AN: Hey, I finally got it up! This time it's even more longer! XD I surprise myself sometimes. XP But, yeah! Here it is! Also, I think I took too long got distracted with my new phone I bought on Monday and started playing with it! XP I also got Otome games and everything! :D I friggin' love those games! 3 So yeah! :) Here is the story!
Chapter 12: Reminiscence
There is one period left and Naoto is still thinking about who this girl Johnny keeps talking about. She sounded like a girl he used to know. He even hoped he would never see her again. He got a little startled by the bell as it rang, signalling the class is done for the day. He gathered his things and got up from his desk. He really hates this school. Everyone are jerks and losers. But one thing in this school he doesn't hate is the greaser clique. They looked like they have a better grasp of life than anyone in this school. And he could relate to them easily. They know how to have fun. They joke and have stories to tell. They even have scars as well. They're exactly the people he knows so well, since he's just like them in his way. Not only does he relate to the greasers, he looks up to them, Johnny Vincent especially. Naoto let out a sigh and just decided to skip the last class; he felt he has no reason to go. He then headed to the auto shop to visit Johnny and the others.
It's a pretty fine day for Johnny. Even though he hasn't said anything to Kei about his feelings for her, it's fine. As long as she isn't with anyone else, he'll be happy.
The greaser clique doesn't know whether to feel happy for him or not, but it's been a while since they've seen their leader so happy. Peanut especially is glad Johnny's happier than when he was with Lola. That Kei girl's influence is new. They've never heard anything about Kei that is bad, except for that Yakuza rumor, but that sounded farfetched in its self it's obviously a lie. But still. They just couldn't help feeling uneasy.
Johnny is hanging around at the auto shop having one of his smokes when Naoto called to him,
"Senpai!"
The kid waved to him until he reached to where Johnny is,
"Oh, hey." He greeted him. He's still getting used to the whole 'Senpai' business,
This guy, Naoto, he's been hanging around the auto shop more often now, they clique knows him pretty well and liked him enough to consider him part of the group, besides. He lives in New Coventry to not see him around. Johnny especially, he is his apartment neighbour after all,
"So, Senpai. Are you and that girl finally dating?"
Naoto's answer sounded kind of sudden and a little strange, but he answered the boy anyway,
"No. I don't know when to ask her, to tell you the truth."
"Why not?"
Johnny blow out smoke in the air and answered,
"Well… She ain't like any girl I'm used to."
"How so?"
"Well… She's quiet. And ain't like a greaser, Also her life is drastically different than mine."
"She sounds very vague…"
"Yeah, that too."
Naoto then piece together what kind of girl he liked in his head and spoke,
"So, this girl is a quiet vague girl who sounds serious and has a very rich life. Is she part of the Preps?"
Johnny just shook his head,
"Nah, she ain't in any clique, actually. She just got to this school a few months ago."
The boy didn't say anything and started pondering. Johnny didn't know why Naoto's getting all quiet like that but let it go,
"Well, kid. I think it's time for me to go."
"Oh? Where are you going?"
"Just hang around town, also I'm thinkin' of introducing her to the gang properly, since the last time didn't go so well. Freaked out over nothing. As it turned out, that stupid Prep girl was okay."
He then headed out of the auto shop,
"Well, see ya around, Naoto. I gotta pick up some things."
Naoto watched Johnny leave, now wondering who this girl is.
It's now a break before the final period and she thought it's the best time to apologize to Earnest again. She also wants to be friends.
'But, what if he hates me? What if they hate me? I did cause problems back at the foot ball field…'
The thought is jarring. She now started having second thoughts. She walked back and forth in front of the student council door and decided she'll just leave, but when she started walking, the door opened and out came Earnest Jones,
"Kei? Is that you?"
She tensed and awkwardly turned around,
"Yeah. It's me." She spoke harshly,
She mentally slapped herself. She didn't mean to be so harsh. They didn't say anything. Kei looked at the ground trying to find the words to say to him when he spoke,
"Are you okay, now?"
She looked back at him with wide eyes and nodded. He smiled,
"Thank goodness! I was about to think you'll never want to help the council since that incident with the Jocks. You know because of our extreme rivalry and such."
She took in how Earnest spoke to her,
"…You aren't avoiding me…?"
He is confused by her question and replied,
"What? Oh no! I'm not avoiding you; I just thought you needed space from all of that. I mean, you tried to help me but ended up getting hurt in the process."
She listened to every word he's said and sighed in relief,
"I see. But, you should have told me you were just giving me space, or even just tell Pinky. She made it very convincing that you were afraid to be near me now. It… made me feel even guiltier."
She looked away sadly from him. Earnest gasped from that and cried,
"Oh! I didn't mean for the misunderstanding! I'm sorry!"
His way of apologizing is very over exaggerated, like everything he does, even though she's still getting used to his weird way of speaking she understands,
"It's alright. But, please inform me or Pinky, like I said."
"I will from now on! I mean… You already know I like you."
He smiled to her. She nodded, giving him a small and almost hard to miss smile, but he caught it and blushed. She nodded to him and spoke,
"If there is anything you need, then I'm available."
She turned around and was about to leave when Earnest yelled,
"Wait!"
He held her hand and tried to pull her in a kiss when she karate chopped him across the face making him to fall on the floor,
"Ow!"
"You moron!"
She yelled angrily and she stomped away. Earnest held his cheek and watched Kei leave all googly-eyed and a goofy grin on his face. He seriously thought that was the moment when she'd confessed to him or something, but he was wrong. Though he's glad she's slowly being nice to him.
Johnny thought of waiting for Kei, but there are still a few hours left until school ends. It sucks because he could just bare with the whole lecture if not for the fact he didn't have the same last class as Kei, so, what to do? He could leave the school, but he'd miss her and had to leave her be. Every day after school, if he didn't say hi to her, she'd just head straight to the girl's dorm and never leave. The only time he ever found her outside the girl's dorm at this time is when she leaves the school heading to the dorm, or hangs around the benches where they first became friends. But that's when she and Mandy were having their fights or something, but that had now come to a halt and Mandy's been practicing non-stop. He seriously doesn't know why. He scratched the back of his head and decided to just hanging around the auto shop until the bell for the last class rings.
The bell has rung and Johnny is standing the front of the school entrance watching the door. Every student exited that door and him just staring at it. Little did he know he's scaring the little kids, the non-cliques and the Nerds when they exited the the door; he stared until he got tired of it,
"Where is she? Kei hasn't exited yet. She should be heading to the dorm by now."
He said to himself. He walked back and forth until he decided to enter the school. He decided to find her. He checked all of down stairs and each room, nothing, so she must be up stairs. He went up stairs and heard faint sounds of a piano playing. It's came from the music room. He went there and slowly opened the door. He peeked in and could see Kei on the piano playing a beautiful piece. He doesn't know who and what song it is, but it's nice. He couldn't help but watch her play. She even seemed like she's singing to the song, but it's hard to hear. He then could see the music teacher walk in front of the door and opened it fully, making him almost fall to the ground due to him leaning on the door,
"Ah! Johnny Vincent! I'm surprised to see you here!"
She said. From that, Kei stopped playing and turned to the two of them. She got up from the piano, surprised to see him,
"Johnny, what are you doing here?"
He looked towards her and muttered,
"Uh… I came to check up on you."
"Oh. How did you know I was here?"
He seriously doesn't know how to answer that, when,
"Kei, Ave Maria. This is the best choice I've ever made!"
The music teacher, Ms. Peters said looking at the music notes that is a copy of the same one on the piano. Kei looked up at her and ask,
"So, you chose this song for the choir to sing?"
"Yes! I will make them sing the German version! It will be fantastic!"
"Okay."
Ms. Peters gathered her things and said,
"And you'll be playing for the choir, right?"
Kei didn't remember agreeing to any of that and tried to speak when the teacher interrupts,
"Good! Well, be seeing you at practice, then."
She leaves. Johnny watched all of that and could see the confusion on her face,
"You know, you can say no, right?"
She turned to him and sat back down on the piano bench,
"Well, I would still help, either way. I just hope she'd ask first."
She set the sheets up to the first page and is ready to play again,
"So, you're sayin' you're a 'yes man'."
"No, not really, I do say no, but I always ended up helping, anyway."
When she said it that way it just kind of sounded like that kid a while ago, when the school was in more chaos than usual, Johnny just forgot about it. That kid always does things for people, but of course, the kid did all that for his own benefit but, he can be a little cool, in a way. He did save Johnny from the asylum after all. If Kei ever heard about that would she judge? Would she finally think he's bad to be around? He frowned at the thought, she then started playing the piano. He turned to her and went to the piano and leaned on it, listening to her. It's nice. He listened to her play when she stopped,
"Hmm? Why'd you stopped?"
She looked at him and blushed,
"It's because you're just staring at me."
He tensed and felt his face warm up,
"Oh. Sorry about that. I know you don't like people starin'."
She then turned to the piano keys and placed her hand on them,
"You know? It's been a while since I've played the piano."
"Oh?"
She nodded and continued,
"Back home, I used to play all the time. When I was little, I've always practiced. I even played and hoped my father would have time to just listen to me play."
Her eyes then became sad,
"But, it didn't matter… He's always too busy."
He guesses he could understand her. His own father didn't really pay any attention to him either. He thought about it when she spoke again,
"I… Want to help my father. He's worked so hard I'm sure. One time he fainted during a meeting. When I've heard that, I was scared, you know? I thought I've lost him, too."
He listened to her speak. He thought she's incredible. She wanted to take over for her father so he could rest easy, but why? Why is she telling him this? She turned away from the piano and stared out the window and said more,
"My mother died when I was younger… It must have put a strain on him. He and my mother were very close. They were inseparable, but of course, till death do they part…"
She now had a painfully sad look on her face,
"It's all my fault."
Now he's confused,
"What? What do you mean by that?"
She gritted her teeth and looked to him,
"I was the one that killed her."
Her eyes now brimmed with tears,
"I was so stupid… When I was only five, I was playing near the road. But of course, one of my toys went to the rod and I went to retrieve it and you know what happened? She saved me. My mother ran to the road and saved me. Of course mothers would do anything for their children… But, I shouldn't have been saved… All I do is just cause so much misery."
"Stop it."
She shook her head,
"No, you don't get it, no matter what I do, everyone is never happy with me."
"That ain't true!"
She stopped and waited on what he had to say,
"I'm happy with you. I…"
He wanted to say it, but he couldn't do it so instead of that he said,
"You're one of my most important friends."
She looked at him and gave him a sad smile,
"Just like him." she muttered,
He honestly doesn't understand what she meant, but didn't push into it. She smiled and spoke,
"My father is a great person. You should meet him sometime. Even though, I've caused him so much trouble, he still loves me. And he may not look like it, but he's genuinely a kind man."
Johnny is really impressed by how much she cared about her father and asked,
"So, why do you want to talk about your father for?"
She smiled and answered,
"It's his birthday today. I'm sad I couldn't celebrate it, but it's understandable. I need to be here of course."
Now, that's the thing he's so curious about. Why is she here in Bullworth in the first place? What happened? She never talked about it. She then apologized,
"I'm sorry for talking so much. I just felt I need to let if all out."
He understood,
"Oh, nah. It's fine. I'm glad I'm the one you wanted to talk to about."
He is glad. It meant she trusts him. He wanted to tell her about himself since her felt it's not fair for her to give such a painful past and not tell his own so he started,
"Your dad sounds awesome. My old man ain't so great. I mean, all he does is mope around and do nothing. He even drinks his troubles away 'cause my ma left."
She listened. He wants her to know he trusts her just as much she trusts him.
While they were talking, they didn't realize someone was listening in on their conversation. Outside in the hall is Lola Lambardi. She doesn't like how close they are. She doesn't like Kei. It obvious he will forget her. She thought he'd always be there. Why did he just go back on his word like that?! He said he'd always be there for her, he said he'd always be there for her. But it's all a lie. Lola needs all of this to stop. She will win him over again. No one should ever take him away from her. Ever. She will make Kei's life a living hell. She thought there is no reason to stay and decided to leave.
Johnny has told Kei very personal things in his life and she feels like she's made a fool of herself, but he said humans suffer in different ways. It's true. No matter what status, everyone suffers. He told her the time he met Peanut and the others and what got him into rock n' roll,
"How I got into rock n' roll was when I was around eleven. I found a record player and some records that are actually in good condition, so I just thought the thing looked cool and brought it in. I learned the record player and the records were owned by a neighbor of ours, but he passed away and no one really wants his stuff. It's kinda sad, really. So, in the end it got thrown in the trash."
Kei was sad by that and he continued,
"But well. I took 'em in. I could tell the old guy really takes care of that record player since it's been fixed a buncha times. In fact it still will now. And that's how I got into the greaser way."
As he talked about that, he subconsciously reached out for her hand and took it. She suddenly tensed and suddenly thought of 'his' hand onto hers and let out a gasp and quickly pulled her hand away from Johnny. He didn't know he was holding her hand for a few seconds, but her sudden gasp making him realize what he did,
"Oh, sorry." He apologized,
Even though he apologized, Kei just looked like she's lost in her thoughts again. Her reaction is off again,
"Kei?"
Looking at her face now, she didn't seem happy at all. Kei quickly stood up from the piano and took the music notes and shoved them in her bag. She doesn't like this atmosphere. She needs to leave. When she is done shoving her things in the bag, she said good bye to him and quickly headed to the exit.
Johnny doesn't know why she's acting this way; she just suddenly started freaking out,
"Kei, what's wrong?"
He then quickly got up and chased after her.
Pinky tried to find Kei everywhere but couldn't find her. She tried to look for her in the dorm like she always is, but she isn't there, Pinky wanted to hang around the town with Kei again, but she can't do that if Kei isn't anywhere, so she assumed she must be at the school and was about to check there when she bumped into Ricky,
"Oh, it's you."
"What's the attitude? I'm jus' goin' home."
"Oh."
They awkwardly look at other places other than each other until Pinky spoke up,
"Well. I'll be going back to the dorm, now."
"Uh, yeah."
The two of them were about to head to the direction of where they're going until they realized they're going the same way. Ricky couldn't help but feel awkward; he's walking side by side with Pinky unintentionally. He took a quick glance and had to admit to himself she's kind of cute. But he needs to stop himself. Unlike that Kei girl Johnny is fixated on, Pinky is a Prep. An enemy. He can't find her anything else, but cute.
Pinky took a glance at Ricky and couldn't help how attractive he is. Well, not as attractive as the leader Greaser, but he's a total moron. And besides, he has his eyes on Kei, so no attraction for that bum from Pinky! Not that she's attracted to Ricky, no way!
The two of them are just mentally arguing with themselves until Kei ran passed them, Pinky got startled by her sudden appearance and they then could hear Johnny call for her,
"Kei, Why are you runnin'?! What did I do?"
Pinky didn't know what's going on, but Kei's panicked self told her enough. She glared at Johnny and stepped in front of him,
"What's going on here?"
Johnny stopped and glared at her,
"Move it! I gotta talk to Kei!"
"Not until-"
"Stop! Let 'im talk to her, Pinky!"
Ricky butted in pulling Pinky out of the way of Johnny's path and Johnny just ran for her before she enters the dorm. Pinky pulled her arm away from Ricky and yelled at him,
"Why did you do that for?!"
He didn't look at her and answered,
"He needs to talk to her, Pinky. If stuff like this happen then they need to work it out." She stopped glaring and looked to the dorm, worried about Kei.
Kei just made it in front of the entrance of the dorm and was about to open the door when Johnny took her arm firmly but carefully,
"Kei, why the hell are you running, what did I do?!"
She was still catching her breath and shook her head. She can't! She can't do this! Watching her this way is unbearable; there really is something she isn't telling him. He doesn't get it! What else is she not telling him? Then he remembers the time back at Bullworth Vale When Kei was just standing in one place not responding to anything, just pulled into her own head and then saying 'You're not him'. That sentence. What does she mean by that? He stared at Kei as she just stood there, breathing heavily from running until she calmed a little,
"Tell me."
He perked his ears as she spoke,
"Are we friends?"
He doesn't understand what she's getting at. Again with this; her random way of speaking. Why? He furrowed his brows and spoke carefully,
"We are. What's this all about?"
Kei didn't answer a while, he just watch her get lost in thought. This image of her in front of him disturbs him. She looks like she's trying so desperately to find whatever it is she had lost. She looks vulnerable. She then suddenly spoke,
"Yes. We're just friends. That's it."
Something about that hurt. And the fact she almost sounded off. But that might be just his imagination. He searched for something to say and spoke,
"Yeah, we're friends."
She is now relieved, but that reaction just nearly tore him apart. She didn't notice at all by his reaction. He finally let go of her arm and turned away. Kei didn't look at him as well. He looked up at the sky and could see its getting dark,
"So, Kei. You finally up to meet the gang?"
She turned her head to him,
"I guess so. Will they like me?"
He turned his head to her and nodded,
"Yeah. You're likeable. You may not know it, but you're more friendlier, now."
She took in what he had said. Is she really? She looked at the flower beds,
"Oh. I'm…"
She didn't know how to say to that. Johnny then started heading to the exit,
"So, yeah. I'll pick you up from class and we'll head to the auto shop and meet them."
She turned around and spoke,
"Johnny? I'm sorry how I've acted. I just…"
He stopped and waited for what she's going to say,
"I just don't like being touched."
He didn't say anything then nodded,
"Okay. Sorry for touchin' you so much."
She nodded and pulled open the door to the dorm,
"Well. Good night."
She then went in and closed the door. He stood in that spot for a while and started walking again. He finally understands what's going on. Kei is scared of anyone going near her. Physically and emotionally. He wondered what had happened to her in her previous school; ever since he's met her, she's some piece of work. She's been nice to him; she's been rude to him. Either way, she really did looked like she's had a lot of things going on in her mind. It seemed like she's trying to reach out to others, but a hard time trusting them, especially with him. He couldn't predict how she will act sometimes. And he thought he got her figured out by now. Johnny wished to be with her for whatever is going on with her.
So, the Greaser clique is finally getting introduced to that girl Johnny is oh so crazy about. To be honest with some of them, they weren't that interested. They though that incident back at the race was enough. Naoto, though. He's actually curious. Besides. He didn't get to see her at all. He's heading to the auto shop when he heard his name being called to him,
"Hey, what's up, Nao?"
He turned and see Hal, Lucky and Vance headed his way,
"You curious about that, huh?"
He smiled to them and nodded,
"Yes. I'm curious. Senpai keeps talking about her."
"Makes sense. Also you didn't get to see her." Hal pointed out,
"But, it ain't worth it. She don't look like she could be nice. I mean with her clothes and that constant frown on her face. Especially her clothes. They look like she got 'em from some over sized dolls or something'. It's obvious she's one a' those Preps even though he keeps claimin' she ain't one a' them."
Naoto could tell, they aren't too fond of meeting that girl again and nodded, Lucky then patted his back ,
"Well, let's go and meet her."
They then proceeded to the auto shop.
She's nervous. Kei doesn't know how they will react. How they've looked at her back at the race got her feel down now that she thought about it. She hates meeting new people. She's now just waiting for Johnny outside the dorm feeling restless and tense. Johnny has finally got to the dorm and could see her tenese form,
"Hey."
She looked up and nodded to him awkwardly,
"Hi."
Man, he could feel the awkwardness,
"You ready to meet my buds?"
She shook her head,
"What if they don't actually like me?"
Seeing her this way makes him want to hold her in his arms. She looks so vulnerable. He went up too her and spoke,
"Everything will be okay."
She nodded to him,
"Okay."
He then notice the plastic bag in her hand and was about to ask her when Pinky exited the dorm,
"Okay, I'm ready!"
Johnny turned to her sort of surprised to see,
"What?! I didn't invite you!"
Pinky place her hands on her hips and told him,
"Well, I don't trust you, so I'm going."
"What?! I don't do things like that! Besides! I won't let anyone near her anyway!"
Pinky went silent and finally got what's going on with him. She then just gave him the knowing look, He tensed with that,
"Oh, so you-"
"Anyway! Let's go now!" he interrupted her and started walking,
Kei didn't respond to any of this. In fact she's deep in thought about the whole thing.
They've finally made it to the auto shop, with Pinky with them of course and the greasers are waiting to meet the new girl Johnny likes. He greeted them and they greeted back like good friends. Kei looked at each of them and recognize some of them, but the others are complete strangers to her. She just hid behind Johnny getting over whelmed by all those people. The greasers tried to look over Johnny's shoulders and he tried to step sideways but she followed suit behind him,
"Come on, Kei. They won't eat or nothin'."
He's very amused by her right now. She acts like a shy kid having to meet new people. He placed his hand on hers carefully and hoping she won't freak out again and pulled her from behind him, she timidly looked up at them and looked back down,
"This is Kei. Be nice to her, okay?" Johnny told them,
"…Hi." That's all she could muster,
The greasers talked to themselves and Ricky spotted Pinky and just stared at her, she caught him staring and they both turned away with red cheeks. Peanut saw it and didn't get what's going on with those two.
Naoto tried to get to the front to see who the girl looks like and pushed his way there. When he got there his eyes widen.
Kei turned to the boy, who pushed to the front and couldn't believe who it is,
"You?" He said,
She could tell he's just as surprised as she is,
"N-Naoto-kun…?"
AN: Oh! What this?! Does Naoto And Kei know each other? Went check out next chapter! :D
