Freezing Yomi

It was raining. Tomo wanted to know why it always rained on the weekend. If it was going to rain at all, it should rain when they were at school. It just didn't make any sense.

"It just does." Yomi said, lying on her front as she read her magazine. Tomo watched her, sitting upright on the floor with her legs crossed. She had gotten wet from the rain, and despite asking Yomi many times, she hadn't given her a blanket to dry herself off with. It wasn't like she was expecting it to rain. Yomi had just told her that she shouldn't have climbed in through her window again and gotten her essay wet.

It wasn't Tomo's fault. Yomi should expect her to come through that way, it's not like she knew her essay was there.

"Don't you always want to go outside when it's raining?" Tomo asked, turning to watch the rain as it splattered against the window.

"No." Yomi flicked a page, looking with interest at the dieting section. Tomo noticed, and craned her neck to see what she was reading.

"You know, I know a way to lose weight." Tomo said. Yomi didn't say anything, looking over at her to continue.

"You have to get really really cold." She said. Yomi turned back to the magazine.

"I'm being serious!" Tomo protested, "My cousin did it once in the winter. She went out camping, and came back and lost like a stone!"

"She probably didn't eat anything." Yomi replied. Tomo shook her head.

"She lived off noodles for a week. And they were the fattening kind." She paused, as a thought struck her, "Hey c'mon, let's go outside in the rain!"

"What are you saying?" Yomi said, "You don't want me to lose weight at all, you just want to go play around in the rain like a little kid."

"Fine. I'll go by myself." Tomo said. Yomi didn't pay her any attention as the other girl stood up, walking over to the window. She knew she wasn't actually going to go through with it. She just wanted her attention. As usual.

Reading the seventh top tip, A smaller plate means a smaller portion! A smaller portion means a smaller waist!, Yomi half listened as Tomo pushed up the window, and made noises that sounded like she was scrambling out. She didn't look up, until the window closed with a bang. This made her feel slightly guilty and looked up. Tomo had gone.

And she had taken her new coat.

Inwardly screaming on what an idiot Tomo was, Yomi rushed to the front door, wrenching it open. Tomo was in the distance, her hood – well Yomi's – hood up, kicking the puddle as she walked. Not really thinking clearly, Yomi ran out, quickly shutting the door behind her.

It was her new coat. The one her mother had spent a lot of money on, and had told her not to get dirty. At all.

Tomo was wearing it.

"Tomo!" Yomi yelled. Tomo turned around, and with a grin, ran off. Yomi stopped walking, blinking as the rain attacked her clothes and skin. She was running away.

"Tomo this isn't a joke!" Yomi shouted, and ran after her. Yomi wasn't that good at running, but she was better than Tomo, and charged as fast as she could. Tomo kept running, probably laughing to herself on how much she was annoying her, and Yomi ran faster.

Yomi lived close to the station, and Tomo quickly ran past that, Yomi following some metres behind. She heard the rush of the train as it went past, but it felt like nothing compared to how fast she was running at that moment.

The rain was still pounding down, and Yomi only had a skimpy pair of shorts on and a rollerneck jumper that was sticking to her. Her hair was plastered to her face, and her glasses had trails of water from rain dripping down her fringe. She was freezing. She had a sudden violent shiver as she pounded down on the pavement, her cheeks flushed from the running.

They ran past the cinema, and Yomi thought for a second she saw Chiyo-chan and Sakaki walk out. She didn't stop, too preoccupied with Tomo, and ran past as Chiyo-chan struggled to hold an umbrella high enough for both of them to fit under. Sakaki was sobbing to herself, her shoulders shaking. It had been a sad film.

"Tomo!" Yomi shouted again, gradually catching up. Tomo had stopped, bent over, wheezing as the rain slid off her hood.

"You idiot!" She yelled, smacking her round the head when she had caught up. Tomo stumbled backwards, and Yomi looked on in horror as she tripped and fell.

Fell into a dirty puddle.

"Yo – you idiot!" Yomi raged. Tomo took one look up at her from her lying position on the ground and laughed. She was seemingly unperturbed by the fact that she was sitting in a cold, wet puddle, and the rain was still falling down and soaking them both. Yomi shivered again.

"You're cold though right?" Tomo pointed out with a sly grin, "And exercised as well! Didn't you feel those calories burn?"

Yomi struggled to contain herself, "You didn't do this for my benefit at all! Even if I have lost weight - "

This actually sounded quite good to Yomi. Even in her annoyance with Tomo, if she lost weight at least it would all be worth it. Thinking to herself that she would need to go on the scales as soon as she got back, hmm this seems familiar... she nearly missed the frown that had just appeared on Tomo's face.

"Actually... now I think about it... it might have been sleeping while you're cold." Tomo laughed it off, "Ah well never mind."

Yomi stepped on her stomach. As hard as she could.