Inari's Renegade

Chapter 10

　

Chapter 10

I didn’t go to the school for three days. How could I face Akihiro again after what happened between us? And Kieran was to thank for it all. During those days, I stayed in bed, feeling sick because my treachery was finally catching up to me. There was a knock on the door and before I say anything, dad stalked through the door and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Mind telling me why you haven’t been in school for the last three days?" he asked.

"I haven’t been feeling so well."

He felt my forehead. "You’re right," he murmured. "You’re burning up. Why didn’t you tell me?"

"Because I can take care of myself and I didn’t want you to worry."

"We’ll it’s too late now, I’ll go downstairs and fix you some soup."

When he left, I fell back against my pillows. It’s true I didn’t want him to worry and I doubted this was anything you could cure with soup. The doorbell rang and I heard dad’s footsteps as he went to answer it.

"Oh Rin," I heard him say. "Penelope isn’t doing so well today, so you’ll have to see her at school once she’s well again."

"Please Mr. Scott," I heard Rin’s voice say. "This will just be a second. I’ll just give her the assignments she missed, see how she’s doing and be on my way."

There was silence as dad considered. "Well…I suppose it’ll be alright."

I gripped the bedspread as I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Why did dad have to let him in? What if he brought up the kiss? That’s fine, if he does, I’ll just act indifferent, forcing him to act the same. Rin stepped through the doorway with caution and it could have been my lightheadedness, but his features seemed…sharper?

"I brought the assignments you missed." He explained, setting them on my desk before standing by the window sill. He studied me for a second. "So how you been?"

"I haven’t been doing well, as you can see, Kieran."

He blinked. "I’ll say, you just called me Kieran, as if I could measure up to that handsome devil."

If I didn’t know Rin was possessed by the change in his facial features, I knew now. "I’m serious Kieran, get out of Rin!"

"If I’m really Kieran then why don’t you say my real name?" he mocked.

If I knew his real name I would have used it against him already. Instead of responding, I gave him a threatening look.

"Relax, this is just temporary. I knew you had to be pissed at me, so I thought you would want to see a friendlier face."

"You didn’t possess him while he was awake did you?" I asked, worried. It was hard for a Kitsune to possess a human while they were awake because the soul would fight against it. It was much easier when the person was unconscious.

He simpered. "I hit him with a crow bar." He saw the look of alarm on my face before he said, "okay I hit him with a hard object, but it didn’t leave permanent damage, so trust me, he’ll be fine."

I scowled. "I don’t like you possessing my friends. Haven’t you done enough?"

"Apparently not, the curse is still present and I knew that secret was a lot to take in, but I gave you time to recuperate and now it’s time to get on the job. We wasted enough time."

And with that, a black shadow shaped as a fox left Rin’s body, vanishing into space. Rin swayed on his feet before collapsing to the ground. I quickly got out of the bed and rushed to his side.

"Rin, are you okay?"

He moaned as he opened his eyes. "Penelope? W-what happened?" he tried to stand up and I held on to him as he did.

"How did I get at your house? I don’t remember…ow!" He winced and his hand went to the back of his head. "Where did this lump on my head come from?"

"You were in such a rush to see me; you tripped over your shoelace and hit your head on my window seat." I explained.

He looked at his feet. "But my shoes are…never mind. Anyway, I haven’t seen you in a while."

"Yeah, I got a bit of a stomach bug," I faked a cough. "It’s contagious."

Instead of looking at me with disgust like I hoped, he gave me a look of pity…mixed with remorse. "I want to apologize for kissing you the other day. I know it was uncalled for, but I panicked."

"Don’t apologize for something you’re not sorry for." I murmured.

Though, I didn’t mean for him to hear me, his faced turned crimson. I just had to say that out loud didn’t I?

"I-I’m sorry. I should have asked first and I don’t know if I’m a good kisser…"

He fidgeted, which meant he was ready for a subject change, but since I like causing him discomfort I said, "So….you’re saying you wanted to make out with me?"

"No! I mean yes…I mean…"

He paced around the room and looked at the door every now again, wanting to get out, yet choosing to stay. Why did I feel like an unwanted conversation was about to start? Before I could conjure up an excuse for him to leave, he stopped pacing.

"Penelope, what do I mean to you?"

I forced a laugh. "You know what you mean to me Rin, you’re my best friend."

He looked away from me. "Do you fervently kiss all of your friends?"

I rolled my eyes. "You’re my only friend and I…may have gotten caught up in the moment."

"So what we shared meant nothing to you, because just for a moment, I believed you thought more of me."

I sighed, exasperated. He was never going to get to the point was he? "You thought that because you already think everything of me."

His head snapped up. "How could I not, when you’re constantly flirting with me, practically cuddling with me and hanging out with me in general? I never had any friends and girls like you don’t even talk to me, but you had to come along with your mermaid good-looks and act intrigued by me when you were actually laughing at me."

"I never laughed at you, Rin." I rubbed my arm. "I just like your attention."

He snorted. "Mine along with the rest of the male student bodys', but unlike them I actually care—cared about you and you toyed with my feelings. Who knew that you could be such a…such a bitch?"

I gasped. Rin never said anything like that to me before and he knew it too. His blue eyes went wide with shock and then they softened for just a second with remorse, before hardening again, his last word still hanging in the air.

"I should go," he muttered.

He pushed past me and went out the door, and down the stairs. I listened to his footsteps as he went.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please comment and vote if you like it. I would love to know your thoughts. ;) So, Rin's feelings were finally dragged out there. Could losing Rin be Penelope's breaking point? What is her and Kieran's next plan in getting rid of the curse? Keep reading to see!

PS- The song sits the situation, don't you think? ;)