Tainted Soul «Harry Styles»

Stubborn swans do talk~ Chapter 1

She traced the spot around her collar bone, there lay a soft dark welt that ached at the touch. Atsune stood facing the mirror as worry crossed her brow, she opened her ornate cupboard to find a brown turtle neck sweater and a tight black skirt. It had been months since she had discovered a bruise that big on her, I wonder what mother would say. She still had the faint traces of small bruises and scarring layered across her body, most could be covered by makeup but it was becoming more frequent.

She walked down the stairs to see her two very "unique" parents who were singing a song from "The Sound of Music." She quickly rushed out of the house before the questioning started about wearing a sweater in the middle of summer and to hear what comes after "do".

Atsune's new high-school was only a block away but she enjoyed walking around the lake near her house which took an extra 20 minutes.

Her home in Los Angeles was a grand house, a lot bigger than the small flat she rented in Japan last winter. Atsune and her mother lived in Japan until the end of spring, when her mum finally thought it was time for her to meet her dad after these long years, since she hadn't seen him since she was 5.

He had been MIA throughout the last few years of the war in Afghanistan, causing the mum who had been there all of Atsune's life, to lose all hope until the message arrived of his return home, finally getting the break he's always deserved. Atsune's mum moved over to be with her dad a few months before her so she could finish the rest of her 11th year in Japan.

Now they are just one big happy-incredibly happy by the way things turned out back at the house- family and facing her senior year in a new school on the other side of the world...

Atsune stared into the opaque water, the wind shimmered around her face. She could feel the sweat clinging to her back.

Long black hair and blue eyes stared back at her, she had an exotic look, half American and half Japanese. Well, that's what her mother always says.

The swans that gracefully danced through the water were quite a sight, they had always stood out to Atsune. With their long sloping necks, delicate fine white feathers that made their stunning image quite a remarkable beauty.

A forlorn looking lonely swan paddled it's way to the reeds, this particular male stood out amidst the love struck couples that seemed to follow his every move with distaste.

Sometimes she wondered aloud if her grandma could see her now, stuck in the middle of everything she despised, thoughts like these were the only thing holding her back from the potential she would surely have at school. At least the swans will always stay a part of her life, looking across the water teary eyed. Don't be stupid she's been gone for over 6 years, her thoughts whispered, 6 years without her warm smile or weak attempt at normality when they would take day rides into Tokyo.

Being alone isn't so bad she thought, spending last year in the big wide world of Tokyo by herself wasn't terrible, even if she did have to spend time with Kakeru. These thoughts seemed to come from a lighter part of her mind, which wasn't a good sign as they were thoughts that still made her feel just as sad as those of her grandma.

"Swans mate for life," spoke an almost alluring male voice from behind. "Once one of the pair dies, the other spends the rest of their lives alone, heartbroken," Atsune turned towards the mysterious stranger who walked towards her from the tree line. His dark ruffled hair hung in front of his eyes, his curious gaze fixated on her broad chest. Hastily crossing her hands over her front she stubbornly turned away.

"Sorry doll but you clearly have the wrong idea," he said in a, I must add, sexy British accent. She turned around at that and he smirked.

"Obviously about more than just how much of a perv I am," he nodded towards the sun, blushing and rolling up the sleeves as the bleating summer heat started to affect her delicate frame.

"I'm guessing your new here," he stated, his face still plastered with that seductive smirk. Noticing his lean but muscular body for the first time, his body that was dressed in black from head to toe and his soft green eyes that caught the light at certain angles, created a look that was almost boyish but incredibly sexy.

"Don't talk much do you?" Walking past Atsune he put his hand around her and grasping her ass, startling her out of her dreary state she pushed him away, annoyed by the stranger immediately.

He let out a low chuckle. "Doll, I hate to break it to you, but that whole, can't speak English thing won't help you here." He whistled an old show tune as he began to skim the nearby rocks startling a few of the swans. Atsune opened her mouth to speak but didn't have the words to describe how frustratingly ignorant this dark British boy was.

"Hmm that's what I thought," swaggering away he waved a goodbye before skimming a rock as he went the opposite way around the river. "I SPEAK ENGLISH, I ONLY JUST MET YOU AND I ALREADY KNOW YOU'RE AN IMPATIENT JERK FACE WITH A SEXY ACCENT!" She cursed to herself not realising she added that last part. Even with his back facing her way she knew he had another playboy smirk on his face even after only knowing him for a matter of minutes.

"So the swan talks," he barely murmured leaving her be as he walked off, she watched him until she couldn't see the outline of his damn fine body anymore.