Chapter 1

This is my first fanfic I wrote when I was a freshman in highschool. Now a junior in highschool I have finally returned and am rewriting it.

RINKO AND NANAKO FANS HAVE BEEN WARNED

Disclaimer: I own nothing (just my imagination :D)

ENJOY!

Reflected in the mirror stood the small body of a boy's naked chest coated with bumps and skin, pale and white marred by the blemishes. His hand caressed the swollen blotches of purple and blue skin while his face winced with the pain of the touch. The ticking of the clock only made a sound in the quietness of the morning.

"Urg, I hate morning practice." The boy, Ryoma, mumbled in the silence.

Ryoma, still groggy from sleep, was never a morning person.

He slapped his cheeks,"Itai!" he whispered and jumped a bit. It was a failed attempt at waking up.

He turned to his bed and glanced at the clock. He figured he could get another thirty minutes or so of sleep.

"RYOMA GET UP RIGHT NOW!" Nanako soon screamed from the bottom of the stairs.

Nanako, his cousin, cared for him during the times his parents took long vacations out of the country calling them "second honeymoons", which were very often. His parents were very much in love and he knew this so he didn't want to disrupt their time together. But he sometimes wished they knew Nanako's true character and they would take him along with and they could travel as a family. Although he never showed it, Ryoma missed the times him and his parents went out as a family, like when he was a kid and they had picnics. He's suffering with Nanako. She is quick-tempered, unpredictable, violent, strong, and quick to strike. For five years he has endured her foreboding beatings yet he still loved her.

Quickened steps thumped along on the second floor soon after Nanako's "waking call". Running down the stairs Ryoma stuffed his school uniform into his tennis bag. He looks at the clock and realizes he doesn't have much time before Momo comes to pick him up. Dammit my clock must need more batteries, he thought to himself.

Quickly entering the kitchen he sees Nanako sitting at the kitchen table gripping an empty mug. The veins in her hands popping, a clear sign of anger. She stands and begins walking toward him, eyes glaring. She strides slowly, almost in slow motion. Ryoma's body tenses as he watches her.

"Goo-Good morning, Nanako." Ryoma stutters with fear.

Nanako smiles and calming Ryoma's tensed body causing him to close his eyes and breathe a sigh of relief..

"Weren't you told to make me breakfast last night?" Nanako whispers.

Ryoma's eyes shoot open and "Eh?" is all he can mutter before Nanako grabs his head and slams his body into the ground. He lay there, not moving, as shock slowly leaves his body.

Nanako, looming over his body, blocked his escape, and waited for a response. Panfully Ryoma pulls himself into a sitting position. The movement cause a sharp pain in his head making him cradle it in his hands and rock back and forth as if to make the pain disappear.

Holding his tears he pleads, "Please, please stop. I'm sorry I forgot. When I get home after practice I'll-"

"ALL YOU EVER DO IS PRACTICE TENNIS! YOU DON'T APPRECIATE MY TAKING CARE OF YOU!" She interrupts him.

Ryoma, fearing Nanako's anger, dares not to utter a word. The sound of breathing couldn't even disrupt the silence shared in the room.

Still standing over him, Nanako begins to laugh. Not an evil or maniacal laugh, but a cheerful, happy laugh. "You're cooking dinner tonight," She calmly says, "If it isn't ready by 6pm don't bother coming home."

"Practice isn't over till 5 there is no way it'll be finished by 6." Ryoma counters.

"Then I guess you'll have to find somewhere to sleep tonight." Nanako smiles and returns to her seat at the kitchen table.

Hearing the sound of screeching bike wheels, Ryoma ran towards the door ignoring the pain.

"Oi! Ryoma lets go! Unless you wanna run an extra twenty laps!" Momo yelled.

Ryoma was relieved, Momo-senpai's overjoyed, smiling face is always calming when things like this happen.

"Ugh, it's that tennis boy again. Hurry and get out." Nanako sneers walking up the stairs.

Ryoma opened the door and shouted in Nanako's direction, "I'm leaving!"

Silence answered him. Closing the door Ryoma let out a soft "Che" barely audible.

"Oi, gaki! What took ya so long? Your junk get caught in your zipper again?" Momo jokingly questions.

Propping himself on Momo's bike, Ryoma gave another "Che".

"Hehe today's gonna be fun!" Momo chuckled.

"Huh?" Ryoma asked.

"Hehehe oh it's nothing." Momo said continuing to chuckle.

"Che, whatever." Ryoma responded, now a little creeped out that his friend was suddenly a giggling girl.