Here Again

…..Hiei…..

I tried to find a way get away from them. I thought of running from them, threatening them, and even bribing them to release me. I didn't want to go back in there. I didn't want to see her, but my attempts were futile. They dragged me inside anyway. I had to stop my struggling, not wanting to draw anymore attention. I especially didn't want to draw her attention.

The hostess did her job of greeting us and sitting us at her table. This must've been Mei. The girl told me about her. She has short strawberry brown hair, brown eyes, and light make up on her face. What distinguished her from the rest of the employees was her growing stomach. She'll be giving birth in a few months. Sitsumi seemed excited about the baby. It was one of her main topics of choice while I was in her care. I got sick of listening to it after a while. Once you get pounced on by seven kids that aren't even your own, you really don't want any more to worry about.

Our booth was by the window. I sat next to it, hoping to make myself scarce while still acting normal among the rest of the group. Touya sat next to me and Jin, without his horn because of some sort of special ointment the fox gave him, sat at the end. In front of me sat Kurama, then Yusuke, then the oaf.

"Your waitress will be right with you, sirs." Mei gave us the menus and a professional smile before heading off to her post behind the podium.

I put the menu in front of my face, trying to hide. I hoped that she wasn't here, that this was one of her days off and she'll be at the bookstore or movie theatre or, if there is a God out there, that she's on the other side of the globe taking a vacation.

But of course ,that would make things easy.

"Hi." I heard her soft and gentle voice, the welcoming tone and I didn't have to see to know that she had that same bright smile that she seems to always wear. "Welcome, welcome to the Blue Moon Café. I hope you'll have a wonderful meal this evening. I'm Sitsumi and I'll be your waitress." Her tone was cheerful, seemingly delighted to have us here. It was warm and welcoming. I was reminded of why I had stayed so long with her. "So, what'll it be?"

"Vanilla cherry coke (lady) (if ye don mind)!" Yusuke and Jin called out first. Their ending answers being different. They grinned stupidly at each other.

"I'll take the apple juice, pretty lady." Came Kuwabara's reply.

"Tea for me, please." Was Kurama's order. "Make that two, miss." Touya added.

I heard her scribbling the pen onto the notepad, getting down all the orders. It then stopped.

For a moment or two, I could feel her deep blue eyes upon me. Waiting? Glaring? Piercing? I had no clue for I would not meet her gaze.

"I'll be right back with your orders." Her tone was still just as cheerful as when she had come. Still sweet and endearing, completely warm and hospitable. She immediately left.

"Hey wait, you forgot… Dang. Some service. She completely skipped ya, Hiei." Yusuke had tried to call the girl back, but she had already gone to the kitchen. Each of them looked at me, waiting for me to make a snide reply or rude comment.

"Hn." was all that came.

I felt dejected for some reason. There was a bit of disappointment when I didn't receive the same friendly attention that was given to me a few days ago and how it all went to my comrades. It made me feel… unwanted. I grimaced at the thought. How I hate her.

Was she angry that I left? Did she honestly believe that I would stay with her? That I'd actually come to find her amusing? To like her? Was she disappointed in me for leaving? For not saying goodbye? Did she feel as unwanted as I do right now?

I forced the thoughts from my head as she returned with the drinks on a large round tray resting upon her palm. "Here ya go." She set down each of their drinks in turn from the order that they had ordered. Yusuke, Jin, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Touya.. She named each drink in turn, making sure they knew what she was giving them. "And here's your iced mocha latte with cinnamon sugar and extra whipped cream." She set a large cup in front of me with a bendy straw coming from it. I stared at it, the small glass containing the cold thick brown liquid, the pile of whipped cream that sat on top of it like a tiny floating island, and the sprinkle of the cinnamon sugar on top, giving the snowy landscape color and texture. She would regularly give this to me as a treat for "taking care of the cat" while she was gone. I never thought I'd like anything as much as sweet snow… ice-cream.

When I looked up, she was gone. She went to another table to take their orders then headed back into the kitchen.

"Hey. How come Hiei gets a cool drink? He didn't even order anything!" Yusuke complained, his bratty behavior eliciting a quiet snort from me.

"Well, Hiei. It looks to me like you have an admirer." Kurama teased.

"And a pretty little lassie I'll tell ye dat." Jin gave me a playful punch to the shoulder.

I decided to ignore them all and drink what I had been given, wondering if this was a peace offering or perhaps a poison. It didn't matter, it still tasted as wonderful as all the other ones she had given me.

When she returned from serving her other customers, she asked us for our entrees. Each of them ordered and again I was ignored. When she came back, I was served without ordering anything. It was another of my favorites while I had stayed with her; a banana split with two pink scoops and one creamy colored scoop, topped with double whipped cream, nuts, drizzled with chocolate and a sliced strawberry on top. She left before I could say anything.

Yusuke looked at the bill, a questioning look on his face. "Hey, there's a typo on here, girly. You forgot the mocha latte and the banana split."

She looked back at Yusuke, her kind smile reaching her mischievous eyes. "What banana split?" She retreated back into the kitchen.

I wasn't sure what to think of these actions of hers. This was something that I have never seen happened.

On the ride to the arcade I was teased for being at the receiving end of the girl's affection, and lightly scolded for not getting her "number", whatever that entails. Their comments and words of advice were ignored. I pondered over whether I should go back for my tear-gem now, or later.

TBC…