Chapter 7

Who am Mai?

Gray meshed with the green of the weeds that squeezed through the cracks of the sidewalk. A stone skipped along a random path followed by the sound of disappointment in the form of a sigh. Mai awkwardly chased the stone and kicked it along. She didn't hear the squeal of the overly-energetic girl playing catchup.

“Mai!” Huffed the girl as her hand reached up to grab Mai's shoulder and attention, “Mai!”

“Huh wha..?” Mai's head rose as the energetic one let her shoulder go, and spun around to walk backwards, allowing the energetic one to keep her eyes on the depressing looking Mai.

“Oh, hey Ino-ino,” Mai's gaze returned to the ground searching for her pet rock, only to realized she had long left it behind. Her brain might have stopped to acknowledge the energetic girl, but her feet were steadily continuing their less than enthusiastic pace.

“I've been gone for a week, and all you can say is 'Oh, Hey'. The hell?” Inoui's lips pursed into a pout as the entrance to school broke the horizon. Inoue Inoui (her parents thought giving her that name would be funny) or Ino-ino as Mai would call her, a 5'1'' firecracker of bubbly energy with a body that was the antithesis of Mai's, pushed her black squared framed glasses up the bridge of her nose as her mind quickly switched to a more concerned tone.

“Angelous again huh?” quizzed Inoui as her two light brown pigtails drooped on the side of her head as if showing just as much concern. Inoui didn't just wear her emotions on her sleeve, she dressed in them from head to toe.

Mai quickly lifted her head to face Inoui with her mind desperately trying to contort her mouth into a false reassuring smile as she shook her head. Hopefully it worked, Mai couldn't tell, as all she felt was awkwardness. “Nope, just had a rough morning. The toaster blew up again this morning. I keep telling Dad to just throw it out, but he insists that he can fix it.”

“Oh.” Inoui said with false satisfaction. Inoui, unknown to Mai, was aware of Mai's crush on their long time friend. Ever since she first laid eyes on him, although Inoui never understood why she would like such a nerdy and secretive guy. Inoui knew instinctively that Angelous must have stood her up and disappeared once again without telling Mai where he was going. It was the only times that Mai ever acted so reserved and distant, but Inoui thought it better to leave the subject alone.

Joining the herd of students through the archway of the entrance voices being muffled by the trampling of feet, not that it mattered, Mai wasn't really interested in continuing the conversation anyway. Eventually Mai stopped talking altogether, and somberly made her way into the classroom marked 4-B and to her seat next to the re-abandoned seat of the nerdy and secretive young man she wished attention from.

xXx

Mai pushed the bowl towards the center of the table, she didn't have much of an appetite. Her gut was poking at her conscious that something just wasn't right today. Not really able to place a finger on it she just assumed that it was her disappointment that she hadn't had a chance to apologize to Angel for her outburst. She had overreacted. She knew that Angel felt nothing more than friendship for her and she shouldn't think anymore of it. “Eh...” sighed Mai.

Inoui stood behind Mai with a furrowed brow in annoyance that Angel had once again stood up Mai. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, thoughts forming in her head of what she could do to cheer her up before a pleasantly familiar aura surrounded her causing her head to turn.

“Hey Inoui.” said the blonde hair boy as he flicked a strand out of his view. Taeko, Oshiro Taeko to be exact, the of the more popular boys in the school among the ladies and looked every bit the playboy with his natural sun-bleached blonde hair, slight tan, and athletic build, but was very much the true nerd of the group, unlike Angelous who only portrayed one. He was Inoui's boyfriend, much to the dismay of the rest of the girls at school. An odd pairing that started in freshman year as subsequent accidental run-ins day after day due to them having class next door to each other, that eventually escalated to a huge arguments in the middle of the hallways, only to be rectified in apologizes and morphed into general admiration and love. They've been inseparable since.

“What's wrong with Mai?” He whispered to Inoui as his arms wrapped around her waist. Inoui raised a brow in silent response, giving that you-know-why look, then whispering into Taeko's ear.

“Oh, Angelous again...” Taeko rolled his eyes in genuine annoyance. He always told Mai over and over to just confess but it never worked. Every time receiving a slap on his shoulders from Inoui.

“She's right there!” scolded Inoui under her breath, even though Mai wasn't giving her even the slightest hint of interest in what “Tae-oui” were talking about.

Mai simply looked at the bowl in thought, staring back at her reflection. Why does he do this all the time? Where does he go? What is he thinking? Is he seeing someone, who could it be? Why hasn't he told me? Why? Why? Wh-

“Huh, What?” said Mai in a daze as she returned to reality.

“I said 'Sup Mai?'” repeated a low voice in an tone tinted with a slight disappointment at Mai's lack of attention.

“Go away Ceddrick!” yelled Inoui at the dark skinned young man, it was every bit ineffective in its goal.

Ceddrick, stood at 6'3', half-Black and half-Japanese. The star basketball player and self-proclaimed “Prince of the School” and main rival of Taeko when fighting for the schoolgirls' attention, unbeknown to Taeko himself. Ceddrick towered over the rest of the crowd. He transferred during Sophomore year when his father retired from the U.S. Air Force and moved to Joyo, which happened to be his mother's home town. Like Angelous, he was one of the dozen or so non-Japanese born students that Rockridge catered to. Ceddrick loved the move, he always had a attraction to Asian women, and what's better than being stuck on an island full of them.

Ceddrick off the bat became enamored with Mai, in his eyes she was the cutest girl in the whole school, again to the dismay of the other girls of the school. Considering Taeko to be his only competition, even though Taeko(and Inoui) repeatedly told the giant that he was with Inoui, and Ceddrick didn't even consider Angelous to be a blip on his radar, except when it was time to pick on Angelous for being a nerd.

“Why don't you dump this Taeko, and go to a movie with me tonight?” Ceddrick's words slipping between the small gap in his teeth created by an elbow in the face during the last basketball game.

“I'M NOT WITH MAI, I'M WITH INOUI! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU!” screamed Taeko, raising a fist in the air at him.

“Good cover story, bro!” Ceddrick winked.

“Good grief!”

Ceddrick returned his focused back towards Mai, realizing he had lost her attention to the bowl again. Damn bowl! He propped up on his elbow trying his best “Cool Guy” pose, flashing his pearly whites, comically raising his eyebrow. “Well Mai, how about it? Huh, Huh?”

Inoui's fist now began to rise, her body shaking with contempt for Ceddrick, who was oblivious to the fact. “Ceddrick..”

“Hmmm...” His gaze unwaivering from Mai, as Inoui continued.

“What did Mai say last time?”

“No.”

“And the time before that?

“No.”

“And before that?”

“No.”

“So, for the five thousand, six hundred-forty second time this term, what do you think is going to be her answer?”

Ceddrick voice sounded confused, his gaze remained focused, “I don't know?”

“Heh...” Sighed Inoui, “For the five thousand, six hundred-forty second time this term the answer will be-”

“Yes.”

“WHAT!?!?” screamed Inoui and Taeko in unison.

“Yes.” Repeated Mai, her voice robotic in her surrender,“I'll go out to the movies with you tonight.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Mai pried away from the Mai in the bowl and smiling a smile that even a blind person would know was fake, but then Ceddrick was stupid not blind. Ceddrick smiled back with a bonus V for victory pose, told Mai that he would pick her up at seven and returned to break the good news to his lackeys from the basketball team. Mai's robotic gaze returned to the reflection in the bowl.

Inoui quickly commandeered the now vacant seat. Her hands flying into the air with utter confusion. “The hell Mai?” Her two ponytails whipping around her seemingly just as confused at Mai's sudden answer, “Say something Taeko!”

Taeko stood frozen, his mouth gaping, eyes bugged out in pure shock, not saying a word. It didn't matter cause even if Taeko wasn't paralyzed from the twilight zone moment, he was at a complete loss for words. Taeko was always the little quartet's voice of wisdom and reason. No matter what happened to the four they always knew that Taeko would know when, where, and what to say. For the first time, he looked like Ceddrick thought, slow.

Inoui figured she would have to be the voice of reason this time.

“Argh...Why did you say yes Mai? That Ceddrick is nothing a lousy jerk! All he wants is to what you look like with the school uniform off! And what about Angelous?!?”

The words that came next stung the air around them all as the itself became dead. The words that no one would ever think Mai would say. Words that, to some, could be consider a sign of the Apocalypse.

“What about him?”

The gasp from both Inoui and Taeko could be heard around the world, the universe, and maybe through the next few galaxies. Mai's eyes unwaivering, her body still, while a unknown girl stared back at her from the bowl. The bowl-girl's eyes were cold, solemn, lonely, dead. The bowl-girl was sapped of any happiness that she had, if she had had any in the first place. Mai didn't recognize this girl at all.

Who was this girl? Why did she look so sad? Who made her this way? Why are you looking at me?

The bowl-girl raised her hand high into the air against Mai. The eyes bored a into Mai's heart, the eyes had become sorrowful and pleading. Fear gripped Mai. The bowl-girl left her hand raised for eternity.

Why? Why? Why are you still looking at me? Stop looking at me! I said stop! I don't like your eyes! Go Away! Go the fuck away!

Students in the cafeteria quickly turned there heads in surprise while a few of the girls screamed at the sudden crash of a bowl hitting the ground. Ceddrick ran to her side pushing a still frozen Taeko out of the way.

“Are you okay? What happened Mai?” quizzed Ceddrick.

Mai stood there with her had still hanging at the climax of its sudden swing. Inoui cowered in fear, she never knew Mai to act so violently. Not even after that one time. Taeko, who hadn't moved for the last five or ten minutes, tried to reach out for Mai's shoulder but was immediately shrugged off with an aura so cold he wished he had brought a jacket to school that day.

“I'm going to class now.”

And with those parting words the sea of students parted as Mai made her exit.

“What just happened here?” The former iceman Taeko said confused to Inoui.

“I don't know. I really don't know.”

“Well, I know I have a date tonight,” chimed Ceddrick as if nothing had happened, “Gotta go get rea-”

The students jumped once more as the sound of Ceddrick's head hit the floor after a swift kick from Inoui.

Mai's body moved down the hallway seemingly on it's own as it made its way back solely on muscle memory. Mai's brain was off in space somewhere, spinning around as thoughts ran through her head. She rose her hand to her forehead feeling faint, her body taking over and changing course towards the nurse's office. This more of a unconscious instinct than a conscious decision.

That first step into the nurse's office was the last for Mai's body, as it instantly dropped to the floor. Her mind blacking out from the pain caused, not by the floor, but by the loosing duct tape that surrounded her heart.

Mai awoke to the sounds of laughter, a child's laughter. The bright sun pried her eyes open causing her to lift her arm and use her hand as a visor. She looked around at the scenery, it was the same as that day. Her attention turned toward the laughter, something about it sounded so familiar, her legs began to follow the sound around the corner of the what appeared to be a school building.

A hand rose to cover her mouth, whether or not it was out of awe from the sight before her or to just keep quiet. There she was standing not but ten feet from Mai. It was none other than Mai. Little eight year old Mai in the sandbox. Her brunette hair cut in a short bob, with a daisy pin in her hair, dressed in yellow summer dress.

The laughter continued as Mai watched herself build a sand castle and play queen with her favorite little stuff teddy bear as her subject. It seemed so carefree, Mai almost wished she could go back to those days, almost.

Little Mai continued to play around in the box, while Big Mai observed in silence. She knew what was coming as she leaned her back against the building. Mai's eyes remained fixed on the gravel and grass in front of her as she heard the laughter turn to tears. Mai turned attention to Little Mai, a group of boys around her, probably two years her senior, started to surround her.

“Look at the little baby! Still playing with a Teddy Bear? What a loser!” Said the one that obviously was their leader, seeing as how the rest of the group just nodded and laughed. They continued to call her names, one threw a rock at Little Mai.

Mai ran towards the kids, screaming for them to get away; to leave Little Mai alone. They simply ignored her not out of disrespect but because they couldn't hear her all together. Mai knew this, but continued to yell anyway. Mai stopped dead in her tracks. The voice she just heard echoing in the wind.

“Stop it!” commanded the high pitched child's voice. His silhouette outlined in the dipping sun.

“And who are you?” The leader spat back.

Little Angelous took a step forward. His brows were furrowed in anger, his fist clinched tight. His hair was longer than it was now reaching just below his ears. The white shirt rustled in a sudden breeze, his other hand holding tightly onto the backpack sliding off his shoulder. The little hero, Mai's hero. Mai couldn't help but smile and blush as she thought Little Angel was so adorable, and still is.

“It doesn't matter, stop it right now!” Little Angel threw his hand pointing at them with authority. His feet taking forming a defensive stance, “Or you'll be sorry!”

The Leader smirked then nodded the signal to attack. Each kid charged Little Angelous, only to struck down in a flash. Big Mai eyes widened at the sight as she stood there watching Angelous fend off each wanna-be henchman all the while wondering exactly how Angelous knew how to fight at such a young age? And why she never thought about it before?

The cry of the last kid as he hit the ground brought her back as this superhero drama unfolded out in front of her just the way she remembered it.

“Why you!” The Leader took a step back confused. Frantically pondering his next move before turning his sights back on Little Mai. He turned his gaze slightly back to Little Angel as a evil smile crept across his face. His foot raised up back behind him as Little Mai's eyes grew wide with fear, Big Mai's eyes growing just as wide. The few seconds it was lifted in the air seemed like hours as the evil Leader gathered strength in his foot. The world seeming to crash down with his foot as he swung it forward. Both Mai's screamed as the sunlight blinded them both. A scream rang out through the playground.

The sun's flash faded, Little Mai looked up to see Little Angels' face but an inch from her own. His screams of pain echoed as he held Little Mai tight against him. He had dashed and covered Little Mai like a shield taking every kick from the evil Leader, and then taking every kick from all the evil boys as each one had regain consciousness and joined in. Tears in Little Mai's eyes, as each scream made her wince.

Big Mai dropped to the ground, tears in her own eyes. As she watched Little Angel take each and every ounce of pain for Little Mai. Each kick leaving bruises on top of bruises.

“STOP IT! STOP HURTING HIM! STOP IT YOU ROTTEN KIDS!”

And as if by some miracle the boys stopped, tired from the beating they received and gave. The evil Leader standing over top of the beaten ones snubbing them in his self-righteous victory.

“This is boring. Let's go play at my house and leave the baby and her boyfriend to cry!”

And with that they finally left. Little Angelous did not move, looking to hurt to do anything. Little Mai sat under him for a moment, as Big Mai continued watching with tears.

“Are you okay?” Little Mai said in a shy but worried tone.

Little Angelous replied between coughs with a “Yeah.”

The two Little ones stayed in that position for a minute or so before Little Angel had finally gathered the strength to stand. He brushed himself off, retrieving his backpack and returning to Little Mai.

“You just going to sit there all day?” inquired Little Angel as his brow raised.

“Why? Why did you help me?” Little Mai continued to sit on the ground dumbfounded.

“Cause my best friend is a bear too!” Little Angel laughed as he pointed to a small Teddy Bear shaped key chain attached to his backpack.

Little Mai joined in with a cute little laugh. After helping Little Mai up and grabbing her bear for her, he turned to leave only to be stopped by the voice of cute Little Mai.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“What's your name?”

“Angelous. What's yours?”

“Mai.”

“Well, good-bye Mai!” Little Angelous turned to start leaving, only to stopped once more by Mai.

“Hey...”

“Yeah?”

“You want to be my friend?”

“What?” Angel's brow again raised in confusion.

“Well, I don't have any friends. That's why I play with Teddy.”

Angel turned completely to face Mai. He began rubbing his imaginary beard in thought before raising a thumbs up.

“Sure!”

“Really? You'll be my friend? Together always?” exclaimed a happy Little Mai, her hands clapped together.

“Always!” Angel said while he smiled big and grabbed her hand pulling her off into the sun, fading away into the horizon.

Big Mai's tears continued to flow as the word “always” echoed in her mind. Always, what exactly did always mean. Even though he had said always, that hadn't been the case. The playground around Mai faded to black. A spotlight on her as she sat on her knees in thought. Angel had said always then, but that wasn't the case. As they grew up together he was always disappearing without a word and then popping back up as he was never gone. Especially, when she needed him.

Mai jumped as the sound a knife scrapping the wall resounded in the darkness surrounding her. She felt the grip, the grip of those dirty hands around her neck. As a pair of smaller hands but no less dirty grabbed at her clothes. Each of her arms being locked by down by other hands. The sounds of various female and male students laughing at her. The first rip of her shirt deafing and covering her screams.

“ANGEL! WHERE ARE YOU?!? I NEED YOU! ANGEL! ANGEL! ANGEL!”

Mai closed her eyes for a brief moment as she continued to scream his name over and over. She didn't even see the white light consume her body before she reopened her eyes to see lights on the ceiling. She sat up quickly, her head feeling heavy as she realized she was back in the nurse's office. Inoui was sitting beside her crying into her arms lifting her head at the movement on the bed.

“Mai!” Inoui hugged her friend tight, pressing her head into Mai's chest.

“Why are you crying Inoui?”

“Because you looked like you were in such pain. You've been out for almost over two hours.” Answer Inoui in a muffled voice.

“Pain? How could you tell?” Mai brushed her friends hair gently as she faked a smile.

“You were crying in your sleep.”