What's up everybody! Hope you enjoy this story as much as me and AquilaTempestas has had putting it together
Summary: Relationships are meant to be a two-way street, not a one sided one. Will Rei forever remain in a forced relationship hell with Mariah?
Chapter One: What Is and What Will Never Be
"Oh Rei" smiled Mariah happily, hands locked around Rei's waist. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, I can't wait to get married to you. I love you Rei!" She pressed her head against his chest.
"I love you two Mariah, I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us," said Rei as Mariah went to kiss him on the lips.
Until the alarm clock went off...
"Ugh," groaned Rei, sitting up in his bed. "Reality sure sucks!" He decided to get up out of bed, dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He stood up and looked over at the clock. "9:15 AM, she's been out drinking... again," sighed Rei as he ran down the stairs. He sat on the couch and counted down from ten to one on his fingers. Once he finished the count, Mariah came in through the door.
Mariah staggered towards him. "Oh uuuhh, hi Reii," spoke Mariah in her drunken speech. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, just rosy," Rei sarcastically replied, before getting a waft of something up his nose. "Oh God, Mariah you reek of sex. You've been cheating again? I will not allow it!"
"Yeah right Rei" laugh Mariah, stumbling over her own two feet. "We're going to be together and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. It's tradition, remember?" she began to howl with laughter as she headed upstairs. "I'm gonna take a shower."
"Great!" sighed Rei to himself. He put his head in his hands. "Just another day in the life of hell." Suddenly, the door flung open.
"Death to all but metal!" shouted Lee, Kevin and Gary as they came in through the front door. Lee and Kevin jumped over the couch Rei was sitting on landing on either side of him.
"Hey dude, why the long face?" asked Kevin, grabbing the television remote and flicking it on. "Rough night perhaps?"
"Nah," said Rei, leaning back against the couch. "Just couldn't sleep well really."
"Must be all the song writing your doing. It must be messing up your sleep pattern," laughed Lee, putting his feet up on the coffee table. "Hey, are you going to that charity event that Boris is hosting?"
"Yeah," smiled Rei, looking at Lee, "wouldn't miss it. Now he really has changed, third time lucky I guess."
"Hey Lee," smirked Kevin. "Fifty bucks says that Boris proposes to Judy tonight."
"You're on," Lee smirked back as he shook Kevin's hand. "You're playing Russian roulette with your money here Kevin, you know I never lose."
"Hey Rei," said Gary, adding himself to the conversation, "isn't that your redhead friend outside?"
Rei noticed her. He put on his shoes as fast as he could and ran into the hallway. He opened the door and shouted after her. "Salima!"
The person in question turned around and smiled at Rei. She ran towards him and gave him a large hug. "Hiya Rei, good to see you," she said, looking at Rei. "Shorts and a t-shirt? Can't say I've ever seen you use that look before."
"And why are you wearing a thick jumper Salima? It's summer!" said Rei, laughing.
"Oh you know me, I have quite a good resistance to heat. Much like your resistance to cold," Salima answered, smiling back at Rei. "Say Rei, are you going to the charity event Boris has put on?"
"Yeah. Hey, do you wanna go to it with me?" asked Rei, feeling rather happy.
"Rei, I'd love too. I've gotta go now, I'll see you at five okay?"
"Yeah sure, see you at five," smiled Rei as he gave her another hug.
As she walked off, Lee stood next to Rei. "I don't like her, you know that right?" said Lee, glaring at Rei.
"Well she's my friend, Lee. I think you'd understand that," Rei fired back to him.
"Okay, calm down dude. Hey, fancy trying to set up the Xbox, Kevin's getting restless."
"Sure thing pal," smiled Rei as he shut the door.
Faking a smile, Rei followed Lee to the lounge where Kevin was currently starting the console. The poor guy was staring at remote control in hand. Gary sat on the green sofa scratching his head. He had no idea how to work a console and didn't want to attempt it. Best leave it to the experts. "Rei, Lee, fancy setting up the console for us?" Kevin said peering up at them.
Lee nodded. "I'll do it."
As Lee joined Kevin's side, Rei sat on the couch next to Gary. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees, his thoughts consumed with Salima. He was straying in dangerous territory. He was in a relationship with Mariah. He was meant to think of her. But try as he might, he could not force thoughts of Salima aside.
He sighed, running a hand through his messy jet black hair. How he wished things were different. If it wasn't for Tao's strict laws about marriage, he would've ditched Mariah in a heartbeat and chased after Salima.
"Something wrong Rei?" Gary asked.
Rei shook his head. "Nothing." It was a lie, but he couldn't tell his friends the real truth. Instead he focused his eyes on the screen before him. The loading screen of the game 'Need for Speed' appeared. Rei tried to focus on the game, but his heart wasn't in it. Fortunately, his friends didn't notice.
Ice cold hands wrapped around his neck. Rei jumped, causing a bout of feminine laugher to erupt behind him. His shoulders sagged, but he turned around to address Mariah. "Did you stick your hands in a bowl of icy water?" Although she was cleaned up, the haze in her eyes suggested she was not clean in mind.
She grinned. "How did you know?" she slurred. She climbed over the couch and landed on Rei's lap.
Rei forced a grin. "Did you have a good time at the party?" He knew his friends were watching him. It paid to pretend he was happy with Mariah otherwise they would accuse him of being disloyal.
"It was great!" she exclaimed, reaching a hand to his chin. She pulled herself up and licked him, giggling to herself at his stunned reaction. "You're so funny!"
"I know." He set his controller down beside him. Placing two hands underneath Mariah's back, he lifted her from his knees and stood up. "I'm going to go for a morning jog. I'll catch you guys later." He walked towards the door.
Mariah swung her legs to the side of the couch and stood up. "Do you want me to come?"
Rei shook his head. "That wouldn't be such a good idea. You need to rest after the big party you had last night," he said.
She dropped back down on the couch, twirling a lock of pink hair around her middle finger. "Have fun!"
Without giving his friends another chance to speak, Rei exited the house and made his way to his favourite park. Walking on a grey footpath, he crossed the garden of gnomes and roses. The sounds of various bugs grabbed his attention and he stopped to listen for a few seconds. "At least they have nothing to worry about," he mumbled. He continued to walk, bypassing a water fountain and a couple more gardens before reaching the local park.
He searched for his favourite bench seated underneath a Jacaranda tree, the surface covered in wilted purple flowers. With a soft smile on his face, he wondered over and sat down spreading his arms across the back of the chair. He wanted to cry; to scream with rage at the heavens above for cursing him with conflicted thoughts.
He wanted to be happy.
Not be caught up in a situation he couldn't get out of. Curse his obedience. Curse his respect. But he couldn't turn his back on tradition. His fingers moved to the white tiger amulet hanging around his neck. It was a gift from Lee's grandfather. Three years ago, Lee's grandfather had died and he passed his most treasured gift to Rei for safekeeping. He claimed the amulet should be worn by someone of a noble and loyal nature. Rei accepted it ensuring he would never turn his back on tradition.
What a fool he had been to swear such an oath.
"Hey pal!" shouted Raul, heading towards Rei on a skateboard. He power slided towards the bench Rei was sitting on and stopped, picked up his board and sat down. "Seems like something's bothering you."
"Yeah, you could say that Raul" sighed Rei as he stretched himself out, yawning at the same time. "Mariah's going out partying... well, a lot more than usual. It's almost a nightly basis; she comes home absolutely wasted and reeking of sex. We're both seventeen and she's wasting her life away already, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. That damn tradition has me nailed down at such a young age, I'm literally powerless to stop it. What am I to do? I don't even love her anymore, I rarely ever did. I only ever had a crush on her when we was younger."
"You love Salima right?" asked Raul. He looked into his eyes and found his answer. "Well, this 'tradition' thing has you screwed over. Maybe you should ditch this tradition entirely. I mean, it's wrecking your life, seeing you smiling truthfully is decreasing by the week. It's eating away at you, tearing you apart. You're letting them do this to you, I think it's time you stood up against it."
"I would do," sighed Rei, running his hand through his hair once again, "but if I do that, all my friends will turn on me. I don't want a large target on my back. I don't know what to do Raul," he shook his head in dismay. "If I knew what to do, Salima and I would be together right now."
"I don't know how, but you're Rei Kon. If anyone can get themselves out of this it's you. Right, I have to go my friend, helping Mathilda find a dress for tonight's charity event. See you there," smiled Raul as he stood up and skated away.
Rei thoughts drifted to Salima. How was she coping?
Salima stood in front of her full length mirror, straightening her hair with her new hairbrush. She wanted to ensure her hair looked perfect for Rei. She continued to brush it, attacking the strands with increasing ferocity in an attempt to untangle the knots. A knock on the door caused her to yank out some hair. "Ouch!" she cursed.
The door opened and a navy blue haired male entered the room, a smirk plastered on his face. "Hey Salima, are you going out on a date?" He leaned against the door frame.
She glanced sideways. Kane. "I'm going to Boris's charity event with Rei today," she replied. She placed the hairbrush down, walked to the door and poked Kane in the chest. "And you're not going to stop me."
"I wouldn't dream of stopping you from going... but you do know he can never love you the way you wish," Kane drawled.
Her heart skipped a beat. "I don't know what you are talking about. Rei doesn't love me."
"Don't lie Salima, it doesn't suit you." Kane stepped in front of her blocking her path. "He loves you and you love him. I've seen the looks you give him in class. You are the talk of the school." He paused then placed a hand on his heart and gave a dramatic sigh. "Salima, the quiet nerd, in love with captain of the basketball team, Rei. But there's a twist in this tale... Rei is due to be wedded to a whore and he can't escape, so Salima watches from afar wishing for the impossible." He rolled his eyes. "Ah, forbidden love."
She glared at him, her eyes narrowed in disgust. "You're nothing but a rat."
He laughed, eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, your vile words hurt me so." He rolled his eyes again. "You know I'm right. I suggest you lay off Rei, find another man to fancy. Have fun with your 'date'." He winked and left her alone.
How could she leave Rei alone if that's all she thought about?
Well were off to a dramatic start here. Hope you stick around for chapter two, coming soon!