One book in one year, written about your partner. Game on. Oh wait, they're writing about you too. [SoMa, TsuStar, KidLiz]
Rated M for Mature content
Genre: Romance, Suspense
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x ｆ ｉ ｃ ｔ ｉ ｏ ｎ x
Ｓ ｕ ｎ ｓ ｈ ｉ ｎ ｅ Ｇ ｉ ｒ ｌ ０ ９
Liz
Sometimes, people just need to learn, to shut...the fuck...up. And I wasn't over exaggerating. Not only was Kid following me around like a puppy when he had the chance, but he wasn't doing it to hang with me or talk. He was asking questions.
"Psst. Liz!" I jumped for the hundredth time that day.
"What?" I snapped at Kid.
"Do you need an edible substance to consume?" He wondered in all seriousness as we were walking down the hallway.
I nearly tripped over thin air.
"Stop that!" I demanded.
"Stop what?" Kid innocently questioned.
I rolled my eyes, stopping in the hallway and glancing around us.
"Babying me...I don't need an edible substance to consume," I informed him. "I have food."
I thought that was the end of it because he had stopped talking to me...until I found pieces of bread in my locker. And candy. And apples. Not only that but Kid would throw crackers at me in class and at lunch.
Ever since he had heard briefly about my street life...he assumed I had no food. No clothes. No water... God it pissed me off. But somewhere inside of me, it made me a feel a bit warm.
Tsubaki
Maka wouldn't answer her phone. I was crept up in my room and had been calling her but she never picked up or responded to my texts. I was wasting my minutes on her so I was pissed that she wouldn't pick up.
I had been dying to get out of the house so we could go shopping together for costumes for the Halloween dance. In Death City, Halloween was practically Christmas in normal cities. It was huge.
My dress had to be special. And I knew Maka could help me because she was the closest thing that I had to a friend that was a girl. I didn't really know if I could classify Black Star as a friend or a stalker.
Finally, I couldn't take it. I grabbed my purse and stormed out of the house, thankful my brother wasn't home to stop me. Jogging down the street, I managed to get to the corner where I waited for a bus.
It came in five minutes time and I climbed up the grimy steps and into the bustle of people sprawled about. I didn't think that anyone on the bus gave the least bit of care towards sanitation, or politeness for that matter. It was hard enough just to get a seat next to someone who wasn't snoring or ignorantly turned towards the window, attempting to not make eye contact with me, while still watching me out of the corner of their eye and dropping their stare once they saw that I had realized.
Such a pain.
I checked my messages and once more, saw that Maka had not responded.
When the bus driver stopped at the market, I got up asked the bus driver for his phone book, making people impatiently wait behind me. I flipped through the pages, whisking them away until I found Albarn. It was a good thing her name was in the A's otherwise I think the people behind me would've been on suicide watch.
I spotted the address in less than a minute and slammed the book shut and smiled sweetly at the people behind me as I set the phone book back on the dashboard.
"Gomen..." I managed an embarrassed smile to hide my irritation with their impatience.
While I stopped off the bus, I wondered why I was being so crabby. It could've been PMS but I guessed a lot of things had led up to my behavior. On that outside, others didn't realize my inner conflicts but they were there. I couldn't let people see what was really on the inside or they'd...think differently of me.
All I wanted to do was to return to the happy person I used to be.
The cold, bitter air jarred me back to reality and my gaze returned to the street where I tried to decipher the direction I needed to go, ignoring the constant flow of pedestrians.
I was in the center of the market and her apartment must've been straight ahead.
I wanted to try to enjoy this dance tomorrow night and I had a gut feeling that I needed to be with Maka right now. She was quickly turning into one of my closest friends.
Arriving at the shabby, multicolored apartment complex, I observed all the entrances and finally chose which one I wanted. I climbed the steps and went into a small hallway.
I located Maka's door and hesitated before wrapping my knuckles upon the wood.
There was a long stretch of silence and I was going to leave but a small, piping voice preventing me from doing so.
"Who is it?"
Maka was definitely in there, but her voice sounded shaken.
"It's Tsubaki!" I called in a cheerful tone.
The door swung open and there stood Maka. Her eyes were puffed and red but she put on a smile.
"Come on in!" She announced, moving aside so I could enter.
"Maka..." I said, walking in. "What's wrong?"
Maka led me to a red couch and encouraged me to sit.
"What are you talking about?" She wondered, pretending to be clueless as she walked into the small kitchen to grab refreshments.
I looked around, seeing a TV, a dinner table that was overcrowded with paper scraps and random junk, a tiny kitchen with non-stainless steel appliances and in the corner by a wastebasket we tons of tissues.
"Hey..." I started softly. "I know something is wrong."
I heard Maka sigh from behind me and hand me a glass of water that I didn't ask for.
"Why are you here?" She inquired, taking a seat next to me.
"Shopping!" I piped happily, trying to clear the fog of the awkward and sad atmosphere.
Maka folded her arms.
"Well that sounds...fun." She answered halfheartedly. "For what?"
I took a sip of water and closed my eyes, trying to appear as peaceful as I could.
"Costumes for the dance." I remarked smoothly, giving her a goofy grin.
Another sigh escaped from Maka's mouth.
"Oh." She replied in a small voice, curling her knees to her chest.
I felt my eyebrows furrow and I suddenly relaxed them as if feeling her unknown pain, yet still trying to decode what it was.
"Maka...what's wrong?" I asked, sincerely wanting to know just so I could comfort her.
There was a familiar twang in my heart as if what she wasn't telling me was something that I could relate to.
"I don't even know." Maka remarked. "I've been so depressed lately. I don't know why. It might have to do with what Soul did yesterday but it shouldn't." She frowned. "It could be something else leading to that. I'm just so confused about...everything."
What did Soul do? I thought Maka was invincible to his insults. Unless she...no. That wouldn't be right.
"What happened with Soul?" I asked, propping my elbow on the back of the couch so I could properly face Maka.
Maka shook her head, tracing invisible circles on her knee caps that were still pressed close to her body.
"Something that shouldn't make me feel this way." She responded, slugging her shoulders. "I don't care about him or what he thinks of me but for some reason...what he did yesterday just...bothered me."
Suspense was just eating me alive by now.
"What did he do?" I demanded, feeling slightly protective of my blonde classmate.
Maka licked her lips.
"He kissed Blair."
I blinked. Blair...the only Blair I knew, was an upperclassman.
"Purple hair Blair?" I wondered, setting my glass down on the coffee table, knowing that if I held on any longer, my shaking hands would drop it and that wouldn't improve the dismal atmosphere.
Maka nodded.
"Ew." I said, almost smiling, trying to make her feel better. "Are you sure she didn't kiss him? I mean she's kind of a slut so-"
Maka
"I know he kissed her." I answered, the vivid memory playing again in my mind.
But it wasn't like all the tissues in the corner were from me crying over Soul. They were from my breakdown yesterday morning. I was becoming such a mess lately and hadn't seen my dad in a few days and I wasn't sure if I was worried or pissed. Or both.
I didn't like Soul. I knew that. So why was I bothered so much over this? Was it because I didn't like Blair? Or because Soul was just one of my friends and I didn't want him to be with a girl my dad had fucked?
Or was it because of Soul's cuts that had led to more depression.
'I was thinking...you wanna hook up?' Soul was definitely doing that with her on purpose.
I couldn't believe I had cared an instant about his cutting.
"Well..." I started to say, realizing that Tsubaki was watching me intently. "She kissed him, but he told her that they should hook up. So it's all his fault."
Tsubaki stood there contemplating for a moment.
"Well," she said. "You wanna know what's even better than going to a dance with a hot date?"
I blinked in confusion.
"Going to a dance single to show the hot guys what they can't have."
My frown turned upside down and I was literally hugging her. I still had a lingering sadness but she had made my day so much better and just by saying one line. Also by the fact that she had come to my house to help me.
"One second." I informed. "I'm just gonna grab my purse."
I located the purple purse under my bed and snatched it up, returning by Tsubaki's side. We both walked out together and I locked the door. When I put my keys back in my purse and pulled out my phone.
My eye twitched.
Tsubaki called me four times and sent me two text messages. I hadn't even looked at my phone all day.
"Sorry..." I murmured quietly.
oOoOo
We found a cute little shop a block from the market. It was filled with tons of awesome dresses and costumes. The two of us walked around aimlessly, unsure of what we wanted.
"Cute...or hardcore..." I mumbled to myself, glancing at Tsubaki.
"Hardcore." We guffawed loudly and continued our search throughout the cluttered shop.
I didn't want any of the girly costumes because I already wore a preppy uniform to school everyday and half their girly costumes were school uniforms, sailor style. I didn't want it.
Finally after a half hour of searching, my fingers traced black fabric. There were onyx robes that came with a plaid skirt and a big scythe. It looked so cool! I thought it was a totally character clash but I wanted the outfit so badly.
"Tsubaki..." I quietly spoke, ushering her over.
Tsubaki shuffled over to me and examined it.
"Cool," she breathed.
I tried it on in the changing room and smirked to myself. For the first time in weeks I felt happy. I didn't think the clothes were making me feel this way either. Just the fact that I was having fun with a girl friend for once. It had been a while.
"Wow!" Tsubaki cheered when I came out from the curtain. "You look fabulous!"
I beamed at her, smiling genuinely, hardly believing that hours ago I had been sobbing my eyes out.
"What do you have in your hand?" I gestured towards her arm, where a costume was draped over.
Tsubaki winked at me, pulling out a weapon from behind her.
"Chain scythe." She answered. "Since neither of us have guys to go with we'll go together!"
I was beginning to like her more and more.
We paid for our costumes and while at the counter, Tsubaki looked incredibly guilty as she took out her wallet and paid for the costume that was 25,000 yen. Mine was about the same.
But I just used my father's credit card.
Soul
I was beginning to regret the whole Blair thing. Not only did she insist on going to the dance with me (which I originally had no intent on going to) but she wanted to hang out. Which should be translated to make out.
Before I left the house, I contemplated many different ways of avoiding her but none of my secret escape plans were fool proof. Besides, when my mom found that I was dating Blair she thought it was 'great'.
And that meant she was hoping that Blair would get me more motivated to play the piano. I should've explained to my mother that Blair was going to try to get me to play something else...
I walked with the purple haired girl through the market.
"Bubble tea!" She cried in excitement. "Oh my gosh!"
So the brat pulled me over to the tea stand which was just fucking great.
"Do you like bubble tea, Soul-kun?" She cooed.
I twitched. Not necessarily.
She bought two cups and held one out to me.
I blinked, examining the cup. There were...things on the bottom. Black balls.
If I was gonna half to do this shit with her all night someone was gonna die. I don't know who...
Maka
The gym was so crowded the next night it was almost frightening. People bounced around everywhere in brightly colored costumes, drinking orange punch. The gym was littered with lighted, carved pumpkins and various Halloween decorations and everyone was there. Even the dickface Ox Ford showed up.
Tsubaki and I skipped in, our costumes on, scythes in hand. I started to feel slightly exited, despite some painful flashbacks reoccurring in my mind every time I heard the shrill laugh of someone having fun.
"It's so packed!" Tsubaki commented.
I nodded in agreement, scanning the room.
In the dark gymnasium it was hard to see. The pumpkins and other lights didn't illuminate much, besides the movement of dancing bodies that heated the dance floor, creating a fiery aura.
Liz actually found us. She came bounding towards us with a busty blonde girl, shorter than her.
"Ugh. There you guys are." She said, exhausted.
"Who are they, sis?" The blonde wondered, showing her interest by jumping up and down.
Liz sighed.
"That's Maka and- Whoa!" She cut herself off. "You're guys' costumes are great!"
"Maka and Whoa?" The blonde suggested. "Those names are kinda-"
"Maka and Tsubaki." Liz corrected. "This is my sister Patty."
Liz and her sister both were dressed up as gangster cowboys. Or at least that's what it looked like to me. They wore crimson shirts with a short pearly tie and stitched cowboy hats. Black, leather boots were strapped to their ankles.
I glanced over at Tsubaki who was dressed in a cream colored, slitted dress with a yellow star on her right breast. She had one black legging and black and gray arm warmers while her hair had been pulled back into a long and thing pony tail, black strands framing her sides.
I wore my scythe outfit obviously, but kept my hair in two pigtails and added to the costume two white gloves.
And that's when I spotted him.
Liz
I was about to tell Patty to get us all punch when I felt someone grab my shoulder.
"So help me God-!" I turned around and smacked right into Kid, knocking us both over.
"Liz..." He groaned.
And that's when I got a glimpse of him when we were both sitting on the ground uncomfortably. My face burned red with embarrassment.
He was wearing a complimenting black suit with a skull broach. It made his amber eyes stick out.
"Who's that sis?" Patty demanded from above me.
I wiped my crimson face with my bare arm, hoping it would turn to be paler and that no one saw it anyway in the dark.
"My partner in Japanese Literature." I explained to my sister, who was staring Kid down while he awkwardly stood up, brushing himself off, hoping no one saw him fall on his ass.
"Remember that story I was writing?" I asked.
Patty stood and folded her arms.
"Oh YEAH!" She cried. "And you were saying-" I covered her mouth while Kid raised an eyebrow, still not saying anything.
This was starting to get really awkward.
"Let's all get punch!" I said with a laugh, pulling Kid and Patty by the arm.
Kid suddenly stopped in his tracks, his stare was averted downwards then back to me and my sibling, contemplating.
"What?" I inquired, annoyed.
"You two are sisters..." he trailed off. "THEN WHY DON'T YOU LIKE EACH OTHER? I see no symmetry!"
I nearly collapsed on the floor but instead I shoved a cup of punch to his mouth, forcing it down his throat.
"Just...shut up." I breathed.
Maka
After Liz and her sister plus Kid dramatically left, I was alone with Soul because Tsubaki started to slink away, murmuring 'Good luck'. She was expecting me to totally bitch at him.
Soul could hardly look at me.
"Hi." He managed to say, taking an odd interest in the floor, more than me.
I blinked.
"Hi." I noticed that he was wearing a yellow and black jacket that had the symbol of a soul on it. Covering his legs were crimson pants. On his headband was a badge that said 'e a t' and his name.
"What are you supposed to be?" I questioned, already starting off snappy.
Soul flashed me a pointed, twisted grin.
"Myself of course." He answered. "I eat souls."
I scoffed.
"Good one." I mumbled, closing my eyes and folding my arms, realizing how weird it was for us two to be standing together on the dance floor, surround by dancing bodies but not moving an inch.
"Yeah well," Soul growled. "What are you?"
"A scythe meister." I remarked. "At least I have some creativity."
Soul rolled his eyes.
"Creativity my fucking ass."
I twitched, still as pissed and hurt by him as I was before and it wasn't going away.
"Well did you come over here to piss me off?" I demanded. "Or do you have a reasonable explanation to be talking to me?"
Soul's eyes darted around the room.
"I do." He answered.
"Oh yeah?" I challenged.
"I need you to dance with me."
Author's Note: OH WHAT NOW! Decently long chapter to quench your souls lolz. Cheesy line right there. But yeah for Halloween I went trick or treating. So what if I'm fifteen...I'm also five foot two so it's not like people will think I'm an adult if I've got a mask on. BWAHAHAHA I BET GRANDMAS COULD PULL OFF TRICK OR TREATING IF THEY WERE MASKS AND CLOAKS. That's what I'm gonna do when I'm eighty. Anywayyys review guys pleeease. It's starting to heat up!