Chapter 2: "Maybe I should have stayed in Tokyo."
It has been weeks since I've arrived in America and started attending Jasper High. I was slowly, but surely, becoming more and more fed up with Miko. She was practically ignoring me. After school, I heard nothing from her. No texts. No calls. No nothing.
I came here for her. I wanted to be with my little sister, but what I get is a lunch buddy. It was getting to that time of day and I was glaring at the back of her head in History class. She looks outside and I see her eyes brighten. I look to see it was that same green SUV. Who was it?
"That your boyfriend?" I tease her.
"Psh, you wouldn't even know what a boyfriend looked like if it hit you in the face. And not my boyfriend." She whispered back. I scoff at her. I know what a boyfriend looks like. A boy, who's your friend. A romantic interest.
"Are you gonna ditch me again after school?" I ask, irritated with her.
"Whaddya mean? I don't ditch you." She said, turning to me.
"Yes you do. I got my grades up and worked hard so that I could be here with you and you blow me off every day after school." I counter.
"I didn't ask you to do that." She glared.
"Why are you being so mean? I've been nothing but nice to you and I wanted to spend time with you." I say desperately.
"I don't want to spend so much time with someone as boring as you." She huffed spinning around to face the front.
I purse my lips and furrow my brows. If looks could kill, Miko would be nothing but a heap of dead flesh on the floor. I thump the back of her head to get her attention.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?" She snarled.
"Tell me why you're being such a brat. I have done nothing to you. You've been gone for a year, you expected me to just forget about you while you were gone." I whisper harshly.
"Did you ever think I left because I wanted to get away from you?" She snapped. I was taken aback. I bit my lip to keep the tears from spilling over.
"Wow... Maybe I should've stayed in Tokyo." I hiss slamming my book shut, standing up seconds before the bell and rushing out of there before the rest of the crowd.
"Ren!" I hear, but I ignore it. I merely plow through the crowd and out the front doors. I was walking through the grass and toward my host parents house. A firm hand grasps my wrist and I spin around seeing Miko.
"Ren, I didn't mean all that. I'm sorry." She says.
"Then why did you say them? And just because you say sorry doesn't mean it takes that away." I huff.
"I know, I know. I just..." She trailed off.
"You just what? You don't want me to meet your other friends cause I'm too boring? Or is it because you wanna get away from me?" I ask. She looks down ashamed.
"Why are you leaving me?" I ask.
"I...can't tell you." She sighs. I scoff, pulling my hand away.
"You better go. You're boyfriend's waiting for you." I sneer. She looks over her shoulder at the green SUV. I took that time to turn away from her and I head down the street to my host parents' house.
When I finally get there, I text Kim that she doesn't have to pick me up. Unfortunatly, I don't have a key. Therefore, I'd have to wait on the porch for her to get me.
I pulled out my phone and I dialed our number back in Tokyo. I needed to talk to Mom. Or Chi Chi. Or Ding Dong. Or anybody back home.
"Hello?" I hear Akio. My baby brother. He was only eleven and true to his name, which meant bright.
"Hey brother. How's Tokyo?" I ask.
"Ren? It's good to hear from you. Tokyo's nice, although it's raining right now. How's America?" He inquired. I explain to him my host parents, Matt, the school, the students, K.O. drive-in, the whole shebang.
"Last time you call, you told Mom that Miko was ignoring you." He said.
"Yeah. That's sorta why I called. We got into a fight today and told me that I was too boring that that she wanted to get away from me. I just needed to talk to someone from home. Even one of the cats." I joke. "How are your piano lessons coming along?" I ask, changing the subject. I wanted someone to distract me from Miko.
He told me that he was going to be preforming at his school and that it was a pretty formal event. I was sad I couldn't be there with him. There were three siblings in total. Me, being the oldest at sixteen. Miko, at fifteen. We were almost exactally one year apart. Our birthdays are days away from each other. Akio was the youngest and only boy at eleven.
I see Kim pull up in the driveway and I bid my brother goodbye before I hang up and stand to greet her. Matt hopped out of the back seat and ran up the steps, no doubt anxious to play his games. Kim was taking her time coming up the steps. There had been some definite growth since I arrived. Her shirts were becoming too small and she was in need of some maternity clothes. You could see her stomach poking out of the bottom of her shirt. It wasn't very flattering.
"Goody afternoon Kim. Hey Matt." I say. Kim responds with a 'hey' but I doubt Matt even heard me.
We went inside and resumed our normal routine. Matt would play his games, I would begin my homework, and Kim would watch TV until four. They she'd prepare dinner for Joe when he got home from the hospital. He was a doctor and worked long hours. I often had to help Kim because the smells of cooking food would make her nauseous.
Then, they forced Matt to put away his things and we all had dinner, telling each other about our days. I told them I had a good day anyway. I don't want them to know that I got in a fight with my sister today.
Then, I bid them goodnight and I retreated to the bathroom for a nice, long, hot shower. The warm water helped me to forget about my worries and I cleared my mind. All I needed was some piano music in the background.
Pink!
I stirred from my sleep and I crack and eye open, seeing just the dark and the small amount of moonlight coming through the blinds in the window.
Pink!
I sit up and glare at the window. There might've been a tree branch or bush hitting it or something. I checked my phone and saw that it was a few minutes past two o'clock. I had only just gotten to sleep when Matt's game died.
I look over and see Matt passed out asleep. I decide to investigate, seeing as how I wasn't getting the deepest sleep anyway.
Pink!
I make an opening in the blinds for me to peek out and I see none other than Miko. She sees me looking and waves, then motions from me to come out.
I groan and I pull on a sweater, creeping through the living room and out the front door. I find Miko waiting for me in front of the porch.
"What do you want Miko?" I ask.
"I want to make it up to you. All the mean things I said." She said.
"You couldn't have done this tomorrow?" I say, shivering at the cold.
"No! I have a surprise for you. And you don't have to worry about your host parents waking up and you not being there. It'll only be an hour or so. Come on!" She grabbed my hand and lead me off across the street. The green SUV.