Me: New story, everyone! Bare with me... this is my first Shugo Chara story. Ever. Period. Just accept it, man. I know this sucks, but just read it and see how you like it. It's like a Little Women version of Shugo Chara, and I'm not gonna tell you what the main pairings are, though. If you've never read the original Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, go do so! It's an amazing book, and it's how I actually started to like reading in the first place.

Daisy: Hello, this is Daisy. I'm Rose's wonderful sister. She'd like to dedicate this story to me, seeing how awesomely awesome I am, and she'd like you to read it, too. She owns NOTHING.


"While most times you're friends don't listen to you when you're talking, they often hear what you don't say."

Little Women

Chapter one

Four friends

Amu was the first out into the school hallway. She often was there before the bell rang. It was her only escape from the many students always tracking her down in this school. She was popular, way popular, along with her best friend Hoshina Utau. People sometimes took it too far, though. A long time ago, back in elementary school, her fellow students had given her the nickname Cool 'N Spicy, because of her flippant attitude. It was just an outer-character, though... just a facade. Only her best friends really knew what she was all about. Her four best friends.

Amu put her back up against the wall, giving a heavy sigh, sliding down to the floor. She'd narrowly escaped detention again, today, because of her stupid mouth. Sometimes she wondered if Cool 'N Spicy was beginning to take over. She wouldn't be surprised, though, because it would just add one more thing to her life. She was only out of class right then because she'd lied to the teacher, telling him that she'd felt sick, and needed to go to the nurse. Typical Amu. All she would really do was go to lunch, and then ditch school for the rest of the day. That's all she ever did. It was depressin, really.

Before Amu could really thinkg about anything, she felt someone come and sit beside her. She didn't even have to turn around to tell that it was her best friend, Hotori Tadase. He sat next to her, his school books in his lap, neither of them saying anything.

But they didn't need to say anything. That was the thing... they were just that close. Friends since elementary school, they knew the contents of one another very well. No words were needed for communication.

Tadase finally uttered words, right then. "... I don't blame you for skipping class, Amu-chan."

Her eyes stayed staring at her lap. She would never meet his gaze, just nodding at what he was saying. "Okay."

"Just, remember that we care about you, okay?" Tadase's eyes were sad. Lately, it seemed as if Amu was becoming more distant from their small group of friends. "And... after you leave, today, call. Call any of us."

"O-okay." She replied mechanically, so dryly.

And suddenly, the bell resounded through the halls, and students came pouring in from every direction. Just when you thought you were alone, you were proven wrong. It was difficult to ever get away from the crowds, for Amu, because they always followed her wherever she went. Chanting "Cool 'N Spicy!" or just marveling at her very existence. Not that she was anything to marvel at.

Amu finally tore her eyes away from her lap, and found smiling, crimson ones staring right back at her. The friendly, warm eyes of Hotori Tadase. Her grade school crush. But now they were in high school, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him the same way she had before. But then again, her feelings for him had become more defined lately. That was one of the reasons why she was becoming so distant from her friends. She needed thinking time.

"Yo, Hinamori!"

Amu grimaced at the all-too familiar punch on her shoulder. She turned to her other side to see Souma Kukai bending down over her, extending a hand for her to take. At one point or another, Amu'd had a crush on Kukai, too, but now she only thought of him as a big brother. An annoying big brother.

Kukai's emerald irises sparkled as he pulled her off of the floor. "You know, you could get trampled if you just sit on the floor like that."

Behind Kukai was his best friend, Yuiki Yaya. Yaya's chesnut curls were pulled into their usual short ponytails, as she grinned and waved at Amu. "No one would ever trample Miss Cool 'N Spicy, though. Yaya is sure of it."

"Errrrr... thanks, Yaya-chan." Amu mumbled, dusting off her red skirt.

Tadase brought himself up off of the ground, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Amu-chan, are you leaving, now?"

"Yeah, I don't think I can stay for lunch," Amu said. "I better get outta here."

Yaya nodded sadly. "Okay, Amu-chi. Utau-chan, Rima-chan, and Yaya are going to the mall later today, how about we pick you up on they way? Girl-time, you know?"

"Okay." Amu agreed, turning to leave the school hallway.

-Little Women-

Just as Yaya had said, later that day she, Rima, and Utau had carpooled over to the Hinamori's, picked Amu up, and headed off to the mall. They were all high school girls, now, completely independant. The four of them had staye tight for years, and planned to stay best friends forever. Though Amu was dealing with life-problems, Rima had family-issues, Utau had to deal with the hectic life of a popstar, and Yaya struggled with school, they always had each other. They always, always had each other.

Utau was the oldest of the girls as a junior high school student, sixteen-years-old. She was beautiful, blonde, and very stubborn. Sapphire eyes that pierced you skin, and an angelic voice that melted your heart. If any of them deserved to be the famous singer, it was Utau. Amu and Rima were the next girls, them both being fifteen-year-old sophomores. Amu had bubblegum hair and golden irises, pretending to be indifferent on the outside, when she was just very complex, and very confused on the inside. She was a lot like Utau, which is why they were so tight.

Rima was the gorgeous one. Petite, with dark blonde hair, and chestnut eyes. She was very quiet, and didn't like to waste her time on trivial things. She seemed very mean, haughty, and superficial on the outside, which is why everyone loved her. But she was very shy, but loving on the inside, which is why her friends loved her. Yaya was the baby of the group, only a freshman, just fourteen-years-old. She kept her sandy locks in two ponytails, her face previously fixed with a perpetual grin. Yaya was the bouncy, playful, childish one. She was the one that kept all of the girls going. Theur fuel, the glue that kept them together.

Each of the girls took to one another in some way. Utau and Amu liked each other because they had complexities that only they, themselves would understand. Yaya and Rima, though their personalities contrasted, were close because they completed each other. Serious and light-minded, work and play.

Currently, all the girls had gathered in the food court the eat and talk about everyone. Rima had ordered Italian (on her soup 'n crackers diet), Yaya got a cheesburger and a bunch of candy, Utau ordered a large bowl of ramen, and Amu just got a drink. It was silent as they ate for a while, no one saying anything. They spent every day together, so there was nothing, really, to talk about.

"The dance is coming soon." Rima remarked quietly.

Utau turned to her. "What?"

"The dance, Utau-chan!" Yaya elaborated. "THE dance. The biggest one of the year... for the people who aren't seniors."

"Honestly, I'd forgotten until now." Amu sipped from her drink.

Rima gaped. "But, Amu... how could you forget the dance?"

"I've got a lot on my mind, Rima-chan."

Utau shook her hea sadly. "I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it to the dance, this year. To much work. Sanjo-san's got me doing jumping jacks on her time."

"Take a break, Vogue Girl." Yaya sang her favorite lyrics, to her favorite song.

"I don't think I can," Utau said. "Between work and school I'm totally swamped. If I tried to clear anything, or put anything off, I might find myself in the deep end."

"You entered the deep end long ago, Utau." Rima rolled her eyes.

"All you do is work." Yaya continued to pester. "Why don't you free yourself? Don't you ever think about boys, anymore? Or shopping? Or anything fun?"

"Boys are not my thing." Utau dived into her ramen unexpectedly. She was a fast eater.

Rima smirked. "Shame, shame. Isn't it, though, when you have boys throwing themselves at your feet everyday?"

"You're one to talk." Utau bit back. "You're a slave-driver, Rima-chan. You have guys waiting on you, hand-and-foot. And, besides, the only reason boys 'throw themselves' at me is because of Hoshina Utau, not Tsukiyomi Utau."

Yaya got that excited expression on her face. "Yaya sees what you mean! A line between work and love! You can never have both, because work gets in the way of love, and then love becomes work. How tragic, Utau-chan!"

Everyone at the table rolled their eyes.

Utau gave an elaborately exasperated face, sticking her tongue out. "God, Yaya-chan. You always turn every story into a twisted little fable for your own amusement."

"And Yaya enjoys every minute of it." Yaya replied curtly.

Rima nudged her friend. "Who do you plan to go to the dance with, Yaya?"

"Yaya doesn't know, yet." She admitted. "But she'd love to go, regardless. Who will you go to the dance with?"

Rima slunk into her seat. "I... I don't... that doesn't matter."

Yaya gave a smirk, but then otherwise ignored Rima. Turning to Amu, of course. "Tell Yaya that you're going to the dance, Amu-chi. Please."

"I might go." Amu muttered, conclusive.

"With Tadase-kun, no doubt." Rima remarked.

Amu frowned. "Why do you guys always assume that it's him?"

"Because every time we do assume, it ends up being him," Utau shrugged. "So it's not so much of an assumption than a pure instinct."

Amu sighed hopelessly, pushing her dirnk away from her. She didn't want to think about Tadase at that moment, or how all the girls might be right. They always were.

"Hey," Utau reached across the table to take her hand. "You still love us, right, Amu-girl?"

"Right." Amu smiled, looking around the table at her best friends. No matter what happened, she'd always have them. Even when she was going crazy, like she was, now, they'd always be there. Who wouldn't love friends like that?

Friends like hers.


Me: So... how'd I do? Was it okay? Anyways, Daisy... this is for you!

Daisy: Thanks so much! And for everyone else, tell us what YOU think! REVIEW!