kissed him.

Because I kissed him.

Because I kissed him and he probably thinks I’m a complete disaster and—

“I kissed him!” I hissed, like saying it any louder would summon him in the mirror like a ghost. “Oh my god, he probably hates me now. He didn’t even want to be alone with me last weekend, and I made everything super awkward and—”

Aisha’s laugh cut through my spiral.

“He was way too nervous to be alone with you,” Aisha said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I stared at her.

Confusion wiped my panic blank for a second.

“What?”

Kimberly tilted her head, expression softening into something almost affectionate. “You seriously don’t know?”

“I don’t know anything,” I said miserably.

Aisha pushed off the wall and stepped closer, lowering her voice like she was about to deliver sacred information. “You should talk to him. In fact… I just saw him buy couples tickets to the dance.”

My breath caught.

Couples tickets?

I shot to my feet so fast I nearly knocked my bag over.

“Couples tickets,” I repeated, like maybe if I said it out loud it would turn back into something logical.

Aisha smirked. “Yep.”

Kimberly clapped her hands once, delighted. “He’s out by your locker.”

My heart started pounding so hard it made my ears ring.

Kimberly stepped in, fixing a strand of hair behind my ear like she was sending me into battle, then shoved me gently toward the door. “Go,” she whispered, grinning. “Before I go out there and propose for you.”

“Kim—”

“Go!” Aisha echoed, laughing.

And then I was out in the hallway, the bathroom door clicking shut behind me like the point of no return.

My hands gripped the straps of my backpack as I walked slowly down the hall. My mind was still racing—still replaying everything I’d done while the love potion had me acting like my brain had been replaced by heart-shaped confetti.

The hallway was loud in the way it always was between classes—lockers slamming, someone laughing too loudly, sneakers squeaking against the waxed floor—but it all felt distant, like I was listening through water.

When I finally looked up, Adam stood at my locker.

Not leaning on it, not casually waiting like this was just some normal day—he was standing a careful half-step away, like he wasn’t sure if he had the right to be that close. He kept glancing at the trophy case beside him, using the glass to check his hair, then immediately pretending he hadn’t.

The second his eyes met mine, he froze.

Then he smiled—small and nervous, like he was trying to be brave and failing in the cutest way.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

We just… stood there.

It was a stupid amount of silence for two people who were supposed to be friends. I could hear my heartbeat. I could hear his breath. I could hear Kimberly and Aisha somewhere down the hall, probably hiding behind a corner like they were watching a live episode of a soap opera.

Adam cleared his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Listen, I—uh…” He looked down at his hands, then back up at me, like eye contact might make his courage disintegrate. “Okay. So. About earlier.”

My stomach dropped.

Here it comes. The polite rejection. The awkward laugh. The let’s just pretend it never happened.

Adam’s voice rushed forward as if he was trying to beat his own fear to the punch. “If you’re… if you’re not interested anymore after the whole—” He gestured vaguely, like the word love potion was embarrassing to say out loud. “—thing. I totally get it. I just wanted to—”

“No longer interested?” I repeated before I could stop myself.

He blinked like I’d slapped him with a textbook. “What?”

I swallowed, my throat suddenly too tight. “You said if I’m not interested anymore.” My hands tightened on my backpack straps. “Like… I was interested, and now I’m not.”

Adam’s eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. “No—no, that’s not what I meant.” He dragged a hand through his hair, making it worse, then seemed to realize it and immediately tried to smooth it back down. “I just— you got hit with that love potion. And I know it’s worn off now, so I wanted you to know it doesn’t change anything.”

“Oh…”

The word came out small.

Because I couldn’t tell what doesn’t change anything meant.

Does it mean we’re still friends?

Does it mean I forgive you for acting weird?

Or does it mean I feel the same, spell or no spell?

Adam played with his hands nervously, thumb rubbing over his knuckles like he was trying to ground himself. His gaze darted to my locker, then to my face, then away again.

I felt my chest tighten.

Maybe Kimberly and Aisha were wrong. Maybe they’d hyped themselves up and dragged me along for entertainment. Maybe the “couples tickets” weren’t for me at all.

I forced my voice to work. “What if…” I paused, the words trembling on the edge of humiliation. “What if I wanted it to change?”

Adam went still.

For a second, he just stared at me like he was recalculating the entire universe.

Then his expression softened—relief first, bright and sudden, like someone had opened a window in a room he’d been suffocating in. And behind it was something warmer. Something that made my stomach flip.

“Oh,” he breathed.

He shoved a hand into his pocket so quickly he nearly fumbled, then pulled out two slightly crumpled tickets. He held them like they were fragile.

“Well,” he said, voice quiet but steady, “then I guess it’s good I got these.”

He placed one in my palm.

His fingers brushed mine—barely a touch—but it felt like my whole body noticed.

I stared down at the ticket, then up at him. “Adam…”

His cheeks were pink. He tried to look calm and failed miserably. “I was gonna ask you earlier. Like, before any potion stuff. I just—” He let out a shaky breath, smiling like he couldn’t help it. “I kept chickening out.”

Something in my chest unclenched.

I took a tiny step closer, and Adam didn’t move away. If anything, he leaned in like he’d been waiting for permission.

Trying to borrow even a sliver of the love potion’s boldness—without the part where my brain stopped functioning—I rose onto my toes and kissed his cheek.

Not a dramatic, movie kiss.

Just a soft little press that said I’m here. I’m real. This is real.

Adam’s breath hitched.

When I pulled back, we were both blushing so hard it had to be visible from space.

His eyes flicked to my mouth for half a second, then back to my eyes, like he wasn’t sure where he was allowed to look.

I opened my mouth to say something—anything coherent—but the bell shrieked over us, loud and cruel.

Adam flinched, then laughed under his breath like the universe had terrible comedic timing. “I’ll, uh… see you after school?”

I nodded, because if I tried to speak I might actually combust.

“Great,” he said, still smiling.

He started walking backward toward his classroom, like he couldn’t make himself turn away from me yet. “Okay. So. After school.”

He lifted a hand in a little wave—then immediately bumped into a doorway.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to trap the giggle that escaped.

Adam froze, mortified.

Then he chuckled too, rubbing the back of his neck like he wished the floor would swallow him whole. “Smooth,” he muttered.

I lowered my hand, smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. “Very smooth.”

He pointed at me like he was going to pretend he’d meant to do it. “Yeah. Exactly. Totally on purpose.”

I laughed, and the sound seemed to make him relax.

Adam waved again—this time successfully—then turned and disappeared into his classroom.

The second he was gone, two pairs of hands grabbed my shoulders.

“It’s happening!” Kimberly hissed in my ear, like she was trying not to scream.

I startled, then turned to see Kimberly and Aisha practically vibrating with excitement.

“Finally,” Aisha said, grinning. “It was starting to get painful watching you two dance around each other like lovesick idiots.”

I scoffed, trying for annoyed and failing completely. “Whatever.”

Kimberly clapped her hands together like she was already planning a wedding. “I know the perfect shop to get your outfit from!”

~~~

I turned in the mirror, eyeing the outfit Kimberly had picked out for me.

She was right—of course she was. It hugged my body perfectly, and the color made my skin look like it was actually glowing instead of just… anxious.

I smoothed my hands down the fabric one last time, did a final check of my hair, and popped a mint in just before the doorbell rang.

My heart launched into my throat.

I ran downstairs, doing my best not to trip in the new shoes. By the time I reached the door, I was already breathless—like I’d sprinted a mile instead of a staircase.

Adam stood on the porch with a bouquet of flowers clenched in his hand like he’d been holding on for dear life.

The second he saw me, he froze.

Then his eyes went wide, and his mouth parted in quiet disbelief.

“Wow…” he breathed. “You look amazing.”

Warmth spread across my face so fast I was sure it was visible from space. “So do you,” I said, letting my eyes drift over his fitted tux before I could stop myself.

Adam’s cheeks pinked. “Ready to go?”

“Yup.” I took the flowers from him with careful hands, like they were fragile. “Let me throw these in some water!”

He chuckled as I hurried back inside for a vase, trying not to think about the fact that Adam Park had just shown up at my house with flowers.

Adam Park, who I’d kissed.

Adam Park, who was about to drive me to the dance.

I set the bouquet on the counter and filled the vase with water with shaking hands. When I came back to the door, Adam was still there, still looking slightly stunned, like he was waiting for someone to tell him it was a prank.

“You okay?” I asked softly.

He blinked, then let out a quiet laugh. “Yeah. I’m just… I’m trying to act normal, and I’m failing.”

That made me smile, the nerves loosening a fraction. “Good. Because I’m also failing.”

He offered his arm like we were in a movie, and I took it like I belonged there.

The drive to the school was quiet in the best way. Music played softly on the speakers—something slow and nostalgic—and the streetlights blurred past the windows like streaks of gold.

Adam kept both hands on the wheel, posture careful, like he was determined not to breathe wrong.

I couldn’t help staring at him.

His jaw was set, but not tense. Just focused. His hair was neatly styled, but a stubborn strand kept falling forward, and every time it did I had to resist the urge to reach over and fix it.

I can’t believe this is real.

Adam cleared his throat. “So…” He glanced at me for half a second before forcing his eyes back to the road. “Are you sure the potion’s worn off?”

The question came out light, teasing—but his voice wobbled around the edges.

“I actually meant to talk to you about that,” I said.

His shoulders stiffened.

I quickly lifted a hand. “It’s totally worn off. I swear. I’m not gonna start, like… writing your last name in my notebook and drawing hearts around it.”

Adam made a small, embarrassed sound. “I—okay, that’s good.”

“But…” I hesitated, fingers twisting together in my lap. “While you were gone, I talked with Alpha at the Command Center. I was confused, because Kimberly fell for Skull because she was looking at him when the potion hit her… and I wasn’t with anyone when it hit me.”

Adam’s knuckles tightened slightly on the steering wheel.

“Alpha said that’s why I wasn’t as… intense as Kimberly,” I continued, choosing my words carefully. “He said the potion basically latches on to what’s already there. Like it’s not creating feelings out of nothing. It just… amplifies.”

Adam’s gaze flicked to me again, longer this time.

I swallowed.

“It amplified feelings I already had.”

The silence that followed was so thick I could hear the hum of the tires on the road.

Adam pulled into the school parking lot, parked in a spot near the gym, and turned the engine off.

Then he turned to look at me.

“What?” he asked, voice quiet.

My pulse hammered so hard I thought it might bruise.

“I’ve always had feelings for you, Adam,” I admitted, and my voice shook despite my best efforts. “And I’m sorry it took me getting potioned to act on it. I hate that it happened that way. I hate that it might’ve made you feel like… like you couldn’t trust any of it.”

Adam just stared at me.

For one terrifying second, I thought I’d finally said the one honest thing that would shatter everything.

Then a huge smile spread across his face—slow, warm, disbelieving.

“You have no idea how relieving it is to hear that,” he said.

My laugh came out a little breathless. I looked down at my hands to avoid his gaze, because if I looked at him while he was smiling like that, I might actually melt into the seat.

Adam’s hand reached out, gentle, and brushed a loose piece of hair away from my face.

Our eyes met.

And if lightning had struck me down right there in the parking lot, I would’ve died happy.

Something magnetic pulled us closer. I could feel his breath when he leaned in, and my whole body went still—like it had been waiting for this moment for years.

Then his lips met mine.

It was like the first drop on a rollercoaster—so satisfying after the anticipation of the climb that it made my stomach flip.

His hands cupped my face, warm and steady, as I pulled him closer by the collar of his jacket.

When we finally pulled apart for air, we both started giggling like idiots.

Adam rested his forehead against mine for a second, still smiling. “Okay,” he murmured. “Okay. This is… yeah.”

I nodded, breathless. “Yeah.”

He kissed me again, quick and softer this time—like he couldn’t help it—then finally leaned back.

“Ready to go in?” he asked.

I stared at him, still dazed. “I thought you asked if I was ready to dance.”

Adam’s laugh was quiet, and the nervousness that had been clinging to him all night finally cracked a little. “Both.”

We got out of the car, and as soon as we stepped into the gym, the air changed.

The junior police ball decorations were… surprisingly nice. Strings of white lights hung from the rafters, casting everything in a soft glow. Streamers curled along the walls, and a banner hung over the DJ table that looked like it had been made by someone who took their job way too seriously.

There were punch bowls, a snack table, a photo area with a glittery backdrop, and—somewhere near the entrance—Bulk and Skull trying to look official in their security outfits.

Aisha appeared out of nowhere, leaned in close to my ear, and whispered, “I’m so proud I might cry.”

I elbowed them gently, cheeks burning. “Stop.”

Adam stood beside me, hands in his pockets like he didn’t know what to do with them. But when I glanced at him, his expression softened.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded, then hesitated. “Are you okay?”

He looked at me for a long second, then admitted quietly, “I was scared.”

“Of what?”

“That you’d wake up and hate me,” he said.

I blinked. “Why would I—”

Adam cut me off with a tiny shake of his head. “Because you didn’t get a choice. None of it was your choice.” His voice lowered even more. “And I… I didn’t want you to think I enjoyed it.”

My chest tightened.

I reached for his hand, threading my fingers through his like it was the simplest thing in the world.

“I didn’t hate you,” I whispered. “I was embarrassed, yeah. Mortified. I wanted to move away and change my name and pretend I never existed.”

Adam huffed a laugh.

“But I never hated you,” I finished. “If anything, it made me realize how tired I am of pretending I don’t feel anything.”

Adam’s thumb brushed over my knuckles.

He didn’t say anything for a moment.

Then, quietly, like the words were precious, he said, “I’ve liked you for a long time.”

My breath caught.

The DJ changed the song.

The new one was slower, the kind of song that made the chatter in the gym drop into a hum.

Adam glanced toward the dance floor, then back at me, like he was building courage. “So…”

“So?”

“Ready to dance?”

I grinned. “I thought you already asked me that.”

Adam squeezed my hand. “I’m gonna ask you a lot.”

“I hope you do.”

We walked onto the dance floor together.

Adam’s hand settled carefully at my waist, like he was giving me room to pull away if I wanted.

I didn’t.

I stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder, and Adam’s breath stuttered like I’d surprised him.

“Okay?” he asked softly.

I nodded, voice barely more than a whisper. “Okay.”

We started to sway with the music, slow and a little awkward at first. The gym floor was crowded, people laughing and spinning, but it felt like the two of us had our own pocket of quiet.

Adam’s gaze kept flicking down to my mouth, then back to my eyes like he was trying to be respectful and failing.

I was pretty sure I was doing the same.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” I admitted.

Adam’s smile was gentle. “Me neither.”

I tilted my head. “You know this means you can’t chicken out anymore, right?”

Adam laughed under his breath. “I’m trying.”

“Try harder,” I teased.

Adam’s expression softened, and he pulled me just a little closer. “Okay,” he promised. “I will.”

I didn’t have a clever response for that.

So I just rested my head against his shoulder and let myself breathe.

For the first time all day, my thoughts weren’t hearts and panic and humiliation.

They were warm.

Safe.

Real.

And when Adam’s hand tightened at my waist—just slightly, just enough to tell me he was here, that he wasn’t going anywhere—I knew I’d made the right choice.

The potion hadn’t made me fall for him.

It had just forced me to stop running from it.