Chapter 3

Normal pov

2 weeks later...

Mariah burst into Hilary's room, happily.

'You ready yet?' she asked excitedly

'Almost,' said Hilary adjusting her eye liner.

She looked at the mirror. Mariah was dressed in a hot pink mini-skirt and a very revealing white crop top striped with matching hot pink to the skirt. The V of the neck looked fashionably ripped further down. Mariah looked at Hilary.

'Very sexy outfit Hil!' she commented.

Hilary was wearing a black singlet with one sleeve torn off, covered with a black net top. Her short skirt was black leather and she wore buckled black boots that came halfway up her smooth shins.

'Thank you!' said Hilary 'Same with you! You and Ray gonna be hanging out at Tala's party? Just make sure you behave. Ha ha ha.'

'Of course,' she replied winking, 'Though I can't guarantee everything will be PG rated! Hah ha ha. Emily is staying here with Kenny. She says they're working on a beyblade project but I think they got it going on!'

They both laughed. A sharp knocking came from downstairs. The girls went over to Hilary's deck and peered out into the front yard. Tyson, Kai, Daichi, Ray, Kenny, Max and his new girlfriend Shana Bradson were outside waiting.

'Hey up there!' Tyson called up to them. 'You girls ready or not!'

'We'll be down in a second!' Mariah called down then disappeared into the room. Kai looked up at Hilary. She returned his gaze then pulled herself in off the deck and followed Mariah downstairs.

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Kai sat on a lounge chair, ignoring a drunken girl who was sitting beside him flirting violently. The music blared. Tyson was dancing with a girl he's just met, Daichi was eating at the snacks table, Ray and Mariah had gone outside for a "walk" and Max was dancing with Shana. Hilary was no where to be seen. Kai stood up, brushing the drunken girl off him and walked off in search of her. Tala suddenly appeared beside him.

'Enjoying yourself Kai?' he asked taking a swig of his bottle of drink.

'Sure' Kai said sidetrack.

'Huh, typical you,' Tala replied, 'Lighten up, get yourself a girl! I noticed Janey was highly interested in you!'

'Who?'

'The girl who was with you on the couch. The one who was about to give you a lap dance until you walked away,'

'There was a girl?'

Tala smiled incredulously at his friend.

'Oh I see, you like another girl don't you?'

Kai's crimson eyes focussed on him testily. Tala laughed and patted his friends back.

'I'll get out of your way then! Good luck, Prince "charming"!'

Tala left him and Kai continued to search. After a while he finally saw Hilary a dark deserted room separated from the main party, sitting at a table. He approached her, seeing she was completely wasted.

'Oh, hey there Kai!' she giggled.

Kai saw empty shot glasses around her and a couple empty bottles.

'How much have you had to drink?' he asked

'I dunno!' she said happily, her head sort of lolling around. 'Lots and lots and lots I think!'

The groped around on the table until she found what she was looking from. She raised another full shot glass to her mouth, but before she could drink it, Kai grabbed her wrist.

'Hey!' she said, 'Lemme go! It's mine! Getcher own!'

She tried pulled her hand out of Kai's strong grip but was unsuccessful, he was too strong.

'Stop it,' he said harshly, 'Now!'

'Don't tell me what to do!' she said stubbornly, 'I'm not doing anything...go away!'

'I know exactly what you're doing,' Kai said, 'you're trying to drink yourself to death.'

'It's none of your business!' Hilary was, trying to focus her ruby eyes upon his face.

She stood up wobbly.

'Let me go!' she said trying to drink the butterscotch shot.

Kai suddenly wrenched both their fists down, causing the shot to be thrown out of Hilary's hand and smash upon the floor.

'Now look what you done!' she said. 'Let go of me!'

'Not until you calm down!' said Kai sternly

Hilary suddenly brought her clenched up and punched him hard in the cheek above his triangular cobalt tattoos. Kai didn't even flinch.

'Do it again if it makes you feel better,' he said quietly.

Hilary looked at him then punched his strong, firm chest with her free hand in rage and grief. Kai felt each of her strikes getting weaker and weaker until she began crying. Kai let go of her wrist and pulled her into a warm, protective embrace. Hilary felt a massive wave of depression sweep over her, but strangely, she felt completely safe and free in Kai's strong arms. She cried. Her face nuzzled into his chest.

'Let's go,' he said, 'I'm taking you home.'

Hilary nodded obediently and followed him.

When Kai and Hilary got back to the girls house, they saw Kenny and Emily looking at something on his laptop. Kenny quickly closed it when he saw them. Emily sat back smiling innocently. Kai looked at them curiously for a moment then walked up the stairs, pulling Hilary up behind him. Emily and Kenny watched until they were gone before they returned to what they were doing.

'Do you think he'll like it?' asked Emily.

'Definitely,' said Kenny. He logged onto the internet for a second and saw something that caught his eye. 'What's this?'

Kai brought Hilary into her room then sat her on the bed.

'Get some sleep,' he said bluntly. 'I'll be back in the morning. Goodnight.'

As he walked towards the door Hilary grabbed his scarf gently. He looked back.

''Um...thank you, Kai.' she said quietly.

Kai gave her a small smirk then walked out closing the door behind him.

Kai went downstairs and was about to leave when both Kenny and Emily stopped him.

'Kai! You have to see this!' said Kenny holding up his laptop so the screen squashed up against Kai's face.

Kai pushed it back in annoyance then read the screen. It was about Hilary's parents!

'It wasn't an acci-'

'Shhh!' Kai said harshly to Emily and glanced upstairs.

Emily nodded then continued.

'It wasn't an accident,' she whispered, 'Hilary's parents were dead before they drove into that lake! They were murdered and some one tried to destroy the evidence so no one would know!'

'But that's not the half of it!' said Kenny scrolling down. 'Look!'

Kai read the story.

"Although it is unknown at the moment as to who murdered Craig and Leena Tachibana, there is overwhelming evidence that indicates their murder, is linked to the murders of Mr and Mrs Hiwatari in Russia..."

An icy hand seemed to clasp itself around Kai's heart. He knew exactly who had murdered Hilary's parents! He turned away from the laptop and walked towards the door.

'Did you even read it!' asked Emily, 'Where are you going?'

'Home.' said Kai flatly.

He closed the door loudly behind him. Kenny and Emily looked at each other in confusion.

Kai closed the door to his apartment and locked it. The small apartment was dark, only illumminated by the moonlight shining through the gaps in the window curtains. Kai rested his back against the door and held his head in shame.

'I should have killed him when I had the chance!' he said angrily. 'If I did, Hilary wouldn't be an orphan!'