Chapter 3
A/N: I apologize for the differing personality areas of how we write. In all honesty, Suki is more of a shallow, quiet person, rather than the upbeat, out going type of person Taki seemed to have made her out to be in the last chapter. Also, she had misspelled the name Takane several times….it is Takane not Takana…not to be rude to her, just to clear up any sort of possible confusion. Okay, now I will continue with the story…
It was late when the three had finished their dinner. Haru helped Suki clean the dishes afterwards. When they had finished it was already nearing ten, Suki walked him to the front door.
"Goodnight, Suki. I'll see you at school tomorrow," Haru said, as he stepped out the door.
"Later," Suki said, as she watched him head down the street before retreating into her home and locking the door. Turning from the door, she moved towards the stairs where her room was.
"He's a nice boy," Takane said from where she sat curled in one of the large, leather chairs. She was still reading an article in the newspaper she held even though she was speaking to Suki.
"Yes," Suki nodded. "He and his other friends seem very nice." She moved to continue up the stairs, but again was stopped by Takane's voice.
"You're not going to screw this up again, are you, Suki?" she asked in her soft tones. When Suki did not reply she said, "You'll like it here, I know you will. I went to school here until I was about your age. That's when I moved to America." Setting the newspaper down in her lap, she looked at her young ward, "Please, Suki, give this place more of a chance than you did the others. These people will help you out more than you know."
"I'll try," Suki said, as she continued up the spiral staircase. Sliding open the door to her room, Suki placed her shoes in the corner and removed her school uniform. Placing the safety pin decorated uniform on a hanger; she returned it to her closet. Crossing her room, she entered the somewhat large bathroom. It wasn't the master bathroom, but it could have fooled you.
Turning on the hot water, Suki stepped into the shower. The hot water caressed her skin. She gasped as the steaming water slid over the raw cuts on her arms. They were still sore and raw. The burning sensation felt good and bad at the same time. This was one way of punishing herself for all of the things that she had done back home. If no one else was going to punish her for it, then she would have to punish herself.
Pouring shampoo into her magenta locks she rubbed it in and gasped again as the soap entered her small wounds. She rinsed her hair and finished washing up before she turned the water off. She sat on the floor of the shower, her knees tucked to her chest. Suki wanted her to be happy here, she thought that these people could help her. That Haru could help her. Could he, she asked herself, but shook her head. No one could. Not even the great Takane Takahashi had been able to.
She was a lost cause. Some people had figured that out. The ones back home, the ones that were so mean to her. The ones that…
Standing up abruptly, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her small frame. Moving quickly, she entered her bedroom and grabbed some clothes from her pajama drawer. A black and red long sleeved t and a pair of black silk pajama bottoms, with a pair of black slippers covered her body, pretty much from head to toe. It was colder upstairs than downstairs so she could use that excuse if Takane were to ask her about her pajama choice. Running a comb through her thick, fuchsia hair, she braided it quickly as she walked down the spiraling steps.
Takane was still in the chair, but she had changed her clothes. The older woman was now wearing a pair of navy blue, star covered pajama pants, and a pink, and spaghetti strapped tank top. Her hair, too, hung over her shoulder in a long braid. She looked up when she heard the younger female descend the stairs.
"Did you need something, Suki?" Takane asked.
"No, I just came down to get a glass of juice. Would you like anything, Kane?" the pink haired girl asked as she walked to the kitchen
"Do we have any cookies left?" Takane called after the child.
"Yeah, chocolate chip or sugar?" the teenager yelled back.
"Sugar! Pretty please!"
"Do you want some milk, too, while I'm in here?" Suki asked.
"Yes, please!" Takane replied.
The girl emerged with a plate of cookies and two glasses, one of grape juice and the other of milk. Takane took her cookies and her milk. Suki plopped into another large, leather chair and drank her juice.
"Haru's kind of cute," Takane said, into the awkward silence.
"Nani? Eh…I guess so," Suki said, looking into her juice cup.
"He seems like he's your type, Suki. Maybe you should invite him over again."
"I didn't invite him over. He asked me to go for ramen, and I told him I had to ask you. You, Takane, invited him over for dinner." Suki said, finishing the rest of her juice. "I'm going to bed," she said as she put her cup in the kitchen and headed for the stairs.
"Goodnight," Takane said.
"'night" Suki replied. Shutting her door, she slid under the silky sheets and comfy, large comforter, and closed her eyes. As the music played from her large stereo in a quiet surround sound, she fell asleep.