Chapter Three- Boruto
Surfing was something I never knew I needed in my life until I tried it for myself. It wasn't easy and I fell a lot, like a lot a lot, but it was all worth it. Kawaki had me up on the board and riding the waves after a few months to enjoy the very last bit of fall. It was so fun to surf with him and I had looked forward to meeting up every weekend. I told mom and dad about Kawaki and they were glad to have someone watch over me as I wandered around the beach. True to his word, Kawaki did explore with me and it was even better than doing it all by myself. Surfing though, it really was something else. I felt like I never fully enjoyed the ocean until I started riding the waves all the way to the shore.
The sky was getting cloudy now that winter was here and the stars weren't visible. However, I still had that underground sky I had found in the other cove to look at when I missed the stars. Mom and dad let me stay out later as long as Kawaki was with me and Kawaki still insisted on walking me home. The tide was getting higher and filling Kawaki's hideout with some water, but it was still manageable to get in and out. It was too cold to surf in the winter and the water was freezing, but we still met up in the hideout and even had a fire going to keep us warm. I was happy to have him as a friend. I had two other friends as well now, Metal and Shikadai from school, but Kawaki was still my favorite.
School was going well and I was keeping up with the material. I had fun there now that I had my other two friends to hang out with. Shikadai invited me over to his house a few times, but I only went if it was during the week. Metal was always training with his dad so he never joined us. I didn't really know what he and his dad were training for, but he was certainly passionate about it. Shikadai helped me with class work when I didn't fully understand it and all three of us sat together at lunch. There wouldn't be lot of school activities until spring came around, but I was looking forward to doing them with my friends.
Winter was my least favorite season and I hoped it went by fast. I wanted to do things with Kawaki like surfing and not have to wear a coat out when we were on the beach. It seemed like winter ruined a lot of things and dad would get back home really late this time of year, mom wrapped up with a cup of coffee in the lighthouse. It was lonely at night and during the day on the weekends when mom would get some much needed sleep. I was used to it and understood that it couldn't be helped, but it was always the season I saw my parents the least. I had Kawaki now though so it made things a lot easier.
We were walking along the shore Saturday morning as I kept an eye out for any cool shells. I was talking about how I wanted to get a dog when Kawaki's friend, Iwabe, came up to us. I knew he wanted Kawaki to come with him and I was surprised how bitter I felt about it. Iwabe got to spend time with Kawaki all week while I only got the weekend, the weekend was our time and yet he was trying to take Kawaki away from me. However, I didn't say any of this out loud. I didn't want to sound like a whiny kid so I just sucked it up and told Kawaki goodbye. Maybe he would have more fun hanging out with his Iwabe than with me anyway.
I was left to my own thoughts and sulked for a good while as I played in the sand. I wondered if this would keep happening and Iwabe would ask him to go every weekend, taking away all the time I had with him. It wasn't fair and made me sad, but it also made me angry. I was Kawaki's friend too so why did he get more time than I did? Why did Kawaki choose Iwabe over me? Didn't he have fun with me or was it more like . . . more like he was just babysitting me. I knew he worried and wanted to keep an eye on me, but was it more of a chore for him?
I didn't want that. I didn't want him to see me like that. I was just fine on my own, I wasn't a little kid, I was thirteen years old. I was fully capable and if I wanted to explore then I could, it wasn't like he really wanted to come along anyway. He would rather go do whatever with his best friend. If he was going to do what he wanted then so was I. It was stupid of me sulking like this, he was probably having the time of his life right now. I brushed my hands free of sand and went towards the cliffs. I was going to explore and he would have to deal with it.
I wasn't too far from the cove and it didn't take me long to reach his hideout. I stepped on the rocks and started going past the cove, mindful of the waves and climbing when I got to the bigger rocks. It was a little difficult in my coat, but I managed. The cliff was wider than I first thought and the path was getting more intense. The wind started blowing as well and with it came a familiar smell. I went further along towards it on the edge of the cliff, curious as to where it was coming from. I pulled myself higher up and was surprised to see Iwabe once I looked around the edge and he wasn't alone. It looked like he was smoking that thing Kawaki did, but Kawaki was nowhere in sight among the other older looking guys.
After a moment one of them turned around, his eyes catching sight of me and he cocked a brow. "What's this?" He grinned but there was something about the way he looked at me that didn't feel right.
The others turned at his words and looked at me. Iwabe passed the thing in his hand to the guy closest to him and just looked away as if he wasn't interested in my arrival. The tall guy that had spoken waved me over, his sly grin still in place.
"What's up? Come on over here." He said.
I hesitated for a moment, not sure what to make of him and the other guys. I slowly came around the rest of the way and took a few steps towards him. There was only one way to find out what kind of person he was and that was to go over. As soon as I was within reach he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me against him, walking me closer to the others who stood right on the edge of the cliff.
"It's really beautiful here, don't you think?" He hummed, holding me tightly as he looked out at the ocean.
I didn't know why he was so touchy, but maybe he was just an affectionate guy. "It's pretty cool." I agreed as I looked out too.
"Raiko," Iwabe called in a hushed tone and the guy with his arm around me gave him a sharp look.
The grin Raiko had returned so quickly it almost gave me whiplash. "This place is one of a kind. We like it here. Nobody else comes here. Ever." He said to me, voice gravely quiet.
"Oh, I get it." I said, thinking of Kawaki's cove. "It's like a secret hideout."
"Exactly." He nodded, chuckling. "So get a good look at it. Consider this a luxury."
At first I didn't get what he meant by that, but I got it a few moments later. He wanted to keep this place a secret for him and his friends but was too nice to ask me to leave. It looked like he wasn't a bad guy after all, just wanting a secret place to hang out in peace.
"I'll keep it a secret." I promised him with a smile.
His arm pulled back and he rested his hand on my shoulder instead, laughing lightly.
"Raiko." Iwabe called again, in a tone of warning that confused me and then the next thing I knew I was hanging over the cliff, Raiko holding me just by the back of my shirt.
My scream got stuck in my throat by the shock of it all and I didn't understand what was happening, my body frozen in fear.
"Can't go invading people's spaces kid. So, I'll have to teach you a lesson."
My heart was pounding and I wanted to yell, but I was afraid he would let go. He wouldn't really let go, would he? Why was he acting like this? Had I been wrong? While my mind was spiraling in confusion and worry another strong grip took hold of the back of my shirt and I was snatched back roughly. My heart stopped at the sudden quick movement and my eyes widened at finding Kawaki being the one to pull me back.
I'd never seen such a look on anyone's face, much less Kawaki's. It was so cold and deadly that I couldn't even think about it. Was this really Kawaki? He glared at Raiko for only a second before he raised his leg and kicked the guy hard in the back and he went flying over the cliff.
"Son of a bitch." Iwabe grumbled, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms as if this was something that happened normally. I couldn't get over the fact Kawaki justed kicked that guy off the cliff and into the water.
Kawaki turned back and glanced down at me, his nostrils flaring. "What the fuck are you doing here? What did I tell you?" He hissed at me, more angry than I could have ever imagined him being.
I frowned and looked at the ground, too many emotions going through me at once. He saved me and was mad that I came, but that wasn't it. This was where he had went and probably who he hung out with during the week. Iwabe being here was proof enough and the other guys seemed to know Kawaki too judging by their behavior. This was their secret place and Kawaki didn't want me here, I was just in the way. He didn't want some annoying guy around while he hung out with his older friends, even if that Raiko guy was scary. He was really about to drop me, wasn't he? And I thought he was a nice person . . . it was stupid of me.
"I'm leaving." I said quietly, still a little shaken up and upset. It was obvious he didn't want me here and these didn't seem like the kind of people I wanted to be around anyway.
"Oh, I know." He growled, fists trembling and grey eyes icy. He grabbed me by the arm and startled hauling me away from the cliff.
He took me around a different way than the one I came and we were both silent. This day sucked and I wished I never went over to the other side of the cliff. I pulled away once we reached the beach I was familiar with and zipped my coat up higher, not wanting to be around him anymore.
"Okay, you can go now." I huffed.
"What, now you're pissed at me?" He snarled. "This is all your fault. I told you not to go over there. Those bastards are dangerous and they would hurt you without thinking twice about it. Why won't you listen to me?"
I moved my blond bangs out of my face, the wind blowing it in my eyes. "I won't be going over there again so you don't have to worry about it. Just go and have fun with Iwabe, that's what you'd rather do isn't it?" I asked and the words were out before I had a chance to think better of it.
"You're too fucking much, really." He snapped, hand running through his black hair in frustration. "It's not like that." He moved closer to me and I noticed that he smelled like that other guy.
I moved back, letting it all out since I had already mentioned it. "I can see it. I'm just in the way. You'd rather go and spend time with someone your own age than babysit me. Well I don't need a babysitter, I'm fine on my own and won't bother you." I told him, my heart clenching as I got worked up.
He took hold of my arms and shook me slightly. "You fucking idiot. You are my own age. I said it's not like that."
"What?" There was no way, he looked too mature and was bigger than me. Even if it was true though, it didn't change the facts. "No. No, the weekend was our time . . . but you don't want to spend it with me."
"I would have taken you but I couldn't. You don't need to be around those guys. You don't even need to be around me." He sighed then, seeming to calm down all at once. "Yeah, you should go."
"What are you saying?" I asked and furrowed my brow. "Are you claiming to be like them?" That was a lie if I ever heard one.
His eyes looked from me to the ocean just to our side and he let out a heavy sigh. "I'm worse than any of them."
I pushed him hard in the chest, though he only moved back a little. "Stop it! No you're not! You're . . . you're my friend. My first friend. If you were going to hurt me then you would have done it by now. You're not a bad person, I know you're not."
He would never hurt me, I knew it for a fact. I might not be able to judge someone's character from a glance, but after spending time with someone I knew. I knew he was a true friend.
"I wouldn't… I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to get hurt." He admitted. "That's why we shouldn't be friends."
"I don't understand . . . you don't want to be my friend anymore?" I asked in disbelief.
Kawaki looked torn and refused to look back at me. "Do you have no concern for your own safety?"
"Well yeah." I said and took a step forward. "But you're no danger to me."
He took a step back to keep the distance between us, grey eyes finally returning to my face. He'd been so angry and now he looked almost afraid. "You could have died today."
This time I looked away and thought about his words. I couldn't deny it, he was right. "And if I had never met you, if we hadn't become friends . . . I would have gone to the other side of that cliff months ago and then what?" I realized that my exploring was dangerous and I needed to be more careful of strangers.
"When I tell you something, I mean it. I have my reasons. I need you to understand that."
I nodded and quietly said, "Okay."
"Okay." He breathed as if relieved at my agreement but he said nothing more as he turned back to stare out at the ocean.
I felt guilty and ashamed for going over there. He had been really worried about me. I was a lot smaller than that Raiko guy, that fall could have ended it all. I feared to think what would happen if my parents ever found out. I was only now understanding the gravity of the situation.
"I'm sorry, Kawaki."
Shaking his head he stepped closer to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Don't be sorry, be safe."
"I'll do my best." I promised and really meant it. I never wanted to go through anything like that ever again.
We stayed at the beach for a little longer until Kawaki walked me home and I was glad he was going to keep being my friend. The two of us hung out again on Sunday and I invited him over to my house later in the afternoon. He got to meet mom and she insisted on cooking something for us, excited to finally meet him and not hesitating to welcome him. The look on his face was funny when she had hugged him and I couldn't help laughing. The weekend had been pretty crazy and I told Shikadai and Metal at school on Monday. It was starting to become a habit, telling them about Kawaki, but it was hard not to. Kawaki was really cool and a good friend that deserved a little bragging here and there. Although I mainly just told them about him because I felt like I was lucky to have him. I felt that especially after what had happened, what I called the almost end of our friendship.
I never found out what happened with Kawaki and those other guys and I didn't ask. It was hard to believe Kawaki hung out with people like Raiko. Sure Kawaki was rough and sometimes a little mean, but he wasn't cruel. He wasn't like them even if he smoked the same stuff they did. Iwabe was another story and I didn't know what to make of him. He seemed close to Kawaki but he also just went along with those other guys. It wasn't clear to me what kind of person he was and I never spent time with him to know, but the jealous and bitter part of me didn't care. As long as he didn't interfere with my weekends, I didn't care what he did. I felt like Kawaki might have been hanging out with those people because he thought he had too, that he was like them somehow. I couldn't tell for sure though.
All I knew was the Kawaki I saw every weekend and I didn't want anyone to think badly of him. I wasn't sure where such a strong urge to defend him came from, but it was there all the same. It got even colder during the next two weeks, but I doubted we would get snow. We spent more time either at my house or in Kawaki's cove with a fire rather than at the beach. Night time was always the coldest and I was really missing the warm weather. The days weren't going by as fast as I had hoped and it seemed the season would be longer than ever. However, I did get to learn more about Kawaki during those days. I already knew he was smart, but the number of times he beat me at a board game had to mean he was a master cheater. There was no way it was a coincidence or skill, I didn't trust that smirk of his.
When mom was awake and cooked for us, I found out what he liked and what he didn't even if he never said it to her face. He always told me afterwards and even then chose his words carefully. I discovered he had a real talent for drawing and wondered why he didn't do it more often. I asked him but he just brushed me off, saying he didn't have time for it. I figured he said that because he would rather smoke or surf. I wanted him to draw me, but he wouldn't and got all huffy about it. It was a shame because he was so good and I couldn't understand what the problem was. Despite learning small things about him, he never liked to talk about himself. He always found one way or another to avoid my questions.
Dad didn't ever get the chance to meet Kawaki, but he heard about him from mom. He was working hard, being the captain was rough and more often than not he quickly ate dinner and went right to sleep. Mom made sure to stay on him about keeping warm while he was out there and remembering to take breaks. She worried about him a lot while he was on the sea and I wished there was something I could do. Dad reassured her, but she still worried. At the very least she knew I was taken care of since Kawaki had my back. I understood now that Kawaki watched out for me because he wanted to and because he cared. All the things I had thought before were just my bitterness at being chosen second that day, I was angry and hurt so I jumped to conclusions. Kawaki didn't fake anything around me and he really did have fun when we hung out just like I did.
The winter was a lot better since he was around, but I was glad when spring finally came. We were able to get back in the ocean and surf, Kawaki missing it even more than I did. We picked back up on my surfing lessons again although I wasn't sure if I could pull off all the tricks he was able to do. I enjoyed surfing, but I still liked to sit back and watch him surf once and awhile. Surfing had taken up most of our time so during spring break Kawaki and I went exploring in the opposite direction of the beach past the lighthouse. I hadn't gone too far in that direction yet and I was still hoping to find a treasure map or maybe even an old pirate ship in a large cove. In the end we only found random things and shells, but there was more left to check out next time he agreed to go with me.
School had been getting more interesting since the activities started and Metal was excited to do some sports. Shikadai wasn't too enthusiastic about physical activity, but he went with us and joined in anyway. I tried different things and had a good time, but nothing really caught my full attention until one of the teachers got the idea to bring animals into the mix. She started a pet club after school and I was all for it. I always loved animals and wanted a dog and maybe a cat too. She got an animal shelter to bring over cats and dogs for us to play with and on fridays a friend of hers brought over farm animals in the field nearby. My favorite was the horses and I was first in line when the owner said we could ride them, I talked Kawaki's ear off about it that weekend. Metal and Shikadai ended up joining different clubs, but it was just as fun regardless.
Things got complicated towards the last month of school. I was more than ready for summer, but the last month and truly been difficult. There was a transfer student in my class and it was crazy to get one this time of year. Everyone was interested in the new guy, Hajime. He came from a big city and was apparently rich though he bragged too much in my opinion. Shikadai and Metal didn't really care about him either and the three of us steered clear. It wasn't that we were trying to be mean, we just wanted to avoid the crowd around Hajime and he was making enough fast friends as it was. I didn't have a problem with him until after that first week and he showed his true nature. I had no idea why, but for some reason he decided to make me his personal target.
People had said mean things to me before, but Hajime was a straight up bully. I didn't do anything to him and yet he made it a point to insult me at least once a day. Metal wanted to fight him while Shikadai told me to ignore him, that he wanted me to fight back so I would get in trouble. However, it was getting harder day by day and he really went for it when he caught me by myself. I was more surprised that anyone that saw kept quiet and pretended I wasn't there except for Hajime's followers, they preferred to join in. He said cruel things to me, but it never got physical so I wasn't sure what to do about it. I didn't think any teachers would believe me and I didn't want mom and dad to worry.
All I could do was put up with it until the month was over and I was proud of myself for getting through it. At first I would say things back to Hajime, but the more I said the worst it got and he seemed to like it when I did. It looked like Shikadai was right and I had done by best to ignore him until the last day of school. I was excited for summer and being free from homework and Hajime. I put everything behind me and focused on the good things to come. Kawaki and I would get to hang out practically every day, it was going to be a lot of fun. Summer time was going to be our time.