***DISCLAIMER***
I do not own Fruits Basket, or the characters from it. The only things I own are my own characters.
"Konichiwa, class! It seems that we have a new student today. Her name is Kara Otari-san. I ask that you all make her feel welcome."
The balding teacher turned towards me. "Kara, please take a seat behind Ms. Tohru Honda-san." He gestured towards her, so that I knew where to go.
I bowed. "My thanks," I mumbled before slinking to my seat. I was shy when I first met anyone, and today was no exception. I didn't know anyone in this class….
Honda-san smiled brightly at me. "I'm glad you came to our school! I'm Tohru Honda. Pleased to meet you, Kara-san!"
I smiled shyly at her and nodded. I wasn't a shy person, but…new things tended to overwhelm me. I liked having a routine, a schedule. I guess I had to get over that.
The teacher smiled at me as well. "I am Gaveri-sensei. Please feel welcome in our school." I'm sort of ashamed to admit it, but I pulled my shoulders a little closer to my ears. I had a bad habit of doing that. My mother had commented to me that it made me look like a turtle. I didn't really care sometimes, but you don't really want to look like a turtle when you're trying to make friends. Stiffening I lowered my shoulders.
Gaveri-sensei tapped a book against his shoulder. "I need to speak to Mio-sensei about an important matter, so please introduce yourselves to Kara-san." He closed the door behind him as he went.
I was suddenly the center of attention. "Where did you transfer from, Kara-san?" A boy with indigo hair asked me. "I'm Yuki Sohma. It's nice to meet you." He smiled at me, but it didn't seem quite real for some reason.
I chuckled nervously. "It is nice to meet you, Sohma-kun. I've moved from America." Everyone looked interested.
"You're really good at Japanese for an American! Eh—I didn't mean that to be rude or anything! It was a compliment!" Honda-san hurried to assure me, looking worried.
I tucked my blonde-brown hair behind my ear. "Thank you. I was tutored for around a year before we moved. It was hard work, but at least I'm able to communicate now."
Two girls stepped in behind Honda-san and regarded me with curious suspicion. Honda-san gave them both a smile. "These are my friends Uo-chan and Hana-chan! Well, um, I mean, their real names are Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanijima! But that's what I call them…." She trailed off.
"Welcome to paradise," Uotani-san chuckled. Hanijima-san only nodded. "Yes. Welcome to our school." I'll admit, Hanijima sort of freaked me out. She just had this sort of…chilly aura, I suppose. It's difficult to explain.
The other classmates offered me their names, but I wasn't paying too much attention. Finally there was only one person who hadn't introduced themselves…that orange-headed kid.
It wasn't all that surprising, I suppose. There's always one rude kid or another. But with the gazes of everyone in the room, excluding myself, pressing on him, he stuttered out, "Kyou Sohma. Nice to meet you." Dang kid couldn't even look at me. Oh well, not like I care.
Rolling my eyes, I told him, without turning to face him, "You don't have to try so hard. If you don't like me, don't bother. I'd rather have honesty than politeness."
Kyou-kun stood, the chair making a loud scraping noise on the floor. "Damn it! See what I get for trying to be polite! All right, fine. I know absolutely nothing about you so I see no reason why I should have to talk to you, let alone be nice to you."
I pressed my lips together. "No one's making you do anything. You're doing it yourself, idiot."
There was a startled pause, and then Uotani-san roared with laughter. "Ha ha ha! I think I could like this girl! Not even five minutes in the class and she's got Kyon-Kyon pegged as an idiot!"
Kyou's face flamed red. "Don't call me Kyon-Kyon! And I'm not an idiot, idiot!"
I waved a hand at him. "I should apologize, but it's your own fault, after all. Now quiet down. Since you did as I asked I'll call you Kyou-kun instead of Kyon-Kyon."
Kyou-kun got up in my face. "If you weren't a girl, you'd be bleeding right now! I don't take orders from anyone, you hear me? You-" Honda-san tugged him back, and he abruptly fell silent. Ah. So that's how it was.
"Kyou-kun, please don't fight! I'm sure Kara-san was only trying to put you at ease!" I smirked at Kyou-kun. It was gonna be fun messing with him. Then I smiled at Honda-san. "Right you are, Honda-san!"
Honda-san blushed. "Oh, please, call me Tohru! I hope we can be friends!"
I blinked. "I think I'd like that, Tohru-san."
Outani-san stuck out her hand to me. "Any friend of Tohru's is a friend of mine. Well, unless you hurt her, that is. Call me whatever you want, I really don't care."
I tentatively took her hand and shook. "Is Arisa-san all right? In America, we just always call a person by their first name. It's more comfortable for me, if you're okay with it."
Arisa shrugged. "Sure thing, I don't mind. I'm sure Saki would say the same thing, but she doesn't talk much." She gave me an apologetic shrug. "And 'Prince Yuki' here just isn't very open either. If you haven't noticed."
Yuki-kun winced, but he didn't argue.
"Well, if I call you something you don't like, just tell me, please. I don't mean to offend anyone. Except maybe Kyou-kun." I grinned at him. "Sorry, but it's fun to make you angry."
Arisa laughed. "That it is. The only one who doesn't do it just for fun is…well, Tohru. And Saki doesn't make a habit of it."
Tohru smiled. "Well, how would you like me to show you around? Being new to Japan and all, I'm sure that some things would seem a bit strange."
I rubbed the back of my neck uncomfortably. "I'd like that, Tohru-kun. I don't really know anyone else around here."
Tohru smiled. "Great! That settles it, then! After school we'll show you around."
