Stupid Girl

Gomi awoke from the bright sunlight hitting the back of her eyelids. She groaned and pulled the sky-blue blanket over her head.

{Why does the sun have to get up so EARLY?!}

She tried to turn over in the hospital bed, only to cringe in pain.

“Damn it!” She sat up, clutching her bandaged stomach. She sighed, running a hand through her dark hair.

{The nurses must’ve heard that…Don’t they have anything to do than torture me?}

Suddenly, her acute hearing picked up the sound of the door clicking open, and she sat up straight, bracing herself.

A young blonde nurse burst in. “Richiru-san! What are you--” She looked around, as if she half expected there to be blood on the walls, or bats careening from the ceiling.

“Yeah?” Gomi prompted her, getting a little annoyed.

“Er…I heard yelling, and…” The nurse met the girl’s eyes, and backed up a little.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. “I woke up because of the damn sun, turned over onto my stomach, and hurt myself because of it, okay?”

The nurse was still wary.

Gomi snapped.

“WHAT?! You don’t believe me?! Go ahead, check under the bed or in the closet for a body if you want! Or look in the bathroom for a doctor beaten to a bloody pulp! Hell, while you’re at it, check my arms to see if I’ve cut myself or shot up some heroine!!” She held out her arms, fuming.

(BTW, she doesn’t do that; everyone expects her to, though)

“U-Uh, I-I-I…” The nurse backed up, frightened.

Gomi growled. “Oh, come ON!! It’s not like I’ve ever KILLED anyone before! But if you don’t get your ass out of here, you might be my first!”

“That’s enough, Kugomi.”

The girl’s purple eyes widened at the sound of someone coming in, and she turned to the doorway to see a woman standing there.

Her raven black hair was just like Gomi’s, but she’d never use such fancy words to describe herself; only that woman did that. And the woman’s eyes were blue instead of purple. Her face was as blemish-free as a China doll, and her clothes were high in fashion.

Gomi’s mouth quivered, trying to smile in the excitement. “M-M…MOM?!…”

“Oh, Richiru-chan!” The nurse looked relieved, smiling at the woman.

She smiled back. “Please, it’s Lora. Could you give me a moment alone with my…daughter?” She had hesitated to use the word.

“Of course, Lora-chan.” The nurse bowed, and glanced nervously at Gomi, as if afraid she would jump from the hospital bed and tear her arms off.

“Well?! Get outta here!!”

She nearly jumped out of her skin, quickly shutting the door behind her. Gomi could hear the hurried footsteps fading down the hallway.

“Pf. Ten bucks says she was staring at my earrings this time…” She grinned at the woman. “I’m glad to see you, Mom. How’ve ya been?”

“Er, fine. Just fine…You know, Kugomi, if you want them to stop staring…” Lora came to the seat beside the bed. “try to look and act normal.”

“But this IS normal for me, Mom; I’ve told you.”

“I know, but…Sometimes, one has to change. Not because they WANT to, but because they HAVE to.”

Gomi’s lips were a tight line, remembering something a very dear friend had told her.

Lora seemed to misinterpret the sadness on her daughter’s face. “I know it’s hard to become normal, but…” She ruffled the girl’s hair. “…I’ll help you anyway I can.”

“I don’t WANT to be normal!” Gomi jerked away from the hand, like it was a knife. “Ashitaka-kun said that normal is anything you want it to be. And I believe him!”

The woman tried to keep her patience. “Whatever Ashitaka told you, forget it. I’ve told you time and time again that he was nothing but a troublemaker. You don’t want to be a troublemaker to your mother, do you?”

Gomi studied the woman’s expression carefully. It was full of impatience, struggle, and…{Is that…HATE?!} She thought, alarmed.

“Y-You hate Ashitaka-kun?!”

Lora seemed surprised by this. “What makes you think that?”

“You’re face…It reads hate…and you were talking about him, so that must be--” Gomi’s eyes widened. “Unless…”

“Unless what, Kugomi?”

“Unless…you hate me…” She stared at her mother in horror. “That’s it, isn’t it? You hate me?”

“That’s enough, Kugomi.” Lora said quietly.

Gomi’s fear suddenly turned to rage, so fast that if you blinked you would have missed it.

“That’s it, isn’t it?! That’s why you keep putting me in the orphanage all the time!!”

“Stop it.”

“You’re ashamed of me! You’re ashamed to call me your daughter, even in front of complete strangers that you might never see again, just like that nurse!!”

“Stop.”

But Gomi read more in her mother’s expression, more infuriated by the second. “You hate going to your fancy parties with the women talking about their angelic children that come crying home because they were picked on at school! You don’t want anything to do with me!”

“I said stop.” The woman’s voice was uneven.

“You think I’m some kind of cold-hearted monster, just like everybody else! Just like our entire family!! Just like Dad before he--!”

“That’s enough!!”

Gomi breathed hard, only stopping to catch her breath; she was finished reading her mother, anyways.

Lora got up from the chair next to the bed stiffly. Her gaze was hard and cold as she glared at her daughter.

“I thought I told you never to read your elders’ emotions. It’s impolite.”

“I’m glad I did.” Gomi growled.

“I’m through with putting up with you, Kugomi. I tried giving you another chance today, but you blew it. I came in to let you out of the hospital early so we could go home…”

“WHAT home?” Gomi asked coldly, glaring daggers into her mother. “All you want to do is clear your reputation and turn me into some kind of preppy Malibu Barbie or something, right? Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

The woman clutched her purse. “I’m going to let you out of the hospital, Kugomi. I’ve already signed the papers. But I’m going downstairs right now to call the orphanage to pick you up. Have your things ready.”

“The orphanage won’t hold me. I’ll get out, and…” Gomi raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You’re…AFRAID of me?”

Lora tensed, then slammed the door as she stormed out.

{Why would Mom be afraid of me? She’s known me since I was born…Oh well. Time to start packing.}

Gomi got up and stumbled over to the hospital closet, a little drowsy from the soul-reading and the painkillers given to her by the doctors. She willed herself not to cry; not to shed a tear. She’d be happy when she ran away, and never say her mother’s face again.

After opening the door to the closet, she began to stuff her few belongings into her camouflage messenger bag. Her clothes, no pinks or skirts or dresses; her IPod with every Linkin Park and Three Days Grace song imaginable; a jeweled dagger, which had been a gift from Ashitaka and she never went anywhere without it.

Finally, a choker necklace with a silver pendant in the middle, which she put on immediately. Etched in was the Kanji symbol of ‘heart’. (Two guesses who gave it to her. *Cough* Ashitaka *Cough*)

Then Gomi threw on a black tank top, light black hoodie with zippers in various, unnecessary places that opened to red cloth, black cargo jeans, and no shoes or socks.

She placed the strap of the bag over her shoulder, walked calmly to the open window, and climbed down gracefully into the sycamore that grew right next to her window, onto firm ground.

Gomi didn’t look back up at the window, like she normally did when she ran away. Because this time, she KNEW her mother wouldn’t be there, trying to wave her back.

She had never done so before, but the black haired girl always had a glimmer of hope she would. Not anymore.

Gomi ran across the parking lot, into the wooded area on the other side.

Thoughts flickered through her head as she raced through the trees, like a dimming candle.

{I will be sixteen in three weeks and four hours…That must be why Mom had come to take me home, she felt that she had some sort of duty or maternal instinct to be with me today…Ashitaka-kun, what do I do?}

{Okay, I guess. I can try and find a job around here, in the next town where no one knows who I am, then attend a public school so I don’t have to worry about tuition…If it’s a uniform school, there had better be an option to wear either pants or a skirt, or I’m gonna be pissed.}

`XxXxX`

The sunlight woke Gomi again as she lay sprawled across a low branch in a tree.

“Curse you, you over-sized star.” She mumbled, stretching. Then she grabbed her bag and shifted through it, pulling out a uniform shirt, a tie, and a blue skirt. “Uniform sucks.” She growled as she put it on.

Then she jumped down from the tree, everything she owned in the bag she used now as a backpack. Her purple eyes were still clouded with sleep as she trudged towards the road that led to her new school.

Well, not exactly new; she’d been going for over a week now. She had also found a part-time job cleaning the top floor of a big-business building of some kind.

She heard that there was another girl her age working on the same shift, but never saw her.

She found herself on the main road again, and sighed. {Can’t there be some reason to go to school other than to make an education? I mean, I’ve got no friends here…}

Gomi shook her head. {That’s ridiculous. I’ve gone almost my whole life without a friend. Why would I need one now?}

{…Because Mom’s not there for me anymore, that’s why.} She answered herself, suddenly feeling depressed. {Don’t worry about it. Just get through the day without any fights. Those fan club girls of Sohma-san’s gave you some trouble yesterday. If they try anything, don’t let the anger go to your head.}

After she had gotten done coaching herself, she took a deep breath and pressed onward.

“C’mon, let’s go! Right here and right now!!”

Gomi looked up from the ground before her at the sound of someone yelling. “Ashitaka?” She asked absently.

“You truly are pathetic.”

Another voice, same age as the first. Both male, older teenagers, arguing.

“Oh yeah?! Prove it, ya damn rat!!”

“Ugh, you stupid cat, now I’ve got a headache.”

“What’re ya gonna do about it, Prince of Rats?!”

Gomi blinked in confusion, half annoyed by the loud voices. “Rats, cats, what the hell is this? Cinderella?”

“Er, Kyo-kun, I don’t think Sohma-kun looks well.”

The black haired girl was surprised to hear a timid voice come up. Another teenager, female. She was probably checking over the ‘Sohma-kun’ person right about now.

“I’m alright, Honda-san. I just need to get away from this stupid cat.”

“Honda…Honda…Where have I heard that before?” She wondered. Unconsciously, she had picked up the pace, and she could now see the people she was eavesdropping on walking together on the path at least a quarter mile ahead.

The two boys were much taller than she had expected. {Well, actually, the loud one sounded about that height, but the quiet one sounded shorter…Hm.} The girl was VERY short. She had long brown hair with blue ribbons, and a briefcase for a bag.

The loud boy had orange hair, no necktie, while the other had grayish-purple hair, WITH necktie.

None of them seemed familiar to her, so she shrugged it off and kept her distance.

Soon, however, the one with orange hair glanced over his shoulder. She saw that he had an attractive, natural tan, and bright red eyes, which seemed a little strange.

{Then again,} She thought, thinking about her unnatural eyes. {I’ve got no room to talk.}

Gomi waved casually and kept walking. She could feel the boy staring at her, and anger rose like bile in her throat. {I swear to God, if he starts calling me names…}

“Hey. You. What the hell are you doin’ back there?”

She looked up sharply to see that the orange haired boy had stopped and was watching her come closer; she also realized that his voice was not as harsh as it was when he was yelling at ‘Sohma-kun’. When his comrades noticed he had stopped, they did as well.

“Kyo-kun, who are you talking to?” The girl asked, then spotted Gomi. “Oh, HI!!” She waved.

Gomi immediately halted, but half-smiled and nodded to the threesome. She was cursing herself for following them for this long and expecting to get away unnoticed.

The boy called ‘Sohma-kun’ smiled back. “Would you like to walk with us?”

The black haired girl raised her eyebrows. “You’re kidding.” She said it more as a statement than a question.

“Of course not! Come one!” ‘Honda-san’ gestured.

Gomi sighed. {Hey, I wanted friends, didn’t I? Don’t be a hypocrite when it comes right down to it.} Then she jogged up to where they were and bowed.

“So who the hell are you, anyways?” ‘Kyo-kun’ was looking away when he asked the question, as if he were asking the weeds instead of the girl.

She felt irritated. “Usually it’s proper etiquette to introduce yourself before asking someone else their name.”

“Jeez! I was only asking!” He snapped, whipping his head around to glare at her.

“And I’m only informing you of some very valuable information. No need to bite my head off.”

The purple haired boy stepped in front of Kyo, smiling. “Please forgive my cousin; he can be a little stand-offish. My name is Sohma Yuki, student president of class 2-D.”

“Richiru Kugomi, student of class 2-D. Gomi, if you don’t mind.” She added quickly, remembering how her mother always used to call her Kugomi instead of Gomi.

“I’m Honda Tohru!” Tohru bowed. “It’s VERY nice to meet you.”

Gomi turned to the fuming orange haired boy. “And you?”

“Humph!” He turned his back on her, and started off again on the path towards the school house. She saw that his face was a little red.

“Oh, he’s--”

“No no no.” Gomi waved her hand to stop Tohru from talking. “I know how to get his name…Yo! Beanstalk! Conversation’s back HERE!!”

At this, the orange haired boy was in her face in seconds, her face impassive while his completely enraged.

“THAT’S NOT MY NAME!!”

“Calm down, Beanstalk; I’m just pullin’ your leg. Now, ya got a name, or should I just call you ‘Kyo-kun’ like everyone else?”

He faltered, quickly taking a few steps back so their faces weren’t so close. Then he cleared his throat, looking in the other direction. “Er…Sohma Kyo…that damn rat’s cousin…”

Gomi tilted her head in confusion. {Stupid Cat? Damn Rat? What the hell kind of nickname-fest are they having here?}

“I think we should get moving.” Yuki butted in. “The last bell rings in five minutes.”

She brushed her dark hair back from her shoulders. “Yeah, I guess.”

They continued walking, and there was no conversing for a few minutes. Then, just as they were inside of the school, Tohru looked like a light bulb went on in her head.

“Oh, yeah! You said that you’re in our class, too, didn’t you?”

Gomi blinked at her, like she had antennae sticking out of her head. “Er…I might have mentioned it…”

“Which class do you have--?”

Just then, the bell rang, and students poured out of the classrooms and into the halls.

The group had been distracted, but when they turned back to ask the question again, she was gone.

“Huh?! Where’d she go?!” Kyo looked around frantically.

Yuki rolled his eyes. “What? Afraid she’s going to jump you and pull on your ears?”

“NO!! I was just--…Aw, screw it!!” He stomped to his next class, fuming.

The other two followed suit.

Gomi moved with the crowd, trying to stay invisible. (Okay, that was weird. I mean, I know I said I wanted friends and all, but those guys are BEYOND freaky. That Sohma-san’s gorgeous, I’ll admit to that. And Kyo-san…Oh, what am I saying? Just stop it and get to class.}

`XxXxX`

Gomi took the trash bag from the lobby of the building and trudged down the stairs to the dumpster. She was completely miserable. Not only because she had to do this job, but everything in general.

{I could have gone back to the orphanage, had a nice bed, free meals, a good school…} She glanced at the bag with disgust. {Not taking out trash at eleven at night when I have a humongous test tomorrow…}

She sighed. {No. I can’t go back to the orphanage. Mom would visit me, and I’d have no say in the matter. No, this is how it’s gotta be. I mean, it’s not like some woodland fairy is going to take me by the arm and lead me to a nice house with good friends--}

“Ow!!”

She fell on her butt with some force, back of her head hitting the brick wall. {And now I’m seeing stars. Clumsy-ass.}

“Oh my goodness! Are you okay?!”

“Yeah yeah. I’m oka--” Gomi looked up, and her jaw hit the concrete. “Tohru-san?!”

Tohru’s head about split in half with the grin she plastered on. “Gomi-san!! What are you doing here?!” She offered a hand to help the other girl up.

The dark haired girl took it, rubbing the back of her head. “I work here part-time. You?”

“So do I!”

“You mean YOU’RE the other teenager who works here?! I thought the old hags were just foolin’ around with me.”

“Er…Old hags?”

Gomi noticed her mistake, and laughed nervously; she was still rubbing her head. “Uh, well, I mean the old gals who work here ALL the time. Um…I call those kind of people ‘hags’…” {That hit on the head should have killed me.} She thought, mentally smacking herself in the head.

Tohru nodded, smiling again. “Oh, okay! Well, my shift is over.”

“As soon as I get this garbage in the dumpster, so’s mine.”

“Great! We can walk home together!!”

“Heh heh…yeah…” Gomi bit her lower lip. “Um…Let me just go put this in the thing, and…I’ll go get my stuff, and…” She suddenly looked suspicious. “You’re going to wait for me?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?”

“Er…Nothing.” The dark haired girl smiled. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. See ya in a tick.”

Tohru waved as Gomi walked back into the building.

{Uh…} She didn’t know what to think about that one. Everyone pretty much avoided her whenever she was around, but…Tohru SINCERELY wanted to walk home with her. She didn’t know whether to pinch her arm or splash cold water on her face…

So she did both, pinching both arms and flicking water from the drinking fountain in her eyes.

{Nope. Still awake. Someone wants to be my friend.}

{Don’t jump the gun, Wednesday Addams. She just needs someone to walk home with her so the weirdoes won’t get her. Yeah, that’s probably it.}

{…She LOOKED sincere enough--}

{Ah bah bah.} She stopped her own thoughts about that. {Don’t get attached. NEVER get attached. Just walk her to wherever she needs to be, then hightail it back to the tree.}

{Alright, fine…} She closed her locker with such a look of lowliness and self-hatred the likes of which has never been seen. {I’ve REALLY got to stop arguing with myself.}