Sometimes I'm thankful that I act before I can think. If I hadn't nearly leapt out of the tub and clamped my hand over Kairi's mouth, she'd have probably screamed. Using my other hand, I put my index finger up to my face; in other words, I silently told her to shut her trap.
After a reassuring nod from my sister, I relaxed and let her mouth have its freedom back.
In a quiet tone, she asked, "What the hell happened? You don't get those injuries from a swim."
I let a sigh escape my lips. How would I tell anyone – let alone my own sister – what Samcyxk had done to me at "detention?" I let myself sink a little down into the water that looked like tomato soup – my blood looked like freakin' tomato soup. That was just peachy. Normally, I would've gone on a long mental rant about how utterly weird and stupid having tomato-colored blood was. But I had more important issues to deal with.
"Let's see…" I said, putting a finger to my lips. My eyes wandered halfway between the ceiling and Kairi's head, and I made one of those inquisitive frowns you'd see on Cold Case. "Umm…Principal Gallagher gave me detention-"
"Detention?" Kairi seemed surprised at this. "I wouldn't think of you as one to get in that much trouble…"
"Yeah…Anyway, since I hit Selven, Samcyxk really decided to cut me up. And I mean that literally." I stood up in a kind of hunch so that Kairi could see what I meant. She covered her own mouth, and I swear a tear formed in her eye. Turning away, she said, "I…I've got ointment in my room if you want…"
Checking to see that all the blood had been absorbed into the water, I grinned. "Would I ever!" Stepping out, she said, "Make sure you use a red towel…"
The 25 minutes of ointment were…awkward, to say an understatement. I know some guys dream of being rubbed by their sister, but this was just creepy beyond all measures. The guys who want to watch someone's sister are really gross and should get a life – I can say that from my…first-hand experience with Kairi.
It was her room, so naturally, she didn't feel uncomfortable about getting nearly undressed…in front of me. My cheeks went maroon.
"What? It's hot."
Yes. Oh, yes it – No! Bad Sora! Bad Sora's thoughts! Go back to the pit from whence you came! I exorcise thee!
Anyway, I had to suffer through the Spice Girls as Kairi applied the cream. Why were they even offered a record deal? Moreover, how can people listen to them and enjoy it?! I mean, she even hummed along with the sound of steel grinding on a chalkboard!
"Sora…you really need to tell someone about this." It was the first time she'd said something un-Spice Girl related. I choked on a laugh.
"Are you alright?!"
Coughing, I said, "Yeah…fine…" I thought over what she had said before that. "…Kairi, if I tell someone…Samcyxk'll probably be sent to jail. And that means the team won't have a chance in hell of beating the teachers."
Being slapped is not fun. That's all I can say about Kairi's reaction to what I told her.
"Screw the team!" she said rather forcefully. Not being able to think of a protest, I merely rubbed my cheek with this 'that was really mean' look. "He's hurting you severely – what if he loses it and does permanent damage?!" Now tears were running down her cheeks.
"Sora! What if he kills you?!" She flung herself at her pillow, sobbing. "How…? How do you expect me to go on without you?" That was when I found out my sister really cared about me.
I reached out and rubbed her back. "I'm a tough guy – I can handle Samcyxk." What I said managed to quell her crying, though I still don't understand how. Kairi got up and, face crimson, walked a few feet from the bed.
"Sora…"
"We've been friends since kindergarten," I nearly exclaimed in protest. "I can't just sell him out for one thing!"
She sighed. Then she turned to me with a smile that was almost a sad expression. "I guess that's what friends are for, right?" She cocked her head, and her smile grew more radiant. "You're a really good friend."
A sly grin appeared on her mug, and she tackled me on the bed. In a few seconds she had me in a headlock, giving me a noogie. If word of this got out to the school, it'd be instantaneous social suicide – yet I laughed. We rolled on the bed before I began to tickle her on the feet.
"How d'ya like tat?" I asked her mockingly. "Like your own medicine?!" Our faces were so cheery, you wouldn't have thought I'd lost any blood at all. Maybe this was what having a sister was all about…
After our fun little 'session,' she got up and turned off the radio. She finished up putting on the ointment, and waved at me as I left. For the first time, I appreciated my sister love, and didn't want to flip her skirt on national television.
Dinner came and went, and before I knew it I was laying in bed with ZZ Top blaring in my ears. It was going to be a cold night and I had three blankets on top of me, one being made of the most peculiar fabric. I still wondered how my mom had gotten a goldenrod blanket that felt like it belonged on a dog.
My eyes were droopy with sleep, my cheeks red with tired feelings. Slowly, I felt myself getting more and more lost in the darkness.
It's hard for me to piece together exactly when I fell asleep, but it was what began the most terrifying night of my life.
The first sign that something was wrong was the horizon; there are only two instances when the wall is dark purple and pulsating – you're either dreaming or on LSD. And since my mom would kill me if she found out I was doing drugs, I deduced that I had to be dreaming.
Trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes, I attempted to find out where I was. Two wooden posts were standing vertically out of the ground for no apparent reason.
"What the hell's going on…?" I scrunched my face in confusion. This didn't make sense.
"Hey there, Sora."
Whipping around, I saw Riku. He was stalking towards in an almost-drunken swagger. From behind him came Samcyxk, Kairi, Roxas, and Selven. They all had the same listless walk that Riku had.
"Okay, this is definitely a dream."
"Nope." Riku was suddenly standing right in front of me. He rested his index and middle fingers on my forehead. "This is real, baby."
Swatting his fingers away, I said, "Offa me, you Itachi wannabe."
Riku chuckled a dark, foreboding chuckle that sounded like a cowbell mixed with Satan's laugh. "I know you don't want that…" He raised a finger and pointed at me. My shirt grew sharp eyes and a jagged mouth. They laughed and stared at me before disappearing. I just looked, dumbfounded at what had happened. "Okay…creepy…"
Before I could react, Riku was upon me. He motioned for the others to come forward, but they were no longer people – dark masses that were made to resemble bodies flew at me, transcending the laws of physics and twisting every which way with each breath and movement. I tried to bat one away but my hand went through the object.
It soon became obvious that I couldn't touch them, but they could touch me. Kinda like MC Hammer.
In instants, they had tied rope around my wrists and tied me to the posts. My face grew hot with frustration. "Enough with the tying me up!"
The laughs of the black…things were even scarier than the Spice Girls movie. Clutching their barely-existent sides, they watched as Riku unbuttoned his shirt. Opening his eyes, the perfect aqua transfixed me. He was so…beautiful…
No, he wasn't! Why was I thinking these things?!
He came forward, and I tried to get free; I forgot that in dreams, the laws of nature can be broken. I couldn't even move my arms.
Riku reached out and stroked the crux of my chest as I felt sweat begin to form on my brow. Leaning in, he licked it and left a trail of saliva leading to his next target. He tenderly bit my right nipple, toying with it.
He got down on a knee and began to unbutton my shorts. Looking up at me, he grinned, "This is what you want…isn't it?" His tone was poisonous.
"No!" I yelled. Finding my head could still move, I bent it down and bit his nose as hard as I could.
Blood, however, didn't run from the newly-opened wound. Instead, out came a white substance resembling milk that seemed to viscous for its own good. I would make a Mrs. Butterworths joke, but now isn't really the time.
"Taste?" Riku asked before shoving his nose into my mouth. The liquid brushed my tongue, and I fell under its addictive spell.
Then, Riku was gone. I was still tied to the poles, but felt something warm and sticky at my feet. Craning my head down, I saw the milky liquid amassing in a pool; it began to work its way up my body and I still was unable to move an inch.
As the stuff went over my chin, I felt like dying. This was all too real; was it really a dream? Whatever it was began to fill my mouth…
I shot up in my bed so hard my butt began to ache. Sweat was dripping from my forehead into my mouth. I breathed heavily before leaning over the side of my bed and staring at a small wicker basket lined with a bag. There was a queasy feeling in my stomach for only a moment before I threw up.
Coming back, I tried to figure out what the dream meant.
Then it hit me.
Oh my God.
I was in love with Riku.