Chapter Ten

Don't Think About Tomorrow's Things

"Gumi, wait up!" called Rin as Gumi rushed away. But Gumi refused to slow down. She didn't want Rin seeing her in this state. Tears had forced their way out of Gumi's eyes and drenched her face. She couldn't let Rin see her like this, especially considering all the questions it would bring up to the surface.

Gumi began jogging, knowing that there was no way for Rin to keep up with her. She'd lose her soon enough if she stayed at this speed. In a couple minutes, she'd be able to hide away in her room, far away from Rin and Len.

Gumi let out a startled exclamation and her face hit the ground as Rin plowed her over. Gumi was caught completely off guard and rolled instinctively, taking Rin with her. However, in rolling, they found themselves off the pavement of the sidewalk and down the hill leading into their favourite meadow. They broke apart for a little, Rin rolling ahead of Gumi, until they reached the bottom, when Gumi landed right on top of Rin. Gumi tensed up for a second, but then two girls exploded in laughter, unable to control themselves. Gumi's hair brushed against Rin's face as the green-haired girl threw her head back in laughter. Rin's breath ruffled the falling locks as Gumi looked down on her, their laughter fizzling away.

They stared at each other for a moment. Gumi couldn't move, as captivated as she was by Rin's eyes. Gumi had the other girl pinned down, and Rin seemed too distracted to consider moving. Gumi considered how easy it would be to tell Rin right now, how perfect it was. She'd tell Rin, and then she'd lean down and kiss the girl. Then, Rin could wrap her arms around Gumi's neck, then pull herself up and kiss her back. That is, if Rin felt the same way.

Dread weighed down on Gumi's heart. But how could Rin feel the same way, especially with Len around?

Gumi leaped to her feet and started brushing grass off herself, pain spiking in her chest. When she noticed Rin still lying there, she offered her a hand, which Rin quickly accepted. Rin's hand was tiny, soft, and slender in comparison to Gumi's calloused hands. Her fingernails were painted a beautiful, sparkling sunshine yellow that mimicked the blonde of her hair. Gumi gazed at them for a moment, holding onto Rin's hand even though the other girl was now standing. Rin never wore nail polish before. Gumi would have noticed. Rin's eyes drifted to where Gumi was staring and grew a little tense.

"Why'd you paint your nails?" Gumi wondered, the barest hint of an accusation making its way into her voice.

Rin pulled her hand away and stared at it. Gumi knew immediately what the reason was, but she needed to hear it from Rin. "I just felt like it," the girl replied.

Gumi frowned, the girl's evasiveness only making her more suspicious. "So why yellow? For your hair?" Rin opened her mouth to respond, but Gumi cut her off. "Or for his?"

Rin's mouth shut immediately and her eyes glued themselves onto her feet, redness steadily colouring her face. Gumi couldn't help herself as jealousy consumed her. "Goodbye, Rin," she said icily before around and jogging up the hill.

Rin didn't even try to stop her this time.

. . .

"Gumigumigumigumigumigumigumi!"

Gumi cringed and held the phone away from her ear. Miku's hyperactive shouting was not what she needed right now. The girl's high-pitched voice was giving Gumi a migraine, and she couldn't get a word in between Miku's short breaths. However, it wasn't like she was all that eager to talk to Miku. She didn't have the patience to deal with Miku's newest fling. After her experience with Len today, and what happened with Rin, she wouldn't be in the mood to discuss such things for a while.

Gumi sighed and placed the phone on her bed, waiting for Miku to unwind. She thought of Rin, regretting her earlier actions. Things had been so perfect. It had been the perfect scenery, the perfect time for Gumi to confess her feelings. But she'd gone and screwed it up. All because she couldn't get past Len.

But how was she expected to when he was showing up everywhere?

"Gumi? Helloooooo?"

Gumi stared at the phone, exasperated, and placed it back against her ear. "Hi, Miku."

"Geez, Gumi, I was thinking you'd, like, pocket-answered or something. Say hello when you pick up," ordered Miku.

"Well I would if you weren't already talking when I answered," said Gumi irritably.

Miku was silent for a moment before she continued babbling. "I'm gonna ignore your grumpiness for now." Gumi glared at the phone. Don't say anything when you notice someone is in a bad mood, idiot, Gumi thought as she gazed witheringly at the phone. "Anyway, I wanted to talk about the amazingness that is Len."

Gumi, sitting cross-legged on her bed, resisted the urge to throw the phone across the room and decided instead to slam in into her pillow and fall back onto the bed. He was everywhere.

"Look, Miku, I really don't want to talk about this," sighed Gumi, retrieving the phone.

Miku wouldn't hear for it and pushed onward. "Come on, Gumi, I just wanna talk about the guy I like. Stop being such a party-pooper."

Gumi's grip on the phone tightened as tension rose in her body. "Miku, I don't want to talk about him, okay?"

Gumi was certain Miku was rolling her eyes right now. "Oh my God, Gumi! Stop being such a buzz kill! He's just a guy!"

Gumi closed her eyes and recalled her experience with Len, when she'd been too weak to refuse anything he said. It made her shudder to imagine what kind of affect he'd have on Miku, who was loose enough already. "Miku, you don't know him."

Miku laughed and remarked in a playful attempt to lighten the mood, "Yeah, like I know all the others so well."

Gumi looked at her green nails, her mind caught on Rin for a moment. What kind of affect would Len have on Rin? Gumi felt anxiousness rising as she thought of them, in Rin's room, alone, without Gumi there to protect Rin. She had to go to Rin's house and make up with her. She couldn't leave Rin in Len's clutches.

Gumi sat up in bed, restless energy flowing through her as she stared at her bedroom door. She wanted to leave, but she couldn't just abandon Miku in the middle of a conversation. So, she said the first thing that came to mind. "Look, Miku, you don't have to sleep with every guy you see. He's totally into Rin, anyway."

The moment the words came out, Gumi regretted them. Miku constantly bragged about all the guys she'd slept with, but she'd always been really sensitive about it if one of her friends mentioned it. The other end of the line was silent for a moment, and Gumi braced herself for a scathing reply. Finally, Miku said, "You don't have to hate him just 'cause he likes Rin."

Relief settled for the briefest moment before Gumi frowned at the phone. "I don't hate him because he likes Rin. I just . . . I don't think you should go after him. He's dangerous."

"How would you know?" snapped Miku. Before Gumi could chose her next words, Miku continued. "You know what, never mind. This conversation is over. I just wanted to talk about it with you and see how things were going with Rin, but you can't seem to bother being a good friend so I don't see why I should. Until now, I haven't even commented about how little time you're spending with me now that you've got Rin back. Until you can be bothered to make this a two-sided relationship, don't talk to me."

The phone clicked and the line went dead. Gumi sighed and hung up the phone. She didn't even get to retort about how insensitive Miku had been during that, albeit very short, conversation. Not that that was anything new, but still. Gumi dropped the phone on her bed and gazed at her green nail polish. Nothing was going to go right today, huh?

. . .

Rin had been quick to accept Gumi's apology. Well, actually, Gumi hadn't really had the time to apologize. The moment she knocked on the door to Rin's house, Rin had leapt out and hugged Gumi as tightly as she could. Gumi saw that Rin's nails were still painted, but she couldn't find it in herself to argue about it anymore. Rin had led her upstairs, where Len awaited them, and had waited there for a moment before going to get tea. Gumi decided to sit beside Len, refusing to give in to him.

Gumi and Len stared straight forward, refusing to look at one another while Rin was gone. Gumi had been expecting Len to make a move on her the moment Rin left, and she couldn't help feeling slightly dejected when he didn't.

Instead, he stated in the silence, "You made her cry."

Gumi had expected as much. Rin had always been sort of a crybaby, and, even if not, for Gumi to do something like that so soon after they'd reconciled would have killed Rin. The other girl was probably afraid that their friendship would be ruined again. Still, Gumi couldn't manage to say anything beyond, "I know."

Gumi could feel Len's annoyance at her response. He turned to her, and she turned to him, losing herself for a second in his blue eyes before forcing herself out of the trance they placed her in. "If you really care about her, you should leave her alone before you hurt her even more," he informed her, a challenge in his gaze.

Gumi shook her head at him. "I'm not going to leave her again," she replied firmly. She stared him straight in the eye, swaying a little from their intoxicating effect. "Especially not with you around."

Len's gaze grew darker, anger flickering in the blue depths at the accusation behind her words. "I'll take care of her. She can have everything she ever wanted with me."

Gumi resisted the urge to agree with him, knowing it was just his powerful charisma trying to work its words out of her mouth. She told him truthfully, "She can never have everything if she's with you."

Len frowned, displeased with her answer, and he even appeared to be genuinely confused."Why not?"

Gumi smiled a little when she spoke next. "Because she wants me. And whether it's as a friend or something more, I know that she wants me."

Len was silent for a second. "She may want you, but she can't live without me." He said the words with absolute certainty, making it near impossible to argue with him since almost the whole of her being told her just to agree with him. This was Rin. She couldn't give in. She had to stand her ground. Rin had done fine before Len came around: she could be like that again, if given the chance.

"She could if you were gone," replied Gumi.

Len stared at her for a moment, unsure what to say. Finally, he told her, "I won't leave without her."

Gumi turned away from him, staring at the vanity that stood on the opposite wall. She and Len stared at their reflections, gazing at each other in their peripheral vision. "Then you'll have to take me, too," said Gumi.

Len stared at himself in the mirror and acknowledged quietly, "I just may."

Author's Note: I know, I know. I'm such a liar. I said I wouldn't post as often now that school has started, but, honestly, I spend all day in class thinking about the reviews I'll get to read when I get home. So please review! And, on a another note, school was a bit better today for anyone who actually reads these author notes... Well, I know Campanella does, so hiya! I'm going to try to update every weekday, so look forward to a new chapter after school, people!