572 and One

CHAPTER FOUR

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"But Grandma, I'm only seventeen."

She couldn't understand Grandma, who had always told her two granddaughters to study and stay away from boys. An absolutely no-no for troublemakers. A no-no for average students. Even boy scouts got a no from both Grandma and Brother. And now? Now Grandma wanted her to marry and her bridegroom already been picked out for her.

"I'm still a minor. It's violating the law, Grandma." She lost her steam seeing the disappointment in Grandma's eyes. "And he's old."

"Old?" Grandma looked up, surprised.

Surprised to have finally realized she Rukia Kuchiki was still a minor? Or surprised at the fact that for once she went against her wishes? Either way, she wasn't going to take it lying down. Brother wouldn't take it either. And there was her older sister. Hisana would never, ever in a million years agree to this marriage. Sis had always told her to marry for love as their parents and she had done.

Marry for love? She wasn't in love with anybody. In like, yes. But in love, no, she was definitely not in love with that trouble maker. How could she ever love someone who slept through at least one lecture a day if she hadn't lost count? And what was with that attitude of his when they crossed path? His eyes were always on the cloud, acting like everyone and everything beneath him.

Nah-uh, she wasn't in love. So how could she do as Grandma asked of her?

Damn.

How she wished her brother had been home that very second even if she would have to endure another lesson. She would—with all her heart—endure anything and everything just get that old bridegroom off her back.

How old was the guy anyway? Why couldn't he find someone older and more suitable to be his wife? Had Grandma just said he was about her age?

"I'm sorry, Grandma. I was thinking about something else and didn't hear what you just said. What did you just say about the guy?"

Indulgent as always, Grandma smiled and complied. "I said he's around your age and just moved back here. He probably goes the same school as you."

Huh? A teen marrying another teen? What were they going to live on? Eat rocks on some random hills in Riverside County like Mole in Atlantis ate rocks and metals? Metals? Rather pricey.

Wait. Rewind. Just moved back here. A teen. Probably went to the same school as she. Oh, God, no, let it not be him. The crazy guy next door. Her friend. Didn't matter he was her friend, he was just loco as one could be with a daddy like his.

"Rukia, wake up."

A voice calling for her then a hand smoothed tendrils of hair from her forehead. Warm. So warm. Warm but uncomfortable. Something was digging into her side. She moved, to find a more comfortable position. Strange, she knew her bed was narrow but not so much as the one she was lying on. It must be her husband taking up most of the bed—again. And how on earth a husband could treat his wife like hers? Shouldn't he be courteous and take the floor and let her have the bed? It was her bed. Or it used to be. And they were in her house. And the last time she'd checked, her bed had been whole with no gap or hole any where.

"Wakey! Wakey!"

"You didn't have to be so loud. Walls have ears." She reminded him. "Did you want to wake the whole family and let them know we're enemies off the marriage license? Did you want another round with my brother, dear husband of mine?"

"Sorry to disturb your sleep, but there is no one else here with us." His voice funny. "So, dear wife of mine, you either wake up or I won't be responsible for what I have in mind for you. And soon."

He must have opened the blinds again. The sunlight was just blinding. Eyes still closed, she asked with a mirth. "Really, macho man, what were you going to do? Throw me to the wolves if I don't do as you command? Or you're going to tell on me that I'm being lazy and sleeping in?"

"I'm doing neither the throwing nor the telling." She heard laughter in his voice. "I don't need to throw you to any wolf." A cough then a chuckle. "Because I'm the wolf and you're right in my lair. As for telling on you, my plan doesn't require company of a third person."

First the warm breath teased her band and nose then she felt warm lips on hers. Content, she sighed and burrowed deeper into that warmth.

"Rukia."

Someone called but again she ignored, fighting back wakefulness. It felt so good to be close to him the way she was that moment. His warmth radiated and seeped into her, thawing her icy layer had accumulated through the years away. If it was a dream, she never wanted to be awake but stayed in her dream and be with him.

She wanted to tell whoever that was waking her from such beautiful dream to leave her alone. She wanted to dream a little longer. Only in her dreams—even if those dreams sometime broke her heart and she woke up in tears—she could be that close to him, the center of her thoughts and power source had kept her go on.

"Rukia, honey, wake up." A shake on her shoulders. No matter how gentle and warm the touch was, she didn't want it. It was chasing her dream away, the images distorted then faded away. "Rukia, we've arrived. You'd better wake up or I'll wake you up as Prince Charming did Sleepy Beauty."

Strange, that voice and that phrase sounded too familiar. The only person who'd ever dared to say that to her was the self-assured and closed-mouthed Ichigo Kurosaki. But it couldn't be possible.

Just impossible.

They hadn't spoken—either in person or on the phone—to each other since that horrible day. She must be dreaming again. She wanted to dream and hear that endearing threat once again. But—hateful but—the busybody never left her alone on her day offs.

"All right. All right, busybody, I'm up. Hold your horses." She told the voice and pushed the hand on her away to get up. "Renji Abarai, you'd better have something really important and urgent to have chased my Prince Charming away."

Why had Rukia thought him Renji? Did that busybody often wake her up? Like that, touching her, his wife? And who was the charming prince? Whoever he was, he hated him.

Deep in thoughts and seething with immature jealousy, he didn't realize Rukia was up, disoriented then embarrassed. Not until he heard the door on her side opening then a soft thud from the ground.

"Ow!"

He was out of his seat in a flash and ran to her side. He helped her up. As impersonally as he could, he searched her for any serious hurt. There was none. Not physical harm anyways. He couldn't say the same for her pride. He smiled inwardly at her gesture of dusting her behind. He turned away to hide his amusement and to close the door she'd fallen through. Once in control of his emotions and laughter, he walked back to her. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm perfectly fine, except my pride." The little corners of her mouth turned upward into a smile. "But I'm sure you knew that already."

Finally free to let his inner child out, he laughed. "I don't think Henkel has researched or developed any kind of Band-Aid for pride injury."

She joined in then together they walked down the winding cemented path, leaving the busy street behind. When they were out of earshot of other park visitors, she was back to her usual serious self and face to him. "No, they haven't. If they'd, there wouldn't be that many couples let bruised pride dictate the course of their marriage. As we did." She doubted, "Maybe it was just I who let pride ruin our marriage."

"No, not just you." He disagreed, taking on half of the blame. "I was too. I let pride rule my head when I didn't try to make you believe I didn't break my Christmas Eve promise."

He felt a strong tug on his heartstrings when she touched his cheek with her fingertips. Gently. As if she were afraid he would disappear like the pigments of a dream. Which had happened to him in his dreams—quite often. He returned the gesture with his right hand, pressing hers against his own cheek, warm from the sun. He kissed each of her fingers. "We both were at fault, so I guess we're stuck together to make up to each other."

"Yes, Mr. Kurosaki, you're stuck with me." Her smile radiant then it dimmed. "Did you notice we're talking more today than we ever did during our marriage?"

"It was bad, wasn't it?" He agreed, regretting the what-ifs and the all the years they could have had together.

She looked up at him, eyes completely open and trusting. He could see to her soul and felt deep remorse at her admission. "It was miserable. I was miserable. I believed you started to hate me for tying you down, holding you back from a life guys your age were supposed to have. I thought you wanted out so I l—" Eyes shut, she gulped for air. "So I left."

He was just as emotional. He pulled her to him. A little too late but it was better than never, he comforted himself. He apologized and bared his soul to her, kissing her hair. "Do you know why I wanted us to meet here and talk rather than at some other warm, cozy place?"

"Because this is where we had our first date." He answered for her as he felt her head move, side to side. "Because we had our first, serious talk about life here." A long, deep breath. "And that's because I came here the day you left. I came to ask this place." One hand pointed at the bench they had sat on that late afternoon, the other hugged her. "I wanted to ask it why you left." He felt her smile. He chuckled at his own silliness. "Yes, I did all that and more as if those nonliving things could talk." He let out a shuddering breath. "Even if they could, how could they have known your thoughts when I myself had not a clue as to why and we were together for months?"

In wavering voice, she mumbled against his chest. "I'm so sorry. I really am sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to." Her arms circled around his waist, tight.

"I'm sorry too." She moved back a bit, quizzing him with her uniquely colored eyes. He added, "I'm sorry I lied to you before. And still am."

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6 JANUARY 2015

Just finished this chapter. Thanks to my reviewers, your reviews motivated me to complete Chapter Five sooner than I'd hoped.