Chapter 24 | Relief

~Kaoru's POV~

"So, that's it. After I was eventually discharged from the hospital, my mom got me a therapist and a psychiatrist and eventually, I got better; both the emotional and physical scars healed for me and for Daniel and Mom." Arabella finished.

I just stared at her, wide-eyed. "What happened to Robert...?" I asked cautiously.

"Mom told the police about the years of abuse and the police arrested Robert. He's in jail and out or our lives for good." Arabella explained.

I nodded. "I'm glad... I'm really glad. And, I had no idea you had this much pain and suffering in your past... I'm sorry for all you went through... I had no idea..." I mumbled.

I can't believe Arabella has a past like that... She's so bright and happy now... I never would have guessed...

"It's okay... But would it be okay if this was kept just between you and me...? I don't want any one else to find out just yet..." Arabella said.

I sighed. "I wish, Arabella... But Sakura has your diary, remember? She could do anything with it... That bitch..."

This time, Arabella sighed. "You're right... What am I saying? This'll be the talk of the week by tomorrow morning..." she grumbled.

I put my arm around Arabella's shoulders and pulled her close so she leaned against me. "Ya' know what I don't get?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"I don't get how anyone could possibly hurt a beautiful, kind girl like you. You're so bright, brilliant, and full of life... that and the fact that you're amazingly beautiful... I just don't get how anyone could hurt someone like you..." I said. Arabella looked at me and blushed deeply.

Upon realizing what I just said, I blushed deeply too. I mean, I just basically admitted I thought Arabella was hot... Thank God Hikaru isn't here... because if he were he wouldn't let me hear the end of it...

"Th-Thanks, Kaoru... That means a lot...," Arabella said. Then, she pouted. "Ugh! We're gonna be stuck inside this closet for the rest of our lives...! This small, tiny, closed-up, little closet..." She gripped the carpet.

"Shh, hey, it's okay... Just take deep breaths... In and out, alright?" I said calmly.

Arabella nodded and squeezed her eyes shut and began taking deep, slow breaths in and out.

When she was done, I nudged her. "Feeling better?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah... Thanks."

I smiled. "Glad to help," I said. Then, I asked, "Hey, if you don't mind me asking, why are you claustrophobic, anyway?"

Arabella looked at me.

I immediately regretted asking.

"You don't have to--"

"No, it's fine," Arabella interrupted. "It's okay, really. I'm claustrophobic because when Robert still lived with us, as a punishment, he'd lock me in an incredibly small closet and leave me there for hours, some times even a day if he was mad enough... And he would rarely feed me..."

My eyes widened. This poor girl...

It... It just isn't acceptable! Not at all! She shouldn't have gone through what she did!

I grabbed Arabella by her shoulders. "Arabella, you listen to me! You promise me that you will NEVER let ANYONE treat you like that ever again! Okay? Promise me right now!" I shouted.

Arabella nodded quickly. "Y-Yes... I promise I won't let anyone treat me like that ever again... I promise!" she studdered.

But I could tell she meant it.

I sighed and hugged her. She hugged back tightly.

Her shoulders shook slightly as she sobbed; she clearly needed to get this out of her system.

We sat there for about five minutes before we suddenly heard someone shouting...

"Arabella! Are you still here...? Hello! Anyone here??? Arabella...!"

Arabella and I looked at each other.

We both immediately recognized the person's voice.

Tono.

"Yes! Tamaki! Can you hear me?! It's me, Arabella!" Arabella shouted.

"And Kaoru! We're both trapped in a closet! Over here!!!" I shouted.

We heard running footsteps until someone was standing outside the closet door. "Guys! Are you in there???"

"Yes, Tamaki! We're in here!" Arabella said.

We heard something being removed, probably the thing that was propped up against the door. The door opened up to reveal none other than Tono.

Arabella immediately zipped out of the closet.

"Oh, my little girl! Are you alright?! Did the shady twin take you into the closet for Seven Minutes in Heaven against your will?!" Tono shouted as he hugged Arabella tightly.

I blushed as I stepped out of the closet. "Um, NO. I didn't. Sakura took Arabella's diary and trapped us both in the closet! That's what happened!" I said.

Tono smiled. "You mean this diary?" He pulled out Arabella's diary from behind his back.

Arabella's eyes widened before she snatched the diary out of his hands. "How did you get this?! Sakura had it!" she said.

Tono smiled again and sighed. "You won't believe what I had to do to get it back for you--I bribed Sakura and said if she gave me the diary I would go on a date with her. Painful, right?" he said.

"Really, boss? You had to ask Sakura on a date just to get Arabella's diary back??? It does sound painful..." I said.

Arabella engulfed Tono in a hug. "Thank you SO MUCH, Senpai! Sakura would've exposed all my secrets if you hadn't gotten it back for me! I owe you a lot!" she said.

Tono hugged back. "Anything for one of my little girls~! I'm happy I could help!" he said cheerfully. Then they separated.

"I'm just overwhelmed with relief right now! You have no idea how much this means to me! Thank you again!" Arabella said as she hugged her diary close.

"Of course, my little girl! Daddy is glad you're happy!" Tono said.

I stuck my hands in my pockets. "So... can we go home now, or...?" I said awkwardly.

"Um, yeah, I'm kind of exhausted...!" Arabella said. "Let's go home."

I called my limo driver and I dropped both Arabella and Tono off before I went home.

My phone rang.

I answered. It was Hikaru.

"So, Kaoru, did you find the diary?"

"Yeah. It turns out Sakura took it."

Hikaru snorted. "Real big surprise..." he said sarcastically.

"I know, right? Well, after she took Arabella's diary, Sakura trapped both Arabella and me in a closet. We were stuck in there for hours it seemed."

"Well... did anything interesting happen?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Hikaru?"

"I mean, while you two were stuck in the closet, did you both decide to fool around...?" I could practically see Hikaru wiggling his eyebrows on the other end.

I scoffed. "Um, NO. We did NOT. But, I did find out something interesting. Remember when we were trying to find out both Arabella and Haruhi's weaknesses?"

"Uh, yes."

"Well, I found out Arabella's."

"What is it?"

"She's claustrophobic; she can't STAND closed-up, tight spaces. In fact, she almost went into a panic attack when we were in the closet."

"Really? Wow, I wouldn't have guessed... Do you by any chance know Haruhi's too?"

"No."

"Oh. Bummer."

"And, just because I told you Arabella's, doesn't mean you're allowed to go exploiting it and freaking Arabella out... NO using her weakness against her. Got it?"

"Sure."

"I mean it, Hikaru. DON'T."

"Okay, okay, fine. You're defending your lady--I respect that, Kaoru."

"Shut up, Hikaru."

"You know what, Kaoru? No. I won't shut up. I won't stop. Because I know you and Arabella are meant to be! You both (being the idiots you are) just haven't realized it yet! And, when you do, you'll start dating and become a couple and you'll get engaged and, when you have the wedding with all our family and friends there and after you and Arabella are married, I'll be there at the wedding too and I'll say, 'I told you so'. And guess what? I'll be right."

"You're really annoying some times, ya' know that, Hikaru?"

"I'm perfectly aware of that, Kaoru. Plus, I wouldn't call it annoying, I'd call it right all the time."

"Whatever let's you sleep at night."

"Kaoru, do us all a favor and stop denying your true feelings--it's sad."

"I do NOT have feelings for Arabella!!!"

"Whatever let's you sleep at night."

Then he hung up. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.

Hikaru is just crazy and delusional...

Right?