Bittersweet

Confrontation

Chapter 21

"Tom!" Natsuki growled, her fists clenched at her sides as she stomped towards the fearful boy.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I won't do it again, whatever it was! I swear!" Tom pleaded, backing up until he was pressed to the wall.

Natsuki grabbed him by the front of his shirt, lifting him surprisingly easily a few inches from the ground.

"I want you to give me the name of anyone you've ever seen harm Yuri Owens. Now." Natsuki demanded.

She pulled him close before slamming him back against the wall, causing the freshman to cry out in pain.

"O-Okay, okay! I will! Just please let me go!" Tom begged.

Natsuki threw him forcefully to the ground at her feet.

Tom hurriedly grabbed out a piece of paper and a pen, scribbling any names that came to mind.

He paused only a moment before continuing, growing fearful as Natsuki began tapping her foot impatiently.

Once he had filled both sides with as many names as he could remember he shakily handed it to Natsuki, who snatched it out of his hand.

"Are you sure this is everyone?" Natsuki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I p-put everyone I could t-think of! I s-s-swear!" Tom nodded his head violently.

"Good. Now scram!" Natsuki jerked her thumb over her shoulder as Tom struggled to pick up the contents of his bag.

Tom sprinted down the hall as Natsuki stared down at the note in shock.

All these people... There's so many... Oh, Yuri... I had no idea...

Natsuki felt a tear glide down her cheek, quickly wiping it before anyone saw.

~~~

Yuri ran into the student parking lot, where Monika had just started her car.

"Monika, may I please have a ride home?" Yuri placed her hands on her knees, out of breath from running.

"Yeah, sure. Where's Natsuki?" Monika asked, peering curiously behind the taller girl.

"She's, um, not coming. L-Let's go." Yuri sat in the passengers seat as Monika pulled away with a shrug.

~~~

Natsuki started by writing a threatening message for everyone on the list.

"No one touches Yuri Owens and gets away with it. Just ask Tom Sykes. Touch her again and you're next."

Natsuki thought it sounded pretty convincing, so she folded each piece of paper in half before starting the next part of her plan.

She went to the locker of each person and slipped the paper inside.

Once done she made her way towards the baseball field, where she knew Tom would still be at practice.

"N-N-Natsuki?!" Tom trembled, dropping the bat he held in his hand to protect his face from any oncoming blows he may recieve.

Natsuki grabbed his shirt and dragged him around to the team's dressing room, which thankfully was empty at the moment as the team was out on the field.

Natsuki cracked her knuckles, a sickening grin stretching across her face as the colour drained from Tom's face.

"Please! No! Don't-!" Could be heard from the locked room, along with the sound of something being slammed around.