Author: Phoebe_Otaku
Title: Betrayal, Chapter 3: Crying in the Dark.
Disclaimer: Let's do the disclaimer dance again!!! (It's just a jump to the left....) okay. Really, I don't own the characters... But the plot is mine.
Author's notes: I'm not happy today... Why is everything bad? I mean if somebody knows, please tell me! Because it would just be nice to know... I'm sorry... I getting a healthy dose of Pat Benatar... (Hell is for Children.. In case anyone wanted to know..) and hopefully I will feel better later. ..i'm okay... really...
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The next week back at school was as close to hell as I thought anything could get. The whispers and icy looks from Usagi and the rest of my friends grew worse as the days passed. The long looks and snide comments from others increased as the rumors spread.
For what seemed like the eighth time that day, I ran into the girls bathroom to hide my tears from my classmates. I locked the stall and leaned my head against the wall, the cool linoleum becoming the only thing in the world as the tears slid down my cheeks.
The door opened and let in a stream of teenage girls and I held my breath. I had become an expert at crying silently.
"And then all the guys were looking at her and drooling." One of the girls said continuing a conversation started in the hallway.
"The resident slut?" another of the girls asked sarcastically causing a tremendous amount of giggles. A foreboding feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
"Yeah I know! You know, I wouldn't have suspected her of being like that... But well now I see it. I mean she's _always_ flirting." said the first girl. I recognized her voice, she was in my first period class.
"Yeah" added a third girl. "I always wondered what the guys saw in her. I mean I guess she's pretty...And she has a huge chest she's always flaunting it too But she's way too tall. And that whole fighting thing-I heard she got kicked out of her old school for fighting..."
"Well you know what I heard..." the second girl said lowering her voice and pausing dramatically. "I heard she screwed a guy from the university."
"Woah! No way!" exclaimed the girl from first period
"It's true" she said smugly. "I'm surprised you hadn't heard yet, it's all over school!" the three girls giggled and finished putting on their make up.
"Kino Makoto to the counselor's office.. Kino Makoto to the counselor's office immediately" the P.A. system announced loudly in the bathroom. My heart stopped. All three girls suddenly burst out laughing. That sealed it, they had definitely been talking about me. I had known before but that confirmed it. After a moment the laughter died down and I heard the door. I couldn't waste anymore time, the last thing I needed was to get in trouble for not coming to the office 'immediately'. Thinking they had all left, I stepped out of the bathroom and toward the sink to wipe off my face.
"Mako-chan!!" exclaimed one of the two girls who where still in the bathroom. It was obvious that I had been crying. I cursed myself for being so stupid and pointedly ignored them as I washed my hands and face.
"So is it true?" one of them said slyly as she leaned against the sink I was using "About you and the university guy?" the pain that this remark caused must have been painted plain on my face.
"Wow! It is! Oh my god!" I turned away from them and ran from the bathroom toward the counselors office.
*****
"Now, Kino-chan," the counselor said sweetly as I sat nervously in a chair in her small office. "some of your teachers have been voicing a concern about you." she paused assessing my reaction. "You haven't been socializing at all, you don't talk or volunteer in class, your grades are dropping, and you sit alone at lunch." she read off the list from a notepad she was holding. Then looked at me as if waiting for an explanation. When it became clear that I wasn't going to give one she went on. "Now Kino-chan I have come to believe that this had something to do with the rumors that have been literally 'flying' around the school." she smiled at my surprised reaction. "Yes, teachers do have ears and usually know what's going on." she paused almost dramatically as I looked at the floor "I also believe that there is some truth in these rumors one in particular..." as my head snapped to attention she placed her hand on my shoulder. "This is the most persistent rumor, Mako chan. Is it true that you slept with a young man from the university?" My expression gave away the answer even better than words could have, but she didn't know the half of it. "Well, Mako-chan" she said finally after a long pause "I can honestly say I would have left this one well enough alone but your neighbor called in a concern.." The snitch, I should have know.
"She seemed very concerned with the fact that you live alone, without any supervision. She wanted to get the school involved in finding out what you're up to..." I was so angry and shocked that I began to see red. "Mako-chan, I realize that she just wanted a bit of gossip, but I do want you to answer some questions for me. Truthfully. Everything you say here will be confidential all-right?" I nodded, barely believing any of this.
"Yes..." I said softly.
"Are you taking any drugs?" she asked in a routine way.
"No!" I said , completely shocked.
"Are you engaging in any illegal activities?" she continued.
"No, nothing like that at all..." I said, wondering if she believed me.
"Now, Mako-chan honestly... Do you do this often?" The confusion I felt at this question didn't help.
"Do what?" I returned.
"Well....sleep with..."
"No!" I cut in before she could even finish.
"Mako-chan, you're not asking me to believe that it was your first time?" I didn't need to answer she saw the look on my face and the tears in my eyes and she knew I was telling the truth. "I'm sorry, Mako-chan, I didn't realize..." The counselor actually was at a loss for words. "Did he hurt you?" she said finally.
"No, it wasn't...... He didn't..... I can't explain it." and I honestly couldn't, if only because I couldn't remember. I was sure that Mamoru wouldn't hurt me. It was the only thing I was sure of.
"Have you known him very long?" she asked trying to seek any kind of information about the mysterious young man.
"Yes.." I answered weakly.
"Are you dating?" she asked she seemed confused by my outbursts of emotion.
"No..." I answered "We're friends. Or were. I think we're still friends." I answered sadly, realizing that I wanted to be more than friends. The one thing that I had realized in the past few days was that I loved him. It wasn't just what had happened between us, but everything about him. It made the pain worse because I knew he loved Usagi and I wanted them to be together, but I had ruined that as well.
"Did you use protection?" she asked and I suddenly realized that I hadn't even thought of that. It hadn't crossed my mind in the past weeks at all. I kicked myself for not thinking of it before a school counsellor who hadn't even heard the whole story.
"I don't know..." I said uncertainly and her eyes widened. A simple yes or no would have left her with little to say, but an answer as indecisive as the one I had just given gave her cause for doubt.
"Were you drunk?" she asked
"No, we weren't.." I answered. At least, if we had been drunk, I would have remembered something. "And I meant no we didn't...use protection...I was thinking about something else when you asked me..." She didn't ask what I had been thinking about; I wasn't sure that was a good sign. She shook her head and looked at me
"I would have thought that you were smart enough to at least use protection." she said, still frowning at me in a concerned way.
"Me too." I said under my breath but she heard me.
"Why didn't you?" she said accusingly. She was trying to point blame at Mamoru, the 'older and more experienced one', for all of this.
"It wasn't exactly...planned." was the best answer I could give, she seemed to accept it. She took a deep breath.
"Mako-chan, if you ever get into any trouble or this becomes more of a problem, I want you to come and talk to me. I'd also like to know how this is resolved and I hope it is soon." she turned to her desk and reached into the drawer and held a box out to me. "Here, I'd like you to do this soon so we know what to expect and can decide what to do if it's positive." I looked down at the box in my hand and my jaw dropped, a pregnancy test. Fear settled ice cold into the pit of my stomach, my hands shook as I placed it in my bookbag.
"It would be better to know sooner than later, Mako-chan" the counselor said encouragingly with more than a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
*****
The bell rang to signal the lunch break as I left the counsellors office. She followed me out into the hall but was immediately called into the main office to help deal with some more pressing and important problem.
I watched her duck into the office and stood near the wall while the tide of students rushing by me decreased. Suddenly, being late to class was the last thing on my mind.
"Hey, baby." said a low voice behind me. Almost involuntarily, I turned to see who it was. He pressed me against the wall and started to grope me. I wanted to scream but my voice had left me. I could feel the tears starting in my eyes as I tried to push him away, he had me pinned against the wall, I couldn't move.
"Stop......" I said weakly barely a whisper, he just grinned wickedly at me pulling me closer. He was in my gym class, the leader of most of the lewd comments which had sent me running to the bathroom. The crowds in the hallway just ignored us and kept on walking. My heart nearly stopped and my bookbag fell to the floor.
"Hey, a teacher is headed this way." yelled an anonymous student.
"Thanks." the guy returned. "Well, I'll see you _later_..." he said and turned, leaving me standing against the wall hugging myself and crying.
After a minute I slid slowly to my knees on the floor to pick up my scattered books. Someone sat down next to me and handed me my chemistry book. I looked up and the person I saw nearly brought even more tears to my eyes.
"Usagi-chan...."I said. Hardly believing my eyes, this would be enough to make everything else better. She smiled trying to comfort me. It seemed she had forgotten everything that had happened. But after a closer look at her face I realized what the look of sympathy had meant. She didn't think that I deserved what had just happened to me, no one deserved that, no matter what they had done.
"Thank you." I said
"He's such a jerk." Usagi returned. "Let me help you get the rest of these." she looked back down and handed me few more books. I leaned back against the wall while I stuffed the books back into the bag. I thought that, maybe, everything could get better after all.
"No way....." I heard Usagi's voice and looked up. She sat there holding the box for the pregnancy test, the expression of hurt and shock on her face could have killed me. I thought I was going to die.
"Usagi-chan.....please." I said but it was to late.
"No." she said as she stood and left quickly the tears in her eyes already showing.
******
I walked home through the park, slowly. I had been in a daze for my last two classes and hardly knew where I was. I couldn't believe what had happened that day. I was sure that I had lost Usagi and I had given up hope of anything else. I stared at my wrist, it could be so easy.
"Hey, I told you I'd see you later." I didn't need to turn around, it was the guy from the hall way.
"Leave me alone." I said to him. I was surprised that I could talk, considering my reaction earlier that day.
"I don't think that's what you really want." he said trying to grope me again. Meanwhile a group of kids from school had gathered around and weren't doing anything to help me.
"Stop." I told him firmly. He pushed me against the tree.
"Getting alittle fiesty! I like it." I didn't even want to imagine what he was going to do next.
"Hey back off." said a voice from behind him "Mako-chan, this guy bothering you?" It was Haruka.
"Yes." I answered.
"Now don't give me that 'I can take care of myself' speech. Because you didn't look happy." Haruka scolded playfully.
"Don't worry, I wasn't going to. Thank you." I answered, not a hint of sarcasm in my voice. The guy from the hallway had now backed up a few steps and was eyeing her.
"So, is this your boyfriend, Mako-chan." he asked.
"Who me?" asked Haruka with a sly look on her face. "Well, I wouldn't say that." she added playfully as she put her arm around my shoulders.
"Oh, so you're the guy she's screwing around with." He said, trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about.
"What?" Haruka asked. "If this guy is bothering you, Mako-chan...you want me to beat him up or do you want to do it?" she smiled, but I could see the question in her eyes.
"Haruka-san, now is not the time to..." I said trying leave.
"Are you Ten'ou Haruka?" asked one of the girls who had gathered around with the rest of the crowd. I recognized her from one of my classes.
"Yes." said Haruka, immediately wishing she hadn't.
"Oh my god!!!!!!Ten'ou Haruka-san!! I am your biggest fan can....can I have your autograph???" The girl's eyes might as well have been two huge hearts.
"You know Ten'ou Haruka, Mako-chan?" Another asked in disbelief.
"The question is: How well does she know Ten'ou Haruka?" asked another girl, one of the girls from the restroom that morning.
"Haruka?" said Michiru quietly from behind us, but it was enough to stop the noise of the small crowd. Haruka stiffened as though she ahd done something wrong.
"Michiru...." she returned. This exchange nearly sent the crowd of girls into tears. The apearance Of Michiru had sufficiently quicked the pulse of the young guys still standing around.
"Hey, let's get out of here..." said Haruka.
"I'm not going to argue." I answered. I was beginning to feel alittle dizzy.
We turned down an alley, heading for the car.
"Who was that bastard, Mako-chan?" she asked.
"A guy from school, he's been harassing me...." I leaned against the lamp post my head had started spinning.
"Mako-chan, are you alright?" Michiru-san asked from the other side of the car.
"Yes.....no..." I answered in a weak voice. The gray spots in my vision prevented me from seeing their reactions.
"Mako-chan?" Haruka asked in a worried voice. Then the world went black.
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End Notes: Please review... It would be nice... Part 4 isn't done yet... it will take a while to finish... (I'm sorry. I really am...*prostrates herself on the floor*... Really) School is evil right now... and sleeping is actually somewhat important to me. So please be patient.