Miku's POV:

   I woke up extra early out of habit. That way I could leave the house before mom wakes up from her drink induced slumber. We had just enough bandages left in the bathroom for me to wrap up my head to cover my bruised eye and cut cheek. I glanced in the mirror. My hair was a mess, my face was a mess...

Everything about me is just a mess.

It didn't have to be a long walk to school, but I went all the way around town to fill all the time I had. I was passing by a few neighborhood houses and just finishing up wrapping my head, when I heard a loud alarm clock beeping through an open window.

The beeping was followed by a: "THAT'S IT! I AM SO FRICKIN' DONE WITH YOU!"
There was a smashing noise and the beeping died. I tried my best not to laugh. Someone just had serious alarm clock rage; they must have thrown it against something really hard.

The door to the house flew open and Len Kagamine, breathless and with tousled hair, came bounding outside. He looked at me, his eyes were dark rimmed and bloodshot.

"I am so done." He declared.

I was taken aback. He looked almost as bad as...as me!
"Are you....are you okay?" I asked without thinking.

He didn't seem at all surprised. "No. I am not okay, and I'm fed up with it."

"What...what happened?"

"I..." He froze and then looked at me nervously. "I...um...I..."

Now I was freaked out. Why was the most popular boy in school stumbling over his words around me? That doesn't make any sense.

"I know." He said finally.

Know? What does he mean he knows? Knows what?

"I know that you get bullied, and I know about Meito...I just...I didn't do anything. I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry."

I stared at him in shock. Len Kagamine was...apologizing to me!? Even more bizarre, he was apologizing over something he had nothing to do with. I so caught off guard that I couldn't speak. How did he know about Meito? Did anyone else know!?

"Do you forgive me?" Len asked hopefully.

I opened my mouth to speak, but words wouldn't come out so I closed my mouth again and nodded.

"Well I'm going to make it up to you somehow." He announced, furrowing his brows and seeming to think. Then he snapped. "I got it! I'll buy you breakfast and help you skip school!"

"Skip...but how?" I wondered.

Len beamed. "Call in sick of course! Then you can have a whole day away from all the jerks!"

The idea tantalized me, until I realized I'd have to spend my entire day at home...with my mom.

"Uh, no I don't think I should do that. Um, staying at home is too boring, you know?"

Here he smiled even brighter. "Yeah, but you wouldn't have to stay home! Maybe uh...maybe we could hang out?"

I paled. Len Kagamine was going to skip school to "hang out" with me? Now I'm nervous, what if he's like Meito? But then, he just apologized for not doing anything about that.

"If you don't want to go to your house, we can hang out at mine. My mom is home of course. Oh! Or we could go to the theatre or something."

"I...I um..." My brain was officially broken.

"So what do you think? If not, I'll walk to school with you." Len spread out his arms, causing me to flinch a little. He noticed and immediately put his hands in his pockets with an apologetic look. It's like he has me totally figured out, and that's really messing with me.

"Um...I don't know..." I thought it over. It was either go to school with Len and most likely get targeted by the girls and Meito, or ditch school to hang out with a boy I just officially met and know very little about.

Hm...

I mean, he's offered to go to his house, but his mom is home; and the theatre is a very public place...

"Um, o...okay." I whispered.

"Perfect!" Len grinned. Why was he smiling so much??? "Alright I'll get my mom to call in sick for us!"

I was wondered how that would work, since his mom isn't my mom. As soon as we walked inside we were greeted by a woman who definitely looked like she was Len's mother.

"Oh, Len! Who's this?"

"Mom, this is Miku. Can you call in sick for us? Her parents weren't home this morning and she's got a fever." He lied without missing a beat.

His mom looked me over. I guess it was good that I looked like such a mess because her eyes filled with pity and she went straight to the phone. "Alright. I'll make you both a snack too."

"Thanks mom!" Len called.

That was so easy! I know for a fact that my mom would never have agreed, she actually probably would have murdered Len. Is that what a normal mom does? She helps you out and even does extra?

I surveyed my surroundings. Their house wasn't completely clean, but their was an order to the disorder. It really looked like a cozy place you'd want to come home to. It was ridiculous, but I felt myself getting jealous of Len.

I might have had all this if my mom hadn't made us leave. All I have right now is a hideaway, not a home. Sometimes mom will snap out of it when she's sober. She'll look around and cry and try to fix things up and be nice to me...but I'm to nervous around her. She's not the same person when she lets the temptation take over her common sense.

   The next thing I knew, I was sitting on a comfy couch with a million pillows and blankets; as well as a giant mug of warm coffee and a blueberry muffin. The muffin had just come out of the oven and Len's mom had drizzled it with a glaze.

After an hour or so of them both waiting on me like I was some sort of princess, Len informed his mom that he was going to help me home now.

"I hope you feel better soon, dear." Mrs. Kagamine smiled beautifully. She enveloped me in a tight hug that loosened all of my nervousness. I didn't really want to leave, especially not if I had to go back home.

"Thank you." I said, my voice accidentally coming out in a choked whisper. I sounded like I might cry and wanted to hit myself for sounding upset.

I followed Len outside his amazing home, his mom waved as she shut the front door.

"So," Len turned and smiled his brightest at me. "How about that movie?"