Chapter 15: Demon in Disguise
*2 weeks after*
"Mom, I'm heading out for a bit. I'll be back in a-"
As I freeze by the doorway while placing on my boots, I hear a sudden clamour and yelp as my overly worried mother stumbles into the hall, wobbling towards me with an almost frantic smile.
"L-Let me just grab my purse and I'll come-"
"Doesn't your shift start in 10 minutes?" I ask knowingly, as I eye her nursing attire that she had on already.
She grows red out of embarrassment as she waves her hand in the air. "That doesn't matter. Let me at least walk-"
"I'm just going to the sports store. I have something I need to return. I'll be back in an hour. I'll call you when I get back!" I yell reassuringly as I bolt, or more realistically, limp my small form out of the door and away from my mother's burning, painful eyes.
"T-Tora! Careful!"
Her frantic cries ring in the back of my mind as I begin to pace myself down the street, more out of pain than fatigue.
It had been a good two weeks since the recent events of what had happened that night. Turns out, I was lucky enough to not have broken my toe, but it was still severely bruised. Unfortunately for my wrist, I wasn't so lucky. Of course, it was broken to the point where I'd be off for about 2 months. Hopefully less than that.
On the inside, I was fine now. I could care less about what had happened that day, really. So, I don't think about it at all. When people at school ask me about my wrist, I tell them that practice got a little rough. Ultimately, they believe me and move on.
But at home, it was a different story. Both my parents were still helplessly worried about my well being to the point where they found it necessary to accompany me wherever I went. Sometimes even without asking me. Last week, I went to the nearby park only to find my dad creepily watching me from behind a tree. All I did was get up and go home. I felt bad that he had to stand in the cold and suffer just for my well being. Although I appreciated the gesture, they as well had to get over the matter and move on.
Now here I was, sulkily walking to return a pair of new Jordans I had bought to play with for the preliminaries. But since that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, or for that matter, ever, I decided to return them out of the constant reminder that I wasn't going to be able to play.
I would've invited Atsushi to come along with me but he was busy practicing with the team, seeing as how their first game was tomorrow. Their first game in the preliminaries as a team without me.
Just the thought brought tears to my eyes. Also the fact that without the Yosen team by my side, only then did I realize how few friends did I really have. Well, friends that I wasn't currently ignoring.
Like Aomine and Taiga. I wasn't ready to face either of them. Especially Aomine. I already knew he was a nut like me, all the harder to try and get the both of us to sit down and talk. As for Taiga, he and his team had to be almost half way into the preliminaries, that is if they were still in it. I hadn't gone to any games yet, so I wasn't sure who was still in and who was out.
Thinking about all the great games and players I was missing made me angrily push open the store door as I cause a loud racket. People within the store turn towards me as they give me strange looks.
Mentally calming myself down, I slowly walk to the register where I pull out my shoes.
"I'd like to return these," I mumble quietly.
"Alright, what was wrong with them?" asks the cashier, as he begins to examine the shoes for any scuffs or marks.
Shooting him an annoyed look, I point towards my wrist that was clearly braced in a black and white cast.
Whistling in response, his next words almost force me to punch him. "I hope you do know shoes are meant to be worn on your feet, little-"
"And I hope you do know that shoving my foot up your rear is a possible reality," I growl out angrily, as I tightly clench the man's shirt in my grasp as I nearly bite off his stupid grin.
Before I have time to do something that would get me thrown into jail, a sudden, hot sensation slowly yet fiercely trickles down to my wrist to the point where I'm forced to let go of him. Cradling it gently, I squeeze my eyes shut as I try to think of something calming, someone who makes me happy. Instantly I think of him and immediately regret the decision, because only then am I once reminded of how lonely I really do feel.
"E-Excuse me…Miss? Are you alright?" asks the ass of a cashier, as I watch his once amused expression turn into agony and worry for myself.
For the first time in weeks, to a complete stranger, I find it only fitting that I tell him the truth. That I tell the truth to a stranger, to someone who knew nothing about me and therefore had no right to judge me.
Fluttering my eyes open, I feel them begin to burn as I answer him in a meek, cracked voice.
"No. I'm not."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After finding a park bench where I could rest and sob, I decided to gather up my composure and for once in weeks, do something productive. After reaching a hold of my parents and telling them my plans, they immediately, as usual, tried to accompany me. Kindly refusing, I told them I'd be back home before the sun sets. No way was I going to risk anything after one bad experience.
Struggling to pull the door open to enter the gymnasium floor, someone on the other side ends up pushing it open, resulting in the large, metal door to swing into my body. Falling in a heap, I yelp in pain as my whole body immediately begins to ache and pain all over.
"Eh? Tora? Why are you on the-"
"…because the view down here looks fantas- Idiot! I'm down here because you swung the door into me!" I yell in embarrassment, as I try to get back up.
With a grin and laugh, Fukui outstretches his hand as the blonde haired boy nearly picks me up off the ground.
"We should put a warning label on you. Telling others to be cautious around your presence."
"And why is that?"
"Look at you. You're a disaster waiting to happen," he laughs, as I stand there in annoyance, not even cracking a smile at his usual insults.
"Really? We should put, 'caution, freak', on you."
He grows quiet as he asks why, while still trying to muffle his giggles.
"Because a man of 5'8" who plays basketball is something to be a little scared of."
Gawking and turning red, it's now my turn to laugh at my witty joke.
Suddenly, Fukui places his hand on top of my head as he gives it a light rub.
"I know this is hard, but thanks for coming, Tora," he says kindly, a light, gentle smile to his lips.
Turning red, I mumble to him that I didn't come just for him.
"Oh, but I'd like to think so. Heck, some day's I think the only reason why you joined the team was to get closer to-"
Elbowing him in the gut, I tell him to shut up or the only thing that'd be getting close to him from my side would be my fist down his throat.
"My, my, seems like your temper has risen even more."
Quietly, I think about his words and begin to think about my behaviour lately. He was right. Like the earlier outburst at the store this morning.
"Hey now, don't get all silent on me. I was just stating a fact. It's alright. I like this side of you. Makes me want your little heart even more."
"You sound like a sadist when you say that," I point out, as I go to cross my arms over my chest, only to realize that I couldn't.
"Then you're the perfect girl to be the masochist to my sad-"
A loud, echoing sound of a buzzer going off indicates a numerous amount of things.
Looking to Fukui, he quickly tells me where their locker room is and for me to head on over.
Without getting the chance to ask as to why he had left the game, I find myself deserted in the hall, just like a few minutes ago.
Sighing, I keep note of his directions and begin to make my way.
While making a sharp turn, I accidentally bump into someone, but not hard enough for me to topple over. Fukui was right. I might as well plaster the words "caution" over my whole body in red.
Looking up with a smile, I go to apologize only to find my throat going dry, my pulse increasing as every inch of my body begins to crawl.
I watch in fear and agony as his eyes slowly, carelessly trail down to my form, only for his eyes to bright up, a smirk plastering his lips.
"Isn't this a little too early?" he asks, his voice full of amusement as he drops his sports bag down to his side. Right now, it was only the two of us in the hall. But it was only a matter of seconds before someone else came walking up the stairs that I had just come up from.
Somehow, someway I manage to form some cohesive words.
"W-What…do…mean?" I choke out, as I can't even speak correctly.
"Did you not say that the next time we'd meet would be in Hell? Last time I checked, this was nowhere near close to it. But if you ask me, a place like this does have some characteristics of Hell itself. It's hot, vile, trapped with people who come for their own sinful pleasures. To watch men struggle for power while holding their own judgments as well. If you ask me, this place seems the most fitting for our en-"
Gasping and shaking at the same time, I keep my hand suspended in the air for a few moments longer before I pull it back to my side. Watching in half amusement and fear as the corn-rowed man caresses the side of his cheek. Smirking, he suddenly firmly pinches my cheeks together as he leans in dangerously close. If anything were to happen again, I was prepared to scream and throw the son of a bitch down the dangerous flight of stairs that was just behind me. That is, if I had the willpower.
"My, my. Even though you're still helplessly broken you dare throw a hit my way? Did you not learn your lesson the-"
"Do whatever you want. I'll come back and-"
"If it's turning me in, or on, might I say that you've done a splendid job of that."
Growling, I look away in shame as my chest heaves up and down from stress and pain. It was true. I had still yet to file a complaint. To give a description. For the first week, my excuse was that I was still in too much pain. But then my parents and the police were offering to come to my house and take a statement, but then too did I make an excuse saying that I didn't want to see any men whom I did not know around me. But now, it was a given that I was finally somewhat okay. Yet still I put it off. For reasons why I wasn't even sure. Perhaps I was afraid that something would happen to my family, to my friends, to those I cared about. I was also afraid that I'd be judged once the story got out as to what had really happened. In the end, I was afraid of retribution for myself.
Suddenly we both hear a pair of footsteps clambering up the stairs behind me. The corn-rowed man quickly grabs his bag, letting go of my face. But not before gently caressing the side of my cheek. As a lover would do to their partner.
"Must you make your life so miserable?"
Out of words and strength, he brushes past me in time for the people behind me not to notice anything.
"Eh? Tora-chan?"
Silently turning around, I find a usual, bubbly Momoi with a distressed Aomine beside her. He stares at me as well, his eyes dull and full of boredom. I couldn't blame him. He had received the clear hint that I was done. After not responding to what had to be 20 of his messages and calls, it must've done something to his large bravado that he always had on around me.
Dryly waving at her, all I desperately wanted to do was yell at them to catch him, to hold him down as I called the authorities. But instead, I seal my dried lips, throwing the key away as I watch his form receding into the back, turning the corner as he begins his descend down the staircase.
Maybe I could quickly go and throw my body at him, causing the both of us to tumble down the staircase, ending it for him, while worsening my situation. But instead I shake the violent thoughts out of my head as I wave once again, signalling that I was going.
Momoi grabs my arm, causing me to flinch at the sudden contact. Turning around, I quietly ask her what she wanted.
Instead, she and Aomine give me worried looks as Momoi points to my face.
"Tora-chan, you-you're crying?" she says, as she reaches in to wipe away my apparent tears. Looking down at her finger, it was indeed wet.
Gently touching my face with my still shaking fingers, I find that without my knowledge, it seems that I had been crying for quite some time now, taking in from the face that my grey sweatshirt had begun to grow wet.
Laughing, Momoi and Aomine give me strange looks.
"Are ya' alright?" asks a concerned Aomine, as he goes to hand me something to wipe my face with.
Looking up at him, I am instantly reminded of the cashier earlier today who had asked me the same question. Truthfully, I had answered.
But this time, like always, I lied.
"I've never been better."