Don't want to Leave

Haruka woke early and dressed, she had packed her car the night before, she across the room at the girl who she was rooming with, she really didn't want to leave, holidays were the worst part of the school year and this was the longest break ever. Haruka was a stranger girl; while all the others were looking forward to break she had been wishing it to never come. She walked out of her room and moved to go for her run, she had one more exam before she left to return to the hell whole she called home. It was raining, but she really didn't mind, the weather was just a reflection of her mood and like the sky she had no hopes of it getting better. All too soon she realized she had to return to the hall. When she returned she showered and dressed, her roommate was already awake and dressing as well. She smiled at her roommate, it was to early for words, grabbing her bag she left to sit her exam.

As the exam finished Haruka's mood did not let up, she realized that her last excuse to stay at school was gone and later that night she would be seeing her parents. As she walked past the other girls on the hall she said her goodbyes, only two people left to talk to, Michiru and her roommate. Michiru came out of her room, she had just finished her last exams as well. The tall blonde smiled as she saw the girl she wanted to talk to. Haruka handed her a note as Michiru did the same.

"Drive safely, promise me and call you when you get there." Haruka nodded, her smile fading. "Promise me you'll drive safely?"

"Michiru I don't want to go home." Michiru looked at the tall blonde and brushed her hair out of her face. "You don't know what it's like for me there." Michiru smiled as she brushed the blonde's tears out of her eyes.

"You'll be fine, besides if you stay here there will be no one here, everyone is going home, even me." Haruka frowned.

"I know, but you know I could just stay here two more days till they close the halls."

"Then you will be in holiday traffic, you need to get a head start, it's a long drive." Haruka heard a door shut behind her and turned to look at her roommate.

"Are you leaving?"

"She's trying to stay." Haruka shot Michiru a dirty look and turned back to look at her mother.

"Haruka, you need to get a start on the traffic, you know the drive is long." Haruka shrugged.

"I can make it in three hours, it's not that long." Michiru looked at Haruka and her roommate.

"Get going, I don't want you to drive after dark." Haruka nodded and hugged both the girls once more before picking up her bag and turning to leave.

"See ya'll in four weeks."

"Drive safely, and call us when you get there." Haruka waved.

Haruka drove tears running down her face, but regained her composure before she pulled up in the driveway. She stepped out of the car and looked up at it, seven months had not changed the chilling cold that surrounded this place. She had left after graduation to travel all over Europe and then went strait to school having her things shipped to her, it was good she had been able to avoid her parents this long, but all good things must come to an end. Haruka took a deep breath as she walked up to the door and opened it. Her mother was coming down the stairs as she took off her jacket and hung it up.

"Haruka, so good to see you, you are looking well, how was college?" Haruka rolled her eyes on the inside and went to hug her mother.

"Mother, college is wonderful how are you? Did you miss me?" Haruka was about to puke at the thought of what her friends would say if they only knew.

"Of course I missed you, my oldest daughter, I've missed you so much." Haruka smiled, it was a good sign that her mother was in a good mood. "Come on know, you must be hungry, I've had the waiters keep dinner for you." Haruka nodded as she followed her mother into the dinning room.

"Where is father?" Haruka asked guessing that she already knew.

"He is upstairs in the entertainment center, I'll call him down." Haruka nodded, now the fun began. Haruka looked down at her plate that their waiter had just brought out, she started eating knowing she wouldn't finish her full meal. The sounds of her father's tall and towering figure coming down the stairs echoed through the house. Haruka took a deep breath as she heard her mother meet him in the hall and his voice pound with rage.

"There he is," Haruka thought as she finished what she could and walked out. "Hello father," The tall balding blonde man stopped what he was doing and moved to bring his daughter into his tight embrace.

"How is school?"

"Good,"

"Your running time?"

"Improving, I dropped thirty seconds in the past four months."

"Good, keep going and you'll be sprinting that 100 meters in three seconds soon." Haruka gave a half smile, sports that's all she talked about with her father, her running.

"I'm going up to shower and change, if you would excuse me please." Her father smiled.

"Of course, we'll talk after you clean up." Haruka's father kissed her on the head and let her go. Haruka went out to see that the hired help bringing in her stuff and as she entered the shower she could hear her parents in the entertainment room. Her siblings no doubt were already asleep, she had made a few stops to prolong the time away from home. As she stepped out she could hear screaming coming from the entertainment room. "

"I'm not strong enough for this," Haruka dried off and quickly changed into her shorts and t-shirt dialing Michiru's number. "Michiru, I can't do this."

"What's wrong? Haruka?" Michiru could hear yelling in the background. "Where are you?"

"Yea, it's me, my parents; they can't even wait for me to be home for a full hour."

"Haruka, it's okay, hush." Michiru could hear the tears pouring down her friends face, this was not like the tough blonde she knew, but Haruka had told her of her parents. "Calm down, breath, it's not you fault." Michiru heard Haruka sob into the phone. "Sweetie, it's okay, it'll all be over soon."

"Michiru I can't do this, I'm not strong enough for this, just let me run away."

"No, besides there will be no one here once you arrive, calm down. Just think I'll see you in one week and we'll have the whole day together. Shh…it's okay, I'm here for you." Haruka listened to Michiru as she tired to calm down, she heard the yelling stop. "Are you alright?" Haruka nodded and then muttered and audio able yes. "I'll talk to you tomorrow then." Haruka nodded as she hung up." She finished changing and seeing that her parents were in bed sneaked down stairs for something to drink, when she returned she saw that a light was on in her sister's room. Haruka smiled as she peaked through the cracked door and saw her sister up playing with dolls in her room.

"You are suppose to be asleep."

"Haruka!" The little girl bounced from where she was and wrapped herself around her bigger sister's leg.

"Hey there munchkin," Haruka picked up the small girl and brought her into her warm embrace. "What are you doing still up?"

"Mommy and Daddy were talking loud again and I woke up." Haruka looked at her six year old sister and smiled as she kissed the small girls forehead.

"It's okay, they are in bed now, you can go to sleep now." The little girl shook her head. "You want to come and sleep with me?" The little girl nodded happily as Haruka walked over and picked up Kakara's blanket and then turning off her light walked towards her room. She passed her brother's room and looked in, she smiled as she saw he was asleep. Haruka carried her baby sister to her room and laid her on her bed and then went to her bathroom where she washed her face and came back in to crawl in bed with her sister who snuggled up close to her falling asleep almost right away. Haruka laid in her bed for a while looking up at the ceiling thinking, she had been free, she had known freedom and she had really enjoyed it, but now she was home, back home where her nightmares came true. Haruka closed her eyes as she felt tears filling her eyes, she laid the quietly as she cried herself to sleep.

Haruka woke late the next morning, her mother no doubt had come in already to wake Kakara so that she would not disturb her. Haruka moved out of bed and walked into her bathroom where she pulled on her running shorts and shoes. Haruka moved out of the house quickly as she started her run. She felt the wind in her face as she released all her tension from the night before, she was in her own little world and didn't really hear her brother calling her.

"Haruka, you're back!" Haruka shook her head as she looked up. Her brother was running at her heading back from his morning run. She smiled as she stopped and let brother run to her. He threw his arms around her neck and brought her in tight. "Welcome back, it's good to see you." Haruka smiled.

"Same to you, it's nice to see you," Her brother smiled.

"When did you get back last night?" Sango asked.

"Late, I had a few stops I had to make." Sango nodded.

"Hey, I'll talk to you later, I have to finish my run." Haruka nodded as she hugged him once more, "It's so good to have you back sister."

"I wish I could say it's good to be back." Haruka's brother nodded knowing what she missed.

Sango and Haruka sat out on the porch talking after breakfast, their mother was out of the house with Karaka and their father at work. Sango smiled as he looked across at his older sister, Haruka looked at him and raised her eyebrow.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Oh nothing," he paused, Sango had always been close to his sister, he was the only one in their family that Haruka had confessed her secret to and then only one other friend knew her secret outside of the family. "Sister can I ask another question?" Haruka smirked and knew what was coming.

"Sure," Haruka knew what question her brother was going to ask and she had been dying to tell someone about it.

"Have you met any girls?" Haruka grinned as her smiled broadened as she blushed slightly. "I'll take that as a yes." Haruka nodded. "Well tell me about her." Haruka just grinned.

"She is beautiful, small, long aqua hair that curls and they bounce as she walks. She has a great heart and really understands." Her brother grinned laughing. "She's suppose to come down with her family some time over her break, I really want you to meet her."

"What's her name?" He grinned seeing the excitement on his sister's face.

"Michiru."