I was silent as I walked quietly down the sidewalk. It was 11:26 PM and my friend wanted to meet up at our favourite café. It was very late, but I don't think the orphanage would mind.
My hands were in my pockets, the wind blowing my hair.
A little bit about me: I was labeled at freak, ghost, witch, and many more because of my appearance. I was always bullied, and the orphanage has a grudge over me. My family wants nothing to do with me, and my life is a wreck.
I didn't understand why my life is how it is though, with things happening faster than a snap.
I let my thoughts aside for a second as I looked down the bright street. It's 11:43 PM and the streetlights are brighter than ever.
My white eyes looked around nervously, the freckles on my face was seen on my pale, ghost-like face. I had my brown hair in a ponytail, swaying behind me to my footsteps.
I glanced to the floor as a group of people walked by. I was shaking. After a few minutes of walking down familiar shops and streets, I came across a busy street. Cars zoomed past me, each driving by. An occasional honk would be heard from the pool of cars.
"Esme!"
My friend called out across the accident road.
We called this particular street "The Accident road" because many accidents occurred here, as you can see why.
My friend smiled; their left hand was waving at me. I smiled meekly at them. I notice that they had something in their right hand.
My feet followed the yellow line as I walked across the road. I was halfway across the pedestrian lane when many gasps were heard from other people around me.
The sound of a car screeching was heard, my head whipped where the noise was.
It was all slow-motion. The car's body was about to hit me then I was pushed.
My eyes blinked, my mind trying to compute what had happened.
Then my mind went blank.
I stared at my friend, half their body was under the car's roof.
Their hand was out, grasping onto my shirt. I crawled towards them, trying to get them out.
"P-Please don't leave!" I cried. I ignored the sound of sirens and people screaming and shouting. I placed my friend's hand on my face. My tears streaked over their bloody hand.
"Promise me… you'll try…. To live.." They were talking nonsense. "Don't talk like that!" My white eyes stared at their teary honey eyes. They stare at me with a strained smile.
Their last words are something that I'll never forget.
Soon, their hand went limp. I never cried so hard in my life, pouring out my heart as firemen and ambulance men pull me away from my friend's body.
"No!" I was carried away; my tears were staining the man's shirt. He placed me to the side, a blanket wrapped around me. Everything was all a blur.
I watched the men try and lift the car off my friend. Once the car was off, they pulled out my friend's body. Their limp body was placed on a stretch and in an ambulance truck.
I was later driven home by the police men. They dropped me off at the orphanage, Ms. Walker talked with the cops while I was sitting on the couch, listening.
Afterwards, Ms. Walker closed the door and I was soon face to face with her.
When I was done being 'disciplined', I took a shower. The water was cold, which is how I like it. The dry blood washed off me.
I walked out the shower and sat on my bed in my towel, my brown hair dripped water.
"Esme, here are your clothes" Ms. Walker placed a basket of fresh clothes by my door.
I was alone again. My thoughts were blank, and I felt as if the world is at its peak of disaster.
I ignored the basked of clothes and walked out to the long dark hallway.
Climbing up the stairs, my bare feet patted on the concrete steps. My feet were still wet as I left footprints to the roof.
I walked rather fast, my heart pumping. All the adrenaline is kicking in, and I found myself at the very edge of the roof.
The breeze swept my hair off my shoulders. My eyes closed. I was ready.
I'm going to do this.
"Esme!" I opened my eyes.
I turn to see no one. That voice…
"Promise me… you'll try… to live…" Their voice echoed in the breeze. I remembered the last thing my friend said, and I kept it in my fragile heart.
I took a step back, but it was too late.
"Esme, get back here!" Ms. Walker screamed.
I was caught…
Again
A month flew by after the accident and I was still unable to wrap my head around it.
I finished packing my things, placing them in my carry-on that I had since I first came to the orphanage. I checked out at the front desk. I was visiting the mental hospital again, being prescribed pills.
"I need you to visit once a week for your refills ok, sugarcane?" Gloria, the woman at the front desk, smiled at me. I've known her for 2 years now.
"Yes Gloria" I smiled at her back. I walked out the door, my carry-on in my hand.
I was being driven back to the orphanage, when the driver made an unexpected turn.
We arrived at an airport. We stopped, the driver getting more luggage. "Wait, this isn't the orphanage." I whispered. The man looked at me surprised. "Ms. Walker didn't tell you? You've been adopted." I was speechless. The driver helped me with my luggage as we walked in the airport.
I see a woman and a girl. The girl held a sign with my name on it.
"Esme!" The familiar face called me. The girl has short brown hair and large, brown eyes. The woman next to her has red wavy hair and a warm smile.
"H-Haruhi?" I whispered. She ran up to me and hugged me. I was frozen. The woman gave me a hug.
"Thank you sir, I can take these." I flinched when I heard the woman's voice.
"Ryoji?" I stared at the man-woman with wide eyes. Ryoji gave a little twirl and giggled. "Why yes, Esme-Chan, it is I, your favourite uncle!" He laughed. Haruhi glanced at her father before smiling at me.
"We are going to take care of you now, Esme." Does she know?
"It's ok, Esme. We know what you've been through." Ryoji hugged me. For the first time in my whole life, I hugged someone back.
Haruhi joined the hug as she wiped my tears.
After our little moment, we went to check in the front desk and waited for our plane.
I'm moving to Japan.
The plane landed.
I stretched in my seat, my eyes still groggy. I had another nightmare until I realized that it was a recent memory of when my friend died.
"Good morning, Esme" Haruhi greeted me with a warm smile. She had a plate with eggs and bacon. She was eating while reading a big book about trigonometry.
"Hello." I whispered. We ate breakfast at the cafeteria when we got out the plane. I felt as if I'm starting fresh, where no one knows me and that I don't have to be afraid.
But we all know that's not how it works.
"Here we are!" Ryoji unlocked the door to their small home. It was warm and cozy, things I'm not used to. We placed my luggage in the living room. They actually lived in the apartment above this, but they moved to get the 3 bedrooms.
Haruhi smiled and went to her room. I followed, unsure what to do.
"Mom, you remember Esme, right?" I look at a kneeling Haruhi with wide eyes.
She was talking to a portrait of Kotoko, her mother.
"She's dead?" I asked. Haruhi nodded. She patted a spot next to me, which I sat on.
"Hello Kotoko…." I whispered. Haruhi smiled and lit two candles on each side of the picture. The smell was of green tea.
"My mother used to love green tea." Haruhi told me. I never knew it was so long since I last saw them all together.
"It's been almost 8 years, I think." Haruhi looked at me, her eyes were watery.
"Let's go prepare your room." She stood up and let me to my room.
It was small and simple, which was fine with me. We placed my clothes and other things that Ms. Walker packed for us while I was at the hospital.
Haruhi looked at a small bag in surprise. She opened it and froze.
"What's wrong?" I asked. She looked up at me.
"Why are there so many pills?" I gulped, tensing up. "You know, never mind. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" She smiled. I relaxed my shoulders.
After we unpacked, we went to the living room where Ryoji was watching t.v.
"Dad, help me with dinner please." Haruhi walked in the small kitchen, where a normal Ryoji walked in too. He didn't have any makeup on and no red wig.
I looked at the T.V. and saw the news. It was on.
I quickly changed the channel before they saw anything. It was on a kid's channel.
I sat there while they were in the kitchen making food.
Sighing, I closed my eyes.
And soon I fell asleep.
~~
It's been about a week and a half since I arrived here and things have been going well. Haruhi has been going to school and Ryoji has work, so I'm alone most of the day.
I lie to talk to Haruhi's mom though, telling her all about the things that happened when I lived in America.
It was another day where I was alone in the apartment, thinking.
Normally, Haruhi stays a few hours after school because she has a club she's in. But today was not the case.
The door opened and there was Haruhi with a ticked off face.
I opened my mouth to speak but my body froze.
6 men walked in from behind her.
They were an odd group, with a blonde man, a small little boy, a very tall man, a guy with glasses, and-
My mind was blank.
Twins
My past with twins was horrible, and seeing twins again brings those memories back. I was beyond frightened when one of them looked at me with a devilish smile.
"Esme, this is the host club, the one I've been telling you about." Haruhi gestured to the 6 men. I was still. "This is Tamaki." She pointed to the tall blonde. He smiled. "Honey and Mori." She pointed at the small blonde and his tall companion. "Kyoya" She gestured to the guy with glasses. "And Hikaru and Kaoru" She gestured towards the twins. They grinned.
"Hello princess" The Tamaki called. I looked at him.
My friend used to call me Princess.
"Tamaki-Senpai, she's not good with people." Haruhi sighed. Tamaki blinked at Haruhi before smiling at me. He has beautiful violet eyes; his innocent blonde hair complemented his eyes.
I proceeded to the couch before Honey walked up to me. "You have pretty eyes, really scary, but pretty!" He smiled while I looked at him.
He just bounced away.
I flinched when the couch moved and Kyoya sat next to me. He didn't try to talk to me, but his presence was intimidating.
"Haruhi, you're debt has been added an extra 1000 for pulling off that trick." He spoke. His voice reminds me of my uncle's. They both spoke with sophistication and pride.
"Kyoya-Senpai, I told you I was sorry!" Haruhi whined, her hand ran through her short brown hair. Kyoya just smirked. He's evil!
"How's our magazine doing, Kyoya?" The twins spoke in unison. They walked up to the couch, where I sank in the cushion in fear.
"Hey Haruhi, she looks like a ghost." One of them announced bluntly. I stared at them with furrowed brows. "Guys" Haruhi's voice was warning. They shrugged and continued to speak to Kyoya.
Kyoya's onyx eyes glanced at me when I was looking at his computer screen.
"Why are you looking?" He asked. I looked at him wide eyed. I gulped, my hands shaking.
"W-Well, you miscalculated that last entry… it's supposed to be 3, not 7." I pointed at the number. He studied the screen before nodding. "You are right. Thank you" He changed the entry while I sat and watched Haruhi talk to Tamaki.
"How odd…" I whispered, my eyes scanned the room.
I hugged my knees to my chest and watched the group interact with Haruhi. They all seemed interested in her, always talking to her. Tamaki clearly has a thing for her, always grabbing her attention in any way. The twins also want her attention, doing something stupid just to get a reaction from her.
Haruhi has a lot of nice friends, and I felt as if I was interrupting.
I stood up the couch. "Too bad, I enjoyed your quiet company" Kyoya spoke, looking at me. I just shuddered under his stare and proceeded to my room.
I sat lonely in the small dark room.
I hear an occasional chorus of laughter or Haruhi yelling at Tamaki or the twins.
I lay on my bed, facing the wall. My memories of my friend seemed to be slipping away, as I tried to think. I don't want those memories to go away.
I closed my eyes and saw my friend's face. Their kind smile and honey coloured eyes. I smiled at the picture, before an image of the twins came up. The twins from my past.
They looked at me in disgust, how my parents and uncle used to look like when I'm there.
I opened my eyes, looking at the open door. I still hear talking, so I walked out. I decided that I wanted tea, so I went to the kitchen. I looked at the living room and saw the group and Haruhi talk. How I wished to be like Haruhi.
I envied my cousin.
I grabbed my tea and walked to the room, where I sat once again in silence.
Haruhi POV:
"She's my cousin, but we adopted her." I told the hosts. Esme was in her room, probably sleeping.
I refilled cups with tea. "What happened to her parents?" Tamaki asked. I looked at him with uncertainty. "I honestly don't know. I do remember them when I was little. They absolutely hated Esme." I spoke. The twins looked at each other.
"Well, she seems suspicious." They added. I sighed. "No, she's just very private." I told them.
"C'mon, let's go to the theatres!" Tamaki whined. I glanced at the hallway, at Esme's door. "I'll see…" I walked to the girl's room and knocked. I opened it to see Esme laying down on her bed. She glanced at me when I walked in.
"Want to go to the mall with us?" I asked her. She shook her head and readjusted herself so her back faces me.
I walked out, closing the door behind me quietly.
"She fell asleep." I told them.
I told them next time as they all left. Tamaki gave me good news, which I hope Esme's ok with.
I woke Esme the next morning and told her the great news.
"You're going to attend Ouran with me!" I cheered. She didn't look happy, but smiled.
"Ok" Was all she said as she got ready for school. I had to tell her that I was dressing as a guy, and that she shouldn't tell anyone I was a girl.
"Ok" She replied. She's pretty straight-forward.
We left the house and walked to school.