Author's Note
Trigger Warning: Before we head on with this chapter, I just to mention that there will be topics of suicide, eating disorders, and some sexual themes (but nothing graphic- gotta leave some stuff to imagination) so if any of these topics might be upsetting to you, you might want to skip this chapter. Apologies for all of the trigger warnings, but that's probably why I ended up moving the genre from Drama to Angst. Not sure if it was the correct move, but I didn't think to change the rating yet, because I don't think the writing is graphic or descriptive just yet. If so, let me know, but as far as I can see, this is about what you'd see in a typical teen drama. Now without further ado, let's continue on.
Also, if I haven't already, thank you to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, following, and faving! I was so nervous about this story catching on, and frankly, I'm pleasantly surprised at how many people are taking the time to check this story out! Thank all of you so much! And of course, lots of love and candy,
Lily
Loss
"People only have substance within the memories of other people. And that's why there were all kinds of mes. There weren't a lot of mes per se, I was just inside all sorts of people, that's all. The body exists only to verify one's own existence... If you are not remembered, then you never existed, right? Well, I guess we're going to find out soon...I saved up money to get this Go-Pro, so I'm just gonna attach this camera to my head- can you see me now? Yep, you can! Hello FaceSpace people! I'm seeing a lot of shocked emojis here! Oh someone commented 'where r u?!' I wish I could tell you, but I don't want to ruin my plans! Isn't it funny? No matter where you go, everybody's connected! You know, I've spent a good amount of time on this and I wouldn't want all of my thinking processes going to waste. Hopefully nobody will be able to track me down too soon, I pinned my GPS location in Canada, so good luck trying to find me! I'll be in the Wired before you can reach me. Anyways, enough bragging for now, I don't want to get too cocky. If I'm going to leave the real world, I'm going to go out in style! So at last, Jeri is free and no longer needs to be anywhere! This is the way you wanted it to be, isn't it?
*ping ping ping pingpingpingpingping*
"Good morning, this is Principal Himekawa. As most of you might have known, a fellow student of ours, Jeri Katou took her life on school grounds over the weekend. The disturbing footage has circulated over several social media platforms since then, but per request of the grieving family, I ask of you students not to reblog or distribute this video. It breaks my heart to see such a young person take their life, especially at the start of a school year. Suicide is not an easy topic to face, but with cases like Miss Jeri Katou, I think it's time that we all take a moment to step back and evaluate ourselves. It's completely normal to have a bad day once in a while, and sometimes we all feel hopeless once in a while, or like we can't get anything done, or just plain lonely from time to time, but if it's happening on a daily basis, it's okay if you go to someone for help- in fact, that's what you should do. And maybe if you notice someone not doing so well, reach out to them. A smile or a hello can make a big difference in someone's life. It's just a tragedy to see someone with potential end their lives so soon, I just hope we don't come across that fate with anyone else. There's a collection in the main office for Jeri Katou's family if you'd like to donate a dollar or two and we also have certified guidance counselors as well, so you can talk to them if you need a couple of minutes. I'll update everyone with more news when I receive it. In the meantime, Jeri's funeral ceremony is tomorrow at 7pm at St. Peter's Cathedral, with the wake at 9am in St. Jude's Cemetery. Principal Himekawa, out."
"Who's Jeri?" Izzy asked.
"I dunno, she was some freshman girl... jumped off of the school building apparently," Marcus said.
"You guys haven't seen the video? It's everywhere!" Mimi gasped.
"No, they keep taking it down. Not that I'm really sure I want to see it," Izzy frowned.
"It's okay, I saved it!" Mimi pulled out her phone.
"Why would you do that?!" Marcus made a face.
"Once you watch it, you can't stop thinking about it...her little baby face, and sweet innocent voice, it almost seems like came out of a scary movie, doesn't it?" Mimi held up her phone.
"This is the way you wanted it to be, isn't it?"
"Oh my goodness...," Izzy covered his mouth.
"Holy crap, shut that shit off. I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight," Marcus shivered.
"Yeah! So many rumors are going around! Some people say she was forced to jump, others say it was all a prank and that she's actually still alive, but I don't know," Mimi bit her nail.
"I'm sure the police are holding their own investigation on this whole matter," Izzy said.
"Isn't it just so weird how someone's death can really change people though? Like even if it's just for a moment... I think this is the first time Principal Himekawa actually sounded like a human being, with feelings," Marcus said.
"That is weird," Mimi frowned.
"Maybe death just reminds all of us that one day, it could happen to us. Perhaps, we might not die, but maybe a loved one of ours might and that is probably scarier than anything else," Izzy pondered.
"Yo, this really messes you up," Marcus shook his head.
"People only have substance within the memories of other people..."
"Oh my God! Home page, home page!" Mimi frantically pressed the screen on her phone.
"Serves you right for downloading the video," Marcus smirked.
"Miss Kamiya, that hoodie is against dress code. You're going to have to take it off," the teacher said.
"But I'm really cold. I don't know what it is," Kari said.
"You feel fine to me," the teacher touched Kari's forehead with the back of her hand. "But you don't look so good. Are you sick?"
"No, just cold," Kari said.
"Alright... I guess you can wear your hoodie under your blazer, but if anyone else says anything, just tell them I gave the okay. Go take your seat," the teacher said.
"Thank you," Kari nodded.
"Hey Kari, how's it going?" TK said.
"I'm alright. Why is everyone asking? Do I look that bad?" Kari frowned.
"No, not it's not that at all. Just didn't see you over the weekend. But come to think of it, you do look a bit different. Can't put my finger on it though," TK said.
"I have been working out hardcore since I made it on spirit squad. Being a flyer is no joke. I have to learn to get my stability up but still be lightweight at the same time. I don't know how I'll manage, because I gained weight," Kari huffed.
"What are you talking about? You're so small as it is! It wouldn't hurt you to put on a couple of pounds. You're probably just gaining muscle anyways, which is heavier than fat. You're being silly," TK said.
"I don't know. I just want to be good at my job," Kari said.
"I think you'll be fine!" TK said.
"Thanks. So I see your bruise is kinda healing," Kari touched TK's face.
"Oh, your hands are cold," TK held Kari's hand. "And no, that's just a bit of makeup. One of the guys from the Gay-Straight Alliance group scored me some samples of stuff from Mac? I think that's the name of it. I dunno, but it's crazy how the face paint sorta hides most of the bruising. It matches my skin tone almost perfectly. I don't know how he did it, but he guessed it," TK said.
"Funny. I was still trying to guess my shade after a couple of years, I eventually just gave up," Kari laughed.
"Maybe you should ask him. Nice group of people, but if it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place," TK chuckled.
"But at least it must be nice not having to hide it anymore, right? It was probably the push you needed," Kari said.
"I guess. I just wish it didn't come at such a loss," TK looked at Davis's seat, which was currently empty.
"Hey, you're the gay kid, right?" a lean-muscled boy approached TK.
"Uh...yes? But I'd prefer if people called me TK," TK paused. "What's up?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to let you know we've got your back. We don't tolerate fag haters on our team, so Motomiya's taking a temporary break for now," the boy jerked his thumb at Davis's empty seat.
"Uh, appreciate the sentiment but you didn't have to-"
"Nonsense. He's completely suspended from school premises, and dude, what he did was a hate crime. You can't just beat up homos cause you're scared of them. It was just a joke, you know. Didn't think his sensitive ass was so serious. Anyways, we got your back. See ya later," the boy said and returned to his seat.
"Thank you?" TK turned red.
"Well, that was interesting," Kari sipped at her water bottle.
"Tell me about it. I really don't know what to make of that," TK raised an eyebrow.
"At least they're coming from a good place?" Kari shrugged.
"True...but it just feels strange. Like I don't know how to explain it. I kind of feel more like a trend than anything else, if that makes sense?" TK bit his lip.
"Sorry, I wish I could, but I don't understand," Kari shook her head.
"It's okay. I just hope that something new happens so people stop thinking about me," TK said.
"Oh my God! Did you hear about that freshman who jumped off the building and killed herself?!"
"Yeah! She filmed it live on FaceSpace!"
"Does anyone have the video?!"
"Whoops, careful what you wish for," Kari smirked.
"Ugh, why do I keep talking?" TK groaned.
"Oh my God, she was like totally my best friend! I'm totally putting five bucks in her donation jar," one girl said.
"Shut up! I'm going to put ten!" another girl cried.
"Are you guys seriously gonna keep watching that video? It's so creepy!" Zoe gasped.
"Hey, you're one of the losers who watched it live. Why didn't you go and try to help her?" Koji smirked.
"Because she wouldn't answer! And it was already getting dark, it's not like I could see where she was!" Zoe began to cry.
"Koji, stop it," Kouichi huffed. "You know she'd never let someone jump off a building if she had the power to- well, unless that person happened to be you..."
"Shut up," Koji grunted.
"Hey... you guys know Marcus, right?"
"Oh my God, Jeri? Is that you?" Kouichi asked.
"What? They don't look anything alike!" Zoe put her hands on her hips.
"You kinda sound like someone we know," Koji said.
"Can't put our finger on it," Kouichi soon his head.
"It's not Jeri," Zoe huffed.
"Hi, I'm Kristy, Marcus's sister. I'm not sure if I'm pleased to meet you or not now," Kristy frowned.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Zoe, and these goons are Kouichi and Koji," Zoe said.
"Hi," Kouichi waved.
"Hey, did you see the video?" Koji asked.
"Yeah, it's crazy. I didn't know who she was, but it's still pretty weird to watch. That's like stuff you'd have to find on the Wired," Kristy said.
"The what?" Zoe asked.
"Nothing. Let's just say that the Internet as you know it has many layers, and the layer you know of is just the surface," Kristy said.
"Like an onion?" Koji asked.
"Yes, the web that you can use Google, FaceSpace, InstaChat, Wikipedia, all of that...you could say that's like the peel of the onion," Kristy said.
"Onions though? Not everybody likes onions... How about a parfait? Everybody likes parfaits! Have you ever met someone who didn't like a parfait?" Kouichi asked.
"I never really thought about it," Kristy shook her head. "Anyways, I should probably go back to my seat. I don't like leaving my stuff unattended for too long."
"Alright. Well, it was nice meeting you," Kouichi said.
"See ya around, Kirsten," Koji said.
"It's Kristy," Kristy said. "Yeah...I'm definitely not hanging out with those guys. At least I tried," she muttered under her breath.
"Hey Takato, what shat in your Lucky Charms this morning?" Koji said.
"He knew the girl who killed herself over the weekend," Henry replied.
"What?!" Rika gasped.
"Yeah. Some freshman girl jumped off the high school building over the weekend and filmed it on FaceSpace," Koji said.
"Damn... nothing exciting happens at Ouran," Rika sighed.
"I wouldn't necessarily call it exciting. Jeri was a nice girl," Takato frowned.
"Whoa! My memory's a little fuzzy, but wasn't that the annoying girl at the playground who had the puppet? You know, from a couple years ago and she was always interrupting our card games?" Rika asked.
"Oh yeah...she still carried that puppet to this day," Henry remarked.
"What? Talk about issues," Rika shook her head.
"Come on, guys! She's dead now, can we have a little respect?" Takato gasped.
"Were you guys friends or something?" Koji asked.
"Not really, but it was my fault. I had to be such a jerk...she was a nice girl. Maybe if I was wasn't such a jerk...," Takato began to cry.
"It's okay, let it out," Henry patted him on the back.
"Uh...I don't know how to be nice to people, but here goes. Look Takato, I think you're a good kid, and whatever you did couldn't have been bad enough to make her jump off a building. She must have been going through a lot of different things at the time. Whatever happened between you and her was probably a tiny grain of sand among the sandbox of issues she had. After all, she still had a puppet in high school who she probably considered her only friend," Rika said.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, you're probably right!" Takato cried even harder.
"I don't think that helped," Koji frowned.
"Well, you think of something! This is why I don't try!" Rika huffed.
"Uh...Jeri's in a better place now," Koji said. "All dogs go to heaven, you see, so imagine all the puppies she gets to play with."
"Puppies are cute," Takato sniffled.
"No more pain, no more evil, no more hurt, but a hell of a lot more puppies, and how cool is that?" Koji shrugged.
"That is pretty nice," Takato wiped his tears.
"Seriously?" Rika grumbled under her breath.
"Hey, it's working," Henry whispered.
"Hey Tai, what's up?" Davis said.
"I haven't seen you in a while, what brings you here?" Tai said.
"Just shopping around, seeing how you're doing. Debating whether to get new cleats or not," Davis shrugged.
"When I'm on the clock, you should always get new cleats!" Tai joked. "But why are you having second thoughts? Are you thinking of joining the team this year?"
"No, I tried it and made it. They made me a damn mid-fielder, how embarrassing is that?" Davis huffed.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, you're probably just a little rusty since you didn't play as much last year. Besides, it's not always gonna be that way, if you can prove yourself, you can play your way up to a better position. I did back in freshman year. Nothing's ever permanent," Tai said.
"I dunno...Izzy tried out and he's a striker. Can you believe that?" Davis scoffed.
"Wait, what?!" Tai gasped.
"Yeah, absolute crap if you ask me!" Davis crossed his arms.
"I'm actually shocked. Izzy's beast mode activated...but what I'm confused is by why they would give him that position. I would have thought he'd make a better mid-fielder, but he also sorta learned from the best," Tai grinned.
"You taught him?" Davis gasped.
"Yeah, but that doesn't really count. We were like 5, I don't think he'd even remember, and I was still sharpening my skills myself," Tai laughed.
"I dunno, but this whole year is just so different. And not in a good way," Davis said.
"Yeah, I've heard. Speaking of, I've heard you've left a nice shiner on TK's the other day. What the hell's up with that?" Tai asked.
"It was nothing. He was being petty and said stuff about me to the whole school-which was totally untrue by the way, and it made things harder for me on the soccer team. I had to do something. Probably not the best move, since I got suspended for a week," Davis said.
"Yeah, you think? Besides, what do you care what those guys think? They're not your real friends if they're gonna believe any little thing before considering to hear your side of the story," Tai said.
"I dunno...but I'll have to practice with these guys on a daily basis too, so it's tough. I feel like I'm doing this alone," Davis put his hands in his pockets.
"At least you got Izzy," Tai pointed out.
"No thank you. He's so annoying now that everyone's paying attention to him and giving him cookies and buying him coffee and stuff. He's not the same, it's almost like he's happier and confident. It's disgusting," Davis stuck his tongue out.
"Sometimes I wonder if you hear what comes out of your mouth," Tai laughed. "Look, is he acting like a jerk to you guys?"
"Noooo...he acts the same. Maybe a little nicer and not as uptight. Kinda creepy," Davis shivered.
"Sounds like someone is a tad bit jealous if you ask me. Look, don't worry about it. If it makes you feel better, the novelty will wear off eventually and he'll just be back to a regular Joe Schmoe soon. It's not like he's an Idris Elba," Tai said.
"But isn't Idris Elba black?" Davis asked.
"But he's a very handsome, classy, dignified man we can all aspire to be. A true gentleman, right?" Tai said.
"Facts," Davis nodded.
"Hold on a sec, gotta see what the boss is up to," Tai said.
"Yeah, go ahead," Davis said.
"Hey Coach, what's up? I see we're getting a new display already. But I thought we just put the Nike Fall collection on the mannequins like last week. Did Adidas pay more?" Tai asked.
"No, Kamiya," an older, muscular man groaned. "Someone's been stealing the display items. I don't know how they do it, because Masterson says she keeps a close eye on the floor and she hasn't seen any suspicious behavior. How about you?"
"No sir!" Tai said.
"Really? Cause it looks like you're talking to a friend over there," the man said.
"Nah! I'm helping him pick out a pair of sneakers! I'm just asking him a couple of questions so I can gauge the best pair for his needs!" Tai turned red.
"Alright, champ! Keep up the good work! I need vigilant people who can multitask on my team. Maybe it's time to hire a couple more people... I don't think cameras are going to help, because who's going to watch the footage? And then if we do, it's not like we can go chasing after them. Anyone can just walk out with that rack of clothing in the front and we can't do anything about it except call Security. It's a good thing we have Ron, but he wastes too much time on petty matters if you ask me," the man said. "Alright, head back before we lose a sale."
"You got it, Coach!" Tai said and ran back to Davis.
"So what's going on?" Davis said.
"I hope you buy a pair of cleats soon, cause I almost got in trouble. I guess I can't have visitors hanging for too long now. Someone's been swiping stuff left and right, so my boss wants to keep me on the alert," Tai said.
"Damn," Davis shook his head.
*crash* a couple of mannequins toppled over, like a domino effect.
"What the hell?" Tai asked.
"Uh oh," a girl concealed in a large hoodie paused and dashed out of the store.
"Do me a favor and chase her...I can't run after her cause stupid store policies," Tai bounced in place.
"On it," Davis ran out after the girl and cornered her behind a pretzel stand. "Hey, you! You forgot something!" he shouted.
"What? Where?" the girl stopped and turned around.
"Hah hah, sike! You know, if you wanna be a shoplifter, you gotta be better than that!" Davis grabbed the girl by her wrist and snatched the backpack from her hands.
"Take it! Just let me go," she tried to shake him off.
"Kari?" Davis pulled the girl's hood down. "What the? Why?"
"It's the only way I know before I have a problem," Kari pouted.
"I don't know what you mean, but I think stealing is a problem of itself," Davis shook the backpack. "What else did you take?"
"I've tried other places, but nothing else brings in bigger and easier bucks than sportswear," Kari sighed.
"You're going to have to tell your brother. He's so close to losing his job because of people like you, you know that?" Davis tightened his grip on her.
"I know," Kari whined.
"Come on, let's go," Davis said.
"I can't...please. I'll tell him soon! You can take the backpack! I promise, I'll tell him. Just do me a favor and let me go?" Kari asked.
"Okay," Davis released his grip.
"Thank you," Kari gave him a quick kiss on the lips and dashed out of the mall.
"This isn't how I wanted it to be," Davis picked the backpack up and headed back to the store.
"Did you get her?" Tai asked.
"No, but it looks like I got the stuff back. She just threw it and kept running," Davis tossed the backpack over.
"Unbelievable, she even stole the backpack. At least we were kind of able to see what she looked like, so we know what to expect for next time! I just wish we were able to get a better look at her face," Tai shook the backpack empty.
"Yeah," Davis shrugged.
"Great. Just your regular lowlife teenage girl trash... can't they just do girly things like paint their nails or drink Starbucks? Sometimes, I get so irritated at Mimi and Yolei, but I'd rather have a world full of them than this crazy crap."
"What?" Davis looked up from his phone.
"Look," Tai flicked a small bag of white powder. "I guess she's gonna find out she forgot something soon enough. I don't know what to do about this. I don't feel comfortable having it around, or throwing it away either. Lemme call my boss."
"Sure," Davis nodded.
"Kari, what are you doing?" TK looked at Kari's plate.
"Just peeling the skin off the grapes. I heard that the skin is good for you. The rest of the grape is just unnecessary filler," Kari peeled off a piece of grape skin and and popped it in her mouth.
"I don't think that's how it works," Izzy frowned.
"Well, I think you look great. Did you lose some weight? Try out a new foundation? I don't know, something looks different about you," Mimi pursed her lips.
"I agree, something definitely looks different about you, but I wouldn't necessarily say you look great. You almost look sick to me," Zoe pressed the back of her hand to Kari's forehead.
"Stop it, I'm not sick!" Kari slapped Zoe's hand away.
"Geez, that was uncalled for...," Zoe frowned.
"If you don't mind me, I'm going to the bathroom," Kari picked up her plate.
"Wait- are you going to throw those grapes away? That's such a waste!" Marcus said.
"What? Are you the food police or something?" Kari snorted.
"Nah, but if you ain't gonna eat them, I will. Pass them over, you weirdo," Marcus said.
"Sure. You can have them," Kari dropped the plate on the table and walked away.
"Alright, tell me. Was that weird or what?" TK asked.
"Yeah, definitely," Mimi nodded.
"I blame spirit squad. She's been acting so snotty ever since she joined," Zoe huffed.
"I don't know, but she's got issues man. This shit's weird. Who the hell does this? Tell me!" Marcus pointed to the peeled grapes.
"Hey guys, I'm back!" Kari happily said.
"What the hell?" everyone muttered to each other.
"Did I miss anything while I was gone?" Kari smiled.
"Nope, but I think we did. What's going on, Kari? You were all pissy one second and now you're happy as a clam the next," Izzy crossed his arms.
"Oh, it's nothing! I think it's just too stuffy in here!" Kari giggled.
"Maybe you should eat something. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you eat any actual food in a while," TK frowned.
"I'm not really hungry," Kari shrugged.
*riiiiiinnnng*
"Well, I guess you don't have any time to eat now, but you'll definitely be hungry by next period," TK said.
"Oh, I have plenty of stuff. Here," Mimi tossed a packet of fruit snacks in Kari's direction. "They're Minion-shaped cause they're so cute!"
"Congrats Mimi. You are now every sassy mom on FaceSpace who posts pictures of Minions and wine quotes on their profile," Marcus snorted.
"Shut up, or you don't get any either!" Mimi huffed.
"Shutting up. I love candy!" Marcus said.
"Thanks, Mimi...," Kari played with the packet of fruit snacks.
"No problem! Something to hold you over for a little bit," Mimi smiled.
"I can't even imagine how much calories these have," Kari muttered under her breath.
"Whaddya say?" TK looked back at her.
"Nothing!" Kari put the gummies in her pocket and kept walking.
"Hey Kristy, you gonna join me in Culinary Club? Mimi's coming too!" Marcus said.
"No, that's okay. I'll pass," Kristy forced a smile.
"Come on, little sis! I remember it like it was yesterday! You wanted to be all up in my business! Now what? You too cool to be around your big brother?" Marcus smirked.
"No, I just thought I'd check out other things. Besides, I don't think I'd fit in well with your friends," Kristy shrugged.
"What? What makes you say that? Did one of those punks do anything?!" Marcus flexed his arm.
"No, not at all. I just met the twins and meh. I just don't think we'd be compatible," Kristy shrugged.
"Well, no one's really compatible with Koji," Mimi said.
"No, it wasn't that. You know, I really did like the Computer Club though," Kristy nodded.
"Ew gross. Gag me with a spoon," Mimi stuck her tongue out.
"Stop it, Meems," Marcus smirked.
"Maybe it's cause I'm new, but it doesn't seem to have that typical nerd feel to it. Honestly, it seems more like we're more of a private investigation club than anything. They keep talking about that girl who jumped off the building, and it's so fascinating. Honestly, I don't think we'll be talking about computers at all," Kristy said.
"Huh, interesting," Mimi said.
"Yeah, there's some creepy stuff on the internet. Stuff I don't even feel comfortable repeating out loud, in case of hit men or something," Kristy looked around.
"I think you've gone bananas," Marcus laughed.
"This is real, Marcus. It's not a game," Kristy hissed.
"Alright kiddo. You go on with your mystery crew. I guess me and Meems will stick to our cooking programming," Marcus said.
"I kinda wanna...," Mimi mumbled.
"No, let's go!" Marcus led Mimi away.
"Hey, what was that for?" Mimi whined.
"Look, I'll fix my sister later, but I'm not gonna get you warped up in whatever weird shit they're doing. It sounds illegal, if not sketchy at best, so I suggest you stay as far away from that. Got it?" Marcus said.
"Okay," Mimi bit her lip.
"Promise me," Marcus firmly said.
"Okay, I promise!" Mimi yelled.
"Good! I don't know what they're up to, but damn, where's Izzy where you need him? He should be president of Computer Club, so this freaky shit didn't happen," Marcus shivered.
"Way to go, Izumi!"
"I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not," Izzy wiped his face dry.
"What are you talking about? You made the goal!" VP Daigo said.
"Right...," Izzy nodded.
"Just keep doing what you're doing, but if you can, try aiming lower. You know how hard it is to catch the ball when it's this low to the ground?" VP Daigo said.
"Got it," Izzy nodded.
"Alright, everyone! Take five!" VP Daigo blew his whistle. "Izumi, over here."
"What's up?" Izzy asked.
"Izumi, you need to fix whatever is going on up here," VP Daigo tapped his head. "We need confident people on our team. Or at least people who can pretend to be confident. You've heard the saying, fake it till you make it!"
"Really?" Izzy huffed.
"You think I'm being silly, but confidence can play a big part in your performance. I'm not talking just sports, but in everyday situations. If you're not confident, or if you can't at least show people you're confident, how is anyone going to take you for a leader? How would you expect anyone to take you seriously when you can't take yourself seriously?" VP Daigo asked.
"Am I that obvious?" Izzy asked.
"Look, you're a product that you constantly have to sell to people. Whether it's to future universities- which I'm assuming that you've been looking at already, to prospective lovers and friends, to even job offers, you're always going to have to sell yourself. Show people why you're the right person for the job," VP Daigo said.
"So completely change everything about myself?" Izzy asked.
"Absolutely not! Look, I can tell you're an intelligent person, and you chose soccer for what I can imagine is a good reason. I chose you to be a striker because I think you had the best skill sets out of the rest of the team, but remember, we'll be fighting other teams out there with other players. You have to be able to hold yourself up against them, and it takes someone with a bit of fearlessness to do that," VP Daigo said.
"Right," Izzy nodded.
"I know it doesn't happen in one night, but just keep repeating to yourself fake it till you make it!" VP Daigo flashed Izzy a thumbs-up.
"Right," Izzy said.
"Just think about why you joined soccer and let that passion fuel the hell out of you," VP Daigo. "Now let's get back on the field."
"Ugh...," Izzy sighed.
"I think you made the right choice," Henry said.
"It's tough. I feel like my feet are bricks and every step just gets harder," Takato paused at the doors of the cathedral.
"We all have to come to terms to it eventually," Henry said.
"Is it too late to turn back?" Takato asked.
"You made it this far. Besides, wouldn't you want at least one person who genuinely cared about her to show up? I think she could really use the presence of a friend," Henry asked.
"You're right...well, here goes," Takato sighed.
"You've got this," Henry nodded.
"You know Jeri, I've always wanted to tell you were the nicest girl I've ever met. I mean, you always talked to me when no one else would-especially when I first moved here and... I wish I was a better person to you. I'm so sorry, Jeri," Takato placed flowers by her closed casket and cried.
"It's okay, Takato. You can't beat yourself up for this. You didn't think any of this was going to happen," Henry patted Takato on the back and led him back to the pew.
"No, maybe I could have fixed it. If I was better friend, maybe she wouldn't have killed herself," Takato said.
"What do you mean?" Henry asked.
"Hey Jeri, what are you doing sitting out in the rain?" Takato held an umbrella over Jeri's head.
"Thanks. I'll be fine though," Jeri smiled.
"Don't be silly. You might catch a cold," Takato said. "Are you waiting for a bus?"
"My dad said he was going to pick me up a half-hour ago, but he still hasn't come by yet," Jeri said.
"Why don't you give him a call? Maybe he forgot," Takato said.
"Oh no, he doesn't like it when I call," Jeri's eyes began to widen.
"Oh," Takato paused. "Hey! How about you come home with me? It's gotta be better than sitting out in the cold, wet rain and I don't think my parents would mind! They probably wouldn't want you in the rain too!"
"It's okay, I'm fine here," Jeri forced a smile.
"Alright. Well, I should get home soon before my parents get mad. Here, take my umbrella so you can stay dry," Takato said.
"No, you don't have-"
"Nonsense! I'll be good with my hoodie and I'm only a couple of blocks away," Takato said.
"Okay then. Thank you," Jeri said.
"Have a good night," Takato said.
"You too," Jeri said.
"I don't really understand. You gave her your umbrella? Is that a bad thing?" Henry raised an eyebrow.
"I shouldn't have left her by herself. She came by the next day and handed me my umbrella, and you know what she told me? She told me that I didn't have to do any more favors because her father told her she didn't need people feeling sorry and giving her stuff. All I did was let her borrow an umbrella. And I didn't know if anyone else noticed, but I did...and she had a slight bruise on her cheek so I can't even imagine what else he did that could probably be hidden with a sweater or long pants," Takato's eyes began to water.
"I'm sorry," Henry hugged Takato. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Her dad sounds like an asshole, you thought you were doing something nice for someone. You didn't think anyone would react that way- no one would."
"But you know what's the worst part? I just distanced myself from her. Because I didn't want to hurt her- but that probably hurt her more than anything her dad could ever do. And then if that puppet is the only 'friend' she had like Rika said, of course all the other kids would make fun of her, and it was all my fault. I didn't do anything to stop it. I just didn't know what to do. I didn't even stand up for her," Takato sobbed.
"Takato, I think you were between a rock and a hard place. If it makes you feel better, I think Jeri knew you were one of the few people who actually did care about her. Come on, let's go home," Henry said.
"It just makes me so mad that everyone's putting on a show, acting like they were best friends with Jeri, when a couple of days ago, they were making fun of her without batting an eye," Takato clenched his fists.
"Well, that's probably how high schoolers are going to act when a classmate dies. Hopefully we don't have to go through many more deaths or unfortunate incidences, but these are the times we're living in now," Henry sighed.
"I hate this. This isn't how it's supposed to be... whatever happened to all the fun adventures we had last year? I thought we were gonna have new, fun adventures this year too," Takato said.
"Life is unpredictable. There's gonna be highs and lows, but hopefully we can pull through the lows quickly enough to enjoy the highs," Henry sighed.
"And here comes the flip-"
"Whoa!" Kari buckled her knee and fell on top of the other teammates, causing them to crash down.
"Owww...," everyone groaned.
"Alright, alright! This isn't working!" Yolei yelled. "Kimmie, you'll be the new flyer. Kari, you can sit on the bench for now."
"Awesome!" one girl shouted.
"What the hell?!" Kari yelled.
"Sorry, but it's not safe," Yolei shook her head.
"Not safe? Are you calling me fat?!" Kari yelled.
"Oh my God? What the hell?" the squad mumbled among themselves.
"No, not at all! In fact, that should be the least of your concerns! Do me a favor and stand on one foot," Yolei commanded.
"Okay," Kari smirked. Her knee began to buckle and she toppled over after a couple of seconds.
"You see, that's why I don't want you as a flyer anymore. You're going to hurt everyone, including yourself if you can't hold yourself up for a long period of time. Go take a seat on the bench while I figure out a position for you," Yolei said.
"You know, this is stupid!" Kari stomped her foot.
"No, arguing with me is stupid! There's a reason I'm captain. You know what, everyone, you can go home now. I bet you could all use some ice packs anyways," Yolei said.
"Thank God," everyone said.
"You. We need to talk," Yolei stood in front of Kari. "What's going on here?"
"Well, you had to embarrass me in front of everyone... Kari's too fat to balance herself on-"
"Oh my God, your nose is bleeding!" Yolei said.
"Not again," Kari pinched her nose and tilted her head backwards.
"Not again?" Yolei raised an eyebrow.
"No big deal. I've just been getting them recently. Probably just allergies or something," Kari said.
"Lemme see if there's any tissues," Yolei went inside Kari's backpack.
"No! I don't have anything!" Kari screamed.
"Bingo," Yolei said to herself. "Hey Kari, what are you talking about? You've got a pack of tissues right here! Catch!"
"Oh, right...," Kari said.
"Okay, I'll see you next practice!" Yolei squeezed Kari on the shoulder and walked inside the school.
"Hey Violet, how's the spirit squad going? Want a donut?" VP Daigo asked.
"Sorry, I'm not in the mood. Actually, I have a question to ask...how would I go about getting a random drug test for the team?" Yolei said.
"Wow, that's pretty serious," VP Daigo frowned.
"Let's just say I have a hunch and I just want to stop things before it's too late," Yolei said.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do," VP Daigo nodded.
"Bye Mom, going to school!" Davis said.
"No, not so fast!" Mrs. Motomiya yanked Davis by his backpack.
"What? Lemme go!" Davis huffed.
"You're not going anywhere! I found out about your little fight. Who told you it was okay to start acting like a thug?" Mrs. Motomiya hit Davis with a newspaper.
"Ow! Mom, really?!" Davis winced.
"Go to your room! You're not leaving the apartment until your school suspension is lifted!" Mrs. Motomiya smacked Davis again.
"Oww, really?!" Davis whined.
"And where the hell did you think you were going, huh? Just going to hang out in the street for 8 hours, so you can get caught up in more stupid things? In your room now!" Mrs. Motomiya kept swatting Davis.
"Ma, I get the message! I'm going to my room now!" Davis ran to his room.
"And no electronics. Hand them over," Mrs. Motomiya said.
"But I'll need my computer for school!" Davis said.
"Fine. But that stays outside, where I can see it," Mrs. Motomiya put her hands on her hips.
"Alright...," Davis frowned. He set up his computer and turned it on. "I'm just gonna have a headstart on my schoolwork now since I'm in prison."
"Don't be cute," Mrs. Motomiya said.
"Sorry," Davis looked over his shoulder. His mom was watching some talk show program on TV, so he stealthily logged onto his FaceSpace account.
Davis: Hey. I need to talk to you rn. Idk who else to talk to since no one wants to speak to me anyways.
Davis: Head's up, my phone got taken away so you'll have to talk to me thru here. If I'm not responding fast, it's most likely cause I'm pretending to study a Wikipedia page of a T-Rex for school. Only way I could use technology...
Yolei: Yolei is typing...
Yolei: I don't blame everyone for not talking to you. I didn't want to talk to you and that was before you beat TK up. Jkjk!
Yolei: What's up?
Davis: It's Kari.
"Alright everyone, before we start, I've got a little surprise for you!" Yolei said.
"What is it?" one guy asked.
"Oh, don't get your hopes up cause it's not fun! Random drug test!" Yolei held up a clear, plastic cup.
"Shit," Kari grumbled under her breath.
"Ahem... Kari, have anything to share?" Yolei raised an eyebrow.
"No," Kari pressed her lips together.
"Anyways, there was some insider intel that certain people throughout the athletics were using performance-enhancing drugs. The football team might let that fly, but I for one will not tolerate that here! Putting dangerous substances in your body is not worth it to keep up with the spirit squad. It takes practice and dedication, not steroids to truly make it to the top. Now I don't think you should have anything to worry about, but these tests were ordered out to be distributed so when I call your name, get to unloading," Yolei shook the cup.
"Ugh, this is stupid...why should we have to take a test because of something another team did?" one girl grumbled.
"I know, totally unnecessary!" another girl huffed.
"Talk about a waste of time and money. They're not going to find anything," another guy rolled his eyes.
"Kamiya!" Yolei shouted.
"I'm so screwed," Kari whispered to herself.
"Weird question, but how was the funeral?" Rika said.
"It was fun. They had balloon animals and popcorn and a bouncy house," Koji said.
"Stop it. You weren't even there," Henry shot Koji a dirty look.
"You know what, I'm glad I went. It sucks that it's the last time I'll see her but I hope she's out there knowing that someone actually cares," Takato sighed.
"You did the right thing," Henry nodded.
"Man, I don't know what I'd do... I guess it's a good thing I don't get close to many people," Rika shook her head.
"Same," Koji shrugged.
"Hey, speaking of- where's Kouichi? We haven't seen him in a while," Takato asked.
"Eh, he's off doing his own thing. If he was interested in hanging out with us, he'd hit us up, right?" Koji smirked.
"Does he even know we hang out after school?" Henry asked.
"He should. He's my brother," Koji said.
"But it's not like you live together. When was the last time you guys actually hung out that wasn't at school?" Takato asked.
"Dunno, don't remember, don't care," Koji scoffed.
"Well there," Rika raised an eyebrow and went back to her schoolwork. "Did I mention how much I hate this stupid school? I feel like I'm so behind..."
"Maybe if you didn't cut class all the time, you probably wouldn't have to go through that," Henry said.
"Stop reminding me...can you just imagine going to school every day, lectures and books and notes?" Rika groaned.
"I think that's literally every school in the country," Henry said.
"I feel like we go through this conversation every time you open up a textbook," Takato frowned.
"Rika, what the hell kind of school did you go to before Ouran?" Koji made a face.
"I went to a progressive school," Rika huffed.
"Oh yeah. The school for retards. I remember," Koji nodded.
"Don't you dare! It's a sacred place that you're just jealous of not going to! I wish I could go back," Rika closed her eyes and sniffled.
"Is she trying to cry?" Henry raised an eyebrow.
"I think so," Takato made a face.
"Look, it's been so long since I've done it... I forgot. Oh well," Rika shook herself off and took a deep breath.
"What a close call," Koji snorted.
"Hey Mimi, wait up!"
"Izzy?" Mimi made a face.
"I'm glad I caught up to you before you left- hold on, still catching my breath," Izzy panted.
"What is it?" Mimi bit her lip.
"We have to finish that project soon," Izzy regained his composure.
"Oh yeah...," Mimi nervously smiled.
"What was that look for?" Izzy frowned.
"About that...," Mimi paused.
"You didn't touch a thing since we decided to split up, huh?" Izzy asked.
"Nope," Mimi shrugged.
"It's okay. I haven't done anything either. The soccer's been keeping me busy," Izzy said.
"I see that," Mimi brushed her fingers across Izzy's forearm.
"So you haven't touched a thing at all?" Izzy asked.
"Not one thing," Mimi delicately slid her hand down Izzy's chest. "But I'm ready to get hands-on now. Just say the word."
"Yeah. I'll just get cleaned up and we can get started on the project," Izzy said.
"Don't be silly. I think you know what I mean," Mimi coyly smiled.
"Yeah, you watch while I do all the work. Now I'll just clean up-" Izzy said.
"Oh, I don't care about that right now. In fact, I like it a lot. It's kinda hot," Mimi snaked her arms around Izzy's neck.
"Really?" Izzy asked.
"Oh yeah...so hot," Mimi planted a kiss on his lips.
"This is such a bad idea but I don't even care," he grabbed her face and kissed her back.
"Let's go over here!" Mimi pulled him towards the boys' locker room.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Izzy said.
"What? I bet everyone's already gone by now, because you're too slow! We'll have the whole place to ourselves!" Mimi said.
"You know what? I don't even care. Let's go," Izzy chased after Mimi.
"Good work, everyone! Looks like we're all getting in sync here! I think we can call it a day now! Remember, we have two more practices before the first soccer game, so let's keep it up!" Yolei said.
"Alright," everyone stretched and walked off the field.
"Hold up, Miss Kari! We need to talk," Yolei grabbed Kari by the wrist.
"What? Am I not good enough to be a dancer now? You wanna assign me to waterboy next?" Kari snarled.
"Please. I just wanted to tell you that you're off the team," Yolei said.
"WHAT?! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Kari screamed.
"Actually, that's the least I can do. I'm being really nice right now. Kari, sit down...," Yolei led Kari to the bleachers. "I got everyone's tests back."
"Oh...," Kari frowned.
"Yeah, so you already know where this is headed," Yolei said. "Now what even made you think of doing something so stupid like that?"
"Well, I was so happy to be a flyer, but if I wanted to be a good one, I had to stay small. I tried eating better and exercising more, but then I was gaining weight...and I don't know. I was looking up ways to lose weight quickly, and coke was on the list. Fairly easy, right?" Kari shrugged.
"But look where you are now. You're not on the team anymore, your nose is gushing blood out every five seconds, your mood goes up and down worse than a roller coaster, and if you ask me, you're looking all sorts of messy. So was it really worth it?" Yolei raised an eyebrow.
"I was able to lose 15 pounds," Kari said.
"Ugh...look, I called Tai and let him know what happened," Yolei huffed.
"What?! Why?!" Kari gasped.
"Would you rather me call your parents?!" Yolei shouted.
"Kari?!" Tai ran over to the girls.
"Nononono, it's all lies!" Kari stuttered.
"How could you be so dumb?!" Tai slapped Kari in the face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Not when I'm here!" Yolei stepped in and shielded Kari.
"I'm so sorry," Kari began to cry.
"So, was that you at the store that time?" Tai yelled.
"Yes...," Kari whimpered.
"What the hell?! I could have lost my job! Just because you wanted to support your little blow habit! Are you freaking serious?!" Tai grunted.
"Tai, I think it's more than that...," Yolei shook her head.
"Hey Tai! What are you doing here?" Davis ran up to everyone.
"Not now, Davis. I'm in the middle of something...can you believe this? Kari was the one with the backpack the other day! Yep, she's been snorting coke like an idiot!" Tai taunted.
"Davis, take her! Tai and I need to have a talk of our own," Yolei shoved Kari towards Davis. "Tai, come with me!"
"I don't trust her alone! She needs to be locked up-"
"I agree," Yolei said.
"What? You think she should go to jail too?" Tai shook his head.
"No, you big-haired dumbass. Rehab," Yolei sighed.
"So she can spend time with other strung-out junkies. Nice," Tai huffed.
"Stop, listen to me. I know this probably won't make the situation any better, but do you wanna know why she was even doing cocaine in the first place? The girl has some serious body image issues, and she needs to work on that. Now, I was going to pass these results onto the administration, but I didn't want to permanently ruin Kari's life over a drug test," Yolei said.
"Ugh, why didn't she say anything?" Tai clenched his fists.
"You know her. She won't open up about anything, she'll just keep pushing forward until she's hit her limit," Yolei sighed.
"I know. I hate that so much about her...I wish she would tell me what's wrong. But all she does is smile and say she's fine. I hate it, I hate it!" Tai fell to his knees and curled up into a ball. "Why? Just why can't she say what's on her mind? She's so worried about what other people think, and look at this! Look!"
"Tai, we have to get her help, but we're not going to do much good if we let our emotions take over. We have to get our heads in the game," Yolei said.
"I don't know if I can," Tai mumbled.
"It doesn't look like Tai's doing okay," Kari bit her lip.
"It's tough, it's tough on everyone," Davis held on to her.
"Davis?" Kari whimpered.
"What's up?" he looked at her.
"I'm really happy you're here right now," Kari leaned closer to his face.
"No, I can't," Davis broke away from her.
"Huh?" Kari blinked.
"I'm done. Kari, I used to be obsessed with you, but I can't keep losing whatever is left of my self-respect and dignity just to impress you. Let's face the facts, you never liked me as who I am- you only dealt with me because I was just there. And now, you like me because I'm your only saving grace in this moment. But if TK- or any other person for that fact were here, you'd be running towards them. I'm the last person you'd ever think of going to. I'm just saying, you only see me as a convenience and I'm done. Don't get me wrong, I still care about you, like a lot...but I'm done trying to win you over. I decided I'm just going to be true to myself and if people don't like it, that's their loss...and now the more I keep talking, the more I realize I really goofed up. I might have lost my dignity, but I'm not going to lose a friend that's been by my side just because I was a moron. I'm sorry, but I've lost my respect for you, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the drugs. I have to go now," Davis shook his head and ran off.
"But Davis-"
"Hey, call me back when you get this message. We need to talk and I'm sorry for everything, alright? Just call me!" Davis hung up his phone and kept running.
*I'M PICKLE RICK*
"Oh my God, when are you seriously going to change your ringtone?" the group leader made a face.
"Hey, I like that show!" one guy said.
"It's okay. I tried but it's not something I'd get invested in. Funny though," another girl pitched in.
"What? But it's so clever! All those one-liners? Those hard truths? And just interdimensional mind games? Come on! It takes a true genius to appreciate a show like that!" another girl said.
"Ugh, seriously? This is the Gay-Straight Alliance. Not the Dick and Rory fan club. If you wanna geek out on dumb stuff like that, then go join the Computer Club," the club leader said.
"First of all, it's Rick and Morty. And second of all, this club is kind of an insult to the LGBTQ community anyways. None of us, with the exception of TK, is actually gay. And you're probably coming from a good place and all, but isn't it kind of messed up how you formed a LGBTQ club because of some teen drama on ABC Family? Also, you're kinda mean," one guy said.
"Yep," everyone nodded.
"TK, what do you have to say about this?" the group leader asked.
"Well, I guess as the only affected member of the group, it was nice knowing that there are people who support people like me...even if I ended up getting stuck in a crossfire because of it. But without you guys, I wouldn't be able to be me. So thank you for that," TK nodded.
"Yeah, that brings another point. You outed someone. Total no-no!" the guy said.
"You know what? We should change the club into the Gay-Straight Alliance for Rick and Morty fan club! So that people who like gay rights and Rick and Morty can find a place where they belong! Who likes that idea?" one girl asked.
"That sounds like a mouthful. Why don't we shorten it?" another girl frowned.
"How about we just change over into a Rick and Morty fan club? That should be easier, right?" another guy suggested.
"Don't you dare!" the club leader angrily said. "TK, do something!"
"Actually, I think I'm clubbed out...I'm so sorry guys, but I don't think I can do this anymore," TK got up from his chair and walked away. "Sorry."
"Oh my God, did you hear that?" Mimi whispered.
"Crap, the football team... I forgot they get out later than we do," Izzy groaned.
"Oh my God, what are we going to do? My clothes are over on the other side," Mimi bit her lip.
"Dammit, we're too far from the showers. People are already coming in... just be quiet and stay still. Hopefully no one finds us here," Izzy led her into an equipment closet.
"Hey Dawson, look what I found!" one kid picked up a bra.
"Yo, there's a girl in here...," another boy gasped.
"Yeah. She's still gotta be around," the first boy grinned.
"And looks like we've got rookie Izumi with her too," another guy picked up Izzy's soccer jersey.
"Hey!" Izzy gasped.
"Shh!" Mimi slapped him on the arm.
"Naughty, naughty," the boys laughed.
"You think the girl's gonna be hot?" one guy asked.
"Eh...on one hand, it's a small bra. But on the other hand, it's one of those skanky ones, you know? Like Victoria's Secret. Not like the shit moms wears. This shit's got diamonds or whatever," another guy said.
"Hey!" Mimi gasped.
"Shh!" Izzy covered her mouth.
"Gentlemen, what is going on here?"
"Oh my God, is that Himekawa?!" Mimi gasped.
"Yo, look what we found! We think there's a girl in here...a naked one."
"That's enough. Everyone, finish up what you're doing and get the hell out! You have five minutes!"
"Yes, Coach!"
"Himekawa said we had five minutes. Let's see if we can find those guys in time."
"Why? I don't wanna see Izumi naked."
"But there's gotta be a naked girl in here!"
"That's facts!"
"I'll check the showers!"
"Anyone take a look at that closet there?"
"Good idea!"
"Dammit, what do we do?" Mimi gasped.
"I don't know," Izzy stood in front of her.
"Surprise, surprise..."
"Bam chika wah wah!"
"Crap," Izzy muttered.
"Miss Kamiya, Dr. Heinzmann is ready to see you now," the receptionist said.
"Thank you," Kari nodded.
"Hi. I'm Dr. Heinzmann, come on in. Just take a seat on the couch. You can get as comfortable as you'd like cause we'll be here a while," the doctor ushered Kari into her office.
"Okay," Kari said.
"So tell me, what brings you here today?" the doctor said.
"Well, everyone found out that I'm a coke-sniffing anorexic so yeah...not exactly a day I'd like to relive," Kari said.
"Why don't we start from somewhere neutral and build on from there? Does that sound good? How about about this- where do you go to school?" the doctor said.
"Odaiba High," Kari replied.
"Okay, good...," the doctor nodded. "Now, what are some of your favorite hobbies?"
"I... I don't know," Kari frowned.
"Come again?" the doctor said.
"I don't know," Kari said.
"What do you like to do in your free time?" the doctor asked.
"Umm... I guess hang out with friends," Kari said.
"That's nice. But what do you like to do when you have alone time?" the doctor asked.
"I don't know. I guess I never thought of it," Kari shook her head.
"Can you name any interests your friends have?" the doctor asked.
"Yeah. Like TK likes to write and doodle in his free time. A handful of my friends do sports, Matt plays music and Mimi loves to shop, but me... I don't know. I guess I'm just boring," Kari said.
"Nobody is boring. They just haven't found their identity yet. Maybe once you find your sense of self, things might seem clearer," the doctor said.
"But what if you lost your sense of self?" Kari asked.
"What do you mean?" the doctor asked.
"I remember I used to be more assertive, kinda spunky as a kid but I don't know... I got older and more cautious. I think I lost a part of myself and I don't know how it happened," Kari said.
"Well, the New World wasn't discovered in an hour. I think that this inpatient service might do you some good, but it's a two-way street. You have to put in some effort as well if you want to see some progress, do you understand?" the doctor said.
"Yes, I understand," Kari nodded.