Chapter Five

All I Want To Hear

The next day was surely a mess. It was the beginning of the week, a school day. Naota and Mamimi walked to school together today, but Mamimi never spoke a word. Naota went to his first class as usual and waited for the teacher to come in the class. Every day here the students came before the teacher, only to get some talking in before class starts. Naota and his friends usually walked to school together, but today was different.

"Hey, Naota! Where have you been, I tried calling you for the past three nights? Your dad said you were busy" Gaku explained. Gaku, Masashi(one with glasses), and Ninamori Naota's best friends.

"I tried calling you the day before Gaku did. Were you hanging out under the bridge again with that girl?"

"I know where he was." Naota and the guys turned around to Ninamori. She had a sucker in her mouth and long black hair that reached down pass her shoulders. Only her brain could match the size of her mouth, and her mouth is pretty big.

"How do you know where Naota was Ninamori? You're spying on him."

"No, I was heading home the other day and I saw him with that older women. That kiss-kiss woman, they were all lovey-dovey." she smirked, being proud she knew everything.

"What! Is that true Naota, you hung out with an older women?"

"No, I mean yes. Mum...she's...I umm.."

"You like her don't you Naota?" Ninamori leaned on my desk and everyone surrounded me. He nearly died for embarrassment. They circled around like flies.

"That's not true!" He yelled back at Ninamori.

"How much do you like her? Does this mean you and that high school girl are over? Did you dump her?"

"I didn't!"

"Yes you did, cause you only hang out with that weird girl!"

"Stop it, she's insane. How can I like someone insane?"

"You're lying Naota; you're attracted to this older women. Tell me have you dated yet, kissed, or even held hands? Better yet have you two $#!& each other yet."

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Does she always come looking for you? Does she hug you allot, or is it the other way around?"

The class surrounds Naota as Ninamori threw words around. Naota was dieing from the attention they gave him, but finally he broke.

"I DON'T LIKE HER AT ALL! I DON"T GO WITH MAMIMI! I DON"T KNOW ANY THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" He rushed out of the room leaving the class and their words well behind me.

Naota rushed outside of school and noticed the school across the street. He walked around the high school Mamimi was going to and searched for her. He found out she was having P.E at this time of school and raced to the track behind the school. Her class was running labs and he waited for her to pass by his side of the fence. When she finally noticed him she looked surprised.

"What are you doing here!"

"I messed up."

"So, why should I care! Go back in there! Now Takkun!"

"Hi Takkun!" Haruko waved to him from across the street, after school had let out.

"Come Haruko let's get out of here!"

Mamimi noticed Haruko and Naota leaving together and followed after them. Something was on her mind and she wouldn't let it pass. "You should stay away from her. Girl's like her want something that they know other stupid people will do for them if they put on a pretty face."

Naota turned around, Mamimi stared at him coldly. The expression left Naota frozen.

"Takkun, what's wrong?" Haruko interrupted quickly turning away from Mamimi, who didn't say a thing.

The silence was eating away at his insides. The bitter solitude purified Naota's thoughts. Ha was scared if what Mamimi said was true, and he may be wrong after all. No ones understood me before, so why would anyone understand me now. Things are just the same as before, what if Haruko is a fraud. Maybe I've always been alone, maybe Haruko's not real. Maybe she's prefect, because I wished that she would be. What if I only see what I want to see?

"Chief..."

He looked at her, before he couldn't keep a straight face around her. Naota looked at her face, and was surprised. She was crying, and not like the time before. These tears had a whole new meaning, but he was scared of what that meaning is. Her eyes were puffy and red, and cheeks drenched in tears. I have nothing to say, but I have so many thoughts on my mind.

"You're still afraid, aren't you? You're scared I will hurt you, but I would never do anything to you." Mamimi told him, "is that why you love Haruko so much Naota!"

"No, it's not that." Naota shouted up, he didn't want to say something I would regret.

"He loves you Haruko!" Mamimi yelled suddenly, both of them looked up...

"What no I don't, that's stupid! She's just a friend." Naota blushed and shook his head.

"Tell me Takkun! Then who do you love! Me or Haruko!"

He didn't speak of it any more as they walked home. So he pretended nothing ever happened, but the girls were dying to know the truth. Who should I pick. Haruko, she was my teacher and I was the student. She is always treating me like a kid but then its because she has so much to show me. Mamimi, I loved being with her, I think. It's her kind, smart personality drawing me in, but Haruko's wacky, dumb personality pushing me away. I really can't decide if I like her more than a Haruko, or dislike her more than I should. Haruko changes so fast, you never know which side you like and dislike. But, I've learned to trust Haruko more than any other person in the world. Without noticing Haruko had changed the real me, and I loved the attention. Without noticing either Haruko was teaching me how to love. I don't really like I could stand living without her. In a way she has liberated me, without leaving the ones I love. I think I already picked the one I loved the most a long time ago.

"I've always loved Haruko." Both girls stared up at Naota. He had made his decision, but was it really what he wanted.