Chapter 3:
4/13-Ann awoke that morning in a slight daze. She hadn't slept well the night before. She kept trying to text Shiho and ask her how her meeting with Kamoshida had gone but received no answer. Ann told herself not to worry and that it was probably just the case of a dead phone battery. If only telling herself that had eased her into a good night's rest.
Ann got out of bed and began brushing her hair and she walked out of her room and into the apartment kitchen to set some toaster pastries down for breakfast. Ann's parents had left Japan a couple of months back for a tour of fashion shows and left Ann alone in the apartment. It wasn't that bad really, she was hardly ever there, always spending time with Shiho or doing her many modeling gigs across Tokyo.
But none of that was happening today. She'd missed an appointment she had yesterday by showing up to the wrong location and had to apologize profusely to get it rescheduled to next week. But today was the volleyball rally at Shujin. Ann didn't want to go, she knew she'd have to see Kamoshida there. Ann knew that Shiho was a good volleyball player but Kamoshida was keeping her off the starting team as a way to leverage Ann to sleep with him.
"I swear to God," she mutters to herself, "if he makes one more comment about my ass or hinting at me to go to his place with him again, I may just punch him like that Sakamoto-kun did."
Ann munched on her pastries as she got dressed and headed out the door, not ready for the day, but knowing that there was nothing she could do to avoid it. On the bright side, she would probably see Shiho today and would be able to talk to her about her meeting yesterday.
XXXX
Ann sat in class and lazily glared out the window as Kawakami-sensei droned on about he stupid volleyball rally. Not like she cared. Ann was more concerned with the transfer student who sat behind her. She had seen him on his first day before school and smiled at him. He was cute, she had to admit, but that was before she knew who he was. A dangerous criminal who nearly killed a guy for looking at him wrong. Beat the man half to death and he was still in a coma, she had overheard in the locker room a few days prior to his arrival.
She wanted to believe it wasn't true, but the first day he showed up late to school with Sakamoto-kun. Birds of a feather or something like that. The bell rings and she grabs her things, careful not to look back at him as she makes her way out the door and down to the locker rooms to change for the rally.
XXXX
Ann sits in her chair, wondering where Shiho was. She hadn't seen or heard from her all day, but one girl had said she had seen her in class this morning. Ann wondered where she was at. The match continued nearby, with Kamoshida being set up for all the great shots and scores. Ann couldn't eve stand to look at him anymore. How could people be so blind as to what he was doing? Kamoshida wasn't very good about hiding his intentions when in the halls or anything so how can he be so popular?
Ann realizes she's been staring at Sakamoto-kun and the transfer students sitting together on the sidelines. It looks like the new kid has been staring at her, but was he? Had she upset him and made herself the next target?
Ann is pulled form her thoughts to the shocked gasps and screams nearby. Looks like Kamoshida had hit Mishima-kun in the face with the ball during his spike. Poor kid, she thought. His nose was bleeding by the time Kamoshida had gotten to him and shouted for someone to take him to the nurse. And as soon as he was off the court, Kamoshida called the game to continue. Asshole.
XXXX
Ann spends her time after the rally asking people if anyone has seen Shiho anywhere. No matter who she asks, she can't find a single person who knows where she is although apparently many people have seen her.
"You too Takamaki-chan?" Ann hears behind her.
"Sorry?"
"You're going around asking questions too, huh?" a third-year girl asks.
"I don't know what you mean," Ann replies.
"Sakamoto-kun and that transfer student, Akira Kurusu, are going around asking people weird questions about the volleyball players and Kamoshida-sensei. Didn't think you'd hang around with that kind of crowd," the girl says as she walks away.
Hmm, if Sakamoto is going to use the new transfer student to get back at Mr. Kamoshida, I need see what it is they're up to. If I know Sakamoto as well as I think I do, he's probably hanging around in the courtyard near the vending machines.
Ann begins making her way down to the courtyard, wondering to herself. What could they be planning? Are they going to do something drastic for Sakamoto to get revenge? Can a transfer student that cute really be that dangerous? Ann shakes her head. Stay focused Ann, don't have time for that now. Besides, if they've been going around asking questions, maybe they know where Shiho went.
Ann arrives in the courtyard and sees Kurusu-kun standing near the vending machines, likely waiting for Sakamoto. Butterflies appear in Ann's stomach, from nervousness to talking to someone so cute or so dangerous or both, she cannot tell. She steels herself and approaches him.
"Can I talk to you for a sec…?" she asks.
"What is it?" Kurusu replies.
Strange, Ann thinks, not the voice I'd picture to belong to a criminal. "It'll be quick," Ann pauses to steady her breathing quickly before continuing. "Anyway, what's with you? Like, how you were late the other day was a lie and all. There's also some weird rumors about you too- "
"What do you want with him?" a voice behind her asks.
Ann turns to see Sakamoto-kun standing behind her, a puzzled and curious look on his face. "Right back at you, you're not even in our class."
"We just… happened to get to know each other," Sakamoto says with a lack of confidence. Ann has known Sakamoto-kun since middle school and isn't afraid to cut through the bullshit with him.
"What're you planning on doing to Mr. Kamoshida?"
"HUH?! Oh, I see. I getcha. You're all buddy-buddy with Kamoshida after all," Sakamoto replies.
Ann feels a slight tightness in her chest at having those rumors thrown so blatantly in her face. "Th-this has nothing to do with you, Sakamoto!"
"If you found out what he's been doing behind your back, you'd dump him right away."
"Dump him? Behind my back…? What exactly is that supposed to mean?" she asks, placing a hand on her hip. How dare Sakamoto speak so casually as if those nasty rumors were actually true.
"You wouldn't get it…" Sakamoto replies.
Ann glares at him for another second before turning back to Kurusu-kun, "Anyway people are already talking about you two. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but no one's gonna help you," she says. Ann leaves off the, 'because they know better about what would happen if they tried' part. "I'm warning you, just in case. That's all."
With that Ann begins walking away. That hadn't gone exactly as she'd planned. She'd wanted to get more information out of one of them. But if they're both together that would be a lot harder to do. Ann can't help but think back to her mother's words, "You're a beautiful young woman Ann. Use what you've got if you need to, to get what you want or need." Ann knew her mother's heart was in the right place, but she'd been objectified long enough since she had hit puberty, she didn't need to start flaunting around like some people expected someone with her look to do. She'd get what she needed without resorting to physical temptation. Then why am I doing it to Kamoshida? She asks herself. Does Shiho justify the ends?
XXXX
Ann sits on the train surrounded by people, but still feeling alone. She still hadn't heard at all from Shiho today, nor had she seen her herself. Ann keeps replaying the conversation she'd had today with Kurusu-kun and Sakamoto-kun. Were the rumors really that wide spread and believed that an idiot like Sakamoto would have heard about them? The thoughts occupy her time the whole ride and walk home.
"What're you two planning?" Ann mutters to herself as she unlocks her apartment door. She's greeted to a dark and desolate apartment. Dishes in the sink from days ago continue to sit there and the quietness of the apartment rings in Ann's ears as she stands there. Sometimes she likes living alone. Every once in a while, a wave of loneliness hits her like this and brings her mood way down. That's it! I'm finding Shiho tomorrow and we're going out somewhere to do something together! Ann smiles at the resolution she's made to herself and begins to make herself a bowl of cereal for dinner. The one nice thing about living alone? Sugary dinners.