"Almost According to Plan"
Author's Note: This is my first published fanfiction story, so please be gentle, but I would much appreciate reviews, advice and opinions! I know that this first chapter is tame for the rating I have up, but believe me as the chapters progress, the story will more suit the original rating I gave the story. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1:
Bells chimed throughout the grand buildings of Ouran Academy, signaling that students should begin to go to their first morning classes. Hurrying as best she could, Sayuri Nitta gripped onto her book bag tightly with both hands as she held it in front of her, it bouncing lightly as she glided or rather walked as fast as she could without being unseemly of a proper young lady of her stature, or so her mother often said.
She made her way to her homeroom class and waited uncertainly just inside the door before being asked to excuse a few passing students trying to get in. Fiercely apologizing she approached the teacher's desk hesitantly and spoke her name in a soft tone. The man nodded and once everyone had sat down but the girl at the front, he stood and said, "Settle down everyone. Let me introduce your new classmate, Sayuri Nitta. She's new to Ouran and is a bit late in the school year due to a bad case of pneumonia, so let's welcome her with the outstanding hospitality of Ouran Academy shall we?"
At the cue, the room chimed in varying pitches, "Welcome Nitta-san."
Feeling a little warm at the embarrassment of being on the spot, Sayuri bowed , her medium length black curls falling forward before she stood straight again and then said in her usual soft tone, "Arigato, please bear with me."
The teacher nodded and then said, "Could you please take a seat in front of Mameha-san? Now who wants to be Nitta-san's guide?"
Immediately the boy sitting next to the seat that Sayuri went to go sit in raised his hand enthusiastically.
The sensei scoffed, "Fine Ferio-san, but do try not to scare her off campus. Just show her the ropes."
"Yes sensei!" The boy with short ginger hair and bright emerald eyes replied before flashing what everyone else would agree was a dashing smile at Sayuri, who bowed her head in greeting before murmuring, "Thank you Ferio-san," and turning to face the board. After homeroom, Ferio stopped Sayuri from leaving and asked, "Do you have your class schedule already?"
Sayuri nodded, and pulled out a piece of paper from her brown book bag before handing it to the boy who was about a head taller than her. Scanning it for a moment, the ginger then said, "Looks like you have some of the same classes as I do, lucky you. C'mon, English Language is this way. And don't hesitate to ask me for help okay?"
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, other than trying desperately to get caught up with her studies so as to be at the same level as the rest of the students. She could hear her mother scolding her now for not being smart enough to catch up with nearly three months worth of work. Lunch was a welcome break and yet also dreaded as of course there was the problem of where to sit. Deciding that she'd rather not have to worry about imposing on others, she took her tray outside and sat on a stone bench with her lunch tray in her lap, primly eating the Caesar salad she had gotten.
When she was about half way through the leafy greens, a shadow slowly overcame her plate and she blinked owlishly up at the figure in yellow before her. She had waist length blonde hair and pretty green eyes that smiled along with her mouth as she looked down at Sayuri. "Hey there. May I sit with you?" The girl asked politely.
Sayuri nodded mutely before pressing a napkin to her mouth chastely and then replied verbally, "Yes, of course. My name is Sayuri Nitta." She bowed her head in respect to the girl, who carefully took her place on the bench beside the raven haired girl. Settling her own tray on her knees, the blonde grinned at the name and responded, "Umiko Nekozawa, pleasure to meet you Nitta-san."
Blushing lightly in happiness, Sayuri took a drink of her sparkling water before asking, "Are you also a first year Nekozawa-san?"
"Actually, yes! I'm fresh out of Ouran Middle. I have your homeroom, but I got kind of stuck in a corner, but I'm glad we got a chance to talk. I know Ouran can be kind of overwhelming at first." She nodded knowingly before taking a big bite of some sort of meaty pastry dish that Sayuri did not know the name of.
"Oh? Have you been here before then? And I've found the Academy to be quite… exemplary. I'm very glad my mother decided to send me here." Sayuri finished off the last of her healthy lunch and simply cradled her glass of sparkling water in hand, occasionally taking delicate sips.
Umiko smiled wryly and told her, "Yeah, my cousin went here actually. And you should definitely thank her for that. Ouran's much better. Our Host Club is too! Can't believe how those prissy sissies's at Lobelia think they can hold a candle to Fujioka-san or the others."
Sayuri tilted her head at this, "Host Club? What's that?"
"You've never heard of one? Oh I have to take you to it after classes! You'll love it, all the girls go to see them. Fujioka-san is in it as well as the Hitachiin brothers, Suoh-senpai, Ootori-senpai, Kasanoda-san and even Hunny-kun and Mori-senpai! Hunny and Mori graduated last year and go to Ouran University now, but they love the club and still try to participate. My cousin's friends with them and I hear an earful. I've been looking forward to being here just for that!"
"But…what does a Host Club do though?" Sayuri was still puzzled as to why Umiko was so excited.
The blonde simply grinned and said, "You'll see. Oh, there's the bell. We'd better get to class. Meet me outside our homeroom this afternoon!"
Sayuri simply nodded before taking her tray inside to dispose of it before continuing on her day.