M.A.R.

Chapter 8

It was the day after and Ami had returned to school. She really wanted to avoid Ritsuka today considering how mean she was to him. She was afraid that if she saw him she'd break up and cry again like the big, emotional baby she was. It wasn't hard avoiding him, though, considering that they were in different buildings. She softly stroked the picture in her pocket. That was one thing she couldn't let go no matter what. It's always been by her side through thick and thin and this problem was no different.

By lunch time, though, the weather had gone from a cloudy morning to a showery afternoon. Rain was coming down in harsh drizzles and teenagers packed themselves inside, seeking shelter from the warm rainfall. Ami, who had never encountered such a tropical storm in the big city as this one, was the only one outside at the mouth of the gazebo, taking in as much of the little miracle as she could.

Sitting on a stone bench, she closed her eyes and sighed and faced the sky. The drops wet her face and hair and dripped down her neck. Her mind involuntarily thought about the frigid voice Ritsuka shot at her yesterday and her heart cringed in unpermitted pain. She grasped her heart, another unintentional move, as she gazed at the hand on her lap. The hand that held Ritsuka's so firmly and confidently only two days ago...

She thought about what she said to him yesterday and how uncaring towards his feelings he must think she is, but, truly, all she was thinking about is him. If he keeps hanging out with her then all the hatred she gets on a daily basis will be shared with him. She doesn't want anyone to hate him just because he hangs out with her... She squeezed her eyes shut and chocked down a sob as her tears gently mingled and mashed with the rain drops on her face.

"What are you crying for?" a too familiar voice broke Ami's moment.

Her heart skipped a beat as she gasped in surprise. She hastily removed the hand from her heart and laid it down on her lap with her other hand before looking up.

"Ritsuka..." Her voice was sour, but her stomach did flips at the simple sight of his face. She must have had a scowl on her dripping wet face because as soon as she said that he turned away, droplets flying from his hair, a slight scowl on the perimeter of his lips but obvious hurt glazing over his eyes.

Ami instantly regretted the grimace she unconsciously gave him and replaced her scowl with an apologetic frown.

"Why are you crying, Ami? You're the one avoiding me." He straightforwardly stated.

Ami couldn't think of a lie right away. She had half a mind to tell him about Mitsukuni, but she knew he'd only think it was a load of crap. She couldn't even truly believe that Mitsukuni was real.

There was silence between the two as Ami thought up excuse after excuse, but none really seemed right. So she just decided to tell him what she told him last time. "I'm avoiding you because your dad doesn't want us to be friends..." she mumbled.

"Bull." Ritsuka growled right off the bat.

Ami turned back to him, her eyes apologetic. She didn't want to go to these measures, but she really wanted him to live a normal life. And that was impossible with her at his side... She had to be mean; it was the only way to keep him away from her. She had to break both of their hearts...

"...I hate you Ritsuka... That's the only reason why..." the words stung at her eyes as she faked a assertive voice, though inside she was tearing herself apart for saying the words.

The initial shock on his face was enough to make her almost break down into sobs, but she had to stay strong. It was for his own good. He's always been looking out for her, ever since she could remember. Now it was her turn.