Chapter 9

KaoruxOCxHikaru

When we got to the third music room I was sort of glad the twins had claimed a table beside the window. For some reason I suddenly didn't feel like talking all that much. I put the earphones in my ears and listened to my music while sitting on the windowsill and watching the birds soar by. I was sort of envious of them, they were so free, and although I felt freer than I have ever before, something told me my bird cage wasn't very far away.

I felt someone pluck one of the earphones out of my ear and turned around to see Hikaru grinning at me, "Hey Hikaru." I murmured.

"Don't act too happy to see me," He scoffed, as he lifted himself onto the other side of the sill to face me, "You're very antisocial today."

"Just tired…" I mumbled. Really I was just making an excuse; I honestly didn't know what had me so down.

Hikaru kicked one of my feet off the sill and I nearly lost my balance and fell. He chuckled and asked, "Are you awake yet?"

I glared at him and put my foot back up on the sill, "Could you try not to pick on me once and a while?"

He frowned, "What did I do?"

Honestly, I had no idea what he had done, but for some reason I was being sort of cruel to him.

"Hey Yankee!" He growled, "Answer me."

I was being childish. I couldn't answer him so I just didn't. I kept looking out the window like he wasn't even there anymore. For some reason, by ignoring him, the undefined sadness I was feeling that day grew. I just couldn't talk to him.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see him. Some stirred turmoil was rushing through his system, and with that, he left me there. I watched him walk away, and felt myself wanting to call him back, but it was like I had no voice anymore.

I left the host club the same time as the rest of the girls did that day. I just wanted to go home. I wanted to be by myself for a while. That night I was haunted by nightmares, and as expected they had the twins in them… every last one of them. I woke up in a sweat, and it appeared that I overslept so I was rushing through my morning shower, and I skipped breakfast completely. I just needed to get to school. On my long walk there I felt a strange pulsation. I didn't recognize it at first, but it was one of my visions. I hadn't had one in such a long time, but something about it read a bad omen.

The day dragged on far worse then the last. I was sure I'd aged five years by the time the last bell of the day sounded. Gathering up my things, I was the last one to shuffle out of the classroom. When I turned the corner, there stood Hikaru in the exact same place as his brother the previous day. Hikaru and I seemed to follow a tread with this whole meeting in the hallway thing, and every time he didn't look too happy. This was probably going to be about yesterday; so I just took a deep breath and walked up to him.

"Hey Hikaru," It was meant to come off as every other greeting, but instead it was a hushed whisper.

He leaned into me and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, "I wanted to ask you something."

"If it's about yesterday, look I know I was being a jerk, can we just forget about it? I dunno what got into me." I answered.

He shook his head, "Despite that being true," He always had to insult me, "I wanted to know if you'd go to the dance with me on Friday." My face lost all its color.

"Didn't Kaoru tell you he asked me yesterday?" I asked.

He frowned in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Exactly how it sounds? "Kaoru came to me after class and asked me to go with him Friday. I figured he would have told you by now."

Hikaru looked down at the floor, "I see…" He mumbled. After a moment of awkward silence, he put his hands in his pockets and turned around, "Let's go to the host club."

"Uh wait, Hikaru?" I said grabbing at his sleeve. Slowly he looked back over his shoulder. He had a look on his face that even I couldn't read, "If it bothers you I'll tell him I can't go."

He shook my hand off his arm and looked forward, "Don't worry about it."

I felt a dagger being twisted into my chest as I followed him into the music room. With each step I took, the more and more sick to my stomach I felt. We were almost there when I stopped. He heard my footsteps stop so he turned his head to look at me again, and I was looking at the floor, trying not to feel too dizzy and faint. Was this… a panic attack? I hadn't had one in years, so why now? Mom always got worried when she saw my warning signs, because she knew how painful they were to me. My heart raced so fast it was like a minor heart attack. I got sweaty palms and became even paler than usual.

I looked up at Hikaru and it looked like I was seeing double, no triple of him, "I think I'm just going to go home…" I murmured and turned around to walk back down the steps. As I was about to take my first step down the stairs I grew light headed and started to fall back, from that moment on, everything went black. What was going on with me lately? Was it guilt? I sort of felt like… I was tearing the Hitachiin twins apart. It was making me so upset that… my panic attacks are coming back?

When I woke up, I was on one of the fancy sofas in the third music room, with an ice pack on my head, and Hikaru and Kaoru right there by my side. I was still foggy on the situation, but when they looked relieved to see me awaken, I smiled, even though my face felt numb.

"What happened?" I figured it was after hosting hours because it was pretty tranquil in the room. Soon the other hosts gathered around.

"Chelsea, do you have a record of medical problems of any sort?" Kyouya asked. I recognized his voice.

"No, never been to the hospital once. I was in the emergency room for a case of pink eye, but that's a long story." I mumbled half dazed, "I have had panic attacks before, not recently, but I guess I just got a little too stressed out today…"

"We'll take you home so you don't have to walk." Hikaru said with a nod.

"You don't have to do that," I whispered in response, "I've already caused enough of a panic." Excuse the pun.

"If you collapsed again on the way home we'd feel terrible." Kaoru said taking my hand and rubbing his thumb against it.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with that…" I mumbled.

I knew I couldn't argue with them. The Hitachiins were my weakness. They had the power to make me worry so much, that it brought a panic attack to the surface, something I hadn't suffered from in years.

That night the twins tried to argue that they should stay the night and keep an eye on me, but I told them I'd be fine and not to worry. After much discussion and against their own better judgment, it was a hug, smooch on the cheek and farewell from them. Every morning following that however, they came to pick me up so I wouldn't faint on my way to school. Finally, Friday came, that night the dance would be held. I didn't have time all week to get a dress, but for some reason I thought there might be one in my closet that grandpa packed while I wasn't looking.

When I checked my closet, hanging in the very back was the dress that my mom wore the night of the first date with my dad. She had kept it all these years just for me. It was a lovely shade of baby boy blue; long in the back and short enough in front just to see whatever shoes I'd be sporting. Shoes… I didn't own a single pair of high heels. There wasn't any in my closet either. I had to think of something, the dance started in two hours and Kaoru said he'd pick me up. I tapped my forehead with my index finger trying to think. There was a nearby store, maybe I'd get lucky. I raced out of the apartment, almost forgetting to lock the door behind me and ran down the street to the store. Once inside I went straight for the shoe department. I found a pair of light blue heels that would just have to do; I didn't have time to try them on.

I quickly paid and rushed back out of the door and back home. That trip had taken me a total of twenty five minutes, and I still had to shower, fix my hair and put on my make up. Seriously why did girls go to these lengths just for a stupid dance? I went through the list of things that needed to be done, and decided curls in my hair would have to do. After putting on the dress I slipped the shoes on and when I went to stand up I nearly fell over. This was going to be a long night.

Then the doorbell rang, and sure enough, Kaoru was there right on schedule. He marveled over my appearance, but I couldn't compare to just how handsome he looked in a dress shirt and a black satin vest. He held out his hand to me to guide me to the limo, and I stumbled a couple of times on the way.

I was surprised when we got in and there was no Hikaru in sight, "Where's Hikaru?" I asked him.

"He went there early to help the club with any final preparations," Kaoru answered, never letting go of my hand, "You look lovely." He whispered.

I smiled gently and shook my head, "Nah, I'm nothing special. I'm actually surprised you asked me…"

"Why?" He asked confused.

"Because there are so many beautiful girls at school… I'm the ugly duckling and they're swan princesses," I said tilting my head.

"Underneath that exterior they are empty Chelsea. They hold nothing special inside them. You, you're exterior mirrors your interior."

"Yes, extremely-" I started to say before he cut me off.

"Beautiful." He finished for me. Of course I was going to say something along the lines of hideous, disturbing, or something to that extent, "They can't hold a candle to who you are."

I stared at Kaoru for a long time and smiled. Even if I didn't believe what he was saying, the fact that he was saying it, made me feel special.

"Well not even the great King Idiot can be compared to how handsome you look tonight." I said with a grin.

"Oh I know," He agreed, and we both laughed.

Something about Kaoru was so magical. He was so perfect that, if I thought about if for a long time, I could see myself falling for him. For the rest of the ride he let me rest my head on his shoulder. He'd fiddle with the curls in my hair and I felt so relaxed after such a haywire week that if the car ride had been much longer I probably would have fallen asleep, but soon the limo came to a stop, and I heard Kaoru coo the words, "We're here." in my ear.

Author's notes: Wow Chapter 9, feels like I just started this thing and the sad part is I'll probably only write maybe 3 more chapters. If there's strong demand for it to continue past the point of which I want it to end, perhaps I'll add a chapter from time to time. I really have enjoyed this story. It's made me fall for the Hitachiin twins even more ^^; I'll probably update again tomorrow, but if I'm slower to update within the next week it's simply because I have some things that need to be done. Have a wonderful weekend all!