Time of Your Life


Chapter 1: Meguzi Meets Sakura: Soshi Finds Love

She stared up at me with those huge blue eyes all tearing up.
“Meguzi…” She still stood there whimpering at me. “Fine,” I sighed. Her face lit up in an instant hoping into the bed. “Now remember, this is the last time, ok?” She nodded fitting herself underneath the blanket, then curling up next to my chest with her old raggedy stuff rabbit. “As annoying as you are I love ya Meguzi,” I sad placing a hand on her head, ruffling up her hair.
“I wuv yew tew Sossi,” he mumbled into my chest.
“Sossi…Sossi! Wake up!”
“Meguzi what is it?!” I said rolling over facing away from her.
“Lewk!” She pried my eyes open making me stare at the clock. My eyes instantly popped open when I saw the time.
“7:13! I should have left at 7:00! I’ll be late for school!” I jumped out of bed throwing the cover off of me and over Meguzi.
“Where did awl the lights gow?”
“Sorry Meguzi!” I ran over and grabbed the blanket off of her.
“Light! Mowning Sossi!” ( ^o^ )
“Yea yea, g’morning Meguzi.” I rushed around my room searching for a pair of clean clothes, then ran into the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. By the time I got I came out Meguzi was standing by the door with her coat already on, holding her little Powder Panda lunchbox. “Good, your ready, lets go!” I grabbed her hand running out the door. I was practically dragging her down the street she was so slow. “C’mon Meguzi!”
“I’m twying!” She huffed and puffed.
“Uh! Here!” I bent down so she could climb on my back. “I’ll piggy-back-ride you the rest of the way.”
“Yay! Piggy!” She jumped on my back, knocking a breath of air out of me. I ran down the street, over the bridge, past the stores, and finally a block away from the school.
“Almost there Meguzi!” I was right in front of the gate when she called out to me.
“Sossi! I dwopped Bun-Kun!”
“Meguzi! Great time to lose him!” I placed her down looking around for it. “Are you sure you brought him with you?”
“Yea, I nevwer weave home wifout Bun-Kun,” she began crying.
“It’s ok, I’ll find him.” I took her hand and retraced our steps a short distance up the street. “I can’t find him Meguzi, I’m sorry. I really need to drop you off and go to school.”
“Bwut Bun-Kun!” she wailed.
“I’m sorry! I really am, but we have to go!”
“No, not twill we fwind Bun-Kun!” I sighed. ‘If I’m late again for Mr. Matuyusi’s class, I have detention!’ I thought. ‘What do I do?!’
“Is this what your looking for?”
“Bun-Kun!” shouted Meguzi running over and grabbing him.
“Oh, I could never thank you…….”I looked up seeing who it was.
“It was no problem Soshi,” said the girl smiling. It was Sakura, the girl that I’ve only been crushing on since 7th grade. I could never ask her out, she was the prettiest and most popular girl in school.
“Uh…h…hi Sakura…” I could feel my face go beat red. “Um…Meguzi what do you say to Miss. Sakura?”
“Thank yew Miss. Sakuwa!”
“No problem Meguzi,” she said smiling. “Oh, I got to go, I’m gonna be late.”
“Oh me to! Lets go Meguzi.”
“Okay! Can we walk wif Miss. Sakuwa? She pwetty!”
“Meguzi…”I growled. “Not now…”
“Why not?”
“Huh?” I stared at Sakura. “You…you mean you would?!”
“Sure! Why not? The preschool is right over there and school is right there.”
“Oh, okay great!”
“Yay!” cheered Meguzi. “Will yew guys swing me?!”
“No Meguzi not now, were gonna be late.”
“Awww…”
“How about after school Meguzi?’
“Huh?!”
“Okay! Pwomise?!” she gasped stopping right in front of the door.
“Pinky promise.” Sakura held out her pinky to Meguzi and they entwined them together.
“Yay!” she shouted glomping Sakura.
“It’s okay Meguzi,” she said hugging her back. “Now go on, so we aren’t late.”
“Okies! Bye Sossi! I wuv yew!” she said glomping me also.
“Love you too Meguzi.”
Sakura and I walked together to school.
“Sorry about my little sister…”
“Oh, no. It’s totally fine, I love kids!”
“Really?”
“Yea, I guess cause I’m an older child and all.”
“Lucky.”
“Well I would love having a little brother or sister.”
“You could have mine.” Sakura laughed.
“You really don’t mean that. She loves you! And you love her.”
“Yea…guess I do,” I said trying to hide my smile with my hand over my mouth.
“See!” she said lightly bumping into me. We laughed the rest of the way to school where both of our “groups” we waiting for us. “Well, see you after school Sossi,” she said laughing a bit ad waving.
“Hi Sakura!” One girl yelled.
“Hi guys!”
“Sakura why where you with him….” the voices trailed off as they walked inside school.
“Dude!” yelled my friend Yas.
“Ow, what?!”
“You were with Sakura!” yelled my other friend Keisuke.
“What were you doing?!”
“And she called you Sossi!” they laughed.
“Shut up guys! She just helped me walk Meguzi to preschool and then we walked to school together, that’s all.”
“Aw man! You owe Meguzi big time!”
“Yea, guess I do huh?”
“And what’s this about ‘after school’?!”
“Oh, she’s helping me take Meguzi home.”
“Dude! You sure scored today! This is your big chance to ask her out!”
“Nah, I’m totally over the whole thing.”
“Psht, whatever man. Just know, that you are lucky!” I just rolled my eyes and nodded my head, walking inside.
“On time today, Mr. Kazakura”
“Hmmm…” I said nothing as the class left out a few giggles. My eyes wondered over to Sakura and she stared back giving a small wave. I gave her a sad wave and slank down into my chair. The day was going by slowly and at lunch time Sakura handed me a small folded note. I opened it up and read it.
‘--Sossi--
   If you’re not too busy after we take Meguzi to your house, want to get some ice cream?
--Sakura--’
My heart skipped a beat. I looked over at her, sitting with all her friends at the table, and she shrugged her shoulders.
“Ok,” I mouthed. She smiled and turned back to her friend who began yelling at her for not paying attention about being dumped by her 5th boyfriend in 2 weeks.
“What was that about man?”
“Oh…nothing.”
“Sure,” said Yas.
“Well lookie what we got here!”
“Hey, Keisuke give it back!” He towered over me reading the note to himself. Then he stared down at me throwing the note at me.
“Whad it say Kei?!” asked Yas all excited.
“Says Sakura wants to go get ice cream with Sossi here after school.
“Dude, your messin!”
“No…”
“Well, I’m happy for ya man, things are finally turning around for you.”
“Thanks.”
The end of the day couldn’t have gone any slower.
“Ready to go?”
“Oh, hi Sakura. Yea just a second, I’m changing my shoes.” I took my old sneakers out of the cubby hole and put them off, placing my nice school shoes back into the chubby hole. “Ok, all ready,” I said picking up my backpack.
“Cool, let’s go.” We could hear snickers and people sneering at us, as we left the school yard. “Don’t worry about them, their just jealous.”
“Huh, oh no. I really don’t care what people say about me.” The rest of the way to the preschool was absolute silence.
“Sossi!” yelled Meguzi tackling me.
“Uh! Hey Meguzi, have fun today?”
“Yea! We pwayed in the sand bwox and wif the new twians and we pwayed duck-duck-goose and…”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It was!” She was beaming ear to ear. “It’s Miss Sakuwa!”
“I promised I would come after school didn’t I?” Meguzi laughed . She had one small hand placed in Sakura’s and one in mine. She hopped into the air and we would swing her back and worth. As we got back to the house I had just remembered.
“Oh no!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I just remembered, my grandparents are out for the week so we can’t go out for ice cream. It totally lipped my mind, I’m really sorry.”
“It’s ok, maybe another time?”
“Yea, yea sure.”
“Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at school…” but she still stood there as if she didn’t want to leave.
“Yea, I’ll see ya…unless you want to come in for awhile?”
“Oh, I couldn’t!”
“It’s no problem at all.”
“You sure?”
“Yea, it’s perfectly fine.”
“Thanks,” she said smiling.
“Yay! Sakuwa is gwoing to be at Guzi’s house today!” ( ^o^ ) I unlocked the door and like everyday I had to tell Meguzi to take her shoes off and put her things by the door nicely. “Can Guzi have her snack now Sossi?!”
“Yea, whadya want?”
“Ice cweam!”
“Right, you want some?”
“Oh, sure, thanks. Need some help?”
“Nope, I got it. Make yourself at home.” I walked into the kitchen and grabbed 3 bowls, spoons, and the ice cream. I scooped out ice cream for the three of us into the bowls and gave Meguzi and extra scoop than usual, after all I did owe her. “Here ya go.”
“Thanks,” she said taking the bowl.
“Yay! Guzi gets ice cweam!” She ran over stealing the bowl out of my hand and sitting right in front of the TV watching Powder Panda like she did everyday after school. I sat on the couch rolling my eyes.
“Guzi done!” she said falling on her back.
“Full?”
“Yea…”she was out like a light sleeping. I got up and picked her up taking her to the room.
“I’ll go put these in the dishwasher.”
“Thanks.” I took Meguzi to her bed and tucked her in with her rabbit. I walked back out into the living room, sat down on the couch and turned off the cartoons Meguzi was watching before she passed out.
“Hi,” Sakura said making me jump. “Sorry,” she laughed.
“Sokay,”
“So where are your grandparents?” she asked sitting on the couch.
“Their in Kyoto this week visiting some relatives.”
“Oh, that’s nice. I always wanted to go to there.”
“We have a summerhouse there.”
“Really?! That must be fun!”
“No, not really. Yas and Keisuke are always gone for the summer with their parents so I never have anybody to go with. Then there’s my nasty cousin who happens to be there with his friends and I rather not be with them.”
“That’s no fun. What a waste of a good summer vacation.”
“Yea, guess it is.”
“Well if it makes you feel any better, I never do anything over the summer either.”
“You don’t?”
“Nah. My parents are constantly on business trips and I’m an only child. I prefer not to really hang out with my friends during summer. It’s not nice to say, but their so stuck up. They hang out with their boyfriends and go to beaches with them and all. I’d rather not go with them just to see them all make out with each other…I’m sorry, I’m babbling on and on here about nothing.”
“No, it’s fine I don’t mind. I kinda rather listen to people talk then listen to me. I’m not really an open person.”
“I guess I’m not really either, though it seems I like to talk a lot. It’s just I always have to be careful about what I say to my friends and all. They like to gossip. That‘s what many of the people at school think I am, just another stuck up, gossiping, rich girl.”
“I don’t think you are.”
“Well maybe not you, but enough people. Your really lucky.”
“Me?”
“Yea, you have true friends, I have friends who are like, the Paparazzi. They like to follow me around for what it seems like I’m worth.”
“I couldn’t stand that.”
“But I’m too nice a person to tell them off. I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings.”
“Can I ask you a question? It’s kinda related to something you said before.”
“Yea, sure.” I could tell my face was beat red at that time and I turned away. I had no idea where I got the courage to ask her.
“Well you said that you r friends are with their boyfriends over the summer.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Well, why don’t you have a boyfriend. I mean your beautiful and popular. You can have practically any guy in school you wanted.” She laughed a bit. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ask such personal questions…”
“No, no its ok. Ya see, its just that most of the guys at our school are like my friends. They just like you for your good looks and money. A girl has no personal value to them, their just objects to show off to your friends.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“I’m totally fine with it. I’ll find somebody someday. I’m waiting for the right guy to come along, but I kinda got someone in mind already.” ( XD )
“Really? Who?”
“I’m not telling!” she said pushing me gently and smiling.
“Right,” I said picking up a pillow and shoving her slightly with it.
“Oh! How dare you hit me with a pillow!” she said hitting me back with one. We started a pillow fight when I heard a noise at the front door.
“Soshi? We’re home!”
“Grandma, Grandpa! Your back!” I said running to the door hugging them. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be back until Thursday.”
‘Well, we couldn’t stand not being home from you two any longer,” my grandmother said squeezing me.
“Well, who is this lovely young lady Soshi?”
“Oh, heavens a guest? Soshi is the house clean? Did you offer her something to eat or drink? Is she comfortable?”
“Grandma, everything is fine.” I led them into the living room.
“Grandma, Grandpa, this is my new friend Sakura.”
“Oh nice to meet you dear!” exclaimed my grandma taking her hands into her own. “My what a beautiful young women!”
“Thank you. Nice to meet you too.”
“Hehe, you got good taste there grandson. She’s a keeper,” he said nudging me.
“Grandpa!”
“I’m only kidding with ya, hehe.”
“I’m sorry I should head home now.”
“Are you sure dear?”
“Yes, thank you for having me, it was very nice meeting you.”
“My pleasure dear I hope you can come again soon.”
“Uh, hey let me walk to home, it’s getting kinda late.”
“Oh, thanks,” she said smiling. We got our shoes on and went out the door.
“Your grandparents seem very nice.”
“Yea. Don’t know what I would do without them.” I saw her wrap her arms around her.
“Hey, you cold?”
“A little I’ll be fine.” I took my jacket off and put it around her. “You sure?”
“Yea, I’ll be fine,” I said shoving my hands in my pockets.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” We walked the rest of the seven blocks or so there in silence.
“Thanks for taking me home Sossi…I mean Soshi.”
“Eh, I don’t mind what you call me,” I said shrugging.
“Okay well g’night and thanks again.”
“No problem, see ya tomorrow.” She waved and walked inside closing the door to the luxurious house.
By the time I got home it was about 8:30 and I was getting pretty tired.
“Welcome back dear.”
“Thanks grandma.”
“I have some supper saved for you.”
“Thanks.”
“We’re gonna head up to bed, we’re tired from the long trip.”
“Okay, g’night then,” I said taking out the still hot food from the oven.
“Goodnight dear,” she said hugging and kissing me.
“Night grandpa.”
“Goodnight grandson,” he said hugging me as well.
I finished eating my supper then put the dishes in the dishwasher. I went upstairs to finish my homework, then get into the shower. Afterwards I fell down onto my bed.
“Man, what a day today was. What are the odds of that? ”I heard a small knock on the door.
“It’s open.” The door opened a tiny crack and by that I knew who it was. “What Meguzi?”
“Sossi, can yew wead me a bwedtwime stowy?”
“Fine, but then it’s right back to your bed.” I read her the Powder Panda story, like every night. I no longer needed the book , I memorized by reading it to her so often. “The end.”
“Thank yew Sossi.”
“No problem squirt.” She hopped of the bed then stood in the doorway.
“Wuv yew Sossi.”
“Love ya too Guzi.” She beamed and ran off to bed.




Time of Your Life