" Who could you live without?" asked Inusora.
Inusora had long blonde hair, shoulder length, it was in curls today. Other days she would flat iron it straight. Her brown eyes were in a sparkle showing her excitement, or maybe it was just her pale skin.
" Tomoka" Ichigo replied, after taking a huge spoonful of ice cream, ichigo was tall, lanky really, with black hair and a single hot pink highlight at the front.
" Same" I replied unenthusiastically.
Tomoka was not the person to mess around with. You see she was well, a bully. There's not much else I can really say about her other than she's evil, and that's just acting way to young.
" Speak of the devil" ichigo mumbled as the door clanged. I wasn't facing the door so I turned around. I caught sight of her shoulder length blonde hair. Tomoka looked up, her hazel eyes met mine, and they had a gleam in them but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared. This gave me the feeling that she was up to something!
" Great" I sighed, it was one thing to have to share a shift with her, have four of the same classes at school, why couldn't I go to an ice-cream parlor without her?
" Hey guys" Tomoka smiled, acting as if we were best buddies.
" Hi" I said in fake enthusiasm.
" Hi Sheeko" Tomoka smiled putting her arms around my shoulders.
I glanced over to ichigo and rolled my eyes, when instead of returning my glance she gave me a warning glance. To bad I couldn't understand her warning, fast enough!
"I'm so sorry" Tomoka wailed as her top scoop of ice cream rolled of and splattered over my top.
" It's okay " I sighed.
" See you later Sheeko, ichigo" Tomoka smiled as she left.
" Uggghhh, I hate her," I growled staring at her retreating back through the window.
" Poor you those must have been expensive" Inusora regarded my outfit.
" Yea, seventy dollars in total" I grimaced thinking about my wardrobe.
" We'll get her to pay for them later" ichigo reassured me. You see she knew I was on a very tight budget; my father was the only one w0rking to support the family. If it got bad I had to pay rent for living with them, I'm still seventeen! So as you can tell money holds me up, it's something I just can't lose.
I stood up and headed towards the ladies room to get cleaned up. But before I could get there something caught my attention. Oh crap!! You'll never guess who walked in, Ryoma-kun. You're probably thinking, what's so great about him? Well number one he's hot, number two he hangs out with saskue, ichigo's boyfriend, number three he's nice, real nice. Reasons why I'm not with him; number one, he's taken, number two I'm invisible to him, number four his friends, horio, snake and fugi just happen to love picking on me.
I heard laughs coming from horio and fugi. At least Ryoma isn't laughing at me. I glanced up to see something worse than him laughing at me, Tomoka had apparently come back. I glanced back at Ryoma friend; snake had now joined in the laughter. I held my head high, held my breath and began the rest of the journey to the bathroom.
" Looks like someone's a klutz" horio mumbled loud enough for the whole parlor could hear.
My face flushed red, but I forced myself to take no notice and continued to walk forward. But before I could make it into the safety of the bathroom the angry janitor of the store stopped me.
" You're cleaning this mess up," he yelled at me.
I glanced behind me to see a whole trail of ice cream behind me, and a whole set of laughing mouths.
"Okay" I mumbled slowly.
The door clicked behind me, I sighed. Finally alone. I took paper towels and attacked the mess, one I was finished I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was tall, to tall, I had a mess of brown hair falling down to my shoulders with red highlights. I glared into the eyes of my reflection, they were crimson, unnatural, and often kids were scared of me. I turned away from the mirror, I had just realized another reason why I wasn't with Ryoma, and I'm ugly.
LATERIt was seven o clock now; time had seemed to go by slow, that is once I had gotten out of the bathroom. Was I ever glad that that was over; people had walked into the drizzled trail of ice cream, leaving me an even bigger mess.
" Tomoka is late, really late" I mumbled to ichigo. But she didn't seem to hear me, she was arguing with a man at the cashier.
" But it was two weeks late" ichigo sighed, she was obviously getting frustrated" excuse me, do you have naruto here?" someone from behind me asked.
Before I turned around I knew who it was, it was Ryoma. I plastered a fake smile on my face and turned around.
"Yea, follow me" I smiled real now, so he liked naruto, I loved it too; there's another reason why I like him! Ryoma hesitated as I headed through a door that said, staff only. I noticed this and motioned him to hurry up.
" I rented them so I'll just have to say I brought them back" I chattered nervously while I pulled the DVDs out of my backpack.
LATER" What a day this has been" I sighed.
At last the day had gone by and no one else was in the shop, but peter. My mind was somewhere else thinking about the brief moment that Ryoma had touched my hand, it was like an electric shot. That second was so much better in real life then in memory, I wished it had gone on longer, even but a bit. The one thing that I could do without though were ichigo's on going comments about me blushing.
" Can you close up" peter called from the door.
" Yea" I called.
Normally blockbusters was open twenty four hours, but were a little short on staff since Tomoka decided to take the day off, without telling us. That was why I'm locking the door and have to walk in the freezing cold winter weather.
" Need a ride"
I turned around, in the direction of the voice. It was Tomoka in her all to cool green jeep. I had to think about this answer. Be with evil Tomoka in heated car, or walk in the snow for forty minutes. I think I'll take the ride. I nodded my head and hopped in.
" I just need to pick up a few friends first" Tomoka smiled running her hand through her hair.
" Ok" I mumbled, today had been a long day. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.
"First pickup" Tomoka mumbled as we drove up a driveway, when I saw who the passenger was… well you could say my mind screamed NOOOOOOO, and my heart, YEEESSS! As anyone who knew me could guess, it was obviously Ryoma.
"Uhh" I asked confused, turning to Tomoka who was staring at me pointedly.
" What?" I asked, now both surprised and confused.
" You like him, right?" Tomoka spoke quietly, just above a whisper.
Even if I had wanted to answer, which I didn't I couldn't have because the door open and Ryoma jumped in" what slutty friend do you have with you tonight" Ryoma asked as he slammed the door.
Tomoka whistled, you know the uh-oh type, and I bit my lip to stop nasty words from exiting.
" Actually I wouldn't say I'm slutty," I mumbled looking into the rearview mirror so I could see his face.
It looked like he had expected different words, and a different voice and well, he fell silent, he was taken aback.
" Sorry" Ryoma whispered, bringing his head up, and meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror. His eyes were an ocean green; they held emotions as far as the sea's span, shore to shore. Was he ever hot I sighed, and then realizing he could see my face, masked my emotions?
" It's okay," I mumbled in a voice that didn't seem to belong to me. I wanted to see his lips turn up into a smile, and I was rewarded with one.
After a few moments Tomoka said, " are you sure you don't want to come, it'd be fun" she tossed her hair as she turned, more than needed to, it made her attentions clear.
"I'm sure" Ryoma smiled, Tomoka took it as a real smile, though I thought it was fake. Could it be true, Ryoma didn't like Tomoka. NNNOOOOOOOO! It's to good to be true. Though I had a lot of doubts I took it as the way I wanted it to be, seeking any hope I could get.
Soon horio's cousin hopped in followed by two older guys. This was not the ride I was looking for. We stopped at a store that sold beer, tone of the older guys went in and got some. This made me even gladder that I was getting dropped off at home!
LATER" Things never happen the way you want them to, they get better" I quoted my teacher, who probably quoted someone else out loud. You see I said it to bring a little hope, some luck. You see I was at a party with no parents home, underage drunk people, and the beer itself. Things were getting out of hand, girls were dancing on tables, kicking off anything on them, guys were getting into fights, and some the victims were laying on the floor injured or knocked out.
" That quote?" a girl who was sitting beside me whispered. Was she forced here like me?
" It isn't true," I said turning back to staring ahead of me. I began to mentally punish myself. She was probably down in the dumps like me.
Suddenly I heard the familiar sirens of police cars. I bit my lip to stop from screaming, like everyone else. Instead I decided to look confused and hope that someone would tell me what was going on.
LATERI was sitting in the police station now, still wondering what the hell had happened. It seemed no one was going to tell me so I had to assume. Which was quite easy, underage beer drinking? A policeman with a nametag that said mike on it walked toward me, or more like side steeped down the bench.
" Name?" mike asked blandly, like he did it all the time.
" Sheeko ling" I replied quietly.
" Address?" mike spoke just as blandly again.
" 280 Ruthern Road" I mumbled glancing at my feet.
" Phone number?"
" ( 9 0 5) 3 3 3 – 4 3 4 1"
" Why?"
" Huh?" I cried in confusion, my head snapping up.
" STOP," shouted a voice, I was starting to get used to hearing it.
" Stop, she didn't do it" Ryoma shouted, even though he was now standing beside the police officer.
"And how would you know this" mike asked, sounding most vicious.
" Because, because I WAS WITH HER TODAY SHE WAS FORCED TO GO BY…." Ryoma had gone from booming to nothing in one short sentence.
" Who?" mike asked.
" Tomoka" Ryoma said calmly turning around and pointing at the wench, who was now pulling out her blonde hair.
I swear the smile that was on my face, was wider than my face itself, but I didn't care this might be the only day that I'm actually happy, really happy.
" Proof" mike shouted, spit flying into my face. My smile disappeared; to soon I was once again unhappy.
" I was with her horio, saskue and me " Ryoma spoke glancing at me.
It seemed Ryoma had had a plan. Mike had phoned horio's home for confirmation. It worked, their story the same as our story. I was free to go now, without my mom even finding out!
" Your free to go now, but before you do, do you know Tomokas phone number?" mike asked, giving me one final answer. This question would be easy for me to answer. Numbers were easy for me to memorize.
" Yea, 9 0 5 4 6 9 3 3 2 1" I called out before heading out the door.
" It's dark… I'll walk you home, uh, where's your house?" Ryoma asked once we were out of sight from the police station.
" This way" I mumbled quietly.
Yes, Yes and YESSSS! Ryoma was walking me home, alone. No rude friends, well saskue okay he's quiet, but that's not the point!
"So… thanks, you saved me" I smiled looking up, way up.
" It was nothing," Ryoma said glancing sideways, then realizing I wasn't there downwards. Wow he's tall, and I thought I was too tall. I bet you he's good at basketball. But he plays tennis, a better sport by far.
LATERI was at home now, lying on my bed staring at the phone. Did I dare? I did. Screw the no phone after ten rule, I was calling ichigo. I had had the best time in my life, minus the party, and the outfit and the police station. Well whatever all in all it had been the best.
" Ichigo", I smiled into the phone, " you'll never guess what happened"
" What" ichigo asked?
" Tomoka never showed up so I had to close up, Tomoka gave me a ride home, well she was supposed to, but she brung me to a party with drunk people, really drunk people, but first she picked up Ryoma and he called me a slut then he realized it was me and said sorry, then I found out he hated her, than she picked up people was the provider of the beer, got nabbed by the police and then Ryoma came and saved me, we walked home together and it was the best. THE BEST!" I chatted rarely taking a breath.
" ……" Short silence
" OMG, IT WAS THE BEST, THE BEST DAY OF MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE" I shouted.
"Don't yell, I can hear you, but that's amazing", ichigo giggled. " Me and saskue went out in public, you should have seen Sakurua's face, was she ever mad"
" What?" I was still talking loud. I guess Mr. Shag was right"ichigo mumbled.
"Things don't get worse, they get better," I mumbled.
Suddenly I remembered the girl from the party, the one who I had told that the quote wasn't true. Hopefully she wasn't one of the ones arrested, because she didn't do anything.
" Sheeko?"
" Uhh hmmm" I answered.
" All of a sudden you got quiet"
" Yea when I was mad, at the party I told a girl that the quote wasn't true" I mumbled sheepishly, " I was harsh"
" No duh, you probably broke her hopes" ichigo said sadly, " poor girl"
" Don't make me feel guilty"
" But you are guilty" ichigo laughed at me.
" Whaaaaa" I wailed.
" Gotta go" ichigo said quietly.
" Ok, bye" I smiled as I hung up the phone.
What a day this has been, I thought for the fourth time this day as I pulled my covers back from my bed and hopped in.
NEXT DAY" Sheeko someone's on the phone for you" peter yelled across the room from the staff only door.
" Coming" I said while I quickly got Jane to take over my cashier.
" Hello Sheeko speaking" I happily announced into the phone as I sat down in a chair.
" Hi this is nurse cherry, I'm afraid I have bad news" nurse cherry paused for a moment, " your mom is dying"
" What?" I cried out in shock.
" Pardon?" the nurse seemed slackened by my outburst.
" I'm coming," I shouted as I slammed the phone down.
" Where are you going?" peter asked, puzzled.
Suddenly it hit me, I didn't know! I guess peter knew what the answer was because he calmly put his arm around my shoulders and directed me to the phone. He pushed callers and mc masters came up as the newest.
" How the heck am I supposed to get there?" I mumbled.
A cold gust hit me, and then I knew the answer I was going to have to walk, or run in my case. But it's not that bad since it's not that far away.
The wind was whipping my hair back, causing tears to go off course. "Mom" was all I could think, "mom" my mom and me have a special relationship, unlike others. You see I lived with her all my life, until I was twelve. That was when my father took me away; he convinced the court that my mother didn't have the money, or the support to raise me properly. Then he abused me, he would punch me if I did something wrong, he had tantrums, like he was in kindergarten. But he wasn't, he was a six-foot, and a two hundred pound man. The cops wonder how I survived. But to get to the point about my mom and me, well at first she didn't want me back. She believed what the court had, that she couldn't be a proper mother. Then she saw me covered with bruises and scars. I guess she felt the need to protect me, so I moved back in with her. Were close because she got to know me, we look out for each other. But whatever she re married later so he's like my real dad to me.
"Mom" I thought one more time as I reached the road that would lead to me McMasters. Cars were continuously honking their horns at me, sticking their heads out of the car and telling me to get off the road, in a much meaner way though.
MCMASTERS" Hello ca n you tell me where ms. Shaw is roomed" I spoke quickly to the lady at the desk.
" Pardon dear"
" Can you tell me where I can find Ms Shaw?" I said a bit slower realizing that it was an older woman.
" I'll look her up, her full name?"
" Harriet ann. Shaw" I answered.
The lady typed for a little while, the computer beeped when she pushed the enter key.
"Hmmm… spell her name"
I began to get impatient but I did as I was told to do, " h a r r I e t, Harriet, a n n, Ann, s h a w, Shaw" I said really slowly.
The ladies fingers mover slowly, I wondered if she could do it any faster.
" Can you do it faster, she's dying," I shouted frustrated.
The computer beeped yet again.
" Sorry miss but there's no Harriet Shaw here"
" She's dying," I shouted again.
Just then my cell phone went off, I stepped back from the desk, and grabbed it from my pocket.
" Hello" I said slowly.
" Hello hon., on your way back from work pick up a loaf of bread," my mom voice recited.
How could that be my mom, if my mom was dying?
" Oh yea, a girl called she told me to tell you that what you get for messing around with my guy" my mom had obviously read it off of a piece of paper.
" Oh" I said slowly, what a relief my mom is alive.
So it had all had been a prank, because Ryoma had chosen me over her.
" Sounds like a catfight, well gotta go bye," my mom said as she hung up.
I stood still in thought, what was I supposed to do now? My stomach growled, it was getting alarmingly close to suppertime. I took my cell phone out again, was I really? Yes I was really! My fingers dialed Ryoma phone number expertly. How I know his number is a long story, but to make it short lets just say he was on a prank call list. Not that we did any, we, meaning me and ichigo had not wanted to be anything like Tomoka.
"Hello"
I breathed in sharply; it was Tomoka on Ryoma phone.
" Oh it's you, did you like the surprise? The next bus is in thirty minutes, take it, oh yea Ryoma has a message for you…" Tomoka seemed in a good mood, this made me in a bad mood.
" No" I heard Ryoma shout in the background, but after a few seconds he came on the phone.
" The message is, I hate you, I don't want to see you ever again. You're an insult to humans, you don't deserve to live"
Ryoma words brung back the stinging in my eyes. My mind was saying it wasn't true, but my heart is weak, I regret it but well it broke.
" You here that he hates you, he's mine" Tomoka laughed as she hung up.
LATERI had called a taxi, and had my mom pay for it when I got home. She was mad. But even more when she had found out that I had forgotten the bread. She went out to get the bread and left me sitting at the kitchen table wondering what the hell I was going to do.
My life's shrewd, Ryoma hates me, my mom hates me, ichigo… that's it, and I need some power talk. To bad she wasn't home. I'm really losing it now!
I started doing the dishes mechanically; I came across a butcher's knife. I stared at it; it was gleaming, welcoming me to use it. Ryoma had said that I was an insult to humans, that I didn't deserve to live. He was right; I'm a lost hope. So wouldn't I be doing them all a favor? I silently wondered how I was going to do it, hurting yourself was just against human nature. I brung the knife to my neck, I felt the cold metal, shivers went down my spine. I slit it open just a little and felt blood start to drizzle down my neck. I glanced up and caught my reflection in the mirror. I hated the girl I saw reflected back at me, she would just lose her hope, throw her life away.
" Urrrggghhh" I screamed throwing the knife at the mirror. It hit the center and stuck to the wall while the mirror shattered to the floor, but it wasn't only the mirror that shattered it was the girl who would give up to.
I heard a crunch, the sound of breaking glass, I turned towards the noise, and it was Ryoma. He was walking towards me, he spread his arms open and smiled, " you won". I didn't here it though.
" I feel alone hated," I whispered into his chest.
" Your not alone, I'm here, your not hated, your loved" Ryoma mumbled quietly in answer rocking me back and forth.
" I am, I hate myself"
" Why?" Ryoma asked.
" I gave up," I whispered in answer.
" No you haven't"
I looked up into Roma's eyes.
" You made it" Ryoma smiled.
" Why?" I asked slowly.
" Why do you like me?" I searched Ryoma face, as if the answer may be found there.
" I don't know. Because I die when I see you get hurt," Ryoma answered, " that's why I'm going to fight for you"
My eyes went blurry yet again. Tears came pouring down in cascades; I let them fall freely, without holding back.
" Thank you," I whisper slowly, " you're a knight"
Ryoma seemed please with my thanks but then took his role as leader yet again.
" Come" he ordered.
So hand in hand we walked to the police station. I hope I will never lose my hope again, because that's how you lose, you die. It's like a light came on for me, like I needed to stay, but that may not happen for everyone. Like the girl at the party. She committed suicide, she went through with it. Her light died. I take this like a lesson, learning, don't lose hope!
" It wasn't a lost hope after all," I say staring into the sky. Tonight it seems extra bright; maybe the stars are celebrating, celebrating the gift of life! Or maybe the end, no the beginning because it has just begun… the starting of a new story!
THE END… By: Melissa Veldhuis - Munro 83E