Tick, tick, tick. She looked up at the cat clock on the wall. He would be home soon. The kitchen was filled with the smell of Goya seasoning and meat. He loved meat. He was a carnivorous thing; she knew, and he would love coming home to his favorite meal. She set down her pot in the sink and put on her yellow latex gloves. She had worked hard, cooking for hours, all for this one meal. He had been feeling a bit down lately, so she wanted to cheer him up. Complaints of headaches always filled his mouth, but when she leaned on her toes and kissed him, it all seemed to blow away in the wind.
The day outside was beautiful. Kristiana looked outside the window, her dark brown bangs hanging in her eyes. She noticed a bird as he sat on the deck, looking out at the world around him. She waved a good day to him as he opened his mighty wings and flew towards the trees, vanishing in a thicket of leaves. She had just put her hand on the window to open it when she heard a click.
Her eyes darted towards the front door; her feet and legs moving before her brain even sent the message down to them. She rushed down the stairs, opening her arms. He always liked it when she hugged him home. A dark figure came through the door, locking it behind him. "Kitty I'm-"
Before he knew it, a young girl had embraced her arms around his chest, taking in his scent. He smiled down on her, stroking her head gently. "How are you?" he asked. His voice was barely English, a thick heavy Asian accent in his throat. She looked up at him and locked his lips quickly. "I'm good! How was your day? Any headaches?"
He sighed, rubbing his head. "Some…. Though I do not know where they come from." She frowned for a second then ran back up the stairs, dragging him with her. "Come on! I made your favorite!" He smiled back at her, his beautiful brown eyes examining the food laid out for him on the table. "You always think of the best things."
"Your English is getting better." She exclaimed, taking the meat from the pan. He cocked his head, still smiling. "I have a good teacher." Kris laughed a clear laugh; he always loved it. She set his food down and took his leather jacket off, revealing the rocker tee shirt he had on underneath. They sat down together.
"When I finish college," she said, her mouth full of rice, "I'm going to buy an actual house. Not rent." He looked at her, his mouth full of steak. He gulped it down and replied "I put some money in the bank today. Eight hundred."
"Really? Wow! That's going to help a lot!" she kissed him lightly. He blushed and set his fork down. "You are something." He said. Kris smiled. "Aren't I always?" she picked at her food. "I can't wait…. I'm so excited!" she looked back at him, her eyes shimmering. "Hideto…" she began. "Will you stay with me? To see that I get that house?" He smiled at her, his heart thumping. A little black box was in his fist, hidden from her view. He fingered it nervously.
"Speaking of which, I wanted to ask you…." He set down his fork and got wiped his mouth. She watched him questionably, but said nothing. He began to kneel down when a sudden pain in his head stopped him. He grasped his head tightly with both hands, closing his eyes.
"Hideto?" Kris got up quickly, taking his head. "You okay?" Hideto shook his head. "I…. I am… fine… I just… need… some medicine…" he headed over towards the cabinet where the Advils were. As soon as he reached up his hand, another spasm of pain engulfed him, forcing his eyes to dart about; he saw red.
"Hideto!" he was writhing in pain. His head pulsed, and his body felt awkward. His spine felt as if it was being pulled by something. "Hideto? Hideto!" he could feel her arms around him, letting him gently to the floor. "Hideto! Yes, my name is…" he couldn't hear her voice anymore. He couldn't do anything. His body felt like it was being pulled in fourteen different directions. The room was spinning before his eyes. He saw Kris's face, red and flushed, looming over him. "Hideto! Hideto!" he could read her lips. It was the last thing he saw before his world went black.