Hey Everyone! I'm trying to broadening my horizons and am doing this. One of my friends recommended Free! and now I'm hooked. So I decided to write this with an OC I came up with the other day. Feel free to critique as hard as you want. Just as long as you critique! lol. Anyway I'm blabbing so time to get on with the story already!

"Marina!" I whined as she pulled me to the registration desk in Iwatobi High School, "Shh!" she scolded as she gathered the required papers for my registration. I sat down in one of the chairs in the office, defeated. I had known that busty blonde my whole life, and when she set her mind to something she was going to get her way. Still I tried, "Come on I only need one more year. You can just home school me." Marina just shook her head at me, "Nope I've only been out of school one year, and you owe me already for training you. So this is how you're doing it. Now what's your shoe size?" I sighed I guess I do owe her. "7." I said as I let my gaze wander around the room. Plain cream walls decorated with oak bookshelves and the room had the occasional window, but that was about it. What the room lacked in décor it sure did make up for it in noise. The floor was practically covered with desks. And behind every one was a secretary. They were all bustling around, shuffling papers, or talking to each other and some students. Marina was still asking me questions seriously what kind of school needs to know what size shoe I wore? I was answering but I wasn't really listening to what she was asking. I was watching a group of 4 boys and a girl talking to one of the secretaries in a corner. I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying but if I was any judge of body language (which I was) it looked like they were begging for something. "Akemi!" I turned away from the scene to look at my best friend. "What?" I asked as I took in her frustrated face. She humped "Have you been listening to anything I've been saying at all?" I blinked "Oh, of course, you were asking me my shoe size." She scowled "Ok, fine I may have zoned out there a little. What were you saying?"

"I was asking you to sign the agreement that you have read all the rules and then turn this in." I sighed and signed my name on the dotted line. "Where do I turn this in?" I asked a passing secretary while I hauled myself out of the chair I was in. The said woman looked at me a moment then pointed to the group in the corner before scurrying off again. I walked over and waited a little way away from the desk, leaning against the wall. My phone dinged. It was Marina. "You should get a tour, a chance to join any clubs, and then you start in a week!" I frowned at the line of smileys that followed the message. "At least someone is happy." I could feel someone looking at me and glanced up. "Crap" I thought. They were looking at me, the group of boys with their lone girl, I pushed off from the wall and walked over. "I was told that I had to give these to you." I said as I held out the registration forms to the lady behind the desk. She looked a little startled as she accepted them and began to shuffle through. "Well it looks like everything is in order, all we have to do is find someone who can give you a quick tour of the place." I shook my head just as a new voice said, "We can show her around Miho-senpai" Miho brightened, "Are you sure?" she asked, "Sure thing we don't have anything planned for this afternoon do we guys?" I turned around, adamant, "No that won't be necessary. I can explore on my own. Besides I'm sure you all have better things to do with your afternoon." I strode out, effectively cutting off their protests.

I walked around the campus making note of all the different classrooms and how to get to each one. I didn't know what classes I would have so I just memorized them all. I took great pains to avoid the outdoor pool. I hate water. As I made one last lap of the campus, I noticed a shadow following me. I made a sharp turn and quickly stepped into the shadows. A tall, male in the school's uniform turned the corner. He looked around and his gaze grazed mine. They were a cold shade of teal, and from my angle it looked like he was trying to freeze me just using his gaze alone. Thankfully he didn't seem to notice me, as hidden as I was, but the look in his eye was enough to give me chills. And coming from where I did that in of itself was a feat. I would have to keep an eye out for this guy.

After a while I moved out from the shadows and headed back home. I had told Marina that I'd call her when I was ready to go home, but after all the information that I had just processed, plus stalker man from the campus, I didn't think I could handle her right now. So I walked the 4.8 miles to my house from the school. I used to be in track back at home so it really wasn't a big deal for me. I just walked and lost myself in my thoughts.

*FLASHBACK*

"LONG DISTANCE 5,000 METER SPRINTERS TO THE START!" I stood, "Coach!" I called "I'm going in!" Coach Harold come over and walked with me."Be careful out there Akemi, these guys run brutal and are not afraid to run your scrawny little butt over if you fall." I halfway smiled Coach always insulted me before a big race, I didn't know if he thought he was giving me motivation or what but I didn't bother trying to break his habit. That was just what Coach did. "Yes sir" I said as I handed him my water bottle. "I mean it Akemi. Be careful." I smirked "Yeah I got it Coach!" I took my place before he could say anything else. I exhaled and took in the track before me. 5,000 meters, 12 and a half laps. I inhaled, but was pulled out of my thoughts as a snotty voice came from next to me. "Get ready to be left in the dust!" I looked over, a long, lean, red headed, rich girl was in the lane next to me. I didn't even justify her remark with one of my own, she wasn't worth it. Before she could pop off with something else the starting gunshot went off. We all took off, I lost myself in the rhythm of running, the feeling of the wind on my legs, the burn of my muscles, and then I saw it. Red's pink clad foot, swinging out to trip me. I tried to dodge but that would mean swerving into another lane and getting disqualified. So I moved as far away from her as I could get. It wasn't enough. Her foot caught the back of mine and I went down. Hard. I landed on my knees but instantly tried to roll onto my side, I felt layer after layer of skin being peeling off my right shin. After I came to a stop I laid there on the track watching Red pull away. Coach's words came back to me "They are not afraid to run your scrawny butt over if you fall." I could hear someone calling for the paramedics and them running over. I shook myself, we couldn't lose this race. If I lost this my team lost the title. That wasn't going to happen. I pulled myself onto my feet, I was a half lap behind now. I began running, it was a slow kind of fast limp but after a while I could block out the pain that was racing up my leg. "I DON'T BELIEVE IT FOLKS! NUMBER 6 IS GETTING UP! SHE IS FINISHING THIS RACE!" I started gathering speed I was pulling ahead of the front runner. I was doing it. I ran as hard as I could. It felt like my leg was lit on fire, but I blocked it out and kept running. I passed Red and all the others who were slowing down to watch me. Red was the first to notice that I was pulling away, she screamed something to the others and they all snapped out of it. I was kind of going into a daze now, I could no longer feel my right leg. I just ran. After what seemed like an eternity the announcer called "LAST STRETCH OF THE RACE! FIRST TO MAKE IT HALF WAY ROUND IS BRINGING HOME THE TITLE! I could see Coach ahead of me waving me on. I gave my last push, collapsed over the finish line. And immediately lost consciousness.

*End of Flashback*

The scar from that day twinges slightly, as I pulled myself from my thoughts. I was entering town now so I tripped into a run, to avoid anyone trying to talk to me. At least that was the plan. I turned a corner and collided with something, make that someone. I had fallen backwards and was now laying on my back propped up on one elbow. I looked up at the person I had ran into, he was tall with olive brown hair, solidly built, and was looking really rather startled that he had knocked me down. I scowled as I stood up, ignoring his outstretched hand. "I'm so sorry!" He said worriedly, "I didn't see you! Are you ok?" I brushed myself off and faced him. "I'm fine." I took two steps past him.

"Are you sure? You took a pretty good fall right there!"

"I'm fine." Another two steps

"Do you need me to make sure you get home ok?"

"No, I'm fine." One step this time

"Then do you need me to…" the boy started I huffed and wheeled around to face him again. "What is your name?" I asked fed up with him. "Uh, Makoto." He said confused at where I was going with this. "Well, Makoto, as much as I appreciate you trying to help, I don't need it. I am fine, and can get to where I'm going all by myself thank you." I spun on my heel and stalked away. For a moment I had thought he had given up, then I heard his footfalls. "Well if you don't mind miss, I was headed back this way anyway so I'd thought I could accompany you for a while." I sighed "I'm never going to get rid of this guy, am I?" I thought to myself. "Whatever, I will be headed out of town soon anyway." I said as we fell in step. I debated taking off running, I knew he wouldn't be able to keep up, but that would be rude and I had just met this guy. He hasn't done anything other than run into me on an off day. We walked in silence for a while until he spoke up. "I'm sorry, Miss but I feel like I've seen you before somewhere. Have we met before?" I sighed and faced him again. "I don't believe we have been formally introduced but I do recall seeing you at the school a few hours ago. It was true I was fairly certain that the boy before me was with the group the was begging the secretary. Makoto snapped his fingers, "That's right you're the girl that didn't want a tour from us." I nodded and took a quick right, headed for the lesser developed side of town. To my surprise Makoto followed me. "You know you don't have to follow me home right?" I asked. "I know." He answered breezily "My swim team is meeting over at ITSC RETURNS." I thought for a moment. "Who knew? That is within walking distance of the spa I work at." I said half to myself. Makoto frowned "I didn't know there was a spa?" I looked up and allowed myself a small smile, "Yeah we're pretty new, but we like it here." I told him thinking fondly of Marina. "You said 'we'" Makoto said, "Who else works there?"

"Oh, it is just me, Marina, and Honey." Makoto nodded. After a minute I face palmed at my own stupidity. "I'm sorry all those names probably mean nothing to you do they?" I asked as we approached a building. Makoto chucked good naturedly, "It's ok. Happens to me a lot." I was going to ask what he meant by that but he abruptly, turned, "Well this is my stop." I glanced up at the building to my left. Even without all the sea creature on the walls, I could totally imagine this place being an indoor pool. Realizing that we were splitting I struggled for something to say, "So…. I'll see you again tomorrow?" I asked awkwardly. Makoto's face lit up, "Sure thing! Do you want to meet up somewhere?" I thought for a moment, then brightened, "You know where that nice old lady lives?" I asked, hopeful. "Oh! You mean Mrs. Tamura's place!" I sighed happy that he understood. "My friend Haru lives close to her place!" Makoto said excitedly as he started to walk away, towards ITSC RETURNS. "MAKOTO!" Someone called out "HURRY UP!" I smiled, "Looks like you better go." Makoto grinned sheepishly, "Yeah…." We stood there awkwardly for a moment "MAKOTO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET IN HERE!" I chuckled "Go on, I'll see you tomorrow." I started down the street again "Ok! See you tomorrow!" He called back over his shoulder. It was only that I couldn't hear his footsteps any longer did I realize how lonely I was.

There! Done! Please tell me what you thought. This is a new anime for me and the first time I've used an OC. So any criticism is appreciated. Also I'm sorry if Makoto is a little OOC.

~Fairy