There's this boy I like.
He's different from all the other boys in my class. He doesn't harass girls for attention. He doesn't berate girls for a date or their number. Actually, I've never seen him speak to any girl in the class. He comes to school with his brothers. Everyone knows the Sakamaki brothers. There's… the one who skips class a lot… wait, no… a few of them do… there's the one in our class… starts with an A… I think. It doesn't matter though, because I only care about him.
Sighing dreamily, I watched him from the other side of the classroom. It's not like he even knows who I am. I've never had the courage to speak to him. Today, that's going to change. We had a project to do in pairs, and after the news I'd received this weekend, it's now or never.
"I'm gonna ask him," I announced softly to my friends. It doesn't hurt to ask. If he's says no, that might hurt, but I'll never know if I just sit here. Standing to my feet, my heart started to pound.
Mai grabbed my hand, alarmed. "No, Chiyo! I've supported your creepy obsession with him, but enough! This is crazy!" She's my best friend, and she knows what happened, so I thought she might support my decision. "There's something not right about him."
Guess I was wrong.
"Don't be such a gossip girl," I said, a little harsher than I should have. With what time I have left, there's no room for regrets.
It took much longer than it should have for me to cross the room and approach his desk. The chatter of the room from the other students was deafening. Squeezing my hands into fists, I tried to pep talk myself. I can do this. The worst he can say is no... and embarrass me in fornt of everyone. I shook my head and clasped my hands behind my back. "Um… Kanato? Do you want to be partners?" I asked, smiling despite my nervousness. This the closest I've ever been to him!
Kanato lifted his gaze from his teddy bear to look at me. "You're asking me?" There was genuine surprise in his soft voice.
His eyes are so pretty.
"I'll do it with you," His brother pipped up from nearby, a mischevious grin on his face.
A blonde girl sat next to him, slightly scared. "Ayato!" She came to school with them. She might be a threat.
Turning my head to him, I frowned. "Not ever." I snapped before returning my attention to Kanato. My smile returned. "So, do you want to?"
It seemed like the whole room went silent in anticipation of his answer. The Sakamaki brothers were popular no doubt, but they were anti-social. Kanato nodded his head. "Yes, I'll do it." A small smile appeared on his face as the bell rang.
The excitement took over. "Really? I-I mean-" I dropped my gaze to my feet, scuffing my foot on the floor. I bit my lip in an attempt to stop my stupid grin. He actually said yes!
"Tomorrow, you can come home with us," Ayato said, standing to his feet. "You know, to work on the project."
Kanato agreed with him. "I'd like that."
"Awesome," I replied softly.
I stood there frozen with happiness until he left with his brother. Unable to contain my excitement, I jumped up and down. "Oh my god! How did that… work out for me?" I covered my mouth to muffle the scream of joy. Tomorrow can't come soon enough!
Running all the way to my aunt and uncle's house, I greeted them happily. "I'm back!"
"Did you have a good time at school?" My aunt asked, reading a book in her comfy chair. She looked just like my mother at times. On the table, she'd left me a plate of the dinner she'd made. The food smelled delicious, even though it was most likely cold. My little cousins were probably already in bed.
Grinning, I nodded my head. "I did! Thank you for making me dinner!" Sticking the plate in the microwave, it didn't take long for the food to heat up. Plopping down on the couch, I blew on the mashed potatoes that were piping hot. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'll be coming home late tomorrow. We have a partnered project and he invited me to his house to work on it."
"He?" My aunt put her book down, interested in the conversation. She knows that I have issues talking to boys, as she's unsuccessfully tried to set me up on many dates. She stared at me with a knowing smile. "Is it that boy who's name you doodle in your notebooks?"
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. "A-actually, it is. He agreed to be partners with me."
My aunt clapped her hands together. "Oh, Chiyo! That's great! I'm so proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone!"
We were interrupted by my six-year-old cousin, the baby of the family. She rubbed her eyes and said, "Mommy, there's a monster under the bed."
"Oh sweetie, there's no such thing as monsters," My aunt replied, getting up from her chair. She lovingly picked her up, carrying her back up the stairs.
This family has been nothing but kind to me since they took me in. But in moments like this, I knew that my being here was a burden on them. They had a small house, and adding a teenager had made it tight on space. Part of me knew that she'd happy if I could one day get married and move out. But she knew as well as I did, that wasn't possible. My fate had been sealed a long time ago.
The next night, I couldn't get through class quick enough. It had taken me an extra hour to get ready for tonight, making sure to put effort into my appearance. If only we didn't have to have these boring school uniforms. Each time I turned my head to take a glance at Kanato, like I did all the time, he was watching me with a curious stare… and every time, I blushed out of embarrassment. He's going to think I'm a total stalker!
"Chiyo," Mai whispered, stopping me as the bell rang. "If you need me, send me the code word: maple. I'll know you need me to come right away."
I tilted my head to the side but laughed at her. "Why would I ever do that? This is what I wanted, remember?" Escaping her worried state, I gripped the handle of my school bag tightly. This is it. My last chance to make something big happen. Don't screw it up!
The blonde girl that had been around them lately gave me the same worried expression that Mai had. I disliked her. What if she's… interested in him too? What then? I can't compete with her… My heart pounded in my chest every time I looked at Kanato. He's so perfect!
"Ready to go, new girl?" Ayato asked.
My eyes narrowed at his annoying voice. Before I could get any words out, Kanato spoke. "Chiyo."
"Huh?" Ayato looked confused.
Kanato sighed. "Her name is Chiyo."
Keeping my eyes glued to the floor, my cheeks burned again. He knows my name! It sounds so different coming from him. Calm down… I have to be calm. Getting control over my emotions only lasted for a moment. The second I raised my gaze, Kanato took my hand in his. "Chiyo, let's go."
Happier than I'd probably ever been, I smiled. "Okay." He kept my hand loosely. It's kind of like… we're a couple. Shaking my head a little, I tried to push those thoughts aside. There is no way! We just spoke to each other for the first time yesterday! His beautiful purple eyes met mine over and over as he glanced at me every now and then. My breath caught in my throat each time. I never imagined that… he'd be holding my hand like this. It could mean… but it's impossible for him to have feelings for me too!
Right?