Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights to respective owners.
A/N: WELCOME BACK READERS! You all probably not even going to read this author's note so let's get on with the show!
But I am sorry it took me so long to write and post this chapter but guys, I have a life. And a busy one at that so cut me some slack that I don't write in every spare moment of my schedule.
Other things: I wanna thank soooooo many people for all their support! CassieRaven cuz I haven't thanked this amazing girl in a long time and she needs the spotlight for her awesomeness! FloraOne for always cheering me and being a real driving force to get this chapter out (Plus if you noticed, the cover changed for this story and that is because of the lovely FloraOne and LETTING ME USE HER FANART AS A COVER?) and all my tumblr and fanfic profile friends who support me here and there with such amazing support and god I would name all of you but I'm trying to keep this short! JUST BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE READING THIS!
AND REAL QUICK NOTE: There are time jumps in this chapter so just make sure you know that and don't get too confused lol
Enjoy and pleeeeeeeaaaassssseeeeee leave a review on what you thought! I always love thoughts from you guys!
Chapter Eight
Seven Years Ago….
She splashed cold water in her face, over and over again, needing to feel clean and in control, just herself for a few fleeting moments. Her hands frantically searched for the towel dispenser, wiping away the droplets with the coarse, brown paper.
'Breathe,' her thoughts muttered. 'Breathe and head held up high.'
She inhaled the spicy smell of strawberry hand soap and bleach, exhaling with her eyes scrunched closed. "You're so strong," the blonde whispered to no one in the girls bathroom. "This is nothing you can't handle."
But the looks, the snickers, the off-hand crude comments that were whispered nevertheless still made it to her ears, everyone was talking about it - everyone was talking about her! They all acted like it was a huge event, and it was! For her only though, it was something that did not have to be broadcasted to the whole school.
'No. Just forget it. Don't go negative.'
Her thoughts began to filter positive imagery, colorful rainbows and gigantic milkshakes and little bunnies hopping around swam into her mind's eye. Feeling a ghost of a smile pull at her lips, she opened her blue eyes, taking the twisted brown piece of paper towel to her face, dabbing at the wet streaks tears had left in their wake.
After taking another deep breathe, and adjusting her blue and white uniform as well as golden buns, that were slightly sloppy today, Usagi forced her usual bright confidence to shine through any misery that dwelled within her. 'Nothing could be as bad as yesterday.'
She shivered at the remembrance of finding a note taped to the school getabako, right over the cubbie that held her black street shoes.
'Guess you're not an innocent little bunny anymore, Tsukino?'
The words were written on a slip of lined paper, a sketch of a bunny's face and a big 'X' covering it, the image all too daunting and causing knots to twist up in her stomach.
It looked like Akari Nakamura's handwriting, the brunette and her gang of third year girls have been giving Usagi the evil eye ever since she started dating Masao. It wouldn't be too hard to fathom the image of them attaching the paper to her spot with cruel smirks gracing their heart-shaped faces.
She shook her head, blonde streams whirling around.
Any nerves or doubts were swallowed down along with the ever-growing lump in her throat. All that was left for her this year was a darn chemistry final, after which she was able to ride off into the sunset of summer vacation.
The thought of freedom finally drove her to move and vacate the safety of the bathroom, entering the crisp air of the hallway, people walking to their classes and not minding her one bit. A smile formed and her shoulders unhooked.
She had to remember she wasn't alone. Afterall, Makoto had come this close to getting kicked out of school due to threats of harm toward snotty girls, Minako was in the process of spreading numerous nasty rumors about Masao, and Rei had began rituals to cast bad omens on all who spoke behind her back. Usagi and Ami relentlessly strode to keep the three at bay but Usagi guiltily took a warm feel at her friends trying to protect her. It brought a smile to her face, seeing that she would never be void of friendship anytime soon.
Usagi gripped her school bag with both hands and soundlessly (with a hint of joy) made it over to the science wing. But like everything else that was happening to her recently, the silence and invisibility began to dwindle away.
"That's her?!"
'They're not talking about me,' Usagi repeated in her mind.
"Masao did her?"
Her skin began to crawl.
"I still don't get how a guy like him goes out with a girl like her…"
The bile rose in her throat as she took each step closer to her classroom.
"I heard someone say that she practically begged him to-"
"Who knew Usagi Tsukino was freaky in the sheets?"
"How many times did they-"
"You think-"
"Can't believe-"
Usagi nearly plowed down a sophomore girl as she dove into the classroom, shielded away from the callous comments of evilly smiling, perfectly-silky haired, spitefully giggling teenage girls. Sending thanks for the back location of her desk, the pigtailed blonde perched herself on the metal stool abruptly, causing her lab partner to jump in his own seat.
It was unfair, it was cruel, it was hideous, it was awful - so so awful. She pulled her hands and felt the gold strands tangled in her fingers, giving her the temptation to just pull harder and rip the strands - pigtails included - out, all in frustration.
She was so stupid - no he was such an idiotic, stupid jerk! How could he do this to her? Everything they did was all because he could boast about it? Their night had been so perfect and amazing and what she had always day-dreamed about with a cheeky Minako. But to him, apparently, it was a conquest. That's what she was to him.
He had no right to tell everyone about what they did, together. And her classmates had no reason for continuing the comments, to continue making her feel like some freak of nature walking the halls. Hell, it felt like everyone was looking at her as if she was naked.
"H-hey are you okay?"
She flinched at the gentle touch, muttering a "I'm fine", and felt the hand recoil away from her trembling shoulder. Beads hit the table, making Usagi wonder when the tears had finally spilled over the top.
While wiping away the tears with her palms, the blonde watched as a packet of paper slid into her downcast view of the table. She sighed, cursing in her mind.
The chemistry exam. Right.
From the recent events that have been happening, this test had been at the deepest corner of her mind - so was there any reason to even try and attempt to earn a decent grade on an exam she never studied for?
Usagi half-heartedly processed the test, filling in answers she knew would never in billion years be correct, but she would do anything if it meant leaving this school faster.
And so Usagi Tsukino pushed the finished exam away, practically threw down her pencil, and pushed her stool out to hop off of it. The others were all still taking the test, even her startled, brainy table mate was still scribbling things down. But she didn't care.
She just had to leave and cry and wail and mend to her broken dream and heart. A measly, rotten grade was nothing to her at the moment.
And so she took the fail in stride when the report was delivered at the house weeks later. But even then, she was shattered in pieces, still, over her first lost love.
Seven years and four months later...
"Order up!"
Usagi grinned into her glass as she viewed the floral printed postcard in between her fingers.
"It's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G here Usa! The sunsets, the dining, the room, the view, the food, just everything! Wish you were here to see and experience it!
LOTS OF LOVE XOXO, Minako Aino"
It was odd to think of Minako, her loveable, high-maintenance, ballsy blonde twin, flourishing in married life. But here was a enthusiastic postcard from Ms. Never-Settle-Down during her lavish honeymoon with the new Mr. Aino.
Usagi was happy, beyond happy for her friend! Afterall, it was Minako's ultimate goal to find love, have happiness.
Maybe that was why Usagi felt the shame build, green envy stirring within her. She wished for the same thing to happen to her, she wished that she could find love and happiness and everything she ever hoped for. But that wasn't in the stars for her.
She lost that hope ever since…...
'Don't you dare think about him. You've moved on.'
Her smile disappearing and daylight dwindling, the pigtailed blonde threw down some yen at the receipt, finishing up the last pieces of her omelet as well as her apple juice before taking her leave outside. The warm spring air whirled all over her, the pastel pink sundress picking up a bit in the wind. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent.
However, when her eyes popped open, Usagi was startled to come upon a familiar handsome face who greeted her with two coffee cups.
"So you're stalking me now," she joked with a smirk.
Motoki smiled back and handed her the paper cup. "Well you're not the easiest to get in touch with, Usagi-chan."
She resumed her walking, him right next to her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh so dodging my calls and texts is not ringing a bell with you," he asked with a grin.
"Noooo," Usagi drawled out, a mischievous grin appearing as she took a sip.
"Usa come on," Motoki scolded gently. "Give me a chance!"
"I love you Motoki, I really do," she looked away, "But I'm really not looking for a blind date right now, or really any kind of relationship okay?"
"You don't even know who I'm setting you up with!"
"I don't need to know because I'm not going to be set up!" They crossed the street, Motoki on her quick heels.
"Just give him a chance! I swear it's going to be so worth it if you meet him and see what a great guy he is-"
She sighed. "I'm sure he is Toki, so go set him up with some other girl because trust me, I'm a magnet for love woes and problems. Save him while you can from me."
"Usa you can't believe that."
"With my track record, it's more than believable."
"Okay, okay, okay-" The tall man stepped ahead of her, blocking her from walking further.
"Motoki please-"
"One date," he cut her off, a single finger raised in front of her. "One date and then I'll leave you alone to do whatever you want."
Usagi scoffed, closing her eyes in defeat. "I don't know.."
"It's just one night Usagi." She observed the certainty and confidence in his shining emerald eyes. Usagi trusted him, she really did but she didn't trust her mangled heart, especially after all the hits it had taken recently.
She squeezed her hands into fists and sucked back the tears that had already formed just at the mere mention.
It had been months since that but everyday it felt like a fresh wound. Could going out help repair the damage, maybe just an inch in the right direction.
'You need this. You can't hide forever in the dark.'
It was just one night, then she would never have to face Motoki's friend ever again, or Motoki's persistent claims. "Just one night?"
A tremendous grin broke out on his perfect facial features. "Tonight, seven, the place across from the park." Then the former arcade worker was walking away backwards, smile still firmly placed and growing by the second. "The reservation will be under my name! And don't be late Usagi!"
She shook her head with a tiny smile, wondering if she just made a huge mistake, but secretly hoped that whoever she was meeting in eight hours, was as great as Motoki claimed.
The dirty blonde man was halfway down the street, a giddy smile stretched across his face as he wrote a quick text message.
"Guess who's going on a date with Usagi Tsukino tonight? Be ready by 6:30 ;) - Motoki"
Four months.
Four freaking months of misery later and still, she scrolled through the messages, reminiscing of a romance that was never to be in the first place. She still shed tears, still felt the ache, still hasn't deleted anything he sent her because she couldn't bear the thought of forgetting those times. She could never erase him.
Usagi shakily exhaled, snapping her phone off and dropping her head between her legs. 'Forget it, just forget it for a night. Just one night…'
A shudder rippled through her body when a silky material brushed against her bare ankles. Finding a smirk, she carefully gathered up the roaming black fluff into her lap, petting the small cat. "What do you think Luna," she asked lightly, "Ever think I'll give you a stepdad one day."
The black feline meowed in response, setting up camp on Usagi's legs where a nap soon began.
Though the blonde had remained adamant on never descending down the path of a 'lonely cat lady', she had made the one exception with Luna, discovering the black cat clawing at her apartment door one night. Her apartment was small as it is, but a single, tiny, adorable pet shouldn't be too much to house right? Especially since her building wasn't the most pet-friendly, but what her landlord didn't know wouldn't kill her now will it.
With Luna around, she felt less lonely and more happy, a sensation she desired in gallons nowadays.
She had been a blessing in disguise, giving comfort to Usagi when she needed it most. And she needed a boatload after the mess that had been the now infamous "chess fiscao". Though it was more like chess heartbreak in hindsight.
Again she shook her head, detering from those kind of thoughts. Try after try she would lock away the stupid memories but again and again they would crawl their way back to the forecenter of her mind. But it was time to set a new beginning for her that had nothing to do with her tragic prologue.
With more two hours on the clock, the blonde could still make her blind date that - she had to ashamedly admit - she was planning to stand up. Motoki's friend probably deserved a modest shot, whoever he was. She didn't know his face, his voice, his name, his anything really, but Motoki had boasted on about him as if he was a god, so this man had to verify some kind of good quality about himself.
"Lunaaaaa," Usagi scolded as she was padding into her bedroom for the battle of outfit deciding, "You know you have to hop down and stop scaring your new fishy siblings right?"
The feline flashed her bright eyes and hung her head in an embarrassed manner as she bounded down from the table next to the filtering water tank full of goldfish, platyfish, and dwarf gourami.
It had been an impulse, lonely buy along with the taking in of Luna. It was extremely pathetic and weird but at night before heading off to bed, the grad student would vent out her problems of the days or weeks to her scaly friends with the black cat licking herself clean nearby. Sometimes it involved her crying out her frustrations of life, forehead pressed against the cool glass of the rectangle tank, some kind of ghastly, sugary treat being forked into her waiting mouth, Luna nipping at her bare toes in comfort or curling against her leg.
It wasn't like she couldn't just pick up her cell and phone-in one of her air-breathing, opposable-thumb friends, but she felt like a bother to them at such a late time. Plus, talking to Luna and the school of fish was a lot more cheaper than going to a shrink.
If anyone were to walk in during one of her pet venting sessions, she was sure that it would only be a few mere seconds before she was strapped into a straitjacket and thrown into a padded room for decades.
'No more talk of asylums,' Usagi shook her head, 'Only discussion of which dress you should wear tonight.'
She held up a black, jeweled, form-fitting short cocktail dress and a red, floor length spaghetti strap dress that shone like diamonds in light. 'Little black dress or red hot seductress to 'wow' him off his feet?'
"Miss, would you like some more water?"
Her drooping eyes strained to look up at the masked teenage girl offering the clear pitcher with a kind (and was that sympathy?) smile. "No I'm fine, but thank you."
Usagi resumed her previous position of chin in hand, blankly staring at nothing in particular as her date continued to be absent for an ongoing half an hour. Her of all people understood being obscenely late to events but this late? And for a date?
Even she had lines that she would never cross.
She huffed, amusing the casablanca decor with finished dark wood and dazzling silver chandeliers that were set on dim to cast the correct romantic evening that many around Usagi were taking advantage of. Most of the table settings were for two in the high-class and elegant restaurant, the staff wore black tie along with formal dress and masks, taking a cue from masquerade balls apparently. She found it frustrating, however, since anyone she would interact with was barely visible either because of the low lighting or a wide mask was covering half of their facial features. It was like that one, long play Ami had taken her to with phantoms and operas and lots of loud singing.
Taking in the surroundings for what appeared to be a thousandth time, Usagi double checked her watch to see that the waiting time has now extended to a full 45 minutes.
Another heavy, annoyed sigh.
She'd taken time out of her day to dress pretty damn good, having gone for the short black cocktail with the open back and embellished dark jewels, prepared her face with a smokey eye and vivid red lip, snaked her long blonde hair in a low ponytail, and paid for a dumb cab to get to the upscale venue. This guy was required to come at this point and from what she observed in the mirrored window across from her, he damn couldn't have walked in and walked out on seeing her because she did look fucking good.
Usagi's forehead dropped to the edge of the table, then she picked it up and brought it back down hard. Being stood up was nothing new to her, but from one of Motoki's friends? What kind of failure was this?
She looked up to the seat across from her, squinting her eyes and concentrating hard for some dashing, handsome, charismatic Prince Charming to materialize in the fabric plastered chair.
But atlast, no one appeared, and her forehead hit the table with a thump again.
'Just. Go. In.'
But the suited man's feet were glued to the sidewalk, eyes stuck gazing longingly through the window that gave him the perfect view of his expecting, stunning date.
She sat rigid, angry, her leg bouncing up and down while her fingers played and fiddled with the ends of her straightened hair. Her skin and gold strands glowed against the darker atmosphere, and her dress hugged her body perfectly with long legs being even more accentuated.
Beautiful, bright, glowing, perfect.
Then she was stretching her arms out in the air at the same moment when a chef was walking by with a tray full of plates.
He barely flinched at the loud crash that unfolded.
A lopsided smirk formed on his lips as the chef reassured the frantic and apologetic girl that it was fine, all on accident, and he could clean the mess off the floor himself. She went back to bury her red face in her hands, pure embarrassment quite obvious.
'Go. In.'
A frown appeared as the nagging voice returned. He should just go in and greet her, take the consequences as they come -
But there was too much at stake. There had been the first rejection, years ago, that was so stupid and childish but the memory still, was burned into him.
At least this way, of not trying, still gave him hope, and the sweet bliss of the unknown.
'But look at her.' He rose his eyes up to the window again, where she again sat in a rigid annoyed form. 'She's waiting for you, so go to her and take your chance.'
He gripped the bouquet harder and steadily, slowly, finally, walked over to the entrance.
"Hello there," the smiling masked hostess greeted, "Name for the reservation?"
'Motoki Furuhata.' Somehow the words didn't come out, they got stuck with the lump in his dry throat. It was two words, two words more and they would lead him to the table, lead him to her and then…
"Sir, name for the reservation?"
One hour and a half.
90 minutes of just sitting at the table and wasting away in her cocktail dress while others had long ago wined and dined and wooed and went home. She was still stuck here, receiving sympathetic and sad eyes from all the staff (except for that one guy who had lost all his plates to the floor because of her, he was just shooting evil side eyes).
God, why couldn't she just leave? Why is she still so determined to sit there and take the walk of stood-up shame. But she couldn't find the strength or dignity to do it.
"Is there something wrong with me?"
The brunette server girl stopped in her glass filling to look up to her. "Excuse me miss?"
"Is there something fucking wrong with me," Usagi begged the question again with a slight edge.
Taken back by the statement, the server stared wide-eyed and gaping. "Uh-uh no miss?"
Usagi sighed, frustrated. "Like am I undateable, or unattractive?"
"Uh no miss."
"Well then what is it?" The blonde hit her head against the table. "Why am I being stood up for what seems like the fiftieth time in my life."
The confused girl was now scratching her head in preplexation. "I-I don't know miss."
Usagi lifted her face up and gestured to herself. "Like seriously what is wrong with me?! I'm still sitting here, at a restaurant, where I got stood up, a hour and a half. What is wrong with me seriously?"
"I'm s-so sorry miss-"
"Miss Tsukino?"
A part of her had hoped maybe that it was him, finally arriving, but instead she was greeted by a different host in a suit and tie and a white domino mask. "Miss Tsukino, I'm afraid your date has just informed us that he won't be making it unfortunately."
Shocking. Though her gut still clenched with displeasure. "I kind of figured."
Deciding that this was the best time to leave with a droplet size of dignity, Usagi came to her feet, purse in hand.
"But wait," the host stopped her with his hand and tacky accent, "To make up for his absence, he offered to pay for your meal tonight miss. So anything you order will go on his card, if you'd like to stay?"
Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion suddenly. What kind of guy stands up his date, then offers to pay for the meal?
She was about to be bitter and deny the offer, rather taking the high road with her stomping home, cursing and wolfing down some microwavable ramen noodles while watching the Bachelor.
But the amount of dishes that had glided by her the past hour, steaming meals that would waft the aroma right into her nostrils, was maddening. The menu looked seamless and exotic, her taste buds already tingling and salivating on their own whim as they scanned the meal descriptions.
It would be wrong, so incredibly wrong to max out the guy's card on food just because he had stood her up. He had to be semi-decent to at least offer to pay for her meal. But he had offered to pay for it….
He had stood her up. Why must she suffer the fate of undercooked ramen noodles?
"Okay," Usagi said, chin raised high and a smile curling on her lips. "Give me your five most expensive entrees."
The host blinked on his own accord. "Five entre- I mean of course miss."
Just as he turned, she slipped in another request. "Also a bottle of your finest wine."
"Like can you believe the guy had the guts to stand me up?"
The chef briefly paused in his actions before resuming in placing the dish in front of the blonde. "Uh-no. I am sorry miss."
"Oh no he's sorry," Usagi just partly slurred, taking another hearty gulp of the red liquid. "I mean he missed the chance of all this."
The elderly man darted his eyes over to see Usagi wildly gesturing her hands to herself. He remained silent but wide-eyed as he unclasped the silver dope from the plate to reveal the entree. "For this, we have a miso glazed black cod with sauteed broccoli."
Just as he finished his sentence, the hungry blonde had lunged for her shiny fork and plunged it into her cod, tiny pieces already flying into her mouth. "Delicious," she mumbled while continuing to munch on it.
The man began backing away with a gaping face, wheeling the cart back to the kitchen with a disbelieving shake of his head.
"Okay be honest with me?"
The water girl hesitantly turned, cursing her luck that she couldn't fill the glass fast enough. "S-sure."
Usagi took a big gulp from her wine glass before inhaling a breathe and resuming. "Do you think I'm pretty?"
The girl blinked behind the mask, observing the short black dress, blonde tresses, and smokey eyes. "Yes?"
"You think I'm attractive," Usagi asked, tipping back her glass for the last drops.
"Uh yes miss."
"I'm pretty?"
"Yes."
"So if you saw me here for our date would you have walked out?"
"Uh no."
"So would you have sex with me?"
"What?!"
Usagi waved her glass in hand around. "Just hypothetical…Wondering what my date was thinking." Eyebrows furrowed, she shook the long red glass bottle, finding it empty. "Hey, can I get another one of these?!"
"He what?!"
The steadily drunk blonde slurped up a few more noodles while dangerously cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear. "He stood me up Motoki. The guy that you set me up with, stood me up. Jeez am I not talking loud enough?!" Several patrons twisted around to see the slurping blonde screeching into her speaker.
"No no! Your volume is just fine," a panicked Motoki reassured, remembering where Usagi was and her current state of influenced mind. "I just can't believe he stood you up! Trust me Usa, this is not like him."
"Well it's what guys are like for me so," she drawled, scraping up the last noodles while eyeing her half empty wine glass. Long kept tears began to form. "Am I not pretty Motoki? Do you think he just walked in and walked right out?"
She could practically hear the dirty blonde's eyes blow up to balloons. "No! No! 100% no Usagi! My friend would have most certainly not walked away from a date with you of all people."
"Try telling-wait what do you mean 'you of all people'?"
"I-I just mean I really talked you up and he r-really seemed to like you." Usagi could have been imagining it, but she could have sworn she heard a whispered 'I'm going to kill him' on the line, but she waved it off as just being buzzed.
"But I will give you that he's a nice guy for paying," Usagi licked her finger clean of the pasta sauce. "I mean he's probably going to be bankrupt for a little bit but a small price to pay for standing up a date."
"Usssaaa."
"Oh relax, I've barely ordered annnyyythhhinnnggg." The blonde forgoed the glass this time and drank it straight from the wine bottle, chugging it in big gulps, even when her twirling head protested.
She saw her waiter pass and stopped him, angling the phone away from her. "Hey can you guys just give me your whole desert menu," she whispered, breathe so alcohol pungent that the server had to take a step away to nod.
"He so didn't deserve you hon," the water girl consoled as Usagi choked down another piece of the strawberry cream cake.
"You're right! He soooo doesn't deserve me," Usagi whimpered through the tears and chewing.
"You are so beautiful and deserve better young lady," the chef explained, placing three more plates on the table, filled with white fluffy cream, fruit toppings, glazed sweets, and golden crusts.
The host that had informed her of her date bailing out but paying, nodded his head in agreement. "Don't even give the guy a second thought. Live your best life."
Usagi shook her head and gobbled down a few more spoon fulls of deserts. "I am better, I deserve better, I need better."
All three staff members nodded and gave utters of 'yes'.
"Good god Usagi…"
The blonde swiveled around, tittering, to set eyes upon her stricken friends. "Ami-chan! Mako-chan!"
"Usagi-chan, w-what.."
Usagi quirked an eyebrow at Ami's bewilderment, looking to the congo line of restaurant staff and well-dressed patrons, all smiles and laughs as they moved the beat of the live modern orchestra. "Oh yea it kind of got started because it was way too quiet in here and I got the crazy idea to just start spicing up the dancefloor!"
"But there is no dance floor here," Makoto explained, gesturing to the all carpeted floor.
Usagi waved her hand, dismissing the claim while hiccuping and rocking back and forth. "Nonsense, we can make our own dancefloor, see!"
They followed her danity hand to see the bizarre sight again, filled with people weaving in and out of the tables in a conjoined congo line as the normally regal music was playing a joyous beat on string violins, strumming cellos, and bashful french horns.
"Only you Usagi," Makoto amused as her and Ami eventually led their swaying friend from the dish piled table, out of the dining room and to the exit, Usagi slurring out farewells to the staff and people.
"Miss Tsukino wait!"
Just as Usagi was sleepily shrugging on her coat, a different male host, one she hadn't seen before (her vision was blurry and dizzy so who knows) came right up behind them, black tie and white button-down, black dress pants, wide domino mask, but the bouquet of rich red roses that were clenched in his hands as he came up to the three certainly gave his outfit a pop of color.
"We forgot to deliver these to you before but they're from your absent gentlemen." His voice was ascending and descending in volume in her ears, but Usagi comprehended the sentence and felt her blood boil a fraction.
Ami and Makoto awed at the flawless floral in front of them but the small blonde's face was turning just as red as the roses presented in front of her eyes.
"He got me flowers," she questioned, snatching the wrapped stems away from his hands. "He dropped off these flowers?"
"Uh yes-"
"So he was here, here in this restaurant where he could have had the damn date with me, and then end up never calling me after and then we never had to see each other again but this stand up guy stood me up purposely?!"
"Usagi," Makoto scolded, "Calm down. They're beautiful roses and you don't know the situation he was in."
The host squirmed slightly and she watched how his adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly. It was dark and in the limited light the lobby did give her, his hair seemed to be dark too, maybe jet black, or was that dark brown? "He s-said to tell you that he is sincerely sorry that he couldn't make it tonight."
Usagi snorted. "Well technically he did make it here tonight, he just couldn't make it to the table and face me," she murmured darkly, turning away and following through the door, but not before spotting a gold trash can by the door and promptly discarding the roses into the flap, no guilt built in her gut.
When all three women left, stepping into a SUV that was pulled out from the valet outside, the masked man squeezed his hands into fists, closing his dark blue, midnight eyes in defeat.
"He really is sorry," he said through tight frowning lips, his head bowed in shame.
Just narrowly, Makoto stumbled into the doorway of the apartment with a jelly-legged Usagi leaning heavily on her shoulder, while Ami jerked out the key from the doorknob.
"Here we go Usagi-chan," Makoto grunted as she lifted the petite blonde onto the plush pink couch. "Home sweet home."
Usagi forced her eyelids to remain open, sight unfocused and wobbly. "Waittt, we left the restaurant?"
"Yes," Ami was busying herself with turning on a few lights in the dim living room. "We left nearly fifteen minutes ago Usa."
The dizzy blonde massaged her forehead. "Jeez, I swear we were just there."
"No the alcohol swears we were just there," Makoto joked from the hallway to the kitchen.
Looking down at her form, Usagi spotted a stain of chocolate mousse at the hem of her dress and somehow her strappy heels were absent from her tiny feet. 'That mousse was super good,' she reflected, licking her chap lips in remembrance.
"Usagi," Makoto called after a few clatters from the kitchen, "You better be thirsty because you're about to drink two gallons of water before going to bed!"
Grumbling as she fiddled around with her askew jacket's pockets, Usagi located the smooth cool surface of her phone screen, clicking it open to see any urgent notifications (bombshell, there was none) but the fluorescent screen sent her blanching and squinting her eyes. She saw the Ami blob shape in her blotchy vision move to the lighted kitchen area, so slowly, she found her footing on the white faux fur rug, regaining some balance to walk a couple of steps.
Carefully avoiding Luna on the floor, even in her drunken state, Usagi stopped to lean on the fish tank for a second to catch her breathe, hand resting on the edge of the fishy shelter.
'Must get to moving blobs.'
Her hands glided against the wall to hold her steady. 'Must. Get. To. Moving. Blobs.'
She was so close, she could feel it as the texture of the wall shifted. 'Must...get...to...blobsss..'
"Usagi!" The bluenette just by a hair caught her nearly collapsing blonde friend.
Usagi buried her face in Ami's jacket lapel, inhaling the scent deeply. "Ammmiii, you smell so nice. Did the hospital switch to a new disinfectant spray?"
"No Usagi," Ami replied with a half smile, Makoto chuckling from behind the fridge door.
"Oh," the blonde murmured, "You still smell nice."
The laughing doctor placed the sleepy woman in one of the chairs at the small square table. "How much did you drink Usagi?"
"Hmmm," her fingers itched her temples, "I lost count after two."
Makoto's dark eyebrow quirked. "Two glasses?"
"No two bottles."
The ponytailed brunette amusedly whistled. "Usagi-chan."
"We definitely have to get you to bed soon," Ami said, reaching out to help Usagi up.
The blonde was half up-right when she paused and confusedly looked around, facial features etched in concern. "Wait, w-where's my phone - I just had it in my hand."
"Usagi I saw you with it so it's in the apartment-"
"But w-wait I need my phone-"
"Usagi you need to go to sleep-"
"No my phone-"
Then she heard it.
She heard the vibration.
Her phone.
Then a meow.
"Luna…."
The black cat looked up with a cock of the head to her blonde, wide-eyed owner. Her paw was just half an inch from the vibrating phone, where it sat balancing on the edge of the slot opening to the full, water fish tank.
"Usagi don't make any sudden moves," Ami whispered as they observed the curious cat.
"Luna," Usagi warned, as she took half-balanced steps to the tank, "Please do not move."
But the feline did, her paw twitching slightly and the phone tittered even more to the edge as it went on trembling with a phone call.
One more move and there goes her one year contact, Puzzle and Dragon highscores, social media accounts, precious food pictures, hilarious text messages with her friends, all her phone contacts, and one very important, still coveted phone number.
Then the hostage taker's large feline eyes were staring at them again, her paw slowly rising up as if in mocking.
"Luna!"
"Usagi don't scare her-"
But the hiss was enough to set her off edge. And her paw moved for the last time.
It was like glass breaking as the splash sounded and Usagi jumped to the glass tank, watching her phone descend to its watery, fishy death along with 72,800 yen.
But it wasn't until she saw the caller I.D. for a split second, that her heart really ripped apart, and sunk to the base of her stomach.
Chess Boy
Mobile
The screen went black as it hit the pebbled bottom, and so did her vision.
She wanted to cry, yell, scream, yell, throw things, break things, just curse at everything there was in existence.
But instead, she was spending her morning hangover quietly standing, leaning down in her fuzzy pink robe and gaping at a ziplock bag full of rice on her tiny kitchen island.
'Soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soak, soaksoaksoaksoaksoak-'
"Usagi stop trying concentrating on the rice."
The blonde sent a glare from over the bag to the back of her blue-haired friend who was sitting at the dining table, drinking a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper, one that Usagi didn't even know still got delivered to her address. Ami had stayed the night to keep an eye on her while insisting she went to sleep instead of crying over a water-damaged smartphone that couldn't be helped until morning.
"I'm not concentrating, I'm encouraging mentally," Usagi spat back, more at the bag than Ami.
She took a sip of her coffee as she turned a grey page. "Well I doubt you'll be 'encouraging' mentally for two days."
Usagi's blue eyes popped out of her head along with a few veins. "TWO DAYS?!"
Ami remained in her position, barely flinching at the screech. "Yes. For this to even attempt to work, you must leave the phone in the rice for at least 48 hours to soak up any water left."
"It's gonna take two days for stupid rice to fix my phone!?"
"Usagi we're not even sure that this is going to work in the first place."
"Maybe we should put it in the microwave to speed up the process."
Ami finally turned around to face her wacky friend. "Usa I don't believe that's the smartest course of action. Unless you want your phone heat damaged too."
She buried her greasy face in her hands as she groaned endlessly, her head pounding against her skull. "Why me?!"
"I'm sure everything will b-"
"Ami he called me," Usagi interrupted, voice lowering, breaking.
Ami heavily sighed, rising and shuffled over in her slippers. "Usagi I know but there's nothing we can do about it for now."
"But he called me," she whispered, eyes glossy, "He called and I never answered."
"Just call him back then."
"No Ami you don't understand," Usagi choked out, "He called me. After all this time, he still cares. So what if, when I didn't answer, he thought I forgot about him?"
Ami stroked her arm in comfort as she began to hiccup. "I'm sure he doesn't think that. Maybe you can call him off my phone-"
"No, no, no," Usagi shook her head back and forth, cringing at the action that made her head dizzy and throbbing, "I lost the number and even if I remembered, who knows if he'd even answer a random number."
"Mayb-"
"I never stopped thinking about him," she confessed, looking up to ocean blue eyes, "It's been four months and I've never been able to get him out of my mind completely."
It was as if several weights had been lifted from her shoulders, but fell instead in the appearance of numerous tears. After weeks-months of denying it, she couldn't lie to herself anymore, she couldn't keep rejecting that a part of her felt empty and cold.
She couldn't stop-
Usagi wrapped her frail arms around Ami's narrow waist more, finding herself in a tight hug, but staining her friend's silk robe with flowing tears she didn't even know she had. She clung to her as if she was a life jacket and if she let go, she would float away, taken by the waves and lost in the depths of sorrow.
She couldn't stop thinking about what he was thinking, what he thought of her now, what he was doing now. Had he moved on, was he happy, or was he doing the same as her now, thinking the same questions about her?
She couldn't stop thinking about how this seemed more than caring.
"It's okay Usagi." But Ami's words did nothing to her as she sniffled and breathed heavy with cries, while another terrifying thought shot through her body and into her heart.
She couldn't stop thinking how an idiot she was to fall in love with someone she never had.
"Open the door!" He pounded on the apartment door with his tense fist.
No answer or noise resonated within the home.
Motoki scoffed annoyingly. "Why do you do this to yourself?"
Nothing.
"I can't believe you stood her up!"
Silent.
"You just left her there!"
A pin could drop.
"It's like you don't want to be happy!"
Still silence.
He was about to beat on the door again but thought better of it, bracing his hands against the doorframe instead. "I thought you loved her, I thought you still love her."
More silence.
"One day you'll wake up, and realize how you deserve to be happy but never gave yourself the chance."
He could of sworn he heard a small amount of movement inside the apartment. "I just hope when that happens, it won't be too late."
This time it was complete silence again and Motoki knew he had done all he could from there. It was up to him to make the decisions of his own life.
Motoki took it with a grain of rice and a shake of his head, took his leave to the elevators. But as the sliding doors closed, a scowl appeared toward the sealed door.
"Don't even think about it Usagi."
The blonde slowly retracted her hand from the rice bag with a frown. "A stupid 27 hours isn't going to affect anything…"
Rei threw a glare to her friend over the rim of her wine glass. "Well it will affect the water that's still in your phone."
Usagi huffed, stuffing down another stick of yakitori, slipping the lean pieces of chicken off the wood with her tongue. "You sound like Ami."
The black-haired woman smirked at the comment. "Why are you in such a hurry to get that phone back? It would be more healthy for you to have a little less screen time, huh?"
Crystal blue eyes broke eye contact and instead she focused on the nail picking that was happening in her lap. "I-It's just because I don't want to pay for a new one, so I'm anxious it won't work."
"Anything….else I can get for you," the waiter questioned, eyeing the plastic bag of rice resting next to Usagi's hand, on the table.
Rei furrowed her ebony eyebrows but smiled. "Uh no we're fine. Thank you."
"Why do people keep staring at me weird," Usagi asked after the man left their table to tend to another.
"I don't know," Rei shook her head, "I mean you're just a normal girl walking around with a ziplock bag of uncooked rice like it's completely normal."
The blonde cocked her head with a straight face. "Subtle baka."
"Sure," Rei replied with a cocky grin, "I'm the not so subtle one."
Usagi scoffed and sipped at her glass of water.
Suddenly her friend's eyes widened, quickly dropping her glass. "Oh my god, I never asked you but how was the date Motoki set you up with?"
She cringed, the head throbbing of the hangover and the sharp pain in her heart over the phone loss. "Well, I dressed my sexiest and felt great annnnnddddd," sarcasm oozed from her voice, "the great guy Motoki so talked up never showed up."
"What!," Rei exclaimed, scoffing right after. "Well screw him and his great guyness."
She shrugged her shoulders. "I mean it wasn't a complete loss," Usagi popped in a piece of battered and fried tempura into her mouth, "Dude paid for my meal anyway, I got wine drunk, vented to the staff, got the whole restaurant to do a conga line I think, and I slept until one in the afternoon the next day."
The blazer wearing, dark-haired woman nodded her head with wide but impressed eyes. "Wow, hell of night. Definite contender for top five dates in my opinion."
"Definitely!"
Usagi returned to her last few skewers of steaming yakitori, watching her friend across from her, fish out udon noodles with some chopsticks, looking every inch of elegance and skilled with the utensils, while she could barely keep herself from getting poked in the eye with them.
She nawed on the clean stick, gawking at the plastic bag, where she knew her silly phone was, hopefully allowing the rice to do its magic and repair the accidental water damage.
There was the gut clenching, stomach flip flopping like a training gymnast, hot and cold goosebumps running all over her skin. Tomorrow, she would make her decision.
"You're going to call him aren't you?"
Usagi's blues shot up to Rei's vivid violets, breathe too short and heart against her chest. "W-what I-I don't-"
"I'm a lawyer Usagi," finishing a sip from her glass, she met her gaze again, "I can spot a liar, a bad one too. Plus Makoto has a really loose mouth."
The grad student pouted deep, but sighed. "I am."
Then it was Rei breathing out her nose loudly, fingers slipping to the chopsticks again.
Usagi opened her mouth and closed it, but her lips parted once more and her voice was found. "I know you don't approve of it."
She tipped back her wine glass, the red liquid disappearing. But the bottom of the glass landed softly on the white tablecloth, her slender hand cool and still. "You're right, I don't."
Usagi's knees locked underneath the table, gaze was downcast, hands rubbing together frantically. "I-I understand."
The tension was thick and unwelcomed by either party, Usagi swallowing the lump in her suddenly tight throat. Rei was the only one who had been unsupportive in this mess, concerned about Usagi getting broken, rejected again and having to pick up the pieces after, like always.
"You've never met this guy-"
"It doesn't matter what he looks like-"
"It's not about his looks," Rei shut her eyes, and then opened them, "It's not all about his looks. But you have no idea what kind of guy he is."
"I do."
"Usagi a few text messages doesn't mean you know the guy."
Taken so back from the statement, Usagi's eyes flew to Rei's iron, leveled gaze. "It wasn't just a few text messages Rei. You have no idea what the hell we talked about and how long we talked."
"Usagi-"
"You guys can never understand but I feel something with this," her eyes were large, pleading for a chance to explain, "I've never met him, yes. But don't you fall in love with your heart, not your eyes."
Rei grew pale, her stomach coiling into a twisted ball. "Love?"
She lost her confidence, gaze returning to her fidgeting fingers under the table. "Y-yes. But I know-"
Abruptly, Rei stood up from the table, briefcase in one hand and 5000 yen in the other. "I have to get back to the office. It's my turn to pay so here."
Usagi stood to catch her, tears building behind her eyes. "Rei-chan…."
"No Usagi," the look etched on her friend's face sent the blonde's hand reeling back, "I've already tried to talk you off the ledge but it seems that you already plunged off the edge, heart first. All I can do now is wait to help you pick up the pieces. I'll see ya."
Her heel turned and she left the restaurant all too quickly, leaving Usagi to watch her straight ebony hair sway as Rei walked out the entrance, and fall back into her chair, pondering her friend's words and the thought that maybe she had already shattered, but not all the pieces could be found this time.
He was the biggest idiot.
Having the audacity to call her, expecting her to even answer him.
It had been almost three days, two nights since that rejected call and he was going insane.
Nearly pulling hair strands from his rough raking, the man paced back and forth against his carpet to cool off the nerves but it barely helped, not with his lurching stomach and shaky skin.
Four months. He thought after at least one he'd be able to let go, finally let go but it was idiotic to even suggest that with his history - with his feelings.
Four months but each day his mind always strayed to her, to her smile, to her laugh, to the way her eyes lit up when the smallest things would happen-
'You're a complete creep,' his mind whispered, and he couldn't deny it. This long and still he was thinking about one girl, just one stupid person that he couldn't forget because his brain wouldn't heed to his endless requests to just erase everything that ever involved the name Usagi Tsukino.
But then he would lose happiness, love, forfeit his heart that he long lost to her.
He needed closure and each time his phone produced a noise, he sprang to it in a heartbeat, praying it was her but also relieved when it wasn't.
'Move on.'
It was obvious she had, he had lost his numerous chances with her because he was a coward, scared of what she would say or do to him. The unknown was more safe, it gave hope to him when nothing else did. He always reminded himself of that to help with the pain.
She fell for his words, but what about behind the words? Only so much looked good on paper, or rather, texts.
Noticing the time, he shook his head and stood up to leave to clear his head early. 'Move on, let go.'
It was time to and he felt the sound of his door shutting as a deafening last nail to his coffin.
"Horrible reference sources, weak thesis, use a thesaurus next time Ms. Tsukino.."
Usagi wanted to snap her laptop screen in half because of Professor Shiro's comments on her paper. She still couldn't believe she had to take another course from that quack. She was almost through with him and that's what's been driving her goodwill and keeping down the murderous tendencies that sprang up every time she saw the grey-haired teacher.
A small thud broke her from the laptop trance, a coffee cup appearing on her table.
"On the house."
She smiled at Rue, spotting Yuko, standing behind the pick-up counter. "You guys really didn't have to."
"Just shut up and take the coffee crazy lady," Yuko called out to her, chuckling after.
"You're one of our favorite customers," Rue informed, leaning against a broom, "We don't mind it."
"Thanks," Usagi grinned, taking a greedy sip from the rich, thick liquid.
"Don't mention it," he said, ducking away and resuming his sweeping around the shop.
If she couldn't take any positives away from the past stressful months, she could at least take away that making friends with the coffee shop workers was definitely a huge plus and pick-me up with their constant friendlessness nowadays.
She sighed into her drink, needing the drink after dealing with a long and worrisome mother because quote "not communicating with your parents for two days straight is incredibly reckless Usagi!"
After a foolish explanation of her phone bugging out on her, Usagi calmed down the matriarch of her family at a breakfast date, promising to call her tonight. Hopefully.
The 48 hour cycle was about to be complete, which means the time to open her phone and see the results was donning on her. There was two parts of her, one that dreaded the thought of losing her phone and never answering him, and the other that still dreaded the thought of facing the choice to call him back, to talk to him, but on this method of communicating, she wouldn't have so much time to think of her witty responses.
A double-edged sword it was.
And it was coming up fast.
Sighing and relenting, she packed up her laptop and textbook.
As she pushed the door open, the blonde couldn't help the small glance at the lone chess board, all the pieces having been reassembled months ago. It looked so innocent and simple but the underlying complications that laid beneath the surface was so much more. It wasn't just a chess board anymore.
It was so much more.
She stared at it, probably for fifteen minutes, not moving an inch.
When she first got home, Usagi nearly took a knife to the bag of rice trying to open it, so intent on learning the fate of her phone. And the feeling that had coursed through her veins when the apple insignia had materialized on the black screen was something that was indescribable, the most beautiful sight she had ever seen to be honest.
Then her bright, bunny and crescent moon filled lockscreen met her watery eyes, then her intact photo albums, all her contacts, her game high scores, her music playlists - her phone speakers were still water damaged and distorted but she could get by - and then happy tears formed so much she couldn't see straight anymore.
But as the blonde rejoiced in her newly rejuvenated phone, her flames of delight were doused with cold water when a red circle with a number two was placed above her call app.
Two? Two notifications?
She was hesitant at first, eventually letting her finger drop to the icon and the call list popping up. Her heart almost lept at the Chess Boy contact that appeared at the bottom of a long missed call list from her mom.
But she didn't even know what her heart did when there was a notification on her voicemail.
It was her mom, 100% her mom.
Chess Boy
Mobile
16/04/19
1:07
Her eyes closed, and her stomach dropped.
She couldn't believe it, she couldn't understand - she couldn't breathe.
She had his voice, his real words, the closest she had to seeing or meeting him.
So why did her eyes fly open to look - to wait for ten minutes, debating in her head whether to listen to it or not, to hear his voice, even if her phone will make the vocals distorted.
Pressing play would mean falling back into the rabbit hole, offering her heart on a silver platter again. It would mean she was ready to go through this, for him, again.
And then she knew, her hand dropping and the voicemail beginning, distorted speakers and all.
'Here goes nothing…..'
"Uh hi…..if you still have my number saved, then you already know who this is."
Even without the distortion of voice, Usagi could tell he was speaking low and quiet, but his voice sent shivers down her spine nevertheless.
"I-It's been a long time, I know, but it's just…..I wanted to tell you, somehow….I'm sorry."
'What?'
"I'm sorry for everything that happened. It was just a b-big mistake and- but I'm not saying that you were a mistake! No, no, no I just meant that I-I'm sorry what I put you through, if I made you hurt, if I made you cry- and if you completely forgot about me and this message means nothing to you, I'm sorry for bothering you too."
"Bothering me," she whispered confused.
"I'm sorry, so sorry I just- I just wanted to tell you that I still remember you, and that it wasn't just a game of chess to me. I wasn't laughing at you or p-playing with your feelings or-or anything like that, I swear. I just wanted you to know that and I hope you get this message so that you know I meant no harm or for really any of this to happen. That's why I called..."
He sighed, silence for a few seconds and she thought he hung up but his voice broke, attempting to start again.
"This is also goodbye, because I know I didn't leave it off all that well- for either of us. So it was a pleasure talking to you, getting to know you, and I'll leave you alone now. But I will leave you one last thing. Usagi Tsukino, never love anyone who treats you as if you're ordinary."
Her heart thumped extra hard when he said 'love'.
"Uh i-it's from Oscar Wilde, he was an Irish playwright- a guy who just knew how to use the right words basically, and it's stupid to say that but I thought it fit you, because you're anything but ordinary. And you should always remember that-"
"End of Voicemail"
She barely moved, her elbows sitting on the edge of the kitchen countertop, head dropped in between, and fingers threaded through her loose blonde hair. Little droplets splattered on the cheap black, bracket granite that she absolutely hated because it was too dark and grungy and not at all her style-
She sniffled as she flew out of control with her tears and hiccups.
Confused. She was so confused on her feelings. Happy? Angry? Sad? Heartbroken?
It was a colossal wreck of emotions exploding in her heart, that couldn't stop beating out of her chest, as if she had ran a 25k marathon seconds before.
He….he called to say sorry?
To tell her goodbye…
His voice…..it was him, that was his voice through all the glitches and deterioration of her phone, his voice that came from his mouth, his lips, and she didn't know how, but she could just picture him running a hand through his hair while talking. She didn't even know if he had hair but it was a fuzzy image that appeared in her mind out of nowhere.
And she tortured herself more, replaying the voicemail at least three times more, to hear his voice, his ticks, his stumbling, him.
Each time she reached the end of the respective replay, Usagi's heart would sink at his goodbye, and his last words.
"...because you're anything but ordinary…"
She wiped the tears away and knew that if she hadn't already plunged off the cliff, as Rei had said, the blonde would have certainly taken a nosedive after this stunt.
God, why did he do this? Why did he make this harder for her?
Why did he have to say goodbye to her? Why say sorry?
He knew her name, what she looked like, all her feelings and thoughts, so much, but all she had was a nickname, a phone number, and a minute or so voicemail with fucked up audio.
That's what she had and she wasn't taking it for granted, but the scales were unbalanced. She needed closure, one last conversation.
But not a written one.
The speaker phone was ringing in her ears all of a sudden, and she could feel her breath picking up as she hastily brushed away the tears with the pads of her fingers.
It rang and rang and rang and she kept holding her breath for his voice to patch through and say hello.
After a few rings, she braced herself for the voicemail greeting, praying that maybe - just maybe - he did his own and he would say his name-
"You've reached (080) 197-5330. Please leave your message at the beep."
The mechanical female voice stopped and the aforementioned beep blared, causing her to panic and realize that she had prepared nothing.
"Um-uh-I-hi, this is Usag-well you probably know who this is I'm guessing h-huh?"
Smooth Usagi, smooth….
"I-I just wanted to return your call and I-I heard your voicemail about everything and I just-just…"
'Want to tell you I don't want you to leave me alone. I want you to stay with me, to talk to me, to comfort me, to hold me, to touch me….to meet me. And I want to know everything there is about you. All your worries, stress, past, dreams, secrets, everything! Every last detail that there is, I want to listen, to learn….. from your actual voice, not just some text message. I wanna see your eyes light up, or hear your laugh when something hilarious happens. I need so much more than this. I never want to say goodbye.'
She could never say that, she could never have the guts to.
"I just…..want closure."
Her heart pounded and bounced all the way to her throat. "Just one more thing and I swear you'll be rid of me." The pathetic laugh caused Usagi to cringe.
"Y-you know everything about me but I don't even know the color of your hair…..so just give me one last chance. Meet me. At the coffee shop."
It was a stupid shot.
"On Friday night, at 6 o'clock."
The stupidest shot in the world.
"I'll be sitting at the chess table, waiting for you."
But it was worth a try.
"Please, come. You don't have to, but…."
"End of message."
She pounded her fist against the countertop when the click echoed along with the robotic voice, signaling her time was up. She had ended it so wrong, so abrupt, so stupid!
All the words were stuck in her throat, along with her tears, that were just barely spilling over the edge.
Usagi buried her wet face in her hands, leaning against the kitchen island, her phone screen still open to her contacts.
He would come…..
He was going to come on Friday.
He was.
That's what she had to believe.
And that is it! And next chapter is the one you've all been waiting for! And I SWEAR it won't take like a month or so. Next chapter will be much more shorter and unfortunately will left on a cliffhanger so good news is that it'll get out faster though?
Anyway hope this chapter didn't suck, get anymore theories you have out into the open, and hope to see you guys soon! Oh and reviews do help like 1000x times so much. So tell me your thoughts and give me a smile?
Side note: The whole phone diabolical was actually real. I once got some water damage in my speakers on my iphone and my sound was super messed up, so it was semi-real XD