The day has finished again... woohoo.
It's time for club... I suppose I should get a start on the activities... I wonder what Sayori and Natsuki like doing....
No. That's never gonna work. Natsuki, Sayori and I have very diverse opinions on literature.... For heavens sake, Natsuki reads manga!
I guess that means book discussions are out of the window....
What is else is there? Uhhh.... Writing a story, maybe?
Nope. I'm horrible at writing stories.
I sigh, before opening the door.
As I walk in, I notice Natsuki and Sayori arguing over something.
"Ugh, Sayori! You have to be kidding me! That was my second-favourite manga! Why'd you crease it!?!?"
I mentally roll my eyes.
God, what a drama queen.
WAIT-
How did the manga get here??????
"I'm sowwweeeeee... I didn't meaaaaan to..."
"Ugh- whatever, b-but it's not like I accept your apology or anything!!!"
Jesus... could she get any more tsundere???
"Uhh... guys? Not to intrude, but how did the manga get here? I don't remember putting it th-"
"I bought it, baka! What else do you think?"
"Jesus, Natsuki, I was just asking...."
I sigh and turn back to my desk.
Bitch...
I guess I'll do my homework whilst I'm here, hopefully it'll clear my mind...
Then something catches my eye.
It's the poem I wrote yesterday... did nobody really find it???
I hastily tuck it into my breast pocket.
Wait... poem.... That's it!
"Okay everyone!"
"What do you want??? We were just getting to the good part!!"
What I want right now is to bitch-slap you so hard-
No. Violence isn't the answer.
I keep a fake smile on my face before answering Natsuki.
"We are a club,"
"I gathered that."
Natsuki rolls her eyes at me.
Probably trying to act 'cool' or some bullshit...
"And every club has an activity, so I thought we should have one too!"
"Ohhhh what's the activity, Monika?? Tellmetellmetellme!!!!!"
Sayori bounced up next to me.
"Well, I thought we should try writing poems... afterall, literature isn't just reading, it's also writing, don't you agree?"
"Yeaaaaahhh!!! That's a great idea, Monika!! Come on, Natsuki, let's write a poem!!!"
I smile from relief.
Well at least someone liked the idea....
"Ugh... well... I actually sometimes write poetry too, y'know? S-so... if we do this, you all know I'll be way better than you both, so don't expect any praise or anything! I'm a pro, afterall,"
Well, she could've just said yes, but okay.
"Okay then! I'll give you half an hour to write the poems,"
They nod and move to their seats and I head over to the teachers desk.
What to write about...
Aha! That's a good idea...
The Void:
I collapse onto my knees.
The room I am in is unfamiliar.
All wooden, with desks and paper strewn everywhere.
I cup my hands and shout
"Mama?"
Nothing, only and echo of my voice
Taunting me, mocking my existence
"Papa?"
Nothing, once again.
How did I get here? What happened?
Tears start pooling at the corners of my eyes
The world around me suddenly gains new dimensions.
Pooling, swirling in all sorts of different patterns.
Suddenly, the room is gone, and I am left in a void.
"I just want to go home"
( AN- this is meh but whatever )
Okay, seems half an hour has passed.
"Okay everyone, time to share poems!"
Natsuki and Sayori immediately head over to each other, and I sigh, once again.
Feeling like the third wheel, are we?
No... well, I guess so...
Bah. Maybe if someone else joins the club....
I snap out of my train of thought at the sight of Sayori walking towards me.
"Hey, Monika! What didja write?"
"Well... I wrote it in half an hour, so don't get your hopes up for anything good, but here."
Sayori scans my poem.
"I don't get it, Monika."
"Huh? What don't you understand?"
"Well..."
Sayori pauses to think slightly.
"It's just... like, it's really good! Don't like, get me wrong or anything but y'know.... I don't get what the meaning is of it... is it like a dream that the girl or boy is having or like some sort of hallucination?"
I laugh slightly.
"Sayori, you're taking this way too literally. The poem is about loneliness."
Her eyes light up with understanding.
"Ohhh! I get it now! Anyway, here's my poem,"
She hands me her poem, it's titled the house:
The house:
Every day, I venture into the woods,
Within them, onto my secret plain.
Unbeknownst to everyone else, I was working on a project.
My very own house.
Every day, I would hammer the nails into the planks, and build the planks one on top of the other.
The birds sang.
The sun was shining, giving me energy to continue, even when thoroughly tired.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky
( AN- no clouds allowed in the sky..)
I smiled to myself.
My days work was finished, so I gathered my toolbox and headed home.
The next day, I once again decided to return to the house.
As I did, I froze in horror.
The house I had been working on for so long...
It had collapsed.
All my effort...
In vain.
Months of toil and hard work...
All gone to waste.
After that, I never built a house again.
( AN- poetry really isn't my strong suit )
I raise an eyebrow.
"This is really good, Sayori! Albeit probably not what I would've expected from you, but good!"
She smiles at me.
"Really? I feel that it could've been better, if I'm honest... did you understand what it was about, though?"
"Yeah... I get that feeling often... when you work so hard on something and then it just falls apart... it often makes me lose motivation too."
"Yeah and-"
Sayori is interrupted by Natsuki
"Hey! Will you two hurry up! Like, I have to get home soon, soooo..."
She rudely pushes past Sayori and shoved her poem into my hands.
"Here. Gimme yours and read mine."
Ugh, were basic social cues some sort of alien concept for her?
I scan the poem.
Everybody wears red:
Mama wears red.
Papa wears red.
My brothers and sisters wear red.
My friends wear red.
So I also wear red.
But I don't want to.
So one day, I decided to wear pink.
Pink is a pretty colour, and I liked it.
But when I showed everyone else, they didn't like it.
Mama scolded me harshly.
Papa just ignored me.
My brothers and sisters laughed.
My friends turned their noses up at me.
So I went back to wearing red.
But I didn't wanna.
( AN- yeah, a little different from Natsuki's usual poems, but it'll do )
I smile a little at that.
Simple and straightforward, just like her.
"Well?"
She scowls at me.
"I like it, the message is very well portrayed. Judgemental people are hard to avoid, and this isn't an easy topic to write about, and you just did that. Very well, I must add,"
She puffs her chest out in pride.
"Well duh! I'm a pro, don't forget! Anyway, yours was alright, and don't make me wait anymore now that we are done, because I've gotta go!"
Natsuki shoves her poem back at me before leaving.
Ugh.
Soon after, Sayori and I also leave.
School... homework... dammit.
I think I can start with physics, since I have Yuri's notes...
Yuri....
She's so gorgeous and kind and smart...
And her hair smells nice...
Aaaaaand I already know that and have established that I DONT CARE.
Lavender, I think it was?
Daaaahhhh!!! Anyway, we were doing string theory, weren't we?
Damn.
I sigh.
This is gonna take fucking forever.
BONUS SCENE:
Yuri sits down at her desk. Her homework is in front of her. Usually this would be easy to do, but today it was harder to concentrate. Yuri knows exactly why, and tries to shut her parents' shouting out.
They had to get home now, didn't they?
Yuri thinks to herself, before shaking her head.
"Stop being selfish"
She says to herself.
"I can't believe this! You're leaving me, after everything!!! I've done EVERYTHING for you, EVERYTHING! What else do you want??? Whilst you were away, I took care of our retarded daughter, and said NOTHING! And now you're filing a divorce???"
Yuri feels tears pool at her eyes.
You know it's true. Why cry about it?
She shakes her head
"I need a release."
She stands up and walks into the bathroom, where the razor blade lies.
She swallows nervously before picking it up.
I don't want to do this.
She retracts her hand.
"Why am I doing this to myself? I'm a freak as it is..."
You deserve the pain.
"No... I know I do but is anyone finds out... no. While they're here I think I'll do something else.."
Yuri heads back to her room and sits down at the desk.
I'm too stressed to do the homework now...
She picks up a pen and begins absent-mindedly scrawling something.
"I'll write a poem to calm down."
She grabs a notebook and begins writing.
Them:
Thunder. Lightning.
Stark colours invade my vision, each clashing with the other.
The pitter-patter of the rain can be heard, as I desperately run.
Two hounds are chasing me along the road.
I need to find a place, where I can be safe.
My bloodshot eyes scan my surroundings warily.
In the distance, I can make out a hut.
I run towards it, the barking hounds still on my tail.
Fast as I can, I dash inside.
The hut is cosy, but small.
Nevertheless, it will have to do.
Suddenly, a crack forms in the corner.
I ignore it, but as I turn, another forms.
And another. And another.
Countless eyes peer through the crack.
Laughing, jeering at me.
I cower in the corner, wishing they go away.
But they don't.
They continue laughing at my expense.
This wouldn't happen if I was strong.
But I still remain weak.
( AN- this didn't quite come out as I wanted it to but... eh. I'm too lazy to change it )
Yuri sighs to herself.
If only I wasn't weak....
AN- sup guys! Next chapter is out! This contains a lot less than the others, but that's all just plot buildup! Also- Monika is gonna hate Natsuki for a looooong time. I don't hate her, personally, but I don't understand what the 'rivalry' between Natsuki and Yuri is. They literally fought once! So instead it's a rivalry between Natsuki and Monika! But.... When they find out Natsuki's secret.... Whose the first that helps her? ( Hint- it's my best girl ). Anyway, if we hit 500 reads imma do a Q and A with myself and the girls.
Word count- 1803