I’m My Own High School Rival: Nakamura’s Arc: Heritage
A few days passed, leading into a long weekend.
Lulled awake by the silence of an empty heart—I prayed for the weekend to meet a timely end; as, it had only begun. I didn’t know why I felt so empty when I should feel full.
I turned in my bed, further wrapping myself in the warmth of my green comforter, providing no such comfort. I waited for another spsh of cold water to galvanize me back into my reality, waking up to my lifeless adult corpse as I y before the Crimson veil, but it never came.
I removed my bnket, exposing myself to the elements of my room. The weekend’s end would mark my first week in the past, reliving my teen life with the unnatural inclusion of Antwon and Sakura.
The wooden floor wailed under my feet. Did it wail when Antwon was here, or was it hushed as not to scare him off?
I thought back to Christina’s proposition during lunch—Antwon’s pseudo servitude—he hadn’t been happy about the situation; that day, he compined all the way to my house, calling it unfair, squeezing my hand, and hugging my arm.
I gently touched the arm, leading down to my hand. The boy who, in the future, stood against the Veil with the future Court queen now held me unknowingly.
I touched the side of my face.
Antwon prepared dinner for my family, and he also made me lunch… made Christina’s lunch, too.
My fingers curled against my face, gently cwing at my skin until I made a fist.
I shook my head, letting go of the growing tension in my chest.
I was certain Antwon would be fine. I’m also ashamed—Antwon had defended me on two accounts without hesitation; He stood up to the one person who bullied me to the point of…
I opened my room door to a quiet house.
I guess Dad wasn’t making breakfast today.
I walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator; we still had plenty of leftovers from the night Antwon cooked for us.
I lowered my head and smiled.
Mom went crazy, swearing that if I didn’t marry him, she would. Dad hit her, of course.
I took a bowl of rice, a few eggs, teriyaki, Tonkatsu, and grilled shrimp out of the refrigerator, leaving plenty for ter.
I pced my meal in the microwave and set it for three minutes. But thinking about the meal brought me back to Tuesday night.
***
“Antwon, you really don’t have to do this—”
“Shut up, Tiff. If Antwon wants to cook for us, let him.” Mom said with a smug grin. I think she was more excited that Antwon came back with so much food.
“Yeah, Tiff, let me cook,” Antwon said, matching Mom’s smugness.
They were becoming as thick as thieves.
I sighed because my parents had already lost, and I had already lost to Antwon’s boyish charm.
“So, what are you making for us?” Mom asked, catching Antwon’s gre.
He smiled modestly and said, “Food, but you don’t have to eat it.”
Mom and I ughed because Dad would have said the same.
When Dad came home, he was as surprised, if not more, than Mom. He also told me to marry him because he wasn’t afraid of dating a poor girl, which had less of an impact than Mom’s encouragement.
Antwon sat next to me once he had prepared the food; he also prepared my meal. We all enjoyed his delicious cooking, and when he really wanted me to try something, he would feed it to me himself. I’m happy Sakura wasn’t here to see it.
***
The microwave’s arm brought me back and grounded me. I sat down, alone, at my table, with a strange feeling in my heart; it was something I couldn’t name but had needed all along.
I pulled my chopsticks apart and picked up a piece of Tonkatsu. I pced it in my mouth, and it burned my tongue. The pain was excruciating, wracking, and aching throughout my body, shaking my essence like nothing I had ever felt, and it brought me to tears.
***
“My beloved bro,” Christine said, softly pushing her lips against mine.
My heart raced like a marathon runner who was approaching the finish line. I hugged her tight, never wanting to let go.
“I… missed you, but how are you here?”
She gently caressed my cheek, then brought my head to her chest, forcing me to embrace her warmth. I pushed her away and grabbed her by the shoulders.
I took the familiar scent of cherry blossoms, alerting me to what I had known all along. This wasn’t Christine’s scent, but the scent of another woman.
Regret started streaming down my face as I found the strength to push away from Christine’s embrace.
“I’m sorry… for everything, but I can’t keep doing this to myself.”
She wiped the tears away and held my face. Her eyes felt real, too much so, like she held a fme.
“Christine, I didn’t know that wishing that Nakamura could have a second chance would separate us. I only wanted—”
She pced her finger to my lips, preventing me from speaking, preventing me from saying the thing which shouldn’t be named.
“Shh. This is our moment, Antwon.”
She brought me back to her, to the court, and to what I had once held dear.
“Christine, I don’t care how things turn out; I’ll always love you, even if it’s from afar.” I swallowed something that fought its way back up. “But, we can never be together in this life, this reality.”
“Antwon… you must wake up.”
She forced me away and started shaking me. “Wake up, Antwon.”
“I am awake. That's how I know this is a dream.”
“Antwon… Antwon…
***
Antwon!
My eyes shot open.
I was in Sakura’s hands—she was shaking me—the cherry blossom scent.
She wiped my tears and held me close. I had fallen asleep in her room again. Did I… I couldn’t have.
“Why do you always randomly cry in your sleep, little bro?”
I stayed quiet, absorbing Sakura’s warmth, longing for another.
Sakura tossed a bnket over us with one hand, neatly wrapping us.
“So what did you dream about that was bad enough to make you cry, Antwon?”
I could feel her peering down, but I nestled my face into her chest and feigned ignorance.
“Really? You can’t avoid my question by being all cute.”
I closed my eyes to glimpse Christine one st time, but fiery red hair overpowered my desire to see her face, causing my heart to spiral; these feelings swirled like spinning gze—I was fired in a lover's haze.
AnnouncementThis song is associated with the chapter: https://suno.com/s/kvTabPZADQWoGwwE
