Theme #26 – I Never Tell The Truth!

Chapter 9: Awakenings

Yunta sucked hard on the lollipop as he eyed the dainty legs in the tub of water. His hair was streaked with shocking orange today and to Aurora’s amusement, he had even taken the time to paint his fingernails with matching black and orange polish. He looked like a rock band dropout but seeing him sitting on the floor in her apartment, Aurora was glad he was around. He really was turning out to be a good companion.

“I still can’t believe you walked all the way back here in your stockings,” he said, shaking his head lightly in disbelief. “What’s wrong with you, woman?”

She cuffed him gently and sat back on the bed, eyeing her room with a small smile and yet a light grimace as her foot protested the movement. The furniture had come in yesterday and now her once empty room was filled with enough comforts to last for the next few weeks. A narrow bed with wrought iron frames was pushed against the wall, its bed sheets and pillows, a soft lime green material she had fallen in love with at the thrift store. There was the low coffee table Yunta had picked for her, a small entertainment center with a radio/CD player and a small TV the teen had loaned her from his place. Her meager collection of books filled the shelves along with several small potted plants and flowers which livened up the room a bit. She had put up the curtains with the help of Yunta last night and the flower print material gave the room a touch of femininity and yet relaxation. A few framed pictures of Japanese country sides, lined the wall of the room and Aurora made a mental note to go hunting for more accessories. There was also a desk and chair for working and on it, her laptop and several notes for class sat upon it. A reading lamp and two other small ones beside the bed completed the picture and looking at it now, Aurora couldn’t be any prouder of her new home.

She moaned as the water became tepid and leaned back against the pillows with a soft sigh. So yes, she had stubbornly walked all the way back home, more to prove to Adam that she could stand up for herself…and her pride as well. She knew she had garnered some attention – after all a woman walking down the streets with shoes in her hands and a petulant frown on her features wasn’t exactly a common sight. She was sure she had gotten a few laughs here and there but was immensely glad no policeman had stopped her. However, she was now suffering for her rash decision. The soles of her feet – which had never been bare (at least for almost an hour) – felt hard and unsightly beneath her fingers. She was sure she had blistered them, even though she kept off the main roads and walked on the paved sidewalks. She idly wondered how Eden would react if she knew about this. She was sure her best friend would faint from shock.

A part of Aurora had expected Adam to drive by or to stop to apologize but neither came and it had made her feel even more surly and upset. God, he was such a pain in the ass. She had never met a guy who could infuriate and yet fascinate her at the same time.

“Here you go,” Yunta said over the laughing guests in the talk show currently on TV. He shoved the bottle of foot cream and a towel in her direction. She hadn’t even heard him get up.

“Thanks,” she mumbled gratefully as she spread the towel on the floor and placed her feet on it. How in the world was she going to walk to school tomorrow? She’d be limping all the way and yet she couldn’t afford to let Adam know just how much he was affecting her.

Yeah and your outburst yesterday was real mature, Aurora. Way to go, dummy.

Sighing softly, she began to rub the offered antiseptic on her feet.

“Damn, what is it with girls?” Yunta suddenly mumbled, although his eyes were still trained on the TV screen. A man was currently juggling with several brightly colored balls. “Besides your stupid walking around town with no shoes on, now my girlfriend wants to break up with me.”

Aurora, who wasn’t really in the mood to listen to Yunta’s complaints, figured it would be okay to suffer it for a while. The kid had been very nice to her so far. “What’s the problem?” she asked, biting her lower lip as she eyed a small red bump next to her big toe. Eeew!

“So like check this out, right,” Yunta began, finally turning to face her as she fought back an inward groan. This might be a long one. “So we were talking on the phone last night, right and I said I’d take her to karaoke with her whiny girlfriends – and by whiny I mean whiny. They talk and talk and giggle like everything’s so goddamn funny. I mean what’s funny about saying I like listening to Led Zeppelin?”

“Nothing funny at all, Yunta,” Aurora agreed solemnly. She was laughing inside. The boy really did look distraught and it wouldn’t do to burst into giggles now. Somehow she couldn’t picture him listening to such a classic rock band…but then again, Yunta was a rather surprising young man.

“Anyway,” he continues. “Something came up last night…and I tried to tell her that I wouldn’t be able to take her to the bar anymore and then she begins to shout in my ear that I never tell her the truth about anything and that I’m cheating on the side…with you!”

The tube of foot cream slipped from her fingers as she gawked at him in surprise. “What?!”

“I know, it’s crazy right? I mean why would I want to date an old hag like you…argh! Watch it!”

She had tossed a pillow in his direction which hit him squarely in the face. He sputtered and tried to throw it back but withered at the dare in her eyes. “Hey, it wasn’t as if I told them we were dating. But man…saying that I never tell the truth? That’s harsh. I’ve always been faithful to her, believe it or not.”

“I believe you,” she replied, now incredibly tired and sleepy. She lay prone on the bed and placed an arm over her eyes, only to groan in misery as those sharp blue eyes filled her mind again. She felt her stomach flutter nervously and she had to place a hand upon it as if to steady herself. Why should she care so much about that stupid, stupid, stupid man?!

Damn him.

“Hey…are you okay?”

She started in surprise, opening her eyes to stare into Yunta’s concerned visage barely inches from hers. “Don’t get too close to me,” she said, hoping it would sound angry, but instead, it felt flat and weary. “I might be catching.”

Yunta chuckled and shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

She felt something leap in her chest and was amazed to find her eyes stinging with hot tears. She stared a moment longer into the pretty (there was really no other way to describe the boy) face and before she could stop herself, wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him tightly.

“Thank you,” she whispered thickly, refusing to cry in front of him. She heard his sharp intake of breath and smiled softly as he trembled within her embrace. It was good to know that she could affect someone this way and besides, Yunta had made the effort of taking a shower today so he smelled rather nice. He was just about to wrap his arms around her waist when she broke the spell by pushing him away gently. His cheeks were flushed as he pouted.

“But…”

“Go home, Yunta,” she said softly as she turned away and buried herself beneath the blanket. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She heard him say something in Japanese before listening to him get to his feet and walk away from her. The front door closed moments later and finally alone with her thoughts, Aurora closed her eyes and allowed the first few hot drops of tears to slide down her cheeks.

---

“That’s the fifth cup of sake in the space of thirty minutes,” Akari said in mild amusement and yet concern as she watched her friend reach for the bottle again. “Is everything all right, Adam?”

No. Nothing was all right. Absolutely nothing at all.

He grimaced as the beverage seemed to burn down his throat and knew he was going to end up going to school in the morning with a killer hangover. This was definitely not the way he had wanted to start the new term.

“Adam…” Akari began, reaching out to place a hand on his. “You’ve been even more quiet than usual…are you upset that I couldn’t spend time with you this weekend? You know I had that NHK project…”

“It’s not you,” he said with a small smile. “It’s just…”

An American woman who punched me and reminded me of just how insignificant I really am.

“…nerves I guess,” he finished with a light shrug. “Getting back into the swing of things is going to be difficult.”

“That’s surprising to hear,” the petite woman replied with a casual toss of her long dark locks. It was one of her more striking features. Long and straight, they seemed to compliment her dark brown eyes – although Adam knew they were contact lenses. She was currently dressed in one of his shirts with nothing underneath as they sat in his apartment. Adam had called her earlier in the evening, sounding rather ‘depressed’ about something. She had definitely not expected to see him cradling a cup of sake, dressed in nothing but black sweatpants and looking good enough to eat. She had instead settled for giving him a tight hug, feeling the tension within those strong shoulders as she held him to her chest.

It hurt a little that he never wanted to sleep with her, even though she had tempted him several times. The soft kisses they shared were beginning to affect her in more ways than one. She wondered how much longer she could deal with being just a friend. She wanted more with him but he never seemed to let her in.

She leaned close to him and deliberately pressed her body against his, allowing him to feel the soft swell of her breasts beneath the cotton shirt. He made no sign of having recognized her close proximity; neither did he make any attempt to stop her fingertips from caressing his chest in slow circles.

“Perhaps I can help you relax,” she invited softly, her heart pounding fiercely as she waited for the rejection. He would laugh and then kiss her on the lips, saying that she was a such a tease. “You’ve been working so hard the past few days and I want to make it up to you.” Her lips caressed the slight stubble on his jaw, her eyes drifting closed as she inhaled his unique scent of spice and cinnamon. She moaned as the area between her legs became wet with need. If he stopped her now…she knew she’d scream in frustration.

“Adam…” she pleaded softly.

He finally turned his head a little to meet her eyes and for a moment, the world seemed to swim before him. It was Aurora in the room with him. Those hazel eyes were staring at him with longing, begging him to take her now.

Why? Why you of all people?

He lifted a trembling hand to sink it into her brown tresses and as he pushed her gently to the floor with force of his kiss, he begged for forgiveness in the deep recesses of his mind.