"What's wrong, Miss Kagura?" Kaorin asked her heartbroken friend. The three of them sat outside the convenience store, one on either side. She placed her hand on Kagura's shoulders, while the misty eyed girl laid her hands in her lap. A silence laid over the three girls for a moment, with the only noises coming from the rustling of trees and the occasional wimp from Kagura attempting to speak. "I-" The tomboy began, a tear falling down her cheek. "I-I had my date, with-with..." She stopped to sniff and wipe the tear away from her cheek. "I had my date, with-with a guy...today, and-and-and-and..." Kagura found herself repeating "and" over and over again. She stopped speaking and shoved her face into her hands. Kaorin moved her hand onto Kagura's back, rubbing it up and down. "What happened?" Kaorin asked. "Did the date not go so well?"
Kagura began to shake a little. "He... he-he never showed up." Kagura's sobbed, her tears flowing through her hands and dripping onto the pavement. "That's what's wrong?" Chihiro asked softly, trying to be helpful. "N-n-no." She mumbled. "I...I just...I just don't know why. We...we had plans made, and so I wore my favorite outfit, and-and I borrowed my mom's perfume, to-to make sure I smelled good, and...and..."
Kagura stopped and sobbed for a moment. "It's ok." Kaorin whispered, removing her hand and giving her some space.
"I just..." Kagura whispered. "I'm-I'm scared that he thinks I'm ugly. I waited there, at-at the place we were going to meet up at, for-for almost two hours, and he never picked up the phone, and he never called me or formally cancelled, and-and now I'm scared that he saw me, when I was sitting there, and now he thinks I'm ugly and he hates me."
She began to sob a little less now, but tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Chihiro reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Here." She said, extending her arm towards Kagura, who looked up and took it. She lifted her head up a little and dabbed away at her face. "Thank you." Kagura said in a more normal voice. She tried to hand it back to Chihiro, but the girl was insistent that Kagura would keep it. There was a silence among them for a little while, before Chihiro spoke up. "Your hair looks nice." She said. Kaorin followed up by saying "I can still smell the perfume on you, it smells really good."
"Th-thanks." There was another silence among them.
"What happened to your jacket?" Chihiro asked, trying to take Kagura's mind off of things. Kagura looked over at her right arm. There were sizeable holes on the upper arm of the sleeve that she had landed on, her bruised skin and lightly bleeding wounds peeking out just a little. "I...I fell while I was running." She answered quietly. Most of her tears had subsided. "Can I see?" Kaorin asked. Kagura stood up and twisted her body to show Kaorin the tears. The girl stood up and approached her, taking a closer look at the rips. "Hmm..." She started. "Those don't seem too big."
"I know. I was going to sew them up. that's why I'm here, I was going to buy some sewing stuff...but I forgot my wallet."
An idea quickly flew into Kaorin's mind.
"Chihiro!" She called over. "Come over here!"
Kaorin ushered to a few feet away from Kagura. Chihiro stood up and walked over to her friend, while Kagura stared at them from afar.
"Do you think we should invite her to our sleepover?" Kaorin asked.
"Hmmm." Chihiro thought. "I'm ok with it, but would your mom be ok with her staying over."
"Good point." Kaorin replied. "I'll call her and check." The two turned around and faced their friend.
"Hey Kagura," Kaorin began, "me and Chihiro are having a sleepover tonight, and we were wondering if you'd like to join us if my mom says it's ok."
"Really?" Kagura asked.
"Mhm". Kagura smiled and nodded (along with a delighted Chihiro.)
"Um... sure. I'd just have to let my folks know first."
"That sounds fair enough." Kaorin smiled back. She pulled out her mobile phone and began to call her mom.
"Hello?" Kaorin's mom answered.
"Hey-" Kaorin started, before stopping and shuffling over into a comer. "Hey mommy, it's Kaorin." She said a little quieter.
"Kaorin, where are you two girls? Dinners almost ready."
"We're still by the convenience store, I wanted to asked you something."
"Why'd she go into that corner?" Kagura asked. Chihiro smirked. "You'll see when we get to her house." Kagura looked back in confusion.
"So I was more or less wondering if I could invite her to our sleepover."
"Well, there's more than enough food here for you two. Will you have enough space for her? Do we have enough blankets?"
"Yes yes, we'll be able to sleep comfortably if she visits."
"I see. And if she comes, will you be able to call me "Mommy" in front of her?" Her mother jokingly teased.
"...Maybe." Kaorin grumbled.
"Alright then, just hurry back here."
"Thanks Mommy. I love you."
"I love you too."
Kaorin hung up the phone and walked back over to her friends. "Good news, my mom said yes!" She announced excitedly.
"Your "mom" said yes?" Chihiro teased. Kaorin went red almost immediately. "Yes, she did, and she also said to get back home soon otherwise you don't get any dinner." Chihiro chuckled to herself and Kagura looked on in confusion. "Come on," Chihiro said, "let's get going."