Chapter 2 - Clean & Tidy

After Yumi left Chisa just stared up at the ceiling in a daze, and was still like that for several minutes. Before long she drifted off to sleep, only waking when the yellow light of the sunset pierced through the shades over her bedroom at just the right angle that they shot into her eyes. She stretched and got up off the bed, her foot landing on one of numerous discarded cum rags that littered the floor. It wasn't that she didn't have a trash can it was just that it was overflowing. She kicked it aside and walked over to her closet to grab another trash back. In short order she dealt with them all, and some of the empty cans, before tying it off and heading over to the shower. It was in better condition than her sleeping quarters. 

She hadn't been bathing frequently enough, that much she knew, and she contemplated showering, however as she stood there and looked at it she decided that today she not only would bathe but would enjoy a bath instead. Within a few minutes the tub was full of steamy water and she stepped in. She breathed out a deep sigh of relief as she sank into the bubbly suds. She submerged her head, getting her hair wet, and rubbed in some shampoo, and conditioner, Before resting her head on the back of the tub and looking at the ceiling. Though she was awake her mind wandered. Distant voices ran through her brain like echos in a cave. 

"Freak..." "Pervert..." "Get the fuck out of here already!" 

She opened her eyes, again, shuddering uncomfortably. She brought her knees to her chest. Her expression was glum as she stared down at her reflection in the water. "What if it all just happens again." She muttered to herself, before pushing some the bubbles around on the surface of the water. "What if I change, but it's all for nothing?" She asked her reflection. "What if I drive Yumi away too?" Her voice trembled. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Try as she might her reflection never gave her the answers she wanted. Discontented, and tired, she washed her hair, and finished washing the rest of her body before finally getting out of the tub. 

There was still so much to do. Though she was tired, and just wanted to sleep, the more she thought about it the more motivated she felt. "I made a promise to Yumi. It wouldn't be right if I didn't hold up my side of the deal." Once her body was dry she threw on a new shirt, some pajama pants, and slippers, and got to work. She had two bags in hand when she reached the inside bin down stairs in the kitchen. It too was already full. If she wanted to get rid of them she'd have to use the one outside. She groaned, but kept at it. In the alley way behind the house was a large dumpster used my many of the other surrounding homes. She opened the heavy lid and hurled the bags in, taking her irritation out on them. As it slammed shut, she felt an unexpected wave of gratification from it. "Yeah... I can do this." When she returned to her room she grabbed her phone and some head phones, and put on the most action-training-montage type music she could find on her preferred streaming app, then got down to it. From then on she spent the next hour just hauling bags out of the house, and filling up new ones with any spare trash she saw on the ground. By the time it was dark her room was finally free of debris, and the dumpster out back was full. She hoped the other families wouldn't mind too much, she couldn't be certain when the next trash pickup was but she knew they'd be able to manage. 

After heading inside she washed her hands and headed over to the fridge. She opened it and leaned inside to rummage around but was alarmed to find it almost totally empty. There were a few things here and there, everything save for the condiments in the door, and a pint of orange juice was expired. Rather then just leave it she kept up her cleaning purge and got rid of the lot. She wasn't sure what she'd have for dinner but when she closed the fridge she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Over int he living room was a white envelope with her name on it. She hadn't come out of her room in a couple of days she she'd never noticed. She approached and picked it up, finding a note form her mother inside. "Hey Chisa! I'm off to Osaka for a few days for work. I'll be back this Friday. We're low on groceries, so please head down to the market and pick a few things up before I get back. And please no junk food! You know I don't like it." Below was a modest sum of money she could use to get the essentials. "Hmm... OH NO!" She suddenly gasped, "I never texted her back!?" She panicked, before grabbing her phone. She frantically pounded in a message, "Hey Mom, sorry I missed your messages, I lost my phone for a couple of days." That was a lie but also a nominally plausible excuse, Chi-chan didn't have strength to admit that she just hadn't answered them because she was being lazy. "I'm all good over here. I cleaned up a little. I'll head down to the market. Enjoy your trip!" She wrote, and quickly pressed send. There was a brief delay, but she got a brief text back from her mother. "Wait- Really!? That's wonderful sweetie! Be seeing you soon! ♥" 

After grabbing her coat, and kicking on some sneakers she decided to head out. While looking in the coat closet she realized it had been a long time since she bought something for her self that wasn't just an anime T-shirt. Every coat in there either belong to her mother, was an old on of her's from high school. Her outfit certainly wouldn't have her winning any style awards, unless shut-in chic became a thing. She sported a pair of baggy purple pajama bottoms with stars and moons on them, an equally baggy T-shirt that said "Plus Ultra" on the front in bold red, and yellow, letters, a black zip up hoodie, with a food stain on the right tit, and a pair of old beat up trainers with a hole in one of the soles. She felt a little guilty as she stood before the mirror in the entryway, but she didn't know what else would work, and she had these at hand, so they sufficed. "Okay- well even if I look like a mess everyone's probably at home, or eating dinner, so I don't think anyone would notice me." The thought barely did the trick, but rather than dwell on it anymore she went on her way. Getting to the market only took ten minutes, but it felt like a new journey. She tried to remember the last time she'd gone so far from home. "That was in... November, right?" She mumbled to herself. She looked around at the streets lights, and the surrounding sky scrapers. They seemed new. At least on or two were different from how she remembered. Pulling her phone from her coat pocket she checked the date and realized it was nearly the end of February. "Oh..." She sighed, deflating a little as she said it. Thankfully the store was just ahead of her. She could see it's bright neon sign form blocks away. Everything in there looked glitzy, new, and fresh. "Just a trip to a super marker. Just like normal. Everyone does it. I can do it." she thought to herself while entering the automatic doors, and Grabbing a basket. Chisa started looking around the well stocked, and brightly lit bodega, and picked out the essentials, while carefully avoiding the junk food, like her mom had requested. Before she knew it she had the basket filled, and roughly estimated how much cash she had left. Since there was still a bit to spare she grabbed an energy drink for herself, allowing her a single guilty pleasure on road to redemption wouldn't totally set her off track, she reasoned, and headed to the counter. Absentmindedly she reached for her cash without looking at the cashier.  

"Hey freak." 

Chisa's head snapped up in an instant, dismay painted on her face. "What?" She sputtered but the word barely crossed her lips. Standing behind the counter was Etsuko Nishima, literally the last person in the world Chisa wanted to see in that moment. 

Etsu was wearing the typical uniform of a convenience store employee, tucked in polo shirt, jeans, black belt, slip on shoes, nothing flashy, but the rest of her appearance looked like it obviously flouted the dress code. Her hair was long, and black, and tied back into two buns on either side of her head. Both of the buns were tied in place with hair ties, but they also featured a pin decorated with small silver skulls, where they joined with her head. She had bold make up on as well. Her eye shadow went from pink, to red, to black, and she wore mascara as well. Her lips were covered in a layer of matte black lip stick, and she had numerous facial piercings: two studs in her right eyebrow, a little round septim piercing, four earrings in her left ear, three more in her right. Her nails were painted black as well, and she wore the same spiked leather bracelets she had back in high school. She completed her heavy metal look with an ice cold, "I'm going to fucking murder you," Kind of glare. Her actual overall facial structure was cute. She had a small round nose, and, and slender lips, smooth round cheeks, and round eyes, but you'd have needed a keen eye to catch it.  

The former shut-in couldn't help but turn a pale. "Um... h-hello." She stammered, unable to make eye contact while she spoke. Etsu raised an eyebrow skeptically, "I didn't realize you lived around here Yamazaki." The cashier commented, with an already aggregated tone. Folding her arms she continued. "Well- you been peeping on anyone else lately, you fucking creep?" As she posed the question however she started tapping her foot. Etsuko furrowed her brow angrily, and clenched her clenched her fist so tight the knuckles in her hand bulged. Chisa could see it with her head down. She knew it would be wise to take a step back. Desperately she tried to answer, but couldn't get out anything more than a whimper, "I didn't... Er- no." Etsuko scoffed. "Whatever..." She blustered, before grabbing the items, and ringing them up in a hurry. The rocker didn't even read off the total, just held out her hand, when it was all done. Chisa forked over what she owed, and turned to leave when Etsuko shouted at her on the way out, "Find somewhere else to shop form now on." The shut in didn't even try to look back, she just clutched her shopping bag, and sped toward the exit. 

She was over a block away when she finally stopped to catch her breath. Her hands were sweating, and her lip trembled. She bowed her head and looked at the street while she panted to catch her breath. Gradually she regained her wind, and took the first step, but every one that followed went faster then the last. Chi kept breathing hard. Her eyes stung. "Not here." She whispered to herself. "N-not right now." She whimpered again. Before she knew it she was out right running home. She ran with all her might until she covered the distance. Her hands were shaking when she produced the key to the front door. She fumbled with the lock, scratching the whole as she tried to put it in properly. After what felt like an eternity, but was really no more than ten seconds, she was in, and locked it behind her. Exhausted, and at last alone she collapsed there with her back against the door and cried. Thick tears rand down her cheeks faster than she could wipe them away. She curled her knees to her chest, and hid her face within them sobbing, and panting desperately, unable to control herself. She wept so hard she accidentally slumped over to one side, and lay there alone, in the entry way of her family's house with the lights off. 

Several hours passed.

 Weakly she staggered to her feet, and put the groceries away. She didn't remember how she got back to her bedroom but the next thing she knew she was face down on her mattress. She stared at the number Yumi had given her. She stared at it for a long time in silence, unsure of what to do. Though her thumbs were still a little shaky she decided to text her old friend. "Thank you for coming to visit me today Yumi." She struggled with what to say after that. "It felt special to me." was about all she could manage. She turned red, and covered her eyes. "Ugh Yumi's going to this this is stupid maybe I shouldn't even text her at all." She cursed herself, covering her eyes with her forearm melodramatically. Suddenly she heard a soft, "Fwoosh" from her phone. She'd sent the text without meaning too. Chisa screamed incoherently into her pillow for a moment. The clock on her phone read nearly three in the morning. She felt so dumb. She was about to throw the thing at the wall when she heard a soft beep indicating she'd gotten a reply. 

"Oh yeah? Good. Now go to sleep. I'm coming over in the morning."

Chisa smiled, feeling her tears begin to try at last. She started typing, "Okay. I'll be ready. I can't tell you how grateful I am. I've been really lonely." As she read it however she felt like she was saying too much. "Okay I'll be ready. I can't tell you how grateful I am." She read it out loud. It didn't sound right. She groaned, and slapped her hand against her head. She didn't want Yumi to think she only cared about sex. "Okay. I'll be ready." She wrote but then stared at it with determination for a long moment. That wouldn't do either, it still sounded like she might just be thinking about fucking. She deleted it all, save for the single word, "Okay." And pressed send. "Everything I say... It always sounds wrong." She sighed, before putting the phone on the bed stand, and drifting off to sleep. 