Hi every1! I got a new reviewer 2 day, please welcome Tomoyo-chan to the
family! We've been talking on msn messenger, and 2 tell u the truth she
seems like my long lost sister, r u sure u weren't adopted? LoL. Anyways I
got good reviews on the last chapter, keep it up. R&R please.
Thanx 2 my reviewers:
Adelianna
Malik's Angel
Tomoyo-chan
Robertson1285 (my friend Dylan)
& of course my best friend Chrissy
Chapter 4 - Painful Recovery
Amunet sat in the clearing, crying uncontrollably, while someone approached her from behind.
It was Perry, his nose was still bleeding, but he was hungry for revenge, and he took advantage of Amunet's un awareness of his presence. For a few seconds, Perry just watched her, his anger building, he moved and kicked a rock, cursing silently.
The noise made Amunet jump. "Who's there?" She asked fearfully, scanning as much as she could with her tear-filled amethyst eyes. Suddenly someone jumped out from behind her and grabbed her arm twisting it behind her back.
Amunet screamed, but Perry just covered her mouth with his hand. Her eyes opened wide in fear.
"How does it feel to be the victim?" He hissed in her ear.
"Perry, you jerk! Get off me!" Amunet tried to yell, though it was muffled he could still hear her.
"Why? Does it hurt? Am I hurting you?"
Amunet didn't reply, but remained silent refusing to admit his hold was painful.
"I said, does it hurt?" Perry repeated, twisting her arm further.
Amunet whimpered, satisfying him.
He chuckled, and continued to slowly twist her arm further. "You know, I could break your arm right now if I wanted to."
'Then why don't you?' Amunet thought angrily, digging her nails into it his arm thatwas covering her mouth. Perry soon uncovered her mouth in pain, and she screamed as loud as she could for help. Someone heard that cry.
"You little brat. I swear to God I'll kill you." He cursed, examining the scratch marks on his arm.
"You won't break my arm, and you sure as hell won't kill me, Perry. You don't have the guts. Besides if you do the police will be hearing about it." Amunet said, risking more punishment.
"Is that so?" He replied, still twisting her arm. She cried out in pain, and Perry smiled. "You don't seem so brave now huh? Go ahead and say something insulting or disrespectful, I dare you."
Amunet remained silent.
"That's what I thought. You're just like your father, cowardly, worthless .." The insults on her family continued, and Amunet's anger raised with every word.
Fury burned in her narrowed amethyst eyes, and her Millennium Necklace began to glow faintly. Finally, Amunet wasn't going to allow it anymore.
She bit down as hard as she could on Perry's hand that covered her mouth.
"OWWW!!!!!! BITCH!!!!!" He howled in pain.
In response, Amunet elbowed him in stomach, causing him to let her twisted arm go. Once released, she turned around and raised her hand to slap Perry across the face. But he caught her wrist in mid swing, and twisted her around, placing his forearm across her neck, choking Amunet with all his might.
She struggled for breath, but found none.
Perry lifted her up, her feet dangling inches from the ground, as she choked gasping for air, Amunet was getting desperate now. She kicked him in the shin with her heel, and he chuckled at the weak attempt.
"Do you want me to let you go? You can't breathe?"
Amunet nodded fiercely, holding onto the arm that was choking her with both her hands.
"What's that? Talk, beg for mercy."
"Please let me go." Amunet croaked through gasps, her voice was barely audible.
"I can't hear you."
"Please." Amunet tried to talk louder, but it was very difficult.
"Please what?"
"Please let me go." Amunet was starting to get dizzy, and she was seeing strange lights all over the place. "Please."
"Give me a reason to. What will you give me in return?"
"Anything." She croaked, now ready to black out.
"Anything?"
"Anything." Amunet repeated, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Beg, call me your Master, I want you at my mercy." Perry hissed.
"I already am at your mercy."
"Do it!" He choked her harder, and she coughed.
"Please, let me go, Master." Amunet was reluctant to say it but it was the only way if she wanted to live.
"What's that I can't hear you."
"Please, let me go, Master." She said louder.
"Say you love me."
"No!"
"Say it."
"I ... lo.." She stopped what she was about to say, and Perry punished Amunet by choking her further.
"I .. love you." Amunet said, and Perry dropped her to the ground.
She bent over on her knees, blond hair covering her face, choking and holding her neck, her throat was throbbing and she was in pain.
Perry watched Amunet catch her breath, choking pathetically on the ground. Suddenly, he was jerked back to a certain reality.
Perry had been in love with this girl since he had first seen her at a park with her father. Amunet was 8 years old, and he had been 10. Perry's mother gave him the lifetime assignment of keeping an eye out for Amunet in case they ever needed to hold her hostage. So he had been her stalker since the age of 9, but he had never really got a good look at the girl destined to be the mistress of the Rare Hunters until that day at the park.
*~*~*
The 10 year-old Perry leaned against a tree nearby, watching a girl 2 years younger than himself play with her father in the public park. The eight year-old Amunet giggled as Marik pushed her on a swing. Perry had never known the innocence of being a child, seeing as he was required to grow up fast. By the time he was eight as far as he was concerned, play was a waste of time.
"Higher, daddy, higher!" She cried, though she was already going as high as she could go.
"If you go any higher you'll flip over the pole." Marik laughed.
Perry continued to watch under the tree, Amunet's silky blond hair flowing gently out behind her. All of a sudden, Perry got a sudden feeling in his stomach he had never known. But every time his enemy's daughter smiled or laughed, the feeling grew stronger, and he realized he couldn't keep his eyes off the girl. Perry even stayed after dark though he was forbidden to stay out after darkness fell, he couldn't seem to pull his gaze away from Amunet. It was only when Marik took her home that Perry finally left for his own home, confused at the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.
*~*~*
"You screwed up jerk." Amunet coughed rolling onto her back in exhaustion.
Perry kicked her in the side, making her cry out in pain again, and probably breaking one of her ribs. It hurt him to hear her like that but he wasn't about to show his true affection for her.
"You ever heard the saying 'If you bug them or hurt them you love them'?" Amunet asked angrily.
At this Perry panicked, and he returned to Amunet. "Well, it just so happens I like hurting people. I love the sound of them crying for mercy, kind of like the way you did back there." He said, placing his foot over her stomach. "And last time I checked you were the one who said you loved me."
"I didn't mean it! I just said it so you wouldn't kill me."
"You'd better watch it." Perry indicated to his foot hanging over her stomach, ready to strike.
"You son of a bitch." Amunet breathed. She did not intend to say it out loud but it just came out.
He stamped on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her so she couldn't breathe properly for a minute. She groaned and writhed on the ground, her vision was becoming blurry.
"And if you dare tell your father or anyone what I happened here, your next beating will be even worse than this one." Perry threatened.
After hearing Amunet's cry of agony, that someone who had heard her first cry for help, jumped out of the bushes on to Perry's back.
He struggled to get this boy off him but it was no use. "What do you want?"
"Leave, now. Or I'll tell Marik what you did to Amunet, since you have already forbidden her to tell him herself." The unknown boy hissed at Perry.
He jumped off his back, and Perry took off into the woods, not even looking back to see who it was that had attacked him.
The boy approached the half conscious Amunet lying on the ground moaning in pain. He lifted her head into his lap.
"Mistress, wake up." The boy said.
Amunet stirred but her vision was blurry. "Who's there?" She asked drowsily.
"Riley. You know, I saved you last night." The boy said.
"Oh yeah, Riley. I think I remember you. Hey, wait a sec.. I ought to slap you across the face right now." Amunet said, her vision clearing.
"No time for that now. I need to get you to your father. You need medical attention." Riley replied, lifting her up, putting her arm around his shoulder for support.
Riley dragged/carried Amunet all the way to the edge of the woods. When everyone back at the mansion saw her they gasped in shock, and whispered amongst themselves about who could possibly do this.
Meanwhile, Perry looked around at the whispering people, then to Amunet. 'Why did I do that to her, the only person I've ever loved?' He asked himself.
Marik rushed forward, and took Amunet from Riley, thanking him dearly. He took her to a table and sat her down in a chair.
"What happened?" Marik asked her, Riley, Odeon, Bakura and Mila all crowding around her in concern.
Amunet looked up at Perry, who was staring at her intently from a distance behind Marik, then she looked back down. "Nothing." She replied.
"Nothing?" Marik repeated. "Something happened."
"I can't remember," Amunet lied. "I just want to go home I need rest."
Marik nodded, and helped her up again, almost carrying her to the limo outside of the gates.
He took her to the part of the stretched car that had seats all around in a square and a floor like thing in the centre of these seats. Marik pulled some blankets and a pillow out of the trunk, and set up a small bed for Amunet in the middle of the floor.
Everybody else sat on the car seats surrounding her, as she slept soundlessly, the warm comforting sheets pulled up to her chin, her head sinking in the soft pillow under her head.
When they reached Marik's house, he took the pillow, and Odeon carried Amunet like a baby still wrapped in the warm blankets up the steps into the house.
She stirred when Marik turned on the lights in the hallway, but then fell right back to sleep.
Odeon laid Amunet on her bed, and put the pillows under her head. She took a deep sleepy breath, and then changed position, continuing her soundless sleep, oblivious to the watching eyes of Marik and Odeon.
Marik and Odeon exchanged glances, smiling.
"Just like when she was a baby." Odeon said.
"Yep, she's still my baby." Marik replied, watching his dear daughter sleep.
They left, and Amunet didn't move or make a sound till the next morning.
*
Amunet's eyes opened from her sleep, the sun blinding her. She covered her eyes with her arm, and sat up.
"OWWWW, MOTHER F***ER.." Amunet yelled, clutching the pain in her side, then clutching her neck. Yelling had hurt her sore throat further.
She fell back into the pillows since sitting up hurt her so much.
Seconds later she heard her father's voice from the living room. "Watch your language, Amunet." He called to her.
Amunet groaned, holding her sore throat, wondering what had happened.
Then the events of the previous day came flooding back. 'Let's see, Perry, arrogant jerk almost killed me.' She thought, trying to remember everything. The next memory made her groan and pout. 'Oh, damn it, he's also my would be fiancé. Grrrr, I hate his guts. Stupid abusive son of a bitch.'
"I can see you're awake." Said Odeon from the doorway, making her jump, her broken rib stung again, and she moaned.
"You were asleep last night, so we didn't get a chance to inspect your injuries." He said, moving towards her, Marik came in as well, wanting to know what was wrong with his daughter.
Amunet sat up painfully, and leaned against the bed post behind her.
"Where is the pain coming from?" Odeon asked her.
"Here." Amunet touched her side gingerly. "My throat's really sore, and I think I pulled a muscle in my right arm really badly." She told him, her plan was to pretend like she couldn't remember who had attacked her.
Odeon lifted her pyjama top, and touched a bruise in her side. "Owww, watch it." Amunet flinched.
"Hmmm," Said Odeon thoughtfully, examining the bruise. "Looks like a broken rib. You'd better be careful. A rib belt would probably be best for that"
He took a small flashlight from his robe pocket. "Say 'ahhhhh'." He ordered.
Amunet opened her mouth and said 'ahhhh'. Odeon shined the light to the back of her throat, and examined it.
"Her throat's badly swelled, she'll have to drink a lot of liquids and possibly need to take antibiotics for that."
"Do you know how that could've happened?" Asked Marik, hoping they could piece the attack together with clues.
"Well, either she's got a cold, which I highly doubt. Or ... someone strangled her, hard. All signs point to that theory, not to mention her neck has a red rash" Odeon said, moving to her arm.
Marik's eyes widened at Odeon's words.
"As for her arm," He continued, now examining her sprained arm. "It looks like someone twisted it close to the breaking point. You'll need to keep it in a sling, and don't use often." Odeon added, and Amunet nodded. "Now to see if there's any short or long term memory loss."
He took the flashlight and shined it in Amunet's violet-grey eyes, asking her questions while examining them.
"What's your favourite song?" Odeon asked her. This would be a no-brainer, this song had been her favourite since she had first heard her father listening to it when she was a toddler.
"Girls just wanna have fun, by Cyndi Lauper." Amunet replied with no doubt in her voice.
"Okay, now. What's your full name?"
"Amunet Isis Ishtar." She said.
"Do you know who attacked you last night, or what attacked you?" Odeon continued to question.
Amunet's eyes squinted as though she was trying to remember something. "I can't remember." She lied.
"Alright, it seems to just be a short term memory loss. She should get it back soon." Odeon said, standing up.
"Thank you, Odeon." Said Marik, eyeing Amunet as though he knew she could remember who it was but she wouldn't say.
"Your welcome, Master Marik. I am leaving right now to buy the things Amunet needs for a proper recovery, I'll be about an hour." He replied, leaving the room.
Marik approached Amunet, and sat on the edge if her bed. She looked down so she wouldn't catch his eye. Thankfully, Marik didn't question her about the attack.
"I told you Riley isn't that bad." He said with a smile. "He's saved you twice."
"He's okay, I'll give him that."
"I've been meaning to talk to you about those 'crouching tiger hidden dragon' moves you pulled on Perry." Said Marik putting quotes around crouching tiger hidden dragon.
"What about it?" Amunet asked, remembering her glorious moment.
"It was unacceptable behaviour. And it didn't help the tension between us and our rivals."
"Think I care? I still don't trust them. And Perry deserved it." Amunet said.
"How did he deserve it?" Marik asked.
"The stupid jerk tried to kiss me!" She exclaimed.
"So."
"SO!!!" Amunet repeated. "No one forces a kiss on me!"
"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe he loves you?" Her father inquired.
"I already knew that, he tries to hide it, but no one can hide their feelings from me."
"Then why don't you try to get to know him?"
"Because, I think he's a jerk."
"Your afraid of him." Marik put in suddenly, he could see it in her eyes.
"No I'm not, I just hate him."
"You're lying. I can tell."
"Okay, fine. Maybe I am a little scared of him."
"Why?"
"Because I don't even know him and all of a sudden, bang, I'm engaged to him. Not to mention he's really creepy." Amunet said, shuddering.
"Like I said last night, you have two years. A lot can happen in two years, you might grow to love Perry." Marik said.
"Fat chance." Amunet laughed.
"Suit yourself, but just remember the future is mysterious." Marik shrugged, getting up to leave.
Amunet sat there, and thought. Could she grow to love someone like Perry? The thought disgusted her. He was screwed up enough to kill her, and he almost did. Amunet didn't want to live in fear for her life till the day she died, after all marriage was a lifetime commitment.
Amunet leaned over to her beside table, and turned her cd player on. The soothing sound of music by Elvis Presley washed over her mind, making her eyelids droop.
"Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go..."
The words were like a lullaby that soon drifted Amunet off to sleep.
She had always had a passion for music from the 50's to the 80's, as far as she was concerned rock, pop, and rap was all merely sound effects and some artists were even fakes, their voices computerized, the oldies on the other hand was pure music, real instruments, real voices, real talents instead of just looking good.
*
An hour later, Odeon returned from shopping with antibiotics, a sling, bandages, and a rib belt for Amunet.
"Okay, let's take care of that broken rib first." He said, taking Amunet's shirt off. The bruise had got even worse, and it was swelling, she was breathing heavily, and coughing every once in a while.
Odeon wrapped her chest and rib cage with the bandages, and then wrapped the rib belt around the same area, it was like a strap with Velcro. The rib belt relieved Amunet of her pain, and her laboured breathing loosened up.
Odeon put her sprained arm in the sling, and placed the bottle of antibiotics on her bedside table.
"Now, listen carefully. You can take the rib belt off three to four times a day and ice the area that's bruised for 10-30 minutes, try to breathe as normally as you can or it won't help. As for the antibiotics, your father will give you the amount necessary in the morning and at night. In the meantime, rest, drink lots of liquids and take it easy." He instructed, patting Amunet on the shoulder.
She nodded and smiled. "Are you sure you didn't go to medical school?" Amunet asked.
"I went for a year." Odeon replied with a slight look of embarrassment.
"Well that's good to know. Or I would've been dead by now here with father." Amunet joked.
"I heard that!" Marik exclaimed from the hall.
Odeon and Amunet exchanged looks and then laughed.
"You're a good kid, Amunet. You've been through a lot, but at least you don't let it get to you." He said, ruffling her hair.
"Hey!" She exclaimed. "No touchy."
Odeon laughed, then left, telling Amunet to get some more rest.
She lay back in the pillows, closing her eyes, drifting off to sleep yet again.
Marik woke her up briefly at 10 o'clock to give her the antibiotics before he went to bed. The medicine tasted strangely like candy banana, and wasn't that bad. After that she went right back to sleep.
*
The next morning, she woke up at 11 to find she was strong enough to get out of bed. Amunet carefully moved her feet to the side of the bed, so she wouldn't hurt her rib, and stepped to the door. She swayed a little when she first got to her feet, because she hadn't walked for two days. But she soon regained balance, and walked out her bedroom door.
"Look who's up." Said Bakura, sitting on a couch opposite to Marik who was reading the newspaper.
Marik peered at Amunet from over the top of his newspaper. "Get enough rest?" He asked.
Amunet nodded. "Well, you still can't go on any hunts. Odeon says you shouldn't do too much for 8 weeks." Said Marik, looking back at the article he was reading.
"What're you doing here?" Amunet asked Bakura, confused at his presence.
"Mila. She insisted on staying to make sure you were okay." He replied simply.
At his words Amunet's violet-grey eyes lit up. "Mila's here? Where?"
"Last time I checked, she's practicing her duelling with Odeon in the library." Bakura said, switching the channel on the TV.
Amunet started immediately down the hall from the living room to the library.
"Don't you want any breakfast?" Asked Marik.
"No, I'm fine." She replied continuing to walk down the hall.
"Oh I almost forgot. Wait! You can go after you take your antibiotics." Marik called after her.
"Fine." Amunet growled, turning around back to the living room.
Marik handed her a spoon full of thick pale yellow liquid. She shoved it in her mouth, and swallowed the substance with difficulty since her throat was still very sore. Amunet then took off down the hallway.
"Be careful!" Bakura called after her.
"I will." She called back.
When Amunet reached the library, she wrenched the door open to find Mila and Odeon finishing up their duel on the floor. Odeon looked bored, as he delivered the final attack to wipe out Mila's life points.
"Darn it. Lost again. Just one more time. Pleeeaase. I promise I'll win this time." Mila pleaded, shuffling her deck again.
"That's what you said 15 duels ago." Odeon replied, pocketing his deck. "I've had enough. I never thought I would ever get bored of duel monsters, but boy did you prove me wrong."
"Amunet! You're okay!" Mila exclaimed noticing Amunet at the door. She jumped up and hugged her.
"I thought you were going to die two nights ago!"
"Ouch, watch it, Mila. I'm fine." Amunet said, wincing because Mila was squeezing the life out of her.
"Oh, sorry. So what's the diagnosis?" Mila said.
"Broken rib, sprained arm, very sore throat." Amunet replied.
"Ouch." Mila made a face. "How'd that happen?"
Amunet glanced at Odeon, then back at Mila. "I still can't remember." She lied.
"That's a bummer." Said Mila.
"You wanna go hang out in my room?" Amunet asked.
"Sure."
The girls turned to go out the door.
"Don't forget to take it easy." Odeon told her.
"How can I if everyone keeps telling me to?" Amunet said.
She and Mila went to Amunet's room, and closed the door.
"I have something to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. And I mean no one." Amunet said, sitting cross-legged on her bed across from Mila.
"I promise." Said Mila leaning in closer.
"Cross your heart and hope to die?"
"Yes."
"Stick a needle in your eye?"
"Yup."
"Okay, well you know the night I got attacked?" Amunet asked.
"Oh god, don't tell me you were raped too." Mila said, covering her mouth in horror.
"No, don't be silly."
"Sorry, I watch too much of CSI. Go on."
"Well.." She hesitated. "I lied, when I said I couldn't remember who it was."
"Who was it?" Mila asked.
Amunet took a deep breath. "It . it was Perry."
Mila gasped and covered her mouth with her hand again. "No." She breathed.
"Yes. He wanted to get back at me for embarrassing him in front of all those people." Amunet replied.
"Oh yeah. Isn't he that creepy guy you're engaged to?" Mila said, recognition dawning on her face and in her voice.
"The guy I'm forcefully engaged to." Amunet corrected.
"Right. I just wanted to say those cool moves you pulled on him were impressive, awesome. Just like in the movies." Said Mila.
Amunet smiled. "Thanks, I'm glad someone thinks so."
"What're friends for?"
The girls smiled and laughed.
"Lunch time, girls! We're ordering out, so you two'll have to stay put here while we're getting the food, I want Odeon still alive when we get back."
"What are we having?" Mila called.
"Pizza pizza." Bakura called back.
Amunet and Mila broke out into song. " Nine six seven, eleven, eleven, call pizza pizza!" They chanted in unison.
*
The next morning, Amunet woke up to the sound of someone knocking at her door.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Come in." She said.
Marik opened the door and walked in, followed by Perry who was carrying a bouquet of flowers.
Amunet's stomach lurched, making her feel sick when she saw him.
"Perry's come to see you." Marik told her.
Amunet stared at him, eyes full of fear, her breathing became faster, making her side hurt again.
"I'll leave you alone." Marik said.
Amunet watched him head for the door. 'No, don't leave. Don't leave me alone with him.' Amunet wanted to say, watching the door close.
Her eyes moved back to Perry, he made a move towards her and she flinched, crawling as far away from him as she could on the bed. Amunet's back pressed against the bed post at the head of her bed, as Amunet watched Perry approach her, amethyst eyes wide and terrified, breathing fast, her side still stinging, because she was supposed to breathe at a normal pace.
When he reached her, Perry moved his hand to touch her.
Amunet let out a squeak, covering her head with her arms in a protective ball. She began crying in fear. "Please don't hurt me, please." Amunet pleaded, quivering.
"Don't be afraid." Perry said. "I won't hurt you."
Amunet looked up at him, fear still showing in her eyes. She watched his hand move closer, and flinched when she felt him touch her, but relaxed when she realized he wasn't causing her any harm.
Perry gently moved his arm around Amunet's quivering shoulders, sitting beside her. He handed her the flowers in his hand, and she took them reluctantly, her hand shaking a little. Amunet just sat there and stared at the flowers, tense under Perry's arm, she wanted him to leave. Amunet could feel his eyes on her, and it was making her more uncomfortable.
Suddenly, he kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry." He whispered to her, and got up.
"Sometimes, ... sorry isn't enough." Amunet replied after a while, staring at the pattern on her sheets.
"Well that's all I can say right now. Oh, I almost forgot." Perry rummaged in his pockets and pulled out a gold ring with a beautifully cut small diamond. "You left without your engagement ring." He tossed it on her bed beside her left hand.
Amunet glanced at it through the corner of her eye, then, looked away.
"Aren't you going to put it on?" He asked.
"No." Amunet replied, not knowing she was breaking Perry's heart every moment he was with her. (Not that she cared)
He stared at her for a few seconds. "Fine. Be that way." He said, leaving.
Once he left, Amunet put the flowers on her bedside table, and grabbed the ring. She threw it as hard as she could at the door Perry had closed seconds earlier. Then, she pulled the covers over her head and cried.
*
An hour later, Mila opened her door.
"Amunet, you awake?" She asked tentatively. "Odeon told me to bring you an ice pack to put on your broken rib."
"Just put it on my bed." Amunet replied from under the blankets, still crying.
"What's wrong?" Mila asked.
"Everything." Amunet groaned, emerging from her hiding place under the blankets.
"What exactly?" Mila sat on her bed.
Amunet closed her eyes and suddenly broke down into tears. Mila put a comforting arm around her.
"Amunet, what's going on?"
"I don't want to marry Perry." She cried. "But father won't listen to me. And if I tell him it was Perry who attacked me, I'll probably be killed in my sleep."
"Well you don't have a ring, so you can't be legally engaged right now." Mila said.
Amunet's breathed in sharply through cries as tears flowed down her face, and she pointed to the ground near the door.
Mila rose and picked up the ring. "Whoa! This things gotta be real, lots of karats!" She exclaimed, examining the ring that was Amunet's doom, then, she saw Amunet.
"Oooops, I kinda got side tracked there." Mila laughed nervously.
"You can have it if you want. I don't want it." Amunet buried her face in her pillows.
"I can't take it though. You have to wear it."
"No."
"It doesn't have to mean anything, it's just a ring. Just because you wear it doesn't mean you're in love with Perry." Mila insisted.
Amunet sniffed, and Mila walked over to her. "Just wear it, you'll have to sooner or later." She said, slipping the ring on her left hand finger next to her pinky.
Amunet stared at the ring, her violet-grey eyes filling with more tears.
"Look on the bright side." Mila said. "Now the boys won't bug you when we're hanging out at night."
Amunet laughed and nodded, holding back more tears.
"Hey, to get your mind off it, you wanna go watch Jenny Jones? We could get a good laugh out of it."
"Okay." Said Amunet, feeling more happy.
Amunet grabbed the cold ice pack, she and Mila skipped to the living room, and changed the channel on the TV.
"Hey we were watching that." Bakura whined, when they sat down on the couch.
Mila sat beside her dad, and Amunet sat beside Marik, leaning her head against his arm.
"I thought you hated me." He said in surprise.
"Not any more." Amunet replied, taking off her rib belt, placing the ice pack lightly on her bruise, flinching at the cold.
She groaned and looked at the TV. "This is no fun."
"What? Watching Jenny Jones?" Mila asked.
"No, this." Amunet indicated to the ice pack on her bruise. "Stupid uncomfortable rib belt, stupid ice pack. Stupid useless arm. Stupid sore throat, I can't eat or swallow, and it hurts to talk, then there's the antibiotics, can't forget to take that, not to mention it tastes funny."
"Sorry to break the news, but you need to take the stuff for your throat again." Marik said, getting the bottle of antibiotics from the fridge.
Amunet groaned again, and waited for the spoonful of thick liquid. She winced when she swallowed it.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow ow, ow , ow." Amunet said, her throat stinging as the substance crept down her throat.
"Stop complaining." Bakura said.
Amunet glared at him. "You'd be complaining too if you were in my position." She snapped at him.
"Would you two shut up." Mila hushed. "The commercial break's over."
Amunet shot Bakura one last nasty glance, and he stuck his tongue out at her. Amunet did the same to him, and leaned her head against her father's arm again when he sat down after putting the stuff back in the fridge.
The topic on Jenny Jones today was "Out of control teenagers". They watched as 10 year-old girls came out on the show wearing inappropriate clothes that didn't suit them at all.
"And you think I dress inappropriately." Amunet said to Marik, who shrugged and continued to watch a child scream and yell at the audience. Censoring was required often since every other word that came out of her mouth was profanity.
Bakura shook his head in pity.
The show went on, and a preview of what was to come after the commercial break was provided before the commercials started.
"Coming up next, this out of control teen sneaks out of the house late in the night to go to clubs, party with her friends and meet guys. In addition, her mother suspects she is sexually active. And she's only 12 years old" Jenny Jones' voice sounded from the TV while a video clip of the teen she was talking about showed on the screen.
"Hey, look! It's Mila!" Bakura joked.
Mila shoved him in the shoulder feeling insulted. "I'm not that out of control." She screeched.
"That didn't convince us much." Marik said, and Bakura laughed.
"Stop teasing Mila." Amunet said to them. "It's hard to believe you two are adults sometimes, with the way you act."
"Thank you." Mila smiled, glad Amunet had pointed out something not normal about their fathers.
Bakura sat up properly, and Marik put a dignified face on as though they were set on proving their daughters wrong.
The show came back on, and the screaming continued.
"All in favour of me taking Mila on the Jenny Jones show raise your hand." Bakura said.
He and Marik raised their hands.
"Fifty-fifty, no one wins." Said Amunet.
"Yeah well, me and Marik count as 1 and a half each cause we're adults, so we win. I'm calling." Bakura lunged for the phone, and Mila jumped on his back, making it harder for him to dial the number.
"What's the numer?" Bakura called to Marik.
"One eight hundred." He read from the bottom of the TV screen
Bakura punched the numbers in, Marik giving him the rest of the phone number.
"Oh shit he finished dialing!" Mila yelled at Amunet.
They all fell silent.
"You idiot." Mila hissed at Bakura, watching him hold the phone up to his ear.
He stuck his tongue out at her. "Relax, Mila. It's a prank phone call." He told her.
The other end of the line was picked up. "Umm, yes, hello. I'd like to take my daughter onto the show so Raymond Moses can whip her into shape, you see, she's very out of control." Bakura told the lady on the other line.
"And your name is, sir?" The lady asked.
Bakura glanced at Mila, the replied with a mischievous smile. "Jacques Strap. My family is from France."
"Mmm, hmm," The lady said, taking notes. "And your daughter's name is?"
Bakura almost burst out laughing before he said this. "Amanda Hug n' Kiss."
"And how do you spell the last name?"
"H-u-g-i-n-c-i-s-s." Bakura spelled the word out falsely so the prank wouldn't be as obvious.
Amunet and Mila began to giggle silently.
"Alright, so that's Jacques Strap and Amanda Huginciss, now I'm going to need .... HEY! Wait a minute! ... You little teenaged prankster! Kids like you waste my time." The lady finally noticed the joke, bursting at Bakura.
She continued to yell, but Bakura hung the phone up before she could say anymore, laughing his head off.
All four of them burst out into laughter.
"Priceless moment." Mila said, wiping a tear from her eye.
"They can't trace the phone call, can they?" Bakura asked, bent over holding his stomach.
"Nope, I got a special system installed." Marik replied, sinking into the couch, face red from laughing so hard.
"We said you guys were still children." Amunet said, rolling on the ground.
"Well everybody deserves a good laugh every once in a while." Marik said. "Unfortunately, most adults take being an authority figure way too seriously."
Mila and Amunet looked at each other and smiled. "We have the best dad's ever." Mila said.
"You got that right." Said Amunet with a smile, climbing back onto the couch, hugging Marik.
*~*~*~*
Well there you go, I'm finally finished that chapter. It took me 2 whole days, but I was also doing other things on the computer. Dad got mad at me cause I'm spending my whole life on the computer, but then I reminded him about my brother and his video games, then dad finally backed off lol. Anyways, I might be going to Ganaraska Ranch sometime soon so don't expect the 5th chapter out as soon as this one came. Don't 4get 2 R&R please.
Thanx 2 my reviewers:
Adelianna
Malik's Angel
Tomoyo-chan
Robertson1285 (my friend Dylan)
& of course my best friend Chrissy
Chapter 4 - Painful Recovery
Amunet sat in the clearing, crying uncontrollably, while someone approached her from behind.
It was Perry, his nose was still bleeding, but he was hungry for revenge, and he took advantage of Amunet's un awareness of his presence. For a few seconds, Perry just watched her, his anger building, he moved and kicked a rock, cursing silently.
The noise made Amunet jump. "Who's there?" She asked fearfully, scanning as much as she could with her tear-filled amethyst eyes. Suddenly someone jumped out from behind her and grabbed her arm twisting it behind her back.
Amunet screamed, but Perry just covered her mouth with his hand. Her eyes opened wide in fear.
"How does it feel to be the victim?" He hissed in her ear.
"Perry, you jerk! Get off me!" Amunet tried to yell, though it was muffled he could still hear her.
"Why? Does it hurt? Am I hurting you?"
Amunet didn't reply, but remained silent refusing to admit his hold was painful.
"I said, does it hurt?" Perry repeated, twisting her arm further.
Amunet whimpered, satisfying him.
He chuckled, and continued to slowly twist her arm further. "You know, I could break your arm right now if I wanted to."
'Then why don't you?' Amunet thought angrily, digging her nails into it his arm thatwas covering her mouth. Perry soon uncovered her mouth in pain, and she screamed as loud as she could for help. Someone heard that cry.
"You little brat. I swear to God I'll kill you." He cursed, examining the scratch marks on his arm.
"You won't break my arm, and you sure as hell won't kill me, Perry. You don't have the guts. Besides if you do the police will be hearing about it." Amunet said, risking more punishment.
"Is that so?" He replied, still twisting her arm. She cried out in pain, and Perry smiled. "You don't seem so brave now huh? Go ahead and say something insulting or disrespectful, I dare you."
Amunet remained silent.
"That's what I thought. You're just like your father, cowardly, worthless .." The insults on her family continued, and Amunet's anger raised with every word.
Fury burned in her narrowed amethyst eyes, and her Millennium Necklace began to glow faintly. Finally, Amunet wasn't going to allow it anymore.
She bit down as hard as she could on Perry's hand that covered her mouth.
"OWWW!!!!!! BITCH!!!!!" He howled in pain.
In response, Amunet elbowed him in stomach, causing him to let her twisted arm go. Once released, she turned around and raised her hand to slap Perry across the face. But he caught her wrist in mid swing, and twisted her around, placing his forearm across her neck, choking Amunet with all his might.
She struggled for breath, but found none.
Perry lifted her up, her feet dangling inches from the ground, as she choked gasping for air, Amunet was getting desperate now. She kicked him in the shin with her heel, and he chuckled at the weak attempt.
"Do you want me to let you go? You can't breathe?"
Amunet nodded fiercely, holding onto the arm that was choking her with both her hands.
"What's that? Talk, beg for mercy."
"Please let me go." Amunet croaked through gasps, her voice was barely audible.
"I can't hear you."
"Please." Amunet tried to talk louder, but it was very difficult.
"Please what?"
"Please let me go." Amunet was starting to get dizzy, and she was seeing strange lights all over the place. "Please."
"Give me a reason to. What will you give me in return?"
"Anything." She croaked, now ready to black out.
"Anything?"
"Anything." Amunet repeated, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Beg, call me your Master, I want you at my mercy." Perry hissed.
"I already am at your mercy."
"Do it!" He choked her harder, and she coughed.
"Please, let me go, Master." Amunet was reluctant to say it but it was the only way if she wanted to live.
"What's that I can't hear you."
"Please, let me go, Master." She said louder.
"Say you love me."
"No!"
"Say it."
"I ... lo.." She stopped what she was about to say, and Perry punished Amunet by choking her further.
"I .. love you." Amunet said, and Perry dropped her to the ground.
She bent over on her knees, blond hair covering her face, choking and holding her neck, her throat was throbbing and she was in pain.
Perry watched Amunet catch her breath, choking pathetically on the ground. Suddenly, he was jerked back to a certain reality.
Perry had been in love with this girl since he had first seen her at a park with her father. Amunet was 8 years old, and he had been 10. Perry's mother gave him the lifetime assignment of keeping an eye out for Amunet in case they ever needed to hold her hostage. So he had been her stalker since the age of 9, but he had never really got a good look at the girl destined to be the mistress of the Rare Hunters until that day at the park.
*~*~*
The 10 year-old Perry leaned against a tree nearby, watching a girl 2 years younger than himself play with her father in the public park. The eight year-old Amunet giggled as Marik pushed her on a swing. Perry had never known the innocence of being a child, seeing as he was required to grow up fast. By the time he was eight as far as he was concerned, play was a waste of time.
"Higher, daddy, higher!" She cried, though she was already going as high as she could go.
"If you go any higher you'll flip over the pole." Marik laughed.
Perry continued to watch under the tree, Amunet's silky blond hair flowing gently out behind her. All of a sudden, Perry got a sudden feeling in his stomach he had never known. But every time his enemy's daughter smiled or laughed, the feeling grew stronger, and he realized he couldn't keep his eyes off the girl. Perry even stayed after dark though he was forbidden to stay out after darkness fell, he couldn't seem to pull his gaze away from Amunet. It was only when Marik took her home that Perry finally left for his own home, confused at the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.
*~*~*
"You screwed up jerk." Amunet coughed rolling onto her back in exhaustion.
Perry kicked her in the side, making her cry out in pain again, and probably breaking one of her ribs. It hurt him to hear her like that but he wasn't about to show his true affection for her.
"You ever heard the saying 'If you bug them or hurt them you love them'?" Amunet asked angrily.
At this Perry panicked, and he returned to Amunet. "Well, it just so happens I like hurting people. I love the sound of them crying for mercy, kind of like the way you did back there." He said, placing his foot over her stomach. "And last time I checked you were the one who said you loved me."
"I didn't mean it! I just said it so you wouldn't kill me."
"You'd better watch it." Perry indicated to his foot hanging over her stomach, ready to strike.
"You son of a bitch." Amunet breathed. She did not intend to say it out loud but it just came out.
He stamped on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her so she couldn't breathe properly for a minute. She groaned and writhed on the ground, her vision was becoming blurry.
"And if you dare tell your father or anyone what I happened here, your next beating will be even worse than this one." Perry threatened.
After hearing Amunet's cry of agony, that someone who had heard her first cry for help, jumped out of the bushes on to Perry's back.
He struggled to get this boy off him but it was no use. "What do you want?"
"Leave, now. Or I'll tell Marik what you did to Amunet, since you have already forbidden her to tell him herself." The unknown boy hissed at Perry.
He jumped off his back, and Perry took off into the woods, not even looking back to see who it was that had attacked him.
The boy approached the half conscious Amunet lying on the ground moaning in pain. He lifted her head into his lap.
"Mistress, wake up." The boy said.
Amunet stirred but her vision was blurry. "Who's there?" She asked drowsily.
"Riley. You know, I saved you last night." The boy said.
"Oh yeah, Riley. I think I remember you. Hey, wait a sec.. I ought to slap you across the face right now." Amunet said, her vision clearing.
"No time for that now. I need to get you to your father. You need medical attention." Riley replied, lifting her up, putting her arm around his shoulder for support.
Riley dragged/carried Amunet all the way to the edge of the woods. When everyone back at the mansion saw her they gasped in shock, and whispered amongst themselves about who could possibly do this.
Meanwhile, Perry looked around at the whispering people, then to Amunet. 'Why did I do that to her, the only person I've ever loved?' He asked himself.
Marik rushed forward, and took Amunet from Riley, thanking him dearly. He took her to a table and sat her down in a chair.
"What happened?" Marik asked her, Riley, Odeon, Bakura and Mila all crowding around her in concern.
Amunet looked up at Perry, who was staring at her intently from a distance behind Marik, then she looked back down. "Nothing." She replied.
"Nothing?" Marik repeated. "Something happened."
"I can't remember," Amunet lied. "I just want to go home I need rest."
Marik nodded, and helped her up again, almost carrying her to the limo outside of the gates.
He took her to the part of the stretched car that had seats all around in a square and a floor like thing in the centre of these seats. Marik pulled some blankets and a pillow out of the trunk, and set up a small bed for Amunet in the middle of the floor.
Everybody else sat on the car seats surrounding her, as she slept soundlessly, the warm comforting sheets pulled up to her chin, her head sinking in the soft pillow under her head.
When they reached Marik's house, he took the pillow, and Odeon carried Amunet like a baby still wrapped in the warm blankets up the steps into the house.
She stirred when Marik turned on the lights in the hallway, but then fell right back to sleep.
Odeon laid Amunet on her bed, and put the pillows under her head. She took a deep sleepy breath, and then changed position, continuing her soundless sleep, oblivious to the watching eyes of Marik and Odeon.
Marik and Odeon exchanged glances, smiling.
"Just like when she was a baby." Odeon said.
"Yep, she's still my baby." Marik replied, watching his dear daughter sleep.
They left, and Amunet didn't move or make a sound till the next morning.
*
Amunet's eyes opened from her sleep, the sun blinding her. She covered her eyes with her arm, and sat up.
"OWWWW, MOTHER F***ER.." Amunet yelled, clutching the pain in her side, then clutching her neck. Yelling had hurt her sore throat further.
She fell back into the pillows since sitting up hurt her so much.
Seconds later she heard her father's voice from the living room. "Watch your language, Amunet." He called to her.
Amunet groaned, holding her sore throat, wondering what had happened.
Then the events of the previous day came flooding back. 'Let's see, Perry, arrogant jerk almost killed me.' She thought, trying to remember everything. The next memory made her groan and pout. 'Oh, damn it, he's also my would be fiancé. Grrrr, I hate his guts. Stupid abusive son of a bitch.'
"I can see you're awake." Said Odeon from the doorway, making her jump, her broken rib stung again, and she moaned.
"You were asleep last night, so we didn't get a chance to inspect your injuries." He said, moving towards her, Marik came in as well, wanting to know what was wrong with his daughter.
Amunet sat up painfully, and leaned against the bed post behind her.
"Where is the pain coming from?" Odeon asked her.
"Here." Amunet touched her side gingerly. "My throat's really sore, and I think I pulled a muscle in my right arm really badly." She told him, her plan was to pretend like she couldn't remember who had attacked her.
Odeon lifted her pyjama top, and touched a bruise in her side. "Owww, watch it." Amunet flinched.
"Hmmm," Said Odeon thoughtfully, examining the bruise. "Looks like a broken rib. You'd better be careful. A rib belt would probably be best for that"
He took a small flashlight from his robe pocket. "Say 'ahhhhh'." He ordered.
Amunet opened her mouth and said 'ahhhh'. Odeon shined the light to the back of her throat, and examined it.
"Her throat's badly swelled, she'll have to drink a lot of liquids and possibly need to take antibiotics for that."
"Do you know how that could've happened?" Asked Marik, hoping they could piece the attack together with clues.
"Well, either she's got a cold, which I highly doubt. Or ... someone strangled her, hard. All signs point to that theory, not to mention her neck has a red rash" Odeon said, moving to her arm.
Marik's eyes widened at Odeon's words.
"As for her arm," He continued, now examining her sprained arm. "It looks like someone twisted it close to the breaking point. You'll need to keep it in a sling, and don't use often." Odeon added, and Amunet nodded. "Now to see if there's any short or long term memory loss."
He took the flashlight and shined it in Amunet's violet-grey eyes, asking her questions while examining them.
"What's your favourite song?" Odeon asked her. This would be a no-brainer, this song had been her favourite since she had first heard her father listening to it when she was a toddler.
"Girls just wanna have fun, by Cyndi Lauper." Amunet replied with no doubt in her voice.
"Okay, now. What's your full name?"
"Amunet Isis Ishtar." She said.
"Do you know who attacked you last night, or what attacked you?" Odeon continued to question.
Amunet's eyes squinted as though she was trying to remember something. "I can't remember." She lied.
"Alright, it seems to just be a short term memory loss. She should get it back soon." Odeon said, standing up.
"Thank you, Odeon." Said Marik, eyeing Amunet as though he knew she could remember who it was but she wouldn't say.
"Your welcome, Master Marik. I am leaving right now to buy the things Amunet needs for a proper recovery, I'll be about an hour." He replied, leaving the room.
Marik approached Amunet, and sat on the edge if her bed. She looked down so she wouldn't catch his eye. Thankfully, Marik didn't question her about the attack.
"I told you Riley isn't that bad." He said with a smile. "He's saved you twice."
"He's okay, I'll give him that."
"I've been meaning to talk to you about those 'crouching tiger hidden dragon' moves you pulled on Perry." Said Marik putting quotes around crouching tiger hidden dragon.
"What about it?" Amunet asked, remembering her glorious moment.
"It was unacceptable behaviour. And it didn't help the tension between us and our rivals."
"Think I care? I still don't trust them. And Perry deserved it." Amunet said.
"How did he deserve it?" Marik asked.
"The stupid jerk tried to kiss me!" She exclaimed.
"So."
"SO!!!" Amunet repeated. "No one forces a kiss on me!"
"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe he loves you?" Her father inquired.
"I already knew that, he tries to hide it, but no one can hide their feelings from me."
"Then why don't you try to get to know him?"
"Because, I think he's a jerk."
"Your afraid of him." Marik put in suddenly, he could see it in her eyes.
"No I'm not, I just hate him."
"You're lying. I can tell."
"Okay, fine. Maybe I am a little scared of him."
"Why?"
"Because I don't even know him and all of a sudden, bang, I'm engaged to him. Not to mention he's really creepy." Amunet said, shuddering.
"Like I said last night, you have two years. A lot can happen in two years, you might grow to love Perry." Marik said.
"Fat chance." Amunet laughed.
"Suit yourself, but just remember the future is mysterious." Marik shrugged, getting up to leave.
Amunet sat there, and thought. Could she grow to love someone like Perry? The thought disgusted her. He was screwed up enough to kill her, and he almost did. Amunet didn't want to live in fear for her life till the day she died, after all marriage was a lifetime commitment.
Amunet leaned over to her beside table, and turned her cd player on. The soothing sound of music by Elvis Presley washed over her mind, making her eyelids droop.
"Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go..."
The words were like a lullaby that soon drifted Amunet off to sleep.
She had always had a passion for music from the 50's to the 80's, as far as she was concerned rock, pop, and rap was all merely sound effects and some artists were even fakes, their voices computerized, the oldies on the other hand was pure music, real instruments, real voices, real talents instead of just looking good.
*
An hour later, Odeon returned from shopping with antibiotics, a sling, bandages, and a rib belt for Amunet.
"Okay, let's take care of that broken rib first." He said, taking Amunet's shirt off. The bruise had got even worse, and it was swelling, she was breathing heavily, and coughing every once in a while.
Odeon wrapped her chest and rib cage with the bandages, and then wrapped the rib belt around the same area, it was like a strap with Velcro. The rib belt relieved Amunet of her pain, and her laboured breathing loosened up.
Odeon put her sprained arm in the sling, and placed the bottle of antibiotics on her bedside table.
"Now, listen carefully. You can take the rib belt off three to four times a day and ice the area that's bruised for 10-30 minutes, try to breathe as normally as you can or it won't help. As for the antibiotics, your father will give you the amount necessary in the morning and at night. In the meantime, rest, drink lots of liquids and take it easy." He instructed, patting Amunet on the shoulder.
She nodded and smiled. "Are you sure you didn't go to medical school?" Amunet asked.
"I went for a year." Odeon replied with a slight look of embarrassment.
"Well that's good to know. Or I would've been dead by now here with father." Amunet joked.
"I heard that!" Marik exclaimed from the hall.
Odeon and Amunet exchanged looks and then laughed.
"You're a good kid, Amunet. You've been through a lot, but at least you don't let it get to you." He said, ruffling her hair.
"Hey!" She exclaimed. "No touchy."
Odeon laughed, then left, telling Amunet to get some more rest.
She lay back in the pillows, closing her eyes, drifting off to sleep yet again.
Marik woke her up briefly at 10 o'clock to give her the antibiotics before he went to bed. The medicine tasted strangely like candy banana, and wasn't that bad. After that she went right back to sleep.
*
The next morning, she woke up at 11 to find she was strong enough to get out of bed. Amunet carefully moved her feet to the side of the bed, so she wouldn't hurt her rib, and stepped to the door. She swayed a little when she first got to her feet, because she hadn't walked for two days. But she soon regained balance, and walked out her bedroom door.
"Look who's up." Said Bakura, sitting on a couch opposite to Marik who was reading the newspaper.
Marik peered at Amunet from over the top of his newspaper. "Get enough rest?" He asked.
Amunet nodded. "Well, you still can't go on any hunts. Odeon says you shouldn't do too much for 8 weeks." Said Marik, looking back at the article he was reading.
"What're you doing here?" Amunet asked Bakura, confused at his presence.
"Mila. She insisted on staying to make sure you were okay." He replied simply.
At his words Amunet's violet-grey eyes lit up. "Mila's here? Where?"
"Last time I checked, she's practicing her duelling with Odeon in the library." Bakura said, switching the channel on the TV.
Amunet started immediately down the hall from the living room to the library.
"Don't you want any breakfast?" Asked Marik.
"No, I'm fine." She replied continuing to walk down the hall.
"Oh I almost forgot. Wait! You can go after you take your antibiotics." Marik called after her.
"Fine." Amunet growled, turning around back to the living room.
Marik handed her a spoon full of thick pale yellow liquid. She shoved it in her mouth, and swallowed the substance with difficulty since her throat was still very sore. Amunet then took off down the hallway.
"Be careful!" Bakura called after her.
"I will." She called back.
When Amunet reached the library, she wrenched the door open to find Mila and Odeon finishing up their duel on the floor. Odeon looked bored, as he delivered the final attack to wipe out Mila's life points.
"Darn it. Lost again. Just one more time. Pleeeaase. I promise I'll win this time." Mila pleaded, shuffling her deck again.
"That's what you said 15 duels ago." Odeon replied, pocketing his deck. "I've had enough. I never thought I would ever get bored of duel monsters, but boy did you prove me wrong."
"Amunet! You're okay!" Mila exclaimed noticing Amunet at the door. She jumped up and hugged her.
"I thought you were going to die two nights ago!"
"Ouch, watch it, Mila. I'm fine." Amunet said, wincing because Mila was squeezing the life out of her.
"Oh, sorry. So what's the diagnosis?" Mila said.
"Broken rib, sprained arm, very sore throat." Amunet replied.
"Ouch." Mila made a face. "How'd that happen?"
Amunet glanced at Odeon, then back at Mila. "I still can't remember." She lied.
"That's a bummer." Said Mila.
"You wanna go hang out in my room?" Amunet asked.
"Sure."
The girls turned to go out the door.
"Don't forget to take it easy." Odeon told her.
"How can I if everyone keeps telling me to?" Amunet said.
She and Mila went to Amunet's room, and closed the door.
"I have something to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. And I mean no one." Amunet said, sitting cross-legged on her bed across from Mila.
"I promise." Said Mila leaning in closer.
"Cross your heart and hope to die?"
"Yes."
"Stick a needle in your eye?"
"Yup."
"Okay, well you know the night I got attacked?" Amunet asked.
"Oh god, don't tell me you were raped too." Mila said, covering her mouth in horror.
"No, don't be silly."
"Sorry, I watch too much of CSI. Go on."
"Well.." She hesitated. "I lied, when I said I couldn't remember who it was."
"Who was it?" Mila asked.
Amunet took a deep breath. "It . it was Perry."
Mila gasped and covered her mouth with her hand again. "No." She breathed.
"Yes. He wanted to get back at me for embarrassing him in front of all those people." Amunet replied.
"Oh yeah. Isn't he that creepy guy you're engaged to?" Mila said, recognition dawning on her face and in her voice.
"The guy I'm forcefully engaged to." Amunet corrected.
"Right. I just wanted to say those cool moves you pulled on him were impressive, awesome. Just like in the movies." Said Mila.
Amunet smiled. "Thanks, I'm glad someone thinks so."
"What're friends for?"
The girls smiled and laughed.
"Lunch time, girls! We're ordering out, so you two'll have to stay put here while we're getting the food, I want Odeon still alive when we get back."
"What are we having?" Mila called.
"Pizza pizza." Bakura called back.
Amunet and Mila broke out into song. " Nine six seven, eleven, eleven, call pizza pizza!" They chanted in unison.
*
The next morning, Amunet woke up to the sound of someone knocking at her door.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Come in." She said.
Marik opened the door and walked in, followed by Perry who was carrying a bouquet of flowers.
Amunet's stomach lurched, making her feel sick when she saw him.
"Perry's come to see you." Marik told her.
Amunet stared at him, eyes full of fear, her breathing became faster, making her side hurt again.
"I'll leave you alone." Marik said.
Amunet watched him head for the door. 'No, don't leave. Don't leave me alone with him.' Amunet wanted to say, watching the door close.
Her eyes moved back to Perry, he made a move towards her and she flinched, crawling as far away from him as she could on the bed. Amunet's back pressed against the bed post at the head of her bed, as Amunet watched Perry approach her, amethyst eyes wide and terrified, breathing fast, her side still stinging, because she was supposed to breathe at a normal pace.
When he reached her, Perry moved his hand to touch her.
Amunet let out a squeak, covering her head with her arms in a protective ball. She began crying in fear. "Please don't hurt me, please." Amunet pleaded, quivering.
"Don't be afraid." Perry said. "I won't hurt you."
Amunet looked up at him, fear still showing in her eyes. She watched his hand move closer, and flinched when she felt him touch her, but relaxed when she realized he wasn't causing her any harm.
Perry gently moved his arm around Amunet's quivering shoulders, sitting beside her. He handed her the flowers in his hand, and she took them reluctantly, her hand shaking a little. Amunet just sat there and stared at the flowers, tense under Perry's arm, she wanted him to leave. Amunet could feel his eyes on her, and it was making her more uncomfortable.
Suddenly, he kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry." He whispered to her, and got up.
"Sometimes, ... sorry isn't enough." Amunet replied after a while, staring at the pattern on her sheets.
"Well that's all I can say right now. Oh, I almost forgot." Perry rummaged in his pockets and pulled out a gold ring with a beautifully cut small diamond. "You left without your engagement ring." He tossed it on her bed beside her left hand.
Amunet glanced at it through the corner of her eye, then, looked away.
"Aren't you going to put it on?" He asked.
"No." Amunet replied, not knowing she was breaking Perry's heart every moment he was with her. (Not that she cared)
He stared at her for a few seconds. "Fine. Be that way." He said, leaving.
Once he left, Amunet put the flowers on her bedside table, and grabbed the ring. She threw it as hard as she could at the door Perry had closed seconds earlier. Then, she pulled the covers over her head and cried.
*
An hour later, Mila opened her door.
"Amunet, you awake?" She asked tentatively. "Odeon told me to bring you an ice pack to put on your broken rib."
"Just put it on my bed." Amunet replied from under the blankets, still crying.
"What's wrong?" Mila asked.
"Everything." Amunet groaned, emerging from her hiding place under the blankets.
"What exactly?" Mila sat on her bed.
Amunet closed her eyes and suddenly broke down into tears. Mila put a comforting arm around her.
"Amunet, what's going on?"
"I don't want to marry Perry." She cried. "But father won't listen to me. And if I tell him it was Perry who attacked me, I'll probably be killed in my sleep."
"Well you don't have a ring, so you can't be legally engaged right now." Mila said.
Amunet's breathed in sharply through cries as tears flowed down her face, and she pointed to the ground near the door.
Mila rose and picked up the ring. "Whoa! This things gotta be real, lots of karats!" She exclaimed, examining the ring that was Amunet's doom, then, she saw Amunet.
"Oooops, I kinda got side tracked there." Mila laughed nervously.
"You can have it if you want. I don't want it." Amunet buried her face in her pillows.
"I can't take it though. You have to wear it."
"No."
"It doesn't have to mean anything, it's just a ring. Just because you wear it doesn't mean you're in love with Perry." Mila insisted.
Amunet sniffed, and Mila walked over to her. "Just wear it, you'll have to sooner or later." She said, slipping the ring on her left hand finger next to her pinky.
Amunet stared at the ring, her violet-grey eyes filling with more tears.
"Look on the bright side." Mila said. "Now the boys won't bug you when we're hanging out at night."
Amunet laughed and nodded, holding back more tears.
"Hey, to get your mind off it, you wanna go watch Jenny Jones? We could get a good laugh out of it."
"Okay." Said Amunet, feeling more happy.
Amunet grabbed the cold ice pack, she and Mila skipped to the living room, and changed the channel on the TV.
"Hey we were watching that." Bakura whined, when they sat down on the couch.
Mila sat beside her dad, and Amunet sat beside Marik, leaning her head against his arm.
"I thought you hated me." He said in surprise.
"Not any more." Amunet replied, taking off her rib belt, placing the ice pack lightly on her bruise, flinching at the cold.
She groaned and looked at the TV. "This is no fun."
"What? Watching Jenny Jones?" Mila asked.
"No, this." Amunet indicated to the ice pack on her bruise. "Stupid uncomfortable rib belt, stupid ice pack. Stupid useless arm. Stupid sore throat, I can't eat or swallow, and it hurts to talk, then there's the antibiotics, can't forget to take that, not to mention it tastes funny."
"Sorry to break the news, but you need to take the stuff for your throat again." Marik said, getting the bottle of antibiotics from the fridge.
Amunet groaned again, and waited for the spoonful of thick liquid. She winced when she swallowed it.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow ow, ow , ow." Amunet said, her throat stinging as the substance crept down her throat.
"Stop complaining." Bakura said.
Amunet glared at him. "You'd be complaining too if you were in my position." She snapped at him.
"Would you two shut up." Mila hushed. "The commercial break's over."
Amunet shot Bakura one last nasty glance, and he stuck his tongue out at her. Amunet did the same to him, and leaned her head against her father's arm again when he sat down after putting the stuff back in the fridge.
The topic on Jenny Jones today was "Out of control teenagers". They watched as 10 year-old girls came out on the show wearing inappropriate clothes that didn't suit them at all.
"And you think I dress inappropriately." Amunet said to Marik, who shrugged and continued to watch a child scream and yell at the audience. Censoring was required often since every other word that came out of her mouth was profanity.
Bakura shook his head in pity.
The show went on, and a preview of what was to come after the commercial break was provided before the commercials started.
"Coming up next, this out of control teen sneaks out of the house late in the night to go to clubs, party with her friends and meet guys. In addition, her mother suspects she is sexually active. And she's only 12 years old" Jenny Jones' voice sounded from the TV while a video clip of the teen she was talking about showed on the screen.
"Hey, look! It's Mila!" Bakura joked.
Mila shoved him in the shoulder feeling insulted. "I'm not that out of control." She screeched.
"That didn't convince us much." Marik said, and Bakura laughed.
"Stop teasing Mila." Amunet said to them. "It's hard to believe you two are adults sometimes, with the way you act."
"Thank you." Mila smiled, glad Amunet had pointed out something not normal about their fathers.
Bakura sat up properly, and Marik put a dignified face on as though they were set on proving their daughters wrong.
The show came back on, and the screaming continued.
"All in favour of me taking Mila on the Jenny Jones show raise your hand." Bakura said.
He and Marik raised their hands.
"Fifty-fifty, no one wins." Said Amunet.
"Yeah well, me and Marik count as 1 and a half each cause we're adults, so we win. I'm calling." Bakura lunged for the phone, and Mila jumped on his back, making it harder for him to dial the number.
"What's the numer?" Bakura called to Marik.
"One eight hundred." He read from the bottom of the TV screen
Bakura punched the numbers in, Marik giving him the rest of the phone number.
"Oh shit he finished dialing!" Mila yelled at Amunet.
They all fell silent.
"You idiot." Mila hissed at Bakura, watching him hold the phone up to his ear.
He stuck his tongue out at her. "Relax, Mila. It's a prank phone call." He told her.
The other end of the line was picked up. "Umm, yes, hello. I'd like to take my daughter onto the show so Raymond Moses can whip her into shape, you see, she's very out of control." Bakura told the lady on the other line.
"And your name is, sir?" The lady asked.
Bakura glanced at Mila, the replied with a mischievous smile. "Jacques Strap. My family is from France."
"Mmm, hmm," The lady said, taking notes. "And your daughter's name is?"
Bakura almost burst out laughing before he said this. "Amanda Hug n' Kiss."
"And how do you spell the last name?"
"H-u-g-i-n-c-i-s-s." Bakura spelled the word out falsely so the prank wouldn't be as obvious.
Amunet and Mila began to giggle silently.
"Alright, so that's Jacques Strap and Amanda Huginciss, now I'm going to need .... HEY! Wait a minute! ... You little teenaged prankster! Kids like you waste my time." The lady finally noticed the joke, bursting at Bakura.
She continued to yell, but Bakura hung the phone up before she could say anymore, laughing his head off.
All four of them burst out into laughter.
"Priceless moment." Mila said, wiping a tear from her eye.
"They can't trace the phone call, can they?" Bakura asked, bent over holding his stomach.
"Nope, I got a special system installed." Marik replied, sinking into the couch, face red from laughing so hard.
"We said you guys were still children." Amunet said, rolling on the ground.
"Well everybody deserves a good laugh every once in a while." Marik said. "Unfortunately, most adults take being an authority figure way too seriously."
Mila and Amunet looked at each other and smiled. "We have the best dad's ever." Mila said.
"You got that right." Said Amunet with a smile, climbing back onto the couch, hugging Marik.
*~*~*~*
Well there you go, I'm finally finished that chapter. It took me 2 whole days, but I was also doing other things on the computer. Dad got mad at me cause I'm spending my whole life on the computer, but then I reminded him about my brother and his video games, then dad finally backed off lol. Anyways, I might be going to Ganaraska Ranch sometime soon so don't expect the 5th chapter out as soon as this one came. Don't 4get 2 R&R please.
