As if it wasn't enough that she promised Ryo to come to his party, Rika got a message from her highschool classmate. It was two days after that evening with Ryo.
Rika just opened the fridge to find something eatable. The cornflakes box was empty, which always made her whole day a disaster. She knew something bad was going to happen. She also knew it was stupid to believe an empty cornflakes box but it was never wrong ...
Soon her cellphone started to ring. She went to get it with a piece of bread in her mounth. She looked down to her phone to see who's calling. An unknown number? Usually she didn't answer an unknown number but ... the empty box ...
'Oh god, that's it ... I better get over with this as soon as possible ...' Click. 'Hello?'
'Hello? Is this Rika? Rika Nonaka?' a girly voice said. It was a familiar voice but she couldn't remember whom it belonged to.
'Yes ... It's me ... Who is this?' she said carefully.
'Ooooh, hi, Rikaaa! It's meee! It's Ran!' the girl said. Ran? ... Oh please not thatRan!
'Ran ... from highschool?'
'Yeaaah, that's right! I'm sure you remember me!'
Rika would love to say no just to hurt Ran's ego. She was the most popular girl in school. Every girl wanted to be like her. If there were boys in their school, she'd probably date all the cute ones. Luckily, Rika went on a 'girls only!' school.
'Of course I remember you!' Rika faked her luck. She saw something really bad coming. 'So ... what's up?'
'Ooh, I'm just organising a reunion party ... For the girls from our class!'
Noooooo ... damn cornflakes!
'Oh really ... That's nice. Why are you calling me?' Rika asked. The girls from her class never accepted her as one of them.
'Don't be silly! We want you to come to the reunion! It'll be just like old times! That's great, isn't it?'
What, ignoring and mocking me?
'Err, when is this reunion party?'
'In exactly two weeks. We'll meet at 7 pm in our old gym. It'll be sooo great to see all of you! Don't forget to come!'
'But-'
'And don't forget to take your boyfriend with you!'
'But-'
'What? You do have a boyfriend, don't you?' she said. Rika could feel her evil smile. She thought she didn't have one!
'But of course I do!' Rika said loudly.
'Well .. it was nice to hear from you Rika .. Can't wait for our party!'
The conversation was officially over. Rika threw the phone on her bed. She was really upset and angry.
'She just wants to see me as a piece of stinky ... something!' Rika yelled at her best friend Jeri.
'Calm down Rika! We'll figure out something!' Jeri said.
After the phonecall Rika called Jeri and asked her to go to a cafe with her. She had to share Ran's evil plans with someone.
'What if you just don't go there? Say that you're sick ... or that you broke your leg.' Jeri suggested.
'I thought of that too .. Well, something more believable .. Like getting hit by a bus or being kidnapped by my mum's crazy fan ... but it would just look like I'm avoiding them. Uuuugh, they'd laugh so hard and evilly if I wouldn't show up!'
'Well, then there's only one option ..' Jeri said.
'Please tell me that I can avoid them somehow and still keep my pride ...'
'No, but there's something much better you can do.' Jeri said and winked to her. Rika was confused but she knew it was something she'd hate.
Rika was walking home alone. She thought about Jeri's evil plan and she had to admitt .. it was just brilliant. But first she wanted to go through all possibilities, if she'd maybe find an option B that wouldn't have a disturbing factor like Jeri's plan had.
Next day in school. Rika couldn't sleep all night, she was constantly thinking about that plan B. Sadly, her plans became more and more absurd and when she finally stopped thinking about setting a fire to the reunion place, she decided to follow Jeri's plan. She called her first thing in the morning to tell her about it. Jeri was really happy to be a genious.
'Rikaaa!' It was Ryo, the most disturbing factor in Jeri's plan. Rika started to doubt in her friend's plan when she heard his voice.
'Oh, hi, Ryo .. We ..' It's now or never!
'We?'
'We .. we need to talk!' she yelled at him. She was angry because she had to go through this and she was even angry at him for not knowing about the plan.
Ryo blinked twice and pointed at an empty bench.
They were sitting there in silence for over five minutes. Ryo was confused and didn't want to say a word. Finally Rika turned herself to him and gave him an angry look.
'What did I do now?' Ryo protested. 'I called that magazine as soon as I saw that article!'
'Wha-what article?' Rika's eyes almost flew out of her head.
'Oh nothing .. nothing!'
Ryo said and Rika decided to come back to this article thing later. First she had to discuss that stupid plan. It was not even brilliant! It was just stupid!
'I need a favour,' Rika finally said. Ryo's face expressions changed into even more confused look.
'I got a phonecall from a highschool classmate yesterday.' Silence. 'She invited me to the reunion party.'
'Oh really? What does that have to do with me?'
'Would you just listen to me for a second?' Rika was becoming more and more upset. 'Sorry .. ok, I got that stupid phonecall and said that I'd come. Well, I didn't say anything, the cow just put the words into my mouth ... However .. Well, she also said that I should bring my boyfriend with me.'
Ryo understood what she was saying. 'Well, I must say. I'm really surprised you picked me! Why didn't you pick Kazu or Henry?'
'Oh don't be too proud of yourself! I could have picked any other Tamer. But it was Jeri's idea .. Well, these girls never liked me in highschool .. I thought I could shout their mouths once and forever, if I took you there. You know .. You're famous.'
Ryo didn't say anything to that. He was a little disappointed.
'So you would take someone else to that party if I didn't win that show?' he asked her and stood up.
'What ...?' Rika was confused.
'I asked you-'
'I know what you asked me. But since when are you so sensitive?'
He started to laugh. 'Oh come one, Rika! It's just funny that you were always ashamed of my fame and now you want to go out with the famous guy!'
'I'm not going out with you! I just need a favour!' Rika blushed a little.
'Yeah yeah, I know ... Sure, I'll go with you. So .. you think these classmates of yours will faint when they see me?'
'I sure hope so,' Rika smiled and Ryo sat down to her.
'Eeeeh, Rika, Rika .. That's so deliciously ironic! You never wanted to be a part of my fame and suddenly you want a big juicy piece of it!' he said and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and saw that stupid sad smile again. 'I wish I could help you even if I wasn't famous ...'
It was the day of Ryo's birthday party. Rika was getting ready and she was already late.
'Muuum, would you give me a driiiive?' she yelled through the house.
'Where are you going so late, Rika?' her mother asked her.
'It's Ryo's birthday party, did you forget?' she asked her but she didn't hear her answer. She was trying to make a ponytail with her hair.
'Aaaw, you look just like the old Rika! I haven't seen you with a ponytail for so long ...'
That was true. She didn't have that haircut for a few years now. She thought she needed a change, when she left highschool. New hair, new beginning!
'How do I look?' she asked her mother when they were finally sitting in the car.
'You look great, sweety ... Ryo'll fall in love with you, when he sees you!'
'Oh stop it!' Rika said all red in her face.
'What? Ryo's a nice boy and you're a nice-'
'Just drive! PLEASE!'
They stopped in front of Takato and Jeri's old school. Ryo rented the gym for his party and Rika could hear the loud music and screaming people. Her mother didn't like that at all.
'Call me, if you'll need something, ok? And be careful! Promise me!'
'Yeah yeah, I'll call!'
'Promise me!' her mum yelled behind her, when she already left the car.
'Ok, ok, I promise!' Rika yelled back and her mother slowly left the place.
Before entering the building, Rika stood in front of it for a while. I hope I won't regret this ...
She had no idea that this night will change her life. The part of her life that she kept hidden in her heart and she never wanted to accept.
