Leila and Taiga

His boots clanked as he stormed the streets towards Leila’s house. Taiga had long silky brown hair, which usually curled around his tanned face, but today he had tied it back, his black bandana tightly wrapped around his forehead. He scratched his chin, feeling the harsh whiskers that lined his jaw bone. His eyes faced down, his one weakness, bright blue eyes, he felt cursed by, since so many girls had fallen for them. He reached into his pockets, a single piece of chewing gum left, which he threw up into the air and caught between his teeth. He knocked three times on the door, leaning back against the porch support.1

She opened the door, yawned, and looked at him, ripped jeans as usual, cleaner than usual, with his white wife-beater, revealing defined muscles which she one day wanted to have herself.2

‘Come in,’ she yawned once more, staggering inside towards her room.3

He followed, watched her walk, tiny little steps as her feet dragged along the floorboards. Until he finally couldn’t take the slow pace, and lifted her in his arms. At first she struggled, trying to prove her strength as she always did, and then realised how tired and weak she felt, and relaxed, dozing on his shoulder. He carefully placed her on the bed, and turned to put music on. His eyes flickered, guitar or music… he grabbed the guitar and sat down on top of her amp, plugging it in. and played her favourite song. 4

‘If you’ll be my star, I’ll be your sky...’ He mumbled the words; it was far too early to put effort into singing he thought to himself.5

‘What’s the time?’ she asked, rolling over towards him. 6

‘Err, almost nine,’ he mumbled, glancing up to her, their first eye contact of the day. It was a rare occurrence, but when it did happen it was something beautiful, his eyes were gloomy today, something was on his mind, she could tell. And as her smile faded to a thoughtful expression, he turned away, placing the guitar down. He kicked his boots off, grabbing the bed post, swinging himself round to lying beside her. 7

‘Sorry I came so early, I was going to stop at the shops… but its bank holiday.’8

‘It’s fine, no worries.’ She smiled at him.9

His cheeks wrinkled as he faintly smiled back, his eyes turned away. 10

‘Have you heard?’ she asked. 11

‘No what’s happened?’ he asked, his eyes focused on fiddling with his keys. 12

‘There’s been another killing, a fourteen year old boy in Bay Street. My guess is he couldn’t pay his drug money, just like Alex from school… We’ve got to do something.’13

His fists clenched, ‘Stupid Logan’s. I wish that family had never stepped foot in this town.’ He gritted his teeth, running his finger across the rough knuckles of his fist. ‘This summer I wanna stop this shit. It’s pathetic.’14

‘Agreed, I’m in.’ she stated, taking his fist in her hand, as it softened to an open palm, clenching hers. ‘Now, you gonna tell me what’s on your mind?’ 15

He took a fleeting look at her and then faced away, ‘nothing, just tired,’ he mumbled, forcing a yawn.16

‘Want a drink?’ he asked, quickly standing.17

‘How about… no!’ she declared, grabbing his legs so he fell back onto the bed. He attempted to sit back up but she straddled him, and wrenched his arms back onto the pillow. 18

‘Tell me!’ she said, ‘I mean I know you want to, or you would’ve pushed me off by now.’19

He shrugged and fidgeted once more, ‘My mum’s marrying that bastard, Derik, he’s moving in and everything, and as for my dad, I went to see him last night, the hospital has moved him into intensive care.’20

‘Shit I’m sorry…’ she said, not knowing what to say. 21

He lifted her off him with ease, standing and walking to the kitchen, food always seemed to help him feel better. He took a beer, and made a sandwich for himself, sitting on the sofa as he always did. 22

‘I don’t want your sympathy Leila,’ He said, hearing her footsteps in the doorway.23

‘I know, I know, I just didn’t know what else to say, you know I’m here if you want to talk, or get away from home,’ she knelt beside him, ‘stop locking it all up in here,’ she said, playfully punching his head.24

‘Right that’s it missy! Urusai!’ he shouted, hauling her to the floor. 25

They hadn’t been friends long, in fact only a year or so. But it was a quick and intense friendship, they barely went a day without seeing each other, and knew it would be like that from the first day they met, finding they had so much in common. Both wanted to prove their strength, courage and bravery. Both were intelligent and liked everyone to know. Both were quiet and not the most open people. And both found it hard to look each other in the eye. Leila wanted to be Japanese, and Taiga was. 26

Taiga Suzuki had grown up in Kansas City, was born in Osaka, Japan, and hoped to take Leila back there for a year some time, preferring it to anywhere else in the world. Taiga’s parents had split up when he was ten, since then his Japanese father had gotten lung cancer, and his American mother had found a fiancé, as messed up in the head as she was becoming.27

Leila Johnson was born in England but lived most of her life in Kansas, her mother had disappeared a long time ago with her brother, Ash and she lived with her father now. Taiga had helped keep her company, she was wealthy and mostly happy, but she got lonely, her father worked long shifts as a surgeon. At first Mr Johnson had hated Taiga, he dressed scruffily, had a bad reputation and not a nice family. Mr Johnson had become more accepting; he had looked more to Taiga’s personality of caring and protecting Leila. 28

That night often ran through all their minds, Leila had been home alone, dozing as the television played. And then there had been a sudden smash. She woke, shaken up, and listened as foot steps echoed through the house. She called Taiga who lived only two blocks away, and then grabbed her baseball bat and the sword she had made. As she stood at the door, listening to the smashing, she heard the door slam open. There was silence, and then came Taiga shouting. She staggered down the stairs, seeing him kick one in the head sending him to the floor. There was four of them she counted, and then came the fifth, sprinting towards her, and she rearranged her stance, punching him in the nose, kicking him in the groin, and knocking him out with the baseball bat. 29

Ever since that day, where Taiga had helped Mr Johnson’s precious daughter, he couldn’t refuse him in his house, and they even had long discussions about politics and science when they had the time. 30

They both had the strength and rage of a lion. Each Monday Taiga and Leila went to Ju-jitsu, walking the six blocks to their trainer’s house. They attended Jeet Kune Do on Thursdays and Kick boxing on Sundays. 31