Chapter 9
We are on my bed. My back is against the headboard as Cagalli sits on my lap. Her arms are wrapped around my neck, and she constantly teases me with light kisses, all the while her fingers are tangled in my hair; she plays with it. My arms are wrapped around her slim waist, feeling the softness and warmth of her skin. She wears nothing but her underwear and my unbuttoned, highschool baseball jersey, revealing her lacy pink bra. I too am scarcely dressed, wearing only a white tank top and boxers.
It's been a while since I looked at the clock, but I know it's getting late. It has to be about nine now. Cagalli said she wanted me to drive her home around that time, but I guess she forgot, and I really don't want to remind her. In hopes of keeping her distracted I decide to deepen our kiss.
A small moan escapes her lips, exciting me. She chuckles, hinting that she feels my rising manhood pressing against her thigh. Her arms tighten around my neck, and now her tongue is begging for access. I allow the sweet muscle to enter my mouth, and together, our tongues dance to a fast beat. The room feels hotter, and her skin has become moist, so I imagine that she's becoming hot too. Therefore, I decide to slowly slide my jersey off of her shoulders, tossing it to the ground once removed. She comes closer, pressing our bodies together—-chest to chest. The heat she's radiating causes my manhood to erect completely. She jumps up a little, but I pull her back down. This time my manhood is pressed between her legs, trying to penetrate through her panties. She looks up at me with a mischievous grin, then she bites her lower lip. I am about to lose it.
"I want tonight to be the best," she kisses me.
"Was it not good enough before?" I say, half jokingly.
She kisses me again. "I just want tonight to be even better," she says. "I was thinking about going back to school in the summer, and that you should too. So, let's make every night from now on marvelous."
I pause for a moment. She wants to go back to school? Before the year is up? I don't know what to make of that. It's like she is slowly disregarding our mission to save Kira, or maybe she's realized that we cannot save him. Afterall, we couldn't—-and wouldn't dare—-get someone to sacrifice their child. She starts kissing me again, causing my mind to become cloudy. I guess I can talk things over with her after we have fun.
"Are you feeling up to this?" I say between kisses.
"Hmm?"
"You haven't been feeling well lately. I'm just making sure you're well enough to do this."
"You worry too much," she smiles.
Her hands slide under my shirt, and she gently glides her fingertips up to my chest. The contact sends chills throughout my body. I gently push her off of me and onto the sheets. I'm am hovering over her. My hand grips her side and I take hold of her underwear. I begin to slowly slide them down her thighs. Down her knees. Down her ankles. I toss them to the floor, and I am ready to remove my boxers when the doorbell rings.
I grunt, and I hear Cagalli huff as well.
"It's probably nothing," I say, but then the bell sounds again. And again.
"Just get it," Cagalli says. "I'll wait."
With a sigh I get off of my bed and put a pair of pajama pants on. I walk down my hall to answer the door, and the bell constantly goes off. I have a feeling of whom it may be. I open the door and my assumption is right.
"What took you so long?" Dearka says.
"I answered as fast as I could," I say. "You do know patience is a virtue, right?"
He pulls out a manila folder from the inside of his jacket.
"I ran into your girlfriend in October City," he says.
I raise an eyebrow. "Really? I didn't know she traveled out there." My gaze drifts to the folder.
"She was at the medical center. She said she preferred it. I was a bit confused that she went out of town for a doctor visit. Well, anyway, she rushed out and dropped this," he hands me the folder. "The contents spilled all over the floor, the receptionist suggested I give it to her, but she was already gone...I didn't know she was... "
I take the folder. "Well thanks, Dearka. You didn't know she was what?" I look at him and he carries a worried expression, as if he is nervous about something. "Is everything okay?" I ask.
"Huh? Well, uh...an Atha, that's all. No biggie," he rubs the back of his head. "I gotta go. See ya."
And with that he speeds down the hall. I watch him disappear and then slowly shut my door, still staring at the folder. I'm curious to know what's inside, and I am also curious as to why Dearka was acting so strangely, but maybe it's best to mind my own business. I start to walk back to the room when Cagalli steps out, wearing my robe.
"Who was at the door?" she asks.
"Dearka," I say.
She tenses up at the mention of his name, but cooly plays it off. She walks up to me, her eyes fixated on the folder.
"What's that?" she asks.
"He said it's yours," I hand it to her. She quickly takes it out of my hand. "He said he saw you at the medical center in October City. What were you doing there?"
She becomes stiff. Her mouths hangs open, but no sounds come out. Her eyes are wide. She looks scared, and I am immediately worried.
"Is everything ago, Cagalli?" I reach out to touch her shoulder.
"I'm alright," she brushes my hand away.
She holds the folder close to her, squeezing it. What could be inside?
"I don't believe you," I say.
"Athrun, there isn't anything to worry about," she turns away.
Before she can make her way back to my room, I grab her arm. She swiftly faces me, staring deadly into my eyes.
"What is your problem? Let go!"
She tries to pull her arm away, but my grip is too strong.
"No, Cagalli, what is your problem?"
She looks perplexed. I release her arm.
"For weeks now you seem to be hiding something," I say. "You barely talk about Kira anymore, or anything that has to do with saving him. You, also, want to go back to school. I thought we agreed that we wouldn't focus on school until after the cursed year was through, and now you're being secretive about your visit to the doctors. In October City, I might add. What's going on with you?"
She stands there quiet, biting her lower lip nervously. Her grip on the folder is still tight, but her eyes concentrate on the floor.
"Cagalli—-"
"I just like that medical office okay? There isn't anything up with me, so stop worrying, and I don't want to talk about Kira because...because...I don't know what to do anymore. I'm just tired of putting my life on hold, but I haven't completely given up."
"I understand," I say, but her constant hold on that folder doesn't sit right with me. She's hiding something, I know it.
"What's in the folder?" I ask.
She flinches. Her eyes widen even more.
"Papers...from the doctor."
"Is that all? You seem to be very protective of it."
"Athrun, it's confidential."
"Confidential? So confidential that even your boyfriend cannot know?"
She falls quiet. Her gaze constantly drifts away from me as she constantly bites her lower lip. I am patiently waiting for her to respond, but my patience is running short. I stick my hand out, and she gives me this horrifying look. But I will not waver. I want to know what she is hiding. She slowly steps closer to me, and slowly hands me the folder.
"Fine," she says.
Her back is now facing me. I make my way to my couch, sit on it and open the folder. Guilt runs through me as I search the contents, but I'm tired of her secretive behavior. The constant avoiding of my questions, the weird way she gets when anything is mentioned about her health, Kira, or Lacus. And now the fact that she went way out of town just to see a doctor. Maybe this will provide me with some answers.
Inside are papers, as expected. One, of course, is a patient information form. I skip that and move onto the next. The next document I come across is actually a strip of two pictures. They're black and white and I can't really make out what it is. I think I know, but I rather not figure it out. Under the pictures is a form labeled 'Test Results.' I skim the paper, and suddenly my heart sinks.
"Cagalli…" I slowly look up from the sheet.
She turns to face me. Her eyes are sad. She sheepishly makes her way to me, as if she is ashamed to confront me. My gaze is glued to her as I watch her take a seat beside me. She looks at the picture.
"This here," she points to the small white oval-ish—-and kind of lumpy—- thing in the center of this black circle, "that's the baby."
My rapidly pulsating heart sinks lower, and I feel light headed. My living room was cool, but now I swear it's 80 degrees in here.
"They said—-when I visited—-that I was around eight to nine weeks," Cagalli continues.
I'm a silent, for I don't know what to say, or do for that matter. Should I be happy? Or should I be upset at the inconvenience of this news? We're so young, but I care about her. I more than care about her, but….we haven't even gotten our lives together. And why this year? The thoughts continue to spiral out of control, causing a massive pain in my head.
"Athrun?"
"Huh?" My head snaps in her direction.
"I wish you weren't so silent," she says. "Can you please say something?"
But I can't think of anything to say, and honestly I do not wish to think about it any longer. At least not now. So, I set the papers aside, kiss her and take her hand.
"Let's go back to my room."
...
I look at my dashboard. It's 11:00 am. I dropped Cagalli off, back to her home, an hour ago, and now I am on my way to Junius to speak with my mother. I know she can console me and give me advice with this pregnancy thing.
...
A few minutes later and I pull up to my parents' house. I make my way onto the porch and ring the bell. No answer. I ring again, and again, and still no answer. Becoming impatient, I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out my old key.
I open the door and step inside. I shout out for my mother (my father has been at the office since yesterday), but receive no response, so I begin to walk around. I go through the kitchen, the study, the dining room and the living room, but it's all the same: dark, silent and empty.
Could she be out shopping? I think. It isn't unlike mother to shop. She loves all forms of it. Grocery, clothes, furniture, all of it. But hadn't my father relayed the message to her that I would be visiting?
Possibly she's upstairs. She could've slept in. I make my way to the spiral stairc, dashing up them. At the top of the steps is their bedroom. The door is shut. I knock, but, again, no answer. I decide to barge in. Immediately I regret it because in front of me is the most horrid sight to behold.
Countless blood stains are scattered on the floor, wall and bed. The window is open, the curtains dancing to the light breeze. Underneath the windowpane lies the mauled, lifeless body of my mother. Her arms are missing, and her legs are bent every which way; up and down them are long scratches. Her clothes are ripped and bloody. I can barely see her face, for it is slightly turned towards the window, but I can tell she's missing an eye. Her jaw is hanging from her face, and her chest has a dark hole in it.
I take a few steps forward, drop to my knees and let out the most agonizing scream I ever mustered.
R&R