FLCL Fan Fiction ❯ Noata (Moon-Walker Through Space and Time) ❯ Something Special is About To Happen ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

"Naota, what is the capital of Iceland?" rang the teacher's dull-drum voice in the lazy after noon. "Naota?" I could scarely hear her, she felt like an echo, an annoying echo, buzzing like a bee on the outside of the sliding glass door. One that's bugging you when you're trying to sleep. I felt the drool under my lips and chin and suddenly bolted up-right from my desk. I don't know if this is normal but, sometimes, when I feel like I'm awake, but everything's blurred, I have...a dream sort of...like I'm half asleep. It was Haruko again...running toward me...then she hit me with her guitar...again. I heard the sniggers of kids behind me. This wasn't the first time I acted like a total idiot in front of the entire class. Like a total freak. Then again...when I grew cat ears and things were popping out of my head...that was less normal. No one seems to remember that though. Am I insane? Did that even happen at ALL?
"What?" I yawned sleepily, stretching in my chair. It was easier to pretend to be oblivious, if I acted like I knew just what had happened, which I did, people would REALLY think I was a freak then. It wasn't like I didn't hear the teacher or my classmates...they just sounded...far away...
"Naota, if this happens again, I will be forced to have a conference with one of your parents," the teacher said strictly, her hands at her hips and a threatening expression on her face. One of the things I hate about people, is how they always assume you're living with both parents. Hell, in this day an age most people's parents are divorced, why can't people ever have the slightest consideration at all? A heavy sigh escaped the teacher at my seemingly vacant expression, but it wasn't the dull stare of a tired boy, it was only that weird thoughtful expression dad tells me I always get when I'm complaining mentally about stuff. Wonder why I complain so much. He says I need to lighten up. Can't say I don't agree, but then I remember my little analogy about toilets and life...how can anyone be happy if their in a toilet?
Then after I hear the teacher sigh heavily in defeat, now she will only continue her class seeing that her threat had little affect on my behavior, I feel a small poke at the small in my back. I already know who it is. No one else sits behind me. No one else pokes at the small of my back. It's not that it's unusual to poke at the small of my back or something, it's just way more annoying than most people bother to be. And, of course, it's not as if she even cared. Ninomori is kind of selfish in that way, she's as annoying as she wants and she doesn't give a crap at all, I've never once seen her appologize about something. One time she totally wrecked my science project, even if it was an accident, when I screamed at her, she just stood there, looking at me in that silent way she does. Somehow that was more infuriorating than the project being wrecked in the first place, just that silent staring...
Then again, why do I even CARE? This is SCHOOL, I never cared before. Plus, I really procrastinated on that assignment and spent all the night before finishing it...it's almost as if there is nothing to care about anymore so I decided to fill that empty void with something entirely meaningless like school... Have things gotten even more routine and dull than BEFORE Haruko came? Or is it that after she left I suddenly realized how truly monotoneous everything really is... Then I feel that really annoying poke in the small of my back again.
"Naota," she whispers delicately, poking me several more times. I feel her stupid purple hair brushing against my neck, so lightly it tickles badly. It is so irritating, as if she's using it to torture me into answering her.
"What?" I breathe, anger and defeat in my voice, I HATE being tickled.
"What happened to you mom...I never see her...are your parents...like mine?"
I frown and slump further in my seat. I don't respond. The strange thing is...I DON'T know what happened to my mom. I don't have any clue at all as to where she could be. Surprisingly, I don't really think about it that much, I figure, she probably didn't want me, so is it worth the pain to think about. After I start to think how she's still behind me, I feel Ninamori's grey eyes on my back, speculating my silence. I don't like it at all, and I feel really weird.
"Did...she leave you?" I stiffen. It must really seem to her that what she said is right. And that I care. I don't. I DON'T care. In fact, I don't care about anything. I don't care about Haruko, I don't care about Mamimi, or about anything that may have happened, why do you think I decided to use school to fill that empty hole where the things I used to care about filled up? You know why I did that? Put school in as a replacement? Well, obviously it's because I don't have anything important to care about, so instead I chose dumb school, and I wore this dumb uniform. Dad said that the uniform brought out the blue in my eyes, and that he never noticed how blue they were until I wore it. I said, "Why the hell are you acting like my mom, telling my my eyes match my clothes, that's such a mom thing."
Of course...I don't really know what a "mom thing" is, I've never really lived with a mom, as long as I can remember. You know what he said to that though? He said the most ridiculous thing. He said that he was trying to be a mom for me, because he felt bad that I never had one, and that he felt he wasn't doing a good job if he wasn't like one. Since when did Dad care at all about what I felt? Or being a good father? That was a shocker. But the dumbest and most messed up part of all, is that it makes sense that he didn't care before because I don't care either. And really, I couldn't care less if I don't have a mom or not. Some kids survive fine without any parents at all. And you know what? The second it seemed like he cared was the second I actually cared a little, and for some really stupid reason I cried all that night. I don't even know why. I wasn't even sad. Why should I miss my mom or even want a mom if I don't even know what having one is like?
"I'm sorry...Naota..." I hear her whisper. I should have asked her why, I mean, I don't give a crap...I really don't. I don't care. I really, really, don't.

To pass the time...there isn't anything else to do but homework. Sometimes I really dislike being around my so called friends...they hardly even talk to me anymore anyway. All they used to socialize with me about was Mamimi and Haruko--all they did was tease me--now they hardly act like I exist.

The more I'm around them the more I think all those phenominal things that could have happened never happened at all.

Right now we all stand in the sunshine, right in front of the familair soda machine... Like I said before, I really do hate the sun, it's a star you know, among billions, trillions maybe, and out of all those stars is one Haruko's looking up at from some other planet. Out of all those stars, that's where that pink haired, sun eyed, alien babe is, the one that stomped my heart and shattered it. I'm fine now though, because--even if I think about her sometimes--she doesn''t MEAN anything to me anymore...

Oh, how I hate myself, why do I even have to think about her, anyway?

You know what I hate most though? Is the way Ninomori is looking at me right now, dead quiet, and staring with this pittying all-knowing expression. She doesn't say a word, she just stares. She just looks at me silently with her borrowing grey eyes as if now she can't look at me the same, now that she "knows" what happened to my mom. Now that she "knows" my "pain". Well, I don't feel any pain about it--and I don't even KNOW what happened to my mom so she can just stop it now. I should just tell her that, but for some reason I just don't want to talk about it. No, it's not that it's painful or something stupid like that...I don't really know why I don't want to talk, I just don't.
"What do you think Ninomori?" one of the boys asks in the middle of his conversation, laughing, "Ninomori?" he repeats, looking at her dumbly. She doesn't even turn to look at him, she only continues staring silently at me. Suddently, she takes in a deep breath, finally blinks, and opens her mouth half way. "Are you ignoring me?"
"Naota?" she asks me, as if she didn't hear the boy whatsoever. The only thing I can do is eye her in a perplexed way, I mean, why is she acting so weird?
"What this time?" I grumble, shutting my eyes and stuffing my hands in my pockets. I still can feel the warmth of the sun on my eye lids, I can't escape the sun. No matter what.
"Can I come to your house?" she asks. All the guys freeze and stare wide eyed. It's clear what they're thinking. "Tonight?" Their mouths that are already gaping open in a quite neanderthalish manner, fall open even more, defying what I'm sure is a law of physics. I only open one eye and survey her, a drop of sunshine peaking over her violet hair and pouring lavender colors on my eye. I'm not sure really how to reply, or if I need to reply at all. Knowing Ninomori, who commonly does things whether people want her to or not. Suddenly, she bristles in fear, her eyes widening and her hands clentch into sweaty fists, she squeaks hoarsly as her eyes slowly, and fearfully travel over to the left. Me and the remaining boy's all look over bewilderedly only to see a package man carrying a box. We look back at Ninomori. Suddenly, she in my arms cluching my neck and screaming. Shut up. God, that's all I ask.
"What the--what are you--"
"GET IT AWAY!! GET IT AWAY!!! EEEEP!!"
Alright, the entire time I've ever known Ninomori, I have NEVER seen her act incomposed ever. Never have I heard her have much enthusiasm in her voice either...let alone act like a raving lunatic. This is just really, really weird. Probably the most interesting thing that's happened in decades. I can't put her down now. The maybe she'd run screaming into the traffic... The package man looks blankly from where he's standing at the panicky girl in my arms and walks over. Her screeching becomes louder as he draws nearer.
"Is something the matter Miss?"
"NO!!! STOP!! JUST--PUT IT OVER THERE!!" she cries desperately, her eyes closed shut, desperately pointing at the cardboard box in his hands.
I just don't get it.
Is she just really--and weirdly--excited to get a package?
I didn't even know she lived here...why would he drop it off if she didn't?
She seems more terrified than anything to me.
"What--I don't understand--what--" the man sputters at a loss.
"I hate boxes! Cardboard ones!! They're horrible!" The man blinks at her as if he's from a foriegn country and can't understand a word of Japanese. He only stands there, dumbfounded, still as a statue, and finally, Ninomori jumps out of my arms and begins running. Just like I thought. Into the street. I frantically grab the sleeve of her uniform, pulling her to a stop. God, she's ridiculous.
"YOU CAN COME TO MY HOUSE, ALRIGHT?" I scream, quite beside myself. "Dammit, I never thoughtn you'd go THIS FAR just to come!" She slowly opens her eyes, shivering from head to toe as she faces me and I see her look over my shoulder at. The box. She cowers, shutting her eyes and clings to me, still shaking, and muttering under her breath. I roll my eyes and can hear the boys talking about things I don't want to hear at the moment, behind my back.
"Th-thanks, but..." she begins, still quivering badly, "I really do hate boxes...the cardboard ones...they scare me." I look at her, very dead pan, I'm sure, I just can't believe this.
"You...have a phobia of cardboard boxes." No way. This is too weird for a place where nothing special happens. Waaaay to weird for Ninomori.
"Well," she begins, "I didn't USED to...b-but....after the smoke from the factory came...suddenly...I became so afraid..of them...I don't know why...."
For some reason, I have this instict to turn to the factory, and I stare, the smoke billowing out more and more. Again, I find myself wondering...is there an outside world...have we been closed off again? And then I wonder, far more ferverantly...

Could...strange things begin happening again?

Suddenly, a small smile comes to Ninomori's face and she looks up at me.
"You looked cuter with cat ears."

She remembers. I remember. At least I think dad remembers. Those things that happened. If someone like Ninomori remembers...could it be that they...

Actually happened?

And the smoke is coming yet again from that weird factory...

My stomach lurches and I feel something I haven't felt in ages, that I only felt in those times that are so far off and dim--that they seem like a mere day dream...I feel excitement. Could things start coming out of my head again? Could SHE come back? I stare as the wind blows through my hair and I don't have the slightest clue about anything except one thing.

Something special is about to happen.