Repairing a Broken Soul

Chapter 14: I never liked liars

"They 'are' your friends right?"

"...Why do you only trust 'me' with your secret?"

My eyes were glued to the screen as I stared at pictures of Soul and his family. I couldn't take them away from him. In every other picture he was giving the camera a large shark toothed grin...and some of them he had his fists balled and on his hips; laughing as if he was Black*Star's brother. There were a lot of pictures of him and Wes: Soul was usually sitting at a piano while Wes had a violin in his hands. I felt my eyes begin to water up finally after another half an hour of picture viewing. I felt as if there was a stranger in my home now...I felt as if I didn't even know Soul anymore.

I stood up, fighting the urge to look up more pictures, and stepped away from my desk after shutting the laptop closed. And, as I fought the tears, I stepped over to my door and, with a shaking hand, I opened it. As soon as I stepped out, my eyes were drawn to opposite side of the apartment where Soul sat in the living room. He was sitting on the couch, with his feet lazily propped up onto the coffee table. I finally understood why his soul was so hurt when that record broke...It was his mother's singing. I broke it...I took her voice away from him...

"Maka?" Soul must have noticed that I was staring at him in the doorway and looked over. He then must have noticed that I was crying because he seemed to jolt to his feet; his face actually full of worry. "Maka? Hey, what's wrong why are you-"

"I'm fine!" I yelped to both of our surprise. "J-Just sit....I-I'm thirsty..." I then muttered before making my way to the kitchen. I knew his eyes never left me as I rummaged through the cabinets in search for a cup. I wasn't really thirsty...I just couldn't look at him any longer. I couldn't believe I actually broke that record. He had it so he could still hear her voice. I know the article said that Soul didn't really like his life with them, but I was sure that he regretted thinking that way after they were gone. And I was sure that the only way to keep him sane was to listen to that record...Damn it! I took it away from him...He couldn't listen to his mother's voice anymore. Soul Evans was a Mama's boy...he was one who was glued to her side in almost every situation...I'd expect him to listen to her after she was gone. If only....If only I could get him a new one like I wanted the other night when I had actually broken it-WAIT!

I set the cup down on the counter and stared at the writing on it. If fate would have it, I grabbed the one that had 'Number one Papa' engraved on it. I had made it for Father's day one year before he and Mom got divorced. 'Papa...he has Evans family records...' I then thought as I stared at it. My Papa had a huge collection of records that he had collected over the years since he was about my age. And I knew he had a whole row full of Evans Family records.

I bit my lip and set the cup back. I had to go get one! Soul may have lied to us all but he was still Soul and I still..."I-I'll be home in a little bit!" I yelled brushing the blush away from my face which was still covered in left over tears. I ran over to the coat rack and took my jacket off of it so I could put it on. After I did so, I looked over my shoulder and saw that Soul was still standing and looking at me with the same concerned look. "What?" I asked as my hand took the door nob. He didn't answer so I let out a sigh and waved over my shoulder as I left him in the apartment. "B-Bye!"

"Papa?" I called as I entered the said Idiot's apartment. He had said that he was going to be home all day after school so checking this place was first on my list. His apartment was almost like mine, but it had a hall and only one room. He liked to keep it darker to save energy by lighting up candles on nearly every square inch of the place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And since it was Friday, the place was lit and I smelt a light aroma of cinnamon and green apple. Weird...he used to always us other ones. Our old home used to always smell like lavender and vanilla...guess he ran out...

"Papa are you here?" I called out again, now walking down the hall. I looked into the first opening to my left and saw a well lit dining room and my Papa concentrating very hard on a pile of paperwork. "Papa, can I ask you a favor?" I then asked. It took him a moment, but he finally looked up at me after checking off the paper in front of him. He then smiled like his usual self; telling me to go and ask away. I don't think he was ever that calm around me in my entire life...I think I like what that paperwork did do him. "Uh...Can I give one of your records to...to Soul?"

"Eater?" Papa asked me; lifting one of his blood red brows at me. For a moment he just sat there and stared at me. So I nodded to him; thinking it was because he was waiting for me to give him a response, and just as I did, he huffed and looked at his paper again. "No way!" He then pouted. "Soul Eater is nothing but trouble-"

"But Papa!" I yelled; making him look up at me again. "He...He's Soul 'Evans'! Not...not Eater." As I saw my Papa's eyes widen in the grimm candle light I began to regret even telling him that. But it was already out...might as well keep going. "Eater was just a fake name...he-" My Papa stood up but kept his hands firmly pressed up against the tabletop; making me stumble back a bit in slight surprise. "Wh-What?"

"Soul Eater Evans."

"Huh?"

My Papa sighed and looked at the table again. "His full name is Soul Eater Evans." He took his hands away from the table and looked up at me. "Maka, do you know why I took the job as secretary?" He then asked me. After a moment I slowly shook my head and he kept his gaze firm on me. "Shinigami-Sama told me that Soul was still alive and was attending Shibusen. He knew that I was friends with Sosano, and he asked me to come work there to keep an eye on the boy. He had been feeling very worried about his safety when telling all the new teachers about Soul-"

"You mean...all the teachers know?"

"That's right," Papa answered. "Shinigami-Sama let all the teachers know on Soul's first day there. And he had been telling any new teachers that came in from then on. Like Mira Nygus, Medusa Gorgon, Marie Mjolnir, Yumi Azusa, and Buttataki Joe. Because of this he began to feel worried for Soul's safety and asked me to come and keep an eye on him. Maka, I may not show it, but I'm kind of glad he lives with you. It would be easier to get to him if anything were to happen."

"But you act as if you hate him."

Papa huffed and set his hands on his hips. "I do!" He then said. "I'll have you know he wont be laying a single finger on my darling Maka!" I sighed. It was wonderful to see him calm and actually cool while it lasted. "Anyway...Maka," My Papa dropped his hand and walked around the table to walk out into the hall. "Roselin and Sosano named him Eater for his middle name." I followed him into a room that resembled a small library or a closet that was fashioned into looking like one at least. "I remember talking to Roselin about it one time during a dinner party. She said that it was mostly a joke since his name was already Soul." He began to search a row for what I assumed was an Evans Family record.

"After his teeth came in, they thought that Soul "Eater" Evans would fit him perfectly," He inwardly chuckled at something he may have remembered. "'Good for eating ones soul!' She joked. Sure it was funny...but it became his name from then on." I couldn't help but giggle along with him when he said what Roselin had told him. But then as my Papa went back to searching through the records calmly I looked at the ground. Why would Soul keep his name a secret? Especially from me?! I mean he was living with me now right? If I were him, I would have at least told 'someone' that I was still alive!

"Here."

I looked up from the ground and saw that my Papa had a record in his hand and was holding it out to me. "This record has Roselin's singing on it." He then told me as I took it from him. I could tell he was upset about giving it to Soul. "It's a rare one...but I thought it'd be a nice thing for you to give him-"

I smiled. "Papa, this is perfect!" I then exclaimed happily. "It's just what I needed!" Then with great hesitation, I gave him a very awkward hug before running out of the closet and out his front door. I think I heard him squeal in pure happiness and joy before exploding...maybe...I was probably hearing things. Oh well...that Idiot.

As soon as I got back to the apartment, I stepped inside as quietly as possible in case he was in another room. But Soul was still on the couch like before; the T.V actually off. He was looking at the test sheet that Marie gave to me so he could have it, and his feet were still up on the table. I swallowed the lump in my throat and spoke. "I-I'm back." That defiantly got his attention. He brought the paper away from his face and looked over. Then after a moment, he raised a brow.

"Uh...what are you..."

This was probably because I was holding the record behind my back in a very obvious way. After a moment, I walked over and stopped near the couch. I felt really nervous...Now that I knew about him, all I could think was that I was standing in front of a presumed to be dead celebrity! 'It's still the same old Soul...' I thought as my eyes nervously darted from side to side. "Uh...here." I finally held out the record to him but never once dared look at his face.

"Did you look up a store that had this when you were in there?"

"No." I finally looked at him as he reached over slowly to take it from my hands. "My Papa had one." I then said as he took the disc out to inspect it's condition. I felt myself blush lightly as he did so. "Y-You see? I told you I'd get you a-another..." Damn it! Now I was stuttering like a nervous school girl trying to ask out the cutest guy in the world! It was just Soul for crying out loud! The same Soul that had been living with me for like three days now!

"Thank you Maka...but..." Soul trailed off as he set the record back in it's sleeve. He then shut his eyes and set it down in his lap; as if thinking about what to say to me next. However, I mentally prepared myself for whatever he had to throw at me. His hands twitched, he lifted them up to throw the ball and I raised my bat. Here it comes... "You didn't have to get me a new one-"

"Nonsense!" I interrupted; throwing my hands on my hips. Slam...home run! "It's partly my fault for breaking the old one, AND-"I held up my right hand with a quick yelp to keep his trap shut. I had a feeling he was going to comment about me blaming myself again. "Soul..." My hand dropped and I tried to give him my best smile while keeping it calm and soft. "I'd want a new copy too if it was 'my' mother."

Soul's eyes widened, but still kept that lazy posture. And just as quickly as they did, he looked away. He didn't seem to speak again after that so I took a seat on the other couch nearby. "Why didn't you tell me you were Soul Evans?" I then asked. I tried not to sound angry with him because in truth, I wasn't mad at all. I understood very well why he wouldn't tell anyone. And I understood why he kept it a secret.

"I didn't want you, or anybody else to pity me." Soul finally said. I blinked, a little surprised. Ok...maybe I didn't understand as much as I thought I did. Soul shut his eyes and stayed still. "Pity is a useless emotion that shouldn't be felt for one another. And feeling pity for me is even more useless." I was about to ask why but he kept speaking as if he knew what I was about to ask. "I was a spoiled brat, and I don't deserve to be "felt bad for". I deserved what I got-"

"Did not."

Soul's eyes shot open and darted over to me as I gave him a cold stare. How could he be saying such things about himself?! It made me want to Maka-Chop him, but I tried to hold myself back from doing so. He opened his mouth to speak but I held up a finger to shush him. "Soul, there's no way in hell that you could ever deserve to lose your family in such a horrible way!" I tried not to yell to loud so I wouldn't sound angry. "No one, not even a 'spoiled brat' deserves it."

"Maka..." Soul's eyes narrowed and he looked at the ground for a moment. "Please understand?" He then muttered; making me relax a little in my seat. "I didn't want anyone to find me especially if I was alone...I changed me middle name into my last because the only people who knew it were my Parents." I sat back and hugged my legs close as he explained. "I changed my clothing into something more like the average teenager would wear. A yellow and black sweatshirt, red pants, and a sweatband...mostly so people wouldn't even think I was a "Highly Sophisticated Evans"...I'm pretty lucky that it was Wes who got all the smarts and wits...or else I wouldn't be able to fit in like a regular kid and I would have been noticed as an Evans pretty quickly..." Soul let out a sigh as I stared on. "Then when Wes disappeared...I changed into what you see now."

"So...that's what you meant when you said you 'used' to rely on Wes..." I mumbled under my breathe as he leaned back with another sigh. I looked down and set my hand on my chin. This explained why his piano playing was so good. And Wes' disappearance must have been the reason Black*Star thought they weren't friends anymore. I looked up to Soul again and sadly narrowed my eyes. If the rumors were true, then he was being targeted...Soul was in danger. A voice deep down inside me told me not to care and just let it happen because of his lies but...I could never do that to him...even if he was the biggest liar in the world.

"You know Soul..." He looked up at me as I got to my feet. I then shut my eyes and tilted my head down. "I never liked liars...but..." I opened my eyes again and looked him in the eye. "You're one that I actually don't mind...and I'll be sure to keep this a secret!" With my best smile, I gave him a thumbs up and turned to go back to my room to work on the report a little more. And as I shut the door, I leaned on it and breathed out an "Idiot..." before letting out a deep sigh. No wonder why I felt so interested in him at first...

You never truly forget someone once you've met them.

DISCLAIMER! Soul Eater does not belong to me...if it did, Soul would have attacked Maka and smothered her in "Cool Guy" love by now