Disclaimer: I do not own digimon.
Girls Part 7
She surprised him right then and there. Out came her story, spilling out of her mouth, and into Takeru's ears leading into his heart. Achika's story would be one he would never forget.
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"Why go into a portal if you don't even know if it's going to lead into Earth?" Takeru asked. "Why take such a great risk?"
Achika sighed. At this point, she was killing herself with the suppression and was dying to tell someone her story; Takeru was the only there who Achika knew would listen, at least that's what intuition told her. "I didn't care whether or not I returned to Earth or not; I didn't care if i ended up in some alternate universe, other than this one of course. I 't take another moment with these prissy, flaunty..."girly-girls," y'know? They sort of piss me off, with their desperation. I mean, come on, I swear, if an ugly-ass guy came through that portal instead of you, they would have been all over him." She shook her head. "Well, I guess before I spill my heart out to you, we should start over as friends, yes?" She smiled, unexpectantly, just like the sudden outburst of what she kept hidden in her mind.
Takeru was, at the moment, speechless, but he nodded. Achika, knowing the reason why Takeru was acting like this, continued her speech anyway.
Still holding up her grin, she began their new introductions. "Hi, I'm Achika Hanabi. I'm a Japanese - Filipina from the lovely city of Manila, Philippines. I'm 12, and turning 13 in October." She stuck out her hand, and for a moment, Takeru saw her as an innocent little girl. This new Achika was definately a stranger to him, but he knew immediately that he liked this outspoken Achika, who spoke her mind for him and him only. He smiled back.
"Hi, Ms. Hanabi. I'm Takeru Takaishi. Resident of Japan. Would you like to tell me more about yourself?" Takeru raised his right hand adding, "I swear that the words I hear from you will never escape my lips for anyone else to hear. I swear." Achika read this fake formality correctly: as an invitation of confidence. Thus, she began her story.
"My dad was addicted to cigarettes. He divorced my mom when I wasn't even 1, I swear that pissed me off. The main reason being he got my mom to elope with him, made her ditch, he was the cause of everything she did bad; he screwed up her life. She got a boyfriend and he turned out GREAT. sarcasm He beat her and everything.... Soon, she just couldn't take it anymore. She told me she would only leave me at home with HIM for only a while, until she came back with the papers and money and we would live by ourselves and be HAPPY." For a moment, it seemed like tears were starting to appear in her eyes, but she turned and wiped her eyes before Takeru could take a good look. She continued.
"I was only 9. So, 3 years stuck with that ass. He was a lush. He would use up all his money on beer, so me, being the "bad one" stole money from him for my food, clothes, everything I needed. For three years, I stole from him, but he was too drunk to notice, fortunately, 'cause it was the only way for me to survive. I was 7 years off the regulated working age, and HE wouldn't sign the papers...sigh. Sure, sometimes I cheated and got really nice shoes, clothes...but still people at school couldn't see me for who I was, but for what I wore. It was their fault I grew to become bitter. I hated everything...and I still pretty much do hate everything." She gasped for breath. It was obvious she has never told anyone about this before. It was obvious she was scared of what Takeru was thinking; scared of everything, rather than hateful towards everything.
"But, all that in the past, it doesn't matter." She choked on an approaching sob while attempting to swallow it. Even though she was opening up like this to Takeru, she still didn't want to show her vulnerability. Her fists tightened. "It wasn't until a couple months ago, I got caught for stealing his money. 'Cause stupid me, I stole right in front of his face when he was sober. Well, how would I know if he was sober when I always expected him to be drunk, I swear. So he grounds me, and I scream at him telling him he had NO RIGHT to ground me, seeing as how he's just my mom's EX-boyfriend. He isn't even a legal guardian. So he hits me, with one of his old beer bottles, right on the back of my head, just above my neck." She lifted up her hair so Takeru could see the bruise, still raw, on the very end of her skull (right side), and literally just above her neck. Takeru flinched to see such beauty destroyed by one with the least right to do so.
"I got knocked out. He ran off to drink. He thought it would be fatal, so he needed an alibi to be out of the house, though he chose quite the unusual one. I came to, packed a few things, and ran off. It was dark, so very dark. I think it was around 8 o' clock...pm. I couldn't..." She paused a while, remembering. "It was...too dark...I 't see...and then..." She made gesture with her hands. "Here I am."
"I see...," was all Takeru could say; Achika's life was sad indeed. "Well," he cleared his throat and continued on. "Well, do we have any idea which cave we're going into?" He tried an enthusiastic smile, and Achika couldn't help but laugh. She caught herself, though.
"I...I think I know which leads back to Earth. I remember seeing 2 other entrances to my...ehh..." She looked at her hands for a second. "Left. Yeah, to my left. 2 portals..." After starting off talking to Takeru, she soon ended up pretty much talking to herself. She subconsciously started moving, and Takeru dumbfoundedly followed.
"So...eh...we're going into the cave? Achika?" Achika remained silent caught up in her thoughts. "Achika..? Achika answer me! Answer me...!!" Takeru ran after the briskly moving Achika, who still didn't answer.
Girls Part 7 End
A/N: A thousand pardons, friends. Please and thank you. Gah. Sorry for the lame-ness of this barely even work of art. It was just a little something I concocted at 11:30 PM 'till 12:05AM on the night before going to China Town at 7:30AM but it was daylight's savings so I had to wake up at what would have been 5 AM. --;; Sorry again for having you all put up with this...
