Zakuro Fujiwara sat in the sixth grade math class, letting her mind wander as the teacher droned on about dividing decimals. She yawned. Another day in paradise, until I go home at least.

How had her life come to this? Looking forward to school, hating going home, drowning out sorrow in Linkin' Park music, and having to keep her mouth shut so that she didn't let a cuss word slip and ruin the false innocence that she had deceived everyone into believing that she held.

Since the last day of fifth grade, her life had changed so dramatically. From the day she was born to the end of elementary school, it had been so easy to trick everyone into thinking that she was an angel. So easy to make them believe that no thoughts of killing ever went through her mind. So easy to make them believe that she was perfect.

Now she could barely keep herself from throwing a knife at anyone who spoke to her in the slightest mocking way. Now she could barely stop herself from screaming a river of colorful language at the idiots she had to deal with at home. Now the simplicity of lying was so tempting that it nearly drove her mad. Now her life was becoming a nightmare, and school was the only place she could get away from it.

But luckily, there was one person that he could be herself around no matte what. Purin Fong was like a light in the dark. Whenever Zakuro was around her, she had nothing to hide. She could think thoughts without having to keep them to herself, and Purin was always there to keep her from shooting the nearest kid who had said something bad about their way of life.

When the two were together, it was like a comedy standup. One that couldn't be shown on regular TV. In band, where they both played trombone, they had the whole section cracking up before anyone even took out their instruments. Unfortunately, Pudding was only in two of her classes.

Zakuro was brought back to reality by a paper ball hitting her in the back of the head. She turned to see Minto Aizawa grinning at her. She smiled back, but it was a false smile. On the inside, she new that her 'best friend' was really only acting to be her friend so that she could be popular. People thought that anyone who could become friends with 'that Zakuro reject' must be really cool.

Zakuro allowed herself to mentally insult Minto for about five minutes before she startes thinking about how much of a prep Minto was. That idiot would do anything to be popular. Even Ichigo wasn't as much of a prep as Minto.

She grinned, taking pleasure in putting down the blue haired girl. The math teacher looked up from her notes. "Well, Zakuro! You look pleased today! Would you mind answering the problem of the week?"

Zakuro closed her eyes. One more time lady. Just one more time. "The answer is that the problem is impossible. Unless you want to use negative numbers, which I am not going to do, because I'll end up confusing myself."

Masaya laughed. "We don't even have to make fun of her! She already makes herself to much of a laughing stock."

Zakuro smiled at Masaya. "Ah, contraire. I may be a laughing stock, but it is so much better than being...how should I say...A POSEUR!"

Masaya flushed. "Well at least poseurs have friends."

She merely grinned. "You may have tons of friends, but I'll never be jealous. Know why? Cause the friends I have actually like me. Not a false image." Well, she thought, I'm going to the Devil for that. That was such a big lie I don't see why he isn't sending me a reservation letter.

The teacher glared at them both. "Do you two want detention? Now, Zakuro was right. The problem is impossible unless you use negative numbers."

The bell rang and everyone got up to leave. Kish walked up to Zakuro. "That was so tight. I've never seen Masaya that angry."

Zakuro smiled. "He had it coming. Today hasn't been a good day, and I almost snapped."

Kish looked at the ground. "Step-mom at it again?"

Zakuro sighed. Why does he hang around me? It always makes him sad. "Yeah, just the usual."

Kish grinned. "I know what will make you feel better. This weekend Pai and me are planning to scout the mall. We haven't been in there in a while, and we want to wreak some havoc. We could use another member."

"Sure. What about Taruto though?" Zakuro looked down at Kish, who was slightly shorter than her.

He shrugged. "Got a date with Purin. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl for dates."

"She's doing it for the money I bet. You know, perks."

Kish laughed. "Wouldn't surprise me." He stopped outside of their advanced writing class. "Remember, if Masaya says anything to you, ignore him. One more fight in Mrs. Delea's class and you're suspended."

Zakuro sighed. She walked in and sat next to Kish. He elbowed her, and pointed at the board. She looked up and grinned. Pai was, once again, writing death threats in French on the overhead projector.

She waved at him and hissed through her teeth. "Stop doing that! You spelled it wrong and it now says something about 'I will hatch an evil egg and it will kill you until the Barney show comes on.'"

Pai grinned and sat in front of her. "I meant to write that."

Kish looked around. "Have you guys seen Ichigo?"

The two others shook their heads and Kish sighed in relief. "She finally goes out with me and it turns out that I can't talk to another girl without her going ballistic."

Zakuro took everything out on her desk. She started to put things back in.

She grabbed a folder. Kish looked up. "What's that?"

She looked at it. "My writing folder." She put it in her book bag.

She grabbed a binder. Kish looked up. "What's that?"

She looked at it. "My math binder." She put it in her book bag.

She grabbed a box. Kish grinned. "What's that?"

She sighed. This was becoming irritating. "My pencil box."

After she had shoved about fifty pounds worth of books, binders, and folders into the bag, (Kish asking what it was every time) she finally started to zip up her book bag.

Kish grinned. "What's that?"

Zakuro stared at the book bag, then glared up at Kish. "It is a large heavy blunt object that could be used as a weapon."

Kish licked his fangs. "Point taken."