TELL ME HOW IM MESSING UP IN THE REVIEW THING
ALSO LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ANY SCENARIOS ADDED IN.
Sweat drips from my forehead to my cheeks to my neck. My arms shake as I lift them up once again, letting out a long awaited breath as I did so. Slowly, they came back down, inhale and repeat. My lips chapped from breathing from my mouth, my tongue anhydrous, my heart racing. Almost there, I've almost made it. Inhale, I hold my breath and scrunch my eyes closed, lifting my arms that felt like jelly once more. My hands slipping over the melt bar holding the weights. My elbows lock, I pushed it all the way up. I lick my lips in the fruitless hope to moisturize them even slightly.
"H-help?" I croak out, opening on eye. I hear an 'shit' from my left ear, foot steps jogging over to me, a gruff masculine voice rings. My senses come back to me as the smell of sweat and plastic enter my nostrils.
Gyms always smell horrible.
"Sorry there, got distracted." He says, holding the metal pole for me and placing it down. I sit up from my lying down position and hunch over, my cheeks flushed and body almost drenched in sweat. I scratch the back of my head and relax my eyes and muscles. "I have to say, didn't expect some kid like you to lift so much. You must be really ripped underneath that giant sweatshirt."
"Ahah, nah man," I say with horse breath, "I'm pretty average. Almost below average. But I still think I could beat you in a fight."
"Nice joke," He replies with a grin, "Need a towel?"
"Please" I say nearly breathless and I fall back to my previous position, but less tense than before.
He turns around to get me a towel, leaving me temporarily alone. I rub my face and groan. Saturday morning, five a.m. Apparently we have a personal gym in at home. I just had to ask a maid if there was a gyms near by and-poof, I looked like an idiot. She just made one quick call and got me a trainer. Then, this morning I was woken up and throw here. I'm so tired as sweaty. It's gross.
My eyes strain as I look through them, all I want is to take a nap now. Not eat breakfast. shower, or go to school later. I think I might make this a thing though. Working out in the morning, that is. Sleeping it self is already difficult, so waking up so early isn't too bad, just something I have to get used to. While I work out, I can't think of anything. My worries are pushed out of my mind, shit feelings and shit memories flee.
Also, it's a healthy thing.
Yea.
Wait-
Taken aback by the white cotton covering my face unanticipatedly, I nearly roll off the bench. I pull it off my head with one hand, a frustrated face is revealed. It's *my* frustrated face. A little warning would have helped.
"Really Senpai?" I grumble, I still use the towel to wipe away my sweat, but I still showed rebellion in my face.
"It's not Senpai-It's Sensei. I'm your teacher." He says.
"Psh, no way. I'll recognize that your older then me, but you've taught me absolutely nothing." I grin while I speak. A playful tone dancing on my tongue. His masculine, bold, face makes it difficult to see any emotion rather than anger, but I was able to see a small smile on his lips as well.
"I'll be sure to teach you something tomorrow. You'll be scared to even think the word 'Senpai' around me."
"New goal: Beat the shit out of Senpai."
He rubs his face and lets out a rough, deep, laugh. "Go take a shower and get ready for school, kiddo." He said, "I'm about done dealing with an asshole teen like you."
I shoot a glare at him while I arise from the bench, but the minute he makes eye-contact with me I laugh. I put the towel behind my neck and wave goodbye. I really should get ready for school now.
I look in the reflection in my spoon while a maid puts another plate in front of me. Silence is drenching the room with a thick tension that has overstayed its welcome. This giant table is in front of me, but all the chairs are empty.
The empty walls loam over me, the high ceiling looks down at me. The single chandelier drapes down, providing the only light in the room. The sky still dark from the early morning.
"Maid?" I ask, leaning forward in my chair, my eyes half closed.
"Yes, young master?" She responds.
"When will Mr and Mrs-My parents-I mean, return?" The words stay frozen on my tongue, wondering if I should actually ask or if asking would make me look needy.
"I haven't heard anything from them yet, however I can contact them and ask on your behave." She answers my question with smile, not thinking anything of it.
"Nah, I can-" I put the spoon into the bowl of oatmeal, tired of my own face, "-I can just wait it out. It would be more exciting that way, right?" I wanted to tell her to stop smiling. But that would be too cold even for me.
"Of course young master. Would you like a ride to school today?"
I pick the spoon up, full of the gross breakfast I've been served and shoved it in my mouth. I didn't care enough to actually ask for anything specific. Chew, Chew, chew, swallow. Swig of milk. The maid looks away while I take my time. I answer. "No."
"If you need anything else, master, let me know." Then she was out of the room. Still, I wonder what happened to the rude maid who stole my pillow. I should ask later. I lost my chance now, the nice one is already gone. Another day, though.
I pile another spoonful of oatmeal in my mouth. The silence engulfing me.
Chatter is heard throughout the music room. It's a normal day, thank god. Thank god it's also Friday. I'll have two days to myself, before I'm thrown back into the pink colored jail and force to wait until Friday once again. I stand near the corner, I have a few customers coming in later. I see all the hosts romancing all the girls, it was second nature to them. Their smiles create a warm atmosphere, making it impossible for even the most awkward of ladies to feel uncomfortable.
I take a step away from my corner, walking with the intent on getting a better glimpse of Haruhi's style of 'woo-ing'. As much as I hate to say it, flirting is not my forte. Even if someone just winks at me I become a blushing mess. I'm not used to it. Haruhi seems to be the most down to earth person out there too. I wouldn't mind learning from them. Or even just getting to know them.
I stop behind a potted plant, gaining the perfect angle to see the younger student entertain the girls. He sits at a table, three girls circle around him.
"Really? What recipe is the most difficult for you?"
"Probably Sashimi Napoleon. Half of the struggle is just finding the ingredients." He speaks with a natural spark on his lips. "Of course, it's worth the effort. I feel like my mom would be proud of me for challenging myself."
They're mom? Is she...dead or something? They really play that sympathy card well. Props to them, I don't think I could ever do anything like that. They must be strong. Is it wrong to say that I'm jealous?
"Rowan!"
I jump at the sudden yell of my name, I turn swiftly to the source. I furrow my eyebrows and try to speak with as much venom as possible, even though my heart was still racing. "W-What is it Tamaki?" That was a failure. Stuttering is the least intimidating thing ever. Tamaki was on the couch, surrounded by women on both sides of him. Women sitting in surrounding chairs as well just to talk to him. I huff, "Well?"
"Why are you just staring at Haruhi? Be productive!"
Like he's one to talk. "I was just trying to see how they entertained everyone. Flirting or whatever isn't really my thing." I say, "And don't yell at me next time! Scared the shit out of me!"
He was frozen from a moment. I was almost scared, my hands find their way to my pockets as I didn't want to start ripping off my nails. But then his eyes sparked up and nearly jumped up. Well, it's wasn't nearly. He did jump up. His hands clasp my shoulders.
"You just had to tell me that! I will be your mentor, Rowan!" He spoke like a hero, even though he was anything from far from it.
"That isn't really necessary. I can just shadow some people-"
"Take a seat, take a seat! I'll coach you through it!"
"Woah woah-" He was already pushing me to the couch. "I have a customer later-"
I was already plopped down in his previous spot. "When you get stuck I'll help. Ladies, you wont mind, would you?"
They shake their head and smile. I sit looking down at my feet, silence finding its spot with me"So, did you grow up in Mexico?" One girl asked, breaking the silence, the question must have been on her mind for a while. It seemed like she wanted to ask ealier.
I scratch my check and avoid eye contact. "No, my mom immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. before I was born."
Shock is plastered on their faces, they rumors they heard and what I just said no longer make sense. "Why are you in Japan now?"
Play the sympathy card. If Haruhi could do it, I could do. Just... in a different way. My wounds are still fresh, it would be like pouring lemon juice into a paper cut if I even say that my mom is (probably) dead. "Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa were kind enough to adopt me" I say, "I don't think I can dive into why I was up for adoption, It'll bring down the mood too much, you ladies deserve to smile."
They gave me looks of sympathy, and I didn't like it. I don't want sympathy. "Jesus, please don't give me that look! See, I'm happy?" I flex, trying to change their attention "Look at these huge muscles, I can punch away all those emotions." I laugh at my own stupidity. I'm seriously tiny. Like, no actual muscle is on my body.
Kind of pathetic.
The girls giggle at the sight. I stop and awkwardly scratch the back of my neck like a nervous habit. "I gotta say though, the food is so much more different here. I never traveled before, let alone eat eat any meals that weren't pre-packaged. Someone should have told me all the good food was here."
"Really?"
"Pre-packaged food, isn't that illegal?"
"What's pre-packaged food?"
While they talk, I glance at Tamaki. His fist is at his mouth, holding back on speaking.
"Tamaki-?"
"I had no idea you were once a commoner like Haruhi!" He exclaimed, "That's why you were staring at her earlier! You have so much in common!"
He grabbed me and pulled me into a huge while spinning around. It took a minute to process what he was doing. "Gross, gross, let me go!"
He didn't hear my calm protest.
"Tamaki, let go."
He didn't hear again.
I stomp on his foot.
Now I have his attention. He holds his foot in his hand, yelling 'ow, ow, ow'. Cartoonish tears tease from his eyes, his face acting like I just said the worst insult ever.
"I have actual customers coming in right about now. If you could give me any useful tips after seeing my performance?"
Hikaru and Kaoru come up behind me. When did they even get here? They to have powers of transportation or something. For the short time I've known them, they've show up at the worst of times. "You're a pretty violent guy." They say in unison. "But we can definitely give you tips."
"Huh-"The scene changes suddenly, my focus changes from Tamaki, the king, to the two mischievous devils. My feet slide on the marble floors and my body is easily pushed back into a chair by the two, I almost feel winded. How they got a chair behind me so fast, I have no idea. It's like dark magic.
"You have to make their heart race.." Hikaru holds my chin in their hands, tilting upwards and speaking softly, but maintain that menacing look in his eyes. I bite my tongue and gulp. My eyes wide open at the close contact.
A fingertip is felt ghosting on my neck, it was the other twin. "Make them feel like they're the only one in the room," He whispers in my ear, speaking just as softly as the other.
Nope.
I jump up from my seat, pushing Hikaru away from me. My face beet red. I hold it in my hands. "That was horrible." I say, my heart was racing, and I did feel like I was alone. It was embarrassing.
They spring over to me, there faces bored and empty. "Do you want us to try again?" One said, "I think we did quite good."
"No. Nope. Never again." I say. I almost wanted to hide in a corner. I'd rather talk to Tamaki then them, no matter how annoying he is.
"I never expected you to be a homosexual, Rowan" One twin laughs. Hikaru was the one that probably said it, and I was still in shock and didn't even think to well, think before I spoke.
My eyes peek through my hands and shoot them a glare. " I'm bisexual-but that has nothing to do with my embarrassment!" The silence was mostly from the ladies. The blushing female customers stare at me in shock. I guess this new information makes the scene that played out a bit more...I don't know the word for it.
"Really?" The twins pull out the word longer than it needed to be, standing on either side of me. "That makes things alot more interesting."
"Come on guys, leave him alone." Haruhi turns around in his seat, looking at the two boys, disappointed. "He's already uncomfortable as it is."
I mouth a 'thank you' over to him, I owe him one.
"Come on, we're just messing with him!" One redhead says.
"Yea, It's all in good fun!" The other finishes.
"You already made him miss his two customers." Haruhi says. Wait-what? God damnit!
"What? No way!" I exclaim. "I'm so fucking done." I run my hands through my hair, letting out a long sigh while doing so. I just want to go home. My headaches and is begging me to find silence and a dark room. My eyes hurt, feet hurt, and my heart hurts after it ran a marathon. "Please tell me it isn't always like this?" I mutter to myself.
Haruhi smiled, hearing what I said. "You'll get used to it, promise."
"I don't know if I want to." I reply, quieter this time. "What about the two customers I missed?"
"It'll be a small fee, nothing you won't be able to pay." I suddenly notice that Kyoya actual..existed. I paid no attention to him earlier. I need to become more aware of not just my self, but of my surroundings. "35661.0 yen. Pocket change, really"
I would have to ask my parents for that money. I haven't even met them yet. I sigh. "I can pay you later on, right?"
"Of course, I doubt you will have to work it off like Haruhi, but it is an option. Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa have been travel all this year and haven't met you yet, so it is understandable that you don't want to ask them for money."
Like Haruhi? I should ask them about that later, along with their gender. "You're seriously creepy." I say. How does he know that? I shouldn't think too much on it, not everything needs to have an explanation. "I'll pay you back. Now shut up." 35661.0 yen, that's 300.00 American dollars, right? Jesus. How is that pocket change? I could buy a used car with that money.
I look around the room, most girls have already left, safe for a few groups. "...I'm going to the bathroom" I say, leaving the loud clubroom. I really want to get used to this. I could have fun. I take out my phone from my pocket while I walked. The hallways were quiet, not a soul in sight. My feet click on the floor, on hand in my pocket while the other held my phone. I don't have any apps on it yet, wow. My old one was flooded with them, no space left. I head down the stairs.
Actually.
I think I'm just going to leave.
My bag is in my homeroom.
I can just leave. When I walk down the stairs I walk with a small jump is my step. I can add another pin to my collection, I have two currently. One from the day where the club helped Nekozawa and the other from the next day when the club was so busy I could just sit by window and chat up one or two ladies casually.
Chat up as in, not flirting at all. Not winking or eye contact. Just laughing when I feel like laughing, I didn't laugh when their jokes weren't funny and I didn't smile when I wasn't happy with what they said. That isn't the point of the club.
Down another hallway I go, empty just like the others. Third door down. I stare at my lock screen, swiping left and right with no actual idea of what I'm doing. I'm trying to avoid people that aren't even here.
Click, click, click.
I slide open my classroom door, all the lights are off. The dark, gloomy, inviting room takes me in. My eyes feel ease and my heart truly slows down from my adrenaline. I walk to my desk through the sea of desks.
I stop at stare at my desk, the still air falling on my shoulders. I become hyper aware of my body as my thoughts yell in my head. I exhale. I hate this. So much is going on and I just need to breath. I'm going to graduate from here. I have to live my whole life with new parents. New friends. I have to make this work. I can't run away all the time. I shouldn't be so afraid. What's the worse that could happen? Me dieing?
I should tell them the truth. If I want this to work, If I want friends, I have to be honest. I need to tell them my fear, ask for their understanding. That's how friendships work, right?I grab my back and sling it around my shoulder.
I take a breath.
I turn around and pick up my pace much faster than before to go back to the club room. I see the last of the customers flood through the stairway, finally exiting the building. I stand outside of the music room once again. I take a breath once again and open the door. They're just standing around talking and joking, not bothering to actually clean up. I don't know what I was expecting.
"Oh, Rowan, you came back. We thought you just left early like the last two times." Kyoya says from behind his clip board. "We were planning on talking to you about that today, but I guess we don't have to anymore."
I dodged a bullet on that one, didn't I?
"Oh, ahah, yea. Sorry." I say, "I actually want to talk about something." I look away while I talk, I try to look like I wasn't scared to talk. The conversation the others were having died down.
"Well? Hurry up." Hikaru says. The rest of the club stares at me. Okay. I got this.
"I'm not used to being in clubs or even trying to have friends. The last friend I had was in middle school-not that I'm trying to use any excuses or anything." I say, "I do want to try to be everyones friend, despite me acting like a dick."
Silence found me once again today, so far I feel like that's my only friend.
"I uh, wanted to apologize for being rude, basically." I follow up.
"We understand, Rowan, " Haruhi pipes up, a warm, inviting smile is on their face, suddenly I felt like me and him were the only two in the room. I feel like I now know what Hikaru and Kaoru were trying to explain earlier. "You don't need to be sorry. There's nothing to be sorry about. If you thought you've been rude, well, you were anything but. Not wanting to deal with Tamaki and avoiding the shenanigans of the twins is something I do all the time."
I feel like a load has been taken off my shoulders. I smile. "Thank you, Haruhi."
"What? You shouldn't want to avoid daddy!" Tamaki shrieked, cartoonish tears streaming down his face. How dramatic. I stand in my place as Tamaki clings to Haruhi's side.
"Did he say...daddy?"
My question remained unanswered.
But I was happy.
"Boss, come on! At least say something about what Rowan said."
Tamaki's eyes sparked up once again today, regaining his composure and then pointing to me. The whole club took a step back. A hero like aura radiates from him, creating an intense situation that's unneeded and way too hyped up. His eyes are fierce and full of passion, not joking at all while he spoke. "Rowan! I acknowledge your apology. And in response, operation 'Get to know Rowan' Is now in effect!"
"What?"
I take it back. I'm not happy. Things can't be simple, can they?
"Only having one friend? That's insane! This club is a family, no secrets or fears allowed. Due to you transferring into the school late, we need to catch up on lost time." He said, full of confidence. He turns and points to the ceiling, emphasizing his point. "Tomorrow we will go to a commoners Karaoke house, a true act of a new friendship!"
Hikaru and Kaoru look excited. Honey is pre-occupied with eating cake, Mori silent as usual. Kyoya silent as well. Haruhi, 100% done. "Really- that isn't necessary-" I put my hands up in defense, a slightly embarrassed look on my face.
"It's too late, once he has an idea in mind theres no going back." Kyoya says to me like it was common sense.
"Rowan! Give me your phone!"
"Uh-okay, uh, one second-" I pull it out of my pocket, complying with whatever he said just to get this whole ordeal over with. I hand it to him. He types at a insane speed. Almost was felt like minutes. He look back up at me from the screen. "Rowan!"
"Yes?"
"What's your password?!" He spoke so much seriousness despite the funny situation.
"Uh-" I scratch my cheek. "4200"
"GOT IT"
No one laughed. I guess shitty marijuana jokes don't really transfer over. That's a slight relief. Within a second he hands my phone back. I take it back with slight surprise and put it back into my pocket without hesitation. "I'm guessing you put your number in my phone?"
"I put everyone in the club's number-excluding Haruhi-She doesn't have a cell, in your phone." He said, "I also saved your number in my phone. I'll text you tomorrow morning where we're meeting!"
He called Haruhi a girl again. "Uh, gotcha. Not too early though right?" I say, "My routine takes forever." Routine as in work out. I wake up fabulous, lets be honest.
"No." Kyoya answered my question that wasn't directed towards him. Not a morning person then?
"And no to karaoke too." Haruhi says.
"We'll..talk about the details later than." Tamaki answered in a gloomy tone. I guess he wanted to start tomorrow off immediately. I hold onto the strap of my bag across my chest.
"So...are we good to go? I can leave now, right?" I ask.
I need to get another pin.