Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Tala knew she was seeking him, but Tala also knew that he was looking for him too and as much as he loved the girl, he knew it was safer, more profitable to remain at Hiwatari's side. So when Hiwatari said she wasn't to know, Kia didn't find out, not from Tala, not yet.

Kia's days went in a blur, a timeless routine. Avoiding Hiwatari's kisses, nagging Tala, fighting with Hiwatari, making sure Ryushi didn't find out, studying with Hiwatari, making sure Dad didn't find out, not talking to Hiwatari, making sure no one found out. There was a pattern developing. So when her mother suddenly commented, lightly and innocently in the absence of her father and brother, that, since Kia had got a boyfriend she had been spending less and less time with the family, Kia absently realized that this observation was not good.

Then, after many moments, while her experienced mother waited patiently, she realised it was a disaster. Her shriek confirmed this too.

When she turned to her mother, helpless, lost for words her mother calmly assured her no one would find out from her, but Kia was a little reassured when Mrs. Tilwaree asked to be introduced to the boy soon; that meant she didn't know who it was. It would be intolerable if she found out.

During another busy lunchtime, because of which Kia had been unable to inform Hiwatari on her mother's knowledge, she was busy running to another council meeting. Hiwatari couldn't attend so she was needed to know some of the information she had to pass on to the president. Unfortunately she didn't know any, yet. However, she still had a few minutes remaining.

Hiwatari didn't have any other extra curricular activities; instead he had been called to the staff room. Kia was only a little concerned, but very curious.

Just as she had lost all hope of ever knowing the details of everything, Hiwatari ran up and took the papers from her hand. She felt so much joy at being relieved from the task that she could only stare in awe.

"Stop drooling" he reprimanded absently, skimming the papers rapidly. She huffed and turned away, but couldn't resist her curiosity.

"What did the teachers want?"

He paused briefly, but she noticed, and glanced at her once guardedly before carefully avoiding her narrowed eyes. She knew what that meant.

Not for you to know.

His jaw was clenched tightly, and she hardened her expression as well so when Hilary entered the room, ready for the meeting as well, she tactfully took a seat between them, but Hiwatari didn't like that either.

That afternoon the president received Hiwatari's comments with surprise. They were not polite and detached, but as if he was struggling with anger. The other council members watched curiously as well. This was lost on Kia as she had so often seen his anger and was also determined to ignore him. Hilary, however, his friend, noticed but was not overly surprised. She did wonder why he had such trouble restraining his anger though.

It continued through the day and though they spoke to each other, a light formality had entered the conversation. It had happened before, when Kia wasn't sure what to say she always adopted a more eloquent way of speech and Hiwatari mimicked her, informing her of his knowledge of her discomfort. But it hadn't happened a lot and it didn't last long, and Hiwatari didn't do it so seriously. They hadn't been together that long, they were fragile. Fights, disputes could destroy.

And this was their war, quiet, polite, respectable, distant.

It had happened before.

"Are you coming Kia?"

Distracted she looked up from the bench where she was sitting, bent over, tying her shoelaces. It was a warm day for the end of October, and Kia was enjoying it. Ray was waiting for her patiently and she saw that the other boys were already on the court doing free shots. She grinned automatically and then got up and led him to the opposite side of the court from where Hiwatari was.

As the coach approached and sorted them into teams, Kia was annoyed and happy simultaneously. Happy because they were receiving a fun day where they only played matches rather than concentrating on skills and annoyed because, while doing skills she could have avoided Hiwatari expertly and now, especially with them being on opposite teams and her competitive nature, it was going to be hard not to bang heads.

And their large egos were going to be harder to overcome the more they encountered each other.

As they positioned themselves around the middle of the court Kia felt her nervousness, excitement and adrenaline building up and she held it back, ready to release it as the game started.

The ball was thrown up and tossed around in a minor scuffle. Then she saw the ball passed to Hiwatari and narrowed her eyes. He would move forward quickly. Ray and Tala caught her signal immediately, Tala already moving back to defend. Kia moved past Hiwatari, but stood close to him to intercept any passes he might make. While Kia often was careless with including her other team mates once the ball touched her hands, Hiwatari always passed and this time he didn't disappoint her either.

The ball was passed to Tyson who had place himself near the basket probably through prior agreement. Tala moved towards him with speed but just as he had taken a step, Tyson expertly bounce passed the ball so another boy, already in motion, grabbed the ball, dribbled and jumped to deliver a smooth basket. Kia was in awe, the excitement was building up.

The opposition fell back, Hiwatari eyeing Kia discreetly, but she had her face fixed forward. Ray was speaking rapidly and she and Tala were nodding. When, finally, a delighted, wicked smile gleamed on her face Hiwatari felt light. Light in the bad way.

The moment they started passing the ball Hiwatari knew it was going to be difficult. It was only for a few moments that the ball paused and was then passed forward and no one dribbled. It was time for a change of tactic.

Ryushi had already anticipated this, knowing his sister well and the team was ready to block them with a man to man defence as they reached the half way line. Hiwatari waited but no one approached Kia until he realised she had been left for him. The irony of the situation was seeping through, unfortunately. Kia seemed to have predicted their partnership and she didn't seem to mind so much. Somehow, throughout the game, the ball didn't reach her and Hiwatari continued to get increasingly restless.

Every time he saw a pass he could prevent or an attempt at the basket Hiwatari moved away from Kia reluctantly, knowing he should be defending only from her. Finally, Kia noticed with satisfaction, he shot her a withering glance and moved away. At that moment Ray passed the ball to her and as soon as Hiwatari had turned back to her in surprise, and Ray had yelled for her to pass again, Kia dribbled, side-stepping a startled Hiwatari and passed the ball to another team mate who was positioned perfectly near the basket, ready to receive and shoot. Kia grinned triumphantly at Hiwatari as she walked back, but he only rolled his eyes lightly.

He also tripped her over, only making her stumble, in malevolence of the situation. Kia was not surprised.

The pace increased fast and they were now moving like tiny whirlwinds on the court, laughing and shouting and occasionally even hitting each other. The coach kept calling lesser fouls by the minute, though they increased. The number of baskets decreased, each defence tightened and yet at few crucial moments, someone, through a fluke the coach was ready to believe, would blindly throw the ball so it landed in the basket. While they would all grumble about it, he was pleased to see them trying and enjoying.

The cheating however….

The coach had just signalled to them that they only had a few minutes left and though Kia knew they would lose as the opposition had a large lead, it didn't stop her from trying. So when Tala retrieved the ball again they returned to their original plan of passing the ball. But this time Hiwatari didn't move, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.

"You're being really clingy" Kia commented, kicking the bag of his leg. He winced lightly and turned to look at her over his shoulder, jaw tightening slightly.

"You're too wild, so it's necessary"

Tala finally managed to pass her the ball, but she was cornered and held the ball away from Hiwatari. When she had persuaded him to move far enough to let her dribble, she moved forward, forcing him back and towards the basket, dodging his prying hands with little grace but enough skill. Then he stopped moving. Kia was at a moment quite startled and looked up at his face, he just seemed expressionless.

She stopped dribbling now and saw Tala in good enough range to pass. Signalling him with her eyes, and turning her back to Hiwatari she got ready to pass. As her hand lifted, consequently pushing her t-shirt up in the process, Kia felt a cool tickle on her lower back and stiffened.

Hiwatari's hand teased her skin, pinching and caressing simultaneously, moving lower to her shorts. Then just as she was about to pass he leaned down and brushed his lips and breath over the skin at the point where her neck and shoulder met. Kia dropped the ball.

Hiwatari had already grabbed the ball and moved away and Kia still stood there shaking, trying to contemplate what had just happened, what he had just done. She had only moved a few feet when the coach whistled the end of the session.

Hiwatari had made sure the cheat was brief, if effective, and unseen. Kia shuddered to think her brother's reaction to it. He hadn't even looked at her after that and it made Kia more than angry. How was it that he wasn't affected in the least about what had happened? Was it only her who felt the attraction that strongly? He didn't even trust her enough to tell her the little things?

As she changed Kia desperately tried to think about something else, but every thing seemed to have some relation to Hiwatari. When he had proposed them actually going out Kia didn't mind so much, she was in too much bliss, but this tirade was troublesome.

When she exited the changing room she was a little surprised to see Hiwatari waiting for her and that, spoiled as she was, made her angrier. He didn't seem to mind, as he just lifted an eyebrow at her presence and herded her towards the car park. She felt rage because, here she was anxious about what had seemed to be less than a misunderstanding, and he hadn't even registered it at all. Why was she the nervous one?

As she looked on at his unconcerned face, he turned and smirked at her.

"Stopped sulking yet?" he slowed until they were walking close together. She didn't answer and his amusement heightened. Inconspicuously, he pulled her closer and sighed, leaning against her slightly.

"Stop it" he murmured softly, allowing her to be coaxed, "It's childish and ruins my mood. Stop it"

A few days later Kia entered the house followed by Hiwatari. She had given up trying to question his motives but when she saw the rest of the Hiwatari family there as well she realised they had come over for dinner. The adults were in the kitchen chatting amiably and Hiwatari joined them. Kia found Calica in the living room, flicking through the television channels.

"Where's Ryushi?" she questioned, surprised to find the girl on her own.

"No idea" Calica grinned and made space for her on the couch.

"He didn't tell you?" Kia questioned in surprise "But aren't you two-?"

"Just because we're going doesn't mean we have to run everything through each other like we're married or anything" Calica explained with a smile "We're young, we like each other and we're just having fun. There's no need to get serious about a relationship so soon"

Kia nodded blankly something suddenly hitting her. It made sense. Hiwatari and she had been only going out for a few weeks and even though their siblings had been together for a year there was still some distance between them. She now understood it was nothing serious and felt relaxed. There was no need to give more than she could, because Hiwatari was only entitled to receive a small amount right now. This was like being extremely close friends with some limitations and other priorities – she needn't lose her head over it.

Settling back and smiling at the ever wise girl, Kia waited for diner to be prepared, somehow lighter and less troubled.

She didn't have to give any more than she had, and the good thing was, at the moment, there wasn't much to give.

Lamenting the height of her heels and cursing her female friends softly, Kia found some tissue to reduce the colour of the make up on her face. Once again it was that time of the year – the Hiwatari celebration. A sour expression graced her face as she fiddled with her hair and the other girls chatted. The were all getting dressed in Calica's room, thus ensuring that Kia was not allowed to play down on the glamour, but she was already altering her appearance unhindered.

This year Helen Hiwatari had insisted they have a more formal party, giving the girls an opportunity to dress up. Kia had still escaped this by finding a deep green, half-sleeves dress that had light green and white sequencing on it and provided her with a casual look. She had initially had to work very hard to persuade the girls, who had all worn formal dresses, but they had agreed after she had shown her hard determination.

As always, the party was held in a huge, circular room in the centre of the Hiwatari mansion, with a smaller, central dance floor. The girls separated, Calica drifting and aiding her mother with hosting, Kia headed towards her own parents like some of the other girls while most secured a table.

She found them fairly easily and let her mother fuss about her appearance while her father continued talking with an acquaintance. Her mother pointed out her brother and a few other newcomers to the party and other people who she thought Kia should talk to. The girl listened absentmindedly, keeping half an eye open for Hiwatari but knowing he would be late. She talked to the people who had asked after her but finally stationed herself at a table and listened to her friends' banter.

As it was a formal dance, Kia just watched many couples sweeping the floor with much grace and poise rather than attempting to participate. Calica had informed her that her mother would probably grow weary of tradition eventually and allow freer, wilder dancing and music but that would only come later and until then Kia, who didn't know the pre-practiced steps, sat and watched but didn't lament so much.

Hiwatari still hadn't arrived.

It was nice to be sitting and just look pretty, Kia mused, and she enjoyed watching everyone; they seemed to be enjoying themselves. A light yawn escaped her. She had been working all of last night on a short speech for her language skills class. It was a persuasive argument on a philosophical topic that she was incredibly passionate about and somehow the idea of an all-nighter had been fun, and proved to be much more enjoying than she had initially thought. Kia often thought there was too little time to accomplish all tasks.

She leaned back in time to spot him slipping through the crowds and cracked a smile when she saw Helen next to him, reprimanding him. He listened for a while, not hiding his unaffected, bored expression and moved purposefully towards her once his mother let him go with slight exasperation. Kia held back a gasp and looked away when she saw him; he looked incredibly handsome and with the second glances he was receiving she was not the only one who thought so. He was wearing simple black trousers and a cream shirt, which looked more casual than it should, along with a thin black tie. More like a sophisticated rock star and male host with his hair for once in place, rather than just Kai Hiwatari. Not that he could ever be just Kai Hiwatari.

He took a seat beside her, not speaking immediately, but Kia turned and grinned, letting an unconscious giggle slip through until he too grinned back in reply. She felt a bubble of excitement and nervousness explode in her.

"Do you want to go to Horizon tonight?" Miriam questioned, when everyone had gathered back on the table again. Most nodded, Kia repressed a groan.

"I don't think I'll join you" she said "I didn't get any sleep last night and I don't think I can do it for two nights running"

"We can always go to tomorrow" Calica suggested "You guys can just crash here tonight and then we can go over after lunch or something tomorrow"

"Why didn't you get any sleep last night?" Tyson and Max questioned together as soon as there was silence and then looked at each other in surprise. Hiwatari discreetly listened as Kia explained, but she caught his disapproving expression and grinned.

Once the music finally changed, Tala and Kia glanced at one another and then simultaneously at Hiwatari before heading to the dance floor. The boy stiffened unnoticeably at their departure but didn't protest. Soon they were joined by Aurin, Hilary, Mariam, Ray and Salima and they all danced in a circle, Kia often being held up by her friends as she stumbled on her heels.

As a slow song came on she returned to the table with a healthy flush and the other boys substituted on the dance floor. Hiwatari regarded her narrowly, she winked at him. They hadn't spoken all night and he initiated, much to her surprise, an innocent discussion on books, but Kia kept laughing, meaninglessly interrupting him and he finally gave up to just banter and tease her. They were interrupted shortly as an older boy from the student council walked up to ask Kia for a dance as another slow song followed the last one. Tala walked back with Calica in time to see her go and Hiwatari looking more irritated than he intended. When Calica obliviously questioned his mood, Tala laughed thereby saving the girl from any misdirected anger her brother would have sent her way. After a minute or so Tala spoke:

"You should go and cut in Kai, she doesn't look too comfortable" In fact she looked incredibly comfortable but that didn't stop the boy from moving in. When Kia was successfully recovered he relaxed.

"If you didn't want me to dance with him," Kia said, "you should have asked me first"

"That would have meant being polite so that you accepted, and I didn't have the energy. It was much easier just rudely shoving him away"

"If we don't go back to the table quickly, Ryushi will suspect something" she warned, yawning again. His eyes narrowed slightly but he released her. However instead of leading her to the table, he threaded his fingers through hers and led her through and out of the hall.

She didn't complain, too tired to do so and knew at the back of her mind that Ryushi and her friends would be too occupied to notice a disappearance. The corridors were empty and she finally recognized the route to his room.

When they entered, Kia quickly fell onto the first chair and slipped out of her heels to massage her feet. Hiwatari loosened his tie and giving her a glance, strode towards the adjoining bathroom.

Kia always remembered his room to be small, simple and thoroughly organised. There was a large window on one side of the room with a under which lay clean, made up futon on the floor. There was a low table on the centre of the room with cushions systematically littered around it and various books and other items on it. Kia knew there was a smaller room, adjacent to this which he used as a study and was filled with book shelves but his own room Hiwatari had decorated with minimalism in mind, but it still gave off a stylish, expensive air.

Hiwatari returned from the bathroom, unchanged, but now wearing glasses. He took a seat on the floor in front of her and tilted his head to regard her expressionlessly. Her eyes found his.

"I am going to kiss you tonight" he promised her, in a neutral tone with no change of expression.

Kia was so shocked with his blatant, bold statement that she started at him in horror for a few seconds, registering how his lips (pretty, pretty pink things) curled into a widening smirk and how his glasses glinted in the dim light, thankfully shadowing his smouldering eyes. Then she, in her astonishment that had outlasted many seconds, accidentally lifted her hands and dropped her heels very sharply onto his knee. Hiwatari winced and his smirk vanished.

"I'm going to hit you right now" Kia promised and did exactly that. She reached forward to punch him on the chest put he scooted back and suddenly Kia was unbalanced and falling, landing in a painful heap on his knees and her shoes. They both cursed simultaneously.

"Sorry, sorry" Kia muttered, a little red with anger and embarrassment "but it's your fault as well"

Hiwatari's face was disturbed with what seems to be restrained frustration, but he merely reached out and pulled her towards him, so that they were face to face. Recognizing his intent, Kia pushed away roughly and once again, the illusionary calm slipped from his face.

"What's wrong with you?" he questioned angrily "I've kissed you once already, I don't see what the problem is now"

"I'm not ready" she muttered, face hardening slightly.

"Kia, I'm going to kiss you" he informed her, losing his patience "Not steal your bloody virginity!"

"If you don't like it, then there's no need to put up with it" she replied with equal force "It doesn't matter so much to me!"

"Don't be childish" he growled "you're making a big deal out of nothing, as usual. Nobody has the capabilities, not even me, to wait for you to be ready"

Kia was angry and hurt, but she fixed her expression and grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him towards her. She had underestimated his reflexes however, because he stopped just a breath away and released himself.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he hissed, but Kia had reached hysteria.

"What do you want from me?" she was trembling with anger "Did you not want to kiss me? Isn't that it! I don't want to have a stupid argument over nothing and here you are acting all confusing and-!"

She knew at that moment, from the way he backtracked and how his expression became only a little troubled, but also a bit irritated and resigned, that she would be fine. She overestimated Hiwatari's restrain.

"Just because I want to kiss you doesn't mean you just do it! I'm more concerned because you don't want to – it's not exactly an ego booster!"

"Is that what I'm here for then Hiwatari, to make you feel good about yourself?" even Kia couldn't believe the crap that was spewing out of her mouth. Hiwatari's mood tilted hazardously. He grabbed her arm and pushed her off his legs.

"Enough" he said quietly, dangerously "You're tired and I'd rather not see you for a while. I can't continue this"

"Because it's true?" why was she still talking?

His head snapped up as if she had just hit him, eyes wide and, Kia was surprised to see, even a bit hurt. She had never been able to read him like this.

"You…." He breathed in disbelief, and voice filled with anger and disappointment "I'm in love with you"

"Oh"

It wasn't a totally appropriate response and it came out in a whisper so Hiwatari didn't hear it. He was still staring with frustrated expression, but he still managed to look hopelessly betrayed to her. Kia swallowed and opened her mouth.

"What did you say?" she spoke too loudly, disturbed too much. He flinched at her voice.

"I've been attracted to you for over a year now," he said, annoyed but not embarrassed, or at least that was how it seemed to her, "and I've been in love with you for most of that time"

Kia only nodded. When Hiwatari spoke, and though he did often, every word he said needed to be thought about, so Kia was not so doubtful about his meaning. When he said 'in love', Hiwatari meant in love.

Her lack of response, Kia realised with a sickening twist in her gut, had also made him realise the extent of her affections. Kia bit her lip.

"Hiwatari…."

"I need a shower Twee, a cold one. I also need you to leave"

She shook her head but he was already on his feet. She was hoisted on her own and dragged to the door. He left her there and turned around, but before Kia could protest any further, Hiwatari had taken his shirt off. Her eyes went wide.

Then his belt came off and by the time his other clothes were a heap on the floor, Kia had turned heel and fled. The boy was insane.

Kia made her way back to the hall, only realizing halfway that she was barefoot. She returned to find that the party was still going on as she had expected and that, thankfully, no one had missed her.

Apart from Tala of course. She loved him that boy.

The moment she thought that Kia cringed and by the way Tala's concerned eyes gained some light at her appearance, she assumed he knew exactly what it was about. Now she hated him.

"How did things go?" he asked smoothly, escaping from the table and leading her outside, while smiling at acquaintances that they passed.

"Brilliant. It couldn't have gone any better"

Thank god he understood her sarcasm. They reached the corridor and walked far enough into a desolate one, where Tala turned to look at her, worry etched on his face. She let her expression fall as well.

"So…."Tala prompted.

"He's in love with me"

"I know"

"No" Kia insisted, face troubled "He's in love with me"

Tala nodded. In love enough to contemplate spending the rest of his life with her, "I know"

They were silent for a while. Kia was a bit dizzy with the revelation and felt nauseated. It was terrifying and she was confused. Tala silently observed her.

"So it went badly?"

"Terribly" Kia admitted "I refused to kiss him, again, told him I don't really care much about us, accused him of using me and then, then I didn't reciprocate his feelings, his affectionate feelings in equal strength"

"He knew that" Tala consoled.

"And that only makes it worse" Kia said "I feel horrible. I like him but I'm only attracted to him. How could everything have gotten so serious? Why does it have to ruin everything?"

"It doesn't have to" Tala said firmly "You're overreacting again. How would one person having stronger positive feelings in a relationship ruin it? Think logically Kia, just because it all went a bit faster than you anticipated doesn't mean you get left behind. If you like him enough, whom it's blatantly obvious you do, you'll try hard enough to catch up"

Kia grinned feeling a bit more confident. She chuckled and poked Tala in the ribs.

"Where did you get this pep talk from?" he turned a bit sour.

"You're predictable Kia" Tala explained "I've been preparing this talk ever since I found out he was in love with you"

"And how long have you had?" Kia asked warily.

"About a year and a half"

"Shit"

"Yes, very appropriate"

Right that's done! And if anyone needs a clear up:

Hiwatari is more in love with Kia than she is with him. She's not even in love with him. To her it's only a high school relationship, i.e, not serious at all.

I'm on holiday soon so chapters will be limited, but I'll try to be quick on the update!

Have a good summer!

Review, I have no idea what people will think about this so feedback is vital!!

Kia