Broken (on hold)

Bullying

Not again... I sigh as I lower my head. After my little date with Kei people must of heard of it because when I came back to school everyone and I do mean everyone was gossiping about it! Saying I had forced him into going with me, that I had him kidnapped, drugged him! Why is everyone so quick to judge people based on what they've heard about them? Why do people make stories up about things, about people, and then twist the innocent act into something sinister?! I hate it! And that's why I hate people! I told myself to never love anyone ever again! Then Kei comes around and tricks me into thinking I'd be okay, then what happens? I'm right back where I started; getting bullied for liking someone 'out of my league.' "Ew! There's Masumi! The freak!" Again? "It's really weird how she can be such a freak? I mean forcing Keiichi-kun on a date like that!? Who does she think she is?" Who do I think I am!? I'm a human being who's been hurt way to many times!! "Masumi!!!" Huh?! I turn to see Keiichi running toward me. "Glad I could find you!" He smiled at me. H-he's glad he could find me?! Oh god I'm blushing again!!! "What are you saying?! Haven't you heard the rumors?" I ask. He looks at me and tilts his head. "Rumors? About what?" He asks. Is he really that dumb? Or is he just playing me like everyone else? "You can drop the innocent act, I know the rumors you set up about me... how stupid am I to believe this wouldn't happen? Guess my lesson is learned." I shake my head but I could feel the tears pricking my eyes. It hurts, to know that someone could be so nice yet the next day be so undoubtedly horrible. "What are you talking about?" "Stop it!" I look up at him, tears so close to falling. "I heard all the rumors! How you told them that I trucks you into going on a date with me! Well here's your answer; I hate you!!" I dash off, tears spilling down my face. How could I let this happen? I let my guard down and this is my punishment. I run out of the school and straight to the near by park. I sit down on the bench and bury my head into my hands. It hurts! It hurts so bad!! My heart is throbbing! This pain... I don't like it! I never been hurt this bad... to think one slip up would cause this much pain... I'm never going to interact with a human ever again! "Masumi... thank god... I finally found... you..." My eyes widen and I look up to see Keiichi standing in front of me panting very hard. He came after me?! But why! Wasn't he the one who put the rumors out? Didn't he play me? Didn't he truck me so that he could humiliate me?! "I couldn't let you leave like that. Those rumors you heard, I definitely would never say that to anyone about you! I've been on a date with you, I've seen how nervous you can get, how thoughtful you are, you think about things that no one else does. You've peaked my interest and now I want to help you. So please, don't hate me." My eyes widen in shock. He's saying those things about me... he's telling me upfront how he feels! He wasn't playing me, then? My face turns completely red. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I'm so use to being tricked by so many people that as soon as I heard the rumors I'd figured they were from you!" I cry as I fall to my knees. Keiichi please forgive me!! Suddenly arms are wrapped around me, enveloping me in a warmth I never felt. Warmth that I haven't felt since my mother died... "Masumi, I don't know what made you so hurt but I promise I won't ever hurt you." He whispers in my ear. I smile and close my eyes, enjoying the moment. After that was finished I sat nervously in the bench beside Keiichi. "U-um... Thank you.... I mean for comforting me... I haven't cried since my mother died in middle school." I mutter. Keiichi looks at me shocked. "Really?! Oh, I'm so sorry!"  He apologized sincerely. I blush even more than before. "N-no! I-it's okay..." I look away embarrassed. "Masumi...?" He asks. I look at him. "Yes?" I respond. He blushes a little a looks away. "Um... Well could you maybe... tell me what made you this way?" He asked finally looking into my eyes at the end. My eyes widened. You've got to be kidding me!? He's interested in my sob story? "But why?" Oh crap! I said it out loud!!! He looks at me and laughs nervously. "I'm just curious..." I sigh. "I don't know..." I look away nervously. He blushes and looks away. "Sorry! I didn't mean to pry!" I look at him. He's cute when he's blushing! Wait! What was I just thinking?! I shake my head to clear my thoughts. Maybe I could tell him a little bit of what had happened. I take a deep breath and look at him. "I was bullied when I was little, my friends turned on me." I state. He looks at me. "Masumi?! You don't have to-" I give him a glare, shutting him up. I continue. "I'm not going to tell a person I've recently met all of it but I will tell you the later years, right before I got into high school." I say. He nods and sits down beside me in the bench. Here goes nothing! I don't even understand why I'm saying this!! "I would go home crying everyday and my mother was always there to hug me when I got home, to help me through the mess and cheer me up after I got bullied, so when she died I felt like the one person that showed me love, that actually loved me, was gone. I had no one left so I decided to shut everyone out so they couldn't hurt me... I guess today proved my theory of being alone kind of wrong..." I give a small laugh at my stupidity. I said more than I had thought I would but I guess it doesn't matter anymore. "That's terrible... I'm so sorry." I shrug. "Your the first person I've told all that." I mutter. His eyes widen and he blushes a little. "I-I'm sorry! You didn't have to tell me!!" He exclaims. I shake my head. I did, and I'm going to tell him everything! "Keiichi, can I tell you more?" I ask, looking down at my folded hands. "Uh! Uhh yeah, go ahead." He replies. I close my eyes and let the memories out. "I was in 1st grade when I had met a guy, we were the same age and everything but he was so popular in school... I guess you could say I developed a huge crush on the guy. When I thought I could confess to him everyone laughed at me. They told me I could never date someone so popular. I wasn't looking for a boyfriend at the age I just figured I'd express my love.... I was a child, a naive little vulnerable child, and everyone took advantage of that. My father had left me and my mother long before I was born. So I just had my mother and my grandfather, grandma died before I was born. Anyways-" I open my eyes and stare at the swings. "Everyday got worse, the people I called friends started to pick on me, even the boy I had confessed to started to bully me. I don't know whether it was my mothers death or the fact I had bruises on me everyday but I locked myself away. Hoping that the hurt I felt would disappear but it never did... Today was a major relapse but now I have to move for real this time!" I turn to look at Keiichi. He frowns. "You've had quite the troubled past..." He comments. That's all he had to say? Whatever, at least I told someone... "Keiichi, why can I talk to you so easily?" I ask as I tilt my head at him. He blushes and scratches the back of his head. "Uh, I don't know..." I shake my head. "Your strange but I like you..." I stand up and extend my hand toward him. He looks up at me and blushes. "Masumi, come with me!!!" Huh?! Where's he taking me!!? "Keiichi!!??"