Chapter 7: All I Want For Christmas
Oh God, please no. Someone tell me that Tyson didn't think what I think he thought.
Hilary froze on the spot, speechless when Tyson shoved something into her hands and took off.
"Tyson! Wait!" she called after him, her hand outstretched towards the boy as he disappeared quickly into the mass of swirling white snow.
How could he just leave like that? Without even letting them explain?
"Tyson…" her voice drifted off softly and her extended hand slowly recoiled, the pain in her eyes very evident to Kai.
Hot tears were beginning to form in her eyes again. This was not supposed to happen. She grasped the small package in her hand tightly and held it up to her chest.
"Tyson…"
As if frozen in time, Hilary continued to stare blankly into the distance, where Tyson had vanished from sight. Again, unsure of what to do, Kai found himself staring at the silent brunette. And what he saw in her eyes…Kai would never forget.
Eyes locked on some place ahead of her, beyond the bridge, Hilary remained motionless but Kai could still read the unmistakable look on her face. Her ruby eyes were welled-up with tears and filled with longing. Her bottom lip was quivering and her entire face was filled with sadness. Her hands were clenched so tightly around the little box that Tyson had given her, that her knuckles were turning white. Just from that expression, could the Russian boy see how big of a mess he had created.
So she does like him then. Kai thought, feeling more hurt and rejected than ever. And he likes her back. I knew I shouldn't have let my feelings for her get the best of me. I just ended up screwing everyone over…both of my friends…and myself. The boy felt a strange, large lump forming in his throat and he began to back away from the bridge slowly. Stupid emotions. They always get in the way.
Kai turned swiftly and strode away from the girl briskly.
That's why emotions are for losers.
Upon hearing the sound of abrupt movement, Hilary jumped and snapped out of her little trance. She whirled around just in time to see Kai dash away from the bridge and disappear into the shadows without a word.
"Kai, wait!" she called after him desperately. "Please, don't leave me too!"
But the only reply that Hilary received was the hissing and howling of the fierce winter winds as they whipped through the dark, silent night.
Then, Hilary involuntarily let out a loud wail and sank to her knees. Leaning her back up against the bridge rail, she hugged her knees tightly to her chest and sobbed into the sleeve of her jacket. But as she tilted her head to the side, something hard touched her cheek and she remembered Tyson's gift.
Having nothing better to do but sulk, Hilary tentatively poked at the lumpy little package, wrapped in dark red and green striped paper and tied with a floppy green bow. She had a hard time finding a place to start ripping off the paper, as it was completely swathed with clear tape. She couldn't help but snicker after she had finally found an opening and tore off the lumpy wrapping.
Underneath the messing wrapping job, was a small velvet casing of midnight blue. She curiously pried the plush box open and gasped at what lay inside. Eyes wide and again beginning to fill with tears, she placed the box in her lap and lifted the thin silver chain into her hands. Dangling elegantly from the chain was a silver snowflake studded with tiny crystals set in an ornate little pattern.
The necklace from the mall!
Yes, it was the exact same piece of jewellery that she had been so mesmerized by the day she had helped Tyson with his last minute Christmas shopping. But when had he had the time to…Oh, that was it. He had probably bought it when they had gotten into another one of their little quarrels and she had ended up stalking off without him.
"Oh, Tyson…!" she bit her lip as her heart panged with guilt. She had been so mean to him…and he had gotten her this. She clasped the necklace in her shaky hands and began to cry.
Why'd he have to be so damn sweet? She thought, when she decided to pick herself up from the pile of snow beneath her. She was really starting to get cold again, not to mention wet from the snow. And why'd I have to be so stupid?
What have I gotten myself into now?
When Hilary had reached the warmth and comfort of her home, she changed into a new and warmer set of pyjamas and cuddled back up in her bed. There, she lay awake for hours trying to figure things out and set the current events straight in her mind.
"So mom and dad are dead. Great, just what I needed and just in time for Christmas. Lisa's probably going coming over to look after me now. Some older sister she is. She's probably only coming to collect half of the will. Stupid Lisa. And Tyson…for running off on me, he's stupid too."
But he gave you that necklace that you've wanted so badly. A little voice reminded her.
"Yeah…" Hilary gave Tyson's gift a second thought. "That was really sweet of him…she scowled. But he's still stupid because he still took off and he ditched me at the party. Oh, and I can't forget Kai. He's a baka, too, for disappearing after Tyson showed up."
But he saved your life… the voice reminded her.
"I know, I know! And I should be grateful—And I am! But that doesn't mean I have to turn into one of those sops who will bow down to him and obey his every command! I have my own life you know!" Hilary argued with herself.
Then do something with it. You can't just lie here and sulk forever. The voice pointed out.
"Who says I can't?"
I do.
"Who are you anyway?"
You.
"What? What does that mean? You can't be me—I'm me!"
We're both you.
" But…there's only one me! I can't…what?!?!?!"
Hilary shook her head. "Okay, no more banging heads against walls." She ordered herself. "Girl, you are starting to go crazy. I am Hilary Hirata and I will not talk to myself because that is stupid."
You are stupid.
"What?! No I'm not! Go away!"
Yes you are.
"Well, if I'm stupid, then you are too because we're the same person!" Hilary huffed with a smirk. Somewhere inside her head, Hilary could have sworn the little voice had instantly shut up.
You love Kai. The little voice quipped after a long period of silence.
"No I don't."
Yes you do.
"No I don't."
Then you like Tyson.
"No I don't."
But you don't like Kai, so you must like Tyson.
"No…"
Well, you like one of them, don't you?
"Well…I like them both."
But you can't. It wouldn't be fair to the other. You have to choose. The voice stated, like it was the simplest thing in the world. And oh how Hilary hated that.
"I have to choose…" she whined to herself miserably. "But I don't want either of them to hate me and I want to love them both!" Hilary immediately stopped talking and re-thought her previous comment. "Arrrrggg! How can I sound so damn selfish?" she flipped over on her bed and let the softness of her pillow surround her face.
"I hate this."
She lay there slumped in her bed for several minutes, still letting the whole event process.
Was it really all that hard for God to give me a non-messed up life? Sure, I'm thankful and all, but at times like these you can't help but wonder…
But really, that's all I want and that's all I've ever wanted. A Christmas where my whole family is actually able to get together—even my older sister who moved away and has never come back home since. Does that sound like a lot? Because I don't think it does. I mean, lots of families always have Christmas dinner together at least. But I've never had one because either one of my parents has been away or someone was sick or some other stupid excuse. That's all I've ever wanted; a simple holiday meal with my parents and my sister together. A perfect Christmas.
But now that's never going to happen.
"So she likes Kai, then." Tyson shoved past his party guests and made his way across the room. Ignoring the odd stares that he was receiving, the navy-haired boy headed straight to his room with his head bowed sulkily and slammed the sliding door shut. He flopped onto his bed and let his saturated boots and jacket slump to the floor. "Hn, figures."
The moody boy lay staring up at the ceiling, completely oblivious to the small fight that had erupted beyond his bedroom walls. He had entirely shut out the argument, crashing of bottles, and the frantic voices of Max and Ray as they tried to settle the dispute and usher the guests out of the dojo. Tyson had his mind on other things…
"Hmph. What does Kai have that I don't?" Tyson muttered to himself, his arms casually behind his head. "Okay, maybe he has a few more fan girls than me." Tyson paused. "Okay, maybe Kai has a few hundred more fan girls than me." He shot a quick glance at himself in the mirror and forced a small smile, despite how he was feeling. "Okay, so maybe the almighty Hiwatari has a lot more fan girls than me, but so what? I have great looks, an amazing personality, and I'm the Beyblade World Champion…what more could a girl want?"
The boy sighed in exasperation and closed his eyes. "Who am I kidding?" He glanced briefly over at the wardrobe mirror that was positioned across his bed. "Everyone loves the almighty Kai! They think he's so great…" Tyson sighed. "And maybe…just maybe he is." Tyson let his head crash into the soft comfort of his pillow. "Face it Tyson." He told himself. "Everyone likes Kai better than me. I mean, who would like a guy like me, right?"
Tyson turned his head and looked out into the clear, starry night sky. It was beautiful. And looking at it made him think of her. It hurt him to think about her and how he'd never get her. How he never got what he wanted. Ever since the day he was born, it was like his life had been cursed. If he got something he wanted, there would always be a catch. Like, when he was born, his mother had died giving birth to him. He had never even met her. And when he had gotten to live with his Grandpa at the dojo…he couldn't live with his father who was always out on another expedition.
His curse had proved right once again. It was either that Tyson did what was right and supported Hilary with her decision or to do the wrong thing and…not do the right thing, even if it was what he wanted.
But shouldn't he get something that he wanted for a change?
"That's all I want." He whispered to no one in particular, gazing dazedly out his window into the night sky. "Something to go right for a change…even if," he paused momentarily, "Even if it's not for me. I just want my friends to be happy."
And as if in reply, a single star, one of the tiniest in the night sky, pulsed brilliantly and twinkled unlike it had ever before.
~*~
Silver Swiftness: Hey guys! Sorry for the short-ish chapter. I had a bit of a hard time thinking for what to put in this chapter. I'm also trying to come up with some other story/poem/play ideas for some writing contest that's coming up…some Young Author's Award thingie. By the way, I think I aced my first semester exams! Yayness! ^-^ Well…that is, not counting my stupid maths exam. _ But at least I didn't fail it.
Another thing, if you're wondering, there probably won't be much more than two or three chapters left in this story. I'm trying my best not to drag it out, as Christmas finished like two months ago and I'm trying to figure out some ideas for some new fics (including a joint fic…if it gets sorted out).
So, please leave a review (and thanks for last chapter's reviews ^-^) and I'll update as soon as possible with the next chapter of Perfect Christmas! L8er Dayz!