I watched the lying, turn into hiding,
With scars on both his lips, his fingertips...
Were melted to the bone.
But I can still remember what his face looked like,
When I found him in an alley in the middle of the night.
Nickelback – Just to get high.
It's been three days. The three longest days of my life; waiting for Orihime's funeral. This is the day when it all comes crashing down on you. Once you lower the casket into the grave, there's no going back. This is when you truly start to realise that the person will never come back, ever.
I didn't want to get out of my bed. It was my safe place; as long as I didn't get up out of it, nothing was real – everything was just a nightmare.
"Ichigo! We have to leave in half an hour. It be nice if we weren't late." Called my mother's voice from downstairs. I could hear Yuzi and Karin running around the house getting ready.
Unwillingly I slowly stepped out of the bed. Each second on the clock dragged on, bang, bang, bang. Or maybe it was just my heart. A steady speed – emotionless. I can't think of a life without her, without her compassion.
One foot in front of the other, that is how to walk right? I stepped into the bathroom and filled the basin with some water and dipped my head in the freezing cold water. It felt like a million daggers poked my eyes when I opened them in the water. I saw her face. Her face that will haunt me for forever.
It's just the beginning.
Is this linked to Orihime's death? Was her death my entire fault? How many more people will have to die? How much more hurt can I handle? What am I being punished for?
I blinked and Orihime's face turned to hate.
It's all your fault Kurosaki ! – Her voice rang through my ears.
It's your fault I died! – And again.
I jumped away from the sink and sank to the floor. I crawled into the fatal position and covered my ears; but her voice still called. There was nothing I could do but scream. With the tips of my fingers I could feel sharp shards in my hair. Where did that come from?
I wasn't sure how long I was on the floor but I snapped out of as soon as my mom and dad grabbed me from the floor. Opening my eyes I saw blood everywhere and my mom's tears. I blinked and looked around only to notice my mirror was shattered. It was all over the room and all over me. I was bleeding. My hands, my face and my legs. There's only so much blood a person can handle losing. Everything blacked out.
...
The perks of your parents being doctors is that you can be treated at home and you don't have to go far from home. Lucky me, there's a hospital right under my room.
"Here have some water" My dad handed me a glass.
"Thanks." I took a sip of water, "Are we late yet?" Orihime's funeral – I cannot be late.
"It's already over son, you passed out yesterday." He looked away from me. I missed it? I missed her funeral.
"Fuck!" I threw the glass across the room and it shattered to a million pieces. "I... I...I'm sorry, Orihime" I whispered.
"If you need anything just call." Dad said as he walked out the room, switching the lights off. I sat in silence until a cold wind brushed against my face. Great, the goat face left the window open. I slowly crawled out of bed and walked towards the window. It wasn't much of a walk, more like two steps.
I breathed out in the cold night's air and stared at the stars – there weren't a lot of street lights in this town, in fact there weren't any. The moon shone and highlighted everything in its way.
Something snapped beneath me and I looked down to our back yard. Not this again. No wait, if that's Grimmjow then I have to talk to him. How can he just come here after what he has done? Or maybe hasn't done...
Steadily but quickly I went downstairs only to find my dad passed out on the sofa with a bottle in hand. He should've shared! The bastard.
I sneaked out the back door and looked around. Nothing. Just our empty back yard. I listened quietly and bingo! I heard fast breathing from the far east corner. I saw a figure standing there in a black jacket. What if that's the killer and not Grimmjow? What if this person came here to kill me now?
"Ichigo" his voice whispered from the corner. Grimmjow.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE MURDERER!" I shouted, loudly.
"Shhh please just hear me out!" He jumped out the corner and grabbed me by the shoulders. "Please!" He begged.
I heard the kitchen door open and Grimmjow jumped back into the shadows.
"SON! What's the matter? Who's there?" Dad jumped outside and stood in this signature fighting position – he calls it the peacock...
"Umm" I paused for a second and decided to give Grimmjow a chance, "Nothing dad just a psycho cat that attacked me." A smile escaped my lips and I felt like an idiot. A psycho cat? Seriously? Well Grimmjow did love cats, I remembered that.
"Oh okay son, don't shout so loudly next time over a cat, you'll wake your sisters up" He old man walked back inside and shut the door behind him.
"You have two minutes to explain EVERYTHING" I emphasised on 'everything'. I need all the details if I was to trust him.
"I didn't kill her, I swear. Ichigo you have to believe me." He fell to the ground, "I was going for a jog when I heard her scream. I ran inside and found her on the floor. There... there was so much b-blood. I- I tried to save her b-but the cuts were too deep. I'm...I'm so sorry Ichigo." He was crying. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques was actually crying right in front of me. As much as didn't want to believe him – I wanted to blame someone for her death, I wanted justice; but I couldn't. It wasn't him.
"I...I believe you Grimm" I said and put my hand on his shoulder. "Why did you run away?"
"I knew no one would believe me. Everyone thinks I'm an outcast, a freak – except you Ichi." He looked up into my eyes and once again I saw the ten year old Grimm who came to me for help after the bullies came onto him.
"So you've been out on the streets for three days?" I was shocked, I probably couldn't survive for a day, let alone three!
"Yeah." He nodded."I can't go home, the police are waiting for me there. And there's no one else in this town who believes me... they all think I'm a murderer." A tear escaped his eye.
"Ahh fuck, God punish me now, I'm thinking about hiding a fugitive in my house!" I brushed my hand through my hair and sighed. "Come on, let's go up to my room- no one is allowed in there and I got a huge closet just in case." I smiled and held my hand out. Slowly he took it and got up.
"Are you sure? I don't want to get you into trouble..."
"No I have to help you." I took his hand and pulled him towards the kitchen door, "Besides I still owe you."
...
Sneaking in wasn't a problem, Dad was up in his room with mom and the twins were in theirs. On our way into my room I grabbed some leftovers from dinner and a can of soda. I bet he was hungry.
"You're pretty good at this. You sure you haven't sneaked someone else in here before?" Grimmjow smiled as he sat on the bed.
"No." I blushed. "Fine. A few." Grimmjow barked a laugh but quickly shut up as he remembered where he was – and the situation he was in. It was a no laughing matter.
"Here eat this." I handed him the food and watched his face light up.
He ate it all in under a minute. What. A. Beast.
"Damn you were hungry." I laughed quietly.
"Three days Ichigo. Three days on garbage food."
"Yeah." I looked around my room and only now realised how small it actually was. " Well since you're still a guest you can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the floor mattress."
"No way am I taking your bed away from you! You're already doing too much..."
"Nonsense. Guests sleep on the bed. So shut it and sleep. Those bags under your eyes seem like you haven't had a decent sleep in years." I took out the floor mattress from my closet and a thin blanket.
...
I tried sleeping but I couldn't. Neither could Grimmjow – he kept on tossing and turning. Guess I'm not the only one worrying a little... a lot.
"You can't sleep?" I whispered in the dark.
"No." He turned to face the side of the room I was in. "The whole town hates me. I bet even you do."
"Shut up. I do not hate you Grimm, I know you didn't do it. You couldn't have." I got up and sat on the edge of the bed. I put my hand on his shoulder and said, "It's going to be okay, I'll find the real killer and clear your name. I promise."
"Thanks Ichi." He smiled and moved to the far edge of the bed. Not bothering to get back down I just collapsed next to him.
To be continued.
