Okay. People. Sen me emails when my upload date comes up or leave Reviews.
Anyway. Sorry for the long wait. I've just been busy with things. Got my permit, Grandpa died. Got engaged blah blah blah.
Now, onto the story(:
Chapter 3
Meetings
"Okay, so, what do you say when a customer comes in?"
"Uh… Welcome to Kusagishi Family Restaurant, how many in your group?"
"Yes! But don't make it sound like you're trying to remember what to say. Just say like you would anything else!" As Haley said this, the bell signaling a customer rang. "Watch." She told Rukia as she spun around the face the door. "Welcome to Kusagishi Family Restaurant! Wha? Yachi! What are you doing her here? Your supposed to be at school."
Rukia stood there staring at the young girl who just walked in. Hey! That's the girl I ran into earlier! What's she doing here? And how does Uotani-san know her?
The small pink haired girl was covering her face with her bangs and was avoiding her mothers penetrating and accusing glare. She shuffled her feet and was twisting and un-twisting her fingers trying to think of a good excuse as to why she wasn't in school. Then mumbled the first thing she could think of.
"I got sick and they sent me home. But I knew you wouldn't be there so I came here…." She raised a hand to her hair and pulled her bangs farther down her face.
"If you had actually gotten sick they would have called the restaurant. Yachiru Kusagishi, you better not be lying to me. Tell me exactly why you are not in school." Haley put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot waiting for her daughter to answer her. Rukia looked from her, to the pink-haired girl, and back to Haley. She could feel the tension building up between the two. She cleared her throat and announced her departure from the two. Haley nodded and mumbled an apology for her daughter and Yachiru gave her a strange look before she hid her face again, careful not to show her left eye.
"I'm not at school because I didn't want to be there." She looked into her moms eyes, hers shining with a mixture of emotions. Determination, Betrayal, Worry, and the least detectable, Fear. Although the last emotion did not go unnoticed by Haley. Her body loosened from its tense stance and she rested a reassuring hand on her daughters shoulder.
"Sweetheart," She said softly, "What happened today? Please, tell me so I know what I need to do to help."
Yachiru looked down at her shoes, her eyes filled with un-shed tears. She clenched her teeth together and growled softly. She grabbed her mother wrist and tore her hand from its resting place on her shoulder. She looked up at her mom, the tears now falling freely down her cheeks, and her pink bangs had flown back in the sudden movement and revealed a black eye.
"There's nothing you CAN do mum! There's nothing you ever COULD do! You can't stop anything from happening!" She grabbed fistfuls of her hair in frustration and fell to her knees in the entrance of her grandparents' restaurant.
Rukia, who saw everything, felt a sharp pang in her chest at seeing this young girl suffering so much. She could relate to her, seeing as she grew up without anyone until her nii-san Byakuya had adopted her in her early teen years. She never had anyone to help her through anything, never had anyone to be there for her, and never had anyone to tell her everything would be all right. She was always alone, and she still was. Yeah she had Renji and Byakuya and all her friends, but it just wasn't enough. She needed someone to call her own. She looked at the young girl clutching her hair and sobbing on the ground, and her mind was set. She walked up behind a bewildered Haley and rested a hand on her arm.
"Let me talk to her. I might be able to help." Haley turned desperate eyes on her and nodded before biting her lip and walking to the back room. Rukia watched her leave and when the door finally closed she turned attention back to the sobbing girl. She cautiously walked closer and crouched down to be eye level with her. She placed a finger under the girls chin and pulled her face up so Rukia could look into her brown eyes. Instantly the girl stopped crying and just started back into Rukia's violet eyes with a look of trust.
"It's okay. Tell me what's wrong, please, I think I can help." Rukia spoke softly, as to not frighten her. Yachiru sniffed and nodded her head; She stood up on shaky legs, wiped her nose and walked towards a private booth in the back of the restaurant. Rukia raised an eyebrow in question but remained silent and followed her to the table. Rukia sat down on the seat directly across from Yachiru and placed her elbows on the table, entwining her fingers together and resting her chin on her combined hands. Yachiru took a shaky breath and looked right into Rukia's eyes and gave a small smile before she started speaking.
"My dad died 5 years ago. I was only in Kindergarten then. I didn't really understand what happened." She said, shaking her head sadly. "When I started second grade all the other kids would pick on me for not having a dad. I'm in fifth grade now. But, between then and now…it's gotten worse. The kids have gotten more violent. I just sit there and take it because I don't want to cause my mom any trouble. They always do it right before school starts. They usually go for my stomach because you can't see it. They also pick on me because of what I wear." She moved her hand over herself. Rukia looked at what the girl was wearing for the first time. Yachiru was wearing a Shihakushō.
"I just never fit in. My mum doesn't understand. She's too lost in her grief over loosing my dad. I really only ever had one friend. But he just moved away not too long ago. He was one of the gym teachers at the high school." She added the last part happily. Her eyes showing only sadness though.
"What was his name Yachiru-kun?" Rukia asked.
"Kenpachi Zaraki." She stated matter-of-factly, "But I always called him Kenny" She smiled.
Rukia nodded. "Well. I can be your friend from now on" She smiled at the young girl across from her.
"Really?" Yachiru whispered, her eyes wide with hope.
"Of course! You can tell me anything! And, you can tell those bullies at your school that you have a new aunt that'll beat their butts if they touch you again" Rukia laughed. Yachiru smiled brightly at her and Rukia could see Uotani-san in her. Yachiru stood up and hugged Rukia. Rukia looked at the girl in surprise but then smiled softly and hugged her back.
"You can call me Yachi-kun from now on 'kay?" She chirped.
Rukia laughed. "Alright. You can just call me Rukia"
Yachiru nodded and grabbed Rukia's hand and dragged her to the back room where her mother was waiting.
"Mum? Rukia helped me feel better…" She looked down at the floor. Haley looked at her daughter, and then at Rukia, then at their joined hands, then back at Rukia with a questioning look. Rukia blushed and tried to pull her hand away, but Yachiru gripped her hand tighter and looked at her pleadingly.
"Well. Guess it can't be helped." Haley shrugged. "Kuchiki-san, would you like to come over for dinner tonight? Seeing how attached Yachiru seems to be."
"Oh! Uhm. Yes! Thank you Uotani-san!" Rukia bowed in thanks. Haley just laughed and waved a hand in dismissal.
"No need for formalities! Call me Haley-san" She smiled warmly at Rukia. Rukia's knees grew weak and she felt warm from Haley's smile.
This is going to be a long night….
LEAVE REVIEWS DAMNIT! I love you(:
haha Well, sorry this is short. Just wrote it today because I'm lazy. Will try and make up for it in the next chapter.
Please review(: 3
