Mai's mouse hovered over the button. Sounds that once seemed so insignificant and bothersome roared in her ears; the hum of the fan was suddenly so much louder, Kiku's father's laugh from downstairs echoed between her ears, shouts from the streets now crept through the window and curled around her neck...
She swallowed thickly. She had to think about this! First off, this wasn't completely safe at all. What if is this was some psycho murderer! Or maybe they were human traffickers of some sort, or maybe they wanted to harvest her organs and sell them on the black market and maybe they were-
Mai took a deep breath. She shakily released it. Alright. She was an adult, for heaven's sake. Mai needed to calm down. Besides, it's not like she had to decide right away, right? And, since there was already a growing lists of takers, it wasn't like Mai was going to get picked.
"I mean, there's already...seventeen takers!" Mai nearly whistled. "And of course, like I said, the chance of me getting picked is...seven...three...I don't know, a really small percent!" She threw her hands in the air. "And I still have time! It doesn't expire for another week or so." Feeling slightly more reassured, Mai leaned back in her chair. "And I'm sick, too, so if I do get picked and don't want to go anymore, I can just say I'm sick and...not respond or something."
Hey, just because she was in college didn't mean she figured everything out easily.
With the call of dinner, Mai clicked the "notify" button (just in case she decided to volunteer), pushed the matter in the back of her mind, and rushed off to dinner. Later, Mai was getting ready for bed. The numbers on the alarm clock told it was very late and, combined with her sickness and general lack of sleep, Mai was exhausted. She really needed to stop playing video games for so long...
Her head hit the pillow and Mai was instantly asleep, blissfully unaware of the troubles she would face tomorrow.
Although the neighborhood was nice, it had some downsides. One of the major ones would be the birds.
Mai growled and pressed the pillow over her ears harder. For once, she'd like to make those noisy birds shut up! She was half tempted to chuck her backpack at them when Kiku's mom entered the doorway.
"Good morning, Mai!" She laughed when Mai groaned. "I know it's so early in the morning, but unfortunately I have to be the bearer of bad news." Mai hesitantly lifted her head from the pillow.
"What do you mean?"
"Spring cleaning has been cancelled, and I know how much you were looking forward to it." Kiku's mother smiled.
"But why? You've been looking forward to it for weeks!" Mai exclaimed, now sitting up. "Why cancel it?"
"Oh, we don't have enough cleaning supplies."
"Then...why not buy some?"
"I suppose we could, but I didn't want you to miss out on the big party! I heard from Kiku that everyone is going, and I didn't want you to feel left out from your peers. It's college! Live a little, and don't worry about me here." Kiku's mother waved Mai's worries away. Yet, despite the fact Kiku's mother was perfectly alright with it, Mai didn't feel right. Kiku's mother also would have just bought more cleaning supplies and get back to work. So...why didn't she?
Seeing the look on Mai's face, Kiku's mother smiled.
"Really, Mai. I want you to enjoy yourself. Now, breakfast is ready whenever you want to eat."
And with that, she was gone.
Perhaps going to the party wasn't such a good idea. Combined with Mai's headache (which was oh so conveniently better hours before, now worse then ever), the loud pounding music, and alcoho (along with its underage drinkers), Mai really wanted to go home. Oh, not to mention the guy that was hitting on her was a real jerk, too. Why did Mai allow Kiku to convince her to go?
The guy stopped his rambling to take a sip.
"I'm actually studying physics," he said. "Pretty tough subject." He puffed his chest out and took another sip of beer. The pounding music increased.
"R-Right." Mai managed to smile weakly. Though annoyed, she didn't have the heart to interrupt him and leave (besides, since they were using Kiku's car, so she couldn't leave without Kiku, anyways.)
"What's your major, by the way?" He peered at Mai over the rim of his cup. Here we go again, Mai thought sullenly.
"Undecided," she replied. "I'm thinking of doing something child-related, though."
"Well, children are a woman's subject, anyways. Not for men. We're doing the important stuff." The guy nodded confidently. A surge of anger spread throughout Mai like a horde of wasps, buzzing and baring their stingers with seething teeth. Her cheeks flushed and Mai puffed out her chest angrily.
"Important stuff-"
"Mai! There you are!" Kiku's slurred voice cut Mai off. Oh no. She's drunk. Mai moaned.
"M-Mai! Isn't this party great?" Kiku stumbled over to her. With a giggle she placed her hand on Mai's shoulders and said, "There's some pretty cute guys here. I even gave one a leaf! Oh, Mai, you don't look so good," she slurred with furrowed brows. "Are you alright? You're not dying are you?"
"No, Kiku, I'm-"
"Dying!" Kiku wailed and threw her arms around her friend. Mai stumbled. "Dying! I'm going to loose you forever and-and my parents will be more upset over your death more than miiiiine!" She sobbed hysterically. "No, no, no, no, no, n-"
"It was nice meeting you, but we're going home now." Mai cut her companion off and smiled nervously to the guy. "It, er, was a pleasure talking with you." More like a pleasure to leave you!
"Oh, we should exchange phone numbers!" The guy grinned. "You know so we can, ah-" His eyes slid from the bottom of Mai to the top of her in a second with a smirk-"talk."
"N-No, I really have to get home, a-and I don't have a phone," Mai lied. Dang it, he probably saw right through that! Why am I never a good liar?! "I-It was nice chatting with you!"
Mai dragged Kiku outside.
"Noooo, Mai! You should have gotten his phone number! You have a phone!"
"You're drunk, Kiku."
"No! I'm...I'm...s-s-s-sober." She stumbled down the steps. "Look, I only had water!"
"You mean vodka?"
"The guy who gave it to me said it was water!"
"How did you not tell the difference between water and vodka?"
"I dunn, it was pretty strong stuff, and I really liked looking at my reflection in it, and I thought if my reflection looked as good as it did it would taste just as good..." Kiku trailed off into a string of incoherent mumbles. Mai sighed.
But as Mai helped Kiku into the car, a cool air brushed behind the back of her neck, and Mai immediately straightened up. It was a warm spring night- why did she feel cold all of sudden?
"Maaaaiii! Nooo, let's go baaaaack to the partyyyyy! Maaaaaiii!" She ignored Kiku's whines and stepped away from the car. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. Her palms felt sweaty. The last time she felt this...
"H-Hello? Is someone there?" Mai bravely asked. "Hello?"
Silence answered her.
Feeling unnerved, Mai turned around with full intent of speeding out of this place. What she wasn't prepared for was to hear that voice- if you could call it that.
"Girl!" Its voice was raspy and deep and sent shivers down her spine. "Don't-" Mai never heard the rest. With breakneck speed she jumped in the car, locked the doors (and the windows) stepped on the gas pedal, and sped out of the neighborhood, leaving anyone-or anything- behind them in a cloud of dust.
Thank goodness Kiku's parents left their front light on.
Mai, miraculously, hauled Kiku out of the car and to the front door. After fumbling with her keys (her nerves were still shot from the incident) she unlocked the front door and staggered in.
"Mai? Kiku? Is that you?" Kiku's father stuck his head though the doorway. "What're you doing home so early?"
"Dad! Dad! Daaaad! Did you know I have a birth mark on my shoulder? L-Look, I'll give one to Mai, too, see-" She proceeded to give a butterfly kiss on Mai's shoulders. "You're cured!" She cheered.
"Thank you very much, Kiku." Had Mai not been feeling sick, she would have laughed at the scene before her. "Um, I think this answers your question, Mr.-"
"Cured! Cured!"
"I'll just get her upstairs." Mai gave a strained smile and dragged Kiku up the stairs.
It wasn't easy to get Kiku to bed. She protested any article of clothing given to her, and ran away once Mai offered a towel to wash off any make up. Thankfully, years of babysitting allowed Mai to handle the situation (as best as she could, anyways.)
"I'm happy I cured you, Mai," Kiku admitted sleepily once in bed. She pulled her bed covers up to her chin. "Don't die."
"I'm not going to die, Kiku." Mai smiled. "But I will feel better if you go to sleep now."
"Anything to help! Cure! Cure!" Mai nervously chuckled. With a few more reassurances that, no, she was alright and healthy(ish) Mai left.
I think I have a fever... She closed her eyes. My body's sore all over...and I'm thirsty, too. I thought my immune system was supposed to protect me against viruses!
With resolve to get a glass of water and some medicine before heading to bed, Mai staggered down the stairs as quietly as she could. She was just about to announce her presence when she was cut off.
"Dai, we're not earning enough to pay for both the bills and college and-"
"No, Hisoka, we're fine! We can power through this!" What're Kiku's parents talking about? Mai listened closely.
"Powering through this isn't going to pay for those bills! We'll be bankrupt by the end of this year!" Mai gasped. She covered her mouth quickly and silently prayed that they didn't hear her.
For once, luck was on her side.
"Dai, we thought we could do this, but we can't! There's just not enough money! I don't want our family to end up on the streets!" Hisoka's silhouette hunched over with a sob.
"I-I'll think of something. I mean, there's-"
By now, Mai heard enough. Once she was in her room, she allowed guilt to fully consume her. She felt tears pool in her eyes.
She never imagined the Kikus would be in a predicament like this! They always insisted they had enough money- there was always enough for tuition, enough for uniforms, enough for groceries, enough for Mai...
Her computer screen flickered in the darkness.
You have seventeen emails, it said.
"S-Seventeen?!" Mai stuttered. "This notification must be wrong..." She clicked it anyway. All emails came from one site, all with the same thing.
User Saki_4_U has volunteered.
User Kini-Mini-vZu has volunteered.
User $$Naruto_Sasuka$$ has volunteered.
User...
User...
"T-There's...thirty four volunteers for this thing! N-No way! No one can be that desperate!" Yet, here I am, desperate for money, too... Mai couldn't help but think. She clicked the link to the page and, for the umpteenth time, read the page over again.
Five hundred dollars...Mai bit her lip. I could really use that right now.
But still! They could be axe murderes and pyschopaths!
But Kiku's family really needed the money...
Mai heard Hisoka's stiffled sob from downstairs. She shot one last look of concern towards where Kiku's parents would have sat, then back to the computer screen. Her mouse hovered over the, "Volunteer" button. Should I...
She clicked it.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, or reviewed! Thank you very much! I'm happy to hear that you guys are interested, and as to whether or not Naru knows about this, well...you'll just have to see. But we all know he won't be too happy, that's for sure. As usual, reviews are very encouraged (and once again, thank you to everyone who has reviewed!), and I hope you guys are excited for the next chapter!