The Truth is Hard to Handle

Chapter 13

Kish's Mistake

THERE YOU GO!!!! ENJOY!!!! MAY NOT GET ANOTHER CHAPPIE UP FOR A WHILE! I'M GOING ON VACATION!!!!!!! DON'T BE MAD!!! EVEN EINSTEIN TOOK A BREAK WHEN EVERY NOW AND THEN!

Ichigo blinked awake. Her bedroom. Wow. It had been a long time since she'd woken up in her own bedroom. She nestled her head deeper into Ryou's bare chest, breathing in his warm smell.

It was then that she recalled the previous day's events.

She didn't feel like crying anymore. Her tears were all dried up. She felt like kicking some serious ass. Masaya's ass. And whosever ass it was that made that van.

Ryou woke up at that moment. He held Ichigo tight and quietly said, "It's so great."

"What is?" Ichigo said, lifting her head from his chest.

"Waking up with you," Ryou said, stroking her hair, "I love you, strawberry."

Ichigo smiled. She didn't respond. She didn't need to.

Kish was on a rampage. Yesterday had been good. They'd (they being he and Ryou) caught Masaya. Ichigo was safe. Now…not so much. Why, you ask?

It has something to do with Masaya escaping from the trunk of Ryou's car, where he'd stuffed him. And something to do with a not-so-nice note left by Masaya.

"Prepare to die. Prepare to have everything and everyone you love tortured. And prepare to have no idea when it'll happen. Masaya."

Shit.

Kish had spent the night in Ryou's car. The Mew Mews showed up about ten minutes after Ichigo was saved, but Kish told them she was safe and with Ryou right now, and they left. He expected them back soon.

Now he was just expecting to die.

He knew it would happen. The warning was clear. The only problem was, he didn't know when, where, or how.

The Mew Mews arrived in the midst of his fear. He was shuddering just thinking about it. They looked in the car and saw poor Kish, curled into a ball and rocking back and forth.

Mint walked up beside the car and saw Kish. "What's he doing?" she asked rhetorically.

"I dunno," Zakuro said.

"Is he OK?" Lettuce asked.

Pudding said, "That guy has never been OK." Then she giggled at her own joke. No one else thought it was that funny.

"Should we knock on the car?" Zakuro asked.

Mint shrugged. There was nothing else to do. So, she lightly tapped on the glass with her fist.

Kish jumped, banging his head on the top of the car, then he rolled down the window, "What the hell did you do that for?!" he cried.

The Mew Crew laughed. Kish fumed. Then he said, "I'm going home!" and teleported out.

"Oo, the whittle baby had to go home to go beddy-bye," Mint jeered.

"His mommy had to tuck him into nappy-poo," Zakuro taunted.

Lettuce took a whack at it, "He'd better get rested up if he wants to watch Teletubbies on time tomorrow!" They all laughed.

"Hey, guys, who am I?" Mint cried, sticking her thumb in her mouth. The others howled with laughter.

"And who am I?" Pudding cried, sticking her butt out and making farting noises. Then she laughed at her joke. The others didn't find it so funny. The stopped laughing and giggled at Pudding's dumb joke. Pudding stopped laughing and said, "Guys? I'm a baby? Pooping my own diaper? Get it?"

"Nice try," Mint said, pushing past her, with Lettuce and Zakuro following and walking with attitude. "But leave it to the pros!" They all walked off, but Pudding stayed there, thinking their remark was serious. "You coming?" Mint called back, and Pudding smiled and sprinted to catch up.

They knocked on the door, but found it unlocked and figured no one would hear them anyway, so they just went in. They walked up the stairs to Ichigo's bedroom. Mint knocked on that door.

Ichigo answered, tucking her face in the door so they could only see her face, "Hi guys!"

"Hey," they all said.

"Um, could you wait, like, just a sec?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, sure," Mint started, "We're just so glad you're…" The door closed in her face. "OK," she finished.

"What is going on in there?" Zakuro asked, falling to the floor and setting her head against her window. Everyone shrugged.

INSIDE ICHIGO AND RYOU'S ROOM!

"Hurry!" Ichigo cried, "They're going to think something's going on!"

"OK, Ichigo," Ryou cried, pulling on his jeans, "a guy can only put on pants so fast. And generally telling him to speed up does nothing."

They hadn't been naked. Not all the way. Ichigo had been down to her bra and undies, and Ryou had just been in his boxers. And now they had to hurry to make it look like nothing happened, even though it didn't.

She grabbed a fresh tank top and pulled it on over her head. Then she pulled her jeans from the previous day and put on a jean jacket. By now, Ryou was done dressing and was waiting on Ichigo, who was hurriedly trying to put on a necklace. Then she had to fix her hair.

Ryou said quietly, "Ichigo." She turned, putting in earrings, and looked at him. "C'mere," he said, again quietly.

She walked toward him. He kept beckoning her with his finger, telling her to come closer and closer. "What?" she said, "Is my hair messed up?"

"No," he said, "but your lips are." They both stopped. Ichigo laughed. "You knew what I meant!" he cried. They laughed and kissed.

Impatient, Mint knocked on the door, "You done in there?!"

Ichigo parted from Ryou for just long enough to say, "Almost!" She kissed him softly, then stood and opened the door.

Mint collapsed into a hug with her. The others followed, completely surrounding her.

Ichigo hugged them for a minute, then pulled away, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. It was odd. She'd always been a very huggy person. Now, hugs felt too enclosing. She began to tear up, but not really cry. Ryou ran to her aid, pulling her into a hug. She liked his hugs. She knew he would never hurt or manipulate her like a certain x-boyfriend did.

"What's wrong?!" all the Mew Mews said.

Ichigo pulled out of Ryou's hug, but still leaned against him for support. "Masaya tried to…" was all she had to say. Even little Pudding understood.

"Oh, my God!" Mint shouted.

"How dare he!" Lettuce cried.

"Are you alright?!" Pudding yelled.

"Where is he now?" Zakuro asked.

The room fell silent. Ryou began to say, "Kish stuffed him in the trunk of my car, but a loud crash was heard and they all ran to Ichigo's bedroom door.

Kish was lying there, in shock. He'd been eavesdropping.

"Kish!" they all yelled at him.

Kish stood, out of breath and looking very scared, "He's not!"

"He's not what!"

"I told Ryou I'd stuff Masaya in the back of his car and I did! But I fell asleep in your car and when I woke up the next morning, he was gone! GONE, I TELL YOU! GONE!!!"

"Ooh…" Mint said.

"Bad," Pudding said.

Ichigo looked both angry and very frightened. Kish didn't blame her.

Has anyone noticed how Kish was the meanie at the start, but now is on there side? That is SO WEIRD cuz I don't even like Kish, yet here he is, being the good guy…GASP!!!! It was like that on the story "The Trouble Bracelet" too! I wrote that one! After rereading it the other day, I figured it wasn't the best story I'd written. Have I even finished it yet? Online, I mean…Oh, now I'm just rambling. Read and review! Buh-bye!