Sara: Again, I don't want to take too long on this introduction thing.
Rane: I can't believe it. You actually got 12 reviews, like you asked. (Looks at readers) What's wrong with you? Why are you wasting your time reviewing?
Sara: (Hits Rane, who falls) Since when is reviewing wasting their time? It gets me to update faster, doesn't it.
Rane: (Mouth is directed at the floor) (Mumbles something incomprehensible)
Sara: (Steps on his head) What was that?
Rane: (Lifts head up) I said, after "doesn't it" there is supposed to be a question mark, not a period. And you call yourself a writer.
Sara: (Folds arms) I'm a great writer, thank you very much!
Rane: Vain much?
Sara: (Admiring self in mirror) What are you talking about? (Turns towards readers) Review people! Or I will write the chapters and wait an extra week, just to make you all miserable! (Lighting flashes in background while she laughs evilly)
Readers: (Whimper like puppies)
Sara: Review, and enjoy the chapter! Also, for all you teenagers out there, I recommend a book I am reading. (Holds up thick book) It is called, "Yes, your parents are CRAZY!" By Michael Bradley. It is a teen survival guide that is really interesting to read, not just for the tips.
Rane: Okay, one: You're not a teenager yet. (Receives glare) Two: Why are you recommending this book?
Sara: I must promote it!
Rane: Why?
Sara: (Shrugs) I don't know. It's a good book. Look it up and order it! And review!
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Visiting Hours are how long, Exactly?
Kiree strode into the room without a moments notice. Raimundo's eyes grew wide as she went over to him and grabbed his face with both hands, casting him a loving look. "Oh, you poor baby." She soothed. "Are you alright?"
Raimundo sighed and glared at Kiree. "Besides being bed-ridden for three days and only being able to move my head, I'm fine." Kiree stroked his hair and took a seat on his bed.
"It's going to be alright, sweetie. The doctor said you will be moving up and about in a week or two." Raimundo blinked.
"How did you get this information before I did?" Kiree took his hands off his head and curled her hair while whistling. Raimundo raised an eyebrow.
"The boy's been in bed for three days, Doc! When is he getting out?" Kiree screamed at a broom closet. Shuffling came from inside the door.
"I can't tell you!" A voice pleaded. "Raimundo should know before anybody else." Kiree struck a first against the door as she heard something fall. She heard the doctor groan.
"When, Doc? When is he getting out of that friggin' bed?" she banged her fist up against the door again and heard something heavy fall on the man.
"Stop doing that! He'll get better in a week or two, alright? Just make sure to tell Raimundo." Kiree nodded and ran off up the stairs to Raimundo's room. "Hello? Little girl?"
"I just have a certain charm with doctors." She smiled guiltily as she grabbed the bowl of cheerios sitting next to him. Her guilty look faded as she gave him another love struck look. "Are you hungry?" she asked, playing with the spoon.
"No." he replied dryly. "I already had some cereal." Kiree blew raspberry.
"But its cheerios, sweetums! It's good for your heart." She put her hand on her heart, "and I eat it every day." She whispered, trying to be sexy. Raimundo rolled his eyes.
"I'm not hungry, Kiree. Do you want to finish it off?" Kiree frowned and dropped the bowl back on the table with disgust.
"No." she told him bitterly. Kiree then smiled again and lifted Raimundo's head up.
"What are you doing?" he asked. Kiree shifted her position and held his back and leaned his against his pillow so he was sitting up. "I can now see things beyond my feet." He looked at Kiree. "Thank you." He said sarcastically.
Kiree giggled, trying to be cute. "That's not why I made you sit up, silly!" she said. Raimundo blinked as she shifted closer to him and tilted his chin. Beads of sweat rained down from his face.
"Kiree, really, I know your prez n' all with the fan club but that doesn't mean that -" he was cut off with her lips pressed against his. Raimundo opened his eyes wider as Georgia, Angela and Elizabeth stood in the doorway carrying "Get well" baskets. Raimundo butted his forehead against Kiree's, who parted from his lips.
"You didn't have to do that! It really hurt." She pouted as she rubbed her sore temple.
"What's wrong with you?" Raimundo asked angrily. Angela shoved her basket into Georgia's arms and stomped towards Kiree.
"For one Kiree, we aren't idiots. We know he's paralyzed and we know that you wouldn't hesitate to pull a stunt like that." She glared at Kiree as she got up from the bed and crossed her arms.
"For your information, he kissed me," she eyes Angela, "and it was very passionate."
"No I didn't and no it wasn't! What's wrong with you, girl?" Raimundo squeaked. Kiree growled as Elizabeth shoved her basket towards Georgia, who seemed to have trouble balancing all of them.
"Kiree, doing something like this is so totally against the rules. As vice president, I think I'm going to have to suspend you." The other two girls nodded. Kiree gasped.
"You can't do that! I'm the president!" her lip quivered and she bit her nail. "I mean, that's so… it's just…" her eyes watered. "You guys are so unfair to me!" she managed to get out as she stormed away and down the hall, grumbling insults to anybody who passed her.
Raimundo felt uncomfortable with all the teenage girls in his room. He shifted his head into a more comfortable position as he spoke up, "Um, guys?" all three turned to him. "Could you, you know," he nodded towards the door.
Angela frowned. "Are you sure? There's nothing we can get you?" Suddenly, there was a crash at the front of the room. Georgia scrambled to get all the large baskets off the floor.
"Where do you want these, Rai?" she laughed nervously. Raimundo told her to put them on the table next to him.
"We're sorry about Kiree and everything. We're not crazy or anything like her." Elizabeth shuffled her feet. "We just think your kinda' cute." Raimundo smiled.
"Thanks. Now could you guys go? I need to take a nap."
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Derek and Kimiko felt a sudden breeze as they walked into the hotel. Derek gave her another squeeze and Kimiko looked down at the floor. "Do you have your card key?" he asked. Kimiko nodded. "Alright, that's good. What room is it?"
Kimiko rubbed her forehead. "Two-seventeen." She replied as she walked into a wall. Derek sat her down on a chair as Kim frowned, miserable.
"You okay? Do you think that bread was bad or something?" Kimiko shook her head and got up out of the chair.
"I'm fine Derek, really. I'm just a little out of it." She smiled at him. "Let's go. I want to show you off to Keiko." He smiled.
"Well thanks." He said as they strolled into the elevator. He pressed the button to go to floor two and waited, enjoying the air conditioning.
The elevator stopped and opened, letting the two of them get out. Kimiko lazily grabbed her companions hand and led him to her room. Knocking, she jammed the card key in its slot and walked in. "What's up Keiko?" she asked as Keiko blinked and looked up from the television.
"Whoa. Kimiko, who's this?" she nodded towards Derek who was leaning uncomfortably against the wall. Kimiko acted as if she wasn't expecting this question.
"Oh, Derek? This is Derek. Keiko, Derek. Derek, Keiko. Mark?" Mark looked up from the television and rubbed his eyes.
"Yes?" he looked at Derek and his face went red. "Who's this? You got yourself a new boyfriend, have you?" Derek blushed and looked away.
"No. This is my friend, Derek. Mark, Derek. Derek, Mark." Mark walked over to Derek and shook his hand firmly.
"Hello." He said calmly. Almost immediately he went back to the bed and continued watching Power Rangers. Keiko stared and the blonde boy curiously. Kimiko smiled at her, but Keiko frowned and glared.
"Kimiko, outside for a moment?" Kimiko opened her mouth to speak. "Now?" Kimiko nodded and opened the door for Keiko as they both walked out.
"Yeah Keiko?" she asked. Keiko bopped her friends head and shook her head.
"What is the matter with you? Do you know why we came to Brazil? Not to pick up boys, Kimiko." Kimiko looked down. "You remember, don't you? His name is Raimundo?" Kimiko lowered her head. "Look at me when I'm speaking, Kim." She lifted her head.
"I know Keiko, and I'm sorry. I didn't "pick him up" or anything. He saved me from two dogs. They were foaming Keiko." Kimiko hooked both sides of her mouth and expanded it, making strange noises with her tongue and a lot of spit.
Keiko put some hair behind her ear. "Okay, I didn't know that. But you couldn't have thanked him and went on your way?" Kimiko shrugged. "Listen, I didn't want to give you this news right away but now I feel the need to before you start making out with any strangers." Kimiko blinked.
"What happened? Is everything alright?" Keiko gave a weak smile.
"It's nothing serious or anything." Kimiko nodded. "Raimundo's in the hospital. He's paralyzed from the neck down and he's going to stay that way for a couple of weeks." She grabbed her friend's shoulders excitedly. "We got him Kimi! Trapped in a bed at a hospital four blocks from here!" She hugged her friend with increasing energy.
"That's great!" Suddenly she forgot all about Derek. "Is it still visiting hours?" Kimiko asked. Keiko nodded as she took her fist and banged on her room door. Derek opened it and smiled.
"You guys have a nice chat?" Kimiko ignored him and walked into the room swiftly.
"Card Key and Jacket. Let's go Keiko!" Mark jumped up and grabbed Kimiko by the waist before she could walk out.
"Hold on, girlie. Where do you guys think your going without me?" Keiko sighed and told him. "Oh. Well, let me get my jacket and we'll go." Derek seemed confused.
"You guys are going to visit Raimundo? Is he okay?" Kimiko grabbed his jacket from the hook and shut the door.
"I'll tell you on the way there, Derek." She said as she threw him his coat. Keiko rushed to the elevator and pressed the button, tapping her foot impatiently. As it opened, she pushed whoever was in there and pressed the button for the lobby multiple times. "Wait for us, Keiko!" Kimiko huffed as she strode into the elevator with the two boys.
"Whatever. And by the way I am telling you all right now, I am not hailing a cab. We are calling a friggin' limo and that is the end of it, Capisce?" Everybody nodded as Keiko opened her cell and started dialing. They walked out of the elevator as Keiko got off the phone. "They should be here in a couple seconds."
Mark raised an eyebrow. "How is that possible?" he asked.
"There's a limo service place right around the corner. I told you a limo would be better." Her boyfriend shrugged and climbed into the long, black vehicle. "Ain't it snazzy?" she asked. Kimiko shrugged.
"I've been in better." She sighed. Derek, a little intimidated, asked her how that was possible. Kimiko opened a coke and took a sip before looking in his direction. "I guess you could call me a spoiled little daddy's girl." Keiko wrapped her arm around her friend.
"But she's no brat, mind you. She's the best friend a girl could have." Keiko said in a too-sweet ton of voice. Kimiko smiled and gave Keiko a hug. "Look-it. There's the hospital already. Should we have the limo wait for us or…" she looked at Kimiko.
"He doesn't have to wait." She said as she stepped out of the limo with her friends. "We'll call the company when we're ready." Keiko shrugged and walked into the hospital. Kimiko walked up to the front desk and asked the woman where Raimundo's room was.
"Three – two – eight." She responded in a nasal voice. "Don't spend to long." Kimiko didn't get to hear her, too busy racing up the flights of stairs.
Derek looked a bit hurt. "Is she involved with Raimundo?" he asked Keiko. Mark followed Kimiko up the stairs slowly. Keiko scratched her head and smiled.
"You got a little crush on Kimi?" she asked. Derek blushed fiercely and looked down. "Aw. Well, I can't really answer your question. Kim's one confusing girl. I thought they were involved, but then she has this other boyfriend. He was cute, y'know? Brown hairs, blue eyes…" John walked through the hospital doors. Keiko pointed to him, "Like that."
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Kimiko rushed through the hallway, counting the numbered doors silently. Finally she arrived at room 328. Pushing the door open, her eyes landed on the boy she so desperately looked for over last couple of weeks. "Raimundo!" she screamed. Raimundo's eyes fluttered open didn't dare turn his head. It couldn't be. It's not.
Kimiko walked over to his bed and came into his view. Raimundo struggled not to cry and looked at her with undying passion. Kimiko smiled, "Are you okay Rai?" she asked.
Raimundo laughed, "I want to hug you so much. It sucks being incapable of moving." Kimiko giggled and embraced her teammate, who started crying; she let go of him.
"Rai, you're crying." She observed as she grabbed some tissues and wiped away his tears. "What's wrong?" Raimundo thanked her for the tear-wiping and sniffed.
"I've just, you know, missed you so much." He gave her the same smile he gave her back in China, the one that made her melt in her shoes. Kimiko swiped another tissue and held it against her mouth, struggling not to cry.
"So," she said, her voice cracking, "How are you?" Raimundo sighed.
"I've been better, Kim. Did you know I got this way by tripping on a rock? Everybody thinks I'm pathetic. Do you know what I was thinking about that distracted me so much I tripped?" Kimiko smiled.
"What?" she asked. Just then, Mark walked into the room, panting.
"How did you get up her so fast?" he asked, out of breath. He walked over to Raimundo and patted his head lazily. "What's up, man? How've you been?"
"Fine." Raimundo replied as Keiko sprinted into the room wildly.
"Kim! Kimiko!" she grabbed her friend and dragged her away from Raimundo's bedside. "You won't believe who is looking for you. He's with Derek right now, and I mean…" she gasped for breath.
"Who?" Kimiko asked. She was answered as Derek and John walked in. "Oh…My…God!" she screamed with the same enthusiasm Keiko did in Chapter 2. "John! I don't know… I… why are you here?" John walked over to her and shoved a bouquet of roses into her arms.
"It's been horrible without you Kimiko." He told her. "Everyday I think about you, and at night thoughts of you just… consume me. You leaving for Brazil was the worst thing that could have happened, and I had to follow you. I hope you're not seeing anybody else." Kimiko gulped.
"Well, no. I mean, well, no." She laughed nervously and dropped the flowers to give John a quick hug. Raimundo's mouth was wide open.
"I'm so glad." He smiled. Before anybody could see what was happening, he grabbed Kimiko by the waist and pulled her in for a wet kiss. Raimundo, Derek, and Mark stared as John kissed her.
As he let go, Kimiko wiped her mouth. She looked in Raimundo's direction, who had turned his head toward the other side of the room. Immediately she felt guilty. "Come on, Kimiko! Let's go do something." John pleaded. "I missed you so much." Kimiko looked at John and nodded, stealing a glance at Raimundo.
"Um, Rai?" Raimundo turned his head back to face her. "I'm leaving my hotel phone number and my cell phone number with the woman at the desk, just in case you want to reach me, okay?" Raimundo nodded glumly. "Please call me, okay?" she asked as John dragged her out of the room.
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Joey Sanchez rapped on the door and walked into his client's hospital room. "I can't believe you, Raimundo." He said. "I know I'm supposed to sympathize with you being paralyzed and whatnot," he scratched his head, "But I won't." Raimundo turned towards his agent.
"What's up, Joe?" he asked coolly, although he was wondering what was going on.
"You want to know what's up, Rai? Let me tell you what I have heard: You were talking to yourself, slash, daydreaming, and tripped on a rock." He held up the cursed rock that tripped him. "The rock may be abnormally large, but tell me how you paralyzed yourself." If Raimundo could move, he would shrug.
"I don't know, Joe. I'm sorry." Joey rubbed his forehead and sat on the bed.
"It's not a matter of apologizing, Raimundo. It's a matter of being responsible, and not taking long strolls out in public, I might add, and daydreaming. I can't leave you alone anymore." Raimundo lowered his eyes.
"I don't know what to say." Was all he could manage. Joey ruffled Raimundo's hair and sighed.
"Let's keep it that way, because I don't want you to interrupt me." Raimundo blinked, not understanding. "Let me put it as simply as I can, okay buddy?" Joey took a large breath and looked Raimundo in the eye, "Whether you like it or not, after you get out of this hospital, you are on your way to France." Raimundo's eyes almost bulged out of his head.
"What the hell Joe?" he yelled. "I'm not going to France!" Joey sighed.
"I'm sorry, Raimundo. You see, my cousin is there and she will help you get back in shape." He eyed his client. "If not in the fame department, physically." Raimundo rolled his eyes. "The doctor says you'll be up and out in a couple of days." He said as he got up. "I'll be waiting." And with those three words, Joey walked out of the room.
Raimundo bit his lip and tried to go back to sleep, but something was pounding his head. His eyes opened as he turned his head towards the pillow, which was whacking his repeatedly. "Finally, I got your attention!" he yelled. "Do you see what I have to do? I have to attack your friggin' noggin until you turn around." Raimundo turned around again. "Fine, I'll talk to you without looking at your face."
"What do you want?" he asked grumpily. The pillow sighed and patted Raimundo's head.
"You screwed up big time, my friend. Your should-be girlfriend is making out with some Chinese kid, and your lying in bed and can't do a damn thing about it." He smiled and kicked Raimundo's head. "That sucks for you."
Raimundo angrily turned around to face the pillow, "That rock is too huge to be lying on the sidewalk!" he growled. "And it's Kimiko's decision. I'm going to let her have her own life." The Pillow shrugged.
"I don't know why I bother with you. So you are telling me you are going to hop to France and not even try to go steal her back?" Raimundo turned back around again.
"She was never mine." He stated sadly, "even though how much I wish she was." The pillow wiped a fake tear from its eye.
"How touching. Well, listen, because I have good news and bad news." Raimundo nodded. "The good news is as soon as you wake up, your ability to move will come back." Raimundo turned around to face the pillow once more, his eyes sparkling. "The bad news is that Mr. Joey-no-fun is going to whisk you away before you can even get to Kimiko." The pillow shrugged. "But at least she left you her number."
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Kimiko glanced at the clock in her hotel room: 5:25 in the morning. Why did she have to wake up so early every day? She looked over at Keiko, who was sleeping next to her, and Mark, who had their own bed; Kimiko never questioned them.
She sighed and grabbed her bathrobe off its hook so she would be warmer when she got down stairs. As she grabbed her key card, the phone rang. Keiko and Mark stirred as Kimiko picked it up quickly, not wanting to wake them up. "Hello?" she whispered.
"I hope I didn't wake you up, Kim." Raimundo said on the other line. Kimiko suddenly was fully alert and smiled, happy Raimundo took the time to call her. "I really have to tell you something. Why are you whispering."
"Keiko and Mark." Kimiko whispered into the phone. "What do you need to tell me?" She heard Raimundo sigh on the other line.
"I can move now, Kimiko." He said. Kimiko gave out a small "Yay!" but he shushed her. "I know, I'd rather move than be paralyzed, but Joey visited me yesterday. He says I'm too irresponsible to stay her and that he's sending me to France to help "Get in shape" with his cousin." Kimiko looked down.
"Do you know how long you're going to be in France?" she asked. Raimundo shook his head sadly, forgetting he was on the phone. "Raimundo?"
"Uh, no! No, I don't know. And you are the only one besides me and Joe who do know that I'm going to France. We're leaving in a couple of minutes and I just wanted to tell you. I'll call you every day Kim." He said. Kimiko smiled.
"Me too." She whispered, and he hung up. Kimiko's eyes widened as she just reviewed the information she just received. "Keiko!" she screamed, waking both of her roommates up immediately.
"What, Kim?" Keiko yawned, a bit annoyed. Kimiko bounced onto the bed where her friend was and shook her wildly.
"Raimundo is leaving for France in a couple of minutes, and I can't let him leave! He just called me, and I don't know why I didn't try to stop him!" She shook Keiko again, "Why didn't I stop him Keiko?" a strong hand stopped her from shaking her friend.
"Calm down, Kim." Mark said. "What time did he say he was leaving for the airport?" Kimiko was getting impatient.
"NOW!" she screamed and ran out the door, not tolerating anymore of her friends sleepy behaviors. Keiko and Mark followed her out the door, swiping their robes and room keys on the way.
Kimiko didn't have time to wait for an elevator and sprinted down the stairs, followed by Mark and Keiko. "How far is the airport from here?" Kimiko asked them. "Call a limo, Keiko!" Keiko listened to her friend and dialed the service as they ran downstairs.
Rushing into limo, Kimiko screamed at the driver to go to the airport, and they were off. Mark and Keiko relaxed in their seats as Kimiko was sitting up, twitching. "You okay, Kim?" Keiko asked, reaching over to touch her friends shoulder. Kimiko swatted the hands away and asked the driver if they were almost there.
They had arrived at the airport. Kimiko dashed out of the limo before Mark and Keiko could even notice she was gone. Kimiko sprinted into the large building and towards flight 107: to France. A woman stopped Kimiko from going any further. "Whoa, miss, do you have a ticket?" Kimiko went red in the face from impatience.
"NO, I DON'T!" she screamed. "Now move!" she shoved the woman out of the way and went outside, just to catch Raimundo boarding the plane. "Raimundo!!" she screamed as loudly as she could. He looked her way and waved curiously. As she walked closer she started to yell to him, "Don't go!" Raimundo screamed back, "Why?" What was she going to tell him? She didn't have much time.
"I love you!!" she screamed back. Raimundo's eyes widened as he was slowly pushed closer to the entrance of the plane. "I love you!" Kimiko screamed again. Raimundo gave a sad smile and pointed to himself, holding up to fingers. Kimiko dropped down to her knees and put her hands to her heart, and Raimundo did the same just as he was shoved into the plane. \
Security guards grabbed Kimiko's arms and dragged her back into the air port, her hands still on her heart. Mark and Keiko spotted and ran up to her, prying her from the guards. "Kimi!" Keiko yelled at her friend, "What happened?" Kimiko looked at her friend and looked back at where she just came from.
"Keiko?" Keiko nodded. "We are so going to France."
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Sara: Apologies for the long chapter! 3,929 words! (Without the intro and the conclusion skits) That's almost 4,000! Wow. Anyway, I was following what my notebook said and I didn't want to skip anything or make it shorter.
Rane: They finally meet. I thought they were going to keep missing each other. That pattern was getting annoying. (Is hit on the head by Sara)
Sara: That pattern was just fine! Anyway, please Review. I was sitting here for three and a half hours typing away in a library. I worked so hard. Please Review! Let's try to get way more than 12!! Let's beat 12, guys!
Readers: (Look up from reading) We're still not done!
Sara: Oh. And by the way, the next time you see the pillow, think of the voice of Jerry Stiller. He was George Costanza's father in Seinfeld, and Carries dad Arthur in the King of Queens. Did you know he's also Ben Stiller's Dad? I saw it on Wikipedia.
Rane: Can you all just review and shut her up? (Turns to Sara) By the way, you're updating too quickly. Create some suspense, for Christ's sake!
Sara: I don't think Christ cares how fast I update. And don't use his name in vain! (Attacks Rane with a bat) Ever! (Bops Rane) Ever! (Bops him again) Ever again!
Rane: I thought you were Jewish!
Sara: (Whacks Rane with Bat again) My family's Jewish! There is a… (Slams Rane all the way to the other side of the room) DIFFERENCE! Anyway, people, Review! (And point out any spelling mistakes. Thanks!) Review!