Loving Your Enemy

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Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Digimon, but I do own my story
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Chapter 16: The Hairpin and that Boy in the Rain

[After basketball practice]

"Jason! Wait up!" Ruby called after. Kiyoshi turned and look at her. "What is it, Ruby?" he asked. "Did you remember to..." she didn't managed to complete her sentence when Kiyoshi cut in saying, "Yes. I remembered. Here." Kiyoshi took out a small box and handed it to his good friend. The girl opened the box and stared at the heart-shaped hairpin.

"T-Thanks Jason!" she said nervously. Her voice tried covering up the nervousness in her. For a moment there, Ruby remembered the hairpin Mimi wore. It's shape, it's structure, it's diamonds, and virtually everything about it was identical to the one she was holding. "Ruby? Ruby? Hey, Ruby!" Kiyoshi started shaking her. "Err- yeah?" Ruby forced herself to snap back.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.
Ruby shook her head. "No. Nothing's wrong."
"Alright. We better head home now, Chris is waiting."
"Okay."

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[Monday...]

Mimi strolled to her locker. She still felt different. Besides knowing that everyone knew she became Kiyoshi's girlfriend, she felt free. 'Free?' she questioned herself. It's a feeling of blissfulness that she never really felt for... the past 2 weeks or so. "Weird," she mumbled to herself. Mimi stacked a couple of books in her arms. She then closed her locker before heading to her first period.

*WHAMP*
Mimi knew she had collided with someone. Her books spilled. Mimi instantly bent down to pick up her scattered books.
"Sorry," she said.

-Matt's POV-
I found myself picking up Mimi's books. She collided into me. Why should I help her? I don't know. Part of me is angry with her. Part of me tried the best to shy away from her. Thinking about it, I even asked myself what was it she did that made me angry with her and at the same time shy. Weird...

-Normal POV-

"Here," Mimi heard the person she ran into giving her some of her stuff. "Thank you," she spoke. Mimi looked up to see Matt Ishida. "T-Thanks," she said again. Mimi didn't know what to do. She was shocked that it was Matt. Firstly, he wouldn't pick up books for her. Secondly... secondly... he hates her with a passion. 'Why?' Mimi thought. She saw Matt giving her a nod before proceeding in the opposite direction. Then, realisation struck her.

'Of course! Why hadn't I figured? I'm feeling free because I no longer needed to do his bloody homework!' she thought. Turning around, she ran up to Matt. "Wait, Ishida. I need to ask you something," she said. "What?" came the reply. "I-I don't need to do any of your homework anymore, right?" Mimi asked. "Yes," Matt said. "And, is it true you do have that incident taped? You know..." Mimi suddenly felt a little uncomfortable asking that. "No. It's a lie." Matt answered and walked away.

Stunned.
Confused.
Speechless.
Clueless.

These are the emotions churning inside of Mimi. "No. It's a lie." Mimi replayed Matt's words. 'A lie?' she asked herself, 'why did he lie?' There seemed to be no possible explanation to why Matt would lie to her about the videotape. "Why? I don't understand."

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'Why did I go tell her that it is a lie? What am I doing?'

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[After school]

Ruby and Mimi were sitting on the swings at a nearby playground. "So, Ruby, why did you ask me to meet you?" Mimi asked. "Well, there's something I need to ask you," Ruby started. Mimi nodded.

"Did Jason, I mean Kiyoshi, gave you that hairpin?" asked Ruby.
"Yup. He gave it to me. Why?"
Ruby turned and let Mimi see the identical hairpin that was placed on her head.
"I-It's identical."
"Yes, I know." Ruby said. "Mimi, I have to ask you this. Do you love Kiyoshi?"
Mimi hesitated. "Yes."
"Alright. Then let me be frank with you. I love him too."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, Mimi. I know why he loves you."
"Then, do you hate me?"
"I admit I am jealous over you, but no, I don't hate you. You're my new friend still!" Ruby answered, smiling.
Mimi giggled. "Thanks."
But deep down, Mimi knew she met Kiyoshi at the wrong time. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Ruby.

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Ruby had decided to walk home herself, so that she could at the same time clear up her mind.

*PITTER, PATTER*
One drop, two drops, three... more. "Oh dear, it's starting to rain," she said as she took out her pink umbrella.
Ruby continued walking on, watching the sun that was about to set from afar. Ruby walked until she was passing an open-air basketball court. The rain was getting much, much heavier, but that had only affected her sight a little.

"Who's that?" she asked aloud. Ruby noticed someone was still playing basketball out in the rain. "Is he mad? Playing in such heavy downpour!" she said. Ruby walked closer in curiosity. The guy's actions, spins, jump all coordinated well with the movements of his ball. He attempted sophisticated stunts, but all in all, he was very good and not a single time did the ball have trouble getting into the hoop.

"Blake?" she found the name spilling from her mouth. Yes, it is him indeed.
Ruby walked herself to one of the benches. She didn't sit because the seats were wet. Instead, she stood there to admire his practice.

"What are you doing here, poodle!" (A/N: he called her poodle because poodles are usually the dogs of rich people) Blake demanded answer in his harsh tone. "W-Why can't I be here? And, I'M NOT A POODLE!" Ruby retorted. "Whatever! GO AWAY! You are interrupting me!" Blake told her. "Are you mad? It's raining very heavily! Stop practicing!" Ruby shouted back. "WHAT DOES THIS HAD TO DO WITH YOU! I don't need your concern! GO AWAY, POODLE!" Blake scolded.

Ruby stared at him. 'He is mad!' she thought. "I REFUSE TO GO, UNTIL YOU STOP!" Ruby shouted back. "HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU TO GO?! I REPEAT, GET YOUR UGLY FACE OUT OF HERE, NOW!" Blake was now very angry.

"No! How are you gonna go home like this? Okay, I'll lend you my umbrella and I'll leave."
"YUCK! WHO SAID I WANTED THAT RIDICULOUS, PINK UMBRELLA? MOREOVER, IT BELONGS TO YOU! TAKE YOUR STUPID PINK UMBRELLA AND GO!"
"No!"
"You are so stubborn!"
Blake walked up to Ruby. He threateningly held her wrist in a vice-like grip. "I repeat 1 last time. I DON'T NEED YOU! LEAVE!" with that, Blake forcefully threw Ruby onto the wet, slippery and hard ground like a rag doll.

*THUD*
Ruby fell. Her umbrella was tossed a few meters away from her. She tried to get up, but found that one of her wrist was sprained, and so was her right ankle. Tears were already threatening to fall. 'Don't cry, Ruby! If you cry, he may think you are weak!' she pushed herself. With that, Ruby managed to get up, but was still having some difficulties. Now, she was drenched from head to toe. Her wrist and ankle were very painful. Whenever she tried the slightest move, it will shot her an acute pain. She struggled to reach for her umbrella, before leaving on her own. "YOU ARE SUCH A BARBARIAN!" she shouted lastly.

Blake watched as the girl left. He remembered seeing her tears. But she was stronger than he thought. Still, he wasn't at all interested, as he pushed away the thought. He continued practicing, but not with much zest. His mind seemed to think on it's own. 'Was I too harsh on her?' that question kept replaying in his mind.

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Ruby took out her handphone and called her chauffeur. "Hello, Chris? Can you pick me up? Thanks." In a few minutes, her chauffeur drove right up to her. "Chris, do you have an extra blue umbrella?" she asked. "Yes, miss. I think I do," he said and went to get it for her. "Chris, please do me a favour, can you place this umbrella at that bench over there? Thanks."

Chris came back and drove them back to the mansion.

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Blake placed his water bottle back into his bag. He thought the rain would stop by the end of his practice, but instead, it got worst. He was drenched to the bones already. Zipping up his back, he was about to leave, when he realised a blue umbrella on the same bench. He picked it up and thought he should just use it since it was there.

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"Ruby! What happened to you?" Kiyoshi asked when she saw a very wet girl entering the door. "I-I slipped and fell in the rain accidentally." Ruby answered. "All right. Go and dry up. I'll ask the servants to prepare your dinner." Kiyoshi said. "Erm- all right. But I don't really feel like eating. So don't bother the servants," she said and walked away. Kiyoshi sat there wondering what was wrong with her. It seemed as though someone sucked out the liveliness in her. She sounded in such a dejected mood. 'What happened?' he thought.

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Ruby came out of her bathroom and slipped on a pink nightdress. She had taken a long hot bath and felt much better. Ruby lied down on her bed. She rested her head on her pillow and pulled the comforter over her. She tried to sleep, but somehow, her mind kept replaying the incident. Ruby got up and went to get a first-aid kit. She rubbed some antiseptic cream on her now swollen ankle and on her sore wrist. She massages it until it was better.

It was getting late, and Ruby decided to turn in. She rested on her pillow staring blankly at the ceiling. She still remembered what happened. Just then, tears started streaming down her cheeks. "Why am I crying? Stupid, Ruby! Stop crying!" she scolded herself. "You're not supposed to cry for that barbarian! And moreover, you knew how he treated you just now! Now, stop it!" she continued. But her eyes didn't obey, and instead, she cried more. "You are in love with him... that's why you are crying..." she heard her conscience telling her. "No! I'm crying because... because my ankle and wrist are pain!" she reasoned. "You are in denial. You are starting to like him. If not, why do you care so much for him? Why did you ask Chris to put that umbrella there after how he pushed you? Why? It's because you like him..." it told her again. "I like him? I don't like that barbarian! How can I?" with that, Ruby cried herself to sleep.

Confused.
Clueless.
Helpless.
Uncontrollable.
Alone...

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To be continued...

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A/N: oooooh what's gonna happened next? Ruby is starting to have feelings for Blake, but will this just end up like unrequited love? why did Matt lied? will Mimi ever find out? how long will this relationship between Mimi and Kiyoshi last? next up, the tournament is just around the corner! REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!! ^_^