Chapter 10
The teacher walked into the loud classroom.
"Settle down!" he yelled
Some of them ignored him but most listened. Not caring much he started to register, but stooped at one name.
"Has anyone seen Kia?" he asked
"She's not here," Ray yelled back.
Salima hit him on the head "Of course she is, you just spoke to her!"
"Then why isn't she in class" the teacher asked.
"Sorry, I had some locker trouble" a voice interrupted
Kia had just walked in and her entrance had seemed to extract some suspicious coughs from Kai, Ryushi and Ray.
But she didn't look angry, she was grinning.
"That's fine" the teacher said eyeing the three boys "don't let it happen again"
"Of course" Kia said as she walked to her seat, still grinning.
The coughs increased, and Kia's grin seemed to widen; everyone was looking their way.
"Ray" Kia suddenly yelled, making him jump. She started hitting him on the back , a look of concern on her face.
"You poor thing! What a horrible cough! You need to go to the nurse."
"No really, Kia, I'm fine" Ray's coughs did stop.
"But-" Kia started to say, the grin back on her face.
"Enough Kia" the teacher sighed "Go and sit down and please don't talk so loudly"
"Sorry!" the teacher winced at her cheerful attitude.
She walked to her seat and sat down, the quiet returned, and then suddenly someone broke into fits of giggles.
Mariah, who was sitting behind Ray, was laughing quietly but just loud enough for everyone to hear her. The next moment Salima started laughing as well.
The teacher stood up and glared at them.
"What is it now?" he asked.
The girls shook their heads and stopped laughing, but moments later Kia started again.
Glancing at her the teacher frowned.
"Stand up and turn around Ray" he said.
Ray did and as expected there was a note on his back saying:
'I'm a supersonic, idiotic, brain affected, disconnected Baboon. Kick me'
The teacher smiled "Very clever Kia"
"What? What does it say?" Ray tried to get it off and when he did even he couldn't help but laugh.
"Sweet, really sweet" he said.
"I agree we wouldn't expect our Kia to swear or to say something offensive now would we!" the teacher said.
The class groaned, not another speech on how good she was and how they should try and be more like her.
Of course Kia was beaming away, quite oblivious to the worried glance Kai and Ryushi shared, who knew she had something in store for them as well.
A knock on the door interrupted the class's good humour, almost like good news comes before bad news.
The teacher opened the door and took the note that was handed to him. He read it, and as he did his face became more serious and grim.
"Ryushi and Kia, you will not be here on the 7th of October like every year will you?" he asked. The noises dimmed slightly.
The twins looked at each other then scowled unconsciously.
"No" they said in unison.
The teacher nodded and repeated the message to the student. As he closed the door he noticed that all the light heartiness had disappeared with the message. Even the ones who did not know what it was about, seemed to know it was not the time to fool about.
The teacher looked at the Tilwaree twins. Kia had lost her smile and had got out a book with a serious and bitter expression on her face. Ryushi had ceased any talking and was lost in his thoughts, his usually different face now mirroring his sister's.
The teacher sighed, but those reactions were to be expected.
Salima, Ray, Max and Hilary were sitting under the Oak waiting for the others to come. The girls were gossiping while the boys were just idling away. Suddenly Kai came running up to them.
His eyes were filled with rage, there was a vein pumping on his forehead and he looked ready to kill.
But it was his shirt that made Ray and Max hysterical while the girls politely tried to keep their faces straight.
Kai had been wearing a white, button-up shirt today and somehow that shirt seemed to have become multicoloured, too multicoloured.
"Where is she?" he hissed.
The boys ignored his question completely, still laughing. The girls just shook their heads, too sacred that if they opened their mouths they might start laughing.
"I'll wait here for her then!" Kai said.
He leaned against the tree and crossed his arms, but his eyes were alert and waiting for her to appear.
She came walking slowly, not with one of their friends, but with another boy from the basketball team. She hadn't seen Kai yet and he wasn't going let her.
He moved behind the tree, smirking at the thought of catching her. She waved at the four other teenagers, then said bye to the boy she was talking to and headed towards them.
The boys were not talking and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Kai swore, they might give the game away.
But she moved closer anyway, and as she did Kai leapt out from behind the tree.
He would have caught her if she hadn't reacted so quickly, she moved away at once. He chased her and finally caught her. She struggled but he tackled her to the ground.
"Caught you" he whispered, panting slightly. She tried to move out of his hold, but it was too firm.
"Let go of me!" Kia cried "You played the locker trick, so did I. We're square!"
"I did play a trick, but I did not set it up so that paint would spray on your clothes and spoil them!"
Unknown to them their friends were laughing hysterically and many people were watching. The girls, between their laughter, were smiling knowingly……..
…….but about what?
"Just let go, you've got paint over me now anyway, you've got your revenge, for goodness sake Kai, let me free" it was not that she didn't like his hold, she did. Too much maybe. And Kia, for one of the rare moments in her life, was bright red.
"Not without some tickling!" Kai smirked.
The next thing Kia knew she was rolling about on the floor, breathless from laughter, her sides aching from where Kai had tickled her.
He finally let go of her. The rest of their friends had arrived and while some were laughing others were looking amused or rolling their eyes at Kai's sudden childishness.
Kia's behaviour was absolutely normal.
The atmosphere calmed down a little bit and everyone started chatting amongst themselves. Kia just lay where she was on the ground and looked at the clear sky, deep in thought.
She couldn't deny that she had liked the feeling of Kai's arms around her, but the thought of her liking him was completely insane. Well not so insane……
Kia kicked herself mentally. What was she thinking!
Kai and her, no way! That would not work in all eternity!
Kia sighed in resignation and closed her eyes, there was no point arguing with herself. Truth to be told she did not mind the idea of her and Kai together. Not that much……
Kia chuckled. Of course she did not mind. She would only argue with him 24/7! But she liked that as well. A hot blush appeared on her cheeks.
She was in big trouble. Kai hated her, so it was not as if he would give her a second glance, not in that way certainly.
She really had to get over it.
Kia sighed again.
"Are you okay?" a voice interrupted her thoughts.
Kia opened her eyes only to find a pair of sky blue ones staring black at her, for a moment she thought it was the sky itself.
"Yes. Why?" she asked suspiciously. It was not everyday Ryushi was concerned about her.
"No reason. You just sighed twice and muttered that you were in big trouble, that's all" he was smiling.
He lay down next to her and looked at the sky as well.
Maybe that's why his eyes were so blue, because he was always looking at the sky.
"Nothing's the matter?" Kia answered looking at her brother.
He didn't look away from the sky. "You sure?"
"Definite"
"How do you think we're going to get along in Tokyo?" Ryushi looked at her, and the seriousness in his eyes made her shiver.
"Like we do every year" Kia whispered.
"Mum cries less though, the more times we go" Ryushi turned onto his stomach and looked at their friends sitting near the Oak. Calica waved at him.
"Yes, but it's been a long time now Ryushi; since Sakei……"
"It has" a new voice joined the conversation.
Kai dropped himself next to Ryushi, he looked at Kia.
"I couldn't find any blood red roses, will white do?"
"It's your choice Hiwatari; you're the one who gives them" Kia blushed lightly.
"But Sakei likes red……."
She had never heard him so emotional before, and even now it was just his words, not his tone or expression.
"He'll be happy with white, I'm sure" Ryushi smiled "Want to walk home today Kia?"
Kia looked at him; he was smiling at her, a silent smile.
"Sure, why not?" she smiled too.
Ryushi nodded and got up, leaving Kia and Kai alone.
The silence was deafening.
Kia glanced at him, but he was in his own thoughts, a usual frown on his face as if he was dissatisfied with life.
He probably was….
The lines on his face seemed to look more sharp and handsome; his hair was falling into his eyes, showing only hints of crimson.
Kai moved it out of the way.
Kia turned away, before he could notice her staring. She really needed to get over him, and quick. He was never going to look her way, anyhow.
Kia knew he didn't like her. So many times she had awkwardly tried to start a conversation with him, only to feel he was talking to her only because he had to, not because he wanted to.
She needed a life, seriously.
Over that, they were going to see Sakei soon, her younger brother. He had died five years ago, when he was two. Kai had been attached to him and every year when the Tilwarees went to his grave in Tokyo, Kai gave Kia some red roses to take along, Sakei's favourite flowers.
Kia's favourite flowers. And every time he gave them to her it made Kia fell as if they were for her, not Sakei.
Movement beside her distracted her, Kai had stood up.
She looked to see him looking at something……….or someone.
She followed his gaze and it rested on…..
NO! It couldn't be!
Sorry bout the cliffy!
Review!
If any one is having doubts about pronouncing the names of any of the characters please tell me in your reviews. I don't want any of the characters to be called something they're not!
I won't be writing for some time because I'm on holiday! But I'll try the soonest I can!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Kia