Chapter Two: I Wanted Everything
I revised the first three chapters! Not many changes and it wouldn't affect future chapters majorly. I'm sorry if you get confused, I really am.
The soft blue spread had a gentle, golden glow to it. I stared up at the sky, resolutely clamping my mouth shut and laughing inwardly at what the girls around me were saying.
"He really had, this, you know? You know right?" Miyako was screeching at my left. I was made to sit in the centre of everyone, relaxing as everyone told everyone their opinions on what had just happened right after the final whistle. It was amusing to hear their conspiracy theories, even more amusing at how easily they tell me what they think about what I did.
"So girls? What's so orgasmic about it?" Hikari, at my right, yawned. Mimi had gone ahead to my home, accompanied by the smitten twins and their terrific wallets. It was her only escape clause in our agreement. Hey, I am not going to object if someone buys me my beer. I find that such people are truly, really nice. "I've totally wondered how good my brother is. Like the rest of you," she waggled her thumb at the others.
Most gasped. I watched Hikari curiously. It was a true Hikari thing to do. Miyako screeched louder, her eyes brightening with fear. "You dreamed of kissing your own brother? Incest!"
"I have a hyperactive imagination," Hikari said innocently. "Anyway, he eats too much chilli for my taste, I bet if I kissed him, I wouldn't be able to get the smell out of my mouth for days." This was pointedly said to me, to which I smiled in reply.
"That explains why he's a terrific kisser."
More gasps. My cell phone saved me from the impending storm of questions by beeping. I excused myself from the screaming girls, a hysteric Miyako and a winking Hikari.
"Hey from Hawaii."
"Your room is eerily scabby. I'd venture to ask you why did you actually crack open a textbook but the answer might make me sad, so no, don't answer that. So shake a leg and try to wrestle a can from my hands while I dig you for the skinny on that lad you shagged this afternoon."
"Are the twins wonderfully broke?"
"The whole stuff cost them a lot of sheets. They had their sad faces on but they looked okay when I said I'd come and visit them at Shinjuku sometimes. Shinjuku is, after all, my pond."
I laughed into my phone. "Your fishing pond, pet. But it might be a very, fantastically long time before you see the twins again. You haven't forgotten our petty bet, have you honey?"
"Shock horror," Mimi sounded downright bored. "I'll last. I've got you to amuse myself with."
"We'll throw some mud around, it'll be fun," I promised her.
"Ah, I can feel the diarrhoea already."
"Save me some, I'll be there before midnight."
"Fat hopes, by the time you got here, I'll be bloody bored and there won't be any root beer left," she laughed as she hung up. I smiled and turned around to face the music. God, the audience had multiplied. I laughed inwardly as I prepared to face the questioning hurdles trying to keep me from going home and getting some drinks.
"Okay, guys, who's up for some hugs and kisses?" I joked.
The simplification of anything is always sensational. Some believed it was done on the foundation of a bet, few believed it wasn't done in the heat of passion and none believed it won't be on a regular basis. At last, when their combined forces finally overcame me, I relented that maybe, maybe I had enjoyed it a bit. There was no doubt to what he felt, according to the masses. Apparently I should do it again, for their entertainment. I was honoured to be the jester of their crowd, but I said no. Mimi brings enough troubles for both of us to last a high school lifetime.
In the end, it was with Hikari's help that I finally got home. She brought out her secret cake she baked just before the match. They were sniffing it and taking a bike when I slipped away. I was just about to leave the school when the back of my neck shivered. I looked around and of course. There he was.
"Hey," I crouched down in front of him. It was nice out, tonight. Crickets sang shrilly, belting out one of their indecipherable, enigmatic songs. It was wonderfully cool under the tree he was sitting at, one of the night breezes you rarely get but makes you feel terrific. There was a scarlet-and-gold streamer tied around the tree and it gleamed in the dark.
He was still clad in his golden jersey and crimson shorts. He reeked of sweat but his smile eased all that. "Hey. I've been waiting for you."
I cocked my head to my right. "You have a bike?"
"A car."
"That's great. Should I pay now?"
"This is free."
I stared at him, long and hard. "I like to think it's safe to be around you."
He guffawed. "Don't worry. My hormones are a bit malfunctioned; they don't operate like my friends'."
"Hey, I actually like hearing that, a lot. It's terrific news."
"You trust me?"
We stared at each other.
I smiled. "You did help me against Mimi's avalanche of restrictions."
"I heard I'm a great kisser."
Despite it all, I didn't blush. I was laughing instead. "You heard that? God, I didn't see you."
"See no evil, hear no evil," he grinned, standing up and hoisting his backpack. "C'mon, before they cook up more theories."
"The theories make great entertainment," I walked beside him, glancing at his face. Even though it was dark, it was easy to spot the grin that tugged at his mouth. "Better than movies."
"As good as making out?" he glanced at me and I looked away, staring straight ahead. He laughed.
"It was a great kiss."
"It was orgasmic."
"Orgasmic?" I laughed, lightly squeezing his shoulders. "If we had sex, what would it be? Earth-shattering? A supernova?"
He looked away, massaging his neck. "That would be nice."
He was shy. I marvelled at it. "Do you want to?"
He stared straight ahead. "I see a minefield ahead."
"Don't worry, pet, it's just a trick question."
He glanced at me briefly, his eyes hesitating. "What do you think?"
I pursed my lips. "I'm risking sounding like I want to here, but I don't mind."
"I think I don't mind either."
For a while, neither of us spoke. It seemed like a long way to his car, which was parked at the furthest corner of the school's parking lot. When I got to his car, I was truly, pleasantly surprised.
"A Cadillac?" I ran my hand up the hood. "A freaking Cadillac?"
"Rosa is seventeen too," he patted the car fondly. The car was in a shade of tar black, blending in with the night. I easily fell in love with it.
"My cell phone is christened Rose," I told him when we got into the car. In the comforting darkness, we stared at each other. It seemed like we do a lot of staring. Rose buzzed in my pocket, shattering the ogling contest.
Mimi. She sent me a message full of weird symbols. Morse code, perhaps? "My lesbian lover wants me to hurry," I said apologetically. At his confused look, I relented. "Mimi. Show me your skills, Schumacher."
"Are you sure about this?" he looked at me.
"You look cute. I trust cute people."
"That's some twisted logic," he told me, pulling out of the parking lot. I answered by pinching his cheeks and he grabbed my hands, keeping them with one hand while he stirred the wheel with the other. We managed to escape the gossip mongers who were just exiting the school grounds. They looked on curiously as we drove away.
He pulled the windows down, letting in a breath of cool wind. "Your house, right?"
He was already following the way to my house. "Yeah. Should I tell you or should I lead us into the wilderness?"
He glanced at me, smiling. "I think I know."
"Hikari was right, you're a psychic."
"And you've had too much of Daisuke's cookies," he calmly put my hands in my lap, patting them.
"He bakes good biscuits."
"Thanks to some ingredient."
"That's the best stuff," I smiled.
"Get you high, huh? In the clouds?"
"Make me see some kaleidoscope eyes."
"The moon seems very, very close right?"
"True," I yawned, leaning into the seat. "But I didn't have any."
"Huh?" he glanced, confused.
I looked at him calmly, resting my head on the window sill. "I enjoyed kissing you."
His cheeks flushed in the dim lights of his car. I laughed as he determinedly stared straight ahead, strangely focused on the road. There was honest panic in his eyes and his shoulders tensed like a cadet's.
"I don't do lies."
He didn't reply.
"You're adorable."
He clamped his mouth shut. Before long, we were at my house. He pulled into my driveway, still not looking at me. I gathered my things and before I got out, I drew him to me.
"I don't mind kissing you again," I murmured in the dark before drawing away. I slammed the door shut and bounded up to the door, ringing the doorbell. I got into the house, not looking back at him.
"Here pussy, pussy," I called for Mimi. The house was strangely dark and no one answered me. Before long, I heard his car driving away. I switched on the lights in the living room. Root beer cans were strewn all over the place and her unmistakeable strong floral scent still hung in the warm air. The heater was on but there was no living being in the living room other than me.
"Who's a pretty girl?" I called out. Still no answer. I harrumphed, picking up a can and drinking what's left in it. Should I clear the mess before my mother comes home and realises that her daughter is not as pristine as she thinks? Or should I pretend someone burgled the place and brought free drinks along? Hmm.
"Dear," my mother appeared in the kitchen doorway, answering my queries. "You are home. Please clear the mess, dear. Where is that beautiful Mimi?"
I smiled, hiding the can behind my back. "I'd be merry to know, too, mother. Have you had your dinner? I can fix you spaghetti."
My mother shook her head, hoisting up her washed out kimono. "I do not eat this western nonsense. It is not healthy for the body."
"I'm sorry, mother. I spoke without thinking properly."
"That darling was here when I arrived," she peered around, expecting Mimi to pop up from one of the dark corners as she was prone to do. "I did hear the door closing before you, but she would have told me if she were leaving. Have you made her angry, dear?" my mother asked me, looking pointedly at the beer cans. "She was drinking too much for her health. Does she know alcohol destroys the kidneys? My doctor told me so the other day we met at the temple."
"Yes, I believe she knows," I said, amused. "I will remind her again tomorrow."
"That would be nice," my mother picked up some beer cans, frowning. "Stand up straight dear, it is not good for women to be seen slouching. It is not feminine."
"I'm sorry, mother," I did as she said. "How was your day? How was work?"
"Mr Tachikawa is a gentleman," she said carefully. "He treats me well, even though I am clumsy. I am grateful to him for giving me an occupation and you, as my daughter, should thank him whenever you see him."
"I will."
A shadow fell across my mother's face. "He is experiencing some difficulties. I hope he will be able to solve his problems."
"He will," I assured my mother. "Mimi and Mrs Tachikawa are truly nice people. They're very supportive of his work."
"Yes, yes," she answered distractedly, before disappearing into the kitchen. I took the chance to call Mimi, but she had switched off her cell phone. I frowned. That's weird. She was very excited to celebrate together when we spoke last. She got me worried.
Rose sang shrilly into the silent air. I picked it up before my mother reappeared to with a frown, smiling as I read the new message.
'Rosa, Rose, perfect.
A/N: I revised the first three chapters and although there were a few changes, they're not going to affect the future chapters except that there might be some mentions of it and it could be confusing for the readers of the old chapters. Nevertheless, I still hope you're enjoying yourself because it would mean more than just a breath of cool wind if you do. It means the soft brilliant stars of the night to me if you do. ;)