disclaimer:slamdunk does not belong to me.
Who's that girl: chapter 10
The next morning...
"Morning !" Kaeze yelled as she pulled the white quilt of Rukawa.
"Arghhhh...go away!"Rukawa grumbled using his pillow to cover his face.
"Now where is that ball?"she said, looking around the room.
"I hid it.You can't play the same trick on me twice."he mumbled into the pillow.
"Ah...fine.I just wanted to tell you I'll be out having lunch with Miki this afternoon."
"Who?"
"You know the girl with brown hair.Caramel eyes."
"Oh, her."
"Wanna come?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"I guess not."
"But tell her I said Hi anyways."
"Who? Miki?"
"Yeah."
"You like her?"
"No."
"Yes you do."
"Okay so she's hot, so what?"
"Oh you're so typical."
"Go away."
"Sleep well and don't forget skating tonight."
"Go."He repeated although he was thankful that she had reminded him.
As soon as Kaeze left the house, the doorbell rang.
Rukawa got out of bed and dragged himself down the stairs as the doorbell rang continuously, irritating him.
He opened the door and rubbed his eyes as the sun shined into the dark house.
"Kaede, its just like you to wake up so late on a sunday,"said an old lady who was standing at the door holding out a packed up lunchbox.
Rukawa widened his eyes and quickly ushered the lady in.
"Sorry bout that grandma, it must have been really cold out there."
"Oh Kaede haven't we gone through this conversation for the past few years, first of all, I am not that weak that I can't take a little bit of wind.Secondly, you have been doing that for so many years don't you think I've gotten used to waiting for you out here.And of course, I'm more worried about you're lunch getting cold.Here."She said handing her grandson the lunch box.
Rukawa took the box and placed it in the microwave oven.
"You know you don't really have to come here, I can take care of myself."He said.
"Leave you with that father of yours? I don't think so."
"Really, I can take care of myself."
"And get yourself killed?"
"Grandma...Honest.I can."
"Honey,don't you remember when you were six? When you walked right in front of a moving truck saying something about doing magic and making the truck stop?"
"I did make the truck stop."
She grabbed his face and made him look at her.
"Kaede, you are one very difficult boy and you insist on getting what you want but you can't get it all the time and you were very lucky to have survived that silly incident."
He held onto her hands and pulled them away gently.His grandmother had always been very stubborn and she never believed that she was too old to do anything.
"Yes grandma, I see your point but that was such a long time ago you needn't bring it up."
She smiled at him and passed him an oven mit to remove the hot lunch box from the microwave.
"Just your problem son, I guess I care too much for you to let anything happen.And I know you care alot about many things just that you can hide that very well.Although now I think you're losing your mask."
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about.I've seen the love on your eyes everytime I mention something about your mother or father or grandfather or someone.But you do have more than enough compassion in your heart to make you human."
"I never care grandma, you know that."But deep down inside, Rukawa was afraid to admit that he did have some feelings for these people.
"Then I don't suppose you were the one who tried to slip a mothers' day card over to me to pass to your mom."
"I was nine then.Its different now.I have changed."
"Yes ,you have changed, on the outside.You never show much of your emotions but your heart's still as mixed up as it was then."
"That shit, don't talk like that."
"Watch your language boy, besides, I can talk anyway I want to."
"Puh..."
"Kaede, I know you called your mom."
Rukawa was silent.He turned to look as his grandmother.
She looked back at him and sat down at the kitchen table and motioned for him to join her at the table.
Rukawa took a seat directly across from her.
"Kaede, your mom called me up. She was crying."she whispered.
His eyes looked at her expectantly but she didn't continue.
His grandmother held onto his hands and started to cry.
"Grandma..."he said quietly.
"Kaede, sometimes I'm afraid that someone might come to take you away from me.Please promise me that you'll never let anyone take you away from me.Like your father did."
Rukawa got up, bent over and kissed her on the cheek.
"I won't grandma.I promise."
Flashback
"Kaede, what is the meaning of this?"My father asked as he held up a report card with several red marks written on it.
I shrugged and continued shooting hoops in our garage hoop.
"Kaede, stop doing that! Its annoying."father yelled.
I stopped and held the ball by my side. I looked at my father.The man who cared more about his son's grades than his well-being.
"What do you know? You're not even around half the time.And you call yourself my father."
I shouted back. I have never liked my father very much.Possibly not at all.
The man was furious and slapped me across my face.
At that moment, all my blood had gushed up to my cheek and it stung so much .But what hurt me even more than that was the fact that my father had just hit me.I knew I had been rude but that was just too much.It was also alot to take in for a twelve year old.
I daren't look at him for fear that he might see the tears that were soon to start flowing down from my eyes. I threw my ball down and ran into the house. I brushed against grandma who was at the door and attempted to run up the stairs when she grabbed my arm.I looked at her pleadingly to let me go.By that time, tears were streaming down my face like crazy.She was shocked but she let go of my arm. I could still feel her watching me as I ran up the stairs to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me.
I got under my comforter and pressed the pillow over my head.No one knew how I felt, no one was there.And the only person who was there was rejected by me. I couldn't talk to anyone but my grandmother.I knew she'd come up here to sit beside me sooner or later to comfort me but she didn't.And that made me feel even worse.Instead, my father came up, the person whom I never wanted to see at that time.He sat down on the edge of my bed and pulled down the comforter slightly.I could feel the autumn wind blow against my shoulder and I shivered.That was when he knew I was awake.I wasn't really awake.Just drifted away abit but I could still hear what he was saying.
He didn't pull off the pillow of my face and I appreciated that.I didn't want him to see that I had been crying.I was never one to believe that boys were supposed to cry.
"Kaede, I'm really sorry about just now.I didn't mean to hit you."he said softly but I could sense the sincerity in his voice.I did however, know that there was another reason for him coming up here.
"Just get over what you have to tell me."I said, my back still facing him.
"Kaede, I had a conference with your teacher this afternoon and she said that even though your physical education is doing splendid, your academic scores just don't make the cut and she suggests that maybe you.."he found that part really hard to say so I just filled in the rest.
"Maybe I lay off basketball?"I asked in a bit of a half angry, half scared tone.
"Look son, it'll only be for awhile, just till your grades pull up."
"And when do you propose that'll be? I can't give up basketball.Its probably the only thing that will get me into a decent high school."I said almost shouting.
"Just study harder, and for your information, I'll be expecting you home straight after school tomorrow.I've talked to your coach and he took it really badly but he still agreed to let you off practice since education is of course, more important."
I supposed my father was expecting me to shout at him or hit him or something because he had got up from the bed most quickly.I didn't budge a bit even though I felt like strangling him that moment.I was just too tired to react.I let my eyelids fall and I slowly drifted to sleep.
I must have slept for a long time because when grandma came in to say goodnight, I was already asleep.She tapped me lightly on the shoulder and my eyes opened instantly.
"Kaede, go and wash up alittle and get into your pyjamas,"she said, her always cheery smile had faded alittle.
I usually made a fuss about doing that but this time I just didn't.I acted like I didn't care for anything anymore.And the truth was, I really didn't.I brushed my teeth and washed my face, got into my pyjamas and got back into bed. Grandma was still in the room.
She sat down at my bed like Dad did, just a little closer.I wanted so badly for a hug or a kiss or something to let me know that she still loved me.She stroked my cheek slowly, gently.So many thoughts raced through my mind like lightning, so many horrible thoughts about how much I wasn't loved by anyone.Tears started welling up again.I let them run down my nose and cheeks.Sad, tired tears.I didn't cry for long though,I just fell asleep again.
The next day, there was supposed to be practice.As I walked pass the gym, I could hear kids laughing as they jogged and they coach telling them to shut up.It was pure torture for me because I wasn't part of them anymore.
As soon as I got home, I didn't throw down my bag like I usually would.I walked up the stairs and put it on my bed, pouring out its contents, looking for my homework.Grandma was in the kitchen as usual, cooking up some of her weird experiments.I took out my math book and looked at it.All I saw were just words all jumbled up together.I took out a crumpled piece of paper from bag and started doing my calculations.
What's 2 plus 2 plus 3 multiplied by 7?
That was easy, I thought.7 3 point shots would make 21.21 points with 2 and 2 would add up to 25 as the final score.I sighed as I started scribbling down the answer the paper.
I tried doing more sums but my mind just kept on drifting off to basketball.Every single thing I thought of reminded me of basketball.Like what's the radius of the basketball, I mean circle.
I put my pen down and let my back rest against the chair.Closing my eyes, I thought of how great it would be to have a Mom, it would probably be alot different.It seemed to me that women were better at emotional situations like this.But the knocking on my door brought me back to reality, No Mom, just Grandma.Grandma opened the door and asked,"Are you sleeping again Kaede?"
I shook my head."Just resting,"I whispered.
She looked at me unsurely and reached out to feel my forehead checking if I was sick.I backed away and she frowned."Still thinking about basketball again Kae-chan?"she asked. It really didn't sound like a question.I just nodded glumly.
"I don't like it when you're like this, I'll talk to your father."She said.
"Please don't, I don't want you to be involved here. It bad enough he hates me.He shouldn't hate you as well."
My grandmother's eyes frowned at me."Oh Kaede...your father doesn't hate you.He's just really frustrated now with his work.You know how he is."
"He's not the only one frustrated." I mumbled under my breath.
"Kae.."My grandmother was going to say more but I cut her off.
"Leave me alone, I'll sort this out on my own.By myself."
Grandma looked so hurt and I wished I could just that back what I just said.
"I'm..I'm sorry."I stammered.
But my grandmother just shook her head and left the room.
I didn't feel like doing anymore work.I just got into bed.I figured that I'd just sleep all my problems away.Sleep through school,basketball,homework, Dad, the mother I never knew and maybe Grandma, maybe.But no, I just knew in a couple of hours dad would be coming up here to check on me.To bother me about my homework, about school.
I slipped out of my room and walked down the stairs.Grandmother didn't see me so that was good.I put on my shoes and walked out into our garden.It was freezing out there and what was worse was that I was only wearing a T-shirt.I sat down on the grass in our garden and let the maple leaves fall on me.Soon, I didn't feel cold anymore.I guess I must have forgot about that.I lay back on the grass and looked up at the sky.It was blue.It almost looks like summer.A really cold summer.
"Rukawa-kun?"A girl's voice called my name.She wasn't very far away.I sat up and looked around and there she was.My first crush was standing right infront of me.
"Rukawa-kun?"she repeated.
"Ayako-san, what are you doing here?"I asked the older girl.She was a little taller than I was and I wondered if I'd ever grow any taller.
She looked at me and made a face."I was going to ask you that."
"This is where I live."I said.
"Baka,That's not what I was asking, you're supposed to be at practice."she said.
I dropped back down on the ground and sighed,"I'm grounded."
"Oh that's bad.What did you do?"She asked.
"I don't know."I lied, I didn't want to tell her that I did badly for my school work.
"Then you should practice at home ne."she said.
"I don't like basketball anymore."
"But...but you love basketball."She sounded shock so I didn't say anything more.
She lay down beside me."So is this your new hobby then?"she asked."It isn't fun"
"What?"I asked.
"Looking at the sky.It isn't fun, is it?"She asked me.
I shrugged, or at least I tried to.For that few moments, I felt happy.It felt good to forget my problems for a few seconds and just to feel the presence of the girl I adore.
I didn't know why I liked her.Maybe its cause I've never met a girl who was so passionate about basketball just like I was. I knew it was just a silly infatuation but I liked having to like someone.
Ayako got up and brushed the grass off her uniform.
"I've got to go now. Mother would be worried."she said.She waved goodbye to me and I just smiled faintly.
Not long after she left,I got up and went back into the house.Grandma was on the phone with someone so she didn't notice that I had gone and came back.I went back up to my room, feeling alittle more refreshed.
"Kaede!"My grandmother called me from downstairs."Kaede! You have a phone call."
I picked up the phone in my room and shouted back to grandma."I got it!"
There was another guy on the other line."Kaede, could I come over to play basketball with you today?That is if you're free and all."I blinked a couple of times trying to recall who's voice it belonged to.It was Kyo, the boy who lived down the street.He was two years older than I was and I guess he felt that I was good enough to play against him because I've noticed that he never hangs around with kids who were younger than him.
"Hello?Are you there?"he asked.
"Yeah I am, hold on I'll ask my grandmother."I covered the mouth piece and yelled,"Grandma!Can Kyo come over for a game?"
"Yes he can but only for alittle while."my grandmother yelled back.
I picked up the mouth piece again and said "yeah, you can come over."
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang and I opened the door.Kyo was standing outside with his younger sister who was I think, a year younger than me.
Kyo pointed to his sister and said,"Mom made me take Rikku but she wont be a problem.Let's play."
He passed me his basketball and I spinned it on my finger.It made Kyo really jealous because he couldn't do it.I saw him scowl abit.When we walked to the garage, Rikku sat on the pavement and watched us.Rikku never said much as I recalled when she first moved here.That was about 2 years ago I think.But what made up for her silence was her beauty.She was awfully pretty.She had long dark brown hair and dark blue eyes that matched her fair complection.She was a totally different person from Ayako.She kept to herself mostly.
It was alittle creepy to see her watch us. It was like she was watching every move I made.Finally, we took a break.Kyo went inside to get a drink.I looked at Rikku who sat quietly on the ground and the wind was blowing at her hair and the dry autumn climate made her lips a pale pink.
I sat down next to her, breathing heavily because of the game.She looked at me and she said something really really surprising."Can I kiss you?"
I looked at her and wondered if I had heard right.She looked away, up at the sky.She didn't blush and that was really weird."Why do you want to kiss me?"I asked.
She took a pretty long time to answer me but she whispered,"To see what its like,I've never kissed anyone before.Have you?"
Okay, that was weird.I shook my head and replied,"No, I haven't."Was this a joke? But I looked at Rikku and she looked dead serious.
She leaned over and her lips pressed against mine, gently.I wanted to back away but she slipped her tongue into my mouth.I didn't know what to do,I was scared mostly but somehow, it did feel kinda nice, scary but nice.She broke the kiss when she heard my grandmother call us to come inside for a snack which wasn't very long. She got up and I stared at her, still shocked of course.Its not everyday some girl kisses you with the tongue and all.It sounded alittle gross to me by theory but it felt nice when she did it.
After the siblings had left, I went back up to my room and floped down on my chair.I thought of what had happened today.About how some stuff just goes so fast when you're not looking.There was the kiss, Ayako, basketball, my dad and grandma.
It was really odd that night, when I took out my book and did my homework.I've never cared much for my studies but when I did my work that night I wasn't worrying about my grades.I was worrying about the people who saw my grades.The people whom I would hurt on the way.How much I'd hurt myself if I didn't do what pleased the people I loved.I'd been hurt so many times, so many times...
End of flashback
Rukawa sat on the porch.He had on a black trenchcoat.He hadn't worn it for such a long time but it still fitted almost perfectly.He drew his arms up to his knees and crossed them.'I could just sleep here.'he thought.But before he could close his eyes he noticed a very slender looking girl walk out of the neighbor's house.Her long dark brown hair(sounds familiar?) flowing as she locked the door behind her.When she turned around, her fair skin looked golden in the sun.Her sunglasses covered the color of her eyes.She looked up and saw Rukawa looking, or rather, staring at her.She walked towards him and smirked.
"Rukawa-kun, is there something wrong with my attire?"She asked him.He shook his head.
"Then what is it you are looking at in such an interested manner?"
He got up and said,"Could I kiss you?"
End of chapter 10
Who's that girl: chapter 10
The next morning...
"Morning !" Kaeze yelled as she pulled the white quilt of Rukawa.
"Arghhhh...go away!"Rukawa grumbled using his pillow to cover his face.
"Now where is that ball?"she said, looking around the room.
"I hid it.You can't play the same trick on me twice."he mumbled into the pillow.
"Ah...fine.I just wanted to tell you I'll be out having lunch with Miki this afternoon."
"Who?"
"You know the girl with brown hair.Caramel eyes."
"Oh, her."
"Wanna come?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"I guess not."
"But tell her I said Hi anyways."
"Who? Miki?"
"Yeah."
"You like her?"
"No."
"Yes you do."
"Okay so she's hot, so what?"
"Oh you're so typical."
"Go away."
"Sleep well and don't forget skating tonight."
"Go."He repeated although he was thankful that she had reminded him.
As soon as Kaeze left the house, the doorbell rang.
Rukawa got out of bed and dragged himself down the stairs as the doorbell rang continuously, irritating him.
He opened the door and rubbed his eyes as the sun shined into the dark house.
"Kaede, its just like you to wake up so late on a sunday,"said an old lady who was standing at the door holding out a packed up lunchbox.
Rukawa widened his eyes and quickly ushered the lady in.
"Sorry bout that grandma, it must have been really cold out there."
"Oh Kaede haven't we gone through this conversation for the past few years, first of all, I am not that weak that I can't take a little bit of wind.Secondly, you have been doing that for so many years don't you think I've gotten used to waiting for you out here.And of course, I'm more worried about you're lunch getting cold.Here."She said handing her grandson the lunch box.
Rukawa took the box and placed it in the microwave oven.
"You know you don't really have to come here, I can take care of myself."He said.
"Leave you with that father of yours? I don't think so."
"Really, I can take care of myself."
"And get yourself killed?"
"Grandma...Honest.I can."
"Honey,don't you remember when you were six? When you walked right in front of a moving truck saying something about doing magic and making the truck stop?"
"I did make the truck stop."
She grabbed his face and made him look at her.
"Kaede, you are one very difficult boy and you insist on getting what you want but you can't get it all the time and you were very lucky to have survived that silly incident."
He held onto her hands and pulled them away gently.His grandmother had always been very stubborn and she never believed that she was too old to do anything.
"Yes grandma, I see your point but that was such a long time ago you needn't bring it up."
She smiled at him and passed him an oven mit to remove the hot lunch box from the microwave.
"Just your problem son, I guess I care too much for you to let anything happen.And I know you care alot about many things just that you can hide that very well.Although now I think you're losing your mask."
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about.I've seen the love on your eyes everytime I mention something about your mother or father or grandfather or someone.But you do have more than enough compassion in your heart to make you human."
"I never care grandma, you know that."But deep down inside, Rukawa was afraid to admit that he did have some feelings for these people.
"Then I don't suppose you were the one who tried to slip a mothers' day card over to me to pass to your mom."
"I was nine then.Its different now.I have changed."
"Yes ,you have changed, on the outside.You never show much of your emotions but your heart's still as mixed up as it was then."
"That shit, don't talk like that."
"Watch your language boy, besides, I can talk anyway I want to."
"Puh..."
"Kaede, I know you called your mom."
Rukawa was silent.He turned to look as his grandmother.
She looked back at him and sat down at the kitchen table and motioned for him to join her at the table.
Rukawa took a seat directly across from her.
"Kaede, your mom called me up. She was crying."she whispered.
His eyes looked at her expectantly but she didn't continue.
His grandmother held onto his hands and started to cry.
"Grandma..."he said quietly.
"Kaede, sometimes I'm afraid that someone might come to take you away from me.Please promise me that you'll never let anyone take you away from me.Like your father did."
Rukawa got up, bent over and kissed her on the cheek.
"I won't grandma.I promise."
Flashback
"Kaede, what is the meaning of this?"My father asked as he held up a report card with several red marks written on it.
I shrugged and continued shooting hoops in our garage hoop.
"Kaede, stop doing that! Its annoying."father yelled.
I stopped and held the ball by my side. I looked at my father.The man who cared more about his son's grades than his well-being.
"What do you know? You're not even around half the time.And you call yourself my father."
I shouted back. I have never liked my father very much.Possibly not at all.
The man was furious and slapped me across my face.
At that moment, all my blood had gushed up to my cheek and it stung so much .But what hurt me even more than that was the fact that my father had just hit me.I knew I had been rude but that was just too much.It was also alot to take in for a twelve year old.
I daren't look at him for fear that he might see the tears that were soon to start flowing down from my eyes. I threw my ball down and ran into the house. I brushed against grandma who was at the door and attempted to run up the stairs when she grabbed my arm.I looked at her pleadingly to let me go.By that time, tears were streaming down my face like crazy.She was shocked but she let go of my arm. I could still feel her watching me as I ran up the stairs to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me.
I got under my comforter and pressed the pillow over my head.No one knew how I felt, no one was there.And the only person who was there was rejected by me. I couldn't talk to anyone but my grandmother.I knew she'd come up here to sit beside me sooner or later to comfort me but she didn't.And that made me feel even worse.Instead, my father came up, the person whom I never wanted to see at that time.He sat down on the edge of my bed and pulled down the comforter slightly.I could feel the autumn wind blow against my shoulder and I shivered.That was when he knew I was awake.I wasn't really awake.Just drifted away abit but I could still hear what he was saying.
He didn't pull off the pillow of my face and I appreciated that.I didn't want him to see that I had been crying.I was never one to believe that boys were supposed to cry.
"Kaede, I'm really sorry about just now.I didn't mean to hit you."he said softly but I could sense the sincerity in his voice.I did however, know that there was another reason for him coming up here.
"Just get over what you have to tell me."I said, my back still facing him.
"Kaede, I had a conference with your teacher this afternoon and she said that even though your physical education is doing splendid, your academic scores just don't make the cut and she suggests that maybe you.."he found that part really hard to say so I just filled in the rest.
"Maybe I lay off basketball?"I asked in a bit of a half angry, half scared tone.
"Look son, it'll only be for awhile, just till your grades pull up."
"And when do you propose that'll be? I can't give up basketball.Its probably the only thing that will get me into a decent high school."I said almost shouting.
"Just study harder, and for your information, I'll be expecting you home straight after school tomorrow.I've talked to your coach and he took it really badly but he still agreed to let you off practice since education is of course, more important."
I supposed my father was expecting me to shout at him or hit him or something because he had got up from the bed most quickly.I didn't budge a bit even though I felt like strangling him that moment.I was just too tired to react.I let my eyelids fall and I slowly drifted to sleep.
I must have slept for a long time because when grandma came in to say goodnight, I was already asleep.She tapped me lightly on the shoulder and my eyes opened instantly.
"Kaede, go and wash up alittle and get into your pyjamas,"she said, her always cheery smile had faded alittle.
I usually made a fuss about doing that but this time I just didn't.I acted like I didn't care for anything anymore.And the truth was, I really didn't.I brushed my teeth and washed my face, got into my pyjamas and got back into bed. Grandma was still in the room.
She sat down at my bed like Dad did, just a little closer.I wanted so badly for a hug or a kiss or something to let me know that she still loved me.She stroked my cheek slowly, gently.So many thoughts raced through my mind like lightning, so many horrible thoughts about how much I wasn't loved by anyone.Tears started welling up again.I let them run down my nose and cheeks.Sad, tired tears.I didn't cry for long though,I just fell asleep again.
The next day, there was supposed to be practice.As I walked pass the gym, I could hear kids laughing as they jogged and they coach telling them to shut up.It was pure torture for me because I wasn't part of them anymore.
As soon as I got home, I didn't throw down my bag like I usually would.I walked up the stairs and put it on my bed, pouring out its contents, looking for my homework.Grandma was in the kitchen as usual, cooking up some of her weird experiments.I took out my math book and looked at it.All I saw were just words all jumbled up together.I took out a crumpled piece of paper from bag and started doing my calculations.
What's 2 plus 2 plus 3 multiplied by 7?
That was easy, I thought.7 3 point shots would make 21.21 points with 2 and 2 would add up to 25 as the final score.I sighed as I started scribbling down the answer the paper.
I tried doing more sums but my mind just kept on drifting off to basketball.Every single thing I thought of reminded me of basketball.Like what's the radius of the basketball, I mean circle.
I put my pen down and let my back rest against the chair.Closing my eyes, I thought of how great it would be to have a Mom, it would probably be alot different.It seemed to me that women were better at emotional situations like this.But the knocking on my door brought me back to reality, No Mom, just Grandma.Grandma opened the door and asked,"Are you sleeping again Kaede?"
I shook my head."Just resting,"I whispered.
She looked at me unsurely and reached out to feel my forehead checking if I was sick.I backed away and she frowned."Still thinking about basketball again Kae-chan?"she asked. It really didn't sound like a question.I just nodded glumly.
"I don't like it when you're like this, I'll talk to your father."She said.
"Please don't, I don't want you to be involved here. It bad enough he hates me.He shouldn't hate you as well."
My grandmother's eyes frowned at me."Oh Kaede...your father doesn't hate you.He's just really frustrated now with his work.You know how he is."
"He's not the only one frustrated." I mumbled under my breath.
"Kae.."My grandmother was going to say more but I cut her off.
"Leave me alone, I'll sort this out on my own.By myself."
Grandma looked so hurt and I wished I could just that back what I just said.
"I'm..I'm sorry."I stammered.
But my grandmother just shook her head and left the room.
I didn't feel like doing anymore work.I just got into bed.I figured that I'd just sleep all my problems away.Sleep through school,basketball,homework, Dad, the mother I never knew and maybe Grandma, maybe.But no, I just knew in a couple of hours dad would be coming up here to check on me.To bother me about my homework, about school.
I slipped out of my room and walked down the stairs.Grandmother didn't see me so that was good.I put on my shoes and walked out into our garden.It was freezing out there and what was worse was that I was only wearing a T-shirt.I sat down on the grass in our garden and let the maple leaves fall on me.Soon, I didn't feel cold anymore.I guess I must have forgot about that.I lay back on the grass and looked up at the sky.It was blue.It almost looks like summer.A really cold summer.
"Rukawa-kun?"A girl's voice called my name.She wasn't very far away.I sat up and looked around and there she was.My first crush was standing right infront of me.
"Rukawa-kun?"she repeated.
"Ayako-san, what are you doing here?"I asked the older girl.She was a little taller than I was and I wondered if I'd ever grow any taller.
She looked at me and made a face."I was going to ask you that."
"This is where I live."I said.
"Baka,That's not what I was asking, you're supposed to be at practice."she said.
I dropped back down on the ground and sighed,"I'm grounded."
"Oh that's bad.What did you do?"She asked.
"I don't know."I lied, I didn't want to tell her that I did badly for my school work.
"Then you should practice at home ne."she said.
"I don't like basketball anymore."
"But...but you love basketball."She sounded shock so I didn't say anything more.
She lay down beside me."So is this your new hobby then?"she asked."It isn't fun"
"What?"I asked.
"Looking at the sky.It isn't fun, is it?"She asked me.
I shrugged, or at least I tried to.For that few moments, I felt happy.It felt good to forget my problems for a few seconds and just to feel the presence of the girl I adore.
I didn't know why I liked her.Maybe its cause I've never met a girl who was so passionate about basketball just like I was. I knew it was just a silly infatuation but I liked having to like someone.
Ayako got up and brushed the grass off her uniform.
"I've got to go now. Mother would be worried."she said.She waved goodbye to me and I just smiled faintly.
Not long after she left,I got up and went back into the house.Grandma was on the phone with someone so she didn't notice that I had gone and came back.I went back up to my room, feeling alittle more refreshed.
"Kaede!"My grandmother called me from downstairs."Kaede! You have a phone call."
I picked up the phone in my room and shouted back to grandma."I got it!"
There was another guy on the other line."Kaede, could I come over to play basketball with you today?That is if you're free and all."I blinked a couple of times trying to recall who's voice it belonged to.It was Kyo, the boy who lived down the street.He was two years older than I was and I guess he felt that I was good enough to play against him because I've noticed that he never hangs around with kids who were younger than him.
"Hello?Are you there?"he asked.
"Yeah I am, hold on I'll ask my grandmother."I covered the mouth piece and yelled,"Grandma!Can Kyo come over for a game?"
"Yes he can but only for alittle while."my grandmother yelled back.
I picked up the mouth piece again and said "yeah, you can come over."
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang and I opened the door.Kyo was standing outside with his younger sister who was I think, a year younger than me.
Kyo pointed to his sister and said,"Mom made me take Rikku but she wont be a problem.Let's play."
He passed me his basketball and I spinned it on my finger.It made Kyo really jealous because he couldn't do it.I saw him scowl abit.When we walked to the garage, Rikku sat on the pavement and watched us.Rikku never said much as I recalled when she first moved here.That was about 2 years ago I think.But what made up for her silence was her beauty.She was awfully pretty.She had long dark brown hair and dark blue eyes that matched her fair complection.She was a totally different person from Ayako.She kept to herself mostly.
It was alittle creepy to see her watch us. It was like she was watching every move I made.Finally, we took a break.Kyo went inside to get a drink.I looked at Rikku who sat quietly on the ground and the wind was blowing at her hair and the dry autumn climate made her lips a pale pink.
I sat down next to her, breathing heavily because of the game.She looked at me and she said something really really surprising."Can I kiss you?"
I looked at her and wondered if I had heard right.She looked away, up at the sky.She didn't blush and that was really weird."Why do you want to kiss me?"I asked.
She took a pretty long time to answer me but she whispered,"To see what its like,I've never kissed anyone before.Have you?"
Okay, that was weird.I shook my head and replied,"No, I haven't."Was this a joke? But I looked at Rikku and she looked dead serious.
She leaned over and her lips pressed against mine, gently.I wanted to back away but she slipped her tongue into my mouth.I didn't know what to do,I was scared mostly but somehow, it did feel kinda nice, scary but nice.She broke the kiss when she heard my grandmother call us to come inside for a snack which wasn't very long. She got up and I stared at her, still shocked of course.Its not everyday some girl kisses you with the tongue and all.It sounded alittle gross to me by theory but it felt nice when she did it.
After the siblings had left, I went back up to my room and floped down on my chair.I thought of what had happened today.About how some stuff just goes so fast when you're not looking.There was the kiss, Ayako, basketball, my dad and grandma.
It was really odd that night, when I took out my book and did my homework.I've never cared much for my studies but when I did my work that night I wasn't worrying about my grades.I was worrying about the people who saw my grades.The people whom I would hurt on the way.How much I'd hurt myself if I didn't do what pleased the people I loved.I'd been hurt so many times, so many times...
End of flashback
Rukawa sat on the porch.He had on a black trenchcoat.He hadn't worn it for such a long time but it still fitted almost perfectly.He drew his arms up to his knees and crossed them.'I could just sleep here.'he thought.But before he could close his eyes he noticed a very slender looking girl walk out of the neighbor's house.Her long dark brown hair(sounds familiar?) flowing as she locked the door behind her.When she turned around, her fair skin looked golden in the sun.Her sunglasses covered the color of her eyes.She looked up and saw Rukawa looking, or rather, staring at her.She walked towards him and smirked.
"Rukawa-kun, is there something wrong with my attire?"She asked him.He shook his head.
"Then what is it you are looking at in such an interested manner?"
He got up and said,"Could I kiss you?"
End of chapter 10