Chapter 14: ……Love?

Blue eyes twinkled as laughter rang through the air. A gentle breeze danced through the autumn air.

'catch me if you can!' a girl laughed, running through the trees.

'this isn't funny!' a boy ran after her. 'you promised!'

'not if you don't catch up!'

'hey, im serious, Miko!' the boy panted as he reached out for her. Suddenly she stopped, almost making him crash straight into her. She smirked.

'finally.' He placed his hands around her waist and leaned in.

'Tala?' she asked. 'was it ever meant to be?'

'what was?'

'us.' She answered, smiling sadly. 'it always seemed like we were in two different worlds.'

'no.' he replied. 'you are always in my world, that's what makes it real.'

'really?'

'yes, I would give anything up for you.' He whispered, pulling her closer to him.

Just as their lips were to meet, everything blacked out.

Miko bolted straight up, breathing hard.

'MIKO!' Misha screamed, enveloping her in a hug. 'You're okay?'

she looked around in confusion, unable to get the dream from her head. 'w-what happened?'

'you passed out.'

'………I did?'

'you gave us quite a fright there.' A voice came from the door. kai stood leaning against the door.

'would it matter to you?' miko said, frowning.

'hey, we have feelings too y'know.' Johnny said, coming up behind the blue-haired.

'where the hell am I?'

'you're in Tala's house. To be precise, you're in his bed.' Kai said calmly.

'Tala?'

'yes, that would be the guy with red hair.'

'I know who he is!' she snapped.

'sleeping beauty finally decides to wake up.' Deseara said, coming into the room. She smiled at her friend. 'how you feeling?'

'sore.'

'well you better think of something fast, babe, 'cause there's a redhead downstairs beating the crap out of a punching bag, I kinda feel sorry for the bag.'

'what?' miko threw the covers off and got out of bed, ignoring her sore legs. She ran down the stairs into the basement, following the sounds coming from the end of the hall, she walked over and threw open the doors.

Tala looked up sharply as the doors burst open and stopped when he saw the girl standing there.

'miko…'

'why are you doing this?'

'I…look, the only reason this whole thing happened was because I was being a jerk, okay? And it's a little hard to just let it go and pretend it wasn't my fault.'

'you didn't answer my question.'

'what do you want me to say? It's too late to take back what I said.'

'you can still undo it, by telling me the truth.' She said, walking towards him.

He stared at the ground silently.

'think about it.' Miko said, and turned to go.

'wait!' he said hastily, stopping miko in her tracks. 'im sorry.'

She smiled and shook her head, her back still facing him. 'im over sorry's Tala.'

Without looking back, she walked out.

The redhead at her retreating back in defeat.

'shit.' He growled.

'well?' Misha demanded.

'well what?'

'you know damn well what, Miko Kiwatashi.'

She shrugged.

'whats that supposed to mean?'

'what do you think it means?'

'okay! I give up!' Misha said, exasperated.

'so im taking it as a sign that it didn't go well?' Johnny asked, sitting down the fuming brunette.

Suddenly they heard a crash somewhere downstairs.

'yup, I don't think it went well at all.' Deseara said. 'maybe someone should go check on him?'

'and get beat up in the process. No thanks.' Kai scoffed.

'is it really that bad?' Deseara frowned.

'let's see you try.'

'oh shut up , Hiwatari. You're such an insufferable pain in the butt.'

'turns you on doesn't it?' he smirked.

'HIWATARI!'

Tala groaned in annoyance as someone knocked on the door. walking over, he flung it open.

'what!' he snapped

'whoa, so-rry. I was kind enough to come down here and see how you're doing.' Ray grumbled.

The redhead sighed.

'you really gotta tell her the truth, man.' The neko-jin said.

'and what good will it do?' Tala said, sitting down on the floor and covering his face with his hands. 'either way, it's not gunna work.'

'oh? And what makes you say that?'

'she's not going to trust me! Oh come on, Ray! Have you forgotten what I used to be?'

'whoa whoa whoa, wait. What you used to be?'

'well…yeah. Okay, don't blame me for this. But I don't think I can go back to being a player again. It's just that everyday I'm sitting there, and then she would just pop into my head. How can I go back to being what I was when I can't focus on anyone else but her!'

his friend was silent for a minute.

'you know what, Tala?'

'…what?'

'I think you're in love with her.'

'in……love?'

'yeah. I mean, look at you, you're beating yourself up. You don't know what else you should do. And whenever she's beside you, you get nervous. When does Tala Valkov get nervous? Ever?'

Tala thought about it. 'you could be right….but…I dunno.'

'think about it.' Ray said, standing up. He patted him on the back. 'I'm meaning do it peacefully, stop doing this to yourself.' He glanced at the punching bag that lay on its side, slightly teared, and winced slightly. With one last reassuring pat, he left the redhead to submerge into his own thoughts.