Faded Memories

I walk in the school and feel odd. Everyone shoots me sideways glances and whispers. I open my locker and shove my head in it. The whispers and stares are getting to me.
“What’s wrong?” I look up at Kyo.
“Everyone is just acting…odd. They keep staring at me.”
“Don’t worry about it. At least those Yuki Fan Girls aren’t stalking you.”
“What’s wrong with her?” Mickey asks Kyo.
“She is a little on edge. People are starting to get to her again.”
I pull my head out of my locker. “I think it’s the idea of seeing Akito that’s making me feel bad.”
“Yeah, he sounds like a bitch.” I stare at Mickey. “I couldn’t keep my resolution forever. Being around you two make me feel…cussy.”
“Okay… that’s nice that we have that effect on you.” I still feel weird hearing her cuss.

I walk out of the school’s gate. “Hey, wait up!”
I stop and let Kyo catch up. “What took you so long?”
“I got stopped by a group of crazy girls when I was helping Yuki with some stuff.”
I pause. “Helping…Yuki?”
“Yeah, I know it’s weird.”
I laugh. “You know we are going to go see Akito next week.”
“I know. Shigure told me this morning. I am guessing that’s why you were acting weird.”
I nod. “We’ll have to go through with it eventually. I’m kind of afraid of him saying that we can be together.”
Kyo doesn’t say anything. We just walk in silence back to the house. “Hello you two," Shigure says.
I look at Shigure. “What is it?”
“Well…someone is coming over to visit.”
I think for a minute while Kyo franticly locks the doors and bars the windows. “I think you’re overreacting.”
“Are you crazy?!?! Kagura is coming!!!!”
I feel the realization hit me and I start pushing furniture in front of the breakable walls. “Oh my god, she will kill me!”
I hear footsteps and realize I never locked the backdoor. “Kyo, Ruki, I’m here to visit!”
“Kyo, open up the friggin’ door now!” I unlock the door and Mickey comes inside.
“Mickey!” Kagura runs over to Mickey and hugs her.
“I guess I came at a bad time.” Mickey backs away slowly but Kagura doesn’t let her go. “Kagura, has Kyo and Ruki told you about how they’re in love yet?”
Kagura freezes. “What?!?!”
I jump behind Kyo. “Protect me!”
Kyo doesn’t try to disagree or run, all he does is stand there. “Kagura, we need to talk.”
Kyo grabs Kagura and takes her upstairs. Mickey walks over to me. “See, I knew that would work.”
“Oh shut up, I know you were just scared of Kagura.”
Mickey backs away from me slowly and bumps into Shigure. I grab her and put my hands over her eyes. “Ruki, what are you doing?”
I look at Shigure and he nods. “Promise me you won’t yell.” I remove my hand from her eyes and she doesn’t yell. “That’s Shigure.”
Mickey just sits down in front of Shigure. “I knew you were one of them.”
Shigure looks at her. “How do you know?”
“I had a distant relative that was a dog. He died before I was born. My dad told me about the curse. He made me promise not to tell anyone. When I met Ruki I knew the Sohmas had the zodiac curse. When I saw Kyo and Ruki jump out a window and fall a distance that would kill an average human I knew they were cats. When Ruki told me about the Head of the Family, I knew she was the white cat.”
I stare at her and realize why she knew to run to the roof when Kyo and I jumped out the window. “That explains how you knew so much about us. Did you guess what Yuki is?”
“He’s the rat, Kagura’s the boar, Momiji’s the rabbit, and Haru’s the cow. From what I’ve heard, Ayame’s the snake, Hatori’s the dragon, Kisa’s the tiger, and Hiro’s the sheep. I studied the personalities of the zodiac when I was younger.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Shigure asks.
“I didn’t want to make an accusation that turned out to be wrong.”
Shigure disappears for a second in a cloud of blue smoke. “Sorry, we can’t control when we change.”
“It’s okay.”
Mickey and I begin making dinner for everyone. “Do you still like Shigure?”
“Yes…” Mickey blushes. “Are Kagura and Kyo still talking?”
“Yeah, I’m going to go check on them.” I walk up the stairs and peek into Kyo’s room.
Kyo and Kagura are talking. Kagura raises her hand to hit Kyo but he grabs it and keeps her from starting a fight. “Kagura, I’ve already told you that I love Ruki.”
“But, I love you more than her!”
“Kagura, stop it. I don’t want you to be talking about her like that. You should leave.”
“I’ve already told you that I am never leaving, so stop trying to get me to.”
I push the door open enough for me to walk in. “Kagura, what do you want to eat?”
She glares at me. “I will never eat your cooking ever again!”
I feel the fire inside me flicker to life and threaten to start a fight. I clench my hands into fists. I bite down on my bottom lip and taste blood seep into my mouth.
Kyo moves away from Kagura a holds my hand. “Go down stairs and make dinner. Don’t worry; I will be down in a little while.”
I nod and look at Kyo. He kisses me lightly and I turn and leave.
When I step back into the kitchen Mickey grabs my arm. “What was happening? Tell me everything.”
“Well, Kyo was trying to get Kagura to leave, but she wouldn’t. I walked in the room so they would notice me and Kagura said she would never eat my cooking ever again. Kyo told me to come back down here and he kissed me.”
Mickey looks at me hard for a moment. “She made you angry. You bit your lip and it is bleeding now.”
I nod and begin making rice balls.
After a while Kyo and Kagura come down stairs. Kyo shoves Kagura toward me. “Kagura, apologize to Ruki.”
She looks at her feet. “I’m sorry Ruki. I didn’t mean what I said, I was just angry.”
“It’s okay Kagura. I know you were angry. Do you want to eat some dinner?”

Kagura and Mickey wave as they walk out the door. I stare at the pile of dirty dishes. “Do you need some help?”
I look up at Yuki. “Yeah, thanks.”
We wash dishes in silence until Yuki talks. “You know I still love you.”
I nod. “Yuki, can you be like a supporting brother right now. I’m scared that I’ll have to go through this alone.”
“I guess that being a brother to you is better than being a plain old friend. But, remember you are never alone.”
“Thanks Yuki.”
“No problem.” Yuki hugs me and I feel better; I finally feel like I can sleep at night without having to worry about being alone.