Silver Angel here and this is my first...a lot of things...Mica?
Mica: right! Its her first Yakari fic, its her first song fic, and its her first one-shot! Wow...thats a lot of firsts...
Angel: yeah...it is...any ways, on with the fic.
She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holden' back
Wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with linen and lace
The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel
Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it'll be too late
Repeat Chorus
A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot
Repeat Chorus
It had been exactly 24 hours...and Kari blamed herself for the horrible accident that was never supposed to happen. All her close friends; the Digidestined, the cheerleaders, her classmates: all knew what had happened. And yet only two people blamed her. Her dad, and herself.
The night before Tai and her mother had come to pick her up from Cheerleading and she was in the back seat, while Tai was in the front and her mother was driving. Kari was making faces at Tai and her mother turned to see what Tai was laughing about. As soon as she turned around a car came round the corner speeding. Kari turned paler than a ghost and tried to tell her mother and Tai to turn around and get out of the cars way, but nothing came out. It was too late. The car crashed right into them, a head on collision. Kari was shaken, but fine. She tried to get out of the car but the door was stuck. The car had caught on fire...she had to get out and she had to get her family out as well. "Tai, mom, come on wake up...please come on, we have to get out of here now!" she whispered. "Please..." Tai moved. He turned around, "Kari, are you alright. Good, what about mom...mom..." he checked their mothers pulse. Nothing. "Kari...mom is...mom's gone Kari..." he said, tears in his eyes. He smelt the gasoline and the smoke and said, "Kari, you have to get out. Now! This car is going to blow up!" Tai said frantically. Kari shook her head, "I wont leave you here." Tai smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine and I'll make it out." Kari nodded and opened the crushed door. She slid out and ran away to dial the police.
Just as she picked up the street phone she heard a loud exploding noise. She dropped the phone and ran to the now exploded car. Tai, he wasn't there. She couldn't find him...he never got out. The tears were flowing uncontrollably now...and she ran to the phone again. She called her father, and 911. Her father got there first. He was very upset and wouldn't talk to her. The fire department soon arrived, followed by the paramedics. They put out the flames from the car and got her mother and Tai's bodies out. They had them taken to the hospital for now until they could book the bodies to be placed in the funeral home.
The ride home was one Kari will never forget. Her father screamed at her, he had never raised his voice to her, not once. When they got to their home, he literally kicked her into the house. She asked him why he was doing this and he replied, "Because Kari! This is all your fault! Its not too dark! You could've walked home and then we would still have a family! You killed them Kari Elizabeth Kamiya! You killed them!" she stood shocked for a moment and soon after started to cry. "No...no...no its not my fault...it was an accident...it was not my fault!" He threw a book at her that was laying on the table. It hit her in the cheek and she screamed in pain. "You never raise your voice at me!" he yelled to her. "Now get in your room NOW!" he said throwing a lamp at her. It hit her legs and she ran away to her room as fast as she could.
The next morning, she woke up with a really bad head ache. She looked around her and her room was completely trashed! She looked into her dresser and pulled out the first thing she had. A long sleeved black shirt, and a long black skirt. She always hated the color black, but today it suited her mood. She went to the mirror to brush her hair and looked at her face. She had a humongous bruise on her cheek where the book had hit her. It had already begun to turn purple-ish red. She also noticed a red mark on her forehead that she had probably received from her father, earlier that morning before she had awoken. That was probably the reason for her head ache.
She put makeup on to cover the marks. She looked into the mirror and could no longer see the bruises. She walked down stairs into the kitchen and knew her father had already left for work. there was a note on the table that read,
Kari,
I want you home at exactly 4:45, that should give about an hour to say hi to your friends. I mean it Kari, if you say anything to your friends about your beatings, I'll kill you just like you killed you mother and brother.
Kari gulped and walked out the door. She arrived at school just in time to see the group over by a tree. No one knew yet. Matt was standing with his arms over his chest, TK was sitting with his back against the tree. Yolie was sitting next to Ken with her head on his shoulder, Mimi and Sora were talking to each other, Izzy was trying to explain something to Joe and Davis, and Cody was amusing himself by watching the confused looks on Davis's face. Kari walked up to the group, silently. Davis was the first to notice she was even there. "Hey Kari! Hmmmm something is different about you today...but...I just don't know what it is..." he said to her. TK looked up at Kari and noticed she was wearing the color she absolutely hates...black. He stood up and asked, "Kari...is everything alright? I mean..." he motioned at her clothes and Matt caught on quickly. "I thought you hated black Kar, and hey, were's Tai." Kari fought back tears. If she cried her makeup might run, but she couldn't hold it back anymore,. They were her friends, they wouldn't blame her and hit her like her father did. She burst out in tears and was immediately hugged by TK, who was closest at the time. Matt stood close to her and she broke her embrace with TK. Matt, and the rest, knew something was wrong. Kari finally managed to choke out. "T-T-Tai is g-gone. H-He w-was in an a-accident yes-yesterday with m-my moth-mother. Sh-she didn't m-make it e-either!" she cried even harder than before but this time it was Matt who hugged her closely. She threw her arms around his neck and he stroked her hair. Matt and TK were shocked, Sora was in tears; Tai and her had been dating for three months now. Mimi was crying and also trying to comfort Sora. Davis was in sympathy as well as Cody, Joe, Izzy, and Yolie. Ken had tears in his eyes for he also knew what it felt like to loose a brother.
Mattcontinued to stroke her hair and Matt still was in shock. He had just lost his best friend. Kari stopped crying and pulled out her mirror, her makeup hadn't run, she was still ok. TK put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her, "since when do you were makeup?" he asked suspiciously "since I felt like it." she answered. The bell rang and they were all shocked still. "Guys, if we can please keep this between us for now. Please?" they all nodded and one by one gave her a hug and went off to class. TK stayed with Kari, and walked her to class. Mr. Torento was their first class. They took their seats in the front of the class and could hear the whispers of the students behind her, all talking about her color choice of the day. She tried her best to ignore it, and she kept her focus on the teacher. He had been told by TK, on Kari's approval. He flashed her a sympathetic smile and started the lesson.
After school, the group, minus Izzy, Joe, Cody, and Davis, met back at the tree. Kari checked her watch, 3:15. She had almost an hour, just like her father had said. "So, you guys want to go get something to eat? I'll pay this time." Matt offered. Sora, who was over the shock and trying to forget about the awful news agreed, as well as Mimi. TK looked at Kari who nodded her head and said yes as well. Ken had to study and Yolie had to go to the shop to work and politely declined the offer and left. Sora chimed in, "we can take my car! It has more room than Matt's." Everyone walked twords Sora's car. Sora got into the drivers seat, Mimi got into the passengers seat, in the back Kari was in the middle with TK and Matt on either side. Matt looked upset still and Kari could tell, she had a way of reading people .Matt put his hand on hers and squeezed it. She looked over to him and rested her head on his shoulder.
When they got to the restaurant Kari pulled Matt aside and told the others to go on. "Matt, I know your upset about Tai, but there is something I must tell you. I tried to save him! I tried, I promise you this. He told me to go, and that he would be fine. I should not have left him, I know that but please, please Matt, don't blame his death on me. Please!" she said to him, her eyes full of tears now. He hugged her closely, "I don't blame you Kari, I never did, and I never will. What made you think I could ever blame you?" She just buried her head into his chest and cried. He stroked her hair and she looked up at him, he put his hand on her cheek and she flinched because of the bruise that still remained hidden. He immediately removed his hand, "Kari, are you alright?" She nodded and checked her watch, it was 4:50! She was defiantly going to get it. "OH NO!" she screamed, Matt looked at her worriedly. "Kari, is everything ok?" She shook her head, "no Matt, everythings not ok...I have to go, I was supposed to be home five minutes ago, im sorry. Tell the others I said bye. I'll see you tomorrow! BYE!" and she ran off down the street.
She cautiously walked through the door, closing it gently. But not gently enough, because her father was in the room in an instant. "Where were you! Its 6:00 and I wanted you home 15 minuted ago! Don't you know how to read! Don't you know how to tell time! You disobeyed my Kari, and now, you'll have to be punished!" He kicked a table chair until the leg broke off. She stepped back slowly, praying for a distraction. Just then, the phone rang. Her father dropped the chair leg and answered the phone. "Hello? Yes. I was just about to go do that. No really I was about to leave right now. Yes, Im aware of this. I will right now. Yes, thank you, bye." He hung up the phone and Kari ran upstairs, "Kari! I have to go to a meeting, but I'll be back later to give you your punishment. Don't you go anywhere now!" and with that said he walked out.
The clock struck 9:00PM and her father still wasn't home, he'd be home soon though. His meetings never lasted more than 3 hours. Almost like clockwork, the door opened and her father walked in. "Kari! Im home! And now, it's time for your punishment!" he picked up the broken chair and walked up to her room. He opened the door and she backed up into the wall. He hit her in the shoulder with the chair leg, and she screamed in pain. "Screaming only provokes me you know." and kicked her in the knee, causing her to fall to the floor in pain. "Your too weak!" and he kicked her in the ribs. She curled up into a defensive ball and he stepped back and laughed. "I think you've learned a lesson. Now go to bed!" He threw the chair leg at her and watched in amusement at it collided with her thigh. He walked out of the room slowly and slammed the door.
She opened the window and sat in the sill. She cried as hard as she ever did. She saw her neighbors through their own open window but they shut the curtain, then the window, and she watched at the light flickered off. She still cried. She laid down on her bed, face in the pillow, and she cried herself to sleep.
That was what had happened exactly 24 hours ago...
Kari awoke the next morning in pain, constant pain, the feeling of something hard on her back. She sat up only to be knocked back down by her fathers trustworthy chair leg. He stopped and just walked out of the room. 'This is so messed up!' Kari thought in pain. Physical and Emotional pain. She really didn't feel like bothering with her cloths. She was already dressed and all., so she put on her makeup and ran down stairs, only to hear her father say, "4:45 Kari, be on time this time, and no one finds out!" She ran out of the door, and found herself limping because of the blow to her knee the night before. A black Lexus pulled up beside her, It was Matt. He rolled the window down, "hey Kari, you need a ride to school?" she thanked him and got in the passenger's seat. "So, what did you do to your knee?" he asked her with concern. "Oh you know how I am, I'm clumsy! I ran into the table last night, its no big deal." she said trying to hide the truth, sure she hated to lie, but she didn't want to be hurt anymore. Matt turned the car into the Park. He drove to the parking lot and stopped the car. He turned twords her and said, "Kari, I've known you for almost seven years and I know when your lying. And to be honest, you're a bad liar. So tell me whats really wrong." she sighed and looked him in the eye, "Matt, promise me you wont say a word to anyone! Promise me!" she said worriedly. "I promise Kari, I promise." He took her hand and then let it go. Kari looked away from him and said, "My father blames my Mother's and Tai's death on me. He says that its all my fault and that I should pay for my mistake. Matt...he beats me...and im not talking about little hits...he uses a broken chair leg..." she looked down in worry, then at Matt. He looked at her in disbelief. He could never dream of Kari's father doing that to her. He used to be a very sweet person... "but how..." was all he could say. "I don't know, Matt...I just don't know." Matt still looked at her with disbelief, he couldn't have. He needed more proof. "Kari, I hate to doubt you, but I need proof." Kari looked at him with worry, he didn't believe her...he just didn't believe her. "If you want proof, look at my back..." so he did just that. He only meant to lift it up a bit, but ended up taking it all off. He looked at her back, the bruises were everywhere...he felt the tears well up in his eyes. Kari turned around to face him, she didn't care that she only had on a bra. She put her hand on his cheek and he took her hand in his. "Kari, im so sorry that I didn't believe you. I feel awful now...please forgive me." Kari scooted closer to him "of course I forgive you Matt...how could I not..." He leaned his face closer to hers and whispered, "Kari, I love you..." Kari moved her body closer to him and whispered back, "Matt, I love you too..." he leaned in closer until their noses touched. Kari smiled and Matt brushed his lips against hers and she returned the kiss. She pulled back and put her shirt back on. "Matt, we need to go to school now. The others will be worried if we don't show up..." Matt looked at her lovingly, "your right we should g-" his sentence was interrupted by someone opening the passenger side door. It was Kari's father! He grabbed her arm and jerked her out of the car. "Matt!" she screamed, but it was too late. Her father forced her into his truck and took off. Driving fast. He pulled into their driveway and pulled her out of the truck and into the house.
"Dad. Please, don't hurt me! Im sorry." Kari screeched, knowing he saw everything. "Sorry doesn't take back what he knows!" he then took the table and slammed it against Kari's head. She fell to the ground instantly. He had killed her.
The funeral ended an hour ago, but there was one person still there. Matt stared at the statue of a gentle faced angel, the headstone of his angel. The angel he had fallen in love with. The polished rock read, Kari Elizabeth Kamiya, 1991-2005. He placed a little plaque by the statues feet that read, the light of our lives, and was signed by all the Digidestined, minus two...two that can never be replaced.
Kari's spirit stood where the angel statue stood, in the same pose. She will always be there, because she will always stand strong, like an Angel, A concrete Angel.
Angel: ok, that made me cry writing it, so I hope you like it.
Mica: please, tell us what you think.
Angel and Mica: Buh-Bye!