Sweet Burden (7 page)

“You must think I’m crazy.”

Guri had an odd smirk on his face. “Not really. Maybe there is a reason this girl ended up on your list.” The way that Guri said it made Obi think that possibly Guri knew more than he was saying. He narrowed his eyes at him and Guri turned his face to the sky. “It’s a nice day.”

“Don’t seriously try to change the subject to weather,” Obsidian warned.

“Just making an observation. I’ve never understood the aversion to the sun. It seems pretty nice to me.”

“Guri.”

“So, when are you coming back?”

Obi shrugged. “I don’t know. Have they found out yet?”

“No. But they will soon.” Guri closed his eyes and stretched out as if he was trying to get a tan. “What do you plan on doing? Are you prepared for punishment or are you going to complete the list?” Guri opened one eye peering at Obi.

“I don’t know.” Obi shifted his entire body towards Guri. “But will you do something for me?”

“What’s that?”

“Will you keep her safe…if I’m not capable?”

“So, you’re opting for punishment?” Guri closed his eye.

Obsidian’s lips mashed together and a slight, “Um hm” came from his throat.

“I’ll do what I can Obi. But you know I can’t promise anything. We can’t know if they will send someone else or not.”

Obi nodded and turned back forward. The entire conversation had just confused him even more as to what he should do considering her. She needed to stay away from him, but would he be able to stay far enough away from her.

“When was the last time you showered?” Guri asked.

“Like you’re one to talk,” Obi crossed his arms and jabbed Guri with his elbow.

“Well, maybe I just won’t give you the bag I brought you,” he teased. Obi just let out an irritated huff and then jabbed him again.

****

The boy had given her the dirtiest look that morning, like he was disgusted with her ogling. Hitomi hadn’t been very stealth with her curiosity. And how could Kerry have completely missed him again? The first thing she tried to do this morning was look at the photos of him again, but somehow her memory card was badly damaged. Any kind of proof of his existence had been erased. Then she got the silly idea that he had done something to it with his eyes. She laughed at herself, but she was upset nonetheless.

She was getting tired of stealing looks at him or secretly taking his picture. She had decided that today was the day she was going to confront him. All she simply wanted to know was his name and she wanted to thank him again. If she got past that, maybe she would continue with other inquiries.

Hitomi was confused though about the nasty look she received this morning. Maybe he was angry his picture had been taken. Or maybe he tired of her drooling about him. He even infiltrated her dreams. Perhaps he wouldn’t even be on the bench when she arrived home. She instantly frowned at the thought as she walked out of the school building.

“Hey! Hitomi!” someone shouted behind her.

She spun around as Bradley Whitmire jogged towards her. “Hi Bradley,” she forced a grin. Not that Bradley was a bad guy, but he was the quintessential high school jock. He also happened to be one of Shane’s best friends. Kerry had been gushing about Bradley since last Friday, practically planning a double wedding and family vacations with the four of them.

“Need a ride?” he asked.

“No thanks. I’ve been enjoying this bit of rare weather we’ve been having the past few days.”

“Oh, yah. No rain. I think it’s the first time the soccer field has been dry in months,” Bradley nodded, his light brown curls bounced around his head. Hitomi stood there waiting for him to say something else as he rocked back and forth between heel and toe.

“So…” Hitomi started.

“So, the October formal is next weekend. Are you going?”

“I guess,” she shrugged. “I was just going to tagalong with Shane and Kerry.”

“Oh, because I was…”

Hitomi’s phone vibrated in her pocket and she quickly flipped it open. “Hello?...Hello?” There was no answer and she pulled up the number that had called.
Unknown.
She sighed and closed her phone glancing at the time. It was starting to get to the time that she normally arrived home. “Um, sorry Bradley. I have to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Hitomi rushed down the sidewalk and hurried for her home. More so, she hurried to find out more about her rescuer.

Today, she decided to cut through the park and come up behind him, if he was even there. She kicked through the fallen leaves and peeked around a tree trunk. She bit at her bottom lip as she saw his statuesque form draped along the bench. She had no idea what she was going to say to him. She had practiced different openings all day, but they either sounded corny or like a stalker.

“
I’ll just wing it,”
she thought as she stepped out from behind the tree. She moved towards him watching his back. Within a few feet of him, she noticed his body tense. She stopped wondering if he knew she was there.

Hitomi took a deep breath and took the last few steps and moved around the bench. She sat down right beside him, but did not look at him. She could feel his gaze on her as her palms started to sweat. Her bottom lip was beginning to feel raw. Continuing to stare ahead, she watched as a man walking his dog passed. The boy did not take his gaze away from her. When the man and his dog were out of hearing range, she pulled her back pack off and tucked her hair behind her ear. Her heart was beating so hard inside her chest, she wasn’t sure he couldn’t hear it. Wetting her lips she turned to him.

“Are you following me?” Hitomi blurted out.

His eyes widened and then quickly narrowed. He turned forward and relaxed back against the bench. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She instantly recognized his voice, but she couldn’t tear herself away from his eyes. They were deep crimson, or the color of fresh blood. “Who are you?” she tried another question.

“Just a guy waiting for the bus,” he huffed.

“What’s your name?”

“Do you always ask so many questions?” he crossed his arms and glanced at her. As if just remembering the oddity of his eyes, he blinked a few times and turned away again.

“I don’t know. I don’t usually approach people on benches,” she smiled.

“Why start now?” he replied coolly.

She shrugged to herself and turned her entire body towards him. She had definitely imagined her savior to be friendlier. “Are you going to tell me your name?” She watched as he swallowed hard and tried to come up with an answer. How was it that she could make him uncomfortable? She continued to smirk. “It’s really not that difficult. You either know your name or you don’t…”

“I know my name,” he cut her off. Sighing, he faced her again and leaned towards her. She pulled back from him and felt as though she could easily topple from the bench. “Obi. My name is Obi.”

Hitomi’s grin widened. “See? That wasn’t so hard.” Hitomi was unable to look away from him. Although he was attempting to be menacing, she wasn’t afraid of him. He had saved her after all.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Sorry.” She quickly lowered her head. “Your eyes are just…”

“Scary?” he interrupted.

“No.” She withheld a laugh. “Intriguing.”

“They’re contacts,” he added.

“Yah. I know. I’ve seen them before,” she shrugged nonchalantly. “Guys wear them at the clubs all the time. But theirs don’t glow.”

She watched his jaw tighten as he leaned back from her. “What do you want?” Obi crossed his arms.

Suddenly her pulse went into overdrive. She clenched and unclenched her hands. “I, um…” Her nervousness was climbing up her throat. She wasn’t sure how he was going to react to her knowing that it was him that saved her. Furthermore, he seemed to be in an irritable mood due to her presence. However, she barely knew him and this could have been his normal demeanor. But she couldn’t imagine her hero being somewhat of a jerk. 
Just say it Hitomi!
 “I just wanted to thank you.” The words tumbled out of her mouth awkwardly.

“For what?” he lifted an eyebrow.

“For saving me the other night. If you hadn’t been there the other night…” she trailed off not completing her thought. Since that night she had pushed everything from her memory except for him.

Obi’s body shuddered, but he quickly composed himself. “I don’t know what you mean.” His voice was cold and emotionless.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Hitomi said swiftly watching his reaction carefully. He was refusing to look at her now. “What are you? Are you an angel or something?”

For the first time, Obi showed her a definite emotion. He laughed for a few seconds and faced her. The humor dropped from his face. “Are you crazy?”

“Maybe,” she shrugged exasperated. He had seemed humored, but the joy of laughing at her never quite reached his eyes. He was guarded and secretive, causing her to wonder what he exactly was or what had caused him to close off so easily. Her gaze tried to penetrate what was going on in his mind.

Obi shook his head. “Go home Hitomi,” he said sternly.

Hitomi’s mouth straightened into a tight line. “If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then how do you know my name?” A smug look came over her face. She had caught him and he knew it.

“You said your name,” he mumbled.

“No, I didn’t,” she replied without her voice wavering. Obi narrowed his eyes and turned away from her fixating on the other end of the street. Hitomi continued, “The only reason you know my name is because I told you the night you saved me.” She waited for him to respond. She needed acknowledgment that she had found who she was searching for and who she was dreaming of. Seconds ticked by feeling like hours.

“You keep talking about ‘that night’. How many times do I need to say I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Obi replied annoyed.

“But…”

“I said go home and leave me alone,” he said raising his voice. “You’re just a silly little girl.”

Hitomi’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. His manner drastically changed from irritated to infuriated. She leaned back grabbing her bag and scrambled off the bench.

“I just appreciate what you did for me,” she said quietly.

Obi pivoted back to her and his face seemed to be enraged. She trembled and took a step back from him. Obi moved and within a blink he was standing over her glaring down. His hand grasped around her wrist. “Stop thanking me. Stop
appreciating
me. Just go away!”