CHAPTER NINE: REVELATIONS
Liliana spent a long, long time thinking about the tournament. The realisation that she could be healed was one that was both tender and hopeful and painful. But was it even possible to consider that she could win such a tournament? A national tournament? One side of her told her it was just wishful thinking, that it was stupid of her to even consider… but the other side of her argued that it was possible – she was good, and she knew it. A little more training, and the right partner, and perhaps…
Partner. Damn.
It was the following Tuesday, more than a week after the announcement. During that time, Liliana had managed to blank Tala completely. The redhead seemed unaffected – he laughed and joked and teased just as he always did.
But the truth was, Liliana had never had anyone come so close to her – physically and emotionally. That flash of emotion she had seen in his eyes when they were inches apart… it scared her. She saw herself as he saw her, and that meant he understood how she felt.
She didn't want to be understood.
And so the girl locked herself up even more, snubbing even Chris and Bryan.
It confused her when they did not ignore her – quite the contrary in fact.
That day at break time, Liliana decided to open the communications again – not only because she was curious about some things, but also because she was feeling a little…well…sorry, and lonely. Taking pen and paper, she wrote:
The deadline is today.
And passed it to Chris in front of her. The bluenette glanced at it and nodded.
"You entering?" she asked, grinning.
Liliana hesitated.
I don't know. Do you have a partner already?
Chris pushed her gloved hands into her pockets and blew out her breath in one crystallised cloud.
"I do, sorry."
Shrugging to show her nonchalance, Liliana continued writing.
Who?
She was interested to see her lively friend blush a little, and grin sheepishly.
"Hadn't you guessed? Me and Kai are practically stuck together these days, I suppose it's quite natural for us to go in for it together."
You act like you don't like him.
At this, the bluenette laughed. "Oh, that's just for fun. Do you know, he's my best friend, really." The smile on her lips was suddenly very sweet, and her crimson eyes sparkled.
But her face became serious, and she looked at Liliana.
"Liliana, you've been acting quite strangely lately. Is there anything you want to talk about?"
She saw her hesitate.
"It's OK if you don't," she continued, scuffing the ground with her shoe. "But understand that friends are always here, if you need to let it out. It's not healthy to keep it all in – we humans aren't built for that."
Oddly touched, the girl nodded. And then, after a split-second decision, began to write again.
Trade – secret for secret.
This made Chris smile again. "You're on," she laughed. "Shall I go first?"
Liliana nodded, brushing the snow off the low wall behind her and sitting down.
"Well… what secret do I have?" she hummed.
What do you want the prize money for?
The bluenette looked at the question with some surprise, raising a slender blue eyebrow.
"Ah, now that is a secret, but I don't mind telling you," she said. "Well." Tilting her chin up to the sky, she started, "You'll have realised that I'm not from around here."
Taking in Chris's tanned skin and crimson eyes and vibrant dark blue hair, Liliana supposed not.
Where from, then?
"Japan," said Chris. She sighed. "I think you'll understand what it's like to be an outsider, right?"
She nodded vigorously.
"Yeah, I guess it's worse for you…but you get the gist. I'm always the odd one out here. I fit in well, but it's…it's different. And sometimes, when Freya and her gang get me alone, it's quite upsetting."
You're bullied? Liliana almost broke the pencil lead – she hated Freya with a vengeance, even more so than usual.
Chris laughed again. "No, not bullied, just bitched about, you know, the usual. I try not to mind it, but it does get me sometimes."
Just because you're prettier than she is.
The bluenette smiled. "You think so? Thank you."
How did you end up in Russia?
"Exchange," she replied. "It was originally meant to be between Kai and myself – our families know each other and we've known each other since we were toddlers, so I was happy…but, well…" she ruffled her hair in irritation. "It's been a long time. I came here two years ago, but I never went back. My parents died in a state of bankruptcy. My dad was framed in some business scandal." She threw up her hands in exasperation. "But what could I do? I was only fourteen. But now…" She stopped her manic pacing and grinned ruefully. "If I get that money, I'll be able to hire the best lawsuits to clear my dad's name and…go back. Home. You don't know how much I miss it."
She stopped, and drew a deep breath. "Well. Any questions?"
Liliana, trying to cope with the enormity of her story, managed to scribble,
Where do you live?
Chris sighed and laughed. "Please don't draw any conclusions when I say that I live with Kai. For one thing, his mansion is huge. For another, neither of us are…well…"
Going out?
"Yup, that's the one. And even if we were, nothing…Freya-ish, shall we say, would happen."
She looked hugely relieved for some reason, as though she had just relieved herself of a burden, "Alright, Miss Ketchnikov, your turn. Spill!"
Liliana flexed her hand, and poured out her story.
Bryan and I lived with our parents – ten years ago. We were well off, happy, everything. I could speak then.
We were out at the cinema one day, for my birthday. It's like what happened to Batman – our parents were murdered in front of our eyes. I won't describe how – not that I don't remember it. But there was no superhero for me, I guess.
I couldn't speak after that. The doctors said it was a psychological problem that I could get over it if I had money and the determination. I had neither – the money was squandered by an uncle who took possession of it, as my parents hadn't written a will. He died of alcoholism five years ago.
Bryan took to blading in the streets to earn some money. You know how good he is. He made enough to support the both of us, living in our old house. It still had all its stuff in it, so we weren't too badly off, but we needed food.
Then one day he met…
The pencil lead snapped. Wordlessly, Chris handed her a new pen.
He met Tala, who promised to teach him new moves, improvements. Bryan was taken in, just because he knew if he improved he could get into bigger tournaments and win more money to support me. His ultimate goal was to earn enough to pay the doctors to cure me, and he worked so hard for it.
Tala ruined it.
Bryan never came back.
I looked for him. Boris found me in the Abbey one day – and I don't quite know what happened after that. I was taken in, I suppose, being the sister of one of his best Bladers.
But Bryan had no right to dream for me, not when he knew he wouldn't complete it.
It's my goal now. I'm getting my voice back.
Her hand was trembling with emotion and tiredness when she came to a stop. She was aware the bell had rung almost twenty minutes ago, but when she looked up, Chris was still there, standing in the snow, her crimson eyes filled with tears.
"Do you have a partner yet?" she said thickly, scrubbing her eyes on her sleeve.
Liliana shook her head, feeling oddly weak, as if her sudden outburst of emotions had sapped her strength.
"Then take Bryan. You both shared a dream as children. I think it's right for him to make up for what he lost in these past years."
Liliana clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Can I forgive my brother?
"But, Liliana."
She looked up.
"Don't dismiss Tala either. Don't hate him. He didn't know your position at the time, and believe me, he would never, ever have done anything to hurt you if he had known. Remember when I told you he would take on anyone for you?"
Stiffly, she nodded.
"Then keep remembering that. One day you'll see."
This was too much for Liliana. The outpouring of her soul had coaxed tears of exhaustion and anguish back to her eyes, and she was too proud to let even Chris see them yet. With a curt hand gesture of thanks, she left.
"You'll see," whispered the bluenette to the wind, "exactly how much he cares."
Haha. OK, maybe the story is moving a leetle bit slower than I intended. Well, the meaty bit's over – one of them anyway: the stories behind our female protagonists!
See Chapter 8 to enter the OC Tag Team thingummy, and keep R&R-ing!
Oh, and pictures of Chris Mikasuke are on my DeviantArt (http://Breakoutthecookies. d e v i a n t a r t . c o m - take away the spaces obviously) – you'll find her easily in my gallery!
Or alternatively (w w w . f r e e w e b s . c o m / t h e - j u n k - b o x) if I use your OC, I'd like to do a drawing of them too. Picture of Liliana coming up as well!
DCG
