That Night Who knew ten laps around Trespiano would be so tiring? Jak had done loads of endurance training and speed training on sliding into bases, but that didn’t mean she could just run around Trespiano ten times either. As she jogged lightly back home to cool down from the long and hard workout, she noticed that the lights were on. [i]Mom’s home.[/i] Jak thought as she opened the door into the house. She kicked off her shoes and went into the kitchen, poking her head around the corner too see her mother putting the food she’d prepared earlier into the microwave. “Hey,” Jak said, cheerfully, “I’m home!” she smiled and tried to project happiness into the room, as her mother looked grumpy from work. Her mother glared at her for a long moment. “Where is it that you keep going to anyway? I’d like to know once and for all, Jakki. When I ask you dodge the subject and dance around the subject. I asked you this morning about it and you told me half the story.” “I go to Naoto’s house, and today I went over to friend called Daisuke’s house.” Jak explained, “don’t worry I’m not doing-” “Did you join a gang?” her mother interrogated, turning so that Jak could see that her mother had already hit her stash of alcohol early. Jak sighed internally, she’d probably be walking on eggshells again. “No... I mean... kind of.” Jak said, trying to explain. Lying wasn’t her specialty, and she wasn’t sure what to classify Naoto and the group as. They didn’t seem like the mafia on television... “I asked for a straightforward answer! Are you running in a gang with a Jap and that Naoto bastard?” the mother said, her voice on the cusp of yelling. “...yes.” Jak closed her eyes and braced. The blow was a slap to the face with the left hand, which was thankfully not as hard as her mother’s slaps with her right. “This is how you repay us? Joining a gang, running with bastards!” she asked, leaning in close enough that Jak could smell the alcohol on her mother’s breath. Jak started crying, “I... I didn’t mean to. It’s not like they’re bad or-” Jak was silenced by a quick jab to the stomach. It left her slightly winded, but she quickly regained her breath. “Did I ask you to speak?” Jak’s mother asked, putting the bottle on the counter. “...no. I’m sorry mommy.” “Naoto’s a mafia bastard. I could tell when I saw that mom of his! Damned sneaky bitch thought she could hide from me, pretend that she wasn’t some kind of weirdo that scams mafia members for money, but I saw through her I did!” Jak’s mother went on a self-congratulating tangent, but Jak managed to squeak out a few words, “... I like her... she’s really nice...” she bowed her head and shrunk away from her mother, hoping that she could avoid another hit. “Heh, she’s gonna kill you. Second you aren’t useful you’re dead. That’s how the mafia works!” Jak’s mother turned around and pulled Jak upright by her hair. “But-” “No arguments!” her mother yelled, releasing her grip on Jak’s hair to allow her to land a clean blow across Jak’s face. “What did I tell you?” Jak paused for a moment to regain her bearings. “... mother knows best....” Her mom sighed and moved back to the microwave after it pinged, signalling that her food was done. “Good. Now I want you to drop out of the mafia group now, it sounds like it’s early enough that there won’t be any repercussions, and then you can focus on softball.” “I can’t. I promised to help a friend.” Jak said, moving back into the living room. “I promised.” “Un-promise. Don’t make me the bad guy here because I’m trying to look out for you.” “I can’t go back on my commitments like that. It’s not what Dad-” her mother crossed the room so quickly that Jak barely had time to react before she was hit across the face again. The force and her not being prepared knocked her to the ground, where her mother kicked her once.... twice.... “You don’t deserve to honor him!” Kick. “You took him from me!” Kick. “You took him from us! It’s your fault that the fire started! It’s your fault that he went back in to save you!” One last kick and the mother looked too tired to continue further. “So don’t you dare think for one moment that he’d want you joining that bastard Naoto and that Jap in a gang. You’re going to quit.” Jak didn’t respond, she was trying to get her breath back. Her mother must have had a bad day at work... and it was Jak’s fault that she joined Naoto anyway. She could have left the first day, but she didn’t. It was her fault. “I’m going to commit suicide one of these days and it’s going to be your fault.” Jak’s mother said as she returned to the kitchen. “I’m sorry... I can’t be the daughter you -” Jak said from the floor. “You can’t say in the house tonight.” Jak’s mother cut Jak off. “And I expect my breakfast to be fresh and same with my dinner tomorrow.” “But-” “Go outside. You know what you've done, Jakki. I can’t help myself sometimes, and... it’s better for you to sleep outside tonight. You know, for your safety.” “Okay mommy... I’ll do it.” Jak very slowly started to move to get up, then shuffled to the door. “... I love you mom.” “I love you too, Jakki.” her mother replied, settling into the couch for dinner. As Jak stepped outside, she realized that it was raining. It made sense, it looked like it was gonna start earlier. She moved to sit down in front of the door until she could sneak back in, but a click from the door made it obvious that wasn’t going to happen tonight. So she started to walk out into the rain, looking for maybe somewhere dry to spend the night.