Summary: Hiromi is lonely and stuck in a prep school, tormented by jocks and cheerleaders alike. Friendless, she lurks in the hallways like a lost ghost. Kai is one of jocks, in fact, the leader of the pack. One day, to prove the other jocks that he's the master hustler, he must make the biggest nerd in school fall in love with him...

Disclaimer: I don't own the anime but the plot and everything else is my own...MINE. If this story sounds similar in any way to yours, it's purely coincidental. This is my disclaimer for the entire story.

No Strings Attached

Chapter 1: Friends with Myself

Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who is the ugliest of them all?

I longingly looked at the mirror, staring at the ball of mess I had turned out to be. This was not I had wanted to be my whole life. School, education…was that the most important thing in the world? Money, then having a decent job…really, was this I had wanted in life?

Seventeen. Just seventeen years-old and I already looked thirty in my state. I wish I was pretty, I kept wishing deep in my heart. I wish I was pretty. If I was I'd have at least more friends than a goldfish.

'Yeah right Hilary,' my inner voice grew cynical. 'Who'd want to be friends with the biggest nerd in school?' I felt my lips whisper, "I do," as if I were someone else in front of the mirror. Maybe I wasn't just meant to be pretty, and not have any friends to hang out with. Perhaps I was better off without anyone, like my mother would say because she, too, felt sorry for me. Everyone did and I hated it. My face fell as I grew weary of the thought, 'I should skip school today.'

I pushed my glasses up with one finger in the bridge between the two lenses, heaving a sigh. Stupid glasses, I cursed. I glanced at my reflection again, gently running my finger through my frizzy brown hair that reached down my back. It was always a mess. Closer, I looked at myself. I had to admit I had big ruby eyes and had something sincere about them. My face was finely shaped and I had a clear, healthy complexion. My nose was perfect and in place and my ears looked normal. I didn't appear much alike models in magazines who wore skimpy little skirts, flimsy tops and make-up. But I was one of those people who were lucky not to use cover up and make up everyday. I had natural beauty.

I let my eyes wander down to my clothes, taking the ugly grey track pants and (the real stinger), a green turtleneck and runners, which were new and probably the only thing people looked at whenever I stood alone in hallways. If I wasn't such a mess, I thought, people just might like me. My clothes were always baggy and useless even if they were brand names. I wasn't poor…in fact; my father was the one who ran the BBA Company after Mr. Dickenson. No one knew but me, ironically.

I took the hairbrush into my hands and combed it through my brown wild mess of hair in front the large mirror in my bathroom for several minutes. With a red long metal clip, I clasped it around my brown hair. Pretty soon, my hair was tamed, nice and silky in a high ponytail. Only if everything else was easy to fix.

I walked out of the bathroom and back into my prison. I fleeted a look at my goldfish that quietly followed my every move.

Wryly, I carried my books that lay about on my large bed. This was going to be a long day. I slipped my bag over one shoulder, feeling it lighter than the night before as I tugged onto a whole stack of thick textbooks and trudged out of my room, looking at the mirror one last time.

If I could be pretty…everyone would like me.

Softly, I closed the door behind me and began to walk down the hall. I didn't want my mother to wake up or she'll force me to wear those skimpy little skirts. I started down the stairs, stopping every second step and peered over my shoulder if anyone had come out of their room. So far so good…I smiled. I opened the door and took one last glance, then closed the door and locked it behind me. It was still dark out.

Without a moment to spare, I sprinted down the cracked sidewalk and through empty, quiet alleys where no one would see me. Instead, they'd see a shadow passing by.

I gulped as I had just realized it…

Today was the first day of school.

The halls were empty as I strolled in as quiet as a mouse to get to my locker, taking in all the surroundings. 'I'm on time, early as usual. I have enough time to spend to study…yes, study. I'm a nerd,' I reminded myself. I sighed as I walked down in the quiet hallway, my head down not aware of what's ahead.

I have to be in this school for one more year, I concluded as I stared at the bulletin boards in awe. There were so many clubs to choose from and so many things like annual gatherings, dances, and cheerleading tryouts…activities that were somewhat active. My first month of school was sure busy. So many people are in high spirits but me, for I was a turtle, was lonely and alone. Now, tears flowed freely down my cheeks for pitying me as memories of being called a geek flashed in my mind. I ran faster, shutting my eyes, praying for these tears go away.

If I could have friends, I wouldn't be like this.

I suddenly bumped into something hard and felt myself bounce off the brick wall, probably a chunk of ice as he let out a grunt and turned around.

Quickly, I cleared away my tears and winced in pain on my lower back. Bowing down, I gathered my books that I dropped, whispering a small apology. My gaze stayed emotionless since I knew who the person was. The ruthless Russian teen named Kai Hiwatari.

I could feel his sour glare fixated on me. I knew what he was going to say. That was how predictable he was. "Stupid klutz. It's you, four-eyes! Wench, is walking and thinking too hard for you!?" he snapped bitterly. He leaned and snatched my glasses from my head. I gasped in protest.

"Maybe you need new glasses," he scornfully sneered, crushing my glasses in his gloved hand with a dangerous grin. Lens fragments fell from his hand and the round frames were completely wrecked. I could feel tears creep up my eyes and I held them in with all my strength. I won't cry in front of him! I won't! Standing on my ground, I dusted my track pants and took the rest of my books. My sight was blurry now, and my head ached from the blotchy sight. I stood up with my books nestled in my arms and spun my heel, going back to my locker.

"What? No stupid comeback?" he scathingly spoke as I took another step. I froze and bluntly replied,

"Okay, why is it that I'm smarter than you?" I squinted my eyes to see his face. All I could see were blue blotches as his trademarked face marks and two purple specks as his eyes.

"Because you don't have a life," he replied with an icy gaze.

I swallowed the huge lump in my throat, shit…I was asking for that one.

"Unlike you, I have a life. I have friends. You're just a loser," he taunted me.

"I don't need any! At least I'm not like you, an arrogant asshole," I yelled back.

"Oh, really?" he sneered. "Who the hell are you to say that?" He grinned viciously as I faced my back at his face and began to stalk away.

"Hiromi Tachibana," I said airily, marching away from him. Then I froze and glanced over my shoulder with an aloof stare, "Of course, you wouldn't know that judging by your walnut-sized brain. By the way, did your head get caught in the shredder by any chance? It looks worse than last year!" I faked a taunting laugh. With that, I strolled casually to the girls' washroom where I would hide until classes start. Too afraid, I didn't bother glancing back at him.

With a resounding thud of the door, I sighed in relief. I was safe, for now. He and his group might egg me if I happen to meet them in the hallways. I had to be invisible than before and this time; I was really making an effort to be nonexistent. 'Maybe try blending into the walls this time?' I defiantly thought. Boy, did I put myself in so much trouble or what?

Snapping out of my reverie, I realized that I was listening to the same eerie silence.

Aimlessly, I staggered to the mirror with a gloomy smile…

'I can't see anything clearly…and it's all because of him,' I was thinking, as I dug my nails deep into the palms of my hands. After a few seconds I stopped and winced in pain. I should've done that…I sweat dropped with a goofy smile. Nail marks began to appear while I examined my palm with utter annoyance. I will get my revenge someday. I shook my head as thoughts of him swirled inside it.

Suddenly, the door opened with a slam. Jumping nearly three feet in the air, I jerked myself back a step as my mind went blank with one thought stuck within my mind.

He had barged in.

"Hi!" a cheery voice greeted. Oh, a girl. I glanced behind my back, maybe she was referring to another person standing behind me who materialized from thin air. The red-haired girl laughed as she pointed at me, "You, silly!" Her wild red hair was tied into a long ponytail and her black eyes gleamed of conceit as she stood there, staring at me. She was a looker, for sure. She was beautiful and happened put on a coy, cute appearance hiding from who she really was: a wild girl. Her purple shirt and short black skirt really gave that hint away.

I haven't seen her before…

Keeping my stunned gaze, I managed to mutter a 'hi.'

"So you do talk! You had me worried there!" she smiled confidently, crossing her arms.

'Doesn't she realize I'm a geek?' I thought in bewilderment, cocking a confused brow. 'Call me crazy but…was she talking to me?'

"Hello!" she droned again. "Please don't be like that guy I met outside earlier because personally, I don't like talking to brick walls with eyes." She leaned down to look at my face. I could tell she was bearing her stunned stare down at my eyes, "Pretty ones too…"

So she had met Kai then. I felt myself blush as I sputtered out a word, "Yeah?" I blinked as her face split into a wide grin.

"Oh there you go!" she squealed. I then knew why she hadn't known I was a nerd…she was a newbie. "I saw you with that dude outside a while ago."

I narrowed my gaze and muttered, "More like a dud."

"Hi!" she chirped, "I'm Salima, what's your name?" She outstretched her hand towards me. Shyly, I shook it. I was relieved that I could still see her hand.

"I'm Hiromi," I said, not looking at her.

Her eyebrows rose as she slowly said my name, "Hi-ro-mi…" My name rolled in her tongue as she said it over and over. I wanted to make major point,

"I'm not friends with Kai."

"Kai…and Hiromi, that's two!" Salima concluded with a nod. "I met two people…well almost. The other one is part brick wall. Say, you know him?" She tugged onto my sleeve with gleaming eyes.

"…Yeah, I met him last year," I replied, impede of the fact even knowing that jock. I really loathed that idiot from the start. "Why?"

"I'm just wondering," she said. Then her eyes wandered around the washroom and her face grew sour as she stuck out her tongue in disgust. What she did next was really unexpected. With brute strength, she grabbed hold of my hand and together, we bolted out of the washroom.

I'm supposed to hide!

"Where are we going?" I breathed as I caught sight of him down the hall ahead, where we were heading to! Salima looked over her shoulder and smiled, "Give me the tour of the school!" She continued to pull my wrist and dragged me down the hall. Toddling down the hallway, I hissed in a quiet voice, "No Salima!"

"Please Hiromi!" the red haired girl pleaded. "I don't want a stranger to show me what school is really like without the sugar coated lies of fidelity and other crap of being chaste, drug-free environment, non-judgemental…such and such."

"—what kind of school were you in?" I asked, befuddled.

Salima paused for a moment before answering, "…doesn't matter." My muscles tensed as I let myself being yanked, passed by the Russian without a word. I didn't look at him but I could feel his intense glare burn through my skin. Instead of running for my life, I walked next to Salima and glanced ahead, with my chin up high. For once, I had someone to walk down the halls with.

---

It took a good forty-five minutes of my life to show Salima the whole school: from the music room, to the gymnasium with no sign of that jock anywhere. Afterwards, we stopped by the school office, to take a look at the wrinkly, old prunes: the school secretaries.

"…Let's go," I said, starting on my way. It was quiet. I turned and found her gone. Salima had entered the office by herself! I hid near the door and heard her greet them all politely. I didn't hear any reply. Without warning, she spun at the door and gestured me to come in. I obediently nodded. Slowly, I opened the door and stepped into the bureau.

"Are you here to get your new schedules?"

"…um-"

"Yes, please!" Salima replied.

"What are your names?" the old woman wobbled towards the computer.

"Hiromi Tachibana," I mindlessly replied.

"…Salima,"she said, peering at the screen.

"Twelfth Graders…feh," the old woman scoffed. She consulted with the other two ladies and soon a sheet was printed then handed to each one of us. Graciously, Salima thanked them and I nodded in gratitude. I paused and took a look at the redhead's schedule. She had the first period same as me, Art!

"We can go together for the first period," I told her, "it's the same block as mine."

Smiling, she nodded.

She. My first friend.

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A/N: First chapter down! More to go!! Thank you for reading this and please, do review! Crticize me all you like-- I'm new to this category.