A:N/ Okay here's the official LONG chapter. So, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story line.
Carnival Ride: Chapter 2
Carrie Underwood
Get out of this Town
Got it all figured out inside of my head
There's a bag packed up at the foot of my bed
You say the word baby, I'm all set
We'll cover our tracks, tell a couple white lie
Make sure we've got a good alibi
And by the time they catch on
We'll be out of their sight
Long gone baby
Let's get out of this town tonight
Nothin' but dustin the shadows
Gone by the morning light somewhere
We won't ever get caught, ever be found
Baby, let's just get out of this town
Don't need directions don't need a map
If we get lost I'll be good with that
yeah, we'll find a way t make the time pass
Windows rolled down with the heat on high
Stars all aligned in a runaway sky
Holding my hand as the miles roll by
Long gone baby
Let's get out of this town tonight
Nothin' but dustin the shadows
Gone by the morning light somewhere
We won't ever get caught, ever be found
Baby, let's just get out of this town
If we leave tonight and drive fast enough
All our troubles will be just like us
Long gone baby
Let's get out of this town tonight
Nothin' but dustin the shadows
Gone by the morning light somewhere
We won't ever get caught, ever be found
Baby, let's just get out of this town
I still look back on the day that he proposed. It seemed so long ago, like a dream. The only proof that I have left of its existence is the daughter he blessed me with. Some days I regret it, then I see her smile, and listen to all the secrets she loves to share with me, and I immediately feel guilty and glad that I didn't miss out on this. But how could he leave us; especially for that wench. She asks me where her daddy is, but I don't know how to answer that. Because deep down, I still wonder where he went too.
I got a letter from a shop owner in a neighboring town. Apparently there have been a few mysterious deaths at the next door alley. Of course the police are on it, but the owner is one of those superstitious people. I haven't done this type of work for at least eight years. I'm surprised that I even got this type of letter. I don't plan on helping out anyways. If I got this letter then that only means that he did too. I don't think I could handle see him again.
The only person that I've stayed connected to in that group is Monk-san. He is like a father to me. I could never forget him. We talk every week. And since he is in the neighborhood he babysits Aiko for me. She absolutely adores him. Of course she thinks he is her grandpa, so at the beginning he got kind of frustrated with that, but eventually he taught her to call her to call him Monk.
"So Mai, are you going to this case?"
"You got a letter too?"
"Yeah. I'm going to go ahead and go, but are you coming?"
I sit and think about it for a little while.
"I don't know. What would I do with Aiko?"
"She could come along."
"Are you insane! Even when I was sixteen I still got scared by this supernatural stuff! There's no way she could handle that."
"You just don't want her to see her father. You can't hide from him forever."
"I'm not hiding. He could choose to come and see us, but he doesn't. He's the one that's hiding."
"You're both at fault then."
I glare at him.
"Listen. If nothing else, think of it as a vacation."
I give him a "when was the last time you had your head checked" look.
"I get a letter requesting me to help out on supernatural murdering, and you want me to bring my seven-year old daughter along and think of it as a vacation?"
"Yeah."
"Seriously Monk, What's wrong with you?"
"Just think about it. I think that Aiko would have fun. You'd be surprised to see how into the supernatural she is."
With that he left.
Of course I questioned my daughter once she got up. She was sad that she had missed seeing Monk, but then nervous when I asked her about the supernatural. I told her to never read about that stuff. But she always seemed so persistent about it.
"But mommy, it's so interesting."
"That stuff is dangerous. I don't need you getting involved in it."
"But mommy…"
"No buts, I don't want to see these types of books anywhere in this house."
I took the book that I was holding out of her room and threw it away. I knew she'd just pull it out again, but there was something inside of me that wanted her to do that.
I stayed up late that night thinking about what I would do about the letter. I decided to call John and Ayako and see if they also got the letter. I'm guessing yes, but I want to be reassured. If they're coming, I most likely will too. As much as I hate him, I think it would be good for Aiko to meet John and Ayako. They were family to me, and I want them to be family to her also.
The next day I called them both.
John was surprised to hear from me. But he too got the letter, and was planning on checking it out also.
Then I called Ayako. She hadn't been planning on going because she also figured that he would be there. Ayako was furious when she found out what he did to me and how he left me the way he did. She told me though, that if I wanted to go, she'd go along to give me womanly support. She also wanted to see my little girl.
I'm really glad that Ayako is going. I need to catch up with her a ton. I feel extremely guilty for loosing contact with them for so long, but I kind of excluded them out of everything. They both decided to give me some space, but in that, we never got reconnected. Monk is the only one who didn't give up on me, and at the time I was extremely annoyed with him. I shouted to him about how I hated him. I had tried to push everything even slightly related to him away from me forever. Thankfully, Monk-san didn't let me do that.
When I went upstairs to get Aiko up she was sitting in her bed reading. Another supernatural book. When she saw me she quickly slammed it shut and tried to hide it. I began to snicker.
"I'm sorry for my yelling last night. I promise I won't take away any of your books away."
She smiled and took her book out of hiding.
I went over to her and began to explain the trip we were going to take. I told her about everyone; well excluding two people. She seemed utterly excited about going. I saw the way her face lit up when I mentioned the alley way and the superstitious shop keeper.
I told Monk about my decision. He was ecstatic that I had decided to come and that I was bringing Aiko.
So the next day we began to pack. I had gotten the letter Wednesday and the owner wanted us there by Sunday. Monk-san and I decided to car pool, since we lived in the same area anyway.
Good idea.
The moment I got there I wanted to turn around and go back and forget about everything.
He was there.
And so was she.
I knew he was going to be. I thought I could handle that. But seeing her there too was just too much. It brought many fights back to me that I had locked away. She was staring near him making conversation. I couldn't tell if he was paying attention or not because his back was to me. But I saw from her expression she had seen me. And that caused him to turn around.
My heart jumped and my face began to flush. Which I hated that.
Aiko was clutching onto me. I saw him looking down at her. It was then that I realized she looked a lot like him. Only my light brown hair showed she also belonged to me. She had his dark blue eyes, his nose, and his mouth. Of course, she was very outspoken like me. I'm glad that she hadn't inherited his dislike to speak.
"Hello Mai." He said to me.
"Hi." I mumbled.
The owner had made arrangements for us to stay at a hotel across the street from the alley.
It was a nice hotel, not like those crummy run down ones where the maids don't know how to clean the room properly.
I grabbed Aiko's hand and began to walk into the hotel with Monk-san.
"Who was that Mommy?"
"Nobody, sweetie."
She dropped it. She somehow knows when I don't want to talk about something.
I checked Aiko and myself, then waited while Monk-san checked himself in.
I asked the person at the desk if John or Ayako had arrived yet; they had. He told us they were in the game room at the end of the hall to the right.
So we dropped our stuff off then we went down.
Ayako was all over Aiko, John was too. They both smothered me with hugs, very unlike them but it has been eight years. Aiko enjoyed all the attention she was receiving.
"John, do you know if Lin is coming?" Monk asked him.
"I assume so. He is our highly trained technician."
"Hey, I thought I was! I'm the one who was always setting up the equipment." I joked around with them.
We all began to laugh. After thinking about it though, they did agree with me partly. Lin was an excellent worker on the computer, but I was the master of equipment.
We all hung out in the game room for awhile.
John and Monk taught Aiko how to play pacman, while Ayako and I talked and laughed. Soon after though Masako walked in. I grabbed Aiko and left, not making any eye contact with her.
I started walking towards our room.
Just as I got the door open, he appeared.
"Go inside Aiko." She followed my instructions.
Once she left and the door was closed I turned to him.
We stood in an awkward silence. I mean, what are you supposed to say to a man that you have been avoiding for eight years because he cheated on you, and then you decide to accept an invitation to a place where you know he'll be?
Luckily I didn't have to think of anything to say.
"So, how have you been?"
I waited.
"Do you honestly think you deserve to know? You left me, us, for that thing! You never once tried to make contact, ask if we were doing fine. And now you're asking me, hey how's it going?"
He stared blankly at me.
"You said we." He stated.
"Yes, I did. We, as in me andyour daughter!"
I couldn't tell if that had affected him any. Naru had always been too good at hiding his feelings and his thoughts.
But I didn't want to hear what he had to say, if he had anything to say.
I reopened my hotel room door, and slammed it shut.
I leaned against the door, and slid down. I did cry, I'm done crying over him. I beckoned Aiko over from where she was sitting on the bed starring at the door. She came over to me and sat on my lap.
Are You Happy Now?
Michelle Branch
Now, don't just walk away
Pretending every thing's okay
And you don't care about me
And I know it's just no use
When all your lies become your truths
And I don't care, yeah yeah yeah
Could you look me in the eye?
And tell me that you're happy now
Would you tell it to my face, or have I been erased
Are you happy now? Are you happy now?
You took all there was to take
And left me with an empty plate
And you don't care about it, yeah
And I am giving up this game
And leaving you with all the blame
'Cause I don't care, yeah yeah yeah
Could you look me in the eye?
And tell me that you're happy now
Would you tell it to my face, or have I been erased
Are you happy now? Are you happy now?
Are you happy now?
Yeah yeah yeah, do you really have everything you want
You could never give something you ain't got
You can't run away from yourself, yeah yeah
Could you look me in the eye?
And tell me that you're happy now, yeah yeah
Come on tell it to my face or have I been replaced
Are you happy now?
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, ooh whoa
Yeah yeah ooh whoa
Would you look me in the eye?
Could you look me in the eye?
I've had all that I can take
And I'm not about to break
'Cause I'm happy now
Are you happy now?
A:N/ Did you like it? Well I hope so. I spent a good two hours on it. I know, you'd think I would get more written in two hours right? Well, I'm a slow thinker, and reader. I read things pretty slowly. Anywhos, got a little off subject there, but not really I was talking about slow things, but I'm done talking about that now. Okay, so, ya know the drill, R&R! Because if you don't then I might think that you don't like my story! Then if you do like it you won't get to find out what happens cause I thought people didn't like it so I stopped. But if you do review then I'll know you liked it. Unless somebody gives me a bad review, then I'll know that they didn't like it. Sorry, babbling again!
Just R&R!
2A:N/ okay I am EXTREMELY sorry!! I had this ready to go on sunday, and I was sooo excited to post it, but fanfiction was having some dificulties with the login so it wouldn't allow me to! (Oh no!) So, yeah, don't blame me. But I'm sorry anyways.