Chapter 8

Exposed!

The next morning, Rise is on her way to her classroom when all of a sudden, she sees the other girls giving her dirty looks and looking away from her. Rise is wondering why they are all looking at her like that, probably there's something on her face. But knowing that isn't possible, she also wonders if she had done something to make the other students angry. But she knows that isn't possible either, since she is a quiet person, practically lacking presence. So, why were the students giving her looks of disgust?

All of a sudden, Rise's answer pops up the minute she walks into the classroom. On the blackboard, there's several pictures of Rise and Nana kissing and writing on the board saying, "Nishigaki-sensei trying to seduce a student."

Rise gasps as she runs over to it and looks at all of the pictures that were taken, wondering who took them. All the other girls laugh and point their fingers at her.

"I can't believe a teacher likes Matsumoto!" one says.

"What, is she like a pedophile or something?" another asks.

"I believe Nishigaki-sensei secretly wanted Matsumoto in her classroom just to have sex with her!" a third girl says.

"Really!?" the first girl gasps. "That's pretty intense!"

"Even worse, everyone else heard about it," a fourth girl says. "And then it spread all over the school. I bet Nishigaki-sensei will be in big trouble once she finds out about this."

Rise gasps as she hears every student talk about it. When in the world did they find this out? And who took those pictures? Rise realizes that they were being watched while she and Nana were making out and now her relationship is completely exposed.

"Attention please," a voice in the intercom says. "Will Rise Matsumoto report to the principle's office? Rise Matsumoto?"

The raven-haired girl gasps again. She knew trouble would come for her once she faces the principle, but she's more worried about Nana. So, she turns and runs as fast as she could to the principle's office, feeling more and more worried about what's going to happen to Nana. As soon as she enters the office, she finds Nana standing there with a sad look on her face. She runs over to the teacher and whispers.

"Matsumoto," he says. "Is it true that Nishigaki tried to forcefully seduce you?"

Rise shakes her head roughly and whispers.

"That's right!" Nana cries. "I would never do such a thing to her! We're just teacher and student!"

"Oh, really?" The principle doesn't seem convinced and holds up a picture of Rise and Nana making out. "Because some girl by the name of Suki Kawasaki took this picture as evidence. It seems that Nishigaki is about to do something really unpleasant to Matsumoto."

Nana gasps as she glances back and forth at Rise and the principle. "No! There's no way I would do something like this! Ever!"

"But you do realize that loving a student is forbidden, right?" the principle says.

Nana sighs, feeling that she can't argue with that. "Yes."

"And you seducing one of the students results is forbidden as well. So, Nana Nishigaki, you've been relieved of your duties as a teacher immediately."

"Yes, sir," Nana says as she turns to exit the office.

Rise turns from the principle and the door as tears are starting to form in her eyes. There's no way she'll be able to communicate to the principle because of her quiet voice, so she'll have to convince Nana to stay and try to prove to him that the whole thing isn't true.

However, Nana didn't bother to listen to what Rise is saying as she packs all her stuff from her desk.

"It's over, Matsumoto," she says. "We can't be together anymore. Our relationship has been exposed throughout the entire school. Plus, they believe that I was the one seducing you and stuff, so . . . I'm sorry."

Heavy tears were spilling out of the quiet girl's eyes non-stop as she begs Nana in whisper to stay so that they can work this out, but it's not working. Nana feels the same way, but considering that their relationship is exposed, she feels that there's nothing they can do about it. And the principle made it perfectly clear about loving a student. Nana walks over and hugs the small girl in her arms.

"Good-bye, Matsumoto," she says. "I know that we couldn't fully be together in the end, but . . . I will always love you."

A flashback of her parents saying the same thing pops in her head, which makes her gasp and cries her heart out, while returning the hug.

"I'm sorry!" Nana sobs. "I'm so sorry!"

Rise shakes her head as tears keep falling, not wanting to let go of her beloved. How can things end so quickly when they are starting to establish their relationship? This is just very unfair for the two of them. When they let go, she helps Nana pack the rest of her things and then watches her leave. As the ex-teacher walks farther and farther away, Rise reaches her hand over, wanting to be with her a little longer, but she stops herself, leaving her hand reached out towards the woman. Tears fall again as she drops down to her knees with her eyes shaking. Now that her beloved is gone, how can anyone understand her? She'd just be considered invisible for all she knows.

"Well, well, well," a sassy voice says. "Look at this poor girl here."

Suki and her friends surround her, snickering while Rise glares at them.

"Oh, no need to thank me," Suki says. "Now that your beloved teacher is gone, no one in the world can understand you! You're totally helpless!"

"We did a great job, didn't we?" Riri say.

"Yep!" Akira agrees. "Suki was able to convince the principle to kick Nishigaki-sensei out by taking those pictures of the two of them making out."

Rise gasps as she stands up and points at them.

"Yes," Suki says. "It is I that took those pictures. Just to kick that mad scientist Nishigaki out for good. So, now everyone's against you, Matsumoto. And there isn't anything you can do about it."

"I hope you have a nice life now," Riri says.

"Because your days of suffering has only begun," Akira adds.

Suki shoves Rise to the ground. "After all, we'll grant your wish that you won't ever exist in this world just because you can't be understood by anyone. They all wish you could just disappear from the world." She turns to leave. "Later."

As the trio walks away, Rise chokes a sob as she runs off in tears. Why? Why is the world so cruel to her, especially those girls? All she can do is ask herself "Why?" Unfortunately, class is still going on, so she stands up and walks back to class.

Throughout the school day, Rise wasn't so lucky after that whole incident with the principle. The other girls kept on bullying and teasing her about Nana trying to seduce her because of the pictures they saw on the board this morning. They were all telling her the same thing.

"She should just disappear."

Over and over she kept hearing it, even between periods. Finally, she felt relieved when school is over. She runs all the way home, slams the door and cries on the bed. Thinking back on what Suki had said, she believes that she is just a burden to the world after all and she should just disappear. Plus that, Nana had been kicked out of the school, so there's no way for anyone to understand her this time.

Disappear . . . disappear . . .

Then, Rise slowly stands up with her head down, bangs hiding her expression. If everyone wants her out of this world . . . then she can do what they want.

Disappear . . . disappear . . .

Slowly walking to the kitchen, she grabs something sharp from the cabinet and points it at the edge of her neck.

Disappear . . .

Rise trembles as she tries to attempt to cut her throat.

Disappear . . .

All of a sudden, a sudden clang is heard throughout the house. The raven-haired girl drops down to her knees, buries her head in her hands and sobs, feeling that she can't do it, but doesn't know why. If she did this now, she wouldn't be able to see her beloved Nana, or the members of the student council or the Amusement Club. Everyone would be devastated. But . . . what is she supposed to do with her life now? How will she live on? Those questions fill her head, remaining unanswered as she hangs her head down.

A/N: Feel free to give out any suggestions, questions or concerns and don't forget to review! ;)