Chosen

Feels Like Home (Chapter 3)

"Miss Kumi," her teacher approaches her. "There's a phone call for you in the office."

She goes to the phone and picks it up, "Hello?"

"Arabelle," her father greets. "How's it going?"

"Good I guess," Ara replies. "I'm settling in okay and I'm liking my school."

"I just got some news that our house had been destroyed," Mitsumi says. "Where are you staying?"

"At a friend's house," she tells him. "His cousin had an extra room and offered it to me in exchange for some help around the house."

"He?" he prompts. "You're living with a guy?"

"He's an old friend from elementary school," she says. "I'm not sure if you'd remember him."

"I don't know if I like the idea of....hold on, your stepmom wants to talk to you," Mitsumi tells her.

"You're living with a boy?!" Irene's French accent is like nails on a chalkboard to Ara. "That's hardly appropriate."

"Appropriate?" Ara inquires. "You and dad weren't engaged when you moved in with us."

"That's not the same thing," Irene turns on her wannabe mom voice. "That does it, you're coming home."

"I thought you said there wasn't enough space?" she asks.

"We'll find space," Mitsumi had gone back on the phone. "Your mother is right, it'd be best if you came back."

My what? she thinks, "But dad I....I like it here. This is the first time I've felt like I'm...."

"End of discussion," her father spoke with authority. "I'm going to email your school and book you a flight. I expect you home by the end of the month."

The call ends and Ara felt like she could cry.

Arabelle felt numb during the remainder of class. She tried to hide it, but she knew Yuki could sense it.

It didn't take long for their bond to rekindle and they became close again.

"Hey, you okay?" Kyo's voice brought her out of her state.

She hadn't even noticed they were walking back to the house already.

"If you keep staring off into space, you'll get kidnapped or some shit," Kyo jokes.

Ara tries to force a smile and think of a retort, but she couldn't. She felt like if she spoke, she'd break down and start sobbing.

She loved each of the Somas she'd met so far.

Kyo was the brother she'd always wanted and Shigure was so kind and easy to talk to. She even became fast friends with Kagura when she met her last week and she enjoyed cooking with Tohru.

Kagura was the boar, and had a really strong infatuation towards Kyo.

Flashback

"What about you?" I recalled the conversation I had with the other girl. "Do you like Kyo? Because I like everything about him!"

"I do like Kyo," I tell her. "He's like if I'd gotten to meet my brother who died; see my mom was a redhead, similar to the colour of his hair, and I like to imagine that would've been his hair colour."

"What happened to your brother?" Kagura asks her.

"He and my mom both died during labour," I reply. "His name was going to be Koi, like the fish." I smile, "I love Kyo like a sibling. We can swear at each other and laugh about it two seconds after."