Teenage Mutant Ninja Hormones

Ever since the Kane boys had reached their angsty teenage years, the brick faced house on Savannah Lane had been treated to an abnormal amount of raging hormones.

There was unpleasant confrontations about the altering of their curfews, trouble trying to wake them up every day before the school bus arrived, brief conversations about their questionable hygiene practices, and the desperate -- but futile -- attempts to get the boys to spend less time worrying about high school drama, and more time focused on homework and family.

But, of all the things to be expected with teen boys and hormones, there is one thing that always tops the chart: teenage girls. Neither boy was able to escape their spells, but it's not as if either of them were concerned; the pain, apparently, was worth it. And, where Travis Kane was concerned, the waters of young love were about to get a lot, lot more turbulent... For better, or for worse.

---

The tents and camping gear had all been loaded up in the car, leaving barely enough room for the family to squish in; Amelia was already whining about having to sit on mommy's lap, Jeb was having a last-minute discussion with Meredith about the best path to take to the camp ground, and Bradley was making absolute sure that his older brother had not changed his mind.



"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Bradley asked for probably the third time, Travis guessed. "It's not that far out of town, we'll make it back tomorrow before practice if that's what you're worried about. I'm sure we could figure out a way to fit you in the car..."

Travis laughed, and shook his head.



"Nah, fishing's not really my thing," Travis replied with a shrug. "Even if there was room, I wouldn't be all that excited about going. No reason to drag me along and have me be a party pooper. Besides, I still haven't finished that report Mrs. Curious assigned, I probably should finish it before the weekend's over."

"Well, suit yourself," Bradley chuckled. "But you better not complain that you were bored all night!"

"Oh," Travis thought to himself. "I don't think you need to worry about that..."



Once Travis saw the car drive off up the road, he hurried upstairs, changed, and made a quick stop in the bathroom to check out his hair. He wanted to look good, tonight... It's not many nights he'd get an opportunity like this, and he was going to make it well worth it.

The phone calls went out, and not twenty minutes later, June Larson came busting through the front door with her typical frazzled expression and annoyed attitude.



"There's practically a line of people outside, Travis!" she groaned as she ran up behind him. "How many people did you invite to this thing?!"

"Oh... A few."

"Ugh, you invited everyone, didn't you?"

Travis snickered to himself; she knew him too well.



As Travis cranked up the tunes and put in a call for some delivery, the line of teens began filing through the door. Jocks like Thomas, sweethearts like Bunny and Zo, and even nerds like Tay and Parker -- if Travis was gonna throw a party, he was going to do it right. No one was going to be excluded! Well... Except his family.



When the pizza finally showed up, Travis saw that his girlfriend finally had as well. "Hey Jade," he said with a smile as he walked past her to pay the delivery woman. "Head on in! I'll catch up with you in a bit, need to make some drinks and set this out for people to eat."

Jade mumbled a quick 'mhm' before passing on by to go inside.



Even though the house was a bit cramped, every free space was packed with dancing kids. Travis had never been more excited; people would be talking about this for weeks! And, as much as he loved his brother, he was glad he wasn't here -- it wouldn't be any good if everyone was passing out from boredom because Brad couldn't tell a half-decent joke... bless his heart.

Some danced, some worked on their late homework -- particularly Emerald, who was not very amused by how loud the music was -- some went out side to play a rowdy game of football...



... and some decided to sneak off to a back corner to be alone.

"See, the music isn't quite so bad back here, huh?" Thomas jested as he and Jade danced.

She pursed her lips and shrugged. "Doesn't really make that big a difference. I swear Travis doesn't know how to use the volume control on anything, I'm not that surprised."

"So, things between you and him are going alright, huh?"

"Well, I guess... Why do you ask?"



"Well, word's gotten around that you haven't quite got over me, since we broke up. I know I ended things kinda hastily, and it honestly was a huge mistake... I want to make it up to you...."



... or, 'make it out with you'. After Jade and Thomas snuck downstairs to find a bit more peace and quiet, the details on that particular statement had become rather vague.

Unfortunately for Travis, his timing to come downstairs to use the restroom... could have been better.



"What's wrong, Jade?" Thomas said as Jade looked across the room, where she saw the cold look on Travis' face from his spot at the bottom of the stairs.

"I knew this was a bad idea," she grumbled as she staggered away from the couch, leaving Thomas incredibly confused. But... not for long.



"So this is what the rumors were all about! You've been messing around with Thomas, huh?! Well?! It's over!"

"Please, Travis, let me explain! It's not what you--"

"It's not what I think, huh? Then what is it, Jade?" Travis yelled. "What could possibly be a reasonable explanation for me finding your arms draped around another guy?"



"Travis, I didn't mean to--" but Jade still couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"I knew I shouldn'tve trusted you, Jade. You practically seduced me when I was with Lolly, and you've been acting weird ever since we started dating. You're a lying, cheating girl, Jade. I don't want to have anything to do with you, ever again... We're through."



Travis scowled at Jade, and Jade scowled at Travis... While they both still had choice words for each other in store, the room fell into silence...

... well. Except for Thomas snickering; apparently, he found the whole ordeal rather funny. Ironic, since he wouldn't the moment that July finished walking down the stairs.

July, being his girlfriend. What a loser.

---

On the other side of town, all that was left to light the Kane family's fishing expeditions was a smattering of stars and the moon's glow hovering above the horizon. As the crickets started to come out, Meredith finally decided, "We may as well pack it in for the night."

Unfortunately, they'd been unable to catch much more than a few minnows and a goldfish, which was a lot less than they needed to cook the firepit dinner they'd been planning. Luckily for them, they brought a backup plan.



Backup being marshmallows.

"Mooommm, why don't we just go hoooommmeee," Amelia whined, flopping her sandals loudly -- much to the family's irritation -- while staring into the fire.

Bradley was the first to dignify that with a response: his usual 'over-dignified' response. "We don't get out to do things as a family near enough, Amelia. I think it's positively fantastic that we finally decided to do this. Still unfortunate that Travis isn't here to join us, though."

They all grumbled at his attempt to sound smart; but, after Meredith quipped, "Just grab some freakin' marshmallows and shoosh," at Amelia, things got quiet again.



Both Jeb and Meredith glared at Amelia's stick as she hovered it over the fire, though. "Three marshmallows?" Meredith groaned, scrunching her nose. "Three marshmallows? Do you want to get sick?"

"I'm huungry!" Amelia sighed. "It's not like you brought anything else! And the fishies don't like our bait, sooo..."

"We aren't going to starve, Mia," Meredith sighed. "But... If you're that hungry, I put some pot pies in the cooler before we left."



"Om nom nom nom," Amelia said out loud as she gobbled a pie down...



... much to Jebidiah's chagrin. She was not the only one who did not particularly enjoy this 'camping' thing.



But, at least after a night of sore backs and a grumbling tummy, they'd appreciate their beds at home a lot, lot more.

---

Perhaps Jebidiah was dreaming about how lucky Travis was to be at home in a warm house, eating real food, sleeping on a real bed, but at that particular moment, there was no way that Travis believed he was lucky to be in that position.

He had never been more angry... Never been more hurt.



When he came upstairs, he realized he couldn't face the crowd of kids dancing around the stereo. As soon as he reached the ground floor, he immediately turned into the guest bedroom, and slammed the door behind him.

Unfortunately, not everyone was oblivious to his displayed of anger.



"What was that all about?" Chase asked, her face souring as she turned back to look at Emerald.

"I don't know," Emerald said with pursed lips. "I'm gonna go find out. Can't be anything good." To her frustration, she was pretty sure she knew what was up -- and seeing as her sister was involved, she felt partially responsible.



As Emerald walked in, Travis jumped up from the bed. "Something up?" she asked, even more concerned seeing his impulsive reaction to her entrance.

"No, no, I'm fine, everything's fine," he lied through his teeth as he continued to hang his head, attempting to hide the tears he was desperately trying to contain.



Realizing his discomfort, Emerald looked away. "Oh, this is nice," she said, looking at the painting on the wall next to her. "Your mom do this?"

"Yeah," Travis said, using the moment to wipe away the streaks on his face in an effort to appear a bit more manly. "Yeah, that's one of her recent ones."

"It's nice..."



Travis nodded as he walked up to her, but once he considered leaving the room and going out to face Jade and Thomas again, he had to turn away to hide his tears. "I'm sorry, I'm not usually like this," he mumbled as an excuse.

"No, no, it's okay... you can talk to me, Travis... What happened?"



Emerald felt a bit awkward, trying to handle her sister's boyfriend -- who she was sure was 'ex' at this point -- but she figured it was the right thing to do.

"I walked in on Jade and Thomas doing... something. I don't know. Making out, whatever, but... She's obviously been cheating on me, and so I had to break up with her. I can't stick with her if she's not going to be faithful, you know? But I feel horrible... Jade's my whole world, I really care about her..."



"Hey, you did the right thing." Emerald tried to sound convincing, but she still wasn't sure if this was territory she should be treading on. "My sister's always been full of herself, she could use a little snap back into reality. I mean, if she can't be faithful to you, then she doesn't deserve you... right?"

"Yeah... I guess you're right. Still... I can't believe she..." Travis closed his eyes, trying to shut out the pain for just one more moment; but, when he opened them, he realized something he never had before.



Emerald looked a lot like her sister. Which meant she was... well, beautiful.



And, at the very same moment, Emerald couldn't help thinking how cute Travis was.

"I... I uh.. I mean.. D--Do you want to lay down and talk for a bit? We don't have to go back out there until you're ready to face them," Emerald stuttered out as she gazed into Travis' dark green eyes.

"If you don't mind staying with me... Yeah, I'd like that, a lot."




For what felt like a small taste of infinity, Travis and Emerald talked: about how hard it was to find a good relationship, how miserable it was to see other kids at school who were happily dating and smooching on each other in the halls, how Emerald couldn't figure out why the guy she liked couldn't get the courage to do anything about it, and how Travis was tired of all the girls he liked turning out to be complete nutcases.

It felt good... Like they were both the opposite pages of an angsty romance novel, and now that the book had been slammed shut, the words on their pages were being smudged onto each others'. It was corny, but it made them smile... It made them look at each other in a whole new way.



"You know... It's almost like fate brought us together," Travis said softly as he pulled Emerald closer, resting his hand on her stomach. "Maybe these paths just lead us to each other."

"Maybe," Emerald said with a smile. "But maybe we're just two people who just have a gap in our lives that need filled."

"Well... Do you want to fill it?"



"I don't know, Travis. I feel like I should wait, just a little while longer..." Emerald paused, looking into his eyes as he poised over top of her. "But I'm just not so sure anymore."

"You don't have to be unhappy if you don't want to be, Emerald. You always have another choice."

"But what if I want to say no to that choice?" she chided, though still smiling as her eyes stared into Travis'.



"If you wanted to say no," Travis reponded, smiling deviously. "Then you would have a long time before now."

---

Teenage hormones... They may be hectic, awkward, and frustrating, but at least with a little effort they can be rather predictable.



You always know that foolish love will captivate them...



... that uncontrollable envy will overtake them...



... that wrath will find every reason to escape them...



... and they'll always think immaturity is becoming of them.



But sometimes, there is more than what's predicted lingering in the futures of these raging, hormonal teenage kids...



... and there are more unexpected things to find of their past for those lucky few on the outside looking in.