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Open My Heart: Unforgivable
As the week past Annika became a little more antsy, if someone came up behind her, she scream her surprise, whereas she would have never even flinched before. Although, everyone just took it for her monthlies. Only Tyon and Isabella knew what truly going on. But they didn't say a word. When Friday came, Annika pulled herself together and put on her best face. As it was starting to get close for Mr. Conte to come pick up Annika, Kyo went in search for her. He found her on the roof looking out into the forest. Kyo sat behind her and pulled her to his chest. Annika tensed, but relaxed into his touch. Turning her head so she could see him, Annika smiled at him, and pulled his arms tighter around her.
Kyo smiled back at her, glad that she wasn't so different with him, he still wasn't sure what to think of her slight mood change, even if it had been very small. But he put it out of his mind once again. All he was concerned about was holding her. Annika lay her head back on his chest, breathing deeply.
"Can I ask you a question" Annika asked.
"You just did" Kyo laughed when Annika turned around and playfully glared at him, "Yeah go ahead"
Annika turned back around before continuing, "Can I still live here when my exchange student time is up?"
Kyo looked down at her a little puzzled, he hadn't thought about when her time there had come to an end. And now that he thought about it, it wasn't that far away. An image of him when she left came strongly into his mind. His arms became tighter around her waist as he nuzzled her neck. "Of course you may stay. I won't let you leave without me in any case" Annika chuckled at Kyo's confession. She found it rather cute.
"Ok, then I'll tell my father about us and about my decision to stay tonight" They sat on the roof up until Tohru came to tell Annika that her father had arrived. Annika got up, lent down to kiss Kyo one more time before squaring her shoulders and going down the ladder. Kyo wasn't far behind her, and they entered the living room together. Mr. Conte was talking with Shigure once again. When Annika and Kyo entered the room he looked at one then the other, but didn't say anything.
"Alright, let's get a move on shall we?" Mr. Conte said lively.Annika nodded her head, hugged her two siblings who would be having dinner with the Sohma's while their father and Annika went to dinner and then followed her father to the car. The car ride over to the place were Mr. Conte and the children were staying wasn't that far from the Sohma house, Annika actually ran past it every morning. As they entered the house, she saw a table set for two. Annika couldn't help but wonder who her dad at paid to set this up. "Come, Annika please sit and we shall get started" her father said.
"Ah" Mr. Conte sighed and patted his stomach, "That was a great dinner don't you agree? But my you haven't eaten barely at all" he pointed to her plate which had only barely been half eaten. Annika shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm not all that hungry" Annika smiled at her father, still not understand why he wanted to have dinner with her. They sat there at the table, her father giving lively tails about his work and the children back home. Finally Annika started to relax, maybe her father had really changed this time. That he finally broke his nasty habit. Smiling at this realization, Annika got up and gestured,so as not to interupt her father, into the living room. Everything seemed to be going great. Relief spread through out her body.
Then suddenly Mr. Conte stopped talking, and looked at his daughter seriously, "Annika, answer be truthfully. Wha't were you doing with that boy?"
Annika looked at him surprised, "What... what do you mean?"
"That... Tohru Honda said when I can to get you that you'd probably be up on the roof with that oranged hair freak,and then when you came in that freak was right behind you" Immidiately Annika's hopes were shattered. He hadn't changed at all. But she put her best calm face on, knowing very well what was to come.
"Kyo is not a freak Papa. He's an amazing guy. But in anycase, me and Kyo were talking, that's all" Annika looked at Mr. Conte with a stubborn look in her eyes.
"Talking?" Mr. Conte's eyes flamed, "Talking, hm, I'm sure he was the one talking while he held you mouth quiet" Annika gasped.
"PAPA! How dare you question my integrity. That wasn't what we were doing at all! And in anycase that is none of your business"
The muscles in his neck tightened, but he didn't move. With a sigh he said, "Well, the sooner your time to come home the better"
"Papa" Annika said slowly, "I'm not going to go home. I've already talked to the Sohma's and they said that i can continue living here when my time as exchange student here has ended" She could see it coming, "Of course I'd be coming home to visit at least once a year, and i'd be very well cared for. I've got a life here. I've got wonderful friends and a man who loves-" She was cut off by a fist connecting with her left eye. The force of the punch threw her to the floor, where she stayed put, not wanting to risk getting back up.
"So it is the orange haired freak! I bet he's already bedded you! Hasn't he!? He's brain washed you into thinking that you can do what ever you want!" Mr. Conte came close to her and kicked her in the stomach.
Gasping for breath, Annika looked up at her father, "He hasn't done anything to me! If he has bedded me that's none of your concern! But he hasn't 'brainwashed' me as you like to call it!" Hatred flowed like venom from her eyes towards the man above her.
"Dont you talk back to me!" Fists rained down on her back, arms, legs. Annika did her best to fight back, but because of he was five times bigger than her, she could do very little.
Annika walked up to the front door, fixing her hair right before walking in the front door. Slamming the door, her rage was in it's purest form. Isabella and Tyson and everyone else looked around the corner. They were shocked to see her left eye sporting a nasty black eye. But before anyone could say anything she looked at them.
"Isabella, Tyson your staying the night!" her voice trembling with rage.
Tyson looked at her confused, "But Annika, isn't papa-"
Annika cut her little brother off, speaking in Italian, "Il Tyson, il papà non ha preso bene. È tuttavia malato. E finché prende meglio il suo stare qui. Adesso non voglio sentirla parlando del papà capisce?"(1) Tyson's eyes widened and nodded his head, "Now, I want both of you to go upstairs and and i'll get you pj's" Tyson got up as quickly as he could and raced up the stairs. Annika looked at Isabella, Isabella flinched when she saw the fire in her sister's eyes. Kyo stood up to follow but Isabella caught his arm.
"No. Don't, the shinner is from training, her angry is from papa and her getting into a fight. So she won't be in the mood to talk. Just let her be" She didn't let go until Kyo nodded.
On the way up to stairs, Annika pushed as much of her anger into the back of her mind. Her and Tyson walked into her room. Tyson sat on the bed and looked at his sister. When Annika knelt down in front of him, he gingerly touched her eye.
"Did papa hurt you again?" Annika nodded her head, Tyson wrapped his little arms around her neck, being careful not to press too hard in case there were any bruises. Annika hugged him back before going in search of a pj's for Tyson and Isabella. It wasn't long before Isabella came into the room tears streaming down her face. Annika pulled her sister into a hug.
"Sh it ok. You didn't know. What did you tell Kyo?"
Isabella pulled away from her and looked up at her, "I told him the the black eye is from training and you two just got into a fight" then she started pulling at Annika shirt, "Let me see"
"Let's put Tyson to bed first" Tyson had already made himself comfy on her bed, so the two girls changed his shirt and tucked him under the covers. Then Annika grabbed her own pj's and lead Isabella to the bath room. Inside Annika stripped to her underwear. Big black and purple spots littered her body. Tears poured down Isabella's face, knowing very well that it was her fault for having Annika invite their father to dinner a week before. Isabella went to the bath tub and started filling it with hot water. When the tub was filled, Annika took off the rest of her clothes and got into the tub, wincing as the hot water crosses a cut or two. The two went into automatic mode, cleaning any cuts that were acquired. and soaking the deep ugly bruises. When they were finished, Annika looked at her sister.
"It's not your fault, but i can never forgive him Izzy. What he's done is unforgivable. I can't believe he'll ever change." Isabella wrapped a towel around her sister.
"I know. I was a fool to believe that he would. I'm sorry Anna." Annika pulled her into a loose hug so as not to put pressure on any of the bruises. "But what if asks you to go to dinner again?"
Annika sighed, "I'll have to refuse him and bare the worse of it" Annika looked at Isabella, her voice became very stern, "And don't tell anyone about father. You got it? I know that look Izzy, i don't want anyone getting involved between me and father" Isabella nodded her head, "L'amo, now go to bed dear sister"
"L'amo"(2) Isabella kissed Annika's cheek before leaving her sister to get dressed.
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Translations:
(1)Tyson, papa didn't get well. He's still sick. And until he gets better your staying here. Now I don't want to hear you talking about papa understand?
(2)I love you