A/N: Life is hard and this writing thing is supposed to make it easier. Meh, I guess I still have some things to figure out then.

Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy! 20 pages for everyone!

Chapter 17: Snap

A few days had passed since Sana and Akito's outing, the changes in their relationship evident to only themselves. Though, it wasn't long for the school population to realize there was a shift in their dynamics.

Hayama Akito, resident lone wolf of Jinbou High School, had decided to slowly ease his way back into the pack. While he still spent a majority of his time alone and away from most students in the school, people were still shocked to see him at Kurata Sana's side; though obvious reluctantly by the annoyance in his face.

The two still fought with one another frequently as they were often found engaging in quarrels. It was enough to raise eyebrows from the people around them, especially since Hayama Akito was known to avoid interactions with the student population.

Kotetsu Kyo wasn't one to dwell on Hayama Akito nor care too much for him. In fact, he never really liked the oldest of the Hayama siblings. He only tolerated the blond because of his best friend. But, because one of his main qualities was his perceptiveness, he couldn't help but watch him.

Besides, Kurata Sana was a cute girl, even if she was two years his senior. He was a growing, pubescent boy who had a keen eye for the beauties of his school.

Ayame would reprimand him for having such thoughts.

He poked at the jello on his plate and sighed.

She was running late… again.

Something had been up with Ayame these last few days… well outside of the tragedy that is her life. And no, Kyo wasn't coating that statement with sarcasm. Compared to the relatively quiet life he lived, Ayame's was a disaster.

Between the death of her mother, the abandonment of her father, and the cold shoulder by her brother, she had dealt with a lot more than a teenager should be able to handle. He knew that other kids had it worse; someone always had it worse.

But Ayame was his best friend.

If she wanted to damn the world and act selfish, she could. She deserved it. There was not a selfish bone in that girl's body.

Anyway, she had been acting different compared to her normal self. Even though she was not as outgoing as she once had been, Ayame did her best to keep the smile on her face.

Lately, she had seemed more… reserved. Instead of the semi-bright disposition she wore, she seemed more serious.

And it wasn't just him that noticed that. Akimoto Hiro had noticed the difference in her personality and confronted him about his observations.

"Okay… is it just me or does Ayame seem to be more reserved than normally?"

Kyo had just finished kicking the ball around with some of his classmates when Akimoto Hiro approached him. The silver haired boy looked up to his senior of three years, slightly jealous of the glaring good looks this senior had on him.

"Uh… maybe?"

Had Ayame been reserved the last coupled days? It wasn't something he's really noticed… well, not that they've hung out too much. She had told him she was busy and didn't have time to spend with him right now.

Actually… now that he thought about it, Ayame had been leaving him recently. She had been going off on her own and pushing him away. And her attitude around him had recently changed too.

He frowned in realization.

"So you have, then?"

Kyo bit down on his lip at Hiro's question.

"Do you think it has to do with her dad being back?" Hiro asked him, sitting down next to him.

That was a real possibility, he thought to himself. But, Ayame hadn't mentioned her dad in a while. Ever since her brother's disappearance and reappearance, she hadn't really mentioned her father all too much.

"I… have no idea if we're being honest."

Kyo inwardly growled. He sounded pathetic. This was his best friend they were talking about! He should know what's going on with her! She should know that she can confide in him with whatever she was struggling with, or going through.

But this was all just like her. Ayame isn't one to burden her problems on others. Even after the accident, it had taken her months to confess her inward struggles. She had a horrible tendency to reserve her true emotions and feelings. He had to pull teeth just to get her to talk to him sometimes.

"She hasn't said much to me these days."

He pursed his lips. Akimoto Hiro, for all his glory and popularity at Jinbou High School, was a truly genuine human. Who would have thought that all those years ago, he would become the surrogate older brother for Hayama Ayame?

Kyo certainly didn't.

In fact, when his best friend and the brunet began being friends, he was jealous as hell.

Who was this brown-haired bastard and what did he think he was doing with his best friend? He was three years older than them, and was buying her ice cream all the time! Granted, at the time this all happened, they were still in elementary school and he didn't know any better. He thought it was the ultimate betrayal.

And even though there was a period of time where he loathed Akimoto Hiro, he had learned to appreciate his sincerity towards the one person in the world who meant the world to him. So now, when Ayame was struggling, it was up to her two favorite men in the world to keep her from falling.

So, if she wasn't talking to either of them, something was wrong.

"I'll see if I can talk to her tomorrow during lunch." Kyo stated, and Hiro nodded, patting him on the back.

"If you're going to talk to her, I don't want to overwhelm or pester her either." He stood up from his spot next to him, and scratched his head. "Just let me know how that conversation goes."

Kyo laughed and the brunet looked at him with a raised brow.

"What is it?"

The silver haired teen shook his head with a smile plastered on his face.

"I cannot wait for the day you get a girlfriend."

The brunet frowned slightly. That probably didn't sound so good, Kyo realized. "And why is that?"

He coughed. "Because she is going to be furious with how attached you are to Ayame. And that is going to drive you insane because how could you possibly choose between the two?"

Hiro went wide eyed, then shifted into an uncomfortable stance. He pursed his lips, and sighed roughly.

But then, there was a glint in his eye as a small smirk made way to his lips.

Kyo raised a brow.

"I don't think I'll have to worry about that. My next girlfriend won't make me choose because she knows how important Ayame is to me. And, it isn't in her heart to be spiteful."

The silver haired first year tilted his head in confusion, not understanding the brunet's choice of words. It wasn't until Hiro stood in response, ruffled his hair, and laughed that he began to understand the implications of his words.

"Wait, there's someone you like now?" He asked, making sure not to say it too loudly. God forbid any of his rabid fangirls heard that statement.

Hiro winked as he began to walk away.

"Hold on, seriously?" His voice got a little louder as Hiro treaded away from him. The green eyed fourth year put a hand up in response.

"Is it someone I know?"

Hiro's response was laughter as he continued to trot away. Kyo stood in surprise as he couldn't recall when Akimoto Hiro had last held feelings for someone.

Huh, who would have thought?

Anyway… back to current time.

Kyo had been sitting in their usual spot, an outside lunch table near the school garden. It was her favorite place at school. It was a minimal populated area for lunch and Ayame appreciated the quietness of it.

"Broody doesn't look good on you. Leave that to my brother."

He shifted his gaze upwards, finding the blonde's brown eyes. Slightly peeved by her tardiness, comparing him to her brother flared his irritation.

"You have the audacity to compare me to your brother after being almost 15 minutes late to lunch. Some nerve you got there, Hayama." His words were mostly sarcastic, but there was still some disdain for the comparison.

She hardly cracked a smile at his joke, and the alarms went off in his mind.

"Sorry." She sat, and set her lunch on the table. Kyo's eyes sharply followed her movement.

The silver haired first year held off on questions until Ayame began to eat, giving her some time to enjoy her food.

This was not like her. Usually, the mood was much lighter around them. She must have had a lot on her mind if she was behaving the way she was.

"So, where were ya?" He asked mid-bite of his sandwich.

"In class."

She quickly replied and Kyo frowned.

"Did you get held up with an assignment or something?"

Ayame didn't answer as she poked around at the food on her plate.

"Ayame?" He questioned, and she sighed roughly.

What the hell?

"What is going on with you?" Kyo asked, and the blonde looked up to him. He immediately went wide eyed.

The countenance on her face was so different than her regular demeanor. The expression on her face resembled that one closely to her brother's; apathetic, detached, cold. It was honestly frightening how closely they resembled one another at this moment just based on facial expression.

The one thing that set them apart though was the eyes.

Her brown eyes varied so much from her brothers golden, dull eyes that never showed an ounce of emotion.

Ayame's brown eyes always revealed her true emotions, even when she tried to hide them. Her eyes always revealed the truth; as they often do to most people.

"Did you know that parental alienation can lead to children believing their parents detest them? That it leads to feeling betrayed by your own parent? Often times, it leads to the children having a lack of trust and self-hatred. And then children are denied the opportunity to mourn the loss of the other parent because they are feeling betrayal from the only living parent left."

She didn't move her eyes from his as those words flew from her mouth. Even as those despairing statements left her lips, her face remained unchanged of apathetic emotion.

But her eyes...

Her eyes were incredibly sad.

"You know, I always tried to be the good kid. While Akito was getting himself into trouble and causing stress on both my parents, I did what I could to make things easier on my parents. Even though I was frustrated with my father for always being gone, I wanted to be strong for my mom. Because she needed me you know?"

Kyo did know. He had seen it all. The silver haired teen had known the Hayama family for most of his life. Ayame did all she could to make her mom's life easier.

"But who was going to be there for me? Who was going to be there for me when I needed their support?" She barely whispered and set the fork down that was in her hand.

"Ayame... where is all this coming from?" He asked, and she looked up at him.

Kyo saw sadness and anger... incredible anger that he hadn't seen in her eyes in so long.

"My dad is gone again... he left for LA a few days ago." Her words were dry, her eyes burning with a fire he hardly recognized.

"Already? Didn't he just get back from Hong Kong?"

The blonde turned to him and smiled with restraint.

"My father confessed to me that he requested his business trips. He was leaving on his own free will." The stoic tone in her words made him shudder.

"Are you saying that-"

"That my father is a coward? Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. He didn't even have the decency to look me in the eye as he told me he was purposely leaving all this time."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Kyo sighed roughly as he shook his head in disappointment.

He didn't know what to say, what to think.

"So… all these years… your brother was-"

"Akito was right. He didn't care about us or the family. He only cared about himself."

Her words could cut the air right now. He couldn't remember last when Ayame was last like this, if she ever was. She always tried to see the best of every situation. Before her mother passed, she was a lot like Sana.

But now, she shared a very similar countenance to her brother and that was awfully frightening.

"Is he gone now?" Her nod was her only response and Kyo didn't have anything else to say.

What was he supposed to say?

She's been trying to figure out her feelings all day; to understand these emotions that were stirring within her.

For the first real time in her life, Ayame was furious.

She was seething with an angry fire burning deep within her. She felt like she was being consumed by this raw emotion that she had never dealt with before. She was no longer drowning, or falling into darkness.

All she was seeing was red.

A dark, crimson red that made her blood boil.

For as long as she could remember, she was always so afraid to do anything more than be the peacekeeper of her family. She had this preconceived notion that it was up to her to keep what little was left of her family together. Her naivety blindly led her to believe she was the glue that kept all the broken pieces together.

God, she was so stupid!

Who was she kidding? Her family was so far beyond help.

Her father did not care about her or Akito. He abandoned them, left them to deal with the trauma and aftermath of their mother's passing on their own.

All this time she was blaming herself for not being able to keep her family together. She was allowing herself to succumb to this endless void that was literally sucking the life out of her. All because she thought it was her fault.

Her fault she couldn't keep her family together.

But, it isn't her fault.

It wasn't even her brother's fault.

She was done pitying herself… done playing the victim. She didn't place blame on anyone but herself, and even God for taking her mother away for the longest time.

Now, the sadness and misery she's allowed to consume her, to turn her into a porcelain doll that needed everyone to walk eggshells around her…

It's turned into something she doesn't recognize.

This sensation is oddly terrifying and ugly, the way it makes her feel like she wants to spit on the world.

But it makes her feel more alive than she has in the last three years, possibly her life.

She's livid, enraged with the cards she was dealt. She is vehemently furious at her father, who forgot how to be a father, at her brother, who abandoned her when she needed him the most, and most of all, she is angry with her mother.

Her mother for leaving this world too soon, for leaving their family behind at the its most vulnerable state.

And this anger is consuming her. It's reminding her that she doesn't have to be okay with how the dice rolled for her family. It's teaching her that she doesn't have to be content with her inner turmoil.

She is done relying on people to be strong for her. She realizes now that she cannot depend on others for strength because they all eventually leave… they always do.

"Ayame?" She can hear Kyo call out to her and she looks to her best friend.

Her best friend who has fought the fire and gotten burned in the process.

She smiled tightly.

"What can I- I mean… what do you want me to do?"

Nothing. He can do nothing.

This isn't his fault. He isn't her father, her brother, her mother. He's the best friend. His job is to listen to her ramblings, to scare away potential suitors, to stay up late with her and watch movies until the sun came up, to be there when the world felt like it was falling apart.

That was his job.

"Nothing." His confusion fell and there was a deep frown in place of his original shell shock. She needs to be clear; clear with him, with Hiro, with her brother.

"I'm sorry for always relying on you, for constantly burdening you with all my baggage."

He was no longer frowning as concerned flashed in his eyes.

"That was never an issue though?" He sounded so confused and perplexed by her sudden words and she felt bad for putting this on him. She was determined to stop having him worry about her.

"I need to start taking responsibility for my own life, Kyo."

That statement made her feel bold with a sense of clarity she's been lacking for so long.

The lunch bell chimed and she stood up, grabbing her bag, swinging it behind her. Kyo watched her with worry. She smiled, genuinely this time. Leaning forward, the blonde placed a kiss on his head.

"I'll see you later, okay?"

She would make it up to him later, she promised herself.

Her next stop?

Her surrogate big brother, Akimoto Hiro.

-O-

There was a spring in her step as she launched herself forward. Controlling her breathing was the easy part, keeping balance was what caught her every time. She can feel herself tilt to one side as she was coming for the final land.

Collective groans filled the room as she fell on her side and skidded across the practice mat.

She slapped the mat, her eyes tearing from yet another failed attempt.

Fuka assured her eyes were focused and confident before she stood up again. The brunette could feel all eyes on her as she took a deep breath and walked back over to the start of the routine. They watched her like vultures, Fuka being the carcass of the dead animal in the middle of the field.

Perfecting this routine was an absolute. No longer could she afford to fail. Her mother's words don't fall deaf on her ears as they circle in her mind like a song stuck on repeat.

A hand clasped her shoulder and her eyes quickly found the person who dared to interrupt her thoughts.

Her coach is looking down at her with concern, and she sighed.

"Maybe you should take a break before you hurt yourself, Matsui." Her coach's voice filled the room as there was this unbearable silence that made Fuka want to scream.

Her coach is saying what everyone is thinking.

The woman gave her another reassuring squeeze, offering a tight smile as she leaned forward.

"No one is looking at you any differently for taking a break, Fuka. You're human."

But that was a lie.

Everyone was judging her. She was a Matsui. Her mother was a crowned jewel in the gymnastics world, and if word spread that her daughter couldn't even land this simple routine?

How could you fail so horribly?

I gave you a gift.

We've provided you with everything you need to be successful and this is how you repay me?

You're a disgrace.

Fuka shut her eyes closed as she shook her head. "I'm not done yet."

And she wasn't. She was going to perfect this routine.

Because that's who she was. That was the person her mother raised her to be. Her mother expected perfection, and Fuka will give her just that.

Her coach is looking at her with concern, and Fuka doesn't want to look at her anymore. She knows that look, and it's pity. Her coach is pitying her.

Pity was for failures. Pity was for those who cannot accomplish.

That was not her.

"Let's start from the beginning!" Fuka barked as the girls in the room scrambled around her, and she could hear a deep sigh from her coach behind her. "Chisa, play the music from the beginning!"

The music filled her eyes and Fuka closed her eyes, imagining her routine in her head. She could see it play out entirely in front of her, like a movie. She memorized this routine, engraved it in her mind.

Her hands began to move, her legs following through. Her movements were swift, fluid as the music carried her. She moved faster as the music began to pace.

When things moved fast, it was when Fuka thrived. She always rose to the occasion, and met her challenger with confidence.

But lately, everything was just moving so fast.

She couldn't keep up with the tempo of her life.

Suddenly, everything was changing and Fuka didn't know how to deal with it all.

She was in love with Hayama Akito.

Vehemently denying it for months, Fuka thought it was just genuine curiosity, or frustration with his lack of empathy and his apathetic attitude.

But with Sana's reappearance, she realized it was so much more.

The music began to slow down, and Fuka slowed her movements to match the down beat tempo that allowed her a moments rest.

This project between them, this getting to know one another, struck her in the worst way possible as ugly jealousy filled her to the point that she was hating Sana.

Fuka was in constant envy with the budding relationship she had with Hayama and it was tearing her apart inside. The perfect façade she put together and created was single handily being dismantled by the mere thought of the two together.

The beat of the music increased again, and Fuka could feel her lungs working harder as her breathing quickened. Sweat rolled down the lengths of her neck and her movements went with the pace of the music.

Just… why?

Why did Sana have to take an interest in the guy she fell in love with?

Couldn't the girl just go and take interest in someone else? For goodness sake, she had Akimoto Hiro eating out of the palm of her hand and she didn't even know it!

Her feet were falling behind, and now came the jumps in her routine.

Why did Sana even care about Hayama?

Fuka landed the first jump, with some hesitation.

Why did Hayama willingly open himself up to Sana, but not to her?

Jump 2 proved to be more difficult, but still a successful land.

She had seen them walking out of school together with Sana attempting to wrap an arm around Akito, and he pulled away immediately.

That gave her great satisfaction.

Jump 3 earned a few claps.

The music was building, and now came the grand finale.

Fuka lurched forward, her body falling with gravity. Her hands landed on the mat and feet were in the air. Launching herself forward, her feet were coming down and the first flip was landed. Applause surrounded her and she smirked.

Repeating the same movements, Fuka landed on her feet and threw herself forward once more.

When she closed her eyes for a movement, she saw Akito. And his apathetic, aloof face that was part mysterious and enthralling. Of course she wanted to know more about him, and what he hid under the broodiness.

But she couldn't help but be attracted to that mysterious bad boy vibe he let off.

Another flip landed and more applause.

As she prepared for the final spin and tumble, Sana appeared in her mind and she scowled.

Sana hanging out with Akito. Sana and Akito hanging out. Sana offering advice on Akito. Sana and Akito walking out of school together.

Sana getting know Akito and the two becoming closer than she would ever hope to be with the blond.

This broke her concentration and Fuka felt herself fall forward as gravity pulled her back down to earth. She lost her footing, lost her balance as she attempted to stop herself with feet. Which only proved to be another bad idea as there was a serious crunch in her right ankle and immediate pain shot up her leg.

She gasped for air as the pain severely radiated up her leg.

Her coach was immediately by her side and shouted for one of the girls to grab the school nurse and another to grab the school's physical trainer.

Fuka screwed her eyes shut as she grasped her right ankle, unrecognizable tears falling down her face as excruciating pain filled her.

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

She kept repeating to herself as another girl came with ice from the trainer's office and handed it to her coach.

The brunette was hardly listening to her coach until she heard murmurs of fractured or broken ankle spoken from the woman's mouth. She whipped her head up so fast, she almost gave herself whiplash.

"Did you just say fractured or broken?" Her voice was unrecognizable as an ugly curl of despair coated her words. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks and the hollow look in her coach's eyes were all Fuka needed for affirmation.

"I can't know absolutely. The nurse would know better. But, the way you came down didn't look promising."

She shook her head vigorously.

No, no, no, no, no, NO.

Fuka could not have fractured, nonetheless, broken, her ankle!

What was she supposed to say to her mother!?

Oh hi mom! Yeah, I totally broke my ankle because I lacked proper focus on my routine because I was too busy thinking about the guy I love and my best friend together!

Her mother was going to be furious.

Fuka dared to look down at her ankle with tear stricken eyes and she cringed.

It was already turning purple with obvious intermittent swelling. She was no doctor, or nurse, but she knew that her ankle shouldn't be hanging the way it was. Her stomach churned and she could feel bile coming up from the back of her throat.

The door burst open and her teammate came heaving in, the nurse following behind her with a wheelchair in her hands.

This was utterly humiliating. She was going to be carted out of the gym like some hopeless gnat.

Fuka's mind was spinning as she thought about her mother's harsh words, the dissatisfied scowl, and her disappointed eyes. Competition meets had just started and her eyes were already focused on going to Regionals.

If this injury was as bad as it seemed, then she would be set back from Regionals indefinitely.

"- you need to elevate your ankle. Ms. Matsui? Ms. Matsui."

Broken from her thoughts, the brunette looked up and found the nurses and school physical trainer's eyes.

"I can't. It hurts. It really hurts." Weak. She sounded so weak!

"Can you stand? We need to get you to the nurse's office." She already made an embarrassment of herself. She didn't need to be absolutely humiliated by being carried to the wheelchair.

Her coach lent her a hand, and Fuka took in a deep breath before shakily standing, careful not to put pressure or bear weight on her ankle.

With several arms grabbing her, the brunette slumped into the wheel chair. She let her head fall slightly as they began to wheel her out.

Shame.

She felt so shameful. How could she let this happen? How could she lose such focus? This was her own fault. Her own fault for being so stupid, so jealous, so easily troubled.

Her biggest concern right now?

That dreaded call to her mother.

-O-

Running through the hallway, Sana ran hard, trying to dodge the student body that got in her way. She muttered a few "excuse me's" and "let me through's!" as she tried to fiddle her way through to the nurse's office.

Sana was in English when she heard what happened.

It was just another free day and she was talking to Hayama, who was doing a great job at insulting her… again.

"Satire would be so much easier to understand if it wasn't all such an exaggeration." Sana huffed as she groaned, dropping the Mark Twain book in her lap. She was brooding because English was just as difficult as ever for her.

"Then it wouldn't be satire, idiot. It's meant to expose and ridicule contemporary politics and other topical issues."

Now Hayama was just being mean.

"But what's the point in making fun of it when you can just say what the real issue is?"

Hayama looked up from book, and rolled his eyes at her. "Because American literature is about using different forms and styles of writing to exaggerate the point they are trying to make."

"Well, that's stupid."

She sighed again, disliking her English teacher for making them read for assignment.

"Just because you don't enjoy it, and don't have the brain capacity for it, that doesn't mean others can't enjoy it's complexity." Sana glared at his insulting reply.

Ugh! Did he understand how infuriating he was?

"You just enjoy insulting me whenever the opportunity presents itself, don't you?"

"You give enough opportunities."

Hayama didn't bother looking up at her as he replied, and Sana scowled.

He was a callous jerk with a blunt honesty that just dug under your skin. He didn't say much, but when he did, it was enough to infuriate you.

It was her turn to roll her eyes at the typical response of the lone wolf. "Haya-jerk." She muttered, but there was no response.

Deciding that she wasn't in a particular mood to continue squabbling with him, Sana turned her attention towards the rest of the classroom. She began to conversate with the girls sitting next to her and ignore the blond.

"Yo! Did you all hear what happened?"

Sana could hear one of the gymnast, but she decided to ignore it as it was just probably locker room talk of the sorts.

"Matsui broke her ankle!"

What?

Her head whipped to the trio of boys in the back of the classroom and her eyes immediately went back to Hayama, who also seemed to catch the conversation. If you looked closely enough, you'd see that he turned off his music and stopped turning the pages of his book.

"There's no way." Another of the boys replied.

"I'm serious! Chisa just texted me and told me what happened!"

Suddenly, he was crowded by the other two boys, looking down at the phone. Sana stood immediately, the girls she was with looking at her with questioning glances.

Sana ignored the stare that followed her to trio of gymnasts.

"Hey! What did you just say about Fuka breaking her ankle?" Marching up to the boys, she demanded for answers.

The boy who was holding the phone looked her up and down, and then it seemed like a light bulb went off in his head, finally recognizing who she was.

"Oh. You're Matsui's childhood friend, right?" The auburn-haired teen nodded in response.

"Apparently Matsui broke her ankle during gym practice today." He proceeded to show her the text from before and Sana's eyes went wide.

"Do you know where Fuka is right now?" She asked, well demanded more like it.

"Chisa said they took her to the nurse's office."

That was all Sana needed to hear as she hustled back to her desk and grabbed her backpack. Hayama was looking at her with clouded eyes and Sana barked at him.

"Get up. We're going to the nurse's office."

He looked taken aback and then scoffed at her proposition, well again, more like demand.

"I'm not going." It was a clear statement, and it made Sana mad.

"Why? Isn't she your friend?"

Hayama didn't confirm nor deny that question as she put his book on his desk.

"You're her friend. Fuka and I are more acquaintances than anything." Was his snarky response and Sana wanted nothing more than to shove that stupid book down his throat.

"Whatever the case is, you should be there with me." All Sana could think about was how broken Fuka would be over this; if it was true. She knew how the rumor mill moved and how easily words could get twisted. For all they knew, Fuka could have just sprained or rolled an ankle.

If it was any worse than that, it would break her heart.

Fuka's worked her whole life at gymnastics, working to be the absolute best.

This would set her back. And she didn't handle setbacks very well.

He stared at her for a moment, before he shook his head and replied with a stern "No."

Sighing in disappointment, Sana threw her backpack over her shoulder and hastily made her way to the nurse's office.

Now, Sana was standing right outside the nurse's door, coming to her friend's aide.

She opened the door and the first thing she saw was Fuka's foot, wrapped in a heavy bandage with ice taped over it.

But, Fuka doesn't see her as her eyes are closed and she was resting her forearm over her eyes. She wa wearing her practice clothes, and it's hard not to stare at the bandages wrapped around her leg. It stands out against her small frame.

She looked like she might puke.

"Fuka?" Called girl looked up, eyes frightened at the sudden calling of her name.

When her best friend's eyes landed on her, they narrowed immediately.

What the hell?

Just a moment later, her narrowed eyes closed and she sighed.

Why was Sana here? She didn't want her to be here. Even though this was Fuka's fault, she still felt like Sana was partially responsible since all she could think about right before the fall was her and Akito together.

That was so incredibly selfish though.

Sana didn't push her. She wasn't even there.

"Word spread that quick, huh?"

The brunette hated it. Now everyone was going to see her as weak, as a failure. All because she couldn't perfect her damn routine. And now look at where it's landed her.

The phone call to her mother was not pretty. Explaining to her that she needed to go to the emergency room led to a mouth full of a lecture.

"What did you do?"

"I fell during practice."

"Just put some ice and rest it. I'm sure it's fine."

"No, mom. I think it's bad… like fracture or broken bad."

The silence after was sickening. Her mother barely spoke above a whisper after that, telling her she would have to wait until after school ended. Fuka had taken enough painkillers to survive that long.

But now Sana showed up and that was entirely infuriating as she was part of the reason she couldn't concentrate on her routine in the first place.

Sana examined her foot, and carefully looked back at her.

"How bad is it?"

"Trainer said it could be broken." Sana winced, knowing that this wasn't going to settle well with Fuka, more importantly, her mother.

"How'd it happen?"

Fuka blanched, and Sana took a seat in the chair right next to her bed.

"Aren't you supposed to be in English class right now?" The brunette asked, evading the question completely. Sana waved her off.

"Sensei isn't there. Free day for us to read some satirical writing."

Fuka finds that ironic, considering who Sana is.

"Anyway, bad landing or something? The guys in English didn't give me much details considering I didn't really give them a chance to explain." Fuka rose a brow at her question/statement.

Sana could see her confusion. "The male gymnasts."

She sees her nodding, knowing that the male gymnasts usually do their routines either before school or during first period.

"I… just wasn't focusing properly and lost my balance. I fell mid tumble." That just doesn't sound like Fuka, Sana thinks to herself. She knows the girl and knows how to the T she is about her gym routines.

"Did-Did you call your mom already?"

There was a numb nod and Sana gulped for her friend.

"She didn't say much. Said she'll be here after school."

"She's going to make you wait that long?" Sana rose a brow, and Fuka shrugged.

"My mom is a busy woman."

That just seemed so unfair… Fuka was sitting here with a possible broken ankle and her mom decides to let work overcome that? She always knew her mom was a slave driver, but this seemed unnecessary.

"You can stop mulling over it. If I'm not upset, there's no reason you should." A silence and Sana was still frowning over it. "Just be happy that woman isn't your mother."

There was a shared laughter that seemed so entirely forced, but also somewhat relieved the weird tension in the room.

"Look, you don't have to stay. I'm already kind of humiliated by all this, so you staying here doesn't make it any easier."

Sana's not believing her ears as Fuka makes her sharp statement. She's gripping the sheets to the bed, and looking at her with this unknown stare that she doesn't really recognize.

But God, Fuka's pride was so maddening and it always caused so much unnecessary strife between the two of them. Just for once, Sana wished her best friend would just swallow up her pride and give it a rest.

"How do I not make this any easier?" Sana points to herself as she is thoroughly confused by Fuka's statement.

And this is where the brunette goes quiet.

Because she doesn't really know how to explain her words outside of her frustration and envy that she has for Hayama and her relationship.

She just wishes Sana would listen and leave.

"Because no matter how hard I try, it's never good enough. But for you, it always works out. And that is so entirely frustrating."

The auburn-haired teens eyes go wide as those words leave her lips. Fuka feels significantly better, like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. Even though it's not all that's been wanting to say, she feels lighter without carrying it around.

Instant guilt overcomes her though when she sees perplexity written across Sana's face.

"Where is this coming from?" Of course she asks, and Fuka just wants her to leave.

"Just- never mind Sana. I just don't really want to see anyone right now. I would much rather be alone."

Sana's sitting, perplexed and puzzled by the sudden change in conversation and Fuka's demands. She's not understanding why her best friend is being so distant and kind of rude. Also, to dismiss her own hard work for what she has achieved is rubbish and inconsiderate. She knows better than most how much she's struggled to get where she is. So, this nonsense she is spewing is uncalled for.

So, Sana stands and clenches onto her book bag.

When she was younger, she would have yelled, fought back against Fuka, called her out on her nonsense. But now, Sana doesn't have the patience to sit here and figure out why the brunette wants to be unfair. And to spare her from her humiliating experience, Sana doesn't want to kick her while she's already down.

Though, she would really love to give her a word or two about being a friend and not just a crass bitch.

Fuka's no longer looking at her and Sana can't help but sigh.

"You know, I could give you a lot of grief but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say your rude comments are due to injury." She starts, and the brunette is still hiding away. "You and I both know we both haven't had it easy, and that I don't always come out on top. But, it isn't fair to assume that I don't work hard."

Her words loitered the room, but Fuka still remains quiet.

"Text me once your mom is here. And what they tell you at the ER."

And Sana leaves the room, leaving behind a guilty Fuka, who knows she crossed a line.

Sana wants to be mad as she stalks out the room and stomps back towards English. What was even the point? She stops in the middle of the hallway, and shakes her head. There wasn't a point in returning to class. She might as well go to her locker and change for the end of the day.

She wants to be ticked, pissed at Fuka for being so cruddy and talking to her like that. But, she also can't blame her for her frustration. Gymnastics is her life and to watch it just slip away in front of you is so disheartening. It's what she's best at, what she knows. Without it, she feels bare and naked.

How could Sana be mad when she out of all people know that feeling? To be ripped away from something that you love to do? She clenched her fists and shut her eyes, memories resurfacing. It washed over her, that sensation and exhilaration it used to bring her. She could see it there in front of her, so close to touch.

But then it was all snatched away.

That phone call changed her life.

Sana unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath.

Breathe, Sana. Breathe.

She used to be much better at this, she thought to herself as she chuckled darkly. Her hazel colored eyes fell to the floor as she made her way back to her locker. Though two entirely different incidences, it was the same outcome, potentially.

She needed to get herself together.

Lifting her head from the ground, Sana put on a smile, pretending that everything was okay.

-O-

Fuka's hands couldn't stop shaking. Sana left, and regret for her words crept in.

She may have felt lighter, but the guilt was settling in her.

Why couldn't she just get it right? Why couldn't she just put everything together by now? She was in love with Hayama Akito and she had no idea what to do from here. Fuka wished that with a snap of her fingers, everything would just fix itself and come together.

Should she tell him?

No. He would laugh in her face.

She should tell Sana?

Fuka was already hearing the "I told you so!" speech in her mind. From the moment she got here, Sana was accusing her of having feelings for Akito. Now for her to admit Sana was right?

She would never hear the end of it.

Truth was, though she made some new friends, she was still as lonely as ever.

The brunette felt lonely. Sure, Sana was back and their group seemed livelier. But, she still felt like she was on the outside. And the only person who she felt like was in the outside with her was Hayama Akito.

"She was only trying to help."

Speak of the devil, and he will appear.

Fuka went wide at the blond-haired boy who was leaning against the entrance of the nurse's room.

"Hayama?"

He walked in, hands in his pockets. His eyes went to her leg, and she suddenly wished she could change back into her school uniform. She felt naked under his intimidating stare.

"It's not as bad as it looks."

She's lying. And they both know it.

"She ran over the moment she heard about your injury."

Her joy of seeing him turned to anger as he mentioned Sana without name. Why couldn't he have just come in to check on her without mentioning the auburn-haired teen? Fuka was genuinely happy when she saw the blond standing there.

"She's an idiot. She didn't need to." Hayama shrugged his shoulders.

"But she did."

Fuka was disheartened by his words, and was thoroughly confused by his attitude. He wasn't one to vouch for another person, especially Kurata Sana. Even though they were 'friends' now, or whatever, they still didn't get along too well.

At least, that's what Fuka told herself to keep her jealously at bay.

"Why do you care what she did?"

Fuka asked the right question, because Hayama Akito didn't know the answer. Why did he even bother following her out to the nurse's room after she left?

Maybe it was because she looked down at him with this disappointing glare that left him feeling uncomfortable. Or maybe because that disappointment resembled something he had seen one too many times in the past. And he was tired of having them.

Or maybe it was because he knew if he didn't come see Fuka, he would never hear the end of it, from both Kurata and Fuka.

Otherwise, he wasn't entirely sure himself.

He wasn't even going to come in.

But when he saw Kurata Sana walk out of the room with a heavy air surrounding her… it bothered him.

He saw the way her teeth clenched and how her fists were balled at her sides. He could see the ruggedness of her shoulders and the crestfallen look that fell upon her face. Truth be told, he never thought he would see her look so… vulnerable.

And a part of him wanted to walk up to her and slap her out of it.

Because since he's met her, she's been nothing but obnoxious and loud and annoyingly optimistic. It didn't settle well in his stomach to see her so upset.

But, he watched as she lifted herself from the ground and pull herself together. She put on a smile and walked tall going forward.

It made him wonder though… how many of those masks did she had hiding away?

"I don't. I just know I'll have to hear it from her at some point. And I couldn't be bothered with your friendship issues." Which wasn't entirely a lie. He knew she would bring it up at some point.

Fuka settled for a lesser scowl, but the frown was still here.

"Did you come because you wanted to make sure I was okay? Or did you come to give me a hard time about Sana?" Fuka's heart was beating in her chest so hard and rapidly, she thought it might explode.

But, she didn't want to sit here and be lectured about her treatment towards her best friend. She knew she was being unfair. She knew she was being shitty towards her. But, she didn't know how else to react in this situation.

To protect herself, she attacked offensively.

His silence though was falling on her and little by little, it broke Fuka's heart because she could see he held no special feelings towards her.

"You shouldn't push away the people you love. Especially in times like this." His eyes gestured to her ankle, and Fuka was shocked that he was giving her advice?

They didn't talk like this. It was more of Fuka talking, and he just either listened or ignored her. but now he was offering advice?

"Do you really think you of all people should be telling me that?"

Hayama sighed in frustration. This was pointless.

He shook his head as a response and began to tract out of the room.

"Take it from someone who knows."

Fuka gaped as Hayama walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

It wasn't until a few minutes more that Fuka realized that gravity of his words, and was puzzled by his sudden need to give her advice. Not that he was really the guy to give any type of advice about pushing others away because he was the freakin king of it.

But, admitting to his own flaw?

That was… that was huge.

Fuka didn't have much time to think more about it because the final school bell chimed and the door opened to reveal her mother, who's demeanor was anything but kind and sympathetic.

The moment her mother's eyes laid on her ankle, she scowled.

The school nurse introduced herself to her mother and explained what they assumed and what they knew for sure. But, her mother wasn't having any of it, explaining she needed to take Fuka to the ER now so they could tell her what was wrong definitively.

Her mother didn't speak a word, and Fuka remained quiet as the school nurse wheeled her out to the staff and visitor's parking lot.

It was at these times she wished she could disappear.

A/N: So this chapter came out of somewhere. Only the first half of the chapter was planned. The second half of the chapter just kind of hit me like a truck and I was absolutely for it. Ya'll have no idea how excited I am to flesh out Ayame's character. This is just the beginning as her character starts to really move along with the story.

Fuka's injury was not planned whatsoever, but I am completely here for it. It doesn't affect the progression of the story one bit, but it certainly makes things more interesting for later in the story.

Next chapter is going to be big yall. It's going to be exciting and I'm so giddy to start writing it. There was so BIG things coming. I know I've been saying that, but like I really mean it. BIG THINGS.

Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed this! Reviews, comments, and questions are always welcomed!

Until next time!
-Dark Waffle