"So, that's why you came home late last night. You were making out with Kiba." Amai Mask teased. "Can we stop talking about this please?" I asked. He chuckled and set a plate of breakfast food in front of me. "Young love is so beautiful." He said.
"Shut up." I replied, embarrassed. I was finally out of that stupid arm cast, but my left eye, head, and neck were still bandaged. On the bright side, my eye was healing up a bit. But it still looked like I got the crap beaten out of me... which I did, so who am I kidding?
I began to eat and my eyes lit up like stars. "This is delicious, Amai Mask. You cooked this yourself?" I asked. "That's right. Do you like it?" Amai Mask asked. "Like it? I love it!" I said. "I'm glad," He smiled.
"Anyway, because I have the day off today, I was thinking you and I could go to the park. What do you say?" He offered. "Just the two of us?" I asked. "Just the two of us." He confirmed.
"That sounds a bit creepy. And awkward."
"How so? I just wanna get to know you."
"Don't think I've forgotten what you did."
"What did I do?"
"You adopted me without my consent."
"I just wanna keep you safe, Hitomi."
"You sound like my Mom,"
I paused when I said that before looking down at my plate. "Excuse me," I stood from the table before going to sit down on the couch. "Why did I say that? Now I can't stop thinking about her." I whispered, referring to Mom.
I sighed while bending over and rested my elbows on my legs as my hands held my face. I gasped when I was picked up and placed on someone's lap. It didn't take me long to realize it was Amai Mask. "Uh... Amai Mask?" I asked, staring at the TV.
I could see his reflection through the TV since it was off, and saw his chin resting on my head as his eyes were closed with his arms wrapped around my waist.
"I'm not going to be like you Mom. You're going to have the freedom you deserve. If you want to go see Saitama and Genos, I'll let you. I'm not going to hold you hostage while you live here." Amai Mask said. "Yeah, right." I mumbled.
"I'm serious," He insisted. "Sure, there are rules when you're living here, but if you ever feel like I'm being too demanding, just let me know. I'm a very easy person to work with."
"Even when your eyes turn red?" I asked, bluntly. He chuckled at my comment. "I'm not that bad. And how do you know about that?" He asked.
"Akuma told me your eyes turn red when you're angry, and there's gonna be a time when you'll get really angry and you won't allow me to leave the house." I said.
"Hitomi, I promise I won't turn out like your mother."
"How can I trust you?"
I gasped when Amai Mask unexpectedly turned me around so I was facing him. What made me blushed from embarrassment was that I was straddling him and my hands were on his shoulders.
"I adopted you so I could protect you. I would never harm you in any way," He said, staring into my eyes. I stared at him with a blank face. Is this guy trying to seduce me or something? "Come on, let's go to the park."
"Huh? Oh... Yeah, okay." I agreed. We left the house and started walking to the park. I was a little slow because my legs were still sore. Amai Mask noticed this and picked me up, then put me on his back. "Put your arms around my neck." He said.
"Are you sure?" I asked. "Trust me." He replied, turning his head to look at me with a closed-eye smile. I hesitated before wrapping my arms around my neck. He started walking again and I turned my head, watching a mother and daughter eat ice cream together.
'Why couldn't Mom and I do that?' I thought, sadly. I turned my head the other way and nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw my Mom standing near a shaded area. How did she get out?! Did she escape?!
I blinked my eyes and it was just a woman with red hair, who looked like my mom. I sighed in relief and rested my head on Amai Mask's back. "You feeling okay, Hitomi?" Amai Mask asked. "Yeah, I'm fine." I said, softly.
After our walk, we went back home. "How was that? Not so bad, right?" Amai Mask said. "It was fun. I'm glad I got a bit of fresh air." I admitted. He smiled and looked through the mail. "Hey, it's a letter from the hospital... From your mother." Amai Mask said.
I looked at him as he held the envelope from in his hand. He handed it to me and I opened it, then read through the letter. "What does it say?" Amai Mask asked. "She wants to see me later on today." I answered.
"Do you want to?"
"I don't know. Not sure if I wanna go back after our last visit."
"You don't have to see her if you don't want to."
"No... I want to see her. Maybe she's improved a bit. Maybe."
Amai Mask was resistant, but we went to the hospital, anyway. When we got there, Mom was already waiting for me at a white table. I walked over to her and took my seat. "Hi, my baby." She said, gently. "Mom." I said, acknowledging her appearance.
"I'm really happy you came." She said. I didn't reply as I stared at her.
"How are you feeling?"
"Sore."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Hitomi, I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was out of line."
"Is that all?"
"No, there's more. I'm doing a lot better since yesterday, and when I do get out of here, I'll be able to take care of you again. We can go back home and do whatever you want. We could play games, watch a movie. Anything you want."
When I looked into her eyes, I saw that she was lying. I could see the rage she was trying to hide. I know for a fact if I say she's doing better and she's ready to come home, she'll go right back to abusing me. Even if I told her I wanted her to come home, it wouldn't be my call.
"You're lying, Mom. You may say you are, but I can see that you still need help. I can see the rage behind your eyes." I said.
"What? No, I'm telling the truth. I want to make it up to you." She insisted as tears started to stream down her face. I've fallen for those tears before. Those excuses, her deception... I've fallen for it all. And once I did, I let my guard down and she started beating me.
But I'm not falling for it this time. "Please, just give me a second chance, Hitomi." Mom pleaded, but I shook my head. "I gave you a chance, and you tried to kill me. I'm sorry, Mom. But I don't believe you."
"But-"
"Do you even know what you're doing here in the first place? What got you here?"
"Yes, and I'm trying to make up for it."
The more I looked at her, I kept thinking back to how she would torture me. She's whipped me, tried to drown me, and beaten me to the point I blacked out. Every time I look at her, I instantly get scared and my body starts to shake. "I have to go." I said, quickly.
I quickly went over to Amai Mask and hugged his waist as I hid my face in his chest. "Are you okay?" He asked. I shook my head. "I wanna go home. Take me home," I pleaded. "Please. I wanna go home."
Amai Mask gently held me and started rubbing my back to comfort me. "Okay. Let's go home."
We left the hospital, got in the car, then drove back to the house. "Did something happen while you were talking with your mother? Do you want to talk about it?" Amai Mask asked. I shook my head as I continued to gaze out the window.
When we got home, Amai Mask offered me a snack. I shook him head, telling him I wasn't in the mood. I looked towards the kitchen and had a sudden flashback. I saw my mother throwing dirty plates at me as I was cowering near the corner of the sink, covering my head in fear.
I rubbed my eyes and the image was gone. "Are you okay?" Amai Mask asked. I shook my head as I took my hands away from my eyes. "I just had... a really bad flashback of my mother." I said. "Maybe you should lie down for a bit." He suggested.
"Yeah." I agreed. I walked up the stairs and into my room, the closed the door. I lied down in the bed and closed my eyes, taking a small nap.
About maybe an hour later, I woke up and went downstairs for a snack. "Amai Mask?" I called. I didn't hear a respond. I walked through the kitchen and into the backyard. "Wow. I didn't know he had a pool." I said.
"Hitomi, my baby girl. I miss you." I gasped and turned around when I heard my mother's voice, but she wasn't there. I waited for my heart to stop beating so fast as I clutched the front of my shirt before sighing. "I'm starting to lose it." I mumbled while closing my eyes.
I opened my eyes and found my Mom standing in front of me. She smiled that same kind, yet dangerous, smile. Scared, I started walk backwards. But I forgot I was outside and near the pool, so I fell into the water.
I started crying out for help as I desperately thrashed about. I knew how to swim, but I was panicking so much, I didn't know what to do.
"Hitomi!"
I heard a loud splash before I was securely pulled into someone's chest, then guided to the end of the pool. I was hoisted out of the pool and I coughed violently, trying to get the water out of my lungs. "Are you okay?" Amai Mask asked. "I saw Mom!" I said, still coughing up water.
"What?"
"I saw her! She was standing near the pool!"
"Hitomi, nobody's here. It's just us."
"But I saw her! She was just here!"
Amai Mask stood to his feet, then helped me to mine before taking me inside the house. He grabbed a towel and draped it over me to dry myself off. "Hitomi, are you sure you saw Marika out there, near the pool?" He asked as we sat down on the couch.
"Well... M-Maybe. I'm not sure. I don't know what's happening to me. First, I see her at the park, then at the pool. My eyes just keep playing tricks on me," I said, rubbing my eyes. "Am I going crazy?" I looked at him for an answer.
"No, you're not going crazy. You're traumatized. Because you went through so much abuse from Marika, you're starting to hallucinate." Amai Mask explained. "Then, what should I do?" I asked.
"You need to rest. Let your mind and your body rest." He said. "Will you stay with me? I'm scared." I admitted. "Always." Amai Mask said with a soft smile. I laid my head down on his lap and closed my eyes with the towel still draped over me.
I felt Amai Mask rest his hand on my arm as I drifted to sleep.