Chapter Eleven: Tomorrow (Inspired by an Avril Lavigne song)

~~

It had been almost a year since I'd seen Jin. I don't know why I felt as empty as I did, but for some reason, I felt like I had done something wrong. I don't know why I felt like that, but something told me that leaving Jin there like that was the worst mistake I'd ever made. I had loved him, though, and he managed to somehow hide the fact that he had devil blood running through him? I don't know. I've always been such a stickler for honesty, and when I'm deceived, or lied to, I tend to take it harsher than I probably should.

I had loved Jin, and I probably still did, too. I couldn't stop thinking about the constant nights spent talking at the tree, where we bonded, and talked, and the constant days training when he told me I was capable of anything, I just had to have the want inside me to actually do it. But when I thought of all the wonderful times, it reminded me of the only terrible time we really ever had. When the devil gene came through onto him, and he told me what it was, I felt like someone had stabbed me through the heart.

At times, I wondered where he was, and if he was alone. I wondered if he had found someone willing to accept the devil gene. I bet if I'd actually thought my actions through that night, I would still be friends with him. Maybe even more, if I thought deeply enough about it. My mouth went off before my mind could think through the proper thing to say, though, and I wound up killing the best thing that I'd ever had in my life. A couple times, I wondered if he'd even remembered me. Jin had made me happy, and I threw it all away. I repeated that over and over in my mind, trying to grasp the fact that it had actually happened.

I had been staying with Christie Montiero and Eddy Gordo for the past six months, and they had been great. Christie was always there for me when I needed someone to talk to, and Eddy was always trying to reassure me that I did the right thing about Jin. He wasn't very successful, though. I knew I had been too quick to speak, but I couldn't help it. You try finding something like that out, and keeping your cool. Not easy, let me reassure you.

On one particular day, though, thoughts of Jin plagued my mind more than ever. I looked at the calendar, and started to cry when I found out that it was the anniversary of the day that I first met him. No one could even talk to me. I lay in my room crying and thinking about every moment Jin and I had ever shared almost all day that day. I felt so different. Normally, I could handle the pain. But, I think the reason this killed me as much as it did was that Jin had saved me, in a manner of the word. He had saved me from my solitude, and he had saved me from never knowing my true calling.

~~

The sun was shining, the summer flowers and plants filled the atmosphere and the warmth of the air was beautiful. I looked out the window at Christie and Eddy, who were just getting back home from the store. Christie seemed to be holding a letter in her hand, and Eddy was holding some sort of flyer. I met them at the door, and opened it for them, considering they were each carrying heavy bags. I lightened both of their loads, by taking one grocery bag from each of them. "What's up, guys?" I asked, looking at Christie, who was now holding the letter out to me.

"This came in the mail for you, Cal. It has no return address…" she explained, waiting for me to take the letter from her hand.

I took the letter from Christie's hand. It sounded trivial and trite, but the first thing I thought of when the letter entered my general area, was the fact that it smelled like Jin. "I wonder who it could be from. No one knows I live with you guys except Jules and Ling, and they always put a return address on their letters."

Eddy set his grocery bags on the table, and sat down. "Why don't you open it and find out?" he asked, sliding down in the booth to make room for both Christie and I.

Christie sat down, and I sat down after her. "I will, just give me a second…" I stuck my tongue out at Eddy, and carefully opened the envelope. The next thing I recognized was Jin's handwriting. Whoever this was had handwriting almost identical to Jin's. I began to read. "It's dated the fifteenth of May, and in parentheses on the top, it says, 'You have no idea how long it took me to convince myself to send this! It's actually the thirteenth of June, now! It took me almost a month, but here it is…'" I went on, and read the actual letter. 'Dear Calleigh, How have you been? It's been so long since we've talked. I know, you probably like it that way, but I wish there was some way I could change that…" I paused before reading the next sentence. "In case you hadn't noticed, which you probably have, this is Jin. I feel like an idiot, because I really don't know what to say. The past year has been so hard on me. If I could take everything back, and tell you about the devil gene the day I told you about everything else, I would. Your friendship meant more to me than anything else in the world has. I hope that if we see each other at the next tournament, we can talk, and maybe even be friends again. I would have left a return address, but I know you probably wouldn't have read this if my name was on it. I'll see you around sometime, Jin Kazama."

Christie was nearly in shock. "Are you ok, Calleigh?" She looked at me, knowing I would probably be in uncontrollable tears, which I was. She hugged me, and let me cry. "You'll be fine, Calleigh. You're strong…"

Seeing all those things written on paper flushed so many memories back into my head, and I couldn't stop myself from wanting to see Jin again. I hated him, but I loved him so much. How could someone with the devil gene in them have such an effect on me? I swallowed back the lump in my throat, and looked to Eddy, who was holding the flyer in his hands still. "What's that for, Eddy?" I asked.

"It's for the sixth tournament…" he explained, setting the flyer in front of me. "Are you going to sign up?"

I stared blankly at the flyer. 'The King of Iron Fist Tournament Six…grand prize: whatever your heart desires. To enter, come to the newly built Heihachi Mishima Iron Fist Arena, in New York City on June seventeenth,' I didn't need to see another word. I was entering the tournament, and I would see Jin again, no matter what it took.

~~

And I wanna believe you when you tell me that it'll be ok.
Yeah, I try to believe you, but I don't.
When you say that it's gonna be, it always turns out to be a different way.
I try to believe you, not today.
I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow (tomorrow).
I don't know what to say, tomorrow, tomorrow is a different day.
It's always been up to you, it's turning around, it's up to me.
I'm gonna do what I have to do, just don't.
Give me a little time, leave me alone a little while,
Maybe it's not too late, not today.
~~ 'Tomorrow' – Avril Lavigne ~~