I sit here,
Staring at the sky
Wondering what
The world is about…
Suddenly,
The world stops moving,
I look around,
Seeing everybody waiting for me to get off…
And I did,
Unwanted,
Cast aside
As though I were nonexistent
Where should I go…
What should I do…
I don't belong anywhere…
I now realize my imperfection…
Perhaps,
Maybe,
Possibly,
Probably,
If I were to be…
Perfect,
Maybe,
Just maybe,
I would be accepted…
Ayame stared at the sky. She was on her way to school. School didn't start until a few hours later, but she went anyway. Reaching school earlier meant: less distraction, less disturbance and less noise – to sleep. Ayame greeted the school cleaner, Soji-san. They knew each other as they were the only people in school at that time of the day. Anybody else that were there would just be plain crazy. That's not to say that Ayame was sane, noooo, she wasn't sane, not even close, but let's leaves the character description for later and proceed with the story.
Our little teenager walked groggily towards classroom 3-6, where she put her bag on the floor beside her table. She plopped down on the table and slept. A few hours later, the bell rang, signifying the start of class. Students began to pile in. Of course that meant the occupants of classroom 3-6.
"What? She's already here? Why's she so early? Again…man, I feel late…" said a random student from class 3-6.
"Ayame-chan is always so early nya~…" (You just know who that is, don't you? But I'll tell you anyway.) Eiji said, his hands behind his head.
"Maa, that's Ayame right?" Fuji said, pulling out his chair and sitting down.
Fuji and Eiji were seat partners, and behind them was Ayame and her friend. Ayame had joined them at the beginning of the year, having just transferred from another school. Let's have a flashback, shall we? (No, you don't have a choice.)
Class 3-6 was a noisy as usual. Everyone was busy chattering away, or copying homework that was due on that day. They had a lot to catch up on, this day being their first day of being a third year. The teacher walked in and everyone settled down, listening rather intently to what the teacher had to say, even though they were not at all interested.
"Class, we have a new student joining us this year. Please make her feel at home with you. I hope you can be good friends with each other," The teacher said smiling rather widely.
"But, sensei, how can she 'feel at home' when she is in school?" One student asked. "Shouldn't she be feeling 'at school' instead of at home?"
The teacher looked tiredly at the student and shook her head, "now I know why I had hypertension last year."
"Aww…because of us?" The whole class chorused.
The teacher chose to ignore them. She motioned for the new student to go in. A girl of average height walked into the class room. She had a sling bag slung over her right shoulder, which was probably containing her school books. Her hazel-coloured hair was tied up in a ponytail. Her fringe was swept across her forehead, with a parting towards the right. She smiled at everyone.
"Echizen-kun, please introduce yourself." The teacher said pleasantly to the new student.
"Sensei, just Ayame will do. Ohayo everyone! I'm Echizen Ayame nice to meet you!"
"Ohayo Echizen-san!" the class chorused. (Class 3-6 is a very BONDED class)
"Just call me Ayame! Not Echizen-whatever, cause I don't like it and I hope we can work well together!" Ayame smiled widely, bowing deeply to the class. As she looked around the class at her new classmates, she spotted a familiar face and acknowledged it. "Mika-chan! I didn't know you were in this school and class!"
"Me-me! (pronounced meh meh) I was wondering when you would notice!" Matsuyama Mika made her way through the row of tables to Ayame, hugging her tightly. Ayame had found a friend from her childhood. Matsuyama Mika is one of Ayame's best friends, having not seen each other for almost 4 years, they have finally reunited. But that, is another story which I, the author, will tell in another chapter.
The weeks following were very fun as class 3-6 had another member of its family. She always sleeps during lessons and ends up being asked a question from the teacher, to which she will answer with such a high level of profundity that the teacher would stand there and stare at her, trying to process what she had just said. The whole class would then laugh at the teacher. They didn't like most of the teachers; they always asked such difficult questions. They were glad Ayame was in their class. She showed the teachers what lousy people they were, them and their, I-will-ask-very-difficult-questions problem.
-Flashback over-
Class 3-6 smiled, ah, good times, good times… Just then, their teacher came in. She was a rather petite teacher, standing at a height of 147cm. She was class 3-6's favourite teacher, and the only one at that. Matsuda sensei was fun and engaging, never asking questions that were obviously not taught yet, or so difficult that no one knew the answer save Ayame. Coincidentally, she was also their form teacher. This made class 3-6 a very happy class. She taught them their favourite subject, Japanese literature. Everyone loved Matsuda sensei.
"Good morning class!" she chirped brightly.
"Good morning!" the class stood up and chorused.
(Same day, by the way. Hey! It rhymed!)
"Everyone, we have a new, um, member of our tennis club," Ryuzaki Sumire addressed the whole of the tennis club, except for Tezuka, who was standing beside her. Cause he already knows, he's not the buchou for nothing.
A boy of average height walked onto the tennis courts where everyone was. He was holding a tennis racket in his left hand. His hazel-coloured hair was kept under a black cap, with the letter 'A' on it. The newcomer wore a white jersey with yellow sleeves and a stripe at the tip of the collar. His shorts reached mid-thigh and were grey. He smiled to everyone and bowed.
"I'm Ayame, pleased to meet you all!" Everyone greeted him back.
"Ok, now that that's done, let's begin the club session for today, Regulars, courts A, B, C, the rest, courts D, E, F. Ayame, you follow the regulars today, or you can go with the club members, it's up to you." Ryuzaki said.
"I'll follow the regulars."
Fuji and Eiji exchanged glances. Both opened their mouth to talk.
"Isn't he –" they started.
"Yeah…seems like something sh- he would do," They nodded in synchronization and walked off towards their respective courts.
The other regulars looked at each other, wondering why this Ayame guy was given a choice between them and the other club members. Also, why Fuji and Eiji had a sudden synchronization with each other. Echizen took one look at the newcomer, smirked and made his way to the courts.
"Ano…Ayame-san, which class are you from?" Oishi asked politely, trying to make conversation with their new comrade. Oishi was made that way.
"Class 3-6. You haven't told me your name yet, by the way."
"Oh, sorry, I'm Oishi Syuichirou, class 3-2. You're in the same class as Fuji and Eiji?"
"Apparently."
"Are you…on bad terms with them? Because you don't seem to be talking to each other," meet Oishi, the worry-wart.
"No no, we're good friends! They're just…keeping a secret for me!" and she walked off to join the other regulars as they assembled in front of Tezuka.
Poor Oishi was left there wondering what was going on.
"Everybody, the regionals are coming up soon and therefore we have to train harder. Don't let your guard down everyone," Tezuka's speech was as predictable as ever. The regulars, not Ayame, shouted a 'yes' in response to Tezuka's speech.
"Who are you guys playing against?" Ayame asked Tezuka.
"Yamabuki," said Inui, who pushed up his glasses.
"Oh, I think I know someone from that school, oh well, so, what's for tennis today?" Ayame asked.
"Let's see…some rounds and some power training and some-" Inui was not done yet but Ayame had interrupted.
"You haven't introduced yourselves yet. I've introduced myself. It isn't fair that I have to introduce myself and you guys don't. So introduce yourselves, other than Oishi-san cause he's already introduced himself."
"…" was everybody's reaction.
"*sigh* I'm the captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu, class 3-1," It was better to get this done and over with.
"I'm Momoshiro Takeshi! Second year class 8! Nice to meet you!"
"Fshh…Kaidoh Kaoru, class 2-7."
"I'm Kawamura Takashi, class 3-4, pleased to meet you."
"Inui Sadaharu, class 3-11," Inui's spectacles glinted, whilst he wrote something in his book.
"Ok, now I know ALL of your names…" Ayame smiled to himself. Everyone backed away as his smile reminded them of Fuji's blackmailing smile.
"…Let's begin practice," said Seigaku's captain, not wanting to waste a minute more.
Practice was tiring and grueling, as usual. Hey, if you had a captain like Seigaku's every session would be boring and the same, like the captain. During the whole practice, Fuji and Eiji kept looking at Ayame and sniggering to themselves. The other regulars looked at them and shook their head. Sigh, they have finally broken under stress.