Chapter 21 - Chapter 21

I woke up, and as I opened my eyes, I saw Honda was already awake, and staring at me. I uttered a small scream, and fell off the bed in shock. As I stood up, I rubbed my sore butt, and cursed quietly. Still muttering (Maria-styley), I went down a light of stairs, and walked over to my suitcase, pulling out some clothes. I shouted up to Honda, “Hey, we need to changed for dinner.”



“Ok,” he called back, and I heard him padding across the floor, and hopping down the stairs. He walked over to his suitcase, and I stood and watched, as he pulled out a pair of black jeans, and a white shirt. He put them on, and collapsed into a chair. I just stood and stared.



“What?”



I shook my head, “Boys scare me.”



He smirked.



I pulled on a black linen halter-neck dress, and a pair of strappy sandals, before walking over to the mirror and applying my usual kohl, and mascara. Finally, I was ready, and grabbing Honda's hand, I pulled him down the stairs, and then out into the main house, we walked calmly into the dining room, and took our places opposite each other at the table.



The others were already at the table, and when Honda and I had settled ourselves, the cook came, and began to serve everyone. It was Coq-au-Vin, which I personally found absolutely disgusting, and French beans as well. Which I hated. So I was left to just drink water, as I didn't want the wine, because I was planning to ride early the next day. And also because I was so embarrassing when drunk.



Honda and Marc were typical guys, and shovelled endless amounts of food into their mouth, washing it all down with beer, and then looking very pleased with themselves. Urgh.



My father ate sparingly, and I knew it to be that he too did not particularly like this meal. He sat there and drunk quite a lot of wine, whilst trying to maintain a polite conversation.



I did not hate my father, even though I did not particularly like him that much at that point in time, but is just hated her. She had ruined my life. She was acting so stupidly right now, drinking too much, and becoming all giggly and obtuse. She was wearing a disgustingly vile pale pink dress, which was much too low-cut, and looked even worse when she leant forward in laughter.



By the end of the meal I was nearly ready to throttle her, and when we all moved into another room, she went upstairs to bed, claiming to have a headache. I saw my father give her a disgusted look. I felt myself hoping that maybe their marriage was ending. I could only hope.



We all settled into the living room, with its big leather sofa, and comfortable chairs. My father lifted a silver box, and opened it, offering it first to Marc, and then to Honda. Honda declined, when he saw what it was, but Marc accepted, and my father took one too. Marc produced a lighter, and lit up his own cigar, before lighting my fathers. I, meanwhile, had grabbed another box, and pulled a cigarette out of it, which Marc then lit for me. I could feel Honda's disapproval, and I wished it away, as it covered me with its density. In the end, I killed the cigarette in an ashtray, and sat there, watching.



We all talked about any plans for the holiday, and my father kindly suggested that Honda and I, and maybe Marc should go and stay in one of the other houses for a while. It was a brilliant idea. We could go and stay in the Pyrenees, and spend a few days skiing. It was a brilliant idea.



The night got steadily later, and in the end, it was Marc who went to bed first. I went to make myself a cup of coffee, making the great mistake of leaving my father and Honda in a room together.



***



“So, Honda, who are you?” Jonothan asked, conversationally.



Honda looked around him, nervously, “Um, I'm Honda?!”



Jonothan frowned, and shook his head, “I know that. What I meant is, in my way, what are you doing with my daughter?”



Honda still looked bemused, as he was having trouble trying to translate the French, let alone answer, and then respond again in France. Jonothan, understanding this, switched into Japanese (Ana's mother was Japanese, so he speaks it fluently). Honda understood now, and found himself able to answer, “Uh, I'm going out with her?”



“And sleeping with her?” Jonothan put it bluntly. “You do know that's illegal?”



Honda looked startled, “WHAT?!”



“It is illegal to sleep with a minor.”



“But she isn't a minor. She's 16!”



Jonothan stared at him, “I think I know my own daughter. She's only 15.”



Honda was dumbstruck.



***



I was shattered, and so I decided to go to bed, forgetting about Honda. I made my way to my room, with my mug of coffee, and settled myself into bed with a book, slowly beginning to dose off.



***



“What do you mean? She turned 16 in January!” Honda looked confused.



“No, she turned 15 in January. I should know, I am her father.”



Honda was trying not to shake, trying to deal with the knowledge that he had slept with a child. “I don't understand.”



He was trying to think back to a time when she had ever mentioned her age. She hadn't, and had they not, her friends, ever though to ask?



But she was in their year, surely, if she was only fifteen, she shouldn't be.



Jonothan noticed his puzzlement, “You are wondering how you never knew? Why she never told you? Why she was in your year? Because there was no space in the year below, and she was far enough ahead in her studies. Because she was embarrassed to be considered younger, more immature. I might not get on very well with my daughter, but I do know her. We are too similar.”



Honda did his best to smile, but merely grimaced, and his voice came out hoarse, “But that made her only 14. Why didn't she tell me?”



“She was only 14!”



Honda nodded miserably. “I'm sorry, sir. But I love her. Well, I thought I did. She has lied to me. It is as if it is all one huge lie.”



Jonothan nodded. “I know what you mean. Don't doubt her heart, only her reason,” he took a deep breath. “Now, it is getting late. I suggest we return to our rooms.”



“Um, sir. If you don't mind, I'd like a different room?”



“That's fine. If you follow me, we have one made up.”



Honda miserably followed him up the stairs, “Sir, may I make a phone call?”



“Yes, of course. Please, feel free to use the phone in your room whenever.”



Honda thanked him, and entered the room. Sitting on the bed, he picked up the phone, and slowly dialled a phone call through to Japan. He heard someone answer, and hearing a familiar voice, he smiled slightly, as the person on the other end spoke.



“'sup?” said Joey.



“Hey, its Honda.”



“WOAH! Dude, aren't you, like, in France or something?”



“Um, yeah. But I might be coming back.”



“COOL? Hang on, why? Everything not ok wit' you?”



“Not really,” and he settled down and explained everything, agreeing with the sounds of shock that Joey was making over the phone. Little did Honda realise that Joey had put him on speakerphone, and that Joey wasn't actually listening, although his sister, Serenity, was.



When Honda finally finished speaking, and asked Joey what he should do. “Dump her.”



“JOEY…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” he heard a girl's voice, and jumped, thinking that it might be Ana. He could hear a slight shuffle, and then the girl's clear voice spoke into the phone.



“Hi, Honda, its Serenity.”



“Oh, hey.”



“DON'T YOU DARE DUMP HER! That is one way to break a girl's heart. So what, she didn't tell you. She probably was ashamed, and thought that you might have known. But if you didn't, what does it matter? Does it make you love her any less? Just sleep on it, and talk it over with her in the morning. And if you dump her, well, something bad will happen, like, I don't know. You'll both be miserable forever, and you'll come back here and be miserable, and she'll be in France being miserable, and then no-one will be happy.”



“Um, ok.”



“Just, DON'T BREAK UP WITH HER. Seriously.”



“Yeah, you'd better listen to my little sis, man. She's serious when she's mad.”



Honda finished the conversation quickly, and said his goodbyes, before hanging up. Still maintaining his reservations, he decided to follow Serenity's advice, and lay back, closing his eyes, falling asleep quickly, due to jetlag.



***



The sun entered the room, and I opened my eyes, blinking in the bright light. It was going to be a gorgeous day, and I couldn't wait to go to the beach, although I was going to ride first.



I stretched out my arms for Honda, but found only empty space and pillows. I focused my eyes, and sat up, looking for him, but seeing no evidence of him having been there for the night. Thinking nothing of it, I went down to the kitchen, and grabbed some breakfast, before making my way out onto the roads and towards the stables.



Reaching the yard, I made my way through it, and came to Daemon's box. They had cared for him well, and his coat gleamed, and his muscles stood out well. I went into a room around the back, and grabbed his tack, before tacking him up, and leading him into the school.



I mounted up, and took him through a quick warm-up before doing a simple dressage routine, and then practicing some of the harder moves. To let him relax after all the hard work, I let him fist trot freely around the ring, and then led him into a canter, letting him keep it up for as long as he wished. We were just starting a second circuit when I noticed Honda on the side of the ring. I smiled and waved, not noticing that anything was wrong.



He shouted something to me, and I didn't hear, so I turned in my seat, as he shouted again, “Why didn't you tell me?”



I was puzzled, “Tell you what?”



“Well, for example, that you are only 15?”



I didn't notice the coming corner, and I turned still further in the saddle to see Honda, slipping as I did so, and falling to the ground. I landed with a dull thud, and laughed unconsciously, as I felt the crunch of my back. Then I saw only stars.



***



My head burned with an intense pain, as if I had a very bad hangover. I tried to sit up, but couldn't, feeling things restraining me. I tried to open my eyes. At least this worked. I opened my eyes and saw myself in a bright white room. I listened for any people, and heard no one. I tried turning my head and couldn't, although I wanted to. It hurt too much. I tried to speak, and my voice came out quietly, “Help.”



“I'm here.” My father. “Honda is too.”



Honda. Falling. Falling off Daemon. My back.



“What happened?” the words barely sounded, and pain rushed through my body when they did.



“You fell, off your horse, and fractured one of the vertebrae in your spine. The doctors operated, to see if they could mend it, and they did their best. You'll be in a wheelchair for a while, and might not be able to ride again. At the moment you just need to keep very still, but by the end of the week, we're hoping that we can get you home, although you will have to have plenty of rest.”



I was in a deep state of shock, and distress. Never ride again? The words struck chords deep in my heart, and I felt pain encasing my soul.



I was home by the end of a second week.

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