Keith pulled a book from the bookcase in front of his and looked through the opening. On the other side of the bookcase, Keith could see his friends Kate and Rhythmi, quietly chatting and giggling. Keith smirked and put the book back and turned to the blond he was sneaking around with.

"Okay Isaac," Keith whispered, putting a hand on the blond's shoulder, "I'll distract Rhyth. You go ask Kate out."

Isaac was blushing furiously and was gripping his large math textbook to his chest, "W-What if she says no?" He whispered back.

Keith rolled his eyes, "She's totally into you- she won't say no."

Before Isaac could list the many ways it could, indeed, go wrong, Keith pulled another book from the shelf and made sure the girls noticed this time.

"Hey Rhyth!" He whispered.

Rhythmi and Kate both frowned and looked around. They finally noticed half of their friend Keith's face on the other side of the bookshelf.

"What are you doing?" Rhythmi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Meet me in the back section!"

"What? Why? When?

"Why you gotta ask so many questions?"

"Hi Keith!" Kate whispered.

"Hi Kate!"

Rhythmi rolled her eyes, "Fine. See ya later, Kate."

As Keith and Rhythmi strolled off together, Kate turned her attention back to one of the other bookshelves. She furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to find the book she was looking for.

"Need a hand?" Isaac asked quietly, walking into Kate's little section of the library.

Kate turned and gave Isaac a soft smile, "Yes please."

Isaac blushed and gripped his text book tighter, "What are you looking for?"

"Something about Styler Energy," She said unenthusiastically, "Ms. April is making me write a report on it."

Isaac nodded and searched the bookshelf facing Kate's back, "Just you?"

"She's making Keith write his on it too. The other kids got something else."

"I forgot your class is mostly rangers and operators."

"Well doesn't it make more sense to keep the rangers and operators together and the mechanics and scientists together?"

Isaac shrugged, "I guess, yeah."

Isaac noticed a book on the bottom shelf and reached down to grab it. The cover read, "Ranger stylers: How to conserve energy, handle, and fix broken parts!". Isaac cringed at the title and opened the book. It in itself was a bit old. He skimmed the part about styler energy and tapped Kate on the shoulder.

The brunette turned to him as he handed her the book, "It's a little dated," Isaac said, "But a lot of it still applies."

Kate frowned as she flipped through the pages, "How will I know what doesn't apply anymore?"

"Skip the part about recharging and you should be fine."

Kate flashed Isaac a warm smile, "Thanks!"

Isaac felt his face heat up, "N-No problem."

Kate looked back down at the book and began walking away.

"W-Wait!" Isaac sputtered.

Kate stopped and turned towards Isaac. She frowned and raised her eyebrows.

Isaac gulped, "U-Um...Are you...Do you um...Do you have plans later?"

Kate blushed, "Plans?"

Isaac nodded.

"I was gonna give this a read," Kate said, holding up the book Isaac picked out for her, "But...I could do it tomorrow if something else came along..."

"Do you uh..." Isaac gripped his textbook, "Do you maybe um...wanna go out tonight?"

"Go out?"

"L-Like to the docks...look at the stars..." Isaac whispered, blushing immensely, "O-Or not! F-Forget it!"

Kate giggled, "No I'd love to," she said, "I'm just surprised that you'd be okay sneaking out."

Isaac grimaced, "Just...don't tell Mr. Kincaid..."

Kate smiled, "I won't. See you tonight..."

Kate walked away, leaving Isaac alone with the books.

"That was tragic." A voice said.

Isaac flinched and looked over to see Keith's face in the bookshelf, "H-How long were you listening?"

"Awhile." Rhythmi said, her face appearing next to Keith's.

Isaac frowned and walked away, wanting to get out of the library so he could scream.

~~~

"Wear a hoodie," Keith said, digging through Isaac's drawer, "Chicks dig hoodies."

"Could you please not call my sister a chick?" Kellyn asked from the top bunk.

"Wouldn't he want to actually look good?" Ponte asked, "N-Not that you don't usually look good!"

Isaac frowned and sat up in his bed, "What if she dresses up and I don't?"

"She's not dressing up," Keith said, "Rhythmi and I talked and she's gonna make sure Kate doesn't dress too nice or too warm." He said, pulling out a gray hoodie with the Ranger School's logo on the back.

Isaac flinched as Keith tossed his hoodie at his face, "Why would she not dress warm? We're going outside."

"You want her to be cold!" Keith scoffed, "She shivers and then BAM! You give her your hoodie."

"Seems a little manipulative..."

"It's chivalrous!"

"No, I mean that you guys planned this."

Keith rolled his eyes, "Look, Kate likes you. Just roll with it, alright?"

Isaac sighed and put on his hoodie. Kellyn's face appeared in front of Isaac's, "Don't push it though. I won't hesitate, bitch."

Isaac flinched and got up from his bed, "Okay okay..."

"Do you have cologne?" One of the other boys asked.

"No..."

Keith slapped his forehead, "Dude! You rookie!"

"What? You think I smell bad?"

Ponte sniffed his friend, "He smells fine to me."

"Girls like it when they wear your clothes and they smell like you." Keith explained.

"Well I'll be wearing it so it will."

"Don't expect to get it back either," Another boy said, "It will belong to her after tonight."

Isaac sighed, "Okay I'm leaving."

"Don't blow it!" Keith exclaimed as Isaac went out the door.

The nervous blond slammed the door behind him. Quietly. If anyone caught him and Kate sneaking out they'd be in huge trouble. He could handle being caught by Mr. Kincaid, but he heard Ms. April could get mean. He didn't want to witness that.

Isaac quietly walked over to the girl's dorm and knocked on the door. Kate appeared a few seconds later. She was wearing a plain red t-shirt and gray shorts. It was so simple, but Isaac still felt underdressed somehow.

Kate flashed him a smile, "Ready?" She whispered.

All Isaac could do was nod. Kate took his hand and led him downstairs. Apparently, Kate snuck around the school at night a lot, because she knew her way around in the dark. Instead of going towards the front door, Kate dragged Isaac to the window near the Principal's office.

"What are you doing?" Isaac whispered.

"The front door is locked?" Kate said, obviously, "This window is the quietest."

Sure enough, the window unlocked and opened with little to no noise. Kate climbed out of it and Isaac followed. His feet hit the grass and Kate gently closed the window behind him. Kate smiled at Isaac and they began walking towards Ascension Square.

Isaac quickly realized they were still holding hands. He didn't know if Kate noticed, and if she did, she didn't say anything. Just as Isaac thought he was finished over-analyzing it, Kate intertwined their fingers.

It was hard to think through the blush that gave him.

The pair made small talk as they walked down the steps to Ascension Square. Apparently, Kate was pushing real hard to get stationed at Vientown. She had really fallen in love with the Ranger Base there when she and Keith went on their one day internship.

"Mr. Kincaid says Altru has been scouting me," Isaac said, "Even since before my internship there."

"That's awesome!" Kate chirped, "You're gonna go, right?"

Isaac blushed, "Yeah...it's pretty far from Vientown..."

Kate bit her lip, "But it's close to Pueltown, right? You should be close to your sister."

"That's a plus, I guess."

As the pair reached Ascension square and passed the Pledge Stone, Kate ran her hand over the cold gray stone. Isaac stopped in his tracks which cause Kate to copy him.

"You know they say that if you make a pledge here, it'll come true." Kate whispered.

Isaac looked up at the statue, "I never really believed that."

Kate looked up at him, "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean- it's good for morale for sure. But...you have to make your own dreams happen. You have to follow up on the pledge. Not everybody is up for that."

Kate followed Isaac's gaze, "Yeah...I guess."

"You'll do well though," Isaac said, looking down at the brunette next to him, "You're gonna go far. You're way too stubborn to give up."

Kate playfully nudged Isaac's arm, "Thanks."

Isaac smiled at her. Kate blushed and cleared her throat. She released Isaac's hand and climbed the Pledge Stone's steps. She sat down, dangling her legs over the edge of it. Isaac, a bit upset that Kate wasn't holding his hand anymore, copied her. As he sat down, Kate shivered a bit.

Isaac slipped off his hoodie and draped it over Kate's shoulders like a cape. Kate blushed, "Thank you..." she said quietly.

Isaac just nodded, not wanting to say something stupid.

Kate smirked, "So...is this a date?"

Isaac turned beet red, "H-Huh?"

"Is. This. A. Date?"

"U-Um..."

Kate leaned in a bit, "Because it'll directly determine what I do next..."

Isaac gulped.

"Is this a date, Isaac?"

"Y-Yes..."