Rebel

During her first three classes, Hina had a hard time focusing. History, Art, and then Chem right before lunch. She heard maybe half of what her teachers had to say. The dejected feeling she had started her school day with slowly boiled over into anger. Just who in the fuck did Kyo think he was? Talking to her like that? She was going to show him.

At lunch, she syalked the school yards looking for him, not at all surprised when she saw him eating lunch near Tohru and her friends. Not quite with them, but close enough by. “Kyo.” She called out as she approached him from behind. He turned towards her just as she slapped him in the back of the head with a quick motion. He reached a hand up to rub the back of his head, beginning a protest but she cut him off.

“I’m getting fucking whiplash with you and I am over it.” She said, crossing her arms. “If you want to hang out, fine, but I’m not gonna deal with this I-Hate-You-But-Let’s-Be-Friends bullshit.” As she spoke, he clamored to his feet. “You ever try and make a scene like that again, I’m gonna kick your ass!”

The threat was less threatening when Kyo was standing up, he easily towered over her but all Hina could see was red. “Me, make a scene?” He half asked, half yelled incredulously. “What are you doing right now?”

Hina stomped her foot, “It’s your fault! You’re so damn moody! I’ve met girls with less mood swings!”

“I’m moody?” He hollered back. “You’re the moody one!”

Hina was having none of it as she got close to him. “Just stay the fuck away from me.” She said in a low tone, meeting his eyes. Hers were full of fire, and she was pissed. She pulled away from him and stormed off, leaving Kyo with Tohru and the girls.

He stared after her, a little hurt, but he knew this was coming. After all, she was already getting tutored by that Yuki, apparently, so why would she need him anymore?

“Uh, Carrot Top?” Ou asked, looking over at him with one brow quirked. Hanajima and Tohru were also staring at him. “What was that about?”

Kyo was suddenly way too aware of all eyes on him. “None of your damn business! That’s what!” He told her, throwing himself back down to his lunch.

“Oh, is Hina-Chan going to be okay?” Tohru asked, sweetly.  “Should we follow her?”

“Definitely not.” Hanajima answered quickly. “That girl is on a war path. I’d stay out of her way for the rest of the day.”

A war path was right. Even as she went to the library to continue her studies, she couldn’t focus, she was pissed. She had felt everyone staring at her as Kyo stormed out of her class and she hated being the center of attention like that. Kyo was always the center of attention because he was obnoxious, but she tried to actually hide in the shadows – unlike him.

She decided to take a break from studying – and from school. She just wanted to go home, and so she did.

She found her home, empty as she had planned – Hatori was at work just a few buildings down, but far enough that he wouldn’t notice her home. Just in case, though, she decided to take her shoes off upstairs instead of  by the door.

Forsaking her studies for a while, she decided to start on a new outfit she was putting together. It was a black dress – made with a crushed velvet material that went with a matching purple crushed velvet choker. She had been fooling with it for a while – the fabric was nice and expensive, so she wanted to make sure she had a good design before she began cutting – it wasn’t something to waste on a whim.

Hina worked at it for a few hours, until her hands were covered with graphite and her pencil was a nub – and she still couldn’t get it right. It felt like everything was going on lately. Maybe she needed a night out. That was it. She’d go out to a bar, that would get her mind of everything.

She took a shower, putting her hair back in two long braids and got dressed in a pair of red leggings with a long black shirt. It was one she had made herself and she was particularly proud of it – it cinched around her ribs and made her look a lot taller than she was. She decided to wear a pair of platforms instead of her boots, and gathered her wallet. She didn’t really have any money but that usually wasn’t a problem, she never bought her own drinks and really just needed an I.D.

Her favorite bar was probably one of the seedier ones. It was called Roost, and it was tucked in one of the back alleys. She knew the bouncer, and he didn’t even ask to see her I.D. Inside, it was dark with overhead lights every few feet. It was enough to see the floor but not great visibility. She made her way along the wall, careful not to touch anything until she found a clean table and slid into a seat, surveying the crowd.

Usually, dudes came to her to buy her drinks in the hope of getting lucky, but it was pretty early in the day and the normal crowd was not quite in yet. She decided if she was going to get tipsy, she was going to have to work for it. And work she did, flirting with a well placed hand on a knee, or arm, and suddenly she had all the drinks she wanted.

In just a few hours, she knew she was way too drunk. Shit, she had gotten a little carried away and now she was much less steady on her feet. Just as she excused herself from the latest man to shell out a dollar for her, she wiped out. Hard, in her platforms and a searing pain in her ankle brought tears to her eyes. Shit.

She pulled herself back up on her chair, her face red with embarrassment as she guided herself to the bathroom, trying to keep weight off her foot. She called Shigure from her cellphone, impatient as it rang.

“Hina-Chan?” He answered, sounding surprised to have heard from her.

“Gure, I, ah,” She said, bracing herself against the sink. “I’m at Roost, and uh, I think I might have twisted my ankle.”

He could hear the deliberate way she was trying not to slur her words. Shit. “Okay, Hina, stay right there. I’m on my way.” He said, rising from his spot at his desk. “Try not to walk on it. I’ll call Hatori to meet us there.”

“No!” She said, quickly. “Just come get me. Don’t call him.”

“Okay, okay. I’m on my way, just stay there.” He said, hanging up the phone. And of course, he did go get her, helping her from the bathroom to his car.

“I’m assuming this is the other side of what happened at the house, then?” He said. Hina just looked at him confused.

“Kyo started on with it as soon as he got home. He got one good hit in before Yuki sent him through the wall – Yuki said he was upset about something at school.”

“Good. I hope he got some sense knocked into him. He’s an idiot.” She said, as she put on her seat belt and Shigure shut the door. He made his way round to the driver’s side.

“He’s not the one calling for rescue.” He reminded her.

“Gure-kun, are you implying you didn’t wanna save me?” She asked, rolling her head on the headrest to look at him.

“Of course not, my princess.” He said, pulling away from the bar. “Between the two of you, it’s a miracle I haven’t succumbed to a heart attack.”

They road home in silence, and when they got there, Shigure was surprised to find Kyo patching up the door.

He parked the car and got out, going around to Hina’s side. He noticed that she was asleep or pretending to be, having gone entirely limp.

“Where’d you go?” Kyo asked, looking up from the door.

“Hina twisted her ankle.” He said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Oh, is she okay?” He asked, standing up and making his way down the stairs.

“She will be. She had long night.” He said, hoisting her up. “Although she said that you’re an idiot.”

“She’s the idiot!” He yelled, causing her to stir in Shigure’s arms.

“You’re both idiots. I’ll put her in my bed for the night.” He said, approaching the front door.

“Like hell you will!” Kyo protested. “The last thing you need is a helpless girl in your bed.”

“Oh, should I put her in your bed?” He mused.

“Yeah. I’ll sleep on the couch.” He said. “I’m serious, I’m watching you.”

“You think so poorly of me.” He said, but did continue inside with the girl, and up the stairs to Kyo’s bedroom. He pulled back the blankets and put her down, pulling off her shoes. He made a move to undress her from her leggings, but Kyo was faster than he was, knocking him about the back of the head.

“No.” He said, and Shigure shrank back. “Get out.”

And he did, unwilling to endure any more pain from the Cat.