Insanity of Past Transgressions

Sara Jane

My life just felt unimportant after coming back home to the states. I missed Tokyo already and wanted its memory to stay fresh but I was already feeling it diminish. It just took you in as if you belonged, where as here you just felt at odds with everyone.

I still had so much work to do. I had school starting up in less than a week. I had to move into my dorm room, figure out my schedule and fit in finding a job somewhere in all that.

I had finally found a job at a Cafe pretty close to campus but the streets were pretty rough to walk in. Everyone in the US knew that downtown Brooklyn was among the top most dangerous areas in the country. I kept to myself though it didn't matter. Bad things always found me.

My first day of work was the first time running into that group. They were a bunch of gang wannabe kids that stood on the corners harassing people for money and starting fights just for the fun of watching people be terrorized.. When I refused to give them money I didn't have I took a beating. Just like that I became their new favorite person to harass. I got pretty good at it. They knew where to wait for me and which days I'd be working. Perhaps if I had just kept my mouth shut maybe this particular group wouldn't have taken a liking to me. Even avoiding them became difficult and next to impossible.

Besides the violence I was alone. I had no friends or family to turn to until I had met her. It was like it was suppose to happen.

Sara Jane was a med student here at the university. She was a pretty brunette with cute glasses that always hung low on her nose. She had an awkwardness that went well with my introverted likeness. We met on campus at lunch. It wasnt the first time I noticed the shy girl but today was just meant to be. She must have been drawn to my clumsiness. Watching me spill my food was the highlight of her Monday afternoon. She must have felt sorry for me as she waved me over to her table. Smiling and trying to hold back the laughter that I had caused.

"I'm glad I amuse you." I said in frustration as I wiped away the juice that had just stained my green cargos.

"I'm sorry, I really feel bad. Please." she insisted I share her meal and from that moment we were friends.

Immediately she wanted to know all about me. We bonded over silly things like fashion, hand bags, political view all of which I hated of course. Our differences in opinion was what glued us together. We both loved to eat, that was the only thing we didn't argue about and the important fact that we both hated crowds was the sealing of a life long friendship. We were perfect for one another. While I was more into cars and art she liked reading and strolling through the library to smell books. I never held that stuff against her. When it came to the more important things like war and peace and political views we loved to argue but it was in a positive way. She was the only positive thing in my life at that moment. She made everything feel better. Motivated me to feel more positive and passionate about things.

My eyes scanned across the ceiling trying to visualize the things that happened back in Japan. It felt like a lifetime had passed though it had only been a year. With all the things that had happened, the pictures in my head began to fade. Blurring as if they had only been imagined but it was real, he was real.

I closed my eyes shut hoping it would help. I fought trying to remember his face but I could not. All I was able to remember was the paleness of his skin and the smell of coconut and almonds. So I went back to the image of coconuts and almonds as if it may jog my memory to the details of his face. How black and shiny his hair was and those dark black eyebrows. The way he wagged his eyebrows in the most charming way. His eyebrows could tell you a story if you watched long enough. A formidable force arching dangerously with the means to detain you. I believed that secretly he had practiced this look with the intent on using them.

Sara would have liked him I thought as my thoughts went back to her. She was odd but good for me. She was what kept me out of trouble. He would at least appreciate that. It had been weeks since I had called and figured maybe if I just heard his voice it would take away the loneliness that I was feeling.

DK POV

Back in Tokyo....

The phone rings.

"Oie...who dis?"

"Its Mira is he busy?"

"Its Mira"...Morimoto waits for a nodd from Takashi.

"Mira how are things at school. Your doing well?"

"Well no but I'm making the best of it. Just bad luck I guess. I'm flunking one of my classes but I have made at least one friend so it could be worse.. Could be better to I guess."

"What do you mean better?"

"I've been having problems with a few people, got kicked out from my dorm but I found a new roommate so here's hoping. I just missed you and was wanting to hear your voice. Is this a bad time?"

"No it is nice to hear your voice as well. I miss you to."

"Really haha." I could hear Morimoto in the background grunting and huffing in his disapproval of us. I waved my hand at the lot of them that was standing around. Pushing them from my office so that I had more privacy to speak freely with her.

Is that so hard to believe I said trying to convince her. I wasn't ready for you to leave. Business here was stressful and with Neela always at odds with me I really missed her loyalty. For some odd reason I just felt over protective of her.

I hope things get easier for you. You mentioned problems with someone?

"Just a group that seems to find it enjoyable to bully me. I swear I didnt do shit to them. They just started harassing me."

"You should learn to defend yourself. My uncle has connections in Brooklyn I'll set it up. It will make me feel better to know that your being looked after."

"Yeah ok. How is Nan and Neela?"

Nan is good I'll let her know you asked. Neela, well she is difficult as usual." I added not really wanting to go into the details.

"Morimoto seems irritated with me, he still disagree with us staying in touch but like I told him it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks"

"He doesn't get it but he is not that fond of outsiders you know that."

"One day ill earn it I suppose." When she said it I realised what it was that made me so fond of her. She was a fighter. She would prove her way everytime and I admired her for that.

"You will. Hey I have to get back but call me soon ok."

"Yeah I will goodnight."

I hung up the phone and gathered my stuff to make it home for dinner. Nan had been on me about making it on time. She wanted to speak to me anyway. I had meetings later in town and Nan wanted to speak about uncle.

"Your such a good boy Takashi. Your father would be proud and though your uncle doesn't say it he is to. He just has to hold you to a higher degree it is his job. He promised your father that he would care for you."

I dont want to ever let him down.

You wont my boy.

Neela had finally walked in to sit at the table. She didn't say one word just pretended I wasn't even there. She did it to piss me off and it always worked.

Really we just came together to make Nan happy but as soon as dinner was done we went our separate ways.