Hello. :)

Story: What I Don't Know About You

Rating: T

Author: PotatoMagic

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"I failed!"

There was silence for a few minutes before the girl threw the rolled up piece of paper on the floor and stomped on it with her foot.

"I FAILED! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MEANS?!"

Marie glanced up from where she sat, the carpet floor of her own large bedroom, and shrugged, "you failed."

Mackenzie fell on her hands, "I FAILED!"

It had been like that since the girl ran her way into the room, startling those who were quietly doing what they did best; nothing.

"Gee, Kenzie, the world isn't going to crumble because you failed one term."

The brunette looked up to stare at the boy, eyes turned to slits.

"Gee, Soura, the world may not fucking crumble because I failed one fucking term, but my fucking summer will fucking disintegrate."

Marie raised a brow in question, partly amused by how the girl expressed her troubles. "I thought in your school you had to fail two terms to be sent to summer school?"

Mackenzie nodded sadly, her moods changing too quickly to be considered normal, and crawled beside her friend, who was leaning against the foot of her bed. Her head drooped until it rested on Marie's shoulder, a sigh leaving her lips.

"That's not the point here... Don't you get it? All those sweet, sweet places I was planning on going to are now gone. No Six Flags, barbecues... Nothing. UGH!"

She threw her arms up in frustration, hitting Hyphen (who was dangling off the bed lazily) square in the face.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

"Your mom is too stern with you... Look at how she molded you into this... thing. Not at all like I remember."

Hyphen let out a sigh. "It's a shame though, while we have our fun you're gonna be stuck here... probably helping your mom with paperwork."

Her mother ran some sort of business they knew little about, only that it made the woman busy and take long trips to who knows where.

Mackenzie turned fully around and stared at Hyphen's face, which was upside down. "What?! You're all just going to leave me here all alone?! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"

Soura, who had been sitting in Marie's computer chair, chuckled lightly and stood, shaking his head mockingly. "Oh, yes we can."

She watched as he headed to the door, "it's your own fault for failing Chemistry."

But before his hand could even graze the knob, she had planted herself before the door, arms crossed and brows set into a scowl. "That's not something you should say so care free."

His hazel eyes sharpened and he stood straight, arms crossed before his chest in the same manner Mackenzie had done. "What does that mean?"

Marie raised her two golden irises from the manga in her hands and watched the two, feeling as behind her Hyphen sat to do the same.

Mackenzie payed no mind and instead closed her own silver orbs. "You know what it means. You know why I failed Chemistry."

Marie, who had slowly made her way up, was standing in between the two, facing Mackenzie with a raised eyebrow. "It sucks not going to your school, but I thought we had agreed to keep no secrets. What does he know?"

From the bed, Hyphen flung the magazine he had been skimming through and gave them his full attention; it was getting good.

Soura sighed irritably, not liking the attention nor where the discussion was going. He tried once more to push past Mackenzie but to no avail, the girl wouldn't budge. When he tried to ram his way out, she stuck a leg out and kicked him in the stomach, making him glower at her.

"Yeah, Soura, tell 'em why I failed."

There was a growl from deep within his throat, and he raked his fingers through his cinnamon locks. "I played a prank."

There was another branch of silence and Marie raised both eyebrows, staring at the boy quizzically. "No way. She couldn't have failed a term because you pulled a prank. What the hell did you do?"

The boy met eyes with Mackenzie, who only pursed her lips and glanced down with her eyes closed.

"She was going to snitch."

Hyphen was now sitting on his knees, finding the whole thing very interesting.

"So I made sure to frame her."

Marie shook her head, "a prank is nothing to fail a term over."

"Really? Even when someone's life is almost lost?"

Her head snapped up and met his cold eyes, "what?"

"But still, you'd think they'd know better than to actually think Mackenzie, of all the students, would even try to pull a prank."

What Hyphen said made sense, Marie noted, but was surprised by what came out of Mackenzie's own mouth.

"I took the blame."

"Idiot," said Hyphen, throwing a pillow at her.

"I am." She agreed, nodding slowly. "I thought that since Soura is always in trouble I would do him a favor, because if he got caught again, he would've been expelled. But since I am an A student, I was let off with this burden."

Soura's face twisted in anger, "if passing means that much to you, you shouldn't have taken the blame."

"You could at least show some gratitude," interjected Marie, feeling the anger radiating off him.

He scoffed, "I never asked anything from her. Did I, Kenzie?"

Mackenzie scowled, and her glare went deep into his eyes. "Of course you didn't, you never do. But as "friends" we can't help but save your ass every time you need to be saved. Must be a weakness, huh?"

Marie, sensing the rising tension, glanced quickly at Hyphen for help, but the boy did nothing. He wanted to see how it would all play out.

"It's your own damn fault for thinking that everyone wants help. No everyone needs you," barked Soura, staring down at her menacingly. "The world isn't a happy place. You're just too naive to understand that people don't have to like others, they don't have to want help."

Mackenzie walked to him, raising her head up high and meeting him dead on, not caring if he was a head taller.

"There's nothing wrong with that, is there? The world can be what ever you want it to be."

No... Not this, Soura you mustn't...

Marie pleaded in her mind, staring up the boy, fearing the worst. You can't go there... Not now!

"That doesn't change the fact that your father abandoned you and your mother for a much better woman, does it?"

They all saw it, the way she visibly flinched and her fist clenched. Her eyes had widened, already watering.

It was a sacred subject. Taboo, almost.

"SOURA THAT'S ENOUGH!" shrieked Marie, not missing the cold sweat running down Mackenzie's brow. Too late.

"My father may have left us, Soura," Mackenzie started, her throat feeling sickly dry. "But my mom and I can do fine without him. And besides, last time I checked, I've never needed a father to grow up. I've done that mighty well all on my own."

Marie felt her heart shred, Mackenzie was lying. Her cracking voice was all the proof they needed.

There were times when Marie felt useless, when Mackenzie would breakdown and cry and she didn't know what to do. Just like now, as she watched her leave, slamming the door on her way out.

"WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" She glared at Soura, whose head was straight and eyes set on the door. And without a word he left as well, slamming the door a second time as he did so.

His anger was at its peak, and his actions were unpredictable.

After a few seconds there was a ringing chuckle, and Hyphen was standing beside her, shaking his head in mockery.

"It was bound to happen. We both knew that from the very start."

He glanced at her with his soft caramel irises, "those two were never meant to be friends. Considering that the "much better woman" her father ran away with was his own mother. It was a given that they'd be enemies."

Marie cringed, already breathing hard. This was a lot harder on her than they all thought it was.

"They're not enemies... They just... need to get past those differences."

Hyphen's eyebrows knotted and he shrugged, "you need to relax. Worrying so much over them won't do you any good."

"Just go Hyphen, try to find them will you? I don't want them to face each other alone like this. Especially since they're neighbors."

Hyphen eyed her for a minute or two, lips twisting into a frown. As he was about to leave she stopped him again.

"Take this," she said, handing him a water bottle and aspirins. "Mackenzie will definitely need those."

He nodded slowly, taking his leave once more.

Once alone Marie couldn't hold it in and just collapsed on her knees and hands, taking a deep intake of breath she slammed a fist on the cushioned hardwood floors.

This can't go on, she thought with an exhale, those two need to break that wall of hatred they have and just make peace. Nothing good can come out of this.

She sat with her legs crossed and eyes shut tight, thinking hard of ways to solve such a problem.

But what can I do? There's no way they can solve such a great issue by themselves... Something must happen.

She fell back, arms and legs spread wide. I think it's time we spent some quality time together.

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Soura glared a the pool of dirty water before throwing another pebble, ripples echoing on its surface.

"What?" he asked quietly, still watching the water heatedly.

Hyphen nodded pleasantly at the boy's sharp senses, and so he came out from where he stood observing, choosing to stand next to his friend overlooking the water.

There was some silence, and Soura rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to do anything, you know," he finally said, feeling a round pebble in his hands before flinging it into the dirty oasis.

"As pissed off as I am, I wouldn't have done anything if we would have crossed paths."

Hyphen breathed deeply, already used to the stench of the place. "But you still came here. You know this is where she comes when she's upset."

Soura crossed his arms over his chest, "this is where we all come when we're upset. This is a big place, we all got our own little spot."

The place they spoke of was an abandoned train station, to which they had adopted as a play ground since they first met back in primary school.

But as of late it had become a sanctuary of emotional release.

"But did you really have to bring up such a subject?" asked Hyphen after minutes of numb thinking.

"I always have to bring that up. Remind her that this world is a horrible place and that we're linked. Family somehow, we're related by that shit our parents did. I will never forget that, and I'll make sure neither does she."

Hyphen shook his head, knowing that no matter how hard the girl tried, she'd never forget such a thing.

"Aren't you going at it the wrong way, though? Wouldn't it be best to forgive and forget?"

Yet he knew better; Soura had always been the most stubborn of them all.

"It's something that'll haunt us forever, I guess. I'll make damn sure it does."

Soura smiled in self-satisfaction, and turned his back on the dirty pool of water ready to go home.

"I'll be seeing you around."

Hyphen watched him leave, and for a minute felt the sudden urge to just grab him by the neck and drown him in the water.

Kids.

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There was another sniffle and Mackenzie groaned, the tears wouldn't stop.

That's enough you baby! Stop crying!

But no matter how many times she told herself that, the tears would still leak through like a broken faucet.

I should be used to this... But I'm not. It still hurts.

She grabbed her head, trying to massage the migraine away.

She always gets the worst kind of migraine, some times even passing out.

"Need an aspirin?"

Mackenzie glanced down from where she sat, the roof of a train car, and glanced questionably at Hyphen, who indeed held a bottle of water and aspirins.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked, voice already going hoarse.

With few low grunts, he had managed to get to her side, giving her the supplies Marie had so confidently given him.

"Marie was worried."

Mackenzie took a few minutes to wipe the remaining tears and drink the water and aspirin, thanking the heavens for Marie's intuition.

"Does it make you feel better to sit up here?"

Mackenzie took a deep sigh before tucking her head into her knees and nodding. "I feel great up here. It's like nothing can reach me."

Hyphen raked his fingers through his ebony tresses and nodded, gazing at the far off horizon. "I can see why. The breeze up here is fresh, unlike the stench you get once you set foot on the ground."

There was silence and he glanced to his right, trying to catch a glimpse of her state.

She was sitting with her head still hidden in her knees, her back broad as she tried to hide herself within herself.

"Stop staring. I'm not crying anymore."

He grinned at her, loving that resilience of hers.

"I know you're strong. Still trying to move on..."

Her head snapped up to face him, "I have moved on. What Soura said only affects me mildly, because they grazed old wounds that took a lot of time to heal. But I'm fine."

His eyes shrunk and his lips pursed, "you have always been the worst liar."

Mackenzie grinned up at him, her large eyes reflecting the sun itself. "I still don't see why you hang out with such a troublesome bunch of Sophomores, sempai."(1)

He raised an eyebrow then turned his gaze back to the cemetery of rotting train cars. "I told you not to call me that. Keep your spiffy Japanese words to yourself."

She then grinned wider, feeling his hidden smile radiating off that body of his. "Come on! Obaasan(2) says I should broaden my culture. Since I was born and bred here, and my mother only looks Japanese, she says I should at least get used to the language. And you're the only one I can speak it with!"

Hyphen shook his head, "doesn't mean you have to use it always."

Mackenzie gawked, too into the current conversation to noticed his great change of topic. "I don't use it always! I'm still speaking English, aren't I? The words I use are ones you find on any anime! They're easy!"

Hyphen sighed, inwardly grinning at her determination. "So we're only using words, then?"

She pouted, "fine."

There was a short silence before she remembered her original question. "But seriously, why do you hang out with us? You're a full fledged Senior!"

He placed his arms on his knees then rested his chin on them, "I'm a Junior."

Mackenzie shook her head and instead poked his. "Not when it comes to intelligence. Now that I think about it, you're a genius!"

Hyphen inwardly smiled again. Her smiles were easy to obtain, all you had to do was know what to do and what to say.

"I've known you guys since I first stepped on this country... you're the only friends I have."

Mackenzie copied the way he sat, trying to act a little older. "That's a lie. You have those guys your age you hang out with... and then there are those girls who always giggle and follow you around. They even try to make us (Soura, Marie, and me) give you their love letters!"

Hyphen snorted, which was so unlike him Mackenzie chose to keep that memory to herself.

"Soura? They tried to make Soura give me a love letter?"

This seemed to brighten her up immensely.

"You should have seen his face! I mean, we don't even go to your school but they always manage to find out such things. He was furious!"

Mackenzie began to laugh loudly, and Hyphen cherished the moment. He had turned those tears into laughter.

"Are you feeling better?" he finally asked, not missing how her laughing stopped immediately.

"I'm fine, thanks."

Hyphen nodded, and before she could register what was happening he had landed on his feet on the ground.

"Then my job here is done," he whispered to himself.

"Good," he said to her, grinning his sly grin. "Don't let me catch you in tears again. Later."

She watched him leave and nodded, a smile still on her lips. "Later."

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Marie raked her brain in frustration. "Ugh... STILL NOTHING!"

"Are you okay sweet heart?" asked her father, poking his head from the kitchen.

"I need help with something," she said, glancing over her shoulder to see his white poofy head. "What is it?" He seemed concerned now, and as he stepped out the kitchen, she saw he was trying to scrub a frying pan.

"What's something teens can do to come closer? You know, when friends want to tighten their bonds?"

He stared at her for a few seconds, blinked, then shrugged. "I dunno. I never thought teens liked to "tighten their bonds."

She nodded in return. "Okay then, where's a place teens can hang out that is peaceful enough to chat yet lively enough to be fun?"

He bit his lip and lowered the pan, getting soap suds on the wooden floor. "The beach?"

Marie raised an eyebrow, "seriously? Dad... the beach in this town's teenage waste land. I did mention peaceful, didn't I?"

Jack sighed, "well... I'm not sure if it's still there, but do you remember the lagoon I used to take you to when you were younger?"

Her eyes lit up. "The one surrounded by Weeping Willows?"

He nodded with a grin, "yeah, and at dusk is flooded with fireflies."

She stood with a hop and jumped on him, hugging him merrily. "Thank you so much! I don't think anyone knows is there, so it should be good!"

As she dashed he raised both eyebrows. Why would she need such a place?

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A/N: Hi. :)

This story started when a friend of mine decided to write a story about our group of buds. And because I love to write so much, I began to write it.

The idea's his, but the plot is mine.

So yeah Blake, IT'S UP! STOP NAGGING!

Review if you like, I don't mind if you don't.

Also, the character stats will be posted in my profile soon (for those who actually care) :p

1: Sempai(senpai) is the same as upperclassman, but a lot smoother, eh?

2: Obaasan means grandmother, and Obaachan means grandma or grandmother.

Thanks for reading.