Hey! It's been exactly a year since I updated the first Chapter for "The High Cost of Living"! So this is "The High Cost of Living (somewhat)" in Anna's POV. It's more about her feelings and this chapter starts out before she met Yoh. And you probably will like THCOL better because it's more positive, but oh well. You didn't have to read that one before this one, but it would be nice if you do read it sometime. I'd also like to thank FCelcia for helping me think of a title for this story! Thank you so much! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except Mrs. Hino), but I do own the plot and storyline!

Chapter 1:

"Breathe"

I breathed in slowly.

I breathed out fast.

I breathed out so fast that it sounded like a sigh. I closed my eyes. I was at the docks. I came here often, to get away from everything; to relax.

I sat on the soft sand and watched the children with their families go by. One of the children with black messy hair and brown eyes stopped in front of me.

"Why are you just sittin' here?" a little boy asked.

"To enjoy the scenery," I replied.

"Well, why you got a sweater on?" he was certainly a curious little boy, "It's hot today!"

"Well, I'm not hot," I said simply.

"Why you got a red hat on?"

"It's not a hat, it's a bandana," I pointed to my head, "My parents gave it to me for my birthday, and I love it very much."

"Yea? My parents got me this!" The boy brought out a toy airplane, "And I love it too!" And with that the boy spread out his arms and ran away making noises that sounded like an airplane soaring through the air, "Voosh!"

I gave a sad smile, 'Children have such innocent minds……so full of happiness……'

The wind started to blow through my blonde hair and my bandana. I stood up, closed my eyes and spread my arms out like the boy did. I just let the wind pass me.

ooo000ooo

After a while the crowd died down…...but I stayed there. I walked around the sand for a bit. When just about no one was there, and I decided to take off my sweater, only to reveal scars. On both of my arms there was a long deep slash that will never go away. Little cuts surrounded my arms, but maybe they will go away in time.

I must admit, the small cuts were made by me.

Once again I breathed in calmly. This time I breathed out calmly. I thought of that boy I saw today. He was certainly a strange boy, but that is perfectly fine, that's the way kids are supposed to be.

I looked around to see two boys standing next to the docks, one that dark chocolate colored hair and the other had a purple-sliver-ish color to his hair. They looked about my age or at least a year older.

To tell the truth I see them almost everyday; just them talking. None of them ever really saw me, and I hope to keep it that way.

I couldn't help but watch the two boys. They seemed happy. I could hear them laugh, even if I was on my way home. That made me smile. I wasn't too big on smiling, even if I did smile, it would always be a sad one.

I looked at the boys one more time and then turned to leave. Where was I headed? To the cemetery; I go there every day. It was important that I did, because very important people are there. I couldn't go a day without seeing them. I mean, who could go a day without seeing their family?

Hm…after the cemetery, I suppose I should head home…...

ooo000ooo

The next day was a colder day; it was hard to believe that yesterday was a hot one. It seemed as though it would rain soon, not today……but soon.

I was prepared to do the same thing as yesterday: go to the dock, the cemetery and then home. That was basically my daily routine. It was boring, but what else was there to do? I didn't have enough money to go back to school, and even if I did, I'd feel out of place. I hardly had any money….what was I to do? I was all alone. I live at an inn and help out there too. I get money for helping out, but that money only bought what was needed to survive ((a/n: such as food, soap, shampoo, manga, anime….hm…or is that just me?)).

I went to the docks and sat down again. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the ocean. Once again many people were at the docks, including that strange boy I saw yesterday. Once again he stopped to talk to me. The boy was about 6 or 7 years old it seemed.

"Hey, it's you again!" The boy said, "The girl with the red banana!"

"Its called bandana," I corrected, "not banana."

The boy just smiled, "My name's Toshi, what's yours?"

"My name is Anna."

"Hehehe!" The boy, Toshi, laughed, "Anna banana!"

I rolled my eyes, 'Is this what really runs in the minds of kids?'

"Anna banana bandana!" The boy laughed some more.

"Look kid-"

"My name is Toshi remember?" He had cut me off, "Can you make it rhyme with anything?"

"Toshi Yoshi Moshi."

Toshi just kept laughing. He laughed so much it was impossible not to smile. I couldn't help it.

"Isn't it funny?" Toshi said calming down only by a hair, "You're name rhymes with what you are wearing!"

"I don't really see why that is funny."

Even though I had said that, Toshi just kept laughing, "It just is!"

Finally Toshi calmed down.

"Too bad my name doesn't rhyme with airplane……then we'd both have names that rhyme with our gifts!"

"But it is hard to rhyme the word 'airplane'," I said.

Toshi frowned, "That's no fun."

I just shrugged and he kicked the sand. Then he came over at sat next to me and stared at the ocean.

"Why do you always come here and look at the ocean?" Toshi looked hard at the ocean, "What is so special about it?"

"Well…" I had never thought about that, "I just like water I guess." It was true, but that's probably not why I come here everyday.

"That's it?"

"What do you mean?"

"That's all you're here for?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Well, I go here to play or spend time with my family," Toshi looked over to me; "Don't you come here to play or spend time with your family?"

"No, not any more," I looked at the ocean, "But I used to come here with my family when I was younger."

"Now what? Are you too old to spend time with your family?" This made me look at him, "My older sister doesn't come here with my family because she's too 'old'. But you can never be too old to visit your family can you?"

"That's right."

"If you agree than why aren't you here with your family?"

'How could I explain this to him?' "Well, um, it's because-"

I was cut off by a sharp pain in my chest, 'No! I can't have an attack in front of this kid!'

"Um, Anna Banana? Are you okay?" Toshi looked worried and I tried to stand the pain.

'It's too hard……it wouldn't be if I could just…

Breathe

…I have to find a way to…

Breathe

…to others it's so easy to…

Breathe

…but why is it that I couldn't…

Breathe

…just concentrate…

Breathe

…you have to…

Breathe

…if it's so easy to…

Breathe

…then why I couldn't I…

……………Breathe………………'

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Well, how was that? I know what you are thinking:

"No! Not another sad one! Damn you Sailor Otaku! You are too cruel!"

My response: But you get to know Anna's feeling in this one! This (might) mean more Romance! (YAY!) And don't worry, I'll update soon! And I don't really expect you to like this one as much as the other one. In fact you don't even have to read this one (but I would love it if you did!) I'm sorry; I don't know why I like to writetragedy. So until next time

Ja ne