Odaiba High
"I hate it when you look at me like that."
With perked ears, Matt looked to the far right and narrowed his eyes; he had believed he was alone. At the end of the hall, a guy and girl stood before their own lockers- occupying themselves more with each other than their storage compartments. Ogling an unusual pair Matt raised and eyebrow; they couldn't be more opposite.
Where the girl surpassed her, assumed, boyfriend in height, he made up for with a huskier frame that overcame hers. She was light toned and he was medium crisp. Her hair was a wild tint of viperous pink and his was a dark maroon that disturbingly resembled dry blood. Her eyes were large and dulcifying like honey where his were like charcoal and void of life.
"I can't help it; you're too cute."
His pea green uniform was neatly pressed and he collectively carried a duffle back pack on the sling of his left shoulder. His hands were smoothly tucked into his pockets. Reserved facial expressions, his lips angled themselves into a sly smirk that told of a pensive yet cool charisma.
"You're making me blush."
Her attire,in contradiction, revealed a much more eclectic nature. The entire uniform must have been about two sizes smaller than it should be. Silky white stockings hugged her slender legs and reached about mid thigh. She stood against the wall with one foot propped up causing her already too short skirt to ride up. A small purple back pack clung to her back and she held two large textbooks against her chest, securing them with crossed arms. She tilted her head and sweetly smiled.
Taking his eyes off the duo, Matt took a moment to open his locker. Fiddling with the combination once or twice, his eyes absent mindedly lingered back to the pair when the door at the end of the hall suddenly opened, allowing a large fragment of sun light to burst in. It clashed against one of the girl's metallic star hair clips, creating an almost unbearable blare of light. Matt quickly looked away and back, continuously fluttering his eyes. As he regained proper vision, he froze as the girl now stared it him. He nervously turned around and concentrated on his lock combination; unknown footsteeps passing by him and disappearing around the corner.
The door opened once again. Matt slowly looked to the right but the pair was gone. At the end of the hall, the girl held the door open for her boyfriend. He contently walked out and she curiously looked back with a playful glee in her eye. She smiled and lightly wiggled her fingers as a form of hello or good bye in this case; it made Matt's stomach churn. Flinching as the school bell rang, he angrily punched his locker and walked away, running his hand through his hair and in an instant, the hallway was cluttered with students. He quickly scurried into an empty corner and unfolded a wrinkled yellow sheet of paper: his new class schedule.
First period, English- Rm. 115.
He noted the class room number and began to walk, observing each room numeration as he passed. After winding halls and misleading turns, he wound up in the left wing of the school and not a second too late. The tardy bell rang at the precise moment he walked in, drawing everyone's attention. He inwardly grunted and looked at the teacher: a short stocky man in brown slacks and a white collard shirt.
"Mr. Ishida, I presume." He lowered his head and narrowed his eyes as a pair of overly sized spectacles slowly slid down the ramp of his angular nose. Matt mutely nodded. "Please take a seat." The teacher instructed as he walked to his own desk.
Matt looked around and noticed two empty desks beside each other. They resided at the far end of the class room, much to his liking. He quickly made his way down the isles and spotted a tanned boy with massive chocolate hair sitting in front of the chair he had aimed for. With an unbuttoned jacket and ruffled collar, he leaned back against his seat and cocked an eyebrow. Matt bid him the same gesture and exasperated, spotting a back pack on the wanted table; previously obscured from view by the guy's shriveled bush of hair.
"This one's empty."
Looking to his right, Matt vacantly blinked. It was the same girl from the hallway. She sat on the consecutive table and her boyfriend sat in front of his new seat. Grumbling to himself, Matt lowered himself on the chair and buried his face into his back pack.
"I'm Tai. You new?" The boy with unruly hair swung his chair backward on two legs. He joyously balanced himself with a more friendly expression than before.
"Yeah." Matt responded, his voice a little hoarse from not having spoken all morning. The boy in front of him turned around and offered a hand.
"I'm Izzy." He grinned, having a surprisingly firm handshake.
"Did you open your locker?" The pink haired girl inquired.
"What?"
"Your locker; did you open it? I saw you struggling with it before class started."
Matt wearily shook his head and swallowed, though his throat was dry. She simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
"Those things are tricky. I'm Mimi, by the way."
"Nice to meet you." Matt bowed at all three recipients. Hopefully the interrogation wouldn't last long. Much to his relief, it didn't; Izzy quickly changed the subject and turned to Tai.
"It's 7:50, she's not showing up."
Perplexed, Tai's chair flopped down with a loud clamp. "She'll be here."
"Yeah, Sora's never missed a day of school." Mimi added and Izzy shrugged.
"First time for everything."
"Shut it." Tai bit back as did the teacher.
"Is there something you'd like to share with the class Mr. Kamiya?"
The entire class turned around and expectantly looked at Tai. He shrunk in his chair and mumbled. "No, Mr. Fujiyama."
"How about you Mr. Izumi? Ms. Tachikawa?" Both Izzy and Mimi lowered their gaze and silently shook their heads and suddenly the spotlight was on Matt. "This is only your first day of school Mr. Ishida; let's not make it a bad one." Matt obediently bowed and looked to his left. Mimi smiled and rolled her eyes.
The rest of the period was a long boring blur. As it turned out, this 'Sora' character never showed up..
"Where could she be?" Tai cringed and rummaged through his bag, pulling out a peculiar looking cellular device. It flipped open and his fingers began to feverishly tap each number/letter key; swiftly out of instinct.
As the others gathered their things, Matt dully collected his notebook and pen and slowly got up. Mimi placed her hand on his shoulder and nudged him, causing him to flinch.
"You should hang out with us during lunch. We're always in the football field."
Izzy smiled and nodded, taking Mimi's hand into his. Matt's eyes lingered down their entwined fingers.
"Ok." He mumbled, feeling an odd twinge in the back of his head, almost as if it bothered him to see them show such affection in front of him.
Mimi curiously squinted her eyes and mischievously smirked. To entice the situation, she leaned in closer into Izzy and rested her head on his shoulder, amusing Matt as she struggled through the height gap between them- the complete opposite reaction she had hoped for. She straightened up and slightly frowned.
"Dammit!" Tai unexpectedly exclaimed. The others turned to see him angrily gripping his cell and shoving it into his pocket.
"No answer?" Izzy inquired and Tai shook his head.
"No reception in general."
Matt squirmed in position and hoisted his back pack. Looking down, he began to quickly walk away as Mimi shouted after him.
"Don't forget, lunch!"
-----
Gripping his tray of cafeteria mush, Matt self consciously looked around. The room looked like an overworked bee hive, cliques and gangs in every sight. A few strays lingered here and there, occasionally bumping into him, bidding a barely audible apology as they continued to walk and eat at the same time. So far, almost everyone appeared to be passive over his fresh status; might have over looked him as a regular. But some people hissed with their eyes; making Matt feel unwelcomed in the most hostile way a look can. He missed his old home in Paris.
Mimi's voice lingered in the back of his mind; her invitation daunting him. Taking a deep breath, he walked out of the room and headed toward the football field. Near the end of the yard, he spotted the trio sitting in a thin blue picnic sheet; they came prepared. He took baby steps toward them, taking as much time as possible; a part of him was reluctant to go and he was positive it had something to do with Mimi. And to speak of the devil, she was the first to notice him.
"Hey!" She waved him over.
Matt gulped and sighed. Making his way over, he unsteadily sat down next to Tai who still seemed agitated with his phone. He anxiously dialed and redialed. Izzy disapprovingly shook his head.
"Maybe she's sick."
"She would've told me."
"You're being paranoid."
"Am not...I'm just worried."
"Paaaranoiiiiid." Izzy sang. Tai scowled and looked away. Baffled, Matt shifted eyes and Mimi chuckled.
"Sora, Tai's girlfriend." She suggestively wiggled her eyebrows. "First day she's ever missed school and as you can see, Tai's freaking out."
"Ok first of all she's not my girlfriend." Tai cleared his throat and paused, nudging Matt on the shoulder with a sly grin. "Yet. And second, I'm not freaking out." He suddenly jerked his hand and looked at his cell having thought his service had improved- false alarm. He slouched and tucked it away. "I'm just concerned." Matt sympathetically smirked and looked down at his tray.
"You don't talk much, do ya?" Asked, Izzy. Tai narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.
"What's your name?"
Matt raised an eyebrow as it occurred to him that he never introduced himself. Looking down, he mumbled. "I'm Matt."
Tai grinned and patted him on the back. "Nice to meet you Matt; you'll like it here in Odaiba High; you just have to get to know this place and you'll fit in like the rest of us. Stick with us and; you'll have fun."
Both Mimi and Izzy plastered themselves with joker grins; it actuall nauseated Matt to say the least. He nervously smiled and grit his teeth. "Great; can't wait."
TBC- Thank you for reading and please, review