Couchpotato121 here! Boy it has been a long time. Sometime I think that school is meant to eat the souls of its students. GAR!

OK for all you PoT fans this is for you! AND Happy Birthday Nathalie!

(I'm trying to stick to Japanese honorifics and such. The main character's name is said for the first time with the last name first and the first name last. Just so you know.)

I do not, sadly, own PoT

Tempting Tennis

It has been four years since I had to leave for America. Now my father had another transfer back to Japan, but not to my rural town where everyone knows everyone else. Where gossip flows quickly through the entire town in one day, that is where I used to live, but now I'm going to be part of the 600 and more children attending Rikkaidai high school. The first day at this school is when my story begins.

A girl with long brown hair strode confidently through the gates of her soon to be school, early in the morning before the morning rush of students bombarded the gates. Taking purposeful strides to the front door, she made her way to the admissions office but slowed and stopped in the middle of the front yard to take in the scenery. There were tall trees spaced along the entryway leaving a patch that let the sun shine down in the courtyard. The rays of golden morning light caught the building in front of her and illuminated the building with and ethereal glow.

This school is too perfect. Every blade of grass the same green, same length every tree the same height and shape. Definitely not like my hometown. Makes me feel like I need to hide behind a mask.

Restarting her walk to the admissions office our brown haired young lady opened the doors to the school and started her walk down the pristine hallways without making a sound. Soon the admissions office sparkled in front of her egging her to open them and become part of the crowd. With little hesitation she opened the doors and walked straight up to the make-up wearing lady at the front desk.

"Hello, I'm the new student Takeda Akira, I'm the transfer student for America."

"Oh, I was expecting you later Takeda-san. Please wait for a few minutes while I get your folder ready and track down your books." With what Akira would have imagined should have had a flowery background, the secretary hopped up and almost skipped through a door behind her desk. Akira took this time to look around the room. Taking all of the bookshelves full of what looked to be very educational reads, not a speck of dust, and the furnishings of the room, which looked expensive, Akira came to the conclusion that this place was supported by very wealthy people who liked their schools perfect, or a least their sense of perfect anyway. But just as she finished her sweep of the room, she noticed a trophy case by on her left. Taking this opportunity to get to know what the school was really proud of, Akira made her way over to the so shiny that your eyes have to squint case and saw that it was so full that it was almost popping open. Curious and to what they were so good at she squinted to look at the top of the trophy that had the telltale symbol of the game. Tennis.

Who would have thought, she thought sarcastically, good at a preppy sport of course. I never would have guessed. I should have known.

"Alright, I found them… oh! You found the trophies."

No really?

"Well as you can see we pride ourselves in the success of our tennis team. How much do you know about tennis? I could tell you the rules if you don't know." She giggled as she finished her sentence, holding her hand to her mouth, showing off her perfect pedicure.

"I'm fine thank you. I know the game well enough. Are those my books?" Akira gestured to the small pile on the main desk changing the subject to something more important. It was laughably small.

"Ah, ...Oh yes. They are. Also here is your schedule. Your first class is on the second floor room 267. The stairs are just outside this door to the right. Please feel free at any time to come by and ask me questions. Oh… there are 15 minutes between each class. That should give you enough time to find your classes ok. Now take care." She looked at the clock behind her.

"Oh, the rush of students should be at any moment. Best get moving before you get trampled."

With that she thrust the miniscule pile of books at Akira and practically jumped back behind her desk. Taking the extremely light pile of books in one hand Akira, strode out the door with her destination in mind. After a quick glance around she found to stairs that were on the left, by the way, and made her way up to the third floor where rooms 250-300 were.

I have never know a place to have such a polished outside and have such a chaotic inside. Though it does make sense. People usually make an effort to look respectable even when they have very many problems.

Akira made her way down the hall and found the classroom that she would have first period. Only the door was already open and a teacher was already there. She strode through the door making her way up to the desk. She stopped just shy of the desk giving the teacher room to keep working.

"Can I help you, I don't recognize you."

"Yes, I'm Takeda Akira a transfer student from America. I was told that this was my home room."

"Yes, I remember now. You are the student from America. My name is Yamagata-sensei I teach History. The seat in the back right corner is not taken yet, why don't you put your things there. I do believe the students are arriving. Be careful, new comers are put through this type of test, but I don't really understand it."

"Thank you very much. I'll keep that in mind." With that Akira bowed and ambled to her desk unloading her pencils. No sooner had she finished fishing for her last number two pencil than a flood of students entered the room seconds before the bell rang. But then like that there were all sitting down ready to begin their morning routine.

"Thank you for your timely entrance. Now I have a few announcements before I start your first class. The paper that your English teacher assigned all of you will be due in two days. Also, all of you that are taking Bio, your project is due at the end of the week. Now I have one more announcement before I collect your math packet." There was a collective groan from the entire class.

"Please you had a week to finish it. Now the last announcement, we have a new student that is transferring from America. Please come forward and introduce yourself." He gestured to Akira and motioned for her to come forward.

Having assessed that there were no other options Akira made her way to the front of the classroom, ignoring all of the stares and murmurs that always accompanied her.

"Good morning. My name is Takeda Akira."

Short sweet and to the point. Just like I wanted, now to get to my seat.

"Are there any questions, if there are any raise your hands and I will call on you." Yamagata-sensei instructed.

Four hands lifted into the air, a few whispers shot around the room, excited about whom rose their hands.

"Yes, you in the back." A wave of disappointment swept through the classroom.

"Where did you live in America?" a shorthaired girl asked from the front of the class.

"In the North East, New Hampshire." Silence.

"Aw, that's no fun. I was hoping for a city." The shorthaired girl whined while she twisted a chunk of her hair trying to look cute. Akira shuddered.

"Alright next question." The excitement came back.

"You there back row." Another wave of disappointment swept through the class.

Why the disappointment? Are they waiting for something, maybe they are expecting an interesting question from someone. I don't get it.

"What is your favorite color, mine's pea green?" And the whole class went deadly silent.

"What, is that strange?"

Someone in the front row called back.

"We all knew you were weird, but that's just wrong." The whole class started laughing at the boy in the back.

"Alright, enough let her answer." Yamagata-sensei hushed.

"Maroon, that's my favorite color."

"Ok whose next?" Interest thrummed through the class again.

"You, the one out of dress code, what's your question?" The energy in the room dissipated in a flash.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" This time the energy rekindled a little bit, signaling that the class was still interested in this particular subject.

Teenagers! Where do they get it? I just don't understand how they can ask that on the first day!

"I will choose not to answer that question." A murmur went through the class.

"Alright, that was a very personal question and she has the right not to answer. So last question. Jackal Kuwahara ask away."

The entire classroom fell stock still, waiting with bated breath to hear his question. She looked at the student that still had his hand up. The first thing she noticed was the nice shine that came off his head.

He's bald… that's really… different.

It took every ounce of her being not to start laughing at the sudden appearance of a bald man. It was funny to her anyway.

"What sport do you play?"

The entire classroom exhaled. And she almost laughed out loud, she was sure that she was red in the face.

"What kind of a question is that? Usually you have these really good questions." The girl in the front row squeaked.

"Sorry, but I'm curious. So?"

Akira formed enough composure to answer with one word.

"Tennis."