Disclaimer: I don´t own "Escaflowne" or "Save the Last Dance"
Chapter 3: First Connection
Hitomi was just finishing her hair, when she heard a toot from outside. From the kitchen window she saw Millerna sitting in a cabriolet in front of the building and waving. Snatching her bag and jacket, Hitomi left the house.
She skipped along the path and greeted a good morning to her friend: "How did you know where I live?" Millerna let out a small laugh: "There are not many Kanzaki´s in this small town, so it wasn´t hard to track you." Hitomi smiled, but then a person sitting on the front seat beside the driver stole her attention. Holding up a small mirror she applied lipstick careful not to make the slightest mistake. She did not look much older Millerna, two years at the most. Hitomi looked questioningly at her friend and the blond sighed. "This is my sister Eries."
Hitomi smiled to the girl and sat on the backseat behind Millerna. Instantly Eries spoke from the front: "Watch out for my Gucci-bag, it cost immeasurable amounts." Again Millerna sighed and as driving away from the lane she spoke to the other: "Eries, you know that there is a thing called politeness."
The older of the sisters, put away her mirror and looked at the younger. Hitomi could sense an upcoming fight. But Eries just tapped her sister on the shoulder: "Sorry sis, but this town is driving me mad! Why can´t mom and dad just let me move to live with Marlene!"
Millerna looked at the rear mirror just to find a puzzled Hitomi. She smiled and explained: "Marlene is our older sister, 24 actually. She lives in New York and works as a model." Hitomi smiled and nodded. The Aston- sisters were very beautiful, and she was not surprised that one of them used it to make up her living.
The trip was short. On the way, Millerna dropped Eries to the mall and together with Hitomi then continued to school. Once at the parking-area, Hitomi noticed the same black motorcycle she had seen the day before. Only now it stood alone in its square, owner somewhere Hitomi did not want to know. Millerna parked her red car and shut down the motor. The two girls then proceeded to the building, happily talking on the way.
Once inside, the friends parted, since their lockers were placed on different corridors. They agreed to see each other later and waving, Hitomi headed to her own direction.
* *
She was lost. Again. Hitomi glanced at her watch and marked that if she did not hurry, she would be missing her class. At last a familiar corridor came across and she sighed in relief.
As she was digging her books from the locker, the bell rang. Within minutes, people were gone and Hitomi found herself alone in the huge hall. Finally having her stuff together, she banged the door closed. In a rush, she swirled around and nearly bumped to a person who had been standing behind her.
Slowly she lifted her gaze and gasped as she saw the same deep eyes that had met hers the day before. He smiled. A strange mischievous lopsided smile. Then he took a step closer. Hitomi soon found her back in contact with the locker behind her, and started to panic, when noticing that the distance between them was only few centimetres.
He was so near; now Hitomi could actually make something out of his profile. He had very handsome features, with high cheekbones and a straight nose. A golden earring glistered on his right ear. Some raven locks fell to the two chocolate-drop eyes, as he looked with them deep to her emerald ones.
He placed a hand over her shoulder and locked her between himself and the wall. Hitomi felt small and helpless as he towered over her. He brought his face close to hers and she could feel his breath on her skin. Hitomi swallowed. Her ability to talk seemed to have disappeared when holding her breath. Then with a small voice she asked: "Wha-what do you want?"
He said nothing, but exhaled to her ear, his hot breath caressing her neck. His scent was indescribable; masculine and soft with a hint of some fitting perfume. Then with a small but noticeable accent he whispered: "What's your name princess?"
Again Hitomi swallowed and with a shaky voice then answered: "Hi-Hitomi. My name is Hitomi." A few seconds went by and then he pulled away. Looking down at her, the same mischievous but now satisfied smile tugged on his lips. Then, as if anything never happened, he turned around.
"See you around tiger."
With that he left. Hitomi stood still for a while and watched his back disappear around the corner. She was too shocked to think back what had just happened. Something brought her back to reality and she rushed to her lesson. But her concentration was on the bottom, and the whole hour went on thinking about the incident that took just mere minutes.
* *
Hitomi panted. Her shirt clung to her back and the fallen off hair stuck to her cheeks. Her muscles were sore and her legs trembled, but it felt good. The last time she had exercised herself so was over a week ago.
It was gymlesson and they were having aerobics. Millerna and Yukari watched as Hitomi moved her feet and body like a professional, as other clumsily tried to keep up with the teacher. The usually silent girl seemed so happy now.
* *
"Where did you learn that?"
The three girls were the lasts in the locker room. Hitomi was deep in thought, thinking about the raven-haired boy who so boldly had approached her earlier. What did he want from her? Before she could answer herself, her mind let out an ironical laugh: What indeed, what do guys like him usually want!
Millerna and Yukari watched Hitomi brush her hair, something she had done for the last ten minutes. Yukari repeated her question, and like waking up from a dream, Hitomi turned from the mirror to her friends: "Learn what?"
Millerna let out a frustrated sigh, but Yukari spoke in between: "You know, the way you moved your legs. I mean that´s a real good sense of rhythm you've got!"
Hitomi smiled to her remark but sighed then: "It's just that I...I used to dance, but ...then I quit." Yukari frowned at her friend's sad tone, but it seemed that Hitomi did not want to talk about it. Millerna instead was excited and grabbed Hitomi´s hand: "You danced! What kind of dances?"
Hitomi shrugged: "I´ve tried nearly everything; streetdance, hip hop, Latino.... Ballet was my latest infatuation." Yukari marked the wistful eyes on Hitomi, but Millerna kept clinging to her friends sleeve: "Then you should head for Steps tomorrow-night with us!"
Hitomi looked puzzled and lifted a brow: "Steps...?"
"Yeah, you know, a dance-club. Many spend their Friday-night there."
Millerna was nearly jumping in excitement, but Hitomi was not so sure about the whole thing. After losing her mother, she had made an inwardly vow never to dance again. Because of dancing her mother was gone. Because of dancing she was stuck here.
"I don´t know..."
She did not have an opportunity to end her sentence. Millerna obviously had already decided on the matter and started planning on where to meet and what to put on. Hitomi sighed in defeat. Maybe she could just watch from the edge. Maybe it would not be that bad...
Yukari kept quiet and continued eyeing on the sandy-haired girl. She was a mystery to be solved. Everything that had occurred about her up till today had been indefinite and vague. There was always that sad look behind her happy mask, and though she tried to hide her sorrow, Yukari saw right through her; something in Hitomi´s past had hurt her immeasurably.
Yukari still did not know why the girl had moved here, only that she lived with her writer-father not far away from the school. She knew that Hitomi had one relationship behind, that must had ended in an unpleasant way, since she so briefly had mentioned of it. Still scrutinising the silent girl, while Millerna continued her babble, Yukari decided that she would talk with Hitomi in the near future. The girl seemed to need someone to talk to, and if Yukari in any way was able to help her, she was just glad to offer her sympathy.
* *
Chapter 3: First Connection
Hitomi was just finishing her hair, when she heard a toot from outside. From the kitchen window she saw Millerna sitting in a cabriolet in front of the building and waving. Snatching her bag and jacket, Hitomi left the house.
She skipped along the path and greeted a good morning to her friend: "How did you know where I live?" Millerna let out a small laugh: "There are not many Kanzaki´s in this small town, so it wasn´t hard to track you." Hitomi smiled, but then a person sitting on the front seat beside the driver stole her attention. Holding up a small mirror she applied lipstick careful not to make the slightest mistake. She did not look much older Millerna, two years at the most. Hitomi looked questioningly at her friend and the blond sighed. "This is my sister Eries."
Hitomi smiled to the girl and sat on the backseat behind Millerna. Instantly Eries spoke from the front: "Watch out for my Gucci-bag, it cost immeasurable amounts." Again Millerna sighed and as driving away from the lane she spoke to the other: "Eries, you know that there is a thing called politeness."
The older of the sisters, put away her mirror and looked at the younger. Hitomi could sense an upcoming fight. But Eries just tapped her sister on the shoulder: "Sorry sis, but this town is driving me mad! Why can´t mom and dad just let me move to live with Marlene!"
Millerna looked at the rear mirror just to find a puzzled Hitomi. She smiled and explained: "Marlene is our older sister, 24 actually. She lives in New York and works as a model." Hitomi smiled and nodded. The Aston- sisters were very beautiful, and she was not surprised that one of them used it to make up her living.
The trip was short. On the way, Millerna dropped Eries to the mall and together with Hitomi then continued to school. Once at the parking-area, Hitomi noticed the same black motorcycle she had seen the day before. Only now it stood alone in its square, owner somewhere Hitomi did not want to know. Millerna parked her red car and shut down the motor. The two girls then proceeded to the building, happily talking on the way.
Once inside, the friends parted, since their lockers were placed on different corridors. They agreed to see each other later and waving, Hitomi headed to her own direction.
* *
She was lost. Again. Hitomi glanced at her watch and marked that if she did not hurry, she would be missing her class. At last a familiar corridor came across and she sighed in relief.
As she was digging her books from the locker, the bell rang. Within minutes, people were gone and Hitomi found herself alone in the huge hall. Finally having her stuff together, she banged the door closed. In a rush, she swirled around and nearly bumped to a person who had been standing behind her.
Slowly she lifted her gaze and gasped as she saw the same deep eyes that had met hers the day before. He smiled. A strange mischievous lopsided smile. Then he took a step closer. Hitomi soon found her back in contact with the locker behind her, and started to panic, when noticing that the distance between them was only few centimetres.
He was so near; now Hitomi could actually make something out of his profile. He had very handsome features, with high cheekbones and a straight nose. A golden earring glistered on his right ear. Some raven locks fell to the two chocolate-drop eyes, as he looked with them deep to her emerald ones.
He placed a hand over her shoulder and locked her between himself and the wall. Hitomi felt small and helpless as he towered over her. He brought his face close to hers and she could feel his breath on her skin. Hitomi swallowed. Her ability to talk seemed to have disappeared when holding her breath. Then with a small voice she asked: "Wha-what do you want?"
He said nothing, but exhaled to her ear, his hot breath caressing her neck. His scent was indescribable; masculine and soft with a hint of some fitting perfume. Then with a small but noticeable accent he whispered: "What's your name princess?"
Again Hitomi swallowed and with a shaky voice then answered: "Hi-Hitomi. My name is Hitomi." A few seconds went by and then he pulled away. Looking down at her, the same mischievous but now satisfied smile tugged on his lips. Then, as if anything never happened, he turned around.
"See you around tiger."
With that he left. Hitomi stood still for a while and watched his back disappear around the corner. She was too shocked to think back what had just happened. Something brought her back to reality and she rushed to her lesson. But her concentration was on the bottom, and the whole hour went on thinking about the incident that took just mere minutes.
* *
Hitomi panted. Her shirt clung to her back and the fallen off hair stuck to her cheeks. Her muscles were sore and her legs trembled, but it felt good. The last time she had exercised herself so was over a week ago.
It was gymlesson and they were having aerobics. Millerna and Yukari watched as Hitomi moved her feet and body like a professional, as other clumsily tried to keep up with the teacher. The usually silent girl seemed so happy now.
* *
"Where did you learn that?"
The three girls were the lasts in the locker room. Hitomi was deep in thought, thinking about the raven-haired boy who so boldly had approached her earlier. What did he want from her? Before she could answer herself, her mind let out an ironical laugh: What indeed, what do guys like him usually want!
Millerna and Yukari watched Hitomi brush her hair, something she had done for the last ten minutes. Yukari repeated her question, and like waking up from a dream, Hitomi turned from the mirror to her friends: "Learn what?"
Millerna let out a frustrated sigh, but Yukari spoke in between: "You know, the way you moved your legs. I mean that´s a real good sense of rhythm you've got!"
Hitomi smiled to her remark but sighed then: "It's just that I...I used to dance, but ...then I quit." Yukari frowned at her friend's sad tone, but it seemed that Hitomi did not want to talk about it. Millerna instead was excited and grabbed Hitomi´s hand: "You danced! What kind of dances?"
Hitomi shrugged: "I´ve tried nearly everything; streetdance, hip hop, Latino.... Ballet was my latest infatuation." Yukari marked the wistful eyes on Hitomi, but Millerna kept clinging to her friends sleeve: "Then you should head for Steps tomorrow-night with us!"
Hitomi looked puzzled and lifted a brow: "Steps...?"
"Yeah, you know, a dance-club. Many spend their Friday-night there."
Millerna was nearly jumping in excitement, but Hitomi was not so sure about the whole thing. After losing her mother, she had made an inwardly vow never to dance again. Because of dancing her mother was gone. Because of dancing she was stuck here.
"I don´t know..."
She did not have an opportunity to end her sentence. Millerna obviously had already decided on the matter and started planning on where to meet and what to put on. Hitomi sighed in defeat. Maybe she could just watch from the edge. Maybe it would not be that bad...
Yukari kept quiet and continued eyeing on the sandy-haired girl. She was a mystery to be solved. Everything that had occurred about her up till today had been indefinite and vague. There was always that sad look behind her happy mask, and though she tried to hide her sorrow, Yukari saw right through her; something in Hitomi´s past had hurt her immeasurably.
Yukari still did not know why the girl had moved here, only that she lived with her writer-father not far away from the school. She knew that Hitomi had one relationship behind, that must had ended in an unpleasant way, since she so briefly had mentioned of it. Still scrutinising the silent girl, while Millerna continued her babble, Yukari decided that she would talk with Hitomi in the near future. The girl seemed to need someone to talk to, and if Yukari in any way was able to help her, she was just glad to offer her sympathy.
* *