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Loneliness. She had no other word to describe the state that she was in. The emptiness that she felt in her heart, the lack of warmth, and the darkness of her house explained the loneliness that she felt. However, Usagi learned to suppress that feeling for the longest time. Never allowing the loneliness bring out the weakness out of her. She would always mask the pain and the raging emotions within her by enclosing it into a little box in her heart. She would never acknowledge that she was lacking something…that something that she had lost a long time ago. Usagi closed her eyes with frustration for letting the lid of the box giving an opening for the aching to escape. She rubbed her temples and muttered to herself quietly in her empty apartment.
Dull, blue eyes with specks of indigo focused on the small clock on top of her dining table.
'Already seven. I should start heading out to make it on time,' she stood up, stretching out her sore calves and arms. She quickly brushed her teeth, changed, and grabbed her keys to leave her cozy home.
It was middle of April; spring time. She walked along the sidewalks covered with flower petals from the tree above. Wind was softly blowing her long, blonde hair side to side. Happy cheers and shouts from the nearby park interrupted her train of thoughts. Usagi turned her head toward the noises. It was a wedding. A beautiful wedding was being held at the rose garden of the park. Candles and glittering lights illuminated the small but beautiful wedding for the couple. Usagi stopped her tracks to watch the bride toss her bouquet to the crowd of single women. The groom pulled her waist to his side with his arm and kissed the crown of her head with a smile. A sudden pang of sadness pierced her heart. Usagi clenched her teeth together and swallowed hard to get rid of the lump she felt in her throat all of the sudden.
Usagi turned her head away as quickly as possible and continued her tracks to her work. She bit her lip in anger as she thought about the past.
'Mamoru,' She closed her eyes in pain. 'Damn it.' She quickened her pace and tried to think of something else other than weddings and all.
'Chocolate ice cream…hmmm I need to get another carton tomorrow morning. April 30th…dang it…bills are due on that date.' That did it. It released some of the tension that she was feeling. She quirked a smile when she finally reached her desired destination. Al's Cabin.
She pushed the doors open and was immediately welcomed with the smell of roasting coffee and fresh pastries. She was home. For another minute or two she closed her eyes, breathing in the smell before she had to start working.
"USAGI! IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ASS BEHIND THE COUNTER RIGHT THIS INSTANT IMA CUT YOUR SALARY IN HALF!" Usagi turned her head towards the speaker with a raised eyebrow.
"Al, your bread is burning," Usagi nodded towards the kitchen.
"Ahh Girly look what you made me do," Al threw his rag onto the counter and ran into the kitchen. Usagi shook her head and headed towards the counter. She took of her sweater and grabbed an apron. She then took the disposed rag into her hands and headed off towards the empty tables and wiped them clean.
A jingle from the doors announced a customer entering the cabin. Two young teenage boys entered with sly smiles and headed toward the table near Usagi. She raised an eye brow and frowned at the two boys that decided to sit at the exact same table they sat at for the last five days.
"I will be back with your menus," she quickly muttered her words and left the table with a frown on her face. As she grabbed the menus, Al snatched them from her hands and pushed her toward the kitchen.
"You go on ahead and grab those babies from the oven. I'll go handles those ones sitting at the table," Al rubbed his prickly chin of white stubbles and headed towards the two teenage boys. Usagi sighed with relief and left the boys in Al's hands and swiftly left for the kitchen. "What can I get you boys today?"
"Her number. Say does she have a boyfriend?" The young brunette asked.
"Not a chance kiddo," Al grouched.
"Al, come on. Can't you see our dedication in wooing the lady over there?"
"She's twenty-five, kiddo. You're way out of her league."
"Let her serve us, Al. I just want to break that ice princess of yours," the other strawberry blonde boy pleaded.
"I recommend that you boys order the house specialty this evening," ignoring the statement Al opened up the menu to the dish he was describing. "It will fill your traps of yours with delectable food," Al smiled to show off his gold tooth.
"Whatever you want, Al. Just lets us talk to her yea? Come on paps," the two boys pleaded once again with annoyance emitting from their voices.
"Okay jumbo sizes it is for the two of you," Al took their menus and left the table with amusement. He then entered the kitchen to observe Usagi with his bread. "How are you doing, girly?"
"Managing just fine without you, Al," Usagi replied. She took off her mittens and carried the trays out to the counter to place the bread into the displays.
"Don't you think it's time for you to accept one of my offers for a blind date? I have several candidates that may be good for you, girly."
"Nope. Not interested," Usagi carried the empty tray back into the kitchen to place them in the sink.
"It's been seven years. It's time for you to move on. You're making your life way too complicated than it is," Al softened his eyes to look at Usagi. She was a beautiful girl. Even though he found her in front of his cabin in distress and in pain, he imagined her to be a wonderful girl before the bastard had broken her heart. He formed a sad smile at the thought of her being in this lonely state. She should be going out with the girls of her age, dating, socializing, and having fun. 'What did that dang bastard do to you, Usagi.'
Usagi stopped her actions and turned her back toward Al. "Like I said. I'm not interested, Al. Later. I promise to ask you for a set-up with a guy when I'm ready. Just not now." She then grabbed the rag again and headed toward the dirty table and started to wipe.
'Just not now…' she closed her eyes in frustration again. 'Why the hell am I refusing to meet guys right now? Why can't I just be able to accept the idea of dating again?'
The bells of the door chimed. Usagi looked up to welcome the entering customer. Dull, blue eyes met familiar green eyes. Lita. Frozen on the spot, Usagi couldn't move, she didn't even know if she was breathing at the moment.
"Usa. USAGI!" Lita ran up towards her and pulled her into a fierce hug. Usagi let out a long breath and allowed the amazon to hug her. Lita finally pulled back to take a look at her long lost friend. Excited green eyes looked over the small frame of Usagi's. The smile fell into a grim line as she observed the Usagi from the past no longer present in this older, mature body of her. She dropped her arms from Usagi and continued to look at her. The baby fat was long gone, but that still shouldn't explain the skinniness of Usagi currently. Usagi's eyes were the thing that got to Lita the most. The shinning blue eyes that were always filled with joy, love, and happiness were long gone. In place were dull, blue eyes with specks of indigo. Yes, definitely beautiful eyes, but they were not the usual blue eyes that Lita was expecting to see.
Al observing the two friends stepped in once the air around them began to build tension.
"Girly, you can go ahead and take the rest of the day off and enjoy your time with your friend. I won't cut any of your pay for today." He nudged Usagi forward to Lita and pointed to an empty corner for them to sit. "I'll go and grab some mugs full of coffee for you two."
"Usagi…" The two stared at one another for the longest time. Usagi took off her apron and scrunched it up to her side. "Don't have anything to say to me?" Lita bit her bottom lip and looked down at her folded hands.
"I'm sorry, Lita. I am."
"Do you know how long it took me to find you here? Of all the places! Sheez, Usa! Sammy told us that you were in the U.S, so we spent our freakin time searching for you in the country that you weren't even in! Of all the people Usagi! You should've told at least one of us that where you were going to. I understand, Usagi. Wait I DON'T UNDERSTAND, but do you realize how worried we were Usagi? You didn't even explain to us why you were leaving us. Explain."
"There's nothing to explain, Lita."
"Well then… Sorry for taking up your precious time, Usagi. Give me a call when you are ready to talk. I'll take my leave-"
"Lita…" Usagi rasped out.
"Your engagement, Usagi." Lita hit jackpot.
Usagi turned her head away to face the windows. "I decided to break the engagement. I broke the engagement first. That's all…" Usagi closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. The lid to the box was slowly opening once again. Her eyes were pained. 'My past can't leave me alone.'
"Mamoru…"
"We both decided that destiny shouldn't be tying us down. It just wasn't fair for him."
"What did he do to you, Usa?" Lita narrowed her eyes.
Usagi sighed. Even after all these years, she couldn't lie to her best friend.
"He…he fell in love with another, Lita. My love wasn't the one that he needed." Usagi looked up and gave her friend a sad smile. And then the box in her heart broke open the latch that was holding her past together.
Usagi tried to pull herself together again. But it was already too late. A tear escaped the corner of her eye as she met Lita's angry eyes once again. Usagi once again had to go through the memory lane of the past.
I hope it was an interesting chapter :[
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