Chapter 1: The new kid in town
[Scene: A freshman homeroom at a high school, in the rainy town of Hen Tie, WA. Usagi, a pretty girl with two long pigtails under spherical blond buns runs in with a slice of toast in her mouth. She plops into her seat in the last row, between her best friends Umino and Naru, and directly behind her current hate-crush, Mamoru.]
Usagi: Yesss! I'm on time for once!
Mamoru: [Turns in his seat to grin balefully at her] Guess again, bunhead. You're still late. Ms. Haruna just hasn't arrived yet.
Usagi: Oh be quiet, you creeper. [Munches on her toast] I didn't get caught, and that's all that matters.
[They stare each other down while a strong sexual undercurrent simmers just below the surface. But since they aren't really the lead characters in this story, it doesn't really matter.]
[As Usagi finishes her toast, Ms. Haruna enters with a waifish urchin with flowing golden hair, in an army jacket, light green t-shirt, and faded jeans over hiking boots.]
Ms. Haruna: Everyone. We have a new transfer student all the way from sunny Phoenix, Arizona. Everyone, please welcome Zoisite Midori.
Umino: [Whistles quietly under his steamed up glasses] Well hello, Goldilocks!
[Zoi avoids eye contact with the entire class, and instead, absently twirls a lock of hair around his finger. But since Zoi is the Bella Swan character in this tale, the entire room is hopelessly besotted.*]
[* Well, everyone but Mamoru, who as a rule, is never that easily charmed.]
Usagi: Oh, my, what a cuuuutie.
Naru: [Nods] Not much of a dresser, but she sure is pretty.
Umino: I'll say. [Gazes with his cheek resting on his hand and sighs profoundly] Somewhere deep within the bowels of the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy, a Botticelli painting is missing its angel…
Mamoru: [Lets out a haughty sniff of utter boredom] Oh, whatever. She's not all that. Nice hair, ok face, but absolutely no body to speak of. [Snickers dismissively before turning around.] Hey look, bunhead. You've finally found someone even flatter than you are.
Haruka: [Seated to Mamoru's left] Seriously, Chiba? Could you be any more of a bottom-feeder?
Ms. Haruna: Did you just say something, Haruka?
Haruka: Ummm, no?
Ms. Haruna: Good. Zoisite, why don't you tell the class a little something about yourself?
Zoi: [Stares at the room with his big green eyes like a deer in the headlights for a few seconds before speaking in his distinctly male voice] Um…It's just Zoi. Not Zoisite… And…um…I'm actually a very boring person. As you can see I'm awkward and plain… and a bit of a dork… I'm probably the clumsiest person on earth…so needless to say, I'm terrible at sports. If you're team captain, pick me last. Please. For your own safety…. Oh, and I hate this town so much, I wish I were dead. Sorry. No offense. Can I please sit down now?
[His social anxiety is palpable, but since this is a shonen-ai Twilight, just everyone sighs happily.]
Usagi: Oh, wow. She's a he!
Umino: I think I just turned gay!
Haruka: I think I just turned straight!
Mamoru: [The color drains from Mamoru's face] Wait a minute? Zoisite is a guy?
Haruka: [Gives Mamoru a wolfish grin] Guy? Girl? Does it really make a difference?
Mamoru: Um, hell yeah it does. As a girl, he's just ok. But for a guy, he's crossed the bridge right back into doable. [Sits up straight, slicks his hair back, and puts on his most fetching smile.]
Ms. Haruna: [Chuckles] Class, Zoisite here is far too modest–
Zoi: It's just Zoi.
Ms. Haruna: He's transferred here from a magnet school specializing in math and science, so Zoisite will be taking those classes at the senior level.
Zoi: Please, call me Zoi.
Ms. Haruna: [Claps him on the shoulder] Whatever you say, Zoisite. Since you're new here, I'll assign you a buddy to show you around for the first few days. Do I have a volunteer?
[Every hand in the room shoots up. Zoi just assumes everyone feels sorry for him, so he blushes and burrows his face into his ponytail]
Ms. Haruna: [Waves her hand around before pointing at Umino.] Umino. Why don't you come up here and move into the front row next to Zoisite?
Umino: [Fistpump] Yes!
Mamoru: Ohhhh… [Lowers his hand]
Usagi: Ha, ha. [Throws a wadded up exam at his head] You lose at life again, Mamoru!