Chapter 12: Moment Of Truth

Within the moment my eyes were closed, peacefully in la-la land . . .

The alarm is ranging my ears and I shot up from the bed. Sheets rested around the lower half of me.

Slapping the clock fast, to silence it.

Dashing for the shower, to the closest, out to get my bag.

Glancing to see the time.

Enough for a small breakfast.

Eating with the family, going over with the only one ok of me good on a trip, and what was needed when I got back.

Brother and I off into the limo.

His gaze full of anger, which he was the last to know about this. Even though he was going to be Haruhi most of the time of my departer. And I knew that before he even told me. Tamaki made it very knowable at the club last time.

Once the limo stop, my feet rushed me to first class. One of the few classes that Takahiro was not in. Taking a seat in the middle; just finding out that I beat the others here.

"Kaoru, there you are." Haruhi, the second to be here. "Hikaru said that you ran from the limo. You okay?"

Finding myself, taking notice of the breathless, from all that running. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"Hikaru did tell you, that me, him, the others . . . "

I have a feeling that they invited themselves.

"Are going to some beaches and cities for the week break, after finals, you going?"

"Umm, no, I'm doing something else."

"Takahiro said the same thing, something about a trip with his pals from grade school." Shaking her head. "I hope he stays out of trouble."

"Haruhi, just because he's a bad boy at the club; that doesn't mean he's that all the time."

"You don't know him, Kaoru, not the way I do. I grew up with him. That bad boy thing is not an act."

I was starting to get really mad at this.

To a girl who was like a sister to the boy I was friends' with. He never showed that act to me . . . well once . . . but that was because of what I said about the very person in front of me.

He's not a bad boy. He's protected the people around him. There is a huge difference between the two. And he only acts like he does, is for his own reasons.

Something, Haruhi, I don't think you can even imagine.

"Things been bad enough when he got that tattoo. And the fights just get worse." On her face she was disappointed of the matter.

Yet, the eyes showed more and I could only agree. I was going to add something to this, but other kids started to enter the class and so did the teacher.

Pulling out the report, feeling ready to give it my all. Tension picking up when the teacher was marking us one by one. Finally, after my brother, it was my turn to head up front. Ready to do this.

"All right, Kaoru, what is your report on?" Teacher asking, writing on her clipboard, grading the last one. Soon to be ready for mine.

"I did my report on; Opposites of the Human Nature." I stated, seeing it was something I knew little about and wanted to know more about it. Just to let you know, it is base on facts I did find out and added to them.

Wow. That class went better than I thought it was going to be. Moving on the next class, this time it was a history test. Repeating in my head; I only need a seventy-eight or higher in this class. Once the paper was in front of me, looking over the first questions. The first few were ones that Takahiro went over with me. I could to this. After a long thirty minutes of taking my time and checking it. I did all I do could. Feeling sweat break out as I found out to be close to being last of being done. Crap! First thought comes to mind. What the hell went wrong?

The history teacher gave those who were done a breather and leave the class, so others could work without the noise. Moving the farthest away for a breath. Seeing who was done with the test. Quite a few. The peace the windows had, bother enough comfort for me. A light spring was hovering over the school. It was nice.

A tap on the shoulder brought me back from daydreaming.

"How well do you think you did?"

"Fine, I guess, I felt a little rush in some."

"That can go two ways, but you gave it your best."

I nodded, looking out the window again. "I really want to go."

He pats on my shoulder, saying words of wish me luck in my next class, even though he was in the same class as me and sometimes sat next to me.

His words, still made feel me worried of what was to come. It was art. And I wanted to know what he did for the project. A painting? Clay? Sketch? What could it be? I had to find out.

Okay, art class, second to be here. Seeing as Takahiro was already here, putting up his art. It was large, hard to tell what under a sheet. Painting or sketch as he places it on a stand. I did the same right next to him.

I grin at him. Trying hard not to show reverence.

"You'll be fine. Breathe." He told me, pulling up some stools for him and me to sit down. "Can I see it?"

"Only if you'll show me yours."

"Fine." Counting to three and revealed what was under the sheets.

Mine was a re-creation of the Battle of the Bands. I match all the colors and shapes down to the point. Giving people in it, feelings, movements, texture. The band that was playing, matching all, who was in the Rebel Dragons. Face makeup at the right tones. All this was from memory and I was proud of it.

Then looking over at Takahiro's, it was lovely. I was a bit speechless of what was on it. It was also during the concert. Well, more like, a break time in it. A person gazing up through a tree's outer limbs, a half-moon light shining down at that person. Clothes look very familiar. Then I found out, it was me. He took in every detail to where, I thought it was a clone frozen in time. Even the rose earring was in the right place and gave a tiny shine.

"I know the subject was what a life changing moment. But seeing someone having a good time, was I needed to know at the matter."

"I love it. Simple. But very lovely."

"Didn't know you were so fawn of yourself?"

"That's not the point." Putting the sheet back on my art, seeing he did the same. "You capture a moment, which I thought no one was every going to see of me."

"And what was that?"

"The feeling of being free."

Takahiro didn't add anything to it, just as everyone started to enter the classroom with their projects. Some of them were clay arts. Hint: look mostly vase-shapes. Other paintings or sketches.

The teacher finally came, and as before. The grading began. The twitch-y feeling never-dying as people unveiled when it was their turn. Again, a sense of vomiting came to mind. A small kick to my shin, not painful but enough to take me away from the uneasiness and turn to see Takahiro showing me to deep breath. And so I did.

The next project and report went fast and then lunch came. Up to the roof I went, to just crash, from all anguish that just kept hitting me over and over.

A mere lunch for an uneasy stomach at the moment.

I already see Takahiro sitting and relaxing, not an afraid if he tosses his food everywhere.

Taking a seat by him. Hearing nothing and enjoy it. A breeze kick up for a second but then died. Even in this jacket; it didn't help to fight off the cold, even if it was thicker. But I didn't want the cold to bother me, if it didn't bother Takahiro.

"You ready for this?"

"No."

"You did well in studying." Taking a sip of a drink, hot from the steam it gave to fight the small chill. "I be upset if it went all to waste."

I nodded, wanting to change the subject. "The art teacher, really like your work."

"Glad he got the meaning of it too." Then his grin turn to a smirk. "What was that your brother made?"

"Oh, please don't go there. Even I had no idea, and I help make a list of what he wanted to do." Shaking my head of my brother clueless-ness of the art world.

Even if we both like the same subject, which doesn't mean we both get the meaning of the art world.

"Was it a bunny?" Snickering a little.

"Stop it." I started to smile. "That's not funny." Slowly laughing as well.

"Then don't laugh." Having another sip of his drink.

Making no response and ate my lunch, fully knowing I lost the match to defend my brother. But I had too agreed. What in the world was he making; I will never know.

Talking was back into play. Mostly random stuff. Before we knew it. It was class time again. And the last test of the day.

No hosting after this, seeing it was finals. It would happen after the week break was over.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." And started down the stairs. Steps of fate? I wasn't sure at the moment. My least favorite class. And all I'm hoping for at this moment, is a passing grade. That's it.

Finally after what felt like hours and hours. The moment of truth. All grades were done by the end of the day. Looking through the "H" list, as Takahiro was looking at the "F" list. Both of us wanting to know.

There it was. Black and white. My name and across the one thing holding in the middle of house lock down or a road trip. My body shaking so much, I didn't want to see it.

"Kaoru, what you get?"

"I'm kind of scared to see." Hands covering my face and looking away from the list. "You do it."

"Fine." I wait for a second, not getting answers.

"Well?"

"Umm, well you see . . . "

"What . . . " I pushed him away, to see what he was hiding from me. A ninety-two was in my sight. "Takahiro . . . " Very mad at him, as he almost lied to me about this.

Gave me a heart-attack. But not as much when I saw my brother's grade.

"Hey, you did it." Giving a smart-ass grin, knowing I should have done it in the first place.

"Yeah, thanks to you." And we started to leave the school and headed for the limo waiting for us to take us to my place.

"No, Kaoru, it was all you." He said, gazing out the window. "What did your brother get?"

"Sixty-three."

"I don't pity him."

"But I pity Haruhi." Laughing out, we both do at the fact. Out of all people to pity, it was Haruhi. She was the one who tutoring Hikaru.