"It all started when Yuki and Kyo were six, Haru and I were five," I started. I sat on my bed as Kyo sat on my rolling seat and Tohru sat in the bean bad chair that I had. "We've been friends for a year by that time. Even back then Kyo and Yuki fought." I just had to chuckle after saying that.
"Stick to the story," Kyo snapped.
"Fine," I whined. "Anyways, back then life was care free, no worries, no responsibilities, it was the good life. Until Akito got hold of Yuki," I couldn't look either of them in the eyes, nor could I continue as tears fell down my cheeks.
Kyo sat next to me and embraced me and stroked my hair as I cried into his chest. "Yuki told Orlha he liked her, and when Akito heard of this he tortured Yuki," Kyo continued for me. "Even after that Yuki still hung out with Orlha against Akito's wishes."
I quickly pulled away from Kyo's embrace and wiped my tears. "It was on Orlha's second birthday when Kisa, who was originally cursed with the tiger, was born," we heard Shigure say from my doorway. He and Yuki stood there with a depressed look.
"What does she have to do with Orlha," Tohru asked Shigure.
"Orlha was born in the year as well as the month of the tiger," Yuki explained.
"Knowing that Akito would see if Kisa was cursed since she was born in the month of the tiger," Shigure continued the part of my story I never knew. "Orlha's father quickly asked permission to extract the curse of the tiger from her, and Kisa's father, who was good friends with Orlha's father, trusted him.
"Extract the curse," Tohru repeated softly.
"When we are young," Shigure started to explain. "Or about to die, the curse is sort of like a gene. Once its host dies it quickly enters another host, a baby. After at least a month in its new host the curse become infused with the other genes and by that point cannot be extracted."
"If that's true," Tohru muttered. "Then why not extract the curse gene in all the babies that are born with it or the one that are dying?"
"Because only Orlha's father knew how and what the cruse gene looked like," Shigure said. "Akito didn't approve of this but was too late because Orlha's body accepted the curse gene."
"But Kisa still has the curse of the tiger," Kyo added. "Meaning Akito got to Orlha's father before he got extract the entire curse gene from her and write down all his findings."
"Kisa curse isn't as bad as Orlha," continued Shigure. "Orlha is the one that acts and looks more like the tiger since she was injected with the curse. That is why her hugs don't affect the rest of us with the Zodiac curse. But we don't know how bad her curse is, that is if she is hugged by someone of the opposite sex does she change. When it came to Orlha's seventh birthday her mother got sick and asked me to take care of her, and from that point on Orlha has lived with me."
"I had no idea," Tohru whispered and then looked at me. "But wait that doesn't explain why you felt uncomfortable when Haru was flirting with Yuki," Tohru said to get back to the original topic.
This questioned sparked Yuki's interest and he looked at me. I avoided his gaze by looking down.
"I'll tell you later," Kyo mumbled toward her. "Right now we should all get some rest." He stroked my hair as he embraced me once more. He, Yuki and Tohru left my room and Shigure sat next to me on my bed.
"Now you know," He whispered to me. "Why both you and Kisa are cursed with the Sohma curse."
"Did my father really do this to me," I asked staring at my hands.
Shigure nodded and hugged me. "He did it so Akito could not hurt you or separate you from your friends," He whispered. "He wanted you to live and become something great. I think you have learned a lot today. You should get some sleep because you have school tomorrow."
"Fine," I whined and he left my room so I could change and go to bed.
"Today sucks," I complained at lunch as I joined Momiji, Haru, Kyo, Yuki and Tohru with my lunch tray in the cafeteria.
"Why do you say that," Momiji asked as a started to eat my chicken burger.
"She and Kyo got detention again," Yuki answered.
"It's her fault," Kyo defended himself. "She didn't do the homework and asked to copy mine."
"Orlha didn't do her homework," Haru sounded surprised and stared at me as I finished eating my chicken burger.
"Is that a crime," I asked whipping my face.
"No," Haru said. "It's just not like you to not do your homework."
"I agree," A male voice said behind me. I look behind me to see Makoto again. "I was told Orlha Sohma was a brilliant, well behaved student, not a procrastinator that dresses out of dress code and has constantly gotten detention."
"Sorry to disappoint to," I mumbled and continued eating my lunch.
"Hey Makoto," Another male said he was walking toward us from a direction I can see him. He was tall with short-medium length Persian red hair with Kelly green eyes and he wore the school's uniform for the boys. I swear he was the tallest guy in school because he stood at about 6 foot at least. I quickly drank my juice and tried to breathe normally as my heart raced. "What are you doing now?" his voice was so gentle sounding but still manly.
"Telling Orlha Sohma how disappointed I am on how she has turned out right now," Makoto told him.
"Your Orlha Sohma," The guy asked me. I nodded and I swear I was blushing. "I'm Sai Haga, but you may call me Sai." He said with a slight bow.
"Ok," I muttered as a tuck my hair behind my ear. "You can call me Orlha."
Makoto started to growl, "Sai, what are you doing flirting with trouble makers?"
"Calm down Makoto," He told his friend and the two left with Sai looking over his shoulder once before leaving the cafeteria.
I quickly cleaned my tray and put it away as well did everyone else. Then we headed outside. Tohru joined her two friends on the other side of the school.
"That Sai guy seems like a nice guy," Momiji started the conversation.
"He did," I agreed.
"Let's play something," Haru growled. He seemed irritated about me and Momiji talking about Sai.
"How about basketball," Momiji offered.
"Sound good," I said.
"I call Orlha," Kyo automatically called out.
"Me too," Momiji said. "So it's us versus Yuki and Haru."
Haru grabbed a basketball and the game began. Kyo jumped Yuki for the ball. Kyo pushed the ball to Momiji who dribbled it up to the basket Haru guarded. I called out to Momiji to pass it and he did with Haru following it. Suddenly I was hiding the ball in my arms and crouched down. Haru started wrestling the ball out of my arms.
"No," I whined.
"Give it here," Kyo yelled trying to stay in front of Yuki who was blocking both him and Momiji.
Suddenly I was lifted up by Haru. "Put me down," I demanded still hanging onto the ball.
"You can't do that," Kyo argued. "It's against the rules. Plus you can get in trouble doing that."
I dropped the ball and Momiji grabbed it. I started pounding on Haru's hands. "Let me go, I don't have the ball anymore," I screamed.
Haru then plopped me down and smiled. "You know, you're kind of cute when you're mad," he told me as he touched my nose.
I had to blush because he called me cute. He never called me cute or anything along those terms not even pretty. What happened to him over the past year?
Before we could continue our game the bell rang and all five of us groaned. Class was fine until detention came. Kyo and I again were stuck in an empty room with our home room teacher give us her death stare. The day at school didn't end there though. When Kyo and I started to head out of school Sai bumped into Kyo and papers flew everywhere.
"I'm sorry," Sai said franticly as he started to pick up the papers.
"Here, let us help you," I told him and was starting to bend down to help.
"No it's all . . . right," Sai slowly said as he looked up at me. "Hello Orlha, what are you doing here?"
"We just got out of detention," Kyo answered for me.
"That must sucks," Sai commented. "Well, sorry for bumping into you. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He said before running off.
Kyo picked up a paper Sai missed and stared at it before handing it to me. It was a flyer for the dance happening is two months. "They're already working on the dance," I thought out loud.
"Seems like it," Kyo said and we started to head home. I had tucked the flyer into my backpack before reaching the house.
Yuki and Tohru were waiting for us at the front door.
"Are you going to finish the story," Tohru asked Kyo and me.
We looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. "Sure," Kyo answered for the both of us.
Shigure asked Yuki to get dinner that he just ordered ironically.
"After Yuki got tortured by Akito," I started the story again. "I keep my feelings hidden and only let Kyo know."
"Yuki liked Orlha," Kyo started to explain. "Haru started to liked Yuki and Orlha liked Haru."
"A love triangle," Tohru muttered.
"Basically," Kyo said. "But only me, Shigure and now you, are the only ones that know Orlha likes Haru, beside Orlha herself."
"So that's why you were uncomfortable then," Tohru realized.
"Yep," I told her before leaving for my room. "Don't worry about calling me for dinner. I'm not hungry."
"Is she going to be okay," I heard Tohru ask Kyo.
"Yeah," I heard Kyo replied. "She just keeps everything bottled up and makes me promise not to tell anyone and you can't either."
