Chapter 14
The boy had short, curly, light brown hair and light brown eyes. He had smooth features and was relatively handsome.
"I'm sorry do I know you?"
"I'm Chris Tatsuka, you met my parents"
"You're the one who knows Mika!"
At this Chris seemed to look quite amused. "We're friends, yes"
"FRIENDS?" Mika was walking towards them, in all her grace. Kai was walking behind her, not a nice look on his face.
"Are you saying you don't consider me your friend Mika?" Chris looked hurt.
Kia's cousin went red, with fury or embarrassment Kia could not tell.
"Nice to see you again Tatsuka" Kai was talking through gritted teeth.
"You too Hiwatari!" Then he turned to Kia.
"Now would you like to dance, Tilwaree-san?
The girl looked at her cousin and Kai. Both trying not to show their opinions and failing. Mika seemed to be blushing like mad and Kai was for some reason pissed off. Kia smiled
"Call me Kia," she said to Chris "And I'd love to dance"
They both left for the dance floor, but Kia couldn't resist giving Kai a smirk, and wincing when she received a glare in return.
There was a slow song on, and automatically Chris and Kia wrapped their arms around each other, though leaving a considerably polite distance between them.
"So how do you know my cousin?" Kia inquired
"From school, our dorms are in the same corridor"
"And you like her?" it was all too obvious.
"Like to annoy her, yes" but the slight red tinge on the boy's cheeks made Kia's grin wider.
"I think she likes you"
Chris smirked "I know she does"
Kia stared at him in surprise for a moment and then muttered something that sounded quite like 'Hiwatari'.
Chris laughed and the girl looked even more surprised. "Yes, I guess I am like him"
"I never said that"
"But you think that, and it is true, we also have the same style of showing feelings for people we like"
Kia's head snapped up so fast, she was sure to have pulled a muscle.
"And what style is that?"
"Wouldn't you like to know" Only experience of dealing with Kai stopped Kia from cursing at her new friend.
They stayed silent for a while, just dancing. But Kia could not keep a smile off her lips for long.
"So I'm dancing with you because you want to make my cousin jealous?"
"Will you be angry if I say yes?" Chris didn't look worried.
"I'll be angry if you lied"
Their conversation was interrupted by the end of the song.
"Can I have everyone's attention" Calica was standing on a raised platform "It's tradition that the last dance before the meal starts is the same song and usually with the same partner. It's a fast song and you're encouraged to use any professional dance forms if you know any, special request by my mother"
Kia coughed loudly and muttered under her breath.
"So have you got a set partner?" Chris asked.
"Yes, unfortunately" Kia grimaced "But why don't you ask Mika?"
"I'm not sure about that"
"I dare you to"
Chris smirked. Kai never backed down on challenges and Kia was hoping, for all their similarities, Chris wouldn't either.
"See you later then" Kia quickly moved away from him and looked around for her cursed partner.
Who do you think he is?
"Where have you been?" he asked.
"Why do you ask questions you already know the answers to" Kia grinned at his irritated look.
"Whatever. Now would you please accompany me or do you prefer to stand here?" this boy asks so many questions!
"God, aren't we anxious to dance tonight!"
The boy grunted, grabbed her arm and led the way to the dance floor.
It seemed that everyone had been waiting for them because at that moment the music started and the next thing Kia knew she was being twirled around.
The song seemed faster than she remembered, but the steps were the same and her partner and she were moving in perfect harmony.
From the corner of her eye she could see numerous couples, one being Chris and Mika. She looked at her partner but he was watching the other dancers as well, then he turned to her.
"What is it Twee?" he asked. (You must know who it is now?)
"You do know Mika likes Chris?"
"Yes, so"
'Well I thought you-"
"I don't like her, the only reason I was paying attention was because of Tatsuka."
"WHAT?"
"I lost a bet to him long ago and now he dared me to be nice to your cousin"
Silence came between them but their gaze remained intact. Kia's breath rate was increasing.
"So you don't like her?" she asked tentatively.
"Didn't I just say that" he was smirking now.
He twirled her again, and as the music got faster and towards its climax they concentrated on the dance, avoiding each others eyes. Then with a final loud cord the song ended and everyone applauded.
Not realising she was still holding Kai's hands, Kia looked around. Her eyes fell on her former dance partner and cousin. They hadn't released each other yet and were oblivious to everything.
A loud cough made Kia look away and at Calica, who was grinning knowingly. Realising what the grin was directed at, Kia let go of Kai, who didn't seem to notice and rushed off the dance floor, blushing.
She moved through the people fast, desperately trying to find her family. That was the reason she gave herself, but the real one was that she wanted to get away from Hiwatari. Fast.
Suddenly some person grabbed her arm and Kia turned around startled. It was Mika. She was looking concerned.
"Kia, can we talk?"
"Sure"
"It's about Kai"
Kia felt an uncomfortable tightening in her chest, but she forced a smile and gave her cousin a questioning expression.
"It's just that I told you I like him, but I don't. The only reason I was trying to tell myself that was because I couldn't admit that I liked Chris. He is so annoying!"
Mika was smiling now, she looked very happy.
"Did he tell you he liked you then?" Kia asked
"The moment we started dancing, he is the most romantic person!"
"Good" Kia's cheeks were hurting because of smiling "I'm happy for you, but I really gotta go, I'm looking for Calica"
"Oh I think she's coming this way, you both talk, I'm going to get some food!"
With that Kia found herself face to face with the person she had been trying to escape.
"What happened, Kia?" Calica asked.
"Nothing I was feeling slightly stuffy so I decided to move away from the crowd"
"You sure?"
At that moment Kia was saved from answering by her brother, who put an arm around Calica and gave her a kiss. They were interrupted rudely by Kai who pulled Ryushi away, glared at him and dragged him away, wordlessly.
"CAN YOU BELIVE HIM?" Calica almost shouted.
"Who?" Kia asked, quite amused by the incident.
"Kai; he is such a git! I can't stand him sometimes"
"Your brother's always been a jerk. And yes I can believe him, it seems like something he would do." the words slipped from Kia's mouth before she could stop them.
Automatically Calica raised an eyebrow "And here I thought you liked him. Stay here a moment, I'll get us some drinks"
Kia didn't even notice her go away. Her mind was swirling.
What was wrong with her?
How could she have been so stupid? Was she nuts?
Thinking she liked Hiwatari!
Kai was arrogant. The most egocentric and rude boy she had ever met. He had always been mean to her specially, for no apparent reason. Kia had always had fun arguing with him. It was the respect she gave to her foes, those who were capable enough to spar with her.
Kai was one of them.
Then in came Mika. The girl who, from forever, had been better than Kia. She was prettier, smarter and got along with life like Kia never would. She had always been jealous.
So, Kia's eyes lit up as she thought, it wasn't that she had suddenly fallen head over heels over Kai, it was that she was jealous again of Mika getting attention from her enemy and had confused it as a crush.
How could she have possibly thought she liked Kai Hiwatari?
Calica found her grinning idiotically when she returned and was even more surprised when she received a tight hug from Kia.
Deciding she would ask Kia later why she was so happy, Calica informed her that Mika had invited Chris to come along with them to Horizon that night after the party.
"How can she invite him, Mika's a guest herself" Kai overheard them talking. Tala was with him.
"You're just jealous!" Kia told him.
Kai grunted and Kia glared at him.
"Now, now both of you. This is a civilized area and we don't want any violence" Tala chuckled "Kia why don't we get some food, I'm starving"
"Sure Tala" And with another glare at her nemesis Kia walked off with her best friend.
Kia Tilwaree hated Kai Hiwatari.
And that was the final truth.
"I don't even know why I agreed to this!" Kia said impatiently "Do you?"
Kai just grunted, his eyes on the road. After the party all her friends had somehow persuaded Kia that she had to get a ride from Kai to go to Horizon. The poor girl had agreed because of the forcing and now found herself alone in the car.
With Kai.
"So………………….."
"Yes"
"Ah hah!" Kia yelled "he finally speaks"
"I'm driving Twee…." Kai was losing his patience.
"What was the bet you made with Chris?"
"None of your business"
"You're nice"
"When did you notice?"
They lapsed into silence. Kia was fidgeting slightly and it was all Kai could do to not shout out. Finally the girl reached out and put some music on. Immediately Kai switched it off.
"What are you doing?"
"Switching it off"
"But I'm listening to it!"
"I'm not"
"What is wrong with you?" Kia finally asked.
There was no reply.
"Kai?"
Nothing….
"There is obviously something wrong so just tell me!"
"Why would I do that?" Success!
"Well because I'm your enemy. I'll look at your situation in a different perspective and give you a more logical and correct solution to it without consideration towards your feelings!"
"Thanks, my dilemma is solved" Kai's voice was bitter.
"Now what did I say?"
"Everything"
And they didn't talk after that.
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Kia