The three sat quietly in the living room with the drinks Hiko had brought them. He'd then disappeared off into some part of the house, leaving the three teens alone. Kaoru took a sip of her drink raising an eyebrow; she wasn't exactly sure what it was supposed to be. Kenshin sat silently not touching his own. He gazed down at the ice pack Hiko had brought him playing with on the corners.
"What'd you think of your first day?" asked Kaoru then added quickly. "Other then getting chased by members of the Oniwaban group." He gave a slight shrug not saying anything. She sighed closing her eyes. She'd been trying to start a conversation for the last few minutes now. Kenshin hadn't helped the endeavour by keeping his mouth clamped shut. She glanced up at Sano, a horrified look coming onto her face as she watched him chugging down his own drink. "How can you drink that!" She cried in astonishment.
He finished it off, glancing down at her. "What? I thought it was pretty good." He placed the now empty cup down on a near by table.
"Hiko really likes that drink, indeed his does." Commented Kenshin with an amused smile, taking Kaoru by surprise.
"What is it anyway?" She asked gazing down at her own with disgust.
"You don't wish to know Miss Kaoru, that you don't."
Kaoru pulled a face pushing the cup away. Sano gave a shrug leaning against the chair she was sitting in. "Who was the girl you helped?" Sano asked curiously. Kenshin gave a shrug. "Was she cute at all?" Kaoru glowered at Sano elbowing him in the side. "What was that for? I was just asking." Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him causing him to inch away, Kenshin began to chuckle at the two. A clock struck four o'clock in a near by room. "Uh oh I've got to run. I've made an appointment that I just can't miss."
"Let me guess another fight behind the school," Kaoru said with distaste. She gave him a disapproving glower. "Who is it this time? The lunch lady because she didn't have any hot dogs?"
"I find that insulting Kaoru, it's nothing like that," he exclaimed indignantly.
"Oh really? Where are you running off to then?"
Sano gave her a mischievous grin. "I'll see you two tomorrow, till then!" He waved his hand hurried out of the house.
Kaoru sighed shaking her head. "Sometimes I wonder about him. I'm not even sure how we managed to become friends."
"How long have you been friends with him, miss Kaoru?" Kenshin asked with curiosity.
"You don't have to call me miss, Kaoru is just fine," she grinned leaning back in her chair. "Let me think now, how long have I been friends with him? Well, I first met him half way though last year. He was picking a fight with a member of the Oniwaban; he'd just given up his gang name Zanza. I guess that was almost a year ago now. You wouldn't believe how much he's changed since then, he use to be so cold." Kenshin listened attentively to every word she spoke. "Now the only habit that me and Magumi have to try and break him out of is his desire to pick fights with anyone."
"If Sano hadn't come to help, who knows what would have happened. This one is very grateful to him."
"Don't tell that to him it'll go straight to his head." She paused for second. "He does do good every now and then, though he balances that with sticking his nose in other people's business." A troubled look flickered over Kenshin's face. "If you ask me the two things go hand and hand for him. He's pries into others business because he wants to help out. If he does get too nosy though, you just have to give him a good whack across the skull and that usually settles it." She swung her hand in the air to demonstrate.
"What about you miss Kaoru? This one would like to know about you, that he would."
She grinned at him; she was glad that he'd opened up a little. He seemed more relaxed here. "Well what can I say about myself." She thought for a moment. "Well, I'm the captain of our kendo team at school." He gave a start, staring at her with surprise. She couldn't help the smile that grew on her face at his expression. "I might not look it but I'm really skilled with a bokken. Hey there's a tournament coming up soon, you'll have to come watch me kick some butt!"
He hesitated playing with the ice pack. "I don't know..." he trailed off tugging at its corner.
"Oh come on!" she cried. "Pretty please, it'd be great to have my friends there, cheering me on. It's the only tournament that's going to be here in our city, it's right at our high school. The rest of them are going to be way to far for you to go. Please, can't you come to this one? Come on, just this one. Pretty please with sugar on top!"
He sighed, her pleading getting to him. "Alright, this one promises to go." Kaoru sprang up from the chair cheering. "You're as bad as Sano, that you are."
"You won't regret this Kenshin," she exclaimed speaking rapidly. The clock chimed again, she stopped hopping around glancing down at her watch, letting out a gasp. "It's that late already? I'm sorry, I've got to get home." She hurried into the entrance picking up her shoes. "My brother, Yahiko will be there. He'll be wondering where I am. I'll see you tomorrow right?" He nodded his head. "Good, we'll have lunch together. That way you can meet Megumi, see you then. Bye!" She gave a large wave before walking out the door at a brisk pace.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Kenshin let himself fall back into the couch. He sighed feeling himself sink into the cushions allowing the tension from the day slide out of him completely. It'd been a very long stressful day, all he wanted right now was to close his eyes and relax. There was a loud crash from the kitchen. Kenshin groaned slowly opening his violet eyes. "Hiko," he called sleepily. "What are you doing to my kitchen?" There was another loud bang as something else fell. He winced at the sound his mind guessing what new thing Hiko had broken moving around Kenshin's clean kitchen.
"Hey where'd you put the ramen?" Hiko called back.
"Top shelf over the microwave," mumbled Kenshin closing his eyes again. The last thing he heard before drifting asleep was a shout of triumph from Hiko.
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He was shouting. Screaming at the top of his lungs tears streaming down his face. There was blood everywhere, glinting sickly in the light from the flames that slowly swirled around the two. Blood oozed down his face mixing together with the raven hair girl's. Her blood and his blood, that slowly seeped across the cold stone floor. He pulled her closer cradling her in his arms. Laughter curled up among the fires, mocking him. Something snapped with in him, a powerful rage consuming his entire soul. He released her slowly rising to his feet a seething anger that filled every fiber of his being. Causing him to charge blindly forwards towards the mirthless laugh. Crying out, his amber eyes flashing in the firelight.
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He eyes snapped open as he felt something against his left cheek. He instinctively struck out with his hand his feet springing into action to get below him incase he need to escape. Hiko caught the boy's hand before it hit him. "Morning sleepy head," he greeted not surprised by the boy's reaction. He released Kenshin's hand. "You'd better hurry or you'll be late." Hiko turned walked out of Kenshin's room.
Kenshin sat there a moment catching his breath. "He must of carried this one here last night." He thought trying to push the guilt from his mind. He slipped off his bed, glancing at his alarm clock. "Oro?" he exclaimed his eyes bulging as the digits told him it was 7:52am. He began to dash madly around the room trying to get ready. School started at exactly eight o'clock meaning he had less the ten minutes to get there. He dashed down the hall calling as he pulled on his shoes; "this one is off to school. Bye Hiko!" He grabbed his bag charged out the door. He jumped off the porch wincing at the slight pain this caused his right knee. He dashed across the lawn to the sidewalk a dull ache accompanying him in his leg.
"Hey Kenshin!" Came a shout from behind him. He looked over to see Kaoru coming up beside him on his bike. "I'm glad I'm not the only one late today."
"We're not late yet, that we aren't." he answered picking up his pace to keep up with her bike. They reached the school; Kaoru chained her bike up quickly as the first bell tolled clearly in the morning air. They dashed inside hurrying down the hallway. Kenshin had pulled out his schedule for the day to figure out where he was supposed to go. "This one doesn't know where the history class room is." He began to panic.
She looked over at the paper. "You've got it with me come on, this way. We don't want to be late for this class." She led him through the emptying hallways. She dove for the door her hand reaching out and yanked it open. They both stepped inside just as the bell rang again.
She sighed flopping down in a chair near the back door where they'd entered. Kenshin sat down on next to her. "We made it," she gasped.
"It's time to start class everyone, quiet down," ordered the teacher glaring at them with his narrow eyes at the front of the room. The class fell silent as they settled into their seats. "We'll continue the note from last class." He turned to the board picking a piece of chalk started writing.
Kaoru heard a small sound escape from Kenshin; she glanced over to see what was wrong. His face had gone pale, his hands gripping the desk, nails digging into the wooden surface his knuckles completely white. "Kenshin..."
He was trembling fearfully, as he stared at the teacher. "Saito..." he breathed, shrinking down trying to hide.
"You know him?" asked Kaoru. Kenshin didn't answer she wasn't even sure if he'd heard her. "Kenshin?" He sat there still as a statue, completely oblivious to Kaoru beside him. She grabbed her eraser from her pencil case chucked it at him. His eyes suddenly narrowed as his head shot back avoiding the in coming object. Kaoru jaw dropped staring at him in shock, the eraser had worked though and she had his attention again.
"Is every alright miss Kaoru?" he asked trying to hid his own uneasiness.
"I-I was going to ask you," she stammered after a moment.
"This one is fine, that he is," he gave her a weak smile turning to his paper. The colour still hadn't returned to his face, Kaoru observed from the corner of her eye. She knew she should be paying attention to the class, but Kenshin's reaction had her worried. His left hand was still holding the edge of the desk refusing to release its grip. Even though he tried to make it look like he was paying attention, she could see his entire focus was on Saito. She sighed to herself; it was going to be a long double period of history. It was only a few minutes before the bell to lunch, when Saito turned from the board his eyes catching sight of Kenshin. They glared at each other a moment before Saito eyes shifted surveying the rest of the class. The bell tolled finally and Kenshin was the first on his feet grabbing his books desperate to get out of there.
"Mr. Himura a moment of your time," called Saito from the front of the room. Kenshin's heart sank as he glanced up at Kaoru noticing the concerned look on her face.
"This one will be fine," he told her quietly as the other students filed out of the room. "Mr. Saito was one of this one's teachers back at Mizuki High, that he was."
Kaoru gave a start about to speak. "Ms Kamiya if you would be so kind as to allow Mr. Himura and myself to have a private talk."
She hesitated a moment. "I'll be right out side Kenshin." She whispered as she slowly scooped up her books clinging to them tightly as she exited the room. Saito waited until she had closed the door before regarding the crimson haired teen before him. The boy's violet eyes gave no hint of emotion as they watched Saito intently. That was one thing that always intrigued Saito, no matter what expression was on Kenshin's face, his eyes never reflected it.
"It's been a while," Saito commented breaking the silence.
"If that's all you wish to say," growled Kenshin. "Then this one shall leave." He turned marching towards the door.
"You should know me better then that Mr. Himura," Saito spoke the name contempt. Kenshin froze, his fingertips touching the door handle. "I thought I should at least warn you."
He didn't dare look at Saito who stood on the far side of the room, a smirk playing on his lips. Kenshin took a silent breath, fearing the answer to his question. "About what?" he demanded in an icy voice. Saito's golden eyes flickered with amusement.
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Cliff hanger! I know how much all of you guys love these things.
Big thanks to my first two reviews, summerstar and midnite cherry blossomz. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it.
I hope to get the third chapter some point soon, don't hold me to that since my evil computer chewed up my data! I'm currently racking my brain trying to retype it at the moment, and I was so far ahead as well. TT.TT Ugh, here I thought I'd managed to befriend my new laptop. But enough of my computer woes I'll endeavor to get the next chapter posted soon.