Chapter Seven: Not as planned
ASH
Dad is livid.
Seeing Paul on TV acting very buddy-buddy with Cyrus' daughter is not the type of closeness he's looking for.
"I gave him simple instructions, simple! Get close to Cyrus and then strike. This girl is ruining everything! He'll go all soft. I hate soft," he rants.
"Dad, if I may, we both know Paul very well, and I know that Paul isn't the soft type."
Actually, Paul wasn't always like this. He used to have a heart, but then something happened to him that made him Tin Man. But that's Paul's story to tell. Honestly, if by this experience I could get the brother he was back, it'll be worth it.
"How could I trust him now?"
Wow, did you hear anything I just said? I'm getting annoyed. "I'm going to go back with my friend now," I say as I walk out. He's still talking.
I walk downstairs and Lea is still watching TV.
"I'm back," I call, getting her attention.
"Oh, hey is everything okay?" she asks.
"Yeah," I say.
It's not true.
"You sure?" I know she doesn't believe me.
But what can I do?
"Yeah, it's nothing," I reply. The look in her eyes; she knows.
I know what the right thing to do is.
But I can't do anything about it. If she knows about my stupid "daddy problems" she'll think less of me. But I also know that telling someone might help me because I can't continue being bottled up. I know what my heart and mind is telling me.
But I kill my conscience.
"Hey Lea," I start. She turns to me, "I know you know there's something up, and to be honest, you're right, but I just can't tell you right now."
She smiles, "it's okay, Ash. You don't have to tell me anything, if anything I'm imposing. When I gave you my number I told you it was to get away. I don't want you to think that you need to tell me everything. Let's just have fun."
"I'm good with fun," I say as I smile back at her. I'm glad she's here.
"Alright, then lemme kick your butt in a game a pool," she says as she hops off the couch and runs to my pool table.
"The day!" I say while I let go a chuckle and run after her.
PAUL
It actually ended up being not so bad a night. Other than me and Dawn's little fight, the rest of the night was rather... fun.
I finally decide to get out of bed around noon and I take a quick shower before heading downstairs.
The water wakes me up while the warmth keeps me relaxed.
When I go downstairs to the dining room Dawn is already there. Things settled down after the fight. Dancing with her, laughing with her, ultimately having a good time…
With her
I'm not much of a people person so having a good time with people isn't exactly something I would consider normal.
I guess I'm focused more on my thoughts than on the actual being in front of me because when I walk up to her she looks upset, either that or stressed.
"Dawn?"
Her hands are pressed against her face. "I'm so sorry, Paul."
"Sorry for what?"
She hands me an open magazine. I take it and silently start reading the article.
Dawn Berlitz & Paul Sicara: Sinnohs new couple?
Sources tell that Paul and Dawn were seen close together all night at the televised Berlitz ball. When TENEWS reporter, John Fillis, asked why Paul was seen at the Berlitz residence, Ms. Berlitz answered for him with a "no comment" as she subtly gave the audience a clue with the well placed mysterious wink. Of course, this is not confirmed and there is no word on how the feuding families are handling the news but nobody can deny that this is very suspicious. We'll get back to you, readers, with more information on the two as soon as it is retrieved.
I close my eyes and clench my fists at the article. I cannot believe this is actually on a magazine. I hate the media, they never mind their own fucking business. And once dad finds out…
"I can't believe this!"
"Neither can I, it's like I must watch everything I do or say from now on, especially if it involves you," she finally takes her hands away from her face.
"Don't say that! You called this!" I say as I angrily slam the magazine on the table. Maybe a little two angrily, but whatever.
"I'm sorry I jinxed it, okay?" she yells back as she stands up from her seat, her eyes darting at me, "But this is the media, it's like a stray cat; if we don't feed it, it will go away. We aren't actually a couple Paul, so we won't be acting like one! They won't be getting any more information or inspiration for a new article. Gosh Paul, it's like you're new to all of this!"
"Technically Dawn, I am. And I hate this media thing! Even though it may seem like I like it when I'm getting interviews or whatever, I don't. They're a bunch of idiots, so I rather have nothing to do with them!"
"Get used to this, Paul! We're rival families and you're here, living in my house! People don't just ignore that. Our families have been going at it for years and now your father's trophy son is living with the Berlitz. Do you really think the public is going to let this go? Get a reality check, Paul! If anything, you started this, so don't go pointing your finger at me!" she says angrily as she crosses the hall to the ballroom and slams the door shut.
I take a breath to calm down before I head upstairs. I don't go to my room though; I go towards a bench that's against the wall. I sit there and think.
She is, I guess, right. I mean, they wouldn't have written that article if that party didn't happen.
Her fault for thinking of it, mine for agreeing with it.
But that article mentioned that wink that she gave to the camera which apparently could have said a million things. None of which were right.
Her fault
I didn't say or do anything to stop that.
My fault
This whole thing started because I asked to live with them.
His fault for suggesting, mine for agreeing.
He asked.
I said yes.
My fault.
I feel like I should say something, I feel like I should apologize.
For the record, I don't apologize.
But it's my mistake this time.
I don't apologize.
It's my mistake this time.
Don't apologize.
My mistake this time.
Apologize
this time.
Fine, dammit!
I start walking towards the stairs when the doorbell rings. Dawn goes to answer it. I try to stay out of sight while trying to hear what's going on.
I hear the door unlock then open. "Kenny!"
Kenny? I take a peek at what's happening.
"Hey Dawn, can we talk?"
"Sure," she says as she lets him in. They go into the dining room.
I follow them till I get to the entrance of the dining room and I stay out of sight. I lean against the wall right next to the opening.
"I have a question Dawn," he says formally.
After that I hear rustling.
"You said you didn't trust him."
"Trust me Kenny. It's not what you think."
"Dawn, I did see you last night, you guys were practically inseparable."
"That's because it was a set-up. The whole ball was. Paul wanted revenge on his father for kicking him out by showing how close he is to us."
I hear Kenny take a sigh of relief. "So last night meant absolutely nothing?"
I hold my breath; I can't believe I actually care about this.
"Yes Kenny, last night didn't mean anything. I don't even like the guy really. And this is really weird considering the guy I actually want to be with is questioning me about another guy whom I don't really want much to do with."
I stalk back upstairs regretting the previous thoughts that loomed my mind this morning.
DAWN
I think his eyes actually light up.
I must be dreaming.
"You… want to be… with me?" he stutters.
"Yes! I've have a crush on you for God knows how long." At this, he's flabbergasted.
"You seriously didn't know?" I ask, "I thought I was being rather obvious."
"Maybe you were, but to be honest, I'm blind when it comes to stuff like that."
I stand there looking up at him waiting for an answer to my confession.
"I guess I should have caught on earlier, or else I wouldn't have led you on like that."
I was dreaming.
I'm so hurt that I don't even move. I feel as if I just got hit in the gut, like all the air got sucked out of me. I want to walk away, but I can't.
"I'm so sorry, Dawn. I never meant to hurt you –"
"Leave."
"What, no -"
"Kenny, leave," I pause and close my eyes as tears threaten to fall, "please."
With that, I hear his footsteps walk away from me, I also hear the door open and close, and then I hear nothing. As I open my eyes, a flood of tears stream down my face.
I stand there for a minute rethinking what had just happened.
He doesn't like me. And man, does rejection hurt like a bitch.
I feel like an idiot; blurting my feeling like that, but I didn't want to wait any longer. Fate really doesn't want us together.
I slowly start walking up the stairs, the tears freely flowing down my face. When I finally get to the next floor, I head to my room. That's when I see Paul going in the opposite direction.
He looks at me and stops walking. I stand still too.
"Dawn?"
I don't want his pity. I close my eyes and continue walk to my room.
He lets me. I get to my room and close the door. All I want to do is cry in my pillow.
*&^%
I guess at some point I fell asleep because the next thing I know, it's 1am. I slept for almost twelve hours! I did not think I was that tired. I decide to go downstairs to the kitchen to eat something because I'm starving.
We have the kitchen where the cook is, but the kitchen I'm referring to is the smaller one with a small fridge, freezer, stove, pantries for smaller stuff; such as cereal, fruits, snacks, drinks, or junk food. We aren't completely incapable, you know?
The first thing I see when I open the fridge is a bunch of fruit and I decide to make myself a fruit salad.
All the fruit that I decide to use are on the small table; strawberries, peach slices, pineapple slices, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, apple slices, grapes, kiwi, and pomegranate seeds. I'm happy with my selection.
When I'm throwing fruit into the big transparent plastic bowl in front of me containing water, Paul walks into the kitchen.
"You're up?" I ask.
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. I was going to get a bottle of water. What are you doing?" he asks.
"I missed out on lunch and dinner, so I'm running on empty, hence food."
"Uh huh."
"Want some?" I offer. He looks at me, then looks to the bowl, "Is there mango in there?"
"Nope, why? Want some?"
"No, I hate mango." I smile at him, "I don't like it very much either."
He chuckles, "alright, I'll have some."
I give him a nod as I plop more fruit into the bowl. He stands next to me and stares at the bowl. Neither of us speaks, but this is a comfortable silence. When I'm done, I mix the fruit and take two bowls out from the cupboards and fill them with fruit.
He takes his bowl and the bigger bowl while I take my bowl and we go to the dining room table. We take seats next to each other. We both don't talk at first as we eat our first few bites in silence.
He's the one who breaks the ice. "Are you okay?"
I actually forgot that happened. More like hoping I dreamt it all. So I pause for a bit back tracking my mind.
"Dawn?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."
"What happened?"
I fill my mouth with fruit first. When I swallow my bite I answer.
"Kenny told me he didn't like me, right after I told him that I had a crush on him since forever," I pause for a second, "it hurts."
"I could imagine," he says putting a fork full of fruit into his mouth.
"You could?" He gives me a dirty look. "Sorry," I say quickly, not realizing I said that out loud, "you just put yourself out there as a heartless type."
"Yeah, so that nobody would know my weaknesses and use them against me."
"I doubt anyone would use that-"
"They already have, that's why I keep myself closed off, so that I can't get close to people."
"Hmm… you're different, Paul."
He smirks, "is that a good thing?"
"I guess. It means you're a lot different to figure out than most people. That makes you sort of a challenge, and everyone likes a good challenge once in a while."
I refill my empty bowl with more fruit.
He looks at me intently, as if he were trying to figure something out.
"Are you really like that though? Are you really the cold person everyone thinks you are?"
He takes a while to answer. "No," he says simply.
"So are you capable of liking someone?"
He laughs, "yes."
"Really?"
"Want me to show you?"
I hesitate a bit, not knowing what he means by that. He doesn't hesitate though, when he leans forward and presses his lips against mine.
Author's Note: Hello everyone! Sorry about the wait for this chapter, but it's finally here :D! What do you guys think?
Finally, ikarishipping makes it's debut! :)
Also, this story will have a total of 15 chapters, I've made this whole big time line, and I cannot wait :D Also, next chapter is my favourite chapter :D You'll all know about Paul's past, and it's all very exciting! :D
Keep reading & Review for cyber hugs :D -( " )-
PorcelainDollxx
