Welcome to The World of My Artist Mind.🥰

Chapter Three: The Friendly Dream

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A week has passed and these two rays of sunshine are still at my heels. No matter how much I try to get rid of them or avoid them, they always seem to appear out of nowhere and try to talk about what I like and what my hobbies are. Can I just be at peace, for one day, please?

Well, no matter about that, thank god, I was home where they couldn't get to me. But there was one thing I couldn’t escape and that was homework. 

I was in the kitchen, sitting at the dining table, doing my homework but I couldn’t focus at all, the words and numbers just made no sense at all. It feels like I’m looking at an ancient language that I wish could code itself so it would be much easier to solve.

My older sister walks in, looking at her phone while walking to the fridge to grab something to drink. She smiled and chuckled, she looked over to me and saw I’m doing my homework. Marcy: “Still doing homework? I finished mine YEARS~ ago.” she said, jokingly as she grabbed a bottle that had juice in it, she closed the fridge door using her elbow, she opened the bottle and drank her juice.

Okami: “Yeah, yeah. Well I ain’t as fast as you.” Marcy: “Oh don’t be so down about it, you got this. Want help?”

Okami: “...Maybe.”

Marcy walks over and looks at the paper, and she places her bottle on the table.

Marcy: “Oh this is easy, you jus-”

Grandma and Grandpa walk in, they have their stuff on. We both look up at them.

Marcy: “You guys are leaving?”

Grandma: “Yes, I can’t keep holding off my work and your grandpa is needed back too. Your father will come up and check on you guys. Keep the house clean and maintained.”

Our two brothers, Cyrus and Jake, walked in. Jake is my other brother, older than Cyrus but younger than me, he has very light skin to the point people think he’s white when he’s not, he has dark brown, wavy hair. He also has red in his hair when you look at it from a different angle where the light is hitting it, and got it from his father's side.

They came to give Grandma and Grandpa a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Marcy and I gave them a hug and a kiss on the cheek too. We watched them leave, the apartment felt more quiet now. I watch Cyrus and Jake go back to what they were doing and Marcy walks to our shared room, she plops on the bed. I walk to the doorway and stare at her.

Okami: “Um…You going to help me with my homework?” Marcy: “Yea, in a bit. I just need to do something. Oh and can you make dinner?”

Okami: “But I did it last time, it’s your turn.”

Marcy sits up and looks annoyed that I said that.

Okami: “You know what, I got it. It’s fine.”

Marcy: “Thank you~.” She said happily.

Okami: “Yeah, Yeah.”

I walk to the kitchen as I look at my homework, just looking at it makes me annoyed that it’s even there. Finish it. But I don’t even want to. You will fail math if you don’t.

Okami: “...I’ll do it later.”

I was about to put my homework away when I remembered my mother and what she says to me when I do things like these.

Mami: “Did you finish your homework?”

Okami: “...No.”

Mami: “Why?”

Okami: “I-I don’t get it.”

Mami: “Just because you don’t get it doesn’t mean you don’t do it. You want to be a lazy dumbass for the rest of your life?”

Okami: “...No.”

Mami: “Then finish what you started and if you need help, ask Marcy or me for help. Okay? I ain’t raising a dumbass.”

Okami: “Yes, Mami.”

I look at my paper as I look at the hallway where she used to stand when she was watching me or lecture me from. I sit back down as I stare at the paper.

Okami: “...I hate this.”

I said as I wrote things down on my paper, trying to finish my homework before making dinner. After all of that, I went to bed.

I was just so tired from doing my homework, making dinner, and cleaning up after everyone, I just wanted to lay down already and that’s what I did. I hear my sister walking in. I look over to her.

Okami: “You put the food away?”  I said tiredly.

Marcy: “Yeah, I did. Going to bed?”

I closed my eyes and just hummed in response.

Marcy: “Did you take your meds before you came in here?

I stayed silent for a while since I realized I didn’t, but I didn’t want to get up and go take them. “Don’t bother.” But I really need to take them. 

“Just do it later.” …I could just take two in the morning to repay it for not taking it tonight.

Marcy: “Okami? Did you take them or not?”

Okami: “Hmmmmm~, Mmhm.”

Marcy: “Yes? Okami?” 

Marcy leans over to Okami as she hears Okami snoring, Marcy rolls her eyes and goes to her bed.

Marcy: “Whatever, not my problem anyways. Night’ dude.”

Marcy turns off the light and leaves the room to go watch T.V. in the living room.

. . . . .

I was walking down the street as I stopped and looked around.

Okami: “What was I doing, again?”

I watch people and cars go by, I look at my hand and move it around.

Okami: “Hm, what was it…right, the store. I was going to go grab food for Mami.”

I lower my hand as I look in front of me and see the ‘Stop & Shop’ store in front of me.

Okami: “Oh duh, been standing here like an idiot, let’s get what Mami asks for.”

“Go Back.”

I stop in my tracks as I turn around and see no one around, I was confused on who said that, I just shrugged it off. I walked into the store and grabbed the stuff I needed.

I walked back out and already home, I walked into the apartment going to the kitchen to drop the food when I saw no one.

Okami: “...Mami? Where are you? Marcy, Jazzy~, Cyrus! Jake? Where did they go?”

“Remember.”

I walked back out of the apartment and looked around the hallway, I looked down the hallway and saw a door open, party lights flashing inside and music playing very loudly.

Okami: “Remember~...Right! I totally forgot it, the neighbor is having a party today. Always playing music in their apartment.”

I walked over to the open door and looked inside, seeing people partying inside. I walked inside as the door closed behind me. 

“Keep pushing.” 

I just continued to walk on into the crowd.

Okami: “Mami! Mami? Where is she?”

I tapped on a tall woman's shoulder, getting her attention. It was hard to see her face or her body at all, through all the flashing party lights. I squinted my eyes a bit to see her face, I could kinda see her face but barely. Purple-greenish eyes…weird. 

“Stop Forgetting.”

Okami: “Um uh…Excuse me, Uuuh, have you seen my mom? Anywhere?”

She tilted her head in confusion.

Okami: “My mom! Celeste Arevalo! Have you seen her?”

She points behind me as I see my mom talking to someone, a man that I don’t know.  I saw him wearing a suit of some sort, but I couldn’t see his face.

“Face the truth.” 

I turned around to thank the woman but she was gone when I did. I turned back around to catch up to my Mom. As I continue to walk closer to her, I hear her voice, it sounds like she’s mad at the mystery man.

???: “We didn’t know there was such a thing going on with the building or that your daughter was involve.”

Mami: “Bullshit! I call bullshit! You knew! You knew and left me out of it, asshole!”

???: “I’m just as much in the dark as you, we-I didn’t know they were doing such-”

Mami: “You didn’t know?! You’re her therapist!! How did you not FUCKING KNEW, they were TESTING on her!”???: “Th-They said it was just teeth cleaning or a check-up. I-I didn’t…”

I continued to walk towards my mom and the mystery man, I called out to her.

Okami: “Mom! Mami!”

“Remember the Lost.”

I watch my mom and the mystery man walk away, going deeper in the crowd.

Okami: “W-Wait! Mami! Wait for me! Don’t leave me behind, Mami!”

I pushed past the crowd as I made my way to where they disappeared, I looked around to where they went. 

“Stop Blocking it.”

I kept looking around, trying to find them, trying to find my mom and where she went. The more I looked around the more I started panicking and trembling, not being able to see where my mom went.Okami: “MAMI~!! MAMI, WHERE ARE YOU?! MAMI~~!!!”

I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned around and it was the same woman as before, still could barely see her face, she stared at me as I stared back at her. She pats my head and places a hand on my cheek, calming me down.

I lean into her touch, calming down from the nervous breakdown that I was having moments ago. I look back up at her.

Okami: “Where’s my mom?”

She looked at me for a long while, probably thinking about it, she then grabbed my hand into hers, tugging me along to follow her and I did. We walked through the crowd, we made our way out of the crowd into the kitchen, I saw a door at the end of the kitchen, it was open and very dark.

I could barely see what was in the room, only saw the light that was coming from the kitchen going into the dark room, which wasn’t much helpful. I look at the woman

Okami: “She went through here?”

The woman nods and points at the dark room, she nudges me closer to the dark room.

Okami: “Whoa! Are you sure? She’s not in the crowd or somewhere else? Maybe back home?”

The woman looks at me with a serious look, she nudges me closer to the door, I put my hands up.

Okami: “Okay! Okay! I got it.”

I looked back at the dark room, I felt a dark eerie presence in the room that made my hair stand behind my neck. I shake my head, I back away from the door.

Okami: “Nope, I can’t! I can’t do it. Miss, I-”

I turn around and see the woman gone, again. I look around the kitchen.

Okami: “Miss? Miss~, Miss? Woman!! Where-Where she? Go?”

I looked at the dark room and walked away from it and went back to the crowd that’s partying. “Face the Truth.”

I stop in front of the crowd, seeing all the people partying, drinking, some doing drugs, some kissing, and even seeing other people yelling, and shoving people around. They all seem in a mindless party high, even when there are people yelling or fighting in the crowd, they all seem not to be bothered by it, fazed, or even notice it.  “Remember the Lost”

I turned around as I looked back at the dark room that was there at the end of the kitchen. I look back at the party, looking so carefree, enjoying themselves, blinded by the things around them. “Break the Hold.”

I slowly walked back to the dark room and looked deep into it. I start fidgeting with my fingers, to calm myself.

Okami: “Mom? You there?”

Quiet. Until I heard a small distant voice, it sounded like talking. Her talking.

Okami: “Mami?!”

I immediately walk in as the door closes behind me, I go back to where the door was and it was gone, no door handle or the outline of the door, nothing but just a dark rough wall. I hear more voices. “Keep Pushing”

Mami: “What do we do now?”

Okami: “Mami?”

I follow the voice in the dark room, I pat down my clothes, feeling for my phone, I find my phone in my backpocket as I pull it out. I turn on the flashlight to help me through the dark room, I continue to follow the voice.

???: "Suppress it, destroy everything that involves her.”

Mami: “Suppress it? With what?”

???: “I have someone working on it, right now we need to destroy and get rid of anything that involves th-this…poisonious of a case, with this monster, everything.”

I hear the voices grow louder and when it did, I saw a light shine over my mom and a man, the same man that I don’t remember seeing in my life. But why does he feel familiar, and why can’t I see his face? “Face the Truth”

I tried to walk closer to them but something was stopping me as I just watched. I tried to speak out to get them to notice me but somehow my voice wasn’t working at all.

Mami: “Will this work?”

???: “You love your daughter, Miss Arevalo?”

Mami: “Crazy question is that? I love her so much that I will fight anyone who tries to take her.”

???: “Then this will work, we will destroy everything, burn it in flames if we have to. No one will get to her.”

Mami: “How do we make sure, no one will find her even with the files and research in flames?”

???: “...By suppressing what’s in her.”

Suppressing? What did they mean by that? “Remember the Lost”

They both look at me as I just stay silent, the man walks over to me and pat my head. So softly, but with such rough hands…I remember that touch, I remember because I looked up at him and touched his hand, feeling how rough they felt and seeing…a small tattoo on the back of his hand. What was it again?

I look down as I see a light pink panda toy on the ground. I remember this toy, but I was so small, it felt so big in my hand. I was in an office. “Remember”

Sitting on plastic? No. Wooden chairs, those wooden chairs that were small enough for kids to sit in, carpeting flooring in the room, the carpet was soft to touch. I remember touching it, loving the feeling under my small hands. puzzle games on the kid table.  “Open your Eyes, to see the Truth under the Lies.”

I looked at the small kid table in front of me, seeing the block games in front of me. I remember this block puzzle game, making shapes with them. 

I picked up a piece. He slowly took the piece I had in my hand into his, He smiled kindly at me. He always had a nice smile.

???: “You want to play, huh. Sorry, kid. Not today.”

He patted my head again, I remember now. They both were sad, that day, so sad. I-I didn’t know what was going on, I just…wanted them to not be so sad, why were they? What was going on, that made Mami so sad, so scared and so mad at the same time. What was the man's name again? I could’ve sworn I remember, it was so easy to remember.

Why can’t I remember his name? “Lies buries the Truth”

Why can’t I remember this? “Dig for the Lost”

Why can’t I remember my mom being this upset? “Break the Hold, to see the Truth.”

“Follow the Truth to see the Truth.”

I was overwhelmed with everything, just then I felt someone tap my shoulder. I look over to see one of my old “friends” in middle school.

Okami: “Patricia?”

Patricia: “Okami, what are you doing here?”

Okami: “I…well I just.”I looked around the dark room and just chuckled nervously as I look at her, I rub the back of my neck.

Okami: “I well seem to uh have uh…lost my way.”

Patricia: “Oh, well come on. I’ll help you back to the party. It’s this way.”

Patricia pointed in the direction of the party as she extended her hand out for me to grab, I was just about to grab it when I heard my mom’s voice in the distance. I look over and see her calling out to me from a different door.

Mami: “OKAMI!! OKAMI!! WHERE ARE YOU?!”Okami: “Mom.”

Patricia: “Okami? Come on, we are going to miss the party.”

I look back at her with a hesitant look. “Follow the Truth to see the Truth.”

Patricia: “Okami, come on. Let’s go.”

I slowly draw my hand back and shake my head as I back away from her.

Okami: “No, I’m sorry. I can’t. My mom…she’s looking for me, I-I have to go see her.”

Patricia looked upset and angry, her hand clenched into a fist.

Patricia: “You should’ve just stayed at the party, Okami~. You should’ve just LISTEN like the rest of the people.”

Her voice echoed around the dark room as the room shaked, I tried to stay balance but I fell back, I quickly looked up and see Patricia not as Patricia anymore, but wolf-like monster, drooling black goo onto the ground, some of the black goo fall onto the pink panda plush as I saw it consume the plush toy and changed it.

I watched in horror as I saw the plush grew bigger and bigger, pointy bone-like spike popping out of its back, claws coming out of its paws, its jaw popping in and out, razor sharp teeth growing in, its eye glowing a deep blood red.

Okami: “This isn’t real, it’s just a dream, just a dream, it’s just a dream.”

I said to myself as I trembled back, still on the ground. The plush horror panda looks at me and roars, the wolf-like creature looks at me and still talks to me in Patricia’s voice, grinning very widely to the point you can see all its sharp bare teeth in front of you.

Patricia: “You will fall in line, like the rest. You always do, Okami~. You run, you stop, and you give in. Just give in~.”

They walk over to me as I tremble in fear, I close my eyes and cover my ears, everything. Everything is just too overwhelming for me, it’s too much. I just want it all to stop, for it to be quiet, to forget all of this. Please, just leave me alone, I don’t like this, I don’t want this.

Mami: “OKAMI!! GET YOUR ASS UP, NOW!!”I open my eyes and look over my shoulder, I see my mom still standing at the door, staring at me with those eyes, the same familiar stern mother look eyes.

Mami: “GET UP NOW AND RUN LIKE HELL!! THAT FUCKING MONSTER IS NOTHING COMPARE TO ME!! I NEED YOU ALIVE!!”

I look at her as I look back at the wolf-like creature staring down at me. “Follow the Truth to see the Truth.”

Mami: “You are not weak! You don’t give up! Because you are MY DAUGHTER, I DIDN’T RAISE NO QUITTER NOW GET UP AND GET YOUR ASS MOVING, NOW!!”

Okami: “...Follow the Truth…to-to see the Truth.”

I look behind me again and look at my mom.

Okami: “The…Truth.”

Patricia: “Bwahahahahaha~!! That’s sweet, but face it. You are NOTHING but a pathetic and weak girl who just gives in so easily to what people says around you~.”

Patricia leans down towards me, continuing to grin at me. I lower my head, looking away from her, I slowly clench my hand into a fist as she continues to talk.

Patricia: “Just give up, Okami and come back to the party, like you always do~.”

She extended her crooked slim claw-like hand towards me, I stayed silent for a long while.

Okami: “. . .No.”

Patricia: “What did you just say to me?” She said angrily, my clench my fist harder, I tense up in anger.

Okami: “I said. NO!”

I swing my fist up, punching her in the face, making her fall back onto the ground. I get up and storm over to her, I turn her over, her back hitting the floor. I punched her again and again.

Okami: “I am. NOT. Going. BACK. To. THAT. Stupid. Party!! I HATE SOCIAL GATHERING!!”

Patricia changed back into the form she was as my old best friend, she put her hand up in surrender.

Patricia: “Wait! Wait! Please, don’t hurt me! …You. Wouldn’t hurt a friend, right?”

I stare down at her for a long while, my face hardens. I grab her throat, hard. I lean down slightly to make her stare right into my eyes.

Okami: “You were never my friend from the beginning, friends don’t betray for spoiled ones.”

I punch her again, knocking her out, I breathe heavily as I wipe the black blood on my face, I look at my hand seeing the block blood on my knuckles. I look behind me to see the horror panda creature cowarded and run off. “Follow the Truth to see the Truth.”

I look at the door where my mom is standing, still. I got up and walked over to it and when I did, my mom hugged me.

Mami: “I knew you could do it, I’m so proud of you.”

Tears well up in my eyes as I hug her tightly.

Okami: “I miss you so much.”

Mami: “I’m still here.”

I look up at her. Okami: “I know, in my heart.”

Mami: “No. I mean alive, Okami. I’m alive.”

Okami: “What?”

Mami: “You need to remember it all, don’t take those pills, Okami.”

Okami: “B-But, But you said,”

My mom shook me to not talk.

Mami: “Shut up and LISTEN to me, I don’t have enough time. Do. NOT. Take those pills. It will bring bad towards you but to find me, you need to stop taking those.”

My mom fixes my hair and wipes the tears and the blood off my face, I see tears falling down from her face.

Mami: “I was going to tell you, but this happened and…I don’t want you to think I’m dead or I left or stop loving you. None of those are true, I know you have SOME many questions and I’m sorry I can’t answer them.”

Okami: “I just want you back, Mami. I miss you. Cyrus cries at night wanting to see you again, Marcy is being more close off, hanging with her friends more, Jake he’s…more quiet but I know he’s struggling and Papi…he doesn’t, he just pays more attention to Jazzy more than us.”

I lean my head against her chest, holding back tears. I felt her patting my head softly, the same motherly touch that I miss so much.

Okami: “I don’t know what to do, I just want you back.”

Mami: “I know and I want to be with you guys again. Just listen to me, don’t take those pills.”

I stand back a bit to look up at her.

Okami: “B-But what about what Grandma-”

Mami: “Don’t listen to her, don’t listen to Papi, don’t listen to what ANYONE says, Okay? Listen to what I AM saying as YOUR MOTHER. Do NOT take those pills, they are suppressing EVERYTHING, your powers, your memories, everything.”

Okami: “Wait what?”

Mami: “I tried to hold him back, but even with the pills, he came to find you.”

Okami: “Him who?”I see my mom, fading away.

Mami: “I’m sorry, I love you so much, Lu.”

Okami: “Wait, Mom. Him, who?”

Mami: “Get the ring, find Mr. Stone. He will help you.”

I tried to grip onto my mom, but she slipped through my finger as I watched her disappear before my eyes.

Okami: “N-No, No, No, No! Mom, Him, who? Did he take you? Mom! Mami! No, please! You can’t go!”

Mami: “I love you, Lu! I love you so much! Please, remember! Remember what I said.”

. . . .

“MAMI!!”

I jolt awake, covered in cold sweat, I look around as I see my pet calico cat, Zara, laying on my legs, she looks up at me and gets up sensing my distress, she walks over to me and meows. I sigh heavily as I pet her.

Okami: “I’m Okay, it was just…a dream. A very FRIENDLY dream.”

I look at the time on my phone, it was 5 in the morning, I plop my head into my pillow and groan, I get up to go use the bathroom. I walked out of my room seeing Marcy and my lil brother, Cyrus, sleeping on the couch. I just stared at them for a long while, remembering my dream.

I shake it off as I walk to the bathroom, I walk in and close the door behind me. I use the bathroom as I turn on the sink and wash my hands, I then splash water onto my face, I look at the mirror and stare at myself for a really long time. I remember what Mami said to me, I look at my pill bottle on the counter sink.

Okami: “. . . .”

I picked it up, opened the bottle and took out one pill, I closed the bottle and placed it down. I looked at the one pill at the palm of my hand, many thoughts running through my brain.

I stare at it more and more, debating whether to take it or not and after a long while…

Chapter Two: The Cool Kids

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When we reached the school, grandma pulled into the driveway that allows parents or guardians to just drop off their kid in front of the school building. We give grandma a hug and a kiss on the cheek as we hop out of the car, close the door and wave ‘Bye’ to Grandma.

Grandma: “Love you! Bye! Make sure to wear mask! I don’t want the devil germ to spread!” Marcy: “Okay!! Love you!” Okami: “Love you.”

I watch Grandma’s car drive off, I keep watching until I couldn’t see her car anymore, I turn around to see Marcy gone. Okami: “What the? Where she go?”

I walked around, weaving around students that I didn’t even know, I didn’t even bother looking at them as I just walked by them. I hear them talking with each other, greeting, laughing, whispering, teasing. Noise, so much noise, why is it always so loud? When does it all stop? Stop. Stop. Just… I almost bumped into someone while I was spaced out. I stopped before I bumped into him. ???: “Whoa! Watch it, shorty. I almost didn’t see you there.” I looked up at him, man, he’s tall. Got to be 6 ft. He was black, but he looked mixed with how he looks, Japanese or Korean. He was also wearing glasses, suits him really. He fits the hot-boy korean clothes style. He smiles down at me, I just look up at him with a tired look, that’s when I hear someone walking up behind me. Heels…who wears heels in this school? ???: “Blake! There you are! I told you to wait for me at the parking lot.”

I look to see a girl, almost the same height as this ‘Blake’ guy, she was definitely Mexican with how she acts, she looks too bright, and should’ve known a woman like her wears heels, without the heels would she still be the same height as this dude or just shorter. Why am I asking this question, I got to find Marcy, but where did she go? I was looking around for Marcy when I heard the Mexican girl talk to me. ???: “Oh! A shorty!! Hello!” Seriously?! Her too? I know I’m short but you really want to point it out there, huh? Blake: “Yeah, she almost bumped into me.”

???: “I see, why. She’s so short, you can barely see her.”

Oh~, she’s pissing me off now, I’m going to go now. I started walking off.

Blake: “Come on, Mia. Be nice, we just got here.” Mia: “Fine, Fine. Oh, there she goes! Wait, hold on, sho-I mean girl-Miss?” I felt a hand on my shoulder. I immediately stop and slowly turn my head to look up at the Mexican girl, whose hand is on my shoulder. I just glare at her, she looks at me and looks down at her hand as she slowly pulls her hand away. The ‘Blake’ dude comes up behind the Mexican girl and smiles kindly at me.

Blake: “Sorry, we are just asking for directions to the main office, since we are-”

Mia: “NEW HERE!! We just transferred here.”

The ‘Blake’ dude just put on his charming smile that girls and guys around him get awed by, it just seems annoying to me, really. He nudges the Mexican girl away as he talks again to me.

Blake: “Yes~, we did. Since it has been what? hmmm a week of school that we miss? And miss all that knowing the school BS, we like some help to find the main office.”

The Mexican girl and the ‘Blake’ dude smiled at me, their charming looks attracting attention and it was making me very uneasy and not used to this much attention from anyone, really.

Mia: “So~, what do you say? Mind helping us to get to the main office?”

The Mexican girl leans close to me, smiling. 

Okami: “Nope, sorry. Forgot where that is, ask someone else with better memory.”

I quickly walked away from them to find my older sister, immediately. After a while of walking around, I found her…chatting with her friends, I walked up behind her and poke her back, she jolted up and squealed when she felt that.

Marcy: “AUGH!! What the-Lu-I mean Okami!!”

She looked at me annoyed as her friends looked at her, chuckled and looked at me. One white boy with dark brown hair pointed at me with a grin on his face as he talked to Marcy.

???: “Yo, Marcy. This gloomy, short girl, she’s your lil sister, right?”

Seriously, what is up with people calling me short today? I know I’m short, stop rubbing it in.

Marcy: “Oh uh hahahaha~, uh yeah, she is, um give me ONE sec, guys. Okami, come here for a second.”

Marcy grabs my backpack and drags me a few feet away from her friend group. I was confused as I followed her. She puts both her hands together and brings it to her face as she takes a deep breath in and exhales slowly.

Marcy: “I think I forgot to tell you but can you like…NOT talk to my friends?”

Okami: “What? Why not? Any friends I make you talk to ALL of them.”

Marcy: “But that’s because I AM your older sister, it’s my job to know them.”

Okami: “Well as your little sister, should I KNOW what your friends are too?”

Marcy jabs a finger at my shoulder as she gives me a stern look.

Marcy: “No! You don’t need to know ANYTHING. Besides, I already built a reputation here, and I don’t want YOU to ruin it like what you always do.” I looked at her, very confused about what she’s even talking about.

Okami: “Reputation? What Reputation? For what? What type of high school  cheesy teen movie is this? ‘Mean girls’?!”

Marcy: “Of course you wouldn’t understand what a reputation is, because YOU DON’T HAVE ONE.” I put my hands up in the air, no more confused.

Okami: “WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN?! WHAT FUCKING REPUTATION DO YOU HAVE?! SERIOUSLY TELL ME!!”

Marcy grabs my shoulders and stares right into my eyes.

Marcy: “Just PROMISE me, you’ll stay…not too close to me and my friends, nor really talk to me, I mean you can just not when I’m with my friends, is what I’m saying.”

She really wants me away from her so-called friends, huh? Marcy has always been this way for as long as I can remember, well started changing when she got to middle school, really. She had said this before but I always thought she would change out of it. I guess not, but if that’s what she wants then…

Okami: “Okay, fine. I’ll keep away from you and them.”

Marcy sighs in relief and lets go of my shoulders.

Marcy: “Thank you, I really appreciated it. Besides you really need to make other friends, besides mine and stop being so secluded at home too. Go talk to other people.”

Okami: “You say that like it’s the most easiest thing to do in the world.”

Marcy: “Because it really isn’t that hard, once you know how.”

I cross my arms over my chest as I arch a brow at her.

Okami: “You mean, once YOU know how. I ain’t know nothing.”

Marcy hears her friends calling her as she looks back at them and looks at me.

Marcy: “Look, I got to go, I promise them that I would show them this cool video that I found for them before getting to class. But uh see you at lunch?”

I let out a heavy sigh and nod.

Okami: “Yeah, sure. You go and I’ll just…get to class.”

Marcy: “Great, see you later. Love you.”

Marcy walks off as she waves bye to me, I wave bye back at her.

Okami: “Love you too…well this sucks.”

I look around the hallway that I was in, I look at my phone to see the time. It was almost time to get to class.

Okami: “Wait, What class did I have again?”

I pulled out my schedule that I folded and put in my pocket to keep close to me, while I pulled it out, something fell out of my pocket and made a clanking noise onto the floor. 

Okami: “What the? What was that?”

I look down to the floor and see a small ring, I tilt my head to the side in confusion and in curiosity of what just fell out of my pocket. I bend down and pick it up, I stand straight up again as I look at it. It was a golden ring that had a Yin & Yang symbol in the middle, it looked a bit worn down and rusty too.

Okami: “Hmmm.”

I twirl the ring around my pointer finger and thumb as I stare at it more.

Okami: “I don’t remember ever having this type of ring in my house…or any ring for that matter. How did it even end up in my pocket?”

I place the ring on the palm of my hand and just look at it, something about it seems familiar, the more I stare at it the more in trance I was about it. The more I just wanted…

“BRIINNNGGG~!!!”

The school bell rings out in the hallway, snapping me out in my trance, I start panicking.

Okami: “Shit! First bell! Oooh, I’m going to be late if the second bell, rings. Uuuh, what do I do with this? This isn’t even mine.”

I said, staring at the ring. I look around pondering what to do next with this ring I have in my hand. I see a table near a bulletin board, I just walk up to it and place the ring down onto the table.

Okami: “Juusst~, going to place you here, you ain’t mine anyways. Let someone else with style take you instead.”

I quickly walked away from the table to get to my first class of the day, which was Math class. 

I made it on time for class. I opened the door to enter in as I saw my math teacher, Mr. Mo, getting things ready for class today.  I walked into the classroom, closing the door behind me as I walked past the early-bird students that were already in their seats.  I walked to my seat that was in the second row, near the window, my favorite spot, really since I can feel the breeze. My teacher spotted me taking my seat.

Mr. Mo: “Oh Lu-I mean, Okami!! Hahaha~, nice to see you today! How’s your day been so far?”

Okami: “...Good, just still tired.”

Mr. Mo: “Aren’t we all are! Hahaha~, Okay, everyone can just chill for a while until the rest of the class comes in and then I’ll take attendance.”

Mr. Mo goes back to what he was doing as I place my backpack down onto the floor, under my table. I look behind me to see the two students sitting behind me, looking at me. I just stare back at them.

I think they got uncomfortable with my look because they looked away from me and went back to talking to each other. I sigh under my breath as I just put on my headphones and play music on them while I go to draw in my notebook.

(Few Minutes Later)

After Mr. Mo takes attendance. He starts talking about something that I didn’t really want or needed to pay attention to as I continue to draw, while drawing I hear the door to our classroom open. I stop drawing as I glance over to the door to see who it is, and that’s when I feel my heart-rate spike, not out of joy, no…out of anxiety and slight annoyance.

Because the people I saw come through that door was none other than the ‘Blake’ dude and the Mexican girl, Mia. Their whole appearance might as well light up the whole room, because the second they enter the room, everyone went silent and were in awe by them.

Some whisper to each other and I hear some even fan-girling over them, great they just entered my math class and already they started a fan club. I just stay silent as I watch them walk over to Mr. Mo who was also a little stunned to see them.

Mr. Mo: “Uuh, I’m sorry can I help you?”

Mia and Blake walk up to him. Blake just smiles kindly at Mr. Mo while he handed him a piece of paper, Mr. Mo looks at it and just reads it to himself, all of sudden something happen to Mr. Mo, because he just seems to zone out a quick second while Mia seems to be whispering something to him and I seem to be the only one to notice it since the rest of the class seem to be in trance by Mia and Blake’s appearance.

Okami: “What the hell? Am I tripping?”

I said to myself as I was confused on what’s happening. But Mr. Mo seems to snap out of whatever zone he was in when Blake places his hand on Mr. Mo’s shoulder, he just looks up at Mia and Blake and smiles at them.

Mr. Mo: “Right, I am so sorry. I totally forgot that I was getting two new students today. Welcome to Common Ground Highschool, Mia Santos and Blake Fangs.”

Mia & Blake: “Thank you for having us!”

Mr. Mo turns his attention to the class as he introduces Mia and Blake to the rest of the students.

Mr. Mo: “Class, This is Mia and Blake. They just transferred here from West Haven High. Please treat them kindly and make sure to help them around the building if needed, Okay?”

All: “Okay~!”

Okami: “....”

Mr. Mo looks at Mia and Blake, again as he talks to them.

Mr. Mo: “Choose any seat you two want to sit at.”

Choose any seat they want? Where? There’s barely any seats in here. Thank god there isn’t any seat near me, because I don’t think I would survive those two extroverted assholes…no offense to the name but god just looking at them, I can tell they are.

Mia: “Over there! Those two seats behind that shorty!”

Mia points in my direction as I arch a brow, confused on what she meant. Two seats behind me? But those seats are filled with students. I turn around and see two empty seats behind me.

Okami: “Huh?! What the hell?!”

Mr. Mo: “Something the matter, Okami?”

Okami: “Akgh-!? Uhhh No! Nothing! Just um…it’s nothing.”

I said as I lowered my head and placed my right hand over my forehead, running my finger through my curly hair. I just watch as Mia and Blake take a seat behind me, I glance at them, they smile at each other then they look at me. I immediately look away and look at my desk, while I mumble to myself.

Okami: “I could’ve sworn those two seats were filled with students…am I really bugging or something really weird is going on here? No, No. You're just tired…very tired that you THOUGHT you saw two students there…yeah…that’s totally it.”

Mr. Mo: “Okami! Are you sure you are okay?”

I jolted up in my seat as I sat straight up, I looked at Mr. Mo.

Okami: “YES!!...Y-Uh Yeah, I am. I promise.”

I rub my hands on my table to calm myself down, Mr. Mo looks at me and nods.

Mr. Mo: “Okay, please focus on today’s lesson.”

Okami: “Yes, Sir!”

I tap my pointer finger on my desk, trying to focus but all I can feel is Mia and Blake staring at me, why are they staring at me so much? This is making me so nervous, god never in my life have I ever wanted class to end so quickly.

All of a sudden I hear the bell ring, I get out of my seat so fast that I almost tripped and fall, but I caught myself as I grab my stuff and shoved it in my backpack, before Mia or Blake can talk to me, I leave out of the classroom through the second door that leads to outside, it was built there as a precaution in case of a fire or anything. But sometimes students use it to get out of the building faster to go to the main building.

In this school, there are two separate buildings, one is on the lower end of the hill which is the main building, and the second building is on the upper hill that I am on right now.

They aren’t far from each other but it is still a pain getting to class if your class is at the main building and not in the same building you're in. 

But the walk isn’t bad, since Common Ground is near the forest, feeling the breeze and seeing the trees is nice to see, also Common Ground is the first high school to own a farm so seeing chickens walking by is nice and funny too. There are also goats, sheep, turkeys and of course…ducks.

Sometimes hearing the ducks quacking gets on my nerves, working for them is a pain too since they are the most messy birds to be with, I hate working on the farm weekend activities here, because my counselor boss always puts me in charge cleaning the duck’s water container since APPARENTLY I am the only worker who cleans the duck water well…which sucks because I want to take care of the goats and sheeps.

They are SOOO~ fluffy and apparently those sheeps and goats are so sweet and polite that you can feed them by hand. Aw man! I want to do that so bad! If only my boss would STOP ASSIGNING ME TO DO DUCK CLEANING.

Okami: “Ugh, so annoying~.”

I walk down the hill to get to the main building to go to my second class, as I was walking down the hill, I hear running behind me, I turn around and see a black blur coming towards me then feel two pair of hands on my shoulders pulling me towards the blur, when I finally get my baring, I see it’s none other than Mia, smiling happily at me.

Mia: “I GOT YOU, HA HA!! Man, you are a fast girl with short legs.”

Okami: “What now?”

Blake caught up to us, out of breath, he placed both hands on his knee taking a couple of deep breaths to catch his breath.

Blake: “Can you guys walk any slower?”

Mia: “For a fit guy, you sure are slow.”

Blake: “I AIN’T A RUNNER LIKE YOU!!”

Mia: “You really want to start this?”

While Mia and Blake start their yelling match, I slowly start walking away to get away from them, that’s when I feel Mia’s hand on my shoulder again, stopping me in my tracks.

Okami: “shit.”

Mia: “And where do you think you’re going? Trying to leave us behind like before?”

I turn to look at her with a plain look.

Okami: “Whatever do you mean?”

Mia: “You booked it out of math class when we tried to talk to you.”

Okami: “Really? I didn’t notice.” I said with slight sarcasm as I looked off to the side.

Blake: “...Yeah, we were.”

I move Mia’s hand off my shoulder while I talk to them both.

Okami: “I was just trying to get to class, I didn’t really…notice you TRYING to talk to me.”  I said, lying to them since I don’t want to say I’m avoiding them to not talk to them…at all.

Mia: “Oh really? Well don’t worry about that! We are here now, why don’t we walk to class together?”

Blake: “Yeah, if that’s the case then we can talk now.”

Idiots, they are both idiots to not see the hints of my annoyance, I let down a deep sigh under my breath.

Okami: “I uh have to get to class.”

I slowly turn around to walk down the hill to get to the little bridge that connects to the main building. Mia and Blake catch up to me.

Blake: “Don’t worry, we can do a ‘walk & talk’!”

Mia: “Yeah! Oh and if you forgot, my name is Mia and that’s Blake.”

Blake: “Yo.”

Okami: “...Maya and Blake.”

Mia: “Yep!”

Okami: “...Maya, like M-a-y-a? Maya?”

Mia: “Ugh, no! They always get it wrong, Mia as in M-i-a. The ‘I’ is the “Y”.”

Okami: “Oh…Noted.”

We get to the main building as I walk in while Mia and Blake keep talking behind me, we walk to my French Class.

Okami: “Um…this is my class.” Mia: “No way! Really?” Blake: “It’s our class too.”

Okami: “ugh-, N-no way~, how. Nice~.”

Mia beams with happiness, I thought I might need sunglasses with how bright she is smiling.

Mia: “Right?! This is great!”

I grumble with annoyance under my breath as I open the door to the french class and enter in, when Mia and Blake walks in, they get the same reaction as before from the students, some of the students walk up to them to talk to them, the students push me aside to get to them, I caught myself from falling as I just walk away from the group and walk to my seat which was the back of the class.

After a while, the French teacher, who I forgot her name, told everyone to sit down and they did. The teacher look at Mia and Blake, she started talking to them, saying to behave in her class, even though they just got here and told them to sit down, they look around to find empty seats, when I saw this I immediately looked around to see any empty seats near me, making sure they won’t sit ANYWHERE near me.

That’s when I realize I have an empty seat next to me, since it is a big table that’s supposed to have two kids sitting here. When I saw the seat next to empty, I immediately kicked the chair down to make it look like there wasn't any seat next to me, I sigh in relief but that’s when I see Blake walk up to the table that was in front of me, that already had two kids sitting there.

He leaned down to one of the teen girls, using his charms on her as she giggled like a little kid with an elementary crush.

Blake: “Hey, sweetheart. Mind moving seats so I can sit near to my friend behind you?”

He points at me as the girl turns to look at me, I look at her with wide eyes and slowly shaking my head, basically telling her ‘No’ but she looks back at Blake, smiles and nods. He smiles at her.

Blake: “Thank you very much, I’ll treat you to lunch later, ya?”

Teen girl: “Y-Yeah, give me your number too.”

Blake lets out a low chuckle and winks at her.

Blake: “We’ll see, lunch first.”

I just cringe at that and lower my head, placing my left hand on my head, running my fingers through my curls, I did it a couple of times to calm myself down as I watch Mia use her charm on the guy next to the teen girl, which worked because he moved out of his seat, to sit somewhere else and Mia sits down, she fist bumps Blake, who is just grinning.

Mia looks behind me as she smiles kindly at me, I just look away and look at my phone while the lesson goes on. To be honest I hate French class, the teacher always targets me. No, not because I’m on my phone, even when I’m off my phone she will find any excuse to get at me, so from time to time, I would actually skip her class. But not today since I don’t want her to become suspicious of me and what I’m doing when I leave her class to use the “Bathroom”. Which sucks because I really want to leave to escape these two annoying popular kids.

I try to pay attention to class but the French teacher's accent is really throwing me off and slowly making me lose my focus on her. Mia leans over to me.

Mia: “Uuuuhh, do you know what she is saying?”

Okami: “Nope, at this point I’m just playing games on this computer.”

I said, pressing the arrow buttons over and over again, playing a running game that involves jumping and avoiding things.

Mia: “Oh, I see. Say if you hate this class so much, why did you choose it?”

Okami: “Wasn’t my choice, I just got the schedule, I tried to change it to spanish but it’s all full so~ I’m stuck here. I hate it really…shit.”

I said, still paying attention to the game, dodging all the objects in the game. I pause the game and go back to the assignment tab when I saw the French teachers coming over, Mia goes back to doing her assignment. The teacher comes over to me.

French Teacher: “Make sure to focus on, your work. Stop distracting other people here.”

I look at her, with a confused look.

Okami: “Huh? Miss, I am.”

French Teacher: “Then where are the other work from past lesson? They are late.”

Okami: “I told you, I don’t understand it! I don’t get things faster than the REST of the class. I already ask YOU for your help on it.”

The french teacher shrugged her shoulders and raised her hand up a bit, she started having an attitude with me.

French Teacher: “Not my problem, you aren’t paying attention. Maybe, you pay more attention to my lesson, you get it.”

Okami: “That’s not how I work, Miss!!”

I said, getting more angry at her, that she isn’t or doesn't bother getting what I’m trying to tell her.

French Teacher: “Don’t you have that tone with me or you will get sent to office.”

I was going to say something but all the frustration and anger kept on rising up that anymore of it, I just might explode, my chest started getting heavy that even if I wanted to say something, no words were even forming to start talking so I stayed silent.

French Teacher: “No comment? No ‘Sorry’?”

Mia raised her hand up and the French teacher looked at her.

French Teacher: “Yes?”

Mia just smiles and stares at her deep into her eyes, the french teacher stares back at her, deeply. All of a sudden, the posture and tone of the French teacher change.

French Teacher: “Right…So Sorry. I won’t bother you guys with your work…continue.”

Mia: “Thank you~.”

I watch the French teacher walk away from us, I look at Mia with confusion as she just smiles happily towards me, I just go back to my game. As hours go by, I go to my classes that I have today and again those two seem to have the SAME EXACT CLASS that I have. Every. Single. Time.

Finally lunch arrive, I grab a burrito, juice box, and a fruit cup, I thank the lunch lady and leave the lunch line, I walk over to where my older sister is sitting, but I stop in my track seeing her sitting with her…friends, she was talking and laugh along with them. I stare at them for a while, remembering what Marcy told me, I shove the juice box and fruit cup into my pocket and just walk off.

I walk out of the cafeteria room and out into the open air, I take off my mask that I was wearing because of the new precaution for the COVID-19 virus, want to know it? Search it up, I ain’t going deep into that shit. All you have to know, that it’s a bad virus that killed a lot of people and is still getting people sick, but it is getting better with the new vaccines coming out, still have to wear a mask.

I walk along the gravel path, when I stop in front of the forest path and look at it, I feel the breeze blowing in my direction, I look up at the trees seeing them blowing in the wind, I watch some leaves falling off because since it’s close to being autumn.

 I close my eyes to feel the cool breeze blowing past me, feeling the warm sun on my skin. I take a deep breath in, taking in that autumn air as I slowly exhale out, feeling relaxed. I hear chatting going on behind me.

Gossip Boy: “Why is that girl just standing there? That’s super weird, is she trying to connect to life or something?”

Gossip Girl: “Quit it, that’s Marcy’s little sister.”

Gossip Boy: “No way, really? I always thought she was…I mean she’s still cute. But I thought she had longer hair.”

Gossip Girl: “I heard from one of Marcy’s friends that she cut it when her mother went missing last month. She looks a lot like her mother with long hair apparently.”

Gossip Boy: “No way~, really? Damn, that’s got to suck, the missing mother, not the long hair part…Is she still missing?”

Gossip Girl: “Don’t know, I heard the police are still investigating it but they are close to labeling it ‘Murder’ for how long she’s been missing.”

Gossip Boy: “That’s got to be hard, no wonder she looks weird. I be hella depress too.”

I was getting annoyed hearing them talk about it. I took a deep breath and walked into the forest, staying on the forest path. I just want to get away from the gossip, from everything. I found a bench on the path, I sat down as I took my burrito out and unwrapped it to eat it.

While I was eating, I heard noises in the forest. I looked around to see if I could spot it but I didn’t.

Okami: “...Okay~, I think it’s time to go.”

I walk out of the forest, still having a feeling that whatever I heard moving around in the forest was coming towards me, of course I didn’t stay in there to find out because I like my life. I was walking to my last period when I heard voices behind the second main building. I recognized those voices, Mia and Blake.

Mia: “We have to tell her, sooner or later.”

Blake: “Explain to me, how. How do we, when we are still at arm's length with her.”

Mia: “Mmmhm.”

Blake: “Jesus Christ. We only have a few weeks, maybe days before…he gets to her.”

He? What the hell are they talking about? They aren’t talking about me, right? Before I can hear anything else, the bell rings for lunch being over and class is starting. I slowly backed away from the second building, and ran to my next class and to not get spotted by them.

Chapter One: The Pills

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The sunlight shines through the curtains just enough to hit Okami in the face, she groans in annoyance from the light as she covers her face with her blanket.  She didn’t want to get up, but she had to before her older sister woke her up.

She doesn't care, she just wants to sleep…that’s all she wants is sleep, sleep away her life, sleep away her pain and exhaustion, sleep to forget, sleep in peace.

The door opened to her room as she heard footsteps, who footsteps could it be? She didn’t care, her bed creaked as someone leaned onto it. “Mi hija, wake up. You're going to be late for school. Come on, wake your butt up.”

Oh no, it was grandma. That was one person Okami didn’t want to mess with. Okami sat up and rubbed her eyes, she looked at her grandma, she looked like any other grandma she had seen in movies and shows. Her grandma was short, almost Okami’s height but an inch shorter than Okami, she had pins straight with white streak in her hair.

Her grandma was on the chubby side, wore those small circle grandma glasses, and wore her usual grandma nightgown as she held a spatula in her right hand, while resting that hand on her hips. Okami’s grandma pulls the blanket off as she speaks in her Spanish accent. Grandma: “You need to get up, Mi hija. You can’t sleep all day, you have school today.” Okami stretches her arms out as far as she can go, while she also scratches her neck, she scoots her body over to the edge of the bed.

Grandma: “This is what happens when you stay up late, Mi Hija. You should sleep in early, eat dinner early too. Did you eat yesterday?” Okami: “Yes, Grandma. I did.” Grandma squinted her eyes at her with suspicion but let her off the hook.

Grandma: “Whatever you say, sweetheart. But I’ll be watching. Now Up, Up off the bed, breakfast is ready.”

Okami: “Okay, grandma.” Okami gets up as she stretches some more, Grandma stares at her, she then reaches out and moves a strand of curly hair from Okami’s face as she uses her back hand to gently touch Okami’s cheek. Okami looks at her. Grandma: “You look so much like your mother.” Grandma said with a sad smile, Okami looked away with a sad look. Grandma: “Come on, go take a quick shower then come get breakfast, afterwards I’ll drive you and your sister to school.” Okami nods understanding as she looks at the clothes her grandma put out for her already, a blue Short sleeve shirt that says ‘Happy days’, with white short pants that covers the upper thigh no longer or shorter than that, a pair of black bra and new clean underwear. Okami: “White? Of course, Grandma and her white clothing, it’s going to be hard to keep this clean at school.” Okami went to her drawer and opened the top drawer as she reached in and grabbed her turquoise towel. She tosses it on the bed as she closes the drawer with her hips, it didn’t close all the way as she fist it close.

Okami walked out of the room and saw her grandpa on the couch watching the news on the T.V. He was like any other grandpa too, short gray hair, gray facial hair too, white tanktop, wearing blue shorts, with brown slippers too. Okami saw her calico cat on grandpa’s lap sleeping, Okami did a low amusing chuckle.

Okami: “Buenos días, abuelo.”

Her grandpa doesn’t know that much English so Okami tries to learn as much Spanish as possible to talk to him, so she downloaded Duoligo to learn it but at the end of the day Okami just failed to pronounce certain words and end up having a fit with her phone so she knows some words but not all to hold a 2 hour conversation with other spanish person. Grandpa looks at her and smiles. Grandpa: “Morning, sleep well?” Okami: “Um yeah, a lil.” Grandpa chuckles and smiles more.

Grandpa: “Tired?” Okami: “Huh?” Grandpa: “You still tired?” Okami: “...OH! Haha y-yeah, I-I still am. Going to take a shower to stay more awake.” Okami rubs the back of her neck as she walks to the bathroom. Grandpa nods and looks back at the T.V. Okami opens the door to see her older sister sitting on the toilet, she closes the door more quickly than she opens it. Okami: “AH!! MARCY!! LOCK THE DOOR!!” Marcy: “YOU KNOCK ON IT BEFORE OPENING IT!!” Okami: “Well HURRY UP, I need to take a shower before leaving for school.” Marcy: “...What?!” Okami: “JUST HURRY UP!!” Okami heard the toilet flush and the door opening, looking up at Marcy with a tired look Okami: “I didn’t hear you wash your hands.” Marcy: “Geez, I was going to wash my hands, I was-” Okami: “Were you?” Marcy: “Yes!” Okami walks into the bathroom and places her stuff on the toilet lid as she sits down on the edge of the tub.  She then watched Marcy washing her hands in the water.  She watched as the water poured out of the faucet, watching it fall onto Marcy’s hand, washing the soup off of her hands. Marcy started talking about some show she was watching, an anime show at that.

Okami was listening, barely as she kept watching the water running and hearing the shushing noises it makes when it comes out and the dripping from the water when it hits the bottom of the sink, it was all too soothing as it put her in a trance, drowning out Marcy’s talking. When that happened Okami’s mind started to wander to certain places in her mind, imagining being in a forest, near a rushing waterfall as she sits in the grass, relaxing just watching the water just well fall into the lake below, imagining running her hand through the moist and soft grass, just listening to the water rushing by. Okami slowly closes her eyes to relax more, also just waiting for Marcy to be done.

Okami’s mind wander further than she wanted, as she…hear a voice in the back of her mind and voice she didn’t WANT to hear at the moment, all of a sudden the water sound was getting too loud, too annoying as she tries to calm her mind, the voices in her head got louder and louder, the rushing water becoming more powerful, more annoying to hear. She tried to block it out but it wasn’t working as the voices and the rushing water started to overlap each other.

She closed her eyes real hard, she clenched her hand into a fist, she just wanted it to STOP.  That’s when the water from the faucet poured out a lot splashing Marcy in the face.  Marcy jerked back as Okami quickly snapped out of her thoughts and her wandering mind as she saw the water pouring out like a hose on a jet setting.  Marcy then quickly turned off the water, she was now all wet. Marcy: “Ugh! Great! I’m fu-I mean flipping soaked.” Grandma rushed in, she looked at Marcy up and down, seeing her soaking wet from the water.

Grandma: “Oh sweetie, are you okay? What happened?” Marcy: “Oh well the water just POUR out, out of NOWHERE and flipping splash me in the face, as you can see now…I am soaked.” [Okami’s POV] Grandma looked at me, with a look that I know all too well like I did something, I was honestly so confused on why, I hit her with a confused stare. Grandma: “A-And you?” Okami: “Um a little but not as much as Marcy.” Grandma: “Did you take your pills?” I looked at her with a more confused look, why would she ask that? Not why the faucet spray like that? No, did you twist too hard? Why ask that question? I answered her question anyway.

Okami: “Um n-no.” Grandma: “You're supposed to take it first, when you wake up.” Grandma said with a stern tone of voice, I flinched back to that a little, why is she getting on me for? I did nothing wrong. THE PILLS. I mean I should’ve taken it when I got up, so I guess it is my fault. Is it? Okami: “Um I uh forgot, sorry. I’ll take it after I take a shower.” Grandma: “Take it now. Marcy, go wake up your brothers for school but first change your clothes.” Marcy who’s been watching the whole time…may I add soak too, nods and squeeze past grandma to leave. Marcy: “Okay.” I get up and open the mirror door in the bathroom as I grab my bottle of pills, I open it and pour out two oval pills. Grandma: “Take a third one.” I look at her with a surprised and confused look, I look back at the pills, I look back at her. Okami: “But…I need to take two, I mean-no more, no less.” Grandma: “….Well I said three, just take three for today.” Okami: “Bu-” Grandma gives me a stern look as I look away and just grab a third pill, I look at it in my hand, seeing the three oval pills in my hand, the number 131 craved on it. I hate taking them, they always make me nauseous and my head would hurt too.  I look at grandma again before I pop them in my mouth as I drink water from the sink, I was a bit hesitant since I didn’t know if the water was going to splash or not, but I turn it on and it was running normally, I put my hands under the water, filling my hand with water as I bring it to my lips and drink it with the pills. I wipe my mouth as I turn off the water, I close the pill bottle and put it back in the mirror cabinet. I see grandma through the mirror walking away. Grandma: “Hurry up and go take a shower. Breakfast will be set on the table for you when you get out.” Okami: “…Yeah, I mean, Okay.” I close the door as I walk to the shower and turn it. I watch the water spray out from the shower head, I test the water making sure it was warm, after a while I take off my clothes as I look at the mirror, I turn to my side and look at my stomach. Okami: “I think I need to chill on my eating…grandpa keeps pestering me to eat. Maybe I can just eat less, yeah right. My ass can even chill on not chomping on Cyrus's finger when he eats a hersey bar in front of me.”

I tilt my head to the side as I slide the side of my pointer and middle finger along the side of my chin. Rough. Okami: “Hair growing back…if only I knew Mom’s light treatment machine was to use it on me…I guess shaving still has to suit me. Thanks, Father.”

I head into the shower as I wash my hair and body, all of a sudden, I get hit with stomach pain, I clench the side of the wall as I gasp for air. ‘Maybe I’m hungry, no this wouldn’t happen, I just woke up. Oh my god, don’t throw up, don’t throw up…oh god, I’m going to throw up.’ I opened the curtain, the toilet is near the shower since this is a small bathroom, I opened the lid and threw up. I felt all the food that I ate yesterday just came out of me. The sound of me throwing up was over-sound by the shower water pouring in the tube. After awhile I stop, I lay down in the tube, the hot water casing over my body and hair. I took a deep breath, after gathering enough strength in me, I slowly stood up.  There was no time to relax as I needed to get my shower done or else grandma would get on my ass. I did my hair and my body real quick. A few minutes later, I got out of the bathroom. I already had my hair brush and everything. I went to my room and grabbed my phone. I check if there were a few notifications, there were a few, some from therapy and some from YouTube notifying me about video upload but I swipe right on all of them for them to disappear. I shoved it in my pocket as I walked out to the kitchen. I see the food on the table, I look at it, I don't feel like eating it. Just looking at it, I just can’t stomach it.

My little brother, Cyrus, who’s five years old, but with his height, he looks like he could be 6 or 7 years old. He’s black, but he IS my brother, people always think he’s adopted because of his skin color and mine. But he is. Cyrus was looking at me and looking at my food, eyeing it.

Cyrus: “You going to eat that?”

I look at him and shake my head. “Nah, you want it?”

He immediately nodded his head, looking at me with those big puppy eyes. I smile as I gently slide the plate over to him as he quickly takes it. I stand up and grab his plate. I walk past him, ruffling his dark brown curly hair, he smiles at me. I walk to the sink as I clean my-well his dish. This is a thing between me and my little brother, if I don’t feel like eating my food, Cyrus would take it to eat it, he doesn’t mind since he loves eating and he IS a growing boy, he got to eat a lot. I do eat from time to time, there are just certain occasions where I just…don’t eat.

I hear my older sister, Marcy, walking in as she sees Cyrus eating and me washing his dish, she sighs and walks up to me, placing her hand on the counter and leaning on it.

Marcy: “You need to eat at some point.”

I put the dish on the drying rack as I turn off the water and dry my hands on my shirt.

Okami: “I am eating.”

Marcy: “You KNOW what I mean, you didn’t eat yesterday, you're not eating today. Your weight has gone down.”

I look at her with a cocky smile. “Good, mom always said that I need to lose some since I’m a bit overweight for my age.”

Marcy grumbles under her breath as she stares at me. Standing up straight.

Marcy: “Don’t be cocky here, yes, it’s good that it is down but this is not the HEALTHY way to do it. You ate just a piece of bread for dinner yesterday, with just orange juice and today, what are you going to eat? The air?”

I rolled my eyes as I walked off. “A nature bar and milk.”

Marcy: “Eat something!”

I look at her and walk out of the kitchen, pretending to not hear her as I walk down the hallway, it wasn’t a very long hallway, I turn left as I slowly walk into…my mom’s room. I see my grandma petting our black cat on my mom’s bed. I can see my grandma hunch over the bed, crying ever softly. I have my hands together as I rub them in between each other, I look around the room, I look at a picture of her on her dresser…smiling so happily.  I look away as I look at the ground.

Okami: “G-Grandma?”

She turns around and sees me, my shoulders tense up a bit, my fingers rubbing against each other, I start picking at my skin on my hand.

Grandma: “Lu-...Sweetheart, I didn’t hear you. Are you and Marcy ready?”

I nodded, I spoke softly. “Yes.”

Grandma: “Just…give me a uh minute and I be out there, ‘kay?”

I nodded again as I slowly back out of the room, almost hitting the door but avoiding hitting it.

Okami: “Oh Uuuh, is…is he bringing her back?”

Grandma nodded.

Grandma: “He is, Jazzy will be here before you and Marcy come home. Now go.”

I nod softly as I walk away from the room. I keep picking my skin, I look around at the floor, my mind wanders all over the place. I walk into the hallway, near the front door.  I see Marcy grabbing her backpack from the floor and her sweater from the hallway closet.  Marcy looks at me and smiles. Marcy: “Ready?” Okami: “Barely.”

Marcy pats my back and lets out a low chuckle.

Marcy: “You be fine, here I got your backpack. Your headphones are in there too.”

I grab my dark blue backpack, I slouch it on my shoulder as I grab my sweater from the hallway closet, I pull it off the hanger as I watch the hanger move around the pole, I kept watching it moving around, putting me in a trance, small voices echo in my head. Marcy: “...Yo, you going to keep staring at the hanger or what? Hurry up.” I snapped out of my trance as I slid the closet door shut. I tie my sweater around my waist. I hear grandma walk out of the bedroom, I look up at her as I see her wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She takes a deep breath and grabs her keys. Grandma: “Let’s go.” We both said ‘Okay’, as we left the apartment building to her car, I sat in the back while Marcy sat in the front, I placed my headphones on as I played music on my phone that is connected to my headphones. Grandma backed out of her parking space and drove off onto the road. I watch buildings woosh past us, I lean my head against the car window, looking up at the sky, seeing airplanes fly above us.

I look at the street, cars zooming past us either going to work or just for no reason. I see kids walking to school, riding their bikes, adults walking down the street. I hear Marcy through my music talking to grandma. I just keep looking out the window, watching everything go past us.

I look up at the sky as I watch the clouds passing by. “Looks like rain.”

Prologue

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

God, I want to be honest here before I think I REALLY die here. I…I just wanted peace, I just wanted to live a normal life, forget the past and move on. Is that so bad?

While I know most of you would’ve said ‘No’ but the universe would make a big ASS sign that says ‘YES’, all capital. God, this stab from my stomach hurt so much, how do people in movies or shows enjoy going in battles, knowing they will lose an arm or an ENTIRE leg, maybe even their fucking hearts. I know I have a high pain tolerance but this? This shit hurts like hell and the bleeding isn’t stopping either.

And here I am, on the roof top on the fourth of July, leaning against my only support, my sword. Looking at my older sister, who’s well…not herself at the moment, also may I add a CREEPY ass wolf-looking creature behind her. God, I want to save her…I need to. Fuck, is this what main characters go through? Choosing to either kill their best friend to save the world or save the best friend but at the cost of the world.

I know they always say the choices we make in the past affect the future, but…the choices I made…how could this happen, how could this affect my sister? How could I not see it? I want to save her, I don’t want to kill her. She’s my sister…my best friend. I can’t, but all of the people keep saying I have to, that this is the only way to…to save the world. To stop her from destroying EVERYTHING that everyone loves and holds dearly. ???: “OKAMI!! OKAMI!! WE’RE COMING!!”

Shit…if they come, if they see me like this…they will DEFITENTLY kill her. I can’t…I won’t. But what can I do?

Okami looks at her sister, and sees the dark green eyes staring back at her. Her sister smiles with a cruel look. Okami coughs and spits blood onto the ground. Her sister laughs manically but…a tear comes out of her eyes.

Okami: “I…I can’t let them, I ca-I can’t-I won’t.”

I slowly stood up, I groaned in pain but quickly pushed it aside. I have my left hand over my wound, while holding my sword in my right hand, I slightly raise it, towards her. I shake my head softly, with care in my eyes, I hold back the tears threatening to fall.

Okami: “I love you, I can’t…I won’t leave you. I know you're in there. I know you're there, if…if mom was here, she wouldn’t want me to leave.”

???: “…You're making the wrong choice, hon.”

I grip my sword handle slightly, I stare at my sister, the voice sounds like her but it isn’t. I glare at her.

???: “OKAMI!! OKAMI!! OPEN THE DOOR!! LET US IN!!”

I hear them banging on the door hard as they try to kick the door down. I grip my wound.

Okami: “Bad choice or not. I don’t care, I am not leaving you. I left back then, I ain’t leaving you now.” She laughs loudly and manically. She looks at me and smiles more.

???: “You really are a fool, your weakness is caring too much about family and friends, now look what it got you.”

She scoffs as she clicks her tongue and signals the creature towards me.

???: “Kill her.”

The creature roared, but no one below us heard it as it was covered by the fireworks going off in the sky and the cheering happening on the streets. It charges at me, I grip the sword with both of my hands, ready to fight. The door banged open and…

Updates on: "Okami's Life Journey: Volume 1"

Hey Guys,

Just a quick update about the book, I might actually publish some chapters or maybe all the chapters on here so people who don't have Wattpad or do just can't find it or just a little in the middle of actually reading it. I'll post it on here and maybe on other platform for other people to read.

Now just letting you know, my book is mature and does have things that are sensitive for some viewers or readers. This book is meant for Young Adults and for New Adults to read as I'm trying to connect this book to those audience and for the reasons are REALLY long to explain, all you have to know is I'm trying to bring back the old times of reading books and deep meanings behind the words and all that shit.

I've explain it so many times to my family and friends to the point I might as well let everyone else figure out the meaning behind my book. YvY

But Anyways, I'm doing this because I want my book to be known to a lot of people, from Young to Old. I want my book to connect to a lot of people and for them to understand it in a way, maybe having a impact to certain people that can relate to it.

I do hope that it does because I really worked hard on this for myself and many people alike to connect to this book, specifically.

Again, this book is rated as MATURE, it is rated for 18+!! It is NOT meant for Young children to read, only for TEENS, for YOUNG ADULTS.

I am putting capital on this, for a reason, BECAUSE~ I don't want to see comments or reports that I did something wrong when I put warning signs and all that shit, TELLING you guys that it's NOT MEANT for KIDS, NOT MEANT for CHILDREN to READ.

So again, read it if you want to, to know about the book and to know more about my Oc's, but AGAIN, it IS rated as MATURE, for MANY reasons.

If you have Wattpad, you can go to the website or app and search for my name which is 'Marie_TismWriter19'.

But if you don't than you have to wait for me to post it on here, it will take a while for me to do but it will be posted soon, I promise.

Thank you for your time and Have A Nice Day/Night!!

This is Y/n Stone, a character I made for one of my fanfic on Wattpad. The book is called "You're Good and I'm Evil, We can NEVER be Together". Go check up on it and see more of Y/n. Filled with love and comedy, even emotional rollercoaster.