"NYAAAAA!"
Ichigo ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mother was eating breakfast with her father. Her alarm clock didn't sound this morning and she woke up with ten minutes to get to school.
"I'm late, Nya!" She cried as she stuffed some toast into her mouth and ran out the front door.
"Oh, Shintaro, our little girl is so lively this morning!"
"She has your wonderful spirit, Sakura!"
"Oh Honey!" This ensued a kissing/cuddle fest for five minutes until Shintaro realized that he had to go to work. "Have a wonderful day, Dear!"
Ichigo ran at top speed down the sidewalk, dodging people and animals alike. Her friends Miwa and Moe had called her to question her whereabouts seeing as how the bell would ring soon.
'Why me, Nya?' She cried in her head as the school's gate came into view. The gatekeeper was just now closing it so the late students would get detention. 'No! I already have to deal with work after this! I don't need a detention to add to Shirogane's nagging!' Narrowing her chocolate eyes in determination, she sped up and pushed with all her might against the ground when the gate was a few meters away. Her cat-like abilities gave her the right weightlessness and agility to flip over the closed gate and near the front door.
"Yes!" Ichigo yelled as she landed a perfect 10, if someone was scoring at least. "Now on to class!"
"I don't think so young lady." A stern voice said from behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she found the principle glaring at her fro behind his glasses. Giving a small nervous laugh, she sighed and walked into his office, resigned to her fate.
"Ichigo! Where have you been?" Moe asked as she trudged into the classroom in time for her second class of the day. "You said you were almost here!"
"I was, but the principle caught me at the front door." Tears were leaking from her eyes as she thought of the scolding she got from him. "I have a weeks worth of detentions for jumping the gate."
"Ouch, sucks to be you right now." Miwa commented, "If only you had set your alarm like your supposed to."
"That's just it, Miwa, I DID set my alarm last night." Ichigo complained, "It's part of my nightly routine and I would never forget it!"
"Maybe a ghost cut it off." Moe said with a creepy grin, knowing it would scare her friend.
"Please don't say that," Ichigo moaned, "You know I hate them and I really don't want to be scared of my own room." Just then the Math teacher came in to start the class. Moe and Miwa went back to their seats beside and behind her.
School and her detention passed quickly for her, but not for her boss. By the time she was let out she had 15 texts and 6 missed calls from work at the cafe. Most of them were from Mint and Lettuce asking where she was; one voicemail was from the demon boss himself.
"Nyaaaa~ Why does this always happen to me?" she groaned as she walked up to the cafe. "I'm gonna get another decrease in my check, I just know it."
"Ichigo-Onee-Chan!" Purin yelled out as she walked in through the backdoor. "You're finally here! Na No Da!" Ichigo smiled and gave a hug to the cheerful little girl, Purin always knew how to lift her spirit.
"About time you showed up," Mint said from her table, "The tables were getting over crowded with people and no one to take their orders."
"How about you get up and take them then, Mint." Mint just looked at her like she was stupid.
"How do you expect me to do that when I'm already busy testing the new tea we just got in?" Before Ichigo could snap back a reply Shirogane walked out from the hallway opening. He looked at Ichigo and sighed heavily.
"You know, I'm being to think that you like having a small paycheck."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo glared at him and dared him to speak to her in that tone again.
"I mean, that you're always showing up late, strawberry-head." Shirogane snapped before giving her a smirk. "Or maybe you just like staying late to clean."
"I had detention, thank-you-very-much! There's not much I can do about that!"
"What'd you do this time? Sleep talk in class again?"
"No, baka, I jumped the gate to not be late for school but the principle caught me in the act."
"So you're not just late for work, you're also late for school, huh." Shirogane looked to the side with an expression that said 'I-knew-it.'
"BAKA! I'm usually on time but my alarm didn't go off today! Now I have a whole week's worth of detentions!" Shirogane looked at her and shook his head in mock disappointment.
"I guess a week's worth of pay deductions will teach you a lesson then." Purin, who was watching them fight, noticed that Ichigo's face was getting redder and redder with each word Shirogane spoke. Slowly backing away, she ran for cover behind the safety of the kitchen door.
"How about I teach you a lesson, Shirogane Ryou!" Ichigo spat out to him as he walked away with a smug grin. "While I'll still be a Mew Mew, I quit being a waitress for this cafe! You treat me like a slave and pay me hardly anything! I do everything but bake around here while Mint drinks tea, Purin plays, and Lettuce breaks plates! I'm tired of not being appreciated for my hard work." Turning around, she ran out the entrance before Shirogane could muster up a reply to her out burst.
'Stupid Ryou! Stupid cafe!' She ran and ran until she came up the dead cherry tree I the middle of the park. "STUPID BLONDE HAIRED BASTARD!"
"Whoa, who got your tail in a bind, Kitty-cat?" Came a smug voice from above her head. Turning her head up, she saw the only person who would be brave enough to talk to her when she's this mad.
"Kisshu."