Disclaimer: I don't own Kaleido Star

Broken Promise

Chapter 18

- Some months went by…My relationship with my classmates got better, but I couldn't say we were friends. While my friendship with Sophie and Leon grew more and more. I watched their practices frequently, and even helped them a bit. Every time I watched them, I figured they were very close to mastering the maneuver, but something was missing. I didn't know anything about it, so I never told them. Once, Leon asked me to teach ballet to Sophie. He said that he thought it could help her, so I agreed. After some time, we prepared a performance in which Sophie and I danced ballet while Leon did acrobatics. We performed on the streets, and the audience was really amused. One day, I spotted my aunt in the crowd.

- Rogue? What are you doing? Come here immediately! – she said grabbing my arm.

- No aunt, wait…I haven't finished! – I cried.

- You shouldn't be doing this! Entertaining strangers in the streets for money! How shameful! Let's go home! – she said dragging me out of the place.

- Aunt, hold on! Sophie…Leon…I'm sorry! – I yelled to them.

- Those are your friends? You are friends with those delinquents?

- They aren't delinquents!

- They are! I have seen them around the city since some time ago. I don't want you to be involved with that kind of people.

- Aunt! They aren't bad people…

- They are scum! The boy is a thief!

- Don't say that! You are lying!

- He is still a kid, so they can't do much…but he is a troublemaker! He has also gotten into fights…you didn't know that, right?

- Lies!

- Rogue, listen…I don't want people to see you around those kids. They will start rumors that you are a thief too or something worst! Don't see them ever again!

- Wow….and was she saying the truth? – asked May curiously.

- Well…I couldn't know without asking them and of course I wanted to ask them directly. But I got some troubles getting in contact with them. My aunt was doing all that was in her hands to get me away from them. She began to ask the neighbors to watch for me, she tried to get home earlier everyday and etc. A couple of times Leon and Sophie went to my house…But my aunt told them a bunch of lies. She never told them that she just wanted me to stay away from them.

- And what did you do?

- What else could I do? I escaped! One day, my aunt was very tired and fell asleep earlier. So, I got out through the window. Since my room was on the second floor, it was risky. However, as if we could read our minds, Leon and Sophie arrived just in time. They helped me to get down. After that, we headed to their home. There, I explained what happened.

- So, that's why I couldn't meet you before… - I explained.

- What's wrong with your aunt? – asked Sophie disappointed - Of course we aren't bad people! Right, Leon? – she asked to him.

- Yeah… - he answered mechanically.

After chatting a while, Sophie fell asleep. So we could say I was left alone with Leon.

- Rogue, let's go outside – he said grabbing my arm.

- Okay… - I said as we crossed the door.

- Your aunt wasn't saying lies… - he confessed calmed.

- What?!

- Sometimes there are odd circumstances that make people do what they do…

- But it's wrong!

- Being so poor weakens a person's very soul… - he made a pause - I know it's wrong! – he exclaimed - Sophie knows nothing about the theft or the fights, please don't tell her! – he begged.

- Why are you telling this to me?

- I want you to know who I really am. I don't want to lie to you.

- No way! I can't believe it! Leon was a bad boy! No waaay! – exclaimed May.

- He wasn't a bad boy. He confessed everything to me, his reasons and all. I knew that he did wrong…but also I knew that they had very hard times. He also told me that he stopped when he got the other job. And that was about the time we met.

- Well, maybe if I was very poor…I could have done the same! – said May.

- That's what I thought. As for his reasons for fighting…he just wanted to protect Sophie.

- And what happened with your aunt? You said you escaped, right? And you stayed the night with them?

- Well, well…The next morning, someone was knocking the door as if they were trying to break it down. It was my aunt, with a policeman.

- They kidnapped my niece! – she said to the policeman.

- Aunt! You are wrong! I came here because I wanted to! – I exclaimed.

- Did that boy brainwashed you? – she asked.

- Leon Oswald…again? – said the policeman to Leon.

- I have never kidnapped anyone! Why are you saying that? – asked Leon to the policeman.

- Ah…poor children. Look, the little sister is still sleeping, unaware of the troubles caused by his brother. But, madam, they are children…and your niece said she wasn't kidnapped. There's nothing to do – said the policeman to my aunt.

- The policeman left and my aunt was very angered. She commanded me to get out of there, since she wanted to talk with Leon.

- What did she said to him? – asked May intrigued.

- Wait, wait – I said laughing.

- Whaat? Tell me! – she insisted.

- Actually I didn't get to know what they talked about until…like a year after or more. Basically, she told him that if he really liked me, he should stay away. Since he was "ruining" my life.

- Oh, I see.

- After they talked, my aunt said nothing to me. She stopped her "security" procedures about not letting me go outside and asking everyone she knew to keep an eye on me. But, the thing was…that I saw neither Leon nor Sophie around the city. I went to their place but it always seemed there was no one home.

- What happened to them?

- Well, Leon must have taken my aunt's words seriously.

- Most likely…

- Some days later, Sophie appeared looking very sad.

- Rogue! I'm sorry, I don't why but Leon told me to stay away from you for a while…Did something happened? – she asked.

- No, don't worry – I replied smiling.

- Are you sure? Every time you knocked our door, he told me to remain silence. It was as if we were hiding from you. Your aunt got angry again?

- Well, yes…Probably it was because of that. But now is all right. She isn't treating me like a prisoner anymore – I said laughing.

- I continue to meet Sophie here and there, but Leon never appeared. It was like that for about a month. Until one day I noticed him spying through the window of the ballet classroom. I got out of there immediately and caught him red-handed.

- Leon Oswald! What do you think you are doing?

- Rogue! I…nothing – he answered surprised.

- Why were you hiding from me? And now spying me!

- Do you think the world revolves around you? I was busy! – he exclaimed.

- Busy? Doing what? Stealing? Fighting?

- What are you saying? I told you I'm not like that anymore! I will never do anything like that again!

- Then? Why are you avoiding me?

- I don't have to explain it to you! You are so annoying!

- Say that again! Idiot!

- ANNOYING! - he yelled.

- Naturally, I punched him, leaving him on the floor. Suddenly, we noticed that the other girls were watching everything through the window. My ballet master rushed towards us and scolded me. She told me I was expelled from the ballet, that she didn't wanted girls like me as students.

- You must be kidding! Just as when you were fired from here! – exclaimed May.

- Something like that – I laughed.

- And then?

- I was very sad for being expelled and Leon felt really guilty for that. He apologized way too many times. And he said that probably my aunt was right, that he only brought problems to me and the best was to stay away. I told him that being around him and Sophie made my days in France better and I didn't want to bring them to an end. So, after all we continued to see each other…I even taught English to Leon. In return he tried to teach me how to use the trapeze, but I didn't want to!

- Now, I must teach you something too – he said.

- Huh? I'm not expecting anything in return – I said.

- I know, but…is just to make things fair.

- Okay…so, what are you going to teach me?

- What else could I teach you? How to be a trapezist!

- You must be kidding!

- I'm serious! It's going to be funny. I promise!

- Wow! I didn't expect that. Did you learn anything?

- No – I laughed – I was a coward!

- Leon, I'm scared. This is not for me!

- Oh, come on, it isn't that high – complained Leon.

- Yes it is! I'm going to fall! I knew this was a bad idea. This is not funny at all.

- I'll never let you fall.

- But…

- Don't worry, you are safe with me.

- Okay, now that I think about it…maybe I did get to learn something. But, he just taught me for a few days and I haven't got to touch a trapeze again.

- You should try it! Just to see what happens – said May laughing.

- By the way, I didn't tell my aunt I was expelled from ballet, it would have been a very bad idea.

- I bet she would have locked you forever! – she said laughing – But, you never talked to your parents about it?

- I talked to my parents once a month, for like 5 min or maybe less. I never told them about it.

- Oh well, they were still in jail...right?

- Right. I mean, as I told you…I didn't know about it. I was told we could only talk 5 min because it was too expensive…

- When did they get out?

- A year before my return. Actually, many things happened during a year and a half before. During that time, Sophie and Leon got better life conditions. Leon got a better job. Also, they were called more often to perform by various circus companies, as guests. They had small trips around Europe, since not all the companies were from France. They could afford an apartment and some other things they didn't have before. Sophie began English classes; I'm not sure why she didn't ask me to teach her too. Also, in that time, Sophie and Leon were preparing for the International Circus Festival.

Author's notes:

Yeah, this chapter's ending feels cut off. But that's because it's cut off hahahaha It became a really long chapter, so I had to split it. Mainly because I think most of the people who have read this story, are used to short chapters. However, I will upload the next part soon...it's not going to take me so long hahaha

We had many flashbacks in this chapter! But we haven't finished with the story, there are still more things to come. By the way, I hate Rogue's aunt hahaha

cami (neko-rin): Oh, really? That's good to hear! I'm currently writing Leon's POV and I got too carried away haha That chapter with Leon's POV is going to be reaaaally long! But I won't split it like this one, because it will be extra. So, if someone wants to skip it, it's totally fine xD But I think is going to be worth reading :B