𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 & 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 [𝐈𝐰𝐚𝐎𝐢; 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐀𝐔]

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[ O i k a w a ]

Listening to BLOOD by MOTHICA, I hum along to the song. Hearing a faint knock on my door, I sit up from the floor and watch as my mom peeks into my room. "We're leaving now." She says, smiling subtly at me. Nodding, I stand up with my phone in hand and follow the woman out of my empty bedroom. Looking back at my room, I frown.

This is where my childhood is getting left behind. I was born in this house, and 17 years later, we're leaving it behind. I've always had attachment issues, and this house is part of it.

Following my mom down the stairs, we meet up with my dad at the front door. We all take one last look around before heading out of the house. Walking over to the black Cadillac CT5 with my mom, my dad walks over to the black Cadillac Escalade that has a Uhaul attached to it. I sigh, sliding into the front seat.

"What if nobody likes me?" I ask, looking over at my mom as she starts up the car.

"They'll love you, Tooru. Everyone loves you." She says softly, reversing out of the driveway.

"Everbody loves me... Tsk. They only love me because of my looks. That's all." I say, rolling my eyes which makes the woman frown. She sighs, shaking her head. "It's a curse to look like this," I add, staring out the window.

"Tooru... Please... I know Sota made you think that way, but please. I promise people are going to like you for you. You get to choose who you hang out with, Sota no longer can do that for you. He's a prick, I'll say that much. Especially for hurting you the way he did. UGH! It makes me and your dad so mad knowing that he did those things to you. No one hurts my baby and gets away with it." She spits out coldly, shocking me as I stare at her. "I know, you've rarely seen me mad." She adds, chuckling bitterly.

"You're scary when you're mad," I mumble, laying my chin on my hand with my elbow on the window sill of the car and looking out at the passing scenery.

"Good." She responds, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"Can you wake me up when we get to the hotel?" I ask. "I didn't get much sleep last night due to nerves..."

"Of course, sweetie."

—

Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I flutter my eyes open and look around while stretching. Looking out the window, the sun is just now setting over the horizon. "We had to get a motel instead... The hotel was packed." My mom says, my body freezing in place.

"Do you know how filthy motels are, mom? They're full of pests, and have you seen the videos of how terribly they clean the rooms?" I ask, sitting up in my seat and staring at her. I prefer sleeping in the damn car instead of in there, Jesus Christ.

"We don't have much of a choice. Your father already paid for a room."

"Oh for fuck'sake."

"Language."

"Sorry... But I thought we were rich? We can literally get any place we want." I say honestly, leaning back against the seat with a scowl.

"I'll give you a bit of my sleep medication so you can sleep all throughout the night." She says softly, a defeated sigh escaping me as I step out of the car and shut the door. She smiles, too stepping out of the vehicle. Looking around, we're on a desolate road... Great, just amazing. We're going to get killed.

Meeting up with dad, he guides us up the stairs to the second floor where our room is located. I groan almost inaudibly as the door is opened. Stepping inside, I squeak at a cockroach roaming the floor.