EMMALINE LEILA WARNER
I felt my heavy limbs ache from exhaustion before I was even fully conscious. Groaning as I stretched one leg straight, then the other, and pushed the side of my face into the pillow. How long have I been sleeping? I couldn't even remember falling asleep, briefly replaying through the day; school, academy, going home with Kai— Kai.
My eyes snapped open and instead of being met with my dresser that laid next to my bed in my room, I was met with a bookshelf in Kai's room. I mean technically it was mine, since when he got it he told me how he's tired of me leaving my books behind or messing up the place with them scattered everywhere, so now it was had just about five crossword and puzzle books, kai's books, and the rest was all mine. Wait— I'm in Kai's room.
I snapped my head to my right, but he wasn't there. Thank God. I closed my eyes, still halfway in my dream state as I replayed what happened. I forced him to watch a cartoon he hated then slept through it. Oh God, why am I like this? And before it— no. I didn't even want to think about that. Still, I couldn't stop the memory from flashing in my brain. He was absolutely gorgeous. I hated it. He didn't fit the stereotype of the typical masculine boy, but even so, his lean form was strong and defined, with visible six-pack abs. His muscles were lean and wiry, built up from working out and training rather than from bulk and brawn.
I've definitely seen Kai with no shirt before, when we went swimming, or when he just took off his shirt to change into another in the academy, but I never walked on him like that in my life. He was in nothing but a towel for god's sake.
"Ugh," I groaned loudly, kicking my feet against the bed, causing the blanket to fall on the floor, and grabbed a pillow slamming it to my face. Why couldn't I just knock? That was so embarrassing.
I sighed putting the pillow down and sitting up, running a hand through my hair that was still cold from the shower. It was dark outside, with only the moonlight coming from the window eliminating the place. I flipped the switch of the nightstand lamp and my eyes roamed around the room, processing. My gaze fell on the dresser mirror, with some polaroids, and unfinished crosswords, tugged in the corner. I smiled at the polaroid of Kai and me on his 12th birthday, when I made fun of him being short, still there, rolling my eyes when they saw the other one underneath it in my 16th birthday with him resting his arm on my head with a very big grin his eyes were barely even visible while I frowned crossing my arms as proof that he finally got taller, saying, and I quote, "And that, my friend, is called karma. Now, pose for the picture!"
There was one with him and Kenji standing on the couch, Kenji holding a pan as Kai held his arms in surrender. Another one with Naz hugging him so tight, I could see the pain in his eyes from running out of air. The last one was one with Kai, mum, dad, and me. Mum had her arm linked in Dad's as Kai wrapped his arms around my shoulder from behind, all of us grinning so hard except for dad whose eyes were shooting daggers at kai.
I tugged my hair behind my ears, stretching my arms to wake my body up before turning off the lamb and sliding off of the bed. The moment I closed the bedroom door behind me, I felt a soft brush against my feet that made me gasp and look down.
"Oh!" I beamed leaning down, running my fingers against the cat's head, "Pascal, where have you been, buddy?"
I carried him to my chest as he purred. I haven't seen him since I came here, so maybe he was in another room probably sleeping. Pascal was probably Naz and Kenji's second child, hence the fit Naz threw when Kenji came home with a 'Pascal' carved on the cat's collar. I remember her saying that he can't base his life around a cartoon while he simply replied with 'I could before and I can now. I let you name Kai, leave Pascal to me.'
I carefully hugged Pascal and walked down the stairs quietly. Kenji and Naz were on the couch watching Tangled, typical Friday night. She had her back against his chest as his arms came around her stomach, linking his fingers through hers, his cheek resting on the top of her head.
I smiled and felt my heart warm in awe, they were so adorable. Even after all those years, all these silly arguments, and stunts Kenji pulls on her, I think this is always ended up when the night came. I turned my head to the chair in front of the fireplace, a little far from where Kenji and Naz were sitting, and found Kai there. He had his legs crossed underneath him, a paper in hand, probably some crossword, a pen in his other one as he squinted his eyes before writing something down.
The crackling and popping of the logs as they burn caught my attention. Kai always sits next to a fire when he's doing these puzzles. He said that pop or snap can as the logs shift and crackle made him ease his mind and focus more.
"Try to find what pushes you to use your powers, clear your mind and let this be the only thing you think of. That way you'll have space in your brain to focus on two things at once."
Naz's words from earlier snapped in my mind. Kai probably didn't think I was paying attention since I refused to congratulate him on his score, which I will but I didn't feel like giving him what he wants now, but I noticed that when Naz told him that, he looked at me for a second, maybe he didn't even realize it because his mind was focused on something else, but I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking about. What pushed him to use his powers.
"Hey, Emmaline," Kai leaned against my bedroom doorframe, "how are you?"
"I'm... good?" I frowned, crossing my legs on the bed, "why?"
"You know," he looked behind him then stepped in side, closing the door behind him, "the whole thing that happened in the treehouse."
"Oh," with almost all the fuss that happened when we told everyone about Kai's powers, I forgot I literally almost cracked my head today, "I'm good. I didn't even touch the ground, Kai."
"I know," he sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes not leaving mine, "I didn't mean it like that. I meant are you okay? Because you looked terrified and shaky."
"I'm fine," I smiled, "I was just shocked, obviously. But seriously, I'm good. Thank you, by the way. If it wasn't for you, I would be either in a hospital or with a cracked skull."
"Don't say that!" He hissed, lightly smacking my knee and sighed, "and honestly, I think... you're the reason I got my powers today."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...okay," he crossed his legs underneath him in front of me, "you know how I told you Mum and Dad always tell me that I had it in me, that one day I will get my powers, I just needed something to push me?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I think when I saw you today and ran to catch you, I knew that I won't be fast enough, it would have taken a second for you to fall and would take me, like, 10 seconds to cross the backyard. So, I guess my mind wanted to catch you so much it gave me my powers so it would be enough."
I slowly nodded as he went on, trying to process what he was saying. I knew how much he wanted powers since he turned 12. Two years later, I was the one who got it first, even though I was younger, but now he's 15 and he finally has it, and here he is thanking me for it.
"Well, I think you owe it to Jett's teddy bear then," I said.
"I'm not thanking a teddy bear for my powers."
"But without the teddy bear, I wouldn't have fell, and without me falling, you wouldn't have got your powers," I said in a serious tone and he blinked at me before shooting me a look that made me laugh, "what I'm saying is I'm really happy you got your powers like you wanted, very cool powers too! Even if I almost had a heart attack for it to happen, it was written in the stars."
"Written in the— what?" He chuckled and gave me a confused look.
"In the stars," I repeat, "this was meant to happen. You were meant to see me and I was meant to slip away."
"And Jett's teddy bear was meant to be forgotten up there."
"Look at you learning," I patted his shoulder with a grin before it sobered, "you should definitely thank the teddy bear though."
"I swear to—" he grabbed a pillow and threw it at me before taking it again and hitting me with it, "I'm not going to be written in the stars next to a teddy bear!"
Pascal's meowing snapped me out of my day dream as he jumped out of my arms, running towards Kai, who looked down at him before gazing up at me, giving me a small smile, "rise and shine, sunshine."
"How long have I been asleep?" I ignored the twist in my stomach at the way he said sunshine and took the last step of the stairs, putting my hands in my sweatpants pockets.
"About three hours," he put down the paper along with the pen and stood up after petting Pascal, "your parents called and said they're on their way now."
I nodded and walked to the kitchen, waving at Kenji and Naz before making myself a cup of water. Kai walked over and leaned on the counter without saying anything. I might have a been a little out of my mind when I accidentally walked in on him, but this outfit was certainly not helping my case. The black shirt fit firmly to his body, hugging his torso and forearms. And those sweatpants had my throat go dry, it was actually embarrassing to even admit it to myself. I looked up and saw his mouth moving— oh, so he was saying something. Yeah, I needed more water. Just as I poured another cup, the bell rang.
"I'll get it," Kai said and leaned up when he saw Naz about to get up and walked towards the door. I put down my water with a sigh, pull yourself together, Emma. God, I had to say that to myself twice just today?
"My son is pretty handsome, huh?"
"Ye— what?!" I snapped my head to Kenji crossing his arms with his back to the fridge, what in the world was he talking about? "what did you say?"
"Nothing," he smiled and Naz shook her head getting up when Mum and Dad walked inside, "hey, J! Hey, blondie."
"Call me that again, and I'll let your son live just to murder his first born."
"What did I do?" Kai snapped, walking behind them, and Mum just elbowed my dad and gave him the 'be nice' look.
"Hey mum!" I rounded the counter, pulling them both into a group hug, "hey dad!"
"Ugh, I missed you!" Mum squeezed me until I let out a wince.
"Hey, sweetheart," Dad messed with my hair and leaned back, "you ready?"
"Um yeah," I looked down at my outfit, but figured it's fine, I'll literally just walk next door, "just let me get my bag and put on my shoes."
I ran upstairs, grabbing the clothes I wore in the morning and pushing them inside the bag, going to the dresser and throwing my shampoo and perfumes inside before zipping it and slipping it on my arm heading back down.
Mum, Dad, Naz, and Kenji were standing near the door, probably talking about work and the meetings my mum and dad were having today. I took my shoes and sat on a small couch next to Kai, putting them on, and tugging my shoelaces inside because if someone put a gun to my head and told me to tie them, I would sacrifice myself.
"You're done like that?" Kai asked in a judgmental tone and I lowered my eyebrows, confused.
"Yeah?"
He sighed with a shake of his head, wrapping his fingers around my legs just above my ankle and placing it on his lap taking the shoelaces out and tying them while talking, "one day, you'll fall and crack your head because you're acting like a five year old and..."
He might have said something about how I should be banned from wearing anything other than slippers, but I wasn't really listening, my focus on his dark curls falling to his forehead, his tanned fingers tying the shoelaces in one movement before he went to my other leg. Was he aware of what he was doing? Was that even normal? I didn't know anymore.
"Here you go," he patted my feet before lightly pushing them away, "you're welcome."
"I didn't need you to do that," I crossed my arms, trying to make my voice strict, "they were tugged in, I wouldn't fall. Plus, my house is literally two steps away from here."
"You're being really ungrateful today," he turned his body to look at me, leaning his arm on the back of the couch, "I drove you to school, drove you to the academy, let you stay in my house—"
"Excuse me—"
"Watch a show I absolutely hated, and sleep in my bed, so—"
"You let her do what?" Dad interrupted making both Kai and I jump and look at him. Your timings are always perfect, Dad.
"Uhh," Kai swallowed his eyes moving from him to me then to him again, "she wanted to sleep. I wasn't with her, I swear."
Dad squinted his eyes a little, tilting his head. I felt Kai hold his breath behind me and forced myself not to laugh when Kai held into my wrist and squeezed, asking for help. Kai acted tough and talked back to everyone, even his dad, but when it came to my dad, Kai forgot how to even function or form a logical sentence.
"Okay," Dad nodded. He was probably sensing his emotions, trying to figure out if he was lying or not. So Kai did leave when I fell asleep, "now, are you planning on letting her wrist go, or do you need me to cut off your fingers?"
"Aaron!" Mum yelled in a high pitched voice, I looked down and saw Kai snatching his hand away, "apologize."
"What?" Dad frowned, "I'm not going to say sorry to a child."
"You threatened said child," she crossed her arms, rapidly stomping her legs on the floor, waiting.
Dad sighed and looked at Kai again before shaking his head, "I can't do it. Sorry, love."
"Fine," she turned her face away, flipping her hair, "I don't want you to talk to me until you do."
"I apologize, Kai," Dad rushed, and I could see his jaw clinging, as if fighting to let the words in, "my threat may have been... harsh."
"Apology accepted, Uncle," Kai replied with a smile.
"Yeah, sure," Dad rolled his eyes, "let's go, Emma?"
"Yup," I stood up and waved at Kai then hugged Naz and Kenji goodbye, "goodnight!"
Dad opened the door putting his hand on the small of Mum's back letting her take the lead as I followed.
"Are you talking to me now, love?" He asked once we were out, but Mum didn't reply. I couldn't see her face, but I knew she was either blushing or fighting a smile, "are you seeing what your mother is doing, Emma? Tell her something."
"Well, Dad," I chuckled, "you did scare Kai to death right now. I could swear he couldn't find his breath for a second there."
"Yes, but I apologized. We had an agreement," he looked down at Mum, "right, love? Ella? Sweetheart? Hello?"
She burst out laughing as she opened the door, "fine. But don't ever say something this horrible to him, or Kenji, ever again."
"Fine," he said and kissed her cheek, "I'm going to take a shower."
"Okay," she smiled and he whispered something that I really don't want to know judging by the blush on her face.
"Goodnight, honey," he turned, kissing my head, "are you okay?"
"Hmm? Yes, why?"
"You seem awfully quiet," he lowered his brows, but I shrugged it off.
"I'm fine," I smiled and huffed out a laugh when his tired didn't waver, "seriously, I'm good, just tired. Now go, you look awful."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Yeah, you look exhausted, you should get some sleep."
"I don't look exhausted or awful," he shook his head before turning his head to mum, "do I look awful?"
"You look beautiful," Mum reassured with a soft smile before giving me a very Mum stare.
"See?" Dad turned to me, giving me a smirk as if he just won a challenge, "you're just jealous."
"Are you saying I'm not just as beautiful as you?" I crossed my arms.
"You're not beautiful," he shrugged, and my jaw dropped but then he smiled and patted my head, "you're extraordinary, sweetheart. You're my daughter after all."
"Smooth," I nodded but smiled.
"Always was, always am. Now, goodnight, you really should head to bed."
"Okay," I nodded as he turned and walked upstairs.
Mum walked to the kitchen, and I was about to head upstairs when she talked again, "so... had fun today?"
"Yeah," I replied. It was definitely eventful today, fun wasn't the right word, "I mean I slept most of my time there."
"Mhm," she opened the fridge, taking out a water bottle, "and the academy? How was training?"
"Good," I sighed before remembering, "oh! Kai beat his own record today."
"Really? Tell him I'm so proud of him," She returned my smile but then it morphed into more of a smirk, "so I saw him tying your shoes."
"Oh, yeah," I let out an awkward laugh, "I don't think he can go 5 minutes without making fun of me."
"I don't think that was what he was trying to do," she shrugged, and I gave her a confused look, "you know, he always messes with you, but he really worries about you."
"I don't know, actually," I raised my eyebrows, not liking where this conversation is going. Today was messy enough, and my mind was already racing, and I didn't even know what I was feeling, so I didn't need this talk at all. It would complicate things more.
"Well, I do. He does worry about you, reminds me of certain someone," she pointed to the ceiling, AKA Dad who was upstairs, "but that's just my opinion."
"Don't ever say that to Dad," I laughed and pushed off the wall I was leaning on, "seriously, he will bury him in the desert."
"Don't worry, I'm not crazy," she chuckled, tugging my hair behind my ear on her way upstairs, "anyway, go to bed, you have school tomorrow. Goodnight, sweetheart."
"Goodnight, mum."
x-x-x-x-x-x
I did not in fact sleep last night. Well, not after a long while of tossing and turning, replaying every detail of every situation that happened yesterday. All of them started with Kai and I on his bike and ended with mum saying 'he worries about you.' What does that even mean? Don't all of us worry about everyone in this family? I mean I know Kenji would go insane if something happened to Mum, why can't Kai and I be in the same category?
He worries about me, so what? I worry about him too, I care about him and he cares about me. This is why I didn't want to talk about it with anyone. Well, I didn't think it was something worth talking about. However, the way mum said it got into my head. Was she right? Did he worry worry about me, or did he just care about me like a decent human being who literally grew up with me therefore would obviously care about me? Or, and that was the big strike of yesterday's thoughts, did it get in my head because I wanted him to care about me like that?
I kept going back and forth and I always ended up with the same question, which led me to two conclusions. A) I was attracted to him because he's a beautiful human being. B) I liked Kai. I didn't like the thought of option A, but the latter was crazy to even think about. This was so frustrating, I needed to see Jett. I wanted her to slap some sense into me. I planned on talking to her about this, but I don't think she came to school today.
I was sitting on a bench in the playground after school hours were over, waiting for Kai to come out so we can go home. When he drove us here today, I was so exhausted from the lack of sleep to think about anything other than not falling off the bike, but now I don't think I want to see him. I don't want to know what option I'm going to settle for.
Hearing the already noisy playground get more chaotic, I looked up to see people coming out of the building Kai was in. Seniors normally stay in class even after the bell rang, it seemed like a lot of work that I wasn't ready for next year. He's not going to be here next year. The thought popped up out of nowhere, and I felt a bang in my chest at it. I would still see him everyday, and he would still live next doors, but it wouldn't be the same when he graduates. It made me feel incredibly... sad. No. Nope. It's fine. I shouldn't be this upset.
I shook my head, focusing on now. Because I saw Kai coming out of the building nodding at something the girl next to him said. I stood up to see them clearly from the crowd, and clinched my jaw when he smiled at her. No, not smiled, he was grinning.
"What?" I said out loud without meaning to. Kai barely even looked at people, let alone smile at them. I didn't even know this girl, short blonde hair, dark eyes, a little shorter than him. He said something and she lightly nudged his elbow. I felt a strange feeling bubble up inside her chest. It was like a flare of anger rushing through my body until I fisted my hands, and before I knew it, I was walking towards them, "hey."
"Oh, hi," Kai waved, and I looked at the unfamiliar girl who just gave me a curt smile, "have you been waiting a lot?"
"No, it's fine," I waved a hand, "you ready to go, though?"
"Oh, right!" the girl chimed in before he could speak and smacked her forehead lightly then smiled up at him, "I wanted to tell you about this lake party some of our classmates are throwing. Would you like to come?"
"Umm, that sounds nice," Kai nodded before looking at me, "what do you think? Wanna come?"
"I... don't know," I looked between them. I didn't want to go. She didn't even invite me, and it felt so obvious. Kai maybe just thought it was an open invitation, but I knew what she was doing.
"Well, I think you should come," she gave him a soft smile, brushing her fingers on his forearm, and looked to the gate, "oh, I have to go! But think about it and tell me, bye. Bye, Emmaline!"
She ran towards the gate to a woman that I think was her mum. She knew me. Of course she knew me, and not just because I was Emmaline Warner, but because I was Emmaline, Kai Kishimoto's best friend. Kai was oblivious about this, he only knows what I tell him about me not fitting here because I'm me, but that wasn't it. Kai was also a supreme's son, and a few did dislike him, but not like me. Some girls in my class, ones who never even talked to him, thought I was the one ruining their chances to talk to him.
She seemed nicer than the rest of the girls who always smiled at him before glaring at me when they saw us together, or maybe she wanted to seem nice because that was a part of her plan to get him to like her, or maybe I was crazy because I'm assuming the worst in a girl that didn't do anything to me.
All I knew is that I knew what conclusion from last night's thoughts I was left with. I felt like I couldn't breath, I'm not supposed to feel like this. Why did I suddenly like him? Or did I already liked him before and I didn't know? When did I start liking him?
"Emmaline," Kai's voice brought me back to earth, and I rapidly blinked, "where did you go?"
"Nowhere," I breathed before shaking my head, "I just didn't get much sleep last night."
"Why?" He lowered his eyebrows, and rested his hand on my shoulder as I fought the urge to tense my body, "are you okay? Did something happen?"
"What? No," I brushed his hand off and turned motioning for him to walk so we can leave, "I think it was because I already took a nap in the middle of the day."
"Nap?" He chuckled, taking the two helmets off of the motorcycle's handles when we reached it and handed me one, "you slept like the dead for three hours."
"So? It's a tiny nap," I shrugged before putting on my helmet
He shook his head and wore his own, riding the bike, waiting for me to follow. I took a breath, okay. All I have to do is just hold on to him until we reached home without freaking out, it's simple. Only it wasn't, because for some godforsaken reason I liked Kai Kishimoto. My childhood best friend. I must be insane.
x-x-x-x-x-x
"I'm home!" I yelled to the empty space, putting my keys on the handles next to the door and taking off my shoes.
"Hey, sweetie," Mum's head appeared from behind the wall, "how was your day today?"
"Great," I smiled despite wanting to slam my head to the pillow and scream, "what about you?"
"Packing," she gave me a sad look. Mum was leaving for Oceania in 3 days to handle some work issues, and only Dad will be here, which will be torture for him and really fun to watch for me, "each time I go away I realize how much clothes I have."
"Umm do you know who you're married to?" I chuckled, walking to her as she threw herself on a chair with a huff, probably tired from packing all day, "this man thrives off of buying you clothes."
"I know," she said through a muffled voice with her hands running down her face before resting them on her sides, "oh, by the way, I'm sorry this is sudden, but there is this dinner party we should attend tomorrow."
"What dinner party?" I leaned against the back of a chair in front of me.
"You know, like the one we went to last year, and the year before, and the year before," she gave me an apologetic look.
"Oh," I nodded in realization, "that one."
"Yup." Every year a supreme commander throws a small but elegant dinner party for just the supreme families, we sometimes travel to attend them in another nation.
"What time is it? I don't even have a dress."
"Please," Mum gave me a look, replaying my words back at me "do you know who your dad is?"
"Right," I laughed, "who's coming?"
"Us, Nazeera and Kai, Lena Mishkin and her son," she rolled her eyes, counting on her fingers, "Santiago Castillo and his son and grandson, and Azi Omondi."
"So all the supreme commanders?" i asked and she nodded, "wait— Kenji is not coming?"
She winced, "well, someone needed to handle stuff here, even Castillo left his daughter behind to look after his work, so yeah."
"And he was fine with that?" I widened my eyes, "you're going to a party and leaving Kenji to handle paperwork?"
"Let's just say I owe him my life. He said, and I quote," she cleared her throat mimicking his deep voice, 'if I do this, you are not allowed to die before I have a three trip tickets to Mars, a statue with my face that says 'the ravishing Kenji' and take me to see the lanterns'"
"Lanterns?" I raised an eyebrow, ignoring the fact that he wanted to take his family on a trip to Mars.
"It was on the top of the list," Mum nodded before we both laughed after a moment of silence. God, tomorrow is going to be a long day.
———————
A/N:
So, we are officially in the "she fell first" stage, we have yet to accomplish the "he fell harder" part. Hang in there people, God be with me and Mr. kai Kishimoto.
My focus was to express Emmaline's feelings in this chapter, so I'm sorry if you felt bored because of the many internal monologues, but I needed to make it realistic and take yall down the road with her and what happens when you realize "oh, I kinda love that guy, fantastic!" So yeah!
I also added a playlist in the part titled "characters (2)" so check it out!