Gone

[Firefly]

Chapter 5

Now I am on the boat back to Mineral Town. I safely got out without waking Kai; even if he had woken up, I would have probably thrown him out of the 22-story-high window and been jailed for life.
As I walked, a few people looked at my sympathetically, like they understood. Others ignored me, while a few kind people asked if I was all right. One of them happened to be the captain of this boat, and he said he'd bring me home for free.
As I looked down at my hands, I saw a flash of gold. My wedding ring was still on my finger. My anger boiled up once again. He had probably used this over and over with other wives, only to take it away before sending them packing. In a burst of fury, I pulled of the ring and tossed it into the frothy sea. It made a small splooshing sound before disappearing. I felt reletivly better.
"Land 'ho!" shouted the first mate, who had been pestering me through the whole journey. "We will reach," he looked at a clipboard, "Mineral Town in ten minutes! All passengers should get ready."
I rolled my eyes. I was the only passenger.

"Thank you so much, sir," I said to the captain as I shook his hand.
"No problem, missy. I'm sorry things didn't turn out the way yah planned."
I smiled weakly in return.
"I'll be seein' yah," he said with a touch of his cap. "G'bye an' good luck."
As he turned to leave, so did I. The whirl of questions that had been there since I left was back at full force. What would everyone do, seeing me back so soon?
I shook my head. They would be sympathetic towards me, and then everything would be the same. I'd tell the story to Manna, and by the next day, everyone would know. Why had I ever thought anyone would shun me? Its not my fault Kai turned out that way...

Here I am, I thought to myself. Home again. I reached up and knocked at the door.
"Come in!" said a familiar voice. I almost brust into tears. "We're open!" said the same voice, who I knew as my mother, Lillia.
I couldn't hold back. I burst through the door and smiled faintly. "Hello, mom."
Lillia's eyes widened. "Popuri? Baby? Is it you?" she asked, coming up to me.
Tears filled my eyes. "Y-yes, mom. Its me. Don't get Rick yet, please?"
She nodded, still wide-eyes. "Poppy, is everything okay?" So. She had noticed the tears. I shook my head, biting my lip, but the tears still came.
"I l-left K-kai!" I sobbed. "He had other g-girlfriends in the c-city!" And, as I cried, I told Lillia what had happened. At the end she, too, was quietly crying.
"I'm so sorry, Poppy," she told me, stroking my hair. "Everything is okay. Do you want me to tell Rick? I don't want him attacking you."
I sniffled and nodded, feeling like a baby.
"Why don't you go to bed?" Mom offered. "You must be tired."
Another nod, and I walked up to the familiar room. My bed was still there, and so were the covers. I didn't change. All I had the energy to do was fall on the bed and sleep.
***

[Kayla]

Poor Popuri!

[link]

poor poor popuri

[Butterscotch]

Its so sad! ;_;

[Firefly]

~Butterscotch~ said:

Its so sad! ;_;

Things will get better, I promise!

[Butterscotch]

Pineapple said:

Things will get better, I promise!

I sure hope so!

[Candyapple]

wow this is great! Poor Popouri. Kai is such a jerk!

[Firefly]

Chapter 6

I awoke in complete confusion hours later. This seemed so... familiar. I sat straight up and looked around, realizing I was home, my real home. And then the memories of that night whirled into my brain. The odd thing was, I didn't cry. I thought it was because I must have cried a gallon last night, but I knew that wasn't true. I just hadn't felt the need to cry.

About half an hour later, I walked on the top step, dressed and ready to eat. I was about to descend (ooh. New word!) when I heard Rick's voice. I knew it was rage, because I had heard it so many times before when he scolded me about Kai. I should have listened.
"...and now she will hardly speak to me! I think she likes someone else, but I just don't know who!"
I froze. Girl... well, I knew he wasn't talking about me. Mom must have told him last night, anyway, or he would have woken me up with his yell of shock. Then it hit me. The one girl he cared about, besides me anyway. Karen. I felt immensly sorry for my brother, and immense hatred of Karen. She was a snob, no questions asked. Others disliked her because she was an alchoholic, but... I knew that wasn't the best way to judge someone. Its like saying my mom is mean because she is sick. Its not her fault she is sick, and its not Karen's fault she likes wine a bit too much. Anyway, I was going downstairs. And pretending I had heard nothing. It was for the best.
"Good morrrrrrniiiiiiiiing!" I called cheerfully as I stomped down the stairs.
"Popuri!" Rick yelped, and rushed up to hug me. "I'm so glad you're home! Things just weren't the same!"
I was surprised. No lecture? He seemed as if he had forgotten about Kai! But, I was sure a lecture was to come.
"Now, what do you want for breakfast? Scrambled eggs, an omelette, or do you want me to make you pancakes?" he continued cheerily.
I almost opened my mouth, asking where the lecture was. Instead, I said, "Can I have scrambled eggs and a few pancakes? I'm soooooo hungry!"
"You should be, Poppy, you've slept for over 12 hours!" Lillia informed me.
Twelve hours... I had gone to bed at around ten, so...
"Its ten o'clock!" I shrieked. "We're opening in an hour!" I rushed to the door, saying, "I'm going to collect eggs for breakfast and check the chickens! I'll be back in a second!"
"Honey, its Sunday! We don't open today, rememeber?" Lillia reminded me.
Oh.
I had forgotten. Looking sheepish, I slowly walked back to the table, keeping my head down.
"Its okay, sweetie. You've been through a lot..." her voice trailed off. Uh-oh, I thought. Now she's done it. I glanced up, preparing to hear Rick scold me. My head shot up when nothing came for a few moments. I looked around suspiciously. Rick was still humming as he cracked eggs, and Lillia was looking at me in a confused way.
"Come get me when breakfast is ready," I told them. "I'm going for a walk."
***

[Kyattsuai]

Oh, this is wonderful. This is always how I imagined things. Keep going! Please! <3 <3 <3

[Kayla]

Great job!

[Firefly]

Kyattsuai said:

Oh, this is wonderful. This is always how I imagined things. Keep going! Please! <3 <3 <3

...Imagined things? =o Me too! I always thought Kai was a lying, cheating, blah, blah, blah...

[Butterscotch]

More, more, more!

[Candyapple]

YAY! ;D your a really great writer Pineapple!

[Firefly]

HarvestMoongirl said:

YAY! ;D your a really great writer Pineapple!

Thanks! ^-^ I'm only 13, too! Am I still aloowe here, because the intro says it allows anyone OVER 13 to join...

[Firefly]

Chapter 7

As I looked around Mineral Town, it occured to me how much I had missed it, even thought I hadn't been gone too long. I saw Ann, who waved at me cheerily. We talked for a few minutes, and she said she had always known Kai was an evil scum. Manna heard us talking, and as I walked away, I heard Ann tell Manna my story. She also called him dispicable. I felt a rush of joy. I was on top of the world.

A little later, I found myself standing by Jack's house. I had had a huge crush on him, and he seemed to like me, too. I had felt so bad when I saw the look on his face when I told him I was marrying Kai. Would he still like me? I crossed my fingers and knocked on the door. It opened a few moments later.
"...Popuri?" asked a surprised Jack.
"Jack!" I cried, hugging him.
"You're back?" he asked, confused. "I thought you were marrying Kai?" When he said 'Kai', his voice hardened angrily. I was glad.
"Can I come in?" I asked. "Have I got a story for you."

"Wow..." Jack said quietly after I had finished telling my 'adventure'. "That's terrible. I'm so sorry, Popuri."
"Its not your fault," I countered. "You don't need to apologize!"
He shurgged. "You're absolutely right..."
Okay... That was NOT the response I had predicted. Actually, it was kind of... rude. But I still liked him. Inside, my stomach was churning. Would he take me back? Or had he found another girl already? That thought made my heart beat rapidly. My hands balled into fists without me wanting them to. I had to tell him. I needed to find out. Now.
"Jack, I have to ask you--"
At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Jack sprang up.
"I'll get it."
He opened the door, and my mouth dropped open. Suddenly, I knew exactly what Rick was angry about earlier this morning. The whole thing came together, like pieces of a puzzle.
"Hello, Jack," a sweet voice said, flipping her long, blonde-brown hair behind a shoulder. "Is it time to go?"
It was Karen.
He had replaced me already! I had gotten married him less than two days ago, and he had replaced me. I felt tears springing to my eyes. I was mad at myself for them. I was such a crybaby. Was that why? I jumped up and stormed out of the door, brushing my shoulder against Jack, shoving him away.
"Popuri!" he called. I ignored him. What a jerk.
Suddenly, I felt sorry for Rick, too. Because of my stupidity, I had lost Jack, and Rick had lost Karen. I understood why Rick had hated Kai. It was just like me and Karen. I had scolded him about Karen, saying she'd get him into trouble. He hadn't yelled at me like I had to him when he said that about Kai. I was such an idiot.
"Popuri!" a voice called. I thought it was Jack, so I ran faster. Not only was I stupid, I was a coward. Afraid to comfront him. I knew I would cry.
"Popuri!" the voice called again. My legs felt detatched from my body. I finally had lost all my stregnth. I stopped and turned. A figure ran up and touched my shoulder. It was Rick.
"Popuri, are you okay?" he asked, his eyes worried. At that, I burst into tears.
"I'm so sorry Rick!" I sobbed. He looked utterly confused. I just got up and ran away. Away from the person who had tried to protect me all his life. I would have stayed, but now, the only thing I could do was run. Run and cry.
***