I’M A BRAT AND I’M IN LOVE
(Can he tame her?)
Chapter 4
“Levi Akabane, I think I’m in love with you.”
Levi barely had time to process the words as they left Rika’s mouth. He stared at her, wanting to know if she was making some kind of joke. As if reading his mind, Rika said, “I’m serious.”
Levi didn’t know what to say. This girl always just went from one extreme to another. He let go of her hands and gently touched her cheek that she had slapped. It was already red. “That’s gotta sting. You should put some ointment on it.”
Rika grabbed his arm. Her hands were extremely soft. How could anybody’s arms be that soft? He resisted the urge to squeeze them. “Didn’t you hear what I said?” She asked. He rose his eyebrow at her and didn’t reply.
“Oh I see. You don’t believe me. Well. I can’t say I blame you though. I must seem like a really horrible person in your eyes.”
Levi watched her closely. She wasn’t smiling, or looking mischievous. She almost looked sincere. “I don’t think you’re horrible, I just think you’re troubled.”
Rika burst into laughter. “I knew you would say something sarcastic like that.” She let go of his arm. “Well believe it or not Levi, I do have real feelings for you, and it’s all your fault.”
Levi narrowed his eyes, amused. “My fault?” He asked.
“Yeah.” Rika replied, flicking her hair away from her face. “You treated me the way no one has before. You’re different.” Levi sighed again. Rika really was just a kid. Maybe he had judged her a little too quickly without getting to know her first. “We’ve only known each other for what, three, four weeks? I don’t think that’s love Rika.” He said, his voice teasing her even though he didn’t show any expression on his face.
“We’ll call it what you want, it doesn’t change anything. I still have feelings for you.”
Levi finally conceded. “Okay. Whatever you want Rika.”
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Rika and Hunter, her friend, sat and sipped sodas at a Cafe. They had just finished their exams in school, and were relaxing at Hunter’s favourite Cafe.
“So how did you do on today’s exam Rika? A+ again right?”
Rika sipped her soda and made a disinterested noise. “Yeah sure.”
Hunter looked at his friend quizzically. “Something on your mind?”
Rika looked back at him and plastered a smile on her face. “Nope. Everything’s fine.”
Hunter was worried. Lately Rika seemed very distant. He felt like she was hiding something from him. Well, not that he didn’t always feel that way around her, but lately her mind was always elsewhere, and, well, not that he could read her emotions, but he had known her longer than most people, and he could tell that her emotions were all over the place.
Well, she was Rika of course. He was sure that whatever was bothering her she would be able to handle it. Not that he didn’t care about her, but he knew her well enough that she could take care of herself and didn’t need his help. Sometimes he felt like she was just his friend as a courtesy, amd she didn’t really need him. But all the while he was happy to be her friend, flaws and all.
“Whatever’s bothering you Rika, I’m available if you need to talk.”
Rika smiled at him, almost laughing. “Yeah Hunter. Of course you are.”
Typical answer from the one and only Rika Sato. If she had said something sweet or sentimental, then she wasn’t his friend.
“Oh that’s right Rika.” He said suddenly. “You should be really careful from now on.”
Rika looked puzzled. “And why is that?” “There’s a rumour going around that your ex boyfriend Damon, is planning to have his revenge on you from ratting him out to Principal Hakura.” Rika raised her eyebrow. “Really?”
Hunter frowned. “Don’t give me that look. I’m just saying you should probably be more security conscious for now. At least no late night walks. You can never know.”
Rika laughed. “Okay Hunter. I’ll be careful.”
Hunter wasn’t convinced. Some very disturbing rumors had been going around the school about Damon and what he planned to do to Rika. Hunter really wished Rika would take him more seriously. He really felt that Rika might be in danger. He sighed and continued sipping his soda.
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The weeks went by uneventfully. Rika hardly saw Levi as she was busy preparing for the college entrance exam that was coming up in a few months. She was excited as she would soon graduate from high school. She sighed to herself. She missed Levi terribly.
She thought about him everyday and wished she could at least speak with him. Hearing his voice would surely give her the strength to keep studying. She sighed and walked out of her room to stretch her legs. She spotted a neatly wrapped present sitting on the glass table and her mom standing by it. “Hm? Mom, who’s this for?”
Her mom looked at her. “Oh hi dear. This? It’s a housewarming gift for Levi. He moved to another condo last week. But we were too busy to visit, so we’re having this delivered to his office instead.”
“Really? Then let me take it to him.”
Her mother looked at her quizzically. “It’s no trouble dear. I’ll just send someone over.” Rika put her hands on her mother’s shoulders. “Come on Mom. I was just thinking that I wanted to stretch my legs a bit. I could use the exercise. I’ve been cooped up inside studying all day.”
“……………. Alright darling. I’ll call him and let him know you’re coming over.”
Rika ran back to her room, excitedly getting dressed. She was going to see him!
A few minutes later she arrived at the law firm and sat down in the lobby. She waited for a while until her phone buzzed. It was an unknown caller. “Hello?” “Hello Rika?” A familiar deep voice boomed over the phone.
“Yes it’s her.”
“Right. It’s Levi.”
Rika’s heart raced.
“I might be while so you can leave the present with the receptionist.” “No way. I haven’t seen you in weeks Levi. I’m giving this present to you in person.” She heard him sigh and giggled silently.
“You know what Rika? I don’t even have the strength to argue with you today. I’ll be down in a while and I’ll give you a ride back home.” “Okay!” She said, happy everything was going according to plan.
Rika waited for half an hour and started to get hungry. She decided to quickly run out and get something to eat. It really was getting dark. Oh well. As she walked through the lonely Parking lot she spotted someone walking up to her. It was Damon. He looked disheveled and unkept. She stopped walking.
“Rika.” He called hoarsely. “I found you.”
Rika frowned. “Have you been following me?”
“Does it matter?”
She smiled slowly at him.
“Damon, don’t you have the slightest bit of shame? You’re following me around like a dog. Did I enthrall you that much?” Damon swooped in and grabbed her arm tightly.
“What are you saying Rika?! What about all we shared? Look….I don’t care that you got me suspended, just….just please tell me you love me. I love you so much Rika!”
Rika stared at her arm. “Let go of me. You’re insane.”
“No I’m not! This is all your fault! I’m this way because I’m in love with you, you worthless sl.ut!”
Rika froze. Her heart constricted in her chestas her palms became sweaty and she started gasping for air. She took her fingers and plunged them into Damon’s eyes, momentarily destabilizing him an he let go of her. She grabbed the nearest rock she could find and moved to slam it on his head when someone grabbed her arm. She turned frantically and came face to face with Levi. He shook his head at her and slowly pulled her behind him. He now faced Damon.
“Hey kid. Walk away.”
Damon rubbed his eyes. “So now you’re seeing older men Rika? How old is this guy Hun? 34? 35? Is it because he’s handsome?!”
“Look kid the Cops are gonna get here very soon. Why don’t you make things easier for both of us and stop this?”
“God Rika I can’t believe you. I can’t believe you!”
Levi noticed the sharp glint of a knife in Damon’s hands.
“Hey. You pull that knife out and I promise you the Cops are gonna have to carry you out of here.”
Damon screamed loudly as he charged with the knife, but Levi was faster. He kicked the knife out of Damon’s hand and broke his arm. As Damon was screaming in pain, Levi knocked him out. He heard someone else drop to the floor behind him. It was Rika. She had passed out.
Rika was rushed to the hospital and Damon was apprehended by the Police. While waiting for her parents to get to the hospital, Levi sat by her side till she woke up. She finally did amd looked around in fear. Levi noticed her hands shaking.
“Are you okay?”
She smiled, desperately trying to hide the fear in her eyes. “Didn’t Know you could fight.” She covered her shaking hands.
“The doctor said you had a panic attack. Said Damon must have really scared you.”
Rika scoffed. “Damon didn’t scare me. I could have taken care of myself. He’s cr@zy. They’re all cr@zy.” Rika mumbled her hands shaking more vi0lently than before.
“I know that. You pretty much had the situation handled. Then why are you shaking?”
Rika didn’t reply but continued shaking.
Levi watched her carefully and slid his hands into hers. They were cold, but still so soft. She stopped shaking and faced him.
“See Levi, how can you do things like this and expect me not to fall in love with you?”
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When Levi got home hours later, he called his dad. The Akabane family had been the Sato family’s lawyer for the past three generations. His great grandfather had met Maehara Sato, Rika’s grandfather and the founder of Sato Enterprises, a then poor immigrant from Japan, and they had struck a friendship. When Maehara Sato hit it big, he hired Levi’s great grandfather as his legal representative and it had been that way ever since.
“Hello, Levi? How’s it going my boy? Why the late night call?” “Hey Dad. Uh sorry did I wake you?” “Not at all. I was just getting ready to go to bed. Are you still having trouble sleeping?” Levi rubbed his neck.
He had been suffering from mild insomnia for the past few months. Some days, it was so bad that he had to rely on sleeping pills just to get any rest. He usually only slept two or three hours a day. “Yeah, but that’s not why I called.”
“Really? Is something wrong?” “Um…Rika Sato…..do you know if she experienced any traumas as a child?” “Traumas? I don’t think so, well none that I know of. Why are you asking?” “Nothing really. I was just curious.”
His Dad chuckled. “How time flies! Do you know that she once said that she would marry you?” Levi’s eyes widened. “Really? She said that?”
His Dad laughed loudly. “Yeah! I think she was about six years old then, and you were in your second year of law school. Don’t you remember?”
Levi thought hard. “No I really don’t.”
“Oh well. It really was so long ago. She’s grown into a fine young lady now, and probably also outgrown that crush she had on you.”
Levi laughed to himself and thought, she totally hasn’t outgrown it.
“Okay thanks Dad. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight son. Try to get some sleep okay?”
“Yeah. Bye.”
Levi cut the call and fell back on his bed. Something wasn’t making sense. Rika was not the kind of person to be easily scared, even by what had just happened to her. She was right, she could take care of herself, and he only interfered because he wanted to protect her. But he had seen her face. She was terrified. Something was wrong that he wasn’t getting.
He sighed. He had thought he had known Rika Sato for just over a month, but now he had found out that he’s probably known her his whole life and didn’t remember. She had said she would marry him? Silly girl. He guessed somethings never really do change.
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