Isn't She Lovely

Chapter 18: Familiar Faces

Natsuki's POV:
TW: assult

It was gone...
Everything was gone...
Gone all gone...
The familiar touches, her gentle smiles, the concern in her eyes, that beautiful blush that filled her cheeks whenever Natsuki caught her off guard, the shared secrets, the hidden love, their confessions. The acceptance. The poems read, the love shared. It was just gone.

  How could it be gone?

   Tears were spilling out of my eyes but I wasn't upset... No I was pissed. Pissed at the world. Pissed at myself. Maybe even pissed at Yuri. Oh God just thinking about her name sent pangs of anguish throughout my whole body. This was worse then the time I sat by my mom's bedside and watched the light leave her eyes. Worse than all the beatings and emotional, physically abuse my Papa gave me.

In the end nothing was worse than losing Yuri. To see hatred and confusion in her eyes. To see no recognition of the friendship we had formed over the past few months. The movies we'd watched, the cupcakes we'd baked together.

  I punched the wall in the manga store, it didn't do any damage, except to my hand. My knuckles split open and blood started trickling from the cuts. I stared numbly at it, for once understanding why Yuri did what she did. Sometimes it was better to feel pain then be just numb.

  "Natsuki what are you doing?"  Max demanded and I put my bloody hand in my pocket.
   "Browsing what the hell does it look like?" I snapped and he faltered a step as he contemplated my snappy come back.
   "Yeah well you've been here since we opened at 6a.m." he exclaimed as if I didn't know how long I'd been here.
   "I'm conflicted..." I grumped pushing past him. His red hair was sticking up ridiculously and his red eyes were filled with disbelief and pity, I hated pity. I hated being pitied even more. The slightly overweight boy followed after me straightening his glasses.
   "Consulting with your innerthoughts?" He asked and I glared at him.
   "No why I shouldn't kill you." I spat and he sighed with a shake of his head he started back to the counter, giving up his attempts at reasoning with me.
  "Hey Nat." MC smiled appearing from one of the isle's making me jump, knocking over some books.
   "What the hell MC!" I snapped bending to pick up the mangas that had fallen.
   "You got a nice little ass there Natsuki." He grinned and my face flushed as I whirled letting the books drop from my hands as they clenched into fists.
   "Were you looking up my skirt?!" I demanded and he smirked proudly.
   "And what if I was?" He questioned pushing me towards the deserted part of the store no one went to, the encyclopedias and dictionaries.
   "Knock it off asshole!!!" I tug against his hold as he rams me into the wall, holding my arms on either side of me as he grins.
   "Or what ?" He taunts and I am at a loss, I haven't eaten in days, I was already bruised and beaten, I couldn't fight back...there was nothing I could do. Panic sieged my insides turning them to ice as I stared into his cold golden eyes. Then he kissed me, it wasn't like the kiss with Yuri. His lips were rough and forceful. No matter how hard I struggled I couldn't get away. The kiss just wouldn't end, I was gasping for air, this felt like torture. This was my own personal hell.

  Finally he leans back and I gasped for breath. He chuckled low and smug.
   "That's what I thought." He grins eyes gleaming.
   "You're....an ass-" he cuts me off by pressing his lips to mine again forcefully, I'm pinned to the wall, unable to move, to pull away. I feel like crying. There's no release there is no end. His hands find my chest as he rips open my shirt....having his way with my body. I can do nothing. I claw at him, pound my fists against his back, but it does no good.

  "Hey asshole back off!" A familiar voice screams and suddenly MC is sprawled out on the floor and I fall to my knees sobbing.

  "Natsuki- are you alright? Natsuki! Nat..." My head is foggy as I give out falling into my savior's arms. They smell of lilacs.

To be continued....