I'm back!
Thanks for the reviews everyone!! -hugs everyone- You know I love you all!!! Hope you guys enjoyed the sneak peek. ;) XD
I'm not high, I just have a frickin headache. D: Also, one of my baby hammies died... -cries- It's so frickin cute!! but it died!! -hugs random in the crowd-
Please review!!!
-Chapter Five-
"Hey wait!"
I ignored him and kept running, faster and faster. Who knew I could speed up so much without tripping over my feet when I needed to? The track leader was going to be happy if he found out – all they needed was to get Noctis to chase me, which I was pretty sure was against the rules.
I ducked into an empty alleyway and hid there until I heard his footsteps go by.
With a weary sigh, I stood and dusted myself off before going back the way I came, only to halt in surprise. Vanille and Bradley skidded to a halt in front of me. And judging by the look on Vanny's face, I was in deep shit.
"Light! How could you just run away like that?" she demanded.
I shrugged. "It was easy."
"But Noctis!"
"He's somewhere in front. You'd better go intercept his flight before he hits something," I told Bradley, who groaned and set off after the dark-haired boy.
I sighed and leaned against the wall.
Vanille punched my arm.
"Hey, ow! That hurt!"
"It was supposed to, you dumbass! Why did you run away? He wasn't looking for you for nothing you know!" she yelled in frustration, practically tearing at her hair and stamping her foot in a full-blown hissy.
"I panicked, okay? I mean, it's Noctis! And I'm... me!" I yelled back.
She rolled her eyes and groaned at my stupidity.
"Why, Lightning?"
"Look, can we just go back home?" I asked exasperatedly.
She looked exasperated. "We have to wait for them, because they've got the keys."
"We'll take a cab. I can't stand... well, let's just take a cab back."
--
The next day, Sunday, I was able to avoid another shopping trip (Thank you, maker of Chemistry). Vanille and Bradley set off by themselves as I stayed home to 'finish my homework'. Not that I had any.
I plugged my earpieces in my – surprise, surprise – ears and put the music on loud, then grabbed my sketchbook to finish drawing the laughing picture of Noctis. For some reason, his eyes didn't look quite right. I frowned, erased them out gently and started again.
My mom opened the door just as I was adding highlights to his hair, causing me to jump in surprise. I tossed the book Noctis-down on my bed, put aside my pencil, took out one earpiece and yelled, "MOM! Haven't you heard of knocking?"
"I knocked, but you didn't hear me," was her answer. "You've got a visitor." She sounded as surprised as I felt. I frowned. Only Vanille got visitors in this house. Well, Vanille and my mom.
"Who is it?"
"Some boy. A friend of yours?" Without waiting for an answer, she backed away, and a tall, black-clad boy entered my room.
My eyes widened.
Noctis.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed at him. He shrugged, looking around. "Nice room." He touched my royal blue wallpaper and smiled. "It matches your eyes."
I glowered at him.
"Why did you run yesterday?"
I shrugged.
"Okay... why did you run away from me that night?"
Another shrug. This was fun! Not.
He sighed. "Why aren't you answering me properly?"
"What's this, twenty questions?"
"Pretty much, yeah." He sat on the edge of my bed. Note to self: cut out that part and frame it up on the wall. Noctis sat on my bed! Time to scream into my pillow.
Instead, I eyed him. "What do you want?" I asked.
"I know it was you," was his answer. "The girl that night. I just want to know why you keep running from me."
"Oh, you know, because it's a little hobby of mine," I said sarcastically. He chuckled slightly, and patted the place next to him.
"Come closer," he said to me. Like a fool, I did.
He ducked his head and I looked up into his glorious, burning yellow eyes. His face grew serious and his sweet breath fanned across my face, causing a lump to appear in my throat. I swallowed, but couldn't move as his hands moved up my arms and pulled me close. "Will you answer me today?" he whispered to me.
I shook my head.
He smiled and pulled me closer.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
I shook my head still. "Whatever trick this is, it's not working," I lied, and broke free. "Could you go now?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Not until you tell me why you ran away."
I shrugged. "You're not getting that out of me."
He sighed.
"I'll come back another day... be ready to answer my questions," he warned, and stood. Then, he seemed to remember something. "Oh right – here, your ring." He delved into his pocket and drew out Grandma's ring. I took from him with my nerveless fingers.
He looked down at my sketchbook. I grabbed it quickly and deposited it into my cupboard. Noctis grinned, and started out the door.
"Will you walk me out?" he asked, turning to me suddenly.
I swallowed.
"How about no?"
"That's not being a very good hostess," he teased. At least, I thought he was teasing.
I rolled my eyes. "I never invited you here in the first place. Don't you have empires to topple or something?" I asked. He shook his head, smiling slightly.
"You're different from other girls I've met."
"How so?" I queried.
He laughed. "That I will tell you when you answer my questions. Goodbye, then, Lightning." A small smile curved his perfect lips. "I will see you in school."
As he left, I could hear my mother flapping her lips. "Noctis, dear, would you like to stay for dinner?"
"No, it's all right, Mrs Dia Oerba. I'm expected at home."
"Oh, just go ahead and call me Toni."
"Of course, ma'am. "
She paused, and I thought she smiled. "Take care of my Lightning, will you? She's rather delicate, and very sensitive ever since her father died. I'm not too sure that the Snow boy is good for her... Maybe you can steer her away from him? He seems... well, he's nice, but he's very... big." I could almost imagine Noctis snickering behind his hand. (He was coughing, but it was so fake)
I groaned into my pillow. "MOM!" I yelled. "For the millionth time, Snow's not my boyfriend!! He's just a friend! And I'm not delicate or sensitive, for God's sake! I'm perfectly fine!"
I was, as usual, ignored. God damn it!
My mom said, "So, take care of her, will you? Like I said, she's delicate and sensitive... like so."
So I wasn't ignored, but being played.
I hate my mom.
Noctis laughed. "She doesn't seem so to me, but I will protect her as though my life depends on it," he promised. The vow and the seriousness in his voice caused my chagrin to fade and my love and shock rise. My heart leaped, stopped, and started again, thrice the usual speed.
Was he saying, in his own way, that I was his life?
-still crying into random's shoulder-
Huh? Oh!
Please review!!!
-continues crying into random's shoulder- D'8