Mistake

The light of the rising sun filtered through my lashes before I shut them again.

Mother said not to open them.

"Hey!" I felt the soft tip of finger poke the middle of my forehead. "What're ya doin'?"

My eyes flew open and I automatically felt guilty. A girl about my age was crouched next to me. Her long, braided, light-brown hair fell just passed her shoulders. A pin in the shape of a lemon was tucked in her hair just above her ear. "Wake up! It's morning. Kids like you n' me're suppos'd to be awake." And she spoke weirdly.

I closed my eyes again, hoping the girl would go away. I heard a harrumph at my ignoring her. She poked my nose this time. I opened my eyes and stared at her. She smiled and stood up.

"You should come ta my house! It's cold out here and," She looked at my feet. "Yer not wearin' shoes." She waited a moment for me to speak. "I got shoes at my house. And a heater. And food." My stomach growled at the word and she smiled again, bigger. I felt like she was mocking me somehow. It wasn't the same as my family's kind of mocking.

I stood up and immediately regretted putting pressure on my feet. My feet ached from last night. The wood creaked beneath me. I was on the edge of a platform that overlooked the ocean. I looked back to the girl. "Where am I?"

"Japan!" She seemed so excited and sure of herself, I almost thought that was the correct answer to my question.

"Yeah, but where specifically?" She seemed to think about that for a moment before answering.

"I dunno, I never thought ta ask." Worry curled it's fingers around my chest. "...I guess we're on the pier, less than half a kilometer from my house."

There wasn't a point in asking a third time because I didn't know where I lived anyway.

The thought pushed burning tears into my eyes. I twisted my hands in the silky fabric of my kimono before I felt a gentle punch connect with my shoulder. It still hurt from yesterday, but not because she punched it. I felt a hot droplet of salt-water cascade down my face. I bit my lip to stop the tears.

"Woah!" Concern washed over the girl's face and I wanted to cry more. It wasn't her fault. It'd been so long since I'd seen concern on anyone's face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean ta hit you hard..."

Her hand found mine and held tight. Rivers of tears fell down my cheeks and I'd never felt so relieved in my life.

"Sorry, sorry..."

The girl talked to me for what felt like hours until I stopped.