Chapter 1: Sweet Memories

A crystalline drop hit the wall and trickled slothful. Nyuu was hearing every drip of rain as it hit the wall while she was watching from the window of the opposite building. With the window half-open, the rain's noise penetrated the little room, and the loud but rare thunders flood the room in a spooky light.

"Why is he taking so long?" Whispered Nyuu anxious verifying her black watch with silver hands. Nyuu let out of her little chest an oblong sigh and closed her eyes to remember her sweet story,and yet with a bitter taste.

Flashback

Those undecided steps resounded in Nyuu's mind, mixing up her thoughts. Her heart was feeling heavier by the second. 'What am I going to do? The teacher is going to kill me!' Nyuu raised her head and stopped suddenly. She arrived in front of the school's front yard. She noticed the big iron gate and it's creak in the wind's movement gave her the shivers. The smiling students we're passing besides the 16 years old girl, but Nyuu was lost in her world. ' I'm the worst! How could I forget to do my homework...and the teacher warned us...'

"Nyuu! Shouted a red-headed girl running towards the entrance.

Nyuu woke up and turned towards her colleague. She had a puzzled look while the soft spring wind caressed her white face.

"Why did you freeze here?" said Coney.

"Coney..."Nyuu whispered in a shy voice.

Coney was standing in front of her friend, waiting the full sentence.

"I did it again!" burst out Nyuu, with small crystals in the corner of her amber eyes.

Coney sighed moving her head in disapproval.

"I could have sworn that you will not do your homework...again! What's in that small head of your? Really, Nyuu!" Coney shouted angry.

"I know I'm terrible."

"YOU really are!" Coney scolded her, then started heading for the entrance. She made a few more steps, and then turned around on her tiptoes surprised. "Why are you standing there? Aren't you going to copy from mine?"

Nyuu smiled grateful and sprinted towards Coney, the pink kitten hanging from one of hers schoolbag's zipper clanging noisily.

"I promise I'll straighten up, Coney!" said Nyuu still smiling.

"How many times have I heard that before?" sighed Coney passing through the high school's front door.

"I mean it!" laughed Nyuu while climbing the steps towards her classroom. Her sentence of humiliation was post-pond.

Decoding the hieroglyphs in Coney's notebook while sitting at her desk, Nyuu couldn't stop smiling. She knew she was in very much dept to Coney, but she always paid her back with her unconditional love and gratitude.

"Write faster and wipe out that grin off your face!" shouted Coney comfortably sated in her desk, right to Nyuu.

Nyuu became serious and increased her writing rhythm.

A tall boy walked alongside Nyuu and noticed her activity.

"You're cheating again, you incredibly lazy girl!"

"Shawn, leave her alone if you don't want to get hurt!" shouted Coney angry.

"Why do you let her? Shouldn't she learn a lesson? Stop saving her lazy ass!" shouted back the black haired boy, staring severe at Nyuu.

"It's none of your damn concern what I'm doing! Go back to your desk and stop annoying me."

Shawn sniffed and left, heading towards the back of the class, back to his gang.

"Thank you, Coney" whispered relieved Nyuu.

"You're welcome" Coney responded pleased. "Are you taking a break?"

"No!" shouted Nyuu and immediately resumed her activity.

End of flashback

Nyuu smiled opening her eyes and inhaling the cold air.

"Those were some good times but they went by too soon" whispered Nyuu playing with her brown locks, but some heavy noises startled her. It sounded like footsteps and they were getting closer and closer while the girl's heart was beating faster. Finally the footsteps ended and the metallic door opened. Behind it a pair of blue eyes appeared, as dark as the sky from outside.

"Shawn..."

"Sorry for being late, the rain caught me and I couldn't find a cab." a deep voice came out of the nicely outlined mouth.

"No problem, I just got worried" said Nyuu moving away from the window. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little wet" Shawn smiled and draw nearer.

Nyuu felt Shawn's eyes examining her and she immediately blushed, making Shawn laugh.

"Boy, does this bring back memories!" he shouted continuing to laugh.

Flashback

A well-rounded teacher entered the classroom, her high-heeled shoes hitting the floor ceasing the students chatter. The brown eyes behind the golden glasses were peering suspicious at the quiet adolescents.

"Good morning students!" she shouted smiling leaning against her desk and placing a bowl with ripped pieces of paper in it.

"Good morning teacher!" the students responded loudly and the chatter recommenced.

"As I informed you last time, today we will be starting the circulatory system. I assume everyone noticed the jar on each desk?"

A few heads nodded.

"There is a heart in each one of them. Now I want you to group in pairs of two and put down every detail you notice and try to figure out it's purpose. We will study like this in groups until the end of the semester." The teacher shouted, trying to make sure that everyone was paying attention.

In the biology laboratory, the desks were designed for 2 people, so everybody turned to their colleague and tried to convince he or she with a beseeching look to open the jar.

"Wait a minute! I don't want you grouped as you are now, that way I'll have nothing done. Because you are of equal number, everybody sitting on the left, please come here and pull out a piece of paper. Whoever's name is written on it, he or she will be your partner and you will go to her or his desk. Understood?"

Some students responded with a disappointed face. The one which was the most was Nyuu.

"I really wanted to stay with you. Who knows with who I'll end up with?" cried Nyuu to Coney.

"Don't worry, if you end with a trouble maker, I'll make sure he behaves." Said Coney confident.

Nyuu smiled and bashful raised from her desk.

Behind a blonde girl, Nyuu was waiting for her turn. A few seconds later she arrived in front of the transparent bowl, but every piece of paper was carefully wrapped up, so she couldn't figure out any name. A boy behind her shouted to hurry up, so Nyuu stretched her arm and sank deep in the bowl then caught a small piece. She moved away from the teacher's desk and looking towards Coney, who was already seated with the blonde girl that had been in front of her, she read the piece of paper.

"Oh no, Shawn!" Nyuu cried aback in an unpleasant way.

"Don't tell me I ended up with you!" Shawn shouted seeing Nyuu next to him.

Nyuu nodded disappointed.

"I guess it can't be helped... Take a seat already."

Nyuu seated quietly and gazed at the small jar in front of her.

"I'll open it, who knows what mischief you'll do with it." Shawn whispered and took hold of the jar quickly. "Of all the bad luck in the world..."

"I'm sorry for becoming your partner, it wasn't something I wished for either. You don't have to be so mean with me. I've had enough already!" Nyuu shouted.

Shawn was taken by surprise by Nyuu's reaction. But slowly, his mouth formed a gentle smile.

"It seems all that time with Coney paid off. You finally caught a bit of guts."

Nyuu smiled uneasy.

"I know you disapprove of me cheating and always comment on my actions, but sometimes it's too much, and you have no right to judge me. I'm trying really hard you know!"

The teacher made a loud "ssst!" noise, gazing toward Nyuu and Shawn. The two of them shut their mouths and pretended to study the disgusting organ between them.

"That's just the thing that pisses me off..."Shawn whispered keeping his head down. "You're not trying the best you can."

Nyuu looked puzzled, not knowing how to take that remark.

"You always give those smart answers in class and everybody knows there is some brain in that head of yours, but you never use it. You're always absent-minded. It annoys me. I guess I have been a little too rough with you, and I'm sorry for that."

Nyuu blushed heavily, and looked away.

"I would have never guessed you think like that. I assumed you just loved picking on me."

Shawn looked surprised.

"Geez thanks. Lovely impression you have of me I guess."

"Well it's your fault." Nyuu giggled feeling more relaxed. "I know I live in the clouds a bit too much, but I never thought someone would care, except for Coney. It really is a surprise."

Shawn felt uneasy. "Well...don't take it like that."

"Well it was a sweet thing you said after all." Nyuu responded smiling.

Shawn sniffed and focused his attention on the assignment.

"I'll try harder. Thanks for thinking like that about me."

Shawn ignored her line, but after the bell rang , he passed besides her and whispered "you're welcome".

End of flashback

Shawn smiled. "That was the first time I ever blushed." The boy laughed.

Nyuu smiled a but uneasy. "Please don't forget why we met here."

"Right, sorry." Shawn said and sat on the clean floor, making a sign to Nyuu to sit next to him. "Well, let's make out a plan!"