Believe In My Love
Chapter 1...Confusion
There was a loud knock on the door.
Kimiko didn't feel at all in the mood to answer it. Only an hour and a half after Raimundo's departure, and Kimiko had been in her room, bawling her eyes out.
Her father had gone to work as usual, but excused Kieko, herself, Omi, and Clay from school that day. Being that high in business, he had the advantage.
She dragged herself downstairs as the knock became more rapid.
"Kim! You in there?!" A male voice shot through the door.
"Yeah, hold on!" she slumped herself to the door and opened it. "Hey Clay."
"My my, haven't we been productive?" Clay tried to cheer her up by making a joke about her red swollen eyes.
"Yes Clay, you can come in!" she shot back with a playful glare as he entered.
"Kimiko! I thought you were asleep!" Her maid sounded happy, but a spark of concern flickered in her eyes.
Without the question asked, Kimiko answered it, "I'm fine Amy...trust me...but um, do you think you could get Clay and I a bottle of peach flavored water?"
"Sure thing!" she rushed away.
"Okay Clay..." she said, settling down in her living room. "Lay it on me...what'cha here for?"
"Well Kim...I've been looking into it for about three weeks now...And trust me this is for your interest only, but Kieko, Omi and me would be going with you too."
She began to get a little bit more interested, as to why he would bring it up right after Raimundo left...unless it had something to do with him. "Go on..." she said, sitting on the seat of her chair.
"An exchange student reunion in Rio."
She jumped up and hugged Clay, "Are you serious? You've been looking for me? Oh my god Clay you are the best person on the planet and off of it right now Clay oh my god, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"But..."
"There's a catch..." she finished, sighing. Of course, he happy mood didn't deflate, but her irritation began to get the best of her.
"Next month..."
"Liiiike..." She moved her hand in a slow motion. Clay scratched his head.
"The first..."
"That's not that far! That's like... only like ten days away!"
"We'd have to go to school with him..."
"Not a problem...!"
"You sure you'd want to? I mean, don't you want to give it some time?"
"How long is it for?"
"The program goes for two and a half months..."
"Serious? Clay that's great! And you, Kieko, Omi, and I would go?"
"Yep!"
"Excillent!"
"More catch."
"God..."
"Money... Surely my dad can't pay for it, and I know Omi's parents wouldn't be able to."
"What if my father paid?"
"You think he would?"
"He knows if I went to see my boyfriend, I'd need my friends with me."
"Good point... but-"
"Relax Clay, I'll have it all under control, okay? Just start packing!"
"Okay..."
"I so love you Clay!"
"Do you now?"
"Just not as much as other people!" She smiled vividly.
He grumbled something that his heavy accent covered quite well. "I'll go home and call Omi."
"And Raimundo..." Kimiko added.
"Why not you?"
"Cause I have Kieko to call... AND my father..."
"So?"
"So I have more people, you should have to call Raimundo." She smiled widely, making her eyes squeeze shut to avoid the glare that was sent her way.
"You're his girlfriend!" Clay whined.
"But you are one of his best friends!" Kimiko shot back in a snotty voice.
"I have more people than you..." He tried to reason.
"Umm... Like who?" Dug Kimiko.
"Like... Omi?"
"That's one you idiot!"
There was no answer for a moment while Clay thought this over. "Don't you think Omi is enough trouble?"
Kimiko sigh. "Fine... Fine... I'll be right back. Don't move! And if Amy comes back, tell her I went up to my room for a sec, and tell her we're gunna need a four person lunch."
He muttered more to himself that Kimiko didn't catch as she flew up the stairs, scrambled into her room and grabbed her cell phone. Then she quick raced back down to see Clay giving his order, and Omi's order to Amy. Kimiko gave a sideways glance, and a muffled laugh, which Clay didn't hear, and Amy just shrugged.
That course of action led Clay to stop and turn around to me. "What?"
"Nothing!" She held both hands infront of her, as Amy quickly scurried away to escape Clay's order list. She already knew what Kimiko and Kieko would want. "Get callin!" She laughed.
Clay pulled out his cell and pressed his speed dial 1. He held it to his ear until someone picked up. Once it was answered, he heard screaming in the background and sigh.
Poor Omi... His dad always seemed to find a way to yell at him because he was short, big headed, yellow, and adopted. Everyone was convinced that he only allowed his wife to adopt because he wanted a kid, and he couldn't have any. He also let her pick without him... He didn't even go to Omi's adoption.
The yelling led to his mother and father screaming at each other. So he carefully slipped away, to smart to get involved in those rare cases that things got too bad.
"Hey Omi... Parents? Yeah I know... That's how my Mum and Dad used to be until they split... No! No not saying that yours will... but ... Well, I wanted you to come to Kim's house... We've got news for everyone... Yeah, kay... See Ya when you get here Lil' Buddy." He hung up and nodded to Kimiko, making her flip open her cell and hit her number one key.
It rang a couple of times before Kieko answered.
"Hey Girl... Yeah, come over, quick sharp... Clay's got news... Yes, I know, it's shocking... He has something to say I totally know!... Okay, well we shouldn't gossip about the boys on the phone... Yes, Omi's coming... Okay... Clay's giving me the evil stare... Great! Okay, see you when you get here Kieko! Bye."
Clay's glare still drilled into Kimiko's eyes. His glare was so hard, she slipped a pillow at his hat with a lot of force, and he didn't even see it coming. It skimmed his head, and hit his hat, clear across the giant room.
"Kimiko!"
She had turned to grab another pillow, planning on throwing it at his head this time, but she knew he had thrown it back at her. So, quick in the mind, she pushed herself quickly into a handstand, with her legs spread apart. When she knew the pillow was in reach, she slammed her two legs together on the pillow, catching it. Then she rolled back on her spine, into a down position, but with enough force to throw it back at Clay, hitting him square in the face.
She sat up and saw the pillow slide down onto his lap, revealing a very irritated expression face on Clay.
"Flirt much?" The voice chuckled. That statement got Omi two pillows in the face. "Sorry!... So what's up?"
"Kim was just about to call Rai." Clay said, before Kimiko could answer.
"Right!" she grumbled with fake enthusiasm.
She pressed her speed dial 4 (Kieko, Omi, Clay, incase you were wondering, she didn't wanna change the order) and held it up to her ear.
One Ring...
No answer.
Two Ring...
No answer.
Three Ring...
Not gunna answer.
Fourth and Final Ring...
"If you don't answer, she'll get worried..." Growled his best friend.
"I know, I know... But I can't... Not after what happened..." He answered back.
No answer.
Kimiko pulled the phone away from her ear, confused. He should have landed by now. She knew she had a confused expression on her face, and when she looked up, she met with other confused expressions.
"Clay... You try it."
"Okay." He said, not whining or joking around. He clicked his speed dial 4 (Omi, Kimiko, Kieko, again incase you were curious.)
One Ring...
No answer.
Two Rings...
Bold Italic - Raimundo Bold - Clay
Hello?
Hey Rai.
Uhh, hi Clay.
You back at Rio yet?
Yeah, why?
Kim tried to call, you didn't answer.
How did y-
I'm sitting in her living room.
Oh... Right... Sorry, I couldn't find my phone right away.
Raimundo hated to lie, but he had to... He couldn't afford to talk to Kimiko.
How did he know it was Kimiko? Those pauses... were they indicating he made that up? Clay thought, as silence engulfed the conversation.
So, why did you call?
Why does it matter? Can't a friend just call? Clay mumbled into the phone.
What?
Nothing... Just, talking to myself.
M'kay.
So Raimundo... There is this exchange student reunion in Rio next month... In like ten days or whatever, and Kim's dad would pay for Kieko, Omi, Kim, and me to go... Omi and I would stay with you, and the girls could stay at... I dunno, some girl's house? Would that be cool with you? Cause I know you wanna see Kimiko again and all... And she really wants to see you and -
No not now, I don't want to see Kimiko right now! No No, I'd never be able to hear that excited beautiful voice after what just happened. And with Jack glaring at me, I'd sound nervous.
Yeah sure, sounds great, e-mail me the details later, I gotta go, see ya, and tell Omi and Kieko I say hi! (1... Check authors note)
The line then went dead, as a confused Clay looked up to eager expressions. Kieko was now sitting by Kimiko, all eyes on him... Focused in completely.
"He said yeah that'd be great... And to e-mail him details later... And he also said hi to Omi and - "
Everyone (except Clay) expected it to be 'and I love you Kimiko' but it wasn't...
"Kieko." Clay simply said.
There was dead silence that followed.
Huh? Was the question in everybodies mind.
"Clay... Do you wanna explain the whole thing to everyone?" Kieko finally couldn't stand it.
"Umm... So... " He coughed a little, to make sure Kimiko wasn't just going to stare into space forever. "For the past three weeks, I've been looking into exchange student reunion for all of us to go to."
"But my parents won't p-" Omi started, but Kimiko cut him off.
"I'm going to talk my papa into paying for all of us. He knows I want to see my boyfriend, but he also knows I wouldn't go without my friends. I tell ya, he's super cool!"
"Anyways..." Clay talked once again. "It's next month... AKA ten days... So... What do you guys say?"
"I say we should start packing soon. There is NO way I am letting Kimi go to BRAZIL alone!" Kieko squealed and hugged her friend.
"And there's no way I'm letting Kieko get all the fun!" Omi laughed, joining in.
"And there's no way I'm staying here alone!" Clay said, sarcasm hinting his enthusiasm.
"Plan it... Everyone stay over, we can talk more about this!" Kimiko smiled widely. "And maybe we can get Rai to be more descriptive with this plan later." She suggested.
They all nodded, pulling out cell phones and hitting speed dial number 7,8, or 9.
"Hey Mum... Can I stay over at Kimiko's? Great!... Yeah I'll come back and pick up stuff... And school stuff... Yeah don't worry bout it... Thanks... bye!"
"Why did everyone just say the same thing?" Kimiko's state of confusion made it funny for people to know her.
"I dunno... magic Kim... Right Kieko?" Omi asked.
"Right Omi... Right Clay?"
"Uhh... No?"
"Haha!" Kimiko laughed at them.
"Claaay!" Kieko fakely whined.
"Why am I always the one picked on...?" He muttered so that no one could hear.
Chapter one complete. Well, tecnically chapter one... Anyways... I hope you liked it. I want 7 reviews, just like the first chapter before I keep going, so you better get everybody and their brother who has read foreign exchange to get reading on this one, and review if you want an update soon. And if you don't know anybody who's read foreign exchange, you better make them read it, like it, review it, read this one, like it, and review it. :) Kapeash? Okay, well I think I've said it enough in this A/N... PLEASE REVIEW!!! Thanks a million, and sorry if it was crap. But I do hope you enjoyed like the first chapter!
Check Author Notes:
1 Raimundo said hi to Clay at the beginning of the phonecall. At the end, before eagerly dropping the call, he said "Say Hi to Kieko and Omi for me..." Or something around that area. What everyone should have expected him to say 1st was tell Kimiko I love her... That was sign number one that he didn't want to be on the phone, and didn't want to talk to Kimiko at the moment. Clay from then on found out something was up, but just decided to let it slide... For now.