Title: Truths and Facts

Writer: Biieruesu

Date: Start: 09.25.06 / End: 09.20.06

Chapter: 3 out of 14

Chapter Summary: Rain, rain, rain. You take away my pain.

Notes So, about this story: It’s not my idea. Or, it wasn’t until I was given the job to write it out. My friend draws the manga and I write it. Even though it’s a simple job to write fourteen chapters of a stressed-out, awkward teenager I hesitated taking this task. That’s why there was a disclaimer about the first two chapters; I wanted to make sure I could do it, and I guess I can because I’m getting a lot of helpful reviews. Thanks.

-Biieruesu

I promote Niki Tori’s The Red Waves, again for being the fifth commenter, and Queen of Cyrum: Sasarai’s A Boy in Girl’s Clothing, for being the tenth. (It’s also about a cross-dressing boy. :B) And a shameless promote to my one-shot Her Plastic Crown. The link is on my user page. On to the story!

Please point out any spelling/grammar errors. Thank you! I’m so horrible at getting these to my beta.

Chapter Two

Shinnosuke’s apartment is a mess of fast food bags and empty bottles. It smells like the driftwood Ami and I found on the beach during a class trip in sixth grade. That was back when we were equal. Besides the startling memories, his apartment reminds me of freedom. I have three more school years and then I am out. I am free to runaway by myself, and lead my own life, rather than stand in for someone who never appreciated it in the first place.

The rain started to fall soon after. We talked over tea, and I did my best to be a good little ‘girl’ and blush and giggle at the appropriate times. He told me about his school and at any times I thought the conversation may have drifted to me, I changed it saying that I hope I wasn’t being too rude. He laughed (such a joyous laugh, it was) and talked for hours.

Soon night was upon us. I left and thanked him for his generosity, and he winked and told me that chivalry wasn’t all dead.

The streetlights were casting a yellow glow in the darkening pavement and the traffic was of buses and cars full of businessmen and women. They were heading home, from work, or maybe from a small romp at a bar to ease the nerves. Adults were so sure of themselves. They ran the world and the children were their pawns. They gave us choices and conditioned us to answer them in they way they wanted us to. People blame guns for everything. I don’t remember a child making the first musket.

-

It was cold when I left the apartment. It was still raining, but it was the cold that really bothered me. Its icy fingers had made its way down my throat and it had taken over every artery, capillary, and vein it could grasp and the rain only gave method to the madness. The bandage on my leg has become taut and I thought that I had put it on too tight. The blood was still on my sock and there were still tears, waiting to be cried. I could only imagine what people would say if they could’ve saw me then, and their voices echoed through my ears. They praised Ami for having the courage to run away. Praising her for being strong; I was just the idiot who would take her place. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I couldn’t tell if it were tears or the drizzling rain. I just kept walking.

“Ami!” a yell; I ignored it. It was just my imagination.

“Ami, wait for me!” I paused, turning on my heel. A body slammed into my side and for the second time that day I was on the ground. “Ami,” the voice screeched. It was Natsuo, her arms heavy with books. She was one of Ami’s clumsier friends and, though our personalities meshed, we never really talked besides the “Hey; how’s your mother?” bit.

“Aida?” Oh, that’s right; I’m in a skirt now. That has to mean an awkward conversation is about to surface. “Aida? Is that you?”

“Yeah,” I sighed, “It’s me.” My leg was bleeding again. A rainbow of emotions fell over Natsuo’s face and soon she went blank and I kind of wished that a taxi would come barreling down the particular sidewalk.

“So?” I held my hand up, stopping her words and body movement in general.

“It’s a long story.” I sighed again, holding back the urge to cradle my head in my hands.

-

Natsuo took another slurp of her soda, her eyes flicking from my face to my shirt to her lap, and back to her drink. I knew the feeling; it was embarrassing to be across from a cross-dressing boy, my mirror had assured me of that.

“So, Ami left?” I nod. “And, you take her place?” I nod again. Silence; another awkward sip of her soda and the next think I know her head is pressed firmly against the table. I couldn’t help but think the illogicalness had killed her. I move to panic but a whimper stops me. Natsuo sits upright again, tears at the corners of her eyes.

“That’s so sad,” she bawls, wrapping her arms around me. The other customers stared at us: A teenage girl who had another in an emotional chokehold with large fat tears in her eyes. “I’ll help you!” she said, and the wheels started turning in my head. I needed an ally. Someone who could help me and teach me the way of the fifteen year old mannerisms (big word, I know). I needed Natsuo, more than a spider needed it webs.

-

Natsuo became everything. My tutor, my best friend, my comrade-in-arms, well, maybe not that last one but you know what I mean. She was my comfort zone and anything else was chaotic. She taught me tricks on how to remember certain things and for once in my life I could remember things. Natsuo had created the guide to be a perfect child and all I could do was follow along.

My mother was furious at my excursion, but when Natsuo had claimed that it was all her fault because she was tutoring me, Mother relented. She trusted Natsuo like the police officer in a bank. Something in my mind clicked, and all I could do was go along with my plan.

The week before school, I saw a glimpse of Ami in the form of a note. It read:

Not until then.

-Ami

I crumpled it and threw it away. I didn’t have time for cryptic messages. Even so, my hands wouldn’t stop quivering.

Review Stuff:

Niki Tori: Thanks

Karen Ishigami: Naughty, naughty : )

Ainedamdze: Thanks. I hope it was worth the wait. Well. He may be gay… (?) And I do think it’s a fast paced story. We wouldn’t want it watered down would we? Much thanks!

Sasarai: Thanks. I try to be organized, though many times I fail. Yes, Aida, is quite the dunce. : )

Koorime-kid: Psh. You bet!