DAY 12

Yoh slowly opened his eyes as if awakening from a coma. Pain surfaced on the back of his head. He attempted to touch it but was unable to move his arms. Glancing into his lap, he discovered his hands were tied behind his back. The knotted rope cut into his wrists and ankles as most of his memories fell into place. He sat upright in a chair bolted to the floor to secure his balance. Thick brown strands of his hair fell over onto his face as he tried leaning forward. The ropes gave almost nothing; his movements only caused more pain. Several moments elapsed before he noticed her sitting in a chair in front of him.

"You're awake," she said with a smile.

He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry I had to hit you; you wouldn't stop."

After coughing a few times and swallowing hard he whispered, "Tamao?"

She smiled at him without blinking.

"What do you…want from me?" He remembered asking earlier, but the headache prevented him from recalling her answer.

She frowned at such an idiotic question. Pausing to exhale, she left her chair then made her approach. The splitting of his head made eye contact nearly impossible. His breathing slowed, his head slumped forward.

"Do you love me, Yoh?"

He inhaled deeply and conjured a collapsing sensation in his lungs. She grabbed a thick section of his hair with her hand and pulled his head back. He moaned and closed his eyes.

"Look at me please."

His eyes were still closed and his mouth remained agape, a gesture provoking her anger. She tightened her grip on his hair and twisted it in her hand.

"LOOK AT ME." Her eyes narrowed.

He opened his eyes, wandering around her face before locking with hers.

"Do you love me?" she asked again through clenched teeth.

"What are you doing?"

She released her grip and stepped back. "Please…pay attention."

"Where is everyone?" He glanced around the room.

"There's no one here, Yoh."

"Where's Anna?"

Tamao stared at him with vacant coherence. After moments of hesitation, she slapped him hard across his face then punched him brutally in the groin. He screamed uncontrollably for a few seconds as she glared at him with utter disgust. When the outburst ended he slumped in the chair. She gasped, cradling his head in her arms and resting the side of his face in her chest.

"I'm sorry Yoh! I'm so sorry!"

"Where is she?" he whispered.

She backed away from him again, causing his head to jerk forward. He tried to look at her, but from where she was standing his line of sight was blurry.

"You said you wanted to get away from her. You said you needed to get away."

"I've...never said that."

"You wanted her gone, and now you want her back?"

"No, Tamao. I didn't."

"They were wrong about her. Everyone was wrong about her. She wasn't good for you. She treated you like a slave!" Her tone elevated. She frantically waved her hands in the air.

"That's not true," he mumbled.

"She didn't love you! She couldn't..." She hesitated. "I LOVE YOU! I can take care of you! I can make you happy! Don't you see that?" Tears flooded her eyes as she screamed at him.

He stared at her wide eyed as she paced back and forth in front of him and swallowed hard, mumbling something inaudible.

"How can I make him see?" She stared at the floor. "Why doesn't he get it?"

Fear in his stomach rose up his throat and shot through his limbs like a rushing waterfall.

"I love you, Yoh. I love you more than she ever could. More than anyone ever could. Don't you know that? Don't you believe me?"

Yoh noticed the diamond ring she fiddled with on her left hand as she paced in front of him. He stared at it with confusion, blinking a few times to confirm the image in his brain. The ring wasn't hers. He remembered because he was the one who bought it.

"What did you do?" It was a whisper.

She paused and folded her shaking arms across her torso. "I did it for you. I did it...for us."

His eyes were filled with tears now. "What did you…do?"

"Please don't cry. I had to."

A sensation of suffocation overwhelmed his ability to speak clearly.

"I did what you wanted me to do," she whispered. "What you told me to do."

"What?"

"You'll never have to worry about her again." She stepped closer. "She won't hurt you anymore."

"Tell me what you did!"

Yelling exerted much energy, and he had almost none left. She stared at him and tilted her head to the right, as if confused by his statement. He took a breath and tried again.

"Please...tell me." His hair hid his wet face as he dropped his head.

"Why are you crying?" She rolled her eyes and sighed. "This is what you wanted."

The throbbing headache worsened as he stared into his lap. She walked away to grab a towel from a small table positioned against the wall behind the chair.

"Please...Tamao..."

She stood in front of him again and wiped his face with it. "Stop crying."

He continued staring at the floor and clenched his teeth. Noticing his contempt, she sat on his lap with her legs straddling his hips and held his head in her hands. He groaned from the movement and darted his eyes away to keep from looking at her.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"I know you love me." She ignored his whimper. "Tell me you love me."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Please, I need to hear you say it again. You said it before, remember?"

He looked away from her with greater effort. Glaring at him, she slapped him a few times in short, stinging bursts.

"Stop it," she said. "Stop crying."

There was no way he could control the tears now. He sat silently, swallowing hard and staring desperately at the floor. She wiped his face with the towel and placed it on her lap.

"Listen to me," she whispered then slapped him again. "This is very important, Yoh."

She positioned his head upright with her hands. He glanced into her eyes briefly but quickly darted away. This defiance did nothing to deter her effort.

"Things will get better. I promise," she said while running her fingers through his hair. "But, I need to hear you say it." She released him and gently moved his hair away from his eyes with her fingers.

Feeling her warm hand against his cheek made him feel nauseated and dizzy. He moaned in frustration.

"I need to know that you love me. I know you do. I know it. But, if I'm wrong..." She gripped the back of his neck, sending a severe jolt down his spine. "...I don't know what I would do."

Did I do this? How did this happen? Where there no signs? How can I get out of here? Where are we? Was I too nice to her before? I have to find Anna. Everything hurts. She's gonna kill me.

She was too close to his face for him to process any of his thoughts.

"I love you." Regret flooded his brain immediately after.

She ran her fingers over his lips but quickly recoiled. Several moments elapsed as she gazed into his eyes. There was no way of knowing what she was thinking, so he said nothing else.

"Can I kiss you?"

He stared at her and swallowed. Her expression was initially timid, but after noticing his hesitation she hit him with an open palm, pushing his head back. The stinging forced his eyes shut.

"Open your eyes." Her voice was calm.

He exhaled and obeyed her.

"Please, can I kiss you?" She rested her eyes along the wall behind his chair.

"Okay."