Prologue

Tap, tap, tap. The sound echoed through Sayuki mind as she sat there. The beat of her pencil kept her entranced in her thoughts. Like usual, even though she had specifically left later, she was early for class once again. The same time every single day. It was like time stopped so she would get there at that time, like a curse. She hated the morning, she hated the long trip to school; in fact she hated the school. Every time she repeated this aloud, people would stare at her, their faces blank; afraid to say anything in fear she might break down if they said the wrong thing.

Make some friends; that's what the student councillor had told her from her elementary school. It sounded simple enough at the time for her; she had friends in her old school. No sweat at all for her. Talk to a few people, and join a clique. High school life was nothing but a simple detour before she got on with her life. She just wanted to have a simple life with friends to hang out with, nothing too extraordinary. Was that too much for a girl to ask for? She hadn't thought so then.

But as she sat there, the desks around her empty, she thought it may have been. She was a self-proclaimed loser. That's what she repeated to herself as she could hear the humming of voices and laughter outside her small bubble. They were a blur to her, not making sense to her. All she knew was they were happy, and she wanted to reach out and join in. She wanted to be a part of the laughter and joy. She didn't want to watch it so much that it hurt and so that eventually that hurt would numb her very soul at the thought of it. She wanted to be numb with blissful emotions, if even for only a little more of her life.

"...scared..." Sayuki jumped at the word, knocking the desk. The sound of her pen falling to the ground made her blink, and look down at it. She could feel the gaze of curious faces, stifled laughter in the air. She held her breath. She was scared, very scared. Scared of being forgotten, once she was gone, and even more so when she was still there. She was scared of being alone, of never having friends during her high school life. At that moment in her teen hood, she was scared of life itself and what it would and wouldn't bring her.

"It turns out he was too scared to show his face and get it broken..." Sayuki glanced up slightly, but quickly averted her eyes from the red haired girl who had spoken. She picked up her pencil, and like usual listened to the gossip that made her life somewhat liveable there. "He was sooo cool when he called him out to fight too... I was looking forward to it. It's too bad the wimp decided to flake out and hide away..." That love sick tone was definitely Karin.

"Shut up, he'll definitely show up later anyways. Just in time for class. We'll get him after that..." It was a boy's voice this time. As soon as those words were spoken it was official. It never mattered which one of them said it, but if they said it. It just meant another powerless target for the group of bullies in their class. It sickened Sayuki the way they picked someone and went after them. It only took one thing for them to go after someone. Accidently bump into them, get your ass kicked as a repayment from them. So much as disobey them, you may as well leave the school. There was no risk, because no matter what you were in danger.

Fortunately, for her, she had never been bothered by them. That was one good thing about being like a fly on the wall. Nobody noticed you, so how could they bully you, right? As long as she kept to herself there would be no problem. Anyone who was targeted was doomed, an outcast. It didn't sound much worse than her current social standing, but at least where she was, she wasn't ridiculed. That was something to be thankful for. Although, she couldn't help but wonder who it was this time. It was instinct for her to feel sympathy for whoever it was.

"What did they even do to deserve it this time?" Sayuki muttered to herself after sighing. There are many times you regret saying things, and you never know it at the time. Somehow, it affects your life deeply, drastically changes it. It's not until later that you know you should have done something differently. You never think of it that moment. It's always done too late to take back and in the end you have to live with it. Sayuki had this realization then.

"Did you say something?" Sayuki turned around where a few desks down Karin sat on the edge of the desk, her legs dangling down. Karin narrowed her eyes, not out of hate, but as though it was hard for her to see Sayuki. Sayuki frowned. She was invisible even to people who had glasses that were to improve their vision. She would have laughed, had it not been for the cold hard stare from the boy behind her. Sayuki gulped and shook her head.

"I didn't say a word. Sorry." Sayuki quickly stood up and grabbed her bag in a desperate motion. She quickly left the room, with laughter following behind her from them. She looked down in shame. They hadn't done anything to her, and she had wimped out. She was a complete, pathetic loser. She had thought the worst before anything could actually happen. She was too pessimistic for this.

Sayuki whipped around a corner, her bag clutched tightly to her chest like a shield. Her body collided with another in a quick, loud motion, before she fell hard on her ass. Only a gasp short of a shriek was let out as she fell. She sat there stiffly, her eyes squeezed tight, afraid to see who it was. Afraid to let the fear on her face be shown to another person. She felt an arm grab her though and roughly pull her up, making her flash open her eyes to see what was forcing her to get up. In front of her, stood a red haired boy, whose arm snapped back to his side like he had touched hot coal. She grabbed her arm and held it where he had, and stepped back.

"Watch where you're going..." The boy grumbled under his breath practically. Gaara, his name was Gaara. She was sure of it. She could recognize his rough, frightening tone of voice anywhere. His eyes, glaring down at her as though she was some kind of nuisance. She could feel herself shrinking under his cold gaze. "The classes are that way." Sayuki looked back, and shook her head violently.

"I can't go back there... I-" Sayuki was cut off by a short laugh of disgust from him. His fist was clenched at his side, while his right hand ran through the front of his hair, moving it from his face for a moment. She felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of his eyes. She reached for her throat in a dramatic move, and choked on any words she could have even though of saying. She realized she had dropped her bag when both her hands were empty. She bent down and began to scramble to pick her bag up along with a few belongings that had fallen out.

"You think you can't go back? Even the new pet is going back," The sound of his laughter this time, froze her in spot. It sent chills down her spine, her eyes widening. The new pet? Gaara was the target for her class, is that what he meant? She slowly looked up at him, his face was crazed looking, tortured. She gulped, and slowly stood. His eyes narrowed back to the strong, uncaring look once again. His lips curled into a mocking curve. "Run before they see you with me. You wouldn't want to be next because of this, would you?"

Sayuki could hear the hate in his voice, the judgement, the insult. She could even hear the deep pleading in what those words meant. She really could, which is what made it all the worse. She wasn't strong; she wasn't even sane at times. She gripped the bag, and like he had said, she ran. She ran as fast as her legs permitted her. She didn't look back, the guilt racing in her veins. She wasn't a hero; she couldn't help him like in the books. She was a lonely, weak, dreaming girl. She just wanted a normal safe life. She couldn't help him, she didn't want to. She was too selfish to worsen her own life.

"I'm so sorry..." The words slipped from her mouth like a secret she couldn't keep in any longer, as she pushed through the school's entrance doors. She truly meant it, but it wouldn't help.