Chapter Eight
Three days later found Tohru and the other two minors of the house racing around, trying to get ready for school on time.
The last three days had been extremely eventful for the household, as Yuki's older brother Ayame had snuck in once again, Hatsuharu and Momiji had come for a long visit and Akito had threatened, yet again, to come for a visit, only to send his handy dandy doctor Hatori instead.
Between all that and trying to keep the house in working order, all of the inhabitants hadn't gotten as much sleep as they would have needed to wake up on time for school.
"Hurry, you damn rat! We need to leave in 5 minutes and we can't wait for you to do your prissy hair!" Kyo shouted up the stairs.
Both he and Tohru were waiting by the door for Yuki to come down so they could leave and hopefully get there on time.
"I'm coming idiot cat! Don't get your tail in a twist." Yuki retorted as he made his way down the stairs.
"And for your information, I was trying to tie my tie properly, unlike you, who don't even wear it." He continued.
Kyo turned beet red and looked like he was going to throw a punch at the boy when he was stopped by Tohru as she pushed them out the front door.
"Come ON you two! We don't have time for your fighting again. Just shut up and be QUIET if you can't say anything nice to each other." Tohru demanded and they both had their jaws hanging open in shock.
They never in their whole entire lives expected to hear Tohru raise her voice in frustration to anyone… EVER.
They walked in silence reminiscent of three days earlier and they didn't want to make the day any worse than what it was starting to look like it was going to be.
As they approached the gate the teacher in charge of signing in the late arrivals was standing there glaring at anyone that came in late.
"Name, year and class." The teacher demanded.
"Honda Tohru, year 2, class A." Tohru stated and moved to let the other two meet their doom.
"Sohma Kyo, year 2, class A." Kyo mumbled and moved to stand beside Tohru.
"Sohma Yuki, year 2, class A." Yuki said and stood in line with Tohru and Kyo to get their punishment assignment and then to return to class.
"You three will be doing EXTRA cleaning duty for the next three days. Any attempt to skip out on it and it will be extended. Do I make myself clear?" The teacher said and they all nodded their heads and headed for class.
"At least it wasn't worse. I've had punishments WAY worse than that." Kyo said gloatingly.
"You say, but I have work after school for the next three days. That means I will have to change before I start the cleaning duties here then go to work without changing. That is worse for me." Tohru said to them both and sped up her walking in order to get to class faster and not miss any more of it.
Both of the boys looked over at each other and shrugged.
They had no idea what was going on in her head at the moment.
She had been irritable the whole weekend.
They decided to put it out of their heads and headed off to class after Tohru.
They didn't need to miss any more of it either.
No need for Akito to get wind that their grades were falling and decided to pull them out and send them to a private school after all.
ββββ
Time Skip Because I Want To
After a grueling day at school, Tohru was exhausted.
Even so, she still had to go to work.
Tohru made her way into the building and to the employee lounge so that she could clock in.
She was tired, but ready to do her job and earn the money she needed so that she could continue going to school.
As she entered the building, someone was exiting at the same time and bumped into her shoulder, nearly knocking her to the ground.
"Hey!" A frustrated sound came from between her lips.
"Sorry." A male voice mumbled.
Tohru turned to berate him for his rudeness, but the man was already around the corner and out of sight.
"What a HORRIBLE day." She grumbled to her-self.
When she walked into the room, her manager noticed how tired she looked and knew she wouldn't really be any help to them in the condition she looked to be in and decided to send her home before she could clock in.
"Miss Honda, can I have a word with you please?" The woman asked and Tohru walked over to her.
"Yes ma'am?" She said politely.
The manager smiled warmly at her.
"You don't look so well. Do you think you would rather go home and rest for tonight?" The woman asked her kindly.
Tohru didn't know what was really going on, but she DID feel kind of warm this week.
"I need the money though. School bills aren't cheap and I have no other way to pay them." She told her boss.
"You have a couple of days of paid sick leave stocked up so you wouldn't have to worry about it. Go home and get some rest. Then come back and you can work all you want, ok?" The woman told her and Tohru nodded her head in agreement.
"Ok. I will be back in three days at the least." She said before leaving.
ββββ
Time Skip Because I Want To Again
It was a dark night and walking through the forest towards her home alone was terrifying.
The sounds that were only normal animals that she knew of in the daytime were amplified tenfold and she was jumping at every turn.
Tohru didn't know why she hadn't called the house and told them she was on her way home before she left, but she had gotten the feeling that she had forgotten something important.
Something from long ago after her father had died and before her mother had snapped out of her mood.
Something from the time when she was forced to look after herself.
Something she wasn't sure she even wanted to remember.
Something dark and EVIL.