Okay, I know I suck at updating, but I'm trying to work on it. Most of these stories already have the middle and ending worked out and only need to be typed. I actually have quite a bit of the sequel for one story I haven't even posted yet. It's the damn beginnings I can't figure out! Forgive me! As far as this goes, I hated how this was originally written so I had to replace it. The good news is it's making the second chapter a LOT easier to write. Only minor changes, but ENJOY!
"Bye, mom! I'm off to school," a girl with thick ebony hair and brown eyes rushed through the kitchen in her green school uniform. She only paused for a moment at the doorstep to put on her shoes.
"Slow down, Kagome," her mother chuckled. "You almost forgot your lunch."
"Thanks, mom. Bye!"
"Wait! Kagome!" but Mrs. Higurashi's cries were wasted. Kagome was already bounding down the stairs to the street. "Oh well, I guess I'll tell her after school."
"Hey guys!" Kagome ran up to her three friends Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka.
"Kagome! How are you feeling?"
"Are you sure you should be up so soon?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Kagome nervously reassured her friends.
"What happened though? Your grandfather said you had to be hospitalized 'cause some mysterious rash broke out all over your body!"
I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him!
"Well never mind that," Ayumu interrupted. "You won't believe the news!"
"What, another Hojo update?"
"No, but why? Interested?"
"No, it's just that every time I show up for school, your first priority is to tell me what's going on in Hojo's life," Kagome snapped back.
"It's even better! A new student's transferring in! And they're foreign!"
Kagome and her friends couldn't stop themselves from guessing, "Maybe he'll be from France! Wouldn't that be romantic."
"Maybe it'll be one of those guys from Africa who click."
"Oooh! Or maybe he'll be from Australia and wrestle crocodiles like that guy on T.V."
"I doubt it's anyone like that," Kagome laughed. The school bell chimed and the four giggling girls started for their classroom. "Anyway, we'll find out soon enough. After all," Kagome gave a mischievous grin, "maybe it'll be a cute guy from London."
All the students sat down at their desks and eagerly waited for the teacher to introduce the new student. The classroom was buzzing with ideas about who he or she would be like, and after a few minutes, the teacher rapped on the blackboard with a ruler.
"Students, as many of you know, we have a new student. I would like to introduce a Miss," he paused before struggling to pronounce, "Robertson Hannah. Why don't you tell the class a little about yourself."
The classroom turned their attention to the girl who had just walked in. Her features may have been Japanese, but nothing else was. Her red hair was tied back into a ponytail, contrasting sharply with her blue-green eyes. She was beautiful, tall and slender, about as tall as many of the boys in the classroom. She was like and Amazon, right out of the Greek literature they had been studying. She hadn't gotten a uniform yet, and wore street clothes: a black shirt with jean shorts that showed off her legs. With a scowl on her face, she pulled a crumple index card out of her pocket and read to the class.
"Hello. My name is Robertson Hannah. If you want, you can call me Hana. It is easier to say. I was born in America and moved here recently with my father. I have trouble speaking Japanese but can easily understand the language. I will try my best to answer any questions you have." She stared out at the class, daring anyone to ask a question.
"Sheesh," Yuka whispered to Kagome, "talk about scary. An American!"
Kagome didn't reply. Staring at the redheaded girl, she couldn't help but be reminded of Sango. Everything from the way she slung her bag over her shoulder to her lonely eyes.
"Thank you, Miss Robertson. Please take a seat." She took a seat in the back, next to a window. Propping her head up in one hand, she stared out the window and remained motionless.
Lunch rolled around and Hana still hadn't moved. Everyone else had pulled out bento boxes or had bought food and were eating. Ayumu, Yuka and Ari had pulled chairs around Kagome's desk and were avidly discussing the American.
"There's, like, 200 countries and we're stuck with someone from America of all places!"
"Did you see how scary she was! I wouldn't want to be on her bad side."
"I'll bet she's just waiting until we drop our guard, and she'll mug us!"
"I don't know," Kagome said and looked over at the motionless Hana.
"What do you mean!? She's an AMERICAN!"
"It's not like she's a monster or something," Kagome spat back and then softened. "She's probably just lonely."
"What?"
"Well, how would you feel if you got moved somewhere where you don't know anybody? Or if you can't even speak the language." Kagome paused and remembered how lost she felt the first few nights after crossing through the Bone-Eaters Well.
"Then why don't you go talk to her, Kagome?"
She choked on her bite of rice and quickly took a swig of water. She gasped out, "What?!"
"You're not scared of her are you? C'mon, go talk to her."
"Yeah, I dare you!"
"Fine!" Kagome got up and headed over to Hana's seat. She started to have second thoughts; despite what she had said to her friends, she was daunted by the American girl. She was sitting, head propped up staring out the window. "Hana, right? Nice to meet you. My name's Kagome. Uh, would you... like to eat lunch with us? If you didn't pack a lunch, I can show you where the cafeteria is."
"No," Hana said flatly, without moving.
"Oh, well, can I sit down with..."
"No," Hana turned and glared at Kagome, who quickly returned to the safety of her friends.
"Never mind. She is scary." Hana returned to staring out the window until the end of the day.
Kagome and her friends, like many other from their class, left school together in a tight group. Before they left the grounds, they stopped to chat over by their favorite shady tree.
"No one's safe now!" one of Kagome's friends said. "Any of us could be her next victim."
"And you're already in her bad books, Kagome."
"What!" Kagome shouted, shocked.
"Remember the way she glared at you. And you were only trying to be nice!"
"Oh god," Kagome said, horrified, "you're right! And I don't live near any of you!"
"Don't worry, Kagome," her friends tried to comfort her. "I have a few errands to run and the shops are on the way to you house. I can walk with you most of the way."
"Really? Oh, thank you so much."
Walking by, Kagome and her friends overheard a few of their classmates talking, "So, whaddya think the new girl's gonna be like?"
"Same as all Americans: stupid, violent, and lazy."
"Ha, ha, yeah. I hope the bitch gets sent back-Aaugh!" Kagome and her friends looked over to see the boy from their class slammed against the wall. Hana had grabbed the front of his shirt and lifted him up against the wall.
Her face was livid, "You want say to face, bastard!"
"P-please," he pleaded, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I hear what you say! Say again!"
"Please, I ... I didn't..." but before the frightened student could finish his sentence, Hana threw him on the ground.
Kagome and her friends left the school quickly and Kagome was eventually left to finish the walk home alone. However, she began to get the strangest feeling she was being followed. When she looked behind her, she saw orange hair tied back in a ponytail. Oh, god. It's the American! She really is after me. Kagome sped up, but Hana's naturally longer strides allowed her to keep up. After a few blocks, Hana had gotten closer and Kagome was getting worried.
She was closer to home and no one else was around, so Kagome turned and shouted, "Why are you following me?"
"I not!" Hana yelled back and continued walking. But, as both Kagome and Hana turned up the shrine stairs, Kagome broke into a run towards her house. She ran inside the house and slammed the door, panting.
"Hey, mom," she yelled into the house, "there's a weird..."
"Oh, Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi interrupted as she poked her head through the doorway. "You're home. I had wanted to tell you this morning, but you ran out too quickly."
"What?"
"We have new neighbors."
"Really?" Kagome brightened up at the news.
"Mm-hm. They have a daughter around you age. She should be coming over to help your grandfather soon. You'll be able to meet her." Kagome's face brightened at the idea of a new friend and someone to help her study. Mrs. Higurashi continued, "They moved in last week. She's such a nice girl. She's been helping father reorganize the shed all week." She paused before noticing sounds in the yard. "Oh! Sounds like she's here."
Kagome's grandfather could be heard outside, "Ah you're here! Let's get started. First, we're moving these boxes into the shed."
"Hai."
Kagome opened the door with a smile, "Hi, nice to meet you!" but her face fell as she saw her grandfather being assisted by Hana. "W-wait. You mean she's..."
"Our new neighbor," her mother finished.