A piece I've been meaning to publish but I was afraid no one would like it. If you like it let me know. I'll see if I can try to get a continuation on it. Be nice please, my first time doing this. If you see anything that may need to be corrected, let me kno please. Enjoy!
Night to Remember
A girl of seventeen stepped outside of a small, red brick mansion with two large white doors in the front. Her long, medium brown hair blowing gently in the breeze, even though it was in a ponytail. She was wearing a pair of green pants, gray and black tennis shoes, black leather fingerless gloves, a black t-shirt, and holding a pair of sunglasses in her hand. A white duffel bag lay next to her.
A boy of eightteen, with a small blue bag on his shoulder, walked down the road in front of her mansion. She gazed at him with interest. He flicked his short brown hair with a small jerk of his head and, noticing her standing there, gazed back at the girl who had stunningly bright emerald eyes. He continued walking but couldn't stop thinking about her eyes. She turned away and put down her sunglasses. She twisted her long hair and placed a hat on top of her head. Then she put on the glasses, picked up the duffel bag and walked towards the front gate.
Pushing it open, she stepped out then closed it behind her and turned left and saw the boy walking away. Coincidentally, she was heading in the same direction as the boy she saw. Smiling to herself, she walked quickly down the street, turned the corner and was taken aback because the boy was standing right in front of her, looking straight into her bright green eyes through the glasses.
"How are you, Misheru Anako?" his voice was deep and soothing.
"I was taught to never talk to strangers, Roku Nigoru." She said in a mocking tone, jokingly. Her voice was light and angelic, pleasing to the ear. She continued walking with him along side her.
"But I'm not a stranger now, am I?" he said.
"I don't know. I figured so because I haven't seen you since when?"
"Yeah...about that. My parents didn't want to stay around this neighborhood any longer and we moved that weekend. Now I'm staying in an apartment by myself since I kept bugging my parents about moving back here. I didn't get a chance to call you, but I tried anyways through the mail but it got lost and somehow got sent back to me."
"Oh. So that's what happened. I didn't know so I went to your house and it was empty." Misheru said, looking down, slightly.
"Really? I'm sorry. I tried calling you when we got a phone but it wouldn't connect."
"That's because we had to get a new phone number because the last one was disconnected by the phone company by accident."
"Oh, so that's why your home phone- okay! But why didn't you answer your cellular phone?"
"It somehow got into my pool and the water and chlorine ruined the entire phone. Sorry, but I was not allowed to have another one because my insurance on it had expired." She looked down sadly, sounding a little miserable.
"Oh, I see."
There was a long pause.
"What's with the hat and shades?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at her down cast face.
"What? Oh these! Sorry." Realizing what she was wearing, Misheru pulled off the sunglasses and baseball cap. Her right ear turned pink as her hair, still in a ponytail, fell down on her left shoulder. A few wisps fell on to her forehead as she put the items in her bag.
"It's okay. I was just wondering why you put those on in the first place." Roku said, looking away, slightly blushing.
"It's just that guys keep hollering and whistling at me and it's getting really annoying." She said, glaring at a car full of guys whistling at her as it sped past them.
"Do you know why?" He asked thinking of a possible answer and blushing because of it.
"No. I don't really care anyways. Why do you ask?" She looked at him with a suspicious look in her eyes.
"No reason!" Roku said too quickly, which made her even more suspicious.
"Why are you blushing, then?" She whispered to him in his ear.
"No reason!" answering, yet again, too quickly. Knowing where the topic was heading to, he quickly interrupted, "so what have you been up to lately?"
"Huh? Oh, dance, modeling, karate. I started taking dance and karate two months after you left. I started modeling only recently this summer," she said, on the inside she was happy he started something new to talk about.
"Really? Same here, but I transferred over to this other place," he said curiously.
"I know."
"Cool. Wait. You know? How do you already know that?"
"You'll see." Smirking slightly, knowing what he was in for.
Walking slowly, they entered the building with the sign: KARATE, and went to different dressing stalls, then waited for the rest of their class to come. She sat in the front on a big, square puffy cushion placed directly in the middle of a large blue mat, where a teacher would normally sit. Roku sat next to her, knowing that that was where new and transfer students would sit.
"You're not supposed to sit there, you know?" he said warningly.
"Yeah, if I was a student."
"What are you smiling about? What do you mean by 'if '?" demanded Roku, annoyed and mad that she was not telling him anything, just teasing him.
The students filed in and took their seats. There were at least fifteen students. They were mostly boys and a few girls. All the guys were staring at her because they all thought she was the most beautiful girl they had ever seen and yet the hardest teacher anyone could learn from.
"Alright. Is everyone here?" Misheru asked the class.
"Yes, Anako-sensei." The class said in unison. Roku just sat there, stunned at what the students had called Misheru. He had an uneasy feeling about all that was happening and about what had happened while he was away.
"Today, I will be teaching you some new moves. But first, we have a new transfer student. His name is Roku Nigoru. He has transferred here from Tzu Gei Nu karate school in the next town of Kusakou. Please take a seat in the back on the end over there." She said loudly to the class. Everyone looked at him trying to see who he was. Girls blushed and boys looked mildly interested.
"Now, quit staring at me and focus on your moves from last class." She did some basic and challenging steps. "Now repeat this step after me." Misheru did a series of advanced kicks, punches, and flips. Everyone stared in awe at her flexibility.
"Now it's your turn. Get up! Now begin!" Everyone jumped up and started trying to do the same series of movements she did but all of them lost their balance and fell to the floor multiple times on the first kicks. She turned on some music and started shouting at them to do certain kicks and steps. She caught herself staring at Roku twice and blushed both times. Roku was trying his best even though he was still amazed at how much his childhood friend had grown since he had last seen her: that kind, caring and shy girl was now open and light-hearted, not to mention serious and strict, when in karate.
"Alright. Not bad for your first tries but not good either." Misheru muttered under her breath. She had a major headache from trying to help each student succeed in performing the moves she showed them at the beginning of class. Unfortunately, everyone fell and kept calling her for help.
"Class dismissed." Picking up her bag, she went to the changing room and started getting dressed.
"Teacher?" asked a student.
"It's Anako-sensei. Show respect for your superior teachers. Who am I talking to, anyway?" she said, stepping out of the dressing room, aggravated, sweaty and dressed in jeans, a tank top, her bag slung over her shoulder, and her hair wrapped up in a messy bun. A few wisps of her bangs fell down in front of her brow. Seeing Roku standing there, his brow a little damp with sweat, his chestnut brown hair tousled and sweaty from doing the kicks and punches, and his clothes seemed to stick to his skin a bit from his body being wet with sweat which caused it to shape his chest a bit, showing his six pack abs, broad shoulders, and well toned, muscular arms slightly. Her right ear blushed crimson red. She didn't notice how well built he was, until now.
"Its Anako-sensei now, is it?" he asked in a mocking tone.
"W-w-well, I've got t-to earn some r-respect around here, d-don't I?" She stammered trying to hide her face by turning around, fiddling nervously with her bag.
"Why didn't you tell me you were the teacher?" asked Roku. Misheru stood up straight and walked out the door with a smirk on her face. Roku ran after her.
"Hold up and tell me!" he shouted, catching up with her as she stopped for a moment.
"Because I thought it would be fun to see the look on your face when you found out," Michiko smiled brightly. Roku stared at her for a moment then smiled back. And from that day on, the two of them were reunited as the best of friends again.
Seven months later...
Walking down along the street dressed in thick jeans, short boots, a white scarf, a long sleeved bright green t-shirt that illuminated her eyes, a large heavy brown coat that went down to her knees, and white fingerless gloves, Misheru stopped and looked around. She didn't see anyone. Sitting on a bench, she waited. Snow fell down gently on to the slippery sidewalk and street, creating a Christmas card look upon the city.
Looking around she saw girls her age hanging out with guys who were buying presents for each other and laughing, having a good time with each other. She heaved a sigh, slightly depressed that she didn't have someone to laugh and joke with like all the couples she saw around.
Suddenly her vision was blinded by someone's warm hands. Her right ear turned pink at the touch yet it was soothing and calming all the same. The hands were holding her eyes closed gently.
"Guess who!" said a playful voice in her left ear.
"Roku!" Misheru turned around happily. "I was worried that you had forgotten all about me and gone had shopping without me."
"Nah. I would never forget you, Misheru. How can I when you called me every hour on the hour last night?" He said jokingly.
"Hey! I didn't call every hour, you idiot. It was only twice because I forgot to tell you something the first time, so I had to call again." She stood, aggravated, hands in pockets, and stomped off to the nearest line of stores to go shopping for a Christmas present. Roku ran up next to her and, un-noticingly, hooked his right arm with her left and walked quietly beside her.
"Huh?" Misheru looked down at her arm, her left hand in her pocket and his arm hooked with hers. Her right ear turning a crimson red. "Roku….." she whispered softly.
Roku turned his head towards her and smiled gently at her. Roku's eyes softened. His hair was perfectly tousled; his brown jacket fit snuggly against his red tee shirt. His pants slightly wrinkled from being pressed, and his tennis shoes worn and slightly dirty. Her hair was down for the first time since before he left to go live with his parents in Kusakou. He blushed, realizing how beautiful his best friend really was. How mature and grown up she had become to be. Her dazzling bright emerald green eyes, long sleeved bright green tee shirt setting off her eyes even more. Slightly tanned yet soft skin, light cherry pink lips, long flowing chestnut light brown hair, the white of her scarf brightening her expressions, and her big wool coat giving her a warm pleasant air.
"Come with me to the park," Roku said, taking hold of her wrist and leading her across the wet street and deep into the woods of the dark park. They came to a clearing with a bench in the middle facing the big luminous moon hanging lazily in the night sky that was speckled with twinkling stars.
"Wow!" Misheru breathed. Roku sat down on the bench and pulled her down next to him, still holding her hand. Still blushing, Misheru whispered, "It's so beautiful!"
"Yes, you are beautiful." He turned his head toward her, looking at her wistfully. She blushed furiously.
"Eh?" She turned to him, nervous and shocked, in a good way.
"There's something that I've been trying to tell you over the past few months since I've been back." Roku looked deeply into Misheru's bright, emerald eyes. He held her right hand in his left and touched her rosy cheek gently with the other. His touch was warm, surprisingly. She looked straight into his warm brown eyes, both of them blushing warmly.
"I love you. I love you with all my heart. I only realized it a few months ago and I've been wanting to tell you ever since I found out." His face was a breath away from hers. Yet he was babbling away like a fool. She pressed a finger to his lips to quiet him.
"Shh. It's okay. I understand. I understand because……." She paused, biting her bottom lip, nervous. "I-I love y-you too."
Smiling, Roku leaned a little more, gently tilting his head towards her and she to him. Slowly, he kissed her soft lips. A pleasant tingling sensation ran down their spines. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped one arm safely around her waist and the other around her upper back. Simultaneously, they both thought: My first kiss with the one I love.
The next day...
"So will you go out with me now?" Roku asked. It was Sunday and the sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the snow was in small piles along the road. Roku and Misheru had returned to their homes late last night because of their "moment" at the park.
"Why not? But let's just act as if we're best friends still to not ruin the relationship. Okay?" She asked, smiling brightly, yet blushing a little.
"Sure. Good Thinking." They walked down the street, stopping here and there to buy Christmas presents. Walking around, Misheru spotted a shop with various wacky things on display. Stopping in front of the store she peered through the door. She saw various trinkets of wild shades like electric blue and fizzy orange; objects that amazed her about how they worked. There were music boxes with only figurines of different people and animals on pedestals twirling around slowly inside the boxes; water pouring continuously from a jug in mid air into a basin, full of water; pillows that glowed vibrant colors of the rainbow; Photographs in frames switching pictures of various posing families every eight seconds; various different pieces of jewelry on display, changing colors, blinking different shapes, and much more.
One shining light caught her eye. It was a necklace with a bright white light glowing from a diamond-like thing that sparkled inside of a twisted wire ball hanging on a black leather cord like a diamond with a light shining on it but there was no spot light on it. Misheru looked around and saw that it was the only one there. Curious and wondering about it, she stepped inside. Roku turned around saw that she had been staring into the window of the store and she stepped inside. Sighing, he followed her but when he got to the door she came out, looking a little sad.
"What's wrong?" he asked, a little worried.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing." She said putting on a smile.
"Nothing, huh? Then why do you look so sad?" He asked, crossing his arms in exaggerating concern.
"I look sad? Oh alright. I'll tell you. It's because there's this pretty necklace in that store's window. I asked them about it and they didn't know it was there but said it would probably cost around a hundred dollars if I wanted to buy it. But I don't have that kind of money." She said exasperatingly.
Roku grinned; pleased that he could make her feel as if she had no choice but to tell him everything that her mind was troubled about. "Which one is it?"
She pointed to the necklace, hanging in the window, shining merrily. He looked at it with awe. It was simple yet beautiful, small yet elegant. He looked at it then nodded, walking back to Misheru, who had been curious as to what he was doing just looking at it.
"It's quite pretty." He stated informatively.
"Oh. You think so?" Misheru said, feeling a little disappointed that he didn't appear to make any means in buying it for her right then. But then she figured that she should not have had such high hopes.
"Yep. Hey, let's go see a movie. There's the theatre right over there." Roku said pointing toward the AMC palace theatre where a huge crowd had gathered.
"Wow, that's a big crowd. Wonder what the big deal is over there." Misheru pondered in awe.
"Maybe a celebrity showed up. Or a long awaited movie has finally released." Roku said also staring at the large mass of people.
As they approached, they saw that two guys were fighting beside the ticket booth, grappling with each other often using karate moves. To Misheru they looked strangely familiar.
"Wait a minute! I know those two fighting. They're from my karate class. Move it people!" Misheru stomped her way through the crowd even though most of them had already parted to make a pathway for her because she seemed angry. She stood next to the two guys, picked them up by their collars, separating them, and held them in the air. Their feet weren't even touching the ground.
"Why are you two fighting?" Misheru said, through gritted teeth. The boys looked away in shame.
"Answer me before I tear you two apart to get an answer. Oh by the way, SHOW'S OVER! GO HOME!" Everyone parted and dispersed to their destinations. She was furious that two of her students were fighting in open public and for probably no good reason.
"Darress? Inlend? Answer now or you both will have cleaning duty for the rest of this week." Misheru said blandly.
"Sorry, Miss Anako. He started it by saying extremely rude things to my girlfriend." Darress, the boy with blonde hair in her left hand said, pointing to Inlend, the boy with black hair in her right hand.
"Did not! It was you who said all those rude comments to my cousin!" Inlend shouted back, trying to take a swing at Darress.
"Alright, alright! Enough! Just say sorry and pretend to feel better and go your separate ways. Both of you." She said, exasperated. Roku grinned; he was so proud of Misheru taking hold of the fight and being in charge of the situation. She looked so cute when she got mad.
"Sorry" the boys said simultaneously, she dropped them and walked to Roku, grabbing his shirt and pulling him away the theatre. Stomping with Roku dragging along, she mumbled to herself. They walked into a mob of people.
"So you do like me a lot!" Roku said with a self assured smirk.
"Huh? Oh! Grrr" Misheru looked up, letting go of the shirt, and glared at Roku for making such a comment.
"What? I was only trying to get your mind off the fight." Roku gave her a hurt and innocent look. "Well, in that case, I will go home and you won't get your Christmas present." Roku said turning away and starting to walk away, sounding hurt and a little mad. "You will just have to have a sad Christmas without me…." He disappeared into the park.
"What? Wait, I didn't- oh what's the use? I always get mad at people for no reason and they just walk away from me without giving me a chance to explain. Wait, where did Roku go? Shoot," Misheru babbled to herself, walking towards the park which was where she had last seen him go towards.
Stepping through the entrance gate of the park, she saw Roku laying, face down, on the ground, unmoving.
"Roku!" She ran to him, bending over his form, turning him on to his back to face her. Checking to see if he was ok, she put a hand on his chest to see if he still had a pulse. She felt nothing. She nervously placed her ear on his chest to see if she could hear it. Th-thump th-thump. He's still alive but what's wrong with him? Why is he on the ground? Misheru looked over him and saw nothing wrong with him. Checking his legs, facing away from his face, she didn't notice Roku open his eyes and move his arms from his sides to above his head.
Misheru turned back to his upper body and looked puzzled, she was positive his arms had been at his sides. She turned around and sat there trying to figure out what was going on and if she was going a little mental. Meanwhile, Roku got up, pulled out a blindfold from his pocket and quickly placed it over Misheru's eyes. Holding her mouth and placing an arm around her throat, he whispered in a voice two octaves above his normally deep voice, dangerously, "Cooperate and you might be allowed to live. If you don't you shall be killed." Misheru whimpered. "Will you be good?" She nodded. "Now come with me."
Roku looked around and half dragged Misheru slowly yet carefully over to a bench. He sat her down, leaned in towards her right ear, whispering, "Don't move a muscle." Misheru froze on the spot in sheer fright. Even though she taught karate, she was never skilled in bravery, so she was terrified at what was happening to her. Roku went off down the path, he looked back often to check to see if she was sitting right there. She was frozen stiff like a board or an ice statue. He smiled and laughed a bit, quietly. Stopping to check if the coast was still clear, he picked up a small bouquet of cherry blossom flowers and a small white box wrapped with a green bow.
He didn't mean to scare Misheru; it was only to make sure that his plan worked. He hoped that she would forgive him after all this, but he would understand if she didn't. When he had walked off earlier, he had gone back to the wacky shop she had seen the necklace at and bought it for her along with the small bouquet of flowers. The necklace didn't cost as much as she had said it would but he got it anyway.
Sprinting back, he saw that Misheru was getting sort of shifty and uncomfortable. He understood why but ran faster to make sure everything would turnout alright for his plan. He pulled out a note and placed it in her lap and ran off into the woods where he had made a trail of confetti for her to follow.
Misheru took off the blindfold and looked down in her lap where there was a note. It said, in beautiful, spidery handwriting:
My dearest, please forgive me for being so rude to you earlier. For now, just follow the sparkling trail ahead of you...
Curiously yet nervously, she looked up and saw another trail of confetti leading into the woods going this way then that, but there were candles every so often along the trail. Getting up, she clutched the note in one hand and tucked the handkerchief into a pocket. Misheru followed the trail of confetti realizing it was of moons, stars, and suns glittering in the dim candle light. She smiled at the confetti and continued on down the trail. Coming upon another note, she bent down to read it. The note was tied to a tree branch with a pretty white ribbon. There were bits of moon confetti on the note. It read:
You're almost there. Just a little further into the woods, my dearest...
She smiled and looked upon a new trail, made of red and green papers in the shape of letters. These letters curved toward an opening in the trees where a dim light was shining from. She picked up each one and looked at them. S, P, E, U, R, S, I. Confused she rearranged them in her mind several times then she finally realized at what it spelled out and gasped as she looked up, entering the opening she had seen in the trees.
She had been led to a clearing. It was decorated with many white lights, colorful holiday candles spread out variously, sparkling confetti sprinkled everywhere, fragrant flowers of different kinds in vases placed around the clearing, and a figure in the middle of it all, holding a tiny bouquet of flowers tied together with a silk white ribbon and a white box wrapped with a green ribbon.
"Oh my-" Misheru gasped, blushing a million shades of red. She looked at Roku standing in the middle, smiling at her.
"Surprise!" He shouted, rushing towards her, arms opened wide. He had placed the gifts on a small table near by.
"What is-did you-"Misheru stuttered, she couldn't talk right. Being so nervous made her stutter and gape. Roku finally ran to Misheru, squeezed her into a big hug and wouldn't let go for a while.
"Yes, aren't you happy?" He asked, squeezing her tightly.
"I would be if you let me live long enough to," she gasped, blushing red yet her face was turning purple from lack of breath because of his hug. As she tried to squirm away, she noticed something hanging from one of the trees by two ribbons, one cherry red and the other a leaf green. She suddenly was being spun around in the air. Things were blurred as they whooshed past by. Slowly, everything came to a halt.
"Ha ha! You're as funny as ever," Roku said, setting Misheru on the ground and letting her go. He saw her purple face that was slightly blushing over the purple-ness.
"Yeah, funny. Right," she mumbled sarcastically while catching her breath. She noticed that Roku had gone to the entrance and was placing a veil or curtain of lights over the clearing's opening, then came walking back to her. She looked quizzically at him.
"Oh, that was just for some privacy," he said, ever so casually, looking around at his work and nodding his head approvingly, "Come with me."
He took her hand, gently and led her to a near by blanket with a flower pattern that was placed over a large, stone bench. Two puffy, midnight blue cushions were placed on top of the blanket. Roku walked right next to it, "stay here for a minute."
Misheru sat down on the right puffy cushion. She took off her shoes, sitting slightly on her calves, hands in her lap, and looked up at the stars twinkling in the night sky. The moon was low and extremely bright that night.
All of a sudden, Roku came out of nowhere and landed right next to her: his head on her lap facing upwards towards the sky, his body laying on the rest of the bench and the other cushion. Misheru let out a little yelp, startled. She had not been expecting that at all. She looked down at him; he was grinning from ear to ear looking very pleased with himself for accomplishing something so daring.
"Ah, relaxation at last…." he sighed, dramatically, "and finally some quality time!" Roku stretched, put his hands behind his head, and closed his eyes.
"Sure, if you're the person relaxing and not being used as a cushion. Humph!" Misheru pouted, crossing her arms. Still blushing, she looked away.
"Aw, come on! It's Christmas and you are all huffy puffy about nothing! I even got you a present this year!" He reached with one arm to his lap where a white box lay, still wrapped. He grumbled "you probably didn't even get me a leaf!"
"I did, too!" she half shouted at him, a little annoyed that he would think something like that.
"What? You got me a leaf? Let's see it!" He held up his hand, palm open, expectantly.
"It's not a leaf, you idiot!"
"Then what is it?"
"It's-" She stopped herself short.
"Yes, do go on."
"I am not going to tell you. You will just have to open it." She held up a small, slim package, wrapped with white tissue paper that was dusted with silver glitter. It sparkled slightly in the bright moonlight.
"Well, I'm impressed! You actually got me a gift!" Roku clapped three times. "Here is mine. Let's exchange!" He handed her the white box and she gave him the wrapped gift.
"On three, ready? One, two three!" Roku shouted. Tearing open the package, he saw the corner of a frame; he tore off the rest revealing a picture of Misheru in a huge, beautiful white, long sleeved dress, edged in lace. She had a pair of white silver wings on her back, fully spread out and sparkling. Her hair was fanned out slightly underneath the shinning halo above her, and her hands were clasped together. Her bright emerald eyes stood out among all the white; the background was of a sky with clouds every so often; it looked as if she was actually flying. She was smiling in the picture. He stared at it in awe; blushing a noticably huge and dark shade of red.
Misheru pulled on the green ribbon and opened the box. Inside was small, white velvet pouch. Picking it up, she opened it and reached inside. Holding up her right hand, she dropped the pouch and gasped; her jaw dropping. In her hand, she was holding the diamond necklace from the store window where she had first seen it in. She put it on, smiling brightly and looked down at Roku, who was still staring at the picture. She blushed a deep wine red. It was the last picture from the modeling contract she had agreed to do during the summer. She didn't know what else to get him. He never said anything.
"Do you like your gift, Roku?" she asked timidly, looking at his shocked face.
Roku put down the picture and sat up and turned to Misheru. He leaned forward, closing his eyes, and kissed her. They kissed for a long time, eyes shut.
They parted, opening their eyes.
"Does that answer your question and do you like yours?"
"Yes," she whispered.
They sat there staring at the moon, arms wrapped around each other, snuggled close, for the rest of the long, moon lit, night.
This is a night to remember...