The alarm went off at 6am and Kaour rolled over in bed, groaning. It was too miserable a day to go to school! She buried her head in the pillows and ignored the sounds of Green Day spilling over her room like so much leaking oil. But after a while she stretched and got out of bed, totally naked and walked into the shower., humming the melodic strains of the awesome song on the radio. You couldn't' go wrong with Green Day.

She was pretty sad all the time, but she tried to hide it from everyone. It was easier than she thought, which made her sadder than ever. Would anyone ever know what the real Kaour was like underneath? She thought these thoughts as she soaped herself up, making g shre she was extra clean and thought about the new boy at school. Hwe was really cute with his red hair and eyes that seemed to flash between violet and gold a the drop of a hat. Pity he was going out with that bitch Tomoe. She gave a wistful sigh and stepped out of the shower, shaking her head free of water and sending glittering droplets of rainbow across the room.

She pulled the curtains back and peered out at the slowly dawning sun, stretching wide and waving at the paper boy as she stopped to deliver the paper. Then kaoru turned back to the dresser and tarted pulling out her silk underthings and slipping them on, giving a sigh at the thought of school I njust a couple hours time. Her clothes were designer made but they didn't fit well, as they' been given to her by her mother a long time ago. Kaoru looked through the closet before she chose the close fitting Leonore blue crop top and shapely pair of Levi's dark jeans, drawing them on, still humming on to to the Green Day song as it came to an end. She sat down in front of the mirror and brushed her hair 100 times, making it smooth and silky and sleek and blue black before gathering it up in her favorite indigo ribbon before picking up the bottle of jasmine perfume and dabbing it carefully behind her ears and on the wrist. There wer bandages on her arms for when she cut herself a few times the day before, deep enough to draw blood, but she knew nobody would notice or comment if they did, which made her even sadder.

She put her make up on carefully and made sure to put on extra heavy eyeliner as she always did. The eyeliner was her way of keeping true to herself, of showing how deep and sad she really as. One day, Kaoru knew, that special someone would realise she was special as well and then all her problems would just go away.

She sighed again, gathered her schoolbag and her books and shuffled out slowly into the pouring rain, stepping over the twitching paper boy on the way ut.

She was last in the class room, even though she ran all the way there. Mr Saito stared at her with a dark look and gave her three detentions and she slunk to her seat amidst giggling from all the girls. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Kikyo lean over and whisper something into Tomoe's ears as the tall willowy brunette popped her bubble gum and laughed in her sultry bitchy voice. Kaoru glare at them and sat down with a thump in her chair.

The new boy was looking at her again. She thought she aaw a flash of violet turn her way and glanced around only to find he was sharing some snide comment with Sano in the back row. His eyes were gold again. She'd kill to find out how he did that. Kaoru sat in class an listened to the teacher drone on and on and on, bored out of her mind. She pulled out her knife and began making cuts idly on her arm under the table, letting the pain out so she could act normally. Nobody noticed. Or at least she thought they didn't. In the back rosw, Kenshin swent back to staring at her as she slumped in the desk, radiating sadness like a winter radiator with the switch taped to on.

He'd noticed her from the start. Looked so happy with her hand-me-down designer clothes but it as the eyeliner that gave her away. Nobody happy wore eyeliner that thick. But hew as going out with Tomoe and shouldn't talk to her, but why should that matter? Anyway, he'd been thinking of dumping the cheerleader since about day two of their deep romance. Kaoru was much cuter and probably much more smart, at least he hoped. And he had to admit the thought of sex with the hand me down designer cutter wa s stirring his groin like an angry hornet nest.

Little did he know hta t his secretive perving had gone unnoticed. Tomoe glared at him with anger and hatred rising in her george, vowing to get her revenge on Kaoru for making Kenshin look at her with gold eyes. But she had just the plan to do it and it just so happened there was a party that night…she stood up and mi nced her way over to Kaour's desk, smiling prettily and innocently as she did.

"Kaoru?"

Kaoru was immediately suspicious. What do you want Tomoe?

"I'm having a paty ar my house tonight because my parents are gone away," Tomoe smiled all genuine and happy. "And I thought we didn't know each other very well but you'd make a great cheerleader so would you like to come? Kenshin will be there" she added an dmsiled like it had just occurred t oher. "I think he wanted to talk to you about t kendo or something." She smiled waiting for Kaoru to take the bait.

Kaor took the bait. "Really? Sure, I'll go."

Immediately Tomoe's face transformed into a horrifying mask of anger and hatred that made the e other girls gasp in anticipation of the party to come. But Kaoru didn't notice, she was too busy thinking of getting to spend time with Kenshin. And cutting herself. Ouch.

cCcCcCcCcCcCcCcc---

The party was in full swing by the time she got there, and coinciednetally the same Green Day song was playing in heb background. Kaoru smiled in happiness as she heard it. It was like the day was marked specially for her, and that meant that everything hta thappend was a good thing. She hoped. (A/N: I'd make this a sognfic thingy but apparently they're illegal now XDDDD)

"Kaoru!" Tomoe appeared, dressed in something that hung off her shoulders and was meant to look sexy but instead made her look really like a skank. "Oh hunn I'm so glad you could make it! Can I introduce you to my brother?"

"Yo," drawled a white harired guy with sunglasses on, undressing her with eyes she couldn't se because of the glasses. But she knew he was doing it and couldn't repress a shiver. This mad him grin more.

"Um hi.,"

"You get on nicely now!" Tomoe went away and talked to some other people. Kaour glared at her retreating back and went oto go after her but a hand on her arm stopped her in her tracks and she gulped.

"I could do with a guide!" said enishi brightly. "Casn you show me where the liquor ris?"

"I's over by the var," Kaour said scornfully. "Go get some yourself."

"Aw com eon babe. Don't be like that.' He wrapped an darm around her shoulders, causing her to shiver in distaste at the way he was thinking. She hated men who thought more than they were allowed. "I'm new in town and I hate mot people here. Including Kenshin. HE sucks for dating y sister."

"That's very nice," Kaoru said trying to edge away. "I hate everyone as well but that's because they hate me first. I'm nothing like you."

"I et you wouldn't say that after I got you drunk," said dEnish,i. "Here, have some vodka."

She took the glass nd drank, glaring at him. She knew he couldn't' get her drunk because she was used to vodka and drank it a lot at home when nobody aws watching, but for some reason drinking made her feel really dizzy. Maybe she should have eaten before coming but she was anorexic and hadn't eaten in ages. Kaoru put the glass don and swayed dizzily "I don't feel well," she said.

"Me neither" said Enishi. "Come on let's go find a place to lie down."

"Ok." She knew hew as up to no good but she couldn't think straight because she was drunk and couldn't feel well, so she followed him without knowing why she did only knowing it was a bad thin got do.

He took he into a small room with a double bec and close the door behind her shutting her in te darkness. Kaoru suddenly had a beyr vad feeling and started to leave only to find he was standing in the way grinning at her. It was ver frightening and she cuoldnt's ee a thing. She also felt sick and dizzy. "I think you should le tme out now."

"You came here all by yourself, hun" he said. "That's like saying yes."

"No its' not it's like saying nothing because I didn't' say anything," she corrected him. "Anyway I want to leave. I have to use the bathroom."

"I don't think so!" he smiled. "Anyway, Tomoe said I could have you and she's the host." And the neh attacked her and raped her and she screamed but she couldn't get out and nobody heard her and nobody cared either. Or maybe the music was too loud. She wasn't sure. After he was done he left and closed the door and she sobbed in the dark for a wile pulling up the straps of her dress. She felt tainted and like she would never be able to be with a man again , it was so sad. Kaoru cried.

Outside Kenshin heard he rsobbing even though he hadn't heard he scream and rushed in. "kaoru what is it?"

"Enishi rape dme!" she sobbed heartbreakingly.

"I'll kill him!" he snarled, his yees turning a murderous fiery amber so frightening it killed three kittens just by looking at them.

"No you can't!" she cried. "That would make you a killer and you can't kill no my behalf!" She stared at him with pleading eyes, hoping hew ouldn't turn into Battousai and kill Enishi even though he dserv ed it. But Kaour was better than that and she wouldn't let her darks ide tempt her, shew as really a very nice person even though most people didn't deserve it of her.

"Kenshin!" Tomoe came into the room. "Leave that bitch alone and come back out here and have fun with me. She got everything g she deserved."

Immediately Kenshin's face grew very menacing. "Tomoe did you have anything to do with this?"

Tomeo shook her haead. "Why should I have don anything? Kaour sleeps with guys all the time, it's no tli ehtis is anything different."

"You're wrong Tomoe," Kenshins aid. "I know Kaoru and how sad she is and what she goes through every day. I've seen he rcuttin herself when she thinks nobody is watching and I care when nobody else does and I saw sehw aears heavy eyeliner and I know that a girl with hand me down designer clothes and thick eyeliner and cuts on her arm would never sleep with a guy unless it was rape. She is a wonderful girl and I'm in love with her."

"Wow!" said Koaru.

Tomoe narrowed her eyes to slits and hissed. "how dare you2! I put in the best weeks o fmy life for you!" And she flounced out of the room, shoving her way out of the house and onto the road where she to hit by a truck byt nobody dcared because she aws OTmoe.

Kaour was sobbing agina at the thought that she had been raped and Kenshin hugged her gently rubbing her back trying to get her to stop.

"Oh Kenshin!" she cried. "Now I've been raped nobody wille er want to be with me"!

"I want to be with you" he said tenderly brushing her hair aside. 'I love you and I will wait as long as you need."

"Really/"

"really." He kissed her softly then, hugging her close as she melted in his arms like toffee apple on a hot summer day and he felt his groin stir in response and he tried to hide it but she felt it and giggled.

"I don't mind if it's you Kenshin," she told him.

"really?"

"really!' (A/N: don't you love how poetic I'm being? Hee!) And so he lay her down on the bed and tenderly kissed her hurts better and was much gentler than Enishi so that she liked it and his tender care was enough to wash all the taint away making her feel like she aws drifting on a light summer breeze in the middle of winter.

And then it didn't matter that she had been raped because Kenshin was a big comfort to her and he loved her and they spen the night together happily although that could have been because they were so drunk they had no idea what they were doing, but she doubted dit.