I’m My Own High School Rival: Nakamura’s Arc: Heritage

  I walked home alone, under a falling noon sun. I felt that Christina would strike me next, but I deflected; no, I redirected her toward a crumbling Antwon, who held me with his eyes the way I held him moments before.

  My feet struck the ground. Christina’s blue eyes sent tremors through my body, rattling my being. Had she recognized what I had seen in Antwon?

  I sighed because he would no longer walk home with me. Christina told him that he had the rest of the week before she would come for him, and his home life would change forever. At least he was allowed to help Sakura to the nurse’s office. I helped him carry her there, supporting her weight with my body while Antwon did the same.

  He kept apologizing, asking for forgiveness; he continued crying, promising he would make it up to her. But she made him aware of his stark reality. “Stop… worrying about me… because she is going to take you home… I…” She choked on the rest of the words, but I knew. After we dropped her off, I filled him in on what happens when a sprout claims a boy; I told him that she would move him in with her because she can financially support him and his new lifestyle. I also told him that he should inform his parents.

  “They… will be impacted the most, Antwon.” Then he asked, “How can I get out of this? I don’t want to leave my house,” and I could only frown.

  I hung my head low as I approached the front door of my house. He’s finally gone, Mom, and I just watched… pathetic. I inserted my key, turned the knob, and walked in expecting to deliver a full report.

  “T-Tiff… You’re home… home? She… Tiff, right?” My Mom said, slurring and forgetting words.

  “Fuck… Don’t… Don’t… what, what was the… question again? Trish Tetsusen said, equally slurring.

  A solemn sigh from Ms. Igarashi. “Welcome home, Nakamura; I apologize for their poor state, but it is better than the former,” Ms. Igarashi said.

  My mom was drunk with the Queen of the Iron Fan Court; the mother of the daughter who claimed… the boy I… What is going on in here? I looked at my Dad, who was sitting next to Mom, pouring sake into a cup with shaky hands, and sliding it to Ms. Tetsusen.

  “Kito… the sukuriwake…” Dad stood up and walked to the kitchen counter.

  I remembered whose presence I was in and started to bow.

  “Don’t you fucking bow to me; To anyone!” Trish lashed out through her drunken stupor, “Queens never bow!”

  Frozen with fear, I dropped to my knees, and someone unseen closed the door behind me. I turned to find a woman with short black hair, wearing a white blouse with black dress pants, wielding a sheathed katana.

  I must be dreaming

  “S-Subaki, You’re… Yo… being scary,” Trish stumbled out.

  ***

  After a while, they started to sober up; first my Mom and then Ms. Tetsusen, but I waited to ask any questions. And I had plenty of inquiries racing through my head. Questions like, why were you drinking with a queen, why did Ms. Tetsusen tell me I could never bow to anyone, and why did she call me a queen?

  Dad retired to their room.

  “Damn, my head hurts,” my Mom said, clutching the glass of water I brought her.

  “It’s because you stopped drinking as you used to,” Ms. Tetsusen said, perfectly fine after drowning herself in alcohol.

  The air in the room was warm, friendly, and even, but nothing added up.

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  “I guess you're wondering why I’m here?” Her voice was as regal as I remembered it.

  I looked around the house at all the broken furniture, the holes in the wall, and the distorted floorboards. “That, amongst other things, Ms. Tetsusen.” I fought back the urge to bow, but it was ingrained in me.

  “Well, you see, after you interfered with my daughter’s claim, I came to kill you and your mother.” My eyes widened, and I clenched my fist. “I’m not totally insensitive. I would have killed your father, too.” My heart leaped from my chest at how casually she said that. I looked at my Mom, hoping she would… I don’t even know anymore.

  “Oh, don’t worry, dear. Your mom and I sorted out our differences, which is why your home is in such disarray. And then,” she said, lifting another glass of tsukuriwake, “we drank as queens do.” She took a sip, and her face turned red. “I told her the same thing, and she tried to kill me; fortunately, she’s rusty as hell.”

  “But…” I started oscillating between them both, “she is not a queen.”

  “You should have heard her: ‘not my daughter, you crazy bitch,’ and whatnot.” Trish reached out and touched my Mom’s shoulder. “And the floor was the victim of your mother's love for your father.”

  My Mom lay her head on the table, as if to surrender to the notion of being royalty.

  “Well, you are a queen, because I’m a queen.” I leaned closer to my Mom’s head and pressed a hand to her forehead.

  “Tiffany,” my Mom finally said, lifting her head off the table, “we are technically heirs of the Crimson Veil’s throne,” she said, brushing her red hair from her face. “Honestly, I thought you would have known since you found my lockbox, and all.”

  Why does that lockbox seem to hold so much significance? “Mom, that makes no sense!” I slammed my hands on the table, and then remembered that Ms. Tetsusen was amongst us. “I-I'm sorry, Ma'am.”

  “Nonsense,” she said, “you should be angry. Arkin kept your heritage from you, forcing you to live this,” she said, pointing at areas where the house was worn or old, “shitty life.”

  But… my life wasn't shitty… I didn't mind the first time, and now that I have the chance to re-experience everything, I can genuinely appreciate what my parents gave me. “I disagree with that notion, Ms. Tetsusen. My life is fine.”

  My Mom started to cry… but I didn’t know if it was because of the booze or if I touched something within her. “Or it would be if not for her tuberculosis.”

  “T-tuberc…Rika, is that treatable?” She said, leaning close… no, leaning on Ms. Igarashi, who was stoic.

  “Yes, Ms. Tetsusen—”

  “Good, so treat it, Arkin, so that we can go back to drinking.” I…it was all too much to take in; the fight, Antwon's loss of freedom, my loss of him, my Mom being someone, something… I lay my head on the table and closed my eyes.

  I felt a hand rub my hair, “Are you okay, Tiff?” My Mom's voice only contributed to the noise in my head. None of this happened the first time, so why now… the only change in my life was… “Antwon. He…”

  “Belongs to Christina, but, as a sprout, you can challenge her claim,” she said, fixing her hair and supporting herself. “For thirty days, she won't touch him; he will be a house-guest. However,” she said, tracing her bottom lip with a finger, “he can touch her, and on day thirty-one, she is going to fu–”

  “Please don't be so vulgar, Trish,” my Mom said, holding her head.

  30 days… I know Sakura will challenge her before Christina’s claim is complete, but I couldn’t beat her. I released a soft, barely audible whimper.

  “Aww,” Trish cooed, “If you're worried about beating my Christina, I could train you.” I slowly lifted my head at the concept, meeting her gaze. Why would she train me? Am I even educable in combat… at my age? “Of course, I want something in return,” she grinned.

  My Mom rolled her eyes, “Yup, same Trish. Don’t take her deal, because it’s going to involve something stupid, something dangerous—”

  “Something ground-breaking that the masses will talk about long after we’re gone,” Trish added on. She brought her hands together, holding them out in front of her before slowly separating them. “I’m talking sagas here, and Arkin can do it. They will write ballads about how the Veil burned only to rise from the ashes with the help of the Iron Fan Court, just to drown out the Ash, like a blazing phoenix.” This said, glowing under the fluorescent lights. “She just needs to kill Jade, overthrow the Crimson Council, and push the Daughters of Ash out of the Veil’s territory, while taking some of theirs. No big deal, right?”

  Ms Igarashi groned.

  My body went numb; I couldn’t turn or talk, just stare at Ms. Tetsusen.

  “It isn’t personal, hun. I like Jade. I held her at her mother's funeral, but she grew up to be a puppet—one that the council exploits. Besides, you don’t even know your aunt—”

  “She’s my kid sister… I told you, Trish, I won’t do it,” Mom said.

  Trish leaned on my Mom’s shoulder and slowly reached up, grabbing her cheeks. “Foolish, Arkin. If Jade knew about your existence, she would kill you and your daughter for the sanctity of her rule.”

  And just like that, I was marked for death.