Chapter 6: Troubling Past: The Past Meeting
"So..." Shirohana started. "What are your names?"
"Huh?" One girl replied. "Oh, my name is Hanna. This is Rise and Mary."
Hanna had short purple hair with a ribbon on her head. Rise, standing left of Hanna has long black hair, with a flower hair pin. Mary, standing right of Hanna, had a brown ponytail, tied with a cute panda hairband.
"It's nice to be you all. Hanna. Rise. Mary." Shirohana said, smiling.
"Likewise," the three girls replied. "Come on. The fun is about to begin."
The four walked up to the stairs. As Shirohana peered at the window, she saw that the sky was becoming dark.
*Oh no. Josh is afraid of the dark. I better head back.* She thought to herself. Josh, despite his caring nature toward Shirohana, was probably very lonely right now.
"Um... How about you show me this cool thing tomorrow? During break time," Shirohana said.
"What? You think we aren't worth your time?" Hanna said. ?"You think you're so great, having all of them idiots swoon over you. You think you're better than us?"
"W-What? No. I didn't mean..." Shirohana started to reply. Before she could finish her sentence, Rize and Mary grabbed her by the arms.
"What are you doing?" Shirohana shouted. "Let me go!" She tried to get out of their clutches, but it was to no avail. The three girls dragged Shirohana to a room on the 3rd floor.
Hanna opened the door and the two girls threw Shirohana in.
"Wha-" Shirohana said in confusion. Before she realized what was happening, the three girls slammed the door and stuck something at the door to prevent it from opening. Shirohana tried to open the door but it was locked pretty tight.
"Let me out of here!" Shirohana shouted. "Why are you doing this? I thought you wanted to be friends!"
"Ha! Friends with you? Dream on. You're nothing to us, " Hanna said mockingly. "You think you're so special because the teachers love you and the other kids admire you. This is a lesson from us. Be thankful."
The three girls laughed and left.
"Let me out!" Shirohana shouted. "Please..."
Shirohana burst into tears. For the first time in a while, she shed tears. The room wasn't a classroom. There wasn't a light switch nor a window. Shirohana curled up in a corner and cried.
About an hour later, she heard a knock.
"Is anyone in here?" the person on the other side asked. It was a boy's voice.
"Yes! I'm here. Please...Help me!" Shirohana shouted, rushing to the door.
"Hold on, I'll go get a teacher!" the boy said.
Shirohana heard the boy run down the hall. She clasped her hands together.
*Please. Please find a teacher!* She thought desperately.
About 5 minutes later, Shirohana heard footsteps again. She rushed to the door and the same voice spoke to her.
"I brought the Janitor. Thankfully he was still working."
"Are you okay, child? Don't worry, I'll get you out," the Janitor said, half gasping for air.
"Thank you!" Shirohana said, relieved. The Janitor unlocked the door and Shirohana's eyes were met with the calming lights of the hallway. The sky outside has become pitch dark.
"You okay?" the boy asked with a concerned look.
"Yeah! I'm fine, thanks to you," Shirohana said cheerfully. The boy blushed a bright red.
"Well, I have to go back to work. Boy, take the young lady home, okay?" The Janitor said as he walked off.
"So...uh...what were you doing there in the first place?" the boy asked her as they went down the stairs.
Shirohana thought of the three mean girls, how it was their fault that she was locked in the room. But, she didn't want to involve someone she just met with any more of her problems.
"It's nothing," Shirohana replied. "I just wanted some peace and quiet and someone locked the door from the outside, that's all."
"Oh...okay," the boy replied.
Then, a worrying image flashed through Shirohana's mind.
*Oh no! Josh! He must still be waiting!*
"I have to go. Thanks!" Shirohana said to the boy, waving.
The boy waved back with a smile on his face.
Shirohana ran down the stairs, almost tripping. When she reached where Josh was waiting originally, he was not there.
*Oh no! Where is he?* She thought, panicking.
Shirohana ran outside and was met with a cold chill. She ran around the school, looking for Josh. When she reached the back of the gym, a horrible sight met her eyes. She froze in horror.
On the floor laid Josh, all beaten up. Blood was splatted on the wall.
"Josh!" Shirohana screamed in terror. She ran to Josh.
*Oh! Thank goodness. He's breathing.* Shirohana thought, relieved.
"S-Shiro..." Josh said, weakly.
"Don't talk! You need to rest. I'll go get the first aid kit!" Shirohana said, laying Josh in a comfortable position. She ran back into the school and bumped into the boy.
"Ouch..." Shirohana said.
"S-Sorry! Are you alright?" the boy asked. It was the same boy who rescued her from the dark room.
"Yeah... Sorry for bumping into you. I'm in a hurry. J...Josh is..." Shirohana replied. Suddenly tears dripped down her eyes. She quickly tried to wipe them away. The boy handed her some tissues.
"T-Thank you..." Shirohana said, still weeping.
"Why are you crying? What's wrong?" the boy asked, concerned.
She didn't want to tell him and make him get involved, but the words just slipped right out.
"Please...help me...My friend...he's hurt...he...he" Shirohana started before bursting into tears.
"Don't cry, I'll help. Take me to him," the boy said.
Shirohana gathered herself and led the boy to Josh. When they arrived, Josh was sleeping soundly. Shirohana and the boy examined Josh, listing the injuries he had.
After a few moments, the boy stood up.
"I will get some medical supplies from the nurse's office." the boy said, sprinting toward the entrance.
After a few moments, the boy did not come.
"Guess he left me...Just like those girls..." Shirohana said, getting up.
As she got up, she heard someone approaching. It was a boy. He was carrying a lot of medical items and was sweating.
"I...huff..I...I'm sorry. I went home to grab more stuff, just in case." the boy said, clearly tired from the long run.
Shirohana fell in relief.
*He didn't abandon me... I'm glad* She thought happily.
They treated Josh's wounds. Luckily there weren't any severe injuries. After that, the boy carried Josh and walked to Josh's house with Shirohana.
"Thank you," Shirohana said. "I don't know how to repay you, but if you need anything just ask."
"It's no problem," the boy said. "I'll be heading off now."
"Wait!" Shirohana said. "My name is Shirohana. What is your name?"
"Just call me Karma," the boy said as he ran into the darkness.
*Karma, huh?* Shirohana thought as she carried Josh to the door.
The night covered the city.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone