Summary: Kaoru, an irresponsible teenager, a "spur of the moment" risk taker, a forgetful student, has just been given a cell phone, but what happens next? She loses it and Kenshin happens to find it. AU, KK
Author's Note: Heh, it's around three o'clock here and I just can't go to sleep, so I guess I'll write something. I hope you enjoy this story even though it sounds extremely corny. EDIT I decided to add to this chapter because it was too short... Yeah...
Call Me? Chapter One
Kaoru gingerly fingered her new cell phone as she examined it from all possible angles. It was weird, it was wrong, it was awkward. Kaoru could go on all day complaining about how "funky" she felt having a cell phone. Kaoru brought irresponsibility to a whole new level. No one could match up to her in this certain "department." Kaoru then picked up her phone and continued to finger it, as if to make sure that it was real. She was uncomfortable with just holding her phone. Well, not exactly holding the phone. It was more of a pinch than a hold. She pinched the cell phone with her thumb and middle finger, as if afraid to touch it with more than just her fingertips.
"Kaoru, hurry up! You're going to be late for school!"
Kaoru sighed as she tossed the phone into her open backpack. She might as well just leave it in there since she had no intention of using it at all. Kaoru swung her bag onto her back and headed out the front door, but not before her father made sure she was ready for her first day of school.
"Geez, dad, I'm already seventeen years old. I know how to go to school now."
"I know, but I can't help but get a little paranoid. I mean, you're not exactly a cautious person." The elder Kamiya sighed as he gave his daughter a hug, "Have fun at school. Oh, and don't forget your cell phone."
Kaoru nodded absentmindedly as she gave her father a small smile. "See you when I get home, dad."
"Yeah, see you."
"Wow, Kaoru, I can't believe your dad actually gave you a cell phone!" Misao, the ever bubbly girl, exclaimed as they walked down the hallway to get to class. "I would never have expected it! I mean, you practically lose everything!"
"I don't lose everything," Kaoru defended as she pulled out the sleek flip phone, "I just simply 'misplace' them."
"It's such a nice phone, though. It's got a camera and internet…" Misao took the phone from Kaoru and examined it, "I really like your phone, Kaoru. I really, really like it." Misao grinned a little before handing it back to the taller girl. "Well, anyway, Megumi and Tae are inviting us to an after school get together at the Akabeko. Want to go?"
Kaoru thought a while, "Sure, why not? It'll be fun."
The duo entered the classroom, side by side, only parting to take their seats on separate parts of the room. The teacher had to separate them last year because of all the trouble the two were causing together. Kaoru and Misao, although very bright students, were the laziest pair of mischievous pranksters in the whole grade, with the exceptions of Sanosuke, Soujiro, and Okita.
It always seemed to be the dynamic (female) duo against the terrible (male) trio. What was even more unpleasant was the fact that these five students happened to be in the same class, but everyone knows full and well Seijuro Hiko was more than capable of handling such delinquents. Hiko-sensei was one of the more… unusual teachers at Sugisaki High, the others being Saito Hajime and Shishio Makoto.
"Hey, did you hear?"
Kaoru overheard as she settled into her seat next to the window.
"Hear what?"
"About the new student?"
"There's a new student?"
"Yeah, rumor has it that it's a girl, a really smart girl. I heard she passed the entrance exam with a nearly perfect score."
"You're kidding, that entrance exam nearly killed me."
"Well, that's just what I heard."
"Hey, is there anything on how this girl looks?"
Kaoru slowly tuned out their voices as they went on to discuss on their hopes, likes, and dislikes. Bits and pieces, however, broke through. Things like "red head" and "amber eyes." Those were really abnormal physical traits in Japanese women; Kaoru began to wonder if the new student was American.
"Well, class, before we start with the role, there is a new student here. I'm sure you've heard the rumors about his arrival." Hiko chuckled to himself when he saw the crestfallen faces on his male students, knowing for a fact that they believed the new student was a girl. "This is Kenshin Himura."
A short figure entered the room. His long red hair was held in a ponytail at the base of his neck. The rumors were true; he had red hair and amber eyes.
"Wow," Kaoru mumbled to herself, "He must be American, maybe European…" Sanosuke, the tall spiky haired boy in front of her, giggled slightly at Kaoru's random wonderment.
"Actually, I'm Japanese."
Kaoru blushed brightly as she realized that she said her thoughts aloud, a little too loud. "I'm sorry…"
"It's okay." He interrupted before taking his seat in the back corner of the room.
Kaoru frowned, that was kind of rude.
The classes were too long and too boring for Kaoru's tastes. She soon found herself staring right out the window at nothing in particular. Actually, she was staring so hard and long that all she saw was a big blue blur. Class after class, teacher after teacher passing through their room, and finally lunch arrived. Kaoru and Misao, followed by their rivals, were practically the first ones out of the door.
"Hey, what do you think about the new guy?"
Kaoru looked down at Misao as she tried to come up with an answer, "I don't know…"
"He seems nice, but too cheerful for my tastes."
Kaoru sighed. She knew all about Misao's "tastes." She liked the strong, silent, mysterious, and intellectual types, namely Aoshi Shinormori. Although Misao is concerned a full blown tomboy, near her "Aoshi-sama" she became as giggly as any flirty and bubbly girl. That's just the way Misao worked. She wasn't one to go outright and say her feelings, but she did express them in more ways than one.
Kaoru sighed once again. Even though Kenshin seemed nice and cheerful to everyone else, Kaoru felt as though there was something deeper, more aggressive within Kenshin's eyes that caused chills to run and down her spine as she toyed with the idea that he could see her very soul through those haunting amber eyes. Trying to shake these childish ideas away, Kaoru smiled as it was finally their turn in the lunch line.
"Megumi says that she likes Kenshin. She said that he's very polite and intelligent, the 'perfect' boyfriend for the 'perfect' woman, or so she likes to think of herself." Both Kaoru and Misao chuckled slightly, picturing Megumi and Kenshin together. Although Kenshin was definitely taller than either of the two, it was quite obvious that Megumi was taller than Kenshin. It would be weird, or so Kaoru and Misao thought. A guy who was almost a head shorter than his girlfriend?
"What are you two troublemakers laughing about?"
"Oh, Megumi, we were just thinking about you…"
Megumi's eyes narrowed as she surveyed both of her friends, knowing that there was definitely something wrong with these two (seemingly) innocent faces.
"Anyway, are you guys up for the Akabeko later?"
The two tricksters nodded their heads as they smiled at Megumi, "But, of course you have to pay for your own meal." Megumi added hastily as she felt the question about to arise. With that, Megumi left the two, who had crestfallen looks pasted on their faces.
(EDIT)
"Can you believe her!" Misao fumed as their eyes followed Megumi.
"I thought for sure she was going to treat us!" Kaoru laughed as they stood in the line... "Wait a minute... it was our turn next..."
Kaoru frowned as she stared at the unfamiliar red head before her, Since when was he here? Kaoru tapped his shoulder, "Hey, no cutting in line..."
Kenshin turned to face her, regarded her for a moment before turning back in the line ready to pay for his selection.
What the hell! They were in line first! How dare he cut!
"Himura-san, I said no cutting in line."
"Well, too bad. I already paid." And with one last smug smile, Kenshin Himura, the newest student on campus, walked away.
"What!"
"Well, Kaoru, we weren't really paying attention... maybe he just got tired of waiting behind us."
"That's no excuse! He could have asked politely! Misao, revenge is in order! We must take revenge for this wrong committed against us!"
"Kaoru... this isn't the meji era anymore. There are no more samurais and such, so stop speaking as if it were!" Misao laughed as Kaoru made a face. "Plus, your making such a big fuss out of it. It's no big deal."
Kaoru pouted and paid for her food before following Misao to their usual table. Their usual table consisted of Megumi, Tae, Tsubame, Sanosuke, Soujiro, and Okita. It would seem strange that the three boys would sit at their table, especially because they are Misao and Kaoru's heated rivals, but the only reason they sat together was because it was... fun. Then, the same red head that insulted Kaoru caught her eyes because he was sitting in her seat!
"What are you doing here!" Kaoru practically screamed as she pointed at Kenshin.
"Well, Megumi-san invited me." He replied without looking at her.
"Yes," Megumi gushed as she wrapped an arm around Kenshin, "I even invited him to the Akabeko and he agreed to come, right Ken-san."
"Well, I refuse to sit here with him." Kaoru retorted while clutching her food tray a little harder than needed.
"Then sit somewhere else."
"But, that's my seat."
"You know Kaoru, your making this such a big deal. What did Ken-san ever do to you?" Megumi scolded as she took on her "mother-like" attitude. The others at the table just sat back and watched the "show" unfold before them. It was always fun sitting at this table.
"He... He cut me line!"
"Oh, your being so childish. Just sit down and ignore him." Megumi grinned slightly at her small victory. Normally when she said Kaoru was being childish that meant the arguement was over and Megumi was the victor. "I'm sorry for her rudeness, Ken-san, pay her no mind."
Kaoru rolled her eyes at her friend as she slammed down her tray and began eating.
The rest of the day passed so slowly and to Kaoru it seemed that everything and anything she did would end with her somehow getting stuck with Kenshin. She didn't know what it was about him that she found so annoying; she absolutely hated it. In science, they ended up science partners. In english, they had to share a book because he didn't recieve his books yet... You get the idea.
Finally, it was the last period of the class, History. History was Kaoru's favorite subject. She loved it. Although she was very lazy and sometimes refused to do the homework, she never forgot to do the reading assignments. She loved knowing what happened decades before, how society turned out the way it was, or how things were discovered.
"Pop quiz. Close all your books and take out a sheet of paper and a pencil."
What! Kaoru simply couldn't believe it, today was officially the worst day of her life. Kaoru sighed as she followed the teachers directions.
"This quiz will determine if you have or have not read the summer material. Okay, no talking until everyone has turned in the exam. This quiz consists of ten true and false and five short essays. You have thirty minutes, good luck."
Kaoru sighed once more as she looked down at the quiz, it was karma. She did something bad and now she was paying for it.
She read the summer reading, but she just did not want to take this quiz. Quizzes, tests, homework... Kaoru wanted none of that. It was just a waste of time, or so she thought. Sometimes Kaoru would actually do her homework and find it too easy, but too long.
"Your such a smart girl, but your laziness and irresponsiblity is hindering your abilities!" Kaoru had heard it many times before, especially from the principle of the school. Misao and she has been sent to the principles office so many times that she lost count, most of the time because of missing assignments or their latest prank. Misao was also a very intelligent girl and her responsibility level was a lot higher than Kaoru's, but she was just as lazy.
Yeah, it was true, "birds of a feather flock together."
Sighing once more, Kaoru proceeded to fill in the answers for her quiz.
Just a few more minutes before school lets out... I can't wait.
TBC
Yeah, I decided to add onto this chapter. I was unsatisfied with the way it had been so I made it a little longer. I'm currently writing the second chapter and I expect to post it within a month's time.
Review please.