Overcoming the Past: Chapter 2
Charlyne
charlyne_o@hotmail.com
06/16/03
"So, is it true? Not that I believe Beryl, but..."
Usagi looked over at Minako, a small frown on her face. "Is what true?"
"The rumors," Minako replied.
Usagi glanced around the classroom and noticed that when she met someone's eyes they looked away. It'd been happening all day. She'd assumed that it had something to do with her confrontation with Beryl the day before. Apparently, the other girl had begun spreading rumors. No wonder the other students had been whispering and pointing at her. She'd thought it strange since she hadn't caused nearly that much of stir on her first day. What was going on here? What could Beryl have possibly said to cause such a reaction?
What if she knows? a voice whispered from the back of her mind.
Impossible, Usagi responded.
It's not impossible, the little voice contradicted.
"Well?" Minako questioned.
Usagi shook herself from her mental argument. The look on Minako's face was of avid curiosity, Usagi could find no hint condemnation or disgust in the other girl's expression. Maybe the rumors weren't what she thought they were. Perhaps she was just being overly paranoid.
Rumors are so childish, Usagi thought. Although what else was she supposed to expect? In her experience, most kids in high school acted as if they were just out of diapers.
"Tell me what she's saying and I'll tell you if it's true," Usagi said.
Minako leaned closer and whispered, "She says you have a kid."
Usagi felt like she'd gotten punched in the stomach. Good lord, how had Beryl found out about Nariko? Or was it just a coincidence that what Beryl thought was a lie was actually true?
I told you it wasn't impossible. The voice sounded smug.
Shut up, Usagi growled. Damn it, if I have to move again I'm going to be really angry.
There was no use denying it. Minako was already showing, after one day, that she was more of a friend than girls Usagi had known for three years. Instead of ignoring her or outright shunning her, Minako was still talking to her. Although Usagi wasn't sure if Minako's reaction would change when she found out that the rumor was true.
Steeling herself to accept rejection without showing how hurt she was, Usagi replied, "Yes, it's true. She's mine."
Minako's eyes widened, disbelief etched over her face. She couldn't believe it. Usagi had seemed much too intelligent to get pregnant young. Minako had to give her credit for continuing school when most girls would have dropped out. Was the baby's father still around? God, what if Usagi hadn't gotten pregnant voluntarily? Minako held back a shudder and blocked out that possibility. Questions were flying around in her head but she didn't know Usagi well enough to ask them. Instead she inquired, "How did Beryl find out?"
Usagi blinked. Minako hadn't turned away from her, looked at her with contempt, or even begun lecturing her. Trying to hide her confusion, Usagi answered, "I'm not sure. Maybe she saw me picking Nariko up from daycare."
"Is that why you couldn't go to the arcade with Mako-chan and I?"
Usagi smiled slightly. "Yeah."
Haruna-sensei entered the room and stood in front of her class, her foot tapping out an impatient
rhythm on the linoleum floor. She knew what was being talked about, she'd heard
the rumors. She also knew the truth. The full truth, not just the
abbreviated version that was flying around the school at light speed. Looking
over at the new student, Haruna shook her head sadly. That poor girl had been
run through the mill and it seemed like there was no relief in sight. Clearing
her throat, Haruna waited until she had the attention of the entire class before
beginning the day's lessons.
"Hey, watch out for your boyfriend, the new girl might take him from you." Snickers followed that comment and Usagi forced herself to keep her face expressionless. She couldn't let them see how much those comments hurt her.
Usagi was always surprised at the shaft of pain, which felt like a dagger in her heart, that accompanied the thoughtless words. She would have thought that by now she'd be used to it. She'd heard the same taunts from kids in three different schools. After leaving her private school because they didn't allow their students to have children, no matter the circumstances, she'd applied to the local public school near her sister's home. She'd talked openly about Nariko but soon found out that no one wanted to be friends with her because she had a child.
"You've given yourself a bad reputation," she could remember one of her old friends saying. "Why don't you give the little girl up for adoption?"
"But she's my responsibility," she'd replied.
"So? No one wants to be friends with someone with a kid. What will other people think? It doesn't matter how the kid came to be, just that it's yours." Usagi had soon learned that her 'friend' had included herself in the group that didn't want to be friends with someone who had a child.
"Ignore them, Usagi," Minako said. The sound of the other girl's voice brought Usagi out of her memories.
"Yeah, they don't know you," Makoto added.
A wry grin twisted Usagi's lips. The irony of Makoto's words didn't escape her. Neither of these girls knew her very well either. The only difference between them and the other students was that they wanted to get to know her. They were willing to take a chance in staining their reputations by being associated with her. Reputations that had been far too precious to those she'd left behind, back in another life.
"So, can you come to the arcade with us tonight? Nariko can come with you, of course," Minako told her, smiling.
"Well, okay, I guess..." Usagi responded hesitantly.
"Great, we'll meet you in front of the school after dismissal," Makoto replied.
Usagi hoped she was doing the right thing. She didn't want Nariko to get attached to anyone, only to have them taken away when they changed their minds about being friends with Usagi.
Don't try to fool yourself. You're not worried about that little girl, you're worried about your own feelings. You're worried that you can't handle another rejection after feeling like you finally have friends again.
Usagi refused to listen to the voice.
Entering the Crown Game Center, Usagi felt a great deal of trepidation. Nariko clung to her hand, looking around with wide blue eyes. To the left of the door booths lined the outer walls, pressed up against large windows that looked out onto the street, and a counter with a cash register sat across from them. A sign behind the counter detailed the snacks and drinks that could be purchased there. On the right was a maze of arcade games. Directly in front of her were some stairs with a banner nearby stating 'Diner' with an arrow pointing up.
Kids and young adults sat eating at the booths and some teenage boys were crowded around a game. It was noisy and busy and Usagi loved it. She had missed going out with friends and having fun. After her 'friends' had abandoned her she'd tried going out with Nariko but the looks she received from other people soon had her scurrying back to her sanctuary where she had only herself and Nariko, who then had been one, for company.
"Let's find a booth and sit down," Minako said, raising her voice so that she could be heard over the din. Usagi followed behind as Minako and Makoto wound their way through the crowd. Usagi saw two girls in the corner waving at them and barely restrained the urge to cringe when Minako headed that way.
"Ami-chan! Rei-chan!" Minako squealed, hurrying over to two girls. "We brought that new girl from our school we told you about yesterday. Her name's Usagi and the little girl with her is Nariko."
Usagi smiled warily. The black-haired girl looked back and forth between Usagi and Nariko a few times, no doubt seeing the resemblance between them. She raised one eyebrow but said nothing. The blue-haired girl had a thick book and papers filled with copious notes spread out in front of her. Glasses were perched on the end of her nose. She gave Usagi a distracted smile before returning to her studies.
Usagi knew what they were seeing. Both she and Nariko had blue eyes and blond hair, though Usagi's hair was a lighter shade than Nariko's, and both wore their hair in the same style. That morning Nariko had begged Usagi to style her short blond curls into the "odango" style that Usagi wore. A style that had garnered only a little less teasing than she got now. However, back then the teasing had been light-hearted instead of malicious.
"Ami always has her nose in a book. She goes to a high school for geniuses now, but we went to Juuban Junior High together. She's never happy unless she's at least five chapters ahead," Minako commented.
They all took a seat around the booth; Nariko sat on the end, craning her neck around in order to see every little thing. The little girl looked with longing at the video games but she was too young yet to play them. Usagi could tell that Nariko wanted to get up and explore but she didn't want to let the curious two-year-old out of her sight. Who knew what kind of trouble she could get into?
"Is it okay if I take Nariko over there to play a game?" Minako asked, pointing to a nearby console. "It's my favorite, Sailor V."
"P'ease?" Nariko looked up at Usagi with eyes full of hope.
Usagi smiled softly. "Sure." She watched as Minako guided Nariko over to the game and held her up as the game started. They played for about five minutes before Nariko was squirming to get down. After that, Usagi was too busy chasing the little girl around the arcade to talk with her new friends.
"Nari-chan, come back here," Usagi called.
"No!"
"Please come here."
"No!"
Grr, Usagi grumbled silently. She gave her friends an apologetic look. "I'm going to have to take Nariko home now, I can tell she's getting tired. Maybe tomorrow you can come over to my place?"
The four girls all agreed that they would meet at the arcade, then walk to Usagi's apartment. With a wave good-bye, Usagi took Nariko's hand and pulled her from the building. The little girl was getting irritable. Looking down at Nariko, and not paying attention to where she was going, Usagi felt herself collide with large body. Stumbling back, her cheeks on fire, Usagi muttered a quick apology. The man she'd bumped into looked slightly amused.
I had to have picked the cutest guy in the city to trip over. Usagi sighed as she watched the black-haired man enter the Crown arcade. As if he would ever look twice at me anyway. Get your head out of the clouds, Usagi. Shaking her head to clear it of her thoughts, she led Nariko off toward their apartment.
Author's Note:
I hope everyone caught the fact that Usagi having a child isn't the full truth
of the matter. If you didn't, go back to where Haruna-sensei is tapping her
foot. So, now you know that Nariko is Usagi's, but what am I not telling you?
What about that fact isn't the full truth? I guess you'll just have to wait
until I decide to reveal that little gem of knowledge. ;-) By the way, I know I
described the Crown Game Center wrong. I don't know what it looks like other
than there are arcade games and there's a diner on the upper floor. If anyone
has a correct description, that would be great.
Chapter 3: Meet Mamoru, the boy next door. (Or, rather, the really hot guy across the hall...)
Please review my story! I'm not above begging...
Sailor Moon is copyright © 1992 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation. English Language Adaptation copyright © 1995 DiC Entertainment.
