CHAPTER 13

GOOD FRIENDS & ADVERSARIES

The following day, at Cherryton School, Jane was walking alone in the hallway. She wore the same kind of clothing and lack of makeup as the day her life was ruined, only because of the school dress code. To her, this place was Hell. She tried not to acknowledge the other students, eyes down. She heard guys talking as she walked, on the way to the library, and braced herself. On a bench were the three guys: a German shepherd, golden retriever and leopard.

"Hey, Jane!" said the leopard. "I've been meaning to ask you... How much is a blowjob?"

Jane looked at them out of the corner of her eye and growled.

"Ooohhh, feisty." said the German shepherd. The boys all laughed.

"Would you fuck the three of us for a discount?" asked the golden retriever.

Jane growled once more as she makes a tight fist.

"That's almost hot..." said the leopard.

"Too bad she sucks everyone off with that mouth." said the German shepherd and they all laughed again. Jane then punched the German shepherd in the face, knocking him back in his seat.

"AGH! YOU BITCH!" he shouted.

Jane ran toward the library and walked inside, to an empty section. There were about six tables with no one at any of them, and Jane chose the one furthest from everyone, then sat there. Tears formed in her eyes as she just sat there.

"How long do I have to be tortured?" she thought to herself as tears streamed down her face. "How many times are they going to lie about me before it ends?"

She then wiped her tears away, then got up and went in to one of the shelves, then pulled out a book and started reading it. It was a very famous book, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. She began reading it as she walked back to the table, not getting very far before she bumped in to someone, both dropping their books. Jane sighed as they both grabbed their books. The other person was Tamiko.

"The Turn of the Screw." said Tamiko. "That is a classic horror tale."

Jane looked up at him.

"Cool." she said and stood up as he did, with his book.

"Wait, are you Jane?" asked Tamiko.

"Stop following me." said Jane, returning to her seat.

"What is with you?" asked Tamiko. "Both times, I'm trying to have a civil conversation with you. You might actually have a relationship with someone if you weren't such a bitch."

"Oh really?" asked Jane, who walked back up to him. "You don't know what I have had to deal with for THREE years."

"Well you can't comfort someone who doesn't let you in." said Tamiko.

"You could never understand what it's like to be me." said Jane and sat back down.

Tamiko sighed.

"Well, it's not like I'll ever know anyways." he said and walked off.

Jane sighed and started reading again.

"He doesn't seem to know what happened to me." Jane thought to herself. "It could just be a trap though... Damn you, Riza and Shiro for messing with my head."

Wallace, Idaho.

Melon and Mary were in a motel room, bags still packed and on one bed. Melon was fumbling in his bag, then pulled out a brand new bowie knife and admired it.

"I'm getting a little bored of pretending to be good." said Melon. "I wanna kill someone NOW."

"But you know what will happen if we do." said Mary, lying on the other bed, blanket covering her. "Besides... We did kill those two from the Hogo-sha-gumi."

"That's not the same." said Melon.

"Perhaps you could use a little snack..." said Mary. "Maybe beef tacos?" she said and smirked.

"Yeah?" asked Melon with a smile.

"Mmhmm..." said Mary. "Get over here, killer."

Melon put the knife down and went over to her.

After school, Hikari and Yuki were at Graywolf Manor, talking as they walked from the car to the door.

"Do your parents know what all's been going on?" asked Hikari.

"They know what happened to Golden Manor a few months back." said Yuki. "They know Ms. Gazelle's murder is connected. They understand Sarena may need me."

Hikari smiled.

"That's good." he said. "Are your parents educated on who the Hogo-sha-gumi are?"

"Yes." said Yuki. "They believe that if you feel the need to be there for extra protection, it's probably for the best that you do."

"Good." said Hikari. "Just know that no matter what happens and no matter who says otherwise, I will do whatever I have to to make sure you are safe."

"I know you will." said Yuki and kissed him, who then kisses back.

"Yuki..." said Hikari.

"Hmm?" asked Yuki.

"This is going to sound really stupid, but..." began Hikari as they continued walking up to the door. "Could it be possible that some folks find love at first sight?"

"It's not possible." said Yuki. "It's true."

"Well then..." began Hikari. "I love you."

"Aren't you a little early?" Yuki teased.

"Sorry, I..." began Hikari.

"Hey, it's alright." said Yuki and put her hand on his cheek. "I love you too."

Hikari smiled warmly as they continued on into the manor. Before dinner, Hikari and Yuki went to Sarena's bedroom, door closed, with very suggestive noises coming from inside.

"Well then. said Hikari.

"Well at least she's doing a little better." said Yuki.

"When you're done, you have a visitor!" Hikari called to Sarena.

"One minute!" Sarena called back.

They then put a little bit more distance between themselves and the door, though not leaving the area.

"She's been tense." said Hikari. "I guess she needed some form of therapy."

"How have you been handling the whole thing?" asked Yuki.

"Well, I haven't slept with her, if that's what you're asking." Hikari joked.

Yuki jokingly 'punched' him and he chuckled.

"You know what I mean." said Yuki.

Hikari sighed as he got more serious.

"Honestly, if I didn't have school and didn't go out, I'd probably lose my mind." said Hikari. "The killer's in North America. That's all we know. Then Sarena blew up at my fathers, which... I get the whole desperation to find her mother's killer. If I was in her boat, I'd probably feel the same exact way... but reacting like that... Father said if she continued to do it, he'd kick her out once the smoke clears."

"Sooo... what?" asked Yuki. "Is she being kicked out?"

"Right now, she's good." said Hikari. "Then there's Father. He keeps having nightmares about me being murdered. It's got me stressed, wondering if it's going to come true."

"Why would a dream come true?" asked Yuki.

"Some of my other Father's dreams do." said Hikari. "Sometimes, he even gets these... feelings when he's awake. We were having dinner one night. And... we don't have radios or TVs or anything of the sort in the dining room. It's not even near a room that has any of that. So anyways, we were having dinner and... he told us that a ship was about to explode. A few hours later, it was on the news."

"That has to be pretty scary." said Yuki.

"It sure seems to be." said Hikari. "Then there's my uncle. That brown furred wolf I hang around with."

"Wait." said Yuki. "He's your UNCLE? Isn't he the same age as you?"

"Yeah, we were born a few days apart." said Hikari. "My grandmother's... aged pretty well. But... he's been having a rough time with relationships. I don't know. Sometimes, it just seems like... you're in a hole, and when you ask to be thrown a rope, life backs up a dump truck and just dumps more soil on top of you, ya know?"

"I wish there was something I could do." said Yuki.

"Thank you for being here." said Hikari.

They then heard the door open and out walked the rhinoceros guy, dressed in his suit with the Hogo-sha-gumi ring on. Sarena then stood in the doorway and leaned against it, in a black dress. She waved at the rhinoceros.

"See you later, sweetiepie!" she said, smiling.

Yuki looked at the rhino and then back at Sarena, dumbfounded. The rhino was about twice Sarena's size and age.

"How's your back feeling?" asked Yuki. "I'm assuming not broken?"

Sarena laughed.

"Hey, Yuki." she said with a smile.

"I came to check up on you." said Yuki.

"You two wanna be left alone?" asked Hikari.

"This is your home, Hikari." said Sarena. "It would be kind of rude to ask you to leave."

"I just figured as friends, you two probably have some catching up to do." said Hikari.

"Stay." said Sarena.

"Yeah, you're fine." said Yuki, then turned to Sarena with a smirk. "You WILL have to tell me about thicc rhino dad later though."

"You'll have to tell me about Hikari first." said Sarena with a smile. "I never got to hear about the night you met."

"Oh boy, this will be interesting." Hikari thought.

"How's about we take this conversation somewhere else?" asked Sarena.

A short time later, the three were sitting on sofas in the den, TV off. Hikari and Yuki were sitting on one, Sarena was sitting on the one across from them.

"I haven't seen you in school for a while." said Yuki.

"I withdrew shortly after the Graywolfs took me in." said Sarena. "My focus has been... barely existent." she said and took a moment before she spoke. "Louis has been teaching me how to handle fire arms."

"Are you going to kill the killer?" asked Yuki.

"I hope so." said Sarena. "I'd like to at least fire the last shot if nothing else."

"He deserves no mercy." said Yuki.

"The only reason he's still alive is it appears he's too smart to die." said Hikari. "But sometimes, there's a point where you slip up."

"I guess that's what you have to count on." said Sarena and sighed. "I wish father would've cared enough to know what I was up to."

The room went quiet as Hikari and Yuki paid attention to her.

"You may ask." said Sarena. "I know you're wondering."

"What happened?" asked Yuki.

"Well... according to mother, they conceived me one night." said Sarena. "Then, when she told him she was pregnant, he left her." she said and looked down.

"That's horrible." said Yuki.

"He scarred me for a little while." said Sarena. "I didn't trust men, but... I've seen enough good ones to realize they're not all at fault. There's at least three good men living here, one of which is in this room."

"Well thank you, Ms. Gazelle." said Hikari.

Sarena smiled.

"As a matter of fact, I was thinking." she said. "I live here and it appears my best friend is dating you... Perhaps I can consider you my friend as well."

"That would be an honor." said Hikari.

"Then consider yourself honored." said Sarena.

Hikari's cellphone then rang. He sighed and looked at the caller ID. It read "Pina Ramsey".

"My apologies, ladies." said Hikari. "I have to take this." he said and stepped outside.

"Details?" asked Yuki.

"Alriiiiiight." Sarena said with a smile.

"Anything?" asked Hikari.

"No." said Pina. "It's like they're... Running in a blizzard. Their tracks disappear quickly."

Hikari sighed.

"Remember he could be anywhere." said Hikari.

"Noted." said Pina. "Look... I... I'm sorry for... that night at the manor..."

"You should be telling my father this." said Hikari. "Even so, are you really? You said you were sorry for making things awkward, then you were caught with your eyes somewhere they shouldn't have been."