STANDARD DICLAIMERS APPLY: If I had a million dollars, maybe I could buy the rights to Rurouni Kenshin; as things stand, I barely own myself.
Quick little message from author: In all fairness, I am particularly proud of this chapter: it didn't take as long to write or upload as many others and it is quality material – at least in my book. I'm considering taking this little ranting session down from future uploads seeing as no one seems to be the least bit interested by it. Last time I mentioned having some ideas for future Inuyasha fanfics, but, either no one read the AN, either no one cared. As for this chapter's focal point: can you say "forshadowing"?
Soundtrack: Aterciopelados – Rompecabezas; Ely Guerra and La Ley – El Duelo; Lenny Kravitz – Circus; Sarah Mchlachlan – Lost; And you will know us by the trail of dead – How Near, How far; Bob Schneider – Big Blue Sea; Cake – Frank Sinatra; Tori Amos – Here in my Head; Frou Frou – Hear me out; Moby – Sunday; Hooverphonic – Mad About You.
Chapter 15: Holding Breath.
Surreal: that was the only word that came slightly close to describing the situation. Being in his jeep with Tomoe, driving her back to the loft… it was just crazy, absurd, bizarre and, most of all, surreal.
The silence was getting to him; never before had it been a problem for the two of them to keep quiet for a while, their relationship had sort of always been beyond the bound of words.
Now, though… now it was unsettling. Now, he would give anything for her to say something, for her to let him know why she was here and what the hell she wanted with him, for him to have an excuse to not be angry and loosen his grip on the steering wheel, which his hands tightly clung to, as if for dear life.
"Are you cold?"
The pensive woman in the passenger seat shook her head parsimoniously and resumed her brooding while staring out the window. Kenshin spared her a glance and mentally sighed; she had been like this ever since he first met up with her at the airport and, in spite of feeling something akin to resentfulness towards her, her attitude was beginning to worry him: he never could stay mad at her long, and goodness knows he'd tried…
"So… how is Italy working out for you, To- Tomoe?" he asked politely.
Inwardly, he swore at his inability to pronounce her name without stuttering. Why was it that he was so easily reduced to nothing more than a bumbling toddler when she was around?
"In answer to your question, I'd have to say that I like it there. That isn't what you wanted to ask me though, is it Kenshin?" she responded in a mellifluous and cordial voice.
It got to him every time; the inflection when she voiced his name, that subtle little pitch… it had forevermore been his undoing. Tonight, it made him sad, it made him angry, it made him want to stop the car and demand an explanation; it made him feel things he knew he would never express.
"You are correct, that wasn't really the first of a series of questions that came to mind."
Truth be told, he had been expecting her immediate, honest and direct retort, only… it never came… and that frightened him because, the fact that she wasn't being as straightforward as she had always been, it did not bode well: there must have been something in the water back in Milan…
Eventually, she heaved a soft, almost inaudible sigh, and the long pearl earrings that hung from her earlobes clinked together musically as she shook her head, seemingly attempting to banish some unwanted thought from her mind, while her salmon colored silk skirt rustled slightly as she uncomfortably shifted in her seat.
"Don't think I don't understand your position, Kenshin. If I were in your shoes, I too would be… curious… and a paragraph full of other substantially lesser adjectives. I'm aware that this isn't a particularly nice situation but, I assure you, there are perfectly legitimate reasons for my being here at this very moment; had it been otherwise, I would have never considered bothering you with my troubles."
He wasn't surprised, for Tomoe had a good head on her shoulders and she tended to be considerate within the realm of all things reasonable. When she took action, she was always cautious and wary of the consequences, both for her and all other pawns involved. At the top of her game, she was an insanely excellent strategist: poker nights were impossible because calling her bluffs was unheard of and she was a fine chess player, one that could checkmate her way to hell and back, coming out from every match victorious; no doubt her father taught her well and all the money invested in her education had paid off.
No, what caught him off guard was her insinuation and the fact that in order to overcome her difficulties she would have to resort to seeking his aid: he could not fathom what kind of problems the intelligent and keenly insightful twenty-five year old could have fallen victim to that would require his, or anyone else's assistance. After all, she was so self-sufficient that her only unconquered battle thus far was her inability to photosynthesize, and the only thing stopping her from that achievement was her human condition and unbreakable laws of nature…
"You don't have to tell me that Tomoe: I know you and I know how your mind works."
"I'm glad… you still trust me that much?"
"Does it really surprise you? You never did anything to earn my mistrust or shake my confidence in you; you only chose a different road than the one I'm on."
"You're right, it's not surprising… yet, a confirmation is always well received."
"Testing the waters? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't I always say that you would make an incredible business woman?"
"My father would have been enormously pleased."
Conversation sparked but quickly withered away. Even if small talk was, at this point, more than welcome, there were more important matters on both their minds and those disturbing, persistent thoughts that erected barricades and brick walls between them proved themselves relentless and obstructive, as obstacles well tend to do.
"It was a pretty long flight: do you mind if we wait until we get to the loft before I clear things up for you? I know you want answers Kenshin, and I will readily explain myself but, I am so very tired right now… would it be too inconvenient or even terribly presumptuous on my part if I suggest that we wait it out a bit?" she solicited evenly, lassitude reflected in her dark, penetrating orbs.
How could he say no to that? She actually looked kind of haggard and that was most definitely not one of her characteristic traits; prim and proper, on the other hand, described her best… normally, anyway.
"So we wait."
After speaking said words out loud, though, and witnessing a small smile of satisfaction and relief creep over his ex-girlfriend's lips, he had to wonder at the ominous ring that he had meant to instill in his statement and that had gone completely unnoticed by her.
Perhaps Kaoru was right, maybe he did have a tendency to make all things sound extremely definitive, only those who spent enough time around him just learned to let it bounce off of them: when had she become able to read him so well?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Both their high strung attitudes engendered a stifling atmosphere at the loft. Once they reached their destination, neither was sure what the correct course of action should be or how they should handle themselves in the other's company.
With minor protests and firm persuasion, it was settled that Tomoe would take the bed and that Kenshin, every bit the gentleman, could very well make do of the couch.
One glass of water and a few nervous glances later, they hadn't covered much ground or made any progress - Kenshin was still confused and his current tormentor was behaving as cryptic as ever: why did karma have to be such a… well… bitch? In our main character's opinion, things couldn't possibly get any worse.
There was a noisy, intermingled cacophony of confident steps and jangling keys, followed by a sudden gust of wind that filtered to the interior of the room as the front door flew open: it would be wise to knock on wood when one believes oneself to be far above the reach of life's treacherous, pixie-like ways…
"Sanusuke Sagara, fancy meeting you here: I thought you would have moved in with Megumi by now… no longer into illiterate men, is she?"
"Why, Miss Yukishiro… what an unpleasant surprise. Have no fear; Megumi is still as much into me as you like your men miserable."
"Sano, Tomoe… not tonight."
How could he have forgotten? What on earth had possessed him to disregard the mutual dislike between his ex and his best friend? This damn confusion that had settled in ever since she phoned him from the airport had crossed his wires and had lead him to go blotto; he had been far too busy trying to think up reasonable motives for her return to consider how messed up things could get as soon as those two found themselves reunited at long last. He would pay dearly for that mistake; it was bound to cost him his sanity.
"So, did you two kiddies have dinner yet? I brought left-overs." Sanosuke said, nodding towards the Tupperware containers nestled in his arms.
"We skipped supper. Actually, we just got back so-" Kenshin tried to explain, only, whatever he was about to say, got swallowed up by his roommate's booming voice.
"Good: going to bed on an empty stomach sounds like punishment enough for the likes of you!"
The redhead had to grudgingly admit: he was at sea here, slowly ebbing to the very bottom of this big, blue, murky watered ocean of incomprehension and puzzlement. That Sano would resort to insulting Tomoe was one thing; that he would treat Kenshin with undeserved disdain was… unprecedented – if his regular taunts and weird sense of humor weren't taken into account, of course.
"Oro? Punishment? Sano, I for one would like to know, just what exactly is going on?"
Sanosuke was livid and having a hard time concealing it. How dare this man he held in such high-esteem – even if he did spend half of his time making fun of him – forget his errors, which were the size of an elephant, so fast? Was he in that big a hurry to tread the decidedly wrong side of the tracks anew?
"All I'm saying is that you weren't the only ones to blow off a nice, warm meal tonight." he strained to get out through gritted teeth.
Kenshin's eyes widened at the implications and he felt himself beginning to loose his hold on the calm image he'd been attempting to display ever since the dreaded telephone's ringer went off that evening. How dare he accuse him of depriving Kaoru of food?
She was a big girl; if dinner was cancelled, then surely she could supply herself with something back at her house! Besides, he had dropped her off at the 7-eleven near her place and she'd assured him she was going to get some groceries, amongst which was a large pint of ice-cream!
"She had no qualms about it, if that's what you're getting at…" he spat out, tightlipped.
"Of course she wouldn't; she's too nice a person to let anyone know when they've gone on ahead and hurt her feelings." the tall man elucidated while storing the containers away in the fridge; he didn't trust himself enough to make eye contact with Kenshin without following up his statement by running him into the ground. Seriously, how much of an idiot could one man be?
"Am I missing something here?" the dark haired woman chimed in, giving her ex-boyfriend a worried slanted look or two: she could tell that he was loosing his temper, which never turned out to be a good thing.
"By more than a mile and you're not the only one…" he disclosed simply, setting his eyes on Kenshin accusingly.
"Sano… now is not the time." the small and slender young man whispered harshly, amber specks dancing around dangerously in his watery violet eyes.
"You're right: in your case, time's up." Sano spoke, glaring daggers at his friend, wishing he would get a clue, before lazily turning his smoldering gaze on the wretched source of this mess they were all in: Tomoe. "Glad to have you back, Miss Yukishiro: we are all free to wallow in emotional distress now."
"In spite of how things might look, none of this is what you think Sanosuke."
Oh, so he thought that pronouncing his full name, building an almost tangible, considerably dark aura around himself and simmering quietly with his hands clenched into fists was going to scare off Sagara Sanosuke??? If he weren't so darn enraged and just about ready to chop off heads, the football player would be laughing till his sides fell off and screaming 'I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF DANGER!!!' at the top of his lungs. Kenshin sure knew how to be amusing in his own 'one-more-word-and-I-will-be-dancing-atop-your-grave-faster-than-you-can-beg-for-mercy' way. Oh well, if he wanted to use the intimidator card and think he could get away with it, that was his problem…
"I'm hoping not, otherwise, it's potentially much more dangerous than before."
"I must say, I never dreamed that I would see the day you talked in riddles." the female in a sleeveless, mandarin collar, silk blouse and matching skirt announced mockingly.
To be perfectly honest, she wasn't enjoying the bantering session – she never did – but it was a means to an end: if she took the gruff young man's comments the least bit seriously, then Kenshin would be concerned about things that were far too petty to get worked up about and, as it was, he already had enough on his plate without her, yet again, adding insult to injury.
Looking back on it all now, she knew that when she had decided to leave, she had, in part, made the right choice: her presence was always as painful as rubbing salt into an old, unhealing wound and he, of all people, did not deserve that kind of treatment.
"Just goes to show: I never thought I'd see the day you walked back through that door, but I guess I spoke too soon, didn't I?"
Kenshin was seething: Tomoe was back, Kaoru, for whatever god forsaken reason privy to only women and their strange ways, was upset and Sanosuke was being an ass, which wasn't helping matters any!
"You do realize that, up until tonight, you had never been as openly hostile?" she softly intoned.
"Up until tonight you had never screwed up as badly!" he exclaimed in aggravation.
Kenshin felt a migraine coming on, one of the skull-drilling kind. Everything was so screwed up. Everything was so damn much to take. Everything was happening too fast. Everything was too intoxicating. Everything was too nauseating. Everything was summed up in a pair of haunting charcoal eyes. Everything was reduced to sparkling, wondrous cornflower orbs. Everything was too confusing. Everything has one horizon. Everything has an alpha and an omega. Everything is here and gone. Everything was lost. Everything had meaning. Everything was beginning to slip away. Everything was too loud. Everything was too strong. Everything was so fucked up!!!
"KNOCK IT OFF YOU TWO!!!"
"Kenshin…" Sanosuke gasped in awe at the architecture major's outburst, "you finally grew a spine. Not to worry though, your girlfriend's figurative chainsaw will take care of that soon enough!"
"I said stop…" he hissed hoarsely, keeping his ire in check as best as he knew; the last thing he needed was to loose control of his guarded emotions and explode theatrically. Somehow, he knew it wouldn't all end with a 'BANG'…
"I'm going to bed, you ungrateful bastard!" the coffee-eyed brunet huffed, crossing the distance to the small winding, wrought iron staircase that lead to his quarters without turning around or looking back.
"Sleep tight and do let the bedbugs get in a few bites…"Kenshin murmured inaudibly: he did have to let off steam somehow!
The resounding slam of a bedroom door echoed all throughout their shared living space and all grew still… again.
"Well…isn't he as mature as ever?" the woman remarked cynically, letting her eyes stray to the top of the staircase, which was in full view from the main floor.
"Tomoe… what are you doing here?" he asked in defeat, closed lids hidden behind a curtain of soft russet bangs.
"I would think the morning better suited for discussions of such caliber, don't you agree?" she suggested after a beat of silence, very much being her standard, equanimous self.
"I don't even know what caliber you're making reference to." Kenshin whispered wearily, his head still hung low and a million doubts clouding his thought-process.
Tomoe took a deep breath and braced herself. She was so tired of this, of causing him pain: he had been a tortured soul ever since she met him and their relationship's circumstances hadn't exactly been therapeutic.
She supposed that meeting for the first time at a funeral wasn't particularly encouraging or something to be taken as a good sign, but she had never been superstitious, believing only in men and their own creations, in that which she could see for herself – a true sophist at heart. Had she known what she knew now, she would have never pursued him, never condemned him the way she did. When it was all said and done, Sanosuke was right, she had prolonged his misery, though she did believe that she had tried to help, tried to forget, tried to come to terms with reality and fickle fate.
No, she had never been superstitious, but perhaps she should have been, for her first encounter with him and the mere fact that he had come into her life gave her reason to consider and remain open to the possibility that destiny was more than an excuse people used to explain the inexplicable or an illusory faith to place all their absurd hopes in.
Yes: Kenshin's existence and his influence in her life by far succeeded to accredit the creed of kismet; he had single-handedly proved that it had all been meant to be, time and again. And now… now, looking at his shadow cast onto the floor by the light reflecting from the ceiling and beholding his dispirited figure across from her, worn out by her once more, now he made her see that it had all also been meant to come to a close.
"You will find out all the sordid details tomorrow morning, if you allow me to postpone this conversation, that is. Kenshin… please try to understand… it's not easy for me either but… trust me when I say there is no harm in waiting for answers and that I needed to see you before heading off to my family and sharing with them what we will speak of later on. I want you to be the first to know the news I bear because… you're still my best friend, I just… I don't know how to… how to tell you and I need to buy time to piece myself back together before I do. Please understand me Kenshin." she pleaded, much to her ex's astonishment.
"Is it that serious?" he inquired sorrowfully.
"I don't think it has to be, but you never can tell, can you?" she strove on, hope and desperation shimmering in her soulful stare.
"No… I guess you can't."
With those words, he shrugged aside the subject that troubled him and she relaxed, fully aware that he had granted her her wish of being left alone for the rest of the evening. One sleepless night holding his breath, and then Kenshin would finally attain the knowledge that he yearned for: the reason for Tomoe Yukishiro mysteriously slipping back into his life.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"The 'ex', hunh?"
"Yup."
"Well, that sure puts a dampener on things!"
"Yup."
"So… has he bothered to call?"
"Nope."
"Probably too infatuated with her to bother picking up a phone…"
"Yup."
"Somehow, I didn't expect something like this from the guy that heroically saved your life multiple times: in my mind, I pictured the two of you as a fairy-tale couple, two souls mysteriously brought together like in all those epic tales, the predestined lovers in the movies of Hollywood's black and white golden age, etcetera…"
"Yup."
"I just didn't think something like this would happen, you know?"
"Un-hunh."
"Kaoru… you've spent all weekend sitting next to the phone, haven't you?"
"Yup."
"And… correct if I'm wrong, but… you're angry at yourself for it, aren't you?"
"Yup."
"Oh dear… Tell me, can you say anything else besides 'yup', or are you too mopey and sad to try?"
Kaoru sighed into the receiver and wiggled her toes as she brought her legs closer to her chest. Why should she bother saying anything at all? It's not as if talking was going to change anything or make Kenshin materialize before her spouting sonnets. Though, come to think of it, she was glad that poetry was out of the question: personally, that whole fantasy scenario was a bit too corny for her taste, even if she liked Rimbaud well enough.
"You say it best when you say nothing at all, Louise Brooks. That's it! I'm coming over with comfort food and chick flicks!" her cheery friend decided.
More comfort food? Kaoru was going to end up gaining ten pounds overnight on a daily basis if this kept up! And just who in the seven hells was Louise Brooks??? Sometimes Misao really aimed to confuse…
"It's okay Misao; Sano already stopped by and lifted my spirits. Oh! Also… who's Louise Brooks?"
"Sano is your former Prince Charming's trusty sidekick, isn't he? When did he stop by? And, do you want the lengthy version, or the Cliff Notes one?"
"Yes he is – though Kenshin never ever was my Prince Charming - , Friday and Cliff Notes please."
"Louise Brooks was the famous silent movie star that played the role of Lulu in 'Pandora's Box' and had a cute little Dutch bob, which I am, personally, considering cropping my hair into. Now, let me see if I follow: Sano was over at your house cheering you up on Friday and his technique is so amazing that it has managed to soothe you up until today? Kaoru… should I be taking notes from this guy or something?"
"Nope, not really. How short is this Dutch bob exactly?"
"Don't change the subject! So, all of a sudden Miss Brooks has decided to go all chatty on me… Kaoru: what are you hiding and whatever possessed you to believe that you can keep it from me?"
Kaoru banged her head against the wall and stared longingly at the telephone's cradle: what she wouldn't give at this very moment to be able to hang up on her friend… How was she supposed to want to talk about how she was feeling a thousand things she knew she very well shouldn't? How was she meant to explain that whatever had transpired Friday between Kenshin and herself hurt her more than she cared to admit? How was she going to manage explaining all of these contradicting emotions without sounding like a completely obsessed lunatic? If she was honest with herself, then she would have to willingly admit that she had known him not for very long; then why was it that she could feel certain unbalancing emotions this strongly? Why and how could he seep into her skin so quickly? Why was she so sad and out of it? How in the world could she speak to Misao about this? 'How' and 'why': she was beginning to develop a serious dislike toward these two commonly used words of the English language!
"Misao, my only problem is a silent phone. Really, I should feel better than this! After all, Sanosuke was so kind and thoughtful and, generally speaking, so entirely unlike himself, that the shocking surprise of it all should have lasted me till kingdom come, not Sunday! Besides, how long have I known my personal lifesaver? How can I even be sure that he doesn't go about his day saving dozens upon dozens of women? What makes me so special? What could make me think that he could ever see me as special? Furthermore, why should I care what he thinks of me? Why should I give damn Misao??? Please, tell me!!!"
Misao, on the other end of the line, was overcome. In all the years she had know Kaoru Kamiya, few times had she ever sounded this messed up: who was this Kenshin Himura and what in God's name was he doing to her poor, beautiful friend???
"Kaoru, stay put and keep it cool; I'm coming over! One question though: should I come in my pajamas or are you dressed properly?"
Kaoru pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, trying hard to do as she was told and release all the pent up tension that was building a weepy, sentimental creature of gigantic proportions inside of her. She wanted to answer the girl; she really did, but… why bother wasting breath if it took up so much effort?
"Your silence speaks louder than words… I'll be there in twenty minutes."
Sighing one final time, the phone slid from the teenage girl's grasp and thumped onto the ground. Ever so slowly, she let her eyes droop closed and then, with astonishing fierceness, she jammed the heel of her hands against her sockets, futilely creating intense pressure that ultimately caused a tingling pain in the abused area, which, in turn, made her see stars.
She felt as if she were going stark raving mad and she knew, in the very depths of her inner self, that this kind of behavior was a far cry from normal. What was going on with her??? She was beginning to scare herself; this she knew as surely as the grass was green and the sky was blue. When did things stop making sense?
"I ask myself that same question every day."
Kaoru's head snapped up fast enough to give her whiplash and her liquid eyes threatened to succumb to angry storms and forlorn seas: where had she heard those soft words phrased oh-so-wistfully before? And why did recalling this occurrence suddenly seem all too imperative?
The telephone's empty cradle was aimlessly pushed away with one frustrated thrust and the beeping receiver bumped into the wall alongside it, helplessly tugged into hell by the chord that united the two.
Kaoru held her breath and counted to ten. The receiver continued to beep, and then the line went dead.
Reviewer Responses:
To ^_^ : Well, I've officially introduced Tomoe and Sano's dislike for her person has been made quite apparent. However, I don't think the reasons for their mutual discord have been made quite clear yet. Oh well, that just gives me something to work on and you something to think about! As for the bonding between Kaoru and Sano… I think it is an integral part of the plot – whichever it might be – and I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Thankies for the review!!!
To VanyD: I've been really busy lately, so I haven't read your fic yet, but when I get the time, you can be sure that I'll look it up and ravenously devour it – I sooo miss getting to be lazy and read as much fanfics as I want! I'm glad that you liked the Sano/Kaoru interaction: it truly was a treat to write. In my opinion, there's this gigantic misconception of who Sanosuke is; everyone thinks he's stupid and I wanted to show another side of him and hopefully make people realize there's more to him than meets the eye. I'm sorry to report that Tomoe will not be buzzing off for a while, but… actually, you'll just have to read about it, won't you??? Have no fear, Misao is the trusted sidekick and, you already heard a bit from her in this chapter; more will be swift to follow! Besides, how else would we know if she finally managed to make Aoshi smile and hell freeze over all at once? ^_~ Thank you for always reviewing: it feels great to be appreciated!
To missaw: Ahh… you have got to be one of the select few on this site who don't start convulsing when they encounter a K/T piece! I, myself, always shudder slightly but, I fear that for the success of this story, Tomoe's presence is essential – not that you seem to mind. The Sanosuke/Kaoru bonding moment is actually one of my favorite things in the entire story because I think – feel free to correct me if I'm wrong – that it gives both characters more depth and peels the onion a little bit; I mean, all the characters from the RKverse have so many layers! And me, being my overly-analytical self….I just had to exploit that quality somehow. It makes me happy to know that you like surprises because there are maaany more to come: this fic isn't called "180º spins, twists and turns" for nothing! To you I send lots of kisses and reverent gratefulness in bundles, for you never give up on me, always stick around with a nice comment or two to boot and it keeps me constantly inspired! Thank you!
To Nigihayami Haruko: *blushes* What can I say? That was a sweet, flattering, inspiring review: that it was! Umm… I guess you can say that this chapter was slow too, but if it's any consolation, we passed from Friday night to Sunday and, according to the napkin with illegible notes jotted down that sits next to me, chapter 16's title goes a little something like "Meeting the ex-girlfriend": not so mad at me anymore, are you? Although, I assure you that, no matter how much we both want it to happen, there will be no catfights – at least not for Kaoru or Tomoe… As for your opinions on characterization and how lousy it can oftentimes be, I heartily agree. That kind of thinking was actually the reasoning behind the inclusion of the previous chapter into the story: though the story could have easily gone on without it, it just wouldn't be the same story. It pleases me immensely that you like my writing and, don't you worry, I ramble a lot too and I always tell my reviewers not to be bothered by it because, to me, your witty ramblings are this fanfics saving grace, as well as mine! Thanks!
To Misato-Katsuragi2: Slippers… personally, I have a bad habit of wearing multicolored socks instead of slippers, which makes my mom mad because they get all dirty and with the amount of pairs I go through in a week, I have to stock up on them big time, unless I dare to wear shoes without socks and get blisters – darn, sensitive skin! Apparently, the last chapter got a much better response from the readers than I expected which, all things considered, suits me just fine! Yes, yes, this story is K/K, so you can rest easy – you should have seen how many people got upset thinking this would strangely turn into a K/T… the insanity of it all! @_@ Thank you very much for being a constant reviewer and source of inspiration. See you next chapter!
To Rhapsody07: Is there anything better than ice-cream to numb pain? ^_~ Don't worry, Tomoe isn't going to try to steal Kenshin away… though that doesn't mean that Kaoru can't think she will. Confused? You're not the only! It's just as well though, all will be cleared up… in due time. Wow! Tomoe's first death threat! Isn't she the happy little camper? Till next time Rhapsody-chan and thank you for your, as usual, kind words!
To EnjeruJoshin: Ah… it's always so nice to hear from my little ray of sunshine that is you! But wait… what is this I hear? Your boyfriend is being a moron??? He should not play games with you, you deserve way better than that! I hope that the situation gets resolved soon and that the compromise you both come to benefits you, otherwise I'll just have to kick his ass for you! Men can just be so clueless sometimes, can't they? Can't live with them, can't live without them: the human race is really screwed up! But seriously, anything you need, my e-mail's on the profile, okay? Keep me posted as to how things progress; I'll keep uploading as frequently as I can, hoping that this little, measly bit that I can do for you, which is nothing more than writing a simple story, makes you smile for at least five minutes straight. Have faith but, most importantly be true to yourself and bow down to no one, okay? Thank you for reviewing: that always makes me feel better! ^_^
To Shaeja Sedjet: You know, you're a lucky one because I was about to post the new chapter and your review made it just in time for the final cut: now that's what I call excellent timing! Thanks for reviewing and do stick around for more of 180º spins twists and turns' drama, comedy and romance!
I have to say, the number of reviews I received for this chapter pales in comparison to the amount that piled up for previous entries: I guess that updating so irregularly finally caught up with me, hunh? *heaves a disheartened sigh* Oh well, I guess it couldn't be helped! I still love all of my readers and reviewers and I am happy and humbled by every single word of encouragement that I receive.
To all of you, thanks and Sayonara; to Ocean Fish, three words: WHERE ARE YOU?