Tie-Dyed Broadway- Riko actually doesn't like being touched for a reason, which you'll find out later. Though not everyone has a reason for not liking touching, it's best to respect their wishes if they don't like it.
Oeve- Haruhi's last name has been fixed. Thank you for letting me know!
MariKart- This chapter is a bit slower than the last, but it's mainly to get a bit more insight on Riko and her mother, but I hope you still enjoy it!
Thank you for the reviews! This chapter is a bit shorter and slower, but I hope you still enjoy it! And don't worry things will pick up pretty fast.
~CWA
Chapter 3
There is one good thing about being in the Host Club. It makes me appreciate my small little quiet house even more. After such an eventful day, I plop down on my bed, setting my glasses on my nightstand. Well technically speaking they are my glasses, but they're also the ones the twin gave me. I drag myself out of bed so I can do my usual after-school routine which consists of feeding Cuddles and Bubbles, trying to work on my book, 'cleaning' and doing any homework.
So that is what I do. I feed my 'babies.' Get my homework done, cook some instant noodles, and then look around my room trying to decide if I really need to clean it. My closet is full so I need to find another place to shove my dirty clothes. The laundry basket is overflowing. I am not sure what's under my bed, but I am almost sure that something died under there…. This is why Mother insists on having a maid, I think as I crinkle my nose. I end up taking my dirty Ouran uniform and binder and forcing them into the small washing machine I have. I can't wash them everything else. They're too dirty- there was too much touching.
I will just wear my extra uniform and other binder tomorrow. Eventually I will clean my other clothes- all the ones in the basket and my closet. Today is not that day. I change into some pajamas and grab the bowl of the now-cooled down noodles as I sit down at my desk.
I end up procrastinating on the novel as I finish eating my noodles, setting the empty bowl off to the side. I shift in my seat. When did it get so uncomfortable? I adjust my position and crack my knuckles before I pop my neck. This is it. I can write… My fingers hover over the keyboard as I stare at the word document… No, I can't… I grab a bag of cookies from one of the desk drawers. Now I can write. I have the comfort food. I am comfortable. I am… blank.
The black page of my novel is almost blinding. My fingers hover over my keyboard, but every time I type a sentence, I end up getting rid of it. This is getting frustrating. I need to write, but I can't bring myself to write anything that's actually worth keeping. I let out a sigh of relief when my phone goes off.
"Hey, Masami," I greet cheerfully soft.
"I know that voice… I just got you from doing something productive didn't I?"
I glance at my computer screen, wincing,
"Maybe…."
"I need to learn to stop calling you all together otherwise you'll never get anything done… Anyway, I called so you can give me all the details about the Host Club! Tell me everything!"
I think back about Ootori's threat. Haruhi's gender is a secret. I promised I won't tell anyone. That includes my best friend. I am a person of my word so I can't just betray that, but at the same time, it kind of hurts to not tell Masami.
"Not much to tell. Souh-san is an idiot. Ootori-sama can be scary. Hikaru is brash while Kaoru is at least nicer. Haruhi-san is kind. Mori-san is quiet, but he did save me from the Souh-san's grasp. Hunny-san is cute. There. That's everything."
I tap my finger to my chin. That is all I have for her- short descriptions of what I know of them so far. I can hear her sigh on the phone,
"You say that like it's not a big deal!"
"It isn't."
"But it is," Masami insists, "You got to meet the hosts personally! That is such a big thing! Did any of them figure out you're a girl?"
"The twins did," I say, "They found out when they needed measurements for future cosplays and they took off my shirt so they saw the binder. They were cool about it though. Hunny-san and Mori-san know. I don't think anyone else has figured out. Ootori-sama might know because he seems like he knows everything…"
I can hear her squealing- fangirling for whatever reason. I'm used to her fangirling by now. I roll my eyes as she then promises to come soon to the Host Club before hanging up. I sigh slightly at the short conversation. This means I have to work now…. Or maybe not. Setting my phone down, I get Bubbles out of her cage and let her walk around on my hand as I stare at her. Maybe if I stare hard enough some new idea will hit me so I can continue writing.
"RIKO," Mother's voice screams from downstairs.
I can hear the front door slam. Shit. Ursula didn't get the memo that I joined a club apparently. Mother stomps up the stairs and is in my room by the time I get Bubbles back into her cage. Mother's face is an unsightly shade of red and her fists are clenched. Her cheeks are getting puffy. Usually when she is like this it's because she has had a bad day at work. I hated when she got a bad day at work almost as much as I hated what happened when I got a bad grade.
"Did you join a club," she says, her voice lost its honey tone and sounds more clipped and short.
I nod, unable to answer. She sticks her head up,
"Good. I won't bother you for the rest of the week then and you won't bother me. I'll see you at the end of the week. And clean your room, it smells."
I look away from her. I hesitantly sniff the air, but I don't smell anything. I usually spray my room with air freshener every day, but the usual flowery scent is unnoticeable. I wonder what Mother smells that is apparently bad? My dead brain cells? Disappoint? My low-self esteem? That fart from three minutes ago? Mother doesn't stick around much longer, leaving quickly.
As soon as she is gone, I rush downstairs to the kitchen and count how much food I have left. Mother doesn't exactly give me money, even if I am only sixteen and she's my legal guardian (guardian now that is laughable, she's as not as much of a guardian as an evil witch). I pay for my pets' food. She pays for my lunches, but she occasionally cuts me off entirely meaning I will get no lunch unless Masami shares. Mother does occasionally buy me my food and because she doesn't really care about my health or what I eat, I end up with cheap noodles and rolls. That is unless she's gone or ignoring me. When that happens, I'm stuck on whatever I still have in the kitchen. I let out a sigh of relief, counting enough bags of noodles that will last me the week. If all else fails, I will just eat at the Host Club.
I spot the air freshener in the corner and spray it around the room until it's empty. Taking a large breath, I sneeze at the smell. At least is smells good. Flowery even. A lot better than me, I'm sure. I plop down on my bed, grabbing a random book from the nightstand. Maybe if I read something it will help me get motivated to do my own writing?
I grab my glasses off the nightstand, clap to turn off the lights so I can just turn on the lamp and get comfortable. Silence fills the room as I become absorb into this book.
Silence, I realize, Better enjoy it while it lasts.
