So it's been like a month since I haven't updated my story. . .whoa, that's pretty long. Tell you why, got loads of school works not homeworks; i have no idea why they always choose me the leader of our group, so you know what they say, "a leader has a lot of great responsibility". . .well, here goes nothing! ENJOY!
When Zoe finished putting her clothes in the pine dresser, she took her bag of bathroom necessities and went to the communal bathroom to clean her up after the day of travel. She looked at her face in the mirror as she brushed through her tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already she looked sallower, unhealthy. Her skin could be pretty—it was very clear, almost translucent-looking—but it all depended on color.
Facing her pallid reflection in the mirror, she was forced to admit that she misses Takuya so much.
But the cause didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect. And this is just the beginning.
In the evening
Zoe didn't sleep well that night, even after she was done crying, even though she had already found a job. A Server Waitress at an Italian Restaurant and had an entrance exam at CSU.
At Takuya's Apartment
"That was tiring!" Takuya laid his back on the couch followed by Shinya.
"At least I got accepted to California High School, and a waiter's not bad for a working student at a night club," Shinya gulped took out two sodas from the fridge.
"The entrance exam was harder than I thought."
"Let's just hope that you pass."
"Kate didn't changed much, she's still the same sweet and fun Kate," Takuya changed the subject.
"I still like Zoe better."
"Do you think Kate still feels the same way about me?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"What if I ask her out?"
"Do whatever you want."
"I feel so alive around her."
"You could mean it…now. But what about tomorrow, when you think about all the reasons you left Kate in the first place? Or next month, when Zoe takes a snap at you?"
Takuya flinched.
"Didn't you feel alive around Zoe?"
Takuya still didn't respond.
"It isn't as if you hadn't thought he first decision through, is it?" Shinya guessed. "You'll end up doing what happened to you and Zoe."
"Zoe and I are over."
"But you still love her."
"No—not anymore until I saw Kate."
"Look, do you love Kate?" Shinya sat beside Takuya and hand him his soda.
Takuya closed his eyes for a minute. Goodbye Zoe, he thought.
"I am loving Kate now," he admitted.
Shinya gulped. "Then tell her how you feel about her."
"You're probably right."
"While I'll do my best to like her like my brother does."
Takuya cracked his soda open and Shinya followed and Takuya held it up ceremoniously.
"Here's to start of something new," he toasted.
"And new life," Shinya emphasized.
Both of them grinned and they touched their cans to each other.
Later in the morning
"How do I look?" Takuya asked, holding twelve roses in front of Kate's front door.
"You look nice," Shinya commented.
Takuya pressed the door bell.
"Good luck," Shinya runs back to his room leaving Takuya half speechless.
"C'mon Takuya. What could possibly happen by ringing a door bell?" He asked himself.
When Kate answered the door, Takuya was relaxed.
"Good morning, Kate!" Takuya greeted as he gave the roses.
"Aw, how sweet of you, thank you," she smiled. "Come in."
Takuya followed Kate inside and it seems like his apartment and her apartment is almost the same, Kate is just ten times better. Kate settled down the dozen roses in the empty flower vase.
"Would you like to care for some tea?" Kate asked politely.
"Nope, I'm cool," Takuya replied. "Actually, I'm here to ask you out."
Kate froze for a brief long second then smiled her angelic smile.
"What took you so long?" She giggled then jumped as she hugged Takuya.
"Is that a yes?" Takuya hugged her back.
"I love you."
Takuya's mouth was on Kate's then, and she couldn't fight him. Not because he was so many thousand times stronger than hers, but because her will crumbled into the dust second their lips met. This kiss was not quite as careful as others she remembered, which suited her just fine. If she was going to rip herself up further, she might as well get as much in trade as possible.
Then Takuya remembered when he first kissed Zoe.
So Kate kissed him back, her heart pounding out a jagged, disjointed rhythm while her breathing turned to panting and her fingers moved greedily to his face. She could feel his marble body against every line of hers, and she was so glad she waited—there was no pain in the world that would have justified missing this. His hands memorized her face, the same way hers were tracing his, and, in the brief seconds when his lips were free, he whispered her name.
When she was starting to get dizzy, he pulled away.
"Wanna get some Star Bucks?" Kate suggested. "You could bring Shinya with us."
"Yeah, sure, of course!" Takuya jumped happily. "I'll be right back in two minutes.
After they had Star Bucks
"I missed Star Bucks," Takuya sipped at his beverage. "It reminds me of—"
Before Takuya stopped talking before he said it.
"It reminds you of…?" Shinya teased.
"Nothing at all," Takuya grinned as he lied.
Then Takuya bumped into someone then the boy turned around to see who he bumped into.
"Koji! Koichi!" Takuya and Shinya cried together.
"Takuya? Shinya?" Koji and Koichi asked surprisingly at the same time.
"What are you doing here?" The four questioned at the same moment.
Koji grinned while they touched fists to one by one. "I didn't expect you two to see here." Koji chuckled.
"Didn't I tell you we'll me moving out?" Takuya reminded.
"I wasn't paying any attention at all."
Koji and Koichi cocked his head to Kate.
"May I ask who the lovely lady is?" Koichi almost daydreamed.
"Big brother's girlfriend," Shinya answered.
"Takuya's little brother just say what?" Koichi responded quickly.
"You're right," Takuya agreed. "My one and only girlfriend, Kate." Takuya introduced as he out his hands on Kate's shoulders. "Kate this are Koji and Koichi, my best friends."
Koji shook hands with Kate then he watched as Koichi dropped his smile. "Its okay brother, let it all out," Koji encouraged as he patted Koichi's back.
Koichi slapped the hand away. "I'm fine." He growled.
"What are you doing here?" Shinya repeated the question.
"Isn't it obvious?" Koji put his hands up.
"We're on vacation!" Koichi followed.
"Still, I didn't expect…when I found you, I thought you're going to New York."
"We're saving the last, New York, the best."
"Oh." Kate bit her lip. It took her a second to compose herself.
"You really moved on," Koichi finally managed to tell Takuya.
"Hmm?" Kate murmured.
"I'm surprised you've finally left her behind. Weren't she sort of pet of yours?" Koji's eyes were innocent of any intended offense.
Shinya smiled wryly. "Something like that."
"Hmm?" Kate said, thoughtful again.
"Aren't you going to tell Zoe?" Koji asked, still casual.
"Zoe?" the beautiful velvet voice of Kate whispered anxiously.
Takuya stared at the sound of her voice, but it should not have surprised him.
Takuya cleared his throat. "Shinya, why don't you tell Kate about me and Zoe?"
"Why him?"
"Because he knows it more than I do."
Kate raised her eyebrows. "That would be pretty cool. So that we could get along better," she smiled. "Wanna be my tour guide Shinya?"
"Arcade?" Shinya asked.
"Sure!"
"See ya later big brother," Shinya waved then Kate gave Takuya a goodbye kiss and then they were gone.
"How come you didn't tell Kate about Zoe?" Koji asked.
"Not here," Takuya replied and then he began walking.
"Oh we get it," Koichi followed Takuya along with Koji. "You wanna forget all about Zoe, is that it?"
"No," Takuya replied.
"Then what is it?" Koji questioned.
"I completely forgot to tell her," Takuya obviously lied.
"Oh really?" Koji and Koichi said in unison.
"Yup," Takuya stopped and faced his friends who were folding their arms.
"Are you sure?" The twins asked together.
"Will you stop doing that?" Takuya hissed.
"Just answer our question," Koji snapped.
"Okay. But after we eat," Takuya conditioned as he went in the Italian followed by Koji and Koichi.
They sat to a table big enough for four in the center of the most crowded area of the dining room.
"But you just ate," Koji reminded him.
"I'm still hungry," Takuya replied.
"Now. Explain." The twins demanded.
"Guys, I don't know everything. It's just like I was hit by a yellow bus then—it all happened so fast."
"What you do know, then."
The twins folded their arms across their chests at exactly the same moment. It was a little bit funny, but mostly menacing.
"Tell us what's going on," they demanded again in a growl. "We have a right to know," they muttered.
"You actually have a point but we'll you please stop doing things together it's giving me goose bumps," Takuya begged then sighed. "Kate was my childhood friend. She was very promising. I always…liked her as a friend, I'm afraid of her because she's pretty scary when I don't listen to what she had to say. Before we moved out, she confessed her feeling for me. I apologized to her for leaving her and I said we'll see each other again. I didn't promise her that I'll be back because I don't want to keep her hopes up.
"Do you know that Zoe's like a cancer to me? It's really hard to forget about her because if I am trying it gets worse. Everytime she's away I kept thinking about her. And then when I found and Kate and we looked into each other's eyes. I forgot what it feels to be broken. She made the pain move away.
"Of course, now I know we were something more. But whatever the reason, she's not my first love," Takuya finished in relief.
And then their server arrived, her face expectant.
"Hello. My name is—" the hostess can't believe what she's just seeing. "Takuya? Koji? Koichi?"
The boys turned around to fix their eyes on Zoe. Koji and Koichi was frozen.
"Oh, hey Zoe," Takuya looked back and forth between Koji, Koichi and Zoe's faces, the four were confused and wary. "Zoe's here—Zoe!"
Takuya stood and gave Zoe a powerful bear hug.
"It's good to see you, too boys," Zoe responded.
Then Takuya went back to his seat. "What are you doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious, I work here," Zoe relaxed her position.
They were sure the suspense was going to make their head explode in about one second. "You mean you leave here?" Koji asked, finally talk.
"A few miles away from here," Zoe answered.
Koji stared at Takuya for one second, and then turned to Koichi.
"Okay, this is weird," Koichi breathed.
"My turn to ask. What are you doing here?" Zoe asked.
"Shinya and I leave here as well, Koji and Koichi are just here for a vacation," Takuya explained.
"Let me just finish my work then we can hang out."
"Sure, sure," the boys muttered.
Zoe flipped a strand of her long blonde hair behind one ear and smiled warmly.
"What can I get you a drink?"
"We'll take three Cokes," Koji answered.
"I'll be right back with that," she assured them another warm smile.
"What?" Takuya asked when Koji and Koichi were watching him.
"I'm sure," Koichi snapped.
"It's a definitely sure," Koji cleared his throat.
"He's still you know what?"
"Oh c'mon guys, It's a start of something new," Takuya groaned.
"Oh really?" Koji raised an eyebrow.
"Why'd you hugged her romantically?" Koichi gave Takuya a surprise question.
"It's because I haven't seen her for a week."
"Days," Koji corrected.
"Week."
"Days."
"Week."
"Days or week, it's all the same. What's the difference?" Koji chuckled.
"Everybody's in shock here," Koichi held his head.
"I don't think Zoe will get this right," Koji breathed. "I hope she's very good at understanding this."
"Everything will be okay sooner or later," Takuya snapped.
Right on cue, Zoe appeared with their drinks and a basket of breadsticks.
"May I take your order?" she asked them.
"Um…we'll have whatever you want," Takuya said.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." Koji muttered to his brother.
"One Pasta. One Lasagna. And one Pizza coming right up!"Zoe smiled then turned around.
While the boys are eating, the twins watched Takuya looking at Zoe like a blinding sun.
"She looks good in that uniform," Takuya blurted then realized what he just said. "Forget I said that."
"Zoe, it's your turn," somebody called her.
"I'll be right up," Zoe shouted back half-running on the stage.
Then the man beside her started playing the guitar and Zoe started singing:
I've been spending some time
thinking I'd be alright
don't know if I could
really make it tonight
lie awake in the dark
come down then I start
thinking about you
is almost breaking my heart
I don't know where I went wrong
or what's going on
baby I feel like
our love's lost tonight
should I stay, should I go
well I really don't know
lately I've been missing you so
baby you don't understand
our love lies lost
but your still
holding my hand
oh and then you walk away
just tonight
I want you to stay
you're turning me on
you turn me around
you turn my whole world
upside down
Zoe felt the color drain out of her face. Her stomach lurched when Takuya never took her eyes off of her. Finally, her number is finish. "Thank you," she choked out.
The Minamoto boys watched silently, reading every unconscious play of emotion on their faces. They were rooted in place, and yet not completely still. Finally, Zoe's work is finally done.
"Yes!" Takuya whispered loudly.
"After three hours," Koji said.
"Yes," Koichi sighed.
"Nobody forced you guys to wait for me," Zoe snapped.
Zoe tried to swallow.
"Hey, do you wanna hang out to the mall?" Zoe
The boys nodded, understanding her question. "Okay!"
Zoe tried to swallow.
While they're walking inside the Mall of California, Takuya's expression was disapproving. The twins could tell he didn't like discussing this in front of Zoe about the news, but he has to. "You can't let this come this far. She'll know sooner or later, Kate and Shinya are here," Koji reminded Takuya.
"Did you boys say something?" Zoe asked.
"Takuya has something to say," Koichi pointed out.
"What?" Takuya blurted. "Uh—Zoe," Takuya said his face suddenly desolate. "But it doesn't matter," Takuya hissed at his friends.
"What 'doesn't matter'?" Zoe raised an eyebrow.
"Zoe!"A little boy shouted from her back. As Zoe turned around she was squeezed by Shinya. Zoe returned the favor.
"I missed you, too, Shinya," Zoe whispered.
"Takuya," Kate said his name. "So you brought a friend. Hi, Zoe."
Takuya put hands on Kate's shoulder.
"Ah . . . Zoe, meet my Kate, my girlfriend," he introduced. "Kate meet my best friend Zoe, you know, what Shinya told you about."
"Now this is awkward," Kate shook hands with Zoe. "Shinya told me everything about you."
Zoe smiled.
"I understand your story Takuya, don't worry," Kate winked.
"That make me feel better!" Takuya grinned widely now.
"You two make an adorable couple!" If Zoe's voice hadn't been so hoarse and strained, it might have been a shriek. "You're exactly what Takuya needs, maybe you'll never hurt him just like I did."
"Zoe." Takuya protested.
"I have to go," Zoe said in a low, forceful voice.
"But you just—"
"Nice meeting you Kate. It's good to see you boys. I'll see ya when I see ya!" Zoe quickly interrupted Koji.
Zoe walked out of the building with a huge hole punched through her chest again.
"What the heck was that all about?" Kate turned her icy gaze on Koji.
"Why do you ask?" Koichi sighed.
"For curiosity. That's all I know."
"She's just tired, right guys?" Takuya stared sharply at Koji and Koichi.
The twins bridled.
"Yep. She had a pretty tough day," Koji lied.
"She have a few advantages, you goods. She's—"
Koichi quickly covered Shinya's mouth.
"He meant to say is, 'tired'," Takuya gulped.
Zoe's Apartment
"Stupid," Zoe said, and a strange, fierce half-smile spread across her face. "Stupid emotion."
Zoe was holding the locket that Takuya before they leave Thailand. Where all good memories were locked inside of it.
Zoe stared in the mirror, frozen in broken, at Takuya's new expression. His face was alive with exultation, all despair wiped clean his prefect features with his new lover.
She grinned at the mirror.
"Everything happens for a reason, of course," she told herself in a smug voice."That's inconvenient, but, all thing considered, I'll take it."
Zoe decided to walk at the beach tonight.
"As I said, it's really amazing how time passed by so fast," Zoe held so tightly to the locket it hurt her palm.
She's alone so she could do anything she wants; the sun's already down so she could do whatever she wishes to.
Zoe threw the padlock as far as she could to the beach. Zoe kept her eyes closed. And felt the guilt of throwing away the padlock.
"Excellent!" she hissed herself.
Zoe left her shoes at the sand and dive into the ocean. She never dreamed she would do this kind of thing. That the true menace was lurking far below her, under heaving surf.
"Sure it's just a stupid lock, but it's from a friend of mine," Zoe looked under the sea many times.
Until she found what she was looking for. But then it felt like the waves were fighting over her, jerking her back and forth between them as if determined to share by pulling her into halves. She knew the right way to avoid riptide: swim parallel to the beach rather than struggling for the shore. But the knowledge did her a little good when she didn't know which way the shore was anymore and she had no idea that the waves could be that strong.
She gripped tightly on the lock.
I'm sleepy! ZZzzzzzzzzzzz