I will admit that today isn't my best day. I couldn't sleep very well last night and I couldn't walk in a straight line it seems. I couldn't hear them but I bet there are people laughing behind my back. I yawned and took another step forward into a wall. My folders, books and papers went flying and I so very nearly went into a temper tantrum. Nothing was going right.

"You need to make sure your papers are stuck down or safely in your folders to avoid losing them."

I slowly looked up and realised that the wall was actually a person. I blinked to clear my vision and frowned. Zero didn't normally talk like…oh, it was Ichiru. I blinked a couple of times and it was confirmed that it was indeed Ichiru, bell and all. He just smirked and I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked a lot like Zero right now and I've been avoiding him all morning. I simply crouched down and began collecting my things. He crouched with me and began helping me. Soon I was up on my feet, work back in my arms, and I gave a polite nod to Ichiru to say thank you. I tried to scoot around him but he blocked my path again.

"You should be more careful."

I glared at him. Gee, why do you care?

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"

I felt my heart ache and I gave him the strongest backhand I could muster. He staggered and I turned my heel and ran off. I felt my eyes sting as I sprinted off, ignoring the hushed whispers from the gossiping girls. I ran straight home to blink out the little tears and put my stuff away. I nearly flipped my desk, I just felt so angry. Maybe I had overreacted? I mean, no-one knows that I have lost my voice, not a lot of people are aware that I am supposed to be on voice rest… Where do I have to stand on Ichiru anyway? My thoughts wandered to Zero and I flopped down onto my bed. Ichiru let his parents die and have Zero turned. Zero must hate him beyond forgiveness. I'm pretty sure I'd never forgive Yuki if something similar happened with us.

"Mana?"

I looked up at the door when Yuki knocked and wandered in.

"Are you alright?"

I just gave her a thumbs up and pointed to my throat. She smiled and shook her head.

"Crossover is soon."

Joy. I nodded and she walked out. I couldn't help the little glare at her back for a while but it faded quickly. Guilt clutched at me. Nothing is Yuki's fault. I lay back on my bed, shifting so that my head was cushioned by my pillows. I rubbed my neck, staring up at the ceiling. How did I lose my voice? I was on voice rest; I didn't really strain it yesterday apart from speaking to Zero. How long was this going to be for? I couldn't even whimper my distress. I lay there, wallowing in my misery for a good minute or two before gathering myself up and getting ready for crossover.

"Wild-senpai!"

"Idol-senpai!"

Oh. My. God. Shut up!

"Shiki-senpai!"

Shut up, shut up, shut up…

"Kaname-senpai!"

I winced as a chorus of screams erupted from behind me. That's it. I'll be living my life with no voice and no hearing. It's settled. I'll just become a hermit in the mountains and survive on what nature throws at me. I'll leave a note to have someone throw a memorial service for me in seven years and presume I'm dead. I glared at Kuran waltzed by, flashing that faux smile and left for the classrooms. Then Shiki came. …And stopped right in front of me. I raised an eyebrow as he glanced at me. He had never done this before, what gives? He looked me up and down and smiled. That's right, he smiled. This guy has a stroke, someone get him away from me.

"You're Mana, is that right?"

I just stared at him coldly. Why would he care? He just chuckled.

"Yes, you are Mana."

He walked off and I glared at his back. When he disappeared into the building I turned to the girls who were in their clusters, whispering excitedly under their breaths. I coughed and they just looked at me briefly. I tapped my wrist and one of them sneered.

"You're not so scary when you're quiet, you know that?"

I glowered at her.

"Eh, careful, she'll get violent if we say the wrong thing."

"Yeah, poor Ichiru-kun."

I rolled my eyes, snorting derisively.

"Lover's spat, was it?"

I bit down on my tongue and slowly glanced at she who had the nerve to make such a comment. She wasn't fazed.

"You lost your chance with Zero so you turned to the twin, right?"

My mind turned blank as I just stared at her in disbelief. Lover's spat? Lost chance? Twin? Zero? I knew my voice was gone but my mouth was opening and closing like a fish. What kind of rumours have these bitches been spreading?! I was getting angrier and angrier, clenching my fists and gritting my teeth.

"Oh, oh, we're not too wrong aren't we?"

"Yes, silence does mean she has something to hide."

I was seeing red and before I knew it, I had snatched someone's phone. I raised my arm and threw it down onto the stone, probably breaking it beyond repair. The owner screamed in despair as I opened my mouth to scream my frustration. But all that came was a gust of air and I began coughing. My eyes were stinging and I took off into the woods. I ran to my favourite tree and began climbing. I climbed to the near top, where I could find the highest branch that could support my weight. My nose was running as I cried my eyes out, staining my jacket when I used it to clean my face. It was gross and it kept on coming. I coughed and rubbed my eyes until they were sore. I don't know how long I was up there for but the sun set. I knew I needed to go down, grab a quick dinner then patrol and make sure those pesky, egotistical, deluded little, little…bitches aren't around to snap more photos of the Night Class. And I will not hold back, I'll whip them until their skin is so fucking raw, it'll be like looking at the uncooked steak in the freezer!

I took in a deep breath to try and calm down. Why couldn't I control my emotions anymore? It's not fair, I've never had trouble like this before! It's at times like this that I should release the stress into poetry or a short story detailing the unfortunate massacre at Cross Academy. I smiled at the thought. Yes, a whole massacre of the female population, perhaps the whole of the Night Class too. I could chop someone up and feed them to White Lily, maybe stab someone with a pen, oh, what about poisoning someone's lunch? I grinned maliciously at the thought. I began to feel better so made my way back down the tree.

"You should be more discrete in your outbursts, you had your sister and my brother worried sick."

And happy time is over. I landed on the grass and glared at Ichiru through the dark. He just stood there and I began walking off.

"Are you going straight home? Where Yuki and Nii-san are?"

I stopped to a halt and began picturing how Ichiru would be murdered. I glared at him again, silently asking what he wanted. If he wanted another backhand, I would be happy to give him another one. Or maybe a whipping? I fingered Pearl Beauty's handle thoughtfully. It would be nice to get in one tiny strike.

"Something happened."

Things happen all the time.

"It's caused you stress that you can't handle."

Well done, genius, would you like me to grade you with an A? Tough luck, you get a C-!

"And you can't speak."

My stomach dropped. I whipped Pearl Beauty out and cracked her. Ichiru dodged and he just smirked to my frustration. My eyes were stinging again as he came closer.

"Poor little Mana," he purred "Big sister got the man before you could confess."

I bared my teeth as I began to feel more and more like a caged animal that had been backed into a corner.

"Then again, I think he prefers Yuki with her warmer temperament."

Oh he is getting it! I raised my arm again with Pearl Beauty and saw his muscles brace. But I dropped it, all strength left me. To my surprise, and probably Ichiru's, I dropped my head onto his chest and wrapped my arms around him. I cried into his shirt. He was right. Everyone preferred to be around Yuki because she was all smiles and easier to approach. She was the cute little kitten that everyone wanted to play with and I'm just the prickly porcupine left in the corner with its own devices. Of course Zero would prefer her! I felt Ichiru's hands on my shoulders as I sobbed pathetically. It just wasn't fair.