Transfixed
By Alia Davis

Waves of music crashed into the street outside. The guitar riffs bouncing off of the hard surfaces in the street. The music blasting inside had only one purpose- to shatter the bones of anyone who wasn’t jumping along to the beat set by the drummer.

And even though the evening was beginning to dwindle down to darkest night, the crowd seemed tireless, their energy directly connected to the sound that washed over everything inside. Pulsing to the beat along with them were the many lights that blinked on and off.

Amidst all this excitement there were a few faces that we know, the Adorable face of Yumi covered in dark eye shadow and dramatic shapes drawn around her eyes- a disguise that only some people seem to be able to see through. Her friends Eizo and Miyoko were equally unrecognizable. Their faces fluttered with enjoyment and their connection to the music, only Yumi’s held something that no one else in the crown felt. In the slope of her eyebrows and the flush there was written a certain amount of nervousness and fear as the last song came to an end.

The crowd around them burst into applause and everyone’s flushed faces were upturned to their idols, their role models, and their dreamboats, the members of the band Orochi. Their hair colors as different as their personality. Akito, his blonde hair matching his bubbly personality as he bowed dramatically to the audience. Shuya’s blue hair framing his smiling face, an action which was surpassed most of the time when his lover was not present. Toshio and his flaming red hair standing and searching the crown with the same nervousness and fear that was on Yumi’s face not fifteen yards away from him. Both of their reasons being the imposing individual at the front of the stage, his dark hair a mane of wild spikes and shadow

His eyes were searching the numerous faces in front of him too, searching eagerly, a different kind of anticipation hurtling off the insides of his stomach, his heart jumped to his throat as eyes landed on what he was looking for. Miyabi and Toshio had both spotted who the wanted to see in a singular moment.

Yumi’s sweet face looked familiar to Miyabi, but not familiar from the cruel moments he’d been near her. It was familiar from their last concert. She happened to catch his gaze and their eyes locked for a moment, both transfixed to their spots. It was Yumi that moved first.....

------------------------- (means a new perspective)

Those eyes stole away my breath again before I regained my sense and turned around, pushing my way out through the crowd. The pace was hot and stuffy, the smell of sweet and smoke was more that I could take anymore. The back of my neck still prickled from those staring eyes, and I moved faster, dodging arms and legs. At this point I couldn’t tell if the eyes were full of hate or... Something else.

"Thank you all for coming!" came his voice over the speakers, another wild eruption of applause assaulted my ears, and I was halfway to the exit now when the presence of his stare was gone. When I looked over my shoulder quickly I noticed that he was gone and the other band members looking confused at the stage entrance. I moved faster out of there, the mass of people stayed still, hoping for an encore.

Somehow I knew they wouldn’t be getting one. When I finally pushed past the last person I felt my legs run to the open exit, taking me quickly around the corner, only to slam into someone who was running just as fast as I was. The collision knocked us both back, shocking me into silence as I saw that the figure before me was none other than Miyabi. Déjà vu, right?

His mouth was open, speechless as I quickly struggled to my feet.

"Wait!" he breathed out more than said as I turned to run, lunging for me from the ground, his hand wrapping around my ankle, bringing me down to the ground again, landing on my shoulder. The one he’d already hurt. How many times did he have to hurt me to feel satisfied?

I knew a scream tore from my lips because I could feel it in my throat, scratchy and sore. The sound never reached my ears though, and everything faded out into black. The last word that ran through my head was simple.

Shit.

--------------------------

"Shit." The word breathed out of my mouth as I moved to her side. What was I thinking? Why did I do that? She was so beautiful and what did I do? I knocked her out.

Great

Her face was covered in makeup, a sheen of sweat smeared it slightly, but she was still the most vulnerable person he’d ever seen. Her black hair up in pigtails just like before. He smiled and brushed those bangs away from her face. A face he didn’t even have a name to. A face that he’s already decided to love.

Gently he picked her up in his arms; her little body was light and warm. His sense quickly reminded him where he was, right at the exit that people would begin to flood out of soon. Looking around franticly he decided where he would bring her and started off.

When he entered the dressing room all the laughter and noise stopped, his band members watching curiously, wondering what exactly was going on. It was Akito that first spoke up.

"Umm, Miyabi.... What are you doing with that girl?" His hands turned on a nearby faucet and he began to wet a hand towel.

“Yeah, I thought you hated her.” Voiced Shuya, at which a near by Toshio elbowed him discreetly, earning a loud, “OUCH! What the hell was that for?”

“What are you guys talking about? This is the girl I told you about last time. You know, the one I couldn’t find after our last concert. Why would you think I hated her.” The lead singer looked down at her face and smiled, moving her to the couch that made their dressing room more of a lounge.

“Because you beat-”, another sharp blow to Shuya’s ribs behind Miyabi’s back silenced him this time.

“No reason,” said Toshio forcefully, more to the other two than Miyabi who wasn’t really paying attention. “What did you do to her anyway? Don’t you think we should get someone to come and look at her?” He asked worried, watching his friend’s face.

Miyabi frowned, getting on his knees to take a look at her better. “I accidentally tripped her, and she fell on her arm...” he said, gently moving up her black shirt’s sleeve. Underneath it was a large and horrible bruise, yellow green tinged the edged while the center was a deep blue-purple. “God! I think she must have passed out from the pain, and it looks like someone had been hurting her! I’m going to kill whoever it is!” he said angrily, standing and tuning around, looks full of confusion and pity from his friends met him there.

“You mean...You don’t know who this is?” asked Akito, turning off the faucet and taking the wet wash cloth to the girl. For his usual ecstatic nature his touch was gentle as he began to wet her face, the dark makeup coming off onto the cloth.

“No! Of course I don’t I’ve never met her before!” he said angrily, frustrated that his friends seemed to know something he didn’t.

The wet cloth on the girl’s face seemed to wake her up quickly, she sat up, breathing heavily and looking around wildly. “Crap.” She whispered. But everyone in the room could hear.

When the bewildered Miyabi turned around to face her she flinched, cowering into the couch. “Please don’t hurt me! I know you didn’t want me to come to your concerts, but my friends...” he voice trailed off as he was staring at her surprised at her outburst.

“Please,” he began, raising a hand to his forehead, “Don’t be afraid. Who are you?” he asked, passing the confused look to the girl in front of him.

------------------------

“You... You don’t know who I am?” I heard myself stammer. I know Toshi-chan has said he hadn’t known who I was last time I was at their concert, but I was far away then. Now he still didn’t see.


Akito who was kneeling in front of me gave me a sad look and handed me a washcloth, it sat idle in my hands. “Have I met you before?” he asked, taking a step closer. “And who hurt you?” he asked gently, reaching out to my arm, which I saw was now exposed, the ugly bruise nearly covering my entire fore arm.

I told myself to hold it together, but as I moved slightly away from his hand I felt the tears well up. “You did.” I felt myself whisper, then I felt like slapping myself. Why had I said anything at all, I needed to get out of here.

Now.

But I couldn’t, his eyes were hurt and confused. They were looking at me, keeping me transfixed.

(TO BE CONTINUED........)

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