Ruby Red

14

I woke up with stinging eyes and a sore throat from last night's sad-fest. I trudged over to the bathroom and heated up the water for a steamy bath. I tied up my hair so it wouldn't get wet and stripped of my tear-stained clothes. I added soap which formed bubbles on the surface of the hot water. I slipped my pale body into the water and just sat there.

It was completely silent and the air was filled with sadness. My eyes were completely dry and I no longer had tears to cry. I just sat there.

After losing track of time and my skin had become wrinkled, I removed myself from the tub and dried myself off. I walked around my room wrapped in a towel and grabbed a change of clothes that looked even more slobbish than usual. I wore leggings and an old white t-shirt that I think I stole from Jin a couple years ago. I slipped on any sneakers I could find and let my hair down in all its messy glory.

I slumped my way down to the base Cafeteria where I could buy myself some food. I quickly settled for a bowl of ramen and took it to a booth so I could sit by myself. I stared at the bowl of noodles which began to cool quickly. I didn't pick up my chopsticks; I just stared. I finally used both hands to slap myself back to reality.

"You need to eat," I whispered to myself. I broke the wooden utensils apart. "Thanks for the meal!" I ate and ate, but I didn't taste anything. I was too tired of life to worry if it tasted good or not. I just needed to eat to keep myself alive.

A body placed itself on the opposite side of the booth from me but I didn't acknowledge them in any way. A second body joined him and immediately started talking.

"You're the girl we fought last night, right?" A third body slid into my booth and I had finally gotten annoyed enough to stab a chopstick into the table. Two of the boys freaked out that I had successfully pierced the thick table top with a dull piece of wood, and the other simply looked at me with a scowl.

"Shouldn't you be in school, kids?" I set my hands on my lap and stared blankly at where the chopstick stuck out.

"One: we could say the same to you. Two: school ended awhile ago." I shot my eyes up to meet a pair of playful, dark ones.

"I graduated almost three years ago." The boy freaked out and gaped at me.

"How old are you?! You look so young!"

"I'm twenty."

"Jeez, Yousuke! Don't ask girls their age!" I shot my head beside me at the familiar voice.

"Ah, hey, Izumi." He gave me a toothy grin and slung his arm over my shoulders.

"She's incredible," he praised to the other two. I looked at the dark-haired duo.

"What were your names?"

"Yoneya Yousuke," the one with the headband said while jabbing his thumb at himself. A light bulb went off in my brain.

"Aren't you Shiori's cousin?"

"Bingo!" I smiled at him as genuinely as I could. "And this here," he said, referring to his friend beside him, "is my Captain, Miwa Shuji."

"Miwa squad," I said under my breath. I nodded and locked gazes with Miwa. "Are you okay?"

"You defended a Neighbor. You're a traitor like Jin." My eyes widened in shock at his sudden rudeness.

"Well, I didn't ask you to come sit at my table, did I?" He scowled. "Back to what you said earlier: school's out? What time is it?"

"Four o'clock," Yousuke said with his chin propped on his palm with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"So you're telling me I slept in that late?" He nodded. "And I was in the bath 'til almost four?" He flushed and nodded again. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm just jealous that Kazama got to you before I did." Yoneya pouted. "And you're too old for me." He pouted even more. I sighed at the teen.

"Kazama didn't get me. We used to be friends but he screwed it up."

"Wanna talk about it?" Izumi offered.

"I don't wanna trouble you guys." I flushed at their politeness.

"No trouble at all. We just wanna help the pretty lady." I blushed more but added to the playfulness.

"Badass, pretty lady," I corrected. I shot him a wink and he smiled giddily. "Okay, so..."

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"He does not know how to treat a woman!" I looked at Izumi who seemed slightly upset by my story.

"You're telling me." I averted my gaze and found Kazama Squad sauntering into the Cafeteria, probably on break from their training.

"He seems taken with you, though." I shot my head at Miwa who had spoken for the first time since he insulted me. He had a bored expression plastered on his face and stared blankly at the table. "A strong woman. I could see how he'd like your serious side." I sighed, slightly out of content.

"Maybe..." I looked at where Kazama Squad sat and found them all looking in our direction. "Anyways, I should get going." Izumi slid out of the booth and I followed suit.

"Awe, why?" Yoneya pouted adorably; I couldn't help but squish his cheeks.

"I've gotta let Shiori know I'm not dead. And I need to call my ride."

"We're already here." I turned my head to the side just in time to be thrown over someone's shoulder. I immediately identified the teal button-up shirt and dark gray pants.

"Kyousuke?! What are you doing here? Don't you have work?"

"I took today off since you disappeared. We all came to get you." I craned my body upwards to see Reiji, Konami, and Usami standing there with stern expressions as usual. The two girls approached me on Torimaru's shoulder.

"Where the hell have you been?!"

"We thought you were dead!" I sweatdropped at the commotion they were making. I looked up at Kizaki for help but he just sighed and shook his head. I slumped on Karasuma.

"How are we all gonna fit in the car?!" My team stopped their blabbering at the sudden realization. "I call shotgun!"

"Torimaru is the youngest, he can sit in the middle of the backseat," Reiji said.

"Hey! You can't leave me between these two," he said, referring to Usami and Kirie. The two smacked him which gave me the opportunity to jump down. I faced the boys I was sitting with, an embarrassed blush covering my face.

"Thanks for the chat boys. I'll take you three out for lunch sometime, but I gotta get these idiots out of here before Shinoda yells at me. Oh, and Izumi, I'd like to do some shooting practice with you sometime." The blonde nodded.

"You can come to me anytime," he said slyly.

"Bye, guys!" I shot them a wink and began shoving four bodies, all larger than mine, out of the room. I locked eyes with Kazama who gave me a disappointed look. I left the group again and approached his table. I slammed my hand against the wood, startling Utagawa, Kikuchihara, and Mikami. "Enough with your bullshit, Soya. If you're gonna sit there and be jealous, maybe you should do something about it." I gave him a final glare before following my teammates out of the room. "Hey, we should see if Karasuma's Speed Shift can beat us to base!"

The group laughed at my suggestion and we piled into the car, locking Kyousuke outside. I shaped my hands into a heart through the window as we drove off without him.

'What an amazing team I have.'

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