Capitolo 15 :: 15

Pubblicato: 01-04-06 - Ultimo aggiornamento: 05-04-06

Commenti: A boring "middle" chapter. Enjoy!

Capitolo: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

»Omigod! «  

Kaori rolled her eyes. »Would you knock it off already?! «  

Bridget turned on the bench, shaking her head. »I can’t. Don’t huff, okay. I just saw with my own eyes why you couldn’t forget him. And why you’re still a little in love with him. «  

A little? Kaori stared at the lawn in front of her.  

»He has this air about him. « Bridget sighed. »I can’t explain it… this air of vulnerability and strength, kindness and roughness all in one package. Damn, girl, you really know how to pick ‘em! «  

»Bridget, please, stop it! «  

»And how he just left when you said you were soon moving the ring back on the right finger. I wanted to hug him. «  

Kaori rolled her eyes again. »Yeah, I’m sure you just wanted to hug him… And knowing him, I’m sure it would stay just at a hug. «  

»Oh, come on, Cor. «  

Kaori glared at her best friend. »Should I remind you of someone named Luke? It seems you’ve forgotten all about him! «  

Bridget grinned. »Is that jealousy I detect? «  

Kaori just stared at her with her mouth hanging open.  

»Because I should remind you of someone named Mick. « Bridget bit her tongue as she saw her friend’s stare darken. »Have you decided? « she asked softly.  

Kaori sighed. »I told everybody I’m keeping the ring, haven’t I? «  

»Everybody? … Or just him? It seemed as if you were saying it just to get a reaction and you got it. « Bridget draped her arm over Kaori’s shoulders. »I’m not saying you should dump Mick, but I hope you will think about it hard, before making the final decision. «  

Kaori sighed, her eyes veiling with tears.  

»Cory… Promise me you will think it through. If you make the right decision, only one of you will suffer… «  

Kaori chuckled. »Only? «  

»But if you make the wrong one… you’re all going to suffer… for life. « Bridget kissed her cheek. »Are you ready to take that risk? «  

Someone was banging heavily on her door. Reika glanced out of the window. Night was falling fast. Who could it be at that hour?  

As she opened the door, she didn’t even have time to say ‘Hi!’ Ryo already had his arms around her waist and his tongue deep inside her mouth.  

For a second, Reika felt in Heaven. She couldn’t believe she was that lucky. The man she loved has finally taken the first step… but then she tasted alcohol on his breath… large quantities of it. And it clicked.  

Pushing at his chest, she shoved him away, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand.  

»What the hell is wrong with you? «  

He stared at her unfocusedly. »What? « he slurred. »I thought you’d be happy. With your crush on me and all that jazz. «  

»You’re drunk! «  

»So? «  

She narrowed her eyes. »Why are you drunk? «  

He shrugged, plopping on the couch. »I’m always drunk this time of day. «  

Reika put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot. »It’s still kinda early, don’t you think? «  

He smiled. »To be drunk or for crazy monkey love? «  

She frowned.  

Ryo sighed. The booze was wearing off. He didn’t want that. He wanted to forget. Forget about her.  

»C’mon, Reika-chan. Come here, I know you want it. I know you want me. «  

She sat in the armchair facing him. »The problem is you don’t want me. You just want a willing body, hoping it would make you forget her. «  

His dark eyes narrowed. »What the hell are you talking about? «  

»Why don’t you face the facts here, Ryo? You want only one woman and she’s not available. She’s engaged to your best friend… she’s sleeping with your best friend. «  

Ryo growled, a low, guttural tone.  

Reika smiled sadly. »In that tiny brain of yours, you think she betrayed you and now you want to get back to her. But guess what, chum! I’m not willing to participate. «  

»I’m sorry, « he mumbled, defeated. What has he been thinking?… Hell, he hasn’t been thinking. All he could think about, all he could still see, were those hazel eyes staring at Mick with affection. All he could still hear was her voice, saying she’d be soon moving the ring…  

»I shouldn’t have… «  

»It’s okay. « She sighed. »Do you wanna talk about it? «  

He was silent for a while. »Do you have any coffee? «  

She slowly smiled. »Coming right up. «  

Kaori closed the suite door, tiredly leaning her back against it. Her friend was a real pain in the butt when she wanted to be.  

Mick poked his head out of the bedroom, a toothbrush between his teeth. »Hey, « he mumbled.  

»Hey. « She followed him to the bathroom, watching him spit in the sink. »Going to bed? «  

»Not really. « He spit again. »They’re having an Indiana Jones evening on Channel 4. I thought we might watch it together. «  

Observing her in the mirror, he frowned as she just sighed. Something wasn’t right. What did they talk about with Bridget?  

»Are you okay? «  

She rubbed the bridge of her nose. »Just tired. «  

It wasn’t that and they both new it. She was Lady Mystery again.  

»Where’s Bridget? «  

»She went home. «  

A blond eyebrow arched. »So soon? «  

»She missed Luke, I guess. «  

Mick walked to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. »What is it, baby? « His eyes saddened as she flinched. »You can tell me. You can tell me everything, Kaori. «  

She kept her eyes on his chest, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.  

Mick watched her with his heart in his throat. Would she tell him what was on her mind? Would she tell him what she discussed with Bridget? Or would she…  

Kaori lifted her head, a brilliant smile on her lips, and his heart fell.  

»I’m fine, really. « She kissed his cheek. »I’m just going to bed. Enjoy the movies. «  

And she pushed him out of the bathroom, closing the door in his face.  

Mick sighed. They were back at the beginning with her being secretive. Something was bothering her. She was worried about something, but she didn’t want to talk to him about it. Obviously, it was something Bridget said, but he knew the woman wouldn’t tell him a word if he called her for explanations.  

Something was troubling her so much, she didn’t even want to watch the Indiana Jones movies.  

Or didn’t she want to watch them with him…  

Kaori poked her head out of the bedroom, seeing him sit on the couch, staring at the wall with a forlorn expression. She wanted to kick herself for being such an idiot. She hurt him. She was being all mysterious again and it was cutting Mick deep.  

But she couldn’t talk to him about her problem, even though the problem was as much his as hers. She couldn’t talk to him, because she herself didn’t know what she could say to him.  

Seeing Bridget at Cat’s Eye, she had hoped her best friend would help her clear the muddle in her brain, but Bridget just managed to further confuse her.  

Before she made the final decision, before she gave up one way for the other, she needed to think things through clearly and calmly. And to do that, she needed…  

She needed to talk to Ryo. In private. Alone, just him and her. She just hoped they would be able to talk like adults, without insults, without yelling… without holding nothing back. She needed a clear picture.  

»Good night, Mick, « she whispered, before softly closing the door.  

Mick turned his head toward the door, his blue eyes sad, but resolved.  

»Good night, my love, « he whispered. 

Capitolo: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26