Dell held Miku gently. It had happened again. Those bastards at school had attacked her again. She had more bruises on her than last time. It wasn't just the physical attacks, it was the crap they said about her. None of what they said was true, of cause, at least not in Dell's opinion, but Miku believed it. Every slander and insult thrown at her was taken as truth. Dell hated seeing Miku like this, broken and crying, calling herself worthless.
When Miku's tears had finally subsided a little, Dell helped her to her feet and half carried her to his car. He had started driving to school regularly in case Miku needed a lift or to stay over at his place. He had a feeling it was going to be the latter this time. During the car ride, Miku had fallen asleep, Dell sighed. How could Miku believe all that s*** that those jerks said?
He pulled into the drive of his house and got out, going around to the passenger side to pick Miku up and carry her into the house. When he walked in his sister Haku was just in the living room. She looked up as she heard him come in and grimaced at the sight of Miku in his arms. She got up and went to the bathroom to fetch the first aid kit and a damp towel as Dell carried Miku to the 'guest bedroom', which they had started considering renaming to 'Miku's Room'. Dell laid her down on the bed just as Haku came in with the kit and towel. Dell left to give them some privacy as Haku cleaned Miku up.
He collapsed on to the coach and sighed. He wanted the old Miku back. The Miku that had smilled at him when they were kids, the Miku that had seen him, a shy, lonely kid and wanted to befriend him. He wanted the Miku... he had fallen in love with. Dell looked up as his sister came back.
"I take it she's still refusing to press charges?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. Dell nodded. Haku sighed. "If this continues she may get herself killed."
Dell grimaced. The idea made his stomach twist. "How can she believe them? How can she not see how amazing she is?"
Haku shrugged. "I don't think it works that way, Dell. I think what it really takes for someone to see their own worth, is for someone else to look at them and point out those qualities. When you start to see yourself through their eyes, that's when you start to see the good qualities that they see."
Dell sighed. "You know, sis. You can really come up with some pretty deep stuff."
Haku put a hand on her little brother's shoulder. "Just tell her what's in your heart. That's all you, that either of us, can really do for her."
She walked off to the kitchen and left him with his thoughts. Dell had told Muki. He'd told her a hundred times that what those jerks at school said was a load of crap. Dell groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. He guessed sometimes words just weren't enough.
Hang on...
The idea hit him like a speeding truck. Yes, sometimes words weren't enough. Sometimes the true meaning got lost somewhere, sometimes it was hard to find the right words. But he and Miku had found a way around that years ago. Dell shot up from the coach and raced up the stairs to his room. 'Yes, sometimes words weren't enough.' Dell grabbed his guitar, a pen and his note book. 'But, with music, you could express what words can't say.'
With that thought in mind Dell set to word. Writing things down in his note book and scribbling some out, all the while strumming notes on his guitar to make a tune. If he couldn't get his message across to Miku with just his words, than he'd use his music.
Miku woke up feeling very sore. She remembered what had happened the other day, and wished that she could just hide under her covers forever. She opened her eyes and found that she was in a room that she instantly recognised as the guest room at Dell's house. Miku sighed, She hated being a burden on him and Haku, but it also made her feel warm at the knowledge that they cared. Miku sat up shakily in bed and looked at the cloak that read 9.30. Miku's eyes widened. She was supposed to be at school half an hour ago. Why didn't Dell or Haku wake her up? Miku was about to jump out of bed and start running around looking for her things when she spoted the CD player, CD and note next to the cloak. She picked up the note and read it:
'Don't come into school today.
You were hurt worse this normal this time, so stay home and rest.
I'll see you when I get home.
Please listen to the CD, there's something that I want to tell you.
Dell.'
Miku blinked. If Dell had wanted to tell her something why didn't he just tell her? She grabbed the CD and put it into the player, putting the head phones on before she hit play. The first this she heard was the sound of a guitar, making a soft sad, yet warm melody. Miku closed her eyes, letting the music wash over her. Then she heard something she wasn't expecting. Dell's voice. Now it wasn't like Dell was a bad singer, he had a nice, soft, warm voice that made you feel safe. But he preferred to avoid singing when he could. Miku felt her heart beat faster as she listened to Dell's words:
'Why can't you
See your worth?
Your eyes
So beautiful
Your smile
Like the sun
You're so
Wonderful
Smile, baby
For me
It's so
Beautiful
Your smile
Your laugh
Your eyes
You are perfect
As you are
It tears me
Apart
To see you
Suffering
The words they
Hurt you with
I want to
Block them out
So you can
Smile
They've blinded you to
Your
Perfection
Smile, baby
For me
It's so
Beautiful
Your kindness
Your shyness
Your are perfect
In every way
So why can't
You see
This all for
Yourself
What do I
Have to say
To show you
You're wonderful
Smile, baby
For me
It's so
Beautiful
Your cheerfulness
Your brightness
Your helpfulness
You are perfect
I love you.'
Miku felt her face blush furiously at the last sentence. Had she heard that right? She rewound the tape a little just to make sure. No, there was no mistaking it. Dell had really just said the 'L' word. He'd said it to her.
Miku felt tears sting at her eyes. She had always wished, but had never dared hope that he would actually say those words to her. To her of all people. She was so useless, her singing was mediocre at best, she wasn't pretty, she was always such a damned klutz... and yet Dell had said those words, not only that, he'd put them into a song. A song just for her. Miku rewound the song back to the start and pressed play again.
She continued to listen to it on repeat for the next few hours until she got hungry. Then while she was making herself some lunch, she got an idea.
She smiled.