Sweet Burden

by K L Ogden

  “How are you finding out all this information?” Obi questioned. “And what the hell was Rediisu doing coming to see Hitomi?”

  “I’ll eventually have the time to tell you everything. But first, you need to get rid of Domitori. Think you can handle that?” Guri stood up.

  “If his plans are to hurt Hitomi then that won’t be an issue.”

  “Good to hear. I gotta go. Places to see, people to mark.” Guri stepped off the porch out into the light mist of rain.

  “Speaking of marking, how did you get the mark off of her?”

  “Rediisu did. See ya.” Guri gave a wink and took off.

  “Damn it Guri,” he mumbled and went back into the house. This new information definitely worried him. He hadn’t thought about what he was going to do concerning her and the deadline fast approaching. Kidnapping her and trying to hide was an option, but if Domitori could be eliminated then that would be one less he would have to fret over. After Domitori was no longer a threat then they could run and would have more time to figure out what to do.

  He would have to make Domitori think that he was going to complete his sentence. Obi was going to have to leave Hitomi. Even though it would only be for a day, the thought made his chest clench. It was the only option though. At least he would have knowledge of where Domitori was until the last possible moment. Obi would take Domitori out at the dance. Hitomi would be safe surrounded by people and Domitori would not be able to cause a scene. From there he would take Hitomi and hide her somewhere.

  Obsidian thought of the breathtaking girl asleep upstairs and he didn’t want to waste another second being away from her. He hurried upstairs and stopped in the doorway to her room. After watching her for a few moments, he walked over to the bed and moved in between her and the wall. Settling into his previous sleeping position, he pushed his arm back under her pillow when she started to stir.

  Many nights he had watched her sleep and had fled the moment she began moving. Now he was going to be the first thing she saw and suddenly he became nervous.

  Hitomi’s eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. A grin crept across her lips. “Good morning.” He didn’t say anything as she rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn. “What time is it?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Oh, school,” she quickly sat up and glanced back at her clock. “I have 20 minutes.” She relaxed back on the bed and turned to him.

  “Do you have to go?”

  “Well, I didn’t go yesterday. I’ve never missed two days in a row. And I am feeling better.”

  Obi lowered his eyes and nodded.

  “I guess I don’t have to go.”

  “No, you should go.” Obi sat up and attempted to straighten out his hair with his fingers. As much as he wanted her to stay with him, she would be safer at school surrounded by people.

  “What are you going to do?” she asked. “You’re not leaving are you?”

  “Not if you don’t want me to.” He lowered his gaze back down to her.

  She bit at her bottom lip as she watched him. “I don’t want you to,” she said quietly.

  “Then I won’t. I’ll even come meet you after school.”

  “Okay,” Hitomi nodded. “I should probably get up.”

  Obi watched as she slid out of the bed and went across the hallway into the bathroom shutting the door. He fell back against the pillows and closed his eyes.

  ****

  Hitomi couldn’t believe she had gone to school instead of spending the entire day with Obi. She had instantly regretted her decision when she got in Bradley’s car and looked up at her bedroom window. Obi was standing there watching her. As soon as she was in the car, he let the curtains fall back down and she immediately missed him.

  School was agonizing. But she could not contain the happiness she felt when she thought about him waiting for her outside when the last bell rang. Kerry questioned her many times for the cause of the constant smile on Hitomi’s face. But Hitomi just shrugged it off as conversations continued centered around the dance. She couldn’t even think about the dance. She had a steady replay of waking up next to Obi this morning in her head.

  Classes were a blur and when it was finally a few minutes until the last bell, she could hardly contain her excitement. She packed her stuff up and watched the clock. It felt like an eternity until the bell rang. She was up out of her seat in a flash and heading for the door. Rushing down the long hallway to the doors, she felt like she wasn’t moving fast enough. She practically burst through the doors. It took her a split second to find him sitting on the bench. His legs stretched out in front of him, he looked like an ad for coolness. She walked over to him as he saw her and stood up. He smoothed out his black v-neck sweater and pulled at the belt of his faded jeans.

  “Hey.” She smiled as she stepped up in front of him.

  “How was school?”

  “Honestly, I don’t remember. What did you do today?”

  “Nothing really. Hope you don’t mind I used your computer.” He shrugged looking around at everyone and everything except for her.

  “I don’t care. Is everything okay? How’s your back?”

  “My back is fine. We should get going.” He started walking, not even waiting for her.

  She immediately noticed he had avoided the first question and she hurried to catch up with him. Hitomi tried to keep up with his fast pace as they walked home. She observed his rigid posture and he wasn’t talking. He took two steps at a time up the porch and then walked off to the side.

  “Obi, what’s going on?” she asked as she followed him.

  He rubbed his forehead and turned his back to her. “Nothing.”

  She tossed her bag down on the chair and moved closer to him. “Something is wrong. Don’t tell me there isn’t.”

  “Hitomi, most times things are not as they seem. Something that might be good for you just isn’t. Someone who might seem good is truly evil. And as much as you want to believe that someone is good, you just can’t change the fact that they aren’t.”

  “What are you talking about?” Her face flooded with confusion and she reached up resting her hand on his back. She felt his body tense and he took a step away from her, her hand falling back down to her side. “I’m sorry. Your back must still hurt.”

  “I already said its fine.” He turned around and faced her. “You should go inside.”

  “What about you?”

  Obi looked out to the street and didn’t answer her.

  “Obi, what about you?”

  “I’m leaving,” he replied flatly.

  Hitomi felt a little knot form in her stomach. “Where are you going?”

  “Not sure yet,” he shrugged.

  She stared at his profile. He was acting so cold and distant. She wasn’t sure what had changed in the past few hours. It was only this morning that he had assured her that he wasn’t leaving.

  “What happened?” she asked quietly.

  He shook his head.

  “Why won’t you tell me anything? You won’t tell me anything about yourself. You won’t tell me where you’re going. You won’t tell me who you are,” she added frustrated.

  “Because you wouldn’t understand.”

  “I wouldn’t understand? How do you know? You haven’t even tried!”

  “There was no point to try. I wasn’t supposed to be around this long anyway. I am not who you think I am.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. “And you’re exactly who I thought you were. A silly little girl.”

  Hitomi blinked her eyes holding back her tears. Her lips trembled and she felt a lump in her throat.

  “As much as you want to think it Hitomi, I feel nothing towards you. I helped you in a situation, you helped me. That does not bind us in any way. That makes us even. Nothing else.”

  His words were like a knife to her chest, but when she looked into his eyes she thought they weren’t true. “You’re a liar. And I don’t know why you are being such a jerk. But right now, I
really don’t want to know. I don’t want to understand. You are intentionally trying to hurt me. And you won. It worked.” Tears started trailing down her cheeks. “Your eyes completely give you away. But it doesn’t matter.”

  “I feel nothing for you,” Obi said sternly.

  “I guess I had you completely wrong.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  Hitomi took a staggered breath and turned away from him grabbing her bag. “Just go. Get off my porch.” She didn’t look back at him as she hurried into the house slamming the door.

  ****

  Obi lowered his head as she disappeared into the house. He felt like he had been punched in the chest. He only hoped that she would eventually forgive him. He left the house and walked across the street. Stepping up beside a tree trunk, he leaned against it and looked across at her house.

  “Did you break her little heart?” Domitori asked moving from behind the tree.

  “I hope.” Obsidian turned and gave him a sinister smirk.

  “So, you’re taking care of it tomorrow night?”

  “It’ll be when she least expects it.” Obi nodded.

  “Good. Let’s go have some fun until then.” Domitori nudged him and turned walking through the park. Obi followed him.

  I’m sorry Hitomi. Please forgive me.

  Chapter 8

  Hitomi watched Kerry’s car pull into the driveway. She let out a sigh and wiped fresh tears from her face. She glanced down at the bench one last time and then shut the window. The last conversation with Obi was still fresh in her mind. She had played it over and over again in her head. Every time she got to the end it opened a fresh wound in her chest.

  There was still a part of her that was clinging to the hope that she would see him again, but every hour that passed stripped a little piece of that hope away. She wasn’t even sure why she wanted to see him again, but she felt empty without him.

  She tightened her robe around her and lay down on the bed. Pushing her face into the pillows she could still smell him. She thought about waking up next to him yesterday morning and how everything seemed brighter all day. She wanted to hate him for letting her know that such feelings existed. But she couldn’t.

  “Hitomi?” Her mother knocked on the door. “Are you getting ready?”

  “Yah.”

  “Kerry is here.”

  “I know.”

  The door opened as Hitomi sat up. Kerry walked in armed with her make-up case and her dress.

  “Why are you not ready?” Kerry asked as Regina walked in behind her.

  “I was starting to.” She stood up and forced a smile. “I’m just not good at this dressing up stuff.”

  “No worries.” Kerry beamed, “That’s why I’m here. Alright lazy, let’s get you ready. I still have to do my make-up and yours. The boys are going to be here in an hour.” She steered Hitomi over to the vanity and made her sit down. “Now, what are we going to do with your hair?”

  Hitomi stared into the mirror realizing she had been a fool. Someone like Obi would never have been interested in her. There was nothing special about her.

  ****

  Obi hated himself. He was truly a despicable being.

  He had been able to get away from Domitori for a little bit and he returned to check on Hitomi. He watched her, hidden across the street, as she peered out her window. Even across the street he could smell her tears. He hated himself, knowing he had caused those tears. It took all his strength not to go to her and beg for forgiveness.

  He knew he had no right to want her. He was not deserving of the kindness she had shown him or the happiness she had made him feel. Forcing him to endure the pain of watching her, he deserved only the anguish and self-loathing that he felt.

  “This is so boring,” Domitori said interrupting Obi’s thoughts.

  “You can leave any time you want,” Obi mumbled.

  “Do you think I want to be on the council’s bad side?” he walked over to the edge of the school’s roof and peered down. “People are starting to arrive.”

  Obi moved over next to him and watched the few kids entering the building.

  “Do you not see what this human has done to you? You’ve become pathetic.” Domitori sighed. “She caused you to feel. Why would you want that? I’m just glad that you realized what needs to be done. Especially so you can rid yourself of those disgusting mortal behaviors.”

  Letting out a sigh, Obi mumbled, “I agree.”

  “Then let’s just go find her now and be done with this.”

  “No,” he replied quickly. “I’m doing this my way.”

  “Okay. But I’m not really sure why you wanted to wait until this event. There are so many people.”

  “Because she won’t suspect anything and she won’t be scared.”

  “Still considering her feelings?” Dom huffed. “Or are you considering your own?”

  “What do you mean by that?” Obi turned to him.

  “This attachment you formed to her is rare. If you were alone with her for too long, you might not be able to do your task.”

  “I’ve already assured you, I will do what I need to.”

  “I truly hope you do…for your own sake.”

  Obi’s brow furrowed and he turned back to watching the happy couples holding hands and smiling. Suddenly Hitomi’s scent filled his head. His eyes widened and his lips slightly parted. His eyes darted in every direction below searching for the red dress. He knew she was among the groups of people arriving. Every inch of his body knew it.

  His eyes finally settled on her. Hitomi’s slender frame was hugged perfectly by the red satin fabric. Her honey hair rested down her back with half secured in a silver clip. She looked stunning. And happy. He felt the knot in his chest tighten as his gaze traveled to the guy next to her. He couldn’t tolerate seeing someone else next to her and holding her hand. She was holding his hand. Obi couldn’t help but think that he should be the one next to her.

  Unable to stand the vision, Obi walked away from the edge.

  “Where are you going?” Dom raised an eyebrow.

  “She can see me. I shouldn’t be watching.” He moved over to the roof entrance door and sat down.

  “Oh. So she’s here.” Dom’s eyes lit up with interest as he turned back and peered down.

  Obi closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands.

  “How much longer are we waiting?”

  “Just a little bit. And will you stop talking? It’s annoying.”

  Obi heard Domitori let out a huff, but he kept quiet.

  ****

  Bradley kept a tight hold on Hitomi’s hand as they walked into the transformed gymnasium. Any other day she would have protested the hand-holding, but not this evening. She looked around at all the decorations.

  “They did a nice job,” she commented.

  Everything was decorated in fall colors. The room was illuminated with white Christmas lights and the orange tablecloths cast an orange glow over the entire room. Each table was decorated with tea lights floating in water filled vases. The room was littered with cutout leaves in various colors. The room was busy with people but not overly cramped. On a stage, a DJ played the newest songs and a few people were already dancing.

  Hitomi suddenly felt overwhelmed and she wished Obi was next to her.

  “Everything alright?” Bradley asked.

  “Um hm,” she gave a nod.

  “Wow, they decorated it really nice this year,” Kerry commented as she and Shane walked up behind them.

  “Let’s go get a table. Preferably by the dance floor,” Shane said and gave Hitomi a nudge. The four of them weaved their way through the people finding a table that suited Shane. The boys left to go get some drinks and talk with the rest of the soccer team.

  “So?” Kerry smirked.

  “So…what?”

  “Seems like you two are getting along well.”

  “Huh?” Hitomi’s thoughts turned to Obi.

  “You and Bradley.�
��

  “Oh. Yah.”

  “So, do you like him?” Kerry smirked.

  “He’s nice. A little into himself though.”

  “All guys are like that.” Kerry shrugged. “I’m just glad you decided to give Bradley a chance. I mean, it is our senior year. You should have had at least one boyfriend when you go to college.”