Sukeban (Discontinued)

Chapter 5: Secrets

“Ah nothing in particular!” Mao said quickly, giving a nervous laugh and waving her hands in front of her in a just as nervous gesture. Tomomi rolled her eyes, shaking her head and murmuring something under her breath before going back to her book. “So what were you saying?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You weren’t spacing out, were you, Mao?” Tomomi glanced over at her friend, smirking when she saw the red tint coming to her short haired friend’s face. She always loved giving Mao a hard time, her reactions were always funny.

“O-of course not!” Mao defended, only making Tomomi laugh.

“Is that right? What was the last thing I said?” Mao opened her mouth to counter Tomomi’s sassy comment, but instantly closed it, having nothing more to say. She’d been caught; there was nothing she could say to defend herself.

“Fine, you win,” Mao huffed. Tomomi giggled softly, giving her friend a playful kick from across the row of school desks. This is why she enjoyed being around Mao so much. Even if she could get annoying, Mao still made her feel comfortable. She was still confident that she could be herself without repercussion. She felt safe.

Tomomi’s conversation had stopped; she hadn’t seen a point in continuing it when Mao had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, it would probably be like talking to a brick wall at this point. And from the way she was spacing out, Tomomi had gotten the hint that she wasn’t in much of a talking mood right now. From the seat next to her, Mao was spacing out again, her gaze fixated on the blue sky that loomed outside of the school window.

With every minute that passed, her plan was inching closer. And with every inch it grew closer, the fear in her body grew that much more. She didn’t know if she’d be able to really do this.

***

“Where are you going?” Tomomi asked, surprised by the knowledge that her friend had plans after school. Mao never had plans after school, and neither did Tomomi before she got involved with them. She knew she didn’t have any reason to complain – and she really wasn’t – since she always left after school to be with them. She was just honestly surprised; it was a change of pace for the meek black haired girl.

“I just need to talk to a teacher about a grade,” Mao said. She felt a bit bad for lying to Tomomi, but she knew Tomomi would never let her go if she knew the truth.

“Make sure you keep those grades up,” Tomomi joked.

“I’m doing better than you,” Mao countered with a smile. Tomomi laughed softly, giving her friend a quick hug.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow!” Tomomi said, waving before rushing off down the hallway. Mao stared off after her friend, the nervousness and fear rushing back into her body. Now there wasn’t any turning back, now there wasn’t anything to stop her. She no longer had any real excuses to avoid this. She couldn’t even say she didn’t know where to find Hana because she knew exactly where Hana would be. She and her friends were always in the same place after school.

With a heavy sigh, Mao clutched her schoolbag tightly, holding it against her body as she turned on her heels, making her way down the hallway. She gently snaked in and out of the rows of students, many of them staying a little after school to just chat and hang out with their friends. She kept her head down, her short locks falling into her face. She didn’t want to talk to anyone, not that anyone would actually speak to her. She might as well be invisible in this school; Tomomi was about the only one who noticed her.

Her small feet carried her as quick as they would, rounding the different corners of the hallways until she found herself in the Arts portion of the school. She knew this is where she’d find Hana and her friends; they always spent some time after school in the sculpture room. She didn’t know why – she wasn’t sure anyone did – but as long as she could find Hana then it didn’t matter. Mao slowed her pace as she walked towards the familiar room, her mind beginning to race again. She slowly reached out her hand, turning the small door handle and gently pushing the door open.