The next month was complete and utter hell.

Being captive in your own house had its good things and bad things. The good thing is that I get to do whatever the fuck I want. Geesh. I would wake up at whatever hour I wanted, eat whatever I wanted, and see what ever I wanted. I also got spoiled by my mother. I would ask for water all the time and she would just get out of her way to do her thing for me. She would ask me all the time if I was fine. If I needed help with something. Another good thing was the attention that I was getting from my classmates. I have never received so much love from the. They wouldn't stop texting me asking me if I was all right. A lot of them came to visit me the first week

They even congratulated me in winning first place. They made a small and pathetic ceremony in which they gave me a medal and the trophy. We took group pictures and hanged around for a while talking about how Seiya was kicked out of the track and field team, he was stripped down of his school scholarship and how basically everyone hated his guts.

Did I mention that they showed me pictures of him doing community work?

It was heaven…

Michiru came to visit every single day for the first week. She would come, ask how I was doing and then help me make up all my school assignment.

It was the most awkward thing I have ever done in my life?

You are probably saying. "But, Haruka… You guys are always together, you guys do school work together and hang out and do a bunch of stuff. Why are you so shy all of the sudden?"

I will tell you why.

My mother.

She stares at me every time Michiru sits beside me and talks to me. She would make faces every time Michiru would go on her ramblings about school and art club while I just stare in blissful awe at how much she knows about art and not to mention music.

In various moments Michiru would start talking about the music she had been composing during the weekends then she would get so pumped up that she took out the violin and showed me what she was working with.

I was in heaven.

If it wasn't for the fact that my mother was staring, giggling and winking at me I would've been happy dying right there.

Kaioh Michiru is a gorgeous creature and the way that she plays the violin would take any person into heaven.

On the first Thursday after the injury, I woke up around noon. My mother made me a quick brunch and helped down the stairs. As I ate in silence, I heard the T.V. in the background for a whole hour while I answer many text. Popularity could get in your head. Before I knew it, school was already out and in half an hour I heard a knock on the door.

I smiled widely and turned to my mother before getting up and limping my way to the door.

"I told you to be careful."

"I am fine, Mom."

"If you break your leg, I am going to have it amputated."

"Geesh, love you too."

I hurried up and opened the door just in time to see her. I smiled widely. She held her violin close to her body. Her hair as down and she was still using her school uniform.

"Hey!" I was a little bit too optimistic. But who could blame me I mean I have been home all day long, bored out of my mind. I needed some human interaction other than my mother's.

"Hi! How are you feeling today?"

Much better now that you are here. "I am doing just fine."

"Awesome! I need you to hear this!"

I opened the door for her and she ran in, forgetting me by the door. I didn't mind. She was home, she was having fun and she seemed to be in a good mood.

I closed the door and saw her move to the living room where my mother was. I saw how she greet her and went in for a hug and a kiss. I frowned so much at this. I felt a bit awkward. They seemed to be always so cordial to one another for the past days that they have come in contact.

I still don't know what they talked about when I was unconscious due to my injury, I still have a small gap of information there but at least they seemed to get along well.

"If you girls need the living room, I can go upstairs." My mother said as she turned off the T.V. and threw me a very cynical glare. She smiled and gave me a wink before she headed up the stairs and left me with the object of my desires.

"Let's go!" Michiru said as she went back to me, took away my crutches and placed my arm over her shoulder. That's when I started to notice our height difference. At first we were almost the exact same height. Now, I was a couple of inches taller than her. My arm fell comfortably on her shoulder.

I think she noticed too. She looked up at me, as if wondering when I managed to get a growth spurt so fast. I just chuckled and moved with her to the living room. She helped me to the sofa and stood in front of me. I got comfortable, I lay down on the sofa before sighing and looking up at her.

She was grinning.

Why was she so happy?

"Okay? What's up?"

"I wrote something!" She announced and turned to her violin case making me miss her excited face for seconds.

"Oh?" I really was surprised. When she visited me the past days she did give me a couple of free performances but they were all made of songs that were already out or popular. She has never played any original songs.

"Yes and I wanted you to listen to it and tell me what do you think, all right?"

I nodded and watched her place the expensive violin under her chin. She took a quick glance at me, and closed her eyes before taking in a deep breath.

Before I knew, the living room was filled with gorgeous yet sad music. I stared in total awe. My mouth hung open without shame as I watched her open up her soul through her music. I felt like I shouldn't be witnessing such an intimate moment between her and her violin.

She was completely gone. I swear if I spoke to her right here right now I don't think she would listen to me so, I just stared, thanking any deity in the world that I was alive and listening to such a song, played by the person I cared for most in this world.

When she finished her song she let out an anxious sigh and slowly opened her eyes before looking at me. I don't know what was going on with my face but she let out a soft chuckled.

"So?"

"That was wonderful." I lied. It was perfect. I just notice that I don't have enough vocabulary in my head to express how perfect that was. Was there a word better than wonderful? Perfect? Extraordinary? Otherworldly?

"I heard they are going to give music class next year. I am actually excited for that."

I nodded at her words. "That sounds nice."

"It's going to be an elective class. So, I need to get it as fast as I can before summer."

I nodded again, staring at her lips as she spoke.

"Can you believe that? We are almost in 11th grade. Then we will be in 12th and- "

"And then we won't see each other for a long time." I interrupted her and the way her face changed from complete happiness to utter hurt made me regret my words instantly. I tried to fix it by shrugging but I think it made it worse.

"I mean. We are going to separate universities. It was just a matter of time before-"

"I get it. I just try not to think about that. I mean…" She sighed and placed her hand on my strong thigh, sending a jolt of electricity through me.

I sat there, confused, kind of aroused and scared. I waited for her to finish her sentence but the only thing that she did was to rub the skin there. I became nervous and turned my eyes to look up at her. "W-what is it, Michiru?"

"Nothing." She sighed and stood up. "I need to go."

"Wait. What? I am sorry?"

"You don't have to say sorry, Haruka. You were just stating facts. We are going to separate one of these days." She let out a soft chuckle. "I like to think that we are going to be best friends for a very long time." She grabbed her bag, her violin case and headed to the door not before asking me to stay in the sofa.

I wanted to stand up but the fear of having said something completely out of line fell on me and made me stay still, paralyzed.

I heard the click of the door, and that was it…

The next week she wasn't here often. She would say that she was busy or simply wouldn't even call or text for days at a time.

I felt depressed. The emptiness of her presence was suffocating. Even if I had people around me such as my own mother and Minako, I felt completely and utterly alone.

Speaking of Minako, she did came to visit quite a lot after Michiru's "disappearance". She completely took her place. Every time I heard the door I would rush down the stairs, jumping and making my mother nervous. I would open the door and instead of seeing my blue haired goddesses I was welcomed by this gorgeous blonde who gave me her company for now.

My mother was a bit annoyed though. She would eye Minako with disgusted disapproval. I guess, maybe, my mother thought that Minako's intentions were merely physical.

And they were.

My first sexual encounter was with Minako…

I know, I should be ashamed of myself but for a moment I thought, why not? I am not going to be specific about what we did since I do feel bad about it. I felt awkward and strange lying in bed with her.

Minako is a good person, she does, kind of, maybe so, cares for me. I care for her. But to be honest, If Michiru walked through my door, right here, right now and told me that she wanted to be with me, I would literally jump out of Minako's arms and run to her.

But, since that's never going to happen, I don't even pay attention to that…

I never "officialized" my relationship with Minako. We were just friend that casually fucked each other when our own solitude was too much to bear.

When I finally came back to school, Michiru was still cold with me. We didn't walked together, we didn't talked as much.

Seiya on the other hand had taken my place.

He was with her 24/7, laughing with her, carrying her art supplies, playing his guitar with her. I even heard rumors that they were dating. I never once saw them giving each other some heavy duty PDA and yet, I wanted to grab his head and slam him against a wall.

But…

She looked so happy and carefree.

Maybe I staying way was the best thing.

And thus… 10th grade came and went.

My injured ankle came back to being the way it was according to the doctors. Michiru was hanging out with Seiya more and Minako was my go to girl to drown my sorrows.

And I began to prepare to detach myself from Michiru Kaioh…

I ran my hands through my fingers for the last time. I looked at myself in the mirror and nodded in approval. I looked perfect for my first day in class.

These vacations were the most depressing ones I have experience. I stayed home all day long, maybe went to train in the running tracks once or twice. Minako came to visit a couple of times but I really didn't do much. It was like my existence was put on hold until I was able to go back to my routine.

"I'm leaving." I announced as I went down the stairs and headed to school.

Today was the first day of 11th grade. I wasn't nervous, just tired of the same thing year after year. TO my surprise I had more people welcoming me with an honest smile as I walked pass the school entrance and headed to the large bulletin boards next to the principal's office. In there, I looked for my name like I did every year and to my surprise I was in the same list as Minako, Michiru and Seiya. I could feel the corner of my lips curl up into a shy smile that was washed away with the reminder that Michiru didn't even called once during our summer break.

I didn't call either. Then again I never thought I would be so proud to ignore her. I re read her text messages from when I first got my injury and I was fill with a longing and nostalgia like no other. I guess that's why Id dint call her. I began to live off of our memories together rather than creating new ones before our time together in high school was over.

As I made my way to my homeroom, I was hit with a sense of reversed Deja vú. I walked to the door and looked around just in take to make eye contact with Michiru.

Yet, her gorgeous blue eyes didn't stay for long as she turned around to talk with Seiya. I was left at the door with a feeling of emptiness. Yet, another pair of blue eyes searched for me and a bright smile was painted on someone's face the moment she saw me.

Minako got up, rushed to me, kissed my lips and pulled me to sit beside her.

I turned to look at Michiru's reaction but then again I was welcomed by a smile that wasn't for me and a twirl of aqua hair. I decided to give my full attention to Minako, as I heard her talk about how boring her summer was and how I spiced it up.

The first days of school are always boring. They give you your schedule, then you are introduced to new students (if there were any), then the teachers would present themselves.

All of this happened right before my eyes yet I was in a limbo of emotions, as I tried my best to get used to what was going on. I ate lunch alone since Minako mentioned that she needed to check out the elective classes.

As I ate I notice the eyes of the school upon me, or was it my anxiety? I sighed and took a sip of water noticing from the far end of the lunch room Michiru's instigating eyes upon me. I almost chocked but I noticed that it was all in my head. She was laughing d talking with some random student while waiting for Seiya to arrive.

I really hope this feeling will go away soon. I don't want to be the entire year feeling sorry for myself…

The next day was hell.

I mean it. Just wait until I tell you why. The day went on as a mere daydream. I wasn't paying attention to much. I only took it upon me to take notes when I thought that they were talking about something important. Next thing I knew I was in the last period sitting up in the front.

The teacher arrived with a bright smile on her face and began to write something on the board.

"Special Assignment."

I groaned.

"As part of your education to actually become adults we are going to live as adults." The teacher began. "First of all this assignment will be done in pairs and before you ask the couples will be paired up randomly."

Now I heard Minako groan in annoyance behind me.

"We are going to give you a budget which you will live off for a month. You will go grocery shopping keeping that budget in mind, go to the movies, eat out, do laundry and gas up your car. This will just show you how hard it is nowadays I hope you suffer the way I suffer." The teacher said without grabbing a fish bowl with tons of small papers inside. She handed Seiya some loose papers and told him to give one to each of us. "Seiya will be giving you the complete assignment. You will have to write a reflection of what you have learned and how you felt through the whole ordeal."

Minako raised her hand.

"Yes, Minako?"

"So we are going to be staying together in the same house?"

"Well that's up to you and the person you will be working with. In any case in the papers that Seiya is giving out there is a permission slip to let your parents know what the assignment is about. Your parents will be the ones to say if you will be staying together or not."

I groaned and rubbed him eyebrow before turning to look at Minako.

"Imagine a week with you at my house?" She nudged me. "All the fucking."

"Shut up." I muttered and turned back to watch the teacher walking by the rows of seats.

"Please pick a paper in it you will see who you will be working with. If you pick your own name, please put it back and grab another paper." She said loud enough for those who were talking to hear. She went pass Seiya and I saw him pic a paper and then groan loudly when, I guess, he didn't get who he wanted to work with. Michiru was next. She stuck her delicate hand down the crystal fish bowl and picked a piece of paper from the bottom.

I couldn't see a reaction from her. She placed the paper down, grabbed the assignment sheet and wrote something on it.

I swallowed hard and went back to stare at the teacher. The young woman placed the now empty fish bowl on her desk and turned to face my group. "I want all of you to join up in pairs."

I stay put on my place. I saw half of the class standing up and walking to their partners. There were some angry and annoyed faces, some even hugged each other because they had the chance to work with someone they actually like.

I saw Seiya walk towards me and for a moment I felt like I was about to puke but before I could say anything he grabbed a desk and pulled it beside Minako before sitting down besides the gorgeous blonde.

I heard him say a very dry "hi" while Minako tried to hold her chuckles in.

I looked around me and noticed that there was only one person without a partner…

Michiru.

She grabbed her bag and turned to look at me as she slowly made her way towards me. She grabbed a desk on her way settled it close to me. She sat down, let out an annoyed sigh and leaned back before placing her notebook on the desk.

"Deja Vú?" The corner of her lip curled up in a teasing smile.

"I am not wet."

She raised her eyebrow and tilted her head. "You will be."

I imitated her gaze. "Are you hitting on me, stranger?"

"Not really. It is going to rain though." She turned and looked at the teacher, that perfect smirk never leaving her lips. She was teasing me I knew it. But why? We haven't talked to each other for a long time. Why was she acting so casual?

I chuckled and shook my head in disbelief. I wasn't sure of what was going on. I was in a daze for the past months and now I am pulled back to earth all thanks to Michiru.

"So…" She began. "Your house or mine?"