Chapter One: Transfer
I don't need to be here... She said to herself while in front of the class of thirty students.
"This is Kamuel, Hamiru and she will be your new classmate from today though she enrolled a month late, she passed the entrance exam with flying colors. She's new in town so be nice to her." Said by the teacher in his early thirties with uber dark hair, collared white shirt and slacks, his voice was calm but the authority was there. He pointed to the last empty chair on the window side for the new student.
She slowly bowed and walked towards the end of the first row. The student muttered under their breath, saying:
"Pigtails are extinct, right? Especially, braids." Hamiru heard when she passed the first chairs. "Look at her, she doesn't even wear contacts." She then pushed her round glasses to fit and ignore the comment. "She's definitely a nerd." said by someone followed by a snicker. "Didn't she know she's out of the league here?" another comment after the other. "I heard the principal accepted her even though she's late because her examination result was the highest so far." And that earned a low ohhs and ahhs from the nearby students as if they were mocking her.
She hooked her bag beside the table, trying to be indifferent and focused on the whiteboard in front. Hamiru's heart was beating loudly under her rib rage, she was in absolutely nervous. She wasn't used to be surrounded by people whom she doesn't know. Above all else… it was her first time attending a school setting and being in a classroom full of students. Despite of the building stress of shyness it was the eyes from her new classmates that made her restless. Her bright green eyes found her golden braided hair that rested on her shoulder. Hamiru always find braids as cute, so why gave it a rejection? She pushed her glassed up even though it wasn't necessary—a perfect 20/20 vision.
This is only for ostentations. She said with venom, she mentally pictured herself from the full length mirror in her room: her golden hair neatly braided, in white long sleeved sailor uniform with below the knees olive green checkered skirt with white short socks and black plain school shoes and to complete the appearance; rounded glasses that suits her geeky look. This is her new look for her new life and she knew if she dressed like this, people will lack interest and they will leave her alone.
Alone… that's how she wants to live her sophomore life. The teacher disrupts the class and Hamiru's internal theater by whacking a sleeping student who was on the next table beside hers.
"For Pete's sake I told you don't sleep in class! Get in front and solve the equation, Vision."
The teacher whacked his lesson plan for the second time on a silver haired guy, some student giggled and some held their eyes on him while he stretched his long arms, he opened his sleepy eyes.
Hamiru's glasses reflected the tallness of the silver haired guy as he towered the teacher by a good four or five inches. Maybe five foot nine or ten, she thought admiringly. Her eyes continued roaming down his long extremities—fit for a model walking on the runway. Most girls locked their heart-shape eyes on him; some guys looked at him with envy and some just plain irritated. He gingerly uncapped the marker and started solving the mathematical equation. The teacher nodded in please. When he turn around to return to his seat, Hamiru saw his features: refreshing with deep chocolate brown eyes behind his silver bangs paired with two natural pink lips and the most simple yet beautiful nose that Hamiru had seen on a guy's face. He was strikingly handsome without a doubt.
The guy bore his half-closed brown eyes onto Hamiru. She shied away and gave a quick bow for a welcome.
"Newbie?" he said with disinterest, clearly didn't hear about the introduction. He set his eyes on her desk and did a quick turn to the teacher. "Sensei." he called and stuck his thumb on Hamiru. "The new kid's not taking notes." He returned with a sly grin shaping up with a whisper of mock… "I don't want to be punished alone."
Hamiru was left with confusion as if she did not understand a word he said. The math teacher tsked in front and slapped shut his lesson plan.
"I know you're new but, I won't tolerate any students who aren't taking notes in my class." He was disappointed. "Come here and do some equations, Kamuel."
Hamiru was still dumfounded and without further ado, went straight to the board. When she passed the chair, she knew the Vision guy was watching her and the rest of the student body. Hence, she reached for the marker with her left hand and solved the rest of the math problems on the whiteboard. Not one, not two, but three long equations that she simplified without even a hesitation. The low ohhs and ahhs were amplified—even the teacher was impressed.
A guy with dark red hair leaned over at Vision. The gleam of interest was in his glowing violet irises.
"She's nice, aren't she Eagle? Not to mention she's also smart." said he admiring.
"Tell me about it." He replied sarcastically as if he didn't figure it out already.
"Well, she is a little dorky but I can change that." The guy smirked.
Eagle's brow arched. "When did you start being desperate, Crein?"
Crein tsked, wagging a finger. "Not desperate, my friend… Curious."
"Curious enough to…" he scrutinized Hamiru as she return to her seat. "Try a different delicacy ala brains?" he made an eye-roll. "We both know that's not your type."
"What's wrong about trying an exotic dish once in a while?" he sneaked a glance to her. "Look at her, Eagle. She's like –"
"Whatever you say, Giacomo." Eagle said cutting his words and pointed on the board. "But I think the only thing she can stroke is the numbers written on the board."
Crein suppressed a laugh. "Since you put it that way… I refuse to share."
After lunch, Hamiru made herself comfortable on the well trimmed grass, hugging her knees while looking at students outside the playing field. It was time for physical education: Soccer. She wore a white rounded shirt and a navy pantsuit printed with letters RHS vertically in white, initials for Ryoshonan High School. The sun was high and she was shaded by thick leaves from the tall tree.
"Hey!" a voice came from behind, coming from a girl. A platinum blonde haired girl sat beside Hamiru, she has long straight hair nearly on her waist with fine set of white teeth. "Do you have a medical condition too?"
Hamiru blinked her green eyes behind the glasses. She got dazzled by her beautiful guest, more to be in a commercial in frilly skirt than spending time in shirt and pants. She nodded shyly but the pretty girl smiled at her. It was awkward for Hamiru to talk with strangers however this girl beside her acted like they were already familiar with each other. The girl popped her hands forward for a handshake.
"Romina Rodorio." Even her voice was melodic, suited to be a celebrity. "The one in front of you and I have anemia."
Hamiru took her hand and shook it slowly, uncomfortable. She half-smiled and politely replied.
"Kamuel, Hamiru. Also have anemia." She followed a bow. "Nice meeting you, Ms. Rodorio."
"Romi. Call me Romi."
Hamiru blinked out some confusion. She was absolutely stunned—she wasn't used meeting assertive people. More or less be familiar with a person in their first meeting. She took a long look at Romina—a heavy trace of foreign culture contrasting Hamiru's long history of Japanese blood in her veins. She dropped her gaze when Romina met her eyes.
"Hey, Hamiru…" Romina's tone filled with familiarity as if they already knew each other by heart. "Some of our classmate said… you're out of this world." She paused. "No offense, I also thought too because of what you done in Algebra… you were like…" She took another pause, thinking of a befitting description. "Super."
She saw Hamiru's eyes drifted to the field watching some girls trying to chase the ball, unaffected. However, a slow curling of her lips were beginning to widen.
"In my hometown… they kept calling me 'strange', 'weird', 'odd' because of what I am." She said flatly. "I'm used to it."
It was a tug of uneasiness that made Romina cringed; she was being rude to the new transfer student. At first, she didn't intend to talk to her but when she saw Hamiru from the time she stepped in the classroom—keeping only to herself, watching silently, uncomfortable to her seat, shy and other people belittling her and already calling her names in her first day, she can't stop herself feeling sorry and she wanted to know Hamiru better beyond her geeky appearance.
"Yeah, I agree… you are weird, strange and odd. But, it didn't stop me from wanting you to be my friend."
Hamiru's sight dashed to her, a warm feeling pooled her cheeks, her lips turning into a small smile, an indication of overjoyed to hear those words. But it faltered.
"Thank you." She hesitated with a sullen tone. "But, we shouldn't be friends."
Romina was baffled, her eyes narrowing. "Huh? Why?"
Hamiru chewed her lower lip. "Because… I don't want you to get hurt."
She shook her head. "I don't understand, Hamiru. I won't get hurt just being your frie~"
"Watch out!" yelled by someone from afar.
A soccer ball is headed its way to Romina. She gasped in shock. Her hands moved automatically to shield herself, shut her eyes and waited for the impact—that never came.
The next thing she heard was the both faint screams and the ball hitting a solid matter followed by a dropping sound on the grass of something heavy… like a person. She squeaked in surprise to find Hamiru lying unconscious near her feet with head turned to the side, her glasses has been knocked off with freshly steak of blood lining the cracks of the right lens. Some students gathered around them as their P.E instructor carried Hamiru and hurried off to the infirmary.
They passed Eagle on the way in slow movement—noticing under Hamiru's right sleeve: a small portion of bluish discoloration just below the teacher's hand. Some of the students gathered in groups, asking what happened and the rest telling what they saw. However there's only one Eagle who casually looks down to where Hamiru's glasses lay.