“Come again...?"

  "..."

  "You mean the troublemaker delinquent? What the hell were you doing with her? Studying my ass, that girl's grades are terrible.”

  “Well isn’t that the point of studying?” I had to grab hold of the situation without letting on more than necessary.

  “Well I suppose so but surely there was someone else who could do it, she’s really bad news y’know? Wait! I didn’t want to mention it around other people in case it was sensitive but is that where you've been getting these injuries from!?”

  This was bad, I did not anticipate this reaction nor her acute observation.

  “No. No, calm down, she hasn’t hurt me. I promise. She really isn’t as bad as everyone makes out, sure she can be a bit of a nutcase and getting her to study is difficult but she is not that bad.”

  Yet another time I found myself lying to Haruka, I truly hated it but I found potentially losing my status taking priority.

  “Well if you say so, I’ll believe you Sei-chan, but if she is ever too much you have to let me know, ‘kay?”

  “Of course”

  We sat in awkward silence for a few minutes while I calmed down. The conversation took a turn I wasn't expecting. I should be more careful from now on.

  “Well I suppose this helps broach another topic I wanted to talk about, what is with those injuries anyway?” Haruka inquired

  “It is not that serious, I just fell and scratched my face and I already told you about the other one.”

  A lie again. “I hate this, just stop asking questions will you? Stop interrogating me.” I pleaded internally as my heart rate began to increase.

  The constant questioning of me was starting to get irritating and I hated lying to my best friend so it would be for the best if she stopped talking.

  Sensing my irritation, Haruka backed off and flashed me a smile. “I see, I'm sorry Sei-chan. I’m just worried about you, that’s all”

  “It’s fine”

  Once again an awkward silence found its way into the room as we each began reading the stories we had bought from the store a little while ago. Not long after, we got the shout that food was ready and we each headed into the dining room. Joining us was Haruka’s parents and her brother.

  After a short dinner with back and forth chatter the night was closing in. Haruka asked if I wanted to stay the night and I told her “I would like that.”

  This was not that uncommon as we lived fairly close and our parents knew each other after our years of time together.

  It was decided that I would be spending the night here and heading to school with Haruka in the morning. I needed to inform my parents first and I stepped away to give them a message.

  My parents were not the only ones I needed to text either. After getting confirmation from my Mother that it would be okay to stop over I needed to inform someone else of something.

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  “I told Haruka we are studying together because she found out I visited your house, just go along with it please.”

  “Why should I do that for you?”

  “Just do it, you nightmare child”

  Saito-san was always quick to reply. “She must be bored an awful lot to be on her phone all the time” I thought to myself. Before even waiting to see if she replied I put my phone away.

  The good thing about Haruka’s house was that it had a fairly large bath unlike my own which only had a shower. Over the years I found myself coming here just to grab a bath as it was relaxing.

  “Sei-chan it’s ready, do you want to head in first?” Haruka asked, placing down a set of fresh pajamas for me.

  “Sure, if you don't mind.”

  I lay in the steamy bath floating around for about 10 minutes. In this comforting time I had the freedom to gather my thoughts and think without restraint for a short while.

  My thoughts wandered from Saito-san and her strange behaviour. How she was violent but also gentle. How her house was empty and it looked as if no one lived there.

  “Just what is with that girl?”

  I started thinking how we almost kissed earlier and my face started burning, it did not help that the bath was steaming hot at this point and I began to sink under the water. Just as I was losing myself to my own embarrassment I heard a knock on the door and blood flow returned to my brain.

  “Coming in!”

  It was Haruka. It was not strange for us to take baths together, even if we were a little old to do it at this point but the bath was large and could comfortably hold two people with enough space to not make it awkward.

  She slid the door open wrapped in a towel and joined me for the bath. I did not plan on staying much longer so after a couple more minutes of soaking I washed my hair thoroughly and stood up.

  “Wahh, leaving so soon?”

  The heat combined with my thoughts was going to make me lose consciousness at this rate so I had to get out of here.

  “Sorry Haruka, it’s just a bit too hot”

  As I was standing up I noticed Haruka’s eyes widened and her jaw literally dropped agape, she was staring right at me. It wasn’t like she had not seen my body before so I was wondering why she was having this reaction.

  I traced her gaze and found it laying at my belly. Just as I looked down at where she was staring I realised I had made a terrible mistake.

  The hickey. The hickey that Saito-san had left the day before was still there and though the boiling water helped mask it it was still there clear as day.

  “Fuck…” I cursed at myself.

  “OH MY GOD SEI-CHAN, THAT’S A HICKEY!”

  “Hey, quiet it down! It is not a hickey, it’s just a bruise”

  “No, that is definitely a hickey Sei-chan, what the hell? Who… WHO?!”

  Haruka was practically shouting and her voice was ringing in my head.

  How I was going to get out of this one I had no idea but it was clear I was going to have to lie to her again. How could I be so stupid?

  “It is not a hickey.”

  I did not have enough time to think, I was going to have to trust my improvisation skills to get out of this but I was slowly heating up mentally as well as physically. If this keeps up I might be in danger of snapping at Haruka or even fainting.

  “No, it totally is, I know a hickey when I see one.”

  “It’s not, Haruka please… stop…” I begged and pleaded for her to leave it. I was in no frame of mind to tackle this obstacle right now but it seemed that even if my words were forming they were too shallow to be heard, even Haruka’s voice was beginning to fade away.

  I was blacking out, I needed to get out of this room. I made a snappy break for the door but my body was too weak to call it quick, picking up a towel and the pajamas Haruka had set out for me and in slow jittery movements I left Haruka on her own and slammed the door behind me.

  I could hear Haruka’s distant pleading for me to wait but I ignored them and stormed into her room to get changed. I did not want to see her right now, I needed to calm down.