"Do we really have to go through with this?" Rima was complaining endlessly about the camping trip. She crossed her arms and leaned up against the car. Nagihiko inserted the last load of camping materials in the back seat of the car and responded, "My mom paid for everything."
"Oh please Rima honey!" Rima almost fell backwards on her butt, when Hanako suddenly appeared behind her.
Rima was trying to get her heart rate to calm down, "Uh-"
"I'm giving you this wonderful opportunity to be alone." Hanako gave a light chuckle and winked. This made Rima feel weird in the pit of her stomach. "Every time we're alone though, something always comes up so there's no point."
Hanako's brown bangs covered her face as she started giggling. She looked up at Rima having a glint in her eyes. A sudden switch must have flickered on as Hanako charged towards Rima placing her hands on her shoulders, "YOU WILL GO AND YOU WILL LOVE IT!"
Rima had wide eyes as she slowly backed away. "O-okay."
"Alright everything's ready to go." Nagihiko got out of the back seat and walked behind the car near Rima and his mother.
Hanako went back to smiling brightly, acting if her sudden outburst was never present. "Okay, you two have a wonderful time." She gave her son a gentle hug, and moved towards Rima giving her a tight squeeze and whispered, "You better have a good time. Or else."
Rima pulled away from the hug giving the fakest grin and practically tripped over her own feet trying to get into the passenger seat.
Nagihiko soon got into the driver's seat and started up the car. Rima glanced into the side mirror and noticed Hanako standing there alone smiling and waving.
Rima never knew Hanako had that side of her. It was a little frightening and would take a while to get use to.
"So how long are we staying out here?' Rima asked. Nagihiko was concentrating hard on the road delaying his response, "Three days."
"Three days!" Rima didn't know how she was going to last three days out in the wilderness. Last time she went camping was for her history class. They went to a field trip exploring historical places. Late at night a group of boys lunged out of the bushes and scared her so bad she left the field trip two days early.
"So let me clear this up. There's not going to be any running, hiking, bears, any other wild creatures, and boys jumping out of brushes, right?"
Nagihiko slowly nodded. "Right." Rima was not athletic at all, and he can't believe his mom picked something like camping.
On their way to the camp site, they began singing songs that played on the radio, until their voices got sore from shouting.
"We have to set up this piece of junk?' Rima lifted up the huge piece of nylon. "It's just a sheet."
"Yeah, here are the instructions." Nagihiko tossed her a little booklet. Rima scoffed and threw it behind her. "We don't need it."
Nagihiko grabbed the long metal poles that hold the tent up and began working on it. Rima stood up and decided to look around. "I'll be back."
She hopped down towards a nearby riverbank and noticed the water looked so clean. If only she had on a life jacket she would jump right in. She heard giggling and gazed across the river to see a family packing up their camper.
A young girl noticed her and shouted waving her arm, "Hi!"
Rima groaned, "Kids." and ignored her.
"Hello!" Another child joined the girl and waved.
Rima gave them the quickest wave ever and the children laughed and ran off somewhere.
Rima glanced up toward the mountain and saw a deer. It blended with the caramel colored rocks she almost missed it.
"Nagi!" Rima turned around and pointed, "Look, a deer!" He stopped what he was doing and looked toward the rocks.
Rima snickered and decided to copy those kids and shouted at the deer, "Hey!" And waved her arms around. The deer's ears twitched at the sound and galloped off to higher grounds.
"Good job, you scared it off." Nagihiko joked. Rima crossed her arms, "It just didn't like you!"
"Uh-huh."
Rima came back to the tent and decided to help out since Nagihiko got most of the work done. She grabbed the stake, and knew to nail them into the corners.
She stuck it into the ground and pinned one side down. She grinned being satisfied she did it right then moved to the next corner, "I got this; you can get the sleeping bags."
"You sure?"
"Of course I'm sure."
She licked her lips as she stuck the next stake into the opposite corner. The wind was picking up and started moving the tent like Jell-O. She moved at a quicker pace and crouched down to get the next corner, but lost hold of the stake as she heard a long tear.
She bit her lip, and looked behind her shoulder to see a giant tear in the tent. She panicked.
"Whoa, what happened here?" Nagihiko came back holding a bundle of blankets and such. Rima nervously laughed, looking everywhere for an excuse. She saw a raccoon in the large tree beside them. She pointed at it, "It was that masked burglar!" When Nagihiko didn't buy it she smacked herself in the forehead, "What are we going to do?"
Nagihiko placed the blankets on the ground and browsed at the materials they had set out. "Well…"
They walked a ways to the river bank to an area where the river's rapids vanished. "I'm scared to go in."
"I'm right here." Nagihiko whispered in her ear. "It's not even deep."
Rima fidgeted with the end of her shirt, "how would you know?' Nagihiko walked into the river, and the water barely came up to his stomach.
Rima thought about it, but honestly didn't want a fish to weave through her legs, or feel something slimy.
"It's boring in the water. I'm getting lonely."
"Not going to work!" Rima shouted at him.
"There's a bear behind you." Nagihiko's expression suddenly turned serious having wide eyes.
Rima screeched and jumped into the water. She felt the water go up her nose, and clog her ears. She came up gasping for air. She whipped her head behind her seeing no bear or any sort of animal. Nagihiko was smiling big.
"Really." She coughed up the rest of the water and began shivering from the bitter freezing water. Rima shoved him as he slipped back under the water. He came back to surface and splashed water at her face. She groaned and kicked water back at him. They had a water war and had loads of fun, pushing each other in the water and getting revenge at one another.
The sun was getting ready to set and Rima was the first to get out from the water. She was exhausted and starving on top of that. Once she reached the grass she lay down and looked up at the sky. There were a couple stars beginning to form.
Nagihiko blocked the view of the sky as now he was hovering on top of her. Rima placed her hands on each side of his face, and they shared a few kisses. It ended faster then it started, when Nagihiko got up and said, "We should eat." Rima glared. She actually wanted to continue what they were doing, despite being hungry.
"I got this they do it in movies when people are abandoned on an island."
Rima took the rock and stick and began grinding it together faster and faster until her hand ached. "Stupid thing work!" She began pounding the rock onto the stick until it snapped in half. She groaned, "Hollywood movies are fakes!"
She tossed the rock behind her. She wasn't going to give up yet. She had to show Nagihiko she could at least do something. Even if it was nice sitting back and watching someone do all the work, she especially began to feel guilty spread throughout her.
She crawled over inside the tent and began digging through everything. "There's got to be something here…ah!" She found a lighter.
She ran back to the pile of wood and happily flicked on the button as the little flame began to develop, growing huge.
"Wow, you finally did something right." Rima turned around to see Nagihiko walking towards her with a bag of marshmallows.
Rima ran up to him snatching the bag for herself and got a skewer stick. She plunged her marshmallow into the tip. She put it over the fire for a couple moments and handed it to Nagihiko. "Here-"
She noticed the marshmallow was about as burnt as coal.
"Hold on."
Rima flicked the marshmallow right off the stick, replacing it with a new one, and waving it over the fire.
She eventually pulled back from the flames examining the dark marshmallow.
She grew frustrated and heard the teasing laughter behind her. She turned giving him a piercing glare. "If you think you're so good then you try it!"
She shoved the bag at him. He grabbed one and put it on the stick then into the fire. He rotated it and took it out showing Rima. It was a perfect golden brown. "Do you want it?'"
Rima was jealous of the perfectly toasted marshmallow, "No. No one would want to eat the perfect roasted thing." She pouted, and tried to make another one, but the crispy cycle restarted all over again.
Nagihiko laughed evilly and ate it in a second. He placed about ten marshmallows onto the stick and cooked them until they were finished. Rima hated how they smelled delicious.
Rima gave him a glare, "Fatty."
"You're just mad because you haven't eaten one yet." Nagihiko smirked. Rima shook her head, "No, why would I be upset about something like that?"
Nagihiko knew Rima was stubborn at times and asked, "Did you bring the stuff for s'mores?"
Rima grabbed a bag behind her and searched inside it, "Yes, I got the chocolate and the bread."
Nagihiko shook his head and couldn't help but ask again. "What?"
Rima being annoyed repeated, "What, what?"
"Have you ever had s'mores before?"
"Nope, but it's a sandwich, right?"
Nagihiko couldn't help but laugh, "Not literally a sandwich. You use graham crackers."
Rima was completely embarrassed and decided to hide it by acting snobby, "Don't laugh at me!"
Everything she seemed do to was completely wrong. "I'm going to sleep in the broken tent bandaged by duct tape!"
"Rima it's alright." Nagihiko's laughing came to a stop.
"Good night!" Rima crawled into the tent and began zipping it up. She gave one last glance at Nagihiko and glared then zipped up the remaining of the entrance.
Nagihiko chuckled; he knew Rima would come back out. He watched as he could see her shadow from inside the tent.
Nagihiko looked up at the sky and saw the harvest moon, with the soft yellow glow. He could hear the crickets chirping loudly. He got up, and walked down a path toward a cliff. The view was magnificent. You could see the bright city lights, the tall buildings and houses from down below. It looked like a miniature doll house.
A loud shriek was heard as Nagihiko turned his head behind him to see Rima struggling to make her way out of the tent. Once she got out, she ran towards Nagihiko with her arms flailing up and down.
"Help me!" Once she reached Nagihiko she was out of breath and waiting for the oxygen to return.
"What happened?"
Rima took one deep breath, "There was a cricket lying right next to my face! It was staring at me with big black eyes!"
"It's not going to kill you." Nagihiko chuckled. Rima nodded, "Still it was freaky."
Rima sat on the edge of the cliff beside Nagihiko. She took in the fresh scent of oak, fresh air, new grass, and flowers. There was no fresh scent out there in the city down below.
"This view looks fake. It's like someone painted all this." Rima let her head rest on Nagihiko's shoulder. They stared up at the stars scattered across the night sky. There were so many stars; you couldn't see the dark sky surrounding them.
A bright light shot across the sky. Rima began pointing at it like a little kid at a toy store, "A shooting star! Make a wish!"
Rima closed her eyes tightly and made a wish. She waited until the crickets chirped for a couple more seconds and she asked, "Nagihiko?"
"Hmm?"
"What did you wish for?"
"You really want to know?" He smirked and leaned down closer to Rima's face. His eyes glowed brightly even in the dark. She blushed, and answered nervously, "Y-yes."
"I wished that you would stop burning marshmallows." Rima got right back on her feet and stomped away, "You're so mean!"
She got half way back to the tent and turned to look at him "And I wish you would come back in the tent with me to protect me from the cricket that might eat me."
It was the following morning, and Rima hated it. She barely slept because of the noises. Not only that, she was secretly afraid something was going to get her. She found Nagihiko out of the tent cooking soup for breakfast.
He slept like a baby. He was the opposite of Rima and thought the night was relaxing listening to all the wilderness noises. He greeted Rima as soon as she joined him outside.
The morning went by quickly when they lost track of time. The sun rose and the heat poured.
They decided to go on a small walk toward higher ground.
The short girl linked her arm with the tall boy as they walked down the cobble path. It was so quiet, way too quiet.
"Seems as though we're the only campers."
Rima nodded, as they started a conversation.
"I want to show you something I found earlier this morning." Nagihiko took the lead.
Rima beamed, "What is it?"
"You'll see."
"That's no fun at all." Rima lightly shoved him.
"You two seem to be enjoying yourselves."
Rima gasped, and both stopped walking and looked toward the oak trees to see Hitomi standing there. "How's it feel to get your memory back," Hitomi smiled and sounded out his name "Na-gi-hi-ko?"
"Hitomi," Nagihiko started, but the girl wouldn't let him talk.
"I know, you don't want to talk to me because I'm such a liar, am I right?"
"If you don't get out of here I'll call the cops." Nagihiko grew serious. Rima just stood behind him, being slightly scared that Hitomi was even here.
"I'm not going anywhere, until Rima goes with me." Hitomi smirked and walked closer to the pair. Rima now put on her defensive shield, "What do you want?"
With the sudden tension lingering in the air, everyone began waiting for a sudden movement or voice. Hitomi laughed, her perfectly white teeth showing. "Good…bye."
Quicker than the speed of light Hitomi grabbed hold of Rima and both of them fell hard onto the ground. They could feel the small pebbles sink into their skin. They began rolling off toward the cliff.
"Rima!" Nagihiko ran after her, as she struggled from Hitomi's grasp, but outstretched a hand towards him. He reached for it but missed as he watched in horror as Rima screamed and both girls rolled off the cliff.
He ran to the edge of the cliff hearing the screams echo. He looked over the edge and saw his fiancé helplessly hanging onto a mossy edge a couple feet below. Hitomi had one hand holding on to Rima's foot, and the other hand onto a ledge.
"Nagihiko!" Rima shouted as she struggled to stay on. Hitomi was pulling on her foot, trying to yank her down. The blonde felt her palms grow sweaty, while her nails dug onto the ledge. Nagihiko immediately got on his hands and knees and reached his arm down to Rima. She tried to get her other hand to grab his, but she was too weak to lift herself up.
Nagihiko grunted as he tried to grab her hand. "Come on, Rima!"
"You're going to die, Rima." Hitomi laughed, and pulled harder on her leg, as she winced.
"I can't do it!" Rima felt her fingers slipping, "Nagihiko, I'm sorry." Her arms were aching; she felt the blood rushing down her arm.
"I'll get you don't worry!" Nagihiko stretched out as far as he could, and the tips of his fingers were brushing against hers.
Rima's hand let go of the edge, but Nagihiko grasped her hand just in time. She gripped his hand tightly, as he slowly began to pull her up, but Hitomi yanked her down, "I don't think so!"
Nagihiko could feel Rima trembling. He pulled roughly, but Rima wouldn't budge. With her other foot she kicked Hitomi's head, as she yelled and loosened her grip on Rima's leg. Nagihiko used this delayed moment to successfully pull up Rima.
They were both out of breath, and he embraced her tightly giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. Rima was too scared to even cry. She ended the hug and peered over the edge to see Hitomi still dangling on the edge. Like a single leaf on a branch fighting against the wind.
Even though Hitomi had caused all those problems Rima still felt bad for her. All she wanted was someone to love her and to be accepted. Being the mature one, she knew Hitomi was only human. A human that was close to death. She couldn't just sit back and watch. She sent a hand toward her, "Hitomi."
"Rima!" Nagihiko was surprised from her action.
Hitomi was confused, "I-I just tried to kill you."
Rima stretched as far as she could go, "I know how you feel, to not be accepted and having to act like someone else and not who you really are. I know you're not really like this."
Hitomi stared up at Rima straining a hand toward her, accepting her help.
"She could just pull you back down." Nagihiko was extremely worried. He just saved her from death, and didn't want the process to repeat again. She was practically risking her life.
Rima flinched and pulled her hand back for a quick second thinking about the consequences. She looked down at Hitomi and saw her horrified expression. Rima tightly closed her eyes and reached her hand back down, and felt Hitomi snatch it.
Rima used both her hands to try to heave her to safety.
"Give me your other hand." Rima eyes widened and looked next to her to see Nagihiko offering his hand to the other girl.
"You too?" Hitomi was utterly shocked. She didn't accept his hand. There was a change in her voice. "I did wrong. I don't deserve your guy's help."
"Shut up and grab his hand!' Rima yelled.
"But I-"
Nagihiko had enough of this speech she was making. "You don't have time to be talking; we're trying to help you."
Rima shouted. "Please!" She felt her grasp loosening. She felt sweat on her forehead. Nagihiko helped Rima pull her up.
"I'm sorry, Rima." In one rapid motion Hitomi purposely let go.
Rima gasped as they both watched Hitomi slowly falling into the abyss of death. It was a silent moment for both of them, not saying anything. Suddenly Rima hugged Nagihiko hiding her face in his shirt.
A/N- Alright everyone one more chapter to go! :)
Response to last chapter's reviews:
Peachygotit-Kica: Awesome! :D Thanks for the review. :)
Chocolate covered charas: Really? Awwh Thanks so much, hun! That makes my day! :D I do agree it was rushed, I'm sorry about that! But thank you! :)
Blueberryfan10: There's one more chapter left. :) Hahah yes it's very ironic. I didn't really plan it to be like that, lol!
Ama-Marie-Hinamori-Sohma: Hahaha! :D Thank you! :)
Rikanchu: You're welcome! :) And thank you very much! Aww, I'm sorry you had a bad day! :( I hope everything is better now!
arkee: Haha! :) Thanks for the review! :D
() : About Kukai and Yaya, I was going to have many Kukai/Yaya/Utau moments, but I didn't really have any ideas with that, so I kind of let that fade a bit. :)
Nori Tsuki-Hime: Thank you! :3 And that's messed up if Hitomi is like your science teacher! I would die in that class! Lol. :)
A/N: A big thanks to everyone! :) You're all awesome! I hope to hear from everyone next chapter! I'm sad there's only one chapter left, so I'll work really hard on it. :D
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