Katnappe's twisted smile formed on her painted lips, making her seem even more evil than normal. But then again, she was doing something particularly evil. She tapped on the keys of her computer and the smile widened as she watched the video from her camera phone play back to her on a continuous loop.
The next part of her plan had been changed, altered and formed around the first picture. She now desired to not only hurt Jack, but the girl he cared for more than anyone else in the world at the moment. Oh, it would hurt her and it would hurt him, but whereas the pain for her will be emotional, Katnappe was very much hoping it would be physical pain to torture him.
Katnappe had planned this perfectly. She knew that the girl liked someone else and now, she had the evidence on film. Of course, she couldn't hurt Jack with this, but once that annoying little squirt Jack called his 'greatest enemy' saw the image of Kimiko and Raimundo drawing closer and closer, only to pull apart and then a zoomed in image of Jack standing in the background, watching from behind her living room curtains pain written like words across his face …
Oh, Omi would really hate her then and in turn, Kimiko would really hate Jack, as he is the only source for her to let out her emotions. It was funny that something as old fashioned as an arranged marriage could turn out to be so fun.
The next morning Kimiko walked downstairs with slightly more of a skip in her step. Her friends were there, they had been completely filled in with the plan and were prepared to pretend for her sakes that they were happy for her around the parents. Not only that, but she was on speaking terms with Raimundo again and … they had almost kissed!
Kimiko stopped and thought about this for a moment. They had almost kissed. Did that mean that Raimundo liked her? Did she like him? Did she like … no! She wasn't going to think about him. Not now, not ever, not like that!
She continued to walk through the house until she came to the kitchen. She couldn't hear any voices, which was the first thing she knew was wrong. Her friends were staying in some of their guest rooms, why weren't they talking or laughing. She pushed the door a little open before flinging it open completely and stepping back in horror.
Sitting across the counter from her friends was Jack Spicer, looking very unhappy and extremely awkward. Her father was busy serving each of them breakfast. Raimundo was sat on the furthest end from Jack, grinding his teeth.
"Kimiko!" Said her father as a greeting, "I invited Jack for breakfast and here he is. I didn't want to wake you."
"Oh … right" Said Kimiko, trough lack of anything else to say, "Um … why don't you let me do that papa?"
She took the frying pan from him as he glanced at his watch.
"Arigato Kimiko, I am late," He kissed her on the top of the head, "Have a good day!"
"You too papa!" Said Kimiko as he left the kitchen.
She waited until she heard the click of the front door closing until turning and waiting for the explosion.
However, no explosion followed. All of the boys were sitting in the kitchen, watching her, stony faced.
"Um … good morning?" She said, a fake smiled spread across her face.
None of them said anything, but continued to stare at her.
"Who wants waffles?" She said with even faker enthusiasm.
None of them answered. Raimundo's face was so cold he might have been a statue. He, however, had stopped glaring at her and was now glaring at Jack intensely. Jack was leaning against the wall, arms folded, glaring straight back. Apparently none of them wanted to start the fight and therefore, get the brunt of Kimiko's attack, which was sure to follow. Kimiko slammed her fist down on the table.
"Will one of you please just start talking?" She snapped, "I'm sick of this awkward silence already and I've only just walked in!"
Omi, to Kimiko's surprise, was the first to speak. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again.
"I would like some waffles," He said in a 'would-be-cheery' voice.
"Good, anyone else?" Asked Kimiko.
"Why not," Said Clay, breaking into a smile just as fake as Kimiko's.
Raimundo and Jack glared at each other. Neither spoke, neither even looked at her. She could almost see the daggers flying at each other. Both with hormones out of control. Men! She decided to ignore them and continue to make breakfast. However, this was difficult because she could sense the awkwardness and the temporary silence falling apart. It was like being in a library and trying desperately not to sneeze loudly because it would break the dusty silence filling the old building. However, it was only a matter of time before the silence was broken and their peace and quiet was destroyed and left to crumble beneath their feet.
Katnappe finished and stretched her fingers, making the joints click loudly. She smiled as she glared at the red haired figure in the background of the video. She grinned more broadly as she clicked on 'send'. This time, it would destroy more than one of her enemies. How good could it get? And did she feel and remorse at ruining their lives? Of course not. This was so much fun, maybe she should consider giving up being a 'cat-burglar' and taking this up as a hobby instead.
"WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?"
"HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN? IT-WAS-AN-ACCIDENT!"
"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP? I HAVE NEIGHBOURS YOU KNOW!"
"ARGUING WILL SOLVE NOTHING! YOU MUST CHANNEL YOU ANGER INTO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE!"
"ALL OF YOU, JUS' CALM DOWN!"
Dojo sat back and watched as the chaos unfolded in front on him. Raimundo was screaming at Jack, Kimiko was screaming at Raimundo and Jack, Jack was screaming at Raimundo and Omi and Clay were screaming to be heard over all the screaming. It would've been entertaining if he didn't already have a splitting headache from the shouting the previous night.
"This is all your fault!" Groaned Kimiko, glaring at Jack as they all ran out of things to say.
"My fault?" Said Jack, "You kissed me! In case you'd forgotten!"
"You took advantage of a bad situation!" Said Kimiko.
Jack opened his mouth to remind her of what he had said the previous night, but he stopped. He didn't want to say it in front of the other Xiaolin Losers and she knew it. That was why she was blaming him. He wouldn't be able to fight back without getting all of them on his case. This was so unfair! She was using him to get away from her own problems and they were falling for it!
"Fine!" Said Jack, turning towards the door and beginning to leave, "Fine! You can save your Dad's company without my help then!"
"Jack!" Began Kimiko, desperately trying to think of something to say.
"Forget it! The deals off!" Shouted Jack as he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Kimiko looked desperately from the door to Raimundo and back again. Raimundo sighed and nodded at the door. He knew she had to go after him and get him to go along with the plan. Even if he didn't like it, Kimiko needed to help her father. Kimiko ran from the room. The front door was open and swaying slightly in the breeze. She ran out of it and long the path.
She could just make out a spiky red head at the end of the road.
"JACK!" She shouted, running after him.
The figure stopped and looked around. Jack was glaring at her with those dark red eyes of his. She almost wanted to shiver; they were so cold, so hurt. She pulled him into a side street so that they wouldn't be in the way of the people trying to walk along the road.
"What do you want?" He snapped.
"I … that is …" She stared at him, breathing heavily after running down the road at top speed.
"Yeah? What?" He asked.
Kimiko didn't say anything. They looked into each other's eyes and once again they drew closer until their lips were touching. They stayed there for a long time. Jack had his arms wrapped tightly around her, making her feel safe and warm. Her skirt shifted in the breeze and his black coat blew apart, making them look like they were being swallowed by a black shadow. They drew apart and Kimiko blinked before pulling away in surprise.
"I'm sorry!" She gasped.
"What for?" Asked Jack, smiling slightly, his teeth shining white in the shadow of the buildings either side of them.
"I've got to go back …" Said Kimiko turning away.
Jack reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back. He ran a hand through her hair and smiled gently at her. Kimiko wanted to move, but she couldn't.
"Let me go …" She whispered.
"I'm not stopping you." He said, still smiling.
Still she didn't move, but stood there, the wind blowing her hair across her face and she looked down as her eyes filled with tears. What about Raimundo?
As Kimiko walked back into her house, she groaned and hit her head gently on the door repeatedly, trying to knock some sense into her. She had finally turned away and walked back up to the house, knowing that Jack wouldn't follow, but would go on with the plan. She knew he had watched her, with that same kind smile. It hurt her to think of what she had just done. She liked Raimundo! Raimundo! Rai-mun-do! Not Jack Spicer.
"Kimiko?" Asked a quiet voice from the doorway to her living room.
Raimundo was leaning against the frame gazing at her.
"Hi Rai," She said hoarsely.
"Is he going to go along with it?" Asked Raimundo softly.
"Yes," Said Kimiko, " … that is, I think so!" She added quickly.
She walked past him into the living room. He followed and she turned to face him.
"What's wrong with me?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I'm such a mess," She said, tears filling her eyes again, "I mean, I'm supposed to marry Jack, but I like you and now … Jack told me that he wasn't pretending to like me."
She looked up at Raimundo who continued to show no emotion.
"I know," Said Raimundo quietly, "I've known since we got here that he really does like you. It's more obvious than Omi."
Raimundo took a step closer.
"But you like me?" He asked.
"I …" Kimiko hadn't realised what she had said. Now she could either admit to liking him, or admit to liking Jack. Both of which she now realised were true.
"Yes." She whispered, "I like you, but …"
However, once again she was interrupted. Raimundo kissed her. She didn't even try to stop him like she was considering with Jack, but just held onto him as he ran his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears as they kissed. When they broke apart, she stared at him.
"Do you like me?" She asked.
Raimundo didn't answer, but winked at her and turned away.
"Come on," He said, like nothing had happened, "Lets go tell the others that the plan is back on."
Omi was stood in Kimiko's room, waiting to talk to Kimiko. He wanted to be complete friends with her again the way it used to be before all this. Her computer beeped at him and connected to the Internet. In her email account was a video message from someone called 'Cat-call300'.
Omi glanced at the door. Kimiko wasn't here. Maybe he should tell the person that she couldn't make it right now. He didn't want her to lose another friend because she couldn't be there for them. He clicked on the email. A video click popped up on screen on a continuous loop.
Omi stared as Kimiko and Raimundo leaned in, and then pulled apart as Clay and himself approached. Then it zoomed in on the background. There, looking more hurt than Omi could've ever imagined, stood Jack Spicer. Kimiko liked neither Jack nor himself. She liked Raimundo.
"Raimundo …" Said Omi bitterly and left the room.
(A/N) I'm sorry for not updating last weekend. Christmas shopping. Anyway, I'm trying to go for a Buffy and Spike relationship between Kimiko and Jack. Anyone whose seen the series in which Buffy goes through her 'Spike stage' will get what I mean by that, but it won't have the 'nastiness' that they had a the end of the season just before Willow goes evil. None of that in this fic thank you!
I hope you're enjoying this. Please, tell me what you think, but don't point out my spelling mistakes unless they're urgent!
Lots of luv, Becky.