I still wasn't looking up. I didn't want him to see how upset I really was. I didn't want him to see how that comment about friends actually cut me deeper than it should have.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?"

I finally jerked my head up. "What's the point? It's not like you can change anything! It's not like you can fix any of it! So what's the point?!" I was yelling by the end.

He flinched at the anger and pain in my voice. I turned away from him and stomped back towards the shop, ignoring him behind me.

I spent the next several days isolating myself from everyone. I hardly ate and I didn't talk to anybody. I already knew that this was a bit of an extreme reaction but I was feeling like crap about having no family or friends. And even when someone tried to talk to me, I just tuned them out and stared at the ground until they finally left me alone. It was mostly Ichigo that tried talking to me, but I didn't want to talk to him at all.

But after about six days or something like that, he finally wouldn't leave me alone.

" I just want time to myself." I snapped at him.

He snorted. "You've been by yourself for like six days. And why are you still wearing that watch?"

I shrugged. "I haven't been able to get it off. And don't change the subject. I just need a lot of time alone."

"Well you've had plenty of time for that."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

He glared at me. "Will you stop being so rude?"

I glared back. "Sorry, I'm anti-social."

He started to say something back but then his face went blank and he seemed to change his mind. I looked away from him, hoping he'd go away after that but I didn't hear any movement. Which made me want to punch him.

I turned back around. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing—but you aren't obviously holding up very well."

I scowled at him. I wasn't sure why he felt like he had to check on me—I didn't need anybody to ask me if I was okay or anything. I didn't want that anyways. It made me feel like I was depending on someone, like I was weak and needy. Which I believed I wasn't. But in reality, was I?

"Seriously—I don't know what you're so upset about, but I was just wondering what it was."

I let out a long irritated sigh. "Fine. It sucks that my family is dead. It sucks that I have no friends. But there's no point talking about it because you can't fix that or make a difference." I turned away again, irritated.

He sighed. "Look, if it makes you feel any better I know that feeling pretty well."

I didn't respond. How would that make me feel any better? He actually has friends—he probably still has most of his family if not all of it. So why was he saying that?

I finally just turned back around—and I was startled at the expression on his face. He had his head turned away, but I could still see the side, and from what I could tell he was actually pretty upset. Which made me frown. What was there for him to be upset about?

I took a step forward. "Ichigo…?"

He just held his hand out, in a stop gesture. I just stood there, feeling kinda awkward and self-centered at the same time. I was lashing out at him because of my problems and not accepting help, when he was clearly dealing with his own problems and I just totally ignored that. That made me feel like a horrible human being.

I took a few steps back and then turned and just started walking. I didn't know how big this training room was, but I was just going to walk until I found the end or I found a suitable spot where nobody could find me.

"Saru where are you going?" Ichigo asked.

I hadn't realized that he'd finally looked up right as I was walking away. I didn't say anything to him, I just kept walking; the only sound is the dirt crunching under my feet as I walk.

I heard him start to walk behind me. So I sped up. I didn't want him to follow me. But as I walked I heard him speed up too. Finally I just whirled around.

"Why are you following me?" I snapped at him, my arm up and pulled back, my hand curled into a fist, I was ready to punch him.

He held up both of his hands, palms out. "I just wanted to talk."

I dropped my arm and turned back around. "I don't want to though."

I kept walking; the only sound yet again the dirt crunching under my feet. And I was grateful when I didn't hear him following me. But I didn't hear him walking the other way either. What did it matter anyways? It didn't as long as he didn't continue to follow me.

"You know—you can't keep doing this." He said.

I stopped walking, skidding my feet in the dirt so I kicked up dust. My hands balled up into fists again.

"Why does it matter? I think I have the right—I'm screwed anyways." I snarled.

I slowly turned to face him, confusion was plain on his face. "What do you mean?"

"The Hollow—she'll take control. And there's not much we can do about that can we? So I think I have the right to spend whatever time I have left alone." I started to turn but I watched him walk towards me.

"What are you even talking about? You're not screwed."

I faced him fully, taking a few backward steps. "Yes I am. I've been thinking—maybe that's better. I'm not any good."

Suddenly rage was on his face and for a split second I thought he was going to slap me. "Don't say that. Never say that. You're better than that thing that lives inside you. You're better than that."

"How do you know? You've only known me for what? Two weeks or something like that?"

He closed his eyes, and was taking deep breaths. "It doesn't matter. You're better than that thing."

His voice was flat and even. I could tell just by looking at him he was going to punch something. I started to back away some more but then his eyes flew open and he took a few steps towards me until he was right in front of me.

"Can you just back o.." I couldn't finish.

The reason I couldn't finish is because he kissed me.