Rika opened the heavy door to schoolhouse. The loud music hit her in the ears but she didn't mind it. She was too busy asking herself why the hell she came to this stupid party! She entered the empty hall and all she could do is follow the music. She could imagine what she'll find behind the doors to the gym.
'Oh god ...' she whispered to herself, when she saw the gym hall through the glass on the door.
There were more then hundred people in the hall, all in front of a stage. Rika could see Satoshi on it but she didn't see Ryo.
If I went now, nobody ever knew I came! Rika turned herself back from the gym but then she remembered Ran, her evil classmate. Aaarghhh!! Jeri and her stupid plan!! I can't go now!!! If Ryo didn't see me at his party, he would maybe do the same to me and wouldn't go to that damn reunion party!!
Rika was angry and decided to get lost in the crowd. She opened the door in the same moment as Satoshi started his speach on the stage.
'Hey guys and gals! It's time to bring out our maaaan! Ryo Akiyama, ladies and gentlemen!!!' Satoshi yelled into the microphone and the crowd went all crazy.
As if he was a member of the Beatles or something ... How stupid!
Ryo came on the stage. A girl was holding his hand because he had a blindfold and couldn't see anything. His legs were all shaky, he must have had a few drinks before he came here.
The girl removed the blindfold from his eyes and everybody started to scream his name. Rika felt really stupid but she didn't scream along. The crowd wanted to come closer to the stage and people were pushing other people to be as close to Ryo as they could. Rika was the only one in the back, leaning against the wall.
'Heeey people!! Thanks for coming!!' Ryo started to yell. And so did the crowd. Rika didn't. 'I have no idea what else to say ..!' The girls started do giggle and the boys started to laugh as if he just told something really funny.
Oh so fuuunny!! Haha. Pathetic!!
'Let's get this party starteeeed!!' Satoshi screamed and if Rika thought the crowd couldn't get any louder, she was wrong.
Ryo threw himself to the crowd and every single part of the crowd wanted a piece of him. They worshipped him like a movie star .. even worse! Rika had no idea why she's still standing there. She went to get herself a drink, which was a mission impossible. She had to use some force to get to the tables and she grabbed the first thing she could reach. On the way back to her beloved empty wall she bumped into her college from work, the waitress. She seemed to be in some seventh heaven and didn't even recognise her. Rika was tired of explaining to her who she was and left the gym.
'Uuugh, stupid party!!' she said to herself. It was no use to whisper, the music was so loud that nobody could hear her.
I mustn't go before he sees me. Or before Satoshi sees me. No, better Ryo. Satoshi may not remember me or something. She looked at the bottle she grabbed from the table. She didn't know the drink. She didn't know why but that made her so angry that she just had to throw the stupid bottle into the wall and see it explode. That calmed her down a bit. She knew she'd have to go back to the gym to find Ryo and wave to him. Then she could leave the stupid crowded party and maybe lie to Ryo the next day that she was there the whole night but that they probably missed each other ... since it was so CROWDED!!!
She returned to the gym and looked for Ryo. People were dancing and it seemed like Ryo disappeared. Rika was still searching for him, when he saw Satoshi in the distance. He was like a spot of light in the dark tunnel. She forced herself a way to Ryo's friend to ask him where he was. She had to push away some crazy girls before she finally reached him. Satoshi was just talking to a half naked girl, when Rika approached them.
'Ooh, look who I see here. It's Rika, the slowly burger maker,' Satoshi said and the girl giggled.
'Satoshi, funny as always,' Rika rolled her eyes.
'What do you want here?' he asked her as if she wasn't invited three hundred times.
'It wouldn't kill you, if you were nice once in a while.'
'Are you sure ..?'
'Not really. However, I'm searching for Ryo.'
'Everybody is.'
'Yeah, you have to wait in the row to get to him!' the girl giggled.
'I don't remember asking you something,' Rika said to the girl and gave her the most 'you-are-so-stupid' look.
'You-'
'Cat fight!' Satoshi yelled and started to laugh. 'I don't know where Ryo is, last time I checked he was with a long leged woman. I'm sure he's not waiting for you around the corner, when he can easily get something like that ...' He showed at the girl, who gave Rika a 'I-am-so-much-better-than-you-you-*piiip*' look.
'Oh don't be too flattered my dear. He said easily. Last time I checked, easy wasn't anything positive.' Rika said and left the two of them. She had enough of the stupid party.
Satoshi saw me. That's enough.
After fifteen minutes she finally left the gym. She went straight to the exit of the school. The hall was still empty. She was almost at the exit when the doors to the gym opened. She turned around instinctively. It was Ryo.
Yes!!
She took a few small steps towards him. He was still standing at the doors. As much as he could normally stand.
'Oh, hi, Ryo! I was just .. err .. going to get some fresh air!' she lyied. He smiled at her.
I'm sure he knows what I'm up to ...
'Don't go,' he suddenly whispered.
He left the doors, approaching her. He wasn't able to stand and she came closer to him.
'Errr ... are you ok?' she asked and he looked at her. He looked sad. 'Ryo?'
They were standing opposite each other, Rika was confused because he started to look in the floor. She was getting annoyed. She wanted to say that she's going and leave him like this, when he suddenly move and tripped against his legs. One of his hands accidentally grabbed her arm and they both fell on the floor.
'Ryoo!!' she said angry when they were both down. She leaned a bit forward to him and sat on her knees. He was also on his knees, still quiet, looking at the floor. Now she was really getting mad.
'Are you ok ...?' she asked him, trying to cover up her annoyance.
He looked at her: 'Yeah ... yeah, sure ... I'm going to kill Satoshi for this ...' He started to laugh quietly as if he was in pain. She didn't know what to say or do.
'Well, I'm going home, Ryo,' she finally said. 'I'm ... I'm sorry, but it's just too crowded in here!'
He didn't say anything. She looked away from him, thinking what to do. Damn!
'Rika,' he said after a while and she blushed a bit because she didn't know he was watching her.
'Yeah, I know, you probably won't want to go to the reunion with me, but-'
'I love you.'
Her brains stopped working for a moment. She didn't understand anything. She didn't even realise that she was staring at him with her eyes and mouth wide open.
'What ...?' Her ability to speak came back. 'Don't be stupid, Ryo ... I ...'
'I'm sorry,' he said and closed his eyes. He turned his head to the gym. The voices there were getting louder.
'You're drunk, Ryo!' she suddenly yelled at him. He looked back at her but didn't say anything.
'RYOOOO!!!' the doors opened and a bunch of fans ran into the hall. Rika grabbed the oportunity, stood up and ran out in the night. She didn't look back at him and she couldn't see how he hit the floor with his hand.
'Oh my god, oh my god ...!' she yelled while running away from the school. She finally stopped at a random tree. She was breathing so fast, that her loungs hurt her. She opened her bag and delved in it. When she found her cellphone, she left her bag fall onto the grass. Her hands were shaking, when she was dialing Jeri's number.
Pick it up! Pick it up! Please .. pick it up!
'Hello?' Juri's laughing voice finally picked up the phone.
'Juri?' Rika said. She didn't realise when she started to cry. 'I ... I need you, Juri. I know ... I know you're with Takato right know .. but .. but please .. could you pick me up? Please??'
'Rika!! What's the matter? Of course I'll pick you up ... Stop it, Takato, she's crying! .. Where are you, girl?'
'I'm not crying!' she yelled at the phone first. 'I'm ... *sniff* I'm at the stupid party. I'll wait for you at that cafe ... What's called again .. Four oaks ..'