Robyn and ***** sitting in a tree . . .
“How are you doing, you devilishly good looking guy?”
The tall reflection in the hall mirror, winked and brushed back the short blue hair, puffing it up. For a few seconds, it stood up as if it were wind tossed, but then the strands lay back down messier than they were before. Rowen frowned at his uncooperative hair, and attacked it with a comb for the third time that day.
“Today is it. I can feel it,” Rowen told himself, turning around to make sure his silk shirt was tucked in all the way. He had been waiting for this day for a long time. Now that school was out, he didn’t have to worry about papers and exams, and start focusing on more important things. Her.
This would be the first summer that she would be spending in Toyama, and Rowen intended to make it one to remember. “Today,” he told his reflection, “is the day I will ask Robyn out on a date. Yeah.”
He clenched his fists in determination. Nothing was going to stop him from getting a date with Robyn this Saturday night. The setup was perfect. Robyn, the guys, and he were going to see a movie, then go back to Kento’s house to play games. Rowen knew Robyn wasn’t a big fan of video games, so he could invite her to go outside for a while, just the two of them. And to ensure his success, he wore his special silky shirt. He bought it when he found out Robyn liked them, just in case they sat together in the movie and she wanted to feel it.
Rowen grinned foolishly at his reflection and his brilliant plan. He had waited most of the school year to ask the red-headed angel that fell into their lives last fall. He had waited so long because of all the strange things that had been happening. First it was that freaky cult, then cat women from Tokyo and finally graduation. But now that reality had been restored, he was going to proclaim his admiration to the girl of his dreams.
A loud obnoxious honk broke Rowen out of his day dreaming, and then a ring at his door. Realizing his friends had arrived, he cast a quick glance in the mirror to check if anything was out of place, grabbed some money from his room, and ran for the door.
Instead of the bright green he wished for, crystal blue eyes met his disappointed ones.
“Come on, Rowen,” Ryo told him. “Kento’s been honking forever. We’re going to miss the movie if you don’t hurry.”
The horn sounded again from the beat-up jeep, reiterating Ryo’s words.
“I’m coming,” Rowen shouted at the impatient Hardrock, and followed the raven haired boy to the noisy monster of a vehicle. He grumbled to himself, thinking that the active Wildfire had already called shotgun, so he would have to sit in the cramped back seat of the tiny jeep. But with one glance at the back seat changed his attitude completely. Next to Cye was the red-haired Robyn, leaning forward to change the channel on Kento’s stereo.
“Hey, don’t touch my radio,” Kento yelled, pulling her hand away from the dial. “Don’t ever touch a Chinaman’s radio.”
“But that remake sucks,” Robyn argued, and chanced another attack at the stereo, succeeding in changing it. “Now this is the stuff.”
“But it’s the oldies station,” Kento whined.
“Hey, old school rocks,” Robyn told him, as she rocked to the music. “Isn’t that right, Rowen?” she asked as Strata slid in next to her.
“Totally,” Rowen said with a smile, as he put a hand over Robyn’s shoulders. “It’s so nice of you to save the seat next to you for me.” For his charm, he was rewarded an elbow to the ribs that helped him remove his arm.
“Hey, there’s Kami,” Ryo pointed out on the street to the shy looking girl that he took to the prom.
“Let’s see if she wants to go to the movie,” Robyn suggested. “Pull over.”
Kento did as she requested as Ryo rolled down the window to talk to Kami, who was surprised at the sudden arrival of the group. Robyn stretched so that she could stick her head out the window with Ryo, and didn’t notice that she was kneeling on Rowen’s lap. Rowen was about to make some snide comment about her being in his lap, but her skinny legs started cutting off the circulation in his legs.
“Hey, Kami. Do you want to come to the movies with us?” Robyn asked.
“I don’t know. I was just going home,” Kami told them worriedly.
“Come on. It’s the new Jackie Chan movie. And I’ll let you sit by whoever you want,” Robyn tempted her friend with a smile.
“Ok, but I have to call my mom at the theater,” Kami agreed, opening Kento’s door.
“Hey guys,” Cye spoked. “There are six passengers, but only five seat belts.”
“I guess one of you is going to be in the trunk,” Kento laughed, and popped the trunk.
“Well, there’s only one way to decided,” Rowen told them all smiling.
*********
“I’m really sorry you had to give up your seat, Rowen,” Kami spoke to her back rest.
“It’s alright,” Rowen’s muffled voice replied. “It’s my fault for sucking at Rock Paper Scissors.”
Inside the darkness, Rowen cursed his tallness. He had to almost bow his head ninety degrees just to be comfortable among the wheel jack and spare tire he shared his space with. There was enough air circulating in the trunk since the lid didn’t fit right, but it was stinky and Rowen was sure something was sticking to his nice silky shirt. He sighed melancholily and tried to shift his legs around. His night wasn’t going the way he planned it.
Muffled chatter and laugher drifted through the seat, leaving Rowen in the dark in more ways than one. Out of the five, he tried to single out Robyn’s laugh from the others, his only lamp in the sad, lonely trunk. But the thought of his plans for the rest of the night, of taking her by the hand and asking his red headed beauty out on a date filled him with hope. No matter how much punishment he would endure, nothing would stop him from getting his time with Robyn. He was going to do it. He would do it.
“Yes, I will,” he shouted, unintentionally caught up in his thoughts.
“What?” Cye asked loudly.
“Are you okay in there?” Robyn asked, knocking on the back seat.
Startled Rowen moved around quickly, banging his limbs against his prison and the tire.
“Rowen, do you need out? Do you have enough air?” Kami asked.
“No, no. Sorry, I was just wondering if we’re there yet?” Rowen improvised.
Kento’s distant voice answered. “Not yet, but we’re taking a short cut.”
Rowen clenched his teeth at the mention of Hardrock’s “short cut.” Before long, Rowen was in the air falling on the tire, and then in the air again. The violent rocking of the car battered him around so much, he was sure his ribs would be permanently bruised. But it wasn’t over. After the bumpiness, Rowen felt the car lurch forward picking up speed. He was pushed toward the back, and was slammed forward from the hard breaks. These actions were repeated over and over, and Rowen believed Kento hit every stop light possible. His suffering finally ended once they stopped completely and the engine died.
Kento and Ryo were the one to open the trunk, but instead of helping their friend they laughed. Rowen was half on the tire, and his arms and legs sprawled out against the sides of the trunk as if to brace himself if the car decided to start again. His head was cushioned against one of the sides at an odd angle disheveling his hair.
“Where did you learn to drive? The arcade?” Rowen demanded angrily.
“Just tryin’ to make it interesting for you, dude,” Kento laughed, and reached out to help him out.
“So, are we meeting Sage here, too?” Kami asked as they walked down to the theater.
“Naw, Sage never comes to movies,” Robyn stated. Then questioningly, “Why doesn’t he ever come?”
“Sage never pays for one. He says it’s a waste of money,” Cye answered.
“Yeah, when Sage wants to see a movie,” Kento added, “he just goes to the mall and girls will start asking him on dates.”
“So he has girls pay for the dates?” Kami asked, her eyebrows down.
“Such a gentleman,” Robyn muttered.
After paying for their tickets and snacks, they went into the theater. There were only a few other people there since the movie had been out for a couple of weeks. As they lined up to go down a row, Rowen discretely moved in by Robyn delighted that he was going to sit by her. But his one mistake was that Kento sat on the other side of her. Once seated, the two started talking and laughing so loud that Cye, who sat next to Kento, had to hush them. On Rowen’s other side was Ryo and then Kami, who had started their own conversation. The talking didn’t last long; the lights dimmed and the movie started.
Through the movie, Rowen couldn’t concentrate with Robyn’s hand on the armrest in between them. He debated whether to “accidentally” bump it with his own, but was too nervous.
Eagerly he waited for the movie to be over.
*************
“Take this, you green freak!” shouted Kento.
“Man, you suck!” Ryo shouted back.
The other Ronins watched as Ryo and Kento played a Dragonball Z game on the Faun’s Playstation 2. After the movie, they organized a tournament. The winners, Kento and Ryo, ended up keeping the controllers while the others watched. It was at this time that Rowen made his move.
“Hey,” he whispered to the red head and nudged her shoulder. “Come on,” he gestured to the door.
Robyn glanced at Kami, making sure her friend was happily watching and cheering on Ryo before following the blue haired young man. The two of them went out the back door into the Fuan’s backyard.
“Yes, quiet,” Robyn said, and ran out onto the grass. She looked up at the sky for a while, watching the stars, then lay down on the grass. Rowen sat down next to her and smiled as she waved her hands in the grass. “There’s the Big Dipper.” Robyn pointed at the sky with both hands. “Follow the two stars.” Using her fingers she pointed at two stars and moved them across the sky. “And you’ll find the North Star and the Little Dipper.” She looked at Rowen with a smile. “That’s all the constellations that I know.”
“Do you see those four bright stars?” Rowen pointed almost directly above them. “Behind those are more bright stars that make a boxy zigzag pattern.”
Robyn sat up and followed Rowen’s finger. “Yeah, I see it. It looks like a snake.”
“That’s Draco, the Dragon,” Rowen explained. He looked down, almost hitting his chin against Robyn’s head. She had moved closer to see where Rowen was pointing.
“Wow, that’s cool,” Robyn breathed watching the twinkling stars. She turned to look at Rowen, and found him already looking at her. “Is something wrong?” she asked with concern.
“Wrong?” Rowen said in a cracked voice. Was he that obvious?
“Well, you’ve been acting a little strange, and you’re quieter than usual. You haven’t done anything ‘Rowen’ today.” She pressed her palm onto Rowen’s forehead.
The familiar wry smile crossed his lips, and he grabbed Robyn’s hand. “You know, if you really want to touch me, you could have just asked to hold my hand.”
Robyn pulled back her hand. “There you are.”
Rowen laughed, tousling her ponytail like she was a little kid. At that, Robyn retaliated by throwing grass in his face. Rowen rolled away and onto his feet. The two ran back and forth shoving each other and having grass fights. Finally Rowen surrendered and walked up and sat in the porch swing near the back door. Robyn joined him, still breathing deeply from the run.
Rowen smiled happily. He couldn’t have planned a better scenario. They had a great moment, followed by friendly bantering. And most importantly, they were alone.
“Hey Robyn.”
“What?”
Rowen’s heart started going at a hundred miles per hour. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did,” Robyn laughed at him. “Go ahead.”
“Um, I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while,” Rowen started, wondering why his ears were suddenly stuffed up with pressure. “That maybe this coming Saturday you would like to. . .um. . .go out with me, like for some ice-cream or something.” As he waited for the answer, he noticed his lips were dry. He wanted to lick them, but that would look so stupid in front of her. He instead turned to look in her eyes.
“No,” she told him.
The answer was flat, and so was his heart beat.
“W-what?” he asked stunned.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because, I have a date for Saturday.”
In an instant, Rowen was on his feet and back into the house. He raced to Kento, and grabbed Hardrock by the cuff of his shirt.
“Hey, my game,” Kento protested to the stressed face of Strata.
“Did you know Robyn’s going on a date?” Rowen demanded.
“With who?” Kento inquired.
Rowen paused for a moment, then let go of his friend to race back outside.
“Who are you going out with?” Rowen demanded of the red head.
“Darien,” Robyn answered happily, her hands on her knees.
“Darien? That pretty boy from Tokyo?” Rowen asked in amazement.
“Mmm hmm,” Robyn answered with her eyes half closed as if remembering a dream.
Rowen grabbed his hair and threw his head back. “Nooooooo!” he cried out and ran back into the house. Going back to his place in front of Kento with his shirt in his hands, Rowen half-yelled, “Did you know Robyn’s going out with Darien?”
“No, dude,” Kento answered truthfully. “But good for her.”
“Whaa!” Rowen exclaimed, and released the fabric. He ran to Kami, his arms waving around hysterically. “Kami, did you know Robyn’s going out with Darien?”
Kami put her finger to her mouth in thought. “The hottie from the library? Yeah, I knew. She asked him out yesterday.”
“SHE asked him out!” Rowen yelled in surprise. He abandoned Kami’s presence, and turned to the leader of the Ronins. “Ryo, did you know Robyn’s going out with Darien?”
“Um, until now I didn’t,” Ryo told him, leaning away from Strata in case he decided to attack. “Did you?”
“No, I didn’t. Not a word,” Rowen shouted. “Ahhhh!!” he continued to yell as he ran to the front door, and left the house.
“Hey, did Rowen just leave?” Robyn asked as she stepped into the room. “He seemed upset.”
*********
Peace and quiet. The Bearer of Halo couldn’t think of anything more pleasant than an evening without family around the house and no friends to cause an uproar. His parents were out of town visiting family, and his sisters were at friends. The house was his to do as he wished, a perfect time to catch up on his reading. He had stretched himself on the livingroom couch, glasses perched on his nose, and the sixth Harry Potter book in hand. That’s exactly how Rowen found him when he burst in without a knock.
“Sage! Did you know Robyn was going out with Darien?” Rowen shouted at his best friend, his hair in disarray, eyes wide in horror.
Sage slowly lowered his book, the same stoic expression on his face. “Did you run here?”
“Answer the question man!” Rowen demanded.
Sage lowered his glasses and looked Strata in the eye. “No.”
“Ahhhhhh!” Rowen shouted and ran back out as swiftly as he came, and Sage went back to reading as if nothing happened.
*************
“He’s been gone for almost an hour,” Kami reported while looking at the clock. “Should we go looking for him?”
Kento picked up the phone in the room and dialed. After listening for a while he said, “He’s not home.”
“It doesn’t make sense. Why would he just take off like that?” Robyn wondered. “He shouldn’t have reacted like that to me going on a date.”
“Are you saying that you really don’t know what’s going on with Rowen?” Kento asked.
“What are you talking about?” Robyn muttered raising an eyebrow.
“Well, it is kind of obvious,” Cye told her.
“Even I can see it,” Ryo told her happily.
“What is it?” Robyn demanded.
Before anyone could answer, the front door opened and closed. Everyone turned to watch Rowen run in and sprang onto Cye.
“Cye, did you know Robyn’s going out with Darien?” Rowen yelled at Torrent who was trying to pry the fingers off his clothing.
“Yes, I did. You were just here an hour ago screaming about it,” Cye shouted back, kicking the taller young man away.
“Rowen, quit talking like I’m not here,” Robyn shot at him.
Rowen turned around stunned, his mind on break for the moment.
“Why are you making such a big deal about it?” Robyn pressed, her hands on her hips.
“Um,” Rowen muttered, looking around for a scapegoat. “Hey, is it my turn at Budokai. C’mon Ryo, I’m going to beat you.”
Robyn frowned at Strata’s lame strategy. She grabbed Cye by the arm and demanded, “What in the world is going on?”
“Robyn, it’s not my place to say,” Cye quickly dodged the question. “Rowen should be the one to tell you.”
Robyn sighed angrily, and marched to the door. “You guys and your secrets. I’m leaving. I’ll catch a bus home.”
“I need to get home too,” Kami added, following her friend since she didn’t want to be alone with five guys.
With the slam of the door, the room became quiet except for the soft music from the tv, which was interrupted by Kento smacking Rowen over the head.
“Thanks a lot, Rowen. Now she’s going to be huffy with all of us.”
********
“Stupid boys and their exclusive secrets,” Robyn muttered as she marched to the bus stop. “Why can’t Rowen just tell me already?”
“I really can’t blame the guy. It’s pretty hard to tell anyone about. . .” Kami began, trying to keep up with her friend’s quick strides.
“About what? What’s so important that he can’t tell me?” Robyn yelled at the sky, her fingers curled up in fists.
Still walking, Kami cupped her hands over Robyn’s ears as if it was private government information. “Rowen likes you.”
Robyn’s eyebrows turned down as if she was trying to grasp onto the true meaning of the statement. “What?” she said, slowing her pace down. “Rowen? Are you saying he has a crush on me?”
“I’m only telling you what I see, and it’s hard not to see it,” Kami said with a small smile. “Why do you think Rowen was so upset about you going out with Darien?”
“Because he wanted to hang out instead,” Robyn answered with a shrug.
“Hanging out with everyone, or just you?” Kami pointed out. “Think about how he’s been acting all night.”
Robyn did, and her eyes grew wide. “He does have a crush on me.”
Kami watched silently as the red-head mulled over the startling revelation. Slowly her face relaxed and her lips curled into a smile. But this wasn’t a pretty smile of a girl in love, it was the smile one gets when they give birth to a devious plan.
“What are you thinking of?” Kami asked, eager to know the origin of that smile.
“I just thought of a way to give back some of the crap Rowen dished out to me for the past year,” Robyn said wickedly, steepling her fingers.
At that time they reached the bus stop, just as the vehicle rolled in sight.
“Tomorrow call me, and tell me about it,” Kami told her with a smile. “I enjoy your stories about the boys.”
**********
“But why do you have to leave me?!”
Crystal blue eyes rolled as if having to deal with a child. “Serena, I told you. I’m going to visit my great-aunt. I’ll only be gone for a day.”
“But that’s one day too much,” the blond teenager exclaimed, and clutched the older young man.
Darien looked around the bus station nervously, and saw that many people were staring at him and the crying Serena. “Please, Serena. You’re making a scene. Please stop.”
“If I do, will you stay.”
“I can’t do that. I have to go to Toyama,” Darien told her. There was a loud honk, and a voice on the intercom announced the last call for Toyama. “That’s my bus. You have to let go, or I’ll miss it.”
Serena reluctantly let go, her head lowered and her checks puffed out in a pout. She only looked up when a warm hand patted her on the head.
“Hey, cheer up. I’ll bring you some sweets,” Darien promised, flashing her one of his charming smiles.
Serena melted, both at the smile and the thought of snacks, her eyes sparkling at her beloved.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night,” Darien said, and left for the bus.
Serina broke out of her daze as the young man left, and she followed. “Wait, Darien.”
He was just boarding the bus, when he turned around. “Serina, I have to go.”
“Just promise me one thing,” Serina told him determinedly. “Promise me that you won’t look at any women. Promise me.”
Darien sweat dropped, fighting to come up with an answer to her statement. But he didn’t have to, for the bus’ doors closed, leaving him to just wave at her and smile. When she left his view, he quickly found a seat, and sat down with a heavy sigh. If only he knew the real reason he was going, she would kill him faster than a rabbit on fire.
The coal haired youth settled in his seat, leaning his head against the window and readied himself for whatever sleep he could get. In the morning he would be in Toyama.
Serena waited a while longer after the bus had fallen from sight. She narrowed her eyes, remembering her last image of Darien. Her women’s intuition told her that he was hiding something. Impulsively, the Moon Princess strutted up to the ticket booth and asked when the next bus to Toyama was.
********
When the doorbell rang throughout the Mouri house, Robyn called for someone to get it from her room. Cye was the closest from his spot on the couch. He opened it, thinking it would be Robyn’s date coming to pick her up. When he saw who it really was, his face dropped. His eyes narrowed like an enraged bull who just had a red cape waved in his face.
“What are you doing here?” Cye asked with harsh indifference keeping the door open to a minimum.
Bouncing on his heels like an impatient four-year-old, Rowen tried peering behind Cye. “Is Robyn here?”
“Yeah, but she’s busy now,” Cye answered firmly, slowly closing the door.
To prevent the door from shutting, Rowen stuck his face in the gap. Cye kept trying to close the door which mushed Rowen’s countenance.
“Pthease, Thye. Let me in just thith onth,” Rowen pleaded, spittle flying out of his crushed mouth onto the Bearer of Torrents face. The taller Ronin managed a “Thorry,” as Cye wiped his face.
Cye glared at him, and said in a stern voice, “You’re going to behave yourself, okay?”
Rowen felt the door give in, so he pushed it open. “I’ll be a little angel,” he said angelically, and stepped in. “Besides, I just need to tell Robyn one little thing, and I’ll be gone.”
Cye raised an eyebrow, a look of such disdain he wasn’t used to giving, but for Rowen he would. “Well, you better tell her. I’m sick of her huffy mood because of you.”
“That wasn’t my fault,” Rowen defended, slamming the door behind him.
From upstairs, and feminine voice shouted, “Was that Darien?”
Cye went to the stairs and yelled back, “No, just Rowen.”
“What?! What’s he doing here?”
“He wants to talk.”
“Tell him I’m busy.”
“She’s busy, Rowen.”
“I can hear her.” Rowen ambled to the living room, and sat himself down on a couch. “So, when is Derek going to be here?”
“Darien. He should be here any minute,” Cye answered, glancing at his clock.
“What do you think of him?”
“I don’t have to tell you,” Cye responded disdainfully, looking away from Rowen.
“I knew it! You like him!” Rowen accused, pointing a finger in Cye’s face while staring at him through one eye.
Cye turned away from the finger, and looked out the window. “I guess we’ll find out in a few seconds.” As if on cue, the door bell rang. Cye marched to the door, and before opening it, raised an eyebrow at his friend as a warning.
“Hi, is this the Mouri residence?” the young man behind the door asked politely, looking inside. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t recognize you without your armor.”
“It’s all right,” Cye replied, letting Darien inside. “Robyn will be ready in a minute. She forgot to set her alarm clock.”
“Um. . .are you and Robyn siblings?” Darien asked, looking around the front room. “You don’t look anything alike.”
Cye chuckled a little. “No, she’s just an old childhood friend staying with us.”
Darien noticed the third person standing at the side. “Hey, you’re a Ronin also. Right?”
Rowen nodded solemnly. “Well, Cye? What’s it going to be?” he asked his fellow warrior.
“Just a second. I’m still deciding,” Cye half shouted.
That’s when Darien noticed that Cye was inspecting him very carefully, like a craftsman criticizing pieces of art. Darien stood very still, not knowing what to think about these two strange guys that treated him like an unknown package on their doorstep. Cye looked over him carefully, noticing his neatly combed hair, his tucked in button shirt, his tightly pressed slacks and his polished shoes. He walked around Darien once more, who stood ramrod straight like a military man.
After a few more minutes of studying, Cye turned to Rowen, his face stoic. With that same face, Cye lifted up his hand with his thumb pointing up. “I approve!” he announced sternly.
Rowen clapped his hands to his cheeks, his mouth hanging open to scream an almost silent, “Nooooo!” As he sank down to the floor, Cye stood over him laughing manically.
“I’m so glad you do,” a voice added in sarcasm.
All three boys looked up at the stairs, watching as the girl they all had in common descended down. In Rowen’s mind, it should have been like a scene in a princess movie, Robyn in a flowing dress, walking very slowly. Instead, she wore a button shirt and caprees, and she practically tripped all the way down the stairs.
“Sorry you had to wait, Darien,” Robyn apologized. “I was hoping Cye and Rowen wouldn’t scare you away.”
“It’s all right,” Darien told her happily. “I was just having a nice discussion with your guardians.” He winked after saying guardians, as if he shared a joke with her.
Robyn laughed at that, and grabbed his arm. Pulling him close with a smile on her face, she whispered quickly, “Start walking to the door. Don’t make any sudden movements.”
Surprised, Darien did as he was told.
“You two have a fun day,” Cye told them, pushing them toward the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold him off as long as I can,” Cye whispered swiftly. “And Robyn, after this date, I want my shirt back.”
“Wait, Robyn. I want to tell you something before. . .” Rowen started, walking toward them.
Robyn smiled sheepishly at Cye, skipping out the door. “Don’t worry. Darien will take care of me,” she said, just at the door closed and Rowen’s face smashing into the window. “Don’t look back,” Robyn told her date, nearly dragging him after her. “The bus comes in three minutes and twenty-two seconds. If we hurry, we’ll get there just in time.”
Darien sweat dropped, wondering if this was normal. “Is our entire date going to be this interesting?” Darien asked, matching Robyn stride.
Robyn gave him a thankful smile, moving her hand from his arm to his hand.
Back at the house, Rowen tried to open the door, but it seemed stuck. Looking down, there was a foot in the way.
“Cye, let me out,” Rowen commanded, turning to his ex-friend.
“Didn’t you desperately want in a minute ago?” Cye joked, giving Strata a sadistic smile.
“C’mon Cye. I have to talk to Robyn,” Rowen pleaded, pulling at the door again.
“Oh no you don’t,” Cye yelled. “I’m not going to let you out that easily.”
Rowen scoffed. “I can take you on any day, shrimp.” Rowen bent down and laughed in his face. To his surprise, in seconds he was on the ground kissing the tile floor. He didn’t even realize what had happened until he felt Cye sitting on his back.
Cye laughed deeply, setting his feet next to Rowen’s head as he pulled the young teen’s hands behind his back. “This is payback for everything. For everything you have ever done to me,” Cye told him with a evil, hearty laugh.
With nothing else to look at, Rowen was forced to focus on Torrent’s feet, which didn’t resemble the shape of feet or shoes. Then he realized something. “You jerk. You’re wearing your subarmor!” Rowen shouted, struggling from his restrictions.
“Yeah, I had it on under my clothes all this time, and nobody even noticed,” Cye boasted, twisting his butt further down into Rowen’s back, making the teen groan.
“You are so dead when I get up,” Rowen growled, shadows growing around his eyes. He rolled over, knocking Cye off balance, and loosening the grip on his arms. They wrestled around a bit, tumbling over each other and knocking into walls. Cye finally had Rowen in a head lock when a high voice shouted at them from the other end of the room.
“Cye, Robyn. What’s going on? What are you doing?” a woman’s voice called.
“Sorry, Mom. Rowen’s over, and we’re just playing around,” Cye answered cheerily. However, by directing his attention to his mother, he dropped his guard. Rowen grabbed his loose clothing, and threw him over his shoulder.
“Good heavens!” Cye’s mother exclaimed, her footsteps coming closer. “What are you boys doing?” She walked in, just in time to see Rowen open the door.
“Sorry, Mrs. Mouri. We’ll take it outside,” Rowen told her, and ran outside.
“Hey!” Cye shouted, running after him. But he only chased Strata for a while, stopping at the end of his yard to watch the lanky teen run. He smiled to himself, wishing he could watch as the day panned out, but instead returned home.
*********
In front of the 7-11, a tall blond stood watching the traffic go in and out. He didn’t buy anything, just merely stood there with one piercing eye observing his surroundings. Many starred at him, mainly girls who giggled and whispered about his pretty face and gorgeous hair and body. He treated them all with indifference, and waited for the right moment.
“Hey, you’re Sage Date, right?” a short brunette with glasses asked after coming up to him. “Hi, I’m Tara from fourth hour Physics.”
“Yeah, I remember. You sit right next to me,” Sage told her with a smile.
Fluttered by his generosity, the girl swooned a little forgetting where she was. “Um. . . ah . . . I was wondering if you’d like to. . .that is if you’re not busy. . .”
“I have time right now,” Sage told her, leaning down so that their faces were closer.
The girl blushed, and turned away. When she did, a sight caught her attention. Pointing in the direction, she asked the young man, “Hey, isn’t that your friend?”
Sage looked where her finger indicated, and watched as a noisy bus rushed by. But it wasn’t the bus that she was pointing to, it was a tall figure with messy blue hair running after the bus that had both of their attentions.
Rowen, running as fast as he could, had been following the bus since the stop next to the Mouri’s. He was sweaty, out of breath, but still determined to catch up with it.
Sage however turned away from the sight. “I’ve never seen him before.”
“Hi Sage,” Rowen called out as he passed by.
The girl looked at the runner, and then back to the handsome youth in front of her in befuddlement.
Sage cleared his throat.
The girl turned back to him. “Would you like to go to a movie?” she asked.
“Sure, there’s a movie that I’ve been wanting to see,” Sage told her. His eyes then turned sad. “But there’s just one problem. I’m out of money.”
The young woman believed this to be her lucky break. “I think I have enough for the two of us,” she told him eagerly, rewarded by another heart-melting smile.
**********
The bus was too fast for the tall young man, and he resigned from the chase reluctantly. He thought that today was the worse day for him, until he saw the bus pull over a few blocks from the Toyama park. Rowen, still out of breath, brightened up and started to walk slowly in that direction with his hand holding the stitch in his side.
When they arrived at the park, Darien turned to the red head, an eyebrow raised higher than the other. “What was that all about?” he asked, confused as he followed the girl through the park.
“Sorry about that. It was just a little pay back,” Robyn told him without any more of an explanation.
Darien didn’t want to know anymore, feeling that it was far too complicated for him, and getting involved would be a headache.
“Yay, swings!”
Darien watched from the sidewalk as Robyn ran across a few patches of grass to a sandy playground. There were a few kids playing on some equipment, but nobody was on the swings. Robyn bounced into the closest one, pumping her legs to get some height.
“Come on, Darien,” she called to him.
Darien leaned against the metal pole of the frame. “Is this what you call a date?”
“Yes, now take a seat.”
Darien sank into the black rubber seat, and started to slowly swing. At first, he was satisfied with staying low, but Robyn stuck her hand out and hit his hair, messing it up. He started getting higher and higher, sticking his tongue out when he was higher than Robyn by shear force. He felt a little childish seeing the eyes of grade scholars watching him, but Robyn didn’t seem to care.
“Can you do this?” Robyn called out, leaning back so that her head almost touched the ground as she swung by.
“Yeah I can. But can you do this?” Darien called back, quickly standing up in his seat, almost hitting his head on the top of the swing set.
“Psh, that’s nothing. How about this?” she dared, twisting in her seat, knocking into his swing and almost hitting the poles nearby.
“How old are you?” Darien teased her with a smile.
“You’re only as old as you feel,” Robyn told him. “How old do you feel?”
“Like I’m five.”
“Great! That’s old enough to go on the slide.”
“What?”
“Let’s go down the slide,” Robyn told him, jumping off of her swing in midair, and running to the slide.
Darien stopped his swing before getting off, and headed for the slide, somehow excited to go back to being a kid. As he walked after his date, a shiver ran down his spine. He could swear that someone was watching him. Looking around, he couldn’t see anyone who was starring right at him, but his senses told him that someone was following his movements.
“Darien, hurry up, slowpoke,” Robyn called, having climbed up to the top of the slide.
Darien didn’t shrug off the feeling, just ignoring it enough to allow himself to relax, yet not enough to forget it. He’d been a warrior too long to neglect his instincts. And he wasn’t very far off.
While Darien climbed up the slide, a pair of big blue eyes was watching him from a bush through a pair of binoculars. The binoculars moved from Darien to the red-head sliding down the metal surface to the sand below. In an instant, those crystal blue eyes turned redder than Robyn’s hair.
“‘Going to visit my great-aunt, my butt!” whispered the bush. A blonde head with two long pony tails popped out. “I can’t believe he lied to me! Oh, he’s going to get it,” Serena mumbled angrily, as she watched the young man. “Not to mention what I’m going to do to that hussy!”
She jumped out of the bush, ready to give the pair a piece of her mind, when a tall body ran into her, knocking the two of them to the ground.
“Ow! Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there,” a male voice told her.
“Well, next time watch where. . .” Serena started to yell, but stopped when she saw the good-look man who was trying to stand up. She blushed as she realized she was staring at his blue eyes, thinking that he was really cute.
“Are you okay?” the young man asked, offering a hand. He stared at her too, with an odd look on his face.
She blushed again. He must be really struck by my beauty, she thought. “I’m fine,” she said elegantly, reaching for his hand. Just as she was going to grab it, it wasn’t there anymore.
“Hey, I know you. You’re one of those skanky magic chicks from Tokyo,” the man blurted out.
Serena face faulted, and stood up quickly. “Excuse me! Whooooo are you callin’ skanky?!” she shouted, her face turning red. “And who are you?”