AN: Read another fanfiction of Karis and Matthew that made me totally want to revisit this shipping.
Setting: Modern AU, high school setting.
### Begin: Chapter One
Karis could almost see the steam that was being vented by her teacher.
"Young miss, it is completely inappropriate to have that hair colour," the (new) teacher berated.
Karis tried moving past the teacher, but the teacher blocked her. "You're coming down with me to the admin block, until you explain why you dyed your hair that shade of green."
Karis nearly lost it there, if it were not for the intervention of a boy.
"Excuse me Sir, that is actually her natural hair colour." A blond hair boy with a Student Representative's Council badge pinned on his shirt interrupted.
The teacher noticed the badge, and paused. "Hmm… I can believe the word of a SRC member," he said, and walked away.
Karis was taking deep breathes at this stage. Calm, Karis. Calm down, it doesn't matter a single jot that the teacher verbally assaulted you, didn't believe you and walked away without an apology…
"… I'm sorry for interrupting your monologue, but are you all right? That teacher was a right jackass." The blond boy was waving his hand in front of Karis's face, trying to grab her attention.
Karis smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks a bunch for your help."
The boy nodded, said, "no worries" and walked off.
Karis started walking towards her roll-call room, but realised she didn't ask the boy for his name, nor did she know how he knew that was actually her natural colour.
###
Year 10 was the same as Year 9, meaning that her workload was extremely slack (correction: she couldn't be bothered doing anything at home). Karis simply made sure that she paid attention in class to ensure that she understood the coursework.
English – I gained a deeper appreciation of this text. As in, I appreciate the sacrifice other people make in actually reading and analyzing this horrible text.
Mathematics – I guess I should actually begin to start trying and doing some homework. Hmm, I wonder what apps in the Store are on special right now, I might as well download some apps at school because it isn't blocked…
History – Interesting. Sandwich = World War One. Nazis = World War Two. Communism vs Capitalism = Cold War. I'm all set for the rest of the year.
Geography – Never Eat Soggy Weetbix. Awesome, I also am set for the rest of the year.
She nearly fell asleep of boredom in her classes - she found that nothing challenged her intellect at all - until she walked into her science class.
The blond boy that saved her on the first morning of Year 10 was sitting on a bench of three by himself.
She walked into the classroom, walked next to him and asked, "alright if I sit here?"
The boy turned his head, recognizing the figure, and started nodding his head. "Go ahead."
Karis sat down, and threw her bag underneath the bench. "I'm sorry for this morning… I didn't even catch your name," she confessed.
"It's all good…. To be honest, I thought if I actually barged into that it would be extremely rude of me… so I apologise for my behaviour." He bowed in head in apology.
Karis raised an eyebrow. The boy was actually genuinely apologetic (she could tell by the tone and posture) for something he did RIGHT?
"You don't need to apologise to me. Anyway, where are my manners? I'm Karis," she said.
"Oh… where are mine, I forgot to answer your question. I'm Matthew."
###
Karis never knew science could actually be slightly entertaining. Maybe because she spent a period talking with Matthew, just talking about random topics made enduring science classes less of a burden.
Otherwise I would have started playing Rainbow Six on my iTouch, she mused.
When the lunch bell rang, she ran towards the canteen, managing to slot herself into a decent spot before the line became too crowded.
She spotted a familiar face. "Amiti!"
The said person turned around and grinned in recognition. "Good to see you Karis, how has your first day been?"
Karis nodded her head as the line slowly progressed. "Boring as heck, but I met this guy. His name is Matthew."
Amiti nodded his head. "I've heard about him. Nice person, rated cutest boy of the year by the majority of the fangirls. SRC member, trusted and respected by peers and teachers. Not like someone else I know."
Karis lightly punched Amiti in the arm. "I hate it when you sprout truthful nonsense. And do I hear a slight tinge of jealousy over the "cutest boy of the year" award?"
Amiti laughed as he placed his order. "Could I have a pizza pie please? You should feel lucky you're even talking to me, Karis. I was rated the most prince-like person of the year by the same fangirls."
Karis snorted so hard that she choked as she also placed an order for a pizza pie.
###
The end of the day came around with a double period of PDHPE. Being a double period, it was a practical period, but being the first day of Year 10, no-one had their change of clothes so they were allowed to do whatever they wanted as long as it was reasonable.
Karis decided to listen to some of her music on her iTouch, and was just relaxing on the bench when she was struck by a cricket ball.
"Do you guys mind where you're hitting?" She yelled as she pulled out her earplugs.
The boy approaching her shrugged. "You should move. You got in the way of the ball."
Karis's eyebrows twitched at this sentence. "Come over here, and say that to my face."
The boy did that, and slapped her hard. "What are you going to do, bitch?"
Karis had tears leaking out of her eyes, but she stood back up and shoved him back. "Do you actually want to go, fucker?"
Karis swung at the boy, but completely missed as the boy dodged and simply grabbed her and slammed her to the ground.
"Bitch, don't mess with me," he snarled.
Karis groaned and tried to struggle as the boy began choking her.
Suddenly the pressure on her throat was removed and the shadow that covered her was flung away.
"You touch her one more time, you're going to get it." A very familiar figure helped her up.
"… Matthew?" The blond boy nodded, but was purely focused on the boy who was now sprawled on the oval.
The boy was beginning to get up, furious over the fact that he was easily tossed up, but stopped in his tracks when Amiti walked by.
Amiti nodded to Karis and Matthew as he stood near the boy. "Were you touching my family friend? Were you?"
The boy muttered "no", and shied away.
Amiti sighed. "Sorry I wasn't here faster… thanks for the help, Matthew."
Matthew nodded. "No worries. I'll talk to you later tonight to get that history assignment done."
Matthew bowed to Amiti and Karis, and began walking away. Amiti turned his head back to Karis. "Thank god he was nearby… if I was any closer, I'd be the one in serious trouble by now."
Karis laughed. "Well, trouble averted."
###
Thankfully, nothing eventful happened in PDHPE afterwards, and Karis started her slow journey back home.
She passed by a convenience, and briefly debated whether she should actually purchase a hair dye and change her hair colour deliberately. However, her urge to head back home was much stronger than the urge to annoy the teachers at the school, so she walked past the convenience store.
Until a familiar voice called out at her.
"… Karis?" Karis turned towards the voice that called towards her, to see a certain blond boy standing at the counter, looking directly at her.
He looked so cute, with his head slightly tilted at an angle, and a curious expression on his face. Karis could fell a slight blush on her cheeks as she thought of Matthew's soft lips kissing hers, the two of them entangled in a tight embrace…
Karis shook to clear her head of these luscious thoughts and waved at Matthew, and walked into the store, setting off a noise somewhere towards her right, announcing the fact that there was a "consumer" in the store.
"Funny how I've never actually noticed you walking by. Do you walk by here every afternoon after school?" Matthew asked.
Karis nodded. "I generally walk really slow with my earphones plugged into my ears. How come you noticed this time?"
Matthew blushed at this. "I'll be honest. It was really nice meeting you, and I couldn't wait to talk to you again."
Karis could feel her cheeks lighting up again at this statement. "Oh…"
Trying to change the topic, she started talking about the incident in the oval today. "Oh yeah, about the incident in the oval, thanks so much for your help… I never got to say thank you properly did I?"
Matthew shook his head. "It's alright… I help my friends, you know?"
Karis laughed. "It seems like you'd help half of the general population, if they all needed help."
Matthew blushed again at this statement. Why is it that she makes me feel slightly mushy inside?
Karis grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Anyway, I better start heading back before my parents ask me whether I'm late because I have a boyfriend. And I shouldn't head out of here with empty hands. I'll take this bottle of water."
Matthew took the bottle, scanned it. "$1.50. Do you want a bag with that, ma'am?"
Karis smiled at the use of the honorific, and shook her head. "It's alright. I'll be eco-friendly this time."
Matthew smiled. "Here's your bottle, Karis. Enjoy the rest of the day."
"You too. I'll see you at school tomorrow? Recess?" She responded, trying to keep the hopeful tone out of her voice.
"Definitely. Maybe I'll even see you on the walk to school," he smiled.
Karis waved as she walked out of the store and walked back home. That boy is going to be the death of me, I swear.
Just as she was leaving, Matthew called out. "Hey, add me on Facebook, yeah? Then I'll give you my MSN as well."
Karis called back. "Sure."
###
When Karis arrived home, her dad greeted her at the door.
"Hey Karis, how was school today?" Ivan asked.
Karis shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, it was okay. However, I did hassled by a teacher about my hair colour. Seriously, everyone thinks it is a dye job!"
Ivan looked at her, with concern in his eyes. "Do you want me to contact a school and get a note to them with a explanation why your natural hair colour is green?"
"No, it should be okay dad. The thing is, I get decent marks at school, so most teachers generally let it slide," she responded.
"Anyway, you should get cracking on your "homework"… that's what a responsible dad should say. I know better. Go enjoy yourself, but come down for dinner on time, alright? We're having kebabs today." Ivan finished his sentence and headed back to his study.
"Will do dad. Talk to you later!" Karis stormed the doors and entered her surprisingly clean room.
She fired up her computer, and as she waited for the operating system to boot up she decided to pull out her iTouch and listen some music.
"What should set my mood today… oh I know, Taylor Swift…" she started listening to Taylor Swift's newest album as she opened Firefox and opened up her Facebook. And to think I'm falling for this boy so quickly…
She quickly searched up Matthew's name, but to her surprise she already had him added.
I forgot about Facebook's "I-don't-know-this-person-but-they're-my-friend-anyway" curse.
She sent him her email, and checked up on the latest antics of her "friends" on Facebook.
###
After tending the store for two hours, Matthew locked up and headed upstairs to proceed with assignments. He logged onto his MSN and Facebook, messaging Amiti and adding Karis to his contact list.
Before either of them responded, a door opened downstairs, signaling the return of one of his parents. He bounded downstairs, greeting his mother at the door.
"Hey mother. How's father going?" He asked.
Jenna smiled at her only child, knowing that Matthew was also going through an extremely difficult phase. However, Matthew had the determination of his mother and the courage of his father. "You know your dad, he's always a fighter. He says he hasn't let anything else beat him yet, and he won't let this beat him."
Matthew nodded. "I'll be upstairs doing my homework… if you need me to help with anything, Mother, just ask me okay? I'll come instantly."
Jenna smiled again. "Alright Matthew."
As Matthew walked upstairs, Jenna was extremely concerned about Matthew. Matthew was always a serious child, but he had matured beyond his years at this stage… it was coming to the point where he barely showed any emotion, trying to remain stoic, and remaining strong for her. It was like he was saying, "I'm okay, mother. Don't worry about me."
Jenna sighed, and headed to the kitchen to brew herself a strong cup of coffee. The night was still young, and there was much work to be done.
###
When Matthew headed back to his computer, there were two flashing windows in his screen. One was from Amiti, stating that he had to head to dinner and he would be back imminently after consuming food. The other was Karis, spamming his window.
Matthew: I'm back. Stop spamming me already!
AngelOfJupiter: Oh. Where were u? lol
Matthew: My mother came home from hospital.
AngelOfJupiter: Does she work there or something?
Matthew: No, it's my father. He's been diagnosed with cancer…
### End Chapter One: A New Dawn
AN: I'm an Aussie writer, so if anyone is confused about what Year 10, I think it's the equivalent of 1st year high school using the Japanese school system… all I know is, you sit your exams to enter university in Year 12 over here, so use some logical interpretations as you will.
Because I'm Aussie as well, I use "s" and add "u" in some words. I hope it isn't too disorientating like so.
Anyway, I hope I kept the individuals in character… I'm fairly sure they are, but if they aren't, feel free to drop a review.
Reviews would be great, they encourage me to write faster. And more.
Anyway, enough blabbering on by me, I'll end this by saying Dawnshipping forever :3