DISCLAIMER: I do not own Power Rangers, Disney, The Little Mermaid OR the song "Kiss the Girl". I WISH I owned RJ, though...for my own little reasons. ;) ENJOY!
It was a typical Monday at Jungle Karma Pizza with everyone ripping and running to fill the orders of their many customers during the lunch rush. Casey pulled double duty by manning the register and greeting customers, Fran was in the back with RJ making the pizzas while Lily and Theo bussed tables. It was typical...except for the fact that the owner wasn't his usual carefree self. For some odd reason, not really even known to him, he felt...empty. As Fran looked up from spreading banana slices onto the sauce-covered dough, she noticed his face, more notably his green eyes. When she first met him, they had such a twinkle in them; they conveyed the zest for life he had. Now they just seem dull, almost lifeless. Concerned for her boss and friend, she took a chance and asked him what was on his mind.
"Hey, boss? Is something wrong? You don't seem like yourself. Haven't been for a couple of days." She commented.
RJ looked at his young employee and sighed. Truthfully, he hasn't been himself; he knew it and it was clear to his cubs. Sure, he was one of the youngest cubs to ever reach Pai Zhuq master status in the history of the academy; sure, he owns a successful vegan pizzeria and sure, he was mentor to the newest team of Power Rangers. You'd think he'd be happy, right? He should be happy...but he wasn't.
"To be honest, I'm not. Fran, have you ever looked at your life and felt there was something...missing?" He asked his pig-tailed employee.
Fran was taken aback. As long as she'd known him, he' never acted so...serious. It was a thought-probing question, one she never expected from someone so laid back.
"Well, no, not really. But then again, I'm just a kid. I haven't really lived that long yet. Why? Is that why you've been so down lately?" The bespectacled young woman asked.
RJ just nodded as he kneaded the dough. He knew exactly what he was missing; he saw it every time a young couple would sit in one of the booths and feed each other pizza, smiling and giggling, staring longingly into each other's eyes. Whenever he would witness such a display of affection, the hole in his heart seemed to grow wider making him feel even emptier inside. It wasn't like he really had a lot of time to date, he hated to admit, but still...he wished he could find that one woman, that one beautiful soul that would complete him.
Meanwhile, in the dining area of JKP, a young woman with jet black hair flowing down her back walked in. She had a white lab coat over her multicolored blouse and black skirt that came just above her knees. She was looking for a new place to go for lunch and a friend turned her on to the vegan pizzeria. Being curious...and hungry...she figured the place deserved a chance. Walking to one of the tables, she grabbed one of the laminated menus and looked it over as Theo came over to take her order.
"Welcome to Jungle Karma Pizza. I'm Theo. May I take your order?" He asked graciously.
She looked up at him with her soft brown eyes and replied.
"I'm still deciding." She answered with a warm smile.
"No problem. Take your time and call me when you've made up your mind." He suggested smiling back.
"I will." She replied in a soft voice.
As Theo left the table, RJ walked out from the back to ask Lily something when he caught sight of the young lady sitting alone in the middle of the room. Lily saw his glazed over expression and wondered if he was sick; when she followed his gaze to the lady at the table, she grinned. He was sick, alright...lovesick. She nudged Casey and pointed to their boss and then at the woman. Getting the message, he goes to his boombox under the cash register and presses play. Soon, the perfect song wafted through the pizza parlor.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
There you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The young lady rests her head on her left hand as she pulls some of her ebony hair over her right ear with the other revealing some of her milk chocolate skin. She peruses the menu again and her full, strawberry lips move as she reads over each item. That was a habit of hers; she would read silently, but her lips would still mouth the words. Half the time, she doesn't even notice she's doing it...but someone did. The Pai Zhuq pizza chef slowly walked to the other edge of the counter which was closer to the woman and continued to watch her with quiet admiration.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
It's possible she wants you, too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Fran came out of the kitchen to see why there was music playing. Lily just grinned and pointed to her mentor and the lady at the table. The teen in pigtails giggled and whispered...
"Ahhh, love at first sight. I think he's found what he's missing."
The raven haired woman looks up and waves to Theo letting him know she was ready to order. The young waiter nodded and hurried over after giving another table their check. He grabs the pen from behind his ear and prepares to jot down the order.
"I'll have a slice of Thrilla Gorilla, extra bananas." She replied grinning.
"Excellent choice. That's one of our most popular pizzas. Anything to drink?" Theo asked.
"Ice water, thanks."
"Coming right up."
The young jaguar relayed the order to Fran and Lily, zipping past his boss who was leaning back against the counter. The softness of her voice caressed his ears as she spoke. All she did was order a slice of pizza and that alone did something to him. He pushed himself off of the counter and was about to walk over and introduce himself, but a nagging voice inside his head stopped him.
"Are you crazy? Look at her. She's beautiful, smart, sophisticated...and you're...what? A pizza chef? Do you really think you have a chance with someone like her? Wake up and smell the marinara! It ain't gonna happen, dude!" The voice nagged.
RJ let those negative thoughts get the better of him and he stepped back behind the counter. He watched forlornly as the young lady crossed her legs. She looked up and turned her gaze towards the counter at RJ who looked down a nanosecond before their eyes met.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sing with me now
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
My, oh, my
Look like the boy too shy
Ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Ain't that sad
It's such a shame, too bad
You gonna miss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Theo returned with the woman's order and a glass of ice water. Thanking him, she brought the slice of Italian cuisine to her lips. RJ watched carefully; he was proud of the fact that everyone seemed to love his unique pizzas but this time, he held his breath. At that moment, he didn't care about anyone else's approval but hers; he wanted her to like his pizza. She slowly opened her mouth and took her first bite. RJ's green eyes never left her face as she chewed, savoring every flavor that hit her taste buds. She loved it. Seeing her enjoy his favorite creation brought a bright smile to the master's face.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy, you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The lady took a moment from her pizza to look towards the counter. She noticed the tall man with the leopard print hat; he looked down the second she looked up at him the last time. This time, their eyes met for a scant second before they both looked away smiling. Casey and the other could swear their boss was...blushing.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't be scared
You got the mood prepared
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't stop now
Don't try to hide it how
You wanna kiss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Theo walked back to her table when she was finished with her meal and was, by now, wiping her lips gently with her napkin. RJ knew she enjoyed the pizza, but she still wanted to hear her say the words. In his mind, he wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to hear her review or because he wanted to hear the sound of her voice.
"And how was everything, miss?" Theo asked.
"It was delicious; I've never had a pizza with bananas before. Whoever came up with it must be very creative." She raved.
When RJ heard her say that, his heart felt like it would burst. She thought he was creative. That hole in his heart was quickly closing up.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Float along
And listen to the song
The song say kiss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The woman looked down at her watch and saw that she only had a few minutes left before her shift started up again.
"Oh, man! I'm gonna be late if I don't leave now. Thank you again for the pizza. My compliments to the chef."
She reached inside her small black purse and pulls out the money for her slice plus a 5 bill for Theo's tip. The young waiter looked at the fiver with wide eyes and thanked her as she scribbled a note on a scratch piece of paper. He handed it to Theo as she rose from the table and asked him to give it to the one who created the pizza.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Music play
Do what the music say
You wanna kiss the girl
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
When RJ saw her leave from the table, he tried to go to her, to at least ask for her name, but his feet refused to cooperate. He helplessly watched as she made her way to the front door.
"Wait! I don't even know your name. Don't go...please." He thought to himself wanting so badly to shout.
Theo remembered the small note and handed it to the distraught Pai Zhuq master. Pulling it open along its single fold, he read the five words written on the white paper and smiled. The note read:
"Don't worry...I'll be back. ;)"
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
You've got to kiss the girl
Why don't you kiss the girl
You gotta kiss the girl
Go on and kiss the girl
He'll get the chance soon enough. ;)
END
A/N" I hope you guys like this little one shot. I heard Colby Caillait's (sp?) version of the song and thought it was perfect. :)R&R and keep checking back. I'm also working on another chapter of Cat Got Your Tongue and Love Across Time so keep checking back. Hopefully one...or both...might be up today.