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"𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚" 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 - 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙤 ------------
As I walked home from school, I imagined Karma and Rio walking together. The clouds seem pretty dark. Maybe they'll share an umbrella. I lent my umbrella to Rio, since she forgot hers, but now I would have to suffer through the rain. I didn't mind; helping other people gave me a purpose, which was something I lost sight of when it happened.
It was last year, my second year of junior high. I never expected for my mom to leave home, but she did just that. I was never close with my dad, so it felt like a huge chunk of me just disappeared, and I couldn't find a way to fill that void. When I was pushed into the e-class due to my failing grades, I finally realized how I could help myself feel better: helping my friends.
So I've never minded the self sacrifice, because I don't feel as though I'm sacrificing anything.
Pit.
Pat.
Pitter-pat.
My once bright surroundings began to melt into a muddy mess as the rain quickly became more intense. Shit, I didn't think it would rain this much. I began to run even faster to try and get past the incoming storm, but the wind slowed me down significantly. As I dashed through the street, a puddle of mud swept me off my feet and face-first into the ground with a bang. I spat out the lingering mud in my mouth as I looked around and down to my knees. A scrape...
My dad is working. My mom is gone. And I'm alone.
But then the rain hitting my back disappeared. I looked around, first seeing the rain all around me. I then looked up above me to see an umbrella and a familiar blonde girl.
"Rio?" I questioned, focusing my eyes on her sapphire pupils, realizing she was here with me and not with Karma.
"I was walking, and I heard a thud nearby. Are you alright?" she asked sweetly, her blonde hair falling on her soft face.
"Shouldn't you be with Karma?" I asked. It wasn't like him to get cold feet and flake on someone, but the whole situation in general was odd.
"He was talking about how this way was a shortcut to my street, and I trusted that he wouldn't send me to my death," she laughed. "You can come to my place. It's a Friday and my parents don't mind me having friends sleep over."
My face immediately turned pink as I looked up at her genuine expression.
"S-sure..."
"Fuwa is coming too, along with Kayano and Kurahashi. I was actually gonna ask you before I left school, but you were already gone," she sighed.
Oh.
She then took my hand and lifted me up off the ground, all while keeping the umbrella I lent her over me.
"You said you had a spare umbrella, so why are you all soaked?" she asked, seeing through my lie.
"I forgot my spare.." I said, lying even more to make sure she didn't feel bad. So, a sleepover us five. I felt a little disappointed that I wouldn't be alone with her, but it was better than nothing. Still, there was the whole Karma issue. He couldn't follow through with the simple action of walking home with his crush. Just how badly does he like her?
After walking for bit, we finally reached her house. I didn't bother asking my dad because he would come home late anyways. There are some perks to having parents that couldn't care less about your whereabouts.
I stepped into her home after slipping off my shoes at the doorstep. She quickly ran upstairs and came back with a towel and a change of clothes.
"No offense, but you look like you rolled down a mudslide. The others are coming soon, so you can shower," she teased. I blushed with embarrassment after looking down on my muddy and soaked school uniform. She was probably being nice with that comment, I look way worse.
I began to walk to the upstairs bathroom, which was larger than my whole room. Rio was rich like many kids at Kunugigaoka Private School, meanwhile I got in on a scholarship. As I turned on the shower, I heard a doorbell followed by three familiar voices.
