Chapter 11 - Truth or Lies

As Byakuya was putting back in the shelf the last of them, one small book fell down to the floor and a small photo fell out from the pages. He went down and picked up both the book and the picture , and his eyes flashed briefly with grief when he saw what the picture contained.

"Hisana... though it is strange, Rukia resembles you a lot in appearance though you're not related. I only realized that when she was five and her hair was long like yours."

For a while his eyes remained focused at the photo composing of him and Hisana when they were eight. At the picture, she gave a faint but truly happy smile, and he gave that same emotionless face that he had for almost his whole life.

She was his only friend back then, the only one he was comfortable with aside from Isane when he was still living with his family.

His family wasn't the only problem in his life back then. Another was his social life. Due to his status as being a member of a well-known family, the kids in his school were afraid to approach him ever since kindergarten because they were very intimidated by his family's influence.

Only one wasn't and always approached him whenever she had the time and that was Hisana. For three years they remained friends since five but similar to Isane she got very ill and was bedridden.

Byakuya always visited her everyday while using the excuse that he's going to the library. Eventually they found out and forbade him from visiting her again, telling him he shouldn't have time for 'people like her'.

The day after that he got a call from one of Hisana's friends and was shocked at the news: she gave in to the illness and died. This added fuel to the fire of hatred for his family. Each time they did something cruel, the hotter that flame burned.

Isolated by his family, by his classmates, then his only friend dying when he was not there for her; such pressure and depression made him who he is now. He already lost the will to mingle with others and learn the true meaning of friendship when he ran away and started his life in Karakura Town.

No wonder personal issues can make that much of an impact on someone's life.

And no matter how unfeeling he acts he knows that inside he is a man full of emotions, deep and strong emotions.

"Don't come any closer!"

It was useless, the man with a crazed smile remained deaf to her shouts full of rage and fear. She couldn't run though she had the chance, and her body was trembling the closer he walked to her as he played with the same knife full of jagged edges shaped like the teeth of a shark.

That day of her mother's death flashed before her eyes when the man was only inches away from her, his eyes shining with the want to murder her. Those murderous eyes were completely petrifying her that her limbs stopped shaking completely.

Her body acted as if she was no more but a statue, and her throat only closed up to keep her screams from escaping her mouth as the knife drove through her skin with her blood flowing out of her body and trickled down to the hard, cold floor.

The strange thing was, she felt no pain at all. She could feel the cold blade wounding her but there was no pain, not anything relating to agony.

"Run and run, scream all you want, but no one will save you like no one could save you're mom." The malicious voice spoke against her ear.

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan! Wake up!" A soft voice called and she did wake up, and what she did next was wipe the cold sweat caused by the nightmare off her forehead.

"What is it?"

"It's already time for breakfast." Yuzu reminded, which was proved as she was still wearing her light orange apron.

"Alright, I get it. Get downstairs and wait for me." Her sister nodded and left, as she got off the bed and tied her hair into in a short-spiked ponytail with the white clips keeping her stray hair in place.

While they were eating breakfast, Ichigo noticed Yuzu looking at her hair once in a while, as if she's curious about something, mixed with the look as if she was a sight for sore eyes, but only after both of them washed the plates she asked her about it.

"Tell me." This surprised the younger Kurosaki as this was said all of the sudden. "Huh?"

"A while ago I can see you looking at me, in a suspicious way. What was that all about?" Knowing that she was busted, Yuzu blushed in embarrassment as her head lowered till her eyes could only see the floor and her own feet. "W... well... that is... it's because..." Her fingers fidgeted, her eyes darting back and forth.

"... I... noticed... something."

The last word made her eyebrow twitch as her arms crossed. "What is that 'something'?"

The twelve year-old gulped before she could say it clearly without stammering. "For a while you've been acting pretty insecure about something. And being the person you are who likes boyish things, now you're wearing hair clips, I wonder if..." That was when she faltered again.

Ichigo started to grow a little impatient, unaware that her other younger sister and her father are hearing their conversation in the kitchen even though they're in the living room.

"Just say it."

"Are you in love with someone?"

Ichigo's eyes went as wide as it could from the straight-to-the-point question. "What are you talking about?" She answered back with surprise on her face. Even Karin and Isshin's face was plastered with nothing but surprise but they continued to act normal though their ears were throbbing.

Silence overcame the whole house for a moment. The next moment, Ichigo spoke up in defense for herself.

"Okay, just because I'm wearing these clips doesn't mean I'm changing my style because I have feelings for someone." With a simple lie already created in her head, she let that lie slip past her lips.

"My hair's been bothering my eyes for a while now, and I'd rather wear these than wearing a hairband or getting another haircut. It's just that." With calmness in her face, her body and her voice they all bought it and Yuzu sighed out loud while the other two sighed in their heads.

"You shouldn't make those kind of assumptions in your head. I'll do the rest here so you can go to your room." Yuzu did so and Ichigo sighed quietly from relief that she was able to dismiss the matter casually. "That was a close one. And she should let me do the housework, her wounds aren't completely closed yet." She couldn't think anymore when the doorbell rang so she automatically went to the door and saw Rukia.

"Hi. What do you want?"

"I need you to do me a favor. Can I borrow your Science and Math notes? I need to catch up with my lessons and I forgot to ask sooner." She immediately agreed and led the girl inside.

When Rukia left a loud thud mixed with a squeaky sound filled the small bedroom as Ichigo landed her whole back on the cushion with her hands on her head, her eyes showing stress.

Rukia's presence reminded the teen about how she is keeping what happened at thee prom a secret to her, the sister of the one who is involved in the event. It caused her to stay up almost all night. She was trying to calm down the strong pulses in her heart as she wondered whether to tell her or not.

She knew that the longer she kept this from Rukia, the more she's betraying the latter and she didn't want this to go on any longer. Though it was late and near midnight, she wanted to say it now or continue staying silent and lying to her friend as long as she lives.

With that thought she climbed down and faced the neighboring house. As if her hands and feet were that of an ant's she crawled up the wall until she reached the window.

Two soft knocks at the glass were enough to wake her up. She almost jumped off the bed when she saw a dark shadow outside but her heart calmed down when she saw that it was just Ichigo.

"Let me in." She mouthed while pointing at the lock. Rukia did so in a second and she jumped inside with a soft thud on the floor. "Why are you here? And in a very late evening?" She wasn't angry that she was woken up but she was curious.

"I have something to tell you. And this is a big deal, and I only have the courage to say it now." Though she said it so quickly, the tone that was used was so serious, and that made Rukia a little nervous that she almost gulped.

"What is it you have to say?"

"Well..." She took in one deep breath to compose herself before she went on with the tale. "Long story short, and you don't know this but I was taken to the prom against my will."

"Prom? The masquerade prom?" A small affirmative nod was her answer. "What about it? Wait... but I thought you didn't want to go."

A brief answer cleared that fact out. "Thanks to the others I got brought there."

"A while later at that night I bumped into your brother. One thing led to another then we danced, and then it led to another thing and we..." There was a pause for a few seconds, but she immediately finished the sentence after the brief silence. "...kissed. But before he could take the mask off my face I pulled back and ran away." She paused explaining to see how Rukia reacted.

The latter looked surprised, but much to her relief she sensed no anger. Closing her eyes she continued as calm as she could.

"Having an odd hair color, he would immediately know that it was me should he see me again after that night. That was why I got my hair dyed and trimmed. But I let personal stuff get in the way so that I would have my orange hair when I went to the cemetery with my family. As you both were there, I got caught later and things became complex after that." She opened her eyes and looked at her friend again, with a serious expression.

"Well then, tell me. Are you mad? Ashamed?" The latter shook her head.

"No."

"Then what?" She was expecting her to be either of the two that she just asked her. "I'm just... surprised." She had to be honest, she was really surprised that she was almost speechless. But she was telling the truth when she didn't feel any anger or shame in what she told her.

Time passed and it soon became past midnight. Dead air was all around them. Rukia just looked at her own hands, her mouth slightly parting to try and form words but then closed before she could make it out.

Ichigo knew right that her friend right now is at a loss for words. She also knew that though the latter claimed to be not mad or ashamed, this will affect their friendship for sure.

But she doesn't know how, for it might either be for the better or for the worse. If she had to guess, it could be both.

"When you're ready to tell your full opinion, I'll accept whatever you think about it. At least I got to tell you. I didn't want to play dumb or lie to you any longer. And the same goes for the others. But I'm just not sure when I'll be ready to tell them." And with that she climbed down without much difficulty and left Rukia to think about it.

She still didn't say anything, but her mind was also silent. The whole evening and early morning was awkward for the both of them. It was more awkward for Ichigo because when she fell asleep, the murderer appeared in her dreams again, giving her even bloodier torture than the last one.

A/N: Okay, before I make the twelfth chapter I'll edit all the other chapters of this fic first. Reviews and constructive criticism are accepted but please no flames.