A/N Thanks for all the reviews, please R/R
Haruka got up the next day and took a shower. Then she decided to call up Janie-chan but realized she didn't know her phone number. She looked out the window. It was early. She always had been an early person. She liked to run in the morning when the sun was rising. It was never too cold or too hot. Just right. She couldn't see the sun rise from her window. It faced west. She knew the east must be reddish orange. But the west was dark, almost black. No, it was somewhere between black and purple. She stood there looking into the oblivion for a long time. So long that when she snapped out of it, the horizon in front of her was light blue. She then decided to go see Valy. Back in the old days Valy always got up early to run with Haruka, but now she probably didn't run anymore.
Haruka left her apartment and walked down the hall to Valy's. She wanted to knock, but twisted the doorknob instead, just to see if it was open. It wasn't close, that's for sure. She walked in. Sunlight was streaming in the living room. The room was very warm. There was clatter in the kitchen. Haruka could hear the water running. She could here someone moving about. She walked in. Valy was washing dishes and gasped when she saw Haruka.
"Sorry," Haruka said, not looking so sorry at all. She looked at Valy. Her hair was in braids, but she wore a headband to keep her bangs out of her eyes. She was wearing a sweatshirt and running shorts.
"You still run." It was a statement more than a question.
"Why wouldn't I?" Valy asked.
"No reason." Haruka replied.
"You have any thing planned for today?" Valy asked.
"No," Haruka replied, "Maybe I'll go see Janie-chan in the afternoon."
"It's going to rain in the afternoon." Valy said, very matter of fact-ly.
"Oh," Haruka said, "I found Suras-chan's letter."
"That's good." Valy said, "He left a year after you. Packed up everything and told us that he'd never come back."
"I said that too," Haruka said.
"He didn't come back," Valy replied, "But you did."
"So did you."
"This is not my first time back," Valy replied, "I come here almost every summer."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Sometimes you just can't let go." Valy said.
"You know how sick I am of that sentence?" Haruka asked.
"It's the truth." Valy replied, "And truth, Tenou Haruka, is bitter."
"You've gotten too wise for my taste," Haruka said and went exploring. She went to Valy's bedroom. There was a laptop on a desk. Her bed was neatly made. A picture of Tina was on the bedside table along with an empty glass of water. There was a dress sitting neatly on the bed and a sleeping gown on the chair by the desk. Haruka went back to the kitchen because she suddenly felt like she was invading Valy's privacy.
"Did you have breakfast yet?" Valy asked and Haruka shook her head.
"Want scrambled eggs with…uh…" Valy looked into the fridge, "Orange juice or apple juice or milk…or maybe coffee…and bread or bagel?"
"Coffee and bagel with scrambled eggs," Haruka said seating herself on the dining table. Valy suddenly started moving along faster in the kitchen. Gathering things here and there. She took out two bagels.
"Toasted?" to which Haruka nodded. She threw the bagels into the toaster and took out some coffee. Then she poured the eggs into the frying pan and ran to the fridge to take out the orange juice. Then she ran back to the frying pan and moved the eggs around then came back to take out the juice. Sticking the juice back into the fridge she went and moved the eggs around again. Then she took two plates out and put the toasted bagels in them. Ran to the coffee and checked on it. Took the milk out and took the eggs out of the frying pan and into the plates. Took sugar and milk and put them on the table and went back to take the coffee out in a cup. Putting the coffee on the table she went back to get the plates.
Haruka watched all this with bewilderment. She stared at Valy when she sat down across from her. Valy laughed.
"Don't want to be late for work," she answered the unasked question, "I work at the bakery whenever I am here. Nothing much to do around here, you know."
"I suppose I could work somewhere too." Haruka said more to herself.
"You could help out the coach with the track team," Valy suggested, "That is until school finishes. Which is what, a couple of weeks? But there is a big meet coming up in two weeks."
"I guess so," Haruka said, "So what do you do around here for fun?"
"Janie-chan has tennis practice and work in the afternoon. And now I am working too." Valy replied, "At night we usually hit the bar. But if we are not in the mood we go to the creek and spend time talking."
"Talking?" Haruka asked ludicrously.
"Yes," Valy replied, "There is always plenty to talk about, plenty to learn about each other."
"I see," Haruka replied.
"So what are you going to do?" Valy asked.
"I am probably gonna go to the school, see Janie-chan, see the track thing," Haruka replied nonchalantly, easing back into her chair as she moved her egg around, "Then will probably 'hit the bar.'"
"Okay," Valy finished her juice and took her plate to the sink. She looked at the microwave clock. It was 9:30. "I gotta get ready. I have to be there at 10."
"It's only 9:30!" Haruka said, astonished.
"Don't look so surprised," Valy said, "I am sweaty and need a shower. When you are done eating you can leave or stay. Whichever. I don't care but if you leave lock the door." Valy said despite the fact that knew Haruka wouldn't lock the door. She went to her bedroom. Haruka heard the bathroom door being closed and then the faint sound of the shower. She finished her breakfast and left, forgetting to lock the door behind her.
Haruka was dancing and Valy was watching form a far away table. Janie slid into the chair across from Valy.
"She dances good," Janie commented, looking at Haruka, "I thought she isn't the type who would dance."
"She's drunk." Valy said matter of fact-ly.
"Oh," Janie replied, "I didn't think she would be the type who would drink either." Valy laughed.
"You're probably right," she said, "But she's stressed. She wouldn't even talk about it. I don't want to press but I am worried…" they heard a crash and looked for the source of the noise. Valy and Janie both stood up as soon as they saw that Haruka was the cause. She was swinging her fist at someone.