WestSide Story From Hell
Chapter 10
I remember a time in middle school, where we would joke about being forever alone. Or perhaps we'd play truth or dare; or even would you rather? But what happened to those days?
Why are games so harsh now?
I was being childish. Rubbing my sweaty palms on my face repeatedly; folding my legs close to my chest; my erratic breathing; switching my gaze from the door to the wall to the floor. I knew I was being irrational.
I needed something to get my mind off this. I couldn't call Nel, and Rangiku was probably up to something right now. The only other person that I could talk to was Ulquiorra, and I didn't even have his number…yet. Putting 'Find out Ulquiorra's number' in my to-do list, I stood up and shakily walked over to my phone, which was all the way on the other side of the room because I was too stubborn to remove the corded phone off the wall to a table.
Grabbing the phone and pressing it to my ear, I was left to one other option. Rukia Kuchiki.
Pressing the numbers, I waited as the ringing started. Back in 5th grade, Rukia started a tradition in our group. If we were to call, we'd have to count how many times it rang, for it was in a code.
If one answered after the first ring, they were bored and would agree to do something together.
The second ring, they were busy and they can't talk right now.
After the third ring, they weren't in a good mood and weren't going to answer the phone.
I took a deep breath and held it. I counted quietly as the ringing continued. As it started the third ring, I started twirling a piece of my hair with my fingers. The fifth ring was now entering its stage; biting my lip, I heaved out a sigh. With the seventh ring ending, I removed the phone from my ear and put it back in its place.
Wrapping my arms around myself, I walked to my bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I walked over and crawled into my bed. I just needed some time, I thought to myself. Some time would put everything into a better perspective.
I woke up the next morning a little after 5. Groggily sitting up, I looked at the calendar that hung behind my bedroom door. Today….today was a Sunday. I sat there stunned for a moment; I've spent the last four nights and three days juggling this drama.
I removed my welcoming comforters off of me and brought the unwelcoming cold air to my body. Climbing out of bed, my feet met with the cold hard wood that liked to creak as I shifted my weight out the door and into the kitchen. Today was a cappuccino day, I thought as I took out the container that held the French Vanilla powder. Taking a mug out of the cabinet, I made myself a cup of warm deliciousness. Leaning against my counter, I thought about everything. About Gin, Ulquiorra, Nel, and this useless fight between our kinds. I could imagine Renji's face when he found out I started talking to Ulquiorra. He'd yell at me in disbelief, saying something along the lines of, "STOP FRATERNITIZING WITH THE ENEMY!" Or some crap like that.
I chuckle softly under my breath, my friends really knew how to put a smile on my face. They weren't even here with me. Finishing my cup, I felt a surge of energy flow through me. Walking to my bedroom, I took out a pair of gray sweats that hugged my thighs and flared out towards the bottom only to have a elastic band enclose itself above my ankle. Taking a shirt off a hanger, I pulled on one of my 'Rocket to the Moon' tees. Stuffing my now socked feet into my converse, I headed out the door back to Kisuke's shop; nothing feels better when you're down than some company….sometimes.
Deciding to take the car instead of walking, I turned the radio on, only to have We The Kings blare out of my speakers. After turning the volume down so my ears weren't bleeding, I began to make out the words.
"Cause I'm never going down,
I'm never giving up.
I'm never gonna leave,
So put your hands up.
If you like me,
Then say you like me.
I'm never going down,
I'm never giving up.
I'm never gonna leave,
So put your hands up.
If you like me,
Then say you like me."
"Oh, mother of meatballs. Are you trying to tell me something?" I spoke out loud while resting my head on the steering wheel at the stop sign. Sighing, I picked myself back up and continued my way to the shop.
Walking through the door, the little bell chimed; letting others know I was there. I looked around for Ururu after realizing she wasn't at the desk. I took slow and silent steps while letting my right hand lightly touch everything within reach. I wondered if I should call out, perhaps she was here, just not here.
After looking around the shop, I decided to head back to the counter. Leaning on it, I placed my chin on my hand while my elbow was balanced on the counter.
"Oh! Inoue-san!" I heard Kisuke's voice call out from behind me. Turning to face him, I gave him a polite smile.
"Urahara-san." I said, nodding my head a little towards him. He came up to me and placed his hand on my mid-back and guided me behind the counter and through the doorway where murmurs could be heard from.
"Shhhh….they've been talking about something interesting for a while now." He said softly, with a slightly crazy smile attached on his face. Being a little irked by his smile, I concentrated on the murmurs.
"I don't like it." I heard Rukia say almost in defeat.
"You don't have to like it, but you know? You may be wrong." Uryuu replied, slightly annoyed.
"But her visions are never wrong." Renji grumbled.
"Says the person with brawns and no brains." Uryuu said wittily. Probably pushing his glasses up his nose.
"You're not only insulting me but Chad too, you know." Renji replied back in a mocking tone. A short silence ensued afterwards.
"I'm not in this." Chad finally said, breaking the slience.
"Come on, guys. Be serious here." Ichigo said with a sigh.
"Says the ginger." Renji muttered quite loudly.
"YOU'RE REDDER THAN ME!" Ichigo yelled at him. I smiled to myself, I really did miss these guys. "Anyways, what did you see Rukia? Not what happened, everything that could've caused it." Ichigo said lowering his voice.
"I told you, she just saved one of them. It was just that scene. But how could she do this to us?" Rukia said with an uneven voice.
"I'm sure she has a reason." Ichigo said, his voice getting softer and softer.
"It still doesn't make it acceptable." Renji interrupted, voicing out his opinion.
"Shut up." Uryuu snapped.
"You have to remember, it's just like Orihime to help someone in need. No matter what side they're on." Ichigo said, obviously ending the conversation. I stared with wide eyes at Kisuke, like a deer in headlights. What did she see me do?
After over-hearing that conversation, I decided it was best to not say anything. Walking back to my car, I pulled out my keys to unlock my door, only to drop them. I stared at them for a second before bending down to get them. Standing back up, I tried again.
"Ahem." Someone fake-coughed, trying to get my attention; making me drop my keys for the second time. Turning my head, I checked out the person in front of me. From his shoes to his face, I realized Ulquiorra was there, gracing me with his presence.
"Like what you see?" He said with a slight smirk and a tilt of the chin.
"There was nothing to see." I said with a smile, patting his shoulder. Shrugging off my hand, he bent down to pick up my keys. Moving me away from my door, he unlocked it, and looked at me.
"Maybe you weren't looking hard enough." He said, pretending to tip his hat at me and climbed into the driver's seat. As he closed the door, I threw my hands up.
"Why does everyone like driving my car?" I asked out loud. Grumbling to myself, I walked around to the passenger seat and climbed in.
Once he started the car and backed out of the parking lot, a slightly awkward silence started to develop.
"You seem better." He pointed out to me, keeping his eyes on the road.
"I feel better." I said, actually surprised that I really was beginning to feel better. His finger started to tap against the finger, apparently he must've been insanely curious.
"Why?" He asked moments later. Such a simple question, but holds a loaded answer.
"I just feel…a little more emotionally stable." I replied after thinking it through.
"But something still bothers you?" He inquired, not caring about how much he was poking around.
"Well, I never said anything about being mentally stable." I pointed out with a witty tone.
"Orihime, you weren't mentally stable to begin with." He said, raising his eyebrow, daring me to question him. He pulled into the public library parking lot, and turned off the engine. We stayed like that for a while, just sitting there in the car. We didn't move; we just continued to stare out of the front windshield.
"What are you doing in my car?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm sitting here."
"No, what are you doing in my car?" I asked again, emphasizing the what.
"I'm always watching." He stated, shutting his eyes and folding his hands over his stomach.
"How does that have to do anything with my car?" I asked, becoming insanely curious.
"I'm able to hear almost everything."
"This isn't ringing a bell, you know." I said in exasperation.
"I know what's going to happen and I'm sorry." He said, unfolding his hands to play with the tips of my hair.
"What?"
"You should stay home tonight." He spoke softly, opening his eyes to stare at me and move some of my hair behind my ear. I watched as he unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned close to me. He moved his hand to cup the area where my neck and jaw met; and put his forehead on mine. My heart began to flutter even though we weren't doing anything. I raised my hand to touch his cheek, but he pulled away before I could touch his face.
"Be careful." He said before getting out of the car and walking back in the direction of Kisuke's shop. I sat there dumbfounded for a while, before realizing he took my car keys with him. A little frustrated with all these riddles and my now abducted car keys, I headed inside.
Outside the door of the library was a box that had my name on it. Bringing it inside, I sat it on the counter right next to the cash register. Spotting a note on it, I read it out loud.
"Orihime, you should enjoy these next few books. Our library is growing." Of course, she, the real owner of the library, would send me books. I kept forgetting that I worked here. Breaking open the tape, I took a look inside the box and pulled them out. I pulled out everything ranging from the Touch Novels to Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan, but then I picked up THAT book.
By the time you read this, I'll be dead by Julie Anne Peters. Smiling to myself to have another one of her books in my hand. Taking the book with me, I took a stroll around the library finding a seat next to the window. Opening the book to the first page, I allowed myself to be sucked into the world of Daelyn Rice.
The night soon came, and the street lights began to come alive. Taking a breather, I sat the book down and marked my page. Looking out the window, I watched the flickering street light across the street finally die out. Slowly, an outline of a body started to become visible. It walked out under the dead street light. Stepping away from the window, my body began to tense up. Their eyes were glowing. Their purple eyes were glowing.
"Pale skin, soft to the touch. Bright red hair, but it's not too much. Your eyes show fear, your blood is my pleasure. Soon enough, you will be what I desire." The purple eyed man said while wiping the blood off the glass and slowly swiping it across my throat.
Blinking away the flashback, I tried to find the person that stood under the dead street light only to find out that they were gone. Flopping back into my chair, I held my head by its temples. This was too much, far too much, and I didn't even know what it meant.
Jumping out of my chair by the sudden ringing of my phone, I put a hand on my heart. It was just the phone, I told myself. Walking back to the counter where I left my phone, I answered it.
"Hello?" I asked in a tired voice.
"Orihime? Please! Please get down here quick, I don't know what to do!" Rangiku yelped out with a few sobs here and there.
"What? What's wrong? Where are you at?" I asked frantically, putting my coat back and face-palming realizing that I didn't have my car keys anymore.
"Ichigo…he's losing control, and Rukia's having an emotional breakdown, and Nel..she collapsed. Grimmjow's about to go and try to kick Ichigo's ass, but Orihime, that's not the problem. Rukia, she and Ulquiorra….it's not looking too good." She said with her voice getting softer and softer. Walking to the front door, I locked it shut.
"Where are you at?" I snapped. Ichigo was going out of control and Rukia wasn't trying to settle him down. This wasn't going to be good, if it lasted any longer.
"The Karakura Town Park." She said sniffling.
"I'll be right there." I said, snapping my phone shut. I wasn't that far from the park. Almost about ten minutes away from here, in a car. This wasn't going to be pleasant.
One of my typos my friend pointed out : Grimmjow's about to go and try Ichigo's ass.
I'm not sure how it got there, but it was there. Believe me.
THANK YOU ALL YOU HAVE FAVORITED/ALERTED/REVIEWED.
splitheart1120 : I don't think facades were ever something meant to last...maybe they were made for someone to hide behind even for a little while?
ladycifer : You have your externs, I have my assessments coming around the corner. We're all testing right now, aren't we? :D Poor Hime, it's never good to be confused about your friendship.
Nightkill : Ururu's descriptiong was amazing clear, wasn't it? Hehe^^
AND BEFORE I GO! Here's a note Strawberry-ChappyForever made for you guys.
Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna turn around and desert you.
YOU JUST GOT RICK-ROLL'D! x)