Chapter 6: Birthday

Dr. Jin had agreed to let me return home as long as I stayed in bed. My face was brushed, swollen, and hurt like you wouldn't believe. I had heard that Maya had been grounded to the point where she couldn't even work at the inn. Akari had actually taken up the job since Jake and Colleen needed someone to work in Maya's place. Although Hayden wasn't Selena's dad, he refused to let her dance at the bar, at least for awhile.

Owen still felt really bad, he brought me more flowers, but he just left them with my dad to give to me, said he was too embarrassed to face me. Which was fine for me, I didn't feel like seeing anyone. It had been almost a week since I returned home, Dr. Jin came to check in on my progress.

He shined his light into my eyes, "Everything is looking good, you'll be back to your normal self in no time. You're free to get up and move around, just take it easy. Too much blood to the head will cause it to swell." Dr. Jin was about to leave, "I almost forgot… this came for you today." He handed me a letter, it was from Dr. Trent. Dr Jin chuckled, "I must admit, I've never seen him this ambitious before."
I wanted to rip the letter open, before I could my dad knocked on the door, "Luke is here. Did you want to see him?" I jumped out of bed and ran to the door.
He smiled when he realized it was me, "Your face looks better."
I grinned, "Thanks! Want to walk down to the beach. I haven't been out of the house for a week."
"I know it's been boring without you."

When we reached the beach I walked to the edge of the water and Luke sat in the grass, "You know…" I turned to look at Luke, "the summer is coming to an end soon."

He laughed, "We still have two weeks. Just as long as you don't turn into a pumpkin when fall arrives."
"Speaking of turning, my birthday…" I gasp, "Luke! I completely forgot your birthday. I'm a terrible friend."
Luke was lying on his back in the sand, "Want to do something for your birthday?"
I sat next to him, "Luke I'm sorry I missed your birthday. Let me make it up to you."
"Nah you don't have to, you were seriously hurt anyways."
"Yes I do. Let me make it up to you, after all you got me a present on your birthday."

He moved the hair out of my face, "It was worth it, just to see the smile on your face." He inched closer to my face. I wanted to lean into him and let my lips do the talking, but I knew my heart already belonged to someone else, I be doing nothing let leading him on.
I looked down to hide my blush, "I need to head home."


"Hey!" We heard shouting at us. I looked over to find Takeru and Renee walking hand in hand waving at us.
"Glad to see you're out of bed." Takeru said to me, "We were just heading back to the farm. Renee made a blueberry pie for me and I couldn't let her go home without trying a piece. Want to join us?"
Renee looked down slightly and mouthed "thank you" to me, making sure Takeru wouldn't see.
"I'm sure it's delicious, but I'll pass. I'm not ready to go home yet."
Luke raised up a finger, "But you just said…" I elbowed him in the side. "Ow."

"Suite yourself. See you at home Hikari." Takeru and Renee walked off. Luke gave me a look, "I'd ask what that was for, but I think I know. You were playing match maker, weren't you?"
"She liked him, and he liked her, they just needed that little boost of confidence, that's all. I couldn't help it, they look so cute together."
Luke sat back down, "Poor Toby though, he has it bad for her."
"Really?" I was astounded, "I thought he liked Akari."
"She likes him a lot, Kathy told me so, but…" He looked away. I could tell by the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice he was going to tell me something he was either embarrassed about or didn't want me to know. I couldn't possible think of what he wouldn't want me to know though.
"But?" I asked.
He sighed real heavy, "I use to like her, we had a thing when you were younger."
"Oh yeah! I remembered that. So what happened?"

He started drawing in the sand, "Well after you were sent off Akari took it real hard, she blamed herself. I felt real bad because I felt responsible for you too, when we were together I'd push you on the tire swing, and we had fun. We were just upset and we drifted away from each other."
"Luke if you still like her you should tell her."
"Who said anything about still liking her?"
"I can tell by the sound of your voice and the look in your eyes."
"Give me a few days and let me talk to her. I need to go home." I got up and left without giving him a chance to argue. I felt a little betrayed because merely hours ago he tried to kiss me, or was it because I was Akari's sister, and the next best thing. Or did he truly have no feelings for her, and I was the beginning of a new start, someone he could be himself to and have fun with. I felt upset, but I had to get this resolved, for my sister, not for me.


I felt really bad when I entered the house, I had just walked in on Renee and Takeru having a moment, it was cute they were staring into each other's eyes while eating pie.
"Sorry!" I dashed out of the room and looked for Akari.
I knocked, "Hey sis, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Come in." She pushed away her magazine and patted on the bed for me to sit. "Do you still like Luke?" I was up front about it, I didn't feel like dancing around the bush or however that expression went. She sighed, "I guess he told you we use to have a thing?" I nodded, "And it's because of me you don't anymore."
"That's not entirely true."
"Then what is the truth."
"Luke can't take responsibility, when I wanted to be a couple he couldn't take it, freaked out and didn't speak to me for days. Yes I still like Luke, but I can't anymore, I had my chance and now Kathy likes him. So I'm moving on and so should you." She gave me a little glare and I took that as a "get out now" look.

I wrote in my journal and went to read my letter from Dr. Trent when Takeru came in. "Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to say thanks for the advice. It was perfect, almost like it was planned. She came up to me this morning and told me she made me a pie. I didn't expect it to be my favorite. She then told me she had hoped it turned out good because she didn't get to try a piece, so I said we could have a piece later, after I took her horseback riding, just like you said, so thanks."
It occurred to me he was talking about Renee, "Oh your welcome, it was nothing really, the least I could do."

I starred at the letter, wondering is this the one where he's going to leave Mineral Town and whisk me away? Before I do something like kiss Luke and break my sister's heart and now Kathy's. Then there's Selena, and Chase, and Maya, and possible Owen. This was too complicated, a bad situation. I held the letter to my heart, "Just please tell me you love me." To my disappointment he didn't say he loved me, he answered my questions from my letter, said we could be pen-pals, he missed me, and not to spend too much time out in the sun. Too much sun is bad for you, you know. Signed with "Truly Yours," but I wondered if he really was "Truly mine."