I didn't want to be here. When my parents died when I was 4, I was put straight into foster care. I ran away when I was 10, taking to the streets where I used my violin to get money. I also skateboarded in competitions for extra cash. All in all, I tried to make due on my own and somehow did pretty well. That was until one of my street performers started doing drugs and got me hooked on it. About two months ago that choice led me to the hospital, and with that trip came the lawyers. I was entitled to my parents' entire estate if I could get clean. I would have to fight the banks, but I would get all their money and the business they ran. Mr. Otori came with the lawyers. "Daniele, I knew your parents well. We worked together in business. I have a proposition. If you come to live with my family, we will take care of your rehabilitation. Our business has some of the best doctors. My only request is that your father's business be given to mine. I am sure you would rather not run it, as I know you are not interested in the medical field," he explained.
"How would you be able to get it if I'm the only one who can take it back from the bank?" I asked. Otori smiled, slyly and cunningly.
"I have a son your age, Kyoya. You may not remember him, and I'm sure he doesn't remember you, but you were playmates as young children. You would marry him," Otori replied. My hand was forced. I had no money for lawyers or the rehab. I also was tired of being on the streets.
"Fine," I muttered.
Now it's two months later. I've just moved into the Otori house. Mr. Otori had decided to put me on the couch in Kyoya's room. I think he expects us to bond. It's my first night. I'm sitting in a long sleeve shirt and sweat pants, curled up under the blanket. Kyoya went to bed about a half an hour ago. I can't sleep. Sleeping means the nightmares. It just… I see Mei over and over again, seeing what happened to her. I see all my old friends, mocking me and trying to drag me back down. However, right now my body is too tired. It fights my mind, and the next thing I know I'm asleep. Then when the nightmare becomes too much, I wake up, in the middle of a scream. I glance up in the loft to see that Kyoya, thankfully, is still asleep. I check my watch, and as the 2 am blinks up at me I hear Kyoya move. Great. I woke him up. He'll kill me. However, he just looks down.
"Is everything okay? You were screaming," Kyoya yawns.
"Sorry I woke you. It was just a nightmare," I mumble. Kyoya nods.
"Well, just try and sleep," Kyoya mutters, turning back to sleep. I sigh. Of course, everyone will just shoot off my troubles and tell me just ignore them. What's a nightmare anyways? After a few hours I still can't sleep, so finally I give up. I need to play my violin or else I'll break again. I know myself well enough. So I hesitate and grab the instrument. Just holding it gives me a bit of calm. It's not much, but it's something. So now I'm here, sitting with my most prized possession in my hands. I go ahead and start to play, slowly. I'm a bit out of practice, but I'm getting there. I need to sit there and focus. I need to get back to my core. The sun starts to rise and I notice Kyoya glaring at me. He says nothing and just goes to get dressed. I know he's angry at me. I decide not to care. If he wants to confront me, he can. I'll explain things.
Finally I decide to get dressed as well. It's my first day at Ouran. I grab the dress Mr. Otori got me and slide to the bathroom down the hall. I take my morning medications and start getting dressed. I'm not used to dresses or fancy things. The yellow fabric makes me blush. It's not me, not at all. At least the sleeves cover my needle marks, many of which are still healing. The doctors say that the drug use also caused a few illnesses, nothing contagious but still they're there. My body needs time to heal and reset. I chose to do this though. I fix my hair, which is cut to barely touching my shoulders because parts had gotten matted due to lack of having brushes all the time. It's a price I had to pay, one of many.
Stepping out, I find Kyoya. He just glares at me. "What?" I snap. Kyoya rolls his eyes, fixing his glasses.
"You woke up me twice," Kyoya replies. I raise an eyebrow.
"Call it a nightmare and its therapy, Kyoya-kun," I explain, trying to walk away. He grabs my arm.
"I don't remember much of you, but do you remember what you always called me when we were small?" Kyoya inquires. I bite my lip trying to remember. Suddenly it comes to me, the small boy who used to play house with me when we were three.
"Kyo-Chan," I mutter, pulling away to go grab my bag.
I somehow make it through the day with only some glares at me. People whisper about how I'm technically so high up but at the same time not so high class. I don't mind. I'm getting used to it myself. I got those glares when I was in foster care, kids in the slum neighborhoods glaring at me because I was used to frilly dresses and dolls made of porcelain. Now that the classes are over, I am supposed to go help out with Kyoya's club, the Host Club. It's not really something I want to do, but I can handle it I suppose. Kyoya said I could provide musical entertainment. That's why I had to bring my violin with me. I'm a bit nervous, but then Tamaki walks next to me. "Hey, Dani, how are you holding up?" he asks, smiling brightly. I shrug.
"I'm getting used to things," I mutter. Tamaki laughs.
"You'll do just fine! Come on, let's get going!" Tamaki assures, pulling me along. We enter Music Room 3 where Kyoya stands with a few other people. One, a feisty looking light brown haired girl, catches Kyoya nodding at me with a small smile. She runs at me with a fire in her eyes.
"Who are you?" she demands. Kyoya clears his throat.
"This, everyone, is Danielle Kizumi. Call her Dani. She currently is staying with my family as she is in a legal battle to regain her family's business after an… incident. Anyways, it has been decided she will also be my fiancée," Kyoya explains. The girl in front of me turns red, her jaw and fists clenched tightly.
"YOUR WHAT?" she growls. "SHE'S A STREET GIRL!" I raise an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you know what that means? It means I'm a whole lot stronger than you are," I reply bluntly. She staggers back.
"Do you like cake?" a blond hair boy asks, clutching a pink stuffed rabbit.
"I-I never really tried much that I can remember," I mumble. The boy hands me a plate of cake with strawberries.
"Here! Try this!" he instructs. I smile.
"I love strawberries!" I laugh. Kyoya just glares.
"Don't overwhelm her," Kyoya cautions. "She's new and still adjusting."
"Kyo, you don't have to fuss like that. I'm fine," I groan. Everyone stares at me.
"K-Kyo?" the two twins laugh. Kyoya and I both glare at them. I take a bite of the cake. It's soft and sweet. I love it.
"This is great. Um, what's your name?" I tell the boy.
"That's Honey-Senpai and that's Mori-Senpai. Those are the twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, and that's Haruhi," Tamaki explains. Honey smiles.
"It's nice to meet you, Dani," Haruhi waves. I look Haruhi over. Kyoya already warned me about her, and her secret. Tamaki also went on about her a bit when we were forced to work together for a class.
"It's nice to meet you too, Haruhi," I reply, walking over to my violin. It's my closest friend. It's really all I have that matters, that and my skateboard.
"Gee, just avoid me then. I'm Renge," the fiery girl snaps, jumping up and storming at me with her hair flying behind her. I unsheathe my knife just before she reaches me.
"Rule one of the streets: have a knife at all times. Rule two: know how to use it," I growl. She backs off and I put my knife back. It's a dulled out pocket knife. I actually am in need of a new one, if my therapist will let me. I have to run everything by her, but maybe I can get by. I've always been good at under the table type things. It's how I've come this far still breathing.
"Damn… I think I'm going to like you," Hikaru mutters. Kyoya glares at him.
"Dani, please play nice," Kyoya remarks. I pout, but cave. I don't want to poke any fights on the first day here. It'd only be bad for me, and my therapist will only lecture me for it. Thus, I pick up my violin and fiddle a bit, making sure it's well tuned. It's always been in better condition than I am. I just put more effort into protecting it. I've always been that way.
Soon people start coming in. Introductions are kept quite short, and I begin to play, letting the music flow through me. I close my eyes and just let the notes come, compositions of my own making. It's a light and airy feel, and each vibration of the instrument strikes each of my nerves. It's just natural, a part of me. The violin is an extension of my soul. I can't explain it. It just is.
A/N: Yay a new story! Okay, so this is probably the only fan fiction I really worked on over my summer, so I have decided this will be my third one on here. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it so far. The idea just popped into my head of Kyoya having to marry an heiress who spent her life on the streets. So, let's have a bit of a disclaimer: Why is this rated M? Dani is a very scarred individual and I plan on delving into that. She grew up on the streets. She did do drugs. She watched a lot of mature stuff happen, some really deep stuff. I basically am rating this M because there are triggers. This may be one of my darkest stories ever in that way. So I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review!