A/N: Although I've never gotten a tattoo before, I'm pretty sure it would hurt. I think Satoshi's would have hurt more than Risa's because it was bigger with more types of shadows. Risa's wouldn't have been that bad. (shrug). Oh well. Hope y'all like this chapter!
Chapter 10
"That really was kind of painful," Satoshi commented.
We were walking down the boardwalk and eating ice cream. The sun was begining to set, and we didn't really have anything else to do. My shoulder was really sore, and I'm sure Satoshi' upper arm wasn't any better. The man with the green mohawk gave us a cleanser, and told us how to take care of ourselves. We figured we would be fine, but after a little, tha I REALLY wanted to scratch at my tattoo. Satoshi had to swat my hand away from my bandage a few times. But it was a nice, cool evening, and for the first time in a long time, I was in a really good mood.
I rolled my eyes. "Well, duh." I reached out and smeared a bit of my chocolate ice cream on his nose. He flinched back and glared at me, but all I could do was giggle.
"Thanks," he said, shaking his head, but in a light-hearted way. "I really needed that."
I threw back my head and laughed. He looked at me, and a small smile came across his face. It was kind of odd, but it was nice. I mean... I had never, EVER, seen him smile like that. Ever.
"It's nice to see you smile again," he said quietly.
I coughed and tried not to stare at him. I looked out to the ocean and shrugged. "What are you talking about?"
"... Nothing," he said, taking a large bite of his ice cream.
I bumped into him purposefully. "No, now you have to tell me."
He scowled, and shrugged himself. "Well... both you and I know that after Daisuke confessed the truth to you, you weren't the same." I stayed silent, waiting for more. "You didn't smile anymore... you were sarcastic and rude to everyone... you became angry more easily... you practically isolated yourself from the world..." He inhaled. "It was as if you and I switched places."
I swallowed. For some reason, I fingered the his penny that was lying in my pocket. Why had I still kept that thing?
I heard Satoshi sigh. "It was very different... and, no offense Harada-san-" I mumbled that my name was Risa. "- but I didn't like it."
"Why do you all have to be so damn concerned about me!" I shouted at my friends. They all came up with a million excuses, but I just shook my head. "You all are pathetic. Stop worrying about me. I don't deserve it." With that, I walked away.
(divider)
"Harada-san, why are you being like this?" Daisuke asked after I had just plowed over a soccer player in gym class.
I glared at him, trying desperatly not to see Dark. "I'm playing soccer and trying not to fail gym class."
(divider)
"Risa!" Riku yelled at me once she had caught me stealing a CD. "What have you done to yourself?"
"Nothing that concerns you!" I shouted back.
(divider)
"It's going to storm," I mumbled to myself on a sunny day. I was the only one who had noticed the incoming, grey clouds.
"That should be nice," Satoshi said, coming up beside me. "We need rain to get rid of this humidity."
I scoffed. "Yeah. Incredibly loud thunder, depressing grey skies, ominous lightening, and the gloomy rain washing away the happiness of the world."
Satoshi satred at me. "You know... you could look at the more beautiful things in life, Harada-san."
(divider)
A black feather. I had ripped that apart just before I had left the house. Then the white feather had caught my eye. I stared at it for probably half an hour, a small amount of hope rising within me.
It's never going to happen, you stupid, silly girl, My mind kept saying. Give it up. You're so pathetic.
I frowned before taking the white feather and cutting it into little pieces with the kitchen shears.
It was storming that day when I ran to the train station. I had gotten myself completely soaked, but I didn't care. I had hurt my friends, and I didn't care. I had yelled at my sister and my former best friend, and I didn't care. I was given my own advice by Satoshi Hiwatari, and I didn't care. I was running away from home, and I didn't care.
Standing there, thinking of everything I had done, thinking of the words coming out of Satoshi's mouth, fingering the penny in my pocket, reflecting on how I was before I had heard that confession from Daisuke...
I cared.
I paused before replying, "Me too."
