The Unlucky Cat Cafe | Karmiro

Her Icy Heart Is Melting

It's been at least two days.

Hiro tried to avoid the house. He really did. He tried to ignore the home where there were always shouting matches. It wasn't until he heard glass shattering that he knew he had to get involved.

This time, he hid on the balcony of the window. Except, he hid on the very edge. Meaning that he was practically hanging, and just sitting on the tiny ledge that was keeping him from falling.

What if getting involved made whatever was happening here worse? Maybe Baymax should've come with him. It was a bad idea for Hiro to come alone, but it's not like he could do much about it now.

"Dad, I could get my project funded. What don't you understand?" The girl groaned from inside the house

"I don't understand why you're throwing your life away," said the man from inside.

"Get out of my room," the girl commanded. "Dad, I want you out of here now. The door is right there. Out now."

Hiro didn't hear anything except for the sound of a door opening and closing. He almost fell off the edge of the balcony when the door to it opened.

He almost fell off again when he saw who the girl was.

Karmi walked to the end of her balcony. She leaned herself on the railing. Her hair was up in a bun; a style that Hiro hadn't seen on her before that he realized he liked.

The urge to just go up to her and hug the poor girl was inevitable. She has been yelled at for the past three days, and all Hiro did was stand and listen to it because he was scared.

All those times she would bully him... It was just an escape. Yeah, it doesn't excuse her actions but it does give an explanation. Also, it explained why she hated him at first.

Her father wanted her to be perfect. Her father wanted her to be an angel that could do no wrong and was the younger student ever admitted to one of the best tech colleges in the country.

He took that away...

"I know that you're there," Karmi spoke without having to look behind her.

Hiro sighed. "How long have you known I was here?"

"Oh, like a day or two. I almost called the police twice."

"Damnit."

Karmi laughed at Hiro's annoyance. Well, to her it's Captain Cutie. "So, what are you doing here? Any real reason that you've been on my balcony for the past couple of days?"

Hiro shrugged. "I heard yelling. Had to make sure that it wasn't domestic violence or anything along those lines," he paused for a second before continuing. "Your dad hasn't hit you, has he?"

"Oh, no," Karmi shook her head. "He doesn't get physical. Just yell. A lot. Especially because I'm not a robotics major. Biotech is my major but go off I guess."

"Are you okay?" Hiro took this question as an opportunity to hop over the railing of the balcony so he's not actually about to fall off. He sat on the part where she was standing.

Karmi shook her head. "Not really. I mean, my school life is going amazing. I finally have a friend. Never had one of those before. I'm doing good grade wise. But besides that... Nothing in my life seems to be going right."

So she's definitely more open to people now that she's not lonely anymore. Hiro knew she never really had friends but not having friends with a family like this... He couldn't imagine.

Having to suffer because he didn't want to take the subject people expected him to take? He couldn't take that. Karmi really did have a hard wall up if she went through this and is still able to keep up her love for biotech.

"What about your friend?" Hiro suggested. "How about talking to them? They could always help you out, you know. That's what friends are. They're always there for you."

"I guess I need more time to adjust to this whole friend thing," Karmi chuckled, but Hiro could hear the sadness in her voice. She sounded so... Tired...

"You'll get through these tough times," Hiro stood up on the railing. "Tough times don't last but tough people do."

"How can I be tough though?" Karmi questioned. "The only way I know of being tough is by being a complete bitch. I want to try to change that. I don't know how."

Hiro contemplated this. He liked it better when him and Karmi were actually getting along. She is way better when she's not pissed off at him. All she needs to do is look at the positive more.

"Try not to focus on the negative," Hiro suggested. "You go to school? Think about how great school is. Favorite movie? Song? Think about the great qualities in life rather than the negative."

"Thanks," Karmi smiled. "For real though. I wouldn't usually thank anyone after anything but I guess my perspective on people has changed since I actually got friends."

"We all need people in our lives," Hiro turned on the magnets to his suit. "Some of us just get them later in life."

He saluted her goodbye and jumped off the balcony. He smiled to himself as he heard her gasp. The magnets connected to the floor so the impact didn't hurt.

As secretly as he could because he didn't want anyone seeing him leave Karmi's house, he made his way back the the cafe.

And waiting for him when he got home was...

"It is unhealthy for a teenager to be out at two in the morning without a sweater," Baymax lectured. "Try not to get yourself and your friends sick."

Hiro gave himself a knowing smile. "Friends."

"Would you like me to call them now?" Baymax flashed their contact pictures on his screen.

"Wait no," Hiro paused. "It's two in the morning. They're not awake right now."

"Isn't Karmi awake?"

"What?"

"What?"