Chapter Thirteen: My Good Friend:

�So where exactly are we going?� I asked Kiku in the car. She smiled as she gave me a little shrug.

�Just a drive,� she said.

�But to where?� I asked.

�Does it have to be any place?�

I shook my head. �Guess not.�

Kiku only laughed. �Just sit back and stay a while.�

�Okay, I�ll take your word on that one.� We drove around the city. I couldn�t help but to smile at the scenery around me.

�Look familiar?� Kiku asked me. I nodded in a dreamy way.

�Do you remember when we were younger?�

�Yeah. Those were the days.�

�We were wild then.�

�Oh yes!�

�What happened to us now?�

�We grew up?�

�Perhaps. Hey, you want to stop somewhere and pick up a dream?�

�Sure.� We pulled up to a gas station convenient store. Kiku gassed up her car while I bought the drinks. Apple-mango for her and Berry blast for me. I even bought a little snack for myself.

�How have you been?� the clerk asked.

�Good,� I said with a smile.

�I�m so sorry for your loss,� he said.

�It�s okay,� I said. �Akio would want me to move on.�

�This is true,� the clerk said. I paid the clerk and he gave me my recite.

�Have a nice day,� he said.

�You too,� I replied with a nod. I walked out of the store to find Kiku waiting for me outside.

�Ready to go?� she asked.

�Yeah,� I said. We rushed back to her car and drove off. The city disappeared behind us.

�Where are we going now?� I asked.

�To the beach,� she said.

�But I didn�t pack a swimsuit!�

�We�re not going swimming, silly. We�re just going to enjoy the view and talk.�

I didn�t even respond there. I knew what she was talking about. I slumped down in my seat. We just couldn�t avoid that for one day, could we?, I thought. I glanced out the window. Too late to turn back now. I�m already in the car on the way to the beach. Might as well walk into it with a brave smile on my face.

We pulled up to into the beach parking lot and got out of the car. The walk to the beach was silent at first. I counted down to the questions in my head. Kiku didn�t say a word as we walked closer to the sand. I still kept counting down.

�Tell me something,� she said up when we were halfway there. I looked over at her.

�Hm?� I asked. She had a serious look on her face. I knew this was coming. I only waited in silence. My friend already knew what she was going to say; I saw it in her eyes.

�How are you?� Kiku asked.

�Good,� I said with a nod.

�No, you�re not.�

I made a curious face at her. �How do you mean?�

�Well, you seem to be hiding something that you are afraid to talk about with anybody.�

I tried to play it off with a nervous laugh. �It�s nothing like that.�

�Are you sure?�

I closed my mouth and shifted my eyes away from her. �Uh, well�� What could I say? I couldn�t tell her the truth. I couldn�t tell her that a vampire killed my boyfriend out of jealousy and threatened that if I told anyone what he was that he would kill me. She wouldn�t believe me and Kaoru would kill her and me for talking. I just looked down at my feet. To my surprise, Kiku gently took my hands. I jerked my head up at her. She gave me a kind little smile.

�It�s okay,� she whispered. �I will be there for you. We will all be there for you.� I pressed my lips together silently. For some reason, that sent a wave of relief through me and washed away my fears and guilt about Kaoru and Akio. It wasn�t much, but I found myself smiling for real again today.

�Thank you, my dear friend,� I said in a low voice. �You don�t know how much that means to me.� Kiku smiled and smacked me on the back.

�Ow,� I murmured as I winced in pain.

�Now come on,� she said. �The ocean may be waiting for us, but the day isn�t!� Kiku grabbed me by the hand and ran with me all the way down to the past.

�Slow down, you�re hurting me!� I cried. Kiku didn�t listen, instead she laughed aloud.

�Lovely view, isn�t it?� she asked once she calmed down.

�Yeah, it sure is,� I replied, lost in my own simple joy.