Second Composer

Chapter 9

I didn't return to class after the talk with Aka. I feel exhausted but am unable to talk a nap. I curse my insomnia for that. I didn't leave my room at all until I hear a knock on my door. I yell 'wait a minute' through the door as I go wash my face in the bathroom. Once I scrub some of the dried tears off my face, I go and answer the door. Haruka and Tomochika are the ones standing behind the door.

"Hey. Syo came to us about checking on you." Tomochika explained. "You alright?"

"Yeah." I mumbled.

I open the door more and let them come in. As they walk in, they look around the room.

Half of the room is occupied by me while the other is completely empty. On my side, which is the left side, I have light green bedsheets covering the mattress with red pillows. I also have a red blanket tossed on top of the bed as I just got up from it. Against wall of the bed, a white body pillow lays there untouched. The walls themselves are bare as I have no posters to hang. They were all back at home. On my desk, piles of books are stacked on top of each other. A picture frame is hiding behind those books. There is a laptop laying at the center of the desk. The tall mirror from this morning was standing in the corner right next to the wardrobe and door that leads to the bathroom. Overall, the room is the same as Tomochika and Haruka's room, just with slightly different things.

"Wow." Haruka said, as she turns in circles. "You have a room to yourself?"

"Yeah." I answered as I go to my bed.

I sit down on top of it and grab the body pillow. I hug it, trying to think that this is Aka who I am hugging. It doesn't work.

"Did you request for it?" Haruka asked as she takes the chair from my desk and sits in it.

Tomochika goes to sit on the empty bed.

"No. They explain to me that there is an extra girl in this year's enrollment and only one girl gets a room just to herself. I just happen to be the lucky winner." I explained.

"Must be nice." Tomochika commented.

"I don't like it." I said.

Haruka and Tomochika look at my direction. I squeeze the body pillow tighter. I press my face into it, trying to hide my sadness. My glasses digs into my face.

"Why?" Haruka asked.

"I'm used to sharing a room." I mumbled into the pillow. "I'm don't like how quiet it is. Especially at night."

"Oh." Haruka said. "Would you like to come sleep over at our room?"

I pull my face away and look at Haruka through my smudged glasses.

"Are you okay with that?" I asked quietly.

"Of course." Tomochika said. "You're our friend. We want you to be as comfortable here as you are at home."

Tomochika gets up from her seat and moves to a spot next to me. She wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me in for a hug. Unlike the other times when she gives me a hug, I relax in her embrace. This is the first time, other than Aka, that I feel comfortable enough to let someone else touch me.

"So," Tomochika dragged out, "what makes you uncomfortable or don't like?"

"I usually don't let people touch me." I said.

Tomochika quickly drops the arm that was around me. I laugh before leaning against her. Now that I am used to Tomochika's touch, I can feel how warm she is.

"Don't worry about it. I got used to your touches." I said as I lay my head on her shoulder. "But you have to wait for me to initiate it."

Tomochika stay still for a moment before putting her arm back around me. I sense more that feel Haruka getting up and moving to where the both of us are. The bed dips from the new weight applied to it. With a slight hesitation, Haruka goes to grab my hand. I let her.

"When I'm stressed," I continued, "I will have a hard time eating. So, I would like it if you at least make me try to eat."

I study Haruka's hand. It is small and fragile looking. Her fingers are very slender. They almost look like they could break at any time. And there seems to be no calluses. I drag my thumb over the back of her hand. It is very soft.

"Your hand is soft." I commented, feeling myself drifting a little. "And warm."

Between Tomochika and Haruka's warmth, I can feel myself falling asleep. My grip on my pillow slowly relaxes, almost dropping it on the ground. Just when I was about to go to dreamland, a shrilling noise breaks the peaceful quiet. I jump from where I am and fall onto the ground. Haruka yelps at the sudden noise and movement. Tomochika flinches. I stay on the ground for a minute before sitting up. The three of us look at each other before bursting into laughter.

Once we calm down, I realize that my phone was the one that made the noise. I grab it from where it laid on my pillow and check who it was. Syo's name pops up. I swipe the button to answer it and bring the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" I said.

"Teresa!" Syo's voice shouted, making me pull the phone away. "Are you okay!? Did something happen!?"

I wince at how loud he was. Haruka and Tomochika look at me as they can probably hear him without the speaker on.

"First off," I began as I slowly place the phone back next to my ear, "don't start yelling like that. I almost had a heart attack."

I hear Tomochika snickered. I give her a glare, which makes her snicker again.

"And secondly, I'm fine. I think the stress got to me."

A sigh from Syo tells me that he is relief.

"That is good to hear." Syo said.

"I told you the little kitten is alright, Ochibi-chan." I hear Ren-san's voice but not as clear as Syo's.

"I'm not short!" Syo shouts at Ren-san. His voice is now away from the phone. "How many times do I have to say that!?"

I giggle. And from the way Haruka and Tomochika are smiling, they hear what he said as well. I stop giggling when my stomach wants attention. It growls so loud that Syo probably heard it through the phone. My face heats up as Haruka and Tomochika laugh loudly.

"What is happening?" Syo asked. "Who's laughing?"

"It is only Haruka and Tomochika." I answered. "My stomach growled really loudly."

"Oh." Syo chuckled. "Then why don't we get some food? The cafeteria is just about to open."

"Sound's great. The three of us will be there shortly." I said before ending the call.

"We better getting going if we don't want Teresa-chan to faint again." Tomochika said as she gets up from my bed.

Haruka follows. Tomochika leads us to the door but stops before it. Tomochika looks over her shoulder and looks at me. Her eyes move up and down.

"But before that," Tomochika said, "go get change. I don't think anyone would appreciate you if you went out like that."

I look down and see my school clothes to be wrinkly. I push the two girls out of my room and get change into more casual clothes. For the first time in a long time, I feel relax in a new setting.

Even if I don't have Aka by my side, I have friends to rely on. I like it.