Never Been More Lonely – Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Kyoko.

Fifteen-year-old Kyoko opened her brown eyes and stared at the low ceiling at the top of her room. That dream again. She sighed and shook her head, wiping her eyes with the tears that threatened to cloud her vision. She sat up, her blonde head barely brushing the ceiling. It was low, but she had never had any problems with that. Being short wasn't usually an advantage, but she used it to the best of her ability.

Kyoko wandered over to her old dresser, wiping her finger over the old wood. She frowned disapprovingly as her finger came back with a clump of dirt on it. She gave a small 'tsk' and pulled out her usual clothes, a pair of jeans and a long dark red baggy t-shirt that hung almost to her knees. 'I'll have to clean that later...'

Then she set to the near impossible sign of brushing her hair. It was long, brushing the top of her ankle, and blonde, which she hated, because everyone associated her with being a dumb blonde. She actually wasn't. Kyoko was incredibly intelligent, just she never bothered to show it, because she didn't feel she needed to prove anything to anyone.

Ever since her parents died she had been like that. But, she also learned something out of that. Kyoko learned that you couldn't take things for granted. Not when they were as precious as loved ones. She had been a spoiled child, actually, bitter, cruel, and demanding of her rich parents.

Of course, she still wasn't old enough to claim the money. She wouldn't be for another three years. She had learned that the hard way. At age ten, she was thrown out of her uncle and aunts house after she became too demanding, they said. Then she realized that she needed to quit acting like a spoiled bitch and start fending for herself. Kyoko had moved back into her old home, and after ten years or so, it had become quite dusty.

Kyoko grabbed two elastics off her dresser, as she finished brushing her annoying hair, and pulled two chunks of hair in front and secured them each with an elastic. Her hair had always been that long, and every time she had cut it, it had grown back longer than ever. So she just left it and that was that.

Kyoko's lazy gaze slid from the mirror on top of her dresser to the small alarm clock next to her bed. 'Only 7:00, I still – ' She gasped. '7:00?!' Kyoko grabbed her small purse and keys and dashed out the door, late for her job.

"Where were you?" Kyoko's friend, Rei hissed. "I had to do your work for the past half-hour because you weren't here!"

The two were at the local coffee shop, Kyoko had taken up a job serving coffee and hence, met Rei there, as well. The two had become best friends, and despite Kyoko's annoying habits of waking up late – well, late considering her job started at 6:30 – they were still best friends.

A month ago, Kyoko had got the job at the coffee shop, and she had been working there ever since. She needed the money to take care of herself, another thing she had learned to do from her parent's death. She had been grateful that she got the job, and met Rei, as Rei covered for her more than enough times when she was out sick, or up late.

"In three hours it's break. Think you can work until then?" Rei asked Kyoko.

"Yeah.." Kyoko said, still half asleep.

"Okay."

It seemed that break would never come, as Kyoko stood at the cash register, waiting for customers. It had begun to rain, matching her tired and dreary mood. Rei came over to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Break time!"

"Ah.. Finally."

Kyoko made herself a coffee, and sat down at one of the empty tables, Rei following behind her. They sat in silence, as they usually did, and enjoyed the coffee. Soon Rei's shift was over, and it was just Kyoko. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kyoko." Rei said, waving.

"Right, see you." Kyoko replied.

She finished her coffee and walked over to the sink. 'I need another coffee..' She went to rinse out her cup when she noticed a thin screen of green powder around the bottom. She frowned. 'What-What's that..?' Kyoko stood staring at the cup, and Rei's replacement came over.

"Are you the person I'm working with?" she asked. When Kyoko didn't answer, she turned to the cup. "What's that?"

"I-I don't know.."

The girl took the cup from Kyoko's hands and looked into it. She sniffed it, and pulled her head back. "Did you drink this?"

"Why?"

"That's poison." the girl said. "You didn't drink it, did you?"

Kyoko could feel the blood drain from her face, and she looked at the girl. Her words echoed in her head. 'That's poison...' Kyoko stood there. 'I'm going to die?' The girl frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm-fine.." Kyoko replied. 'I think..'

"Did you drink it?" she repeated slowly, as if Kyoko was a three-year old child.

Kyoko's hands shook at her side. "N-No.. I found it on the counter.."

"Oh. That's good then." the girl sighed in relief. "There was enough poison in there to kill an elephant ten times over." she frowned. "I'll go inform the manager."

Kyoko didn't say anything, and when the girl was out of sight, she grabbed her coat and purse, and not even bothering to call a taxi, dashed home. Something was churning inside her, and it wasn't the poison she'd just ingested. 'I'm going to.. die?' Her feet pounded on the sidewalk, and she didn't even know how fast she was running through the empty streets. Everything was a blur.

She finally arrived home, not noticing how it only took five minutes instead of half an hour, and opened the door, her hands shaking. Kyoko dove inside the room, not even bothering to shut the door, and plopped on her bed, her coat long since discarded. She fell backwards, her head narrowly missing the ceiling. Even if she was small, she still came close to hitting it.

'I'm going to... die..'

Kyoko rolled over on her side, staring at the wall, waiting for – well, death. Suddenly it came. A fierce rumble of pain started in her stomach, and then traveled up her chest, into her head, consuming her, dissolving her only rationality. She screamed, in fear of dying, and in extreme pain. Kyoko rolled over, thrashing in her bed, and then fell onto the floor. The sound of her own screaming echoed in her head.

AN: Cliffy! Hehehe.. Nothing to say, but I am starting on the next chapter. Please review!