When Innocence is Given
By: Rabid Turtle
Author: Sorry for the delay. I wasn't able to login because I was stuck with my family for a week for Thanksgiving. It was an…interesting experience…
I'm rating this chapter R for language. Kenshin's POV. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: (sigh) How many times do we have to go through this? I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
Chapter 5: Scream" Kenshin, if I catch you looking at yourself in a reflective surface one more time, I'm seriously going to behead you."
I sighed and looked at Kamitari. I couldn't help it. Ever since that embarrassing conversation in Spanish class yesterday I had been trying to figure out why Kaoru had looked so frightened…and guilty. Did I look scary or something? Admittedly, my cross-shaped scar did make me look somewhat wild but no one had ever been intimidated by me before. Most people were surprised when they found out that I was a guy. And older than fourteen. So it couldn't have been my appearance. Maybe I seemed too pushy in wanting to talk to her. I shrugged. I guess this would be the last time I would ever try to be nice to a complete stranger.
I sighed again and shook my head. It's just that I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had never felt so humiliated in my life. The entire class had stared at me for a whole minute and then erupted with laughter and questions on what Kaoru and I had been talking about.
" Sorry Kamitari. I'm a bit preoccupied today."
Kamitari looked at me. " No, you don't say. You should stop thinking about it. Your gonna give yourself an ulcer. What happened, happened. Nothing you can do about it. Anyway, what do you think? I'm not too sure about this top. It makes my neck look like its five feet long…" He was standing outside his bathroom doorway, nervously plucking his shirt.
I groaned. Kamitari had dragged me to his house so I could help him find an "outfit" to wear to Sano's party. In reality though, I wasn't being much of a help in choosing his attire. Mostly, I was half-heartedly flipping through his CD collection while repeatedly glancing at my reflection in search of clues for intimidating features. Still couldn't find any.
"Looks great Kamitari. Although, I still don't see why this is such a big deal. As long as your clothed, I don't think any one is going to care about what you are wearing. I vote going in a kimono. At least then you would have a great conversation starter right?" I chuckled. I really could see him doing that.
"Hmph. You are just so clueless when it comes to fashion. Let me guess, your outfit will consist of the cleanest items on the floor in your room right?"
Nodding innocently I added, "And a jacket. It's getting cold."
I barely managed to duck from the pillow aimed at my head.
"You have no taste."
" At least I'm not the one going in a kimono."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The party was already wild when we got there. The music was on so loud that in some rooms the walls were shaking.
"Ooo goody … Kanryuu is here!" Kamitari started to wave at a shady looking guy sitting off to the side with equally shady looking people surrounding him.
" Hey, I'm going to see if I can find Sano in this madhouse. See you." I walked off before Kamitari dragged me to Kanryuu. I couldn't stand that kid. Not only was he a smart-ass but he also dealt with drugs. To me, drugs only created more problems in people's lives. I avoided them even more than I did drinking. I didn't see why Kamitari liked to hang out with that creep.
It took a while but I finally found Sano. He was already slightly drunk.
"KENSHIN!!! You made it! Good to see you man! Is this fun or what? There are sooo many hot girls in here! I think the entire school showed up!" Sanosuke was grinning down at me like there was no tomorrow.
His grin was contagious. " The party certainly is …loud."
He laughed. " Here Kenshin, have a drink. Loosen you up." He shoved a beer can in my hands and walked unsteadily away, smiling and laughing with one group of people and then moving on to the next. Sano had always been the life of the party, even when we were little kids. People were drawn to him, partly because of his bad-ass attitude, mostly because he actually cared how you were coping with the shit life gave you. Sano was the type of guy who would go out of his way to get you through tough times.
While looking for a place to dispose of the unwanted drink Sano had given to me, I searched the room for familiar faces that were, preferably, not drunk. There was Kamitari sitting around with Kanryuu and his goons, laughing. I frowned and made a mental note to talk to him about Kanryuu.
I paused. Or maybe I shouldn't. It was his life after all and I didn't want him to think that I felt he didn't know how to stay out of trouble. I knew Kamitari could take care of himself.
WHAM!!!
While I had been contemplating, I had accidentally run into someone. Embarrassed, I looked at the girl who was staring in horror at me.
I froze. There, standing right in front of me, was Kaoru. And boy, was I pissed.
Clenching my teeth angrily, I haltingly said, " I can understand you not wanting to come with me to the party. I can even understand you not wanting to talk to me. But did you really have to run from me like I was some crazy pervert? Did you really think that it was necessary to embarrass me further by rushing out of class so that everyone kept on hassling me about what the hell did I do to you?"
Yes, I know I was venting and being an asshole about it, but what did you expect? Me to automatically forgive her for humiliating me in front of everyone?
She had been looking down at the floor throughout my rant. Now that I was done, she cautiously raised her eyes to my face. " I'm sorry Kenshin. I told you that. Not that you would understand, but I thought it was the best thing for me to do at the time."
While I stared at her a girl behind me squealed, "Kaoru! Come here! I want you to meet someone! She is really really nice!"
Kaoru looked behind me at a girl who I knew was Misao Makimachi. She then peered into my face with those cerulean colored eyes, which were filled with that same emotion I could never place.
" I hope you can someday forgive me Kenshin. I wish I could start over and try again. I think I would have liked you. " With that she gracefully walked toward Misao.
At the very least, her words had…unsettled me. I unconsciously took a sip of the can that was still in my hand. It wasn't until after the beer went down my throat that I realized how much I had missed it. I took another sip. Yes…I remembered and felt my craving grow. I shrugged. So unsettling. For tonight, at least, I would allow myself to forget everything. I downed the last drops in the can and went in search of some more.
- - - - - - - - -
I couldn't tell you how much I drank that night even if I wanted to. I only know that when Kamitari finally found me, I was extremely drunk.
"Oh my god Kenshin! What the hell happened to you? You have been drinking!?! Shit! Your eyes have turned that god damned yellow color again! You haven't been this bad since…" Kamitari fearfully stopped talking to me as he saw my face.
I growled at him " Go ahead and fucking say it. Come on. Say it. Or do I have to say it for you? Fine. You haven't seen me like this since I tried to cut my fucking face off."
"Kenshin…"
I snarled, "I was trying to finish what my mother started until you fucking got in the way and called the police" Somehow I was on my feet pushing Kamitari around. The music was so loud. It was pounding in my head, keeping time with my wildly dancing heart. I wanted to beat something to get rid of the endlessly throbbing noise. "Turn it off", I wanted to scream, "Turn it all fucking off!", but I couldn't cause someone was screaming and it wasn't Kamitari.
Whirling around, I saw…Kaoru. She was being groped and pulled on by one of Enishi's friends, Jin'eh. She was screaming and he was laughing. People weren't paying attention cause the music was pulsing so fast now and everyone was jumping, thrashing, howling. But she was screaming and he was laughing.
Before I knew it I was charging at Jin'eh. My blood was coursing through my body and I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I heard Kamitari shout my name but I kept going. Nothing mattered except Kaoru's frantic shrieking. All I could see was her face, pale with panic, squirming, struggling, crying. All I could see was Jin'eh extinguishing something that should have been protected.
Kaoru's fear filled me with hate.
She was screaming and he was laughing. Charged with the pulsing throb of the music, I flew at him, teeth bared, ready to annihilate.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Author: Well this became a party from hell...but tell me what you think about it by reviewing!!
To Reviewers:
WhiteRabbit5: Your review was very inspirational for me. It made me finish this chapter faster than I thought possible. I laughed so hard when I read the "KENSHIN AND KAORU FOREVER AND EVER" line. I know a lot of people who are like that and it can get annoying sometimes…Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you ever so much and I hope you continue to amuse me with your thoughts. ;D
Jbella: I hope when you say original it implies "good". It took me forever and a day to write that 'oro' scene and I still don't know if I like it….but thank you for your review. It made me feel great and grand.
Aoshi-Sama's weaselgirl: The server nearly drove me insane! I tried to update before I had to go visit my relatives but it wouldn't let me!! However, thank you for your comment.