Chapter 5

Fair-Weathered Hearts & Farewells

Pucca was vacant for the next few weeks. Garu noticed because... Well, she was his girlfriend (by her words and his unspoken interest). She worked diligently at the Goh-Rong, still cheered for the basketball team and sang in her band- she was just so out of it. And Ching couldn't snap her out of it.

Kim, to a lesser extent, seemed dazed too. Her training seemed to have taken a halt. And she and Pucca would be spotted whispering in hushed conversation, only to stop when Pucca sensed someone- usually Garu.

Damn, when did she get so good at sensing things.

The only upside in all of this, in Garu's opinion, was that Xavier was nowhere near the pair. In fact, the new student had taken an abrupt absence.

All the girls seemed sad and pouty over it. But Garu? He was over-the-moon-hop-skipping-happy!

But Pucca wasn't talking to him! It was like a cosmic honor-slap-to-the-face.

He spotted Pucca alone at the front of the school, leaning against the gate, her long black hair an ebony flag behind her. He steadily made haste towards her.

"Pucca-"

Just as she was turning, a black sports car with a blue racing stripe down the front cruised up. The passenger side window rolled down. "P! It went through!" Xavier Hue called.

Pucca brightened, and instantly looked like her usual self.

"Hey, guys!" Kim brushed past him and stopped in front of Hue's car. "Nice ride, Blu-Hue. A Bugatti?" At Hue's nod, she switched back to her original excitement. "Guess what the principal just passed?"

At their blank faces, she flashed her signature clipboard, on which she wrote notes, theories and vulgar comments she couldn't voice.

Pucca's smile became a sunbeam. "Awesome!" She pumped he fist and hopped in the air, pulling her cherry red tank top taunt against her skin.

"I know! And our parents already signed off on it all. So we're out of here!"

"Then hop in. Though one of you will have to sit on the other. Sorry," he gave a sheepish grin. "Took the fastest car."

"Pucca, you can sit on me." Kim slid in first and Pucca slid on top. It was a girl sandwich, if you added one more.

The doors closed and brought Garu out of his stupor. "Pucca, wait I need to-" The tires squealed and the Bugatti was off- carrying the girl of his dreams with it.

Pathetic, he thought sourly. And then his cell phone beeped with Pucca's status update on NinjaBook (WHAT?!)

Pucca Tsu: PARTY AT GOH-RONG! SEE ME B-4 I HIT HOLLYWOOD. SYONARA 2 MY FANS!

Feeling: LIKE A STAR... AGAIN

Kim's status update was likewise but more telling.

Kim Ping: RELOCATION TO CALI, USA W/MY BESTIE PUCCA & HER HOTTIE CHILDHOOD FRIEND.

Feeling: WELL-TRAVELED

Garu felt numb. Why hadn't she told him? Or said anything? He felt cheated. And she was going with Hue?! He felt a grim determination in his stomach. It was as I the whole world made sense then; and he didn't like it. Pucca had no more love for him...

Pucca circulated the dance floor, searching for Garu. He wasn't there... The weight of it settled in her chest. "Should I have brought a gift?" one party-goer asked. Pucca shook her head and chatted politely before moving on uninterested in staying longer.

Twelve more times, she chatted with the party-goers and felt more pangs of guilt, and loneliness. Finally, Kim dragged her over to the sidelines for some soda. "You find the pretty-boy yet?" At Pucca's 'no', Kim cursed. "Sorry, P. I know how hard it is to wait it all out..."

Xavier showed up carrying two envelopes, one lavender and one red. He handed her the red one and Kim, the lavender. "For the ravenette, and the bluenette." He was referring to Kim's midnight blue hair color.

Simultaneously, they tore them open and pulled out the letters, catching the plane tickets and boarding passes. "Sweet! Director Quang sent 'em over?"

"First class air mail!" quipped Xavier. "Impressed?"

"Very." Kim stated. "I've got to show Ching, come on Pucca." She dragged the ravenette away, oblivious to the longing stare Xavier directed at her.

When they were a crush of teens away, Pucca said, "He likes you!"

"Not." Kim retorted swiftly.

"To."

"Not."

"To."

"Not."

"To."

"Not."

Pucca gave up when they spotted Ching. As soon as Ching saw them, she launched into her rant. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

Pucca reared back. "Sorry, Ching. I didn't think it was final until after school. I'm starring in Director Quang's film with Xavier as my leading man. Kim's coming as my stylist and PA."

Garu sulked in the dark corners. Suddenly, a pair of tanker boots slid into his vision. He looked up to tell the party-goer to jerk off, but halted. It was Hue.

"Your not going to see Pucca off."

It was a statement. "I don't feel the need."

Hue leaned against the pillar beside them, looking every bit the dream boat the female population of Sooga- and soon America- believed he was.

"She'll be heartbroken if she doesn't kiss you once before she leaves."

Garu glared at the emerald-eyed teen. "She didn't care enough to tell me she was going to Hollywood."

"She didn't tell anyone except her uncles. She didn't know until today."

"But she was planning it."

"True, but it wasn't final. It was a flaky thing. And she didn't think-"

"That I was important enough to tell."

That made Hue kick him over. Garu climbed to his feet and glared into Hue's eyes. Hue glared right back. "She was scared of you thinking she was leaving forever. The movie's a seven month thing. No breaks, no vacations, little down time. She needed to make the choice alone. Not have a selfish opinion in the mix."

Garu opened his mouth to protest, to deny it all. He was an honorable ninja. But nothing came out.

"Besides, she'll still be crazy for you."

Garu mulled it over as Hue chugged the last of his soda.

Once finished he stood upright and began to leave. Then, he halted. "And just so you know; I love Pucca. But to me, she's a little sister- a precious one. I like 'em sassy." With that, Hue was back in the sea of partying.

Garu made his decision and dove into the crush again. He didn't need Hue to tell him what he already knew.

Pucca was a bit nervous to go on stage. Not that she had stage freight; but these were her friends and family. And she was going away for a long time.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm and twisted her around. Just as she was going to counter it, lips smashed down on hers. She giggled with glee. She'd know those lips anywhere. "Garu!" she whispered.

"I...I won't talk until you come back. I'm taking a vow of silence until your back. And then- And then, I have something to tell you."

Pucca's heart softened into mush as she was pulled back by Kim. "You're on, superstar."

The music cut and everyone stopped dancing as Pucca took the mike. "Hey, everyone! Are you having a good time?"

The cheers assailed her ears like the Sooga Olympic team had taken gold. "Well, now on a serious note... I'm leaving Sooga Village."

"What?!"

"Why?!"

"Dada- did you know about this?!"

Pucca waited until they calmed- and when that became impossible, she nodded to Xavier who struck a loud cord from his guitar into the mike.

"Thank you. I'm going to Hollywood, to star in Director Quang's movie called Sentient 1NE. Look for it in the theaters. Its a seven-month gig, and I'll be back soon. Check my NinjaBook while I'm gone. And now Kim with an update."

Bags in the truck, seven-hundred goodbyes said, and one promise of an invite to the premier later, Pucca was on a private jet heading for stardom.

Garu sat on the Goh-Rong steps and sighed raggedly. Abyo and Ching passed by, only to find out that he was in a vow of silence. Garu frowned at the disappearing streak in the sky. He wanted her back; so badly. And now, not even Tobey's attacks could distract him.

Abyo had jokingly said, "You're so gone, dude." And then proceeded to begin ripping off his Kung-Fu shirt, only to have Ching skip by with Won on her head.

Garu sighed again. He was gone; or at least his heart was...

AnimeKitty: Ask me no questions, I give you no barbecue sauce. Pucca is in Hollywood. Garu is far gone, and who cares about Tobey. Review, please