The Truth About the Girl With the Broken Smile [Ouran Host Club] (Editing)

Slipping

                “No!” I snapped. I clasped my hand over my mouth and sealed my eyes shut. “I mean, no. I couldn’t allow you guys to do all of that for me. I’ll be ok, I promise. I won’t come home. Ryley, stay in school. Keep your grades up. I’ll be fine, I promise. I will!”

                “Indie-“

                “No! You’ve looked after me your entire life, I’m sixteen now! I can look after myself.” With that, I hung up my phone. Anger flushed through my body, tears crashed onto my dress. What had I become? This angry, bitter, stupid person. It wasn’t fare for everyone to sacrifice for me. I was fine. Just fine.

                I buried my face into my hands. Who was I kidding, I wasn’t fine, I was a mess.

                “Girl, why are you crying?” Her voice was like silver bells. I wiped my face and looked up. She was beautiful. Long, dark hair and deep, exotic eyes. Her smile was warming, soft. Even her gardening clothes were stylish and new.

                “I-“ My words got stuck in the back of my throat. I looked down. She laughed.

                “Oh, well that’s alright. You must be Indie-san, am I right? Hikaru and Kaoru have told me a lot about you.”

                “Are you their mother?” I asked softly. I couldn’t meet her gaze. She rested a hand on top of mine.

                “Yes.” She smiled. I glanced up. “They really admire you.” She said. “Even Hikaru.”

                I wrinkled my nose. “Hikaru is annoyed with me.”

                “That’s just the way he is.” She assured me. “He hides his feelings with anger.”

                “Feelings? What feelings?”

                She opened her mouth to say something, then paused. “Looks like you’re wanted elsewhere.”

                “Hey! Indie-san! The cheesecake is done! Come and get some!” Honey called. I smiled and waved.

                “Be there in a minute!” I shouted back. I turned to thank the woman, but she was gone. I licked my lips. Such a lovely lady, I wondered what feelings she was speaking about.

***

                “Just once more?” Honey begged. I cradled the phone in the nook of my shoulder trying my hardest to hide my smile. Kaoru curled his legs under his butt and stared at me out of the corner of his eye. Hikaru hovered above his brother, his gaze stayed far away from me.

                “Once more.” I agreed lining my fingers on the keys of the piano. “Honey, this is a problem! I can’t seem to tell you ‘no’. I gave you all of the cheesecake, and now this? What am I to do with you?”

                “Love me!” He giggled in broken English. I shook my head strumming the guitar.

                “I do love you. I promise.” I smiled letting my hand run along the strings once more. “Close your eyes, Honey. Let me sing to you one last time.”   

                “Ok.” He yawned excitedly. Kaoru rested his elbows on his knees and leaned closer letting a grin slip all the way across his face. Hikaru wrinkled his nose as my voice lifted higher in the air. I closed my eyes, blocking out the outside world as I let the words consume me. It didn’t matter that Ryley desperately wanted me to come home so he could protect me. It didn’t matter that daddy was busy working on another failed invention, too overwhelmed with his work to care about me. I didn’t care about Yuki being processed in jail, and I certainly didn’t mind the fact that Haruhi convinced me to join this obnoxious club.