The colors blur in her mind against a black background. No images can surface any more. Every memory is just a painful reminder begging to resurface and begging to be changed. Why does she have to be the one to remember? Why can't they just recall the times? Why must it be her and only her? Why is she the one alone in the world, while her old friends are the ones who can relate to each other and live normal lives? Why is she alone?
They abandoned her, so she could be trapped in the past. They all knew something was wrong but they all knew there was no way to help. She breathes heavily and closes her eyes. If only it could really stop the tears from wetting her puffy cheeks and crumbled up bed sheets. Unlocking her phone's home screen, misery greets her with its bright light, bearing no notification of a new text or call. She throws it against the wall next to her and it falls back to the soft bed she's been laying on these past few minutes. A few minutes can really change someone's life.
Why did this had to happen? To her of all people? She did her best to keep it inside. She did her best to not let anger or revenge come over her. In the end, misery and sorrow escapes her soul. She needs to shout it out to let the world know. She clenches her fist, ravaging the bed spread into her tiny hands. No, they can't know. Not after everything that has happened. If they knew, there would be nooses tied and heads hung. The world was a dark place. Sometimes the world can forgive unforgivable sins but they can't forgive mistakes.
There's a tingling sensation against her leg. She shivers in fear. It's her phone. Upon picking it up, she sighs to relieve herself of the pain she's enduring. What if they do remember? What if she's not alone? A small smirk edges the corners of her mouth as she wipes her eyes with an over-sized green sleeve. "Abby..." she murmurs and the tears begin flowing again. It's okay. It's okay. It's all going to be okay. The teenaged girl hugs her cellular device against her chest. She doesn't want to let go of what little support she has. If there was no technology, she may have already ended her life by now. Through the binary code, there's a way to communicate and a way to save a life.
Despite these realizations, the girl drops the phone on the bed and pushes herself back to her tear-soaked pillow. "Why?" she began to whisper over and over again, getting louder each time. She placed her fist in her mouth and bit down on her knuckles. She screamed with all her might. It was such a pitiful scream actually. Nonetheless, it was something she needed to do to make her feel a tiny bit better. A loud thud came outside her bedroom. She thought it was nothing, so she began to close her eyes and sleep. Thud! There it was again. This time the noise was distinguishably at her door. She squinched her closed eyelids in frustration. Just let me sleep, she thought.
"Your stupid little friend is here! Are you going to go play like a little kid? Mwu-hahaha!" The voice belonged to her younger sister who always wants to annoy others or take out revenge on someone or something. You could say she had her own issues. The young teen plops herself up on her bed with all her strength and flashes a phony smirk. She could barely hold herself up or even just sit on her knees. Her arms were wobbly and her legs were so fragile that they could have been broken by a light push. Her younger sister rolled her dark pupils and bit her own lip. She didn't care much for her older sister or the raggedy friends her sister had. She would rather be alone with her boyfriend all day as they got into all kinds of trouble. "I'm surprised you even have friends, Sis," the younger one scoffed as she observed her freshly manicured nails.
"Get out!" It came out as a low growl but it was heard. The child gestured her head in surprise towards the depressed teen. She stopped examining her purple nails to glare at her sister. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you?" There was a faint giggle under the melodic sound of her voice as she pretended to play dumb. The older girl balled her fist up as she raised herself higher, gaining more strength from her boiling anger. "I said -" Her eyebrows looked as if they were clenching her eye sockets. She bit the inside of her cheek and slightly wobbled as she tried to shake away her sorrow. In an instant, the mood changed. A voice from downstairs was calling. "Hey Kuki, where are you?" She unclenched her fists, softened her facial features, and relaxed. She thought that it might actually be okay now that her good friend was here. Kuki's younger sister noticed the drastic change and shook her head. The once-depressed teen stood from her bed and began making her way out of her room like a zombie. The other girl stopped blocking the doorway and let her through, then witnessed her older sister cautiously take the first step on the foot of the stairs. When Kuki didn't dare look over at her little sister, the kid took a chance to genuinely smile as she protectively watch her sisters descend the steps down into their living room. It was as if she cared for her sibling.
Once downstairs, her friend caught sight of her. "There you are, girl! I've been trying to reach you!" The African American gestured her own phone in the air with a candy-shaped charm dangling from it. "Abby!" Kuki gasped at her friend standing a few feet in front of her. The Asian flashed a grin then rushed towards her friend. Abby spread her arms wide, expecting a gigantic hug from the girl. However, Kuki's steps became slower and she suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Get out!" she glowered at Abigail. The latter tilted her head to the side and gaped at her friend. Kuki continued to speak, "Wh-wh-what are you doing here?" Abby blinked and regained her composure by cocking her hip to the side and placing a hand on it. Sassy much? "Well, Abigail Lincoln's best friend needed some talking to. Does she need written consent to step foot in the house?"
Kuki bit her lip in embarrassment. Silence came between the two. Abby stood as an intimidating boulder against Kuki's brittle silhouette. "Listen, I know what you're going through," the older one spoke. The other lifter her head in surprise. She knew? No, she doesn't know. She doesn't know what it's like to be alone. As if reading her thoughts, "You're not alone," Abby soothingly articulated. She stepped closer to her depressed friend. "Abby knows how it feels, but you have to believe her that there are others. Listen, Kooks. I don't want you to lose yourself. You got to stay here for me, for the team. You have to stay strong, girl. It'll be hard, but I know you can do it. If you weren't ever happy, then you're not Kuki Sanban. Come on, you used to be the happiest girl we knew. Abby knows you're hurting, but don't hate life because of it. You can do this, girl. I know you can!"
The team? The team? Converse shoes began to scrap at the carpet floor, as they moved forward one by one. She tugged her green sleeve down a tad bit more to give her some sense of security. She knows. She knows about the Kids Next Door. Kuki walked closer to her friend and surprised her when their bodies were touching. The girl wrapped her arms around the friend who has come to visit her. Abby tilted her head forward to look at the girl clinging to her chest in a sea of uncontrollable tears. Abby smirked and a tiny chuckle escaped her lips. Fortunately, the other didn't hear it. They stood there in a comforting embrace for several minutes with no words being spoken between the two.
Kuki perked up slightly and spoke. "I used to think about ending my life, Abs, but now..." The other jumped when she heard this information. She took in the soft, innocent features of the girl before her and couldn't fathom how this girl could be no longer existent if she hadn't stopped by her house. The youngest of the team could have jumped off a cliff, slit her throat, or hung her throat on a tight noose. She could have. She could have ended her life for no reason at all. She would have ended it because she thought she was alone and had no one to turn to. Abby pat the top of Kuki's head, feeling her greasy and ratty roots. The latter continued her speech, "Now I know where I belong. Now I know I'm not alone."
Abby hugged her friend tighter and nodded to her in agreement.
"Mhm. You aren't alone. We aren't alone."
"Hey! It sounds like you're talking about spooky space aliens!'
"It does, doesn't it? I think I should ask Nigel if aliens exist. If we asked anyone else, they would just ramble out nonsense."
"Nigel? He hates me."
"Nah! Don't say that. Besides, I'm pretty sure he's always liked you."
"The last I talked to him-"
"Always."
"Oh. Guess I was wrong then. I'm glad! I've always liked Nigel as my team-mate!"
"Ha! Oh Kuki!"
"Huh? What'd I say?"
"Oh, sweetie! It's nothing. Hmm, how about we go somewhere tonight?"
"What? Really!? I haven't been out in forever! Where are we going?"
"Well... First, we're grabbing some pizza then heading over to a familiar place."
"Familiar? Every place in this town is familiar! I've been here forever."
"Okay, okay! Abby's been defeated. How about some familiar faces?"
"Still doesn't answer the thing about a familiar place."
"It's an old spot we used to hang out at. Come on, you'll remember it and love it!"
"I guess I'll go get my stuff."
"That a girl!"
A/N: Hey peeps! :) Thanks for reading another one of my stories. Wait, you probably haven't read some of my stories! :O If you haven't, then you really should and leave a review. I love writing for the KND fandom and I'm editing all of my older stories that you see on my profile. There not that well written. :P So just wait a day or two and I'll have all of my stories edited, and a few of my older full-length stories will finally be updated. ^.^ Anyway, stay tuned for more of my one shots and stories. Be sure to leave a review so I can improve on my writing.
I wrote this when I was slowly getting out of another state of depression. I have a head-cannon that Kuki becomes depressed when she's a teen. Her personality in the show is more complex than a happy-go-lucky little girl. So, I just combined that idea with a plot where she thinks she's the only one who remembers the happy days of the KND.
I hope you liked this. I'm thinking of making it into a two-shot. :D Tell me what you think and get ready for chapter two!
Accompany Music For This: "Illusion" by VNV Nation
You can listen to it even after you finish reading it. It really inspired me with Abby's speech to Kuki.