Seasons of Love
Chapter 3: Autumn Leaves
"You need to launch a bit harder next time, Tyson" Kai called out as Tyson blade landed at his feet.
"Ha," Vita exclaimed as her beyblade spun in the middle of the dish in a mocking fashion, "That makes it, how many loses to you Tyson?"
"Five," He replied gloomily.
"Don't worry," she taunted, "I might consider going easier on you next time!"
After a long practice in which Tyson lost two more times, Vita and Kai went and sat on a bench in the park. Vita had her leg folded over Kai's and he was holding her closely around the waist.
When they broke apart from the kiss that they had been sharing, Vita looked around at all of the leaves that had started to fall from the trees. She peered through the sea of bronze, amber, yellow, brown, orange, tawny, red and burgundy. Her eyes rested on a garnet coloured leave that fluttered down and landed on the arm of the bench.
Vita picked it up and brushed it against Kai's face. He wrinkled his nose and tilted his head away. Vita laughed lightly before leaning forward, pecking Kai on the cheek before she got up from the bench.
"Come on," she told him, "The others are probably wondering where we are."
When the two teens got back to the house, they found Max and Tyson playing video games and Kenny doing the usual on his laptop. Ray looked up as the entered the living room.
"Vita, a letter arrived for you." He handed her the white envelope.
Kai crashed down on the couch as Vita hung up her coat and opened the letter. He watched her eyes move along the page before glazing over slightly as they filled with tears.
"Are you okay?" He asked, getting up and moving towards her. She gazed up at Kai with an unfocused stare before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she tipped back wards, fainting.
Vita's eyes fluttered open and see saw the blurred image of Kai standing over her. As her eyes came into focus, she sat up and found that she had been laid on the couch. She looked around and saw all the worried faces.
"Are you okay?" Kai asked in a shaky voice.
"Yeah," she said lightly before looking down at the letter, which she was still clutching in her hand. The tears began to return to her eyes and she jumped up from the couch and swiftly exited the room.
When Kai caught up with Vita, he found her curled up against a wall in the hallway. She was crying her eyes out. He knelt down next to her and quietly asked her, "What's wrong?" When he received no answer he picked up the letter which had been discarded a few inches away from Vita's shaking form.
The letter read:
Dear Vita,
It's Erika, I'm writing to tell you that I've been diagnosed with cancer. The doctor says that it has been left to long for any treatment so I haven't long left.
I'm feeling lonely and isolated now and I need you here to help me through this…
Kai couldn't bring himself to read on. He dropped the letter and pulled Vita into a tight embrace. She began to sob violently into his shoulder. She uncurled herself and wrapped her arms and legs around Kai's body. Kai only held her tighter. He ran his fingers through Vita's long midnight hair and sighed.
"I'm so sorry." Vita stopped sobbing and rested her head in the crook of Kai's neck.
"It's not fair," she whispered, "I've already lost the rest of my family. She was the only one left and now..."
"What happened?"
Vita hesitated before telling her story.
"The Maize family and The Reygan family have been rivals for around 100 years…they still are. The two families were fighting over a tribal bit-best, which had been passed down throughout the two families. The bit-best, Drixen, was passed down to me and this angered the Reygans because of my Chinese blood. They burned down the house. My parents were trapped inside and…" She trailed of and started sobbing again.
Early the next morning, Vita had packed and was waiting for Mr Dickinson to come and pick her up and take her to the airport. She checked her bag for her passport once more before she turned to Kai.
"Don't worry I'll be back soon."
"Take all the time that you need, your going to see family." Kai gave Vita a lingering kiss after they heard a car horn outside. Vita picked up her suitcase and slowly walked out to the car.