13 Shades of Grey
Chapter 12: Just Pretend
Arista rolled the gum around in her mouth, watching the sky outside, remembering how she'd gotten gum all over herself the other day. She resisted the urge to blow any bubbles. Outside, it was a cool, windy day. Leaves were rapidly falling off the trees to be lost in a sea of colour. She looked to the clock on the wall and checked the time. Twenty minutes until lunch. Sighing she looked around the class, studying the faces of her classmates.
Some of them were actually copying notes from the board, while some were talking and others were playing tic-tac-toe. Amber was sitting beside the Russian female, reading another one of the 'In Death' books. Arista decided to read more of the manga 'Angel Sanctuary', so she took it out of her bag and opened it to the spot she'd last stopped at.
She really hated science with a passion. Her teacher never explained anything and always gave them surprise quizzes without warning. She had really killed any chance that Arista might actually pay attention and listen to what she said.
Amber snickered at something she was reading; Arista turned to her ochre-eyed companion and raised a silver brow.
"What's so funny?" She whispered.
"Read it." Amber suggested.
Arista peered down at the text in the book and began to read. The bell rang making her jump; she lost her balance and fell out of the chair. The silver haired female landed on the floor with a soft thud, earning her laughs from her classmates and Amber.
"Har har." She grumbled and got up, dusting off her jeans.
"It was funny."
"Yeah, but it hurt." Arista reminded the teen walking alongside her.
"Hmmn."
Ambers thoughts were elsewhere as she slipped on her headphones and listened to the voice of Billie Joe. She could see everyone around her but she didn't really know why they were there or what she was doing. Her mind was focused on one person. Kai. Did she like him? She didn't want to but she did think he was good looking.
This was so confusing. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she felt so lost. Damn him for being who he was. It wasn't fair. She should have stuck up for him when Bryan knocked him down. She should have said something but she hadn't.
I should go and apologize, she thought.
"Amber!" Arista pulled Amber away just in time before the Irish teen hit the door. "Are you okay?"
"What?" Amber was so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't even realised where she'd been going.
"You were walking straight into the door, are you okay?"
Amber nodded. "I think so."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I gotta go do something."
"Want me to come with you?" Arista asked.
"No." Amber deadpanned. "I gotta apologize to Kai."
"Okay, well, I'm in the caf if you need me. See ya later."
"'Later." Amber waved and watched Arista disappear behind the doors of the cafeteria. She walked past and opened the door leading to the staircase.
She climbed slowly up until she reached the fourth floor. Amber kept walking past the dorms until she reached room number 483. She took a deep breath and let it out.
She knocked but heard no answer, so she knocked again. Still no answer. Might as well get it over with, she suggested to herself.
Her hand encircled the doorknob, she slowly twisted it, then opened the door a crack to look in. Opening the door enough to let herself in, she looked around for Kai. But immediately wished she hadn't. On Tala's bed were two figures. Tala and Ruin. And they were making out.
Amber turned her eyes away and stepped out of the dorm, closing the door behind her without making a noise. She took a few cleansing breaths and steadied her shaking hand.
"Dammit." She breathed.
Every time she came into Kai's dorm she saw something she didn't want to see. Last time it had been a naked Ian and that was enough to get her sick to her stomach. If Enrique had seen that it would enough to get him off the playboy subscription.
Amber shook her head and then sunk to the floor. Wait a second. The picture that Miyami had drawn, and Playboy magazine. Amber smirked and inwardly cackled at her stroke of genius. This was the perfect revenge for the big nosed Russian. Amber got up and slung her bag on her shoulder, walking away from the dorms. She had to find Miya so she could tell her the plan.
Amber broke out into a full-fledged run; her full lips set in a grin. Her amber eyes were shining with the idea of getting back at Ian. She opened the door to the stairs and bumped straight into Kai. The impact had her staggering back into the wall. Kai, who was bigger than her, moved back a step to regain his balance and clear his vision.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking whereKai?"
Kai looked up as he heard his name. Mahogany eyes met with amber and held them in for a second before he lowered them again. Great, like he needed another reason to be unhappy. Amber was killing him from the inside out. Why did she have to complicate things so much? He had succeeded in avoiding her so far but fate liked to be cruel to him.
"What?" Kai's voice was ethereally distant.
Amber's ochre eyes widened as she registered his image in her mind. His crimson eyes so dull and empty decorated by his lashes. His soft lips, the bangs that framed his face, shadowing out some of his features. Amber frowned when he didn't respond to her, she waved her hand in front of his face, but got no reaction. A sharp pain in her chest caught her off guard and she flinched, a small flicker of movement. Kai blinked, dazed, and then took in his surroundings. He ran his gaze over Amber and blinked again.
"What?" He repeated, blinking several more times.
"I said I was sorry for bumping into you." Amber's eyebrows narrowed slightly, as she ran her gaze over his untucked shirt, the sleeves rolled up. His tie was unfastened, and hanging loosely around his neck, his slacks were untied, and his pants were wrinkled, festooned with creases.
Kai grunted and made to walk past her, but she reached out and held onto his wrist. He stopped walking and stood stiffly.
"Let go."
"What's wrong Kai?"
He sighed. "Nothing, let go of me."
"Not until you tell me why you're being like this." When she got no reaction she continued on. "I know something's up with you. What is it?"
Kai growled, causing Amber to hold on tighter, her small hand encircled around his wrist feeling the rapidly increasing pulse beat faster. She frowned and held on, even though he tried to shrug it off.
Kai could feel his temper rising. She couldn't just leave him alone could she? He was sick of always trying to get her to notice him for him, instead of as her enemy. She just didn't understand and nothing he said or did ever improved his relationship with her.
Amber's pulse hitched as her hand turned warmer by the second. Her own pulse spiked, and she hoped that Kai didn't hear the noisy thudding of her heart. She had never reacted to him like this before, so what was going on? She was so confused, and lost.
"You don't get it, do you?" His voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "You just don't understand."
"Get what?" She retorted. Confusing Amber never got her in your good books. Puzzled, she loosened her grip due to the warm sensation that was spreading through her arm.
Kai flinched as he felt her recoil, almost laughed. Here he was, yet again, trying to get Amber to understand just what she meant to him, and she was just going to run away from him, again. He was just pretending that she liked him too, just pretending that she wouldn't hurt him. He had to get away from her. Get her out of his head. Somehow.
With a surge of annoyance, he pulled his wrist from her grasp and walked ahead briskly, leaving her behind. After all, it just wasn't worth it if she would just break his heart.
"It's not worth it." But even as he said it aloud, he knew that it wasn't true.
"What's not worth it?" Amber asked. When he didn't respond, she growled and sighed.
Men, she sighed, you couldn't live with and you sure as hell couldn't live without them because you needed someone to blame everything on.
oOoOo-
Arista laughed heartily as a spoonful of yoghurt landed in Enrique's hood. Miyami, and Shahero, who were situated on either side of her, snickered loudly at the baffled expression of the blonde. He really had no clue what was going on with the world, but then again, anything in a skirt always caught his attention.
"When are you going to grow up, Belyaev?"
Arista turned to the male behind her and gave him a one-fingered salute, which he returned without so much as a single remorse.
"What do you want?" Navy, amber-flecked eyes narrowed as the redhead sat down beside Shahero.
"A lot of things." He responded nonchalantly.
"Suppity?" Shahero punched his arm.
"Yoders." Miyami welcomed him to the table.
"Hey! Do you not remember what he did to me? Huh?" Arista demanded.
Shahero shrugged. Arista turned to Miyami who gave an apologetic look. Arista sighed and then laid her head on her arms, splayed across the lunch table. She turned her head to the opposite side of the smirking male, so she wouldn't have to look at the smug smirk across his smooth, soft lips. She had enough time with him to last a few lifetimes.
Bryan sat down across Miyami, joined by Johnny, and Sonia. Johnny's tie was wrapped around his head, and his shirt was unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled three quarters of the way up. His red hair was in its usual flame, his violet eyes shone with desire as he ran his eyes over Miyami.
Sonia sat beside him, her red hair open, framing her small face. Her deep ocean blue eyes were shining with amusement. Her prefects' badge glinted when the light caught on it, so that it gleamed with radiance.
Bryan slung his bag on the floor and surveyed the teenagers currently situated on the chairs surrounding the table. He was surprised when he saw no raven-haired, ochre eyed, teen. Where was Amber?
Arista noticed his glancing and decided to answer his unasked question. "Amber said she had to do something, she ain't here yet."
"Isn't." Sonia corrected. "Amber isn't here yet."
"And then we wonder why she's so bad at English." Johnny smirked.
"Go suck face with Miyami already." Arista shot back.
"He can't. Technically, he'd be making out with her, not sucking face." Shahero pointed out.
"Wow, you deserve an Olympic gold medal, Colombo."
"All hail down to Shahero." Miyami quipped, then did an act of raising and lowering her arms towards the blue eyed tomboy.
"That's right. I, Shahero, am your leader, and I demand that you obey my every command." She grinned toothily.
"Is one of them kissing Hitoshi? Because I'm sure he'd love to help you on that." Arista jibed.
Johnny raised his eyebrows at the female in question. "Did I hear correctly? Is our little Hero growing up?"
Shahero snarled and the kicked him hard under the table.
"Actually Hitoshi was just telling me how he wanted to-"
"Do you have a death wish?" Shahero interrupted Brooklyn, "Because I have a murder wish, and you're number one on my list."
"I thought that was Malkovich?" Arista quizzed her friend.
Miyami watched the race of emotions that crossed Shahero's face, none of them staying for more than a millisecond. She made a mental note to talk to her about it later.
"Nah, I got Ian back, remember? He's back to number two now that Brooklyn wants a turn."
"Huh, wouldn't it be a little too complicated for his brain to handle?"
"Nah," Shahero answered Arista's question, while Brooklyn gave an annoyed glance in her direction. "All he has to do is lie there. I think he can manage it."
"Hmmn, maybe not." Sonia added as an afterthought. "It takes someone with a brain at least the size of a peanut to do that. His isn't even the size of a grain of sand."
"But then that would mean he doesn't have one because that's too small for a brain size."
The group of friends save for Brooklyn and Bryan, all burst into a bout of laughter.
"Real mature." He stated sarcastically.
A figure stomped over to their table and sat down beside Miyami. Amber put her face in her hands and ran her hands through her hair. Miyami and Bryan turned their attention to her as the rest of the table conversed loudly, bursting into fits of laughter every now and then.
"What's up?" Miyami asked her friend.
"The sky?" Amber replied uncertainly.
"Are you okay?" Bryan's deep voice went in one ear and out the other. "Amber?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired I guess."
Bryan mulled it over in his head and assumed that something was wrong. Why hadn't Amber just told him? It wasn't like her to just keep things from him. She knew that it made him feel alone and unwanted, especially when she shut him out from his life. If he found out Hiwatari had something to do with this, he was going to pay.
"Come on babes, I know something's wrong besides you not getting enough sleep." Miyami persisted.
Amber sighed and wished that she could just get her to believe that she was fine. Even though she wasn't, she didn't feel like talking but talking would probably help her figure out just why she felt the way she did.
Amber raised her gaze and met Bryan's eyes. The instant that their eyes met, Bryan knew that it was Hiwatari's doing. He frowned and then left the table to search for the two-toned blunette.
Amber watched her cousin leaved and then lowered her head. When she reopened her eyes, she met the silver of Miyami's and opened her mouth, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can we talk?"
Windwitch: Detail is good. I imagine a lot of stuff too, but I'm surprised my brain can hold everything together without bursting. You may be on to something there. Hitoshi does at one point give up on Shahero. Only because he thinks she's just toying with his feelings. Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like my work.
Cokey: Hey-hey! The weather is balmier? Like lip balm or like very nice weather. Because if it's the latter then it's the same here. I like that word, intermingled and I like the fact that you like my work.Lol, uncontrolled is right. My brain and my fingers don't co-operate with each other at the best of times. And that's not even half of it. Sailor moon doesn't play here anymore. But I've been a good gilr feeding my cravings with Inu Yasha, Beyblade, and other varios animes.Aha! So you admit it, you do like Brooklyn! I knew you'd turn eventually. Ah my dear, torture is good. Without it there wouldn;t much fun in doing things would there? Mystel is very drool-worthy, but Brooklyns way more. You're not alone with Bryan, I love him. And his posseiveness. Lol, your comments make my day alongwith everyone elses. And I believe that making fun in the most dire situations is a must have for someone who gets into them every so often.
nise-anjel: You have to watch out with Bryan. He's one tough cookie, or well, peanut, whichever you prefer. Arista did. After uch struggling get the gum off. I will explain that in the next chapter I hope. When I get around to writing it.
eMily06: Thanks for revieiwng and I'm glad you like it. Enjoy!
unknown: Lol, that must have sucked. I never shaved off my head when it happened to me. I just pulled out a patch of my hair and there was a blad spot o my head for a few weeks before it grew back. But that was when I was little, I'm still clumsy but I don't get it in my hair. Unfortuneately that leaves my face wide open as a target. Thanks for the review.
xInfernal: Thanks for the review. Hope you like this chapter and I'll add the plot in the next chapter, when or if I ever get around to writing it. Lol, I'm glad you like Arista. And how she got the gum off will be explained in the next chapter, hopefully. So cross your fingers.
Dark-Cherry-Angel: Hey. I know it takes my aegis to update but that's because I'm a bad updater. Meh, I eventually get around to it but it takes awhile. So I better get cracking at the next chapter or you guys will have to wait another million centuries.
Beyblade-gal: I'm happy you liked it. Hope you enjoy this chapter too. Thanks for reviewing.
SlightlyIrrelavent: Ola, I like your new name.Lol, and you think everyone going to just bow down and obey you?-snickers- I'm sorry, but you need to hypnotize the peoplefirst. Then you stand a chance or them obeying your every command.I'm ecstaic that you like my work andthat you like Arista.lol, yes sheis random and annoying, but adorable and funny.I had that too. It got stuck in my hair and I pulled a patch of myhair out and it was so weird because I ended up with a bald patch or hair. THis was when I was younger though. But it was damn hilarious.Hey, hey, hey, lets not diss Bryan after all he unknowingly sets Amber and Kai up on a date. I like Bryan-ish people. They're so damn annoying that you just can't imagine life without them. Lol,what's the nakey-dance?Here's the update. Glad you liked my work so much. Enjoy!