Dooms Day: The High School Reunion

By: Ochako107

Standard Disclaimer

Chapter 7 - I am Whisked Away

I watched in horror as my best friend throttled the brunette screaming for mercy. Uo grabbed Sarah's hair and forced her to look up. Wow, I knew that Uo was in a gang back in middle school but to see that her skills had not tarnished at the slightest kind of scared me!

"Uo-chan! You have to stop!" I cried running up the small circle created in the center of the gym floor. All around people were hollering and screaming. I couldn't get to the fight since it was so tightly packed. "Uo-chan!" I cried helplessly.

"Tohru-chan?" I turned around to find Momiji behind me. For once I wasn't uncomfortable to see him. That or I was too preoccupied with the fight going on. I heard Uo curse and another fist being thrown. What was going on in there? Momiji grabbed me by the shoulders. "Tohru-chan, what's going on?"

"Uo-chan overheard how Kureno's girlfriend is using him and she… she exploded!" Finding a lack of other words to describe the situation. Momiji took off his own mask, a serious look to him, and handed it to me before pushing through the crowd. Wow, watching Momiji step into the fight was quite brave. Not something I could imagine the Momiji I knew in high school to do. Quickly falling into his step, I followed him into the center to get a better look at the situation.

As soon as I broke out of the crowd, I saw Sarah bite Uo. I threw my hand to my mouth with a gasp. "Uo-chan!"

Suddenly from nowhere a large silver dish came crashing down on Sarah's head and the girl fell over. More screaming.

I looked up to see Hana toss the dish on the floor with a dull look. "Oops… my hand slipped."

The girl that was with Sarah in the bathroom cantered over to Hana and slapped across the face. "You bitch!"

The entire circle of people silenced. Hana's head turned ever so slightly. Even the music momentarily paused. Obviously this girl did not know Hana's abilities.

"Oooo!" The crowd hooted. "Someone's gunna to get a smack down!"

The girl looked around the circle but didn't seem to care. It wasn't until she turned back to Hana that her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She seemed to freeze as she began gripping at her head as if being tortured. "Wh—what? What are you? No… no please don't!"

I closed my eyes not wanting to see.

Upon opening them, the poor girl was on the floor withering in pain. Good thing I am on Hana-chan's side.

After a moment Hana-chan unfroze from her trance and tenderly put a delicate hand to her cheek. "Oh my… ouch that hurt."

In an instant Kazuma-sensei was at her side, checking his beloved over. Meanwhile an onlooker poked the girl quivering on the floor.

"Think she's cursed?"

"Her mind was probably poisoned!" Another person called.

"Break this up! What's going on?" From the opposite side of the circle came Shigure-sensei.

"Sensei! Please, Uo-chan and Sarah-san are fighting!" I pleaded. From the corner of my eye I think I saw a flash of sparkling purple. "Please, can you stop them? Someone might be seriously hurt!" I looked to see Momiji trying to hold Uo-chan back but the girl looked like a wild woman. Hatsuharu-san and Rin-san also came to try and calm Uo-chan down.

"Oh shut up, Honda! Stop trying to play the good-girl. You act like you don't want anyone hurt but in reality you just don't want Uotani hurt!" Called the purple sparkling creature. Oh, it was Mokoto-san.

"Don't talk to Tohru like that, you nasty woman," a voice to the right of me said. The girl had her head bent down, staring into her punch. It was Machi!

"Like hell! I'll talk to her however I want. Besides, I'm not the nasty woman here. You're just mad that Yuki gave you the ditch!" Mokoto raised her hand to her mouth laughing. It reminded me of a fox from some child's cartoon.

Next thing I knew, I saw Machi launch herself at Mokoto, the other girl screaming from surprise. Machi straddled Mokoto before throwing her red punch all over the woman's face. She screamed like a banshee.

"You ruined my dress!"

"Oh so sorry," Machi said rather calmly, "but it'll go well with your ruined face."

Makoto grabbed Machi by the dress strap but she pulled back making the strap break with a pop. I watched on with wide eyes. What on earth was happening?

"Hey, get off her!" A man said, rudely grabbing Machi by the wrist to flip her off of Mokoto. Just as quickly, another hand shot out and shoved the man away.

"Y-Yuki!" Makoto stammered while smiling to her prince who was standing over her protectively. "I'm so happy you saved me…"

"Machi, are you okay?" Yuki asked kneeling beside Machi and holding her wrist. The girl nodded with a blush.

"Hey! I got hurt too, you know!" Makoto yelled from behind the pair. She got up and dove at Machi throwing a punch at her.

The man from earlier came charging at Yuki now. "Yuki, look out!" I cried jumping toward him. The next thing I knew, I felt an immense pain in my lower abdomen as the man punched me.

"Huuu!" I grunted falling to the floor. Ouch! I knew my profession would never have anything to do with fighting as long as I lived! This hurt ten times than those monthly cramps!

Yuki gasped. "You hit Honda-san!" I don't know where Yuki went but I looked up to see nearly everyone around me fighting. When had all this happened? I turned, still holding my stomach, to see Uo-chan pulling the now conscious Sarah's hair and kicking as the pair tumbled around. Momiji was standing aside now, not sure how to break the mass of limbs and legs apart. Mokoto and Machi were still wrestling each other, kicking and screaming. Yuki and the man that pushed Machi were still in a fight as well.

"Takers? Any takers here?" Shigure called to the crowd. He held a few yen in his hand.

"Shigure what are you doing?" Akito asked coming up to his side slightly stunned.

"I'll put 100 on the girl in the yellow dress!" Someone among the mass cried. Just as he said that, Machi grabbed her flat slipper off her foot and began beating Mokoto over the head with it.

"100 on the lady in yellow!" Shigure called.

"200 on Yuki!" Manabe yelled. "Yeah man! Kick that dude's ass for hurting my sis!"

"200 on Yuki!" Shigure turned to Akito. "Come on, darling, why don't you join the brawl? I know you could kick some…"

"Shigure, you're taking bets?" Akito asked in outrage. She watched as a few other people placed their bids in Shigure's hands.

"Not only that, take a look! Women brawling? It's such a lovely sight!"

"You pig," Akito growled.

I turned away slightly, now trying to claw away from all the fighting. Wait a second… 'darling'?

"S-Shigure –sensei! You and Akito are…? T-together?" I stammered finally standing up.

He nearly reminded me of a child getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Sorry, Tohru, it would have never worked between you and me."

I could already see the steam coming from the woman's (once man's) ears. "WHAT?"

Ohmygosh! Run! Run! I yelled to my legs.

It was unfortunate that I was one of the slowest runners in high school.

Akito grabbed me and pulled me to her. "You were hitting on Shigure? My Shigure?"

Please don't punch me, please don't punch me, please don't punch me. I thought desperately.

"N-No Akito-san!"

"LIAR!"

Whack!

"Huu!" I grunted again as Akito punched me. And, no—it wasn't a girly punch either. It felt like a train running me over. "Ugh!" God, this woman was possessive!

"I'm going to murder you, and enjoy it!" She cackled grabbing the front of my dress and nearly swinging me in a circle.

"A-Akito-san!"

"Tohru-chan!"

Suddenly a flash of blonde hair blurred my vision and I found myself flat on my butt. I shook my head. I was definitely going to feel that tomorrow—if I lived that long!

"Leave Tohru-chan alone," Momiji growled low. Akito made a swing at Momiji and I watched in horror as his face turned to the side. He didn't flinch.

"Hit me all you want, but you won't hit Tohru-chan again!"

Suddenly I felt a pair of steely hands grip me around my back and under my knees. I found myself in that caterer man's arms!

"Come on, lets get out of here!"

I didn't have time to respond as I felt him whisk me away and outside the gym. Away from the noise. Away from the fighting.

"B-But my friends!"

"They'll be fine!" He said to me. He brought me to the back of the cafeteria where the loading dock was. He gently set me down on the rubbery surface before sitting in front of me crossed legged.

I held my stomach wincing in pain. My elbow was also scratched.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "I think so…" I put my hands on my head. "Oh what have I done?"

"Don't blame yourself. You didn't do anything wrong!" He said. I looked up to see he was still wearing his mask. Why was it that he seemed so familiar? He sighed seeing that I wasn't believing his attempt to comfort me. "Well, you should hang here for a little while until the fight inside cools down."

Tears began to pool in my eyes. "I am so scared! My friends, will they be okay? This night is just a disaster!" I started to cry. I knew it was inappropriate but I couldn't control the drops running down my face. "Nothing is going right tonight! Nothing at all!"

I let my head hang. The combination of hurting in my abdomen along with my attempt to cry quietly didn't sit well. It actually hurt a lot.

"Please," the stranger said, "Don't cry." He put a hand to mine and I felt warm all over.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to cry."

The stranger didn't say another word as I helplessly cried. What a big baby! Stop crying! I chastised myself relentlessly. I threw my hands away from my face and growled in frustration scaring the caterer.

"I'm going home!" I said standing up and then doubling over in pain. The man caught my wrist before I fell over.

"You can't go home!" He said suddenly.

I wasn't sure what was making me feel so agitated, but this man wasn't helping me feel better. "Why not? I knew coming tonight was a bad idea, nothing good as come of it and what is worse, I didn't even confront that that...!"

"Wow, you must be really mad, I don't think I've ever seen you this pissed before."

I turned my eyes sharply at him, attempting my best impression of a scowl. I hoped it was at least intimidating. "Like you'd ever know the times I've ever been this mad."

"Are you mad at... Kyo?" He asked carefully.

"I...!" I paused. Was I mad at Kyo? Well... not right now, but he sort of was part of the anger. I sighed suddenly feeling too tired to be mad or sad. There was so much going on in my mind I drooped down and the man finally let go of my wrist seeing I wasn't about to run off. "I guess I'm not mad at him... right now." I added.

The man chuckled making my ears turn pink. Was he laughing at me? "You really changed, hua, Tohru."

I stared at him. It was as if I had met this man before. Impossible! I definitely never met anyone as nice as him! I laughed too. "Yeah, I guess I learned the world isn't full of sunshine and butterflies," I laughed bitterly. "Uwah, but it is full of those things isn't it?"

He smirked and I could almost imagine his eyes rolling. I laughed some more. Without knowing it, I felt almost as if the whole fight inside the gym, Uo-chan, Hana-chan, Yuki, Momiji-kun... all of that suddenly began to fade.

He talked about a friend he met right after high school. He went to a culinary school with him and they traveled to France for a semester. I told him about all the random people that visit my flower shop and the funny stories we shared melted into the night. It was fun talking about everything and yet it was about nothing.

I had not even thought about Kyo throughout the entire conversation.

The man stole away for a moment to grab a bag of ice for my shoulder that hit the floor and some drinks. When he came back, he told me the fight was pretty much over. Not to mention the gym was a mess.

"So much for serving cake tonight!" He laughed clinking his can of beer to my can of cola.

"Oh no, there's not cake?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Sure there is, if you don't mind licking it off the floor and stuff. It looked like some idiot fell into the cake."

I laughed and sipped my coke while holding the ice on my bruised arm. "I... I want to walk a little," I said standing up. I waited for my stomach to lurch again from being punched but thankfully nothing happened.

Slowly we walked away from the back of the cafeteria, still talking about the inside disaster zone. Without knowing it we were headed toward a familiar place.

It looked as if time had not passed. The tree was still there, it's strong, thick branches appeared to have not changed at all. As we came closer to it our voices seemed to die away. Did he know I was lost in my own thoughts? If he knew I didn't want to be interrupted in my musing, it was very thoughtful of him.

I could still remember it...

I was waiting and waiting... Kyo never showed up for lunch that day or any day after that for that matter.

I felt the coke can crunch under my hand. I shut my eyes trying to forget the pain I felt that day.

'Who would want to be with a girl like her?'

It couldn't have been true.

'What a laugh!'

'Worse kiss I ever had!'

I shook my head and suddenly the image of the first time I met Kyo in middle school popped into my mind. He crouched next to me as my tears began to subside. He put a gentle hand to my shoulder and I could still see his honest face through my bleary eyes.

'That stupid smile of yours... is so much better...'

"LIES!"

I hurled the can at the tree as hard as I could before accidentally tripping.

I must have scared my new friend because he jumped away from me.

"I... I wasn't lying. It was a fact that Ayame-Sensei started up a fashion class." He looked at the crumpled can lying next to the tree. "I mean if it really upsets you I won't talk about it or whatever."

I huffed and shook my head. I hadn't been paying attention to whatever he was saying. "No... That wasn't it; sorry I kind of got..." I laughed and punched the side of my head. "Sorry."

He sat on the grass with a little huff and picked up the ice bag I hadn't realized I dropped. He put it on my shoulder and leaned ever so slightly closer to me. "Well?"

I turned to him with a blush. I had not noticed that brilliant amber color of the eyes before. "Well what?" I asked almost breathlessly.

"What was going on in that head of yours, Tohru?"

I looked at him and then at the tree that Kyo and I had once shared. "It's a long story."

He didn't say anything.

Why couldn't Kyo be like this man sitting next to me? Why? Suddenly I drew a shaky breath. "It's just... well... Kyo. Period. You know how I feel about him," I added in a lower tone, "I waited for him under this tree. This tree was special because we used to eat lunch together here. I well... I got my first kiss from him here as well. Not that that kiss was anything special to him," I once again added in a lower tone. I didn't want to be spiteful, but how could I not?

"I thought... he was going to ask me to Prom. I really liked Kyo, he was my first friend that was a boy," why not call him a boyfriend? I mentally asked, "And he was one of my closest friends. I really cared so much about him... so much maybe too much." I paused as my new friend said nothing. "But it's just the thoughts of a woman who never got over the past. I am truly stupid to let him have this hold on me." I flexed my toes slightly. "I could have gotten on with my life... maybe had a boyfriend, maybe moved away from this town, maybe gotten a hair cut... but something wouldn't let me." I thought a moment about what a revelation this information was. "I... I think I never let go because I never told him properly... how much I really liked him... about how much he hurt me." I folded my hands in my lap just to give myself something to do. "Maybe I wanted to stay in high school. Maybe I wanted to have some resolve with Kyo before I left. I'm stuck in the past."

I finally snuck a glance at my friend and he said nothing but stared up at the tree. I sighed, what a nuisance I was being. He didn't want to hear something so depressing at a time like this. I cleared my throat and made a movement to get up when suddenly he tugged me toward him.

I fell into his waiting arms, a warm hug enveloping me.

I knew my eyes were wide open as I sat awkwardly in is arms as he clung to me. "I'm sorry." He finally said.

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry I left you like that on that day... I'm so sorry Tohru."

To Be Continued...

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in ages! There's just been so much change in my life, I kind of got side tracked. First time in college and all. I still can't believe I've been writing fanfiction since maybe the seventh grade and here I am! College Ochako-chan! Anyhow, I'll try to update this story more frequently (but doesn't everyone say that?). I hope you all are enjoying it so far. Hm, how will Tohru take the fact that she's been hanging out with Kyo this whole time? See you next chapter!!