Answer the Phone

Later that night Hikari sat silently in her room, still thinking of Amane. Or rather at this point, she was crushing on her. It was very different watching someone compete and venerate them, and then to meet them up close in person. She started to text Yaya about her, but then remembered how she still got jealous when Hikari liked someone, even though she swore it had nothing to do with her long-gone crush on the blonde girl. It didn't seem that it should've been a problem anymore anyways; her and Tsubomi seemed different... comfortable? Easy around each other? Hikari didn't know how to put it. She opened up her phone to start her message, and smiled, thinking of what had happened in the park. She typed out:You'll never guess who just drove me home!

Well, it obviously wasn't this hotshot, so hit me.

Hikari giggled, and began her story.

Two hours into their conversation, Yaya's replies in huge astonishment and excitement, she heard her mother come home with Jack in tow, drunk at only six o' clock at night.

Jesus, it's not even six, it's only a quarter til. What a los-

CRASH. THUNK.

CRACK!

"Damnit, I SAID TO WATCH ME!" Yeah, he was definitely drunk again, and mom was his crutch, his eyes, his hands. And Hikari hated it. Her mother put up with it because "oh, he's only like that drunk. Honestly, he's such a sweet guy." Hikari had yet to see the sweet side of Jack.

"How am I s'posed to walk 'n this d'm'd house 'f y'r always 'n m' way?!" was the next yell coming through the hollow walls. "NO! Jus... just lea' me' 'lone... stupid bitch.."

Sighing again, Hikari heard the smacking into walls and the swearing continued into the other room, and finally he passed out on the bed in their room. She heard her mother go in with him, but she heard her come back out almost instantly. She came down the hall, thrusting Hikari's door wide open. "Stay. Quiet. I don't want him waking back up until he's sober!" Hikari nervously nodded her head, a little frightened by the hostility and fierceness of her mother. It wasn't her fault he had been drinking again so early. Or at all, not like it was ever actually her fault. Nonetheless however, there was nothing she could do to avoid this treatment. Her mother obviously cared more for Jack than she had for Hikari, her seemingly forgotten daughter. It had been this way for years, and it wouldn't be changing any time soon.

She hadn't noticed she had stopped texting Yaya during the whole event until she saw her phone light up with a new message: HEY! What the HELL did you do on that bike?

Hikari chuckled, replying: Sorry, nothing like your thinking, you perv. She just drove me home.

A few minutes later, she got back : Oh, I'm sure Ootori drove you allllll the way home ;)

Hikari blushed reading this, denying Amane to be anything like that, and they continued on with their bickering and bantering. Yaya was always making the sly joke when she could. Hikari, being quite oblivious and innocent, flushed her cheeks when she finally understood whatever naughty slur the black-haired girl might've said at some particular time.

Finally, Yaya said something totally off from her usual playfulness. Maybe you should just call her. You've got her number, right?

Hikari thought about this, suddenly craving to dial the numbers written on the small piece of paper Amane had given to her earlier that afternoon. It's a little late though.

So? She gave it to you for a reason. Yaya then added in another message, Maybe Ootori doesn't mind a little love at night ;D

You're nasty, you know that right? Hikari flushed bright, tomato red, and was so grateful her friend couldn't see her, or else the teasing would have been a thousand times worse. Hikari thought about what Amane might be doing right then, probably not even thinking about the small girl. She frowned, saddened. What could someone like me do to catch Amane's eye? Or even Yaya for that matter. With all the mess here... how could anyone want to deal with that? It's only because they don't know. Yaya protects me as best she can, sure, but at the end of the day, this is what I live with. Day in and day out... I'm sure Amane-sempai can tell. Maybe it was pity that she asked me to take a ride home with her. Even still, I wish I had at least hugged her goodbye, or...

Hikari wished now more than ever that she could talk to her mother, or someone other than Yaya about this sudden aching, longing for someone to hold her and care about her. Her raven haired friend had asked plenty a time from the last few years, but she was only ever just a friend, and no more feeling could be conjured from Hikari than that. Yes, Yaya had made her feel loved and cared for, much more than her mother had, but she wanted someone... to match her. Someone she could come home to at night, happy to see them, and them to see her, embracing them tightly as she walked through the door. Maybe not a lover, but...she wasn't sure. It definitely felt more than friendly, despite the fact this whole ordeal had started with another woman. Hikari had never given any thought to her preferences, she always had assumed she would eventually find a boy tolerable enough to spend her life with, one that wouldn't be quite as miserable to be around as Jack. That had partly been her belief because of the lack of attraction she'd felt to Yaya. But now, as she laid on her bed thinking of Amane, she wondered. It was only friendship she sought, right? Yes? No? Surely the images in her head of them together... maybe it was her hormones or something. In the end, she was still on the fence about romance.

Hikari decided to skillfully change the subject of their conversation to Yaya's sudden development in interest of Tsubomi-chan. Hikari chuckled as her friend's replies grew more and more defensive, thinking only of the attention that Tsubomi would receive by the tons from Yaya- in forms of teasing and loving. She thought they'd make a cute couple, but inside, this made her long to see Amane again even more, but too afraid to admit to herself why. Nonetheless, she let herself begin to daydream about the gazebo, failing to focus while Yaya ranted away, thinking of them huddled together, watching the rain, Amane's strong arms around her shoulder...Maybe stealing a kiss or two from Hikari...

-No. No no. Stop. This is wrong. Romance isn't what it should be, and Amane wouldn't look to you for it anyway.

They continued on for a while longer, Hikari devoting all her attention to their messaging, until Yaya said she was tired and was going to bed. It was early for her, before eleven o' clock meant that she must be extremely exhausted. She had heard Jack wake up, bitching and moaning about how there wasn't any food, when her mother had actually spent a good thirty minutes trying to put something random together for him. Hikari hadn't left her room to see what. She knew the risks of being seen by Jack would be like walking straight into a death sentence in his current state. The thoughts of him made her sick to her stomach, far too sick to even think about eating herself. She sat there and wished she could just move out, but, it was back to Amane her thoughts ran. The prince-like Amane, strong and sturdy like a bull, with the grace and build of a wildcat. All with the beauty of a moonlit nightingale. Just...stunning...heart pounding... impossibly wonderful Amane. She longed to speak with her again, but.. realistically, it was just so late... Hikari's indecision gnawed at her incessantly in the pit of her stomach. Jack and her mother were now asleep again, and their TV up, so no one would hear her if she had decided to call.

But... gosh, it's so late, she thought. She looked over at the clock- 9:20. Would it be rude to call? She knew it would be tactless to text her first. She thought of Yaya's advice, but she didn't want this Prince to to know about her crazy home life if it had slipped from her in an explanation for something. But it's because of that life that I met you today... She wasn't really sure to talk about, other than to thank her for the ride home, but hey, it was something. She rolled with it hoping for the best, picked up the phone and dialed the number.

Amane was just getting out of her shower and drying her wet blue hair. She wrapped herself in a towel, covering her long torso and only the top of her legs. She walked out of the bathroom and to her room to grab a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, her normal sleeping attire. She sat on her living room couch, and looked out of her apartment window, watching the rustling of the lone tree outside, and two birds flying off into the moonlit night. She'd been waiting all evening for an unknown number to light up her phone, but it rebelled, refusing to do anything but lie infuriatingly still. Already having given up, she reached to turn her phone off.

At the last second, it had rung, and Amane picked up immediately. "Hello?" she answered, a bit hurriedly.

"Uh, hi, um, would this be Ootori-senpai?"

Amane smiled and chuckled a bit, remembering how Hikari tried to treat her so formally in the gazebo. "Hey Hikari. What're you doing up so late?"

"Um..." Hikari stuttered a bit. Did Amane intimidate her? She had hoped not. "I wanted to thank you for the ride home today."

"It was my pleasure Hikari," Amane smiled, fondly remembering her red cheeks flushing against that damp blonde hair of hers. Her enormous blue eyes reminded her of dolphins, bouncing and playing in an ever-shining sun. They were probably ducked down, her cheeks red again. "By the way, just Amane is fine. you know. I don't worry around with formalities."

"Oh, um, okay then...sorry.."

Amane chuckled again, "Hikari, it's alright, don't get so down." You're too cute for that. She paused for a second, shocked and readjusting herself. "So, how are you? I know the rain was a bit chilly, you didn't actually end up getting a cold did you?"

There was a soft clutter of sound from the other end, and a pause. "Er, everything's good with me, no cold or anything," she giggled shyly, then asked in quieter reply, "How are you?"

But Amane wasn't entirely convinced. Deciding it wasn't really any of her business as to what was going on, she replied for sake of small talk. "Same. I just hopped outta the shower. So, was today your first time on a motorcycle?"

"Uh...yeah... did it show?" She could practically hear the growing redness in Hikari's cheeks as she admitted it.

Amane laughed again, smiling. "Heh. I thought so. I was scared senseless the first time I rode. You held on like a cat to a tree, so I kinda figured. Ever ride a horse?"

"Once, at a fair. But it was only a pony and my friend Yaya was holding my hand."

Amane thought for second. "Tomorrow, after I'm done training with Star Bright, would you like to go riding with us?"

"Hai!" She replied, excited. "If your not exhausted of course, you know. I'd love to."

"So... Meet me at the stables, the one from across the gazebo?"

"Alright, so, should I meet you there around the same time?"

"How's eleven?" Amane was all kinds of giddy, but why? "I wish I could've stayed longer with you today, but the rain was getting bad again. Needed to make sure Star Bright was alright." Star Bright hated thunder. Amane hoped it wouldn't be this bad on Saturday, or they might be in a little trouble. "We can always wait in the stables if it starts up again tomorrow, ah, to clear and everything."

You dork. Sound creepy to the kid why don't you?

"Of course I will!" Hikari replied, not thinking anything of anything other than their meeting tomorrow, regardless of the circumstances.

"Well alrighty then." Amane smiled again at the younger girl's enthusiasm. She heard a door open on the other end and some muted, hurried conversation. There was a great pause before she heard Hikari come back.

"Uh, Amane?" Hikari began to ask, not sounding the same. "Would it bother you if I left... like... right now?"

Amane was stunned by the sudden change in her voice. What happened? "No, it's all good. Everything okay Hikari?"

"Yeah, I just... I'll explain tomorrow.. I'm so sorry Amane, sleep well. Good night," she said a little sorrowfully.

"Good night, Hikari," Oh god, she thought. I hope she's okay...

Hikari couldn't have been any more resentful towards her mother. Jack was supposed to have been asleep, and so was she! They were on the other side of the house, it wasn't her fault if they couldn't hear the TV because of Jack's 'sensitive hearing', whom had now also cranked it up to a blasting cacophony in his drunken stupor. She had tried to keep her voice low, but she knew it washer excitement had given her away. It was like they had a radar for it. It was really just a reason for her mother to complain to her boyfriend. It has how they bonded, Hikari had realized. She could have talked to Amane all night tirelessly, but God forbid Jack should have to be reminded of his other tenant.

She sighed, realizing with a small glimmer of happiness that she still got the chance to speak with Amane again, and- Wait! Did she... have a date tomorrow? Hikari felt like she could bounce up to the moon, the sun, anything! She was going to see Amane again tomorrow! And to add to it, riding a horse with her! The frustration from her mother now gone, it took all her the might in her little body not to squeal in delight!

"Amane Ootori" Hikari whispered. Thank you...

She fell asleep fantasizing about their rendezvous, imagining Amane riding Star Bright as he galloped and jumped and flew across fields. They were inseparable from each other in Hikari's mind, and in all her awe and amazement, she felt no jealousy towards the beautiful white horse. He was so incredibly lucky to have Amane as his rider, they fit each other so elegantly, they were as regal as they were undefeatable. She remembered the first time she had watched Amane race- it was like a handsome knight was bounding away on her valiant steed. The pure beauty of Amane alone was breathtaking, but as Hikari had watched her in action, she took on the aura of someone straight out of a fantasy book. The memory of Amane's hair flipping across her beautiful brown eyes on the victory screen, her brilliant, kind smile, was the last thing she saw before she fell asleep.

Amane wondered nervously about Hikari. She wanted to call again, to see if she was okay. I'll see her tomorrow, she thought. Hopefully.

She looked again out the window, and saw the two birds return to their tree. she smirked. Lucky, she mused, happy for that some beings in this world found the ones they could count on coming home to every night. Oddly, she thought again of Hikari's blue eyes above her bright pink cheeks, a wide smile coming out from nowhere as she passed out on the couch.