Third Wheel

T.W/10/Change

At school...

"Sakura Mikan." He looks around, "Is Sakura Mikan here?"

"She's not here Sensei! Hahaha. Why do you even bother?"

Not here again huh? 

Dang it. Why am I so irritated?

It's really lonely... and boring.

Where is that girl???

At the shop

"That'll be 3.95." I fake a smile, handing him a bag of donuts.

A new customer came today but I don't recognize him. He looks around the same age as me.

"Here you go." He extends his hand and places it on my own. It stays there longer than usual but for some reason... I'm not bothered. So I let it go. "Have we met somewhere before?" He asks me. I look up and meet his light brown eyes and black hair in a small ponytail. What pretty eyes he has...

"Not sure. I don't really... get along well with boys. So I don't think I would know you." I say carefully. He smiles anyways and reveals two cute dimples.

For some reason, it makes my heart flip. "Is that so? That's too bad, you're really cute." He leaves me flushed and speechless but I manage to mumble 'thanks'.

I can't help feeling like I know him too. But he kind of reminds me of someone??

"Have a nice day." I say unconsciously and too flushed. What is wrong with me? I hate boys... I hate them.

Why did I hate them again?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I close the doors shut and insert the key. When I'm on my way home, I hear steps pounding on the cement behind me. I ignore it for a while until...

"Mikan!" I hear from behind. I turn on my heels in curiosity. It's Hotaru. "Where have you been?!"

She rushes in her uniform. Then jumps into me. Her head in my chest. "H-hotaru? It's been a while hasn't it?" I fake a laugh. Trying to keep our conversation light, if possible.

It doesn't work. She glares at me.

"You haven't showed up for school! What have you been doing? Stupid!!! Baka, Baka, Baka!" She pounds into my chest. 

For a moment she gets silent.

"Hotaru?" She suddenly starts to cry and embraces me tightly.

"I thought something happened to you. Why didn't you call? Why didn't you say anything? Why-..."

Silence again.

"It's nothing." I mumble coldly.

"Stupid. It's not nothing. You moron. You never tell me anything! When are you going to rely on me?"

"..."

"Am I not your friend? I come by to knock on your door everyday. Why don't you-" She pounds again, harder, "-open the door!!!!"

I can't take it anymore. I just don't want to tell anybody anything. Not about Mother, father. Not about me.

Who cares about me anyways?

"Hotaru... my father. He sent my Mother flowers" I whisper in her ear. I start crying too. "I can't go back to school yet, she hasn't been able to do anything. She's been waiting by the door when she gets back from work."

"He came back?" She stutters. Her eyes widen and she holds me close. I sob into her shoulder. "Why didn't you-"

"How can I? You have nothing to do with this. This is my problem." I say softly. "You're my best friend Hotaru. Of course I rely on you, all the time. So don't worry about me."