Hey, Nukia here!
This fanfiction is a side story to Beyond This Love.
I don't know if any of my old readers are reading my rewrites anymore, but I'm going to keep going. This is another random chapter, it took longer this time because my writing confidence got knocked once again.
But thank you for the reviews, favorites and the alerts! Also to the unknown people who read my fanfictions, I promise it will pick up at some point! If you don't like it, then don't read it.
Chapter 23!
I groaned as I heard my alarm clocking beeping, I rolled over onto my side and turned it off without opening my eyes. I snuggled my face into my pillow and yawned, I don't want to get out of bed today. It was the 5th of November which meant two things, it was Bonfire night and it was also my 14th birthday. I heard a knock at my room's door, I opened my eyes slightly and sat up in my bed. I pulled my blankets away from me, I got out of my bed and walked over to the door. I unlocked the door, I opened it slightly and peeped through the tiny gap into the corridor. I saw Nonie standing the corridor with a card and yellow balloon in her hand, she had a big smile on her face.
" Time to get up!" She yelled from the corridor. " It's your birthday! I saw a gorilla in the zoo that looked like you or something like that, I can't remember all of that birthday song. Are you going to let me in?"
" Thank you Nonie for your birthday wishes, but I'm tired right now and in need of a shower to wake myself up..." I replied and pulled my face away from the gap. " I'll be down in half an hour, I just need to do a few things first.."
" Come on, let me in!" She frowned. " I've brought you a balloon and made you a card, doesn't that earn me some kind of entrance into your room well I wait for you!"
I groaned closed the room's door, I told Nonie again that I would meet her in dinner hall in half an hour. I heard her kicked my room's door, she said something about being grumpy and that she would leave the balloon outside of my room. Something tells me I'll be her bad books today, but I'm to tired to think about her wrath right now. I quickly got showered, tied my hair up into a ponytail and chose a pink dress to wear. I put my Mum's butterfly necklace on, I sprayed myself with some body spray and put the bracelet on that A had brought me from Japan. I quickly put my black slip on shoes on, I opened my room's door and gently got hit in the face by the balloon Nonie had brought me. I untied it from the door-handle, I opened the card attached to the balloon and smile. Nonie had drawn a little rabbit on it with flowers and trees, it looks like she worked really hard on it.
" How sweet!" I smiled as I opened up the card and then raised one of my eyebrows. " Oh my, that's disturbing..."
Nonie had drawn a headless rabbit inside the card, there was blood squirting from it neck and the trees around it were burning. I sighed as I walked over to my dressing table, I tied the balloon's string to the back of my chair and placed the card Nonie had made me next to my hairbrush. I walked over to my bed, I quickly made it and drew back the curtains. I put all my dirty laundry in my washing basket, I grabbed my bag from the end of my bed and hung it over my shoulder as I left my room.
It didn't take me long to get to the dinner hall, it had just turned 8:25am and all the students were busy eating their breakfast. I took a tray from the tray holder, I walked over to the deli counters and chose myself some breakfast. I picked a bowl of mixed fruit, a strawberry yogurt and a cup of tea. I looked around the hall, I spotted Nonie sitting at a table in the back of the dinner hall. I took a spoon from the cutlery tray, I walked over to where she was sitting and stopped next to the table. She was wearing sunglasses for some reason, she had her earphones on and bobbed her head along to music she was listening to as she ate some of her toast.
" Morning Nonie, I'm sorry about earlier..." I said, I tilted my head and watched her eating some more of her toast as she continued to bob her head. " Nonie! Hello!"
" What?!" She yelled slightly." What do you want?!"
" Nevermind, you just keep listening to your music..." I sighed and sat down at the table. " I'll just eat my breakfast in silence, you keep doing what you're doing..."
" Hello SJ, I didn't notice you there!" She smirked, she removed her earphones from her head and hung them around her neck." Funny that you didn't notice me being nice to you this morning, I was standing right in front of your face and you didn't invite me into your room when I would have let you in my room to wait for me!"
" I guess I deserved that after this morning, I apologize for my behavior..." I sighed." I was over tired, I was up till 11pm trying to finish my thousand word literacy paper on Hamlet, Prince of Denmark last night. I've still not finished it and it's meant to be in by tomorrow, so it will be another late night for me..."
" Forget about it, I mean who is actually happy first thing in the morning?" She asked." I'm terrible first thing in the morning, I once punched A in the face for waking me up before my alarm clock went off..."
" That doesn't sound very pleasant, poor A..." I replied with a giggle.
" Yeah, but he knows not to wake me up before my alarm clock goes now..." She smirked.
" Thank you for the balloon and card by the way, I've not had a balloon since I was a child..." I smiled and picked my spoon up from my tray. " Where are Backup and A anyway? It's not like them to be late for breakfast, especially Backup because I know he likes to get to the strawberry jam before any of the other students..."
" They had their breakfast early today, so you're stuck with me until morning lessons begin..." She replied. " You're welcome about the balloon, I found it in a tree outside in the garden and thought I'd give it to you. Pretty thoughtful though, right?"
" Oh right, but yes that was very thoughtful of you..." I answered. " Nonie, can I ask why you're wearing sunglasses indoors?"
" Oh, erm my eyes are sore this morning..." She replied." I must have got some dirt in them or something, they're be fine in a few hours..."
" Do you want me to take you to the nurse?" I asked.
" Nah, I've already cleaned my eyes out with some eye drops the nurse gave me a few weeks ago..." She replied and popped her last piece of toast into her month. " My eyes get sore and blurry sometimes, I think I may need glasses at some point. But the nurse said it could be due to all the studying I've been doing lately, a lot reading over a long period of time can put a strain on your eyes. My eyes have been sensitive to light as well and I keep getting headaches, I'm going to ask for an optical examination soon..."
" I didn't know, if you need any help just let me know..." I smiled.
" Thanks, so are you going to the Bonfire display tonight on the grounds?" She asked as she put her CD player inside of her red hoody. " Watari does it every year for the children, but it's kind of lame when you get to your teenage years. I maybe 14 now, but I was finding it dull way before then. But my question is are you coming or will you be to busy with your literacy paper? I'm just going to help out with the younger students, they need supervision at all times around the fireworks. Especially this little boy called Mello, he's one little tearaway!"
" What time does it begin?" I asked.
" About 6pm, there will be food served before the display begins..." She answered and got up from the table. " I heard that there is someone you may know who will be working in the kitchen tonight, she's named after a flower. I can't remember her name, but she told me she knows you though..."
" Rose?" I asked.
" Yeah that's her name, Rose Alice Morrissey!" She replied as she put her earphones back on and picked her tray up from the table. " I'm going now, I've got to be at Watari's office by 9am. I'll see you later on!"
I said goodbye to Nonie and I watched her walk away from the table. I took my yogurt pot from my tray, I ripped the lid from the pot and licked the lid clean. I wonder how she knows Rose's full name? No one normally tells a person their full name without a reason, that's very odd how she knows Rose's full name. I placed the lid down on my tray, I spooned some of my yogurt into my mouth and stared at the wall as I finished the rest of my breakfast in silence.
The last lesson of the day just ended, I hurried back to my room to get changed into some other clothes so I could help out in the kitchen. I normally helped with the cleaning of kitchen after dinner, but I asked Watari if I could go earlier today so I could spend sometime with Rose in the kitchen well she cooked and then I would help with the cleaning part of the kitchen later. He had said yes, so I had to hurry and get to the kitchen quickly. I slammed my room's door behind me, I threw my bag on my bed and quickly got undressed. I hurried over to my dresser, I opened the top draw and rummaged through it.
" You'll do!" I said to myself as I took a blue t-shirt from the draw. " Now I need some jeans!"
I quickly put my t-shirt on, I closed the draw and opened the middle draw of my dresser. I found a pair of black jeans, I put them on and fastened them up well I rushed over to my dressing table. I took my friendship bracelet off, I clipped my hair up into a messy bun and put my shoes back on. I hurried out of my room, I closed the door behind me and ran along the corridor. I turned into another corridor and collided with someone. I stumbled backwards slightly, I rested my hand on the wall and looked down at a hooded person sitting on the floor as they leant back against the wall. I watched the person remove their hood, the first thing I saw was blond hair and then bright blue eyes. I covered up my mouth with both my hands as I realized it was A, I watched him rubbing the back of his head as he looked up at me with a not amused expression on his face.
" Bloody hell SJ, no running in the corridors!" He frowned. " You should know that rule by now, it's one of the first rules you learn when you move here!"
" I'm so sorry, are you okay?" I muffled from behind my hands." I really am sorry, I hope I didn't hurt you do much!"
" I'll live, but I may have permanent brain damage now..." He replied and got up from the floor. " God damn that hurt, you're like a tank when you're rushing around!"
" I said I was sorry, would you like me to get you a nurse?" I asked as I removed my hands from my face." I could walk you to the hospital ward part of the orphanage or take you to the kitchen and make you some tea. I'm sure there is a first aider in the kitchen, they will tend to your injuries..."
" I'll be fine, so what's with the rushing?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his head. " I was actually on my way to see you, I've got you something for your birthday..."
" I'm sorry, but I need to be somewhere..." I replied. " I'm on my way to the kitchen, Rose is here and I wanted to see her because I've not seen her for over 6 months! I'll come and find you later, but for now I need to be somewhere!"
" But it's your birthday, surely Rose won't mind you being a few minutes late..." He sighed, he took hold of my wrist and led me back down the corridor where I had just come from moments ago. " Come on, it won't take a moment and I swear you'll love your present or I hope you'll love it!"
" Fine, you have 10 minutes of my time and then I must go..." I sighed.
" Great!" He smiled.
I let A lead me down the corridor, we went up three flights of stairs to the very top floor of The Wammy House. I've never been to this part of the building before and by the look of it no one ever cleans up here, the corridors are so dusty. A told me this is where Watari kept all of students personal belongings and private files, I'm not sure he's even meant to be sharing any of this information with me. But he also told me that each room on this floor had security finger scanners which could be only opened by Watari, Mr Ruvie and L.
" Where are we going exactly?" I asked. " How long will this take? I'm meant to be helping out with the cooking for the Bonfire display later, I don't think the head of the kitchen will be pleased with me if I turn up late..."
" Stop worrying, I'm sure Rose will cover for you until you get there..." He replied, he stopped me in front of a door and took a key from his pocket. " We're here now anyway, I promise it will not take long..."
" I hope so, I don't want to get in trouble with Mr Ruvie again..." I sighed.
I watched A unlock the door, he let go of my wrist and opened the door. I stood on my tiptoes as I peeped over his shoulder, there was a dark staircase behind the door. I shook my head at A as he looked at me over his shoulder with a goofy smile on his face, there is no way I'm going up those stairs even if it involves a birthday present.
" I'm not going up there, it looks dirty and creepy!" I sighed.
" Oh come on SJ, it's not like it's dangerous up there or anything!" He replied as he turned around to face me. " It's not like you'll be going up those stairs alone, I'll be right behind you. I'm going to guide you up those stairs, so you don't have to worry about tripping up or anything..."
" What do you mean by guiding?" I asked.
" You've just have trust me, come on and be sport!" He replied with a smile." It will be worth it and you'll love it, I promise! I've worked really hard trying to arrange this present for you, don't let all of my hard work go to waste!"
" Okay, I guess it would be horrible if I let all of your hard work go to waste..." I sighed.
" Great!" He smiled as he took a red woolen scarf from inside of his hoody. " But I need to blindfold you first, it's a surprise after all..."
" So that's what you meant by guiding, you wanted to blindfold me so I don't see your surprise until you're ready to unveil it to me..." I said as I crossed my arms. " Why didn't you just say that in the first place?"
" Yeah, something like that..." He replied.
" Can't I just close my eyes instead?" I asked.
" You could, but I think you'd end up peeking and ruining the surprise..." He replied, he hung the scarf over his shoulder and held his hands up in front of him. " I'll cover your eyes with my hands instead, they're clean..."
" I guess your hands are better than that scarf, doesn't that scarf belong to Nonie?" I asked.
" No, it's Backup's scarf..." He replied and walked behind me. " Come on, I don't want any rats or bats or any sticky fingered children stealing what I've got for your birthday. Are you ready?"
" Okay, I'm ready..." I answered.
I felt A cover up my eyes with his hands, he slowly led me up the staircase and stopped me at the top of the stairs. He told me to keep my eyes closed and stay still, I wonder what he's up to? I listened to his footsteps walking around the room, I heard a lot of furniture being moved around and then the room went silent. I felt something brush against my hand, I jumped slightly and then heard A tell me that it was him. He took hold of both of my hands and led me forward, he stopped me again and let go of my hands.
" Can I open my eyes yet?" I asked.
" Not just yet, give me another few moments..." He replied.
" Fine, but this surprise better be worth the wait!" I smiled.
" Alright, it's ready!" I heard A say. " But I want you to count to three first before you open your eyes, have you got that?"
" Yes, I've got it!" I giggled.
I counted to three in my head, I opened my eyes to see A standing next to an old-fashioned looking table with a white cardboard box on it. I walked over to it, I removed the lid from the box to find a chocolate cake topped with cream and chopped strawberries. It's looked amazing and delicious, the smell of chocolate filled my nostrils. I felt my stomach rumble, I placed my hands on my stomach and chewed at my bottom lip as my mouth watered.
" Surprise!" I heard him say. " Happy birthday!"
" A cake?" I asked with a hint of surprise in my voice. " You brought me a whole cake for my birthday?"
" Yeah, double chocolate cake with whipped cream and topped with fresh chopped strawberries!" He replied as he took a knife from the box." I thought it was the safe bet getting you something that you could enjoy with your friends, I know you like cake and chocolate. So, do you want me to cut you a piece?"
" Well I guess I have time for a slice of cake, just a small slice..." I replied. " So yes please I would like a slice cake, it's smells fantastic..."
" Cool, why don't you take a seat over by the window..." He said as he cut into the cake with his knife. " I'll bring your piece of cake over to you, enjoy the views of the orphanage's grounds or something well you wait. You can see for miles up here, I sometimes come to think here well I study and just look out of the window. It's so peaceful up here, no one ever comes up here besides me..."
" Okay, will Backup and Nonie be joining us?" I asked. " Surely they would like a slice of cake too, did you invite them to join us?"
" I did mention to them about it, they just said maybe and continued with their daily lessons..." He replied. " Two is better than none though, right?"
" I guess, we'll have to just save them some cake..." I replied.
I walked over to the window, it was a beautiful old arched Victorian window. I sat down on the window seat, I adjusted a few of the pillows on the seat and took a look through the window. It was getting dark now, but you can see across the whole of The Wammy House's grounds. I could also see a few lights far away in the distance, those lights must belong to a few cottages that I remember passing by when Watari drove me to the orphanage. I pulled my knees to my chest, I leant back against the wall and looked over at A. He was putting the lid back on the box, he picked two plates up from the table and walked over to me. He held one of the plates towards me, I took the plate from his hand and rested it on my knees.
" The cake looks really delicious, I can't wait to try it..." I smiled
" Same here, it looks like a sugar coma waiting to happen!" He chuckled and sat down on the window seat across from me. " So what else did you get for your birthday today?"
" I got a card and a balloon from Nonie, that's about it..." I replied as I cut my cake with my spoon. " She made me a card, it was cute until I opened it. There was a rabbit on the front of the card which she had drawn and then a headless rabbit inside the card with blood pouring from its neck, I guess it's the thought that counts..."
" That sounds disturbing, but that's my sister for you..." He chuckled.
" I'm use to your sister ways now, but I like her even if she as her creepy moments..." I smiled, I spooned some of my cake into my mouth and closed my eyes as I let out a happy squeal. " Oh my god!"
" What? Is there something wrong with the cake?" He asked.
" No, this cake is so delicious!" I smiled as I spooned some more of my cake into my mouth. " Its tastes just like the cake Rose use to make me when I lived with her and my Aunt in the cottage. Where did you get it from?"
" Rose made it for me, I asked her a few weeks ago if she would make you a cake for your birthday..." He answered as he placed his plate down on the window seat. " I thought it would be nice treat seeing as it's your first birthday at The Wammy House, also it's your 14th birthday. That as to be celebrated, right?"
" I guess so, this is a really sweet of you..." I replied and spooned some more cake into my mouth. " Thank you for arranging the cake, I really appreciate it. Rose always baked me a chocolate cake on my birthday without fail, she would serve it after lunch with tea and pink wafers. My Aunt never ate any of the chocolate cake though, she was more of a fruit cake and custard person... "
" Ah shoot! If I knew about the pink wafers I would have brought some, I've not had a pink wafer for years!" He smiled. " But you're welcome, you did the same thing for me on my birthday with the toffee cheesecake you made for me. It was so delicious, remind me to ask you for the recipe at some point..."
" I'll write it down for you later, what time are Backup and Nonie meant to be getting here?" I asked as I looked through the window. " It's dark now, the bonfire display will begin in a few hours. I don't think they will have time for cake, maybe we should go and find them..."
" Yeah about that, I kind of told a few white lies..." I heard him say. " They're not coming, I just wanted to get you alone for a while. I don't really get to spend much alone time with you anymore, I kind of miss it just being me and you..."
" Oh I see, it's doesn't matter I guess..." I said as I ate some more of my cake. " I kind of miss it being just the two of us as well, we use to have so much fun as children. I guess growing up chances that and we have to learn to stand on our own two feet, do you ever think where we will be in 10 years time?"
" Sometimes I do, but 10 years is so faraway..." He replied.
" Where do you think you'll be in 10 years time?" I asked.
" Probably a private investigator, I want to earn my own money and get the hell out of this place..." He replied. " I want to be my own boss, I don't want to be under the panda detective's control forever. I want to make a mark on the world, not in the way L does it but in my own way. I want to help people, but I also want to show them that they don't have to be scared of the dark or fear criminals and just show them that there is still good people left in this world will are willing to bend over backwards to help them. How about you? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
" Living back at my Aunt's cottage with an army of cat babies and maybe running some of my Aunt's charities in her name, I'm really not sure yet..." I replied and licked some cream away from my bottom lip. " I also want to go traveling, I want to see all the wonderful places in the world!"
" Really? I thought you'd have said married with children or something a long those lines, I see you as a homely person..." He chuckled. " But travelling, that sounds fun..."
" I don't know if I want children, you have to share your belongings with them and take care of them forever!" I laughed. " But who knows, no one can really tell the future or where we will be in 10 years time. I just hope I still know you then, you're my friend for life!"
" What about Backup and Nonie?" He asked.
" They can be the background figurines, I still want them in my life sometimes..." I replied.
" Can I ask you something?" He asked.
" Sure!" I replied and continued to eat my cake. " What would you like to know?"
" This may sound weird or just frighten you to death which I hope it doesn't because that would make me sad knowing that I caused your death, but I just wanted to ask you something..." He replied. " I don't know how to word what about to say to you, but I'm just going to say it straight out, okay?"
" Okay!" I smiled.
" Elizabeth, would you like to be my girlfriend or companion?" He asked. " I'm not sure how relationships work at The Wammy House, I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to have relationships with female students here. But I like you, I've like you for a very long time and I respect you as a human being. I'm waffling, but I'm so nervous right now!"
I stopped my spoon near my mouth and stared at him, did he just ask me to be his girlfriend? I slowly ate the piece of cake from my spoon, I let go of my spoon and let it hang from my mouth. I felt my spoon fall from my mouth, I heard it clink on my plate and I continued to stare at him. I watched his him raise his eyebrow at me, he had a confused look on his face. I felt something dribble down my chin, I quickly wiped some drool away from my chin and bit at my bottom lip as I looked away from his gaze.
" That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for SJ, forget I said anything..." He said and got up from the window seat. " I'll see you at the Bonfire display, I hope this doesn't affect our friendship..."
" A wait, don't go yet!" I said.
I quickly got up from the window seat, I wrapped my arms around him and snuggled my face into his chest. I felt him wrap his arms around me, he rested his chin on the top of my head and softly chuckled. I gently pulled him away from me and looked up at him, he had a smile on his face. I smiled back at him, I stood on my tiptoes and softly kissed his cheek. I wrapped my arms back around him and sighed as a smile crept across my face.
" I like you too, I accept your offer..." I said.