This story was written for a challenge exclaiming that we had to write in present tense. It really was a challenge, because I hardly ever write in present tense and I've never before written in present tense in english. Oh well, I got something together after half a month of cursing myself for accepting this challenge.
Good job, me! *pats her own shoulder*
Anyway, enjoy and please throw those rotten tomatoes onto someone else!
Today is the day. The day when I will ask her out and hopefully finally end our friendship status. Today I will make her my girlfriend.
Or have my heart broken.
No, she must be feeling the same as I am. It can't be any other way.
I smile towards my reflection in the mirror, brush my hair one last time to make sure that every strand of hair lies precisely where it should, before leaving the bathroom. Mother smiles towards me, probably sensing that something is going to happen today.
The ticking clock catches my eye, telling me it's getting late, that it's time to rush towards the school. I put on my shoes, grab my bag.
– Bye, 'kaasan, I'll see you later!
She answers, but I can't hear what she says, the door to the bathroom is muffeling her voice. The door closes behind me and my steps echo through the building. Today I don't meet up with Iori or Miyako as I usually do. No, today I need this short amount of time to prepare. I know my 'niisan would probably have a lot of ideas for me to ensure that she answers positively, but no matter how much I love my 'niisan this is one thing I want to make on my own.
The school is getting closer, I can feel my heart beating faster, possibly because of my fast paze, but it can also be the butterflies in my stomache. Suddenly time stops, as it always does in those cheezy novels girls love to read.
I can see her walking down the road towards the school. The gentle breeze makes her brown hair dance. Her skirt is fluttering rhythmically around her hips and the sunlight makes her glow. As I gaze upon her my heart skips a beat. The wind carries her beautiful laugh to my ear and I fall for her all over again.
Then her eyes meet mine and her smile grows bigger, softer, ever more sincere, and she whispers something to her friends, before leaving them and joining me for the last few meters towards the building. My voice stutters when I greet her, but her voice is as strong as ever. I listen as she tells me about Taichi's game the day before, although I do not hear what she is saying, as my mind is being elsewhere.
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– Hikari...
She stops, her brown eyes gaze curiously upon me and I can feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. I try my best to collect myself, taking a few deep breaths. This shouldn't be too hard.
– Do you... Would you... Can I... Doyouwanttogoonadatewithme?
Her hand lets go of my arm and she backs away two steps.
– I...
Why does she stutter? Why does she look so sad, so broken? What went wrong?
– I'm sorry, Takeru...
No. No, this is not how it was supposed to go. Please, Hikari, don't say it, don't...
– I'm already seeing someone...
How come I didn't know about this? Why has she not told me? Why...
– Takeru, please let me go. It hurts.
I blink. I must have blacked out, because I can't remember grabbing Hikari's hands and pressing her against the wall.
– Who? Who is it? Daisuke?
Tears stream down her face but for some reason I don't care, I can't find it in me to care anymore. I just want to know who stole her from me. Who was it that took the place that was reserved for me? She shakes her head, her brown hair dancing around her shoulders and I let go of her right hand, pull my fingers through her hair. She sniffles and I caress her cheek with my thumb, pressing my body against her.
– I'm so sorry, Takeru...
Pain. I let go of her, falling down on my knees, clutching my hands between my legs. I can hear her shoes against the floor as she hurries away from me. Maybe I should have asked 'niisan for help.
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Daisuke smiles towards Hikari when we all meet outside the classroom, like he always does. But do my eyes decieve me or does he not look prouder than he usually does? I grab him by the shoulder and pull him away, towards a more secluded area not far from the classroom. He looks at me, confusion written all over his face, and I slam his back into the wall.
– What does she see in you? Why would she chose you over me?
– Wha-? What are you talking about?
– You know what I'm talking about, Daisuke. Why would she chose you and not me? And why would you steal her from me?
– I... I didn't know you were in love with her.
– Liar. You all knew. Friendship... You can take your friendship and shove it.
– Takeru, this isn't like you...
I slam him into the wall again. It doesn't seem to hurt him, but the thud it makes gives me a feeling of satisfaction.
– What do you know? You're too blind to even notice how deeply I felt for her.
I let go of him, take one more look at him, before turning my back to him and walking away. Away from him, from Hikari, from the school, from everything. It was ment to be her and me and yet she chose him. As I think about it, I can feel my fists starting to shake, and I hit an innocent street lamp in pure anger. As my fist collide with it the pain replaces the anger, and tears well up in my eyes. I turn my head towards the ground, trying my best to go unnoticed and it seems to work as no one is asking me any questions.
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I slowly open the door to my apartment, mother having long since left it, and I'm now alone. I take off my shoes, making my way over to the couch, but not managing to reach it before I fall down on my knees, tears streaming down my face.
What have I done?
I reach for my phone, dialing 'niisan's number.
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– I don't know what came over me...
'Niisan pulls me to my feet again, wiping the tears from my eyes as he does it, and I let him. Let him lead me to the sofa, where he settles down next to me.
– What happened, Takeru? You're not one to skip school if it can be avoided.
– I asked her out...
– Who?
– Hikari. I was finally going to make her my girlfriend. At least... that's what I thought. Apparently she likes Daisuke more than she likes me...
– Daisuke?
He looks confused.
– But I thought Daisuke... Never mind. Did she tell you that?
– No, but it's not like she needed too. He's the only one except for me that have showed any interest in her.
– That's not true, and you know it. Ever since she started looking more... feminine... Don't give me that look, you know what I mean. Anway, almost every boy in your school have been checking her in.
– How do you know that?
'Niisan blushes, looks towards the celing, before looking towards me again.
– I spend a lot of time with her brother, and she tells him almost everything that's going on?
I don't think he intended to end the sentence like a question, but he did and something inside me tells me that he's hiding something. I look at him, trying to figure it out, but nothing comes to mind.
– But Daisuke confessed.
– Did he, really?
– You're supposed to be on my side! Why are you questioning everything I say?
– Because it sounds wrong.
He smiles at me, and I can see that there's something he's not telling me. I want to ask him about it, but know it would be like trying to knock down a concrete wall with a sponge, so I leave it and shrug.
– Never mind then. Apparently she found someone else, and I'm certain it's Daisuke. What should I do, 'niisan?
– Well, as I see it, you have two choices. Either you wait and hope she breaks up with whoever it is she's seeing...
'Niisan looks sad as he says it, but a small shimmer of hope tickles inside me. For Hikari I can wait until the end of time.
– Or you move on and find someone else, accepting that she's already happy together with someone, even if it isn't you.
– Easy for you to say, you're happily married to Sora.
– We broke up two years ago, she's together with someone else now. I told you that.
He lets out a sigh.
– I guess you are your father's son after all.
He ruffles my hair before leaning back in the sofa.
– Any way, since we're both skipping school and you have me for yourself the whole day, anything you'd like to do?
I think it over for a short moment, before nodding. I know exactly what I want to do.
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– Hikari!
I wave before running over to meet her. She looks a bit frightened, and I know it's because of me.
– Listen, about what happened yesterday... I'm... I'm really sorry.
She smiles, although not as brightly as she used to do.
– It's alright, Takeru.
– It's not. And I know I can't make it up to you and that I can't make it undone, but... Can we still be friends at least?
A question I thought I would never have to ask, but here I am, asking it. She nods, slowly.
– I'm sorry too, Takeru. I should have told you that I was together with someone, but we both agreed that it would be better to keep it a secret.
– That doesn't sound like Daisuke at all.
– Daisuke? I'm not together with him.
– But he... then... who is he together with?
Hikari smiles, finally with all the brightness her smile normally contains.
– Kate. She's in the grade above us. Her family moved here two years ago because her father got a job here.
– I... guess I owe him an apology as well then.
We walk together to the classroom, as if yesterday didn't happen. A part of me wish it never did, but what's done is done and I know that. Halfway through the corridor her hand grabs mine, as it always have done. Perhaps she really did forgive me for losing it.
– I wanted to tell you.
– Who is he?
She shake her head.
– I can't tell you, not yet. We're just trying it out anyway, to see if it works.
– How... how long have it been going on?
– A month.
We settle down at our desks, still continueing our conversation as the lesson has yet to start.
– It seem to be working then.
– Yes. We talked about it yesterday evening. He's worried that us keeping it a secret is doing me more harm than good. He's a lot like you in that way, more worried about my safety than his own.
A smile makes its way across my face.
– So why take him and not me?
– Because, she begins as she grabs my hat, you've always been my best friend, and I wouldn't want to lose that. Sorry Takeru, I can't look at our relationship any other way than that.
She drops the hat in my lap as the teacher enters the room and our conversation subsides. This teacher is a harsh one, and not famous for letting his students chat throughout the class. Hikari flashes me another of her beautiful smiles before getting out her notebook and turning her focus towards the whiteboard instead. I follow her example, knowing it's the best to do. Either way, this morning went a lot smoother than I had counted with, and for that I am happy.
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I don't know what came over me. As I saw Hikari leave the school I decided to follow her. Not run up to her and walk alongside her. No, I decided to secretly follow her. And what for? I'm no longer certain.
She's been walking for a while now, and we have reached the other side of Odaiba, close to where my 'niisan lives. Suddenly she stops to look around. I dive into the closest bush and I think I manage to stay hidden from her view. Curiously I peek through the leaves. Even from here I can see her cheeks going red. Who is she waiting for? Him?
Footsteps are coming closer. Someone quite a bit taller than Hikari, dressed in a trechcoat, comes up to her and puts an arm around her, pulling her closer. She pushes him away, still smiling, before stretching up to give him a kiss.
I lose my footing, falling out of the bush and knocking over a trash can. They stop, turn around to see what caused the sound and as I look up at the guy who has won Hikari, my jaw drops to the ground as well.
– You?
He smiles towards me, although I can se a bit of panic in his eyes.
– We were just talking about you. I figured you'd do something stupid like this. Well, now you know.
He walks over to me, stretches out a hand to help me up, but I can only stare at him. Stare at the man who stole my girl from me.
– Do you hate me now?
– I can never hate you, you know that.
He relaxes for a bit, and I reach out, grab his ankles and pull him down. He lands on his back with a thud and I quickly get up and settle myself ontop of him.
– Why didn't you tell me, 'niisan? Don't you trust me?
We both know he can easily push me off, yet he doesn't. Instead he looks at me and smiles.
– Do you really have to ask?
– But how could you? You knew how I felt.
Hikari walks up to us, lays her hand on my shoulder.
– Actually, Takeru, I asked him out.
I look at her, then back at my 'niisan, then at Hikari again. Slowly I get up.
– And you agreed?
He settles up and nods.
– I bet you never knew how I felt, Takeru.
He smiles as he say it, but his words stings at my heart. He's right, I never knew. I was always certain that he would stay with Sora for the rest of their lives. I guess... feelings are a fickle thing. I take a step backwards, looking at them, looking at the girl that was ment for me and the man she chose instead. My 'niisan.
– I... I hope you're happy together.
I can feel the tears gathering themselves in my eyes, feel how they start to flow down my cheeks and I turn my back towards them.
– I... I'll see you later.
And I start to run. Run to get as far away from them as possible. I hear how they call my name, but their voices soon fade away into nothingness. I keep no track of where I'm running, I just put one foot infront of the other, and as I get more and more tired and my legs start to hurt my feelings start to settle down as well and I slow down. Slow down, and sink down next to a big tree.
It's so wrong, but there's nothing I can do. I really do hope they're happy together and at least she's with my 'niisan and not Daisuke or someone else who doesn't deserve her. But it should have been me by her side.
Well, at least now I know why he was questioning everything I said.
There, world, happy now? I'm never writing in present tense in english ever again! Unless another challenge asks me to. So there! *sticks out tounge towars the world*