As Bizarre as It Gets

''Oh, I hated that thing!'' I said and covered my eyes.

Yu and I were sitting at the kitchen table discussing cartoons while Strify and Kiro were still asleep.

''Why?!'' he asked like he couldn't believe my reaction.

''I didn't want to watch it and it was on TV, like, three times a day. So I once decided I would give it a chance and watch one episode. I turned the TV on and, of course, the cartoon was just starting. There were two guys. One was bald and the other had messy black hair and a cat tail-''

''That's a tiger tail, Carly,'' he interrupted and grinned.

''Ok, whatever. And it was some sort of a tournament. The bald guy had to fight somebody and stepped into the... ring thingy and then the opponent showed up. I think his name was Bacterian or something. When I saw him, I thought I was gonna throw up. He was disgusting. The bald guy looked nauseous, like he was about to be sick, but then the guy with the cat tail-''

''The tiger tail.''

''Ok, the tiger tail... he shouted: 'He can't hut you! You don't have a nose!' I mean... Asians. I may never understand,'' I explained and had another sip of caffee.

Yu was laughing. I couldn't laugh. Not with the burden I was carrying. He noticed something was wrong and the smile on his face faded into a concerned look.

''What's the matter?''

I couldn't bring myself to look up from the table.

''Carly... what?'' he said and reached to take my hand that lay lifelessly on the table.

I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes saying: '' I'm going home. My bus leaves tomorrow night.''

We stared at each other like we froze.

Strify came out of his room wearing a pajama and rubbing his eyes.

''Good morning,'' he said cheerfully but his smile also faded when he saw the two of us. ''Am I interrupting something?'' he asked. ''Hello?'' he added, waving his hand between Yu and me.

In the end he gave up and went into the bathroom.

I desperately waited for Yu to react. I wanted him to throw his cup of coffee against the wall, to shout at me, to tell me I was fake, that I was a cold-hearted bitch... Instead he just sat there and looked at me. The colour of his eyes somehow went from a vibrant green to a disturbing grey shade.

He let go of my hand and stood up.

''Wait,'' I said quietly through a tightened throat but he went into his room and slammed the door shut.

''I'm so sorry,'' I whispered to noone and held back some unexpected tears.

I couldn't let my mind dwell on the empty hole that was forming in my chest. There were so many things to do before boarding that bus the next day. So many things.

~The Next Day~

All my things were packed and I was walking around my room with the cell phone in my hand. In a couple of minutes my uncle would show up on my bedroom door to tell me it was time to go to the bus station. I was dreading the moment, some part of me didn't believe this was really happening. What if I would never see Yu again? On the other hand, why am I panickning about some guy whom I'd hooked up with just one night before?

Those questions were still buzzing in my head on the ride to the bus station. My mind was like a bee hive and it didn't help when aunt Mary turned to me from the front seat and said: ''Did you say goodbye to your friends?''

''Y-yes,'' I stuttered and looked away. She gave me the weirdest look when I said that.

We arrived to the station half an hour before my bus was to leave so the three of us sat on the cold plastic chairs that were sat in a row. My sports bag was at my feet and I nervously fiddled with the zipper of the backpack that was on my lap. Aunt was glancing at her watch every fifteen seconds. Uncle was reading the newspapers. My mind was set on the cell phone in my pocket: 'Please, ring. Please, don't let me leave without a goodbye. Please, let me hear his voice just one more time. Please.'

Hysteria was building up inside me. I hoped aunt and uncle wouldn't notice. I couldn't have handled any questions from that at that moment.

''Could you get me an orange juice from the vending machine, darling?'' she asked him.

''Yes, of course'' he said and stood up, ''Do you want anything?'' he asked me.

''No, I'm fine. Thank you,'' I answered. He nodded and walked off.

About ten seconds later she spoke again: ''I have to go to the ladies' room. I'll be right back.'' She gave me that strange look again and went towards the sign that said 'WC'.

I pulled my sports bag a little closer and gripped my backpack a little tighter.

''You didn't think we would let you leave just like that, did you?'' somebody spoke and I almost jumped.
I turned around to see Strify sitting on a chair behind me. All five of them were sitting next to each other.

''I want my Dir En Grey t-shirt back,'' Strify spoke again pretending to have some sort of authority over me.

''Oh, yes... I forgot I had it. I must have put it in my bag with all the other stuff...'' I explained and reached for the bag.

''Carly, we're not here because of the stupid t-shirt,'' he mumbled and got up. The others followed him and I stood up too. They gathered around me.

''Take care of yourself. Hope to see you again soon,'' Strify said and gave me a hug.

''Bye, CArly,'' Kiro said and gave me a quick hug like I was on fire or something.

''No hard feelings?'' I asked.

''None,'' he answered and smiled.

''Have a safe trip home,'' Shin said and we hugged too. His hands lingered on my waist a second longer than I'd expect.

''I will,'' I replied.

''No hard feelings?'' he asked.

''None.''

''Woohoo!'' he said and moved aside so Luminor can say goodbye to me.

He also gave me a hug while the others were still laughing at Shin's reaction.

'''Till we meet again, Carly,'' he said quietly.

'''Till we meet again,'' I answered and nodded.

And then came that awkward moment. Yu was standing two feet away and wouldn't even look me in the eyes.

''Look, a coffee machine!'' Strify shouted and the four boys walked off.

''You can't even look at me?'' I asked.

''He looked at me, came closer and put his arms around me.

''I'm sorry about my reaction, Carly,'' he whispered.

''I'm sorry too but I have to go.''

''I know, I know. I understand you have a life waiting for you. I overreacted but I couldn't help myself.''

''Thanx for not letting me leave without a goodbye.''

''This isn't a goodbye. It's more like 'au revoir'.''

I laughed with relief at his explanation.

''But... How did you knowwhen to find me here?'' I asked.

''I called your aunt this morning and asked her if she could bring you here a little early for a proper goodbye.''

''You mean, for a proper 'au revoir'?''

He hugged me a little tighter.

''You'll call me when you get home, right?''

''Right.''

''You'll call me from the bus on the way, right?''

''How about I start diling the number immediattely?'' I teased him.

He kissed me forhead and broke the hug.

''Look, Carly'' he began to explain, ''The career of Cinema Bizarre is about to take off. We have big plans and high expectations. If you don't hear from me in a few days, that doesn't mean I forgot about you.''

He looked intensly into my eyes to make sure I understood what he'd meant.

I cleared my throat and said: ''No problem.''

''Your aunt and uncle will be back any second. I better go,'' he said and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

I grabbed him by the dog collar around his neck and pulled him into an almost agressive kiss. When I let go of him after what seemed like minutes, he took a deep breath and looked a little disoriented.

''Something to remember me by,'' I explained with a smirk on my face.

He blushed a little and smiled.

''And now you really must go,'' I clarified the situation.

''Oh, yeah,'' he said and went towards the main exit.

I chuckled and glanced at my watch. Oops. Five minutes to departure. I looked around and saw aunt and uncle walking towards me with huge smiles on their faces. Now it was my turn to blush.

''I don't know how to thank you,'' I said to them.

''To see you this happy is enough,'' aunt said.

Uncle picked up my sports bag and I tossed the backpack over my shoulder.

''Off to the platform, kid,'' he said.

I waved to them from the bus and the engine roared. My heartbeat quickened at the thought that I was leaving.This was it. I was happy knowing I would see my friends and family but facing my editor was making me feel a little uneasy. The contract I signed said I had to write two more books for that publisher. Being all over the newspaper didn't sound too good. Not again.

I wondered if I would see Cinema Bizarre in newspaper too. Nah. I didn't believe they would get famous worldwide. Or maybe...