Ch. 11
"Come on, boys, time to get up!" Lettuce called from downstairs, "Pudding, Ichigo, you too."
Lettuce loved the morning. She loved being the one to make breakfast and be the cheerful smile in the morning. It made her feel needed and appreciated to have everyone wake up because of her and enjoy in the work she put forth.
It wasn't but five minutes and everyone had come downstairs except Ichigo. Lettuce had just put the food on the table when Ichigo finally crawled downstairs. She went passed everyone without a word and opened the fridge. Lettuce and Pudding watched her with concern in their eyes.
Ichigo pulled a can of highly caffeinated soda from the fridge and took the lid off.
"Ichigo, it is not wise to drink that stuff in the morning. You'll regret it later." Lettuce warned.
Ichigo completely ignored her and gulped in down in seconds.
Lettuce made a sound of disgust and sat down to eat.
Ichigo joined them at the table, her eyes distant. Everyone could tell she hadn't had a good sleep.
"May I asked what was that Ichigo drank?" Pie inquired.
"Caffeine. Pure Caffeine. She does that sometimes when she hasn't had enough sleep. She'll be on a sugar high all day with tons and tons of energy." Lettuce answered.
"Well, that doesn't sound so bad." Tart thought aloud.
"Yeah, well, by this evening, when the sugar wares off, she'll regret it." Lettuce added.
A few minutes later into the meal and Ichigo's eyes became bright and alert. Every small movement was registered. She began talking and talking and talking about absolutely nothing and just went on and on. They went out the door and Ichigo keep asking for a race, "Come on, let's race. I'll beat ya! I will!"
Tart was going to accept the challenge but Pudding placed her hand on his shoulder and shook her head no. At work, Ichigo was running all over the place at maximum speed. The customers were pleased. Kish had to follow Lettuce around that day because Ichigo was just moving too quickly.
Kish figured out he was going to like working here. All the girls kept giving him looks and batting their eyelashes. They'd even giggle when he went by and he could feel their eyes on him. He had only a few tables today because Ichigo was running half the café and she was good at it too. Pie and Tart had a much easier day and worked hard as well. It was a great day at the café.
"Today was wonderful." Ryou acknowledged when the customers were gone and they had changed out of their uniforms, "I've heard a lot of good things about our newest member, Kish. I think we are going to have a lot more customers now."
Kish just smirked.
Ichigo found out quickly that she didn't like the thought of girls coming to see Kish. It created this feeling in her that made her want to hold him and kiss him and make sure no other girl could touch him. She had a war going on within herself due to this. One side fighting to kiss Kish senseless, the other fighting to not want Kish. One side was definitely winning more and more every time she laid eyes on him.
She let a sad sigh realizing this. When everyone looked at her, she blushed.
"You feeling alright, Ichigo?" Ryou asked.
"Yeah," she said, already started to feel the consequences of drinking that Caffeine, "I just haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately."
"Why? These boys keeping you up?" Ryou joked.
Ichigo smiled back, "You have no idea." And then turned heel and left.
"What does she mean?" Ryou asked.
Lettuce and Pudding glance at each other, "We think Ichigo is...lost." Lettuce replied, then she and Pudding followed Ichigo's lead.
The six of them walked home in silence. All of them deeply lost in thought.
The silence was broken by Ichigo's groan. She had a hand to her forehead and was squinting her eyes. Lettuce shook her head. When they got inside, Ichigo headed for the kitchen to start dinner.
Lettuce and Pudding took one look at each other and mentally agreed, No way!
"Ichigo," Pudding began, "we'll cook dinner tonight. You need to go upstairs and rest."
"I'm fine guys. I'll be okey." Ichigo smiled. But her smile faded when the pounding in her head got worse.
"We are not letting you burn the kitchen down. Go upstairs and sleep before your headache gets any worse" Lettuce pointed upstairs.
She nodded in defeat and headed to her room like a child who had been punished.
"Will she be alright?" Kish asked.
"Probably," Pudding replied, grabbing pots from the shelves, "it'll just take awhile."
Then, Pie and Tart sat down and started playing a card game Pudding had taught them at work today. Kish decided it'd be okey to sneak up to Ichigo's room and check on her.
He found her mostly on the bed. She still had her shoes on and everything. He gently lifted her up and sat her down on the middle of the bed on her back.
"Kish?" she asked, in a daze.
"Hush, kitten. I just want to make sure you're okey."
She smiled, "You're sweet."
He removed her shoes and pink socks. He then pulled the covers over her body. She smiled and snuggled further underneath them.
"Does your head still hurt?" he asked.
She nodded.
He then placed his fingertips on her forehead and his other hand behind her head. He closed his eyes and concentrated on removing the pain. Ichigo could feel it working. It felt so wonderful. A few minutes later and the pain was gone.
She fluttered her eyes open and met his. She could lost in those eyes. She could feel him coming closer. She felt herself willing him closer. When she could feel his heavy breathe on her lips, her eyes drifted shut. Suddenly, they shot back open and she scooted away. In Kish's eyes, for a second at least, she saw a terrible pain.
"Kish...I..." Ichigo began, feeling the need to say something.
"I know, kitten." He stopped her. "I shouldn't be trying to do that. Forgive me. I know you're in love with Massaya and your loyal to the man you love. I just don't know what comes over me sometimes."
Ichigo felt like crying. She felt like her heart was being torn apart into little pieces. She was about to say something when he turned and left. After he closed the door, she pushed her face into the pillowed and cried harder than she'd ever cried.
When her tears finally dried up, it was late at night. She closed her eyes and she suddenly felt heavy. She felt like her whole body was heavy and was trying to fall through the bed and through the floor. Then, she was falling. Falling and falling and falling. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't. She couldn't escape this falling and this darkness that surrounded her. Her body stopped functioning. She could breathe but she couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't open her eyes.
Her heart ached. It ached with greif. With saddness, loneliness, and betrayel. It was not she who had been betrayed but she who betrayed. And the memory of that night in the park floated through her mind again and again. All her grief formed together and became fear. She couldn't stand to face Lettuce or Pudding or any of the aliens again. Especially Kish.
She stopped fighting. She let her body slow down and she let herself sleep in darkness.
