Lookism: What Am I Even Doing?

CHERRY (11)

CHERRY: THE LIFE OF A FIGHTER

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Today was going to be difficult. Yesterday I somehow managed to keep Yua in line. You should've seen the way her eyes shook in anger as she watched as I stripped in front of her. Her gaze lingering on the burns, cuts, and bruises on my skin. The twins at least had the decency to listen to what I had to say.

I ran my fingers at the base of my stomach. My skin ran cold underneath my shirt despite the cold weather. Last night was rough for me and maybe I should've taken their offer to sleep over. I know I took my revenge but they were there at night. When I closed my eyes there hands pushed me against the bed as Ponytail cut deeper into my skin.

Part of me wishes I'd bothered learning their names so I could put a proper title to their demons.

Hikaru was surprisingly gentle with me after I changed. Her sister went out to clean the blood from my uniform the best she could in the restroom while she tended my wounds. Yua seemed more panicked than I as she paced around my room thinking of murder. She would've passed out from the injuries I sustained in my previous life as a fighter.

I played with the bandages underneath my shirt for a while. Should I skip school? There's a mess waiting for me there. The Leader of the Fire Fighters wouldn't let this pass. How many of her people did I send to the hospital yesterday?

To be honest, I didn't have it in me to be patient. If those Wannabe Sukeban wanted to start something then would gladly finish it. Classroom rules no longer applied after they held me and Asahi in the restroom. Speaking of which, I didn't ask the girls if they took her home or not. Hopefully she treated that small cut on her throat.

A sigh escaped my lips as I tucked in my shit. No, I have to go. If I could place more trust in Yua not to kill them then I'd gladly stay in bed. Both my parents would understand if I asked for the day off. As doctors, they understood the dangers of mental fatigue. They wouldn't even ask me how sick I was feeling but instead lay me down and tell me to rest.

Yua, when we graduate I'm going to get a job so I can pay for your anger management classes. Actually, I'm going to put the three of them in therapy. What's this about starting a gang and wanting to take down the Yakuza? It's outrageous. Though none of them have mentioned it recently. Perfect, now let them leave those dangerous thoughts behind. Let's graduate as peacefully as we can so I don't have to protect them from anything too dangerous.

Once we graduate we can go to the same universities. With our grades there's no use in going to a good one but we can settle for decent. I'm not smart enough to be a doctor like my parents so what about a teacher? That was my late dad's career. I smiled, who knows, maybe I'll have a knack for it.

"Manami! I'm heading out! Your dad is still sleeping so- AH!"

I tossed on my coat as I stepped out of the room. Did she see a roach by the trash or something? Now that it was morning, I could see the dark blotches of blood on the tips of my flats. Damn it, I'm surprised no one noticed. I looked around then wiped it off the best I could with a handkerchief.

I'll clean them properly when I come back.

"What happened?" I slipped on my shoes and took my book bag, "Do you need me to grab a shoe?"

My mom walked back into the house from the front gate, "N-no, there's a dead bird in front of the door. It scared me. Manami, wake up your dad so he can take it away."

A dead bird? I poked my head out the gate door. Sure enough, there was a small fledgling. Its wings pulled out from its body, eyes wide open and its beak in mid scream. At its chest was a large hole where blood had stained its feathers.