If It Doesn't Hurt, It's Not Abuse

(2) They Didn't Need Him

Toma's alarm started to beep, signalling that it was his time to get out of bed.

Out of his warm, cozy, safe, bed.

This would be hard.

He turned to his side and shut the alarm off with one click and moved to his back, facing the ceiling.

"Should I get out?" His voice was a rasp, "What would happen if I do?" He blinked tiredly to focus his vision before reaching over for his glasses, "I doubt the day would be no different. Rintaro could take over, or maybe even Yuta."

He sighed and sat up, his back was aching from the weird position he slept in. His hand brushed over his blankets to smooth them down and got up, "No, I need to go."

After his morning routine, he made his way downstairs, dressed in his school uniform. Waiting on the table was a small plate that was his breakfast.

He sat down and picked up his chopsticks, but then saw that his mother was no where to be found. He frowned but shrugged it off, 'I guess this is good?' He sighed and finished quickly.

On his way to school, he noticed the seagulls usually swarming the river weren't there. Toma knit his eyebrows together, "That's a first..." He sighed and continued his walk to school.

Maki, Yu, and Mitsue didn't show up at their usual meeting spot that day.

This only dampened his mood.

Toma walked over to his desk at arrival to put his bag down but it and sighed, today wasn't going to be good, was it?

"Okay class, now for attendance!" The teacher walked into the room a few minutes late, clip board in hand, and hair in a messy bun. He guessed even teachers had bad days.

The day passed by like a snap and soon it was practice.

The club room was loud and sociable. Laughter and yelling occupied the air, making even the passing students outside flinch at the sound.

Toma entered the room, with his eyes down and bag up.

"Tsubasa! Stretching time!" Shingo yelled over the chaos.

"Hell yeah!" He yelled back, hopping onto Shingo's back and interlocking arms with him. He leaned forward, stretching out. "Ahhh! Feels so good!"

"Everyone try to quiet down, we already received one noise warning," Shingo tried to yell over everyone.

His teammates stoped and nodded, "Yeah, alright," The rest of their changing period was spent silently changing into their tennis uniforms.

'I shouldn't have said anything. Their good mood vanquished because of me.' He sighed to himself, 'It's always me.'

Yu must have noticed his attitude since they walked over to him and smiled, "Thank you, Shingo, I was kind of getting a headache."

"Oh, yeah," Toma looked down, "It was nothing."

Everyone filed out of the room with their rackets in hand, ready to start hitting some balls.

"Okay everyone, Mitsue and I made sure all of these balls are useable so they don't end up hitting someone again." Yu said softly, holding the basket filled with them.

There was a short silence before someone peeped, "I said I was sorry." This caused everyone to laugh and grab a soft ball.

Maki and the rest lined up in their regular formation, leaving a small space for Toma, whom, had not shown up to the practice area yet.

Mitsue looked around, then looked at Yu, "Hey, where's glasses?" She got up and dusted off her long skirt.

"I'm not sure, it's not like him to be late...and I did see him in the changing room..." They trailed off, looking down at their clip board, "Although...He did seem to be agitated about something, so maybe that's it!" Yu looked over at the stairwell leading up to the school, hoping to catch a glance of Shingo, but alas, didn't.