Adila received a text during her first class from Shuichi Aizawa asking about a lunch date. A smile lit her face because the man was not wasting any time and did not follow that stupid male rule of making a woman wait at least a week before contacting her. She did not mind the distraction of the text. Her lecture today was about unusual sexual penchants – how wonderfully ironic. It was not unusual for abusers to begin by asserting dominance in the bedroom with sexual violence. It was only a matter of time before this authority would be expressed out of the bedroom with physical violence. That was great news. This adverse and disturbing revelation rattled her nerves even more than they already were from last night. In between classes, she texted him back. Since her next class did not start until 11:30, she skipped it. She wanted to see him. She needed to see him.

"What's wrong?" Shuichi asked her as soon as he saw her.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" she inquired, hoping her fake smile at least appeared sincere.

Shuichi scrutinized her carefully. It was obvious she was lying. Her plastic smile could not take away the sadness in her eyes. It was also apparent she was not going to tell him the real reason she was upset.

"Where would you like to eat?" he queried, taking her hand in his. She was freezing cold.

"Anywhere. It doesn't matter," she answered, enjoying the warmth his hand was imparting to hers.

The temperature of her hand mirrored the state of her heart at the present time – frozen and unfeeling. Although the sexual encounter had been somewhat exciting at the time, in retrospect it was just plain creepy and bizarre. The lecture during her first class had not made her feel any better either. She meekly followed Shuichi as he led her inside a little restaurant to a corner booth. It was warm in the building, but she was glad when he sat beside her to hold her close to his body. Right now she trusted this stranger more than she trusted the man she had known for a year and a half. Her body began to thaw but her emotions remained cold and numb.

"Since I already know you have a boyfriend, there's something I should tell you. I was in a very serious relationship. We were discussing getting married. We agreed it might be best if we take a break for a while to see how things go. You know, to kind of test our feelings and see if they're real," he explained, a sick feeling invading his gut when her body stiffened under his arm.

"Oh, I see. Well, I suppose we're on common ground then. We're both in relationships that we're not sure where they are going. We can still be friends right?" She offered a feeble smile that faltered quickly.

"Yeah. Sure. We both need someone right now just to talk with and relax with. So it can't be bad, right?" He reached out, placing his hand against her cheek. "It's always good to have a friend."

~\..'../~

Adila was gazing out of the window tracing the rivulet of rain with her finger that snaked its way down the outside of the glass. Her books lay spread out on the coffee table where she had been trying to study. Unable to concentrate, she had abandoned her attempt to prepare for finals so she could stare at the rain and feel sorry for herself. It was not like her to engage in a pity party but even strong people feel weak sometimes. She had allowed herself to become fragile by falling in love, by learning to depend on another person… by surrendering part of herself to him.

Teru was supposed to be here. However, he was not because he had been called in to work to assist with researching cases for statutes on a present high profile murder case that had been dumped on the firm. She was happy that he had made enough of an impression that they would rely on an intern to help with something so important. But it did not take away her anger for how much it was keeping him away from her especially when she needed him. He seemed to be putting in more and more hours. The extra money he was bringing home was good; more money was always a good thing.

Nevertheless, something had changed in their relationship and not for the better. A ghost. Adila felt like a ghost in Teru's presence - transparent, invisible, and nonexistent. He barely talked to her and never touched her. The end of the semester was drawing to a close. There was only one more of week school then two weeks after that it would be Christmas. She wanted to go home for Christmas. Preferably without him.

What would he do when he found out she had a special friend? She quivered from the thought, remembering her consequences last time. Adila would have to make sure he did not find out. She and Shuichi had done nothing but talk so far. However, she had already experienced drastic change in one relationship. Who could say she would not experience it in the other?

Adila grabbed her coat and walked to the door. "I'm going out!" she yelled into the empty apartment, tears stinging her eyes when her own voice echoed back to her. "Oh, I forgot. There's no one here to care anymore."

...

"What are you doing here?" Shuichi asked when he answered the door.

"I know I should have called and I'm sorry, but – " Her words halted when she dissolved into tears.

He gently took her by the arm and pulled her in the door. He held her close, pulling her hair away from her neck. The scent of her golden skin was like cinnamon and chocolate, making him feel dizzy momentarily. This was a mistake. He should not be so close to her. She was upset. When women are troubled and seek the comfort of a man things happen.

Adila reached up to touch his face while she kept her cheek pressed against the scratchy fabric of his crisp white dress shirt. She guessed he had not been home from work very long because he still had his suit jacket on. Her fingers lay against his lips, and she sighed when he puckered and kissed her fingertips. Turning her face up, her eyes met his and her fingers were swiftly replaced with her lips when he bent to cover them with his. She made a sound like a high pitched squeak when their lips pressed together. They had just been platonic friends. Although the temptation had teased them from time to time to kiss, they had resisted until this moment. She yielded to him completely, not caring where this led to and not even considering it would only make her heart hurt worse.

"Lala," he whispered, using his nickname for her.

Adila smiled up at him because she liked it when he called her that. Propelling herself up onto her toes, she pushed her lips against his for another kiss. She stared at him in confusion when he wrenched his lips from hers and backed away. Her muddled brain could not comprehend why he would push her away.

"Lala, I'm going to ask my girlfriend to marry me at Christmas," he blurted, bracing for a feminine outburst of anger and tears.

"Well, I suppose we should say good-bye in a special way then," she suggested, throwing herself into his arms and kissing him with brute force.

Some offers a man cannot say no to and this was one of them. He pushed her backwards while kissing her, causing both of them to stumble slightly. He planted his hands firmly on her behind when she wrapped her arms and legs around his body so he could carry her wherever he wanted while she discovered the far reaches of his mouth with her tongue.

Adila shrieked when he bumped into the counter, jamming her against it as he attempted to move past it. Her giggle was muffled by his lips being pressed against hers. The pain in her back did not faze her and remained unnoticed. She unhinged her legs from around his waist to stand up so he would not have to hold her up. Wiggling out of her trench coat, she kept her lips in contact with his. Her lips reluctantly released his and her arms raised obediently when he pushed her super soft angora sweater up her body to remove it. She could not wait to get her fingers into that amazing hair of his and was stunned by how fine and soft it felt against her fingers.

"I really like your hair," she commented after running her fingers through it a few times. Her hands moved to take off his tie while he unbuttoned his white dress shirt. His jacket was already in a heap on the floor around their feet with her coat and sweater.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his dark brown almost black eyes holding hers.

"Don't you?" she questioned, sliding her hand over the bulge in his pants that told her he most certainly did want to do this.

Shuichi did not say a word but clamped his mouth over hers and thrust his tongue between her lips. If the rigid need below his waist had not expressed his true desire that kiss sure would have. He rhythmically stroked her tongue with his in a way that made her wish he would stroke the inside of her. His shaking hands unbuttoned her jeans and slid down the zipper.

Adila held onto him and pressed her lips against his neck to quiet her moans as he slipped his hand inside her panties and carefully slid two of his fingers into her yearning body. Her knees buckled from the pleasure, and she held onto him tightly to keep from falling. When the strength had returned to her body, she removed her arms from around him so she could shimmy out of her tight jeans. Her fingers went to his pants and deftly unbuttoned and unzipped them. She had quite a bit of experience removing dress pants thanks to Teru always wearing them. Teru – that was a face she pushed quickly from her mind. Instead, she concentrated on the handsome face in front of her now, squealing when he picked her up and put her on the bar stool behind her.

"You make all kinds of noise don't you?" he asked, positioning himself between her legs that she had spread wide for him.

"Just wait," she warned him, using his lips to muffle her cry of pleasure as he pushed into her.

One hand held on to the back of his neck while she braced herself against the flat barstool with the other. Her eyes studied his face that was covered by an expression of pure bliss that softened his hard, masculine features. She bit her lower lip, keeping her yelps down to low grunts of satisfaction. He was big – bigger than Teru. She had never been left unsatisfied with her boyfriend, when they still had sex, but right now she was being filled width and depth wise in a way that she had not been before. Her fingertips stroked his cheek, coaxing his eyes open.

"Ichi, look at me," she pleaded, kissing him briefly. "Make love to me. Not her."

Shuichi bit his lower lip while a bright pink color spread across the tops of his cheeks. How did she know what he had been thinking? Oh, yeah. One day it would be her job to get into people's minds and prowl around to figure out what they are thinking in addition to what makes them tick. She was off to a wonderful start. He pressed his lips to hers, holding her by the neck like she was him. It was intimate but at the same time seemed to express without words, "You're mine in this moment, but I will let go when the time comes."

"Lala," he moaned, holding her gaze although he wanted to close his eyes to feel the pleasure of her body unhindered by the sense of sight.

"Close your eyes," she whispered, pulling him close to her. "Say my name."

"Adila," he murmured in her ear, thrusting his hands into her golden brown hair. He stood still, savoring the feeling of her wonderful body riding along his length, pushing forward and drawing back to do it all over again.

"Shuichi!" she exclaimed, pushing herself at him faster as the pleasure matured into ecstasy. She shouted his name again when he hooked his arms under knees and held her to thrust into her with short, forceful strokes.

Shuichi was close to his end when he opened his eyes to look at the magnificent woman he was making love to, who was causing so much incredible pleasure to seize his body. He almost hurt he wanted to come so badly but he wanted her to climax first.

Adila knew what he was waiting for so she abandoned herself to that ultimate in sexual gratification and allowed the orgasm to sweep over her. She slowly raised her eyelids to look at him.

"Your turn," she told him, still trembling from her climax.

She enclosed his body with her arms and legs as he pushed into her a few more times before unleashing the powerful orgasm he had been holding back. She kissed his neck as he shuddered and jerked from aftershocks of the intense culmination of satisfying sex. A smile turned her lips up at the corners as he held her tightly and stroked her hair.

All along this relationship had been their special little secret. It had to be kept tightly under wraps always despite the fact it was ending. Considering both of their career choices, keeping a secret would not be a problem for them. They had each been the other's unspoken desire for as long as necessary. They had each been to the other a friend and confidante and so much more. The time for good-bye had come.

"Ichi," Adila murmured, kissing his lips.

"Do you regret it, Lala?" he asked, kissing her forehead.

"I'll never regret anything with you."

...

Adila was already in bed when Teru arrived home after midnight. She concentrated on remaining relaxed as he walked into the room. Listening to him going through his nightly bedtime routine, she could almost count the minutes before his butt would hit the bed. Promptly at 12:12 he was in the bed. Twelve minutes – never a minute more or less. She would swear sometimes he scheduled and timed his bowel movements as well. She sighed loudly in unspoken frustration and snuggled into her pillow for comfort. How had she managed to deal with his many quirks and just plain weirdness this long? The scent of something flowery drifted to her nose. Perfume. She smiled. So he has been with another woman. At least they were playing on a level field at this time. Little bastard. She had no idea he had it in him to do something like that.

"Where were you tonight?" he questioned her suddenly.

Adila flinched from the unexpected inquiry. She did not want to talk him. That defeated her whole purpose for going to bed despite the fact she could not sleep.

"I had to take time think," she answered, purposely being vague. 'I had sex with another man, and I hate you,' had been the reply she wanted to give him. She had abstained from doing so because she feared what punishment he would allocate to her for such a coarse, ruthless comment.

"About what?" he pressed, keeping his back to her.

"Us," came her curt reply.

"Did you come to a conclusion?"

"Not yet."

"Let me know when you do," he responded frigidly.

Her mind was off and running like a wild Mustang. She wanted to be free from this misery so she had to think. There was no way she would be getting any sleep tonight.

~\..'../~

"Mama."

Kalyani stiffened from the sound of her daughter's voice. She had already known it would be important because her daughter was calling at 2AM from Japan. Why wasn't the child asleep? Didn't she have finals? The tears and hurt in her daughter's voice was not surprising but no less alarming. Why else would she be awake and crying in the early morning? Resisting the temptation to say anything unnecessarily mean such as 'I knew this would happen' or the epic momism* 'I told you so', she heaved a loud sigh to calm herself. Thinking quickly to figure out what to do, she grabbed her purse to retrieve her credit card.

"Honey, I'll call you back in a minute."

Adila paced the living room nervously in the dark waiting for her mother to return her phone call. Her world had come crashing down on her at last. She was not worried about waking Teru because he was not here. He had not come home last night. He had been coming home later and later and last night he just did not even bother. She had called Shuichi but could not talk to him because he was with his new fiancée. That hurt because he had not waited for Christmas. He had barely waited three days after their little escapade to ask her. He had the courtesy (or the stupidity, she was not sure which) to text her the news right after he did it. How did he explain that? Did he lie to his wife-to-be and say he was letting his parents know or was he hiding in the stall of the bathroom of the restaurant? Dumbass. That was a great way to start a relationship.

The semester was over and it was almost Christmas. She wanted to come home – for good. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, for her to stay in Japan for anymore. Instead, she had created many reasons to run away.

Her phone rang and in her astonishment she nearly dropped it. "Mama!" she exclaimed.

"Baby, it's me," her daddy growled into the phone.

'Dammit, Mama! Why did you have to tell Daddy?!' she wanted to scream. The tears started all over, gushing from her eyes while she emitted great, gasping sobs.

"Da-Da-Daddy!" she wailed in true Daddy's girl fashion.

Even at her age, she would not be ashamed to admit she was still her Daddy's little girl. Besides, southern girls wear that as a badge of pride at any age. She would soon be back at her beloved home in the heart of Texas and away from this personal hell of her own making. Maybe that was what pissed her off the most: she had allowed it to happen to herself.

"Just pack what you really need and go to the airport. There's a plane ticket paid for and waiting for you. We'll send for the rest of your stuff later. Come home, Baby. I love you," he murmured, feeling as if his heart were being torn in two by the mournful bawling of his little girl.

"I love you too, Daddy," she wept into the phone before hanging up.

Adila took off the dragon ring and the bracelet, setting them on the night stand on Teru's side of the bed. She did not bother with a note. Teru was intelligent; he would figure it out. Packing one small backpack with a change of clothes and strict necessities, she was off to the airport. Taking one last look at the apartment, she said good-bye to the life she never thought she would be leaving, particularly not this way. A joyless chuckle passed her lips and rang through the apartment. After a year and a half, the dream had come to a close. Oh well, plans have changed again. She was becoming accustomed to the whole concept of change.

Author's Note: I have not forgotten they are together at the beginning of the story. Just hang of for the ride and be patient. It would be a boring story if drama did not pop up quite frequently.

*momism – those annoying things that all mothers say and we swear we will never say as mothers but inevitably do.

There were several short jumps in time in this chapter. All of this happened over a period of about three weeks.