Frozen Rose (Langa x reader)

Chapter 17

(Y/n)'s POV

Shadow and Miya had come to help Reki practise. Yuu was currently making last minute changes to the shoes and gloves, sitting by Shadow's car; toying with the different functions and tools.

"Come on, you need to be able to do this trick if you want to pass him at the corner," Miya exclaimed.
"I know. Let me try again," said Reki.

I was sitting on my board, my eyes trailing every move he made, every step he took. Miya demonstrated once more, allowing me another glimpse of the posture of his body, the position of his feet.

A silent wind caressed our skin, reaching its slender fingers through our hair. A deep sigh escaped me as I breathed in the cool air, letting it cool the fire within me.

"Reki, move your right foot slightly more forward and adjust the angle of your lower body. It should help."
"Thanks (Y/n)."
"Can you do it?" asked Langa.
"I guess so?"

Four pairs of eyes turned to look at me, minus Yuu who was still tinkering with the gloves. I stood on my board, accelerating faster and faster before executing the trick Miya had performed.

My board stopped a short distance away as I turned to look at everyone, donning my usual cheeky yet charismatic grin. Reki's eyes shone in determination before he tried again, skidding along the edge yet flipping over near the end.

He went again and again, not once stopping to rest until he had finally run out of energy. He let out a small yell of frustration yet it didn't at all hint towards his unwillingness to continue.

A sudden figure rushed past, making me lose my balance on the skateboard. I hurriedly flipped back and back again to land safely on my feet. Familiar, luminescent hair shone beneath the streetlight. An even more annoyingly familiar face turned to make eye-to-eye contact with me.

"Do you feel lonely? Is that why you're always annoying us to get our attention?"
"(Y/n), nothing you say will affect me, sweetie," Ruka purred mockingly.
"Really? Haven't you ever wondered why your brother always hung out with us? Haven't you ever thought that perhaps you were too overbearing? Too much of a clingy cockroach?"

Tears stung her eyes but within the blink of an eye, they were gone.

"Shut up! You know nothing about him," she seethed.
"...see? That's how I feel every time you say something, anything, about Luke. Who the hell do you think has it harder? Why don't you use that brain of yours to think for once?"

What was wrong with me? Why was I trying to break her with words? I needed to control my anger before it controlled me. The emotions, the trauma, came rushing into my mind, stabbing its sharp blades into the delicate areas of my memories.

Ruka's palm met my face before a stinging pain was left behind. The shock only hit afterwards yet I didn't blame her for it. I was a mess. Was it the stress that had caused it? Was I...scared of seeing Reki skate against Adam?

"Don't touch her!"

Reki and Langa were immediately standing in front of me, glaring down at the girl who loathed my very existence.

"Guys, let's go somewhere else to practice. This place stinks of trash," Miya exclaimed.
"You're right. Hopefully it'll be cleaned out by tomorrow. Let's go," said Shadow.

I turned only to hear Ruka's soft, broken voice. It shattered my core, yet a lingering anger remained hidden beneath the sorrow building up in my chest.

"Give him back...please..."

My fists clenched tight. A myriad of words swept past my mind. A million possibilities came and went. None of them stuck. I couldn't save her from her sorrow when I couldn't even save myself. I was drowning in this sea of guilt.

"Please..."
"(Y/n), come on," said Reki.
"Is it really okay to leave Ruka like that?" Langa asked as Reki was leading me away.
"She has her guards. She has plenty of friends. She has rich parents. What more do you want to give her? A sympathetic heart and a new relationship?"

~At a skatepark~

A smile graced my face as I skated against Miya, performing tricks here and there. A piece of my heart shattered every time my lips curved up in a nonchalant grin.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. Yet I still kept this facade of cool indifference. Reki waved his arms, catching my attention. Langa was immediately by my side, grasping my arms as we spun.

Instinctively leaning this way and that, I felt the weight lift off little by little. The sorrow was replaced by a thrill, a thrill that held the memories of my brother mixed with Langa's own spark.

We eventually slowed with his fingers leaving my own. My feet didn't bother stopping before I unintentionally crashed into Reki, whose arms engulfed my body in a tight grasp, his eyes patient and expectant.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

A smile touched my eyes. A small nod was all he needed. His thumb came to rub away the single tear that had escaped my eye, nonchalantly ruffling my hair afterwards to hide the small action.

"Langa managed to calm you with skating? That's a big feat," he said softly, his voice light.
"Yeah..."
"Everything's fine now, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Don't let it get to you. Where's the loud, grumpy (Y/n) I know?"
"...idiot."
"Langa, you've gotta teach me how to do that. Have you inherited the will of her brother or something?"

The said male pulled up beside me, offering a gentle grin before shooting Reki a confused look. He didn't ask questions nor did he mention the incident. Gratitude for the two seeped through my bones, warming my body with its calming tones.

"(Y/n), I finished. Reki, come have a look," exclaimed Yuu.
"Awesome!" Reki replied.
"You okay?" Miya asked as the red-haired male happily made his way to my brother.
"Yeah, all good now."
"She really gets on my nerves. Does she even know what she's like?"
"Ha, if she did, I think she would've died of shame by now," commented Shadow.
"Assuming she knows what shame feels like," Miya lightheartedly retorted.

A smile cracked open before I was laughing. The others grinned upon seeing the expression on my face. We were all skating soon after, leaving not a second wasted.