Title: Intruder Alert: Take Two
Author: Frostmourne
Disclaimer: I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…
Chapter Dedication: fallen-dark-angel, esca chick (the original ^^,), who cares, Izzy, MysticalDreamer, , ?, anime_luver, naria, SabrinaYutsuki, fluer21, Always Dreaming, Caitie, blue ice, reimegami04, supergirl, Diesty-chan, Very evil daughter of Lord Vol, aznangel, Night of the Raven, Mad Meg Askevron, Kat-Tastrophe, Midnight-Blue/Kisakino Ookami, Fuzzie, Princess Neptune, mel_88, AFCAMistress and LazyCat9@aol.com
Summary: Popular guy, Dilandau Albatou, had finally met his match in this green-eyed, short-tempered girl from America. Sparks flew between them from the start and intensified when they found out that they were actually engaged to each other. But when it seemed that they had settled the negative sparks between them, more embers glow from the outside.
Chapter 7: Peeking vulnerability
"Come on."
Dilandau rolled his eyes. 'Damn! Hitomi could be such a kid!'
Hitomi pulled again at his arm. "Okay. Let's just make a compromise."
He again rolled his eyes. "It better be a good one."
She grinned. "Of course it's a good one. It's from me."
This time, he resisted the urge of rolling his eyes. He had been doing that ever since he plopped down on Hitomi's bed and she suggested the dumb park thing.
"You take me to the park and we'll stay for only a couple of minutes."
"I can't be seen in parks. How many times do I have to say that?"
"I didn't bother to count. You've been repeating that for who knows how many times."
"Then why can't you just absorb that in your ogre system?"
She glared at him. Then she crossed her arms on her chest and frowned. "Because, old man, you still haven't given me a good reason why you can't be seen in parks."
A few minutes passed and Dilandau was merely looking blankly at Hitomi who was by then, beginning to really lose her patience. Soon enough, she was tapping her foot impatiently.
"Well?"
"Well what?" He asked, looking very bored.
"Reason? Park? Ringing any bells in your head?"
He turned away. "Reputation." 'Avoiding fights, avoiding getting you in trouble, avoiding---'
"Just reputation? How dumb could that sound? You've been spending time with me for a long time in school. Surely spending a couple of minutes in the park being my chaperone isn't going to be worse."
"That's not my point. Parks are meeting places."
"So?"
'So, there might be a couple of guys there who I'm avoiding so I wouldn't get you in trouble.' "I don't need to tell you anything. I don't want to go. That's it!"
Hitomi glared at his back and silence settled. A few minutes later, he again shifted positions in the bed to face Hitomi and found her smiling too sweetly at him for his liking. 'Now what is this bossy ogre up to?'
"Hitomi?"
"Let me get this straight, you can't go because of YOUR reputation…"
"Precisely."
"I've thought of a solution."
A few minutes later, Hiko heard Dilandau yelling his disapproval again and again. And he could hear his sister arguing with Dilandau and threatening him.
~*Many minutes later in the nearest park*~
Hitomi tried hard to stifle her giggles.
"Hitomi," Dilandau hissed.
"What?" She asked defensively, trying to keep a straight and innocent expression but failing miserably.
He glared at her and sat on the park bench angrily while muttering curses. Hitomi sat beside him and looked at him. Seconds later, she was giggling uncontrollably.
"Aw, you look so cute!"
"Shut up!"
"Aw come on D---"
"Hey there pretty girls."
Hitomi looked up and saw two cute guys smiling at them.
"My friends and I were having this picnic over there," the first one said, pointing to a part of the park where a couple of guys with girls were spending time. "And we were wondering if we could get to know each other and spend some time?"
Dilandau scowled and was about to say something when Hitomi elbowed him rather roughly.
"We'd like to join," Hitomi said, sending Dilandau an evil grin. "My friend Darlene is new here and is just visiting from abroad."
The guys nodded understandingly and smiled at Dilandau who was still scowling at them. Dilandau was again about to say something when Hitomi cut in.
"But you see, we were waiting for my boyfriend to come and fetch us," she said apologetically. "I'm really sorry."
"Oh," the guys said with a nod and smiled especially at Dilandau before walking away.
When they had gone, Hitomi started laughing.
"What the hell is so funny?!" Dilandau snapped angrily.
"I think they find you attractive, Darlene."
Dilandau glared at her but she just ignored him and continued laughing. Minutes later, he had calmed down and was thinking about what had happened. Soon enough, he was smirking amusedly.
"Never knew you were such a smooth liar."
"I'm not. I guess all my luck just stuck together and I looked convincing enough."
"Don't you think what happened was a bit insulting?"
"Yeah. They think you're more attractive than me," Hitomi said, giggling.
Dilandau nodded and leaned on the bench, looking at the sky. "You know, this is relaxing."
"I told you so."
He raised a brow and cocked his head slightly. "You've been really stressed out because of the b**ches, aren't you?"
She leaned on the bench. "Don't call them that, Dilandau. And let's not talk about them. Let's just be silent for a while."
He shrugged. "Your choice."
They did stay silent and Dilandau had to wonder why Hitomi had a far away look in her eyes. He knew why they were filled with sadness, but he couldn't understand why there was longing in her expression. Almost too soon, he finally noticed that almost two hours had passed silently. He didn't really notice the time since he had been too busy staring at her and wondering about her.
"Hitomi," he said, noticing that the sky had dark clouds hovering about on it. "I think it's time to go now unless of course you plan on getting wet."
She kept quiet for a while before finally turning to him, the sadness evident in her features. "I used to go to parks when I feel bad. But when I had my friends, they'd join me too and helped me forget what's going badly in my life," she said in such a soft tone he barely managed to get all her words.
He suddenly felt bad for reasons he couldn't understand and he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and pulling her into a hug. "I'll help you forget. Just let me," he whispered thoughtlessly in a so faint tone that he knew she didn't hear it. He was thankful for it though since he didn't really understand why he said those words in the first place.
As if on cue, the rain started to fall. But he didn't really care nor did Hitomi. She leaned nearer for a few seconds before pulling away. She smiled. "Thanks. Returning the favor?"
He shrugged and stood up. "We're almost soaked completely. Let's go."
She stood up and gave him a criticizing look before giggling.
"Now what? Did you finally lose your sanity?"
Hitomi laughed loud and pointed to his face. Just then, he remembered and groaned.
"Why did you have to insist putting dumb make-up on my face?! Or more like why did you have to insist that I disguise as some girl?!" He ranted. "The wig is probably all over my face and so is this make-up. I must look like---"
"An ugly, wrecked hag with a runny mascara," Hitomi interrupted and continued laughing.
He smirked. "Oh really?"
She nodded, eyes dancing with amusement as she laughed. Before she could do anything else, Dilandau had rubbed his hands on his face and then to her face. Before long, they were throwing the wig back and forth, trying to hit the other with the soaking wig.
To the people passing by them with umbrellas and raincoats, they were two crazy teenagers playing under the downpour of rain. But they didn't really care if they looked like they had lost their minds or if they looked like they were planning on getting sick.
Hitomi didn't care if she'd get sick after the frolic, not after she realized she was happy at the moment. She just knew that Dilandau was her friend, here and now helping her forget being so stressed out, being so sad, being so alone.
"Weakling," Dilandau commented with amusement as he tackled her to the ground.
Hitomi laughed and had rested on the ground completely, closing her eyes and letting herself take a break for the meantime.
Dilandau, who was seated beside her lounging figure, observed her. She was happy and he couldn't care what the world would think of them getting drenched completely while playing mindlessly under the rain.
It was his fault that her life was this rocky and lately guilt was always in his system. He hated it. It made him do crazy things he didn't dream of doing. The afternoon they spent was full of it. He let her force him to dress up like a girl and he even tried to comfort her when normally, he'd just stay out of anyone's business. And he even let her make him get soaked in the rain just for some fun when he knew his car would be wet later.
But he couldn't care about those crazy things. He just knew the guilt was ebbing somehow and was being replaced by something he couldn't really put his finger on or rather he didn't really want to put his finger on.
"You've got a really nice hair," she said, breaking him away from his thoughts. "I think I have finally lost my screw telling you this but…"
"But what?"
"You remember when you first cooked a meal for me?"
"Oh yes, especially after you told me that you were responsible for my vomiting spree."
She smiled apologetically. "Well, when you were preparing, I had… well… I had, um," she said, bushing.
"You um what?"
She blushed even more and looked away for a few seconds before looking at him. "Well, I was… uh, I was, um… forget it."
He rolled his eyes and smiled amusedly. "Hitomi, the rain is falling. We're soaked to the bones and we're dirty from all the fun. And now you have a new game called 'uh, um and forget it'."
She glared at him irately then. "Well I was just trying to tell you that I had wondered how your hair would feel like between my fingers!"
He raised a brow and looked even more amused. "You did?"
"Huh?" She asked, all traces of her recent outburst of irritation gone, leaving her looking at him uncomprehendingly.
A smile emerged on his red lips and it widened as Hitomi's face began showing realization and embarrassment.
"Well?" He asked, eyes smiling along with his lips.
"Well what?!" She asked defensively, blushing for all she was worth.
"Well why don't you stop the wondering part by satisfying your curiosity?"
"What are you implying exactly?"
He cocked his head slightly, rain plastering some of his hair on his smiling face. Hitomi blushed.
"I'm so not going to be in one of your fan clubs."
"I didn't say anything."
"Well your smile says so many things," she said.
"One of which would be what?"
"Run your fingers through my hair and I'm sure you'd be admiring it and me for that matter."
He laughed and looked at her strangely. "You're a nut case. I wasn't even thinking of things like that."
"Well, you're a nut case then hanging out with a nutcase like me."
He shrugged and stood up, holding out a hand to Hitomi. "We're wet and cold. Let's just laze around under a roof, shall we?"
She nodded and sat up, reaching for his hand and smiling as she pulled him back down. Standing up, she laughed at his even dirtier clothes. "Now we can go."
Instead of being annoyed, he was even more amused at how childish Hitomi could be. He reached out a hand and without even doubting even slightly, Hitomi reached for it and helped him stand up. She then suggested walking as running wouldn't help anything taking in consideration that they were already wet.
"I could've used that to get back at you for pulling me down," he said as they neared the car.
"I know. But I guess I'm just in a good mood that I don't care even if you do pull me down on the mud."
"Maybe I should try having you in a good mood more often then."
She nodded. "You can start by preparing me a nice meal or something."
"Hey, I'm not your servant. You make me your chauffeur, your chaperon, your punching bag, your handmaid, and your cook. What's next? You'd let me do your laundry? Besides, I'm dripping AND dirty."
"You can have a bath at my place then wear Hiko's clothes. You two are almost the same size anyway."
"Those are HIKO'S clothes not yours. What gives you the right to just lend them off to someone?"
She rolled her eyes and opened the car's passenger door. "Hiko absolutely likes you enough to even offer you his room and his most prized possessions – whatever they are."
"Guess I'm likeable," he commented, grinning.
"Don't get too conceited, you airhead."
"You two look happy," Mr. Kanzaki commented as Hitomi and Dilandau sat down for dinner.
"They went home soaking wet and muddy," Hiko explained passively.
"Playing under the rain then," Mrs. Kanzaki concluded.
"It was fun. I couldn't resist. Besides, Dilandau had mascara all over my face."
"You were laughing at me, missy," Dilandau pointed out.
Dinner went on while they were chatting about random things until at length Mr. Kanzaki had to excuse himself to take care of extra work piled up in his study room. Soon enough, Mrs. Kanzaki followed.
"Well, I'm turning in," Hiko said minutes after his mother left.
"So soon?" Hitomi asked.
"Yeah. I wouldn't want to disturb you two," he answered, trying to keep himself from grinning mischievously.
Hitomi frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean I had spent almost three hours with Dilandau after his bath and I think it's your turn to *make up* for the time you made him wait while you were taking a bath."
Dilandau smirked. "That reminds me," he said, turning to Hitomi. "Did you drown in there for more than two hours or something?"
"No, stupid. I was enjoying a good bath after being so filthy."
Dilandau raised a brow.
"Soaking under millions of bubbles," Hiko pointed out dryly. "She wouldn't drown. She'd just float in dreamland."
Hitomi rolled her eyes. "It's relaxing especially if you have scented candles while sleeping."
"What's next? Floating candles on your bubble bath?" Dilandau asked, looking amused and weird out by the thought.
"You know, you have to enjoy baths once in a while. I think I'm going to give you a step by step---"
"That's it. I'm leaving now. This might turn out into a talk about using condoms and stuff," Hiko said slyly and left thereafter before Hitomi could do anything to him.
"Dirty-minded brat," Hitomi mumbled as she turned to Dilandau who was grinning even more slyly than Hiko. "Dilandau, wipe that expression off your face before I make you!"
His grin widened. "What expression?"
"That expression that says something dirty!"
"Dirty?"
Hitomi glared. "The one that says *shag*."
"Shag?"
She sighed with exasperation. "Do I have to spell it out?! Intercourse! Se*! Fu**---"
"Alright. Stop it before your parents hear you yelling stuff like that to your fiancé."
"Why you---"
Dilandau held up his hands in surrender. "Remember the time you attacked me at my home? Our parents ended up thinking we were doing *something*. Do you want your parents to think we're bringing it on in the dinning room?"
She glared at him but restrained herself from choking the life out of Dilandau.
"So, about the step by step bath," he said, grinning. "Want to start now?"
"I'm not going to help you take a bath or anything, blockhead!" She snapped, blushing hard from both embarrassment and irritation. "I was planning on giving you a step by step list!"
"No demonstration?"
She narrowed her eyes. Dilandau was sure having a blast from annoying her and making her uncomfortable.
"You're really insane! You display protectiveness only to torment me on your own! Why do you love to annoy me?!"
He shrugged and smiled genuinely without really realizing it. "I really don't know. To tell you honestly, I used to think it's because I hate you."
"Used to?"
"I know this sounds insane but…"
"But?"
He looked at her with amusement. "Why do you want to know? Hey, are you falling for me?"
She glared and slapped his arm hard. "You're nuts, do you know that?!" She yelled angrily, stomping out of the dinning room.
He sat there, rubbing his stinging arm and smiling. "I know I'm nuts or I wouldn't be putting up with you at all," he said softly.
'Two weeks of bliss for you, Kanzaki. But I'm too fed up with you now that I'll get you so bad,' Mei thought as her pride got more and more injured each passing moment. 'And now that the exam week has just passed, I think it's time for a little pain.'
She watched from afar as Hitomi wrapped her arms around Dilandau's waist and off they went, the prince charming taking the princess back to her home castle. She turned away and thought about the plan. It was mean, but she had had it.
…I really miss all of them despite the fact that I've found friends here. I mean, they're all I ever wanted for friends back in America. We've had so much good times together. There were also bad times, but the good ones always off-set the bad ones. And I do mean always.
I wish I could see them again. And I wish we could still be close to the way we were. I do miss them a lot especially Allen. If only they know how much I miss them and how much I think about them each day. Thank goodness I've found friends here that could take away my loneliness. But I still do miss them so badly even though I never show it around anyone.
I really wish that I
She closed her journal hurriedly and hid it under her mattress the moment she heard footsteps coming towards her room. She quickly turned her eyes on her almost finished assignments.
"Hitomi, stop studying and help me prepare the food," came Dilandau's commanding voice.
"Hey, I have to keep my A grades you know. And I think I need to work extra hard. I got a B in---"
He walked towards her and gave her a pointed look. "Come on. It's not like you wouldn't eat some of the food anyway. Besides, don't you ever think that you're too thin? You need to eat, too. You can't study if you die first out of hunger."
"I won't die of hunger."
"Then you'd die because you'd break. I'm wondering why you're even in kendo club. You might trip and break your bones. You're so thin."
She glared. "I get the message. No need to rub it again and again. Fine, I'll eat. But I'll just finish this, okay?"
"Whatever. Finish that up then and forget about helping me," he said, raising his hands up in surrender. "Just be there to eat."
"Why are you so determined to feed me?"
"Well I wouldn't want to be blamed if you break or die," he said pointedly. "People might think---"
"Since when did you care about what other people think?"
He rolled his eyes. "Okay, so I don't care what other people think. So I'm just looking for some alibi. But what the hell! Just finish that up and be there to eat or I'll shovel the food down your throat."
Hitomi watched amusedly as Dilandau walked out of her room. 'You can't even express concern without being so menacing.'
~*A week later*~
He glared at the locker angrily.
"Calm down," Van soothed. "They're just rumors, Dilandau."
"I know that! She'd never cheat! She works hard for her grades! Can't they just stop making up stories about her?! Damn it! She's not doing anything to them!"
"We know that. But we can't control what people would do or think."
"They've been at that stupid rumor for almost a week! Can't they even mind their own business?! So what if she cheats?! Not like we didn't do that before."
Van treated Hitomi as a friend but Dilandau sure is too protective and too affected for the term friend to fit him.
"Let's make something clear, shall we? You used to say that you love to annoy Hitomi. And well I can remember you always pointing out that you two are just friends…"
"We are just friends. What's wrong with trying to protect her?"
Van smiled. "That's the point. You protect her. Too much for the Dilandau I know. Because I can really recall you not caring what happens to others. And here comes Kanzaki Hitomi and the uncaring Albatou Dilandau morphs into this super protective, super caring guy who girls adore even more."
Dilandau glared. "I am NOT protective AND caring. I'm just… well… I'm just irritated."
The smile on Van's face widened. "Yeah, sure. Just irritated. And what's your backer on that part?"
"I hate gossips."
"Just hate gossips? Or you hate gossips because they're all about YOUR sunshine?"
"Why do you keep calling her sunshine? If I didn't know any better, you're still after my… friend."
"Your… uh…" Van pretended to think. "Friend? Why is there a hesitance in just mentioning the friend word?"
Dilandau glared. "Is this an interrogation or what? Am I now under arrest?" He asked sarcastically. "Whatever there is Van Fanel, it's certainly none of your business." He then stalked away.
"Yeah, go and pretend you're excited for soccer practice," Van said as he tried to catch up.
"Hitomi?"
She looked up from her gaze on her shoes and forced a smile. "Hey,"
"I'm really sorry. Coach---"
"What was that?"
"Coach---"
"No. Before that."
He looked puzzled. What had he done now? But upon the smile forming on her lips, he smiled back although cockily. "What have I done now, my dear?"
She laughed. "You just apologized, stupid. You don't do that."
"Yeah, whatever. So, shall we go now?"
"You're avoiding the topic!" She exclaimed with a smile. "Dilandau, you ARE growing soft."
"Don't think you're the reason."
She stuck out her tongue at him and threw her bag on his chest.
Upon reaching home, he had challenged her into a game match in Hiko's PS2, confident that he'd beat her. Unfortunately, a few hours later and after much gloating from Hitomi, he had finally admitted defeat – for now.
"I win!" Hitomi exclaimed triumphantly again and grinned at him.
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Just stop gloating already."
"Well then, I'd just have to do my assignments."
She stood up and walked towards her desk, leaving him still sprawled on the floor, near Hiko's PS2. "You know, you're so diligent in your studies."
"I should be. My parents are spending money to send me to school," she said matter-of-factly and proceeded to her assignments.
As the time passed, he just stared at her back. He still couldn't believe that a rumor about Hitomi cheating to get good grades was everywhere in school. She was studious and worked hard on her grades. He'd learned that personally after being ordered to spend time with her.
Whoever started that rumor was really going to get it. He knew Hitomi well enough now to be sure that she was affected by such attempts to destroy her already trampled reputation in school. She's strong, that was for sure. But she has her limitations and weaknesses, too. And he had been allowed a glimpse of that when he asked her out to the dance.
"Hitomi?"
"Yeah?" She queried, still busy giving her assignments the final check up.
"I'm sure you've heard of the rumors in school."
He noticed that she stopped for a brief moment before proceeding with her previous task and answering him. "How could I possibly not?"
"I just want to ask you something."
"If I really do cheat? If I had had a leakage to the recent exams?"
He continued to look at her. "Yeah."
She sighed and placed her pen down. "You believe them?"
"No."
"Then why are you even asking?"
"Because I want to hear you defend yourself."
"What's the use? Nobody would listen."
He stood up and walked towards her. Looking down on her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him and meet his piercing red eyes. "I would."
She broke the eye contact and stared back at her assignments. "As much as I appreciate that, I don't think it would do me good to talk, especially to you."
"Why?"
She clenched her fists tightly for a moment before spreading her hands out on the desk and standing up. Forcing a smile, she looked at him briefly. "I'm hungry. I think I'd go try my luck on food preparation."
She walked away hurriedly and left him. She was suppressing her emotions again and he knew that very well. Spending much time with her made him see how her style of defense is. And it was through avoiding discussing it with someone and dealing with her problems alone when no one is already around to see her vulnerable side.
It may be wrong of him since who was he to her in the first place, but he couldn't help but feel the need to intrude on her life. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt it was his fault that she was in this mess and he couldn't even do anything about it. She wouldn't let him, his pride wouldn't let him.
He was after all, one of the supposedly carefree popular guys in school. And who was she? She was the new girl who became the outcast because of the clash with the pompous bastard that he was.
He closed his eyes tightly for a moment. He wasn't supposed to be feeling anything for her, especially not guilt. But the problem is that he is feeling something. As experienced as he was with girls, he didn't know how to handle her and the new character she can evoke in him.
Slumping on her bed, he grabbed a pillow and threw it on the floor out of frustration. However, something caught his eyes when he stared back at where one of the pillows used to be. There was a paper, crumpled slightly.
Curiosity getting the better of him, he sat up and reached for it.
Back then life was just too good… back then there were more good times than bad… And back then, I didn't need to cry most of the time…
But things took a funny twist. Everything I had known changed so fast in front of me. From the middle of it all, I was pushed out. And I lost the things I thought were the most important things I had in life… my popularity... my friends.
Thank goodness my family is still there. But not so close to me anymore. It's my fault. I pushed them away. I don't talk too much around them anymore. Why? What would I tell them? That I got my feelings bruised in school again? I can't… I just can't do that. I don't want them to hurt for me… I don't want anyone to hurt for me. I may have been what Hiko called as a popular missy but I loved my family. I wasn't all that of a bitch. There were people I deemed important and that's my family and friends.
I miss how everything was. It may be selfish of me… but I still wish I was away from this place. I wish I was back in America. I wish everything was back to how it all was. I miss my friends so much. And I miss Allen so much, too. Back with them, I thought that my second home was school.
I still do when I'm with my new friends. But they can't shield me the way Allen and the others can. And I wouldn't want them to do so. Reputations don't heal. If ever they do, they heal relatively slow and leave big scars. I don't want to injure my new friends' reputation. It would be like doing harm to my friends in America, too.
So I suppose I need to face all this alone. But to be honest, I am getting tired. I wasn't used to dealing with people calling me names, to people insulting me, and to people making up bad stories and horrible descriptions of me. Underneath my strong and unaffected front in school, I feel so crushed.
I used to think when I was protected from this stuff that things can hurt much more than words. Words pass. Physical scars don't. But I learned in a hard way that words can strike deeper than it would seem. Right… physical wounds do hurt… but it is easier to mend a cut in the skin, than mend your self-esteem and feelings.
Sometimes, I don't want to wake up. Because in my dreams, everything was still like before. But if I dream forever, it would be selfish because I was given a new life, with new lessons and new experiences. I was given a new self. And hard as it is to face reality now, I know I harbor urges that tell me… there is light in the other end of the tunnel.
But I do wonder… when will I see that light?
It's hard to believe that I'm wishing that my new friends would be the light in the tunnel of darkness that is the dislike people in school have for me. But I am wishing… and that made a big difference considering the fact that I was mistrusting all of them from the start… especially the red-eyed egomaniac that I strangely feel attached to now that at times, I'm having second thoughts on constantly wishing to be back in America.
I wish I could keep them. I wish I could keep him. But I know, that someday, I'd have to learn to leave them too just as I am forcing myself to learn to move on in life without Allen, Millerna, Yukari, Amano, and Gades.
~*A few days later*~
"You're late."
Hitomi rolled her eyes and slumped on the pavement. "Do you think I care?!"
He raised a brow and sat beside her. "It looks like we're in a bad mood."
"Could we just eat lunch in silence?"
"Hmm, let me think of that," he pretended to think. "No."
"Damn it, Dilandau! Buzz off, will you?!" She glared at him as fiercely as she could.
"Do I look like a bee?"
"Then go suck a doorknob!" She yelled angrily.
She stood up and slammed the rooftop door as hard as she could on her way out.
His eyes narrowed and the grin he had plastered on his face when Hitomi was around quickly flattened into a thin line of irritation. Another bad day in school for Hitomi it seems and it was really getting on his nerves.
He was hurrying and was just stuffing some of his things in his sports bag. Coach Sakima had given him extra practice ALONE for supposedly ten minutes. But the practice just had to be morphed into a thirty-minute one.
Now, Hitomi would most likely kill him for making her wait. And to think he knew she didn't like being in school because of many dimwits talking about her negatively. But here he was, making her wait.
For sure now, many students have passed by her and were talking about her recent cheating oh so discretely. Sometimes, he just can't believe the fact that he used to enjoy being around these people.
"Uh, Dilandau?"
"What?!" He asked in irritation and turned to see a pair of green eyes. He calmed a bit. "Hiko, aren't you supposed to be home by now?"
"Well, you see, Hitomi knew that I'd be staying a bit late in school."
Dilandau cocked a brow.
"I'm going to play a bit of basketball with my friends," Hiko explained, jokingly glaring at him. "I'm not here to hit on girls." It made Dilandau grin but before he could comment, Hiko continued. "But anyway, Tomi asked me half an hour ago to tell you that she wouldn't need a ride home."
"She went home?"
"I guess so."
"I see. Well, I'm going to catch up then. Damn she'll toast me."
Hiko grinned. "I think so. Back in America, no one makes her wait. But you've done that to her lots of times. And now that she doesn't seem to be in a good mood, I think she'll not only toast you."
"Thanks for assuring me," he replied sarcastically. "Well, go do your basketball thing then. I'm going."
"Pool."
Dilandau stopped walking towards the door and looked back with a confused look. "What?"
"Pool. If she's not in her room, she may be swimming in the pool. Back then, she does that when she's slightly upset."
"Do you think she'd drown me?"
Hiko gave a smile and Dilandau immediately knew that Hitomi might just drown him if he's even later.
"I think I'd go catch up now."
Hiko nodded and watched him leave.
He strode towards her room wondering what kind of upset she would be. But when he entered, he found the room empty which would mean she was in the pool.
Frowning for a moment, he threw his bag on her bed before heading out of the house to go to the pool. But then, he found the pool empty of a certain honey-brown haired girl. And the areas around it didn't even indicate that there had been someone there moments before.
'Where could she be?' He asked himself mentally as he walked inside the house. 'The one who let me in did say that Hitomi was home.'
Deciding on just waiting for her, he walked back to her room and sat on her desk, scanning the room. Parts of the room reminded him of his room. He smirked. 'Of course it reminds me of my room. A couple of the things here belong to me or more like used to belong to me. Hitomi could be so damn demanding.'
He diverted his gaze onto the desk he was sitting on. Just then, something crept into his mind. It was that of Hitomi's writings and what he had learned from Hiko about her friends in America. What if he could get more insight about Hitomi?
He smiled with mischief. Hitomi wasn't around. And it would be boring to just wait for her. He could go to his friends, but then, there might be possibilities of running into trouble that he can't afford to have. Not with his father getting really close to being full of his headache-causing run-ins with other people.
He might as well make use of his time wisely then. He smiled even more. 'Yeah, wisely. It's not like it would really hurt if I take a look at a couple of her things.'
With that thought in mind, he started rummaging through her desk, then her dresser, then her bed. But he couldn't find anything similar to what he had a couple of days back. It had almost been two hours and yet, he can't seem to find anything.
He stood in the middle of the room and looked around. 'I really am stupid. Why didn't I think about checking her closet?!'
Standing in front of it, he opened it. But to his surprised he saw her, sleeping there in a sitting position, hugging her legs tight and head rested on the wall.
"Hey, baby." Allen stepped out of his convertible and kissed Hitomi's cheek.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Amano and I still had to finish a couple of laps for extra practice."
Amano nodded. "You know how it is to be the star athlete of the team."
Allen laughed. "Exactly the reason why I stopped fencing. My schedule clashes with you people."
Hitomi looked around the school's parking lot. "So, Millerna is still in cheerleading practice then. And it looks like Yukari would take a couple more minutes to finish her tennis."
The two nodded. "Looks like Gades' is through with his football," Amano commented, seeing Gades nodding goodbye to a couple of teammates before making his way towards them.
"Really sorry. Coach---" Gades began when he was within hearing range.
"We just got here ourselves," Hitomi interrupted.
"Oh good."
Amano leaned on the car. "Just for discussion, I sometimes wonder why we hang out together."
Sitting on the driver's seat, Allen looked at his twin and raised a questioning brow. "Why is that?"
"Yeah, why?" Gades queried, sitting himself on the back seat. "Birds of the same feather flock together. We're all popular."
Hitomi sat on the car's hood, just beside where Amano was leaning and looked at him, somewhat getting what he wanted to point out.
"So we are popular. But as you said, birds of the same feather flock together. Aren't we supposed to be hanging out with our teammates? You, Gades, should be with the football team. Hitomi and I should be with our fellow track members. Millerna should be with the cheerleading team especially since she'd be the expected captain next year. Yukari should be with her tennis companions. And Allen wouldn't have to quit his fencing if he didn't hang out with us."
Gades shrugged. "I feel more comfortable with this group."
"Besides," Allen interrupted. "We all fit together whether or not we are of the same team."
Hitomi nodded her agreement. "Our friendship isn't based on popularity or on sports or even on academics. We don't need to be friends since we can all stand alone. But we're still friends. It's simply because we want to be and we are happy to be."
Amano smiled. "That's what I tell myself when the thought arises. I guess we all do fit. We even have the same perception on this issue. And this is an important issue to say the least."
"I am SO sorry!" Yukari exclaimed. "Coach---"
"We know," Hitomi, Allen, Gades, and Amano interrupted at the same time.
Yukari beamed. "I am SO lucky to have friends like you guys."
"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I'm really, really sorry." Millerna hurriedly said as she jogged towards them.
The rest just smiled. "Still practicing?" Gades teased. "Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I'm really, really sorry."
"A new chant?" Amano asked with a big smile.
Millerna rolled her eyes and laughed. "What would I do without understanding people like all of you? With the rest of the team, some of them may be berating me silently inside their heads for being late. It's good that we're really true friends even with this popularity thing going on."
"I know. That could produce a gap," Yukari agreed. "But we're friends by choice and not by need. So no need to have wrinkles worrying about us not understanding. I was a bit late myself."
"We're all so lucky to have each other!" Millerna exclaimed.
They all smiled. "And we'll never lose each other," Hitomi muttered and smiled even more as she looked at Allen.
The rest smiled knowingly.
"You mean you'll never lose Allen. Marriage is after all, very much a welcome thought for both of you."
Yukari giggled. "Millerna so has the point. Don't forget, we'll help plan!"
"And we should be in the marriage entourage." Gades winked. "You wouldn't have to worry about the honeymoon."
Amano nodded. "We wouldn't interrupt. And we'd keep everyone away just in case."
Hitomi and Allen both smiled at each other.
"What do you think would I call you by then, Tomi?" Allen asked playfully. "Sugar? Creamer?"
"Creamer?" Yukari interrupted.
"Yeah. Coffee is black and creamer brings about lightness in color."
"Oh. So Creamer as in light of your life?" Millerna asked with a wink.
Allen laughed and continued his suggestions. "Honey pot? Grape bunch?"
They all laughed at Allen's suggestions and shook their heads.
"Well, at least they were tolerable suggestions." Allen said in defense. "But it doesn't matter anyway." He stood up and sat beside Hitomi, arms embracing her lithe figure. "I love you, Tomi."
The rest smiled and looked at each other. "Your cue, Hitomi." They said laughingly.
Hitomi smiled at her friends and looked up at Allen, eyes gleaming with the words she next said.
"I love you, Allen."
He felt something. It was as if his heart constricted painfully at what he heard her say. But he shrugged it off.
"Hitomi?" He called out.
She sniffed and let go of her legs to stretch them. But she was still asleep.
He noticed something on her lap. She must have been hugging it when she was hugging her legs. He squatted in front of her and took hold of the picture frame.
Hitomi smiled happily, head tilted upwards and slightly to the side. Her emerald orbs were on this blonde heartthrob whose arms were around her waist. He was standing behind her and was also looking back at her, blue eyes gleaming with affection, and kissable lips curved into a loving smile.
A pretty blonde girl was beside them, smiling teasingly as she looked at Hitomi. Another pretty girl with dark brown hair smiled teasingly. A guy who looked like the blonde guy with Hitomi seemed to have his eyes rolled but he had a happy smile on his face. And the last good-looking guy had his hand on the shoulder of Hitomi's blonde prince charming with a smile.
All in all, they looked very, very happy to be with each other.
He looked at Hitomi and noticed that her face had tear stains.
Maybe what Hiko was telling him was wrong. Hitomi didn't fit here. She wasn't happy. Maybe she did need to go back to America. Maybe this relationship wouldn't really work after all.
This engagement that they didn't even make is really a mess. And to think he was beginning to believe that maybe it could work out in the end. They were becoming closer and closer. But then, close didn't make up for what Hitomi wanted, for what Hitomi needed.
She needed her friends in America, not them in Japan. She needed this handsome blonde guy… not him.
~tbc~
Author's Note: As I had said… longer chapter. I know it's too long. But I'm just too happy with the reviews I got and even those who liked the prospects of my news of a long chapter. I got carried away, I suppose. Anyhow, I hope this is not disappointing and to those who are made happy by my updates and the story, I hope this one helps ^^,
I'm thanking Midnight-Blue/Kisakino Ookami. Thanks for reviewing my long through stories: 'Standing At the Edge of the Earth' and Intruder Alert. And thanks for dropping SO many reviews and even on my other story. That's SO sweet of you!
To , Clover and Mei's plan would really display itself soon and I think you have an idea now basing from some scenes here. About 28 days, I'll try to see it.
To anime_luver, well I hope you'd continue being into this story. Yeah, sometimes a hug is better.
To fluer21, nah. I'm not a talented writer. But I wish I could pretend to be.
To Always Dreaming, feelings could be correct. Wait up for Mei *wink*
To Caitie, I agree. Hiko's comment was priceless. He never even knew he hit the bull's eye! Fruitbasket? Obviously, I hadn't had the chance to watch that.
To reimegami04/megami-sama, I'd just e-mail you for updates. And about other stories, I have another D/H and a V/H but the other D/H is kind of hard for me. I can't seem to pull the characters the way I should – serious. Guess I got accustomed to the D/H here.
To aznangel/Nancy, no need to thank me. Thank yourself and the other reviewers. You people make this possible ^_~ By the way, I'd inform you when I update.
To Mad Meg Askevron, kiss? Not too soon, I suppose. Especially since Clover and Mei are still in the picture.
To Princess Neptune, I'd e-mail you every update. ^_~
To mel_88, can I say you're perceptive or what. Calm before the storm… wait for the next chapter and find out. But then, even in this chapter I've put in some hints.
To AFCAMistress, maybe you're the 'someone else' *wink*… but if you're not the one, well friendship is still a very precious thing and there are a lot of fishes in the sea ^_~
To everyone who enjoyed the sweet part last chapter: I hope you enjoy the park scene even if it's not as sweet as the hug scene last chapter. I made sure that the park scene would have a little sweet touch just for you people ^^,
Well, I'm ending this then. Thank you so much to those who sent me feedbacks and to those who couldn't review but sent me an e-mail. I really appreciate it and I really LOVED the feedbacks. I hope I didn't miss anyone in my dedication. I had a hard time in that one. Not all reviews appeared on ff.net but did on the mailbox. If I missed anyone, I'm really so sorry. You're welcome to berate me for that.