Hey guys, this is my first attempt at a anime Fan Fic. I would LOVE any feed back of any sorts. I hope you enjoy! I look forward to chapters to come!
Chapter One!
"Yes mom, I know eat healthy." Jo tacked up the last corner of the poster in her new apartment.
"Right, study hard so I can use this exchange program for later in life. I remember. I promise I won't let you and dad down. Now, by my clock, it's midnight for you at home. Come on. I'm fine, really. I am getting comfy in the apartment the program provided. It's near campus so I'm going to get my bearings at the school when you promise me you'll get some sleep."
The 16 year old girl smoothed out the poster of the basketball poster that hung beside her desk and looked at it with a smile. The poster showed Tim Duncan and David Robison from the NBA Spurs celebrating their championship. She has looked up to them since she was a little girl. They were the ones that got her to love basketball. Them and her father practicing late night, drives to practice and games.
"Love you too mom. Good night."
Jo heavy sighed and shook her head. She flopped on her bed stared at the roof and thought about the last couple of months. Her teacher at her middle school last year knew that Jo would thrive in attending an exchange program for the first year of high school. Her teacher knew the excitement she would have for the opportunity and knew it would look great on her collage application to a great university. It took nearly the whole summer to convince her parents to travel across the world from America to Japan, but they finally agree days before the deadline.
After such a long flight, she would have thought the jet lag would've hit her, but it didn't. She was too excited for school to start on Monday. Today the students were to go to the school to pick up books and look into clubs. She knew she needed to focus on school, but it wouldn't hurt to take a look around at the offers.
Her crystal blue eyes looked at the clock. It chimed 11:00 am. She sat up spoke out loud.
"I better get going. I need to figure out where everything at…"
She picked up the binder the program gave her.
"… Seirin High School."
Jo grabbed her backpack and flung it over one shoulder. She took a glance at her refection in the mirror. She was a tall girl. 6 foot (182 cm) to be exact with red/blond hair. She had a very athletic build. Being that tall and muscular also meant she inherited large feet. The school had decided to give her a boy's uniform to wear to school because none of the girl's sizes would fit her build. This made Jo happy, because she was not into skirts anyways. How can you play a pickup game of basketball in a short skirt and shoes with heels? Nope, pants and sneakers were fine. They did say I could leave the tie at home which made her laugh. The uniform was black with long sleeves. There was a light blue ring on the cuff of the jacket. Then the same blue went down the middle of the jacket on either side of the zipper. The shoes the school gave her were again were for boy's, but at least they looked nice and were comfortable. She added a pair of studded silver ball earrings and a silver necklace that her mother gave her before she left. It was a silver heart and engraved was the saying "Home is where the heart is".
Ok I added a bit of girl to my uniform.
The school was very accommodating to her and the program. They had not had an exchange student before so they were happy to see someone interested, especially someone who was very fluent in the Japanese language. They said to check in on Saturday at the office and someone would help show me around and introduce her to some people.
Jo made her ponytail that held her hair out of her eyes tighter. She opened the door and looked out the beautiful day it was. She locked the door behind her and opened the map to figure out the easiest route to get to the school. Finally deciding she put away the map and dug out her camera. She took some photos along the way.
"I can't believe I and truly here! Man I am so excited. Whoa, what is that great smelling food?"
Her nose led her to a road that had rows of the stands of food, items for sell and lots of people. She took some photos then her stomach growled. Jo's stomach seemed to always be hungry. She saw some meat on a stick. Practically drooling, she ordered one and paid the man with some money. She thanked him and looked a bit around at the goods that where for sale as she ate her early lunch.
He phone buzzed as her 11:30 alarm went off just in case she fell asleep.
"Oh better get going."
Jo walked around a corner with her nose in her map when she walked right into something solid. A little jostled but not fallen backwards she hurriedly looks around to see what happened. There was another teenage girl in the school uniform on the ground rubbing her head.
"Oh dear, I'm so…" Jo caught herself as she spoke in English to the girl.
"I mean, I'm so sorry I ran into you. I wasn't paying attention." Jo spoke in Japanese to the teen and held out a hand to help her up.
The girl arched an eyebrow and took Jo's hand.
"Watch where you're going, freak! Why the hell are you even dressed like that? Did the staff think you were a man the way you look?"
Jo was stunned and rubbed the back of her head.
"It was an accident."
The girl spun around yelled out.
"Watch out people someone let the people; someone let a beast out of its cage."
The girl looked over her shoulder and glared, "Go home beast."
She then walked away from where Jo stood dumbfounded. Sure she had been teased a little in school for being tall, but not in a while. Everyone at her old school had grown up with her so she guessed they knew she was a good hearted person.
Jo took in a deep breath and calmed her emotions. Then she turned the corner and saw several people stare at her. She froze in mid step. Her eyes darted to the several teens' that stared at her.
Come on Jo, you knew this might happen. Just be yourself and they will get to like you. Smile and be friendly.
Jo smiled and began to walk down the sidewalk towards the school. Made little eye contact but kept the smile on her face. People would whisper but nothing like the other girl had done. She finally found the way to the staff office and knocked on the door. A tall man opened the door and smiled.
"Ah, you must be…"
He looked down at this notepad.
"… Jo Meyers correct?" He smiled at her.
"Yes sir, pleased to meet you."
Jo made a deep bow and returned the smile.
"Good, good, come on in. Your guide will be here soon. Did you have a good flight?"
They made small talk until another knock came to the door. A small girl a little older than her entered when the principle invited her.
"Thank you again Hana for helping Miss Meyers out today."
Hana has short black hair and brown eyes. She came to about mid stomach to Jo height wise. She wore the typical uniform for the girls. She seemed to be a very happy and perky person.
"My pleasure sir, come on Miss Meyers. Let me show you around."
Hana bowed to the principle and then waved at Jo to follow her and opened the door.
"Thank you sir."
Jo bowed as she left and she followed the happy teen.
"So you are from America? Oh, that's the science lab." Hana pointed and continued to talk without to taking a breath.
Jo opened up her mouth to answer when Hana continued to talk.
"My goodness you are tall. Are all American's tall? Are your parent's tall? Oh there is where the cafeteria. Pretty good food for a school…"
The one sided conversation continued for a bit.
Jo began to look at the school. The campus was beautiful.
"Miss Meyers? Miss Meyers? Hello?!"
Hana snapped her fingers in front of Jo's face.
"Oh sorry, by the way Hana call me Jo. Not Miss Meyers, that sounds too… odd."
Hana laughed and waved to a couple girls who smiled and waved back. When they went over, they exchange hugs and a little chit chat.
"Oh guys, this is Jo. She here from America for a foreign exchange program. Jo these are some of my friends."
The girls smiled and introduced themselves. They seemed nice enough but she could tell it felt a little awkward. She wasn't sure if it was due to she was new, from another country, her height, her clothes or all of the above, but that was going to be her normal until she gets settled.
The girls said their goodbyes and we continued.
"Ok, let's head over to the courtyard to get you signed up for a program of sorts."
Before Jo could decline, Hana continued.
"Let's see we have debate, swim, poetry, dance, shoji…"
They turned the corner and Jo stared was seem like hundreds of high schoolers. All seem to either advertising clubs and groups or talking to about the clubs in the courtyard.
"Oh, maybe you'd like the mathematics club. Do you like math? I like Math. Well Jo, where do you wanna start?"
Hana crossed her arms and looked up at Jo.
"Um I think I can do this part. Thank you so much for the tour. I hope to see you around the school."
Jo smiled and bowed to Hana.
Hana smiled, "Sure thing Jo, you seem nice. A little quiet, but nice. Have fun. Let me know if you need anything." She waved as she walked towards a bench that had a couple other high schoolers that sat on or around it.
She called back, "Oh and watch the boys. They like something different."
Jo laughed and returned the wave.
Jo walked around and smiled at the students that gathered in the courtyard. Some returned the smile, others just stared then some snickered as she walked passed.
She ignored the comments and kept exploring.
"Swimming! Join the swimming team!"
"If you like a good time join the debate team!"
"Art can look great on a collage application!"
"Ever tried Shoji?"
Teens yelled over each other to try to attract new members. Jo had said she wasn't going to join anything, but some of the clubs look like a lot of fun.
"Basketball! Basketball! Join the Basketball team!" a young man yelled. He had flyers in his hands and looked towards students, but they declined.
A basketball club? Here? Oh man, this is going to be heard to pass up, but I must focus on my studies. Just keep moving. On the other hand, it would look good to see that I did an activity out of school with classmates. Well, I wonder if it's an all boys team. By any chance do they have a girl's team… doubtful. If's its co-ed, it was meant to be. Ok, just ask them. All they can say is no. Right. Rejection before I even start school won't be scaring at all.
"Basketball! Interested in basketball?" The high schooler young man had his back to her.
Jo took a deep breath and then let it out.
"Excuse me. You say you are looking for players?"
Jo taps his shoulder and the young man whirls around and beams. "Yes! Are you…"
The teens face began to rise towards hers and he dropped his mouth open.
He continued to stare and silence seemed like hours where it was most likely seconds.
"Um, are you?"
Jo asked as she rubbed the back of her head and smiled.
"Oh well, yes we are, but umm… well. Here you can talk to the captain." He turned around and waved towards what she assumed was the captain to come towards them.
A taller high schooler, but again still shorter than Jo, came over. He adjusted his glasses and looked towards young man.
"Yeah?" the captain asked.
"Um, yeah, this girl would like to know if we would be interested in her joining the team."
The taller teen looked at her and was a little shocked but quickly hid it.
"Oh? You'd like to join the basketball team?"
Jo nodded and smiled, "Yeah, my name is Jo and I'm new to the area. I played on several teams where I used to live."
"Nice to meet you Jo, I'm Hyuga and this is Koganei. I haven't heard a girl on a middle school team around here lately." He pushed up his glasses.
"Oh I am a foreign exchange student from America."
Hyuga nodded his head, "Well, well, well, a player from the source. I myself can't say because we've never had a girl play on the team all the one year we've played."
All three of them laughed.
"Come on, let's ask coach." Koganei beamed.
"Koganei, you stay here and keep recruiting." Koganei face sagged.
"Oh come on. I've been here all morning and she's only one of two people that have said a word besides no to me."
"Think of something." He waved for Jo to follow him.
Jo smiled and thanked Koganei and followed the captain.
"So what position did you play in America?" he asked as they walked.
"Mostly a center or power forward because of my height and built."
"That makes sense. Did you play co-ed or girls only?"
"Both. Depended on how many girls signed up. Mostly co-ed though. I liked it better anyways because it was a challenge to prove the boys I was just as good. They mostly treated me like one of the guys."
Hyuga nodded and seemed deep in thought.
They eventually came to a small table where a young lady sat that wore the usual girl's uniform. She looked over a piece of paper and mumbled to herself.
"Hey, we got another recruit." Hyuga tapped the table to grab the girl's attention.
"Oh great, where is he?" She looked up and her eyes met hers for a brief moment. She smiled then continued to look around.
"SHE is right here." He emphasized and went behind the table. The girl stared at him and then looked back at Jo.
"You wanna join the basketball team?" She asked as she stood.
"I'd like to yes if I can. I've play a back where I used to live." Jo adjusted her bag strap and looked at the caramel colored hair teenager. Her hair was held back by two bobby pins on the left side.
"Yeah, Adia, she played in America." He stated as he opened up his water bottle.
"Really? Truly? Interesting. I take it mostly center due to your height."
She had a little sparkle in her eye as she looked Jo up and down.
"Yes. Sometimes I would also be a power forward."
Coach put her hand on her chin and then gave a strong nod with a smile.
"Well, I don't see why you can't play. Let me talk to the principle I'll let you know. Wait here, I'll be back."
"Here, why don't you fill out the paper work while we wait? I agree in the fact you'll be a good fit." Hyuga pushed a paper towards Jo and hands her a pen.
Jo beamed and sat down and began to fill out the paper. She and Hyuga made some small talk as they waited for Coach Adia to come back. She seemed happy as she walked up towards to the table.
"Welcome to the team Jo!" Coach said with a grin.