OC WARNING! If you don't like 'em, don't keep reading!
I wrote this a long time ago and wasn't ever going to post it. However, I've recently been bitten by the writing-bug. So after a quick revision and new ending, here it is! My first Eyeshield 21 story.
I don't know how often I'll be updating (I take forever. Just ask my other readers), but I still hope you enjoy this story and are willing to give it a shot. :)
The window was a trap. It was so obvious and such an easy thing for a student to stare at and let their eyes glaze over. Fully aware of this pitfall, Abby walked into it. She was either unable to control herself, or didn't care enough to be bothered. And, although he noticed this, her teacher did nothing to stop her. He had been previously informed about her life's current predicament, and, because of it, allowed her to skip the dreaded 'Class, we have a new student!' debacle.
Being cheerful and making friends was the farthest thing from Abby's mind. She rolled through the motions, letting everything in the world wash over her without any struggle. She had always had a 'strong-and-silent' air around strangers, but now it had downgraded to something almost completely unapproachable.
Marcus was more than just her older brother; he was her dearest friend. He always promised her the most ridiculous things, like going to the same retirement home and having constant nurf-gun battles (with their grandkids constantly sneaking in new guns and ammo to replace what would undoubtably be confiscated). Or, when she was old enough, going to Las Vegas and becoming bajillionaires. Or going on a massive road trip across the country and buying the flag of each state. Or, and this one takes the cake, him promising he would come home safe.
Abby sneered at her reflection. He came home safe all right: safely tucked away inside a polished box. Nice. Even better, his newly wedded wife was four months pregnant. Real fricken nice. But he died a hero. That was supposed to be worth something, but she couldn't imagine anything worth more than his life.
The dismissal bell rang and the teenagers calmly rushed to escape their holding cells. Abby was one of them, and yet she was not. The young American had no Asian blood to speak of; only the very obvious European traits of blonde hair and green eyes. To her, these things were just another difference between her and them– the American transfer and Deimon's student body.
It was so foreign being foreign. Being surrounded by only one race of people. All with the same origins, same traditions, same history. She missed the variety. She missed the stories behind great great grandparents, and where they were from, and why they left, and the hardships they faced. She missed the questions of origin. Asking and being asked ones background with the long and short list of countries that would follow. It was an odd thing to miss, but she missed it nonetheless.
Most of all, she missed her friends and what was left of her family.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized it was selfish leaving her mom and dad right after they'd lost her brother. But she had barely given herself time to back down. She'd decided during his funeral to help his new family and put her idea forward that very night.
At first, Yuki wasn't interested. She could take care of herself, she argued, and what about school? What about her friends? What about her dancing? No, Yuki had decided, Abby didn't need to come take care of her. She would be fine on her own.
Her mother was entirely against the idea. She had just lost one child, she said, and now the other wanted to leave? Absolutely not! She begged her husband to talk some sense into their baby.
He looked between his wife and his daughter and slowly agreed with Abigail. Marcus would've wanted someone watching out for his new family. Who better than his trusted 'second-in-command'? Raising a child is hard enough. He couldn't imagine the difficulty of raising one alone, especially after losing the one you loved.
After two more nights of staying in Marcus' old room, Yuki walked up to her with tired, swollen eyes and agreed as well.
"I'm back!" Abigail shouted, happy to be using English again as she took off her shoes. Yuki said it was okay for her to wear them around the house, but the pile beside the door told her otherwise.
"Welcome home, Abby," Yuki said from the couch. She tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "How was school?"
She shrugged and let her bag plop on the floor. "Once you get past the whole language/culture thing, it's not so different from regular school." Abby slid next to the woman. "So in a word: pretty boring."
Yuki tried to smile again. "I'm sorry. Are you making friends?"
She cast the older woman a look. "I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to help you."
"It would help if you made friends," she teased.
"Sick of me already?" Abby laughed. "Don't worry, I start work Monday, so I'll be out of your hair more often."
The woman nod, focusing on the television in front of her.
"When are they letting you back on base?"
She shuffled in her seat and cleared her throat. "Two more weeks. It is unfortunate. I will have so much work to do. Teddy is a terrible translator."
"I'm sure they just want to give you enough time."
The mask she had been piecing together crumbled. Her eyes wavered and she looked away quickly. "There will never be enough time, Abigail."
Glancing down, she thought of all the adventures she and her brother shared. All his football games, her dance competitions. Their block-wide prank wars, the neighborhood's yearly 4th of July extravaganza. She remembered the year their cousin Eddy got so drunk he nearly blew his fingers off with a celebratory rocket. Marcus had knocked it out of his hands and pushed him to the ground, shielding Eddy with his own body. The rocket then flew headfirst into a trash bin and sent it spiraling into the air. The memory of charcoaled plastic and scorched cardboard made Abby's nose twitch.
He always put himself in harms way like that. Their mother had a bad habit of saying it would be the death of him.
Abigail gave a bitter chuckle. "No," she said squeezing her eyes shut. "I guess not."
Regardless of what you think, I always hate my first chapters. So please bare with me, alright? :)