Hope you enjoy :D Don't hate me for Michi's reaction. I'm sure you'll understand it.

You Know Nothing

Chapter 14

"Until you became a coward and left in the middle of a cold winter's night with a new born baby." Michiru lifted her right hand and slapped her once dear friend with such force that her fingertips felt numb. "You should have stayed in Kurihara." The aqua haired beauty hurried from the room before Haruka could see the pained tears in her eyes.

Kaida blinked with shock as her mother gripped her cheek. "What the hell was that about?" She moved to her mother's side to examine the large red mark on her cheek.

"She was the one that I loved." Haruka walked slowly out of the room.

"Michiru...Hey what's wrong?"

"Makoto, I slapped her." She pushed out between sobs.

"Slapped who? What happened?" Makoto stepped aside to let her best friend into her apartment. "Do you want a cup of tea?" The artist nodded before sitting on the sofa.

"It was Haruka. I slapped her." She looked down at her hand which still tingled slightly.

Makoto only sighed. "I thought we talked about this. Haruka's gone. She's not coming back Michi." The brunette handed her a small cup of tea.

"No. Kaida's in my art class. They just moved here from Kurihara a week ago."

"Michiru you just had a Haruka spotting three weeks ago. Don't you think it's time to move on. It's been 15 years."

"Are you over Ami?" Michiru quickly covered her mouth, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

"It's only been two and a half years." Makoto quickly changed the subject. "How can you be sure it was them?"

"She froze when she saw me. She remembers me. It started when I saw Kaida. Those eyes. I never forgot them."

Makoto sighed again. "I don't know if I can believe you. You've been seeing Haruka at least twice a month since she left."

"Come with me to my next class then. You'll see Kaida. The girl was thrilled to be in an art class. She'll find some way to get there even if her mother refuses to bring her."

"Fine, I'll come. But I'm sure you're just seeing things agian."

"How am I suppose to get to my class when you won't take me?" Kaida practically yelled at her mother.

"I got you a bus schedule. Use your pass to get over there."

Kaida cursed under her breath as she took the paper from her mother. "Michiru was right, you are a coward." She grabbed her bag and left the house, slamming the door behind her before Haruka could say anything.

Nearly an hour later Kaida hopped off the bus and ran inside the building. She was twenty minutes late for her class.

"I knew you were just seeing things Michiru." Makoto looked over the top of her book at her friend.

"I thought she'd be here." She whispered her response.

"I'm so sorry I'm late Michiru!" The whole class turned to look at the girl who barged into the room. Makoto joined their glance. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she realized that her friend wasn't just seeing things. It was really Kaida.

"It's quite alright Kaida. Please take your seat. Today's a free day to paint or draw whatever you please." The teacher smiled as the teen took a seat beside Ryuu. She turned her head to Makoto and almost laughed at her expression. She stood up and moved closer to Makoto. "Believe me now?"

"Yea. I'll be right back...I..." She stood up, the color having already fallen from her face. "I need some fresh air."

Kaida watched the tall brunette walk out of the room. She was approximately the same height as her mother. Her long brown hair was pulled into a plain ponytail. She tilted her head as she watched, she looked familiar. "Michiru, can I ask you a question?"

The aqua haired artist walked over to the teen. "Sure, go ahead."

"Was that Makoto?" She looked up.

"Yes...it was. How do you know her name?" Michiru knelt down beside the girl to talk quietly.

"Mom was digging through an old box of pictures before we moved. One of them was of her and that woman."

Michiru frowned, she felt hurt that Haruka had never shared anything with Kaida about her. She stood and walked up to the front of the class. She barely spoke another word during the duration of the class. Not even when Makoto re-entered the room after being gone for nearly an hour. "Alright class, it's that time again, I'll see you all next week. Watercolors starting next week." She smiled when a few cheers rose from the group.

Kaida took her time in packing everything up to make sure she was the last one in the room. She closed her sketch pad and tucked it under her arm as she approached the two older woman at the front of the room. "It's nice to meet you Makoto."

Makoto smiled down at the teen. "It's been quite a while kiddo."

"I saw you in pictures my mom had. She said you were her best friend growing up."

"Yea, her and I were close. She told me almost anything. Then when she met Michiru." Makoto smirked slightly. "She sort of broke down."

"Why did she leave?"

"We never did find out why..." Michiru jumped in. "She left a letter, but that was it."

"It said how things were getting too complicated for her." Makoto finished.

Kaida pulled the bus schedule out of her pocket before looking up at the wall clock. "Shoot! I have to go." She ran from the room to try to catch the bus. She frowned once she reached the bottom of the steps just as the bus was pulling away from the curb. "Damn it!" She cursed aloud before sitting on the bottom step. That was the last bus to stop at the center for the next 3 hours.

"You ok kiddo?"

Kaida turned to look up at Makoto. "I missed the bus." She looked back down at the concrete to fight tears. "Now I have to sit here until the next one comes through."

"I could take you home if you'd like."

"I don't want to be a burden on you."

Makoto cringed. She truly was her mother's daughter. "No, it's no burden. Come on Kaida."