Disclaimer: I don't own "Escaflowne" or "Save the Last Dance"
A/N: I changed the title as you can see, "Falling for you" seemed more fitting. No V/H scenes in this one, sorry. :( But I´ll make it up to you by filling the next chapter with scenes just for them ;) Always remember, any questions, comments etc, my e-mail nea_@email.com just waits for your opinions :) Hope you´ll enjoy, happy readings!
Chapter 7: Mixed emotions
Van placed the heavy wooden box down to the ground and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Trails of glistering sweat trickled down the grooves of his chest and abs, as he headed back to the grey truck and lifted another box from its rear.
"Wanna sip?"
Van glanced at Mark, who was offering a heavenly looking water bottle to him. Thanking, he lowered the weighty box to the ground and took a large gulp. The icy water overflowed from his lips, and fell down to his front. He tipped his head back a bit and poured the water over his face and hair. After soaking his whole head, he returned the now empty bottle and grinned.
"Thanks, that was refreshing."
The sun flamed to the hot beach, making the people labouring on it perspire eminently. Van and Mark had started to unload the truck of cargo early in the morning when it had arrived at the restaurant. As the sun had climbed higher to the sky and its rays heated up, both had detected how a dip in the sea suddenly sounded very inviting. But work had to come first. They had only few boxes to go anymore, and with the help of the driver, the load was soon done.
Van carried the last burden to the cellar and sighed heavily after placing it with the others. Then he climbed the stairs up to the restaurant. Mark leaned to the bar and drank occasionally from the ale bottle he had robbed from the kitchen's freezer. Van uncorked his own and took the liquid down with one gulp.
Mark breathed in deep and listened to the silence. He watched Van take his black T-shirt from the high stool and pull it over his head. Then with a devilish smirk he nudged his friend and winked: "So, how was it with the nectareous jade-czarina?"
Van took the empty bottles and placed them to the crate under the desk. A secret smile danced on his lips. He had known Mark would ask about it, it had been just a matter of time when the question was released. A plain shrug was all he emitted.
Mark frowned at his friend and then smiled playfully: "You´re hiding something, I know it! C´mon, it's me, Mark. Tell me... how was she?"
Van turned hastily and scowled. Mark sensed that he had hit a sensitive spot. Van´s tone was low and dangerous, and even a bit hurt, as he quietly stated:
"It wasn't like that... A date... doesn't always necessarily mean sex."
Mark was about to make a remark about Van´s dates rarely being just walking hand in hand, but decided against it. What followed was a long silence. Mark scrutinised his friend's tense face and his set jaw. Then, keeping his gaze locked with Van´s, firmly said:
"You like her."
Van tore his gaze away and sent it somewhere to the floor. His fists clenched on his sides as he heavily exhaled through his nose. Then, nearly inaudibly he whispered: "I don't know."
* *
Though it was suffocating and hot outside, in a little boutique the air was cool and fresh. Inside, three girls fingered different kinds of clothings and garments. The older looking sales lady smiled contentedly behind her desk from time to time when listening to the youngster's conversations. The two others she had seen often there, if not buying, then planning for it. Especially the girl with lighter hair was a very well liked customer, since she so often brought her turquoise cash card for the seller to see.
Binoché´s was popular shopping place among people who liked highly rated quality and who did not make a closer contact with the price tags. It possessed an elegant style, which never failed to be exquisite and aristocratic. The crimson red curtains on the inside doorways were heavy velvet and ordered straight from France, just like the other accessories. All the clothes were always neatly hanging from their hangers or folded to their racks, and there was never dust or dirt seen on the floors.
"How bout this one?"
Hitomi glanced at the piece of cloth Millerna was offering her. It was a deep green sleeveless shirt with thin straps crossing at the back. The material felt like raw silk and the price written on red on the label confirmed it.
Hitomi gave the blond a sceptic look and then replied: "How bout no?"
Millerna´s eager face burst and she whined: "Oh come on! It's so your colour! You would turn every guy's head in the corridors if you wore this! Please try it! For me?"
Hitomi suddenly showed great interest on the clothes in the other end of the small shop, and paid no heed on the girl. Millerna let out a frustrated groan and turned to Yukari to receive any help from her. The redhead just smiled in an amused manner and shook her cherry head letting out a small, amused laugh. Millerna knitted her perfectly plucked eyebrows and cleared her throat before speaking: "Maybe you don´t care about how Hitomi dresses and looks like in public, but I do! And I see it as my mission to make her look Gaean, with or without your help!"
Hitomi tried to hold her laugh, but succeeded miserably. After few giggles, she returned the few steps to her friend. Lifting an assuring hand on Millerna´s shoulder, she spoke kindly: "Millerna, I´m touched by your motherly attitude towards me, I really am! But honestly, I do know what clothes to put on and how to look when I leave my home. I´m very grateful of your concern towards my fashion, but don´t you think you choosing my clothes is a bit too much?"
Millerna lifted her nose and sniffed in a very lady-like manner.
"I was just trying to help."
Hitomi smiled and the three girls left the small shop. Outside the air was a great deal humid and Hitomi was glad she was wearing a short, sleeveless skirt. The friends headed towards the café on the other side of the road. Hitomi suddenly felt Yukari lightly touch her arm and whisper to her ear: "So, how did it go?"
Hitomi shot a quick glance at Millerna who walked before them, dressed up in a pair of creamy-coloured and tight capripants and a loose boncho. A large, white sunhat sent shadows on her perfectly shaped face. She surely looked like a filmstar or at least a model.
Hitomi turned back to her friend and whispered: "I´d rather discuss it in somewhere private. Maybe later?" Though Hitomi held great respect towards Millerna, she did not trust the girl enough to let her know about anything that was happening between Hitomi and Van.
Yukari smiled and whispered that it would be great. Suddenly Millerna turned to them with a suspicious look on her face.
"What are you two whispering about?"
Both Hitomi and Yukari were taken by surprise and tried to find something to say. Millerna´s expression turned curious and she opened her mouth to ask again, but instead a joyful: "Allen!" escaped from her lips. The two others sighed in relief as Millerna tripped along to the handsome man who was cleaning the tables on the terrace of the café where the friends were supposed to go.
Hitomi watched the two blonds exchange a passionate kiss. The man´s hands travelled freely on Millerna´s sides and rear and the blond just seemed to enjoy it. When the two finally broke apart, they noticed that all the people sitting at the tables were staring at them. The man took the rest of the cups and plates on his tray and went inside. Millerna motioned for Hitomi and Yukari to come and sit beside her.
Hitomi examined Millerna´s flushed cheeks and a bit swollen rosy red lips. Soon the man returned with three white espresso-mugs. Then he sat beside Millerna and started to bill and coo with the girl so that it made Hitomi turn her face away. She faintly remembered meeting this man at Steps about a week ago. Allen was his name...
A sudden realisation hit her. It was Thursday! And tomorrow would be Friday, and they would go to Steps again... Would Van be there? A warm feeling enveloped Hitomi, as she thought about him.
Van.
His silky, midnight-black hair hanging over his passionate and soft chocolatedrop eyes as he looked at her profoundly with them. His strong and warm arms, which she longed holding her. His flat, hard chest where she had leaned as they had danced. His hips, which had been draped by the light- blue jeans...
A scarlet hue crept on her cheeks. What in the God´s name had she just been thinking! Yukari seemed to notice this and touched her hand lightly. "Are you okay, you seem a bit red. Could it be hyperventilation?"
Hitomi noticed the three people at the table watch her, so she let out a hasty laugh. Trying to change the course of the conversation, she addressed Allen. "So, you´re a waiter?" Allen turned his beautiful face from Millerna and seemed to measure Hitomi from head to toes, like scrutinising was she worth of answering. Hitomi fidgeted; she felt great inconvenience under his gaze. This did not seem to bother him, and much for Hitomi´s relief he tore his gaze away from her body and slowly let out a stretched and lazy "yes".
Millerna cuddled closer to the man and hugged his hand. Snickering, she traced her index finger along his lower lip and purred softly. "Oh, but wouldn´t you consider yourself more like a bartender than a waiter. I always thought bartenders were more exciting."
Allen flashed her a smile that would have made any girls knees weak. Locking her into another sensuous kiss, he muttered: "Yes ma´am, whatever you wish."
Hitomi wanted to leave. She sent a pleading look at Yukari and the other nodded in understanding. They rose from the stools and informed Millerna that they were going. The blond waved her hand carelessly and so the two friends headed away from the small café.
When enough distance from the couple, Hitomi vehemently stated: "I understand that behaviour in the bedroom, but at a local site it´s a bit too much! Get a room for Christ sake!"
Yukari laughed. "That´s Millerna. You just have to get used to her. She can be an angel, but when Allen is near, her form turns from a human to some kind of sexual beast."
Hitomi stared at Yukari for a while and then both burst to laugh. Hitomi soon regained her composure and informed her friend that she did not like Millerna´s boyfriend one bit: "I think he´s offensive, repulsive, objectionable and vicious, and though he has a pretty face, behind it lays a very disgusting personality."
Yukari smiled in her distinguished motherly way. "Hitomi, maybe you shouldn´t draw so quick conclusions since you haven´t really spent any time at all with him. Allen too can sometimes be really nice." She paused and suddenly grinned. Making sure no one was close she leaned to Hitomi´s ear and whispered: "Which makes me remember something you were supposed to tell me about a certain Italian... Okay, fill me in, all the nasty details thank you! Did he tie you up?"
Hitomi looked at her friend in shock, but laughed when realising that she was only joking. Slowly, not leaving anything untold, she started recalling her evening with Van out loud. As she described what had happened, she suddenly came to the awareness that she had not seen him after that night. His majestic motorcycle had not mastered the school´s parking-area for two days. Though it was not a long time, it still bothered her. It was funny, but she had the strange feeling that she missed him.
"See, I told you. He´s not that bad as everyone let you know!"
Yukari´s happy statement woke Hitomi from her daydreams. The two were now sitting in a park, eating their huge ice-creams. Hitomi nodded, but somewhere deep inside of her there still lingered a small doubt.
"Ummm... Do you care if we talked about it a bit?"
Yukari licked the banana from the corner of her mouth and tilted her head, giving her friend a chiding look: "Of course I don´t! Come on now, if you have something on your heart, just tell me and we´ll see if there´s anything I can do to help you."
Hitomi tapped her lips and started then in an official tone: "Dear professor Uchida. I have this very huge and embarrassing problem and I can´t talk to anybody about it. It is about... BOYS! Please help me!"
Both girls giggled, their ice-cream balls nearly falling from their cornets. After calming down, a serious expression crept on Hitomi´s face and she sighed.
"It's so funny, because always when I´m together with Van, I feel that I could trust my heart to him. He´s so different when it's just he and I. He´s open and happy and I feel comfortable with him. But then when I´m alone, the image of the playboy in him creeps into my mind. All the stuff Millerna told me... It makes me feel that he just wants me to be a part of his magnificent list of conquers. If he´s been like that forever, how could he possibly just change in a twinkling of an eye? He told me stuff... Some really personal stuff.... But even that makes me feel like he´s just trying to gain my trust, so that it would be easier for him to lure into my pants. I like him a lot, and I really, really would want to trust him. But the knowledge of the things he has done and what he might do scares me! I don´t want to be left again..."
Yukari listened carefully, and thought about what to respond. She knew Hitomi enough to understand what the girl was going through and though she had permitted a small lie about not knowing Van at all, she made a quick calculation on what was going on in the guy´s head.
"I guess I know what you mean; a leopard can´t get rid of its spots."
Yukari paused to get any reply from Hitomi. When she received none, she continued: "But the spots can be washed away, if they were painted already from the beginning."
Hitomi shot her head up and furrowed her brows: "What do you mean?"
Yukari sighed: "Hitomi, please understand that Van´s life has not been easy. With a father gone and a life in a place like this... Some people could have done much worse."
Hitomi gaped at Yukari. How did the girl know all of this? She thought Millerna had said that Van never spoke about his past to anybody. A sudden stab of realisation hit her.
"Yukari, you did not...?"
The redhead emitted a laugh: "Sleep with with? No, you got me all wrong!"
But then her facial cast turned more solemn. Touching her friend´s hand lightly, she said sadly: "I lied to you Hitomi, I´m sorry. I do know Van... He´s my brothers best friend."
Hitomi looked deep into her friends brown eyes that held sorrow. Smiling lightly, she placed her hand over Yukari´s. "It´s okay, but why? It wouldn´t have hurt if you said that the two of you were acquainted. No, it would've been easier for me to talk to you."
Yukari looked away and spoke quietly: "I know. Maybe I just got scared or something." She turned her face back to her friend and forced a smile. "Anyway, it's not important anymore. But I want you to know that whatever you decide about Van, keep in mind that Millerna has the habit of exaggerating things... especially things about Van."
Hitomi was puzzled. What did Yukari mean with her statement? Before having the opportunity to ask, Yukari rose and wiped the grasses from her clothing. Smiling happily she gave her hand to help her friend on her feet too. Hitomi grabbed it, but did not rise, just looked at her with large, green eyes.
"Explain it to me. What did you mean? About Millerna and Van, about exaggerating... Explain it so that I understand you!"
Yukari sighed and sat back down. "There´s so many things that are not for me to tell. Let´s just say that Van and Millerna have never been humane in each others company." Yukari knew it was quite plainly said; Millerna hated the guy from the bottom of her heart.
"When Van first showed his face in the school, he captured at least half of the girls hearts. Then something happened between the Aston and Fanel family. After that Millerna has always made sure that no gossip about Van missed her ears. It´s like she has taken it as her mission to ruin Van´s reputation here... But some things are still true though. It is true that there are many that knows all of his measurements and his skills between the sheets... But I don´t think that the life it seems that he lives is really him! Based on the things I heard from Mark, I mean my brother, I think he does it just to satisfy his physical hunger. What he feels emotionally... that´s for someone else to find out."
There was a long silence. Hitomi adjusted everything she had just heard. Under her brows Yukari eyed her friend and was startled a bit when Hitomi suddenly turned to her and said firmly: "Yukari, I thank you for all the things you told me. I now know what I should do."
Yukari was surprised even when Hitomi rose and made her departure. She had the urge to ask what conclusion Hitomi had come to, but decided to wait until the situation was clear. In her mind she already knew Hitomi´s decision.
* *
A/N: I changed the title as you can see, "Falling for you" seemed more fitting. No V/H scenes in this one, sorry. :( But I´ll make it up to you by filling the next chapter with scenes just for them ;) Always remember, any questions, comments etc, my e-mail nea_@email.com just waits for your opinions :) Hope you´ll enjoy, happy readings!
Chapter 7: Mixed emotions
Van placed the heavy wooden box down to the ground and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Trails of glistering sweat trickled down the grooves of his chest and abs, as he headed back to the grey truck and lifted another box from its rear.
"Wanna sip?"
Van glanced at Mark, who was offering a heavenly looking water bottle to him. Thanking, he lowered the weighty box to the ground and took a large gulp. The icy water overflowed from his lips, and fell down to his front. He tipped his head back a bit and poured the water over his face and hair. After soaking his whole head, he returned the now empty bottle and grinned.
"Thanks, that was refreshing."
The sun flamed to the hot beach, making the people labouring on it perspire eminently. Van and Mark had started to unload the truck of cargo early in the morning when it had arrived at the restaurant. As the sun had climbed higher to the sky and its rays heated up, both had detected how a dip in the sea suddenly sounded very inviting. But work had to come first. They had only few boxes to go anymore, and with the help of the driver, the load was soon done.
Van carried the last burden to the cellar and sighed heavily after placing it with the others. Then he climbed the stairs up to the restaurant. Mark leaned to the bar and drank occasionally from the ale bottle he had robbed from the kitchen's freezer. Van uncorked his own and took the liquid down with one gulp.
Mark breathed in deep and listened to the silence. He watched Van take his black T-shirt from the high stool and pull it over his head. Then with a devilish smirk he nudged his friend and winked: "So, how was it with the nectareous jade-czarina?"
Van took the empty bottles and placed them to the crate under the desk. A secret smile danced on his lips. He had known Mark would ask about it, it had been just a matter of time when the question was released. A plain shrug was all he emitted.
Mark frowned at his friend and then smiled playfully: "You´re hiding something, I know it! C´mon, it's me, Mark. Tell me... how was she?"
Van turned hastily and scowled. Mark sensed that he had hit a sensitive spot. Van´s tone was low and dangerous, and even a bit hurt, as he quietly stated:
"It wasn't like that... A date... doesn't always necessarily mean sex."
Mark was about to make a remark about Van´s dates rarely being just walking hand in hand, but decided against it. What followed was a long silence. Mark scrutinised his friend's tense face and his set jaw. Then, keeping his gaze locked with Van´s, firmly said:
"You like her."
Van tore his gaze away and sent it somewhere to the floor. His fists clenched on his sides as he heavily exhaled through his nose. Then, nearly inaudibly he whispered: "I don't know."
* *
Though it was suffocating and hot outside, in a little boutique the air was cool and fresh. Inside, three girls fingered different kinds of clothings and garments. The older looking sales lady smiled contentedly behind her desk from time to time when listening to the youngster's conversations. The two others she had seen often there, if not buying, then planning for it. Especially the girl with lighter hair was a very well liked customer, since she so often brought her turquoise cash card for the seller to see.
Binoché´s was popular shopping place among people who liked highly rated quality and who did not make a closer contact with the price tags. It possessed an elegant style, which never failed to be exquisite and aristocratic. The crimson red curtains on the inside doorways were heavy velvet and ordered straight from France, just like the other accessories. All the clothes were always neatly hanging from their hangers or folded to their racks, and there was never dust or dirt seen on the floors.
"How bout this one?"
Hitomi glanced at the piece of cloth Millerna was offering her. It was a deep green sleeveless shirt with thin straps crossing at the back. The material felt like raw silk and the price written on red on the label confirmed it.
Hitomi gave the blond a sceptic look and then replied: "How bout no?"
Millerna´s eager face burst and she whined: "Oh come on! It's so your colour! You would turn every guy's head in the corridors if you wore this! Please try it! For me?"
Hitomi suddenly showed great interest on the clothes in the other end of the small shop, and paid no heed on the girl. Millerna let out a frustrated groan and turned to Yukari to receive any help from her. The redhead just smiled in an amused manner and shook her cherry head letting out a small, amused laugh. Millerna knitted her perfectly plucked eyebrows and cleared her throat before speaking: "Maybe you don´t care about how Hitomi dresses and looks like in public, but I do! And I see it as my mission to make her look Gaean, with or without your help!"
Hitomi tried to hold her laugh, but succeeded miserably. After few giggles, she returned the few steps to her friend. Lifting an assuring hand on Millerna´s shoulder, she spoke kindly: "Millerna, I´m touched by your motherly attitude towards me, I really am! But honestly, I do know what clothes to put on and how to look when I leave my home. I´m very grateful of your concern towards my fashion, but don´t you think you choosing my clothes is a bit too much?"
Millerna lifted her nose and sniffed in a very lady-like manner.
"I was just trying to help."
Hitomi smiled and the three girls left the small shop. Outside the air was a great deal humid and Hitomi was glad she was wearing a short, sleeveless skirt. The friends headed towards the café on the other side of the road. Hitomi suddenly felt Yukari lightly touch her arm and whisper to her ear: "So, how did it go?"
Hitomi shot a quick glance at Millerna who walked before them, dressed up in a pair of creamy-coloured and tight capripants and a loose boncho. A large, white sunhat sent shadows on her perfectly shaped face. She surely looked like a filmstar or at least a model.
Hitomi turned back to her friend and whispered: "I´d rather discuss it in somewhere private. Maybe later?" Though Hitomi held great respect towards Millerna, she did not trust the girl enough to let her know about anything that was happening between Hitomi and Van.
Yukari smiled and whispered that it would be great. Suddenly Millerna turned to them with a suspicious look on her face.
"What are you two whispering about?"
Both Hitomi and Yukari were taken by surprise and tried to find something to say. Millerna´s expression turned curious and she opened her mouth to ask again, but instead a joyful: "Allen!" escaped from her lips. The two others sighed in relief as Millerna tripped along to the handsome man who was cleaning the tables on the terrace of the café where the friends were supposed to go.
Hitomi watched the two blonds exchange a passionate kiss. The man´s hands travelled freely on Millerna´s sides and rear and the blond just seemed to enjoy it. When the two finally broke apart, they noticed that all the people sitting at the tables were staring at them. The man took the rest of the cups and plates on his tray and went inside. Millerna motioned for Hitomi and Yukari to come and sit beside her.
Hitomi examined Millerna´s flushed cheeks and a bit swollen rosy red lips. Soon the man returned with three white espresso-mugs. Then he sat beside Millerna and started to bill and coo with the girl so that it made Hitomi turn her face away. She faintly remembered meeting this man at Steps about a week ago. Allen was his name...
A sudden realisation hit her. It was Thursday! And tomorrow would be Friday, and they would go to Steps again... Would Van be there? A warm feeling enveloped Hitomi, as she thought about him.
Van.
His silky, midnight-black hair hanging over his passionate and soft chocolatedrop eyes as he looked at her profoundly with them. His strong and warm arms, which she longed holding her. His flat, hard chest where she had leaned as they had danced. His hips, which had been draped by the light- blue jeans...
A scarlet hue crept on her cheeks. What in the God´s name had she just been thinking! Yukari seemed to notice this and touched her hand lightly. "Are you okay, you seem a bit red. Could it be hyperventilation?"
Hitomi noticed the three people at the table watch her, so she let out a hasty laugh. Trying to change the course of the conversation, she addressed Allen. "So, you´re a waiter?" Allen turned his beautiful face from Millerna and seemed to measure Hitomi from head to toes, like scrutinising was she worth of answering. Hitomi fidgeted; she felt great inconvenience under his gaze. This did not seem to bother him, and much for Hitomi´s relief he tore his gaze away from her body and slowly let out a stretched and lazy "yes".
Millerna cuddled closer to the man and hugged his hand. Snickering, she traced her index finger along his lower lip and purred softly. "Oh, but wouldn´t you consider yourself more like a bartender than a waiter. I always thought bartenders were more exciting."
Allen flashed her a smile that would have made any girls knees weak. Locking her into another sensuous kiss, he muttered: "Yes ma´am, whatever you wish."
Hitomi wanted to leave. She sent a pleading look at Yukari and the other nodded in understanding. They rose from the stools and informed Millerna that they were going. The blond waved her hand carelessly and so the two friends headed away from the small café.
When enough distance from the couple, Hitomi vehemently stated: "I understand that behaviour in the bedroom, but at a local site it´s a bit too much! Get a room for Christ sake!"
Yukari laughed. "That´s Millerna. You just have to get used to her. She can be an angel, but when Allen is near, her form turns from a human to some kind of sexual beast."
Hitomi stared at Yukari for a while and then both burst to laugh. Hitomi soon regained her composure and informed her friend that she did not like Millerna´s boyfriend one bit: "I think he´s offensive, repulsive, objectionable and vicious, and though he has a pretty face, behind it lays a very disgusting personality."
Yukari smiled in her distinguished motherly way. "Hitomi, maybe you shouldn´t draw so quick conclusions since you haven´t really spent any time at all with him. Allen too can sometimes be really nice." She paused and suddenly grinned. Making sure no one was close she leaned to Hitomi´s ear and whispered: "Which makes me remember something you were supposed to tell me about a certain Italian... Okay, fill me in, all the nasty details thank you! Did he tie you up?"
Hitomi looked at her friend in shock, but laughed when realising that she was only joking. Slowly, not leaving anything untold, she started recalling her evening with Van out loud. As she described what had happened, she suddenly came to the awareness that she had not seen him after that night. His majestic motorcycle had not mastered the school´s parking-area for two days. Though it was not a long time, it still bothered her. It was funny, but she had the strange feeling that she missed him.
"See, I told you. He´s not that bad as everyone let you know!"
Yukari´s happy statement woke Hitomi from her daydreams. The two were now sitting in a park, eating their huge ice-creams. Hitomi nodded, but somewhere deep inside of her there still lingered a small doubt.
"Ummm... Do you care if we talked about it a bit?"
Yukari licked the banana from the corner of her mouth and tilted her head, giving her friend a chiding look: "Of course I don´t! Come on now, if you have something on your heart, just tell me and we´ll see if there´s anything I can do to help you."
Hitomi tapped her lips and started then in an official tone: "Dear professor Uchida. I have this very huge and embarrassing problem and I can´t talk to anybody about it. It is about... BOYS! Please help me!"
Both girls giggled, their ice-cream balls nearly falling from their cornets. After calming down, a serious expression crept on Hitomi´s face and she sighed.
"It's so funny, because always when I´m together with Van, I feel that I could trust my heart to him. He´s so different when it's just he and I. He´s open and happy and I feel comfortable with him. But then when I´m alone, the image of the playboy in him creeps into my mind. All the stuff Millerna told me... It makes me feel that he just wants me to be a part of his magnificent list of conquers. If he´s been like that forever, how could he possibly just change in a twinkling of an eye? He told me stuff... Some really personal stuff.... But even that makes me feel like he´s just trying to gain my trust, so that it would be easier for him to lure into my pants. I like him a lot, and I really, really would want to trust him. But the knowledge of the things he has done and what he might do scares me! I don´t want to be left again..."
Yukari listened carefully, and thought about what to respond. She knew Hitomi enough to understand what the girl was going through and though she had permitted a small lie about not knowing Van at all, she made a quick calculation on what was going on in the guy´s head.
"I guess I know what you mean; a leopard can´t get rid of its spots."
Yukari paused to get any reply from Hitomi. When she received none, she continued: "But the spots can be washed away, if they were painted already from the beginning."
Hitomi shot her head up and furrowed her brows: "What do you mean?"
Yukari sighed: "Hitomi, please understand that Van´s life has not been easy. With a father gone and a life in a place like this... Some people could have done much worse."
Hitomi gaped at Yukari. How did the girl know all of this? She thought Millerna had said that Van never spoke about his past to anybody. A sudden stab of realisation hit her.
"Yukari, you did not...?"
The redhead emitted a laugh: "Sleep with with? No, you got me all wrong!"
But then her facial cast turned more solemn. Touching her friend´s hand lightly, she said sadly: "I lied to you Hitomi, I´m sorry. I do know Van... He´s my brothers best friend."
Hitomi looked deep into her friends brown eyes that held sorrow. Smiling lightly, she placed her hand over Yukari´s. "It´s okay, but why? It wouldn´t have hurt if you said that the two of you were acquainted. No, it would've been easier for me to talk to you."
Yukari looked away and spoke quietly: "I know. Maybe I just got scared or something." She turned her face back to her friend and forced a smile. "Anyway, it's not important anymore. But I want you to know that whatever you decide about Van, keep in mind that Millerna has the habit of exaggerating things... especially things about Van."
Hitomi was puzzled. What did Yukari mean with her statement? Before having the opportunity to ask, Yukari rose and wiped the grasses from her clothing. Smiling happily she gave her hand to help her friend on her feet too. Hitomi grabbed it, but did not rise, just looked at her with large, green eyes.
"Explain it to me. What did you mean? About Millerna and Van, about exaggerating... Explain it so that I understand you!"
Yukari sighed and sat back down. "There´s so many things that are not for me to tell. Let´s just say that Van and Millerna have never been humane in each others company." Yukari knew it was quite plainly said; Millerna hated the guy from the bottom of her heart.
"When Van first showed his face in the school, he captured at least half of the girls hearts. Then something happened between the Aston and Fanel family. After that Millerna has always made sure that no gossip about Van missed her ears. It´s like she has taken it as her mission to ruin Van´s reputation here... But some things are still true though. It is true that there are many that knows all of his measurements and his skills between the sheets... But I don´t think that the life it seems that he lives is really him! Based on the things I heard from Mark, I mean my brother, I think he does it just to satisfy his physical hunger. What he feels emotionally... that´s for someone else to find out."
There was a long silence. Hitomi adjusted everything she had just heard. Under her brows Yukari eyed her friend and was startled a bit when Hitomi suddenly turned to her and said firmly: "Yukari, I thank you for all the things you told me. I now know what I should do."
Yukari was surprised even when Hitomi rose and made her departure. She had the urge to ask what conclusion Hitomi had come to, but decided to wait until the situation was clear. In her mind she already knew Hitomi´s decision.
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