Star Crossed, chapter 4


Bankiina came back inside, her tears stinging her eyes. Running outside hadn't helped like she had thought it might. She just wanted to go to her room and hide. Covering her face, she ran towards her room, before her father would say anything.

She collided head-on with him in the hallway, though. The momentum bounced her back and she looked up, surprised to see that it wasn't Papa after all.

It was the Pie Thief.

Except now that she noticed, he didn't look like a thief at all. He looked... well, nice. His skin was a deep tan, and his sun-bleached hair was woven into fuzzy little dreadlocks. He had a small bit of stubble on his chin, and his eyes... his eyes were the warmest, honey-brown Kiina had ever seen.

And he was staring at her. "I-I'm so sorry!" He began.

Kiina remembered herself. He was probably staring at her because she was so homely! Her anger bubbled back up again. She tried to step past him. "Go away! Pie Wrecker!"

"I didn't mean to ruin your pie, Miss! Honestly!" The boy waved his hands at her, trying to show his innocence.

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Kiina shot back.

"Well... yes!" The Pie Thief looked perplexed.

But Kiina shook her head. "You...! Go away!" And she pushed past the Pie Thief and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Bang bang bang.

"Kiina!" Her father called. "Come back out here!"

"No!" she called out. "No way!"

"Ban-kii-NA..." Her father's voice rose in warning. "You come out this minute."

"Not until the Pie Thief leaves!"

"Okay, okay." Paolo called out.

Kiina listened until the door opened and shut, signaling the young man's departure.

"Now will you come out?"

"All right." She picked herself up from the bed, straightened her dress, and stepped out into the front room.

Her father was sitting at the table. With HIM!

"Papaaaa!" cried Bankiina, her hands balling into fists. "You lied!"

"What's new?" Paolo chuckled. He grabbed Kiina and plunked her down into a chair, facing the young stranger. "Now, you stop this nonsense and mind your manners, girl! You're not too old for me to take you over my knee!"

"Papa, stop it!" She felt her face turn bright, bright red. "You're embarrassing me!"

"Then you behave yourself!" Paolo shook his finger at his daughter, admonishingly.

She closed her eyes in resignation. "Yes, Papa."

"This young man here seems to have something to say to you, girl. Listen up."

Yasopp cleared his throat. "Um... Miss Bankiina? I want to apologize... I shouldn't have tried to take your pie! Please forgive me!" He bowed his head. "I'm so sorry!"

Kiina looked away, rolling her eyes.

Paolo poked her, waving for her to say something.

Bankiina glared at her father, but he glared back. And he won.

"Fine..." She sighed. "It's all right."

"She means, she forgives you, boy." Paolo put in.

"I don't expect you to!" Yasopp stammered. "I understand it was a very... important pie?"

"Yes!" Kiina seethed. "A very important pie! A huckleberry pie! I worked very, very hard on it! I went on a special quest to get the right berries to make it! And you just waltzed right in and tried to eat it!"

"Then..." Yasopp twiddled his fingers nervously. "I'd like to make it up to you. I'd like to offer to help you replace the pie. That is... I mean...."

"You? You what?" She blinked, surprised.

Paolo nudged his daughter. "He'll go get you some new berries to make another pie! Then you can still bake your pie for the contest! What do you say, Kiina?"

Yasopp nodded enthusuastically. Kiina eyed the young man, suspicious. It didn't matter how handsome he was, as far as she was concerned, he was still a pie-thieving jerk.

"He's lying." she said, flatly. "He doesn't have the faintest idea where to get the right kind of berries."

"Well, maybe if you draw me a map... or something..." Yasopp wondered aloud. "Then again... my sense of direction isn't so good."

Kiina shook her head. "No. It'll take too long. I'll have to just go with you."

Paolo beamed. "Wonderful! You two can go tomorrow!"