FicWad

It's finally Friday. I finished getting ready for school and went downstairs for my morning smoothie. It looked as if my parents hadn't got up yet, I am a little early. I started making the smoothie and breakfast so I could be ready for them for a change. As I was finishing preparing the plates my mom walked in. She was all dressed up but still sleepy eyed.

"I heard you when you came in last night but I had trouble falling asleep after."

"I'm sorry, I should have been quieter."

"No it's fine, we are just glad you got home safe. How was it? Did you have fun?"

"Yes I did. Thank you for letting me stay there for dinner."

I smiled and brought her food to her as she sat at the table. Then my father walked in the kitchen.

"So is your friend in your class?"

"In some of them."

"What is her name?"

Her? Did I forget to mention my friend is a guy? I paused to figure out what I should say. Slowly I let it out.

"His... name is Tomio."

My father's tired eyes become focused on my words.

"You never said your friend was a guy." He said in a surprised yet worried tone.

"I never said he was a girl."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"No." I replied quickly.

"So he's just a friend?"

"Yes." If even that, I thought to myself.

"Do you have any friends that are girls?" My father said in a worried voice.

"I'm working on it."

My mom chimed in. "So how did you two become the best of friends?"

"I wouldn't say best? I don't even think he considers me a good friend but I guess all I can do is wait and see."

I sort of spaced out while saying that. Suddenly my dad slammed his palm on the table and interrupted my lonely daze.

"He would be really dumb if you didn't view you as a best friend. I bet that loser is so lucky to have a friend like you. I want to be surprised if you were his only friend."

"Dad! First you're skittish about him being my friend comma and now you're accusing him of being a loser?"

After learning more about Tomio, my father's words hurt me. If he ever found out about Tomio's bad reputation there is no way my dad would let me be friends with him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that. I'm just saying, anyone is a fool not to have you as a friend."

I forgave my father and ended that morning washing the dishes and then heading to school.

I had barely left the house and I already felt tired. The walk usually isn't long but today it felt like it took forever. I was early and almost to the front gate of the school when a light mist fell from the sky. It did not bother me though, it was refreshing. There were a lot of students outside getting slightly wet. I continued past them to the stairs that led to the front doors. Amongst the students was Tomio, sitting at the bottom of the stairs. Raindrops Were on his head and shoulders of his jacket.

He was looking down at the ground between his feet and did not notice me. I sat down on the cold concrete steps close to him to let him know I was there. As I sat there, I started pondering over what my father had said earlier and wondered if Tomio does view me as a friend or not.

While I sat there quietly, Tomio noticed I was there and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. He said my name which broke my concentration. I looked up at him and noticed him glaring at students passing by with wide eyes. His voice once again broke the silence.

"I want you to know, I'm going to warn you. You might hear from others hurtful things. About yourself, friends, family. That's just what people do. They like gossiping and talking bad about one another. You might even hear things about me. About my past and what others think my future will be like. You will hear a lot of negative things and most of them might be true. Please don't be afraid to ask me about them though. I will be truthful with you."

"Don't do that. You don't owe me any answers or explanations. I don't expect you to and I hope you don't expect it from me." I let out a soft sigh. "Why do you feel the need to be open with me about your life like this. I've done nothing to deserve your honesty."

"I don't expect anything from you. I just want you to know that you are the first friend I've had in a while and I don't want to be the reason for our friendship to end. So I will be truthful with you. I don't want to keep you in the dark and then you start thinking badly about me."

"Tomio, I would never..."

"And you can believe me when I say I will never say anything about you to someone else."

I couldn't help but stare into his sad dark empty eyes which at the moment seemed bright and full of life. It didn't last long though, a slight smile showed on his face as he turned his you away from me and embarrassment. We just sat there together waiting for the Bell to ring and ignoring the eyes spitefully on us.

Not long after, the bell ring to let the students inside the building. The rain had stopped before we even got up to the top of the stairs. First class was a blur as I was trying to organize everything that had happened today in my brain. So I am a friend to him. A big goofy smile came across my face. The bell ring for second class and Tomio got to my desk before I finished packing up my bag.

"I will see you later."

"Okay." I smiled as he walked out the room.

I stood up in an uncomfortable chill came over me. I look to the other side of the classroom and there was a group of three girls and two boys. They were staring at me and talking amongst themselves and giggling. Then one girl spoke up not so quietly to her friends.

"Do you really think he's dating that heifer?" Then her eyes made contact with mine.

I quickly looked away and made my way out of the classroom and could hear them laughing. This was all new to me. I had lots of friends at my old school, or did I just not realize that people like that did exist? My eyes started watering. A tap on my shoulder startled me. I turned around frantically to find a pretty young girl smiling pitifully at me.

"Don't listen to them. Those girls will destroy the world if they could and the two guys are their minions, doing their bidding. They hate on everything that moves."

She smiled again but more sincerely, I couldn'thelp but smile back. She pulled out a bag of tissues from her purse.

"Thank you. I guess I'm just not used to it. I used to have a lot of friends at my old school and I tried to look for the good in people."

"Well it's good you have Tomio as a friend. Even though it may not seem like it sometimes, he is very loyal."

"Do you know him?"

"We've known each other since preschool. His parents were good friends with mine and he was good friends with my older brother. We've never really became friends though."

"Do him in your brother still hang out?"

"My brother died two years ago. Him and Tomio we're out and about and ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time. My brother stayed to distract the men involved so Tomio could get away. They ended up shooting him. Tomio ran back to see my brother when he heard the gunshots. The men were already gone and my brother already dead. My parents really worry over Tomio and I know he blames himself, he won't even acknowledge me here at school."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." I could feel my eyes watering again.

"It's okay, we miss him but he's in our memory and our hearts and I know that would make him glad. I just wish I was not afraid to approach Tomio and tell him not to blame himself. My brother, Isamu, made the decision he believed was right and that was to protect Tomio. His killer got life, so justice was served. I'm Hikari by the way. What wa your name again?"

"Yoshiko Akazaki."

"It's nice to meet you."

"You too. Tomio and I are gonna eat lunch together, do you want to join?"

Hikari hesitated at first but then agreed.

"I will have to let my friends know o won't be eating with them today."

"Hopefully us three together can break the barrier and you will feel more comfortable with talking to Tomio."

Hikari nodded her head again.

"Well my class is right here, thank you for coming up and talking to me. You really helped out."

"No problem." She smiled and made her way down the hall.

The lunch bell rang after third class. I walked up to Tomio and told him I made a new friend. After telling him her name I spoke up again.

"She said she has know you for a while, why haven't you tried being friends with her?"

"I have just been caught up with too many things, I don't want to drag her into it."

Although he did not give me the whole explanation, I knew he was telling the truth. And as I told him before, I don't expect him to tell me everything.

"I invited her to have lunch with us. Is that fine?"

"Yeah that sounds great, I've been meaning to talk to her about something. "

After Tomio and I had paid for lunches, I saw Hikari sitting at a table by herself. We sat right across from her and started eating.

"So how have you been, Hikari?" Tomio asked and then coughed akwardly.

"Good and you?"

"I've been alright. How about your parents, how are they?"

"They are good, they miss your face around the house."

Tomio went silent again.

"We should all do homeworkat your house someday next week. If that's fine with your parents that is." I said breaking the silence.

"That sound fun, we should exchange numbers."

Hikari handed me her phone and I did the same. We put our numbers in each other's phones and continue eating. While Hikari and I talked and laughed, Tomio smiled and laughed here and there but did not say a word as if something was bothering him. Lunch was over and we got up to throw away your trash. We walked outside the cafeteria doors. I had to go to the left for first class and Tomio and Hikari had to go to the right, they had the same class. I said my goodbyes and headed down the hallway.

"Tomio, my parents really miss you and they worry about you. I worry about you. It was not your fault what happened to Isamu. He made his choice and there's nothing you could have possibly done. You were younger, he needed to protect you."

"Yeah, my aunt keeps trying to tell me that. I feel better talking to you, thank you. But I think I really need to talk to your parents. Hopefully we can go over next week."

"They will be glad to have you over. "

They walked closer to their classroom.

"I take it Yoshiko didn't tell you what happened. She doesn't seem like the kind to concern others of what she is going through, even though she should."

Tomio just stopped and looked at Hikari, waiting to hear what happened.

"You know that group in first class that hate on the entire world, well they were laughing at her and at the thought of you two dating. They called her a heifer, basically another name for cow."

"I know what heifer means." He said in an irritated voice. "Why did she not tell me this?"

"Maybe she didn't want to bother you or be a burden by being someone you have to protect."

Tomio let out a chuckle and smile.

"Idiot, I wonder how long it will take her to realize I want to protect her. I need to have courage this time."

They finally approached the classroom door.

"Maybe you should make it known to her. What harm could come from it?" Hikari pointed out as she walked into the room to find her seat.

Tomio sat at his seat and was eager for the school day to end.