Chapter 2

I hurry into my bedroom anxious to get rid of my soaking clothes. I pull a pair of pajamas from dresser and get my linens ready for my bath having since abandoned the idea of my wonderful movie night. I'm halfway across my room when a thought hits me.

Turning back I only have to remember where it was I put it. I rush over to my old trunk, and rummage through it until I hit the very bottom. It has to be in here somewhere.

"Ahah!" I smile triumphantly pulling out a purple lace spiral notebook. Though worn with age I flip through the pages to see most had remained intact. Throwing it on top of my pile I hurry to the bathroom. Locking the door I place my belongings on the side table and lean over to turn the nozzles of the tub.

I don't know why I never questioned this before; he used to be over so much what had happened? Shaking in my still soaked stockings I sit down on the floor unlatching my shoes pulling them off. Already I can hear the tub starting to fill.

I suppose that I never really thought about my brothers friend much after I had Ann. But still… I pause checking the waters temperature. Satisfied it start to unlace my dress and as I do I rack my brain for memories I could remember of the duo. Throwing the remaining of my garments into the hamper and folding a fresh towel around my bare body I grab the laced diary impatiently. There had to be something in here.

I sat at the edge of the tub just stared at it for a little. I had never been one to read or writing much of anything, it just bored me. I was never able to sit still long enough to really enjoy it I suppose, so perhaps this wasn't much to go off of. But it is the best thing I have. Opening it up I flip through the first few pages. The entries are short, not much to behold as I'd expected. Many pages contain pictures I'd taken from the album with small misspelled captions underneath instead of true paragraph entries.

The days skip around a lot and many entries cover many previous days instead of just one present day. They bounce around from topic to topic obviously quickly, obviously written on rainy days when I hadn't been allowed to do much else.

Warm water creeps up behind me and I jump having to practically save myself and the dairy from falling into the warm water. The tub was much to full and I have to rush to hit the nozzle and stop the flow of water.

Discarding the towel I test the water with one toe. It is just right. Slowly and carefully not to knock out any of the much to high water I lower myself in. Leaving the dairy at the edge of the tub. My hands skim the bottom surface for the drain, finding it I yank it free just long enough for the water to submerge to a proper level.

For a minute I slouch down into the bubbly water so that it rises up above my mouth, my senses swallowed in by the rich vanilla scents I'd added to the bath. I lean my head back for a little forgetting about everything that is weighing me down.

"What happened Rick?" My voice echoes in my head and the moments of still peacefulness have been interrupted. I open my eyes seeing the small purple book still resting at the edge of the tub. What had happened? Drying my hands and sitting up just enough to read it I flip though my small ramblings of Christmas gifts, Rick's meanness and play dates with Ann.

A few amuse me. Particularly the small narrations of how the boys and I fought on where to make playing make-believe. In the chicken coop or behind the church. There are also small entries that are scribbled down fast they are barley legible between spelling errors and rushed script. I could tell I had been too excited about playing with them that I didn't want to waste time writing about our adventures, but out solving them.

The days stretch out and entries get less frequent when I stop. the page marked the date the eighth of March… And unlike all previous entries this one was lengthy and detailed, how could I have wanted to write that much? I wonder.

My eyes dart over it struggling to read the horrid print and ill formed words. There are spots on the paper that are clearly dried from small spots of tears in which the ink had blurred. And yet I somehow I can remember every word I printed on this paper.

It was the day I'd found out Gray's mother had passed away… I was young didn't understand death and no one had been willing to help a young girl understand… The four of us, (Ann, Gray, Rick and I) had been playing around the coops when Siabara had come and grabbed Gray away from us. I remembered Dad yelling at him and him yelling back that something had happened and Gray needed to go see his father right away.

My parents demanded to know what happened but before we could even be told what was going on the Mayor has burst in going on about a car accident. My mother had pushed me inside the house where I'd written this. I hadn't known why they had taken Gray away or what was going on, why Siabara had looked so angry and mad or why the Mayor was even involved! And this diary had been the only thing I could talk to…

The entries following were longer still, Gray hadn't come back at all the next few summers…

"POPURI WHAT ARE YOU DROWNING IN THERE?" Rick fumes at the door.

"I'll be out soon!" I say placing the book aside. Gray hadn't always been this angry mad fellow I often cower from in the streets… How had I forgotten? What changed?

The water was getting cooler and I sunk my head further into it, why hadn't I ever continued to questioned this after these entries?

~~~:~~~

That next morning the shock of what I'd found out and what I guess always knew has sunk in. But I need to know more I I just have to. Curiosity killed the cat Popuri, I warn myself by it's half hearted. I get dressed quickly layering up with mittens, a scarf, and vest all under my long red coat. I tell my family I'll be eating breakfast at the Inn and rush out before they can reply. I don't know why I don't just ask Mom about this after all she was there as well. But for some reason Ann seems like a better option… Perhaps it is because Ann wasn't the one who had originally tried to hide it from me...

Running through the streets is a blur and before I know it I've rushed into a pretty much deserted Inn. Doug stands at the counter straightening some plates preparing for breakfast.

"Oh hi Popuri," he smiles obviously surprised at my arrival. "You're here quite early would you like a-"

"Sorry Doug I can't talk now I need to see to Ann."

"Well she's upstairs in her room but I don't think you should wake her she's-"

"Thanks Doug!" I yell dashing up the stairs quickly almost tripping a few in the process. The second I see Ann's door I barge straight in, "Ann!" I yell trying to catch my breath.

"WHAT THE HELL? POPURI WHAT ARE YOU-"

"Sorry!" I gasp throwing my hand over my eyes. Ann is just in the middle getting changed, still bleary-eyed and half asleep.

"POPURI! For all the love in- close the door!" She shrieks and I'm quick to follow instruction. Staying there as Ann pulls over her shirt and latched on her suspenders. "Now!" she says face still red in anger, "what in the world are you thinking? Barging in here like that, and- Popuri it's seven in the morning what in the world are you thinking?"

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to! I didn't see anything I promise I-"

Ann is standing over me now eyes a flame, "I don't care that you saw me in my bra and panties! For the Goddess's sake I've slept over your house millions of times, what I'm angry about is that you've barged into my bedroom at the crack of dawn like a crazy women yelling this and that waking up this whole entire Inn!"

"Sorry… I-"

"Just tell me what's going on!" Ann demands her hair askew not yet braided.

"Here," I mumble pushing my dairy into her hands, "read this."

Ann takes one look at it and tosses it back to me. "I can't read that Popuri."

"Why not?"

"It's illegible! There's a reason you never became a writer Poppy!"

I frown and her gaze softens, "come here," she says. I follow her and together we sit down on her bed. "Now calmly and preferably quietly explain to me what the in the blazes is going on."

I take a deep breath my thoughts going by so fast. "Do you know what March eighth is?" I ask.

Ann gives me one of the stupidest looks imaginable. "No."

"It's the anniversary of Gray's mother's death," I prompt.

"Umm okay then why are you-"

"We were there!" I gasp only half aware how insane I must sound.

"Popuri are you drunk?" Ann's face changes from anger to worry her hand creeping up to feel my forehead which I swat away.

"No!" I grumble. "I mean back when we were about ten do you remember the day we were playing out in the coops and Siabara came and took Gray away and we didn't see him after that?"

For a second I thought Ann was going to send me off to an asylum. Say that she didn't remember a thing but then slowly she replies, "Vaguely yes…"

"When did he come back?"

"What? Popuri calm down why is it that you're suddenly caring so much about Gray's past?"

"I-" I pause why did I care? "I don't know," I finish. "But last night Rick and Gray both got in this huge fight and after Mom showed us all these pictures of when we were little. Why had everything changed? Rick and Gray were best friends… When did Gray come back to Mineral town?"

"Uhh when three years ago member?"

"He changed when he came back…" I whisper.

"Well of course he changed!" Ann rasps at me like I'm stupid. "Losing a parent does that Popuri! You don't know what to do who you are, it's horrible. Your whole life style changes after that, the things you did then only remind you of them, and things they brought to your life are gone… You're never able to hear them speak again or see their smiling face…" I'm not sure why Ann is taking this so personally until I realize she's lost a parent too… Her mother died when she was young as well…

"I- I'm sorry Ann I didn't mean-"

Ann shook her head not wanting to talk about it further. "No it's alright."

"Do you think that's why Gray is so irritable sometimes?" I ask.

Ann takes a little to reply, "Maybe…" She says. "But Popuri remember he wasn't a very talkative child to begin with. He always was shy and smaller than most boys his age," I nod though I knew that wasn't the case now. Gray towers over many villagers these days he'd just grown late.

"But he wasn't so angry…" I say.

"True, maybe it is part of the reason…"

"Do you think that's why he and Rick aren't friends anymore?"

"Maybe… Popuri why are you so curious about this just because of one fight? Those two have never seen eye to eye in years. Why does this one outing affect you so much?"

I look at her in disbelief I hadn't realized this had been going on for so long! What else didn't I know? Sometimes Popuri you can be so thick headed!

Ann sighs her hands raising up in a well practiced fashion to intertwine her hair into a tightly woven braid. "Come on squirt lets go get breakfast." I wince at my nickname, but I followed her just as well.

Down stairs I sit at the bar watching Doug and Ann run in and out of the kitchen preparing breakfast for their tenants whom of which are not yet awake. My fingers twitch every once in a while, I hate sitting still but I can't bring myself to help like I usually did. I feel weighed down.

"Something on your mind?" a soft voice inquires next to me making me jump. Cliff pulls himself up onto a bar stool next to me.

"W-what makes you think that?" I ask looking at him nervously. I am always told I'm easy to read, but I didn't need to be interrogated as well.

Cliff's cheeks reddened. I couldn't ever understand why he got so embarrassed talking. He does this with everyone, not just myself. It is like talking is some extreme thing to be weighed and thought about carefully with him. Like talking is so... unnatural to him, and well I think its weird. Probably because talking is something that comes so natural to me, its hard to imagine it'd be difficult for someone else to find the right wording.

"J-just I don't normally see you, uhh-"I wait expectantly but he shakes his head. "You're just not normally this quiet."

"Just tired it's like, goddess what-" I looked up gasping at the clock. "No way nine o' clock already!" I yell starting to panic. "But-"

"Uhh," Cliff shakes his head trying hard to calm my outburst. "Almost eight actually…"

I double check, "oh right." Digital clocks were so much easier…

"What's all the yelling about?" a new very annoyed voice speaks. I turn just in time to see the source of this internal tornado of mine making his way down the stairs.

Neither Cliff nor I answer; instead I simply just sit back down eyes darting to the table.

"Back-"Ann starts her announcement only to look at each of us in turn. "Who died?" Personally I found irony in those words, too much irony…

"Ask the shrieking Cabbage Patch Kid…" Gray grumbles taking a seat at the edge of the bar.

My jaw drops, "what me?" I gasped.

He looked at me to Cliff, "Cliff do you like dolls?"

"Uh no…"

Gray shrugs, "yeah you." I cross my arms glaring the best I could muster at him. This admittedly wasn't much.

"Break it up you two," Ann growls throwing a plate down in front of me then Cliff. "And apologize Gray, what'd she do to you?"

He mumbles something I don't catch. His mother did die… Ugh why was he so… soo… MEAN!. There I said it, m-e-a-n. How does Mary even put up with him?

I got various stares and looks as I start my internal argument of what to think of the man but I don't stop to question them. Scarfing down my meal I thank Doug and Ann, slap some money on the counter and jump down from the stool. Grabbing my coat I'm out into the winter air.

The cold air wakes me up quite a bit and I find myself not really looking up as I walk to shield my face from the wind.

Cabbage Patch Kid? Honestly? Meanie, why do I even care what happened to him? For all I know its better he isn't still friends with Rickie, anyway. A negative influence, that's what he is. And a scary negative influence at that!


First off, thanks so much for reviewing last chapter everyone! (: I hope that you enjoyed Chapter two as well. ^^ I didn't get much writing done this week, I'm not sure if it's writers block because I know what I want to write it just isn't coming out to my satisfaction...
Either way hopefully an update next Saturday, I like to be a few chapters ahead and since that didn't work out this week we'll see. Reviews as always are very much appreciated