Thanks for the nice reviews. And I forgot to give a big thanks to Wandering
Blue Andalite and Smile 7499 for there extreme help in aiding me in
deciding with plot-path to travel down. This is kind of a depressing
chapter, so enjoy!
Also, sorry about the lack of html in this. My dad tried to 'update' my computer, and succeeded in screwing it up. The only program I have that will let me save html isn't working. Sorry! Just pretend all thoughts are in italics, okay? Thanks!
~*~ Nita spent Friday at Kit's house. She hadn't gotten to see him as much lately, just in Algebra, before school, and sometimes briefly after school. Despite having a wonderful time with Louis, she was missing her best friend. They laughed away the morning and afternoon, catching up on the small details they'd missed of each other's lives and poking fun of each other with the ease of close friends. When the clock stated that it was nearly three, Nita begrudging decided that it was time to go home; Louis was picking her up at 3:30 so that they be at George's by 4:00.
Nita surprised Kit but hugging him fiercely before leaving. He patted her awkwardly on the back as she said, "I've missed you, Kit. Louis is great, but he can't compare to our friendship."
"Speaking of Louis, why haven't I met him yet? You two have been going out for over a month." Kit commented, after Nita let go.
"Well, do you remember the last time I introduced you to someone I liked?" Nita asked, thinking of Ronan. "You two ganged up on me. And anyway, I think Louis is jealous that-"
Nita was cut off by the ringing of a telephone.
"Rodridguez residence," Kit grabbed the phone. "Hey, Carl. It's me. Yeah, she's here, too."
Carl? thought Nita. A call from their Senior asking for Kit and Nita couldn't be a good thing, and judging by the look on Kit's face, it wasn't.
"Uh huh. Yeah, we'll be right over." Kit hung up the phone and turned to Nita. "We have a problem."
***
"A Senkle is free in Central Park," Kit informed her solemnly. Nita's eyes grew wide. A Senkle, a powerful and very dangerous creature of the Lone Power was not good news. "Carl and Tom want us to help them take care of it, and want us over there now."
"Crap! What am I going to tell Louis? He's going to be at my house in less than thirty minutes, and we're supposed to be gone for the weekend."
"Call him and tell him you're sick," Kit handed her the phone. "This is more important."
"I know," said Nita with a sigh, taking the phone. "He's gonna be ticked though."
"I'm gonna go leave a note for Mama and Pop. I'm sure Dairine will be going too, but I'll tell her to tell your parents that you'll be gone too."
"Don't forget to have them tell Louis I'm sick and sleeping if he calls for me." Nita said as she dialed the phone. Kit nodded and headed to the kitchen to leave the note.
"Hello?" Louis answered the phone.
"Louis, it's Nita," she croaked, hoping to sound sick.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I'm sick. I can't come tonight." Her voiced cracked at the lie, and she hoped it sounded as if she wasn't feeling well.
"What? After I wormed my way into the last two spots?"
"Louis, I... I just threw up." She winced at how easy the lie came, " I don't think I'm in any condition to camp outside, much less rock climb. You go ahead."
"But..." Louis trailed off, knowing that he should encourage her if she was sick.
Nita faked a groan, and said, "I gotta go. Have fun. Call me when you get back. Bye."
"Bye," Louis said softly, as Nita hung up.
Kit came back in, "Dairine's gonna be there, too, but she told you parents, and-" He stopped midsentence, seeing the tear trailing down Nita's face. "What's wrong, Neets?"
"I- I hate all this lying. I hate lying to him like this!" Nita flicked the tear away, but it was replaced by another.
Kit slid his arm around her. "I know. But you can't tell him the truth. At least not yet. One day, but not yet."
"If we make it that far. Do you have any idea what it's like to have a relationship based on lies?"
"No," said Kit, not entirely in touch with his sensitive side, but trying none the less, "But it can't be easy. I hate to rush this, but we really have to go."
Nita wiped her eyes with a Kleenex Kit produced from a box on the table. She nodded, and several moments later, they were standing next to their Seniors.
***
Louis was extremely disappointed, but he attempted to be understanding. He was sure Nita was even more disappointed than he was; at least he still got to go on the trip.
He felt bad for getting upset with her on the phone. He tried to think of a way to make it up to her, and was hit with a great idea.
He still had twenty minutes before he needed to leave for George's. There was a batch of wildflowers by the fence at the end of the next road over. He remembered Nita saying how much she would appreciate hand picked flowers. He wrote a quick note to include with the flowers, gathered his things, and left his house.
Ten minutes later, he stood on Nita's doorstep, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Nita's mother opened the door when he knocked.
"Hello, Mrs. Callahan." Louis said.
"Nita's... asleep, dear," she informed him, thinking of Dairine had told her of what Kit had said, "She isn't feeling very well."
"Could you give her these?" Louis asked, and seeing her gaze on his handful of wildflowers, added, "She'll understand."
"Okay, then. Thank you. Have fun on your weekend," she accepted the flowers.
"Tell Nita I hope she gets better quickly." Louis turned to walk away, as Nita's mother said,
"I will."
***
At approximately 4:00 AM, Nita stumbled into her room, throughly exhausted. She'd informed her parents, who had been worriedly drifting in and out of sleep in the the living room for several hours, that she and Dairine were okay and that the Senkle had been neutralized. She barely had the energy to kick off her shoes, but didn't bother changing her clothes. She collapsed on the bed, and through her sleep-needing fog, took several minutes to realize she was laying on something.
She groaned and rolled off whatever it was. She turned over, and picked up a bouquet of wildflowers, their stems wrapped in a wet paper towel and a note stuck between the petals.
She pulled the note out and switched on her little bedside lamp.
"Nita-" it read, "I'm sorry I was snappy on the phone. And I'm sorry you are sick. I'll spend all my climbing time wishing you were here. These aren't dandelions, but I did pick them myself. I hope you like them. Feel better soon! -Louis"
Nita eyes weld up again. She switched off the lamp, her eyes leaking tears caused by her own necessary dishonesty. However, not even a sweet action she didn't deserve could hold back her fatigue for more than a few minutes.
***
Four hours after Nita had fallen into a heavy sleep, Louis entered his kitchen, hoping to grab a quick breakfast and avoid his mother and step- father.
No such luck. No sooner did he open the cabinet, did he hear William's voice.
"Louis," he said, entering the kitchen, "Do you have any idea who Pedro Rodriguez is, or why he would be calling here?"
"Why should I know?" Louis said unpleasantly. However, something niggled at the back of his mind.
"Well, someone showed up on the caller ID yesterday at 3:59 PM with the name of Pedro Rodriguez, and since you were supposed to be home then, I figured you'd answered the phone."
"The only person that called yesterday was..." Louis trailed off, the dots connecting themselves in his mind. Kit's last name was Rodrigeuz. Nita had called yesterday around 4:00 PM. Nita had called from Kit house. She wasn't sick. She was with him.
Louis ignored William, who was getting impatient, his anger growing, a single thought running through his mind: She lied to me. She lied to me...
~*~
I'd appreciate five reviews before I update again!
Hey, Momo Claus-- is there an echo in here?
Also, sorry about the lack of html in this. My dad tried to 'update' my computer, and succeeded in screwing it up. The only program I have that will let me save html isn't working. Sorry! Just pretend all thoughts are in italics, okay? Thanks!
~*~ Nita spent Friday at Kit's house. She hadn't gotten to see him as much lately, just in Algebra, before school, and sometimes briefly after school. Despite having a wonderful time with Louis, she was missing her best friend. They laughed away the morning and afternoon, catching up on the small details they'd missed of each other's lives and poking fun of each other with the ease of close friends. When the clock stated that it was nearly three, Nita begrudging decided that it was time to go home; Louis was picking her up at 3:30 so that they be at George's by 4:00.
Nita surprised Kit but hugging him fiercely before leaving. He patted her awkwardly on the back as she said, "I've missed you, Kit. Louis is great, but he can't compare to our friendship."
"Speaking of Louis, why haven't I met him yet? You two have been going out for over a month." Kit commented, after Nita let go.
"Well, do you remember the last time I introduced you to someone I liked?" Nita asked, thinking of Ronan. "You two ganged up on me. And anyway, I think Louis is jealous that-"
Nita was cut off by the ringing of a telephone.
"Rodridguez residence," Kit grabbed the phone. "Hey, Carl. It's me. Yeah, she's here, too."
Carl? thought Nita. A call from their Senior asking for Kit and Nita couldn't be a good thing, and judging by the look on Kit's face, it wasn't.
"Uh huh. Yeah, we'll be right over." Kit hung up the phone and turned to Nita. "We have a problem."
***
"A Senkle is free in Central Park," Kit informed her solemnly. Nita's eyes grew wide. A Senkle, a powerful and very dangerous creature of the Lone Power was not good news. "Carl and Tom want us to help them take care of it, and want us over there now."
"Crap! What am I going to tell Louis? He's going to be at my house in less than thirty minutes, and we're supposed to be gone for the weekend."
"Call him and tell him you're sick," Kit handed her the phone. "This is more important."
"I know," said Nita with a sigh, taking the phone. "He's gonna be ticked though."
"I'm gonna go leave a note for Mama and Pop. I'm sure Dairine will be going too, but I'll tell her to tell your parents that you'll be gone too."
"Don't forget to have them tell Louis I'm sick and sleeping if he calls for me." Nita said as she dialed the phone. Kit nodded and headed to the kitchen to leave the note.
"Hello?" Louis answered the phone.
"Louis, it's Nita," she croaked, hoping to sound sick.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I'm sick. I can't come tonight." Her voiced cracked at the lie, and she hoped it sounded as if she wasn't feeling well.
"What? After I wormed my way into the last two spots?"
"Louis, I... I just threw up." She winced at how easy the lie came, " I don't think I'm in any condition to camp outside, much less rock climb. You go ahead."
"But..." Louis trailed off, knowing that he should encourage her if she was sick.
Nita faked a groan, and said, "I gotta go. Have fun. Call me when you get back. Bye."
"Bye," Louis said softly, as Nita hung up.
Kit came back in, "Dairine's gonna be there, too, but she told you parents, and-" He stopped midsentence, seeing the tear trailing down Nita's face. "What's wrong, Neets?"
"I- I hate all this lying. I hate lying to him like this!" Nita flicked the tear away, but it was replaced by another.
Kit slid his arm around her. "I know. But you can't tell him the truth. At least not yet. One day, but not yet."
"If we make it that far. Do you have any idea what it's like to have a relationship based on lies?"
"No," said Kit, not entirely in touch with his sensitive side, but trying none the less, "But it can't be easy. I hate to rush this, but we really have to go."
Nita wiped her eyes with a Kleenex Kit produced from a box on the table. She nodded, and several moments later, they were standing next to their Seniors.
***
Louis was extremely disappointed, but he attempted to be understanding. He was sure Nita was even more disappointed than he was; at least he still got to go on the trip.
He felt bad for getting upset with her on the phone. He tried to think of a way to make it up to her, and was hit with a great idea.
He still had twenty minutes before he needed to leave for George's. There was a batch of wildflowers by the fence at the end of the next road over. He remembered Nita saying how much she would appreciate hand picked flowers. He wrote a quick note to include with the flowers, gathered his things, and left his house.
Ten minutes later, he stood on Nita's doorstep, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Nita's mother opened the door when he knocked.
"Hello, Mrs. Callahan." Louis said.
"Nita's... asleep, dear," she informed him, thinking of Dairine had told her of what Kit had said, "She isn't feeling very well."
"Could you give her these?" Louis asked, and seeing her gaze on his handful of wildflowers, added, "She'll understand."
"Okay, then. Thank you. Have fun on your weekend," she accepted the flowers.
"Tell Nita I hope she gets better quickly." Louis turned to walk away, as Nita's mother said,
"I will."
***
At approximately 4:00 AM, Nita stumbled into her room, throughly exhausted. She'd informed her parents, who had been worriedly drifting in and out of sleep in the the living room for several hours, that she and Dairine were okay and that the Senkle had been neutralized. She barely had the energy to kick off her shoes, but didn't bother changing her clothes. She collapsed on the bed, and through her sleep-needing fog, took several minutes to realize she was laying on something.
She groaned and rolled off whatever it was. She turned over, and picked up a bouquet of wildflowers, their stems wrapped in a wet paper towel and a note stuck between the petals.
She pulled the note out and switched on her little bedside lamp.
"Nita-" it read, "I'm sorry I was snappy on the phone. And I'm sorry you are sick. I'll spend all my climbing time wishing you were here. These aren't dandelions, but I did pick them myself. I hope you like them. Feel better soon! -Louis"
Nita eyes weld up again. She switched off the lamp, her eyes leaking tears caused by her own necessary dishonesty. However, not even a sweet action she didn't deserve could hold back her fatigue for more than a few minutes.
***
Four hours after Nita had fallen into a heavy sleep, Louis entered his kitchen, hoping to grab a quick breakfast and avoid his mother and step- father.
No such luck. No sooner did he open the cabinet, did he hear William's voice.
"Louis," he said, entering the kitchen, "Do you have any idea who Pedro Rodriguez is, or why he would be calling here?"
"Why should I know?" Louis said unpleasantly. However, something niggled at the back of his mind.
"Well, someone showed up on the caller ID yesterday at 3:59 PM with the name of Pedro Rodriguez, and since you were supposed to be home then, I figured you'd answered the phone."
"The only person that called yesterday was..." Louis trailed off, the dots connecting themselves in his mind. Kit's last name was Rodrigeuz. Nita had called yesterday around 4:00 PM. Nita had called from Kit house. She wasn't sick. She was with him.
Louis ignored William, who was getting impatient, his anger growing, a single thought running through his mind: She lied to me. She lied to me...
~*~
I'd appreciate five reviews before I update again!
Hey, Momo Claus-- is there an echo in here?