A/N: This is like my first prince of tennis ficcie so cut me some slack, ok? Criticism will not be hated and…and don't own the anime or manga or whatever. Yeah…I think that's it…
Anyways, on with the ficcie before you split up on me!
I'm Ryoma Echizen and I'll be thirteen in nine months, three days, thirty-two minutes and twenty-three seconds. And if you count that appropriately, it would mean that my birthday is on 24 December, because it is 25 February today. Counting by the hour that would mean it is 11:28 p.m. now and I should be asleep. But I am not, even though I'm exhausted.
My old man just had sexual intercourse with me. Again.
In simple terms, he raped me. In four-letters terms, he fucked me. No, wait, that's six letters.
How the hell am I supposed to sleep?
Okay, in other ways of saying this, I'm a twelve year old boy who just got raped by his old man and right now I just can't sleep, even though I'm absolutely fatigued and bathed myself clean.
Simple enough?
Not good, because I still can't sleep.
After apparently a few hours my eyes betrayed me and closed shut, and then morning came, too soon…
----
I woke up to hear silence. The old man must have drunk his fill last night. I laid still and thought about nothing except the warmth of my bed and the pillow I was hugging. Not that it was really warm, especially in the early morning. While I was considering going back to sleep again, I heard a deep loud groan. Then silence. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and slipped out of my warm sanctuary.
Putting on my red jacket and my white cap, I snatch up my bag and shoved my one racket in. Can't trust Dad to just ignore it. Throwing my bag full of stuff over my right shoulder, I stood in front of the door, hesitating. My hand stretched and touched the door knob. It was cold…
The thing turned with a soft creak, and I pushed open a crack, peeping through. Only to see a form slumped all over the couch with empty beer cans and porn magazines littered all over the entire room. I sighed and stepped out, locking the door behind me.
After I tiptoed to the door, I hastily slipped into my shoes and darted for the lift. Only when I reached the void deck then I stomped down to tie my shoes properly.
---l ( l---
Gently, gently
I close my eyes
Wish upon a star
And send my heart across the sky
Mondays usually start with the cold early mornings and the dark secluded streets illuminated by the lamp posts that I like to lean on, watching the midnight laborers strolled back home in their dirty light blue uniforms. The song dancing in my ears from my ipod soothe my throbbing heart, though I wanted to let the tears I had been holding slip away.
But I can't, or at least, not here anyway.
I only dared to cry in the dark, where no one can see me.
On and on, forever gone
Till the darkness found me
Take away all the warmth
Leaving my soul alone to bleed
Maybe, just maybe, this Monday will be different…
Gently, gently
I close my eyes
Wish upon on a star
Please don't disappear!
---
I found the old Sakura tree at the end of the park. I sat down, and then I cried.
I don't know how long I cried, but I didn't care. I wasn't really planning on going to school anyway, so it didn't matter. All I know was that I missed mother.
I really missed her.
More than I have tears to cry, I missed her.
---
Dragging my sore body in front of a stupid old building that had more dust than rust was a completely idiotic thing to do, but I didn't have anything else to do if I don't go for school, and besides, the first day of school would mean that I have to meet the old hag, Miss Ryuzaki, for another counseling thingy. Scratch that, session. Must respect these very "helpful" sessions.
Yeah…
And just for your info, she will strangle me if I don't report for the first day of school.
Ryoma, don't be shy, just confess already. Gag, gag, gag, don't want to.
I won't let my mother down, you stupid old hag. And when the heck am I shy? What is she thinking? Me, a whiny, weak pathetic abused kid?
Please, give me a break, how can anyone call those light beatings abuse?
Its called life, baa-Chan. Get real.
"Hey, you, are a new student?" a male voice from a distance shouted. I froze at the gate, trying to figure out why a teacher would be bothered to call out to me for no apparent reason. From the almost inaudible way the voice sounded, he can't possibly see my bruises. Unless he has a pair of binoculars, or something like that. Then, he'd be a mad man.
My feet stayed rooted to the ground as a man about his late forties walked up to me with a superior aura that made my skin prickled. As he shortened the distance between us, I could make out his bulging stomach that was covered by a mild blue long-sleeved buttoned shirt. The thing was, his stomach bulged too much, so two or three buttons were left alone. The standard black pants drooped over his waist secured with a belt, covering his legs which were long enough to make him taller than me by a head or two.
My eyes narrowed with envy at the thought of his height. When will I be taller than a teacher?
But then again, I don't envy him of his stomach. I'd rather remain short till puberty.
After all, I'm only twelve. I'm just a kid.
"What is your reason for that inappropriate attire of yours? I will not forgive you just because you're a freshman" a much computerized voice ringed in my ears. Well, that's nice to hear.
I looked up from under my cap and saw a face that was set in strict mode, and a head that can be as bald as it can ever be aside from that strip of hair that ran from the back of his ear and around the back of his head and to the other ear. Almost like a second collar, and a funny mustache below his nose. I'm starting to figure he's the discipline master.
A black shiny name tag was pinned above his pocket, which read: Mr. Hatashi Komoii, Head of the Math Department.
Okay, I figured wrong. It's a HOD (1), and they are not very fun to mess up your shorts with.
"Well, what is the reason, freshman?" he was tapping his right foot now.
Geez, I don't know sir. Like I would tell you, anyway.
But upon the sight of his really straight face which looked a bit red already, and from the veins that were swelling out of his neck, I guess I'd better give an answer.
"The house isn't just a fifteen walk from here."
"So how many minutes would it be?"
"Don't know,"
"Freshman, just because you're new here doesn't mean I'll go easy on you-"
"Ryoma, there you are! You're late, you rascal,"
Whoa, old hag to the rescue!
"Do you know this freshman, Ryuzaki-san?"
Well, he sure knows Ryuzaki-sensei.
"Hai, hai, he's that student I was going to meet this morning after our congregation. But of course, he has this habit…"
She turned towards my way and gave me an annoyed glare. I swallowed inwardly at the intensity of it.
"…of being late for everything." The old hag then turned back toward Komoii-sensei with a light laugh. He laughed along, of course. I just kept my mouth shut; there wasn't much to say anyways.
Well, thanks for the nice introduction. Don't think I could have done it better myself.
"So, if you would excuse us, I need to talk to him."
More like torment me with 'soothing' words and 'wise advices'. But then again, it's not so bad. Better than Komoii-sensei, I'll bet.
The older man (I think) dropped his smile and looked serious. Guess I won't get away that easily.
"Would you mind informing him that casual wear is strictly prohibited on school grounds and that even freshmen are no exceptions."
"Well, consider it done." I sighed and watched him smiled in content. Komoii-sensei glared at me for a moment, then bid Ryuzaki-sensei goodbye before turning his back towards us and faded off into the distance of Seigaku's grounds. At least I managed to escape that monster.
Now Ryuzaki-sensei turned towards and looked like she was going to give a good lecture like she said she would.
"So, which CCA (2) are you joining this year?"
---
Hell, that was short…anyways, please review!
(1)-Em, HOD would mean Head Of Department. Like maybe Komoii-sensei, Head Of the math Department. These people are pretty much in charge of that particular subject and well, probably arrange programs and assigned teacher related to that subject, and also competitions. There are HOD for science, arts, english, geography, history etc.
(2)-CCA more or less means Co-Cuurricular Activities. Think I misspelled it, but in my country, it's compuslory for all secondary students (ages: 13-16) to have one. It's kinda like an activity that you do outside of school periods. like, Ryoma is choosing the tennis club (duh...no need for cliffhangers, standard one lah...) so that would be his CCA. A library rep is also considered a CCA, but probably because its programs are so relaxed that ryoma needs to get another one. Other CCAs includes girl guides (me!) scouts, swimming club, art club, IT club (something to do with computer programs) soccer, basketball club, red-cross (medicine thingys) badminton club, chinese ochestra (Probably wrong spelling, but these people play musical instruments orginating from china) the band club, choir (singing club, if you want to know) and a lot more, but i think you probably don't wanna know, right? XD
All of these are based on my own school system, but there's probably slight changes I'd go and happily edit to my liking./sly smirk/
So anyways, sorry for not explaining earlier, and please review!