COURTING DEATH

Chapter 18 part 1

I'm supposed to be resting. Instead, I'm lying on my bed clutching my mobile phone, mocked by the clock numbers on the display. Time itself seems to have stopped.

What has happened to Kyoko? What could possibly have upset her so?

Mom, carrying a tray of food, elbows my bedroom door open. "Are you awake?"

I want to scream, Of course! How could I possibly sleep not knowing what's going on, but all I say is, "Yes."

"I brought you some lunch." She sets it next to my bed. It's rice pudding.

"Okayu? I got beat up. I'm not sick."

"I know." She raises a spoon to my mouth as if she's going to feed me. "Still, I thought it would make you feel better."

I turn my head away. "I can feed myself."

With a questioning—almost pleading—look, she slowly lowers the spoon. "Be sure to eat. It will help you recover more quickly."

"I'm feeling much better already." I sit up but a stab of pain from my cracked ribs accuses me of lying. It feels as if Ito just kicked me in the side again. I barely suppress a groan but my mother's anxious look tells me that I'm not fooling her. I take a long slow shallow breath, swallow the pain, and let it out with a sigh. "In fact, I'm thinking of going to school tomorrow."

"That's impossible."

"I'm sure I'm much better now."

The doctor said you need to rest."

I snap back irritably. "I can't rest. I'm going crazy stuck in this room."

This time my mother pauses, takes a deep breath, and sighs. "I know. We're all worried."

She doesn't have to spell it out. I know we're thinking the same thing.

"Have you heard anything?"

Mom shakes her head. "She went to school today, but she won't speak about what has upset her. Not even with her mother."

All the fiery determination to see Kyoko bleeds out. The air itself presses down as if seeking to crush me. We sit together in thoughtful silence for a long moment, then mom offers me a wistful smile. "Try and get some rest. There's nothing you can do, anyway. She'll explain her feelings when she is ready."

I nod and lie down. She leaves and I attempt to sleep, but the moment the last class period ends, my mobile is in my hand. I'm pressing redial every five minutes, desperate to hear her voice, but she doesn't answer. She hasn't responded to any of the half-dozen emails I've sent either. Her phone doesn't even seem to be on.

* * *

Wednesday, I get up and dress in my school uniform. Though every move hurts and I can barely walk, I leave early for school. Mom has given up fighting me. I think she is also hoping I can work things out with Kyoko.

Though Atarachi is not far, I take the bus. A few other Atarachi students give me strange looks but no one says anything. I limp from the bus stop to the school's front stairs where Kurosawa is hanging out with Yamazuki and a few friends. Hanashita, the girl who had always annoyed him, laughs loudly with her friend Ikeda at something he says.

Why isn't he chasing her off? And where is Shizuku? He had faithfully walked her to class every day until now.

I struggle up the stairs, wincing with every step from the pain in my side. Their eyes follow and they take turns muttering barely audible commentary at my expense.