19. Liar
Phantasy Star
466 Words

Usagi walked briskly down the winter streets. It seemed darker than usual, even for December. What was different? Even the wind seemed unbearable today, more frigid and unrelenting than usual.

Still, she couldn't hide the smile on her face. Earlier today, she received what most people would consider bad news. But she had seen it coming, and found herself actually relieved that it was finally over, that the words were finally said.

"This destiny thing," Mamoru murmured, "If it were meant to be, we'd end up together. I just don't want us to be together because some old story tells us we have to. You're only a teenager, Usagi-chan, and you deserve to have a teenage life – to meet people, to have crushes, to go on first dates. I don't want to take that away from you."

The arcade seemed quiet. The games were less lively than they normally were. Did Motoki turn the sound levels down? Were there less people today?


Usagi smiled, "I've been thinking the same thing recently, Mamoru-san."


He sighed, relieved, "I'm glad, Usagi. Listen, I have to go to class, but I'll see you later, all right?"

With his usual disarming smile, he leaned across their table and ruffled her hair playfully, giving her a wink before walking out of the arcade. Usagi waited in their booth for a few minutes. Maybe it was more than a few minutes, maybe ten or twenty or thirty, she couldn't remember. Her eyes drifted to the arcade doors every now and then. They didn't open again.

Now she was walking down the December street on her way home. Her smile had become more obvious. She was finally free. She didn't have to worry about her relationship with Mamoru anymore. He had grown distant over the past few weeks and now she didn't have to worry or wonder why.

Perhaps he was right. Perhaps now she could really fall in love, be young, be giddy and nervous and dazzled and swooning, just like other teenage girls when they have their first love. She laughed, realizing how silly it was that she had gotten so attached to a relationship which was really nothing but a puppy love. A crush.

As she turned the key to her house, she thought about what was to come. She couldn't wait for her single life to begin. She couldn't wait to go out with that cute guy who always seemed to stare at her in calculus class, blushing when she made eye contact.

She laughed, suddenly feeling giddy.

She was free and she was happy.

Stepping through the door to her house, she shut it quickly as if to keep the frigidity out.

Then she put her face into her hands and cried, and she thought she might never stop.

AN: Most of the drabbles in this collection will be downright depressing, very angst-filled, or at least bittersweet, mainly because there are some amazing cute-drabble collections out there (Alicia-sama and MegTao's inspired works come to mind) and little ol' me can't compete. Hope you like!