Step #10
Don't Tease A Woman's Blush
...\~/...
January 18th, 6:18 P.M.:
"Ow! Stop pulling my hair! I asked you to help me, not- OW!"
Hikaru gritted his teeth, tugging the brush through Syd's blonde hair. "Well, maybe if you didn't have a rat's nest for hair, this would be easier to manipulate." he muttered, biting on his tongue when the blonde in front of him yelped again, pushing him away and rubbing her tender scalp. The brush slipped from his hands, but it didn't drop to the ground. Instead, it just dangled in Syd's hair. He'd never seen such a horrible mess before. After this, he was definitely taking Syd shopping for better clothes, and he was not going to let her walk away without knowing some fashion tips. God, he did sound gay.
"Owww, my head hurts..." Syd whimpered. "Why do you have to be so rough?"
"I wouldn't have to be if you'd take better of your hair. Seriously, do you ever brush it?"
"Only on Wednesdays and Sundays." Syd replied. But she quickly said after Hikaru gave her a glare, "Kidding, kidding."
"I would hope- GAH!" Hikaru was suddenly propelled forward when someone jumped on him from behind. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck, a giggle erupting near his ear. He hated this close contact and there was only one person that was brave enough to pull such a move: Natalie Northwick. In his peripheral vision, he could see Megan and Angela to his right, setting down a handful of shopping bags, and Cassidy was to his left, stacking at least a dozen shoe boxes on top of one another. Hikaru had run to the café staff girls for help after Syd had run in frantically, hair a mess and glasses askew.
"Hikaru...?"
He turned his head to look directly at the woman beside him. She was gorgeous; short, dark red hair that hung above her shoulders in loose ringlets; big, blue eyes that widened when she got a good look at him; and her face was still heart-shaped with its plump lips and small nose. She was still beautiful, albeit a little tanner than the last time he saw her, but still so breath-taking. He had loved her, but she hadn't loved him, or else she wouldn't be saying his name in such a questionable manner.
"Deana...?"
The woman smiled, jumping from the stool so she could wrap her arms around his neck tightly. Hikaru remembered how she always did that when she greeted him, and he had always returned the gesture by encircling her with his arms. They had once fit together like two puzzle pieces. Now, it just felt awkward and uncomfortable, and he would've pulled back if it wasn't for how happy she looked seeing him.
"Oh my God, Hikaru! I'm so happy to see you! It's been so long!" She pulled away, concern taking over her happy expression. "Have you lost weight? You seem...thinner than before. Oh my gosh, you look like nothing but skin and bones! What happened? And you look tired. Have you been sleeping well? You have shadows under your eyes." Deana rambled on worriedly, but Hikaru wasn't paying any attention. He wouldn't be in this state if he'd stop having women walk out of his life unexpectedly all the time. His eyes flicked back over to Deana; her lips were still moving at a rapid pace. A trait that he had once found endearing, he now found her incessant chatter annoying.
And he found it inappropriate how she hugged him right off the bat. She was a married woman, now. What was she doing in a bar anyways?
"Hikaru, are you listening to me?" she asked, tilting her head to the side a bit. She looked like a curious puppy.
"Not particularly..." he muttered, gulping down another shot of whiskey. Now she looked like a wounded puppy.
"You're still you're rude self, aren't you?" Her words were a little criticizing.
"Well, excuse me. If I recall correctly, it wasn't me that walked out of the relationship without another word. Well, I apologize for being bitter."
Deana sighed.
"Hey, Hikaru, does this dress make me look fat?"
His thoughts were interrupted by Syd's voice. She had a displeased look on her face as Angela smoothed out all the wrinkles. It was a teal-colored dress that stopped just above the knees with a ruffle bordering the bottom. His face scrunched up in disgust. "Ugh, that color clashes horribly with your eyes. Plus, it does make you look fat. Take it off."
"Are you going to hang that over my head, Hikaru?"
"You should've just kept to yourself, Deana."
"Oh, c'mon, haven't you moved on by now? I mean, I know the way I left wasn't the best, but...you weren't ready..."
He turned on her, eyes narrowed and a vicious sneer was sent her direction. "Weren't ready? What the hell? I told you that I was ready to move on, but you disappeared on me. Instead, I got nothing but ignored calls, unanswered texts, and a bunch of heartbreak. Then, your little postcard from Bali was the icing on the cake, saying you're on your honeymoon with your new husband. So, don't you dare call me rude."
The whiskey was really getting to him, but that didn't stop him from drinking down another shot.
Deana looked hurt. He didn't care, though.
"Listen, I know I was...abrupt... I apologize for that, I really am. But, I'm happier now, and-"
"Oh, just as long as you're happy, Deana, then everything is a-okay." He wanted it to sound harsh.
"...you look happier, too." Wait...he looked happier?
"How-?"
"You were so angry back then. You were hurt because I wasn't the one you wanted and I was a constant reminder of that. You didn't want me at your side; you wanted her at your side. My being there only made it worse. Even when you told me you were ready, I knew you weren't."
Syd twirled around in a two-layer gown- the lower layer being a solid cream color and the upper layer being a see-through lace that was designed in a floral pattern, and there was a black bow that went around the middle. It was pretty, but not what he was looking for, even if the cream and black color went well with Syd's blonde hair.
"I like this one a-"
"Nope. Next."
"But-"
"Ah, ah, ah, I don't want to hear anything. Next."
"You weren't the only one that was hurting, Hikaru. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you; that's the truth. It took me awhile to get over you, but I did. I thought about you every day, though. Always hoped that me leaving would give you time to think about your own feelings. Don't get me wrong, though; I wanted nothing more than to move on with you, but I didn't want to be a constant reminder of something you didn't have. By the looks of it, you still don't have her, do you?"
"Nope, still alone. I wouldn't have been if you hadn't wandered off. We'd still be together right now."
"Yeah, but you would've still been angry. I didn't want to do that to you."
"Oh yeah, 'cause you leaving me so suddenly would've made me really happy. Should've thought that one out a little more, Deana."
"Heh, I guess I should've. But...have you met anyone yet. I know you just told me you were still alone, but has there been anyone that's caught your interest?"
"...Ripley..."
"What was that?"
"Her name's Ripley. I met her on Red Hue. She...she means a lot to me, even if I have known her for about a month."
"What the hell is that?"
"It's the dress I picked out!" Cassidy exclaimed, beaming.
"What are you? Blind?"
"Uh, no... What? Don't like it?"
"It's hideous! I think...I think my eyes are burning to crisps!"
It was mustard yellow...and looked like a bathrobe...that's enough information...
"Your eyes? I think my skin's peeling off!" Syd yelled.
"Get it off and burn it! Cassidy, you have horrible fashion sense, too!" Hikaru shouted.
"Well, excuse me. Sorry that I wasn't born into a family that had a mom for a fashion designer." Cassidy retorted.
Oh God, he vomited in his mouth a bit...
"I'm so happy for you, Hikaru! What's she like?"
And he just let everything go. Deana listened intently with that little tilt to her head and her wide eyes were curious and fixed on him and him alone. He told her about how nervous he had been when he first started talking to Ripley, how he had been scared that he would run her off like everyone else. Hikaru told her about their first real discussion: how Ripley hated chemistry and he loved it, how he was a deprived, inexperienced child compared to Ripley (he had said that with a laugh), how he hated sludge now because of her, how one of her best friends was a twincest lover and how another was obsessed with the series Harry Potter. He told Deana about the time he called her for the first time when he needed somebody there that he could talk to and escape reality with; about how he had just felt comfortable, even when she had just been humming and cleaning up around the bathroom. Hikaru laughed when he recalled all the times he begged Ripley to be careful when she went out to work and to stay away from chainsaws; he shared his fears with the woman next to him when Ripley had sent him pictures of her fingertips cut off from having an accident consisting of a chainsaw and her hand slipping. The butterflies he got in his stomach, the warm feeling that would spread throughout his entire body when he saw her name on his caller I.D., the tears he got from laughing too hard when she told him her hysterical stories, how she was one of the few people that could make him truly smile, the few times he'd fallen asleep by listening to the soothing tones of Ripley's voice; he told Deana everything.
"But...I think she's hurt now..."
"Hikaru, what happened?"
"Well, I was playing Call of Duty earlier with Ripley and her brothers, who, by the way, probably all want to kill me now, when Syd came in and asked if I had told Ripley about the 'other woman' yet. Other woman meaning Haruhi. And right when Ripley and everyone else could hear her! Shit..."
Another shot of whiskey.
"Go ahead. You can tell me." Deana urged gently.
"I...she...her voice sounded so hurt; it killed me. 'Hika, what is she talking about?' That's what she had said. I'd never heard her sound so...small before." He clutched at his shirt, the place just above his heart. His chest felt so heavy from remembering the way Ripley had sounded; from remembering that he had been dishonest and secretive towards her this whole time. "It hurts so bad..."
"From what you've told me, she sounds like a-"
"You don't understand. I can't tell her. What if she leaves me, just like you did?" His words hit a sore spot in Deana. "You don't know how crushed I felt when you left me. I was ready to move on, but you didn't listen to me. I was so sure I was. The way you had been so happy to see me, the way you comforted me when I was feeling lonely, all that disappeared. I felt like a failure, just like I had felt when Haruhi rejected me so many years ago. I felt like I wasn't good enough for you, especially when you sent me that fuckin' postcard from Bali." he said through gritted teeth. "I don't want to fail Ripley."
The glass in Deana's hand broke; it actually broke. Scotch coated her whole hand and she completely ignored the towel the bartender threw in her direction. Deana's hard stare was concentrated on him and him only.
"Hikaru, I won't let you say those things about yourself. If anyone failed in our relationship, it was me. I failed to make you happy or else you wouldn't have still been hung up over that other woman. Granted, you were a little hard to handle sometimes, like when your temper would flare up or your possessiveness would show every single time a guy talked to me, but that's who you were. You're a wonderful guy, but you're flawed, just like everyone else. I loved your devious side; your pranks and jokes always made me laugh. I loved the tender side you'd show every time you held me, whispering sweet nothings to me at night. And don't get me started on your sarcasm." She had said that with a small laugh. "Any girl would be lucky to have you. Of course, she'd need a lot of patience at times, but she'd be blessed. Sometimes...I'm a little ashamed of myself for leaving you. But...I just wasn't the right girl for you."
Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, but Deana catching his chin, and stroking his cheek with her thumb, stopped him.
"But this Ripley woman seems perfect for you."
"Oh my God, Syd! That looks perfect on you!" Angela exclaimed. "I knew I had good fashion sense!"
Hikaru shook his head, ridding his mind of all his thoughts, and looked ahead.
Syd...actually looked like a girl.
"It does...?" Syd asked confusedly, lifting the shirt up a bit. "I mean...it's alright, but I-"
"You look beautiful."
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Hikaru after he said that. He was being honest, though; she did. The dress was black with two elegant patches of jewels embellishing it, one patch on the right side of the waist and the other sitting diagonally to the waist pattern on the top rim of the chest. The skirt was layered and fanned out, swooping shortly past her knees, the skirt adorning a slit right in the middle. It flattered her figure, which wasn't much of anything. Syd didn't possess any womanly traits like some of the other women in the room. Syd's hair was twisted in a stylish bun behind her head, strands framing her face. Natalie had stolen her glasses, Syd's light brown eyes shining under the lights. They had made her dazzling, gorgeous, and girlfriend material.
"If Johnny isn't weak in the knees when he sees you, he's a fool." Angela added.
"R-really? Y-you think so?" Syd asked, twirling, the skirt twisting around her legs.
Natalie laughed, clapping her hands, "Ooo, again, again!"
"She's perfect for me?"
"Yes, anybody that can make you feel all those things is the one for you. Don't let her go, Hikaru; love her..."
Syd had said the same thing. She'd begged for him to love Ripley.
Deana smiled. "Of course. I'm sure she wouldn't leave you because I just have a feeling she'd stay by your side if you told her. You need to stop keeping her in the dark about everything and just come out and confess."
"Honey, are you ready to go?" a voice asked behind them. Hikaru and Deana turned to see a man standing behind them. He was tall and lanky with a long neck and prominent Adam's apple. His sandy blonde hair was spiked in the front with gel and his dark eyes were hidden behind blocky glasses. He would've been considered a geek in high school, he would've been the kind of guy he and Kaoru would've snickered at when he wasn't looking. Deana smiled widely, jumping off the barstool, rushing over to take the man's hand.
So, this was her husband. Beauty and the Geek...funny...
Hikaru turned, expecting her to leave without another word, but he heard heels clack hurriedly towards him. Moments later, lips were planted against his cheek, a pair of soft, warm lips he used to kiss every day, the same pair that used to send sparks through him, but now didn't. Unbeknownst to him, she had left a lip-shaped lipstick mark on his pale skin.
"Love her, Hikaru, and I know you'll be happier. You're already moving towards happiness, so don't stop, 'kay?"
She left with her geeky husband before Hikaru could respond.
The bartender threw him a towel, pointing at his cheek. "You have lipstick on your face, kid."
"...don't you agree, Hikaru?"
"What? I didn't hear you." he said.
Angela narrowed her gaze, "Are you okay? You seem kind of spacey."
"Uh, no... I'm fine."
Heavy footsteps came up the stairs that led to the apartment. Nathan came into view.
"Hey, that guy Johnny is- whoa, Syd, wow!" Nathan said excitedly when he caught a glimpse of Syd. "I always thought you were pretty, but you're beautiful!"
A blush spread across Syd's face. "T-thanks."
Megan pulled out her phone, smiling slightly. "I think Tara would be very happy to receive a picture of this." Then, there was the shutter sound, and moments later, a picture message was sent.
Hikaru stepped up to Syd, offering her his arm. "Can I present you to your date?" he asked.
Syd took his arm hesitantly, "Um...sure..."
...\~/...
Johnny was pacing around the café uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. And when he caught a glimpse at Syd on Hikaru's arm, he stopped immediately. His mouth was agape and his jaw practically dropped when Syd approached him slowly (Hikaru had to give her a little shove in Johnny's direction), her face showing that she was almost as nervous as he was. Angela was behind Hikaru, looking to see if Johnny looked weak in the knees.
"Yep, he's definitely not a fool." she whispered to Megan.
"How do you know that exactly?" Megan whispered back.
"Woman's intuition." Angela answered.
Hikaru shushed them so he could listen.
"Wow, kid, you look...amazing." Johnny said, his voice shaking a bit. It'd been awhile since he'd been with a woman.
"Thanks. Uh...so do you. I-I mean, you look really...handsome." And this was her first date ever.
"Compared to you, I don't think I'm ready for the Amaranth."
Amaranth was known to be one of the best restaurants in New York City. They were upscale, expensive, and only allowed the best-looking of people inside. Hikaru had to wonder how someone like Johnny was even going to make it in; if he did, how was he going to afford it? Syd would make it in no problem now that she actually looked like a woman, but Johnny? Nuh uh, never going to happen.
Once the couple left, Hikaru turned towards the café staff girls.
"Who here has been to Amaranth?"
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"Hikaru, this is ridiculous." Megan scolded, her arms crossed in front of her. "It's their date. You shouldn't be nosy."
Hikaru's arms were folded over the low wall that separated their table from Syd's table. The two were seated far in the distance, away from the wall that Hikaru was peering over. Syd and Johnny were watching their waiter silently as two long glasses of wine were set carefully in front of them. The couple looked awkward, both in appearance and emotion. They stuck out from everyone else in the restaurant and nervousness was spread across both their faces. Even Hikaru felt their awkwardness.
"Don't you want to know how their date goes?" Hikaru asked, ducking down behind the wall when Johnny looked his way.
"I'm pretty sure Syd would've told us afterward." Megan replied, her voice telling him that she was annoyed.
"Well, that would've been boring."
Hikaru sneaked a peek over the wall again, ignoring the glances from the customers that sat right next to the wall. Good, Syd and Johnny were attempting small talk. Shouldn't Johnny be smoother when it came to women? From what Syd had told him and from what he could remember from his days at the Boston high school, Johnny had had quite the few admirers, along with girlfriends. Hikaru watched Syd shake slightly in laughter. Maybe the date would take a different route and get better.
"Do you spy on all your friend's dates?" Megan asked.
"Considering I've only witnessed two dates, this one and Tamaki's first date, so yes...I do spy on all my friends' dates."
"Excuse me, sir and madams," a voice said in a polite manner. Hikaru quickly slid back in his seat. Acting like a child was not acceptable in Amaranth and he really didn't want to be kicked out so early in the date. The waiter gave a small smile, his thin mustache perfectly molded into his upper lip. "May I interest you in our best wine? We get it specially from one of the best vineyards in France."
Angela clapped her hands together, giving a tight-lipped smile, "Yes you may. I'll take a glass." Everyone chimed in as well.
The waiter bent his head in a well-mannered gesture and said, "I will be back with your drinks and salads."
Small talk was held amongst the women at Hikaru's table, but he was concentrated on the pad of paper and pen in front of him rather than their conversations. Angela looked over, peering onto his paper. From what she could see, he was writing down questions, labeled 'SYD'S QUESTIONS'.
"Don't you think some of those questions are a bit personal?"
Hikaru perked up, glancing at Angela. "They'd make for an interesting conversation, though."
"You don't ask those questions on the first date, Hikaru."
"I would." he replied.
"Really?" Angela questioned, sounding doubtful. "Would you ask Ripley those questions?"
Hikaru stopped writing. After a couple moments, he ripped the paper off the pad, tearing the page into little pieces. "No."
Cassidy snickered and said loudly, "You should have Syd ask him out big his di-"
"Shut your mouth, Cass!" Megan hissed, covering Cassidy's mouth with her hand. Megan gave a small, sheepish wave in some customers beside them, who had given their table narrowed, condescending glares. The red-haired Alexander turned back towards the beanie-clad other. "Cassidy, you can't say disgusting things in such a public place like this. Didn't Salem teach you manners?"
Cassidy pulled Megan's hand away from her mouth. "Salem would've said the same thing."
"Cassidy..." Megan growled.
"Fine, fine...whatever."
Natalie beamed, leaning closely to Hikaru. "She should ask him if he likes panda bears! They're so cute and fluffy! How can he not, though? Everyone likes panda bears!" She was definitely invading his personal space. He could literally feel her breath against his face. Hikaru couldn't help but be reminded of all the Host Club fangirls, the ones of him and Kaoru, and how they would try and get up close and personal. Those girls had had no self-restraint. One had tried to sneak onto their property so she could raid their room, but the security had tackled her to the ground before she got five feet away from the gate. Yes, Natalie was exactly like those fangirls. He was surprised that she hadn't tried anything drastic, like breaking in and stealing his boxers or something.
"I hate pandas." Hikaru said. He didn't really; Hikaru just enjoyed the hurt look on Natalie's face.
Megan said, "Don't have her ask anything about religion or politics. Those are two things you don't discuss until you're in a very serious relationship."
"Really?" Hikaru asked, sending a spine-shivering (in the bad way) grin in Megan's direction. "Have you asked Kyle yet?"
A thick blush spread across the red-head's cheeks, almost matching her hair itself. "Um...I...no! We aren't dating!"
"But you wish you were."
Before Megan could respond, their waiter arrived with a cart that had five Caesar's salads placed neatly on it and a ice bucket with a bottle of wine sticking out of the ice. The waiter gently placed five widely-dipped wine glasses in front of each of them (he didn't use the pinky trick) and filled them all halfway with shimmering, blood red alcohol. Next were the salads, dressings, and freshly shredded Parmesan cheese. The waiter retreated with another small nod of the head, wheeling the cart away.
"I wonder how they're doing." Angela said, taking a sip of her wine.
Hikaru dropped his salad fork onto his plate and spun around in his chair, resuming his spot at his outlook post.
"Ugh...they're just talking. Can't they do anything interesting?" Hikaru muttered.
"They're in a public place. There isn't much for them to do." Angela replied, staring at Hikaru's back.
Again, Cassidy sniggered, "They could do each oth-"
"Cassidy!" they all shouted, ignoring the other patrons, glaring at the unashamed woman.
...\~/...
A gazelle under a hyena's paw.
That was the only way she could describe the way she felt.
She didn't belong sitting in Amaranth. She came from a poor background, worked diligently every day to get some money in her pockets and food in her mouth, and didn't speak in polite, yet condescending tones to people. Syd tried her best to ignore the harsh whispers from the women and men that surrounded them. She was the gazelle and they were the hyena. The women snickered and whispered behind their hands, eyed narrowed, staring straight at her. The men leered at her, smiling crookedly at her when she caught their roaming eyes; she must've been somewhat attractive since the men around her looked at her so lecherously.
But that didn't stop her confidence from plummeting back to Earth.
She had felt so beautiful walking in.
Syd was nothing but a defenseless gazelle in this situation.
"Hey, kid, are you alright? You look a little pale."
Johnny Summers was very handsome; that aspect of him was especially prominent tonight. He looked like he belonged in Amaranth. When they had walked in, the old women blushed and the young ones were whispering to one another excitedly, staring straight at him. And they all had glared at her; Syd had nearly let go of Johnny's arm when their waiter had walked forward, showing them to their seats. He looked cool, confidant, and sleek. Johnny belonged...
"Yeah, I'm fine. Hungry, though. Wonder where our waiter went." she replied, making sure her voice was even.
"You look like you're 'bout to hurl. You wanna leave or somethin'? I can take ya home if you're not feelin' well."
"No, really...I'm fine. You paid so much to get in."
Johnny gave her a curious gaze when a waiter passed by them. The tray the waiter was holding slipped from his hand.
In wasn't even five seconds and Johnny's lap was covered in Italian cuisine.
...\~/...
"That was delish." Angela commented, watching their waiter pour more wine in her glass. "I can't wait for the pasta. I read that it was to die for!"
"Have you ever had real Italian pasta?" Hikaru asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Like in Italy? If that's what your referring to, then you should already know that answer."
He should've known the answer was no.
Once the waiter was gone, Hikaru looked over the wall. "They're still talking! Ugh! Hurry! Someone play a ruffian and go pester them!" That was something Tamaki would've said...and Kyoya would've been the bad guy. Now that he thought about it, Kyoya being a hoodlum was ridiculous; he had way too much poise to do something so stupid. Hikaru looked over his shoulder, looking over the four women at his table. Angela was too pretty, Megan was like Kyoya and had too much elegance, Natalie was stupid...
"Cassidy, put your vulgarity to work, and go rough them up a bit." Hikaru commanded.
"Are you stupid or something? I don't want to die."
Hikaru slouched in disappointment, sliding back into place. He set his elbows on the table, putting his fists on his cheeks. Natalie laughed and pointed at him, saying something about a funny face he was making. This was boring. All Syd and Johnny were doing was talking and he wanted something exciting to happen. Plus, he had a long list of questions to give to Syd, so that there could at least be a little bit less awkwardness between the two. Those two were pathetic, boring, and unenthusiastic.
"Can somebody go spill wine over his head?" he asked.
"No." the four said in unison.
"How about someone accidently fall into his lap?"
"No." they answered again.
"How about someone drop food all over Johnny's lap."
"NO!"
Cassidy watched as a waiter with a tray of food in his hand glided past them, weaving throughout the tables expertly. She stood up, looking over the low wall. Hikaru noticed this, remaining in his pouting pose, but watched her carefully. That's when Cassidy reached in her back pocket, pulling out a wooden slingshot.
She cocked her head.
Bit her tongue.
Pulled back.
Fire.
...\~/...
Johnny stood up, arms held out, food plopping to the carpet. The waiter stood there, a shocked expression spread across the young man's face. Syd watched as Johnny turn on the waiter, his handsome features twisted in anger. Italian food smeared across his shirt and pants when he grabbed the waiter's collar, pulling him flush against him. The waiter looked helpless.
Like a gazelle...
"What the hell, man?" Johnny asked through gritted teeth.
"I-I'm so s-sorry, sir. I don't k-know what h-happened."
"You better goddamn figure out what happened or I'll have you-"
Like a gazelle.
Syd found herself standing up, pressing a hand to Johnny's chest. Her dark-eyed date looked down at her, his face still full of fury.
"It was an accident. Go clean up."
"Kid-"
"Johnny, go."
He released the waiter, sneering at the young man before leaving for the bathroom. Other waiters had flocked around her table, already cleaning up the mess. The waiter that had spilt the food turned to her, face full of guilt. "Ma'am, I really don't know what happened. I do this all the time and nothing like this has ever happened before. I'm so-" He stopped when Syd held up a hand.
"It's fine. No one can blame a gazelle, ya know."
"W-what?"
Syd realized what she said and shook her head. "Nothing. Just an analogy of mine. Hey," He looked down at her. "I want what he was wearing."
...\~/...
Now they were all staring over the wall at Syd's table.
"Cassidy, I can't believe you did that." Angela muttered.
Natalie laughed, clapping, "Again! Again!"
"You are so dead!" Megan growled, jabbing a finger into Cassidy's face.
"Yeah, but I made something awesome happen, didn't I?"
Hikaru grinned, "Yes...yes, you did."
"Don't encourage her, you bastard!" Megan yelled.
Someone cleared their throat behind them. They were all in their seats in less than two seconds. Their waiter stood there with a tray balanced on his hand. He had a frown on his face- not a good sign.
"Sir, I hate to inform you, but some of the patrons in neighboring tables have filed complaints about disturbances occurring at table thirty-seven or in other words, my table. May I ask you to cease your childish actions and stay in your seat like a good little boy?"
Hikaru flashed him his signature smile, "You must be mistaken, I haven't been-"
"Sir, I must ask to be sure, but do you doubt my accusations?"
"No, but-"
"Then I must remind you that I can do foul things to your food and you would never notice."
He gave that little nod again and walked away, tray tucked under his arm.
"He's not getting a tip." Hikaru mumbled, crossing his arms. "And he didn't deliver my list of questions."
Angela nudged his arm. "Well, here comes another waiter."
...\~/...
Syd half wished Johnny would hurry back and she half wished he'd never come back. She wanted him to distract her from the whispers, but she didn't know what to say to him. She guessed she could tell him about her animals back in Chicago, like Cookie the gorilla she interacted with on a daily basis (when she wasn't away on business) or little Preston, her white tiger cub that came the month before and how to tell tigers you were the boss by bopping them on the nose. Syd sighed to herself. She had never seen herself with anybody. Humans had always seemed to shy away from her while animals were so much easier to connect with. Animals didn't need to be impressed...cats, though, they needed to be impressed.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but I have a message for you. The writer or writers told me to keep their names anonymous."
"Uh, thanks..." Syd said, taking the folded note the waiter held out to her.
He walked away.
...\~/...
Dear Awkward-Looking Lady,
Here are a list of questions you can ask your equally awkward-looking date:
The handwriting was varied and there were five different styles.
What would you do if I covered your entire house in Post-it notes that had love messages on them? This style was nothing but chicken scratch. Syd had to squint to read what this person wrote.
Who would win in a fight: Godzilla or Chuckie? The style was child-like with big, loopy letters.
Do you prefer Beethoven or Bach? Style looked was a neat cursive that reminded Syd too much like Kyoya.
What's the kinkie Syd noticed how their handwriting was a scrawl as well, but someone scribbled over it.
Would you like to hear about my crazy animal stories? Thank you normal cursive!
"Sorry it took me so long. They gave me an extra pair of clothes, so I changed."
Syd's head snapped up when Johnny's voice reached her. He sat back down, giving her small smile.
Syd cast her eyes down and said, "Would you like to hear about my crazy animal stories?"
"I thought you'd never ask, kid."
...\~/...
Hikaru inspected every piece of pasta before placing it in his mouth. After their waiter's threat to him, he was paranoid. He even had Natalie eat his food when he wasn't sure about something, just to make sure it wasn't poisoned. Natalie hadn't fallen over foaming at the mouth yet, so he assumed that his food hadn't been tampered with...yet...
"Hikaru, would you calm down. He was just messing with you." Angela said, watching the man next to her play with his food.
"Just watch; I'll take a bite and keel over." Hikaru muttered grumpily. He was bored again. All Syd and Johnny were doing was talking. He shouldn't have given Syd that list of questions; he found out that watching them be awkward was more entertaining than watching their date succeed with pleasant results.
"Cassidy," Hikaru said, getting the attention of the beanie-clad woman. "Break his wine glass."
Cassidy frowned, "No thanks. I don't want my food to be messed with. Ew, Hikaru...is that a cockroach in your pasta?"
Hikaru jumped up from his seat, standing arm's length from his plate. Very cautiously, he grabbed a fork and flipped over every noodle, bracing himself for some big roach to tackle him. But there was nothing. Megan glared at him, "Did you really expect something? This is a five-star restaurant. I'm sure they check for rodents and other pests on a daily basis. Now will you please sit down? You're making a spectacle of yourself." And indeed he was. Strangers from all around were staring right at him with scrutinizing gazes. Hikaru seated himself slowly, crossing his arms.
"Hikaru, how old are you again?" Megan questioned, lifting an eyebrow as she looked over her menu.
"Twenty-one." he replied with a pout.
"Well, you're acting like you're two. Stop acting like a child." she ordered.
He went to argue, but remembered that this was Tara's sister. "Yes, ma'am."
"Hey, they just ordered their food, and the waiter's coming this way!" Cassidy exclaimed.
Sure enough, Syd and Johnny's young waiter was walking towards them, and when he reached their table. "Waiter!" Hikaru called out.
"How may I assist?" the waiter asked, his hands clasped politely in front of him.
Hikaru smiled, "Can you show me where the bathroom is?"
"Yes, I can, sir. Follow me." the waiter said, gesturing towards the right.
"Cassidy, c'mon, you're coming with me." Hikaru said, standing up.
"What the hell, Hikaru? I'm not going to the-" Suddenly, Hikaru threw his wine on her, watching the woman jump from her seat. "This is my best polo!"
"Come on, then. I have a few remedies of getting stains out."
...\~/...
"You have weird tastes in food. I need your help." Hikaru said, weaving through the cooking stations in the kitchens. After the wine incident, Hikaru had dragged Cassidy to the bathrooms, waited until the waiter disappeared, then the two snuck to the kitchens whilst finding chef's uniforms. Hikaru had discovered that Syd and Johnny's table was number seventeen. "Seventeen, seventeen...where's seventeen?" Hikaru muttered to himself, looking over every order. "Ah ha! Seventeen!"
"We're going to get in trouble for doing this." Cassidy said, crossing her arms. "I'm not up for this."
"Okay, so Johnny ordered a seven ounce sirloin steak with A-1." Hikaru informed, ignoring Cassidy's statement.
The red-head stared at him, frowning. "Are you going to tamper with his food?"
"And Syd's. Payback for her yelling at me earlier." he said, looking over different spices.
Cassidy's eyebrows furrowed, "Is that why we're here in Amaranth? Payback? Why don't you just grow some and admit she was right?"
The man beside her frowned, dumping cayenne pepper over Syd's Italian dish. "I have admitted that she was right."
"Then why are we here?"
"Because I thought it would be fun."
Cassidy continued to stare at Hikaru before saying, "On my baked potato, I like to put whipped cream and maple syrup."
The ash-haired twin grinned, "That's perfect. For once, your weird taste buds are worth something."
...\~/...
The food was set down in front of Johnny and Syd.
Johnny cut off a bit of steak, biting it off his fork, and immediately spit it out.
"What's wrong?" Syd asked, pausing in her lifting of her fork.
Johnny didn't answer, only brought a napkin up to his mouth, spitting out the contents. "There's chocolate sauce...on my steak."
"What?"
"Exactly!"
He took a bite of his baked potato, repeating in his spitting it out. "I think that's maple syrup and whipped cream..." Syd raked her finger across the potato on his plate, sampling the condiments.
"Yep, that's whipped cream and syrup. That's even worse than my meatloaf milkshake."
Johnny looked down at Syd's food. "How's your food? I hope it's better than mine. They screwed up big time."
Syd took a bite of her Italian dish. Suddenly, a fire-like sensation soared through her mouth, her tongue feeling like it was swelling. She spit out her food and grabbed her wine glass, dousing the fire in her mouth with the alcohol. That's when she spotted the peppers in her food, habaneros to be exact, and the reddish hue of cayenne pepper in the sauce. Was this dish supposed to be that hot?
"Geez, kid, you're sweatin'! That's it! Waiter, get your ass over here!"
A nearby waiter hurried over, bowing slightly. "Is there something you need, sir?"
Johnny stood up, "Yeah, you crackpot, a total refund! I don' know how you guys run this joint, but I expected somethin' a bit better!" Johnny rested a hand on Syd's back, helping her up. "C'mon, kid, we're leavin'." Johnny put an arm around Syd's shoulders, purposely ramming his shoulder into the waiter when they passed him, and left the restaurant all together.
...\~/...
"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Johnny asked, leaning against the railing of the Empire State Building's observation deck. Syd rested her hands on the railing, staring out at the panoramic view of the lit up New York City. He was right; it truly was gorgeous. Chicago could be pretty to look at as well, but it didn't even come close to New York. Her brown eyes scanned the buildings, trying to find Hikaru's apartment building, but was unsuccessful. Syd remembered the first time she had been invited to Hikaru's place; she had been in awe at how gigantic the place had been. Indoor and outdoor pool, gym, built-in restaurant; his apartment building was like one of the those five-star hotels. Though, she wasn't surprised that someone as loaded as Hikaru chose a place like that.
"Um...thanks for the date. I really enjoyed myself." Syd said.
"No problem, kid. It was nice to catch up. It's been awhile since I've talked to someone from high school."
They were silent for a few minutes until Syd asked, "Did you ever...ya know, notice me in high school?"
Johnny was quiet, then he turned to her, still leaning against the railing. "Twice, I did. Other than that, no."
"Well, when did you notice me?"
He smiled. "You probably don' remember, but I took my siblings to the Boston Zoo once, and you were givin' free elephant rides. My sister wanted to ride one and you helped her up. At that moment, I saw a side of you that I'd never seen before. At school, you always looked like you hated the world and people, so I never approached you. But, you're different around animals, aren't you? Most people probably don't know this, but you have some compassion in that detached personality of yours. There were times when I wished you would've opened up to others."
"No, I remember that time. Or at least the elephant. Her name was Bettie."
The man beside her gave a chuckle, "I had to remind myself that there had been a time when you weren't always lazy. 'Member fifth through seventh grade? You were one of the smartest in our class. You answered questions right every time, your homework always had hundreds on it, and you always got that one A on the tests. I remember admirin' you for workin' so hard. We had similar backgrounds, so I liked how someone like me could achieve so much. You kinda drove me to work harder in school. But then, when eighth grade came 'round, you just...stopped. That girl that I wanted to beat at everythin' disappeared. Let's jus' say, I was a little bit disappointed. I'd lost my rival..."
Syd couldn't help but be a little disappointed in his answers. "So, you only looked at me like a rival? Nothing else?"
Johnny eyed her, "What did ya want me to look at you as?"
"Erm...nothing. Forget it."
"Cough it up, kid; what did ya have in mind?"
"Nothing! I didn't mean anything by-"
His lips were against her cheek, causing her shut up immediately. When he pulled back, Syd brought her hands up to her cheek in an instant, face heating up immensely. Johnny only smiled at her.
"I have to admit that I had a crush on you in middle school."
...\~/...
Hikaru was still dressed in his Amaranth attire when he plopped himself down on the couch. It had been a freakin' long night and he was exhausted. He was just beginning to doze off when his phone buzzed in his pocket. His eyes immediately widened and he froze. Oh God, what if it was Ripley. Her small, hurt voice echoed in his head, making his whole body feel heavy.
Hika, what is she talking about?
"Hello?" he asked hesitantly. He couldn't bring himself to look at the caller I.D.
"Is that Hikaru?" a small voice asked.
"Yes, this is Hikaru, the reason why you found Dawn on the floor foaming from the mouth that one day." And that was MJ.
"Oh my gosh...I couldn't breathe the last time..."
Hikaru sat up straighter. "Is that Dawn? Whoa, she can talk?" he laughed. He pulled the phone away from his ear when there was a high-pitched squeal. "His voice...how can Rip talk to him all the time? It's so sexy!" Dawn exclaimed.
"You seriously think his voice is sexy? Too nasally for me, probably all that neck fat of his crushing his vocal cords."
"Neck fat? Who the hell was that?" Hikaru asked. The bad thing was, was that he brought his hand up to his neck to check.
"That was Renee. Ignore her."
"Bitch, you better shut up before I boob check you."
"Guys, he can hear us." That must've been Erika, the quietest one.
"Why did you guys call me? I was just about to-" Suddenly, there was a scream on the other end, followed by a loud thud. "What the heck happened?"
"Oh, I just punched Renee and she fell over, being her dramatic self." MJ answered.
"Oh, I thought it was Dawn having another fangirl attack."
It was quiet for a moment before someone gasped on the other end, "Are you really Japanese?" MJ asked excitedly.
"Yeah, didn't Rip mention that?" She ignored him, gasping again.
"Oh my God, Asian, talk to him in Japanese! Oh, we call Erika Asian. We've done that since high school."
"Guys..." Erika sounded hesitant, so Hikaru took the first step by asking her if she was originally from America or Japan, to which she replied that she was America, her mom being Japanese and her dad being American. Then, she asked him if he liked America or preferred Japan. He answered that he really enjoyed being in America, but missed his family and friend, mostly his little brother. The other three were silent for the most part, Dawn piping in every now and again about how cool it was for him and Erika to be speaking in Japanese so rapidly. Hikaru had to admit that it was pretty cool that Ripley had a Japanese friend, a detail that she had left out.
"I wonder what they're talking about." Dawn muttered on the other end.
"Probably about your sick obsession with brothers gettin' all hot and bothered with one another. Urp...I think I just puked in my mouth a bit." Renee retorted. Thump. Scream. And a, "Bitch, please, punch me again, I dare you." THUMP! Then, something that sounded like a battle cry came after, on Renee's part.
"Renee! Stop tackling Dawn! And this, Hikaru, is our life on a daily basis." MJ said casually.
"Hey, is it alright if I ask some questions? The last time we talked, I never got the chance to ask any."
"Yeah, sure. Go for it." MJ replied.
He thought for awhile. "Um...what's one romantic thing Rip would want to do with her significant other?"
"Hold hands. That's so cute." Dawn answered.
"I think she would like to hold hands- something that's not too affectionate, but just enough that it's sweet." Erika said.
"Hold hands and whatever you do, DON'T try and make out with her in public. She'll kick your ass if you do." MJ responded.
"Oh...um..." He felt himself get red. "I'll try and remember that..."
"Yep, public displays of affection are a no-no with Rip." Dawn said.
"Holding hands is your best bet with that girl." MJ replied.
"Yeah..." Erika agreed.
"Pffft, holding hands? I'd say gettin' it ON would be better, but Rip's a prude so it'd probably be something stupid, like talking about video games..."
"RENEE!" the other three shouted.
Hikaru's face felt like it was on fire.
"How old was Rip when she went on her first date?"
"Oh...um...she hasn't..." Erika started.
"I have no idea, bro. I've known her for so long, I've never thought to ask." came Dawn's voice. "Can I call you bro?"
"Bro...uh, I don't care..."
"'Kay...bro."
"Depends on when you ask her." Renee said.
"So wait, she's never been on a date yet?" he asked. Something about him possibly being her first date made him happy.
"Not exactly...I mean...well...see, it's not...no, no she hasn't." MJ replied, stumbling through her answer.
"You make it sound like a bad thing, bro."
"Well, she's such a nice person, I would've expected her to have had a few..." There were a few 'Aw's after his answer.
"Smooth, Mr. Hitachiin, but Rip's kind of old-fashioned, being she wants the guy to make the first move. She's so quiet that guys don't really take notice, so they never asked. Plus, dating guys has never been her top priority." MJ explained.
"So, she's not the one to make a first move?"
There was a burst of laughter from what sounded to be Renee, then she said, "Let's be real- Rips would never have the guts to put the moves on a smokin' male, but if you're ugly, we'll see..."
"Well, I know for a fact that I'm not ugly." Hikaru said.
"We'll be the judge of that." Renee retorted.
He couldn't help but grumble, "Geez...whoever ends up with Renee, I feel sorry of them..."
That caused the three to burst into laughter while Renee responded with, "Excuse me? Any male specimen would be lucky to get with this, except for dark chocolate...I don't do dark chocolate. Or bald...or fat flaps..."
"Renee..." Erika said, sounding embarrassed.
It was quiet for a moment, Hikaru going over all the questions in his mind. The ones he was asking them were more personal than the ones he would ask Ripley. Just the thought of asking her these questions made his face burn and his heart pound. He would never be able to do it. At least they hadn't laughed at him yet. He would probably hang up on them out of embarrassment if they did.
"This may seem stupid, but...never mind. You guys will laugh." he said. God, this question was so mushy.
"Nope, now you have to say it." MJ.
"No, we won't. Trust me; I ask stupid questions all the time." Dawn.
"Don't force him guys. If he doesn't want to ask, he doesn't have to." Erika.
"No promises." Renee...
"Renee, control yourself." MJ ordered.
"No one controls Renee, not even herself." Renee said back. "Now, back to business. What is your stupid question?"
"Do you know...um...do you know if Rip thinks...cuddling...is stupid?" Great, he was blushing again.
There was a chorus of 'aw's and one person guffawing, which was Renee. Then, she stopped. "Oh shit, that's sweet. Shit, my bad."
There was something like a whimper on the other end and Erika asked, "Dawn, are you okay? You're tongue's sticking out again."
"That...was...so..."
"Dawn, BREATHE! Oh my God, I think she's hyperventilating!" MJ exclaimed. "Dawn, what's wrong?"
Great, Dawn was going to die. How was he going to explain this to Ripley?
"I need a breather... I need to back up and take a breather. That was so damn cute... Oh my gosh...so adorable..."
"I need to go check on Dawn. Erika, keep Renee in check!" MJ ordered.
It was silent. They didn't answer his question. He was waiting for an answer when Renee asked, "So, just how big is your di-"
"Renee! Don't ask him that! That's gross!" Erika exclaimed. He agreed a hundred percent.
"Oh please, it's not THAT bad."
Maybe he needed to step back and take a breather. Renee was too much like Cassidy in her questions and responses.
"Okay, we're back. Dawn's back to...well, I was going to say normal, but that wouldn't be right." MJ said.
Thank God she was back to keep things under control.
"Does Rip talk about me?"
"Not telling..." MJ.
"She told me you were a gamer and an artist." Dawn.
"Don't worry; nothing bad." Erika.
He was pleased with all the positive responses, but then Renee had to open her big...fat...mouth.
"She's told me about some of the dreams she's been having about you...and they make me sweat, even front of the AC." Click!
Hikaru was left sitting there, gaping at his phone. There was no way she had just said that.
His phone started buzzing again. He shouldn't have answered it. Noise filled his ear immediately, hearing two sets of screams on the other side. Erika spoke, "I'm so sorry about that, Mr. Hikaru! Renee's inappropriate and a bit of a liar, so don't pay any attention to her!"
Something like a door creaking open and slamming shut came from the other line. "What in the world...?" Ripley was home.
And he hung up immediately.
Hika, what is she talking about?
He squeezed the phone between both his hands.
"I can't tell her."
...\~/...
He dove into the pool; the sensational feeling of being engulfed by water was amazing. He wished he could just grow gills and fins and never have to resurface. Up top, above the surface, was a world he was so busy coping with, so busy running around in constant confusion, sadness, and anger. Below the water, he felt like nothing could touch him, like the surface was a barrier between him and reality. Down there, there was no one to ask him personal questions, nothing to trigger all the painful memories and fantasies, no places full of emptiness and loneliness. He was finally peaceful, but like all good things, his peace had to end when he ran out of breath and resurfaced.
"So you freaked and hung up?" Syd asked, kicking her feet in the water.
"What exactly am I supposed to tell her? 'Oh, I'm sorry, Ripley, I'm in love with an entirely different woman!' What?"
"Well, you do need to tell her that, but not in such a douchebag way." she replied.
Hikaru swam over to the edge where Syd sat. He had been disappointed when she immediately went into his room to shred off her dress and jump into some of his clothes. She didn't however, take her hair down or wash her make-up off. He assumed she would do that later in a shower. Hikaru rested his chin on his folded arms, eyes setting on a group of girls eating dinner at the restaurant across the way. He gave a small salute when they looked over at him, giggling like madwomen. Seriously, why did girls have to giggle all the time. He hated that word.
"Listen, I'm sorry for being harsh earlier, but-" Syd stopped when Hikaru held up a hand.
"Look, you don't need to apologize. I needed the reality check. Thanks for it."
Syd stared at him. "You're right. I don't need to apologize, you do. You brought up some personal things."
"Yeah...I'm sorry..."
Then, he got this wonderful idea.
He wrapped his arms around Syd's waist and pulled, throwing her into the pool. It took her a few moments to resurface and all Hikaru could do was laugh when she blew water out of her nose, sputtering and coughing, mascara running. She was a mess now and her hair was being pulled out of its elegant bun from before due to the water. Syd frowned, grabbing Hikaru's head, and forcing it under the water. It wasn't until he was flailing his arms out when she released her hold on him, allowing him to come back up.
"What was that for?" Hikaru exclaimed, blowing water out of his nose.
"For about five seconds, you asshole!" Syd yelled back. "What if I couldn't swim?"
"Then I would've pulled you back up!"
Syd pushed him out of the way when she swam back to the edge, pulling herself back up to the concrete.
"Well, I'm going to bed." She turned to him. "And you need to call Ripley. If you don't, I'll feed you to Zag."
...\~/...
Hikaru stared at the phone in his hands, frowning. How was he supposed to approach the subject anyways? Maybe he could wait until the morning after letting it settle for awhile. But what if she was really hurt? What if she was silently crying at all the thoughts that could be running through her mind? 'Other woman' was not a vague term; it meant solely that he was interested in a different woman and hadn't been truthful to Ripley. Hikaru grabbed his shirt that rested just above his heart, suddenly feeling heavy in that specific place once more. God, what would he do if he heard that Ripley was seeing someone else? He'd feel...defeated? Was that the word he was looking for? He'd be back to not having an outlet anymore, not having someone allow him opportunities to escape. From his conversation with Ripley's roommates, it was obvious that Ripley hadn't told them what had occurred earlier that day. And he was thankful.
His phone buzzed and his caller I.D. read Ripley.
"Hello?" Did he sound too eager?
"Hey..." It killed him that she sounded so sad. Really, really killed him. "I just called to say good night. I'm going to be-"
"Ripley, I need to explain about earlier. I had no idea that Syd was-"
"Hikaru, are you really ready to tell me?"
There was so much he needed to tell her. How for so many years he had been hung up on a girl he couldn't have. How he still loved Haruhi, yet was developing feelings for Ripley herself, leaving him in a confused mess. He wanted to tell her how people are agitating to him and how she was his only escape from reality, how she made him feel calm and relaxed. There was just so much he needed to tell her, but would she be able to handle all his thoughts and confessions? If she couldn't, would he be able to put up with hearing that small, weak, hurt voice again? Hikaru would go crazy if he lost Ripley due to his pitiful, pathetic nature. But she was offering him to wait in his explanation and that was such a golden offer. He was afraid of what she'd say, terrified of what she'd do...horrified of falling into that deep, dark hell called loneliness.
He didn't want to go there again.
That'd be the end of him.
"No...I'm not..."
"Then don't rush yourself. Just...tell me when you're ready, okay?"
"Thank you, Ripley...thank you so much... Are you...alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine!" She was trying to cover up her feelings. She was trying not to worry him. She wasn't alright; she was hurt.
"Well, I have to go to bed. We had a bunch of calls come in today and weren't able to finish, so-"
"Wait!" He didn't mean to yell in her ear. "Can you...I want...will you please...no, no you need your sleep."
"Hika, what is it?" God, her voice was too much sometimes. The way she said his name was so hard for him to handle.
"Can you..." His face was heating up now. "Can you talk to me for awhile? I like the sound of your voice." Hikaru gasped, covering his mouth. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I mean I-I...well, I...I meant, um-"
"Yeah, I can talk to you for awhile."
And that's what they did. She told him about finding a dead opossum in a tree they were cutting up, almost hitting it with the chainsaw. She talked about how Quin had to get up on Joey's shoulders to reach a limb and how they both fell backwards onto Mark, she and her dad just laughing hysterically. He found out how she sent in her resignation form to the bookstore she worked at, telling them that she was busy with her dad's business, which was becoming more and more successful. Hikaru kept quiet when she told him about coming home to MJ and Dawn beating the living crap out Renee, claiming that Renee said something inappropriate and unforgivable. He didn't want Ripley to know he was the cause of the ruckus. Then, she and her roommates ordered Little Caesar's pizza and rented movies, Ripley also renting two video games to play over the weekend to come, which she had off (well, excluding the paper route).
"Hold on to me as we go. As we roll down this unfamiliar road. And although this wave is stringing us along."
"What are you singing?" he asked.
"Just know you're not alone 'cause I'm going to make this place your home."
"It sounds familiar..."
"Settle down, it'll all be clear. Don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear. The trouble it might drag you down."
She was ignoring him.
"You get lost, you can always be found."
"Ripley~!" he sang, trying to gain her attention.
"Just know you're not alone 'cause I'm going to make this place your home."
He just kept quiet now, listening to her sing to him. She did this sometimes and it always ended the same way: she would ignore his cries for attention and keep singing. And they always seemed to be songs that reminded her of him. They always seemed to hit home or remind him of the relationship he had with Ripley.
"It's Phillip Phillips' song Home. You know, the guy that won American Idol? I thought of you when I heard it on the radio."
"I figured as much. Just like every other song."
"Yeah...there's a lot of those, aren't there?"
"Indeed there are."
"I guess I just want you to know that I'm here for you."
"Ripley..."
"I mean, you seem to have a lot going on in your life right now. I just...I'm here for you if you need anything."
He didn't know what to say. Well, he did, but...he couldn't say those 'three little words' to her yet.
"Hika, I have to turn in, okay?"
"Yeah... I'll talk to you tomorrow some time."
"Alright. Good night." Click.
Hikaru stared at his phone longingly, "I wish I could say those three words to you."
I am so, SO sorry for my absence. I had a terrible bout of writer's block and I would look at this chapter and go, "FML...I goin' to play Pokepark..." Yes, pathetic; I'm seventeen years old and still have an undying love for Pokemon. -_-' So, this was Syd and Johnny's date, and now that I look back at it, there wasn't really an aftermath to it. I'll probably add a summary of what happened between the two in the next chapter. AH! Chapter 11! The Valentine's Day chapter! You guys are going to love it because there is some definite Hikaley fluff in it. :D Or at least you love it... You also got another look at the Roomies. I hope that part wasn't too confusing. By the way, all four of the Roomies are based off of real people...and they act JUST LIKE THAT in real life, especially Renee. :/ No joke...
Question Time: I've been curious throughout this entire fanfic, but what kind physical and personality traits d you guys like in female OCs? What kind do you hate?
Author's Note - Fin