|
As the thunder rolls (a short story) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thunder rolled outside the apartment, crashing and shaking the house. Irissa sat quietly, watching as the rain dripped down her window. She sighed, getting up from the window seat and making her way to the fridge. She opened it to find it bare. She heaved in disappointment. "Really, mother, could you at least get the shopping done once in a while?" she whispered into the empty house. But of course, it wouldn't have mattered if her mom were here or not. Which she never was. Such was the curse of being the daughter of TVs Miaka Hinumaru, single-mom extraordinary. Puh-lease. As if that was even close to the truth. Ever since her father'd up and left, Iris had been alone. She groaned, pulling on her jacket. And of course, the umbrella was already gone. "Great" she said, walking briskly out into the pouring rain, her stomach growling as she searched for food. It wasn't too far a walk, only a mile or so. But the rain made her feet freeze, the drops razors through her only jacket. "Damnit. Why the hell does this always happen?" she asked no one. She started her jog across the street, barely hearing the blare of the horn through her thoughts. She winced, waiting for the shot of pain from impact, the searing aches followed by nothing. 'Am I really going to die like this?' she thought. 'How lame. . .'
And then she felt the ground beneath her. She looked up, vision blurry as she slowly refocused. "Iris? Irissa!" came a muffled voice. Male? Maybe. She couldn't tell over the ringing in her eyes. She gave a moan.
"What in the--?" she questioned, trying to sit up, only to feel the dizziness resume in her head. A soft hand pushed her back down.
"Don't sit up just yet. You hit your head when I grabbed you. What were you thinking, just crossing the street like that?" the voice registered, finally. She looked up at the face, becoming clearer.
"Saishi?" she questioned, squinting her eyes against her jumbled brain. "When did you?" she started, though bits and pieces came back to her. She was about to get hit, and she'd felt hands go around her. Then, there was nothing. "Never mind" she said, shaking her head. 'Bad idea' she thought, her stomach churning. "Saishi, let me up. I'm fine, just dizzy okay?" she told reassuringly. He looked at her for a hard moment, then softened his grip.
"Fine. What were you doing out in the rain anyway?" he asked as she suddenly realized it was dry and warm. Had she been that close to his house or had he carried her. Her face automatically went red as she looked away.
"I was hungry. You know My mom's never home" she mumbled, shaking her wet hair from her eyes. He looked at her again, nodding.
"Ya, well, that's no excuse to almost get killed. I have plenty of food here, and You're not going back out there like this" he said sternly, almost daring her to complain. She sighed.
"Fine. You're like a worried mother hen" she teased, and his face went crimson in turn. She laughed.
"Go back to sleep, dummy. I'll wake you in an hour to make sure you still remember everything. Though I might like a forgetful you. Maybe you'll be more kind" he teased back, smiling and ruffling her hair.
"Whatever" she giggled, laying her head back down. She was faintly aware of her hunger, but she easily drifted to sleep as Saishi hummed an unreadable tune.
The sun was an unmistakable pain on the back of her eyelids. Saishi had woken her up every hour on the hour to make sure she knew her own name. Iris learned the first time that joking about that to him was not good. He'd almost had a cardiac arrest! Though as she remembered, each time she'd lain back to rest again, his soft smile was like a comforting glow, his deep humming soothing her back to dreams. A blush covered her face as she sat up, her head finally steady. She started, seeing Saishi asleep in a bean-bag chair next to the borrowed bad. 'He really stayed next to me all night' she though sweetly, smoothing a hair from his childish face. How long had they known each other, how many times had she been to this house and stayed in that bed? But it was different somehow. She couldn't place the feeling and shrugged it off as nothing. . .
As she went into the kitchen, she opened the familiar cabinets, the drawers she knew as well as her own, and began to make breakfast: Bacon, sausage, and pancakes. As she sat down at the table, her meal made and ready, a creaking floorboard came from the other room and Saishi's drowsy face appeared. "Why are you cooking when you could barely talk yesterday?" he asked, his tone sleepy with a tint of anger.
"As a thank you" she replied with a smile, her face a slight pink. He looked at her and laughed sleepily.
"You know, people are going to think strange things about you, Iris. What, coming to school with a hunk like me. 'And from his house! Oh you naughty girl'" he teased, mimicking her friends voice. She laughed, getting up from the table with an empty dish.
"You're such a dork, Saishi. Like they would be that stupid" she said back, though there was a tug at her heart. Why was it that, after being friends for so long, she wished that maybe people would get that idea. Would it really be that bad? She shook her now rubicund visage. "Enjoy your breakfast, Shi-shi. I need to go get my school things" she called behind her, racing quickly out the door. She heard him call after her, but she had to get away. Why was her heart pounding? Why?
She caught her breath outside her door, thankful to be out of the all-too-liked atmosphere. When had Saishi gotten so tall and handsome? 'Idiot, he's always been cute' she thought, opening her door. She sighed, scolding herself for leaving it unlocked all night. Though she hadn't been expecting to be gone so long. And she never had bought anything for the fridge. "That's just great" she called into the house. No reply. Miaka still wasn't home.
Going into her room, Iris looked for an outfit to wear to school. Seeing as she only had an hour until bell, she picked the first jeans and shirt in the drawers and quickly hopped into the shower. The beating of warm water would surely clear her head, right?
Finishing and feeling only slightly renewed, she got ready for the school day and grabbed her satchel, twisting the knob to her front door, opening to see the familiar face of her best friend, Emi. "Morning chick" she said with a small smile. Emi looked at her with a friendly face.
"I saw you leaving Saishi's. Anything you want to tell me?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows. Iris rolled her eyes.
"Ya. I almost got hit by a car and he took me in. Any other dirty thoughts you wish to get out of your system?" she teased, nudging her as they walked the path-always-taken to school. Emi sighed, obviously disappointed.
"No. You're too squeaky clean, you know know that Ris?" she heaved, shifting her bag from one hand tot he other. Iris nodded with a smirk.
"Ya. Completely" she said, rolling her eyes.
The bell rung in the distance as she made her way into her classroom. Looking over the rows of seats, she flushed as Saishi stared at her with a welcoming smile. He made his way over to her. "So why'd you rush off this morning anyway? I was just kidding around" he said apologetically. She sighed.
"I know that. I had to get ready and meat up with Emi. We barely made it to school in time as is" she said. "And quiet down about that. I already have Emi thinking we were up to something, I'd rather not be known as a class whore ok?" she said more snappily than intended. He winced back and she looked away. "Sorry, okay? I'm just. . . tired" she admitted. Being 16 and taking care of a house on your own was a-LOT of work, and holding a part time job on most weeknights didn't help either. She felt his hand on her shoulder and her cheeks went a soft shade of pink.
"I'm always here to help okay? So don't hesitate to call or show up. I'll always have your back" he said to her quietly, walking back over to his seat. She sat silently in hers as her heart pounded. Lessons that day went by in a blur as she sat in awe.
'Did he really just. . .? What am I thinking? I've known him for years. Do I really. . .'
She cut off her thinking, shaking her head and looking down at her almost empty notebook. The teacher glared at her. 'Damn.'
Weeks had passed since the stormy night, and things weren't really any worse or better. Her heart still hammered when he was near her. His face flushed when she offered compliments. Rumors had even started about them. Not that she didn't like that others were backing off. Just. . . why was she so happy about it?
Her mother had come and gone a few times, though barely had they spoken until she was off to another job or shoot. Iris was again alone in the little apartment. Why her mom wouldn't buy a bigger house with all that loot was beyond her. Again, it poured as she stared out her window. 'Maybe I'll just take a little stroll' she thought emptily, grabbing her boots and overcoat. She'd planned for another rain after her last mishap. Clonking down the stairs, she sauntered towards the park. Or was it really the park she was after? After all, right around the corner was Saishi's house. . . and suddenly she found herself outside his place, staring blankly at the window to the room she knew was his. "What the hell am I doing?" she mutter to herself, turning to walk away. She was face to face with the boy she'd come to see.
" 'sup Riss? Something wrong?" he asked as her mouth formed an O. She stuttered a lot of "uh"s and "um"s, but nothing would come out right. Her face was bright red with shock, embarrassment, and excitement at seeing Saishi.
He smiled, stroking her cheek softly. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to come to me, you dummy? Four years!" he exclaimed, and though his voice was light, his eyes told that he was not lying. He gripped her in a hug. "That is, if you really are here for what I think you are. . ." he trailed off.
She giggled, squeezing herself to him in the embrace. "Ya. I am. Sorry for making you wait" she said quietly, faintly aware of the world around her. He lifted her chin and kissed her cheek, then her lips. In the distance, thunder rolled.
((Finally Finished!!!! Hope it's good v.v))
 Phantom Mutt · Tue Mar 02, 2010 @ 04:55am · 0 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
