Kuki had to get her mind from the incident only ten minutes ago. She pulled out her phone and text Maddie.
Hey, I'm on my way home now so ready when you are.
My address is 165 Blue Lake Road,
Kuki.
She continued to walk home. Reviewing that horrifying scene of Joey lying on the ground in her head. She couldn't shift that vision. She hope that Joey was okay, Tracey was okay...Wally was okay. She did what she thought she needed to do, now all she could do was wait. When she finally got home. She let herself in and immediately made herself a coffee. The house was quiet, and she was glad. Her parents and Mushi must have gone out grocery shopping or something.
She sat at the table and poured some cinnamon and sugar into the coffee. Her ultimate comfort drink. She then sat in silence as she sipped. The ring of her doorbell broke her silence. She stood up and headed to her front door, then opened it to see Maddie.
"Oh, hey." Kuki gave a smile.
Maddie beamed back. "Hi...are you okay?"
Kuki gave a shrug. "Yeah, just had a long day.. Come in."
"Thank you." Maddie smiled and walked in.
Kuki led her into the dining room, where she picked up her laptop and notepad and sat down on a chair. Maddie chose the chair next to her and pulled her netbook laptop from her bag. She set it up on the table. Kuki once again decided to try to get on the internet then gave a sigh.
"I'd give you our Wifi but it's not working." Kuki said apologetically.
Maddie gave a smile, "That's okay. I wrote the questions on my pad anyway."
She pulled out a floral notepad and placed it onto the desk. Kuki leaned over to read the work. Maddie had neatly copied a series of chemistry questions into her notepad, which she obviously used for homework. Some questions had answers written neatly below in a different coloured pen, others had four or five lines between them and a bright green star next to them, where Maddie had struggled so left a note to come back to. Chemistry Kuki's least favorite science. She gave a groan.
"I know right." Maddie gave a chuckle. "I've done half of the questions, I can help you with those, but I'm really stuck on these others."
"Well let's figure out these ones first. I think I've got a text book somewhere, give me a second." Kuki said, standing up. "Help yourself to a drink by the way. There's soda in the fridge, tea and coffee in the cupboard next to it. Just through there."
"Oh thank you." Maddie smiled. "Do you want one?"
Kuki shook her head and went upstairs. She thought to look at her phone as she walked up the stairs. 1 message from Abby.
How'd the gaming go?
Kuki gave a smile. The typed back.
Long story...tell you later.
She then composed a message to Mushi.
Where did you guys go?
She reached the top of the stairs, pressed send and headed into her room. She found the book within seconds. It was neatly placed on her bookshelf in the corner of her room. She walked back downstairs to the dining room, where Maddie was sat, sipping at the water that she had poured herself.
"Here it is." Kuki smiled, sitting back down on her seat. "I took it home for some research one day and forgot all about it."
Maddie chuckled. "Thank god you did. Okay, let's take a look."
Kuki's phone buzzed. She picked it up and glanced at the screen. Mushi.
Dropping Grandparents home, didn't know when you'd be home so just left. Eating dinner here so mom said make your own.
Kuki put her phone away. "Sorry, was just checking where my family had disappeared to."
Maddie gave a laugh. "It's okay. I think I've found the right page anyway."
"Okay. Let's get going." Kuki smiled.
Between the two of them they began to understand the work that boring Mr Bloxham had set them. They were working for half hour before the door knocked.
"I'll be right back." Kuki told Maddie.
She stood up and headed to the door. When she opened it she saw Wally. He looked pretty rough, worry and exhaustion in his eyes and his hair all shaggy and out of place. It was either windswept or just tangled from him running his hands in his hair, or both. In his right hand he held a small bunch of daffodils with a blue cellophane.
"Hi." She said softly.
He gave a small smile. "Hey."
Kuki stepped back and welcomed him in. He smiled gratefully and stepped through the door.
"How's Joey?" Kuki asked. Folding her arms and giving a look of pure concern.
Wally turned to face her. He gave a nod. "He's okay. He's broken his leg. He's a little concussed. Must have knocked his head when he fell so they're keeping him overnight. But he's gonna be fine."
"Oh good." Kuki sighed with a nod. "Are you okay?"
Wally nodded. "Yeah...mom and dad are still at the hospital so I thought I'd drop by and say thanks."
He gave a look as if he had remembered something and held up the bunch of flowers. "Mom told me to give you these. Got them from the hospital shop."
Kuki gave a gasp, followed by a smile as she took them. "Oh, she shouldn't be so silly!"
"She says that she's sorry there's nothing fancier. There wasn't much of a selection and I think the the other bunches cost more money than she had on her." Wally replied with a careless shrug.
Kuki shook her head. "No, tell her they're beautiful. Daffodils are my favorite! She really didn't have to...do you want to come in?"
Wally gave a nod and followed her into the kitchen where she picked up a spare vase and filled it with water. gently placing the flowers in the vase and smelling them before turning around and making her way to the dining room.
"I've got a friend over right now. We're just finishing some homework. We've only got one more question to do so we won't be long." Kuki told him as they walked in.
Maddie looked up and smiled.
"Do you know Wally, Maddie?" Kuki smiled as she sat down, being sure to politely introduce the two.
Maddie gave a small nod. "Oh, yeah. You were in my homeroom in ninth grade. Hi"
"Uh hey." Wally gave a smile at Maddie. He stared at her, trying to remember. "Ninth grade? Right."
Maddie gave a smile and looked back at Kuki. "I've figured out this last one."
"Oh great!" Kuki exclaimed. Leaning over to read the book as Maddie explained. She scribbled answers onto her pad as she listened and nodded. Wally sat patiently, watching both of the girls and then leaning back on his chair, gazing around the room. Kuki quickly reviewed the answers that Maddie had already done and then closed her book merrily.
"Done!" She smiled. Her stomach then rumbled and she remembered…"I'm starving."
She looked at Wally, followed by Maddie. "Have you guys eaten?"
They both shook their heads. Kuki smiled. "I'll cook us something up."
"Actually." Maddie said with a smile. "I'd better get home. It's getting late."
"You okay getting home?" Wally asked. "It's getting dark. I'll walk you back if you need?"
Maddie looked at him and gave a smile. She pushed a few strands of her stunning black curls behind her ear and nodded. "Yeah, I'll call my dad to come get me. Thanks though."
Kuki stared at them both. Oh, that's how you do the hair...why don't I look like that?...come on Wally, please don't go for her!
Wally smiled back, a small blush appearing on his cheeks. A thought then dawned on him. "Oh Kuki, is your internet still out?"
"Yeah, why?" Kuki said, a miserable tone rushing out without her control.
Wally raised an eyebrow. "I'll take a look for you. My dad was an engineer before he worked at that office."
"Oh." Kuki blinked. "Thanks, the routers by the TV."
Wally walked out and Kuki headed into the kitchen. Maddie followed her, phone on her ear.
"Hi daddy. can you come pick me up please? yeah, same address you dropped me. Thanks."
She put her phone back into her bag and then leant against the counter as Kuki rummaged into the fridge, looking for something to cook.
"So, how did you get to be on 'coming to house' terms with one of the hottest jocks in the school? Are you guys...you know…?" Maddie asked.
I wish!
"Oh, no." Kuki laughed, looking at Maddie as she placed some ingredients on the side and picked up a knife, beginning to prepare them. "We were best friends in middle school. A group of us. We've all just started talking again and I've been helping him out with a few things."
Maddie gave a small laugh. "Right. He is pretty cute though. How could you keep your hands off him?"
Believe me...It's hard!
Kuki looked up at her with a laugh. "We're just friends."
"What you making?" Maddie asked, a huge smile on her face.
Kuki gave a shrug. "Just a curry."
"Mmmmm, that sounds good." Maddie smiled. "Thanks for having me over for the help."
"Thanks for helping me." Kuki smiled back.
Wally walked in. "I think that's fixed now."
Kuki gave a sigh. "Wally, thank you so much!"
"No problem." Wally replied. He looked back at Maddie with a smile.
Maddie smiled back at him and put one of her perfectly filed nails in her mouth, biting it gently and giving a cute grin while tilting her head down to look up at him.
Has she practised this or something?
Kuki noticed Wally glance Maddie up and down, then give her a cute grin. He went and jumped onto the counter to sit down. Fiddling with his hands a little he then looked at Kuki's food which she was now cooking. He then looked back at Maddie.
"So you girls are in class together?" He asked.
Maddie nodded. "Yeah, we're in science together."
"Right." Wally nodded. "Why don't I remember you from homeroom?"
"Oh." Maddie chuckled. Pushing another piece of hair behind her ear and then placing her hand under her chin to prop herself up.
You've already used that one...be original.
Kuki cursed herself for her unkind thought. Remembering that Maddie was doing nothing wrong, she was just a girl who liked a guy so decided to flirt, even if he was much better at it than Kuki...she had subtly checked that the two weren't involved and found out that they weren't. So Kuki's confirmation that the two were 'just friends' gave Maddie the open door with a welcoming mat.
"I was the nerdy little girl with the frizzy hair at the back of the class." Maddie said, taking another piece of hair with her free hand and twirling it slowly around her finger. "Not that I'm not nerdy now...but...I looked way worse then."
"No you look great." Wally said with a shrug. "And I bet that you didn't look that bad then."
Maddie gave a girlish giggle. The doorbell rang.
"Well, that's my dad." She said. "I'll see you round."
"Bye." Wally smiled.
Kuki smiled. "Bye Maddie."
She went to put the spoon down but Wally jumped from the counter.
"I'll see her out." He smiled.
Kuki nodded. "Thanks, food's nearly ready."
Wally walked out of the kitchen after Maddie. Kuki heard the two say goodbye again and then the door close. Wally came back into the kitchen. Kuki silently plated up the curry on top of a plate of freshly steamed rice.
"Thanks." Wally smiled as Kuki handed one to him. He then followed her into the dining room.
They sat opposite one another and ate quietly. The thought was stewing in Kuki's head. She needed to find out about it but obviously didn't want to seem too interested.
"So." She started. "You and Maddie seemed to get along well."
Wally looked up. "Who?"
"Maddie?" Kuki raised an eyebrow. "You know...the girl sat in here that you were talking to?"
Wally took another mouthful of food and shrugged. "Oh her? I guess."
"Not seen you flirt with girls like that before." Kuki said, taking another bite of chicken.
Great...that wasn't too obvious was it?…
Wally gave a grin. "Was that jealousy?"
Crap, it was.
Kuki's eyes widened. She looked up with a frown. "No! It's just...she's a nice girl and I don't want some jock messing her about."
"Ouch." Wally said, gulping his last bit of rice down.
Kuki looked up at him. That wasn't the best excuse that she had ever came up with. Wally looked pretty hurt, understandably, she'd acted like a total cow!
She gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't mea…"
"It's okay." Wally shook his head. Folding his arms and leaning on the table. "You've always been really protective over your girlfriends, and I know that my mates don't exactly have the best track record for treating girls nice."
Kuki stayed silent and just looked at him.
He paused for a second as if thinking, then spoke again. "You know that I'm not like that right? Sure I flirt with girls but...I'd never screw them around. That's not me!"
"I do." Kuki said, almost in a panicked tone. Like a child who was about to get told off. "I know that you're not like that. I really don't know why I said that...I'm so stupid."
Wally gave a scoff and then a warm smile. "No you're not."
She looked back up at him. He kept his cute, warming smile fixed on her.
I think you're back in the game… She thought to herself. Try another flirt. See what he does.
She picked up her last chunk of chicken and slowly bit into it, keeping her gaze on Wally as she did. She kept the chicken near her lips and stared into his eyes. She noticed that the expression in them was beginning to change.
Yeah...you're freaking him out again...abort mission.
She took the last bite of the chicken and swallowed. Removing her eyes from the awkward contact. She looked back at Wally who was looking around the room, obviously trying to keep from looking back at Kuki and re-engaging in that weird eye contact.
He looked back at her. Giving a small smile he lifted his finger to his lip and made a wiping motion. For a second, Kuki wondered what he was doing, then she realised. She leant back slightly to look into the mirror in the hallway and gave a look of horror. She'd managed to get curry all over her mouth. She quickly stood up and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a paper towel and wiping it on her face to get rid of the sauce.
Wally appeared with the two plates and sets of cutlery. "Thanks, that was great. You're a mean little cook."
Kuki smiled at him. "Thanks, just put those in the sink. I'll do them later."
He did so, then then rested against the counter. they both stood in silence for a second, then Kuki decided to turn on the kettle. "Want a drink? Tea, coffee, juice?"
"Actually." Wally said. "Do you still get that cocoa you used to have, that you'd always bring when we were at the treehouse."
Kuki smiled. "You remember that?"
"Are you kidding?" Wally beamed. "It was the best part of sleepovers with you guys. You'd alway make a real nice cocoa when we'd sit down to watch a movie."
Kuki laughed. "Yeah, we still have it."
She rummaged in the condiments cupboard and finally found the huge pot of cocoa mix. She prepared one for each other them and then handed a mug for Wally.
"Look, about earlier." Wally started as he held his cup in his hands. "With Joey. I just...it was so great that you were there otherwise who knows what would have happened...I mean, you were so calm and...knew just what to do."
Kuki sipped her cocoa and shrugged. "I was just as scared as you. I don't know how I knew what I was doing I just...did."
"Well, it made me think." Wally said with a shrug. "I want to be able to know next time, to help people if they're in that kind of situation. You really think that I could do it?...Be a doctor I mean?"
Kuki gave a smile. "You know I do."
Wally beamed. He took a sip of the cocoa. "Mmmm, that's good stuff. Anyway, I never asked you what you wanted to do."
"I've applied for business courses." Kuki shrugged. "I've always wanted to run my own business but, never really had an idea of what kind..other than owning the rainbow monkey corporation."
Wally laughed. He drank the remaining cocoa with one gulp, then walked towards Kuki, who was rested on the corner of the counter, next to the sink. Wally placed the mug in the sink and then placed an arm onto the opposite work surface, blocking Kuki where she was. He stepped closer and placed another hand on her waist.
"I can see you doing that. You work hard enough and...have that bossy attitude." He said in a low voice, grinning at his final part of the sentence.
Kuki's heart was in her throat. There was no mistaking, Wally was flirting with her. There was no way that he could have been doing anything else. She took a gulp to try and stop the butterflies in her stomach and decided to bite the bullet and try to flirt back.
"Hey!" She grinned. Lifting her hand and hovering it over his one that was rested on the counter. Lightly running her nails over his skin. "That bossy attitude has raised your chances of getting into college."
He laughed a breathless laugh. "I guess it has."
He slowly moved his head down towards her. She closed her eyes and pushed herself up towards him and…
Creak…"Kuki, we're home."
Kuki jumped and pushed Wally away as she heard her parents and sister come into the room. He stepped back and leant on his original place on the opposite counter just in time as Mushi came bounding in.
"Have you made food Kuki? Got any leftover? I'm so hungry! All grandma made was soup! How's that going to fill me up?"
Wally had his face looking down at the floor, trying to hide the embarrassment. Mushi then looked up at him with recognition.
"Oh, hi Wally!" She chirped.
Wally gave her a smile. "Hey Mushi."
Genki walked in and noticed the blonde straight away. "Oh, hello Wally...I didn't know that you were here."
She looked at her daughter with worry,
"Wally came over to look at the internet for us mom. I think he fixed it." Kuki replied.
Genki looked back at Wally. "Oh really? Well that's extremely sweet of you Wally. Thank you."
"It was no problem Mrs Sanban." Wally said. His accent and nervous stutter almost making him incoherent. "I just had to move a few wires."
Kuki smiled at him.
"Well, I'd better get back now and see if my parents are home yet." Wally said politely. "Bye Mrs Sanban, Mr Sanban, Mushi."
He walked out, opening the front door and then letting himself out. Kuki came to the door behind him.
"Thanks again." Wally said, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow."
"Yeah." Kuki said, she looked behind her, none of her family were in sight or even eavesdropping, but she pulled the door behind her, just in case. "Goodbye."
Wally gave a small wave and then walked off. Leaving Kuki stood in confusion. Only a few minutes ago she could have sworn that he was about to kiss her, and he was just going to walk away like that?