Chapter 27: Makoto Flashback Chapter 20: Like Mother, Like Daughter (Vol. 1)

"E-Expelled?" asked Minerva, in shock, never expecting to hear those words in regards to her daughter.  

Minerva, Makoto, Xander and his mother were all sitting in the principal's office, after the incident where Makoto had attacked Xander for revealing that he had stolen Andy's scissors.  

"Mrs. Lee, your daughter assaulted a child...this is a very serious issue and you're lucky that she's only being expelled," explained the principal, sternly. 

"B-But, this is Makoto, we're talking about," defended Minerva.  "Makoto would never hurt, anyone.  I mean, usually, she's the one being hurt while you sit on your ass and do nothing!" 

"Language, Mrs. Lee...insulting me will only increase the punishment your daughter faces," threatened the principal. 

"Look at my son's neck!" shouted Xander's mother, interrupting the two.  

Minerva turned to study Xander's neck and, just like his mother was claiming, there was red and purple marks around it, almost like he was being strangled by something...or someone.  

"On top of that, we have camera footage of the entire incident since it occurred inside of the school," added the principal.  "From the angle, it also, seemed like your daughter was considering stabbing this young boy with scissors.  It pains me to think what you and your husband must have taught her...or...failed to teach her, for that matter, in terms of handling her anger problems."

"Leave my husband—"

Minerva caught herself this time, not wanting to make her daughter's situation any worse than it already was.  

"I-It's true, mommy," admitted Makoto, quietly, speaking up for the first time.  "A-All of it...is true."

Minerva couldn't believe what she was hearing.  No matter how sincere her daughter sounded, she refused to believe that it was true.  The Makoto she knew...that Andy and her raised...would never do something like this.  

"See!" pointed out Xander's mother, latching onto what Makoto said.  "The girl just admitted to all of it!  I always knew that your daughter was a heartless monster but I never, in a million years, thought she would be capable of something as evil as this.  You should be ashamed of yourself as her mother!" 

"I-It's not...all her fault," said Xander, much to his mother's dismay.  "I was...the one...who took those scissors in the first place.  I did that...to be mean to her.  That's what caused all of this."

"Xander, don't try to defend that girl, after she nearly killed you!" yelled his mother in frustration.  

"Besides, while what you may have done might have been unethical, it didn't warrant the response of being harmed in any way," said the principal, deeming everything that Xander had just added to the conversation, pointless.  "Makoto should have chosen to either tell an adult what happened or just rose above violence."

"Yeah, because telling adults has been so helpful, already," remarked Minerva, sarcastically.  

"This isn't the time for petty sarcasm," stated Xander's mother, crossing her arms across her chest.  "Not when my son has been harmed in such a way.  I-I should press charges against you and that little devil you've raised."

"W-What did you call her?" asked Minerva, gritting her teeth in anger.  

"But, because I'm ten times the person you or your daughter could ever be, I won't press any charges on one condition."

As much as Minerva hated to admit it, if there was a way to avoid taking the conflict to court, she'd prefer to take that approach.  She, internally, dreaded what the "one condition" would be, though.  

"Don't worry.  The condition isn't anything unreasonable.  In fact, it's rather simple.  I want you and your daughter to get on your hands and knees and apologize to my son and I for what you have done."

"Mom, that's too far," claimed Xander, not liking the idea, in the slightest.  "Like I said, it's not all their fault.  I was the one—"

"Don't talk, right now!" shouted his mother, before he could finish.  "The adults are speaking and I'm pretty sure you aren't an adult!"

Getting on my hands and knees...and apologizing to this stuck-up bitch...is there anything more shameful for Makoto and I? Minerva asked herself.  Even if Makoto did try to strangle her fucking brat, there must have been a good reason for it.  I should just get up from this seat and sock her right in her prideful fucking face.  No, I can't do anything to make this situation worse.  Andy...Andy isn't here to stop me, this time, so...I-I have to stop myself.  If he was here, I know exactly what he would do.  Fuck me.  

"Okay, fine," answered Minerva, getting up from her seat and getting on her hands and knees, just like Xander's mother had demanded.  "Come on, Makoto, you have to do this too."

Minerva could hear her daughter humming from the stress of the situation and worried that she wouldn't listen.  Luckily, while still humming, Makoto got up from her seat and got into a similar position as her mother.  The sight was enough to bring a smile to Xander's mother's face and a look of disappoint from Xander's.  

"I-I'm sorry," apologized Minerva as her body trembled with rage that was building up inside of her.  

"Sorry for what, Mrs. Lee?  You have to be a little more specific."

Minerva sighed in an attempt to prevent herself from cussing out Xander's mother in that very moment. 

"Sorry, that my daughter caused your son harm."

"And?  Please, keep going."

"Sorry, for being...a terrible mother...and not teaching my daughter that violence is wrong."

"Much better, now let's hear it from the daughter's mouth too.  This is all her fault, after all."

"I-I'm sorry," Makoto apologized, quietly, due to how afraid and uncomfortable she was.

"Louder!" demanded Xander's mother, her voice full of rage. 

"I-I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!  I-I'm so a-awful!"

Makoto was in tears by the time she was finished and Xander's mother could do nothing but scoff at the two apologies.  

"I suppose that will be enough," she determined.  "However, if your daughter ever lays a single finger on my son, again, I will not hesitate to press charges against you and your hell-spawn of a daughter.  Do we understand each other, Mrs. Lee?"

Minerva couldn't even think clearly, at this point.  Her body was so consumed with rage and bitterness, that she felt like she was going to explode at a moment's notice.  

"I need an answer, Mrs. Lee."

"Y-Yes, we under...stand," said Makoto, since her mother couldn't force herself to speak, any further.  

"Pathetic excuse of a mother.  Being too weak, mentally, that her daughter has to answer for her.  It's a true shame that your husband died.  Now, your daughter is going to be raised by someone like you.  I dread to think how she's going to turn out."

Makoto was nervous about her mother attacking Xander's so she turned to face her mother and she was met with a sight she'd never thought she would see.  Her mother...was crying...or so it seemed because of the tears coming out of her eyes.  Were they tears of sadness or were they tears of rage? Makoto couldn't tell but was relieved that her mother was able to keep her emotions in check.  

"Haha, seems your mommy is a crybaby too, Makoto," insulted Xander's mother in glee at the sight.  "Like mother, like daughter, I suppose."

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Like Mother, like daughter, Minerva repeated inside of her mind while driving Makoto back home, after the meeting with the principal and Xander's mother finished. 

Those four words wouldn't leave Minerva's mind, not because she disagreed with them...in fact, it was the opposite and that's what worried her.  Her entire life, Minerva had dealt with a problematic temper that had gotten her into trouble countless times.  After this incident, she couldn't stop herself from considering the possibility that her daughter may have inherited her nasty temper.  The only thing that didn't make sense to Minerva was that Makoto never showed any signs of having a temper before this incident with Xander.  She was always so...shy...quiet...and relatively harmless.  In a lot of ways, she reminded her of her husband with how much she seemed to dislike confrontation.  

She could have just been pushed too far, this time? Minerva guessed to herself.  With how much verbal and physical abuse this poor girl has been on the receiving end of, I can't say that I blame her.  Still, relying on violence so much in my life is one of my biggest regrets.  I don't want Makoto to live and deal with those same kind of regrets.  Ugh, I'm not very good at talking to Makoto like this.  Usually, Andy is the one, who has these big talks with her.  Well, he isn't here, anymore.  Whether I like it or not, she's stuck with me, now, so I don't have any other choice but to have these conversations with her.

"U-Uh, Makoto, I-I'm not mad...I was just...wondering why you got so upset with Xander, this time?" Minerva started.

There was silence for a moment, before Makoto replied, "X-Xander was the one...who stole my scissors.  I-If daddy...didn't go to get new ones...he wouldn't be dead.  I-It was his fault...daddy died.  It m-made me v-very angry.  I-I don't...remember hurting him, though."

She doesn't remember?  That's odd.  Her reasoning makes sense, though.  She's probably in an extremely fragile state of mind, right now, and Xander telling her that he was the one, who took her scissors, probably pushed Makoto over the edge.  

"I-I see...you blame Xander for daddy's death because he took your scissors," Minerva repeated back to her daughter.  "It's hard to deny that Xander isn't partially responsible for what happened to daddy."  

Minerva recalled that Xander, during the meeting with the principal, seemed to be indifferent about his mother's actions.  Sure, he was the one, who had caused her daughter so much distress since she began school but...the look on his face showed...remorse for his actions.  He even said that it wasn't all Makoto's fault.  Minerva did take notice of this, even though, he didn't speak too loudly.  There wasn't a doubt in Minerva's mind that his mother's influence on him had shaped him into the mean-spirited child that he was to Makoto.  The same...could be said about Minerva, though.  Andy had always warned her about the impact that her arriving from work with bruises on her body and face would have on Makoto.  Even though she hated to admit it, as a mother, she may not have been the greatest influence on her daughter either.

Minerva decided to continue her conversation with her daughter, "Xander...is a mean and hateful boy, there's no doubt about that.  You have to remember, though, and this is very important.  Xander wasn't the one who killed daddy.  A very bad man did that, all on his own.  It might be hard for you to imagine but, I do think Xander feels bad about his actions.  I mean, he did return your scissors and admit to taking them, right?  That couldn't have been too easy for him to do."

Minerva would have done anything to be able to read her daughter's thoughts since she wasn't responding to what her mother just told her.  

"Makoto...no matter how angry you get, violence...especially life-threatening violence, is never a good solution.  Trust me, I know.  I've gotten into so many fights during my time in school and all that did was make things even more difficult for myself.  I began isolating myself from the other kids; I had to constantly move to different schools because I got expelled, indefinitely...it made everyone so afraid of me, that they refused to even talk to me.  If it wasn't for your father being brought into my life, that nasty trend would have just continued my entire life, most likely.  He was the one, who stopped me from letting my own temper ruin my life and...I know he isn't here, anymore...I'm painfully aware of that.  So, I've decided...that I'm going to be that person for you, alright?  I'm going to make sure that resorting to violence doesn't ruin your life in the same way it did mine."

It was obvious that Minerva's words were reaching Makoto, just from looking at how deep in thought the small girl was.  

"Y-You really like Jason and Ms. Yuuki, right?" Minerva asked, trying a different method.

"Y-Yes, t-they're the only o-ones that a-are nice t-to me, o-other than y-you, mommy."

"Well, not to scare you, but if you get expelled, indefinitely, and have to switch schools, you might not be able to see the two of them, anymore."

"N-No!" Makoto shouted, finally, seeming to be engaged in the conversation, fully.  "I-I don't want...t-to lose them too."

"And you won't, okay?" Minerva responded, calmly.  "You just have to make sure that you don't let what Xander, his mother, or anyone else says or does to you, force you to resort to violence.  If you do resort to violence, then they're the ones that are winning."

"W-Why?" was Makoto's only response.  "I-I don't understand...w-why s-so many kids d-don't like me o-or look at m-me funny.  I-I try to be n-nice to e-everyone but i-it doesn't work. They a-aren't n-nice back.  I-I just want m-more kids t-to be nice t-to me."

"I really wish life worked like that Makoto," was the only thing Minerva could say, knowing how terrible school was, firsthand.  "I really do, sweetheart.  I pray that things get better for you at school as you get older.  You already have Jason as a really close friend so try to focus on that.  Some kids don't even have one friend.  Ya know, your father was my only real friend in high school?"

"Y-You and d-daddy were f-friends like me a-and Jason?" questioned Makoto. 

Minerva smiled, saddened by the memories that this conversation about her husband brought up in her mind. 

"Yeah, in fact, he was my best friend...in high school...in our college years...while we were dating...after we got married...after we had you...and...all the way until the end." 

Minerva swallowed, hard, suppressing her emotions the best she could, not wanting to worry Makoto, who seemed to be doing better.

"O-Okay, mommy.  I-I won't...be violent, anymore.  I-I'm sorry." 

"That's good to hear, sweetheart."

Minerva couldn't help but think about how similar Jason and Makoto's relationship truly was to her and Andy's.  As silly as it sounded, a part of Minerva hoped that their friendship would grow and mature in the same way that her and her husband's did.

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"So, you got expelled too, Makoto?" asked Jason, as the two were sitting down on the carpet of his room, with a small space between them.

Sitting behind the two was each of their respective sleeping bags.  Jason's was a dark blue color while Makoto's was a dark, royal purple.  While Jason was wearing his usual pajama bottoms that were covered with different sport balls and a light blue shirt, Makoto was wearing pajamas that her father had boughten her for one of her birthdays, that showed several different super heroes that Makoto liked watching on it.  At first, Makoto was against the idea of wearing the pajamas but her mother was able to convince her to wear them.  Makoto had just got finished explaining to Jason what had happened at the school which led him to his question.  Makoto felt embarrassed about it but nodded her head, yes, in response.  

"That's a bummer," said Jason.  "I'm really sorry that happened to you.  I-I can't believe you were able to beat Xander up, though.  R-Remind me to never make you mad...haha."

Jason tried to play it off as a joke, in the hopes of making her feel better but Makoto knew the serious implications of her actions so it didn't help much at all.  

"I-I feel bad...for h-hurting him," replied Makoto.  "I g-got mommy in trouble t-too.  I-It's all...my f-fault.  I wish M-Ms. Yuuki w-was there.  She w-would h-have stopped me."

"I wish I was there too," added Jason, grimly.  "If I was there to protect you, none of this would have happened."

"I-I'm so scared, lately," claimed Makoto, catching Jason by surprise.

"W-Why?"

"I-I keep losing p-people I like.  I-I lost daddy.  P-Pretty soon, I-I'll lose Ms. Yuuki for good.  M-Mommy and y-you are all I-I have l-left.  I-I don't want someone t-to take you o-or mommy away.  I-I don't w-want to be a-all alone.  I-I can't live a-alone.  P-Please, d-don't l-leave me, J-Jason.  Y-You're the only one w-who's nice to me a-at school."

By this point, it was clear to Jason that Makoto was on the verge of crying.  He had seen the start of many of her crying episodes while being at school and the last thing he wanted to experience, in this moment, was her crying.  If there was one thing he hated, more than anything, it was seeing Makoto cry.  Not only because of how uncomfortable the tears made him feel but because the sight was enough to make him want to cry as well.  He knew he had to act fast to prevent this from happening.  Jason, awkwardly, held out the palm of his hand and Makoto stared at it for a second, in the corner of her eye.  She scooted herself close enough to him so that she could bury her forehead into his palm.  Makoto grabbed the back of his hand with hers so she could press harder against it.  

"M-Makoto, I-I'm so sorry that you lost your dad.  I don't know what I would do if I lost mine."

In that moment, he remembered the promise that he had made to Makoto's father.

"B-But, I did make a promise to him and Ms. Yuuki and...I don't plan on breaking it.  I promise, Makoto, I'll never leave you.  I'll be by your side...for the rest of your life...if you let me b-because I-I like you, Makoto.  A-A lot."

Jason admitting his feelings for Makoto didn't seem to bother her since she was still too focused on burying her head into his palm to calm herself down.  However, Jason had meant everything he had just said to her...every single word.

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