Ladyblood

13 | Flashbacks

**trigger warning**

this chapter deals with drugs and suicide. please, please be safe.

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Luka's POV

I spent the night at Kagami's place. Her folks were out of town, probably for something about the move here.

Her place smells like candles and lavender. Her parents really like candles, and it's obvious, because her whole house is filled with them.  The soft hum of Sailor Moon from the TV is on in the background. I can't see it, however, because my sleeping bag is facing away from the television. I don't mind, I'm cozy anyways. I'm on the carpeted floor covered in blankets, and Kagami is on her bed, tucked in and fast asleep. She looks so happy. I can't believe I ever hated her.

The first time I met her, I was really jealous of Kagami. We both were living in the United States, and we just had started seventh grade. It wasn't fair that Kagami got everything I longed for. She had parents who weren't only together, but loved each other. She had money to buy cute clothes to wear to school. Popularity was never a problem either, because everyone at school liked her anyways. I envied her money, her fame, her parents... I envied her whole lifestyle.

One morning in seventh grade, I was writing in my journal when she came up to me. She had her hair clipped back with red clips, and was wearing pigtails. She had a cute skirt on, with grey leggings to match. I simply glanced at her, not wanted to even wonder how much that outfit must have cost, but suddenly, she pointed at my journal.

"Whatcha reading?"

"Actually, I'm writing." I said, with a bit of growl.

"Woah, no need to be hostile. What's it about?"

"Lyrics."

Her mouth dropped open. "As in... song lyrics?"

I nodded.

She jumped in the chair next to me, and leaned on my arm to read the notebook. Back then I was still jealous of her, but thinking about that moment now makes my heart flutter. It was just us two in the back of the class, cuddled up and reading my song lyrics. Just us. Her breath on my shoulder, the smell of her expensive perfume... it was a perfect moment.

Out of the blue, Chloe, an exchange student from Paris, called us out. "Ew, are y'all a couple?!"

The whole class stopped to turn and see us. The room got silent. I clutched my notebook close to my chest, and prayed for the judgeful eyes of the classroom to stop looking me over.

Kagami didn't jump, but simply stood up and smiled. "No, we're just friends." She turned around, and held out her hand to help me up. "Right?"

And just like that, our friendship started. I grinned. "Yeah."

At the end of the year, we were great friends. We made lots of other great friends too. I met a boy named Nino, and instantaneously grew tight with him. Kagami did too. But, no matter how hard I tried, I was never as close to him as I was close to Kagami.

We stayed close until the middle of my freshman year, when my mom told me we were moving to Paris. I was heartbroken. At this time, I started to like Kagami. I never opened up to a person as much as I opened up to her. I wanted to tell her.

I told Kagami two days before I moved. A dick move, I know, but I couldn't bear to tell her I was moving across the world. Maybe if I didn't tell her, then I wouldn't have to move. Eventually, I realized that wasn't the truth, and I needed to tell her sooner rather than later. I also decided I would tell her how I felt. I pulled her aside after class, and we met under the school's cherry tree.