Chapter 10!

Dear Tamel,

OK, I am really ticked off at Purin's dad. She did the best she could and...ARG! Bad mood. Purin is gonna tell everyone tomorrow. I hope she is feeling better, cuz tomorrow's a Saturday.

-Tart

'Deep breath. Deep breath. Tell them. Just open you mouth and tell them. You can do it! You -'

"Purin, is that you out there?" Ryou's voice fluttered through the open window of the Café. She had been standing out side, on the marble steps, ready to enter for about 10 minutes.

Sighing, she walked in. Before she could open her mouth to say anything,

"Why didn't you tell me you couldn't read?" this was going to be harder than she thought. Tart was already there, stuffing as much sticky buns in his mouth as humanly possible. His head shot up as she approached. He cocked it over to an angle, that made him look so cute. 'Wait! What am I thinking?'

"I have been helping her, Ryou-san" whispered Restasu from behind the stack of chairs she was placing at each tanble.

"Well, how come we didn't realize this sooner? She has been writing down orders right?"

"I no 10 different languages, remember?" Zaukro spoke up. She was on kitchen duty, so she read the orders.

"Oh, right." Ryou muttered, seemly being defeated.

Tart swallowed his food. "She has been doing real well if you ask me."

"Thanks" Purin piped up, finally picking up her courage. "Oh and guys," Purin said, a little bit quieter. She closed her eyes quickly, then opened them. "I'm leaving for China in 2 days"

"WHAT?" the whole Café cried in unison.

As the whole story pored out, Tart drifted away outside. Sighing, he walked with his head down. He had so many feelings right now. Happy, that Purin wasn't sulking now that she had told her friends, said that she was leaving and ... love? No, that couldn't be it. He couldn't love her. 'She doesn't even like me back in that way. So is it wrong to like her?' his thoughts continued to wonder. Soon, he bumped into some one.

"Hey, watch it!" the little alien boy cried, really not in the mood to mess around. He looked up into shy eyes, and regretted saying that. "Oh, hey Mina."

"H-hi Tart." she paused and looked down, "is Purin OK now? Yesterday she looked really bad..."

"Yeah, " Tart said sharply, the topic bringing more confusion, "she's fine..."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear it. I was really worried before. She seems so nice..." relief spreading on her face.

"Yeah, but your little group seems to be giving her a hard time"

"Oh." was all she said, a lost for words. Looking back, she had ignored Purin just like the rest of them. She was just as much to blame.

"I have to go, like her"

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing." muttered Tart, briskly walking away. Mina looked back at him, them at Café Mew Mew. Mina walked up the marble steps onto the freshly polished floors of the barley open Café.

Ryou snapped everyone into action, since there was a customer. The questions for Purin could wait.

"Purin!" Mina exclaimed, alittle timidly.

"Oh, hiya Mina!" Purin squeaked back as if nothing was bothering her. Although she hid it under her hyper go-lucky act, all of her friends knew that she felt small and helpless.

All of the waitresses smiled and started to get to work to leave Purin to her little friend.

Feeling a bit more welcome, Mina stepped toward Purin.

"I was worried about yesterday."

"oh, I'm fine now! Just a little tired."

Mina bent over, leaning over to Purins ear. Cupping her hands, so no one could hear her, she whispered,

"Did you and Tart get into a fight.?"

Purin blushed a little bit. After the little talk at the nurses, Tart carried her bridal style to her house. She kissed him on the check for a thanks, and ran back into the house.

"It got all straightened out."

"Thats good to hear."

Purin thought for a second. A little play time was what she needed right now.

"Hey Ryou!" she called behind her, "I'm taking my break early!"

"But you haven't even-"

SLAM

"sigh to late" Ryou said, walking back into the kitchen.

Purin was dragging Mina outside by the hand. As Mina stumbled, she managed to object.

"But, shouldn't you be working?"

"Nah!" Purin giggled, running across the park. Soon the girls were laughing and playing like old friends. Mina lost her timidness soon, and started to open up a bit into un-explored joy. She hadn't done this since... since her old friends back in her old town.

After 30 minutes of non-stop playin, the two middle schoolers laid on there backs. Girl talk.

"I'm always the new girl. New employments for my parents, new schools for me."

"The only time I moved was from China to here! It was fun!" a smile snuck on to her face. Both girls closed there eyes, letting the sun's rays linger on there bodies.

Up in the maple tree tops, a little alien boy watch them. He smiled and his eyes brightened for the first time after the news. Purin needed a good girl friends her age. Being the younger one must be hard. Sure, he was hurt, for not standing up to her pops, telling him no, but he was fine if she was happy. He shouldn't have been so selfish about her leaving. It's what she want's to do.

If she leaves, it will be hard for everyone not to have that happy girl around. It's what got him to go to school anyway. In the morning, when everyone was down and tired, she was there, all perky. She got the smile on there faces.

Back down on the fading green grass...

Mina looked into Purin's eyes. She was happy with her self. She didn't have friends who didn't listen, or feel left out when no one around her is her friend. Even if everyone hated her, she would still be herself. No matter what.

"So what do you think?"

"Huh?" Mina snapped out of her thinking trance. Had Purin been talking the whole time?

Purin just smiled it off, and kept talking. Mina put on the same face, aiming her smile up at the sun, wishing this moment will never end.

Her first experience with a true friend.

OK GUYS! Sleepaway camp, so I'll try to write in the overlap, but no guarantee. So if you don't see a chappie in a month, dont kill me!