Author's Note: Lookie! The second chapter! And so soon! Am I going insane? I don't know!

I do hope to keep up this rapid-fire method of updates for a while, though. Don't know how well it'll work out, considering my level of motivation (I swear to you—I am one of the least motivated people you will ever meet), but considering I have at least one other chapter set up for posting, and the layout for the rest at my fingertips, you can all look for a similar update tomorrow. And that's where it's going to start getting a little interesting.

Enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to please R&R! Thanks in advance!

Chapter Two

"I'm home!" I called as I opened the door.

I heard footsteps come from the kitchen, and Mom stepped out into the hall.

"Welcome home," she said. "What did you do at school to—?"

She stopped when she saw that I was limping.

"Oh, Chihiro!" she exclaimed, rushing over. "What happened to your knee?"

"Just a scrape," I said. "Nothing serious."

"I'll go get the first aid kit," she said, bustling off to the bathroom. "You go sit down."

This made too much sense to argue with, so I succumbed to her mothering, choosing a chair at the dining room table and setting my book bag on the ground beside me. Mom soon came back in with the white box that sported a red cross on its lid.

"Really, Chihiro," Mom scolded half-heartedly as she cleaned the wound. "You must be more careful—it's not proper for a woman to have scars."

I winced at the sting of the disinfectant, but I didn't whine. A while ago, this would have surprised my mom—she told me that I used to whine all the time before we moved to our new place. Both she and Dad agreed that the move had been good for me. I had argued back then that it wasn't the move that changed me, but I couldn't quite remember now what my argument had been, so I just agreed with them whenever they mentioned it.

"Were you daydreaming again?"

I laughed nervously and scratched at the back of my neck.

Mom sighed and placed a large band-aid on my knee.

"There," she said. "Good as new."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, getting up and swinging my pack over my shoulder. "I'm gonna go upstairs and do my homework now."

"I suppose when you say 'homework' you really mean 'talking on the phone with your friends'?" she asked, hands on her hips, the hint of an amused smile on her lips. "The Chihiro I know wouldn't be doing homework on a Saturday afternoon."

I flashed her another smile and sped upstairs.

"So both you and Nakashi are going to be busy all day tomorrow?" I demanded of Tome, who was on the other line.

"I'm sorry, Chihiro," Tome said, her voice truly apologetic. "But my parents have been planning this trip for weeks, and Nakashi can't help it if her aunt is paying a surprise visit from Nagoya!"

I flopped over onto my bed, phone still held limply to my ear.

"I know," I sighed. "But it doesn't make me feel any better."

"We'll both see you in school on Monday," Tome tried to console me. "And we can all get together and do something fun next weekend, okay?"

"All right," I sighed. "See you later, then?"

"It's a promise!"

I didn't get a chance to hang up the phone before it slipped from my grasp.

Where? I wondered suddenly. Where have I heard that before?

"Good night, Mom! Good night, Dad!" I called to my parents, heading upstairs. "I'm going to bed early!"

"Good night, sweetheart!"

"'Night, Chihiro!" Dad added. "Sweet dreams!"

I slowed my ascent near the top of the stairs to consider this.

I sure hope so.

Right before I hopped into bed, I glared at my pillow for a moment.

"All right, you," I told it. "I know we haven't been on the best of terms lately, but this is where it all ends."

I pointed an accusing finger at the flower print of my pillow case.

"I've had enough of that dumb dream—it's kept me from getting a good night sleep in over a week, and I think it was about time you dropped it. Are we clear?"

I waited patiently for a reply. When I felt as though I'd made my point, I grinned.

"Good!" I said. "I'm glad we've come to an understanding."

With that, I leapt into bed and snuggled down under the covers.

"Good night, then," I yawned. If my pillow replied, I didn't hear it—I was already asleep.

AN: Yeah, it's short. Bite me. It gets better; I promise.

Did you know that kids in Japan have school on Saturdays? Well, they do. I hope this is a valid explanation as to why Chihiro's mom was referring to her not doing her homework on a Saturday afternoon. Sorry for any confusion or brain hemorrhaging there.