Twenty For A Dozen

08 || A Blast From The Past

08 || A Blast From The Past

         "Thank you for having us over," Lee said. His eyes and face were washed of makeup, and West had done the same. Kira found it amusing that out of their trio she was the only one who had gone light on the makeup. The two boys were now sporting ketchup stained collars, she noted with disgust.

         "It was a pleasure, really," Mrs. Yang said. "You have a mighty talent with the pen, young man." Lee looked confused until she continued, "Especially when I saw that play you wrote in such a short time."

         The tips of his ears were turning pink, and he bowed his head slightly in embarrassment. Kira smiled congenially at the middle-aged woman again. "It was a pleasure planning birthdays with you, ma'am. Your presence will be missed."

         Kira stepped into the woman's soft embrace and they hugged for a moment before pulling apart.

         "You all take care!" they heard Mrs. Yang call out one final time before closing the door behind her. The street lights illuminated the sidewalk, and Kira shivered in her light tunic. The cool breeze whipped her hair over to her face and she was challenged with the choice of holding herself close and warm or holding her hair back.

         "Here," she heard West say before she felt his hands smooth over her forehead and behind her ears. He took a hair tie out of of his pocket and placed it between his teeth. Kira watched them shine until he took out the hair tie and closed his lips before tying her gathered hair back in one fluid motion.

         "All done," he said. She stayed standing there, close to him, for a few more seconds. His blue eyes had golden flecks that weren't noticeable now in the dark. There was still a dab of eyeshadow near his hairline where the removal wipe hadn't reached.

         His eyes searched her face with the same scrutiny she was paying him, and she thought of the way he stood - almost straight but never fully, and yet he never hunched.

         His presence was felt like the trailing of grass blades on someone's legs when they were lying in a meadow, like it was all around and familiar but not up in one's face. Kira found that she liked it - the tickling of the grass was becoming familiar.

         "Kira-san! Hurry up!" Lee's voice was rough and his eyes flashed. Kira noticed he hadn't called out for West, and she backed away quickly. Her ears burned.

         "I'm coming."

         Kira threw the truck keys to Lee, and he caught them with one hand. West was about to climb in the backseat when Kira nudged him towards the front. He obliged, but not before opening her door for her. The small action made her smile yet roll her eyes, and she hoisted herself inside.

         Conversation was light during the drive home, and Kira stared out the window, finding shapes in the clouds as West and Lee discussed colleges he was applying to and the such.

         She didn't know she fell asleep until strong arms beneath her started to lift her up. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Lee's conflicted expression. He was looking up at the person holding her - West, apparently - and then down at her with a frown creasing his forehead. Kira could only imagine what was running through his mind.

         "I can walk," she blurted out. West set her down just as quickly.

         "I know, I, um."

         "Yeah. Yeah. See you tomorrow?" Kira scratched the back of her neck where she could feel Lee's gaze burning.

         "Good something."