Eye of the Storm

Chapter Seventeen: Sleep Deprived

His eyebrow twitched.

Which of course means that he was getting impatient and very angry.

It's only been five minutes since Kai walked in! Honestly!

"I want to dance,"

"Go dance then,"

Sky pouted and Holly rolled her eyes.

This is totally ridiculous!

"FINE!" I half-yelled, jumping up and startling everyone sitting at our table. Grabbing my purse, I made my way across the dance floor to Mirror, who was still flirting with the barman but was shooting Kai glances, who sat just down the bar and was nursing a beer. He obviously hadn't noticed us.

"Mi,"

"Cass," Mirror greeted, shooting the barman a flirty grin, "Get my friend a WKD please,"

"Comin' right up,"

The barman disappeared and Mi scowled.

"I don't know!" she wailed.

I sighed. Typical. "Mi, this is very important,"

"I know that!"

Pause.

"Talk to him," Mirror stated, her cherry coloured eyes dancing.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Mi, I have a very annoyed boyfriend just across the room,"

Talk about stating the obvious.

"So?"

I always wondered if it was safe to let Mirror run around freely. Didn't her dad notice she's a complete maniac? Seriously. She's nuts. Major.

"Okay, okay," I laughed, and Mi grinned at me, obviously delighted.

"Watch out Kai Hiwatari!" she quipped, flashing another flirty grin at the barman. He responded with a charming smile.

"Keep the others out of it," I warned, winking at Nick who was caught my eye, while dancing with a blonde. He smirked.

I took a deep steadying breath and approached the auburn-eyed boy who had nearly wrecked my relationship.

God, I know I technically don't believe in you, but if you ARE out there watching in amusement and eating popcorn, could you send me a nice big fat dollop of LUCK?

I slipped into the seat next to him.

Silence.

And then-

"Hey Kai,"

Oh…oh…hahahahaha! God! That's just FUNNY!

"WILLOW!"

Kai turned and glared at me half-heartedly as I let out random giggles while stuffing my fist into my mouth. A drop of beer fell from his bangs and splashed onto his shirt.

Ha…ha…ha…

"Don't creep up on me like that!" Kai scolded, trying to fight against the grin tugging on his lips. My shoulders shook with suppressed laughter as I took in his soaked hair and even more soaked shirt.

THANK YOU GOD!

"What are you doing here anyway?"

I bit my lip for a second, trying to control my laughter. "We're playing -ha ha- today…"

Kai rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean that. I…I thought you would be too…"

The laughter disappeared in a split second.

"Angry to speak to you?" I suggested quietly.

"Yeah," he sighed, eyes downcast.

"Where have you been Kai?" I asked.

"Russia. Grandfather was holding a convention there, and me being the oldest and only son, I had to attend…nearly had a heart attack when he saw my face…"

"Oh,"

"You're angry at me aren't you?" Kai muttered after a moment of silence.

I looked at him, soaked to the bone with beer and multi-coloured lights flashing across his face, intense auburn eyes locking into my forest green ones.

"Yes,"

The truth is a very powerful thing.

I think.

"I'm sorry,"

I blinked.

Now that's NOT what I expected. Kai Hiwatari does not apologise. For anything. I didn't even think he KNEW the word 'sorry'.

"I mean it Akira…what I did was completely stupid and I'm sorry. I was just angry, cos I'm not used to people telling me what to do, well, other than Grandfather and Kara, but they're family, it's a completely different story, and well, you practically wrecked mine and Amber's relationship even though you were technically doing me a favour and I guess I was just angry, and I'm sorry for lashing out like that, especially since you and Johnny were so happy together and I had no reason to try and destroy that…"

"Jesus Kai!" I exclaimed, laughter bubbling up again, "Quit rambling!"

He blinked.

And I burst out laughing.

"Ha ha…don't…ha ha…ramble…ha…doesn't…suit…ha ha…you…ha ha…!"

This is not going how I expected. At all.

Ohhhh, all the others are staring at me know. Although, technically I'm meant to be mad at him, not laughing my head off.

Kai grinned sheepishly, running a hand through his dripping hair.

"You forgive me?" he asked hopefully.

That moment was a turning point, the moment we became friends again, and at that moment all I wanted to do was hug him close and never let go but I couldn't, because my friends were hell bent on making him pay. And at that moment I felt sick, sick that I was really going to set Mirror on him, play on his feelings and turn them against him.

"Kai…you have to understand that I can never forgive until I get you back, until everyone else gets you back…"

Oh God Willow, what are you doing?

"But after that, it'll be over, okay? And we'll be friends, like we're meant to be. We'll hang out and play Halo like we used to…"

"I understand," Kai smiled reassuringly.

"Good," I sighed, standing up, "And Kai?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry,"

Sorry for what's about to happen…

"OI!"

"OWW!"

"Watch that CAR!"

Sky stumbled backwards into Nick's arms, narrowly avoiding the car that came careening down the road at dangerous speeds. The driver looked drunk. Which is just typical.

"That…was close," Nick mumbled, clutching a very drunk Sky in his arms.

Come to think about it, we're all pretty drunk. And standing just outside the club.

At one in the morning.

And I have to get up at five and all.

Damn!

Master Takashi is officially going to kill me. And Jamie is just going to annoy me to death. Hmm, double death. Does that sound a little extreme to you?

"Ya know, Sky, I don't think your clumsiness gets any better when your drunk," I stated as if it was some brilliant observation that no one else had made. Of course, I then ruined the whole thing and slipped on an imaginary rock and landed hard on my bum.

Not good.

"Bloody hell Cass," Johnny muttered, "Maybe you should just avoid walking all together,"

"Yeah, maybe I should float!"

Note the fact there is NO sarcasm.

I am SO out of it.

"What, like this?" Johnny grinned, picking me up and giving me a piggy back ride.

"WHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Oh God. I've lost it.

"Oh fuck, I think I'm gonna throw up," Kara groaned, stumbling into a side alley and promptly emptying her stomach into a bin. Max stood over her, rubbing her back soothingly.

"You all right there babe?" Mariah called over, leaning heavily on Michael and squinting uncertainly at Kara and Max.

"Urgh…yeah…"

She threw up again.

"TAXI! TAXIIIIIII!" Holly screamed at the car turning at the corner, jumping up and down like a maniac. It pulled up beside us. Surprisingly.

"Okay, Max, Kara, Kai, Michael, Sky, Destiny, Holly and me can take the taxi. The rest of us are in walking distance right? And Cass can go with Johnny," Mariah said, seeming the most sober out of all of us.

"YAY!" I squealed.

"…okay Cass…how many tequilas did you have?" Kai demanded.

"Eh, two?"

"…"

"She had three…four…no, it was seven," Holly declared with a giggle.

Everyone sweat dropped.

"Bad Cass," Mirror scolded, before biting her lip and burying her head in Kai's shoulder as she burst out laughing.

Johnny suddenly put me down clumsily, blinking furiously.

"Whoa, make it stop!"

I gave him an odd look.

"World spinning…hey, there's two of you!"

"Really!" I squealed, spinning around in a circle as attempted to find the other me. I ended up falling over again, only to have Nick catch me.

"MY HERO!" I yelled, flinging my arms around him. "Thanks Nick!"

"Its Fred, actually,"

"Whoops, sorry Freddie!"

Mariah rolled her eyes. "Lets go guys," she declared, and I waved good bye to everyone climbing into taxi.

"Get home safe," Fred and Nick chorused as they set off as well.

"Laters guys," Mirror grinned, whistling cheerfully as she took off too.

Suddenly it was just Johnny and me.

"The world hasn't stopped spinning ya know,"

Why do I get the feeling that this isn't gonna be an easy walk home?

"Is it just me or are there pixies making faces at me?"

"Its just you," I assured my redheaded boyfriend, shifting under his weight. It was safe to say that Johnny just could not walk by himself without landing flat on his face.

I peered into the loom of The McGregors' huge entrance hall. My arm around Johnny's waist tightened as he stumbled slightly, trying to walk to the marble stairs.

"Now Johnny, you have to be very quiet because we don't wanna wake your parents up," I said as sternly as possible for someone only semi-sober.

Basically, it didn't sound stern at all.

"I'm serious, Willow, there are pixies making faces at me!" Johnny exclaimed loudly, completely disregarding what I had just said.

I cringed.

"Yes okay, the pixies are making faces to you. How about we go upstairs and see if they go away?" I suggested.

"Pixies? Always thought he had an over active imagination when he was younger,"

Oh.

Oh.

Umm…crap?

"Uh, hi Mrs McGregor," I greeted the woman standing at the top of the marble staircase. She descended gracefully, smiling reassuringly.

"Hi honey, long time no see,"

Sometimes I thank the lord that Tanya Reiko McGregor is the coolest mom there is.

"Well, I've been a bit busy Mrs McGregor," I mumbled, fighting away a blush and struggling to keep Johnny upright.

"Honey, you and I both know that you are supposed to call me Anya, remember?" Anya grinned, moving over to her son and wrapping an arm around him, taking some of the weight off me. "Now lets get this boy off to bed, shall we?"

"Mom, there's pixies hiding behind the pot plant," Johnny whined.

Anya raised a delicately plucked eyebrow.

"Kiddo, I can say right now that if Willow thinks there aren't any pixies, then there aren't,"

"But…"

"Don't you believe your own girlfriend?"

He promptly shut up.

Ha! Take that…wait a sec…

"How…wha…!"

"Honestly, Lils, give me a little more credit. You think I didn't notice the goofy smile on his face he came home with a few months ago? And the fact I seem to see you sleeping peacefully next him a lot?"

My cheeks flared crimson.

Not many people know that the reason Johnny calls me Lils is because basically all his family does. Anya came up with it the moment she met me.

But that's beside the point.

God, this is embarrassing!

I swear, this night is starting to prove to have more surprises than expected. All I was planning to do was perform! Then Kai walks in, I forgive him and yet still set Mirror on him (bloody hell), get drunk, Sky nearly gets run over and managed to develop a crush on Nick through the night (sheesh girl!), and after that I managed to get a very intoxicated Johnny home (WOW!) and then manage to wake up Anya, who it turns out know all about me and Johnny…what next? There really are pixies hiding behind the pot plant?

I wouldn't past them. Tricky little things, pixies are. Especially Cornish ones. Just looked what happened in Harry Potter!

Finally, we let Johnny fall onto his bed, already asleep.

Bastard.

Allowed to sleep. I have to get up at FIVE IN THE MORNING!

"Honey, are you tired?" Anya asked softly.

I yawned widely.

"Yeah," I said, stating the obvious, "But I have the feeling if I go to sleep I'll never be able to get up at five,"

"Five?" Anya said incredulously, looking at me as if I was mad. Which, I am. Of course.

I looked longingly at the squishy four-poster bed Johnny was peacefully dozing on.

Someone kill me.

Now.

"Martial Arts," I explained, stifling another yawn.

"Willow Tate, you and I are going to have to catch up. And there's never a better time than the present,"

I stared wide-eyed at Anya as she dragged me out of Johnny's room. I threw one last longing look at that welcoming bed and resigned myself to the fact that there would be no getting sleep for the next twenty four hours.

Jamie had better watch out in the morning.

Cos I'm definitely gonna be cranky.

"Lils!"

I rolled over, disgruntled.

"Lils Lils Lils Lils!"

What the fuck?

Who the hell is singing my name in my ear?

Scratch that, sounds like they're screaming.

"Lils, its quarter past five! Mommy said you have to get up!"

Mommy?

Huh?

Quarter past five?

So?

Most people would be asleep!

Quarter past five…why do get the feeling that I am the one soul that MEANT to be awake?

OH SHIT!

I bolted upright, causing the short girl beside me to let out a squeal.

"Hey Lils," grinned the girl. She had red hair pulled back into two plaits and looked about eleven years old.

"Hey Jessie," I smiled at Johnny's little sister. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I have a school trip!" she said proudly, her blue eyes wide with anticipation.

"And you couldn't sleep?" I said knowingly, swinging my legs off the sofa I had fallen asleep on only an hour ago.

"Yeah!" she grinned up at me, her arms encircling my waist as soon as I had stood up. "Are you gonna be here when I get back?"

"How long are you going on the trip for?" I asked, hugging her back. Anya was nowhere to be seen.

"Two days!"

"Wow, that's a long time!"

"I know!"

"Okay, I'll be here waiting with your brother,"

"Promise?" Jessie said with even wider blue eyes.

"Promise." I confirmed.

She grinned at me.

Why can't I have a little sister?

Nothing against Holly or anything.

"HEY SANDY!"

I glared at the nineteen year old as I just walked straight past him.

"Whoa, no hello? Not even for poor little ex boyfriend Jamie?"

Silence.

"Aww, c'mon, I haven't even done anything!"

Yet.

"That must be some PMS,"

I whirled around and tackled him.

"THAT'S BETTER!"

I punched him.

Hard.

Jamie grinned goofily up at me, as I sat on his stomach. He seemed completely unconcerned that I had just hit him and there would a bruise on his stomach by tomorrow.

"Feel better?"

I threw him a death glare.

He smirked.

"For your information, I'm not PMSing," I said tightly.

"Of course not," Jamie agreed.

I tried another death glare, which was rudely interrupted by a yawn.

"Poor poor Sandy," Jamie said, not as arrogantly this time. He sat up, shifting me onto his lap.

I didn't bother protesting.

"Sky's visiting," I mumbled.

"Really?" Jamie grinned.

"Uh huh," I nodded, feeling my body losing to the fight of staying awake. "She's got a crush on Nick and everything,"

"Hasn't changed much," Jamie noted dryly.

His arms encircled my waist and I let my head drop onto his chest.

"We'll hang out after school…and it'll be just like back in America…"

At that point, ironically, I fell asleep in his arms.

Typical.

Technically I've been banned from the comp for a week so I'll make this brief in fear of being caught by my mum.

Thanx for reviewing.

Sorry it took so long for me to update.

Please review.

And i HAVE to go.

So ciao

Chiya