CHAPTER 17
Neru jumped as Len's lips met hers. And as soon as the kiss started, it ended, and Len was clinging to her. She could feel him shaking and hear him crying. Neru felt something start to burn in her chest.
Pure hatred.
Neru held Len against her. She turned and glared at Rin.
She was on the floor, collapsed in her own blood. She was sobbing and gasping, choking on her own breath. She curled into a ball and pulled at her hair. Neru made sure Len was turned away so he couldn't see.
She didn't want him to see this.
Rin was broken.
Neru was glad.
She knew Rin deserved this after what she had done to Len. Len had stood up to her, and that broke her. Rin didn't need to scar Len anymore, or ever again. Neru ground her teeth together as she tried not to run to Rin and bash her brains in.
Neru's head snapped to the side when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder.
It was Kaito. He wore a grim expression on his face as he looked past Neru, at Rin. Neru could feel herself shaking with anger. Len was still shaking against her. Rin still shaking cross the room. Kaito was the only still one.
"Get her away from him," Neru hissed to Kaito.
Kaito opened the ice cream covered door behind them and led Neru backward through the door. He nodded at her before closing the door. Neru's stiffness melted and she hugged Len closer to her. His shaking only grew.
"I'm sorry Neru," Len whispered as he clung to her.
"It's okay Len," Neru whispered to him, tears finally spilling from her eyes.
Neru felt the creamy slime from the ice cream covering her and making her clothes stick to her skin. She knew she and Len had to change. She knew they had to clean up. They had to leave each other. She had to leave his room. Walk into the hallway.
She didn't want to let Len go, to leave him alone. She didn't want to be alone. She needed Len right now.
"It's alright," she whispered to him, "it'll be alright."
She felt him shaking a little harder against her.
Len shook with his silent laughter.