Perfume of September
*** From Orihime's perspective ***
I'm walking quiet to my school. I do not know why, but the road seemed incredibly long for me. My summer vacation was simply incredible, I am so grateful that I was able to spend many memorable moments with my friends, despite I couldn't spend too much time with an important person. My steps stopped when I arrived in front of the school gate. In front of me was none other than Ichigo swearing while he was looking at his phone screen.
I turned to him and I sat my hand on his arm, which make him to turn his gaze.
"Are you ok?" I asked him although I obviously knew the answer.
"No. It looks like Urahara created I do not know what fucking invention and he wants me to test it." he said then he hid the phone back in his pocket.
"But you will lose the festivities. Do you remember that we all planned to go at the Reak's right after we get our schedule, right?" I asked trying to mask my disappointment what probably made its presence on my face.
"I know, Inoue. I know it very well, trust me." he said while he loosen the first two buttons of his shirt what they seemed to stop him from breathing. "I just hate this whole shinnigam's stuff. All I receive after I fucking saved their asses and the entire world are just wounds and to spend less time with my friends and my family." He said hiting the school gate with his fist. His hit was so strong that he made his fist starting to bleed a little and he made the gate to bend. We both looked somewhat lost to the blood which is running now faster.
"Kurosaki-kun ..." I called him making him to lift his gaze toward me. I smiled, trying to make him feel better. "I understand you." I said removing a bandage with a strawberry from my schoolbag and placing it over his wound to stop the bleeding. "I understand that it can be very hard to have such a big responsibility on your shoulders and that it makes you to spend less time with the persons who are important to you, but… You should try to give everything you can. I cannot imagine a better person who would take all this hard responsibilities and who will remain in the same time such a good friend and an amazing person." I told him wiping a tear what began to flow on my face. I can be so silly sometimes. His expression was surprised and in the same time I could see how a warm smile and imprinted itself on his face.
"Thank you, Inoue. I think I needed that. See you later." he said, then he started to run in the direction of Urahara's shop.
I whispered softly to him to take care of himself, then I head to the schoolyard to where I had to meet with the others. To my surprise it was just Ishida who was sitting on a bench while he was browsing the pages of a book. I sat myself down next to him and it made him to look up and to leave the little object down on his knees.
"Good morning, Inoue-san." he said while he was arranging better his glasses. I do not know why always this small gesture is bringing a smile on my face.
"Good morning, Uryu-san." I said while I was fixing my gaze on the book what he was reading. "What are you reading?" I asked him when I found it impossible to understand what's the book's title. It seems that it's in another language. When he heard my question his cheeks blushed and hide it in his schoolbag. Did I make him to feel bad?
"It's nothing important. It's just one of my grandfather's journals. Sometimes I like to read it when I'm missing him." He said focusing his gaze to some colleagues in front of us. I felt like my heart is breaking a little when I saw the sadness from his eyes. Ishida was not the type of person who shows his emotions so perhaps this is a sensitive subject for him.
"Sorry, I did not want to hurt you." I said while I sat my palm above his. It seems that the contact made him to blush again and he withdrew his hand almost instantly.
"It's nothing. It's not your fault, Inoue-san. But why did you come so early?" he said looking at his watch.
"Seriously ?" I asked while I was feeling that my cheeks began to blush. I moved my gaze on my watch the clock and indeed we were half of hour earlier. The truth is that ... I wanted to see Ichigo. He was quite busy the entire summer vacation with all the trainings and especially with the freedom of Soketsu what only caused to him more problems. I knew he will be here, because all of us promised to meet here before the holiday began, but it seems that our plans did not worked as well as we planned. I startled when I saw Ishida's funny face. I probably lost myself in my thoughts again. My return to reality somehow made him to smile.
"You come so early because of him, huh?" he asked me although he obviously knew the answer. Ishida did not need to hear those words coming out of my mouth he was simply pleased with my reaction. He raised himself then he offered to me his hand gallantly. I accepted it, then he did not freed my hand. Ishida-and is continuing to walk to a confectionery the high school making me to follow him. I was feeling so strange to walk in his company. I feel like doing this I betrayed the purity of my feelings for Ichigo. Once we get inside the confectionery Ishida ordered 2 pieces of tart with vanilla after what we sat down at one of the tables. It's funny that now I am beside him and not beside the boy I love. Maybe it's because this summer we spent more time together. It was fun I must to admit, but it was only that. Ishida took a sip of his cake while I was watching his movements looking lost. Ishida left his spoon down then he distributed all his attention on me.
"What has happened? Do not you like it? Do you want me to order something else?" He asked me somewhat worried. I quickly shook my head to banish all thoughts what preoccupied me, then I responded to him.
"No, I like it, thank you. But why are we here?" I asked confused.
"I thought we could spend some time here after that to get back in the schoolyard. You know that I'm not a fan of crowds. But if you want, we can go back." He said trying to maintain an indifferent expression despite his eyes were begging me to not give to him a pozitive response. I bite my lower lip knowing that I could not tell him the real answer, then I tried to smile as if nothing had happened.
"No, everything's fine. But I did not know exactly what happens. Maybe the blue little man was playing again with my brain, right?" I said while I was moving the spoon inside of my plate.
"Inoue-san ..." he said, probably trying to tell me something, but I stopped him just because I do not want the situation to become even stranger than it was.
"Oh ... Did you know that it is scientifically proven that, if you consumed strawberries daily, you strengthen the immunity of your body." I said while I was trying to calm down.
"I had no idea." he said, smiling at me somewhat seductive. Ok, it must to be incredibly wrong that in that moment Ishida seemed really cute? Oh, get a grip Orihime. My pulse has risen so much that the attention of the all coffeehouses is probably on me. God is so embarrassing. I hardly restrain my reaction to cover my face with my hands and to make myself invisible, disappearing on the shop door. I feel everything what's happening around me just froze when Ishida took my hand what was holding my spoon.
"I think your tart didn't do something so bad to deserve to slaughter her in that way." he said amused. In that moment I released teaspoon of hand, then my hands simply glued to my face. I was feeling just that I couldn't handle the situation. What's happening to me? I asked myself like I really expected someone to respond at my silly question. Why I'm here with one of my best friends instead of being the boy that I like? I could feel that my pulse began to return to normal when his hands covered mines.
"Are you all right, Inoue?" It might seem impossible to imagine, but I swear for a second I saw Ichigo in his place. Ishida was probably shocked by the way I smiled. I get up immediately to avoid other strange things to happen between us, then I thank him for all and I ran from the table and I headed toward the exit. I could hear him saying my name, but it was just pointless. I needed time to think about what happened and more I need Ichigo to be with me right now. When I exited the cafeteria I hit an individual's body and I began to feel even more shameful, if that could be possible. The boy gave to me his hand to help me to get up and I winced when I heard his voice.
"Are you all right, Inoue?" I was shocked to see him here, when he said to me that he's busy, but I really didn't wanted to think about the reason why's here. I'm simply glad that I can see his face. Ichigo's worried gaze turned into a surprised one when he saw Ishida coming from the sop running desperately and saying my name while his eyes were searching for me. When the two boys gaze met I could feel that the atmosphere is becoming increasingly tense. After Ichigo helped me to raise myself he moved his hands back in his pockets.
"A ... I see, so you two are on a date." Ichigo said while he was looking in my eyes disappointed.
"No, you got it all wrong." I say feeling even more guilty for what I just did. His reaction surprised me, he simply stroked my hair friendliness. It seems like my words succeeded only to hurt him more. How's that possible?
"It's ok, Inoue. I hope you to be happy. You deserve it." Ichigo said while he was walking increasingly more away from us. I couldn't believe that this is actually happening. It's seems so unreal he seems to not be my Ichigo.
The pain to see him him walking away from me just made me to hit the ground, because my legs couldn't support the weight of my broken heart. He, Ichigo, the boy that I love so much is moving away from me without having any resentment. How can you be so cold, Kurosaki-kun? After all the beautiful memories we have together ...
Ishida sat down next to me and he was trying to ask me something, but I could not simply understand. His words were simply covered by the pain of my tears. I do not refuse him when his arms were wrapping around my body in an attempt to make me feel better. My heart was so broken that everything around me was so cold that I could hardly breathe. I did not think September will be able to bring so much pain in my heart.
**** From Ichigo's perspective ***
P.S. What are you thinking about this story so far ?