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Elementary school. 2008.

 

It was the sound of nails on a chalkboard that caught everyone’s attention, stopping them all with a startle. The loud, ear-piercing, mind-numbing noise vibrated around the room. It was the screeching that would cause your whole body to shrivel and cringe. You can only imagine how it feels for the person’s nails being sacrificed.

The group of girls turned their heads, flinching at the noise while some covered their ears and cried out from the cringe that's sending shivers down their spine, "Stop!" one yelled out,

The noise continues, rapidly intensifying as the person doing it adds two hands, clawing at the board like a cat- she laughs.

"What do you want, Miki?" Another hissed, "Yeah can’t you see we're busy? Beat it kid." The oldest girl chimed in finally. Miki looks over at the girl, her hands on her hips and her blonde hair swaying behind her as the girl puts up a cocky front. The noise intensified- and then with one last screech, the nails were removed from the dusty green board, four very shallow nail marks embedded in the wall of the blackboard stood stared back. It maybe wasn’t super damaged, but it looked bad since the board was covered in dust. The teacher wasn’t going to be happy. Miki snickers to herself, she’ll have to buff away the evidence with the eraser.

"Aren't you from the other building… er,” Miki stops to think for a second, “Hana? What’cha doing all the way in my classroom?" she asks, feigning innocent curiosity while picking the grime from the board out from under her nails- and suddenly seeming bored as she wipes it on her black dress; leaving a trail of white dusty residue to smear all down her torso. She didn't seem to mind though. Looking up to face the group, she stood there proudly, her mid-shoulder length red hair sticking up in every direction, her dress rumpled, one sock black and the other white, eye catching through her slip on mary-jane shoes.

'Hana' scoffs, her arms crossed over her chest as she blows her blond hair from her face, "So what? I go to this school too; I can be wherever I want."

Miki takes a few steps towards the group of elementary school kids, save for Hana who was in her 6th year, 2 grades up from every kid in the room.

"Be a shame if I told someone you're bullying an pickin’ on the younger grade." Miki simply shrugged, a flip phone suddenly in her hand that she pulled from her pocket, glimmering in the afternoon sunlight that was coming through the blinds of their classroom window. She lifted the phone, and the sound of a camera was heard, one, two, click and flash.

The picture included a girl sitting on the floor, the girls standing all around her. It wasn’t good quality, by any means.

Hana clenched her fist and grit her teeth after the flash, glaring at Miki and she walked closer, the other girls behind her standing up on their guard; finally backing off the other kid they had cornered. That same girl took her chance to get up, her back pressed against the classroom shelf as she watched the girls surround Miki, like a pack of wolves- just as they were just doing to her. She recognizes Miki as the two of them shared the same class.

The girl’s thoughts spin as she believes Miki will be next now, she bites down on her lip with her green eyes downcast to the floor, only seeing their shoes scuffle on the ground up ahead of her. Her black hair covers her face. She feels her body fill with guilt, wishing she didn’t come to school today. Miki was only being nice by trying to help-

"Delete it, Miki, we aren't even doing anything. Just having a little chat, see? Isn't that right, Brooke?" Hana says coolly, her pride over-pouring through the tone of her voice. It’s so fake. Brooke glanced up at her name, seeing Miki tilt her head and poke her eyesight through two of the obnoxious girls, locking eyes with Brooke.

“Oh really?” Miki croons.

They just stared, green clashing against blue. Brooke didn't utter a single word and Miki just blinked back at her. Brooke brought her hand up to grasp onto her bicep, a shy habit she had, and broke her eye contact with Miki. Those cold blue eyes seemed to look right through her, it made her somewhat uncomfortable. Miki just looked back to the sixth grader and her group of followers, eyes narrowing but her smile widening. Her hand is clenching the flip phone.

"Got that?" Hana sneers, “Just having a chat.” She makes sure to smile after saying it, as if it’s no problem. And then she walks closer to Miki and puts her hands back on her hips as she leans over the younger girl. She was a good five inches taller than Miki, who hasn't hit her growth spurt yet. Miki just looked up, unphased by the looming shadow above her, not scared of the older girl nor of the difference in size. Hana spat next to the Mary-jane shoes adorning Miki's feet. The wood next to where Miki stood glistened as the spit splattered on the ground, Miki even felt some get on her shin, she grimaced. The other girls laughed. Hana gestures to the spit, looking at it and then back to Miki, threatening; “Delete the photo, or we’re going to have a problem.”

It’s said so simply, as if there isn’t already a problem. Miki looks down at the spit on the ground. Talk about gross.

The girls started to walk out of the classroom, their heads high on their shoulder as if the world belonged to them. What makes them feel so good? They didn’t even do anything cool or impressive, none the less intimidating. Miki smeared the spit on the floor with the tip of her shoe, looking at the back of the blonde head of the girl, her eyes narrowing in disgust. She can’t help but chuckle a little- she finds some sarcasm to lace her words with- maybe she’s just trying to sound tough, "Oh yeah? Is that so?”

Miki wouldn't say she sounded intimidating back then, she was just a baby. Standing up for someone who she saw in her own classroom every day, someone she possibly copied test answers from occasionally. Maybe even the girl whose homework she stole and changed the name because she knew that this girl would have the right answers. (It’s her secret) The quiet kid, who even the teacher rarely picked to answer a question even though she sits practically in the front row. Miki didn't want to meddle in their drama, she didn't want to be caught up in something as superficial as 'bullying', but it didn't stop her from getting upset, watching those girls grab Brooke’s lunch from her, and taunt it over her head. As if they owned the place- no, as if they owned her. Miki scowled, muttering under her breath, “Low life bitches. ”

Only a fifth grader and she already had such a filthy mouth, Miki was always hanging around the wrong people. She knows the soap bar well enough. A child like her had no rhyme, no reason, to be filled with such distaste for everything. Her frail body shouldn’t be able to handle it, shouldn’t have been able to produce it. At least not yet. Maybe it was just her sense of justice…

Miki’s sense of judgment.

The girls stopped at the door, peering back inside to see what Miki could possibly have to say to them. It had only been a second, and yet, Miki was now standing in front of them, bent over a little and looking up at them in a funny way,

"So why are you guys taking her lunch then?" she asked, a grin adorning her freckled face, It fully reached her eyes, and the snark was biting through Hana's ego. She faltered, giving a look of distaste and then she scoffed. Miki's eyes flickered to the lunch pail in the bully's hands, and then back up to lock eyes with her- they narrow in hatred at the middle schooler.

"We didn’t take anything. She gave it to me, right Brookie?” The warm nickname that had only ever been used with Brooke by her family, was now being sneered at her like an insult.

"Oh! So, it was a gift?" Miki barely waits for Hana to finish the sentence, not even waiting for Brooke's reply to the fake question- not that the girl would, she’s not even sure if her voice box works. Miki laughs, “That’s so nice of you Brooke, really.”

Hana makes a noise, eyebrows furrowing in on confusion.

"Then if it's not yours, I can have it." Miki decides with a big smile, swiping the lunch pail out of Hana's hands and jumping a few steps back before the other girl could get to her.

Hana did try to reach forward, to grab it back; but Miki was too quick. She used her foot and locked it under the back leg of the chair that was closest to her. Using all her ten-year-old strength, she swung the chair out and in between the two of them, it smacked Hana in the arm. Not enough to hurt, but enough to prove a point and get in the way.

Hana's face was contorted in anger and humiliation as she jumped back from the chair and flinched, she looked constipated. It was funny enough to see, but Miki wasn't done. She laughed, unable to hold it in.

"You should probably think a little before eating two lunches every day," Another chuckle after it- more like a snort, amusement painting on her face and glimmering in her eyes, it was funny, this was hilarious. Though she was the only one smiling- "You're lookin' kinda chubby lately."

Hana made a noise from the back of her throat and reached out. She swatted her hand out to try and hit Miki, but the other was too far- and was too quick as she leaned out of the way. Instantly glaring at the one who’s acting like 'Miss Popular' and kicking the chair forward a bit more.

The "back up" girls left before the fight started, tails between their legs as they had nothing to say, and not wanting to get into trouble. Cowards, caught in their act. How embarrassing for them. Hana told Miki if she deleted the photo they'd stop, for good. Miki agreed in a nice manner, letting the sound of deleting the photo echo in the small room conclude the event and bid a more than enthusiastically goodbye to Hana, waving as she left. The classroom was quiet after; the only sound being the ticking of the clock above the chalk board. It was dark now; the sun had gone behind the building across from them- blocking the light. Brooke stood there wonderstruck as Miki turned around and walked up to her. She placed her hands out in offering, handing her lunch back in gentle manner. She returns it to its rightful owner.

"You were just gonna let them walk out of here?” Miki looks back at the door then back to Brooke, raising an eyebrow, “What were you gonna do for lunch?" she asks, pursing her lips and scratching the back of her head while looking out of the window, Brooke takes the pail with almost hesitance, Miki pushes it into her hands and let’s go- and Brooke nearly drops it.

“Cause like,” Miki continues, “I know you don’t go to the cafeteria-“ Brooke’s expression twists,

“How do you know that?” She cuts in and asks, Miki just continues talking over her, “No, but seriously, you should have just told them to get a life.” It makes Brooke fold in a little on herself, Miki doesn’t notice yet- or if she has, she continues on anyways,

“I can teach you a move that’ll keep them away for good, they would deserve to get pummeled to death.” She chuckles suddenly, and then does some powerhouse kick into the air and flings her arm, it takes Brooke by surprise and the girl moves away with a noise, furrowing her brows. It makes Miki do it again, but she messes up and tries to start over- only making it worse. She has a goofy smile on her face while doing it too.

“What the heck is that?” Brooke asks through a snort, Miki laughs loudly in reply, “It’s the move!” She does it again, Brooke busts out in a full laugh,

“What move is that?” She questions through chuckles, Miki stops- only to do it again with more emphasis when Brooke focuses her attention back, only to lose it again at that-

 

“It’s the move that will keep them away!”

 

The redhead starts explaining some combat moves in her video game at home, shoving her fists in the air. Brooke had just hugged the new lunch pail to her chest with a smile. Her mom just bought this one for her. That group of girls already stole her last one. They were limited edition. It had been pink, and sparkly, and Brooke would feel bad if she lost this one too; Her mom would have a frown on her face, and that made Brooke sad. Brooke doesn't really know what Miki's going on about anymore, the other girl seems lost in a world of her own, so she just cuts her off.

"Thank you... I guess owe you now." Brooke says with a voice full of genuity. Her black hair moved from her eyes as she brought her hand up to push it out of the way, tilting her face up to look at the other girl with her big round green eyes. Miki spluttered, not used to the manners and mostly from being cut off. She made some kind of noise as she bounced on the balls of her feet, taking a step away from Brooke and out of their little bubble. It seemed like it was only the two of them in the world, just them, in that classroom. For forever, as if it’s always been them.

"Hm well," Miki ponders aloud and then laughs through her toothy grin- she was missing one of her bottom teeth. "You can make it up to me by eating lunch with me every day!" A hand was brought up to point in Brooke’s face. Miki’s voice was loud, her eyes wide with joy at the idea. She started waving her hands and telling Brooke about all kinds of foods she’d bring from home, and they could share, she swore Miki started speaking French, but Miki said they can eat right here, every day, in this class room.

"And I'll make sure they NEVER pick on you again."

And she meant it, she was oh so serious, her eyes glinting as she held her phone out for Brookes eyes to see as she skipped through the gallery of pictures on the device. It’s evidence of the past month, Brooke getting her lunch stolen every day, at least she thought it was just her but there are also pictures of Hana antagonizing other students. Her green eyes widened a bit, and Miki gave a devil’s grin. So many thoughts are going through the young Brooke’s head at seeing all those pictures. The pictures aren't that good though, the quality of the camera and the distance rendering it blurry- pixelated.

“I’m always late for lunch.” Miki starts with no clarification to that as she closes her flip phone. “And every time I come up here to get it, I always see you getting picked on.”
Brooked hands clenched around her lunch pale, embarrassed. Her face burned as she looked away, staring at the ground.

“No more.” Miki said, slamming a hand onto Brooke’s quivering shoulder. It caused the raven to jolt in surprise, “No more. I’ll make sure those girls pay.”

There was a pause, Miki came closer- connecting their gaze, “I hate Hana.”

 

☆ ˖⁺ ☽˖⁺

 

 

Miki dragged Brooke all the way to the principal’s office a while later after their conversation in the classroom. It was just before the bell rang. Other kids were going back to class, Miki was on a mission.

“Girls, you can’t go back there.” Their front office lady scolds them, not too harsh as it’s the first warning (it gets ignored), “The bell just rang, go on back to class, okay? If you need something I can see you at the end of the day.” Miki gives the lady a scoff, making sure to grab Brooke and pull her along. Miki passes down the hall, ignoring the woman who is now following them, trying to grab them and pull them back. Miki finds the door she’s looking for and throws them inside.

“Mr. Hickox!” She whines, the man looks up from his desk where he is finishing his own lunch. His eyes bulge and he looks at the girls and then to the lady, his expression reads ’get them out of here! But Miki plants herself into the chair across from his desk and ushers Brooke to sit in the other, she feels uncomfortable being here especially with the desk lady mad at them now.

“Miki, your lunch just ended, if you have something you need to discuss with me again- you know you can come find me after class ends.” He sighs, the ‘again’ and the tone of voice he gives her tells Brooke that this isn’t the first interaction they have had. “Mr. Hickox!” Miki says again, louder while shaking her head, “This is an emergency, it can’t wait until the end of the day.”

He sighs again, dabbing his face with a napkin and wiping his hands, he sets it down and moves his food away. He doesn’t seem completely interested- not even at least concerned, just exhausted. He looks up and dismisses the woman that nagged them coming in and as she leaves asks the girls, “What is so important that you need to interrupt my lunch time?”

The young girl rips her phone out, opening it to get the pictures ready- “Miya! You know my policy on phones! Did you bring that in here just to get it taken away-“

“Mr. HICKOX! Look at all of this!” She puts her other hand up to stop him, ignores him, completely starts talking over him, Brooke fidgets in her seat, finding it a little amusing but also feeling out of place. Miki is flipping through the photos, pointing out and explaining each one. He had gone silent, listening, and taking in the information since Miki had so much of it. She was nearly in hysterics at certain points.

When she got to telling them about Brooke’s story, Miki exaggerated it a bit. It wasn’t fully stretched, but Brooke was uncomfortable with the lies. For example she said they were also stealing her work and ruining it and also that they were putting gum in her hair.

A lot of those things never happened. Well, maybe they did to other kids… Sometimes the girls did rough her up a bit. So with that, Brooke was confused, she didn't know why Miki would make up lies when it’s already as bad as it is... but she had faith, so she kept quiet. There had to be a reason; she herself did want the girls to get in trouble, she wanted it to be over. What gets her the most is how it could add up because it was true, Brooke wasn't turning in all of her assignments- but it didn't have anything to do with the girls that were stealing her lunch at school. She was just-

"Well, Brooke, is it true? Have they been bullying you? It's okay, you can tell me. The adults will make sure the situation doesn't escalate further." Their principal asked, cutting Miki off and trying to read Brooke’s expression directly to find out if Miki was lying. Also trying to get the rowdy redhead to just shut up already. Brooke just nodded solemnly, a more saddened look appearing on her face. She thinks of the look her mom gave her when she came home in tears, crying about how they stole her new favorite lunch pail. “Of course, they are!” Miki agrees, crossing her arms.

Hickox sighs once more, picking up his pen and asking for the names of the girls. Miki gives a few, but Brooke gives most of the other girl’s names.

"You know, I heard from other girls they were gonna jump her in the bathroom!" Miki wailed to the principal suddenly, "Beat her up! Can you believe this? I'm almost too scared to hang around Brooke in case I get bullied next! I don't want that! Those girls have been picking on everyone…" She slammed her hands on his desk, her eyes wide and frantic, fake frantic, but still frantic none the less... "Especially that Hana from the other grade- Hana Davidson- you know the one with the blonde hair? Don't you know she's dating a high schooler?! She threatened to sick him and his friends on us. Like a dog! I'm scared principal, I'm scared at this school. It isn't a safe environment..."

Miki continued, not letting the principal get a word in edge wise, but he was too taken back by the information load to do anything. He sits for a second, taking in all this newly added on information, information that goes from zero to one hundred.

"ENOUGH!” Hickox snaps, “I understand! Thank you for telling me and bringing this issue to my attention, class is almost over now, so for now- just return to your classrooms, I will deal with this problem." He huffed out, flustered with a hand over his face, sending Miki and Brooke out of his office with a final, “And no cell phones during school hours!”

It was quiet, neither of the girls had said anything on the way back to their classroom, Miki walked with a kick in her step and a grin on her face, her steps were clunky. She was feeling good, terrific even. Brooke clasped her hands in front of her and kept her head down, glancing at Miki from the corner of her eye ever so often,

"Do you always do that?" Brooke spluttered out quietly, almost a mumble. Miki slowed her pace a bit, giving the shorter girl a look, a look that innocently screamed 'I haven't the faintest clue what you mean.' She looked almost puzzled through her accomplished aura. Miki shrugs her shoulders slowly, a lopsided grin still on her face as she blinks slowly.

"You know," Brooke started, stopping walking all together, and looking up at Miki fully. "lie."

That’s what makes Miki laugh out loud, and then it was quiet again. Miki hadn’t replied right away, she just turned her gaze to the window of the hallway, no one was outside, no kids playing, no teachers, no yard duty. Everyone was in their classrooms, where the two of them should be. Instead, they were together, away from it all.

"I didn't lie." Miki finally states out. It took Brooke off guard, and she jolted from the volume of the girl’s voice. Which was loud, just for a statement. Miki gestured her hands in the air, trying to give as much emphasis as she could manage, "I was simply telling the truth of another world!”

Brooke gives her a dumb-found look. They were children after all. What does that even mean? Miki’s shoulders deflate a little at Brooke’s expression, she takes in a big gulp of air.

“Okay- I twisted the story a little. A LITTLE!” The girl expresses, “But I’m sure they would have started doing that stuff to you anyways.” Miki pauses, biting her lip, “They were picking on other people too, and bullying just escalates until someone steps in, we’re close to middle school." Miki pouted and pointed a finger at Brooke, who was confused at the mention of middle school,

"You went along with it.” She smirks at Brooke, whose eyes widen, “You’re just as much as a liar as I am.” Miki giggled a little. She reached over and grabbed Brooked hand to start dragging her along to the classroom, she swings them between-

"We have-ta stick together now, only we know the truth.” She laughs and gives Brooke another crazy smile and putting her finger over her mouth in the shh motion.

Brooke could tell it was a joke but ironically, they did end up staying together for a long, long time after that. Lucky for them, that truth never came out, Hana was transferred out and the other girls were just back up for her, probably scared of saying no to the girl, so they went back to their own lives, never batting an eye at Brooke. Though they got a warning, and a few of them got suspended. There was no more drama in elementary school, not for them at least.

Her mind always floated back to Miki, a kid who she’d never met- only shared class with. Someone so random would lie and steal and cheat just to make sure Brooke wasn't being picked on anymore... It made her feel special. They didn't even know each other, but it felt like they did in a sense. Brooke felt safe, she was protected, even if Miki was possibly a compulsive liar. Brooke figured it was okay since the other was lying for her sake. Lying for the greater good. Besides, if worse came to worse, she could keep Miki out of trouble. Brooke smiled as she twisted her hand in Miki's so they could hold hands, and catching up beside her instead of lagging behind so that they could walk to the classroom with their hands intertwined between them, swinging delicately.

“Oh,” Miki says as they reach their classroom, “But that part about her going out with a highschooler?” They both make a face at the sentence,

“Yeah…” She offers a laugh to Brooke, “That was true.”

 

☆ ˖⁺ ☽˖

 

 

Miki was absent for days after that, for a whole entire week. Brooke didn't know why. The days were long, and Brooke spent the entire time either looking for Miki, or just staring at her empty desk. She wondered if the other girl got suspended and was starting to feel guilty. Miki did eventually show up to school, though, giving her a toothy grin and a thumbs up that same morning. She had gone to stay with her grandparents and there was another tooth missing from her bottom set, leaving her with a bigger gap than before. Brooke had already lost all her baby teeth, apparently those were the last of Miki’s. She must have been a late bloomer.

They did in fact eat lunch together that day, and every day after that; spending recess playing in the grass, but nothing more. School friends who had each other's backs, hung out all day, got in trouble for talking during class. Eventually they shared home phone numbers and would call over the landline when they were at home- doing their homework together and other things. Eventually the teacher even had to move their desks apart. It didn’t work though, they still found ways to talk during class, much to the teacher’s displeasure.

Slowly but surely the two become inseparable, it would slowly build up, until each of them couldn’t bear to be without the other. It would slowly build up into something one could call love.