Chereads / The American Transfer Student / Chapter 4 - Secrets

Chapter 4 - Secrets

The new transfer student let's go of Yuriko, and enters the classroom. "Class meet your new classmate, John Donaldson," said Mrs. Toma. Jay stands up in shock. "What a coincidence! We're in the same class Jay. Just like old times," said John. Jay asked, "What are you doing here John?" John responded with, "Well why else would I be in a school? To learn of course." "You know that's not what I meant. What are you doing here in Japan?" asked Jay. With a smirk John responded with, "I was worried about you man. So, I decided to transfer to the same Japanese program that you did." Shiro asked Jay, "Is this John guy a friend of yours?" Jay responded with, "No, not really." "Oh come on Jay, don't lie to him like that. We were best friends back in America," said John. John then takes a step towards Jay. Jay then backs up and stumbles over Himari. "Are you alright Jay?" asked Himari. Jay, on the floor, got up and left the classroom without saying a word. "Jay come back!" yelled out Mrs. Toma. Yuriko, who was still standing outside the classroom, saw Jay run down the hallway and followed him. Jay ran into the boy's bathroom. "Crap! of course he'd run to the boy's bathroom," Yuriko said to herself. Yuriko, with no hesitation, enters the boy's bathroom. "Woah! Y-Y-You can't be in here!" said male student #1. "Are you a psycho?" asked male student #2. "Get out now!" yelled Yuriko to both students. The two male students left in a hurry. "Fuck you, you psychotic bitch!" said male student #2, as he's running out the bathroom pulling up his pants. "Jay?" calls out Yuriko. No answer. Yuriko calls out for Jay again, and still no answer. "If I call out for you one more time, and you don't answer me. I'm beating the shit out of you," said Yuriko. Jay slowly walks out of a stall. "What are you doing in here Yuriko?" asked Jay. Yuriko responded with, "I can't be worried about a friend?" Jay stays silent. "I can't help you, if you don't tell me what's going on," says Yuriko. Jay looks at Yuriko and says, "If I tell you, I know for certain that you'll stop being my friend." Yuriko says, "How can you know that? I think you'll be surprised." Jay doesn't know what to do. If he should tell Yuriko the truth or not. Minutes has passed and Jay has finally decided. "Sorry Yuriko, I don't think I'm ready to tell you everything just yet. I promise, that when I'm ready, I'll tell you everything." Yuriko respects and understands his decision. "Alright, but don't make me worry about you again," says yuriko while nudging Jay. "Thank you Yuriko, but let's head back to the classroom before you get caught," says Jay. Both Jay and Yuriko escape the boy's bathroom, without getting caught. As they're arriving to the classroom door, They hear John say, "and that is why Jay came to Japan. At least that is my theory." "Hey Jay! Welcome ba-," said Mrs. Tamo before being interrupted by Jay rushing into the room. Jay grabs John by the collar of his shirt. "Jay what are you doi-," says Mrs. Toma but was interrupted by Jay again. Jay asks, "What the hell did you tell them?" John responded with, "Hey! Take it easy Jay. I only told them the truth." Jay looks at John with a shocked expression. Shiro walks up to Jay, who is still holding onto John collar, and asks, "Is it true? Is it true that you tried to kill yourself?" Jay then lets go of John's collar. He then turns to the class, bows his head, and just when he was going to apologize to the class, Yuriko says, "So what if he tried to kill himself! He still here right? How I see it is I'm grateful to see him alive and healthy. So please, stop judging him with your eyes. It's like how the saying goes, 'Don't judge the book by it's cover.' I've only known Jay for a day, and I can tell he regrets what he did, and is trying to change for the better. So, instead of trying to judge him or shame him. How about we give him support on his journey towards recovery." Jay looks up, and sees Yuriko right in front of him. "Yuriko," says Jay to himself with a surprising tone. The classroom agreed with Yuriko and started screaming out words of encouragement to Jay. "Sorry Jay! I didn't't mean to judge you or shame you. I was just concerned for you buddy," said Shiro while bowing. "Yeah me either! If you need someone to talk to, you can always count on me" yelled Himari. "Thanks you guys, but you can stop it now." Yuriko looks at Jay and says, See I told you, you'd be surprised. Whenever you are feeling down, or want to talk. You can always come over." Jay nods his head and says, "Thank you Yuriko." "I'm glad your doing better Jay, but can I see both you and John outside of the classroom right now?" says Mrs. Toma with an irritated tone.They both walked outside the classroom and got scolded by Mrs. Toma. Jay for leaving the classroom and being rough with John, and John for saying something that he had no right in saying. They both apologized and promised to never do it again, and that they'll form a better friendship.

The school day was over. Jay, Yuriko, Shiro, and Himari walked towards their lockers. "Wait!" screamed out John to Jay. Jay turns around and asks, "What John?" John walks up to Jay and extends his right hand towards Jay and says, "Listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for everything I did to you. That's including everything I did in America and in the classroom. I was just pissed off that you left without telling me what happened. I had to learn the truth from Erica. You should know that, as your best friend I would have been more understanding, but that's besides the point. I want us to start over. So, what do you say? Let's put what just happened behind us and become friends again." Jay responds with, "I want to say that, I'm sorry too. For leaving and not telling you anything. I truly thought you were going to judge and hate me for it, like Erica did and to answer your question. I'll be happy to be your friend again." Jay then extends his right hand towards John's, but then John grabs Jay and hugs him. "Yes! Glad we can be friends again!" screamed John. "Alright, enough before people think we're a couple." says Jay. John releases Jay from the hug and says, "You're right. Can't have that happening. I'm trying to make a reputation for myself." Shiro says, "Well, you're off to a bad start." "I know." said John with a depressing tone. John then quickly says' "Hey! You guys want to exchange contacts?" Everyone says yes, except for Yuriko. "Oh come on sweet cheeks. Why won't you exchange contacts with me?" says John. "Sorry you seem like a horn dog, and I have a boyfriend who can skewer you up like sushi." A shiver goes down everyone's back. "Alright, your loss then," says John. Jay, John, Shiro, and Himari swap contacts. Once they finished exchanging contacts, everyone went their separate ways.

Jay and Yuriko are now walking down the alleyway. Yuriko asks, "So, that's why you were screaming last night?" Jay responded with, "Yeah, I tend to have nightmares about it. Not the suicide itself, but the people I truly cared about that harassed me over it." "I'm sorry to hear that," said Yuriko. "It's alright. Whenever that happens, I usually take my meds and I feel better." An awkward silence builds up as they walk back home. As Jay was about to break the silence, a girl calls out for Jay. "There you are Jay. I've been looking all over for you," said the mysterious girl. Jay stops walking, like if he was frozen by fear. "Jay, do you know her?" asks Yuriko. Jay then receives a text. Jay looks at his phone and sees It's a text from John that read, "Forgot to tell you, but Erica is here too." The mysterious girl responds to Yuriko's question to Jay with, "Oh, Jay knows me alright." Jayputs his phone back in his pocket. He then turns around and sees none other than Erica.