End of the Affair- Part 3: Unravelled


Emily sipped on her steaming coffee, peering sideways over the rim into the blue glare of the computer screen. It was 9:00 ama- time to get to work. There was no sense in fretting over Kai or why in seven Hells Rei was using Kai's phone. Kai would have to explain sooner or later. And the sooner the better. If he had time, he could probably think up a very good reason as to why Rei had been using the phone. He'd even have a very detailed background story to answer all her questions.

If he didn't have time, well, his story would be spurr of the moment, and she was so very good at poking holes in things. It was one of her more prided talents. She was about to settle into her typing, when the stupid little mail icon went off and that annoying voice stated: "You've got mail. You've got mail." Over and over a hundred thousand times because she was trying to ignore it. Finally, with a growl of frustration, she clicked the stupid button and opened her mail. Surprise, surprise. It was from Mariah, wanting to know if Rei had made plans with Kai last night.

"How the fuck should I know?!" She growled, hastily typing an angry reply.

She didn't have time to waste on the pink-haired girl's boyfriend troubles- she had enough of her own. She finished typing her message and went back to re-read the message. As she read the passage, her heart began to sink. Realization began to sink in.
Rei had been with Kai all night.

~*~*~*~*~*
Mariah paced the empty front hall, stopping to look at the phone every couple of minutes.
She sat back heavily in and arm chair, burying her face in her hands. He wasn't going to call, he wasn't going to call. The tears came so easily, flooding over her hands. Her sobs were choked by her own need not to cry and she felt strangled by her different emotions.

She needed to cry because Rei had forgotten her like he'd try to do so long ago. She needed not to cry because she needed to prove to him that she would be okay without him- that she wasn't as weak as he thought. She needed....she needed....

The phone rang, startling her out of her chair. "Hello?" She asked hesitantly, pleading with all her heart that it was Rei.

Emily's surprisingly calm voice reached her ears. "Hi, Mariah. I suppose Rei isn't in, is he?"

Mariah growled through her teeth. "If you're mocking me-"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I just wanted to know if your little darling was home. You see, I recieved your e-mail, and surprisingly enough, Kai's in Hong Kong as well. And you'll never guess who picked up the phone when I called."

Mariah's eyes widened, unbelievingly. "Rei," she breathed, feeling her chest tighten and her stomach twist in knots, pleading that Emily had everything wrong. That it wasn't Rei who answered the phone.

Emily didn't reply for a moment. Then, she chuckled. "Birght as ever Mariah. I think it's time we paid the boys a little "surprise visit." You don't think they'd mind their girlfriends dropping in on them, do you?"

Mariah hissed, her eyes becoming tiny slits. "You lying bitch. Rei would never do anything like that! Never!"

Tears sprang to her eyes. Rei couldn't do that, wouldn't do that to her. Not ever. Would he?

Emily sounded nonchalant when she replied. "Call me what you will, but the fact remains. Neither of our boyfriends called. Your's certainly wasn't in his own hotel room- he was in my boyfriend's."

Mariah sat back down. "Rei...Rei....he isn't like that. He...he wouldn't do that."

It was more of a question than a defense. She was denying the fact- but it was starting to become absorbed, starting to fall into place with everything. Her secure little world was coming unravelled when she hadn't even been aware it was fraying. "Rei...Rei...isn't gay."

Emily "hmm"ed, deciding to make no comment on Mariah's only defense. It was obvious the girl was grief-stricken- her wobbly, unsteady voice asured the red-head of that.

"Would you like to find out?"

Mariah remained silent. Silently, she set down the reciever and looked to her left. There, on the coffe table, was the photograph that had been taken of her and Rei last June. She herself looked genuinily happy, but Rei's smile seemed suddenly so forced. So fake. How come she hadn't noticed it before?

~*~*~*~*
Rei sighed and stretched, then snuggled back up in Kai's arms. Morning sunshine played brightly through the open curtains, washing over the sleeping pair. Rei pressed his face into Kai's chest, inhaling deeply the scent of the bluenette. Kai stirred awake, looking down at Rei's sleeping form as he came back to his own consciouness. Silently, Kai slipped out from between the sheets, moving steathily to the bathroom, avoiding the creaky floorboards he knew were there. He didn't want to run the risk of waking "sleeping beauty". He'd had that experience- a cranky Rei was not a pleasant Rei.

~*~*~*~*
Rei woke to the sound of water running and realized that Kai must have been taking a shower. The neko-jin purred as he paused to entertain the thought of a dripping-wet Kai. Slowly, he roused himself from the warm haven he'd managed to nestle out in the sheets.

He slunk around the room, gathering his clothes, wincing every so often because of the aching muscles in his body. He dressed himself, then crawled back between the still-warm sheets. There was a knock at the door. He cracked open an eye, glaring at the door.

~*~*~*
Kai walked out of the bathroom to find Rei curled up on the bed, glaring at the door. There was another knock. "Get that," he growled to Rei, grabbing fresh clothing out of the chest-of-drawers and heading back into the bathroom.

Rei hissed at him and slunk to the door. Kai heard the door creak open and then Emily's voice flooded his ears, echoing throughout the entire room. Kai froze, then looked back over his shoulder. There, standing at the door, was Emily, along with Mariah.

Rei threw a desperate glance back to Kai. He looked so helpless and so lost. Kai's blood ran cold as Emily, in an overly cheery voice greeted both himself and Rei. "Hi Rei. Kai."

And he knew they were screwed.