Side Strung

General Menace \\ Karma

- Karma's POV-

Being someone who doesn't get anxious because of this whole 'reputation' I made for myself isn't necessarily true. Scrolling through the news feed on my computer while vigorously clicking my mouse doesn't stop me from worrying about Nagisa.

From what I've seen of him so far, he's a strong and capable person. Even if he's fucked up inside and out, he's managed to stay intact with this whole alter ego he's given himself. I don't think he pretends to be okay, but that he's lying to himself to actually believe he's okay.

Being regularly beaten and scolded by your own flesh and blood isn't normal, and someone like him can't go on for very long before snapping.

I think I understand why he didn't want to eat what I prepared for him, and that goes way deeper than just 'being short on cash' like he so assured me into believing. That goes with everything I've ever done for him.

Just being a kind soul and allowing him a place to stay is enough to make him feel anxious himself. His mom obviously means a lot him, despite being his abuser along with the perpetrator of his starvation. If I'm even remotely nice to him, it's only gonna hurt him more when he's forced back into his household and into the treatment his mother gives him.

I've got to break him away from her chains.

I've got to break her like she has him.

Maybe she'll understand she's hurting her future along with Nagisa's if I manage to shove a book to her eye, or bruise her hands, or fuck up her mindset along with her body.

Before I know it, I'm not even gripping the mouse anymore. My hand is clenched into a fist, the mouse pad being the only thing between my fingers that's preventing my nails from drawing blood. I stop before I end up ripping my skin and letting crimson drip on my newly put-on pajamas.

It hasn't even been an hour and I'm worried about Nagisa being hurt, or worse. Way worse.

There I go again.

I try and attempted to shake off the brutal thoughts that somehow maintained themselves in my head, but that only made me a little dizzy.

Finally, I decided I needed some new company. Revolving yourself over one person is gonna get the best of me one day, so might as well make that day a little later than what my goal was. My finger scrolled over the mouse, my eyes just glazing by the people in my contacts until I decided on who would be perfect to talk to for today. At least until Nagisa comes back with a smile on his face.

There I go again.

I finally find that baseball fanatic that I would say I'm, moderately close to. Sugino seemed to be purposely ducking under my radar for a while, but I hope he at least answers my request to video chat. We're not that close of friends at all, but he seems like a nice guy from what I've seen.

I know he finds that Kanzaki chick pretty cute.

That's something, right?

The sound of my toes cracking resounded around my room, feeling empty without some company. Even my dad lecturing me about literally anything seems better than the sound of silence ringing through my ears.

"Hey!" I greeted like a damn cissy when I'd seen his seemingly confused and nervous face. Sugino laughed, a tiny fraction of it out of pure fear.

"H-Hey Karma." He responded with minimum effort. The silence between my computer and I made me crack my toes once more, the baseball fanatic picking a scab on his face when he deciphered that I wasn't gonna start this conversion. "Is there a reason you called? You, don't really call anymore. Hehe."