3 Months Ago
The bubble that I'd blown with my gum popped loudly in the car. My feet were propped up on the back of the passenger side seat. It had only been two days since my release from Juvenile Detention. My phone that I'd just gotten back had a million notifications on it. Apparently, I'd missed a lot at school. Birthdays. Death threats. The whole nine yards. Blowing another bubble, my phone was ripped out of my hands. "What the Fu—"'
"That sentence better end in fudgecake, Mika," My father interrupted, turning in his seat to look at me. "Did you hear anything that I said to you?"
With an eye roll, I folded my arms. "Don't get into trouble, and try to be nice. Blah. Blah. Blah. I get it. No one wants me to stay out of Juvie more than I do." It wasn't horrible being there. Hell, I may have even enjoyed it, except for the no cell phones. Other than that, it didn't feel much different.
Pulling up in front of the school, my little brother climbed into the front seat, sweaty from basketball practice. "We have a game Friday. Are you going to come?" He asked, hopeful as ever.
Wait for it.
Silence.
Dad sighed. "I would love to, but I have an out of town meeting."
Dad of the year right here.
Satoru brushed it off with a laugh. "It's cool. Not like it's a big game anyways."
Idiot. Always wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Handing my phone back to me, Dad gave me a stern look. "Stay out of trouble, Mika. I'll be back to pick you up at 11."
Shoving the door open, I slid out of the SUV. Yeah right. "Whatever." He'd forget. I'd been gone for over half a year. They'd fallen into a steady routine. I'd be walking home for sure. They won't mess up their schedule for their screw up daughter.
Inside the school, kids stared at me. Some of them had gone to day school with me. Their whispers weren't discrete. Is that Mika Akamine? Isn't she supposed to be in Juvie? Guess she got out. Scary! I don't want her to be in my class! Dropping my backpack loudly on the floor, they all went silent, watching me and this boy who occupied the seat I wanted. "You're in my seat."
He lifted his head, a terrified expression on his face. "W-What?"
"Get lost!" I snapped.
The boy scrambled out of the chair, moving away. I sat down and stuck my headphones in my ears. Laying my head on my arms, my eyes slid closed. Screw school. For once, the teacher left me alone for most of the class, allowing me to check out. Or so I thought. My headphones were jerked out. "Miss, Akamine, I know you're new here to night school, but you will pay attention in my classroom."
"Asshole." I mumbled as he walked away.
The kids were staring at me with worried expressions. Annoyed with all of it, I slipped out of the room. The roof should be empty at night. I wonder if the bars have been fixed from where I broke them. This school is too cheap to do that, though. As expected, when I reached the roof, the bars that I'd cut off had been locked shut with some stupid wire. Like that's gonna stop me.
Kicking it a good four times, it gave, allowing me access to the ledge of the school. The wind blew around me as I walked around to the front, overlooking the city. The night time view is even more amazing. The ground below me seemed so far away, making my heart race with adrenaline. This was the feeling I lived for.
Stretching my arms out, I closed my eyes and felt the wind whirl around me, like it could knock me over the edge whenever it wanted. "I missed this." Sticking the earbuds back into my ears, I turned on a song to fit the mood. Why Worry by Set It Off. This is what freedom feels like. When my high started to go down, I turned to do some easy gymnastics. Each backhand spring, I did across the ledge made me even more excited. One wrong move and I'd fall.
That was when I noticed him. A boy with red hair a few shades lighter than mine, and bright green eyes stood on the other side of the bars, staring... Weird. I never heard the door open. It's like he just… appeared. Taking one earbud out, I asked, "Do you need something?" Here we go. The speech. They all give it. That's dangerous, Mika. You could die. There's no reason to be so careless. Annoying!
"Why do you do that?" He asked, genuinely curious.
I blinked. "Why?" I've never been asked that before. Shrugging my shoulders, I leaned back against the bars. "It makes me feel good. The cool wind. The rush of excitement knowing that I'm only one step away from death. The way my heart pounds in my chest like it's going to burst at any moment." I placed my hand over my rapidly beating heart. "Wanna join me?" I challenged, pointing to the way I got through.
This will be hilarious. The last kid I asked to join me almost peeped his pants.
This time, I was the one in shock. The boy climbed through, like he'd done it a thousand times. No amount of fear crossed his features. He sat down beside me, dangling his legs off the ledge like I was. His green eyes met my shocked purple ones. He smirked at me. "Didn't expect me to accept your challenge?"
The longer I stared, the more alive I felt. Holding my stomach, I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes. "I like you." Wiping the tears away, my heart pounded in my chest as I leaned forward to stretch my arms out over the open sky. "I'm Mika," I said, a smile popping onto my face.
"Ayato."
That name…
"Are you one of those boys everyone talks about? From that family…" Shit. What's their surname? He's hot enough to be one of them. Chewing on my lip, I searched my memories. The girls in my class used to volunteer to stay after school just to see them.
Ayato cocked his head to the side, amused. "Sakamaki?" He offered the answer like I was a child.
Nodding, I snapped my fingers. "Yes!" He's one of them. Cocky, but extremely attractive. "So, Ayato…" His name even made my heart race. Boys usually couldn't give me that rush that I desired, but he seemed different. "What made you want to come out here? Most everyone who I've asked told me that they weren't so stupid."
He shrugged his shoulders. "You are stupid. Doing gymnastics on a ledge so high up."
I poked his forehead. "I didn't ask you to analyze me. Why did YOU do it?"
"Because I wanted to."
We both stared at each other, annoyed by the other, but I caught the playful gleam in his eyes. "Oh, is that all?" Something about him felt dangerous, but at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to stay away. Standing to my feet, I waved to him. "Well, see ya." Let's see what he decides to do. Stepping over him to get back to the wire entrance, I tried to keep the grin off my face. It's been so long since someone made me want to play around.
It seemed like Ayato was just going to let me go, but his arm slipped around my waist, hauling me backwards. In one movement, he had me facing him, and he gripped my wrists tightly before kicking my leg enough to make me lose my balance. "I don't remember saying that you could leave." His words were low, almost a growl. They demanded my attention.
With only one foot still on the ledge, he was the only thing keeping me from falling. Turning my head to look down, it almost felt like I was floating. The familiar rush of adrenaline pumped through my body. He held my life in his hands. It's no longer up to me whether I fall or not. And it felt amazing.
It took him little effort to pull me back up to him, our bodies close on the little ledge. "It's strange how easily you put your trust in a stranger. What if I'd dropped you?" Ayato asked, the smirk returning to his lips.
"You wouldn't have," I answered, still feeling the drug pumping through my veins.
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"
"Then what would you do tomorrow? Sit on the ledge all alone? You need me as much as I need you, Ayato." It was in his eyes. He'd felt that connection. We both had a void to fill, and for the time being, we could use each other to fill it. He gave me a feeling that I'd yet to experience in hands of another human being. My whole body felt drawn to him, like it wanted to surrender to him. This place won't be half bad with Ayato around…
