Can You Keep a Secret?

Chapter 11 "Rebound"

I was sitting on my desk at Flame, slowly drumming my fingers at the table repeatedly. It was seven in the evening and there were barely any more employees left in the building. HECK, I didn't even know what I was still doing here. But, in a moment of deliberately thinking, I suddenly remembered why I was there.

I was waiting for him. And by "him", I meant Natsume.

I glanced at my wrist watch, groaned and continued making rhythmic noise. After about five seconds, I stared at his office door and finally stood up. I knocked thrice at his door before I entered.

"Hey, Boss-guy, until what time are you planning to –" I stopped talking when I saw Natsume lying on his black, leather couch sleeping.

Inwardly, I smiled. He must be pretty tired after a long day at work, I presumed.

Slowly and quietly, I tiptoed to the other side of the room and crouched down so that my face would be at level with his.

I continued smiling as I cautiously extended my left hand and brushed his hair off his angelic face. It was then I heard Natsume mumble something under his breath.

I tilted my head, failing to hear him. "What was that?" I asked in a soft voice.

"…bara," he repeated, this time more audibly. "No…bara…"

Suddenly, I felt my heart tighten in pain. It was like all the veins and chambers blocked off everything and stopped producing blood. It was painful – way painful than anyone could imagine.

"Nobara," he said again, this time clearer than crystal.

I felt hot tears well up in my eyes. "No, please stop," I begged him softly, backing away. But he continued calling out to Nobara's name.

"Natsume-kun?" I heard somebody say from behind me.

I whirl around, only to find a tall lady with black-gray hair and silver eyes approaching. I closed my eyes and covered my ears as I took more steps towards the door, but no matter how I shut my eyes, I still saw and no matter how much I blocked off my hearing, I still heard.

"No! No! No! Go away!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I kept yelling, but Nobara didn't stop at her tracks. She continued walking towards Natsume's sleeping figure like she didn't hear me at all.

"Natsume-kun?" she called, again, this time softer.

I couldn't bear it. I wanted to push her away and kill her and throw her off at a dump-site or something. And then I'd do the same with Natsume when I'm done with him.

I turned towards the door and ran to it, attempting to run away, but as I twisted the door knob, I realized it didn't bulge at all.

I looked back at Nobara frantically. She was now staring at Natsume with her eyes and said nothing.

I continued sobbing and opening the door, when Nobara suddenly turned her head at me.

"What are you going to do?" she asked with her high, soprano voice. "Are you running away again?"

I covered my ears one more time. "No," I mumbled. "No, just get out of my head! JUST GET OUT!"

.

I sat up on the bed screaming. I just stopped when I realized I was in a room and that I was just having a nightmare.

I panted heavily and calmed myself down when I heard somebody by the door.

"Knock-knock?"

I turned my head around clearly to see who it was.

I sighed when I realized there was no danger. "Ruka," I said.