R.S.: Hey everybody. School is almost here, and I don't even wanna go. I just wanna sit here and write stories all day long. I don't know why, but I love writing now. It's a passion. Ever since I started in fifth grade, I don't wanna stop. Ever.

I gotta thank a lot of people for helping me and sticking by my side. It really meant a lot to me and all the things you say really help me become a better person. Honest to god. So once again, thanks.

It's always that one person

By: Rampaging Sorrow

Chapter Eighteen: A friendship breaks, and Aoshi comes around, only to be hateful at some people

Kaoru made sure that she bought Aoshi a rose for every day that he was in there. So far, it had been two weeks and four days. So there were eighteen red and white roses in a vase. Chantel stayed by his side everyday when she got back from school. The way she set up her day was so smart, that nobody could ever get her to mess it up. She took notes and she recorded everything she heard. At lunch, she would eat and then she would just go to the computer lab and get a head start on her work. After lunch, it was her electives. She was good at art, and she played a flute as if she were just whistling. After that, she would go to gym, and then she would wash up, go to her homeroom, and say goodbye to most of her friends before Shuichi's car pulled up with Jacob driving it, and then she would leave.

From there, she would just go straight to the hospital after getting a snack, and she would sit with Aoshi and do her homework. She would smile to herself when she forgot the answer to a question, and she would just look up at Aoshi with a soft smile and tell him that she cared very much. When her brothers came to get her, she was always asleep, ready to go with her things. They would carry her home and just put her straight to bed after letting her change.

This had been going on since the day after he was sent to the hospital.

Everybody knew it wasn't healthy, but she didn't really care. All that mattered was to see that Aoshi was okay. Sometimes, she would sit down in the room and she would practice her instrument. Everything that came out was good and lovely. One day, she had realized that Aoshi's fingers would move to the beat of the music. So when she played a tune that was catchy, she would smile and move with the music as his fingers tapped against the bed. Even if he couldn't see anything, he still could hear and it made him sleep easier.

Kaoru knew that Chantel was upset with her and Kenshin the moment she told them "Hello." And just kept going. Usually she would stop and she would talk to them, but she didn't want to at the moment. Her mother had her switch schools since it was better for her, and Chantel was the happiest person alive. As soon as she got there, Tommy made her popular, but they mostly liked her attitude towards things. She and Misao didn't speak, but they were in the same class, so sooner or later it was going to happen. Chantel told herself that until then, she didn't want any drama. Misao had learned of the accident, but she could only just pray for Aoshi as she didn't have the time to see him.

Kaoru felt bad as she saw Chantel just pushing herself to do these things and she wanted to tell her to calm down. But Chantel didn't listen to her at all. She just ignored her and kept doing what she was doing. She didn't want anybody's advice.

Kaoru sat down with everybody in her house as Shinji decided to have a meeting. The adults sat together on one couch as everybody else sat on the other couches, the floor, and the carpet.

Kenshin's family was there, Asahi's family was there, Jacob's family was there, and Kaoru's family was there.

"Where is Chantel?" Jacob looked over at his mother as she sat up and she looked around to see her daughter was gone. She swirled around her drink as she heard her oldest son speak.

"She's walking here from the hospital. I told her it was late, but she didn't care because she said it was worth it once the day was done. She should be here any minute now." Jessica nodded before she pulled her hair up into a clip. They decided to wait for her. Once she got there, they were shocked. Tommy and Jacob were most shocked.

Her hair was cut. Because they had Indian in their family, it used to be long, but it was probably higher or exactly at the middle of her back now. The style was way different and sexier. She was wearing sweat pants, and a tank top, and her hair was just down before she greeted them all and pulled her hair up into a clip. Now she looked just like her mother.

"Chantel, take a seat." She arched an eyebrow.

"I told Aoshi I was gonna go back after I just dropped off my things." Jessica shook her head.

"Just have a seat. You can go back tomorrow." Shinji assured her.

"But… what if he wakes up? I wanna be able to see his eyes open mommy." Jessica shook her head again. Her mother didn't say many words when around other people. She just shook her head, or she nodded, and they understood completely. It was that connection that let them have conversations in silence.

"Yeah but mommy-" Her mother looked over and then she moved her eyes toward Jacob. Chantel pouted and she went over and she sat down in Jacob's lap. He pulled her back and she got comfy before she sighed. Tommy began to play with the bandages on her fingers.

"Before we start anything, how was everybody's day?"

"Good."

"Perfect." They turned to see Chantel with a soft smile as she daydreamed at the bandages on her fingers.

"I passed my tests today. I got the highest grades in my class, and they said that it would probably be in the whole grade. I went and I signed up for music today, and they read the music I've been writing. They said I'll probably be able to make a song for the band. And I begged to be put on the track team. They gave me a challenge and I beat their fastest girl with a good five feet and they let me be the leader of the girl's squad now. They all took a liking to me, even the girl I beat. She said she wasn't upset and now we're the best of friends too.

I went to the hospital and I played something for Aoshi, and he tapped his fingers to it more forcefully today. I think he likes it when I play. And now when I touch his fingers, he reacts and he moves them. It's so cool because I opened his hand, and I dropped a petal inside, and he shut his hand himself. I think he might wake up soon."

"That's… nice. You guys didn't have anything better than good? Just her?" everybody shrugged and the adults sighed.

"I guess that's fine. But now that we are all here… I think that it's time that we stop going to the hospital. Every last one of us." Everybody sat up to that, and Chantel and Kaoru were the first to answer.

"Why?" Shinji sighed with Jessica before she spoke. Jacob and Tommy listened very quietly to their mother, and when they heard whispers, they stopped her.

"Yo. Shut up when my mother is talking." Jacob said and he moved his hand to tell her to continue after there was silence.

"Thank you Jacob." he gave her a pretty smile and Tommy rolled his eyes.

"As I was saying before, the hospital doesn't think that it's such a good idea to have you guys around the hospital. It's not that you get in the way of things, either. It's that they think that you're paying too much attention to Aoshi. They think if he just is left alone, he'll be better and he'll wake up faster."

Kaoru got very selfish at the moment and Tommy and Jacob were shocked at what she said.

"Bullshit. The only person who's there everyday is Chantel. So basically, what they are saying is that because she's there all the time, we can't go." Chantel sat up and she looked at Kaoru as Kaoru gave her a glare.

"Excuse me? So I get blamed because I care enough for somebody to stay by their side and make sure that if they wake up, their not greeted to emptiness?"

"I never said that. You did." Chantel glared and Jacob held her down.

"It's not my fault that you guys run around the hospital like its some fucking playground. I sit there all day because I care."

"We know that you care for him. Hell, we all do. But we're not there all the time. We only come and check up before leaving. You just stay there and you sit with him all day, play the flute, and talk to him. We all have lives to live, ya know. So it can't be us that is the reason. It's you."

"Oh you little-" Tommy slapped his hand over her mouth before she shut her eyes tight and bit back her words. Then she moved his hand away and she spoke. Nobody ever heard this much words from the girl, so it was a sight to see as Chantel got angry.

"And the only reason I'm there is because I dropped everything to tend to him. I don't want him to just wake up and then see that nobody's there. It's like a little kid waking up on Christmas to find out that Santa didn't come to visit him. I don't want him to hurt anymore."

"How can he hurt when he's asleep!"

"People feel when they're in coma, ya know! Ask Jacob!" Jacob pulled at his shirt.

"I'm not getting into this." He said in an 'uh-oh' voice. Chantel rolled her eyes before she focused them back on Kaoru.

"It's probably because they hate the flute." Kenshin mumbled to Soujiro and the two snickered.

"I heard that smart ass and to put you in your place, here." She pulled something from her pocket and let Tommy read it.

"Chantel Amarios Simms has made the kids of the hospital so happy that she can come back and play whenever she feels."

"And mommy has to sign it to let them know its okay. So you two could shut the fuck up."

"Don't talk to Kenshin that way." Kaoru said and Chantel glared her down.

"I'll talk to him however way I want. I don't listen to anybody but my mother Jessica Alicia Moore." Kaoru glared at her now and the two began to argue. The others just watched as Chantel got nasty. VERY nasty.

"Look little white girl." Jacob and Tommy got big smiles as she said that and they held back laughter.

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you sure as hell aren't gonna tell me what the fuck I am. I know exactly what I am. I'm Chantel Amarios Simms and I'm a goddamn proud African-Indian. If you got a problem with it, then you better speak now. Otherwise, shut the fuck up."

"Oh, so now I'm some white girl? First of all I'm Japanese."

"You look white to me."

"ANYWAY. Okay Ms. African Indian. So you know who you are. Great. But don't come in my house, raising all this noise, and then expect that I'll just take this shit."

"First of all, it's not your house. You don't pay for anything. Your father does. Hell, he gave you the clothes on your back. So you don't need to talk about paying for stuff. I pay for every goddamn thing I have. The only things I haven't paid for are what my grandparents, my mother, my brothers, and Aoshi have given me. And that ain't much."

"Oh, so you're independent. Wow. Kudos to you girl."

"You got a problem with it?"

"The only problem is that I might turn out to be like you! I don't know what Aoshi sees in a bitch like you!" Tommy and Jacob gasped and Chantel was ready to strike.

"Look here you dramatic, selfish, inconsiderate little bitch!" Jessica spit out her drink and she held back her laughter. Jacob and Tommy began to laugh silently and Tommy curled up next to his brother. Even Shuichi had to smirk at this.

"You will never ever be like me. EVER. I don't think anybody with a look like yours can look like me." Tommy let out a laugh before Jacob slapped a hand over his mouth.

"I have enough trouble because I'm regretting that part of Aoshi being in the hospital is my fault since I got involved with him and he's already been taken. He stressed over that and I never told him that it was okay to let me go."

"Says the woman who still messes around with him." Chantel got a smirk on her face.

"You swear that you're the best just because you've fought a couple of fights that have given you bruises. Your man did as well, but who brought him down?... Exactly. I bet if you fight against me, you'll see a whole different side of fighting girl. Those little sluts at school don't have anything on me and if you ask around my area, they'll tell you I'll leave you dead. I'll fight a man."

"And so would I. I'm not scared of you bitch." Kaoru glared at her as she began to tie her hair up.

"Never said you had to be." And Chantel took the clip out before she began to braid her hair. Jacob and Tommy knew that when she braided her hair, that she was ready to fight. They got ready to grab her.

"I knew it all along! I knew it all along; he was not lying to me at all!"

"Knew what? Talking to yourself now?" Chantel gave her a look and snorted in disgust before she spoke.

"Your brother told me to watch you. He told me that you were the type to bite back for some boy. But hey. I guess once you get dick, it does that to people." Tommy got up and he put his face in his mother's neck as she sat there shocked. Jacob began to laugh out loud. Kaoru was raged, and Kenshin got upset as well.

"Well I guess Aoshi must have you whipped then." Jacob fell out of his chair as he laughed and he pulled himself to his feet as his mother gave him a look to keep quiet. Chantel kept her cool.

"First of all, I'm not whipped for anybody. If I was whipped, I would have already cut your eyes out. Dirty bitch."

"Slut."

"Skank."

"Bastard!" Chantel widened her eyes, and then she glared harder.

"I'm proud to be a bastard! I hate my father's guts! So call me it all you want you little ungrateful bitch! It won't hurt me!"

"That's why you're dirt!"

"Hell, you're lower than that! White trash!"

"You Black-" but she put a hand over her mouth. Chantel knew what she was going to say, and Jacob and Tommy sat there wide-eyed at the thought.

"Say it! Say the magic words girl! Say Black Bitch! Just say it once for me please!" Chantel turned around and she began to think.

"Know what? Fuck it." She reached for Kaoru, and Kaoru punched her right in the arm. Chantel turned around and she gave Kaoru a blow to the stomach that would have sent Tommy to the floor. Kaoru held her ground and the two began to fight.

When Chantel said that she was different, she was. Kaoru was having a hard time fighting her because Chantel was quick and she didn't pull at hair like other girls did. Kaoru swung at her and she ducked before she kicked her back. Kaoru turned and kicked her right in the back. Everybody was shocked. Chantel was a good fighter, like she said. Hell, she was close to being better than Aoshi.

"Come on, I'll fight you with one hand!" Chantel put a hand behind her back and Kaoru punched her right in the stomach. Chantel took her hand and she slapped her before she pushed her back with her foot. She went up fast and then she made Kaoru fall to her knees. With her right leg, she swung it inward, and then raised it high before letting it fall on Kaoru's back. Kaoru let out a cry as she fell to the floor. She got so mad, that when she got up, her eyes had changed once more.

"Yeah that's what I'm looking for!" Chantel's mother and Kaoru's father told them to stop, but they kept on going blow for blow. Chantel was winning, but Kaoru was not backing down for anything. Chantel had an evil smile as she blocked two more hits and swung at Kaoru. Kaoru cocked back before she got Chantel right in her stomach once more. It was about to get real wild as Chantel shook with anger and she punched Kaoru with a two hit combo.

"Grab her right now!" Jessica screamed and the brothers grabbed Chantel as Kenshin and Shuichi held back Kaoru. The two girls cursed and screamed at each other as they were held apart.

"Get the fuck out of my house! And don't come back bitch!"

"With pleasure!" Chantel went for her things, and as she put her book bag on her back, she kicked Kaoru right into the chair, sending it back. Kaoru got up, and they held her back as Chantel laughed. She wiped the blood from her mouth.

"This is the last time I try to get involved with girls like you. I swear on it." She slammed the door shut and Jessica got up before she walked out to her daughter. Chantel was walking back and forth, just beating her fist in her hands as she had already dumped her book bag in her mother's car. They looked at her as they had already taken Kaoru to the kitchen.

"Chantel, come here." Chantel turned around to her mother, her eyes angry.

"I just gotta say one thing."

"What." Her mother's face turned into a smile as Jacob ran out with Tommy.

"You beat that white girl's ass! Oh my god you tore her apart! Did you see the look on her father's face! He's never seen a black person fight before!" Chantel rolled her eyes as they hugged her.

"I swear to god your grandmother is going to be the happiest woman alive when she hears you beat another one."

Chantel was taken home, and Shinji sent everybody to where they belonged. Chantel had ice on her back and on her stomach as she sat down and she turned on her television. Her mother and her brothers were fast asleep. As she watched TV, she began to regret what she did. She didn't know why, but she just felt as if it wasn't the right way to do things.

"Should I have been civilized? Should I have done it like that?" she then smirked to herself.

"Hell yeah. That bitch had it coming to her anyway." She then turned the TV off as nothing was on and she took the ice off before she left the house with a long coat on and a MP3 player blasting music in her ears. It wasn't good to be walking around late at night, but with your brothers the leaders of the two baddest gangs in the area, nobody wanted to mess with her. AT ALL.

She caught a bus all the way to the hospital. When her stop was close, she got off the bus before she walked straight up the path and into the hospital. She just held up a card and they nodded to her before she went up to the third floor. She walked down the hall and went to Aoshi's room. She opened the door and she entered the room before she shut the door silently and she sat down by his bed. Chantel turned off the music in her ears and she just began to think and play games on her phone. Once she got tired of that, she text messaged a few friends that were back at her old school.

Aoshi was still asleep, and the swelling around his eye was completely gone. His tan was still there, but it was fading out now because he hadn't been out in the sun. She ran her fingers through his hair and she pressed a kiss to his forehead. She then opened his hand, and she put hers in it. He weakly put his fingers down to close it and she smiled before she kissed his hand.

"It's okay. I know you don't have the strength." She then laid her head down on his white sheets before she thought with a smile. She sat up before she pulled her chair closer.

"Guess what? I'm going to sing to you today. I couldn't bring my flute at the moment since it's in the car. But you'll like it." She pulled her hair behind her ear before she began to sing to him a song from Coldplay. It was his favorite band, and as she felt his fingers moving slightly to the beat of the song, she smiled as she shut her eyes and laid her head down again.

"Oh brother I can't, I can't get through
I've been trying hard to reach you 'cause I don't know what to do
Oh brother I can't believe it's true

I'm so scared about the future-"

"and I wanna talk to you…" Chantel opened her eyes and she fell quiet as she looked at Aoshi. Aoshi's lips were in a soft smile.

"Why did… you stop?" Chantel gave him a soft smile before she kissed his forehead.

"Because you scared me silly."

"Sorry…"

"Don't be. All that matters is that you are awake." She went to go get a doctor, and the doctor had to smile as he saw Chantel so cheerful and so happy.

"I know I'm not supposed to be here, but I just had a feeling! And I was right! He sang with me! He's really awake!"

The doctors had made sure that everything worked. They made him move his fingers, his toes, his head, and they made him follow a light. Once they were done, they sat up Aoshi a little bit.

"Are you hungry?" he nodded.

"But I don't have to eat right now." Chantel nodded as he looked over at a toothbrush. She got it before she put toothpaste on it and she began to scrub his mouth thoroughly.

"Tongue." He stuck his tongue out after she rinsed his mouth and she scrubbed it until it was pink. She rinsed his mouth before she brushed his teeth again. They were white by the time she was done. The doctors had to laugh as Aoshi puckered his lips and then shook.

"That was intense, huh?" he nodded and Chantel laughed before she hugged him gently.

"I'm sorry for hurting you." He said softly to her and she smiled, feeling water come to her eyes.

"Then we're both sorry, because I was gonna say the same thing." Aoshi felt her face and he felt the tears as the doctors left for a moment.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm happy that you're awake silly." She wiped her tears before she sat down.

"Would you have cried for me?" Aoshi shook his head.

"I would have wailed."

Chantel called her brothers up there, and they shut the door and explained the details in their own action filled way. Chantel added in the correct things, and they just swatted her with their hands as she smirked and laughed.

"But Chantel showed her that she's not one of them little girls." Tommy nodded with a cute face and then he went to Aoshi.

"We are going to have so much sex when you're out, that you will be back in the hospital by the time we're done." Aoshi pushed him off with a snicker.

"I'm casted."

"… I can work with that." They looked at him before they burst out laughing. Then Chantel looked at Aoshi with a soft smile.

"You're not mad that I fought your sister… are you?" Aoshi shook his head as Jacob spooned him some more apple sauce.

"The little bitch had it coming to her anyway."

"That's what I said!"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Jacob stopped after he cleaned Aoshi's lips.

"You're not mad that Chantel Amarios Simms beat up Kaoru Annalise Kamiya." Aoshi shook his head.

"Not the slightest bit angry, not even feeling a little bit of hate?" Aoshi shook his head.

"She had it coming to her. Now stop pausing and feed me." Jacob put it down with a smirk and Aoshi groaned before Chantel took it and she began to feed him herself. After she was done, he put his arms out to be hugged and she hugged him.

"So soft." He then sat up with some pain before they just raised his bed.

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days."

"That short huh? Wow."

"Their lying to you. You've been out for… three weeks as of today."

"WHAT!" they were surprised at his shocked and scared face.

"I missed the championships!"

"Tommy played for you. You guys blew them out by fifty." Aoshi sighed in relief.

"Thank you Tommy." Tommy pulled out a picture and Aoshi just arched his eyebrow with a smile as he shook his head. It was a picture of them whole basketball team, but Tommy was the only one in the picture break dancing.

"You are such a kid."

Two days later…………

"Open up for your gay lover!" Tommy said happily and Aoshi just rolled his eyes as he opened his mouth.

He was being fed by Tommy because Chantel was so tired; she fell asleep in school and didn't wake up. Jacob had to take her home with Shuichi. He didn't mind, but he was getting bored because he liked talking to her. He heard the door opening.

"Dad?" he asked looking up.

"No." he knew the voice and he saw Kenshin come in. He immediately felt angry and he looked away as Tommy put some more food into his mouth.

"Here come titties!" Tommy sang to him and Aoshi had to smirk as he opened his mouth and let the food come in. He then swallowed.

"What do you want?" he looked at Kenshin with ice cold eyes and Kenshin sighed before he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm… I'm sorry." Aoshi didn't even bother to speak and he looked away as he heard Kaoru's voice. He looked up and he just felt even more anger about what Chantel said to him. She just sighed and she sat down next to Kenshin, crossing her legs. She ran her fingers through her hair.

"Why are you two here? I don't want any problems today." Kaoru looked down, but Kenshin just squeezed her shoulder gently and she nodded as he put her hand on his. Aoshi looked away at it and then he opened his mouth to get his last spoonful.

"There we go. I'll tell the nurse you done." He walked out the room and he winked at Aoshi. Aoshi smirked at him and nodded before Tommy shut the door and pulled out his phone.

"Now what do you two-?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"Why apologize? I told you; from now on I'm out of your life. You have fun with yourself and I'll protect somebody else." He heard his phone ring and he took his good arm before he looked at the name. He saw it was Misao and he picked it up.

"Hey… I'm fine… thank you… um, yeah I guess." He had a short conversation.

"So you're dating somebody else… he's just like me… he's going to want to meet me… well I don't want to… Ha… of course we'll always be friends. You're like family to me. I love you… in a family way stupid… okay… we'll talk more later. Ciao." He hung up and he looked back at them.

"Now, if you would please leave my room, I will be able to go back to sleep. I need rest."

"You were sleeping before. We came earlier ya know." Kaoru then gave him a pout.

"Aoshi, I'm really sorry. It wasn't meant to be like that at all!" she looked down.

"I just wanted you to realize… I can make my own decisions. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Yeah, you say that now. Why change your words Kaoru? You meant what you said before. And I don't wanna hear anything else."

"Aoshi-"

"I said I don't want to hear anything else Kaoru." He was getting angrier.

"Yeah but Aoshi-"

"Shut up." Kaoru bit her lip and she looked into her lap. Kenshin defended her.

"Cut her some slack Aoshi. She only did it-"

"You don't even have a voice in the matter right now. Just leave." Kenshin glared before he sat up.

"Aoshi, come on. You can't really be mad at her because of this."

"I can and I will."

"Aoshi, you did some wrong in this too. You came to my house and you broke my damn window. And then to top it all off, you fight me outside, in my front yard, and you mess up the garden and my front porch."

"I did it for a reason. You can't tell me what I did is wrong!"

"It is wrong! You come to my house and fight me over something so simple!

"My sister fucking you is nothing simple to me, okay!" it fell silent and Aoshi began to grow a headache.

"Just get out."

"Aoshi, you can't be serious-"

"Get out!" Chantel opened the door and she saw Kaoru. She ignored her before she went to Aoshi as he had his hands on his head.

"Just leave him alone for a while… he just needs to get his thoughts together. Here Aoshi." She gave him a pain killer because the stress caused his body to hurt. He drank it down weakly and he just pulled up the covers with his one hand and covered his face.

"I promise by next week, he'll be reasonable." Kenshin nodded and took Kaoru out. Kaoru gave Aoshi one last look before of sorrow and he turned his head away. Chantel hugged him tight before he just snuggled into her. She climbed up on the bed and made sure his leg had space. He was just upset by the whole thing and Chantel asked him to speak his mind. For some reason, he couldn't. At all. He tried to say something, but it just wasn't working. Then he heada soft, sweet voice singing to him.

"Trying hard to speak
And fighting with my weak hand
Driven to distraction
So part of the plan…

When something is broken
And you try to fix it
Trying to repair it
Any way you can…" Aoshi looked at Chantel as she just traced circles on his bandages. Aoshi finally found his voice before he just began to sing softly with her as she had smiled.

"I dive in at the deep end
You become my best friend
I wanna love you but I don't know if I can…

I know something is broken
and I'm trying to fix it
Trying to repair it anyway I can…"

R.S.: I have nothing to say for this. I feel like I'm screwing up big time. I'm stressed out beyond my mind because no matter how much I try to forget my sister and everything that's going on, I just see things that relate to it and it's honestly like a slap in my fucking face.

Sorry I'm so pissed.