Disclaimer: I DO NOT own 'All Grown Up'.

Kimi's Cries

As the teacher, Mr. Soto, was talking about fathers, Kimi began thinking about her father. Her real father back in Japan. With his new wife and their baby girl.

'He never calls or writes anymore. He must like his new life better than his life with me' Kimi thought.

As Mr. Soto continued talking about fathers, Kimi felt like crying.

She didn't want her friends and classmates to see, so she tried as hard as she could to hold it in. Her face started getting red. "Kimi, are you ok?" Chuckie asked. Only then did she realize that her friends were staring at her. She knew they all knew why she was about to cry. "Kimi?" Chuckie asked when she didn't reply. Kimi tried to speak but she couldn't or she would cry. She nodded her head left and right. Chuckie, Tommy, and Phil stared at Lil, and she got the hint. "Um, excuse me, Mr. Soto? Can me and Kimi go to the bathroom?" Lil asked. "Sure" Mr. Soto replied. Lil grabbed Kimi's arm and left the classroom.

They ran into the bathroom, and Lil checked to see if anyone was in the stalls.

"It's clear" Lil said.

Kimi leaned on the wall, put her face in her hands, and started crying.

"My dad doesn't care about me anymore. All he cares about is his stupid new wife and their baby. He wants nothing to do with me anymore" Kimi said to Lil.

"Kimi, you know that's not true" Lil said.

"Oh really? Then why hasn't he talked to me for the past 6 months? Huh?". Kimi began crying harder.

Lil didn't know what to say. She went over to Kimi and hugged her. "Kimi, you have lots of people that care about you. Your friends, your mom, Chaz" Lil told Kimi.

Kimi started to calm down. "Thanks Lil" Kimi said with a smile.

"Your welcome. Now let's get you cleaned up and go back to Mr. Soto's class before he thinks we're skipping". They both started laughing.

Kimi and Lil walked back into class, and Lil gave the guys a reassuring wink and smile.

The last class of the day was finally over, and the gang went to Chuckie and Kimi's house.

They were flipping through the channels when the phone rang. "I'll get it" Chuckie said as he walked to the phone.

"Hello?...oh hi Kira...is everything ok?...yea, she is right here...sure hold on". Chuckie walked into the tv room. "Kimi, it's your mom" he said. Kimi got up and took the phone from Chuckie.

"Hey mom, what's up?...what is it?...Chaz?...my real father?...what about him?...what?...no, no, no, your lying!...but-" Kimi dropped the phone and started running to her room crying.

Her friends ran after her. "Kimi, what's wrong?" Tommy asked. He grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving.

Kimi knew he wouldn't let her go until she answered. "My father, my real father, is dead" Kimi said through her tears.

She broke away from his grip, ran to her room, and locked the door.

She didn't know why, but for some strange reason she had a feeling that she was one of the reasons he died.