Misunderstood

Chapter 10

I don't remember much of what happened that night but I woke up in the morning to two plain eyes staring into my own, considering it was myself I was looking at. "Morning" she said in a sweet but tired tone.

I could have died. "H-hi! What are you doing in the same bed as me?" It was a stupid question, and I knew that. But what else was I meant to say in a situation like that?

"I'm sorry, I guess I fell asleep in your- well, technically my bed. Anyway, we should get up. Don't want to be late for school again" she said, laughing almost sheepishly. Oh, right. I'd forgotten that we'd have to go to school today.

It's not like I was in enough pain to stay at home. Unfortunately. And I wasn't one to complain, not out loud at least. So instead of whining like the baby I was inside, I got up and ready for a day of hell.

Though it felt like heaven when I spent the day with her. It was still weird, trying to get used to the fact I was trapped inside of the body of the prettiest girl in the universe. But I couldn't help but wonder, why me?

Out of everyone she could have switched with? Why not someone she's close with? It didn't make sense to me and I let it bug my brain for the whole day.

We both went back to my house after school and decided that we were going to try and do some research on whatever was happening to us. An hour into our research session and we still hadn't found anything.

We continued to look for a bit but gave up after my laptop died. I went to go charge my laptop when I bumped into my mum. "Oh Sakura! How was school?"

"Not too bad mu- ma'am! How was your day?"
"Good actually. I'm just about to make dinner. Any requests?" Considering she only ever made the things I liked, it didn't matter to me what she made. "No thanks" I said and went back upstairs.

I really need to stop almost calling her mum.  I went back upstairs to find that Sakura was gone! I started to panic, rushing all over the house, looking in every room and stumbling down the stairs. "Have you seen Sakur- I mean Yuma?" It felt so weird referring to myself in the third person.

"I haven't. Sorry, she might have gone out."
I looked out the window which was covered in specks of rain. Did she really go out into the rain? All I could do was wait and hope she was ok.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait long, as a drenched Sakura opened the front door. "Where did you go? I was worried!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I just went back to my house to see if my step dad was gone but his car was still there."

"Oh ok, but please tell me next time you leave!"
"I will. Also, I think I realised something."
"What??"
"Well, my step dad was abusive when my mum was around and my dad had died when I was younger. My mum was always so closed off and never talked about my dad or anything. I wanted to ask her about my dad and tell her how I felt about my step dad." She poured out her whole story to me and I listened intently.

"I never got the chance to. There was so much I wanted to ask her but she was the person I loved most in the world. I think because she was the only person I loved, that was why it was her that switched with me."

"I'm so sorry. You really have had a rough time."
"It's fine, I've moved on now. But I also think she died because I gave up trying to find the answers from her. There was something I wanted her to do, something I wanted her to be. And I gave up asking her to be the person I wanted her to be. I wanted her to be my mother."

I tried to think of what this meant for me. Does that mean I was the only person she loved? But why? I saw how many friends she had at school. The question from earlier came back into my head. Why me?

"I think this means I... want something from you. I'm really sorry I dragged you into this mess. The thing is, I'm scared that I'm going to say what's on my mind and you won't like it. Because if you don't like it, you may end up like my mother. But the thing is, it's not your fault if you don't like it. You can't force yourself to like it."

I was full of confusion, fear and also curiosity. I wanted to know what this "thing" was that she was going to tell me. "So I can't tell you what it is yet. Before my mother died, strange things were happening. Luckily those things aren't happening to you yet. But once they are, I'll have to tell you."

I didn't know what to say. I felt so sorry for her. But I also felt comforted. She was scared to lose me and that made me happy. As I was at a loss for words, instead I pulled her in for a hug. She seemed surprised but soon relaxed into my embrace.

I soon felt her shuddering and realised she was crying. Her hair was soaking wet and I think she was partially shivering because she was cold. I took her into my bedroom and gave her some different clothes to wear.

She came back out a few minutes later. Her eyes were red and her hair was still wet and messy. "Thank you." She said and went to hug me again. This time it was a happy hug. She continued to thank me which made me smile.

I had no idea what was going on, but she had just opened up to me. It was a good start.