Romeo and Cinderella

Chapter 17
If You Can't Hold On To Memories

I woke up that next morning with a terrible migraine. It was another Monday. My favorite day. Not. Time for the language tutor to come by and bore me to death, if my head doesn't do that before then. What was worse was the language tutor was also my math tutor on Thursdays and was likely to ask how I was doing on his assignment. Not only was I feeling unwell, now, but I also had unfinished homework. And yesterday was a Sunday, meaning I skipped out on service. That was sure to get me a "stern talking to" from my very devout Catholic mother.

Then there was Len. As much as I hated the idea he was probably going to have to leave today. Unless he was willing to hide in my airless closet for most of the day. Though having him here all day might make me feel a bit better. I'd have to ask whenever I had the energy to open my mouth and make words come out.

There was a series of taps on my door. Each sound banged against my head like getting hit with a hammer. Why did someone have to be here? All I really wanted to do was lay alone in my room eating a plate of biscuits. That's what I used to do whenever I was younger.

I struggled to open my eyes at the feeling of someone getting up from my bed. It appeared Len had learned the drill by now. The closet door closed and I attempted to tell Luka she could come in.

"Kahuauahuaooh," was the only thing that came out. Great. I was really sick, wasn't I?

Luka apparently heard me and opened the door.

"Oh, my," she whispered, noticing my condition. "You look very ill. Hold on. I'll be right back." Luka rushed down the hall to get her medical supplies.

Len, hearing Luka leave, poked his head out and looked at me. I gave him the smallest shake of the head, trying to tell him it wasn't safe to come out without me hurting myself. He understood and took in a dramatic gulp of air before hiding away again.

Luka was back in a flash, armed with a medical box, a wet hand towel, a glass of water, and a plate of biscuits. Thanks for being a mind reader, Luka. She opened the box on my bed. My eyes were not open, mind you, but my head hurt so much I could feel individual air particles bouncing off my body so of course a movement as big as that would be something I could feel. Anyway, I heard Luka dig around inside the box—each sound maid my brain ring—until she eventually found whatever it was she was looking for and made me open my eyes.

"Rin?" she asked, making me look at her. "I need you to take this pill," she told me, holding up a little white capsule. "It will make you well sooner. Just be sure to stay in bed. I'll inform the tutor that you are not fit to do the lesson today." Hooray. There went one of my problems. "I got you some biscuits for if you get hungry so you don't have to call me for food, but if you need anything, Neru is a couple doors down and will hear any drop of a pin that sounds like you need help." Neru was like that. Always worrying about the masters. It made her a wonderful maid, but also a bit high strung.

Luka handed me the capsule and the small glass of water. After I forced down the medicine, Luka had me lay back and placed the moist towel on my forehead.

I opened my mouth to thank her, but she shushed me. "Save your strength," she told me, then smiled and left me there to lie.

Not long after my door was closed, Len emerged from his hiding spot and padded over to my bed. He sat down quietly next to me. I couldn't find the energy to open my eyes and look at him, so I simply enjoyed the silence as he held my hand. It felt cold, or maybe that was just because my own temperature was rising.

.

"I'm scared." It was a little girl, calling out from somewhere. Everything was dark. I could see no person, no thing, only black

"I've told so many lies," I said. I thought of how I avoided my father, ignored my mother, deceived Luka and everyone else for my own selfish desires.

"Like that stupid boy who cried wolf," I heard someone say from behind me. He sounded like Len.

"Now the wolf is going to eat me," the little girl cried. I heard her sobbing off in the distance

"What should I do?" I whimpered.

"Something must be done," he said.

"Or else I'll be eaten."

"Please save me before that," I whispered to the hidden voice. Nobody answered.

.

I awoke from my slumber with a shudder. I still felt very tired and my headache had not yet ceased. I wanted to roll over and return to sleep, but that would require movement which was still very painful.

I felt something squeeze my hand just a little. "Rin?" Len's voice asked. "Are you awake?" When I didn't answer after a few moments he chuckled. "I guess not," he said, now to himself. He sighed. "You said about a week ago you could see memories, right?"

I guessed he was talking to me again.

"You probably just think you're crazy still."

Very crazy actually. More like rabidly insane, but I guess that's not the point.

"Well I don't," he thought. "You're too… amazing to be a loon."

…I was?

Len laughed again. "In fact I don't know what kinds of crap I'd have gotten myself into if we never met that day. As if this weren't bad enough. But everything happens for a reason, right? Tell me if I'm wrong." I was sure he smiled after that because he paused. I felt his hand heat up a bit. "Being with you… It just makes me feel warm inside."

He felt that way?

"I hope we can run away together," Len wished. "I know I'm not perfect and I'm selfish and I'm perverted, but I feel just a little better when I'm with you. Isn't that what really matters?"

I didn't know he could be so deep sometimes…

I felt Len sink down a little. He wrapped another hand around mine. "I want to share my favorite memories with you," Len whispered. I felt the heat of his breath in my hair. "Maybe it'll help you feel better."

I felt myself being wrapped in warmth and light that wasn't totally uncomfortable. Everything went white for a second until fading into a sunny spring day. I looked through eyes that were not my own and saw the clear blue sky and a flower garden. I looked down and saw the body of a young boy, maybe seven or eight. The boy looked up at a woman and thought, Mother, when he looked at her face. She looked almost exactly like her son except, of course, she was a girl. He hugged his mother before turning around and admiring the roses. Only a few moments passed before he spotted a beautiful blue butterfly and tried chasing it. But he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. I feared he would cry for a moment until tremendous joy filled my body. I couldn't resist laughing, and so the boy laughed. His mother rushed over to him, but when she saw the joy on his face, she couldn't help but laugh too.

The memory ended, to my disappointment. We were having so much fun, too. However, it wasn't too long before another filled my vision. Len was older now. I could tell by how much smaller everything became. Or maybe that was because he was on top of a horse. It felt like early summer, before it was too hot. The wind in my face, the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I had missed the feeling this kind of speed gave me. Len pulled back on the reigns, making the horse stop. He vaulted off and let himself fall into the tall grass. It tickled his face, making him sneeze. Then, his horse sat down next to him and huffed right into his ear, making Len jump and the horse spook. Len laughed at his own misfortune and lay back down, enjoying the sun on his face.

In the next memory I saw myself. I stared longingly out of my window whilst being strung into the most evil torture device ever created. I then looked down and locked eyes with myself and smiled. I saw my breath catch and Luka stand upright behind me with satisfaction. The scene switched with a blur of scenery and Len ran through the city streets, knowing I was there following behind. The memories started flooding my vision, transforming from our first meeting in the garden to the first time we kissed then rushing ahead to dancing at the masquerade and the Winter Festival. Finally, I saw a frail girl breathing shallowly. Her skin was very pale with the exception of her flushed cheeks. Len was holding her hand, lying next to her. He kissed the girl softly and stared at her. She started to stir and I opened my eyes.

I giggled a bit, my voice sounding raspy. "What are you doing, Len?" I asked him in whisper.

He smiled at me. "I just like watching you sleep."

I gave him a weak half smile. "Weirdo," I mumbled drowsily. I could already feel myself drifting off again. Len had such beautiful memories. I wished to myself: I hope someday we can make more beautiful memories together.

.

Feeling Len get up again woke me, but not entirely. I was feeling much better after the medicine Luka had given me. I peeked through my eyelids and saw a golden light from my window. It was almost sunset. Lovely. I'd managed to sleep through the whole day. I heard the door open and looked up to see a pair of blue eyes staring at me.

"L—" I caught myself before saying Len. "Kaito." I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. "What brings you here?"

"I had heard you were sick," Kaito explained in his fake-y nobility voice. "I thought I'd stop by to see how you were doing. You are my fiancée after all."

I cringed at that word. You know that disgusting word. The f word. It was a bad word.

"Yeah. Thanks, I guess," I said. My throat felt much better, but my voice still hadn't come back all the way.

"You know, Rin, I really think we should spend more time together," Kaito began. "Our wedding is in a little more than a week and we've hardly said a word to each other."

I felt something inside of me break. "It's that soon?" was all I could say. It was a lot like being told you have a week to live and, oh yeah, you can't do anything because you're bed-ridden. Sucks to be you, huh?

"Yes," Kaito stated, looking taken aback. As if it should have been the most important thing in the world that I was marrying this twit and it was unheard of not to know when the wedding date was. Well guess what, mister. I actually don't like you unlike most people you've met because, believe it or not, I'm an intelligent human being. Bet you didn't see that one coming. What now, fools!

"Oh," I chimed. "It must have slipped my mind. How silly of me." Now I was just acting. I told you I'm quite the actress.

"Yes of course," Kaito breathed in… was that relief? Wow. What a loser.

"Lady Rin!" Luka exclaimed out of nowhere. "Oh, hello Kaito. If you would please just give Lady Rin and me some privacy for just a moment, please? Thank you!" Luka took Kaito by the wrist and practically shoved him out the door.

I looked at Luka in confusion. "What has you so worked up, Luka?"

Luka's mask was gone. I sat up a little and looked at her. Her eyes were closed and tears streamed down her face. She collapsed onto her knees. She covered her ears and eyes with her hands and let out a short wail before covering her mouth.

"Luka… what is it?" I asked her with more sincerity. I tried to get up to help her but she stopped me.

"No. I'd like you to sit down, Lady Rin," Luka told me.

"You can drop the formalities, Luka. It's okay." My voice sounded thick with concern and I felt the foreshadowing of tears. You didn't ever see Luka cry.

"Rin it's… it's… I know you knew her better than I did… I just can't…" Luka took in a shaky breath. "I can't handle these kinds of things very well." Her voice broke in the middle. I couldn't handle watching someone cry.

Dammit, Luka. Just tell me already. "What?"

"It's Miku. She… she's dead, Rin."