Read this to the end okay? its a bit confusing but it'll all come out with up coming chapters
"Alice, go! I will follow you soon," said her father in a hurry as he pushed her luggage into the trunk of the yellow cab.
"But-" She started, he cut her off opening the door.
"Now, hurry, before they know your leaving." He said as he gently but forcefully pushed her in the cab. The estates gates behind them were ominous as the first light of the sun touched the intricate cast iron design.
"Dad!" she called but he had already slammed the door, condemning himself to the mercy of the head of the Ryde family. "DADDY!" she said frantically as she tried to get out of the car.
He hit the cabs roof and the driver peeled out, just as the gates opened and security stormed out and took him custody, looking after the cab with rueful faces.
"Nooo!!" she screamed, and then the cabby made a sharp turn throwing her into the door, knocking her out.
...
Alice POV
I looked down at the address again, just to make sure… yup this was the school… I am really nervous; I arrived in Japan three days ago, took an online high school exam and bought my uniform yesterday.
My name is Alice Ryde, I am a 17 years old and alone in a foreign place.
Oh. My. God. What was my father thinking?
I heard the teacher say something about a new student, oh, that must be my que… I opened the door and stepped in the class room.
"Ah, here she is now, class this is Alice Ryde, she just moved here from America. Make her feel welcome." I can feel myself getting paler and paler but I held my head up and I did my best to put on a smile. But its not like I couldn't hear the whispers and surprised gasps directed at me… "You can have a seat behind Kyo. The one with brilliant orange hair." She added. "Hey!" I heard a voice call.
"Thank you," I said quietly to the teacher then, faced the class and immediately finding the boy she called Kyo.
Oi, what hair he has! Dang! Not that I can talk…
I walked down the isle and seated my self behind orange boy who arched an eyebrow at my appearance. The student that was sitting next to him had brown hair and chocolate eyes, was smiling at me, I smiled back at her and she beamed.
It felt like forever until lunch came around. I was glad the day was half over but was so nervous about where to sit. I saw the class leaving to go out side, so I followed. Maybe I could find a nice tree or something to sit under.
There, a nice oak tree with nice shade, I waited for every one to sit so I wouldn't clam anyone's spot… you know how clicks can be about the new kid. At least that's how it is in America. Best not take any chance though.
Just as I sat down I heard a voice from behind me. "Um, excuse me..."
Shit, I sat in someone's spot after all. I turned to see who it was. She was from my class, yeah, the one with brown hair. "…Yes?"
She smiled broadly and introduced herself, "My name is Tohru Honda, I was wondering if you might wish to sit with my friends and me?" she smiled and it was so friendly that it was hard to deny her. Dang it.
"Alright…" I had to be careful… I was all alone here, so I had to be on my toes… 'Play it cool at school' and all that jazz.. I got up, and she beamed. I followed her a few feet until she stopped – dear lord – can you say 'popular'?? Just what I needed to complete my nerve wrecking day; embarrass myself in front of all these people!
She just smiled and pulled me by the hand closer. "let me introduce you all, guys this is Alice, Alice this is Arisa Uotani," the lifted her hand (full mouth) "Saki Hanajima," the black haired smiled softly, "Yuki Sohma," gray hair and cute he said hello politely, "Kyo Sohma," the orange haired boy that I sat behind in class nodded his head, he seemed like he had a temper, ah well… "Haru Sohma," oh more interesting hair, reminds me of a relative, that made me chuckle to myself and earned me a confused look from him and the gray haired boy. "And Momiji Sohma." Wow, all relatives.
"Hi," that was all I could manage? A simple 'hi'?
"Please sit with us!" Said Tohru, she practically dragged me down with her on the grass.
The Uotani chick swallowed the thing she was chewing, then asked me, "So where from America are you from?"
"I'm from Florida. Beaches and all that." I said, scooting away from the boys tenderly and with out anyone noticing.
"I hear it's humid during the summer," said raven (I can't remember her name. haniagee? No that's not it…) I noticed she had the same length skirt on as I did, medium.
"Ah, yes, really muggy and sometimes intolerable." I said, my answers sound bland really…
"What was your life like there?" this was Tohru again, strangely personal question…
"Well, it was pretty normal I suppose" aside from the larger out look… "Large annoying family, you know the works…" I found it hard to stop there, "my mother died when I was six, so I never really knew her," I heard Tohru say something like 'oh how terrible'. I kept on going. Was this something I needed to get off my chest? Why was I still talking? "my dad and I lived together till he sent me here… it was difficult to even move, but he said it was necessary for my well being, what ever that meant, apparently the head of our family was against our traveling…" when I said 'head of the family' the four boys heads turned in my direction. "Why?" asked the cow haired boy.
I shouldn't be talking about this… But I can't stop… I was mentally kicking myself. "Well, he wanted us to stay together, I suppose."
"Us?" this was the orange boy.
Stop taking about this Alice! Stop it!
"Yes, I was one of thirteen that he wanted by his side always. He was always a bit mental though, very possessive and…." I willed myself to stop. Strangely they were all silent. I said something wrong, I know I did. Crud. The atmosphere was tense I needed to get out of there. I stood up. "u-umm, please excuse me, I just remembered something I need to take care of." I left my lunch I lost my appetite due to over turned nerves. "Ah! Wai.."
I didn't turn around to answer Tohru; I just kept my stride towards the school. I have a good thirty min left before the bell, maybe I'd just read in the library or hide in the bathroom…
...
Uo was the first to speak, "Wow, she had nice hair, don't you think boys?"
"If you're referring to the color, then yes, other wise shut up Yankee." Kyo answered her then went back to his food, thinking about what Alice had just said…
"She seems really nice though!" Tohru interjected. Just a bit lonely but she doesn't know any one yet." Momiji nodded at her side.
Haru lay back on the grass looking up also in deep thought.
'Interesting, I have a few questions for Shigure when we get back home…' thought Yuki. The rest of the lunch hour was spent discussing how they would help her feel more comfortable in Japan, so they decided to follow her from school the next day, just to see where she lives and possibly make conversation.
...
The school day is finally I thought I might never end. Now I go to my lodgings. As you may have already surmised, I have not been in this country for very long, so how have I found a place to stay? Simple, it's called the Holiday Inn.
I have reservations for a week there while I scout out for an apartment and a job.
The walk was reasonable to the hotel, so I can't complain much, but the heat! I had to put my hair up on the way! My hair is pure white. Yes it's completely natural. I don't like putting up my hair because it's so damn long. It touches my hips and takes a while to braid. (Pony tails give me headaches.) I sighed almost depressed. I still hadn't heard from my dad either.
I reached the room, and shrugged off the uniform, put on some slacks and a tee shirt, did my home work and hit bed early.
Stupid jet-lag.
...
Tohru, Yuki and Kyo walked in the front door and found Shigure in the living room. They had been talking on the way home and were all interested in asking a few questions.
"Shigure, we have a question." Yuki said when he sat on the sofa, Tohru sat next to him and Kyo beside her. Shigure was taken aback. He couldn't remember the last time they had all sat down to ask him a question, in fact there was no last time.
"My, my, this must be serious! What brings all three of you to me all at once?" he asked teasingly. Tohru smiled being polite, but Yuki got straight to the point.
"Is it possible for there to be more than one set of cursed Zodiac families around the world?"
Shigure was shocked. "Ah, yes… um pray tell, what influenced this discussion?" he asked 'the other curses were to remain secrets, except to god and the two he chooses to tell.' The thought nervously putting out a forced smile.
"There is a new student at school, and she just seemed a little… odd." Kyo said. 'Like her white hair… and red eyes.'
"Well there are a lot of strange ones out there you know." He said 'there was no way a person from another zodiac could have been in touch with this one… I hope…'
"She seems really sweet, her name is Alice Ryde." Said Tohru in her new friend's defense.
Shigure was speechless. He got up quickly and ran for the phone, Kyo, Yuki and Tohru in tow.
"Hello, Hatori, we may have a bit of an issue…"
...
I can't fall asleep. Maybe if I read a book…
I got out of bed and went for my bag. I reached for my favorite book, A Great and Terrible Beauty. As I flipped through the pages, I noticed something fall out.
...
"What Shigure?"
"Remember the Rydes?" Shigure asked sensitively.
"…yes I remember." He remembered. There was one child who gave him a bit of trouble a few years ago.
"Remember that child?" he asked
"Do I ever, gave me hell about 10 years ago, you should recall that." He said, he sounded tired a bit and exasperated at the same time.
...
I reached for the piece of paper that fell from my book, it was a letter.
...
"…..she's back." Shigure said seriously. Yuki and Kyo exchanged confused glances, Tohrus eyes were fixed on Shigure.
Hatori was silent on the other end.
...
It was addressed to 'Sohma'. It was in my dads writing, I suppose I should give it to the
gray haired boy tomorrow.
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