PartXIV
Over
I gasped in surprise; so did the unknown woman. Brandon stood, staring at me with wide eyes. "Kita, I can explain…"
"HOW COULD YOU?!" He stepped back from me. However, I stepped forward and pushed Brandon hard against a wall. The frightened girl who had been with him slipped out quietly and left.
"Kita… I…"
"Enough of your lies," I said, anger and sobs shaking my entire body. I punched him hard in the face. "All of this time I trusted you and… it's just like we're in high school again."
"But you're still…"
I cut him off. "I finished school early."
Brandon's face became angry suddenly. He loosened my grip that was holding him to the wall and shoved me backward. "So that's where you were all of this time… you went to school with that Ryuzaki freak that you always talk about, who I've never even met! I'm not the only one that's a cheater, Kita!" A rage I had never seen before burned his crystallic blue eyes.
"Brandon I wasn't…"
"Don't lie to me, Kita. Look, if you tell me the truth and forgive me, I'll forgive you and…"
I felt that hope lingered somewhere else… but I didn't know where. "No Brandon." The anger in his eyes became more eminent. "It's over." Purse and keys still in hand, I ran to my car as fast as I could.
Violently I started the engine and floored the gas all the way to Wammy's. What I didn't know was Brandon was following a short distance behind.
(Time Skip)
I headed straight to L's room, my tears free-flowing for the first time in awhile. I startled the poor detective when I burst in; he had been peacefully browsing some of his files, but closed them when I entered.
"Kita, what happened?" Ryuzaki stood quickly and came to my side. I collapsed in his arms, sobbing.
When I calmed down, I told him what had occurred. He only held me tighter, his onyx eyes still dead. After listening, Ryuzaki spoke. "You cannot trust someone like him," he told me. A hint of triumph darkened his voice as he spoke. "I heard you tell Mello what happened a few months ago."
"You're right," I choked. I leaned into him and cried some more, until darkness took over.
(Time Skip)
Ryuzaki shook me awake long after the sun lifted her head above the horizon. "Good morning, sleepyhead," the detective said.
"Morning," I mumbled. "What time is it?" I looked at my friend and hero tiredly.
"Ten-thirty," Ryuzaki responded placidly.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "What time did I get here, Ryuzaki?"
"About 2:30 this morning," he told me. After finishing the donut he was eating and licking his fingers noisily, the detective spoke again. "So, I take it you and Brandon are broken up now?" His gaze dropped to my ring.
Anger rose in me again. "Yes," I responded with contempt as I looked down at the quilt that still covered my legs. "You wouldn't happen to have a lighter, would you?" I returned my eyes to his.
"Yeah, actually," Ryuzaki said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver lighter. "Oh, just a sec." He stood and walked over to his desk and opened the left top drawer. After doing some shuffling around and digging within it the detective returned to my side carrying two cigarettes. He held one out to me. "You want one?"
I glared at him and pushed it away. "I knew I smelled smoke in here before," I said accusingly. "I thought your sugar habits were crazy, but this will kill you faster than diabetes!"
"It's not a habit, per se," Ryuzaki countered nonchalantly, "I just smoke one now and then." He flicked the lighter on and set the end of the cancer stick aflame; I rolled my eyes in disgust as he handed the lighter to me.
I pulled my engagement ring from my hand and struck the flint, then lifted the ring to the flame. The small prongs were softened by the heat and I was able to pry the diamond from them. I leaned over to reach underneath the futon and pulled out my purse to slip the diamond into the change part of my wallet. Then, I lazily stuffed it back into my purse and shoved it back under my futon without closing it. I tossed the ring to the trash can across the room.
Ryuzaki took a drag then spoke. "You could've got a lot of money for that ring, Kita," he remarked.
"I want nothing to remember him by, not even a large sum of money. "I'm going to sell the diamond and donate the cash to this orphanage," I told him.
Ryuzaki smashed his half-smoked cigarette into a small and easily concealed ash tray, then sat beside me. "This orphanage has plenty of money. We're the only one in the country that doesn't need government assistance. Besides, I bring home more than enough to provide for all of them," the detective explained thoughtfully, referring to the orphans.
"Well then…I'll think of something," I huffed as I threw the blanket off of myself. "Let's go get some coffee," I said and grabbed Ryuzaki's hand.
"Don't you want to change first?"
"Screw it. Come on." I led him out of his room, downstairs, and into the street.
(Time Skip)
We arrived at the coffee shop around eleven. I went up to the counter and ordered two black coffees, dumping a ludicrous amount of sugar into Ryuzaki's. I sat it down in front of him and I myself across from him. "It's on me," I told him before he protested.
"Thank you, Kita," he said as he took a sip, "it's just the way I like it."
"No problem," I replied as I sipped from my cup.
(Time Skip)
We finished our coffee in silence. I recognized the waitress that asked Ryuzaki and I if we wanted food. Once again, she was being a flirt. I glared at her and she glared back. "No I'm not hungry, thank you," Ryuzaki told her.
"All right," she replied with a forced smile. Then she walked away.
"What was her problem?" Ryuzaki eyed me quizzically.
I blinked at him. "Uh… she was flirting with you Ryuzaki."
"Oh…" A look of embarrassment and surprise crossed his face briefly.
"I can tell she's a sleaze though," I continued quickly, "so don't waste your time."
He smiled. "Thanks for watching out for me, Kita."
"N-no problem," I replied, blushing faintly.
"We should probably leave now," Ryuzaki prompted.
"You're right," I replied, and stood up.
We exited the shop and climbed into my red Porsche. "If you don't mind, Kita, could I drive?"
I shrugged. "I don't see why not." I tossed him the keys over the top of the car from the passenger side. The detective caught them without looking up, it seemed.
Ryuzaki climbed into the car with a smoothness that was almost feline, while I followed suit rather clumsily and almost hit my head where the door meets the car at the roof. Ryuzaki didn't seem to notice since he started the car as soon as I'd shut the door.
He pulled out of the parking lot, and hit 60 k/hr up the left side of the street. "Are you crazy?" My voice hit the pitch of terror. "Slow down! The speed limit is only 40!"
Ryuzaki gave me a small smile. "Don't worry, Kita. We'll be fine I assure you," he told me, his eyes never leaving the road.
"I guess I trust you," I told him with a smile. Ryuzaki inclined his head so his raven locks hid his face from my view. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Kita… Oh look. We're home!" Ryuzaki squealed the tires of my Porsche as he pulled into the drive that led to the garage.
Watari stood at the door leading into the mansion. "Ryuzaki," he called.
"Yes, Watari?" The detective climbed from my car as I did.
"There's someone on the phone for Kita. She claims to be her best friend."
"It must be Sharon," I told them as I rushed past Watari and into the orphanage. I picked up the phone that hung on the wall beside the staircase. "Hello?"
"Kita," came the relieved voice… but it didn't belong to Sharon.
"Brandon," I growled as my body began to shake with rage, "What do you want?"
"You," he said dispassionately. "I'm at the coffee shop. Meet me there and we'll talk."
I slammed the phone down without responding. "What's the matter, Kita?" Watari stood upon the steps eyeing me with concern. Ryuzaki watched emotionlessly, still standing in the doorway between the garage and the orphanage.
"It was my ex-fiance," I told them quietly. Ryuzaki's gaze hardened and Watari shot him a questioning glance. "He disguised his voice." I continued in a rush. "He wanted me to meet him at the coffee shop down in Winchester so we could work things out…" I paused. The two men continued to watch me. "But I don't want to," I murmured with finality.
A shout from the second floor caused Watari to hurry up the steps, and he disappeared into the house. "Don't then," Ryuzaki replied as he headed for the stairs himself. I followed slowly.
When we reached the top, Ryuzaki and I found Matt sitting in the hallway sulking. "What's wrong, Matt?" Ryuzaki knelt beside him.
"I got in trouble," he responded.
"What did ya do this time?" I spoke jokingly to try and cheer Matt and myself up.
Ryuzaki's expression softened and the storm in his eyes all but vanished. "Tell us, Matt," he commanded gently.
"I said the f-word," the boy muttered. "My game made me mad."
Ryuzaki rolled his eyes. "You heard it from Mello, didn't you?"
Matt nodded. His flame-red bangs fell into his eyes as he did so. "I'm sorry," he said softly.
"You shouldn't repeat much of what Mello says," I told him laughingly as I mussed his hair.
"Okay," he replied with a smile as he stood and headed for Watari's office.
Once Matt entered the door, I allowed my expression to fall. I followed Ryuzaki into our room and shut the door.
The detective turned around slowly to face me and rested a ghostly hand on my shoulder. "Everything will be okay, Kita," Ryuzaki assured me.
"You'll find someone else and move on soon, I'm sure." There was a look in his dark eyes that I didn't recognize.
I sat on my futon with a sigh. Ryuzaki shuffled over to the computer and sat in the chair. He wiggled the mouse and IM messages popped up, but he closed them. After a few moments of silence, I decided to speak. "Say, Ryuzaki?"
"Yes, Kita?"
"Could I go back to my house tomorrow and get the rest of my things?"
"Of course. I'm leaving for a case tomorrow night, so please go when you awaken in the morning." The detective didn't turn around when he spoke.
"Thanks," I replied sincerely.
"Yup."
Shortly after, I fell asleep.
EndPartXIV