Twin Hearts: A Parallel Destiny
Chapter 6: A Tangled Romance
The next day, Tomo couldn't help but stop outside her Jr. High school and stare at the roof, stare at the place where she had almost ended her life. Well, in a way, her life had ended. Her old life, anyway. And now, starting yesterday afternoon, her new life had begun.
She wasn't alone anymore. She had a friend. Even though it was only one, that was all she needed. She needed someone whom she could share her problems with. Her cat couldn't very well give her advice in a sticky situation.
She thought about the walk home, how both her and Sei told each other the stories of their lives up to that point, and then filled in the rest of the time with odd stories they had either heard of, or seen themselves. When they had finally reached her house, they both had tears in their eyes from laughter, and much higher spirits than the ones they had had just a couple of hours before.
When she came back from her reminesce, she realized that she was still staring at the roof, and that now Sei was standing beside her. She blushed a little as she looked at him. She really had to stop spacing out.
"Hello," she said with a smile. He was still staring at the roof, but then abruptly turned his gaze to her.
"Hi Tomo-chan." He glanced back at the roof again, causing Tomo to as well. "Let's forget about that," he said as he looked back at her.
Tomo nodded her head. "Yeah...I really don't want to think about it ever again."
Sei nodded too. "Come on, we better get to class."
With that, Sei and Tomo walked towards the front entrance to the school.
Shiori and Rei had been talking by a tree in the front courtyard when Shiori glanced around, looking for Sei. He had been with them a moment ago. She hadn't even noticed him leave. Then she spotted him.
He was walking up the front steps of the school with some girl she'd seen in a few of her classes. That's funny. I never saw him hang out with her before. They were even laughing and seemed to be having a good time. Shiori saw something odd about this. Then again, maybe it was just jealousy.
"Hey, Rei?"
Rei stopped in the middle of the story he was telling about how his science teacher went off on a tangent the day before and told them all about how he almost blew up one of his classrooms. "What?"
"Who's that girl Sei's with?"
Rei glanced over towards the front of the school, spotted Sei, and started scratching the back of his head when he spotted the girl he was with.
"I don't know...She seems fimiliar...But I can't put my finger on it." He shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well, don't worry about it...Anyway,..." Rei picked up where he left off, but Shiori was too absorbed in watching Sei.
Who was that girl? And why was she walking with her Sei. Well, he might not technically be hers anymore, but she was still attached to him. After all, they had been best friends, and then had gone out, but now they seemed to be driffting apart. What if it was her? Well, then she had to get rid of her, no questions asked.
She looked up at Rei and smiled, and then interrupted him again.
"Come on Rei, we're going to be late," she said, as she hooked his arm in hers and dragged him towards the front of the building. Rei gave her a puzzled look, wondering why she was suddenly so concerned about being on time when she'd never been before, then just shrugged and adjusted his pace so he wouldn't be dragged.
By the time they had finally climbed up the steps, Shiori had lost all sight of Sei and looked diappointed when Rei glanced down at her. Rei had no idea what was bugging her and decided it mustn't of been important because a couple of moments later she was looking up at him and smiling again.
It's okay. I should see him during lunch. I can figure all this out then. Shiori smiled to herself as she leaned against Rei's arm as they walked down the hallway heading towards their first period classes.
***
Later that day, Tomo sat in her usual seat during lunch and waved Sei over. He smiled as he set his lunch tray down, he couldn't help it. This would be the first day he would actually be able to eat his lunch considering he wouldn't have to deal with looking at Shiori and her undisguised affection towards Rei.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you're in a good mood," Tomo said with a smile as she took a bite of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sei had just dipped his fork into the mashed potatoes on his tray and was about to respond when he noticed Shiori staring at them from a table on the other side of the cafeteria. Sei put his fork down and shifted his chair so he wouldn't be facing her anymore.
Tomo gave him a wierd look, but once she looked behind him she realized why he had moved, and quickly adjusted her own chair so she wouldn't have to look at her either.
Shiori's jaw dropped. Sei had looked at her, and then adjusted his chair so he couldn't see her. What kind of power did this girl have over him?! Shiori took this action as a direct insult and took it upon herself to right his wrong by heading over to their table, dragging Rei behind her.
Tomo jumped when the chair beside her suddenly slid out from under the table on its own, but this was a fleeting fear as she noticed that someone had pulled out the chair, and her smile melted off her face when she realized it was Shiori. Both Sei and Rei looked surprised by this random act of Shiori's, but all she did was smile and then began to talk as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Hey, Sei. Why don't you introduce us to your new friend." Shiori looked at Sei and smiled, her elbows on the table and her chin resting in her hands. Rei looked from Shiori to Tomo and had a sudden realization. This girl looked familiar for some reason.
"Hey," said Rei, trying to get Tomo's attention. He pointed at her. "Have I seen you before?"
Tomo was somewhat shocked and somewhat scared. Did he remember?
Sei looked at Rei and smiled. "Of course you have! She's in a couple of your classes, remember?"
Rei slid back into a slouch, scratching his head. "Really?"
Sei looked to Tomo for support, she nodded enthusiasticly.
Shiori cocked one eyebrow, questioning Sei's explaination. Then, rather loudly, "Hey, isn't she the girl from the roof?" she said, as she stood up, pushing back her chair and leaning over the table, one hand on it for balance and the other pointing at Tomo.
Tomo leaned back, away from her, and blushed. "I...err...um..."
A bunch of kids had looked over from the surrounding tables, wondering what the commotion was. Seeing nothing interesting, their food and friends had taken back their interest and they ignored the table of four near them.
Seeing Tomo at a loss for words, he rushed in to save her, yet again. "Yeah. We got to know each other a little bit better yesterday afternoon when I walked her home." Here, Rei gave him a questioning glance. Sei looked him in the eyes as he finished. "She had lost her ride because she was late and I didn't want her walking home at dusk by herself."
Tomo sighed in relief and Sei could see the thanks in her eyes. He smiled at her for an instant before his attention was drawn back to Shiori.
"So you guys are friends now?" There was an unusual emphasis on the word 'friends' but Sei and Tomo nodded their heads in agreement, anyway.
Rei shot Shiori a weird look. "Why, did you think they were something more? Come on, Shiori! You think meek little Sei would have made her his girlfriend right after meeting her! You know he's not like that!"
Tomo noticed Sei look down and blush at his brother's comment. Shiori was looking at Tomo, more like analyzing her. Realizing this, Tomo looked back at her and smilied. Taken by surprise, Tomo tried to send a smile back, but all she managed to do was make the corners of her mouth twitch.
Tomo did not like this girl at all. There was something about her that reminded her of a feral cat. Sure, they look cute and cuddly, but when you see their true personality you realize just how vicious and wild they really are. She got chills just looking at her.
And rightfully so because as of that moment Shiori was already trying to figure out how to win Sei back into her posession and just how exactly she would get rid of Tomo.
***
A/N: With her jealousy blinding her to Sei's new-found happiness, Shiori sets out to rip Tomo away from Sei. "After all, how could Sei love you as much as he loves Rei. You will never be as close as me and Rei are, and besides, deep down, Sei obviously still loves me."
Next Chapter.....Chapter 7: Jealousy's Devil
Chapter 6: A Tangled Romance
The next day, Tomo couldn't help but stop outside her Jr. High school and stare at the roof, stare at the place where she had almost ended her life. Well, in a way, her life had ended. Her old life, anyway. And now, starting yesterday afternoon, her new life had begun.
She wasn't alone anymore. She had a friend. Even though it was only one, that was all she needed. She needed someone whom she could share her problems with. Her cat couldn't very well give her advice in a sticky situation.
She thought about the walk home, how both her and Sei told each other the stories of their lives up to that point, and then filled in the rest of the time with odd stories they had either heard of, or seen themselves. When they had finally reached her house, they both had tears in their eyes from laughter, and much higher spirits than the ones they had had just a couple of hours before.
When she came back from her reminesce, she realized that she was still staring at the roof, and that now Sei was standing beside her. She blushed a little as she looked at him. She really had to stop spacing out.
"Hello," she said with a smile. He was still staring at the roof, but then abruptly turned his gaze to her.
"Hi Tomo-chan." He glanced back at the roof again, causing Tomo to as well. "Let's forget about that," he said as he looked back at her.
Tomo nodded her head. "Yeah...I really don't want to think about it ever again."
Sei nodded too. "Come on, we better get to class."
With that, Sei and Tomo walked towards the front entrance to the school.
Shiori and Rei had been talking by a tree in the front courtyard when Shiori glanced around, looking for Sei. He had been with them a moment ago. She hadn't even noticed him leave. Then she spotted him.
He was walking up the front steps of the school with some girl she'd seen in a few of her classes. That's funny. I never saw him hang out with her before. They were even laughing and seemed to be having a good time. Shiori saw something odd about this. Then again, maybe it was just jealousy.
"Hey, Rei?"
Rei stopped in the middle of the story he was telling about how his science teacher went off on a tangent the day before and told them all about how he almost blew up one of his classrooms. "What?"
"Who's that girl Sei's with?"
Rei glanced over towards the front of the school, spotted Sei, and started scratching the back of his head when he spotted the girl he was with.
"I don't know...She seems fimiliar...But I can't put my finger on it." He shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well, don't worry about it...Anyway,..." Rei picked up where he left off, but Shiori was too absorbed in watching Sei.
Who was that girl? And why was she walking with her Sei. Well, he might not technically be hers anymore, but she was still attached to him. After all, they had been best friends, and then had gone out, but now they seemed to be driffting apart. What if it was her? Well, then she had to get rid of her, no questions asked.
She looked up at Rei and smiled, and then interrupted him again.
"Come on Rei, we're going to be late," she said, as she hooked his arm in hers and dragged him towards the front of the building. Rei gave her a puzzled look, wondering why she was suddenly so concerned about being on time when she'd never been before, then just shrugged and adjusted his pace so he wouldn't be dragged.
By the time they had finally climbed up the steps, Shiori had lost all sight of Sei and looked diappointed when Rei glanced down at her. Rei had no idea what was bugging her and decided it mustn't of been important because a couple of moments later she was looking up at him and smiling again.
It's okay. I should see him during lunch. I can figure all this out then. Shiori smiled to herself as she leaned against Rei's arm as they walked down the hallway heading towards their first period classes.
***
Later that day, Tomo sat in her usual seat during lunch and waved Sei over. He smiled as he set his lunch tray down, he couldn't help it. This would be the first day he would actually be able to eat his lunch considering he wouldn't have to deal with looking at Shiori and her undisguised affection towards Rei.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you're in a good mood," Tomo said with a smile as she took a bite of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sei had just dipped his fork into the mashed potatoes on his tray and was about to respond when he noticed Shiori staring at them from a table on the other side of the cafeteria. Sei put his fork down and shifted his chair so he wouldn't be facing her anymore.
Tomo gave him a wierd look, but once she looked behind him she realized why he had moved, and quickly adjusted her own chair so she wouldn't have to look at her either.
Shiori's jaw dropped. Sei had looked at her, and then adjusted his chair so he couldn't see her. What kind of power did this girl have over him?! Shiori took this action as a direct insult and took it upon herself to right his wrong by heading over to their table, dragging Rei behind her.
Tomo jumped when the chair beside her suddenly slid out from under the table on its own, but this was a fleeting fear as she noticed that someone had pulled out the chair, and her smile melted off her face when she realized it was Shiori. Both Sei and Rei looked surprised by this random act of Shiori's, but all she did was smile and then began to talk as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Hey, Sei. Why don't you introduce us to your new friend." Shiori looked at Sei and smiled, her elbows on the table and her chin resting in her hands. Rei looked from Shiori to Tomo and had a sudden realization. This girl looked familiar for some reason.
"Hey," said Rei, trying to get Tomo's attention. He pointed at her. "Have I seen you before?"
Tomo was somewhat shocked and somewhat scared. Did he remember?
Sei looked at Rei and smiled. "Of course you have! She's in a couple of your classes, remember?"
Rei slid back into a slouch, scratching his head. "Really?"
Sei looked to Tomo for support, she nodded enthusiasticly.
Shiori cocked one eyebrow, questioning Sei's explaination. Then, rather loudly, "Hey, isn't she the girl from the roof?" she said, as she stood up, pushing back her chair and leaning over the table, one hand on it for balance and the other pointing at Tomo.
Tomo leaned back, away from her, and blushed. "I...err...um..."
A bunch of kids had looked over from the surrounding tables, wondering what the commotion was. Seeing nothing interesting, their food and friends had taken back their interest and they ignored the table of four near them.
Seeing Tomo at a loss for words, he rushed in to save her, yet again. "Yeah. We got to know each other a little bit better yesterday afternoon when I walked her home." Here, Rei gave him a questioning glance. Sei looked him in the eyes as he finished. "She had lost her ride because she was late and I didn't want her walking home at dusk by herself."
Tomo sighed in relief and Sei could see the thanks in her eyes. He smiled at her for an instant before his attention was drawn back to Shiori.
"So you guys are friends now?" There was an unusual emphasis on the word 'friends' but Sei and Tomo nodded their heads in agreement, anyway.
Rei shot Shiori a weird look. "Why, did you think they were something more? Come on, Shiori! You think meek little Sei would have made her his girlfriend right after meeting her! You know he's not like that!"
Tomo noticed Sei look down and blush at his brother's comment. Shiori was looking at Tomo, more like analyzing her. Realizing this, Tomo looked back at her and smilied. Taken by surprise, Tomo tried to send a smile back, but all she managed to do was make the corners of her mouth twitch.
Tomo did not like this girl at all. There was something about her that reminded her of a feral cat. Sure, they look cute and cuddly, but when you see their true personality you realize just how vicious and wild they really are. She got chills just looking at her.
And rightfully so because as of that moment Shiori was already trying to figure out how to win Sei back into her posession and just how exactly she would get rid of Tomo.
***
A/N: With her jealousy blinding her to Sei's new-found happiness, Shiori sets out to rip Tomo away from Sei. "After all, how could Sei love you as much as he loves Rei. You will never be as close as me and Rei are, and besides, deep down, Sei obviously still loves me."
Next Chapter.....Chapter 7: Jealousy's Devil