Hello, I hope you had a great week! As always, thank you for following favoriting and reviewing as it really does make my week better. This week I caught a cold so today (Saturday) I chose to write all day and relax rather than finish homework because who cares about grades amiright? Anyway, thank you for making my week better and I hope you enjoy this chapter~
Episode 5
An Ashford University Kickback Part 2
After the confrontation with Lelouch and Shirley, C.C decided to drink her night away at the bar. The sight of Shirley and Lelouch kissing made her insides broil, but at the same time she knew that she had no place to interrupt the perfect world they lived in. She had already made up her mind that she was just a temporary factor in Lelouch's life, so to stand in the way of what was already there, was wrong of her. Maybe it was true that he built up a fake relationship with Shirley, but it turned into friendship, so maybe it could turn into love.
But Lelouch would not accept her conclusion to their relationship. He followed her to the bar in hopes of explaining the situation, but she refused to listen to him. She let the sound of the music cloud her thoughts instead,
"Pour up, drank.
Head shot, drank.
Pass out, drank.
Wake up, drank.
Faded, drank, faded, drank."
The lyrics of the song coaxed her into taking another sip of her glass that reeked of strong alcohol. A sly smile crawled onto her face and her eyes started to droop from the effects of the strong drink.
"C.C, you have already had two glasses…I know you are upset with me but pl-
"Some people wanna kill their sorrows. Some people wanna fit in with the popular~"
Looking through half lidded eyes, she interrupted his cry of concern to sing the lyrics of the song. She then processed his question and laughed loudly.
"Me? Upset? Nope~ I'm just vibing Lelouch. As a matter of fact, you are killing my vibe."
For the next half an hour, she gulped down another glass and vibed to the music. Lelouch requested the bartender to not pour her another drink, which only made her angrier at him. She started to whine and insult him so that he would hopefully get upset, and leave her for good.
"Stop babysitting me. I don't need your fake concern okay? And look! Your real girlfriend Shirley is looking for you right now. So run along before she gets upset~"
With all her might she tried to push him away, but with all his might he stuck closer to her. He refused to let this incident be the one that broke the promise they made to be there for one another when times were looking bleak.
"I will never leave you."
"Well I'm leaving you."
She scowled at him as she shakily got off of the bar stool. He got off of his to hold her hand to stop her from falling. However, she swatted away his hand, grabbed her glass and walked towards the dance floor. Lelouch worriedly trailed behind her, carrying the white purse she left on the bar countertop.
They entered the crowd of their school mates who were all letting loose, as they bumped and danced closely with each other. The majority of them were flirting, sharing numbers and generally enjoying the party. But a select few couldn't help but notice as Lelouch trailed behind C.C. In fact, they were hoping that she didn't come to the party so that they could have a chance to talk or dance with him…or maybe even convince him to do a little more~
"He can't even enjoy his night because of her."
"If I were him I'd ditch her. Shirley looks so hot tonight, just imagine the fun!"
C.C laughed at the two girls gossiping right behind her. She mocked them by making talking gestures with her hands.
"Hey C.C, don't listen to those uglies! You look extra scrumptious tonight. How about me and you hang out?~"
A drunk Gino Weinburg, wrapped his arms around C.C's shoulders and insulted the girls' who came after C.C. Gino was notorious for being loud and energetic on campus and when he was drunk, he was extra loud and touchy. Lelouch immediately pushed the boy off of her and took her into his own arms.
"It's Lelouch! Weren't you making out with Shirley earlier?" the drunk boy asked loudly. Lelouch glared at him, and he took a step back out of fear.
"I see, I see. But don't be too greedy Lelouch or I'll~" he winked and growled at C.C as if he were a tiger. C.C was greatly amused by his behavior and in her drunken state, she returned his gesture. Gino laughed and waved goodbye to C.C as he went to search for his next target, Suzaku.
Lelouch managed to drag C.C out of the crowd before she did something she would regret in the morning. The girl then made an excuse that she had to use the restroom, which allowed her to escape and return to the dance floor. She saw the girls from earlier and they continued to heckle her.
"You look so trashy C.C, why don't you go home so Lelouch can play with us!"
C.C ignored them as she moved closer to the music that called her to the dance floor. She swayed to the hip-hop track all the while taking sips of her drink. Getting more wasted as the night went on. The sly smile returned to her face once again and she looked like a different person as she let the music and alcohol take over her body and mind.
Soon, the song changed to one with a faster tempo, causing people to dance even wilder. Just as C.C was about to take a sip of her drink, a tall boy bumped into her, causing her to stumble forward and spill her drink onto a girls' outfit. She apologized to the girl but her apology was not welcomed.
"Do you know how much this outfit cost bitch?!"
C.C rolled her eyes at the girl's loud voice.
"I already apologized so you don't need to yell at me okay? If you're so upset I can pay for it to get cleaned."
C.C made an 'okay' sign with her hand, which made the girl roll her eyes. She grabbed a beer that was in someone else's hand and splashed it onto C.C's dress. The crowd around them started to 'oo~' and 'ah~' at the scene. C.C bit her lower lip as she held in her anger.
"As if you could pay for this outfit scholarship girl. You probably had to sleep with the chairman to get that scholarship in the first place!"
C.C kissed her teeth at the girl. Her face contorted as she scanned the girl's expensive outfit.
"Your outfit is just like you. No personality and void of style. Honestly, were you blind when you put that on? You look like expensive trash. You should be grateful that I ruined your 'outfit' so you don't have to wear it anymore."
The angered girl raised her hand and slapped C.C across her face. The sound echoed across the crowd and a circle started to form around them. C.C touched her cheek that started to sting because of the scratch made by the girl's long, bedazzled nails. C.C's sly smile returned once again and her shoulders started to shake as she laughed.
Lelouch saw the commotion from the table he sat at to wait for C.C to return. He quickly stood up as people around him started to talk about a fight. Looking into the crowd, he saw her bright green hair and quickly rushed over.
The girl was becoming annoyed at C.C who only laughed at her mockingly. She was about to push C.C when Milly's voice boomed loudly from the dj's booth. She had noticed the fight that broke out in the crowd and quickly took action to stop it.
"Aren't we all having a great time tonight?! Well, your votes have casted and now it's time to crown our Mr. and Mrs. Spring!"
Lelouch finally found C.C and immediately pulled her away from the crowd that was now focused on Milly.
"I will announce the top 3 contenders in the female and male category…Please come up to the stage number 30!"
Strutting up to the stage was Gino in a green bomber jacket over a gray shirt and blue jeans along with black high top sneakers. He waved enthusiastically as the girls who voted for him cheered him on.
"Gino Weinburg of the basketball club has made it to the top 3!"
In a secluded sectional, Lelouch sat across from C.C who avoided his angered expression. He sighed as he combed his dark hair back.
"Next is number 3!"
A girl with bright pink hair was shocked as she heard her name. She left Suzaku, Shirley and Kallen's company to enter the stage with loud shouts from the crowd.
"Euphemia Li Brittania, member of the basketball club and daughter of the headmaster, congratulations for making it to top 3!"
Euphemia bowed to crowd. She wore a high neck, long sleeved pink chiffon dress that had a light and dark pink floral pattern. The dress reached her knees, the sleeves were flared and a belt of the same pattern and material was tied around her waist with a delicate bow. She wore tanned high heels which made her look extremely elegant.
"Next is number 51!"
Shirley put on her best shocked expression as she left the table where she and Kallen were sitting. She ascended the stairs of the stage and waved to the crowd that gave her the loudest response.
"Well isn't it Ms. Sophomore as well as student council public relations officer, Shirley Fenette! Congratulations!"
Lelouch was becoming frustrated at the loud crowd which made it impossible to talk to C.C. He suddenly stood up and took her hand and led her to the exit so that they could talk in a quieter place.
Called up next to the stage was Suzaku who was the most shocked out of the three. His light blue pin striped shirt and light blue washed jeans, complimented the muscles he built up from exercising.
"Along with being a part of the student council, Suzaku Kururugi is also the captain of the basketball club! Wow, the basket ball club and student council is really popular!"
The crowd agreed as Milly called off the last two numbers.
"Number 50 and 75, please come to the stage!"
No one entered the stage which made the crowd look around at each other's numbers to figure out who they were. Shirley and most of the crowd new that Lelouch was number 50, but they couldn't quite remember who number 75 was.
"Didn't C.C have that number? I remember seeing it when she got into a fight earlier" Rivalz asked as he took out his phone to search for the photo his friend sent him of the fight C.C was in. His assumption was right, which caused the crowd to look for C.C and Lelouch.
Shirley continued to smile on the stage, but her heart was raging at the information that was being spread. She could not believe that C.C made it to the top 3 and could possibly steal the title away from her! Moreover, she was frustrated as Lelouch did not come to the stage, meaning he had left the party with C.C. She wanted to escape to her room and cry at that moment but held her head up high instead.
Milly took note of the two missing contestants and smiled. It seems that faith was on the side of the couple she witnessed kissing a few weeks ago. Although she was Shirley's friend and although C.C had avoided her since the incident, she still rooted for them to be together. She could see how Lelouch changed after coming into contact with C.C and she welcomed it. She then looked at her phone that showed the winning numbers of the contest, number 50 and 51.
"As the clock hits midnight, it seems like our prince charming Lelouch and his cinderella C.C have left the building~"
The crowd showed mixed reactions to the presidents' joke. She then went on to name Gino as Mr. Spring, as he received the second most amount of votes followed by Suzaku. Ms. Spring was of course Shirley, who was followed behind in votes by C.C, then Euphemia.
"The prize for our winners will be a couple photoshoot for the spring issue of our school's magazine!"
Gino was extremely excited compared to Shirley who tried her best to muster up a smile. Her ego was under severe attack tonight and it made her furious but afraid at the same time.
Lelouch and C.C drove away from the hotel and headed to a nearby park. In her drunken state, she kicked his dashboard as a form of protest of being confined inside the small space of his car.
He parked his car in the parking lot in front the park. Once he realized the terrible state she was in, his frustration subsided. Her dress was stained and the blood from the scratch on her cheek had dried over the wound. Consequently, the effects of the alcohol was really starting to pat a toll on her as her eyes started to drop even further. There was no way he could have a serious conversation with her tonight. So, he decided to head to the convenience store to buy her water and hangover medicine before he dropped her home for the night.
"Wait in the car. I'll be back."
As soon as he exited the car and started to walk away, C.C got out of the car because she started to feel nauseous in the small space. After getting out, she stumbled forward and tripped over the pavement that separated the parking area from the park. Lelouch heard the sound of her hitting the ground and immediately turned around to witness as she tried to pull herself up.
"You never listen to me." he grumbled as he rushed over to her. He tried to get her back into the car but she pushed him away and sat on the pavement. He sighed and sat next to her as he thought of the best course of action to take. He could lock her in the car with the safety lock, but decided against it as he didn't want to treat her like she was treated in the past.
"I won't lock you down like a prisoner…So you are going with me to the store."
He spoke upon deaf ears as she was too wasted to listen to him. He rolled his eyes, stood up and pulled her up to her feet.
"Let's go." he said as he gently held her hand and walked along the sidewalk. Just like she guided him up the mountain, he would guide her along this concrete path. Of course the walk to the convenience store wouldn't be easy. As they walked, C.C would not stop poking his stomach causing him to wince and stifle laughter.
"C.C, stop that it tickles!" he protested, but she didn't stop until he retaliated and poked her. She started to laugh uncontrollably which garnered weird glances from people who walked past them. She tried to push him away but he pulled her closer and poked her even more.
"Now will you stop?" he asked with a grin on his face. She bobbed her head up and down to agree. A few moments later she started to sing a song to annoy him further.
"Le-louuuuuuch issss a biiiiiig dummy~ DUM DUM DUM. His hair is DUM. His face is DUM. Becauuuuuuse, he is a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig dummy!"
Lelouch laughed at her terrible singing voice.
"I am an idiot buuut~ C.C is dumber than me!" he teased to which she shook her head from left to right in protest. Their teasing continued until they reached the convenience store.
After trying his hardest to control C.C in the convenience store, as she wouldn't stop opening and closing the freezer that held frozen pizza, they returned to the park. The midnight air was chilly which caused the hairs on their arms to raise. C.C shivered as she sat on the swing in the playground. Noticing her bare arms and short dress, he took off his jacket and draped it around her small shoulders. Kneeling down, he wet a cloth with water and reached up to wipe the dry blood from her cheek. He then squeezed some ointment on his finger and applied it to her wound.
His violet irises were illuminated under the moonlight as he gazed into her golden eyes that held longing, hurt and tiredness all at once. Her gaze wavered from his as she winced because of the sting of the ointment.
"It hurrrrrrts."
She pouted her lips as she gazed down into his eyes that held concern, worry and doubt all at once.
"It will hurt at first, but eventually the pain will go away and the wound will be healed. Can you not bear with the pain for right now?"
She shook her head slowly as she tightly held onto the chains of the swing. It made a creeking sound as she slowly moved back and forth.
"What if the pain lasts forever and the wound is never healed? The wound can't be healed….that's why Lelouch is a dummy~"
She then started to sing her song from earlier as Lelouch thought deeply on the question she asked. It made him think of his little sister who was paralyzed. Despite her being crippled, Nunnally continued to laugh and smile at him. At that moment, her words finally clicked in his mind. Nunnally had a wound that could never be healed, but the fact that she had her brother by her side was all that she needed to be happy. He smiled at C.C.
"That's why I said C.C is dumber than me. Even with an unhealable wound, we can learn to live with it, accept it, and be happy with each other."
C.C returned his smile with one of her own. Their eyes shined as their hearts melded together. Although it would be unlikely that she remembered this conversation tomorrow, her soul would know this feeling of receiving an answer to the question she had pondered ever since she was a child. She then decided to ask a question she had pondered recently.
"Lelouch, who do you like?"
He pointed at her.
"I like you Camellia."
"Why?~"
"I'll tell you when you're sober…Who do you like?"
She pondered for a second before a playful smile graced her face.
"Camellia likes pizza~ cheese-kun~ fashion~…hmm, what else?"
Lelouch rolled his eyes and poked her stomach so that she would stop playing around.
"Pizza and fashion are not people Camellia."
She then gave him a giant smile, after being satisfied with annoying him for the umpteenth time.
"I like Lelouch the most!" she yelled loudly so that he wouldn't forget it, even if she did.
This made his heart leap a million times in his chest as his brain processed the magical words. There was no way he could let her forget this moment, so, he took out his phone to hopefully record her.
"Who do you like the most?" he asked, the phone camera pointed straight at her. C.C smiled again and answered,
"Lelouch!" he was satisfied with what he recorded and couldn't stop replaying it until she started to talk.
"BUT! Camellia can't like Lelouch~"
"Why?" he asked with a pout.
"Because! Camellia is going faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away~"
"Where?"
Her left hand aggressively pointed to an irrelevant distance.
"Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away, where Lelouch cannot go!" she made an 'x' over her chest with her hands and shook her head.
"I will follow my Camellia wherever she goes." he retorted.
C.C pouted and furrowed her brows in annoyance.
"YOU CAN'T!"
Her eyes were now filled with sorrow as she gazed down at him.
"No, you can't come…I don't want you to come because…it's scary." her eyes slowly started to close as exhaustion took over her. She then passed out and fell forward into Lelouch's arms. He cradled the girl in his arms. She made his heart beat in love and in fear. Her words controlled his emotions just like a magical power. The little bits of confession the both of them were throwing around would have to be saved for a later conversation so he lifted her up and carried to the car to drop her home.
Lelouch trudged into his room with C.C in his arms. He flicked on the light switch then walked over to his bed where he laid her down gently. He was supposed to carry her to her dorm room, but her roommate was filming an adult action scene at the moment. He made a u-turn out of the dorm as soon as he heard the explicit noises coming from the room. C.C, in her half asleep state, tried to break away from him and open the door by herself, but thankfully, he was successful in pulling her away.
Currently she was tossing and turning in his bed, begging for water whilst he tried to remove her shoes.
"I will get you a glass of water in a second, just let me remove your shoes first!"
He finally got her shoes off and placed them neatly on the side of his bed. He watched as she cutely stretched out her toes like a cat. It made him smile, despite being exhausted from worrying about her all night.
These past few weeks, he had seen the cold, angry, cute, and vulnerable side of her. And today he saw the jealous and drunk side. Just like a Camellia flower, she came in many colors that were hidden behind her nonchalant demeanor. Moreover, he noticed as his flaws were revealed one after the other in front of her beautiful color. His cowardice and the way he used people to accomplish his goals and how he could never truly voice his real opinions…it was all displayed when he looked into her eyes.
'I will change so that you can trust me. So that I can come with you to that scary place.'
He exited his room to get her a glass of water from the kitchen when he noticed her white purse sprawled on the floor of his entrance. Her phone, lip balm and other contents of her bag were scattered on the floor along with a dark object he couldn't identify from where he was standing. Being a neat freak, he quickly went over to pick up the contents of her bag when his eyes widened in surprise. The dark object he couldn't identify was a small gun.
"Why does she have a gun?" he asked himself as he scanned the weapon in a state of shock.
"C.C, what are you hiding?"
The girl in question yelled his name loudly to hurry up and bring water. He quickly gathered everything in her bag and grabbed a glass of water from his kitchen.
She sat up and drank the water from the glass he held to her mouth. His curious eyes peered down at her, who had carried a gun this entire time.
"Why do you have a gun?" he asked, not expecting to receive an answer. After drinking the water, she fell back onto his bed and he moved her hair out of her face so that she could be more comfortable.
"I'm going to kill him." she said softly as a yawn escaped her mouth.
"Who?"
"It's a secret~"
To be continued~