Even though she was supposed to have fun here, Kou was far from it.
Glaring bitterly at the dance floor, her eyes focused on her boyfriend dancing with another girl. A dim blue tint of light shined the whole room for a peaceful atmosphere on the slow dance whilst piano music played skillfully; everybody cozily held their partners' bodies as they swayed to the music. Her boyfriend was especially into the dance as he kept pulling the girl closer onto his body, taking control of this dance.
Kou folded her arms tightly, her nails dug her skin angrily and her heart pulsed agitatedly. This was supposed to be her night, the night where she was going to dance with her awesome boyfriend after winning his heart amongst jealous girls. But right now, she was furious at him for leaving her like this after his ridiculous attitude.
From her house to the party he acted like an imbecile. Talking obnoxiously how they were missing out a killer party out somewhere in the beach, attempted to make a huge deal by guilt-tripping her about not going there and treated her friends rudely while complaining how this prom was stupid.
Well, it looked like he was enjoying himself.
Kou tried controlling her emotions for the best, she never to make a scene in front of a bunch of people they knew. And yet the feeling of great disgruntlement prepped her for the unthinkable. Her legs stretched out forward, walking quickly into the large dance floor and quietly avoided the dancers. Eventually, she stood before the swaying dancers and glared coldly upon them, and yet began doubting herself.
No, this is ridiculous. Maybe he...
Her body became frozen, realizing she was doubting her judgement. Of him. All this time, giving him the benefit of the doubt and never went against him and what had she received in the end? Nothing at all. Kou wanted the romantic life she planned in life, but he was no where near that ideology. He was supposed to show tenderness, give her flowers and candies, actually treat her with respect!
But life wasn't like a romantic tale, this was her life she had to control. And now she was going to make a surprising decision she hoped she wouldn't regret.
Watching his back as he danced on without acknowledging Kou's presence, she heaved out a stone-cold breath. The slow music playing elegantly in everyone's ears turned into static noise to Kou whose rage boiled hotly. Taking her sharpest finger she tapped him repeatedly and had him turn with a casual expression turned annoyance. She ignored the girl staring in confusion, her eyes glued upon him.
"What're you doing?" He rudely snapped.
Kou's mouth dropped and hissed, "Are you kidding me? What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm dancing, what's it look like?" He turned his face back to the girl, but Kou wasn't finished yet.
"You're supposed to dance with me! Doesn't she have her own a date?" Kou's chest heaved in disgruntlement, her eyes flaring with fury.
Abruptly he turned and yelled angrily, "What the fuck's your problem?"
"My problem? What's your problem? I'm trying to have a good time with a really cool guy I confessed not too long ago but instead I'm with an actual dick! You were complaining all the time about how we should've went to some other shit party knowing I wanted to come here for so long, and when I turn my back for a second I catch you enjoying yourself quite happily with someone else!"
"No shit," he retorted swiftly. Kou's posture struck up in shock as he shouted over the music. "I didn't want to come here but you were bitching so much I felt like you're taking me in prison or some shit! I'm having my fun myself, so why don't you fuck off?"
His voice caught the people dancing their attention, their eyes shooting upon the arguing pair in bewilderment.
"We're supposed to have fun together! You never want to be with me; you always do this to me!"
"Maybe I don't wanna have fun with your skanky ass! You're always acting like you're the boss in the relationship. Why can't you fucking give me a break and fuck off?" Her legs became weak, her stance becoming smaller, but her frustration had clouded her senses and refused to back down.
"How dare you talk-" Suddenly, he rushed forward, took his right hand onto her neck and choked her tightly. Kou automatically grabbed his arm with both hands and tried pulling away, but he was much too strong to push off.
"Don't you talk back at me!"
Kou coughed, unable to breathe. She had no idea what to do, her anger lashed into this predicament and it seemed inevitable to get out. Her eyes frantically searched the area, signaling for help. The girl who danced with him was nowhere in sight, the dancers saw the abusive display and backed away fearfully, some even had their phones recording the scene, much to Kou's disbelief.
"No one talks back to me," he told her riotously. "I don't give a fuck what you say or do, just-"
Her eyes shut into darkness and out of nowhere her body collapsed to the floor. Kou coughed densely, touching her neck gently from the heated hold. When she looked up, a large body was up front, blocking between Kou and her date. When she glanced over to him, he laid on the floor, groaning in agony whilst holding his right eye.
Did he punch him? But who was he? The light beaming above her burnt her sight, the figure stood tall and confidently before Kou.
Then, this huge figure turned around and bent down one knee, he spoke in a tender, soft-spoken tone.
"Are you all right, Gou?" The voice asked her, his tone soft.
Looking up to his expression of distressed to her, she realized it was Makoto. He was kneeling down, his hands on her shoulders, gentle to the touch and his eyes were seen as shocked and hurt. It was painful watching him look like this to her, of all people.
The thought of someone seeing her like this she, out of weakness, felt her eyes tearing up uncontrollably. Answering him was a challenge because of the sharp lump in her throat; how would explaining this help Kou at all?
The eyes of her classmates and teachers staring in dismay were crawling like bugs upon Kou's skin, making her feel vulnerable and helpless. Even with Makoto's nurturing care, she felt unsafe. Instead of feeling relief of being rescued, disgrace overran her mind with ignorance upon Makoto's concerned guardianship.
Regaining her strength, she pulled herself in a clumsy state, taking a few steps forward and pushed her way through the people blocking her way. It was like running through thorns, people's bodies scratching hers. She was in a frenzy, her heart pounding wildly and the anger inside like boiling hot water. Wondering if she just ruined this whole party for everyone, she pushed away the gym's door and ran away, not caring where she went.
XxXxXxX
With nowhere to turn, she raced away from the large gym and wandered around the school grounds aimlessly. She thought about going home, but she worried her brother would get upset if she told him what had just happened. Just thinking of telling this to anyone was guilt-tripping her acutely.
Kou's throat choked with difficulty to breathe, her eyes watered and dripped down upon her cheeks. After nearly an hour doing her makeup, she became a downright mess by herself. All that work for nothing...only to impress someone, only to have them stomping Kou's heart like a disgusting bug. What did she even see in him? Was she even interested in that asshole?
Was it out of popularity? The acknowledgement from her peers she would have gained if dating a higher-up? Honestly, she had no clue why anymore.
A light breeze of wind brushed upon Kou's shoulders and she shivered in the cold. Folding her arms together for warmth, she realized the path ahead was the school's pool. Without anywhere else to go, she knew the locker room would be a safe place to hide from the cold and the guests. But as her feet carried her legs forward, she felt like a chained prisoner, moving with chains of emotional baggage behind her as though reminding Kou of her uncontrollable feelings.
Suddenly, Kou slipped and clumsily caught her step, resulting in breaking her right high-heel. Groaning in dismay, she took out her shoes in frustration, picked them up and tossed them to the garden side.
Now walking in bare-feet, she soon arrived the pool area and made her way to the pool. She was amazed the light within the pool glowed alluringly in its cool blue shade. The water swayed like how the beach's oceans danced, back when she and Rin admired the view as young children. They don't go out there anymore, not after their father's death.
Her movements, sluggish and ruggedly, took her to the poolside where she sat down at the long lined side, placed her legs in the refreshing waters and sighed in alleviation. For a few brief minutes, Kou felt relaxed and at peace after all that had unrolled recently. No one was there so she felt lonely, and no one would be judging her for her actions. Looking upward toward the sky, the glowing midnight blue empowered her blurred vision and sprinkles of stars shimmered kindly, each spark unique than the last.
Despite her gloomy mindset those minutes were like horribly stretched hours. Even though she wanted to be alone, she realized...she couldn't be alone like this.
"Gou?" Her ears echoed the voice vibrantly.
Kou looked over to the locker room's doorway, expecting it to burst open and reveal the person calling out. Her mouth hung a little, astonished anyone was searching for her after all that had happened.
"I..." she whispered, powerless. She breathed a little, giving herself determination and shouted, "I'm here! Who's there?"
She worried it was her soon-to-be ex, she mentally paniced thinking it was Rin with the unconscious dumbass dragged by him. With her heart racing in fear, she was scared of who would come out the door.
But, thankfully, Makoto pushed those doors forward a revealed himself, allowing Kou to breathe in relief.
"There you are!" Makoto said, walking with a slump in his steps.
"Mako...are you panting?" Kou questioned, bewildered.
"Yeah...I've been looking everywhere for you and thought you'd be here last..."
Kou nodded solemnly, averting her eyes to the shining pool before them and watched mutely upon the shining blue waters. She felt Makoto's concerned eyes watching Kou without a sound. Was he going to say something or was she going to be the one explaining everything? Kou wanted to remain silent like this. Maybe out of selfishness or clear disappointment of herself?
Then, she heard him cough and gave him a glance. He was looking away, into the distance of the pool and had made himself comfortable by taking off his leather shoes, setting them aside, rolled his pants to knee-length and mutely descended his legs into the cool waters. Seeing this gesture of
Wondering whether she should speak or not, Kou expected him to react unsettlingly because of the actions she had performed. But there was a possibility he understood what was going on, it's just that...
Thinking it through, she spoke up, "Why...were you looking for me?"
"I was worried," he answered. "What happened back there..."
There was an disconcerting pause in the air. "Did he...do that to you when you guys were-"
"No! I mean, he never laid a hand on me, he would snap at me and call me names but...I thought I could, I dunno, handle it?" Her arms immediately reverted to folding themselves, becoming defensive.
"That's crazy! He was verbally abusing you! How could you let him get away with that, and let him lay his hands on you?"
"I swear he never physically harmed me," she sworn truthfully. "He just...did it. I just couldn't believe it. And I was upset when he called me things like that but I didn't know what else to do. I should've been the smart one and end it but instead, I just let it grow into me and now I feel like..."
"That whatever he said was true?"
Kou, despite aching from her state, nodded.
"Gou, that's insane. You have no idea how much of an asshole he was-" Kou accidentally giggled when he said 'asshole'. She meant no ridicule, it was just that she never heard him swore before. Nonetheless, Makoto continued speaking, "And I know what you did was...crazy, but reasonable. I would totally go out there and start an argument with my significant other-"
"No, you wouldn't, no offense..."
"None taken," he accepted politely, "I just wanted to say something to make you feel better. But really, I know I'd do something out of character just to prove a point. I wouldn't want someone to abuse me like that, and neither should you. I'm glad you stood up to him, even if it got out of hand. I'm sorry if my words don't really help out, but that's all I can say. I promise if I got something better to say, I'll say it unless you rather we stay quiet."
Kou glanced away from Makoto, thinking it through.
"I...know you are trying to help me, and I'm glad you're my friend. You being here is way better than being alone. Even if you don't have something super amazing to cheer me up, I'd rather have us together and know we're gonna be okay. Is that all right?"
Makoto gave a bright smile and nodded in understanding. Kou, after a elongated period of time, smiled in comfort.
She felt comfort for Makoto's presence, that he didn't judge her for her mistakes and like Rin does sometimes and...
Her body shot up straight. "Oh crap!" Kou cried. "I forgot about Ri-"
SPLASH!
All over her body, she felt the chilly waters covering her whole body like a cocoon. She almost forgotten to breathe, but she had realized she should've remembered they were sitting by the pool. Taking her arms upward, she swam to the surface and pushed forward with a gasp of air.
"Kou! Are you okay?"
Kou looked up and saw Makoto remaining in his spot, his face shocked from the incident. Now her clothes and makeup were ruined, and she was soaking wet. Even though a force wanted a shrieking sensation to release, she instead laughed an earnest laughter. Although confused, Kou's heard Makoto's sweet chuckle-turned-laughter ringing in the quiet evening.
"Yeah, I'm fine..."
And in truth, with her good friend, she was fine.