I woke the next morning to see my mom standing in the doorway.
"Oh, Shuichi!" She said hugging me as I stood up. "I had the worst nightmare ever! Your room was covered in bloody bandages and Oh, I was so scared! But the dream you told me to go to bed and wake up and it would all just be a dream, a bad, bad, horrible dream...So I did and...OH Shuichi I'm so glad your Ok!" She said squeezing me in a death grip.
"Mom" I choked out. "If you don't let go of me, I will be dead." I said joking, inwardly cringing at how hard she was squeezing by broken ribs. She let go, gave me a painfully playful poke to my side and bounded out of the room to make breakfast. I winced at the pain she unknowingly caused me as I grabbed my uniform and headed to the shower.
After getting dressed I headed down stairs and kissed my mom goodbye as I grabbed a pear and some toast. Then I went to wait for Hiro at the bus stop. When he arrived there was a tense silence that I longed to break. But, to my surprise, I'm wasn't the only one longing to break it...
"No more." Hiro said.
"...No more what?" I asked half afraid of the answer.
"Not on purpose. I don't want you doing that to yourself."
"But, Hiro...I...I need it..."
"Shuu...look at me and say that again." Hiro said to me.
I looked into his eyes and sighed. He knew I couldn't do that, which was why he asked me to. I closed my eyes and groaned in frustration. I felt a jolt of lightning jump down my spine as soft lips came in contact with my own. After seeing it was Hiroshi I melted.
But...What did this mean? Was it just a friendly kiss or was it more? ...damn it Shiuchi, enough wishful thinking...but...Why? Why was it wishful thinking? Did I want this? Did I need this? I couldn't really tell…all I could feel were his soft, warm lips upon my own, all I could hear was his heart beat in his chest, all I could see, even with my eyes closed, were his bright green eyes. I could tell he was just as confused at what this means... Was this Love? Would this ruin our friendship or bring us a step closer? What was going to happen?
"Do...Do you still need it?" He asked uncertain. I could sense his fear, his heartbeat racing. I brought my lips to his ear and whispered a quiet 'Not any more' before kissing him again. After a few moments we stopped and gasped for breath. Together, we started the walk to school hand in hand. It was kinda weird how every morning we met at the bus stop but walked to school, it was some strange tradition we never consciously started.
During the last class of the day the nurse called me to her office.
"Shuichi...Is something wrong?" She asked me obviously worried, as she looked me up and down, examining me slowly.
"Nope!" I said happily. "I'm feeling better then ever."
"I haven't seen you all day..."
"Yep! Aren't you proud of me?"
"Well, I find it just a little weird that just yesterday you came here every class period but today you haven't seen me at all...did something happen?"
"I found my light," was all I said before walking out of the room. I stopped in the hall and turned to her to say, "I'll come and visit if that's what you'd like."
"That would make me happy, as long as you're not hurt." She said with a smile.
"Its a date." I said turning and running off to find Hiroshi.
It only takes me a minute and soon I'm calling his name "Hiroshi! Hiroshi!" I jogged to catch up with the redhead. "What's up?" I asked giving him a cheesy grin.
"Nothing. How you holding up?" He asked truly concerned.
"Great! I went the whole school day with out seeing the nurse." I said grinning wider.
He smiled at me. "By the way, what did the nurse want you for last period?"
"She wanted to see if I was ok..."
"And what did you tell her?" He asked.
"That I found my light." I said honestly with a blush. Hiro just grinned.
"Does this mean that you're going to join the gymnastic team?" Hiro asked with a smirk
"Oh! Try outs are today aren't they?" I said rushing back to the school. Hiro laughed and ran along behind me.
When I entered the gym, tryouts had already started. I walked up to the Gym teacher and asked him if I could still sign up for tryouts. He and the people around me that heard laughed. I growled and looked over to Hiro. He was obviously angry on my behalf. I steeled myself and smiled sweetly before turning to the Gym teacher fire burning in my eyes. "Can I still tryout?"
"Sure. You can go next," he said stifling a giggle. I just smiled and went to the locker room to change into the leotard. When I emerged everyone is holding back laughter. I pushed the thoughts aside and stepped up to the mat. I took a breath and let loose my anger. Despite the 'clumsiness' that had given me my reputation, gymnastics was like breathing to me. The whole gym fell silent as I stood up grinning sheepishly. Hiro ran over to me as I stepped off the mat and he gave me a hug.
"That was excellent!" He said squeezing my broken ribs.
"Hiroshi!" I hissed, quietly reminding him of my situation. He let go of me, gave me a questioning look, and I gestured to my ribs. He winced apologetically. The Gym teacher came up to me embarrassed.
"Shuichi-kun, I was wrong...Would you join the Gymnastics team?" He asked looking at the floor. The team was so bad they hadn't won a match in three years. I could tell that he thought if I joined they would be sure to win.
"Nope." I said seriously. He stood there shocked at my blunt refusal. "Duh, that's why I came to tryouts, Of course I'll join." I said grinning at how gullible he was.
"Ah" he said laughing at himself in relief. As I walked out into the setting sun with Hiro by my side and a new Gym bag slung over my shoulder I sighed a happy content sigh thinking life couldn't get any sweeter... Until I remembered what day it was.
"Shit!" I yelled running off leaving a confused Hiroshi behind. I ran all the way home skidded to a halt in front of the door, and paused to catch my breath. I slowly opened the door to see my mom and father waiting for me."H-hi." I said weakly.
"Where have you been?" My father asked me.
"I'm sorry I'm late...I was trying out for the Gymnastics team..." I said cringing at the look my father gave me.
"Oh! Did you make it?" Mom asked excitedly. She wanted me to join a sports team for a while, something to get me out of the house.
"...Yes..." I said unsure of where I stood with Father.
"Why not football?" He asked softly.
"I'm too little to play football..."
"Basketball?"
"Tryouts are done..."
"Baseball?" He asked glaring at me.
"I don't have enough arm strength." I say politely.
"Why Gymnastics?" He asked, "If you can do a handspring you should be able to swing a bat." He said his eyes looking murderous.
"Why not Gymnastics?" I asked softly.
"Cause it is a girly sport!" Father yelled finally loosing his temper. "You want to dress in tight outfits and roll around on the floor!" He said before reaching out to slap me. Mom gasped as her husband got up and picked her only son up by his hair and threw him against the wall. Honestly, I think she was more shocked that I let him. I sat there taking the abuse knowing it would be worse if I were to fight back. She stood up and grabbed the phone; somehow I knew she was dialing '911'.
"Hello?" she asked softly, trying not to grab my father's attention. I focus on her half of the conversation to help block out the pain. "I have an emergency." She said sobbing (oh momma please don't cry). "My husband is abusing my little boy." She said letting the tears fall onto the floor. (Splash splash). "555 Bakers Street" she said as she fell to her knees.
I just let him punch me, trying to give my mom enough time to get it done. Police and Ambulance sirens snapped my father out of his anger. He turned to mom and took a step toward his weeping wife. (Not her!) I stood up and jumped in front of her taking the hit. I got up again and again until the police bust down the door. He took an angry lunge for the cops, suddenly with a knife in his hand (Where did that come from?). I looked down at my blood-soaked clothes and heard the bang. Exhausted, I fell landing in my mother's arms. (She's safe). The world turned black and the voices faded off into the distance sounding like a far off whisper...
AN:/ 9/5/11 So parts of this chapter wanted me to pull my hair out over them, but I think overall this is a much better version of the chapter, and in the end my hair is still intact. We'll see when I can get the next chapter up; hopefully it won't play hard to get.
