🕊 Chapter Eight: Bad Errands 🕊
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The summer went along. We stayed inside most of the time eating popsicles and ice cream because it was so damn hot out most of the time. Reiji bothered us anytime he saw me or Alaina or even saw us together. We swam, we had a cookout, we argued, we annoyed Yukio and everyone else at the Monastery. But it was yet another great summer with her by my side.
But alas, all good things must come to an end.
Alaina and I got a job at some restaurant. She worked as a waitress while I handled the delivery. I hated it. People telling me what to do, cranky old people getting angry with you over nothing and the tips. Oh god, the tips. They were horrid.
"Alaina, could you help me really quick?" Yukio asked, walking into the room we sat in.
She smiled and stood up, walking over, "Sure."
Yukio nodded in thanks and walked back to our shared room, most likely to ask for help finishing his packing.
Yukio was going to True Cross. That super prestigious school where super-smart kids get to go to after Junior High.
I groaned and stood up, bored. I decided to go bug Alaina and Yukio, going upstairs to our room.
"Alaina, could you do me a favor and get me a few things? I realize it's really early but you know how bad Rin is about following lists."
I heard Alaina laugh, "Yeah. Definitely forgetful. But yeah, I got it!"
Yukio smiled. "Thanks. The list is on the desk. I was going to get them, but I fell behind on my packing a little and wanna get it done today."
"Yep! Gotchya, Yukio!" She exclaimed, the sound of paper rustling before she suddenly appeared in the doorway, skipping to a halt as she put her hands on my chest to stop herself.
"Oh, hey, Rin! Yukio asked me to go get some things for him. Wanna come?"
I stared down at her, "Yeah, I'll go."
She grinned. "Great! Get dressed. It's supposed to be chilly this morning so wear something warmer." She said before retreating to her own room to get dressed. I walked into the room and stared at all of the boxes. I let Yukio pack in peace and got dressed in my black jeans, pulling over a random salmon-colored shirt from the floor, pulling my dusty blue hoodie over my head. I pulled on my black fingerless gloves and pulled on my white jacket, slipping on my plain old white sneakers.
I walked out of the room and over to Alaina's. Her door was open. "Are you almost done?" I called, standing next to the door.
"Yeah, just a second!"
And with that, the sound of tumbling was heard before Alaina appeared in the hallway where I was standing, her hair a mess.
I stared down at her, "Uh... You alright?"
She nodded, straightening her fur-lined coat and smoothing down her now fading pink hair. The coat was a few years old yet it still fit her like a glove. She wore a dark gray shirt under a black sweatshirt and black skinny jeans with her own pair of old white sneakers.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just had a fall trying to get my pants on." She laughed at herself before beginning to walk down the stairs, list in hand as she looked it over.
We left, beginning to search for Yukio's needed items.
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I walked around silently, mumbling to myself as I looked for the last thing on Yukios list. He needed quite a few things, all of which were relatively normal, mainly just some snacks and drinks to eat while he unpacked over at True Cross.
I began humming to myself, searching. Most of the stores were just opening, so I had to walk around a little bit. But I managed.
I only needed one more thing. I didn't really know where to find it so Rin and I split up a little while ago to search for it separately. And of course, he had to make a competition about it. I smiled to myself, shaking my head. Rin will always be the same little Rin I knew since that day in the daycare; reckless, carefree, and my best friend.
Around the corner, I could hear laughing and talking, along with a strange metallic sound. I grew curious, walking around the corner just as another metallic sound could be heard.
My eyes grew wide, seeing Reiji and his friends shooting at birds minding their own business. His friend handed him another bolt, "Bullseye!"
His friends laugh praising him, "Nice shot!"
"Really." He snickered to himself, loading the crossbow. "Can you believe how many more of them there are? They're such a pain in the ass!"
I ran forward, dropping my bags near the entrance. His friends noticing me before he did. I grabbed the crossbow, hiking it upward as he shot, the bolt implanting it a nearby tree. "What the hell-?!" He exclaimed, looking down to his bow, seeing me.
"Stop it, don't hurt them!" I exclaimed, fighting with him.
Reiji laughed, looking back towards both his friends. "Oh, look, who it is. Rin's girlfriend is here!"
I was pushed back, the unloaded crossbow hitting my lip. I landed on my butt, immediately being pushed to my back as a foot was placed on my chest. I tried to sit up, but his foot pressed harder against my torso. I looked up, seeing Reiji's hand behind held out for another bolt. He loaded the crossbow, pointing the head of a loaded arrow towards me.
"Be a doll and be quiet, would you? If you're out here then that Okumura is surely to be around. So we'll make this quick." Reiji chuckled maniacally as he stared down at me, an evil look in his eyes as he pointed the bolt at my face.
I swallowed a lump in my throat, glancing into his eyes in an attempt to be strong. I was never the fighter. I never found myself in a position to need to fight, that was mainly Rin. Until recently, at least. Reiji has been bugging me and Rin even more frequently, stopping us, and all that.
I pushed my weight up with my arms, glaring up at him. He only smirked and giggled like the psycho he was.
I spit in his face.
He stumbles back, yelling out in disgust as he wiped away my saliva with his sleeve. I took this chance of distraction to stand up as I wiped my mouth, the contact stinging from my busted lip.
"You nasty bitch!" I looked up as he lunged forward, his hand reeled back with clenched knuckles. He swung forward, his fist colliding with my nose. I cried out in pain, my back hitting the pavement when I was knocked down, my nose bleeding matching my busted lip.
"Alaina! Where are you! I found Yukio's things!"
We all looked in the direction of where we heard Rin's voice. He was around the corner where I turned, but further down.
"Ahhh, so Alaina's your name. Pretty." He complimented, acting like he didn't just punch me.
I glared at him, scooting back to where my back was up against the fence. "Thanks. I got it for my birthday."
Reiji chuckled down at me, a sick look in his eye as he stared at my bruised face. "Such a weird way to find out your name, Alaina. I've been trying to get it all summer."
"Piss off." I spat at him again.
He growled and lunged forward, crouching down to my side as he grabbed my throat, pressing against it. "Be nice, 'Laina. We wouldn't wanna catch the attention of your boyfriend, now would we."
In the distance my voice could be heard being called again, this time, it was closer. Much closer.
I stared at his panicked face as he stood up, pointing the crossbow at him. I gripped the bolt tighter in my hands, staring up at Reiji as he hurriedly clicked the trigger of his crossbow. A simple click of the crossbows empty barrel sounded and the sound of a fist contacting with an idiot's face.
He stumbled back, a loud groan emitting from his lips as his back hit the fence as he slid down, cheek already swollen.
His friends ran to his side, crouching to his aid. One of the boys stared at Rin in horror, stuttering out, "Wha- What are you?! Some kind of demon?!"
The two boys began to pick up their injured friend, both of his arms being wrapped around their shoulders to keep him upright as one of his friends cried out, "This guy's bad news!"
"Let's get out of here!"
The three of them scurried off in agreement, running away from him. I chuckled and began to stand up, gripping the fence to help steady me.
"Who are you calling a demon? You asshole are way more demonic than me. Bastards."
Rin watched with a scowl as they left, his head snapping in my direction when the fence shook from my weight. I held my stomach, it aching slightly from nervousness. I was afraid it was going to be worse.
Rin rushed over, wrapping one of my arms around his shoulder, placing his hand on my waist to keep me steady. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
I looked up at him, shaking my head. "No, no, I'm okay. Just a little sore is all."
Rin's face contorted into anger, seeing my bloody nose and my busted lip,
"Shit! Those bastards don't know when to quit, do they?"
I shook my head rin. "Don't, Rin. Just ignore them."
"But I can't let them get away with something like this!"
I smiled up at him, beginning to regain my sense of balance. "Of course you can't," I said. " Just leave them. You've had plenty worse."
Rin frowned, staring at my injured face. He sighed beginning to guide me, picking up the bags I dropped. "Come on... Let's go home."
I smiled at him, nodding my head gratefully as I accepted his help. "Sounds good to me."
"No more splitting up."
I laughed at his demand, "Yes, dad."
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