he
wanted me to chop veggies, so I picked up a pepper at random. “He’s an older
guy. He runs some company that makes computers or something.” His dark eyes
flicked my way. “Smaller pieces.”
I butchered
veggies then watched in awe as Ryuu made pizza crust from scratch. “You’re
amazing,” I said absently as he wrangled the soft dough onto a pizza stone.
He looked up and
grinned. “Thanks, I’m glad you finally noticed.” A lock of shiny hair fell
forward across his forehead and he brushed it away, leaving behind a streak of
flour.
I dipped my
fingers in the flour left on the counter and ruffled them through his hair,
making him look like he was graying. My laughter faded when I realized that he
was standing there patiently, just smiling, his eyes glowing golden brown. My
breath caught in my chest and I went to wash the cutting board, suddenly
confused for no good reason.
Ryuu spoke
suddenly. “So, you’re really going to go on a date with that jock?”
I almost dropped
heavy wooden cutting board. Embarrassed by my fumbling, I raised my chin and
refused to meet his eyes. “Sure. Why not?”
He snorted. “Do
you like him? A guy like that?”
I narrowed my
eyes at Ryuu. “Look, I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I’ve never even been
on a date. All of the other girls at school are always talking about that
stuff, and I… well, I just want to be normal okay?”
He was quiet for
a minute, and I thought he’d given up on the discussion. But then he started
in again. “That’s a stupid reason. I don’t like him.”
I sighed. “So?”
He slid the
pizza into the hot oven. “You know, his crowd, they’re the kind of people that
tormented me when I was little. They make your life miserable too. They’re
all a bunch of shallow idiots.”
I glared. “Wyatt’s
not like that. He’s really nice to me. And besides,” I added, not looking at
him. “He’s cute.”
Ryuu made a
gagging sound and I left the room. Why couldn’t he just be happy that I had a
life for once… that I was finally doing something that a girl my age should be doing? Ryuu always supported me. Now he was suddenly being a jerk.
He joined me a
few minutes later and we worked on homework in silence. We ate in silence.
Then I went home. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, depressed.
Ryuu’s dark eyes
were flat. “Sure.”
“Thanks for
dinner. It was good.”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
I left feeling
guilty for some reason, but not knowing why.
Chapter 8
R yuu was still
holding a grudge. I was sprawled on the thick beige carpet, reading about the atrocities
of the civil war and eating cookies when he came in the door and tossed a paper
grocery bag at me. It bounced off my head and landed on the floor.
Dad barely glanced
up from his computer. “Hi ya, Ryuu.” I was glad that he was writing again,
but really, you should sound a little more concerned when someone throws
something at your daughter’s head.
I sat up and
took the crumpled bag. There was something hard in there, at the bottom. I
rubbed my head where it had hit me. “Nice to see you too,” I mumbled sullenly.
Ryuu narrowed
his dark eyes at me. Then his features smoothed out and he plopped down on the
couch. I reached in the bag and pulled out a blouse and some shiny pink
shoes. “What the heck is this?”
My so-called
friend leaned his head back on the couch and pretended to study the ceiling. “Girly
crap. Dawn sent it. For your date.”
I reached out
and smacked his leg, darting a glance at Dad. But he was still engrossed in
his work. “Shut it,” I hissed.
Ryuu smirked at
me, then stood and stretched. “Well, see you guys later.”
Dad looked up
from his computer, just now registering Ryuu’s sullen mood. I had to hand it
to him, the kid did broody really well- all dark and withdrawn. No wonder all
the little cheerleaders
wanted me to chop veggies, so I picked up a pepper at random. “He’s an older
guy. He runs some company that makes computers or something.” His dark eyes
flicked my way. “Smaller pieces.”
I butchered
veggies then watched in awe as Ryuu made pizza crust from scratch. “You’re
amazing,” I said absently as he wrangled the soft dough onto a pizza stone.
He looked up and
grinned. “Thanks, I’m glad you finally noticed.” A lock of shiny hair fell
forward across his forehead and he brushed it away, leaving behind a streak of
flour.
I dipped my
fingers in the flour left on the counter and ruffled them through his hair,
making him look like he was graying. My laughter faded when I realized that he
was standing there patiently, just smiling, his eyes glowing golden brown. My
breath caught in my chest and I went to wash the cutting board, suddenly
confused for no good reason.
Ryuu spoke
suddenly. “So, you’re really going to go on a date with that jock?”
I almost dropped
heavy wooden cutting board. Embarrassed by my fumbling, I raised my chin and
refused to meet his eyes. “Sure. Why not?”
He snorted. “Do
you like him? A guy like that?”
I narrowed my
eyes at Ryuu. “Look, I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I’ve never even been
on a date. All of the other girls at school are always talking about that
stuff, and I… well, I just want to be normal okay?”
He was quiet for
a minute, and I thought he’d given up on the discussion. But then he started
in again. “That’s a stupid reason. I don’t like him.”
I sighed. “So?”
He slid the
pizza into the hot oven. “You know, his crowd, they’re the kind of people that
tormented me when I was little. They make your life miserable too. They’re
all a bunch of shallow idiots.”
I glared. “Wyatt’s
not like that. He’s really nice to me. And besides,” I added, not looking at
him. “He’s cute.”
Ryuu made a
gagging sound and I left the room. Why couldn’t he just be happy that I had a
life for once… that I was finally doing something that a girl my age should be doing? Ryuu always supported me. Now he was suddenly being a jerk.
He joined me a
few minutes later and we worked on homework in silence. We ate in silence.
Then I went home. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, depressed.
Ryuu’s dark eyes
were flat. “Sure.”
“Thanks for
dinner. It was good.”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
I left feeling
guilty for some reason, but not knowing why.
Chapter 8
R yuu was still
holding a grudge. I was sprawled on the thick beige carpet, reading about the atrocities
of the civil war and eating cookies when he came in the door and tossed a paper
grocery bag at me. It bounced off my head and landed on the floor.
Dad barely glanced
up from his computer. “Hi ya, Ryuu.” I was glad that he was writing again,
but really, you should sound a little more concerned when someone throws
something at your daughter’s head.
I sat up and
took the crumpled bag. There was something hard in there, at the bottom. I
rubbed my head where it had hit me. “Nice to see you too,” I mumbled sullenly.
Ryuu narrowed
his dark eyes at me. Then his features smoothed out and he plopped down on the
couch. I reached in the bag and pulled out a blouse and some shiny pink
shoes. “What the heck is this?”
My so-called
friend leaned his head back on the couch and pretended to study the ceiling. “Girly
crap. Dawn sent it. For your date.”
I reached out
and smacked his leg, darting a glance at Dad. But he was still engrossed in
his work. “Shut it,” I hissed.
Ryuu smirked at
me, then stood and stretched. “Well, see you guys later.”
Dad looked up
from his computer, just now registering Ryuu’s sullen mood. I had to hand it
to him, the kid did broody really well- all dark and withdrawn. No wonder all
the little cheerleaders
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