A.N. =First attempt for a college AU. Please let me know what do you think with a small review. It something that take you almost 30 seconds but that gives me enough motivation to keep going.

Thanks for your support!

"Oh, fuck!" Ryuko cursed. "Just shut up!" She then reached out with a hand from her bed and searched for that damned machine called clock, which was emitting a very annoying sound. Once she found it, she tried to disable the alarm, but after a couple of seconds in which she couldn't do anything, she just slammed a fist into the clock, silencing it. Quite satisfied by this, Ryuko smiled and brought back her arm, trying to find a comfortable position. Her rest was going to be disturbed again, however, when her friend dashed inside her room, already wearing a short brown skirt, a white shirt, a small red tie and a dark blue jacket.

"Wake up, Ryuko! You are going to be late again!" She said. "And I won't cover you up this time!"

"Come on, Mako!" Ryuko groaned. "Five minutes more…" She whispered already half sleeping. The evening before, Mako proposed her to study together for the next exam. They went to Ryuko's place inside the campus and kept studying until two in the morning. Actually, Mako tried to study, while Ryuko kept falling asleep, just to be awoken by her friend every single time.

Mako groaned too. "It's already eight o' clock! You have thirty minutes to get ready!" Leaving the room, she glanced back another time. "Your friend is already outside here. Don't let him wait any longer." And with that, she closed the door behind her.

Ryuko sighed. Coming to a sit on her bed, she wondered how could that girl be so awake after more or less six hours of sleep. Tiredly standing up, she went to the bathroom and took a shower. The cold water immediately washed away any remains of sleepiness in her body. Drying up with a towel, she looked at herself in the mirror. In these last two years, her body flourished a lot. She had a slender figure, improved by the trainings she did when she applied both to the football team and the gym. She also had a well endowed chest, not too big but not to small either. Her ravine black hair were messy and shoulder length, but the most strange particulars were the red hair streak that she had since her birth and a long scar. It wasn't very wide, but it began between her left shoulder and her neck, crossed her collarbone, passed between her breasts and reached the right side of her belly. She caressed it slowly, grazing it lightly with her nails. She got it when she tried to save her dad in that terrible day, one year before: She was returning home after a long day with her friend. When she reached the door, a huge explosion set the entire house in flames, knocking her backwards. Quickly recovering, she went inside, searching for her dad. When she found him, it was too late. Trying to get away, tears flowing from her eyes, a big part of the ceiling crushed, felling on her. She lost consciousness immediately and when she woke up, she was in the hospital, with Mako at her side.

Shaking away these sad memories before they got on her, she finished drying herself and got dressed. She didn't need a lot of different clothes, since her "style" was always the same. Truth to be told, she didn't have enough money to buy them, so she kept wearing what she had. Wearing a pair of jeans ripped on her knees, a white loosened shirt with the sleeves ripped just beneath the shoulders, a jeans jacket with the sleeves ripped away and a pair of white sneakers, she went to the kitchen to eat something. The fridge was almost empty and she cursed for this. She couldn't afford now to go out for groceries. That meant that she had to ask him again. She sighed heavily. She hated to rely on him for money. She already owed him a lot. When he discovered that her father passed away, and that she couldn't afford everything she needed, he always delivered a part of what he got from his job to her. He also managed to get her assigned a room inside the campus, which meant that she would have to spend less for the college. Asking him for money again wasn't something she was proud of.

"I will play the 'lie' card…" She thought. Taking a lemon and giving it a bite, she took her backpack and left the small apartment. As Mako said, her friend was already outside here, waiting for her.

"Sorry Senketsu…" She mumbled. Senketsu smiled her. He was wearing a pair of grey trousers and a white t-shirt, which let his arms and well defined muscles exposed to everyone to see. He was tall and tanned. His hair were short and black. He was a very good looking guy. Girls would have surely fallen at his feet if it wasn't for his eyes: Strangely, they were red. He didn't know why, so he couldn't explain that trait. For this, everyone found him 'strange', so he wasn't very popular. Ryuko, on the other hand, didn't find this a reason to avoid him. Moreover, they were in the same football team. It was just a matter of time before they bounded as friends.

"Ah, don't worry." He said. "I'm used to it. Shall we go now?" Tilting his head to his side, he turned a little, taking some steps towards the hallway.
Ryuko nodded, smiling a little. She reached his side and placed her right hand inside a pocket, while with the left one she was holding her lemon.
"So…" Senketsu started. "Is that your breakfast?" He asked.

"Straight to the point, eh?" Ryuko stated. "It's just a small dessert. You know I like lemons." She lied. When Senketsu hummed a little, she hoped that he would bait it. Without looking at him, and trying to be as nonchalantly as possible, she gave another bite at her lemon. She could almost feel Senketsu's eyes piercing her to read her soul and mind.

"This means you already eat, right?" Senketsu stated with a small smile. "What did you eat?"

"Some milk and cereals." She answered trying not to stumble in her words.

"You are the worst liar I have ever seen." Senketsu chuckled placing his hand in his pockets and searching for something.

"What makes you think I'm lying?" Ryuko asked frowning. How could he understand she was lying so quickly?

"If you really ate something, you would have answered that it wasn't my business and that I should focus on my own breakfast, probably cursing as well. You tend to speak less when you are lying." He explained.

"Oh… Right…" She was surprised by this. He really knew a lot about her. They met during the first year of college, so this was the second year of their strange friendship, but it seemed like he knew her for longer than that.

"Here. Go get something at the bar." Senketsu said giving her twenty dollars.

"No… Senketsu I can't…" She started, but when she saw the he was serious she stopped. She knew that when he had his mind set, nothing could stop him. Not even her, who was similar to him in that way. "Alright…" She mumbled in defeat.

"Good girl." He smiled patting her head. "You shouldn't refrain from asking help. I told you that my parents send me some money weekly. Moreover, I have a job. I can lend you some without problems."

"It just doesn't feel right…" Ryuko said, stopping in front of her class. "I mean… You are doing a lot for me…" However, Senketsu stopped her again, raising a hand.

"Don't worry." He said. "You will repay me leading the team to victory in the next tournament." He smiled her. "I must go now, otherwise I will be late too. See you at the trainings!" He said waving a hand, already leaving the girl to her class.

Ryuko mindlessly waved back. He was a really good person. Smiling to his kindness, she went inside her classroom, taking her usual seat near her friend Mako in the middle of the room. Taking some papers and a couple of pens, she begun writing down some notes about the lesson. As always, however, after more or less ten minutes of listening, her mind wandered on its own and she found herself daydreaming while watching out the window.
Chemistry wasn't her favorite subject after all.

….

Ryuko run as fast as she could, dribbling her opponents with incredible easiness. When she saw two more were running towards her, she kicked the ball on the right and run straight between the two of them. With another strong dash, she reached the other squad area and lifted her right leg. Just when she was about to kick the air, the ball arrived in front of her. Releasing all her power, she throw a powerful hit and scored another goal. Even if this was the second time, she was still underperforming: Usually she didn't need to rely so much on her teammates. In the other matches, she was the one with the most scored number of goals. Of course, she was the first to pass the ball when needed, doing a great teamwork, but she was always over the edge. This time, however, her personal record of four goals per match was going to shatter.

"Good job Senketsu! Perfect aim as always!" She said to her mate as he approached her.

"Honored to hear this from our sniper!" He joked with a smirk. "Come on, let's go back." He said jogging back.

"Yeah… Just give me a second…" She said leaning forward, placing her hands on her knees. Her breath was heavier than usual. She was starting to regret her sudden idea to not spend the money Senketsu gave her that morning to return them. "I'm a little worn out…" She chuckled.

"Tell me you ate something after chemistry." He groaned.

"Actually… I wanted to…"

"Matoi!" Gamagoori shouted interrupting her. "What are you doing there? Get back in position!" He said approaching them. Gamagoori was the captain and goalkeeper of the team. Even if he wasn't the best player, he was nominated captain since he seemed to radiate an aura of discipline. A guy once said that just by standing near him he felt the urge to follow the college rules.

"Just give me a second…"

"Get back in position!" He repeated interrupting her for the second time. "Otherwise I will make you do laps until you pass out." Crossing his arms, he seemed to grow bigger and bigger as time passed, towering her. The trainer of the team was Aikuru Mikisugi. However, he usually went to take care of his own business, leaving Gamagoori to train his teammates. Keywords begin usually and train. Every single training session was decided by Gamagoori who wanted the best from everyone under any circumstance.

Remembering very well that Gamagoori already fulfilled that threat with some of her other teammates, and once with herself too, she immediately stood up and run back to her position, ignoring the tiredness she felt.

"Captain, I know that our first match is scheduled for the next week… But I also know you are aware of her… Problems…" Senketsu stated once Ryuko was out of earshot.

Gamagoori sighed, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "I know very well, Senketsu… You were the one bringing the topic to Satsuki and the student council after all … Did she eat something this morning?" He asked turning his face a little to look at him. When Senketsu just scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile on his face, Gamagoori sighed again. "How stubborn, Matoi." He then glanced to the clock. "Alright underachievers! We are done today! Take a shower and go back to your studies!" He shouted loudly. When Senketsu begun to leave, he reached out and grabbed his arm. "Keep an eye on her." He said.

"Sure." Senketsu answered. Then he went to the lockers as Gamagoori said. Drying himself and changing back to his previous clothes, he then went to meet Ryuko.

"What did he said?" She asked leading the way towards the bar. It was midday and she was pretty hungry.

"He asked me to keep an eye on you. He is worried that you aren't eating propely." Senketsu answered earning a couple of blinks from her friend.

"It's none of his business. Hell, what the fuck got on all of you? I'm eating enough!" She said, but a sudden grumble from her stomach quickly countered her words.

Senketsu lifted an eyebrow. "I'm not sure about this." He said bluntly. "How much money do you have?"

"Enough…" Ryuko answered, turning her head unable to keep eye contact and coming to a stop.

"You are lying."

"Shut up…" She replied adjusting her backpack, a feeling of uneasiness dwelling inside her.

"Ryuko…" He warned placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I said shut up!" She snapped, shoving away his hand. After a moment of silence, she sighed. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to be mad at you… It's just…" She clenched her fists both in anger and exasperation. "It doesn't seem right… I don't want to rely on others for my problems…"

"Ryuko, I understand your feelings." He said calmly, placing his hand on her shoulder again. "But this is not a joke. We are talking about your health and I'm trying to help you. This is important, you can understand it. I know you have some pride. You told me that yourself. But is it really more important than your welfare?" Ryuko shook her head, lowering her gaze. She was lucky to have a friend like him, who knew her good enough to bare with her behavior, never judging her and never leaving her side.

"Good." He said patting her shoulder, speaking with a kind tone. "Now, will you answer me? How much money do you have?"

"Just the twenty you gave me…" She answered with a low voice.

"What about your fridge?"

"Almost empty…" She turned her face on the side to hide the shame she felt. "I had to pay the college this month…"

"I see." He replied thinking about something. After a couple of mere seconds, he took her wrist and pulled her in another hallway, which led toward the parking lot. "Come with me." He said.

"W… Wait… Where are you taking me?" Ryuko asked, stumbling a little behind him.

"I'm taking you in a place where you can eat for free every time you want." He answered showing a full teeth smile and speeding up. Once they arrived at the parking lot, he let go of Ryuko's hand and took a pair of keys from his pockets.

"What do you mean? Where do you want to bring me?" Ryuko asked getting a little annoyed but curious as well.

"My apartment." Senketsu answered without losing his grin and unlocking the doors of his car.