Okay - hope you enjoy this chapter. Again - please dont forget to review.
I dont own Fruits Basket - but I do own Mari
As I was walking toward the front door of the school to go home, I felt as though I was being watched. I got cold shivers along my spine that traveled all the way down to my feet. With a look around, I saw a girl watching me, and even though I never talked to her, I instantly recognized her.
"Akito Sohma," I thought, pausing and looking at her," Why is she here – and not at the Main House?" She stared directly back at me, and I got the shivers again, but with goose bumps this time. I could have sworn she felt exactly what was going through me, because she smiled lightly, and the shivers worsened.
"It's almost as though I'm reacting to her presence…as though I'm intimidated or something," I thought, rubbing my left hand over my right arm. I couldn't take my eyes away from hers, and I didn't hear Yuki calling my name. A group of students passed in my line of vision, and by the time they were out of the way, Akito was gone.
"Hey, you alright?" Haru asked, coming up to me.
"I think so," I said, but my mind was still reeling around Akito. Yuki came up to me, and I instantly sensed his worried feeling.
"Are you okay? Why didn't you answer me?" Yuki asked politely, and I decided it was best to tell him.
"Akito was just standing over their," I answered, pointing in the direction she had been in. Instantly, Yuki was horrified, and grabbed my hand softly.
"Come on, we need to get back to Shigure's," he said," Quickly." I waved to Haru, as Yuki and I walked towards the others.
"She says there was no physical contact – just eye contact….shivers and goose bumps…..a feeling of intimidation…. No, no crying or tears…. She didn't hear Yuki calling her name….," Shigure was telling Hatori all this on the phone, right across the table from me, but I barely heard a word he said. My mind was reeling on the fact that Akito seemed to want me for some reason. I knew that, but I didn't know why – or what for.
"Your probably right, well, good bye Tori," Shigure said, hanging up.
"Right about what?" Yuki asked immediately, and Shigure looked at him blankly.
"Oh, nothing – just something that Tori thinks," Shigure said, waving it off with his hand. Yuki left without a word, leaving me there with Shigure – not that I minded, I was still trying to think why Akito would want to single me out with all the others.
"Are you alright?" Shigure asks, looking at me with concerned eyes.
"Yes, just a little tired, that's all," I lied. I hated the feeling I got from lying to Shigure, but I had to. I felt if I told him the truth, a part of me felt that he might laugh or something. After dinner, I went to my room, and lay there, quietly, listening for everyone to go to bed. Finally, all was quiet, and I made up my mind. Slowly, I got up and went to the door, opening it very softly. Then, like the wind, I was gone.
Soon, I found myself at the gates to the Main House.
"I have to do this," I told myself," I must figure out why Akito singled me out." I went through the gates quietly, and walked around. Remembering it easily, I soon was outside the back of Akito's room. I took a couple deep breaths, and calmed myself – but the feeling of intimidation was returning – along with the goose bumps and shivers. Closely, I listened, and soon, I heard Hatori inside, checking on Akito. It gave me a little more time to get my mind straight, and take some more breaths. My throat was dry, so I drank some water from the bottle I had brought with me. With a look up at the sky, I saw the moon slowly starting to creep down, and knew the sun would be rising soon. Without another hesitation, I crept around to the front, and soon found myself in front of Akito's room. I put a foot in, and looked around. The shivers returned, as I saw Akito lying on the floor, her eyes open, watching me with a grin.
"Well…nice of you to come to me," she said almost evilly. I tried to move, but my body was frozen.
"What do you want with me?" I asked, getting straight to the point.
"Come here," she said, with an evil smirk, but I done as told. As soon as I got a foot from her, I stopped, and sat down. Then, just as I thought I had the upper hand, being still kind of close to the door, she lashed out quickly, grabbing my hair.
"You want to remember so badly?!" she yelled, then threw me across the room, where I crashed into a stand, and it toppled over me. She grabbed me again, and threw me to the opposite side, where more things toppled over me, covering me in carnage. Then it all flashed into my head, and I saw everything.
"Mommy!" I exclaimed, running up to her," Can we please go to Shigure-kun's?" My eyes widened, and I put on my best puppy-dog act. It got her every time, and she couldn't' help but answer what I wanted.
"Of course, Ari, we can go to Shigure's," Mother smiled, "Lets go get daddy." I nodded and ran ahead of her, looking for daddy. I found him with Hatori, and stopped at the door.
"Daddy… Mommy says we can go to Shigure-kun's," I told him, smiling brightly.
"She did, did she?" he smiled, kneeling down to my level," Well, I guess I'll be right there – just let me help Ha'ri-san with this last little bit – k?"
"Okay!" I smiled, and then ran back to mommy. While I was running back to her, I saw some of the other kids running around and having fun. I saw one of them, the one with black and white hair, stop and look at me and then smile slightly, blushing, and look away. I smiled to, and then saw another boy, inside alone.
"Yuki-kun," I thought to myself, and then waved to him, smiling. I saw him look at me, and smile slightly. I giggled, and then ran back to mommy. Daddy was bringing the car around by the time I got back to her.
"There you are, I was starting to worry," Mommy said, picking me up.
"Sorry – I saw the other kids playing, and stopped for a minute or two and watched," I told her truthfully. She put me in the car, and strapped me in safely. Soon, we were on our way to Shigure's.
"So," daddy asked," Why do you want to go to Gure-kun's?"
"I haven't seen him in a while," I whined," And I really want to see him!"
"You are really attached to Shigure-kun, aren't you Ari?" mommy asked me.
"Mhmm!" I nodded, smiling," He's like an older brother! And he's really close to cousin Ayaa-kun!" Mommy smiled, and then looked out the window. From where I was sitting, I could see a little bit of snow, lining the trees. I liked the snow, a lot, and often played in the snow, back at home. I pictured running through the snow, when all of a sudden, I felt a horrible jerk, and everything started spinning. Mommy screamed, and after a couple seconds, she was quiet, and I was starting to fade.
"Mari?" I heard his voice, concerned, and close. My eyes opened, and I saw Hatori, and behind him, outside, Akito – staring at me from where she was sitting. As fast as I could, I moved away, not wanting to be anywhere near her.
"Mari – it's okay," Hatori tried telling me, but I wouldn't listen. The only thing I wanted, was for the memories to disappear.