CHAPTER 9
“She should be fine within two days, three the most.” My grandpa says “The doctor said that she has minimum damage. A few scratches and no head trauma. She should consider herself very lucky.”
I walk away from the chair I settled upon and go over to the bed she's sleeping in. We've given her the guest room to the first floor since her need for medical attention was urgent. I'm just glad grandpa could get one of our personal doctors to come. If I had done it that would have brought questions from both my parents, but being that grandpa is much older he didn't have to worry about facing questions to the need of a doctor. The girl will be good as new. There are no stitches or eternal damage to her organs. She is really lucky to still be alive. That fall looked nasty. I don't know if I would be able to withstand such a drop. My eyes scan her sleeping form, hoping that something would help to give me a name. She has nothing in her coat. No wallet or ID. I wonder if she even has any family near by. Something behind her blouse gets my attention as I watch her. I push the collar to her shirt with my finger, looking to her chest. She has a scar in the middle of her collarbone stretching deeper into the shirt. It makes the scar almost seem endless. The scar looks old though. How long has she had this? I run my finger along the scar tissue, feeling the shape of the slash mark. Having her here to rest for a day in my house raises more curiosity to who she is or what she's doing fighting a evil being that isn't even human. Has she fought demons before? Is that why she has this scar?
“Do you think the doctor can get her name?” I ask
“He can't if he's not given an ID. We'll just have to wait until she wakes up.” My grandpa replies
I nod, remaining silent once again. How long will it take until she's awake? I'm not sure if I can wait for her to sleep no longer. There are so many things to be asked yet I doubt she has any answers. Then why do I keep getting the feeling that she know everything? That I'm connected to her, drawn to her. In one swift motion, her hand grabs my wrist into a deadlock. I gasps, still. Her eyes slowly open and locks with mine. I feel everything inside me buzz and tickle. My stomach is acting strange again. Her light honey colored eyes twinkle and her lips form a faint smirk. I look down to her fingers around my wrist and notice a golden bracelet peeking out from her sleeve. There's a red oval shaped gem in the middle decorated with other tiny red circular gems. I've never seen that on her before. My grand rushes over to me and her hand releases me, tucking back to her bracelet inside. I jerk my hand back.
“Leave Sayumi.”
“Huh?!” I yell to my grandpa
“Don't ask any questions Sayumi now leave, quickly!” He demands
I don't say anything else being that my mind is still in a haze, remembering her dazzling eyes and the feel of her smooth skin to mine. And that bracelet...what is that? She isn't alarmed to being left alone with my grandpa, she still lays perfectly still. I give her one last look and close the door before stepping away. I can hear whispers and mumbles behind the door and I want more than anything to bust in and hear every word. I know my grandpa will not allow it. He'll probably even know when I'm going to enter so I might as well give him the space he wants. I've never seen him so worked up before. So angry and worried. Does that have to do with this girl? I really don't know, but I'm going to find out. I walks straight to the basement instead of my room. I never thought I would come back here, but I'm actually going to do some...studying. Maybe I'll know something about that bracelet.
***
I can't find anything about the bracelet. My hours of searching are worthless. I don't get how there can't be anything about it. I know it's magical but I just get this feeling that it isn't some ordinary bracelet. Isn't everything magical and demonic in these books? I'm done looking for today. It's midnight and I can use some sleep. I tiredly walk up the stairs, making my way to my room. I stifle a yawn and wipe away the tears caused from my yawn. I stop when I reach the guest room which is not that far from my own bedroom. I wonder if Grandpa is still in there. I move close to the door to listen. There's no more mumbling. I look around me. Grandpa isn't anywhere in sight either. Hmm...I think I'll go inside. Just to check on her. I take the handle and turn it carefully to not disturb her if she's sleeping. But she isn't sleeping when I get inside. In fact, she's up and putting on her torn clothing ready to leave. Not even without a goodbye or a thank you? Isn't she grateful? That's the last time I go to save her! She can go die in a ditch for all I care. I cross my arms over my chest, watching her shrug on her dirt covered jacket, still unaware of my presence.
“Where are you going?” I snap
She slips her other arm through the sleeve and zips it closed. She's ignoring me! How rude! There's no way she could not hear me. At least look at me! She tries her best to fix her tattered clothing. She's more interesting in her torn clothing than me. My anger is boiling inside me to the max. Of all the people that ignore me she is the one I can't stand the most to ignore me.
“Answer me!”
She chuckles and finishes wiping the dirt off her pants. Say something damn it! I don't like when people laugh at me. It's like they are better than me or what I'm doing seems pointless. She walks towards the door and I put my hand against the door frame, cutting her exit route. She only then looks at me and I can feel myself shake a little as I look into her sweet brown colored eyes again. They flicker with such intensity. I've never seen someone's eyes darken like that. They have a dim glow, making her eyes look almost completely black. Yet somehow, even though her eyes are almost this pure color of darkness, they're welcoming and warming. It draws me deeper to my trance. How can someone I barely even know have such power over me? A small smirk forms to her face.
“I don't have to answer to anything you say.” She speaks. “Now, would you be so kind and step out of my way?”
“Y-you...I can't let you leave!”
“And why is that?”
“Uh...um...”
I search my brain for a quick answer, but having her near me makes me tongue tied and my head is hazy that I can barely think. She lets out a small chuckle and steps forward, but instead of pushing me aside she puts her arm around my waist and pushes me closer into her. I gasp, frozen in shock to her sudden action. Her eyes twinkle again, but it isn't with that mysterious light like I saw before. This one is softer almost...romantic and loving. My breath is short and heavy, I can feel my heart racing and the blood rushing to my head about to explode. I know that I must be blushing because I can feel the heat building in my cheeks. I feel so vulnerable with her stare on me yet somehow with her I feel safe. It seems ok to feel weak as long as she's the one around me to see it. Her other hand touches my cheek and pushes away my black hair in a caring manner. The pieces of jet black hair falls back to the side of my face. Her hand cups my cheek, rubbing her thumb to my round cheeks. I shiver and lean further into her, dizzy from the amount of affection she's giving me. My legs are jelly and I've lost all common sense to speak.
“You don't understand anything.” she whispers “But after this...it's probably best that you don't remember anything about me.”
“Y-you can't tell me what to do!” I snap
Her thumb runs over my mouth. I breathe out and close my eyes, taken over by the feeling of her fingers tracing my bottom lip, softly. Her touch is gentle, handling me with such care. As if I'm something precious to her. Her eyes may seem cold and cruel, but her touches are tender and caring, breaking her defenses and letting me see only slightly who she might be.
“I don't want to be the one to cause your death.” She says
I open my eyes, alarmed. What does she mean? Is she a demon? Is she going to kill me?! I should run away, but I don't. It's not that I can't. I just don't want to. I want to be near her for as long as I can. I don't want to be just a second away from her.
“I should leave no matter how cute you are.”
Her hand cups the back of my neck and slowly I lean into her, focusing on wanting nothing more than to kiss her plush lips. She doesn't push me away. Instead, she moves in to meet my mouth. Our lips touch and I feel everything in me melt. My skin is hot and this tingling sensation rips through me. Our kiss is passionate and yearning. I've never had a kiss like it. I actually haven't even kissed anyone. She's my first kiss! Strangely, it doesn't bother me that much knowing a girl is my first kiss. I wouldn't have it any other way. She's the only girl I would let kiss me like this or hold me this close. I let out a moan and the second my mouth is open, her tongue pushes in to lightly brush over mine. Chills run down my back and I put both my arms around her neck to keep some type of support for my nonfunctional legs. Her hand on my neck shifts down to my waist. Her hand pushes under my shirt and the instant her flesh touches mine a loud moan is let out into our kiss. These feelings...they're so intense. I've never felt like this before. It's like everything in me is screaming for her to touch me, to do whatever she wants with me. The feeling and our intense moment is gone when the door behind me bumps into my back and I quickly let her go. She releases her hold on my hips and takes a step back. I rub the lower part of my back where the doorknob hit me and try to control my breathing. I push down my shirt and brush through my hair.
“Sayumi what are you doing in here?” My grandpa growls
I turn around and put my head down, feeling too guilty to look at him.
“Uh...I was just checking on her grandpa.” I stutter.
“Well that isn't necessary. Niigaki-san is perfectly fine. She's going to leave right now a matter of fact. Isn't that right Niigaki-san?”
His tone sounds so icy directed to her. I've never seen him treat our guest so cruelly. I pick up my head and look at her. She stares blankly to my grandpa and back to me, seeing that I'm staring at her. I blush and turn my head away. So now at least I have a name. What about the other part to her name?
“I told you to call me Risa or Gaki-san. I'm not fond of formalities.”
“We are not friends Niigaki-san and nor will we ever be.” My grandpa clarifies
“Grandpa, what are you doing? Shouldn't she at least spend the night until we're sure she's healthy again?”
Risa starts to walk away towards the door and my grandpa doesn't do anything about it. I run over and grab her arm.
“Don't go.”
She looks to my hand around her wrist then back at me. I can tell a part of her doesn't want to go and another part of her is telling her to run. What has my grandpa said to her when they were alone? Is he keeping a secret from me?
“Let her go Sayumi.” my grandpa commands
“Granpda we can't just let her walk out like this!” I yell
“You have no say in this Sayumi. I'm only doing this because I'm looking out for you. You don't understand how dangerous this girl is.”
Dangerous? How can she possible be dangerous?! She hasn't done anything to hurt me or us. Has my grandpa gotten over protective of me or just insane? I look at her. Her eyes lock with mine. I can't picture her doing a thing to hurt me. Having her here makes me feel...different. I feel at ease. I don't want her to go! I want her to stay. I don't care what my grandpa says. I want her here.
“Please stay?” I whisper, only for her ears
“Sayumi!”
I turn to my grandpa, ready to yell and scream for her to spend the night, but when I open my mouth I feel her yank her wrist harshly out of my grip. I jerk my head around and all I see is the back of her wavy brown hair as she exits the room. She doesn't look back or says much of a goodbye. She's just gone. My hand closes up into a fist. I spin around outraged.
“Why did you have to be so mean?! You said yourself she needs medical attention!” I shout
“That was before I knew who she REALLY was.”
“Grandpa you aren't making any sense.”
He walks passed me, ignoring me. Why does everyone do that?! Why do they remain silent and keep the truth hidden from me? I'm not a child. I deserve to know what's going on. Why does he insist on not telling me? I can feel my face get hot, but for a completely different reason.
“Stay away from her Sayumi. I'm warning you.”
My grandpa walks down the hall and reaches his bedroom door then slips inside. As if this night couldn't get any worse! First she comes along and then my grandpa acts weird the second he sees the bracelet. And that kiss we had...I can't get my mind off it. I can still feel her warm lips pressed against my own. I blush at the thought, recalling the memory clearly in my head. My hand goes to my mouth, trying to remember the event more accurately. I just let someone I don't even know kiss me. I begged for someone I barely know to spend the night in my house when they could very well be out to get me. This doesn't bother me though, not as much as when I had to let her go or when she rapidly left without a word. That gets me so angry, but I think I'm hurt and use my rage to hide my true feelings. I sigh and put my hand down. I'll see her again right? I need to see her again. I just need to. She can't just leave! Some first kiss. They nearly try to feel me up then just make a run for it. This makes me want to see her more. If I don't, who else is going to answer my questions?