Chapter Two: The Fates Play With My Mind (JIN'S POV)

I just ran. It was all I could think of. She probably thought I was the biggest loser in the world, but I just ran. Plus, she had the last name Phoenix, and if she was any relation to Paul Phoenix, she was not on my good list. But, no matter what I did, I couldn't get her out of my head. That smile, and the look in her eyes when she laughs? I could barely think. Mother wasn't home, so I took the opportunity to train for the tournament. But without Calleigh, I was still without a partner. I looked out the window. There she was…still walking down the road. She looked upset. Did she think she'd done something wrong? I had to follow her, and be inconspicuous about it. I pulled my hood all the way over my head and dashed out the side door.

Luckily for me, training and practicing karate is a great leg-muscle workout, so I was there in a flash. She looked so upset. I felt bad, but I couldn't just jump out from the bushes and apologize. I bet you anything if I'd done that, she'd have turned around and hit me with the hardest one-two-punch I'd ever felt in my life, out of fear, of course. I had to wait until the time was right, then apologize. For now, I was just going to follow her. She walked on for about a half mile, and then turned into the driveway of a small, cozy, two-story house. It looked like something out of a movie, really. There were two cars in the driveway, and one looked like it hadn't been used in almost a year. The other one was kept in top shape, but looked well used.

I watched Calleigh, contently, until she opened the door and I saw none other than Paul Phoenix, who she immediately hugged, and gave a kiss on the cheek. She was a Paul descendant…and it wasn't just a coincidence. She seemed so different from him, though. Not so stuck up, and she wasn't nearly as mean. I sighed, turned around and went back home. Maybe I'd go back later, and throw pinecones at her window. Now, that would be a lot like a movie. I sighed, and came out of the woods to walk back home.

The back way seemed a lot lonelier now. Maybe it was because the dark was quickly approaching, or maybe it was because the wind rustling the trees made me think of solitude for some reason…or maybe it was because I was really alone. And I mean really alone. No one knew me for who I was…and I don't think anyone cared, either. I looked on either side of me, and pulled my hood over my face a little more. Even though no one was there, you never really know. The Mishimas' could have spies out for me, or something…it wouldn't surprise me at all, really.

I came back to my house, and once I got there, I sighed again. Now that I really thought about it, I was really alone. I shouldn't have pushed Calleigh away like that. She was actually trying to get to know me. I looked back, hoping that by some happenstance, Calleigh had decided to follow me home, like I had with her. Of course not…that's my luck. I walked around to the backyard, and took my frustration out on my training-dummy. A few swift punches and kicks to that thing, and I'd feel so much better…I knew I would. But I wound up staying out there until way after dark. Whoa…I thought. I must have had way more cooped up anger than I thought...

I debated in my mind, whether or not to do what I really wanted to do at the moment. I wanted to go see Calleigh, but I wondered if it was a good idea. Risk seeing Paul, or risk never seeing Calleigh again…which was the greater loss? In all honesty, it kind of went without saying, but at that time, I was ignorant, and going through a tough time, so I wasn't thinking straight. Eventually, though, I came to the right decision, and turned to walk toward Calleigh's house. The moon lit the night up perfectly. You could see the entire road, and once you got within three hundred feet of Calleigh's house, you could see it; while on a regular night, you couldn't even see a light in the window from that distance. Were the fates trying to tell me something? I met Calleigh, and then a perfect night like this came along? Either I was supposed to be doing this, I was supposed to learn something from this, or destiny was toying with me.

I saw Calleigh looking out a window, and I hoped that she was alone in the room, then picked up a small pinecone, and threw it softly at the window. At first, Calleigh jumped, then the looked down at the ground, to see me standing there. I saw her turn the other way, as though she were looking to see if anyone was coming, then she opened the window. "Jin? Is that you?" she asked softly, in almost a whisper. It was so silent out, though, that I heard her as clear as a bell.

"Yeah…can you come down?" I asked. All of a sudden, I saw Paul coming to another window, so I ducked into the shadows. I've been spending a lot of time in the shadows lately, I pointed out to myself. Am I some sort of shadow person? I peered around the corner, just as Paul was walking away, and looked back up at Calleigh, who had closed her window. I picked up another small pinecone, and gently threw it at her window.

She reopened it, looked down at me, and whispered softly, "What happened…are you ok?"

I nodded, and repeated what I had said. "Do you think you can come down? I'll get a crick in my neck with too much of this…" I laughed softly, and hoped to myself she could come down.

She looked the other way for a second, and signaled for me to go back into the shadows. "Uh, no, dad…I'm not talking to anyone…I'm just singing to myself, and looking out the window. You can go to bed now…" she explained to Paul.

I rushed back into the shadows, and listened closely for her to call me back out. After a minute or so, I heard her call. "Jin? Are you still there?" she called for me, looking out the window again.

I came back out of the shadows. "So, how long before I have to go back into hiding this time?" I asked, a grin forming on my face. "Because, if I have to, I wanna be prepared…" I explained, getting ready to take off into a run at any second.

"You don't, I'm coming down…" she pulled the screen in from the window. "Do me a favor…on the side of the house you were hiding out at…there's a ladder…could you grab it for me?" she laughed softly to herself. "I thought I got over the whole sneaking out thing when I graduated…I guess not."

I laughed, and rushed around the house to get the ladder. I set it up to her window, and steadied it so she wouldn't fall while walking down it. When she got close enough to the bottom, I lifted her off the ladder, and placed her onto the ground. "Want me to put this away?" I asked her, moving the ladder from the window.

"Yeah, I'll wait right here…" she smiled at me. That smile could kill, I swear it. I had a huge smile on my face as I brought the ladder around to the side of the house.

I came back, and Calleigh was sitting on the doorstep waiting for me. "So, where are we going?" I asked, as always, letting the lady choose the destination.

"Just a walk would be nice…" she stood up, smiling sincerely. "We could talk, and stuff…" she took a couple steps toward me. "We could walk along the river, or something? I spend a lot of my time there…I could show you my favorite spot…"

I nodded, smiling wide as I could. "I'd like that…" I waited for her to lead the way, knowing this would be a night to remember…

~~

Next Chapter: Calleigh'S POV.