WOO! Chapter Twelve! Now, I'm not saying anything, but this is an interesting chapter. :)

Chapter Twelve

[Kaoru POV]

I stopped chasing Butch because my injuries were starting to bug me. I sat down on the bench in the park and examined my legs, which is where all the injuries where. My knees were skinned and bleeding a little bit through the bandages, and I had a couple of scrapes. Nothing too serious.

Butch walked by and sat down next to me on the bench. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

I looked up at him and our eyes locked. I blinked and looked away. "No, but those scrapes and cuts are starting to get on my nerves."

He sighed. "Should've been there earlier…" I heard him mutter.

"Are you still beating yourself up about this? Let it go! Wasn't your fault, okay?"

His head snapped up to look at me. His emerald eyes were pleading, and they were also feeling guilty. "I could've helped. I could've stopped him earlier. I could've walked with you in the first place!"

"Shut up!" I exclaimed. "Would've, could've, should've; it doesn't matter! What happened, happened! Life is full of what-if's and maybe's. Change the station, please."

[Butch POV]

She's right. I shouldn't be feeling guilty over this. I need to move on.

But I can't! She's hurt because I wasn't there to help sooner!

I sighed and looked away. Her light green eyes were resolved. Why did I feel so guilty? Why couldn't I just let it go?

Can't you see, you big dummy?

What was that? Who are you?

Duh! I'm you! Only I'm still little and annoying…

Eight year old me?

Of course, stupid!

Okay, why are you talking to me, and have I gone insane?

Stupid! It's just this once!

Okay, then why are you here?! Eight year olds are so difficult to work with…

Can't you see, you big idiot?

See what? I don't get it.

Can't you see why you care about her injuries and why you feel guilty?

Kaoru? Because it's my fault she's hurt.

No. If it were anyone else, you would've gotten over it by now.

Where are you going with this?

You love her!

What?!

You love Kaoru!

Wait, what?! Is that what you came to say? That's wrong! She's just a friend that I joke around with.

Wrong. You're such a big doofus! You love her!

I do not!

You love her, you love her, you love her, you love her, you love her, you--

Shut up!!

Whatever, doofus. My time here is done, anyways. Bye big me!!

His voice faded out. What did that mean? I can't love her, can I?

"Butch? Hel-lo?" Kaoru was waving her hand in front of my face. I stopped her by grabbing her hand and lowering it.

"I'm alive," I replied flatly.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just…spaced out." She shook her head.

"Well, come on! It's the afternoon. Your brothers are bound to wonder where you are!"

I nodded. "Come on, let's go."

I stood up, and I noticed I was still holding her hand. I let her go and stuffed my hands in my pockets.

I glanced at her once or twice while we were walking home. Maybe more than that.

[Kaoru POV]

Why did he hold my hand for a while? And why did he let it go?

My hand was burning, but why?

We walked to his house again, and, this time, I memorized where it was.

Why am I memorizing where his house is? I shook my head. He's just my friend, so I should know where he lives, just in case. Keep telling myself that, and I'll believe it soon enough.

Right.

We walked inside without knocking. Brick and Boomer were playing video games in the living room. They looked up when we came in. "Hey! Where'd you two go off to?" Brick asked, smirking.

I rolled my eyes. "Butch followed me to the park." I turned to stare at Butch. "As if I need a bodyguard," I laughed, turning away.

"Well, you do! And I'm happy to take that position!" Butch replied.

"Along with other positions," Boomer teased. Butch turned red and punched his brother in the arm. "Hey! That hurts you know!"

I was practically laughing my head off.

"Oh, Kaoru!" Brick called. "Momoko dropped something off for you. It's in a bag in the kitchen. I didn't check to see what it was, but I think it's something of yours."

I groaned. "She's probably trying to stick me in a skirt…" I muttered. The guys all snickered.

I walked to the kitchen. There was a book bag there. I opened it.

"Yes!! Thank you!!" I exclaimed, thanking Momoko, even if she wasn't there.

Butch came up behind me. "What'd you get?"

"She brought me my iPod!"

He rolled his eyes. "What else?" he asked.

I rummaged through the book bag. I groaned. "I was right! Some other clothes, but there's a skirt, here, too! Dammit… Just when I thank her, I find she puts a skirt in here!"

Butch laughed and picked up my iPod. "Ooh, what songs does little Kaoru like, now?"

"Gimme that!" I yelled, trying to get my iPod. "Come on! Give it back! Don't listen to the songs, it's embarrassing!"

"Embarrassing? Now I have to hear them!"

"No! Butch! Give it back!"

He rolled his eyes. "Chill out, Kaoru. They're just songs." He scrolled through the list, changing expressions with each song. The overall expression was, not exactly confusion, but deep thought. I sighed. He was probably trying to figure out why I liked those songs.

I had my entire iPod Playlist memorized. I knew exactly what he was reading.

__________________________________

Skater Boi by Avril Lavigne

Things I'll Never Say by Avril Lavigne

Anything But Ordinary by Avril Lavigne

I Will Be by Avril Lavigne

Too Young For Love by Michelle Williams

Tell Me Something by Selena Gomez

Falling Down by Avril Lavigne

Innocence by Avril Lavigne

Alone by Avril Lavigne

You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Our Song by Taylor Swift

Chemicals React by Aly&Aj

Boulevard of Broken Dreams by GreenDay

__________________________________

Some of those songs were okay, but the majority weren't. It was embarrassing. I've had those songs there for a long time, and I never added more because that selection was perfect. I loved those songs, and, even though some of them were a bit…girly, I still loved them.

"I didn't think you'd like these kinds of songs," Butch said. "Some are a bit…girly. But the best one is Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I have that one in my iPod, too."

"Okay, okay, just give it back!" I complained.

He glanced down at me with a look I couldn't decipher. He tossed my iPod to me.

"Thank you!" I said, surprised at my own voice. "I need my music."

[Butch POV]

Who would've thought that Kaoru, the tough girl that she is, would listen to mostly soft and girly love songs? I certainly didn't, but, then again, she always knew how to surprise me, even if by accident.

"I'm gonna head home," she said, surprising me again.

"What? Why?" I said, almost too fast. I wanted to punch myself at how desperate that sounded.

She smiled, amused. "Because I don't live here, ya know."

"You wanna live here?" I asked, taking her hand. She looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," I said, shrugging it off. What did I mean? "I'll walk you home."

Now she looked scared. "No thanks! I can walk home by myself!"

"Well, I'm your bodyguard, right? And what's the problem?"

"Nothing… Just… My family cannot see you!" she said.

I snickered. "Sure, sure."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but you're walking at least two feet away.

I nodded. She pet my head twice and made a "ooh-cute-puppy-let's-play-fetch" kind of face.

We were walking to her house and I made sure to memorize how to get there. When we were a block away from her house, she stopped. "This is where you leave," she said.

I frowned. "Why? I wanna meet your family," I teased. She had a look or pure horror on her face.

"Trust me, no, you don't. My dad's a professional wrestler and my brothers are annoying. My mom will kill me if she sees you. 'Kill' as in involving make up, girly clothes, and a storm of questions. No."

I smiled. "Fine, but I'll see you tonight," I said.

"Tonight? What do you mean?"

"I'll meet you tonight, here, and I'll take you someplace nice," I said, still smirking.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" she said quickly.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Er…" She couldn't come up with a response.

"Tonight, seven, here," I said, and turned to leave.

She shook her head and walked to her house.

Interesting, no? I think so. :)

I also think that, by accident, this is the longest chapter so far, lol. I wanted to split it so I'd have two chapters done instead of one, but I couldn't do that.. -.-