Chapter 9
Christmas pretty much flew by without a problem, Ikuto happened to really love his gift, which was a gray beanie with cat ears. The picture frame that Ikuto gave to me for my Christmas present is hanging on the wall over the fireplace.
Stretching out on the couch, I couldn't help but think about the next big events that I had to be ready for, and the only one that actually came to mind was Graduation. Now that I think about it that was in about four months….four short months and I still haven't heard anything about gaining the credit from this assistant teacher thing with Ikuto!
Ikuto…Wait what will happen with the two of us after I graduate? I'd been planning to move back to home town in West Virginia to start a business there before getting big, but how am I going to be able to stay in touch with Ikuto…? Maybe thinking about all this wasn't so good, at the moment, it was pretty much still Christmas weekend and I should be spending it with Ikuto, speaking of which where has he gone off too?
Pushing myself off the couch and walking into the kitchen I grabbed a gingerbread cookie and noticed that Yoru's bowl wasn't filled, so I filled it up and made my way slowly to his office. Knocking on the door and waiting for an answer I couldn't help but think about what it would be like to have to live without Yoru jumping on the bed and wake me up just so I can feed him. Shaking my head and realizing that there wasn't a response I opened the door and looked inside. Empty.
"Where'd that idiot go off to?" I mumbled crossly to myself while climbing the steps. Making it to the top I decided to head straight for the Master bedroom so heading down the hall I quietly opened the door and peered inside and almost laughed. Ikuto was sprawled out on the bed with a mess of papers around him, sleeping soundly. Making my way into the room and leaving the door slightly open, I had to admit that it was pretty cute.
"Damnit should have brought my camera…" I whispered to myself while looking around the room to see if I had left it in there previously.
"What would you need the Camera for?" A groggy voice sounded from the bed, turning back to look at him I almost pouted.
"To take a picture of your adorable sleeping face." I mused while turning my back to him again to check the dresser for my camera.
"Your funny aren't you? Why don't you come and be my pillow?" Ikuto mocked but before I could shot a smart comment back at him I was dragged into the bed and he laid his head on my chest, "Just as I thought, very comfy." Ikuto yawned.
"Let me go!" I hissed but it was too late, he was already fast asleep again…
"Geez you're heavy!" I complained after Ikuto woke up, truth is I didn't want to wake him; his face is so…peaceful when he sleeps.
"Then why didn't you wake me?" Ikuto shot back while heading down the stairs, "You didn't seem to mind so much."
"I just didn't want to wake you up, you seemed tired!" I lied while heading down the steps, "Ready for Monday!" I asked cheerily to change the subject.
"Am I ever ready for Mondays?" that was a pretty good question to my question and of course the answer was no, he sure as hell isn't a morning person.
"Good point, hey don't eat all of those!" I yelled at him when he reached for the last of the Gingerbread cookies.
"Why?"
"Because I was planning on eating those for breakfast tomorrow!" I said which got me a disgusted face from him, "Yea, what ever." A few hours of bickering back and fourth and a movie marathon later, Ikuto left me alone on the couch with Yoru to finish his planning for the week. This left me alone to think about what I plan to do after graduation. Turning to Yoru who was curled up on the other end of the couch I thought I was insane for doing this but why not.
"Yoru, would you miss me if I left?" I asked seriously. Yoru turned to me and his beautiful yellow eyes widened like he understood what I was asking.
"Nyoo!" A loud meow was my reply, and he got up from the far side of the couch and padded his way to my side and rubbed his head against my hand.
"Yea I'd miss you too," I said half heartedly while rubbing his ears. With a shake of his head, and his bell jingling he meowed again and jumped from the couch. "Well looks like you won't miss me as much as I thought you would!" I called after Yoru, which only got me a twitch of the ear as a response.
Turning back to the movie that was on, I frowned at myself. "Was I really just talking to a cat?" I asked myself disbelievingly, shaking my head with a smile I could help but think that Yoru sure did know how to comfort someone though. But it was about time I got serious with what I planned on doing, I still really wanted to go back to my home state, but at the same time I wanted to stay here, in Arizona, by Ikuto. Ikuto and his cat have really started to grow on me.
Groaning and burying my face in my hands, I was thankful that my hair was as long as it was, because it made a long pink curtain around my face. "So confused!" I mumbled into my hands and shook my head again. Decided that this was enough self inflected mental heartbreak for the night, so I decided to go to sleep then and there and deal with what I was going to do, through the course of the next very short four months.
Heading up the stairs dejectedly I ran into Ikuto who flashed me a bright smile, but when I didn't return it he gave me a quizzical look, "Amu you alright?" he asked while taking my hand to stop me from moving any further away from him.
"Yea I'm fine just tired," I pretended to yawn then smiled at him, all in all I felt like shit for lying to him, but why make him worry with me for something that was my choice? Seeming to be happy about the answer I just gave him he smiled at me again before letting go of my hand and watched me walk up the rest of the stairs. Making it into the master bedroom for the second time to day I climbed into bed on the right side…my side. It felt lonely with out Ikuto in bed with me, is this how it's going to be like if I decided to leave?
The week went by pretty fast, in my opinion anyway, Ikuto complains that the year couldn't end any sooner, I may agree with him but on the inside I'm panicking, I still don't know what I want to do with myself.
"You seemed like you've been thinking hard about something," Ikuto commented at me from the other end of the counter, while watching me try and make a complicated dessert that Mikki and Ran had sent me.
"I have been thinking," I said cheekily, "Did you expect to be like an airhead and not think at all?"
"Whoa now, no need to take it out on me," Ikuto whined while reaching over and taking the spoon out of the chocolate icing bowl that I'd just used and started licking it, "So what is it that your thinking about anyway?" he continued, while licking some stray chocolate from his lips.
"A lot," I managed to get out, before panicking and shoving the dessert in the oven with a sigh, "Safe!" I danced around the island and cheered like an empire. Ikuto gave me a look that said he knew I was hiding something from him but didn't press for anymore. Which I was grateful for, but before I could say anything else to him, my cell phone went off playing: Boys! Grab your guns! By My American Heart. Lunging for it across the counter and getting chocolate icing all over my cheek I picked it up just in time.
"Amu?" My little sister voice came through the speaker hesitantly.
"Yea I'm here Amu," I said into the phone and trying to get Ikuto to stop laughing at me, "Long time no talk what's up?"
"Nothing really just missed talking to you...and who's that laughing in the background?" She asked sounding seriously curious.
"Just Ikuto, so are you and the rest of the family coming down for my graduation?" I asked trying to get her attention away from Ikuto.
"Yea, moms excited, she can't wait for you to come back and open your pastry shop!" That made me feel down again..
"Uhm yea about that…" I was cut off my Ikuto who turned my face to look at him then licked the chocolate off my cheek and smirk at me before walking off, "I-IKUTO!" I shrieked then remembered I was on the phone.
"What was that?" Ami asked again sound more curious then she should.
"My boyfriends being an IDIOT!" I shouted loud enough so that he would hear.
"I'm actually pretty smart Babe!" he yelled back before laughing.
"….Okay well nice talking to you Amu, I'll remind mom and dad about your graduation, I love and miss you!"
"Same to you" I said before hanging up my phone and sitting it back on the counter. I guess things are more complicated then I thought. "What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself before taking a seat at the table.
The more I thought about it the more I thought about how I made a promise with Suu, and how I've always wanted to buy this building back in West Virginia and make it my store, so maybe it wouldn't be to bad if I decided to leave then?
"You know, what ever you decided…:" Ikuto surprised me by sitting down and actually knowing about what was bothering me, "I'll support you, so don't worry about it to much," He smiled and messed up my hair.
"Thanks" I said while smiling, "Sorry for keeping it from you," he just strugged
"Your like an open book anyway" Ikuto replied honestly, that kind of ticked me off slightly… am I really that much of an open book?
