Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned below, except for Kristen Hiwatari and Cassandra Leighton.

A/N: Oh my gdness! How long has it been exactly? Months, I guess. Even years since I've last updated my stories. So sorry for making u guys wait. Been busy with school these 2 years. Yeah, I know it's a lousy excuse, but it's the only reason I've got. Other than needing to straighten out the issues in my life. Hm… thx for those readers who've waited for so damn long. I hope I haven't lost my touch and I seriously hope that everyone knows I'm still alive and kicking. Cos I've been away for so long, pple may've started to believe n think tt I'm not writing anymore. But I am! And I'm glad I am. So please hang on for a while, you guys. I promise not to disappoint u. )

From the last chapter…

Smack. His left cheek stung with the sudden blow dealt by Kristen.

"Call… me anything… except… for a… bitch," she hissed through her teeth, as if she had difficulty breathing all of a sudden.

Ray regretted his anger. Regretted everything he had said to her. At that moment, he didn't even mind being the spare wheel and second choice. He wanted to say that he was terribly sorry. If only Kristen gave him the chance and not run away with tears welling up in her eyes.

People say in life, you get your own ups and downs. But Ray wouldn't have felt that bad if he didn't feel like he had been dealt with the biggest and worst deuce of his life.

Not Good Enough

"Kristen!" he shouted out, giving chase. But she continued to run forward, ignoring his calls.

"Shit," Ray muttered under his breath as he struggled to keep up with her. Her legs are too damn long.

Kristen couldn't stop the flow of terrible thoughts and memories. She recalled everything that had happened to her, to her parents and to Andrew.

"Andrew," she whispered, with agony in her voice, as she ran faster and faster, hoping to lose Ray. She hid behind this pillar and kept silent. After a while, she saw the back of Ray, as he ran forward, not knowing that he just missed her.

Somehow she knew it wasn't really his fault. After all, what happened with Andrew was probably partly her fault too; she probably, as Ray said, had acted like a seductress and got herself into trouble.

She leaned back against the pillar and sobbed, placing her face in her hands. This is my life, she thought, maybe I'm destined never to be good enough for anyone.

Ray panted as he clutched his knees. He had lost sight of her. Shit, I hope she's all right.

Suddenly, Kai appeared in front of him, and that scared the shit out of Ray.

"Kai!" he exclaimed, with guilt in his voice.

Kai looked at him, wondering why he was panting like that.

"What's wrong?"

"Er…"

As if sensing why Ray was acting so strangely, Kai asked in an accusing tone.

"Where's Kristen?"

Ray sighed, knowing that he couldn't hide the truth from Kai. "She ran away."

"What!" Kai shouted and grabbed Ray's shirt forcefully. "What do you mean, she ran away?"

"We had a little fight and she took off by herself."

"What did you say to her?"

"I…" Ray could not answer his question and could not even meet Kai's eyes. He knew that those eyes would be right now, ablaze with anger.

"If you hurt her, I swear I'll kill you," Kai's grip on Ray's shirt loosened and he took off, searching for his sister. "Don't follow me," he yelled to Cassandra, who was looking so bewildered.

All she could say was, "Woah."

"Kristen? Where are you?" Kai shouted, his heart filled with anxiety and fear. I hope she didn't do anything foolish.

Kristen heard someone calling for her. At first she thought it was Ray again, and she ignored them. Then, when she listened more closely, she realized that it wasn't Ray who was looking for her – it was Kai.

"Kai?" she stepped out from behind the pillar and found him searching wildly for her.

"Kristen!" Kai gave his sister a tight hug. "Thank god you're okay. What happened? Did Ray do something to you?"

"I'm okay, Kai. Nothing much happened. Ray and I had a little fight, that's all. Couldn't see eye-to-eye," she said, managing a weak smile.

"That's all?" Kai wasn't about to be fooled by her; he knew something else was going on between his sister and his friend.

"Yeah, Kai. Don't worry, I'm fine. How did you know-"

"I saw Ray back there. He looked damn guilty."

"Oh." Kristen looked down at her shoes, suddenly finding them fascinating.

"Come on, let's go back to the hostel." Kai placed an arm around her shoulders. Kristen nodded and hoped Kai would believe her story and let the matter go. She didn't want to blow things up, making a mountain out of a tiny molehill.

Kai knew she wasn't telling him something; they had grown up together and he knew for a fact that she couldn't weave a lie to save her life. It was always so obvious whenever she tried to lie; it showed in those light green eyes of hers.

Kristen was now sleeping and Kai was sitting on the edge of her bed, holding her hand as she slept. She started muttering something in her sleep and Kai leaned in closer to comprehend what she was saying.

"Don't blame Ray."

What? After what he did to you? I'll squeeze the guts outta him.

After a while, Kristen's grip on his hand loosened and he knew that she was fast asleep. He got up from her bed slowly, cast one last look over at his sleeping sister and closed the door behind him softly as he left the room.

He walked over to the balcony and leaned against the railing. Poor Kristen, he thought. The things she has to go through in life.

Kai then heard the clicking of the doorknob and turned around to see who it was that had come back.

It was Ray.

Kai clenched his fists in anger while Ray's eyes wandered to the door of the girls' bedroom. Kai walked up to Ray and Ray thought that Kai was about to beat the crap out of him for sure when Kai said, "We'll talk outside."

Ray could only nod and close the front door behind them.

A/N: Short chapter, I know. But I hope you guys enjoyed it! Remember, old rules apply! Read and review! Thanks guys! )