A/N: I think I've become obsessed with this story. It's really fun to write. I find myself writing out chapters in my mind before I can actually get to the computer. Maybe this thing will turn out longer than I had originally planned… Oh, dear. There goes another chunk of my summer. But it's worth it. :) Or maybe I'll just write a sequel. hint hint
Don't Lie to Me: Chapter 3
The picture with Ruby, Tim, and the Mystery Boy decided to glue itself to Nami's memory. She walked to the spring in a haze, thinking of nothing but the real meaning behind that little boy. Why is it that that boy looked exactly like Tim and Ruby when Rock, their own son, didn't resemble them at all? Then Nami felt something metaphorically slap her in the face. She could almost hear the 'click' in her mind as she put the pieces together.
…What if Rock isn't their real son?
She shook her head. Impossible. Why would Tim and Ruby lie about something like that? And how could Rock not realize it himself? But then again—knowing Rock as well as she did—he probably wouldn't suspect anything even if it was written across his shirt.
Nami's mind was racing with endless theories and possibilities. She didn't even notice that Rock was standing by the spring, glancing into the water that was halfway frozen over.
"Hey, cupid, how's my date coming along?" Rock pulled Nami away from her thoughts. She glanced up, still dazed, and then looked down again.
"Lumina's still not back, there's nothing I can do today."
Rock frowned. "Guess so,"
"What was your childhood like?" The words blossomed on Nami's tongue before she could even process what she was asking. Her curiosity couldn't hold it in any more, and Rock had to know something about this mystery boy.
Rock gave Nami a strange look, wondering why she seemed so eager to discuss his past. But he shrugged good-naturedly and looked up at the dark sky. "I don't really remember. It sounds kinda weird, but it's almost as if I just… blanked out for the first five years of my life."
Nami stared at Rock as if he had just sprouted wings. Her intense icy eyes immediately softened to her normal melancholy demeanor and she looked away. "I see…"
Then Rock chuckled. "Why are you so interested?"
"Oh…" Nami paused. "No reason."
Rock became uncharacteristically passive for a moment, pursing his lips slightly as he thought. Then he laughed knowingly. "Oh! I know why!"
Nami turned toward him and raised an eyebrow. "No, I don't think you do."
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I know you don't like letting people know that you actually have feelings…"
"What are you—"
"Nami, it's kinda obvious." Rock smirked. When Nami's confused expression didn't change, he decided to elaborate. "You're having a fixation on childhoods because you're sad that you never knew your parents."
Nami blinked. "What?"
"But I understand. I kinda share some of your feelings—I didn't have a good childhood either." He cracked a smile. "Or maybe I did. I don't really know. I can't remember any of it!"
Nami finally regained her ability to speak. "Rock, that's not—"
"But you know what I always say!" Rock continued loudly. "You can't let the past bother you forever. You gotta look toward the future, and what's ahead of you."
"You never say that…"
"Wow! That's pretty great advice, don't you think? I should get paid to tell people this stuff!"
When dealing with Rock's ego, Nami has found it best to go with whatever he wants to go with. If Rock wanted to pretend like he was a genius, Nami decided to let him pretend all he wants. It's just easier.
"Sure," She looked away so he wouldn't see her roll her eyes.
"Well, I better start heading back. It's getting late," Rock began strolling past Nami and back down the pathway. "Night!"
Nami stayed perfectly still, staring back at her reflection in the sheet of ice that covered the spring. Her confrontation with Rock only raised even more questions that floated around her brain. How could he just not remember his childhood? How come Ruby and Tim never told him why he had a blank spot in his memory? And she still knew nothing about that little boy… Admittedly, it drove Nami crazy and she had no idea why. Why did she care so much? This was another question that she didn't have an answer to. But this mysterious need led her back to the inn.
--
Ruby was outside tending to her plants when Nami approached her.
"Hi, Ruby,"
"Oh, Nami!" Ruby greeted. "Good evening. Taking a late night walk?"
"Actually, I think I'm going to head in early. I'm a little tired…" She explained.
"Good idea. I never think you get enough sleep." Ruby smiled. Then an idea began unfolding in Nami's mind.
"Uh, where's Tim?" She asked casually.
"He's out running a few errands. He should be back soon, though," Ruby replied. "Why? Did you need to see him?"
"No. I hadn't seen him all day, so I was just wondering. Good night." With that, Nami entered the inn quickly, heading toward Ruby's closed door again. Tim and Ruby were both out of the room, giving Nami the perfect opportunity to study that picture more closely. As quietly as she could, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. Nothing had changed. The room was just like it was that morning, and the picture still stood on the desk. Nami picked it up, studying the little boy, searching her brain on who it could be. It couldn't be Rock. It looked nothing like him. Maybe it was Tim's nephew, or some other relative. Or maybe—
A piece of paper slipped out from behind the picture in the frame. Slowly, it drifted to the wooden floor, laying face down. Nami stared at it for a moment. It looked like another picture… She kneeled down to see it.
A blond man and lady stood side by side with linked arms, grinning with the same coyness and playfulness as… Rock. In fact, this couple looked exactly like Rock. Their eyes, their hair, their faces… Nami's mind continued to race. She flipped the picture over again to see, in Ruby's neat handwriting, two names written in pen.
Michael and Holly…
Nami heard Tim's voice faintly from outside the inn, talking to Ruby. She stood as fast as she could, placing the picture frame neatly back on the desk, and stuffing the new picture in her pocket. Then she innocently slipped out of Ruby's room, closing the door behind her just as Tim and Ruby entered the inn.
"Good evening, Nami," Tim greeted.
"Hey, Tim," Nami slowly inched toward the stairs.
"Weren't you headed for bed, Nami?" Ruby wondered innocently.
"I just stopped in the kitchen to grab something to drink before I went to sleep," Nami answered calmly. She had always been good at thinking on her feet. "Good night."
"Good night," Tim and Ruby said as she climbed the staircase to her room, feeling the folded picture still sitting in her pocket.
A/N: Another straight-forward chapter. I'm trying to fit in some fun Rock/Nami dialogue, but also make sure I'm moving the plot along. I find it hard to do both. Oh well, though. The next chapter will have plenty of dialogue. (tee hee…) I just love how Rock acts like he knows everything, even though he's totally wrong most of the time. ;) And I especially love how Nami's just learned to ignore it. Haha!