Disclaimer: Still don't own.
Chapter 1: And people in Hell want ice water but they don't get it, now do they?
_Amu_
Its official, I can't believe this is happening to me. I wish that I could go back in time and either a) smack myself, b) smack my parents and convince them not to go on this trip, or c) all of the above. This is an absolute nightmare, like Hell's gates have opened.
Sitting in the backseat of our car, I can't seem to stop fidgeting. Crossing and uncrossing my ankles, pulling at my stripped cami or the shirt over it, twirling my hair or my headphone cords, it's absolute insanity. I temporally develop all loss of motor function under stressful situations, I'm pretty sure it's quiet funny to a third party view of my uncontrollable movement.
This whole thing sucks, epically. Why did why parents decide to go to America for vacation? Why? How the world of Carmen Santiago did I get stuck staying at the home of the bane of my existence.
Or more importantly: why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?
My parents are happily buzzing about their trip but I can still feel the nervous glances on their part, debating if I will actually jump out of the car while it's still in motion. They know I am not a happy camper. My little sister, Ami, is across from me, beating an old and worn portable karaoke machine. She's ten and has been going through the stage of wanting to be a pop star since she was five, so that stupid machine is a must to her happiness. Five dollars she either makes mom and dad buy a new one in America, heck, before they even leave. They are going to America while I'm staying here.
My parents had been planning this vacation for months and it was the fly in the ointment when I told them I didn't want to go with them for the month or so that they were going.
To be honest, I really didn't want to go, not like most other people would have. There were many things that played into this, however at least three won out. My friends, all of whom I had major plans with for the summer break, summer homework that alone made a tiny mountain, and lastly, this would be the first summer that I finally was with the boy I've had a crush on since I was five, Tadase.
I didn't want to leave; it would be pointless to try. Plus I knew that it wouldn't work with the homework being in another country. Can you say the development of ADD, much?
For weeks this topic of me staying had been nothing but a barrage of silent treatments, arguments, and persuasion on both sides. Finally we came to a stalemate: find a friend or someone who we knew to let me stay or I was going. Period.
Well needless to say this shouldn't sound hard. However in a short time I had run out of people to ask because they couldn't house another person for a month or so that I would need to stay or they had something to do and the deadline to have this said and done with was running out. I was desperate, extremely so. Little did I know how badly this would come back and bite me in the butt.
I was sitting at the slab of wood (see: table) in the kitchen, my face against the grain, depressed that I still had no takers. I heard the chair across from me slide along the floor only to look up to see my mother sitting across from me, her glasses hiding her expression in her eyes.
"No place for you, my little lost stray," my mother asked.
Thinking she was here to gloat, my face met the wood again as I groaned and nodded my head. For a few minutes it was silent and then my mother said a sentence that was at the time a beautiful thing, only to learn how sick fate was later.
"Well there may be one place that I know of."
My head shot up like a rocket. "Where?"
My mother stared at me for a few minutes. "Are you sure you really want to stay here," she asked dead serious. That should have tipped me off right away that something was not good but like the idiot that I am, I nodded my head.
She had gotten up and had the phone in hand and was dialing a number she didn't even have to look up as I waited on bated breath. Her expression was still unreadable as the phone rang as she waited for someone to pick up.
"Hey, how are you," my mother said as the person picked up and after the formalities my mother got right to business.
"Me and the family are going to America, however there is one problem," Mom said. The person must have asked for how long since Mom replied, "Oh about a month or so."
"However Amu doesn't want to go and I was wondering if you would be willing to let her stay with you while we're away."
The entire time the warning bells should have been going off, still like the moron I am, I suppressed them, especially since I couldn't tell what my mother was thinking with the poker face she was wearing.
Soon the person came back with good news. "Really," my mother's face brightened, "Perfect! Yes I will get back to you when I get more details! Yeah see you soon."
I jumped up as my mother hung up the phone. "Great, now who the heck am I staying with," I asked excited. This is where the warning sounds and sirens were laughing at me.
A creepy smile filled my mother's face as she said in an oddly happy voice, "Oh, just the Tsukiyomi family."
And with that the bottom fell out of the paper bag that held my world together.
The Tsukuyomi family, which means Ikuto, Ikuto who I haven't been able to stand since whatever started that fight between us ten years ago. Ever since that fight, Ikuto and I were like oil and water, we couldn't and wouldn't mix. So in other words, abandon hope, all Ye who enter here.
Every time we saw each other a little battle would break. Fight, Flee, Repeat was what I called it because that's usually what would happen. He bugged me, acting like just because he was two years older than me, that he knew everything. It had gotten so bad between us that we haven't seen each other in at least five years, these fights were sometimes that bad.
It really all stems back to that fight ten years ago that dashed what small friendship we had built. The fight, which I really couldn't remember what it was about really but, hey whatever it was it must have been something that bugged the both of us enough that it was next to impossible to repair anything at the time.
Still it wasn't like I was jam on toast with Ikuto when we were kids. It wasn't like when I met Utau, Ikuto's sister. She and I were amazingly fast friends and if this war Ikuto and I had going on had any causalities it was Utau. I would have loved to hang out with her but with Ikuto around it was nothing but weird, considering her brother bugged the ever loving snicker doodles out of me.
However my folks and their mother were still as thick as thieves, disregarding the awkward turtle that had formed between Ikuto and I, which was why now I was praying that our car would have a flat tire so to make this trip even slower than it was going.
I will admit that in the back of my mind a small, like grain of sand small, part of me was curious. I wanted to know what had happened to Utau and even to Ikuto. However the curiosity was squashed like bug against a windshield when the thought came about how much of a beating my ego would take in these next few weeks.
It would God's own little cosmic joke. Not only was my hair pink, I am short, but I have yet to come into my "own" I suppose. My hair, shortness, and lack of a chest were a triple whammy so to speak.
No, no. If I was lucky I won't have to interact much with Ikuto. A short glance, a rude comment here and there, and voila. The next month or so would pass like nothing. My friends, homework, and boyfriend would hopefully take care of the rest. I can only hope.
The Tsukuyomi family lived across town but considering our little burg hardly had the making of a city the trip to their home wasn't exactly something to brag about, however, this trip was going relatively slow which was fine and dandy with me. I could care less if we never got there. Much easier on my life.
Leaning my head against the window, I closed my eyes and turned up the volume on my iPod.
"Wake me up, I've been dreaming,
If feels just like any other day.
I sit you down, here goes nothing,
And you're not gonna like what I say."
The lyrics flowed into my ears and soon I had no other thought but the music, which was exactly what I need.
_Ikuto_
I sat there fiddling with my violin (A/N: Hey a pun!) cleaning and tuning it, only to hear a knock on the door to my bedroom.
"Go away," I said to the knock, only to have the door swing open to show my sister, Utau, with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Mom wants to know when you are going to stop with the silent treatment," Utau said walking toward my bed and flopping down on it. My cat, Yoru, looked up in irritation before putting his head back down and going back to his cat nap. I only wish I could drown out the world that easily.
"Why, is she here," I asked carefully. I happily didn't have to say who I was talking about. We both knew who I meant.
"No, she's not, but mom wants to know when, and I quote, you are going to stop acting like you're two or something," Utau said as she petted Yoru's ears, who purred contently at the contact.
"When she leaves," I shot back messing with a violin string, playing out a screechy note to emphasize my point.
It had been at least two and a half weeks since my mother agreed to shelter a friend of the family and I had yet to really say anything that wasn't mono- syllable to her to show my anger at the fact of who was staying with us.
Amu Hinamori; the pink haired midget that she was. She and I had been at each other's throats since she was five and I was seven for a reason that I honestly can't quiet recall.
That fight had completely obliterated what friendship we had. Sadly that wasn't much at the time. I can remember the first time I met her.
My mother had been fluttering around like an excited butterfly, buzzing about a friend she had made. She had told us that the friend had a daughter that we could play with so we shouldn't be bored. I wasn't too "woo-hoo" about meeting new people, I never have been. That was Utau's territory when we were younger and it still is. She was extremely excited to meet someone new.
When the friend and her daughter had first gotten there I was the first along with my mother to meet this girl. I was dumbstruck, honestly. She was short, dainty, and built like a fairy. It so did not help that this girl had naturally pink hair the color of bubble gum and eyes a soft gold, not brown, gold, while her skin was pale with a light dusting of blush. This was my first impression of Amu Hinamori. Let me put it to you this way: if my sister with her blonde hair and purple- bluish eyes was a Barbie doll, then this girl was a baby- doll, pink blush, hair, huge eyes, the works.
I didn't really know what to do about this, honestly. Utau, on the other hand had a field day with this porcelain doll of a child. The only way to describe the relationship between Amu and I was awkward at best. However the best memory I have of us together is the first time I had ever played the violin for her, a skill that I had inherited from my father, who at the time I hadn't seen for three years. It had happened a few weeks after our parents had met and she had found me when I had been practicing. I had played a mildly simple piece compared to the others that I had done. Still on that last note, though the piece was really nothing, it managed to get this amazing and toothy grin out of Amu. Though I will never admit this to anyone but the voices in my head, the first thought I had was 'Beautiful.'
I guess when it comes down to it, Amu was my first crush, even if I didn't show it very often, I still thought the world of her in my own quiet way. However that fight had ended anything relatively good between us. The real fun part is that I rightly don't even remember what started that fight. All I remember of that day after it was running to my room and sleeping.
From that point on it was cats and dogs with us. I would mock her hair and lack of vertical stature while she would mock my glaring personality flaws. It went back and forth between us and it had gotten so bad that we've avoided truly seeing each other in at least four to five years.
However this hadn't stopped my mother from letting Amu stay here as if things were nothing but hunky dory between us. Honestly I should have distracted Mom during that phone call.
I sat at the island in the kitchen eating out of a bowl…plate… something, when the phone rang. My mother got it first and promptly grew a huge grin.
I had stopped eating and was watching her at the exchange between my mother and the speaker. It still fascinated me when my mother became this girly and loud person in front of me, instead of the tough- as- nails, no hold back, extremely successful lawyer I normally saw.
Soon the person had gotten right to the heart of things. "America, really? When," my mother had asked and as the person responded I couldn't help but something major was happening, something bad, Hell's gates are opening bad. However I shoved the feeling down and continue to peck at the food in whatever I was eating in.
"Oh, she wants to stay here," My mother asked, a peculiar sound entered her voice. That made me look up at her, but oddly enough my mother wouldn't look at me at all.
"Wait let me check on a few things, hang on a minute," my mother asked as she went to her office, all the while stealing glances at me as I continue to pick at my food, the feeling getting worse at my mother's glances. It seemed like when a kid is trying to do something they shouldn't and they are trying to be sneaky but are failing epically, like stealing cookies before dinner.
Soon she had come back with the calendar and her planner, checking and cross referencing between the two, the while ignoring the looks I was giving her. After a few minutes she happily looked up and spoke into the phone.
"Everything's clear, she can stay with us if she wants," Mom said in an enthusiastic voice. The person on the other line thanked my mother and with that the two hung up. I was now extremely curious and the dreaded feeling was drilling a hole into my stomach.
"Who was that," I had asked as I took a bite of what I was eating for the first time since the phone call had started.
"Oh that was Mrs. Hinamori. You know, Amu's mother," she replied. With that sirens and whistles joined the aching feeling in my stomach. This was not good; I could smell the fire and brimstone already.
"Oh, and what did she want," I asked tip-toeing around the subject.
"Oh her family is heading to America for vacation and she was asking if Amu could stay with us since she doesn't really want to go and I said she could," My mother had said finishing off with a beautiful smile, the smile that I could see why my father fell for my mother.
What she had said, however, could only be considering Hellspeak.
I was stunned and all I registered at the time was the sound of whatever eating utensil I had used hitting against whatever I had eaten out of as I dropped it.
With that I slid my chair, the loud shrill sound, showed my mood perfectly. Much like that day ten years ago I ran to my room and slammed the door behind me. I picked up my violin and began to play it as screechy, shrill, and loud as I could.
After a few minutes I recalled having neighbors but thought, 'Screw it! I have to be politically correct and angry too! Heck no! If they don't like it, they don't have to listen!"
And that is where I find myself two and a half weeks later. A silent treatment, a bargaining sister and mother, and an ulcer later, my life has gone to pot and the dwarf isn't even here yet.
I sighed. If that was the case, I was going to go bald by the time Amu left. At that thought I ran my hand into my blue- black hair, saying good-bye now while the chance was there. For now all I could do was curse and wish that we lived in another town that she couldn't, no, she wouldn't want to stay with us. Much to my displeasure this was never going to happen- unfortunately.
Utau got up and headed for the door and stopped, Yoru followed her and breezed past her but Utau stood in the doorway. Utau turned around and looked at me.
"Look, all Mom and I have tried to convince you of is that you don't have to like her, just get along with her. We all mature, young adults here. We really don't need Armageddon, okay, Ikuto."
With that said Utau left, closing the door behind her. I spread out on my bed, trying to will myself into going to sleep and possibly sleeping off the next month or so like Rip Van Winkle.
That didn't happen, especially when I heard the bell outside beside the gate that told us we had company. It was over, she was here, and I felt like I was standing in front of the gate of Hell described by Dante in the Divine Comedy.
My mother shouted down to me to get down here, but I just stayed where I was. I guess she would figure that this was just one of the many things in the weeks to come that I just couldn't seem to do.
_Amu_
The sick part about Ikuto's house is how much I love it. It was a mix of traditional Japanese architecture like a wraparound wooden porch, sliding wooden doors, the works, while it was being balanced by modern touches like glass, steel, and what have you. I love it and want one similar to it when I'm older and it's easily one of the most tasteful houses in the neighborhood.
We are just going to disregard the fact that I don't want to step foot anywhere near it.
My mother had rung the bell and I now stood outside the car with her and my little sister as she clung to my side. My dad was getting my stuff out of the back as the gate was opening and there was Utau and Ikuto's mother.
My mother and theirs came up to each other as they hugged and said their hello's and what have you. Ami and I stood to the sides, unsure what to do but I could already feel the lack of control of motor functions coming on.
Another person came out side and I realized with a start that it Utau, who came to join her mother. Soon the focus came onto me. I thought in my head what I must look like. Pink hair pulled in a half-ponytail, held by an X- shaped clip that my mother had found. Light blue shirt with black hearts and swirls design in the bottom corner of the shirt, a stripped cami under that, a dark blue/black pencil skirt, stripped light blue and white legging that connected to the skirt and topped with black flats. All in all, not to formal, not too casual.
However I felt green with envy looking at Utau. Long, sunshine blonde hair pulled into pigtails that flowed, same stunning, striking blue-purple eyes. Her outfit was beautiful and daring. A black corset- like long sleeved shirt that fitted nicely with hints of satin and lace peeking through and an elegant, short, almost ballet- like, skirt, reminding me of a gothic Swan Lake with tights. She had topped the outfit off with a silk choker with a dainty, silver cross around her neck. The only off about her outfit with the light purple house slippers she currently had on her feet, but as usual, Utau pulled it off like the darn slippers went with the outfit. Honestly, if I didn't love the girl, I may have to plot her demise.
Soon it was time for my family to leave. I stood with Utau and her mother, all the while feeling like I was being watched somewhere but I put the feeling aside. This would be the last time I would see my family for awhile and though the small kid in me was depressed and scared stiff, however, the fifteen, almost sixteen was jumping and screaming with anticipation.
My little sister wielded herself to me, a heartbreaking look on her face, complaining that she didn't want me to stay and to come with them.
"Hey don't be like that, Ami. The month or so will be over before you know it and soon I will be carting you everywhere like I usual do. So have fun, take lots of pictures, and find me something amazing to show me when you get back, okay?"
With Ami smiled a toothy grin and got back in the car, waiting for mom and dad, never taking her eyes off me as she waited. My dad pulled me into a great big bear hug, something we haven't really done since I was Ami's age, a familiar smell of his minty aftershave and the laundry detergent my mom used whiffed around me, making me feel like a little kid again. With that he told me to have fun and be good. I had to laugh at the being good comment. It was something that we came up with when I was little. In response I said, "Aren't I always?"
Smiling my father got in the car with Ami so that only my mother remained. She was smiling but I could see the build of tears behind the lens of her glasses. I could feel the tears looking at her but as always my mother was the one assuring me as she pulled my into a hug and kissed me on my head.
"The month will pass like that, you'll see. Have fun alright, be good to them since you own them for taking you in, my little stray," and in a really low voice that only I could hear, my mother added, "And please try and get along with Ikuto. You don't have to like each other, just try to get along ok." Pulling away slightly and pushing my hair away from my face like she did when I was a kid she said that she, Ami, and dad all loved me.
"Ditto."
Breaking the hug entirely, my mother opened the car and got in, waving as she did. Both dad and Ami waved as well and with that the car pulled away.
The whole time Utau and her mother had stood aside until now, as I felt an arm pull me close to someone. I looked up slightly to see Mrs. Tsukuyomi watching the car and noticing me gaze, she smiled a gentle smile and said that I would see them soon enough.
As we walked up the sidewalk, Mrs. Tsukuyomi told Utau to take me to my room and my stuff would come soon after that. Utau nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the house, her pigtails waving like banners behind her.
When we reached the foyer to the house she turned and smiled a mischievous smile, "Well I guess I should show you to your room before we really do anything, huh?"
I just smiled, agreed, and followed Utau as she lead me up a flight of stairs to one of the many odd hallways in the house and stopped at one door in particular. Opening the door I got the shock of my life in the form of the room that I could call mine for a month.
The room was simple in furniture but made up for it with gorgeous designs and colors. The colors were dashes of lily whites, blush pinks, sky blues, emerald greens, dusty yellows, and ebony blacks. The designs on the room were sun, moons, stars, giving a feeling of being lost in the sky at either twilight or dawn. The bed was huge, with a white comforter with pillows of every color of the room. In the room, along with the bed, there was a desk, two dressers, and a mirror, all stained dark. On the desk was a fairly new and well- taken care of computer, which was convenient if my laptop didn't work.
All in all this room had to be my dream room and it was mine for a month or so. I have no complaints to make thus far.
"If you don't really like this room, there's others so it not permanent unless you want it to be," Utau said. I just stared at her. She thought I had a problem with this room. I see, the years have taken away a few fries from the happy meal upstairs if you know what I mean. My expression must have said enough because Utau started laughing.
"Ok I get it. You love the room and for that we are very happy. My mother and I sat and debated on which room to put you in and this one just screamed you," Utau stopped laughing but still had a small smile on her face, "However there is one downsize to this wing and it's something that both me and Ikuto suffer from. We stuck you here because if you need something at least you will have someone to ask and beside I think it would be pretty lonely on the other side of the house. The problem comes into play that Ikuto, me, and now you share a bathroom. The only thing we ask is that you and Ikuto don't start a bathroom war, especially me. I am not going to the other side of the house just to use the bathroom."
"No promises," I said, chuckling, but in the back of my mind wondered how true that statement would be.
Utau sighed and shook her head. "Just what are we going to do with you two? Oh well. Alright, I' m going to go check on your things and dinner. Just explore your room and your territory so to speak. Everything is pretty much the same and besides for a month "mi casa es su casa." "
As Utau shut the door I waited till I couldn't hear her footsteps to girlish twirl around my room. I know, I know, what am I two? And because I couldn't resist I flopped onto the bed to test the firmness and softness of the mattress, comforter, and pillows and immediately wished that like any hotel junkie that I could try to shove all of it into my luggage.
Staring at the ceiling I began to wonder of my stuff. I wanted my laptop and dock station for my ipod but I could wait. I might as well explore. This room was mine for a month and could wait until later.
I was met by an extremely dimly lit hallway and decided to go right at first remembering that there was a stairway that lead to kitchen where Utau possibly was.
As soon as I turned I collided with something, no make that someone. I was about to fall since I had ran smack dab into them, but before I could met the floor I was caught by a pair of arms that wrapped around my waist and gave me balance.
Ready to apologize, I looked up, and stopped dead on the spot. Who held me by the waist was none other than Ikuto.
No that can't be right. It's impossible that this is Ikuto because the guy in front of me was possible one of the hottest guys that I had ever seen. No this must be some mistake and Ikuto's family has a guy that works for them that looks much better then he actually does. The boy in front of me started to smirk slightly and with just two words my hopeful cookie that this wasn't Ikuto crumbled as if someone stomped on it repeatedly.
"Hello Amu."
It's official. My world has officially gone to Hell in a hand basket. Not only am I officially living in my arch enemy's house, said enemy is extremely hot. Great! What else can go wrong!
The sad part I should have kicked myself when I had thought of that. Little did I know how much that would come back to kick me, as it usually does.
A/N: Ok how was that! Be gentle, I had to try to remember how I wrote this before. Some parts I like how I redid it, however a good portion just sucks in my opinion, but whatever. Please review, I need feedback. I love constructive criticism, they give us a chance to progress. No flames please. I promise this fanfic was better before but now it's a mangled and depressing image of its former self. Just be nice and review. If you don't the review monsters will come, find you, and eat you. I am dead serious… ok THANKS!
