A/N: Angela's Ashes and By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead are real stories.
When I got off the bus two days later, both Mom and Dad's vehicles were in the driveway. Mr. Kimura was pulling out of the driveway. What was he doing here so early? And why are Mom and Dad home from work so early? Does Misa know?
I walk into the house. I see Mom standing in the dining room, but Dad is nowhere to be found. Her expression worries me extremely – she looks so tired…so defeated. I walk past her, too frightened to say anything, and she says nothing as well. I think I hear Dad in his study, it's that quiet. I walk up the stairs after feeding Kippers.
Once I'm in my room, I see Misa's in there as well. Her eyes are slightly worried but mostly happy. She smiles at me when I come in. "Look Emiko, I painted my nails. It was the first time I did them by myself. I think this red looks good on me. Do you?" she flashes her nails, a deep crimson red painted on them.
"What happened? Why was Mr. Kimura here?" I ask, throwing my book bag in the corner.
"You didn't answer my question," she pouts, and pushes herself off my bed. She starts walking around my room.
I roll my eyes and sigh. "Yes, Misa. That's a very pretty color on you."
She turns to look at me, smiling. "See, I knew you would agree with me." She turns back to my dresser and begins messing with my things.
"Now you answer my questions – why was Mr. Kimura here? What's wrong with – Hey! Don't touch those Misa!" I say the last part loudly, noticing she was picking up my pens.
She sits one down, slowly. "What's the big deal? All they are are pens."
My jaw snaps shut – she did not just say that. "Misa, they may just be pens to you but to me they are a lot more than that. They are the start of everything – without pens and pencils no one would be able to write down any of their great ideas. None of the best books would have been written. Those pens mean something to me, so please, don't touch them." I try to restrain the tension in my voice. She puts the pens back.
"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, Emiko." She seems bored. I work to control my aggravation. I take a deep breath and ask her my questions again.
"So why was Mr. Kimura here? And why is Mom upset?"
Misa throws a look at me, knowing. "Well, it's because the court date got pushed back."
"What?" I gasp.
Misa nods her head, all wrapped up in telling the story now. "Yeah, apparently one of the jurors attacked another one just outside the court house with a gun. After he killed the other guy, another juror tackled him and out of nowhere, that juror gets shot also. The guy that killed the first juror then turned the gun on himself."
"Where did the other shot come from?" I ask, my eyes big.
Misa smiles at me – a really creepy one that sends shivers up my spine. "The man had another one with them. They were hit men sent to kill that first juror – I think that's what Mr. Kimura said. The first one knew he was going to have to kill himself, but the other juror got in the way, so the second hit man – who was watching to make sure nothing went wrong I guess – killed him. It was just one big blood fest." She says the last part almost like it wasn't a bad thing.
"Did they catch the other hit man?"
"Of course," Misa snorts, now examining my book case.
"So… they have to find more jurors?" I ask. Though I'm disgusted that someone would do that, I'm more worried about the case than to take time in letting myself wallow in horror.
"That and they pushed the court date back so that they could convict the second hit man."
"They're pushing back the date so they can do another trial?" I ask, my voice had slightly risen.
"Why do you read so many books with such depressing titles?" Misa asks randomly.
"What has that got to do with anything? How is it fair that they are making us wait to do another trial?"
"You didn't answer my question." Misa pouts.
"My books aren't depressing," I retort.
"Angela's Ashes… By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead… What part of those don't say depressing?"
"Those are just a few. Leave my books alone – I can read whatever I want to read." I say stubbornly.
"Okay – and about your earlier question, I guess in the court, murder is more important than theft." She turns and leaves my room.
The rest of the night passes in a blur. Mom comes into my room and tells me if I want something to eat, I need to come make it. I don't get hungry, so I go to sleep without dinner.
In the middle of the night I wake up to hear Mom and Dad fighting. They're screaming at each other – they never fight like this. I slip out of my bed – I oddly want Misa as of right now. I open my room door without a sound and tiptoe to her room. The light's on – I'm about to go in when I notice. I crack the door and can't believe what I'm witnessing.
Please tell me what you thought!