Chapter 8: Helping Friends
Haruka and Michiru were going through some of Harukas books when the doorbell rang. The blonde checked her watch and flashed a grin at Michiru. "That has to be Joe." She then informed her. Michiru smiled back while Haruka walked to the door and opened. "Hi American." She greeted. "Hi Japanese." Joe replied while she walked in. Michiru came walking out of the living room. "Hi Joe!" she called out, and Joes eyes doubled in size. "Michiru! I didn't know that you are here. Hey, in case I'm coming at a bad time, I'll leave again." Joe already started to back out, but Haruka grabbed her collar and pulled her back into the apartment. "No, no, Joe, you stay." She commanded. Joe grinned and shrugged. "I guess I have no choice." She held up a black box made of wood and asked: "Cigar, anyone?"
Haruka blew a cloud of blue smoke at the ceiling while Joe enjoyed Michiru and herself by producing perfect shaped rings of the smoke she took into her mouth. Michiru giggled when Joe blew out a big ring of smoke, followed by a smaller one which went through the big. The American grinned at her aqua haired friend. "You're easy to entertain, Michiru." Michiru nodded and giggled again when Joe repeated her little trick. "Hey Joe, stop flirting." Haruka advised her friend, chuckling. Michiru blushed and looked on her feet while Joe found something very interesting on the ceiling. "I'm not flirting." The American finally said. "Yeah right." Haruka replied and stood up to get a new bottle of soda. Michiru looked at her watch and gasped. "Oh my, look at the time! I have to get home now, or I'll be way too tired tomorrow." Haruka stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at Michiru. "I can drive you home, if you want." Michiru smiled. "That would be too kind of you, Haruka." "I'll come with you!" Joe cried out while she jumped up, earning odd looks from Michiru and Haruka. "Joe, you should stop visiting those drama classes. You act weird." Haruka then grinned before she dug her car key out and left the apartment with her two friends.
On their way to Michirus home, Joe was driving Haruka and Michiru bonkers with her constant singing along to the radio. Haruka was more than happy when she finally arrived at Michirus house and turned the radio off. "Hey!" Joe protested, only to be ignored by both Haruka and Michiru. The American pouted while Michiru opened the door of the car. "Thanks for driving me home, Haruka." Haruka smiled at her. "Anytime, Michiru. See you tomorrow in school." Michiru nodded and climbed out of the car, waving goodbye to the still pouting Joe. Haruka started to turn her car when Joes hand suddenly shot forward from the backseat and grabbed Harukas shoulder. "Stop!" the American hissed. Haruka frowned at her and asked: "What?" Joe pointed over to the house Michiru lived in, and the blonde looked just in time to see a tall man vanish inside. "That's the guy who asked for Michiru!" Joe informed her friend. Harukas eyes went wide. "Her stepfather?! Dear God!" She pushed the gas pedal so hard that Joe fell back into the backseat. "Hey!" the American yelped. Haruka parked the car without bothering to apologize to Joe and jumped out. The American groaned and climbed out of the car herself, following her blonde friend who now ran over to the house.
Michiru searched through her rucksack until she found the key to her apartment; she unlocked the door and opened it. Suddenly, a strong arm encircled her from behind, pressing her arms firmly to her side, and a huge hand covered her mouth. Before Michiru could scream, the attacker had pushed her into the apartment and kicked the door close with his heel. "You thought that you could hide away from me forever?" Michiru stiffened when the all to familiar voice whispered into her ear. "He found me! He found me!" her mind raved while tears sprang to her eyes. Her stepfather pushed her over to her bedroom, threw her on the bed and locked the door behind him. He turned around and grinned before he opened his belt.
Haruka and Joe were running up the stairs that led to Michirus apartment, Joe panting heavily. "You should quit smoking." Haruka advised her friend. Joe just panted on, and when the two of them finally reached Michirus apartment, she had to stand still for a few moments to regain her breath. Haruka pushed the door open, careful to avoid any sound, and poked her head in. She just opened her mouth to call out "Michiru?" but Joe quickly poked her side. "Shht! We don't want him to know that we are here!" the American hissed, and Haruka nodded. The two girls stood still for a moment, when suddenly a muffled scream came from the bedroom. "In there!" Joe whispered, and the two sneaked over to the closed door. Very, very gently Haruka pushed the door handle down – only to find out that the door was locked. "Crap!" the blonde hissed. Joe shoved her rudely aside, took as much start-up as she could and ran towards the door. Her shoulder connected with the wood, and since the apartment was rather old and cheap, the door flew open immediately, while Joe landed on the bedroom floor, yelping in pain when she hit her already hurting shoulder on the carpet. Haruka stormed into the room, only to find Michiru lying on the bed, her stepfather on top of her. He had her arms in a firm grip with one hand, the other one under her shirt. "Get off her, you asshole!" Haruka screamed, fire in her eyes. Joe came to her feet, rubbing her throbbing shoulder, and glared at Michirus evil stepfather. Haruka rushed over to the bed, grabbed the collar of Michirus stepfather and pulled him from the bed. She landed a hard jab in his stomach, and the evil man fell to his knees, panting. "Hey, leave something for me!" Joe demanded. Haruka gave her a polite smile, pulled Michirus stepfather to his feet again and allowed Joe to land a hard kick in his private parts. Suddenly, Michiru jumped up from the bed, ran over to Haruka and smacked her stepfather hard across the face. "That's for all the times you beat me!" she yelled at the defenseless man, hitting him again. "I hate you, Satoshi! I hate you!!" She lashed out to hit her already bleeding, halfway unconscious stepfather again when Joe suddenly grabbed her hand. "Michiru, don't." she softly said. "Stop it." Michiru broke down crying while Haruka let go of Satoshi, causing him to fall on the floor in a limp heap. "Joe, call the police." The blonde spoke to her friend. Joe nodded and walked out of the room while Haruka pulled the now heavily crying Michiru into a gentle hug. "Shht. You'll sleep at my place tonight." She whispered into Michirus ear. Michiru nodded, and Haruka gently led her out of the room while Satoshi lost consciousness.