A Year To Live
A/N: Ok, this is the edited version. No need to read again, content is the same. Just that I transfered everything into html. Kinda tedious... Thanks again for the feedback I recieved from my first 7 reviewers. =D
For anyone who thought I was abandoning this story, NO WAY!!! I can't!!! It's all I've been thinking about all throughout that 9 days in holidays. Erm... 'Cept when I'm skiing coz I really loved it.
Lyrics belongs to Staind, from the song 'Pressure'. I've never heard this song before, if you have, tell me if it's nice.
12--What if...
I can't feel this another night
Kai
I merely wanted fresh air. Staying in that house for so long clogs up my mind. It has been three weeks since I was here. And I haven't touched my blade. They were keeping it from my sight, hid it somewhere in the sneaky abode of Ray's. They didn't want me to participate in the final tournament, the arrangement would maintain the usual, Max, Ray, then Tyson. Me? I'm just the spare... What's the point of being team captain if you aren't allowed to blade, and the only permits was to get trapped in a house?
There was a slight rustle coming from the bush ahead, a twig snapped, a gasp. Clumsy idiots? They're spying on me... I tensed, and paused in my tracks. Whoever they are, they must be indecent.
I just need this to be alright
I can't feel this another night
"Now!" a high pitch girlish voice resounded in the air.
The same bush rustled more violently this time, and three grey figures leaped out onto the ground. Only one... went directly for Kai. It plummeted on his chest causing them both to topple over. Kai caught one glance of the figure, cloaked heavily and masked. But a girl no doubt. A punch sent his mind spinning and head to throb more continuously.
Something sharp tore through his senses, leaving slight droplets of blood to ooze out from the left side of his face. The girl's talon like nails had grazed his left cheek.
"Wha--"
Kai was lifted agonizingly off the ground, as another figure pulled kept a firm grasp on his hair. Kai kicked intensely, fighting against the firm hold the guy had on him. The pain was nothing, he'd had too much of it to feel anymore. But humiliation? A jolt on his head, the guy swung him, and threw him across onto the bar trunk of the tree.
THUD. Kai slid a couple of inches down onto the floor, too shaken to get up.
"How does that feel? Does it hurt? Ooo¡ We're so sorry... Maybe--" the girl mocked.
"Hurt? Does it hurt? Are you kidding? If you're trying to give me the hell of a time, you're doing a substandard job..." Kai replied just as scornfully. Her mask twisted, and Kai knew he¡¯d touched a nerve.
"So you think you're... you're..." she couldn't find a word to replace it, causing a twisted smile to form on Kai's lips.
"What are you smirking at!" she yelled furiously.
"I've had worse..." he hissed, just as one of the guys advanced on him, with a stick in his hands. Before he could react, the bat was swung, he was struck to the ground, totally winded. A kick and another impact on his head. It was throbbing hard...
I just need this to be alright
I can't feel this another night
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" he heard a shout, it was equally unfamiliar... That was before the swirling darkness pulled him in.
"That was the most ludicrous nonsense I've heard from you, Xu Qing! Attacking their team captain? And you two! Don't think you're off the hook. This is wrong, we're not supposed to hurt anyone of them! I only asked you to keep watch on their training. If it happens again, you're out of my team!"
A tear trickled down the girl's china face. She had only intended to please her leader, yet, he reprimanded and humiliated her in front of the other team mates. She'd hope it would improve their chances if the Bladebreakers were injured...
"Wake up... Don't scare me Kai... Wake up..." Ray shook the limp form of the slate haired teen.
"Don't sweat it Ray, we found a pulse, remember?"
"Who could've tried attacking him?"
"No idea..." Ray replied dejectedly. They laid Kai down on the thin mattress, and placed an icy cold, damp towel on his forehead.
Kai
I might breakdown in front of you
Necessary to medicate
I'm not sleeping, can't stay awake
I could hear them, but I could'nt bring myself to open my eyes. Right now I'm a pathetic mess. My throat is tight, it's hard to breathe, can't tell if my emotions are to going to betray me if I open those eyes. You can't trust anything, not even yourself. Please leave me alone...
Ray
After the 'Kai Attack', our 'surveillance team' kept a low profile, for most part of three months. But as the tournament date draws ever so close, mishaps started to take shape. The most significant, being the near theft of dizzy. Just what did these people want from us? They thought Kai was playing, so they injured him. They knew Tyson was in the game, the shoved him down the cliff¡ They watched my every move with such close scrutiny that they may as well be the air that surrounds us. Why would these people want so much information on us? To improve our opposing team¡¯s chances of winning?
Too much pressure
Drowning in this
Too much pressure
"What are you doing down here..."
"Can¡¯t sleep."
"You haven't been sleeping well..." Ray said softly, turning to face Kai, whose features are shadowed in the partial darkness.
"Hn."
"What's wrong?"
Half unconscious to escape my fear
If they weren't shrouded by darkness, Ray would have noticed Kai's muscles tense, his jaw rigid, and his eyes turn dark. He seemed to be contemplating.
"Kai?"
Kai screwed his eyes shut, unaware of his soft rapid breathing. Stop pestering me... Why do you always have to appear in my life???
"Go to sleep Kai..." Ray said unsurely, squinting at Kai, who had sat down on the patch of grass under the tree.
There was a long awkward pause, as Ray stared into the darkness. Then a slight movement in the shadows, Kai came into the moonlight, he walked past Ray into the house.
"Good night..."
"What if I never wake up..." he whispered.
"Why do you say that?" Ray hissed back, spine tingling.
I might breakdown in front of you
Kai took a deep breath to calm himself down. Ignore. I didn't say anything. Nothing... I'm going to sleep. I will wake up tomorrow. I'll perfect that curve and utilize it on the match... ... ... Just give me two more weeks... Please... I can't go now...
"Kai!" Ray said, a little louder this time. He grabbed Kai by the shoulder, and forced him to face. A flash of hopelessness flashed through those crimson orbs now dark brown in the dim light. He shoved off Ray's hand and strode into the house.
"What are you afraid of, Kai?"
What if I never wake up? If I don't leave soon, I'm not sure how much more of my fears will I be confiding in him. I can't sleep, but I'm too tired to stay awake... He closed his eyes as soon as he heard footsteps approaching.
I'm not sleeping, can't stay awake
Can't see through this
Too much pressure
Drowning in this
Too much pressure
The night before the tournament, everyone turned in for a good night's rest. Tyson's sprained ankle was healing fast, though he would not be in top condition to face his opponent, he was at least, in condition.
"Who's that?" Ray shot suspiciously at the presence.
"Me," came the reply.
"Kai? What are you doing awake?"
Hushed silence filled the air, leaving Ray in confusion. What if I never wake up? He'd clean forgotten it since the night two weeks ago. Is that what that's haunting Kai? Ray thought.
My chest is so tight am I going to die
My stomach's in knots and the room starts to spin
As I wait for this valium to slowly kick in
It was his head that was hurting him. Another headache... It¡¯s bound to get worse in a couple of minutes. He rummaged through the kitchen cupboard where he knew Ray kept the pills.
"Looking for these?" Ray asked, reaching his hands into the lower shelves and retrieving a yellowing bottle.
"Yeah," Kai replied, as Ray passed it to him, "thanks."
"It's bothering you?"
"N¡ªYes."
"No?" Ray prompt.
He knew he was getting somewhere, as he watched Kai raise the glass of water to his lips and pause. A moment later, he gulped down the water and said, "Stay out of this will you? You¡¯re breathing down my neck, and I hate that." His phobia with sleep was now gone, replaced by a gnawing yearn to shut Ray off his sight. He stormed to the bedroom, and flopped down on the thin mattress, head still aching. Footsteps again...
"Kai¡ "
"Alright, listen, if you're still awake, go to sleep. You'll wake up, you definitely will, ok? I know you're tired, so please, don't do this to yourself, go sleep..."
Too much pressure
Drowning in this
Too much pressure
TOO MUCH PRESSURE!
End of ChapterAuthor's Note: Riiiiight! Html done. Hope it works...Ok, now, review before I strangle you!!! Mwahahahaha¡
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