Chapter 1

What low-life's…, Audrey thought to herself as she stared at the impudent teenage girls that called out to her just a moment ago to simply taunt her about the skin complexion she owned and her lack of a social life. Storming off without answering their meaningless taunts, Audrey thought to herself once more as if to contemplate what they had said. Its people like you that are reason enough to continue my barrier around myself.

She could hear the girls still speaking now of her lack of even obtaining a boyfriend since she had entered high school about a year ago. It was true. Audrey Laurel was seventeen years old now and was still single but also without any friends of her own to sit amongst her and converse with her. This eventually led to a cold appearance to Audrey as she began to slip further and further away from acknowledging the society around her, indulging herself now in only studies and her after-school part-time job. With these things, she considered herself 'okay'.

Audrey knew all too well of what accompanied obtaining friends. Once as a child she was betrayed by a group of kids that she had acknowledged as her 'friends', but it had turned out that these kids were only interested in her parents social status. They used her so that they themselves could appear fairly popular and tossed her after they had had their fill.

Thinking back now on that past memory, Audrey sucked her teeth as she continued making her way down the hall, brushing off the pain that flowed through her body from such a memory. I don't…I don't need friends.

Carrying his backpack upon his shoulder Ichigo sluggishly made his way down the hall to head to lunch for his break where a buddy from his recent class accompanied him. "Hey Kurosaki, can you believe they decided to stop selling those baked cookies that the lunch lady's made? And they were the best too!", the male started as he complained continuously aside Ichigo. Ichigo hardly paying him any mind, he sighed heavily to interrupt the males hasty speaking and decided to state, "Ya' know maybe it was best since the schools policy is to keep the kids eating pretty healthy. Selling those cookies was only producing the opposite of what the school would rather promote."

Even after hearing this, the other male simply continued to wince of how misfortunate their timing was considering that he had finally managed to get some money. Cut off from complaining any further Orihime called out to Ichigo cheerfully as she made her way down the hall. "Ichigo-kun! Are you heading to the cafeteria now?", she questioned as she slowed down once she neared both of the males. The other besides Ichigo, Trent, appeared to be eyeing Orihime anxiously as she conversed with Ichigo cheerfully. This was because Trent's developing feelings for Orihime were only becoming masked by the immediate attention Ichigo was gathering.

Ichigo was a rather broad male of approximately six feet where his peach colored skin seemed to collaborate well with the sudden burst of orange color that resided from his hair. Although oddly colored, his hair was natural and he hadn't bothered to brush it or really fix it so it was a bit messy upon his head, but this didn't cloud Ichigo's attractive appearance as he matured continuously. Many people have complimented Ichigo's eyes for being a soft colored hazel that gathered the attention of almost anyone that shot a look into his gaze.

Smiling warmly as he looked down towards Orihime, Ichigo responded, "Nah, it's way too packed in there so I think I'll just head on to the rooftop. I'll see you afterwards though for next period." He then continued. "You coming Trent?" Waving Orihime off as she left he turned his head to glance over towards Trent whom hadn't returned a response. Ichigo immediately noticed Trent's odd behavior as he crept along the backside of a female, snickering maliciously.

The female was walking fairly slowly down the hall as if she hadn't been in a rush at all. Ichigo's expression simply frowned as he came to understand what Trent's intentions were. Does he even know her?, Ichigo thought to himself as he leaned his being up against a nearby wall and watched the males actions. His eyes quickly widened and he shuddered from off of the wall to head over towards Trent once he heard the erupting laughter of the other and noticed the female lying on the floor. He then yelled, "You idiot! You didn't have to shove her to the floor like that!" Trent paid no mind to Ichigo as he shouldered his bag from his arm and quickly stooped down before the female.

She was on her hands and knees now as she tried to steady herself back up and soon noticed the large drawn palm in front of her that belonged to the male. Who's he?, Audrey thought to herself as she slowly raised her right hand from the floor and into the males large palm, allowing the male to heave her small form from the hallway floor. Standing before him Ichigo's hazel hues widened some as he took notice of the female's unique espresso colored skin tone. Her black hair was neat and very long as it slipped over her shoulders and down her back. Standing at five feet and six inches, the female was small figured and fairly slim. Even her large framed glasses couldn't dissipate the immense sadness that her aqua eyes were spilling as they stared past Ichigo.

I don't believe I've ever seen her before, Ichigo thought to himself as he eased his eyes.

Trent's voice could still be heard muttering a few chuckles from his system as he held his stomach and neared the two of them. "Phew! I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there.", Trent uttered shrewdly as he slipped his hands into his pockets, taking notice to the bitter scowl upon Audrey's face.

Feeling the further need to defend himself he then yelled, "Come on, I said it wasn't on purpose, right? I apologized didn't I?" Audrey then turned away from Trent's sight and slipped her hand from Ichigo's grasp. She then muttered to Ichigo, "Thanks.", and idly made her way continuously down the hall. Exhaling some as he neared Ichigo Trent then started speaking. "And she walks as if nothing happened. Everything she does is pretty interesting to watch, ya' know? Her name is Audrey Laurel and she's in my first period class, but she's pretty stoic and quiet. She's smart as hell but blunt as fuck. I've heard that if you provoke her far enough, she can shout some pretty shrewd shit. But besides those times, apparently, no one really hears her voice."

Ichigo shoved the male away from him as he leaned forward to shoulder his bag once more. "You're a real asshole, you know that? If she's just a quiet girl that doesn't bug anyone, then why go messing around with her?", Ichigo vented as he began his steady walk down the hall to only be followed once more by Trent. He then continued while glancing over towards the other, "This is exactly why Orihime pays absolutely no attention to you; you're pretty ignorant towards others."

Leaving Trent with a blank expression he then responded, "That was pretty cruel man!"

"So was that little scene you pulled back there.", Ichigo cut in abruptly, leaving Trent a bit silent as they walked before he shook the guilty feeling and changed the subject soon. "Ya' know, I'm starting to feel as if you're supporting Orihime's tirade against me."

"I hate morning assembly's!", Trent complained as he yawned lightly.

He and Ichigo made their way up the stairs towards their first period class this morning where a few other students steadily followed in front and behind them. Trent stared greedily at the females that walked ahead of him, noticing their skirts to be very short. Ichigo turned uninterested by it all to look away before following the quick movement of the female from yesterday making her way up the stairs to walk ahead of them.

Trent's eyes flared with disgust as he noticed Audrey to suddenly appear upon the steps before him. He then eluded a husky laugh and extended his hand out towards her skirt to tug on it slightly. Ichigo turned slightly to hear the sounds of laughter from students behind him as they witnessed Trent's actions. He then thought to himself pitifully, The shit faces, they're just laughing about it. He then clutched the arm that Trent had raised and glared towards him, obliging that he stop.

Shuddering lightly from the movement of her skirt as the male attempted to flutter the material further, she then quickly turned to face Trent with a cold grimace. Ichigo raised his gaze to look up at Audrey along with Trent and flinched some to the sudden roundhouse kick she impaled Trent's face with, sending him backwards down the steps. Turning to look back at Trent Ichigo listened as Audrey spat a statement with disgust and anguish. "Look you piece of shit, go die! Stop bugging me you idiot!" She then furiously stomped the rest of the way up the stairs, her eyes brows furrowed still with anger.

"What the hell Laurel! The one that should go die is you!", the students from behind yelled as they assisted Trent to stand from the floor. Ichigo then muttered, "It serves you right.", and steadily made his way up the stairs.

Audrey walked up to her shoe locker near the front entrance of the school and shook the tacks from her shoes carefully when a sudden folded piece of paper fell from the locker as well. Leaning forward, she picked it up and unfolded it to read what it said.

It's really fucked up to kick people like that who haven't done anything! Apologize you moron!

Audrey stared blankly at the note before raising her head to the call of her name. "Audrey Laurel.", Ichigo called as he approached her slowly. Seeing as she was taken by surprise suddenly he lightly flashed a small smile towards her while responding to her cold statement, "…You want anything?"

"Well I thought I'd apologize for Trent's behavior this morning and yesterday afternoon too. You had walked off each time before I could get a chance to apologize properly for those incidents." Stepping a little closer he then paused when he noticed the small gathering of dropped tacks and Laurels opened shoe locker. His hazel eyes lowered as he looked over towards Audrey. "Those idiots are at it still huh?", Ichigo questioned as he thought back on those yelling girls during the incident from this morning. He then started, "I used to really get bullied around here as well, so keeping it up; that wall around you, it's understandable since its binds a means of strength. But don't let it block you from seeing through to real people."

Her expression tensed some as she clenched her fists and crumpled the note within her hand tightly and dropped it aside her. Slipping her shoes on, she then closed her shoe locker and muttered, "There's no need, I don't need any people." Turning his gaze to look over at the other, Ichigo then slipped his hands into his pockets while stating his response. "I thought the same too, but I came to realize, not everyone deserves to be shut out and categorized as others. It's pretty unfair."

"'So was that little scene pulled back there'.", she mocked while making her way to the exit before continuing. "Got to go." Ichigo stood a bit stunned by the referral of his phrase he used yesterday while speaking with Trent. He then thought to himself, She really is interesting.

All the while as Audrey quickly made her way to her part-time job she noticed the steady pounding of her heart and thought to herself, It's been a while since I've actually spoke with someone at school. That really surprised me… She then frowned as she thought back on what she had said to him before she left. But maybe…he's right. What was I proving back there by using violence? I can't allow my line of defense to get too out of line.

The manager of the small shop stood before Audrey, staring at her dazed expression with concern before deciding to abruptly question Audrey's health. Shuddering with shock Audrey gasped as she listened to the manager accuse her of blushing. Audrey was still thinking over the incident after school while she was at her shoe locker.

"Ah, welcome.", she started as an adult male customer entered the shop dressed in a suit and tie. Once he had gathered all that he needed to she then priced each of his items and carefully bagged everything, leaving her eyes to lower down upon the counter as she handed him his bags. The male's gaze dragged along her facial features some while watching Audrey before he decided to exit the store, but Audrey hadn't noticed at all.

Ichigo quickly heaved his body from a nearby wall he was leaning upon once he caught sight of Audrey steadily walking past him. Striding to walk along side of her Ichigo then greeted kindly, "Good morning Audrey." She then quickly stated, "Don't call me by my first name. And please don't follow me."

"I'm not following you, I'm simply coincidentally heading in the same direction as you.", Ichigo responded and he continued, "Are you going to eat lunch alone?" "Probably, why?", she questioned instantly without raising her head.

"Well I usually eat lunch alone or with Trent," Before Ichigo could continue she quickly turned her head to him and stated, "If he'll be with you, then please do not bother.", her blue eyes filled with anger. Turning to gaze ahead of herself now Ichigo then waved his hand before him.

"Naw, I won't be eating lunch with him. I mean just me and you. That's alright, right?" Audrey then hauled to a stop as she slowly turned to raise her eyes up towards Ichigo's face. She then responded quietly, "But don't you have friends? Can't you eat lunch with them?" Listening respectively, he then lowered his hazel hues as a wide smile came across his face with his response.

"Well can't I make more? What do ya' say, being friends with me?" Slipping his hands into his pockets he gazed down at the other that seemed to gaze up at him quietly. She then quietly muttered without removing her eyes from the other, "I don't have any friends…for a reason. People betray each other all the time and at school it's just a bunch of idiots who need someone to bully. I don't want to hang out with those kinds of people." She continued. "So I don't need friends."

She then turned from facing the male to slowly make her way back down the hall. Ichigo then started walking as well to stride alongside her once more. He then furrowed his brow some and responded, "You can't say that everyone is like that?" She then stated with a small smile, "Yes, everyone is like that." Thinking back on her childhood she then thought to herself, They call themselves your 'friends' when it suits them but they all leave once they've moved on to better things.

Exhaling in defeat, Ichigo slipped out a small piece of paper and a pencil from his pocket and began scribbling down something, he then handed it to Audrey. "Use it, when you feel like you need a 'friend'." Smiling somewhat, he then turned to head down the opposite direction of the hallway.

Stopping to lean upon a window within the hallway Audrey then raised the piece of paper to her face and analyzed the male's name that was written above his cell phone number. "Ichigo…Kurosaki.", she read aloud silently as she raised the piece of paper to touch her lips. He gave me his mobile number…But it's not like I'm going to call him., she stated protesting the thought of calling him and slipped the piece of paper into her skirt pocket.

It's so cold…The nights still get chilly…,Audrey thought to herself as she steadily made her way down the sidewalk. It was dark outside now because Audrey was just getting off of work to head home. Since her part-time job lasted till 9:00 p.m. she was often times walking home at night unless she got to leave early.

Behind her Audrey could hear the sound of crunching beneath someone else's feet, leaving her to curiously glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened then when she witnessed a wicked grin upon the face of a man that wore a suit and tie. He looks suspicious. Audrey hastily dashed into a nearby convenience store and noticed from the stores glass window that the man appeared to still be following her.

Watching as he glanced at her from outside the store she then fumbled within the pockets of her skirt and pulled out her cellphone where she began dialing her house phone hoping that either of her parents would answer. That guy…is a regular at the shop right…? I can't go home…My parents won't answer…., she thought to herself as she ended the call once the voice mail picked up. Because it'd definitely be a bad idea to go outside now…What should I do?

Audrey then shifted her hand into the pocket of skirt and rustled with a folded slip of paper and stared at it questionably as she tried to think over what was on that slip before she unfolded it.

Orihime had asked that Ichigo tag along with her to enjoy a night of karaoke and Trent along with some others had decided to tag along as well.

Ichigo's phone buzzing him, he took it out to carefully analyze the unfamiliar number that was dialing him. Who's this? I don't recognize this number…, he thought to himself as he answered the phone. "Hello?" Audrey's voice could be heard responding back, "Hello, It's Laurel. Uh…Um…I need a friend." Please help me…

After explaining her whereabouts twenty minutes had passed and Ichigo had showed up at the convenience store. "Audrey!" She raised her head to the call of her name from the entrance of the store, it was Ichigo. Staring now at her awed expression, he then continued worriedly, "What happened?" She then started, "Uh…the man who is outside…is a regular at my job…and today he kind of followed me…"

"What?!", Ichigo gasped with shock before Audrey continued. "It's been like this for over twenty minutes…I can't go out…" Ichigo then raised his hand from his side to scratch his head some and stated, "Then you're obviously being stalked." His facial expression becoming stern Ichigo then turned to look towards the glass window and noticed a man standing outside the store nearby. "I get it. Alright.", Ichigo muttered as he walked closer towards Audrey and lightly extended his arm around her backside to drape his hand over shoulder, pulling her in a bit closer.

"Wai…", Audrey started as she widened her eyes with shock and frowned a bit but Ichigo had already lead them from outside of the store. He watched carefully as he noticed the sudden movement of the stalking man once he witnessed Audrey exiting the store with him. Ichigo then started a statement.

"Audrey."

"What?", she questioned while raising her head to curiously glance up at Ichigo while she furrowed her brow with a light scowl.

"I love you." A smile rising from his lips, Audrey simply scowled out of disapproval as she muttered a few words of confusion. "…What?" But Ichigo hadn't given her much time to think over what he was spouting out before he leaned close towards her and paused just an inch away from her lips so that he would appear to be kissing her. Lowering his eyes slowly, he took notice to Audrey's sudden gasping and shoving due to their closeness but quickly clenched her hand to stop her movement.

Ichigo's hazel hues then raised themselves to the man that appeared behind them where he glared lightly at him. Scowling some, the man then walked away as he cursed beneath his breath and a draw of silence exceeded both Ichigo and Audrey while they remained close. He then stepped back from the other and murmured, "…He went…it seems…", responding about the man from earlier leaving just a moment ago. Ichigo's eyes then widened as he analyzed the other that stood idly before him, her cheeks flushed suddenly. "Audrey…why are you blushing?", he questioned. "That…you understand right? I did it to get rid of the stalker…" Audrey quickly cut him off yelling, "I know! I get it!", as she extended both of her hands out in front of her to push Ichigo's curious face away from her own.

Her hands lowering now from his face she then turned her head quickly to avert her eyes and listened as he quietly spoke, "Um…that would have been your first…kiss…?" Taking her silence as a 'yes', he then quickly motioned to apologize. "I see, um, I'm sorry…I…..", but was quickly interrupted by the other. "It's okay! You don't have to apologize! It was a plan to help me right? Then it's ok!" Although Ichigo had debated once more that maybe he had decided upon something a bit too rash, Audrey immediately shot the thought down.

Brining his eyes to glance down upon the anxious female he lightly stated, "…But anyway, that obliviousness of yours isn't good Audrey."

"But nothing like that has ever happened to me."

He then responded, "Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it never will happen. You're a girl…so it's bound to happen eventually." Audrey frowned as she kept her head turned away from the other but soon turned it some as she looked down upon the ground. "Honestly," she started. "I didn't think you'd come….Who'd think you'd come just because someone like me said so…" His expression becoming stern with Audrey's words, he then questioned, "Why? Is there a reason for me not to come? You haven't done anything bad? I can't recall that you've done anything to me though."

Watching her bashful expression that put up a stern exterior Ichigo then smiled softly as he continued speaking with the other. "And I was happy you called me. Was I…of any help to you?" Audrey's blue eye's widened with shock as she raised her head to look up at the male that showed her a wide grin. "Or maybe, you didn't need me?", he started. But she quickly responded flailing her hands in front of her. "No, that's not…Th…This time…I needed you."

His sudden eruption of laughter caught her off guard, leaving her a bit stunned as her cheeks grew flushed once more but this time with embarrassment. He then repeated her words while laughing still, "'This time'."

Ichigo then pulled out his cellphone and smiled as he began speaking to the other. "Alright, If I also need anything, can I call you; as a friend?" He then raised his phone towards her to show the call register of when Audrey called earlier while in the store, there also showed her number. Her eyes widening suddenly she then exhaled lightly and turned her head while stating with defeat, "….Su…sure."

I was stopped by a guy with an odd hair color that criticized the outlook I had on people, and then eventually said he wanted to be friends with me and gave me his mobile number to use for whenever I needed a 'friend'. Moreover, some of his friends are some of the people who usually harass me. I honestly don't know if it's a good thing for me to become involved with him from now on, but, Audrey thought to herself as she stared up at Ichigo whom was munching on a bean paste bun as they walked aside one another. This person helped me.

Lowering his gaze to look down upon Audrey's curious expression, he then tore off a half of the bun that was untouched and handed it over to her. "Here, have some. You must be a little hungry since it is getting late now.", he said as he brushed his mouth with the back of his other hand. At first Audrey simply stared down at the broken half of the bun that sat within the large palm of the males but soon softened her gaze as she felt the warm heat radiating from its soft dough before muttering to him something. "Ah…I'll pay you half later.", and lightly raised the bun from his hand to take a small bite of it.

Maybe…I should try to trust him a little.

"I've already received compensation.", he stated referring to Audrey's beckon of help from the other. Audrey's head then quickly darted up to look at the other as her face ran flushed once again and she pouted.