FINALLY, another chapter is out! ENJOYYYY. and thanks to all the past reviewers, it made me really happy ... thank you :)
The story about a girl who taught a boy a little something called hope...
C R O S S
Chapter N I N E
Song for a Winter's Night
"A Christmas party?"
Tohru shook her head up and down, clearly enthused by the whole idea. Kyo raised an eyebrow at her skeptically as she continued on,
"Tonight at the church! It's going to be wonderful!"
Kyo sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he muttered out,
"Fine, I'll go... even though it sounds stupid to me."
Tohru clapped and exclaimed,
"Yay! Thank you! So I'll see you tonight."
She lifted her hand up cheerfully and then ran down the road, leaving Kyo standing alone at the end of the sidewalk.
Great.. now I gotta get her a present? Jeez...
Tohru hummed to herself that night as she and her grandpa were setting things up and people began to flood in, chatting excitedly to each other. Tohru glanced up to see if a certain someone had arrived, but he was nowhere to be seen yet.
Her heart sunk further with each hour that passed and each person that entered that wasn't him. He had never shown up, but deep down in her heart she still kept on hoping that he'd come, because she was the kind of girl that never lost hope.
She looked around at the fading crowd and walked over to her grandpa who was standing by the podium, looking tired, She bit her lip and asked with concern,
"Grandpa, how are you feeling?"
He waved his hand nonchalantly at her and chuckled,
"Oh don't worry about me Tohru... I'm fine."
He gave her a warm smile, but she saw the sadness swirling in his small eyes and that's when she knew that inside he was trying so hard to be strong and hold on, but he was losing his grip, and that's what broke her heart the most. She took his hand and said softly,
"You should get some rest grandpa, I'll take care of the rest."
He shook his head and laughed,
"Alright, alright. You're too good to me, you know that?"
She smiled and replied,
"No, you're the one that has supported me through all these years. Merry Christmas grandpa..."
She then handed him a small box shaped present wrapped in bunny paper.
"Oh? A present?"
His eyes twinkled as his wrinkled fingers tore it open slowly, revealing a framed photo of him and her together, smiling happily, and the words I Love you engraved subtly on the bottom of the golden frame. Tears filled his small gray eyes and drops fell on top of the glass as Tohru's face crumpled while wrapping her arms around her frail grandfather, crying out with tears in her eyes,
"I love you so much grandpa..."
Her grandfather just wept in her arms, holding her present tightly in his hands as they both sobbed together on that Christmas night.
Kyo's heart was beating soundly in his chest as he stood outside the church admonishing himself,
Dammit... I'm such an idiot...
He took a deep breath and pushed open the double doors, peeking into the dimly lit church; at first he thought it was empty, but then he spotted Tohru sitting alone on a bench, her head bowed down.
Is she crying? Is she alright?
He hurried down the aisle, his mind running with guilt when he reached her side and saw that her eyes were closed and her hands were clasped together in prayer. Her eyes flew open when she heard footsteps and he jumped back a little when she looked at him with tear filled eyes,
"Oh! Kyo! I knew you'd come..."
A small smile crept onto her lips as she continued to stare up at him.
She's not mad?
Kyo looked down at his shoes, shamefully,
"I'm sorry... I didn't make it to the party...I just... I just get scared of the whole party scene I guess. But that's no excuse, so you can hit me or whatever."
Tohru cracked another smile and reassured him,
"Hit you? I would never. Please don't feel bad.. the fact that you showed up now... is what matters most."
Her eyes then traveled down to what he was holding and she asked,
"Flowers? Who are they for?"
Kyo's cheeks blazed as he held the pink tulips out to her, muttering out,
"Who do you think?"
Her eyes widened as she stared down at the beautiful bouquet that was held out in front of her nose, she gingerly took it in her hands as she whispered out,
"Thank you... you really didn't have to."
"It's a Christmas... thing. Whatever, no big deal."
Tohru stood up and smelled the flowers, a look of delight passing her features as she insisted,
"But it is a big deal. Thank you."
She placed the flowers down and then went over to a shopping bag next to her, taking out a present with wrapping paper covered with tiny cartoon cats.
"Merry Christmas!"
Tohru grinned and handed it to him jovially. He slowly took it in his hands and unwrapped it carefully, anticipation filling his emotions.
It was a clay figure of a weirdly shaped orange cat.
Her cheeks reddened as she rambled,
"I-I'm sorry that the paint is terrible...and it looks um... a little crooked, but I tried my hardest to make it though...!"
Kyo examined it for a moment and then he burst into laughter as he stifled out,
"It..it looks terrible!"
Her eyes shot with fear as she apologized shamefully,
"I'm so sorry!"
His shoulders shook with laughter for a while, and when it finally died down, he beamed at her, patting her head lightly,
"Don't be sorry... I'm gonna treasure it no matter how crappy it looks..."
He smiled at her and she felt her heart jump as she murmured out,
"I'm glad."
He scratched his head awkwardly and then asked,
"So.. uhh... were you um... praying before?"
"Huh? Oh yes..."
"So you just close your eyes and make a wish or something?"
She giggled and pulled him next to her on the bench, putting her hands together,
"Here, let's pray together. After all, two prayers must be better than one, right?"
Kyo hesitated and then finally placed his hands together, glancing at her sheepishly as she gave him a warm smile.
"Now just close your eyes..."
And he did.
Yeeesh, sorry it took so long to update... but I've suddenly had a flash of inspiration! Go me! xP Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. and PLEASE REVIEW! That'd be wonderful. Thank :D