Ayo, my darlings! I think the next chapter will be the last. Then, I will think of some way to make a sequel for this (I will, for sure!). Reading your reviews is really the best thing in the world and I am so glad, delighed and lucky to have such wonderful readers and that you all support me so much.
I know you don't want this to end, but everything has a finishing line :)
Karma's P.O.V.
There were fuzzy voices interupting my sleep. I wanted to tell them to stop but I would have to wake up to do so. Ah well, I was going to wake up anyway.
"Sh-" I wanted to say shut up but it didn't come out. My throat hurt like hell and it didn't feel like I was going to talk any time soon. Apparently the ones who were talking noticed my being more or less consciouss and they stopped talking.
Opening my eyes, the familiar blue, yellow(s), green and black appeared. For some reason, the too-well known ceiling of our class greeted me together with faces of my classmates washed in worry.
My memory was hazy. What happened? Why was I here? Didn't I go home already? I remember opening the doors, walking through our living room and pissing the whore off. And then-
Now, that's why I couldn't talk!
Fuck.
The fact that they brought me here meant that they knew already.
"-hear us?" It was only now that I realized they were talking to me the whole time. It was Nagisa-kun, his gaze not leaving me even for a while. Now that I looked carefully, he, Okuda-san and even Nakamura had puffy and slightly red eyes. They must have been crying about one or two hours ago which means I must have been out for that long. Damn, this wasn't going to be something I could easily lie about since one - I couldn't talk, two - they already knew it all.
Out of habit, my mouth opened on its own to cover up the shit my oh-so-fucking-dumb self has done. Of course, it just hurt and no sound came. Indeed, an-oh-so-fucking-dumb me.
"Karma?" Nakamura seemed to notice or at least suspect that I might be unable to use my voice. Smart girl."If you can hear us, wink your eyes thrice."
Wink. Wink. Wink.
They exhaled in relief, cracking a smile. Then, Okuda-san asked: "Could it be that his vocal cords are damaged?"
And instead of anyone I saw there, the yellow thing from somewhere behind me answered: "That might be possible."
I didn't have to tilt my head too much to see him since he was walking to me anyway. Koro-sensei was now standing before me, making the five kids step back.
"Don't worry, Karma-kun, you are safe. I assume you won't be able to talk for about a week or two. I checked your body for any signs of serious damage but everything seems more or less okay. So all you need to think about is getting better." He was stroking me again. Fondling my hair, caressing my cheeks, his eyes on my throat which by the way was bandaged (thanks god for that).
For some reason, I felt very ashamed. Probably for the fact that I let them see me in this pathetic state. Either way, bearing the sight of Nagisa-kun's guilty expression, Nakamura's pained one, Kayano and Okuda-san bite their lips in anxiety and Isogai-kun slowly piecing things together, was too much.
What exactly happened? Did the bitch leave after I had passed out and they found me? And where was she anyway?
I tried to sit up and kind of managed with sensei's help though my head and neck hurt as fuck. But damn, I was way too used to this kind of pain to give a shit anymore. Searching through my pockets, it became clear that my phone got lost somewhere. Maybe at floor in that house. Such a bother.
Talking wasn't an option so the only thing left was the classical way: notebook. Mimicking the writing motion, they understood and gave me a notebook together with a pen. I thought for a while - what was I supposed to ask? I didn't even know what all they were aware of, if they saw that whore or if they just found me like this. In the end, I scribbled down the simpliest question:
What happened?
They all were hesitant to talk. I could see them thinking of which words to use. However, Isogai-kun took a deep breath and started: "We found you being strangled by your stepmother."
Honest. It really surprised me that they found out so much already. Koro-sensei must have done some research on my and dad's background, finding out her identity and appearance. Then I must have been out cold when they came. There was some real tension in their faces which made me really uncomfortable. Forcing out a smile, I showed them:
Your grim faces are ugly. I'm totaly fine as you can see.
Nagisa-kun bowed his head in an apologetic-angry way which really confused me. Looking around, everyone did the same, only the black haired male explained:
"You almost died, Karma."
Oh.
Oh.
Well...
But I was still fine?
"You stopped breathing and had it not been for Nakamura-san, you wouldn't be here anymore."
That's why none of them wanted to mention it. They were thinking about those 'if's. If they didn't come. If I died. What would happen them? It's not like I was still so suicidal but that thought didn't bother me too much. What did though was the idea of leaving them behind and hurting them. My friends were guilty over something what was my own fault. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to rewind the time and for once and at last believe in them, rely on them. To show them that this friendship still had some meaning in it.
Koro-sensei poked all of us on the cheek, his face suddenly turning pink: "Oh? I didn't hear about that? Nakamura-san, is it true that you gave Karma-kun a passionate, mouth to mouth resuscitation for two minutes?"
He was giving me a chance. I knew because he had emphasized those words just as I would if I wasn't in the position of vilian and victim at the same time.
Nakamura, how did my lips feel?
She turned tomato red after reading that, the others as well. Kayano bursted out laughing, hitting the blond's back: "That was your first, wasn't it?"
I grabbed another opportunity:
Wow, I didn't know you were so head over heals for me.
She got even redder. Everyone was now giggling at the girl's expense and Kayano with Koro-sensei weren't making it any better. Actually, they were supporting me.
In the end, the poor Nakamura yelled out words of hatred towards me, her face so flushed I have never thought it would be possible. It seems that only now did she realize that she technically kissed me doing CPR. Not that I minded, she was fine. One of two girls who I woudn't mind kissing.
It was fun seeing them like this - enjoying every moment together. My heart kind of ached but it wasn't the bad ache, more like the nostalgia of the old times when I was a kid. This felt like home. This felt like family. This is where I wanted to be.
Thank you, everyone.
I wrote it down but didn't show them. Nakamura was scolding and poking Nagisa-kun and Kayano, making Okuda-san worried they would get hurt. Isogai-kun was trying not to laugh his ass off and Koro-sensei got fully immersed into his photomaniac self.
Thank you for always being here.
A smile formed on my lips and before anyone would peek into the blog, I ripped out the sheet and stuffed it into my pocket. It's not like I was embarrassed or anything. It just felt like something I had to treasure. These words were something I wanted to tell them myself and having them written down reminded me of the fact that I was not alone. That I loved my friends, teachers and this class.
I didn't want to get to this subject, but there was no other way.
Where is that woman?
Koro-sensei turned at me and paused for a while, many thoughts going through his mind. Then he sighed and started: "Miss Cicely is currently in a hospital."
What?
Did you do something to her?
"Of course no-"
"Yes," Suddenly, Bitch-sensei and Karasuma-sensei stepped in.
"Irina-sensei! Why do you have to ruin my reputation in front of my dear students?!" The yellow octopus cried out, his face getting sweaty.
"It's the truth though. When you returned her, she was half unconsciouss, soaked and frozen, blabbing something about wanting to go to papa. How pathetic." And the teacher curled her nose, making a disgusted face.
"AAAH NO, NO, I MEAN I HAD A TALK WITH HER BUT-"
"If I remember right, you also threatened to kill everyone she knew in front of her very eyes if she ever dared to even lay a finger on your beloved student." This time, her voice was slowing down, especially in the end. She was teasing him.
Our assassination target was now drowning in despair and embarrassement, not being able to face any of us. I didn't quite understand why though.
Bitch-sensei looked at me and her expression softened: "I'm saying this to make you feel a bit better, kid."
Then she gave Karasuma-sensei a look and he spoke up: "What we mean to say, that woman won't be troubling you anymore thanks to his... warning. Secondly, she will surely be sent to jail for at least few years. Thirdly, we found out that your father has decided to divorce her a week ago."
I sat there, dumbfounded. What did he just say? Divorce? Did the old geezer finally realize what a slut she was? Or was he just tired of her already? Either way, it explained her surly behaviour and the drinking. Maybe the only reason she returned here was to vent out the anger on me. Ah right, I was her punching bag.
But now, I was free.
"Karma-kun?" Okuda-san called me out, probably because I have been staring at them for too long. I couldn't help it and a big smile formed.
I was free.
For the first time in my whole life, for the very first time in these miserable fifteen years, I gratefully let those tears fall. They weren't those of sadness. They didn't feel like fire on skin.
These tears meant one thing.
I am free.