Chapter 9 Spin the bottle of spin their lives
Strange day Miyu thought as she stood in the balcony of her room dressed in her night PJ's wet hairs dripping. Kanata had entitled everyone to an individual room for the whole week. It was like living in a five star suite. She breathed in the air filled with the saltiness of the ocean. Full moon was shining brightly in the star studded sky illuminating the surface of the water. She closed her eyes and listened to the soothing rhythm of rise and fall of tides at the beach.
'Today was really strange. In the morning he was so different, cheery & lively and to be honest I liked that side of Kanata more than his usual tirade. I don't know why but watching him smile filled my heart with a strange happy feeling. What's wrong with me? Why can't I get him out of my head? Despite of what happened today I still can't bring myself to hate him. Why is it getting so impossible to ignore him with every passing moment? Is it even possible to hate someone and want them at the same time? I'm going crazy I think I should talk to someone about this but who can I talk to? Not Aya, I can't invade her privacy at this moment but Nanami isn't a good choice either given her ability to be excessively annoying especially in matters like these. Christene's opinion will come with bias and probably a lot more hassle than she was prepared for. God I've always been the person to advice others, where is that Miyu why can't I call upon her now when I need her so much?' She realised it is easy to advice others but it gets so difficult when it comes to your own life.
The memory of them in the parking lot flashed in her mind and her heart began to race. If he had not stopped himself she would have let him kiss her, instead of stopping him she had closed her eyes and suddenly she was back in that dreadful alley that evening when she had been in a similar situation.
'Only difference was that guy had been holding her from her back with his hands squeezing her chests holding her firmly and all her attempts to free herself had been a waste. She could never forget the way she had felt back then, suffocated, weak and helpless trapped in the cage of his iron strong arms. She was numbed when he had mauled her, assaulted her, pain bursting inside her and shaking her to the core. She was in such shock that not even a scream had escaped from her mouth. her mind had completely shut down gone totally blank but what else to expect from a 10 year old girl who was being molested by a guy she knew very well and trusted, with no one around to her rescue. Perhaps it was her luck that he hadn't stripped her cloths then and there and was merely satisfied with traumatising her for the moment, giving her a glimpse of what might happen the next time if he caught her alone. He had left her all alone, went on acting as if nothing had happened. She stood there for several minutes unable to comprehend what had happened. Few moments ago she was happily playing with her friends running around when suddenly strong arms caught her and pushed into some obstructed dark place sort of an alley. He was the son of her parent's friends, a few years older than her. Though surprised why he was touching her like that she never dreamt of what he did next. That day he didn't walk away alone, he left behind a shattered soul of 10 year old girl who never recovered from that trauma. She doesn't remember how she got home that evening. But after that day she never went out to play again with her friends and was too glad when her father had informed them that they were to moving to new york that very week. She started hating men and with time she started detesting men and relationships. Marriages became a foreign concept to her and all she ever thrived for was power and to never be helpless again ever. She resolved never to let a man come near her at any cost'.
Everything was fine till she had met Kanata. She never imagined herself musing over a guy. I won't let him toy with my feelings. I won't let him near me; I won't be helpless again ever. That weak Miyu died that day and I won't let her resurface just because I find another guy more than cute. She sighed deeply & turned to get back to her room. She jumped back in surprise hitting the railing of the balcony and slipped.
Kanata caught her in time and saved her from banging her head straight on to the floor.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. What's wrong, are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, not much but I think I sprained my ankle, it hurts" she replied trying to balance her body on one leg.
"Does it hurt, let me call my doctor. Oh god, I'm so sorry Miyu".
"It's okay, I'm fine. I've sprained my ankles before. I'll be fine by tomorrow" and started hopping towards her bed.
"Let me help you"
"No thanks,I can manage" she declined his help and began to hop her bed. A sprained ankle is nothing I've faced far worse things than this she thought.
"You know you're like a child, a stubborn child" Kanata said as he picked her up in his arms forcibly.
"Put me down, I can walk alright. You don't have to do this and besides why are you in my room anyway".
"I saw you standing in your balcony and I wanted to talk to you. Besides I wanted to apologise for today. I'm sorry. I have lots of temper issues" he said. His modest confession startled her, melting her heart & she literally heard her resolve from moments ago breaking down, so much for staying away from him. She was suddenly comfortable in his arms.
"Here you go, are you sure you don't need anything".
"I'll be fine, thank you. Hey... I'm sorry too. I didn't know about your mother. I had no idea and I'm so sorry for being so inconsiderate" she said seeming genuinely sorry. He nodded at her but didn't say anything.
As he laid her head on the pillow all he could think about was how close they were, his face inches away from her and his eyes lingered on her lips. Her hands around his neck pulled him closer automatically and she closed her eyes feeling his warm breathe on her face as he leaned forward. He was going to kiss her and this time there was no one to stop them not even his conscience. Suddenly his phone began to ring snapping both of them back to reality. He jerked back from her as she sat on her bed.
"I'm sorry" his back was turned to her and he made his way out of her room closing the door behind him. Miyu fell on her back. 'Twice in a day, what's wrong with me TWICE IN A DAY oh dear lord she thought?'
Kanata closed the door to his room. His phone was still ringing but he didn't pick it up. He sank ton his bed. 'What's wrong with me? I pledged never to fall for anyone and till now I didn't but around her I just can't control myself. I tried to kiss her twice in a day certainly something is terribly wrong with my head. I can't trust myself around her. I will have to avoid being all alone with her from now'. He covered his face with a pillow thinking about his lame idea and muffled a scream of frustration with it.
Miyu's face emerged from beneath the pillow & she sat up. 'All I've to do is avoid being alone with him. I can't trust myself around him so I won't be alone with him that's it, quite an easy thing to do, I can do that for sure'. She somehow managed to believe that she could avoid Kanata but something at the back of her mind told her that this was just the beginning and things were gonna downhill from here on. She had to avoid him again and this time the reason was completely different.
Next morning certain two were missing from the breakfast table.
"Miyu, are you up, I'm coming in" Nanami said barging into her room without waiting for any reply.
"Hey sleepyhead, what's wrong why are you clutching your ankle like that, Are you hurt?"
"I sprained my ankle yesterday" she replied, sparing her the details.
"Oh, you know you're lucky" - "for spraining my ankle" - "because it's raining cats and dogs. We can't have any barbecue or beach ball like we planned so we'll be partying indoors? Can you walk?" she asked her.
"Yes of course, the pain is quite dull now I don't feel most of it. A day will be enough to heal my ankle as healthy as horse" she grinned at her. Nanami gave her thumps up "you sure you don't need anything".
"Positive" Miyu beamed at her.
"Cool then, be down in an hour Kay" she left with that and Miyu sighed in relief. She hated lying but it wasn't a lie right. 'Nanami never asked me how it happened so I wasn't lying to her I just didn't tell her the whole truth, that's it'. She felt good for exactly a fraction of second before her head slopped down, she really hated lying.
"I really shouldn't lie to my friends but I can't tell them the truth. What am I supposed to tell them when I'm so confused myself" last night came to her mind and her cheeks grew warm. She headed to bathroom to cool herself down a bit.
After an hour everyone was scattered around in the hall or lobby or whatever it was.
"So guys since we ignored dear Mother Nature by not praying for good weather, she has taken her revenge upon us" Nanami started. Abrupt weather change had bothered her the most and she was determined to have equal fun indoors "here's what we gonna do, spin the bottle"
Christene flashed the empty bottle in front of everyone like it was some trophy. Miyu sighed inward, she hated spin the bottle but they didn't have much options if they were restricted to the indoors. She considered going back to her room and read some novels instead, she even had her leg as an excuse but then Nanami was trying so desperately to have fun and it would be wrong on her part for not supporting her friend so she dropped that idea. Just then her eyes flickered to Kanata. He was sitting next to Santa, looking utterly bored. He looked like he would bolt straight for his room any moment now.
'How could someone look so lonely despite of being surrounded by his friends?'
As if sensing her gaze he looked in her direction catching her sneaking on him. She hurriedly looked away, chagrined.
"Okay the rule is simple whoever facing the mouth of bottle will have to do whatever others decide and it can be anything AND you cannot say NO. Okay time to take revenge" she rubbed her palms together and spun the bottle.
Gradually coming to a halt the mouth of the bottle pointed at Nanami. "Payback time" Christene exclaimed in joy "asking you to dance is absolutely useless we should think of something else, something cruel" Aya said.
She was totally enjoying the opportunity as Nanami was the usual one to give others hell and annoy them seamlessly. Aya even tried to look as much vicious as possible though it was useless for her as her face spoke highly of her kind and loving nature. Nanami looked around as if daring her to give her an impossible situation.
"Is there someone you hate here" Aya asked. "Sure quite a lot" she replied nonchalantly. Aya took a moment before asking her who. "Kanata to name one, since I can't name Santa because I love my life dearly" she eyed Aya while saying that "but the one I the hate most is Nouzumo because" added seeing Aya who had asked her why "he's a friend of Kanata and backs him up for everything. He should've confronted him about the way he treated Miyu but then he too is like his friend, an idiot who treat girls like tissues or beings with no feelings".
"Wow she's quite honest" Santa commented eyeing Nouzumo who looked impassive. Miyu couldn't help wondering if he was hurting on the inside. She had a hint that he liked Nanami and then suddenly realised why Aya had specifically asked Nanami that question.
"Aya you wouldn't" but she gave her a mischievous wink and faced Nanami head-on "okay then your dare is to kiss the person you hate the most".
"Ouch" Miyu commented looking at Nanami who looked like she could do better with a punching bag instead.
After a pause she replied "I think you just traded positions so can I kiss you instead".
"No running away that was your idea" Aya said. Stalemate thought Miyu as she saw Nanami glaring at Aya. Daggers were directed at Aya who surprisingly didn't even flinch. Her motive clearly was to play the cupid and being friends with Nouzumo since middle school Aya also knew that there was a good guy beneath all that Casanova image Nouzumo had built for himself.
With a stony face Nanami leaned forward to kiss Nouzumo on his cheeks and retreated. It was quite a moment for Nanami to be speechless it was probably her first. Miyu literally saw her enthusiasm flushing down the drain but this was Nanami who hardly took a moment to bounce back and declared third world war "beware! Just wait till you meet the devil godmother" her face literally shining with malice and Aya's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before shrugging her threat away.
Next the bottle pointed at Christene who was a superb actor so she enacted actors more like making funny accents that turned into a comic act and everyone cheered her on.
Next the bottle pointed to Nouzumo who decided upon the dare himself "if you hate me so much then you can slap me as hard as you want for her making you kiss me. Why me? That's because I know you will never hurt your best friend no matter what you say otherwise" he said looking at Nanami who raised her eyebrows at his bid daring him to back off if he wasn't serious.
But he didn't react to her threat affirming her that he was serious. She seemed to consider the thought and then after a while agreed. His deadbeat conviction faltered her enthusiasm to slap him hard though but she decided to do it anyway. She took a deep breath and braced herself to give her best shot at it rubbing her palms together. She raised her right hand and slapped him with such politeness that shocked everyone including herself. She retreated to her spot seeming disappointed with herself. And there goes another wicket thought Kanata.
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sneek peek into next chapter
Kanata turned to Miyu "time for my performance princess" he said leaning closer to her face while others were still busy praising Mizuki. Her heartbeat quickened by their proximity and he walked back to sit in the middle leaving behind a dazed Miyu staring at his back. He connected his guitar with the speakers and stroked it a few times. A pleasant music began to flow in the air and instantly everyone turned to him. Everyone was looking forward to hear him sing. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath and opened them to look in front of him. Miyu sat right in front of him with Nanami and Christene on either side of her.
One might think he was looking at Christene but she could tell he was definitely looking at her. 'Why am I feeling nervous? He's the one performing not me then why is my heart racing crazy. He is acting strange'.
She couldn't forget the way he had called her princess smiling down at her. His eyes seemed to speak a lot more than he did. Kanata began to play his guitar and she found herself listening to the most beautiful voice she had ever heard. He was singing David Archuletta's 'Crush' which seemed to express everything he was feeling at the moment.