I finally got it to work! (throws confetti) I honestly tried to post this chapter Saturday but I couldn't get anything to submit into the documents section. So, I'm very sorry this wasn't up earlier but it really wasn't my fault! Anyhoo, enjoy the chapter!

Thanks to Kai-Hiwatari-Lover, BirdsofPrey9832, Desastrus, TsukiharaKitty, and GoddessPhoenix3173 for reviewing. I was so happy to get 5 reviews instead of just 3! 3 more 'til the next chapter!

Chapter 12: Withdrawal

I was almost giddy with excitement. I really didn't know what was going to happen. I mean, just because I didn't like Ming-Ming's music didn't mean the judges wouldn't. Speaking of which… "Hey guys? Who are the judges?"

Miriam answered. "Well the class representatives usually judge unless they want to enter. If they do, someone else is chosen. I think the freshman representative is Kenny—he was working in the computer lab the other day before our class came and kicked him out—the sophomore representative is Tyson, the juniors' rep is Hilary from your 2nd period math, and the seniors' rep is… who was it again? Oh yeah! Miguel!"

"Okay, thanks." I looked uncertainly at Aya. When it was just us she was more open, but now she seemed to be smothered in the background. Mariam was squeezing the poor girl's shoulders hard enough to suffocate her, but that was because it was her moment to shine. When this was all over she'd probably slip back into her former, timid self and I wasn't so sure I was okay with that. In fact, despite my assurances, I wasn't sure I had really forgiven them yet. I mean, how could they just blow off what they had done to us like it was nothing?

"So when exactly did you guys find out about their talent show act?" Salima questioned curiously. I blinked. Were we still not completely trusted either? Now we're under a microscope?

"Heheh…" I brought my hand up to my neck and laughed nervously. "That's a long story."

"Then we'll wait until after they announce the winners!" I was pulled into a huddle (Poor Queen was trapped unwillingly in the middle.) and we all held our breaths as the director-man came out on the stage.

"I want to start off by thanking you all for coming tonight. Everyone that's been on this stage tonight appreciates your support. I'm sure you enjoyed all of the acts but only one can be chosen as the winner. Without further ado," he began to unfold the piece of paper, "the winner of tonight's talent show is…." He paused and squinted at the paper. "Umm… just a moment." He quickly summoned someone from the audience. I saw Hilary hold a whispered conversation with him before they seemed to reach an understanding. He stood up, straitened his shirt, and pulled the microphone up to his mouth again. "Apparently, it was a very difficult decision for the judges to make. They had to choose between 2 great acts and they must have gone back and forth several times because I can hardly read this with all the eraser marks. Unfortunately, they could only choose one. So the winner of tonight's talent show is… MING-MING!"

Several people jumped up and screamed their applause as Ming-Ming came back onto the stage and gave a bow. The 5 of us sighed heavily. We were all disappointed—Aya and I the most—but Salima didn't let us stay that way for long. "Hey, you guys did a great job! Let's all go to my house and have snacks and stuff."

After a few more moments of convincing we all agreed. So 5 minutes later we were piled into the back of Queen's sleek red and black car. Mariam (who had taken shotgun) immediately rounded on us.

"So? Are you going to tell us how you figured out about those guys' talent show act?"

Aya and I exchanged glances and I motioned for her to tell them, jumping in every now and then to add things. Her voice was low and quiet, almost hesitant, and it frustrated me. She was so much more fun to be around when she was talking and joking—when she was confident. Right now, it seemed more like she was clinging to the group and trying not to make anyone upset. She was fading away again.

Finally, our story drew to a close and Mariam immediately commented. That was something I liked about her. She was always forward about things and spoke her mind, but it was also something I didn't like. There are some things that are better left unspoken.

"I would've let the guy shoot him."

"That's horrible!" Salima snapped.

"Well! I don't know why Aya risked her own life for a guy that tried to drown her." Aya opened her mouth to speak but snapped it shut again when Mariam continued. "It's not like I'm going to kill the guy, but I wouldn't take a bullet for him either!"

I directed my attention out the window, peering through the approaching darkness at passing houses. Let the guy shoot him? He's not that bad. Then again, I haven't been around here that long either. Maybe he isn't really as good as I'm been telling myself he is. They probably don't hang out that much either unless they want to pick a fight. It's like a civil war. Each wants to be at the top of the food chain. I wonder how Aya became friends with them. I mean, she doesn't really have a dominant personality like the others do. Maybe she's like their mediator.

"Casey?" I jumped. "You okay? You seem kind of spacey."

"I'm fine." I mentally shook myself. I'd stop and mull things over when I got home.

Mulling things over didn't get me anywhere. I suppose I could see both sides of my own argument so I decided not to pick a side. I'd just remain neutral. It was all I really could do. That night was a slightly strained little party on my part filled with junk food, loud music, and—eventually—a movie that lasted until about 11:30.

The rest of the week things began to slip back into the norm. The band (Me, Aya, Tala, Kai, and Spencer) went our separate ways and Aya went back to her recessive self. I was just kind of there. I was still the new kid that knew next to nothing about Japan. I also got several questions about what it was like back in Iowa. Nothing very interesting happened until Friday so let's skip up to then, shall we?

With Tala, Kai, and Spencer:

They were just leaving school that afternoon when fate and irony decided to be especially cruel. What was supposed to be a pleasant surprise turned out to be something far from it.

"Hey you guys!" The group stopped, exchanged glances and walked backward to the mouth of the small alley between the science lab and the gym. That's where they always hung out after school with….

"BRIAN?!" They all did a double-take when the saw the silver-haired boy, dressed in blue-jeans and a black hoodie, leaning casually against the side of the gym. "What the hell are you doing here?" Tala demanded running up to him. The 3 created a sort of semi-circle around him. "I thought they sent you to Yokohama."

"They did. I decided I'd drive up here and say 'hi.'"

They didn't question it. Brian was a rather sporadic person that did whatever he pleased. "How's your shoulder?" Kai grunted, putting back up the mask he was famous for which had slipped for a moment in his surprise.

Brian shrugged. "It still works." The group frowned. He was shaking terribly, his eyes darted back and forth nervously, he was sweating, and he spoke quickly, as if he was trying to get them to hurry through the small-talk.

"Dude, what's up?" Spencer demanded. He had been the closest to Brian before he left and had, therefore, spotted these things first.

The silver-haired boy checked the alley quickly and did a series of 'I-need-to-tell-you-something-without-actually-telling-you' gestures mixed with a bit of bouncing. "You—you moved the stash." He hissed. "I need some."

"No." Kai told him. They knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You don't understand. I need it."

"We quit, man," Tala informed him.

He gave a strange, hyena-like laugh. "Seriously guys. I need some."

"We are serious Brian. If we hadn't been high that night, you wouldn't have gotten shot!" There was a definite note of distress in Spencer's voice when he spoke. He hated seeing his friend like this.

"You can't just quit," he scoffed. It was true it was very hard, but it was possible. After all, Tala, Kai, and Spencer had quit.

"Brian, we don't have any."

He seemed to get angry at this and pushed himself uneasily off the wall. "Screw you guys! I thought we'd still have some loyalties!" And with that, he stumbled out of the alley. They watched him slip around the corner and shook their heads. They couldn't do anything for him, not anymore.

Back to Casey's POV (will be following Aya if they separate as well):

Aya and I were walking to her car (we'd decided to carpool because it would be cheaper) when an unfamiliar face stumbled around the corner in front of us. At least it was unfamiliar to me. Aya seemed to recognize it. Before we could do anything, the boy with the curiously-colored hair fell to his knees.

"Brian!" Aya breathed. We both sprinted over to him and Aya scanned him critically. "Shit!" I refrained from gasping. I'd never heard Aya swear before. She was always polite, even if a bit stern at times. "Stay here," she ordered.

I nodded and knelt down before him cautiously. His eyes were drooping and unfocused, he was shaking uncontrollably, and he was practically dripping with a cold sweat. "It'll be okay, Brian. Whatever 'it' is…."

Aya raced around the corner toward the parking lot, searching frantically for Tala, Kai, or Spencer. They were what Brian needed the most right now. 3 familiar cars crawled out of their parking spaces and headed in her direction so she waved her arms over her head to flag them down. Their reaction was not the one she expected. Instead of slowing down they sped up, as if avoiding her. Angrily, she slammed her fist down on the roof of Tala's car, wincing as pain shot through her wrist. "Damn it you guys!" she belted out, turning and running back to where she'd left her friend and Brian.

Aya ran up with a stressed expression on her face. "Aya, what's wrong with him?"

"Never mind. Just help me get him to my car." Too confused to do anything but follow orders I pulled one of his arms over my shoulder and hauled him towards the parking lot. Aya tried to help but, in the end, just ran over and opened her door. It took a moment to get the boy into the back seat but I managed it and slammed the door shut as Aya started the car.

He became semi-conscious and felt around on the floor, between the crack in the seats, and even in his own pockets, pushing me carelessly out of the way in his search. "Where is it?" he demanded, grabbing at my throat. I quickly removed his hands from my windpipe, feeling the sting of his fingernails breaking the skin there.

"It's alright, Brian," Aya assured from the front seat. "Just hang on a bit longer."

It didn't appear to have comforted him at all. "You have it!" he looked like he was going to dive at her so I jumped between them and pushed him back into the seat. It was easier than expected, like whatever it was that was wrong with him was making him weaker. "G-give it…." And with that, he slipped unconscious again.

We made it to Aya's house without further incident and I drug Brian into the guest-bedroom. A few moments after we got him onto the bed, a voice called out from somewhere else in the house. I saw Aya's eyes widen in surprise and she ran over to the door. "Kaoru?" A tall, dark-haired boy with glasses appeared in the doorway. He looked about 4 years older than us and Aya ran up and hugged him around the middle. "What are you doing home? Never-mind. Help us. What do we do?"

He got a grim look on his face when he saw Brian lying on the bed, fingers twitching slightly along with the other symptoms I'd noted earlier. "Withdrawal?" he asked seriously. Aya nodded. With a sigh, he exited the room in search of the necessary tools for his newest patient.