CHAPTER 9: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

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Thank you all! I know that was long, but I thought it needed to be done at some point. Sorry if I got anything wrong – I was going back and forth between 5 tabs! Either way, if you read one of my stories and liked it, you're awesome :D And FINALLY, here's chapter 9!

Mai's POV

I was sitting on my bed, but it was actually more like a cot. The room was long and narrow, held about 20-30 cots, and the walls were plain. On each cot there was only a plain white sheet, a matching flimsy pillow, one personal belonging, and a school uniform to whatever school that person went to. There was also an extra pair of the uniforms we had to wear here – a long sleeved pink shirt with the words: Heiwa Orphanage written in black embroidery on the upper left (by your heart) and plain tan pants. The uniforms were always too big for the little kids and too small for the older ones. This – is where I lived. I honestly can't remember how long I'd been here, but it'd been a while…definitely not my whole life though. I knew that much. I'd always felt terrible for the new arrivals here. They were in for a hell of a ride. I also felt for the ones who'd never known any other place besides this. Especially the young children thought this was just the way life was supposed to be.

I sighed. I really didn't want the Host Club to know part of my secret. It would only make matters worse. Now he would probably know where I lived if he didn't know already. No doubt about it, he was probably there at the supermarket earlier today, watching…waiting for the right moment. Also, now that the whole club knows, they'll probably want to visit me to make things "better" like they did to Haruhi, but this was so not true. If they came…I don't know what I'd do. No matter how long I've been here, I'd never call this my home. Never.

I felt a tug on the back of my shirt. I turned around. Oh, it was Okimi. She was one of the younger orphans. The younger kids always seemed to like me, for some reason. The older ones and kids my age were a different story. "Will you sing me a song?" Okimi asked.

I shook my head. There were only a few times when I said no to them, and now was one of those times. I hated singing in public because I was too shy, but for them I did. Some said it was like their mommy singing them to sleep at night. But I had given up on singing. I'd sung about him – alright I'll say it: Takashi.

I couldn't even bare to think the name until a few days ago. It hurt too much. School would be starting tomorrow. I don't know how I'll manage, being in the Host Club and seeing him for a whole hour. I knew already: it would be brutal.

"You there! Come here!" ugh, it was her.

Us orphans secretly called her B#3; B standing for that swear word everyone loved being called (note my sarcasm). I looked at Okimi's face. It was so sad. She looked like she was about to cry. She really liked my singing, I guess. I stood up and walked over to Ishi, a.k.a. B#3.

"Yes, ma'am?" I asked as politely as I could and did a curtsy.

I felt a familiar shock of pain across my face.

"I never asked you to talk!" she yelled at me.

I nodded, which caused me another slap.

"Say…yes, ma'am," she said quietly and menacingly.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ah, that's better," Ishi sighed. "Clean the railing on that balcony again! It's dirty. Then, when you're finished, clean the floors, walls, doorknobs, or anything else in the area. If I see one speck of dust in an hour…" she didn't finish her threat.

I'd heard it so many times, I already knew. The point was she didn't mean she'd skip around in a field of flowers, singing show tunes.

"Well, on the bright side," I thought (I always looked for a bright side), "Now I don't have to be looking at Okimi's heartbroken face. Poor kid."

Time Jump

I was half way done with the railing when I'd heard a man's voice. This was uncommon because this was an all girl's orphanage and the place looked so old and crappy, not many people wanted to look at us for fostering or adoption (the only time we had visitors). I listened. Oh no, it can't be! I recognized this voice. It was way too familiar. It was his voice! He'd found me!

I couldn't hear the voice anymore, so I continued my work. I thought I heard a door creaking, so I spun around. He was right behind me – the evil, murdering man. The Host Club had seen him once before when we were in Karuizawa. It was too late when I turned around. He was already too close. What could I even do if I saw him sooner? I was always too little and too late. I saw a glimpse of his angry expression right before he pushed me over the railing of the balcony. Why did he hate me so much? What did I ever do to him? And why had he been pushing me off of things lately? Why didn't he just kill me and get it over with?

I hit the ground on the first floor with a sickening crack. Sharp pain went straight to my leg. I could deal with a lot of pain, but this made me wince. My eyes filled up with tears and my face was squinted. I wouldn't dare let a tear drop though. I looked up. Darn! He was gone. I turned my head sideways and I could see the unguarded back door swinging shut. How did he keep escaping?

When I turned my head back, I was surrounded by B#1, 2 and 3, or Leiko, Mika, and Ishi. They each had a glass of beer in their hand.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" said Leiko.

"Decide to have a little fun, maybe?" asked Mika.

"Slacking off on the small task I gave you?" Ishi smirked.

"I-I- I was just –"

"No excuses!"

"No stuttering!"

"Git up!"

I struggled a little. My leg was in so much pain and I couldn't move it.

"I said, git up!"

I looked around franticly.

"Taking a little daybreak?" asked Hisa smoothly, walking in from the back door.

Hisa was the boss of this place. Did she happen to see that murderer who broke my leg? I knew she wouldn't tell me either way. She smirked.

"Did you get tired of your chores? Felt like taking a nap, did you?" she asked quietly, bending over so I could get a closer look at her mocking face. "Well, git up right now young missy!"

I was used to this kind of treatment. I saw Aiko and Hoshi in the background, looking worried for me. These girls were other young orphans here: both 5 years old. They were used to this too, but the boss, or the person in charge of running the orphanage (Hisa), didn't usually bother to yell and command any orphans. She tended to leave that job for the other workers. She acted sort of like a principle at school where you're sent to for getting in big trouble. The other workers were almost like vice principals and dealt with all the other kids. Hisa spit on the ground, made Aiko clean it up, and walked off to her office.

Aha! There was a wooden chair next to me. I grabbed it and pulled myself up. B#3 took a sip of her beer.

"Good girl. Now get back to work. I'm still checking in half an hour."

Then the three of them left.

"Are you ok?" Aiko whispered.

"Yeah, can you step on it?" Hoshi asked.

I shifted my body to place my unbending left leg down. Ack! ...

"Nope. Can't."

"Good luck!" They both wished me.

"Um…thanks."

I shifted myself up the two flights of stairs. The ground floor was for the workers, the 2nd for was for the infants, and the top floor was for all the other orphans. Somehow I managed getting up there without hurting myself too much more than it already was. I bet if this run down place had an elevator, it would only be used for the workers.

I sighed. What a horrible start for going back to school tomorrow! And I still had to clean everything. The dust I had already swept up had been spilled everywhere. The man had probably kicked it or something. You know, he was the first man I'd actually wanted to kill.

Um… sorry if this was too confusing with the new setting and lots of new people! Please review! XD