Chapter One

Yay! First chapter!

I've decided to stop the Soul Eater one because I didn't have enough enthusiasm for it. So, I'm going to do this one, and I will complete it!

Disclaimers: Tite Kubo owns Bleach. I only own Anne, Cato, and Allia.

{-}

My alarm clock started to screech at me, nagging at me to wake up. My eyes opened to find myself on the floor. Once I'm untangled, I study my simple and plain white room, wondering how I could have possibly fallen in my sleep. I had no disturbing dreams from what I could remember. I faintly hear my alarm clock ringing in the background. I forced my body to move, ignoring my muscles protests, I get up and shut off the alarm clock and go through my daily routine. Get up, get dressed, eat, brush my teeth, and leave. I haven't really been taking care of myself since my parents and my foster-mother died. -They all died in 'car accidents' which I think is total bullshit-. I guess I just didn't really care anymore. The school counsellor states otherwise. Anyways, I'll tell you a bit about that night…

…Disaster and chaos raised its ugly head one evening when my parents were driving back from their date. As an anniversary present to them, I gave my parents tickets for an expensive restaurant that day, and they left at 6:00 pm, and never came home. Alive, that is. My parents got into a car crash. Police say that they were t-boned by a semi or a truck at an intersection, or maybe a terrorist attack, but I never really believed it. How could a car crash shatter the cement, and rip the car in half, crushing everything inside, and throw my parents out of the car? How could a bomb do that to a car. The vehicle should be in 50 pieces instead of two halves!

Because there wasn't a complete body to put in a coffin, my parents were cremated, and for the first time in my life, I saw something paranormal. A small, scruffy looking, white-haired boy in a black kimono covered with a sort of a white cloak, and he had a sword on his back. He looked at me with these strange eyes, but vanished as quickly as I saw him. I think I was around 2 years old at the time.

Now, since I wasn't old enough to live by myself, I was taken in by the family friend, a nice woman who lived nearby. All of her relatives were across the ocean, and they weren't exactly close.

I began to see more and more paranormal activities. People in black kimono's running across the sky, huge monsters, every time I told my foster-mother about these black 'cloaked superheroes', I would be told: "That is amazing Allia, it really is. But you are getting a little too old for the mistake of mixing up fantasy with reality, you silly goose."

When I was 10, there was another death. My foster-mother was killed when she was walking down the street to the store. Again police say it was terrorist attack. Again I didn't believe them. Sure, it may look like it, but what if it was those monsters I kept seeing from time to time, or those people dressed in black, flying across the sky that murdered her? This time, I kept quiet about my "figments of imagination."

I attended to another funeral. Again. A body was cremated. Again. I just about had enough of people dying around me, so I decided to live on my own. Of course, I had to go through court, and it was agreed that someone would watch over me, as a 'Invisible Guardian'. That position was given to Anna Akine's parents, while an aunt in Canada would pay for my fees. Naturally, I applied for odd jobs around town to get enough money to pay for my food. But I didn't take care of myself properly, not brushing my hair, not eating sometimes. This, is when the teasing began. Word got out that my foster-mother had died, and that I was living alone now. My hair and frail body didn't help me at all. A school jock, and bully named Cato Yamada got the idea into his thick, stupid head of calling me "Lil' Orphan Annie." or just "Orphan." Anna stayed by my side though, and that made everything a bit better.

I will try to ignore the irony in that last statement.

Dear sweet Lord. Enough of the sob story Allia! Jeez, I'm starting to cringe of the idea that I want people to feel sorry for me. Ugh.

As soon as I walk into the doors of Karakura HS, I was greeted by my long time friend- and my only friend- Anna.

"Hey Allia! What's up?" She asked as we started to walk to our class.

I sighed. "The sky?" I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh gee, thanks."

"Hey Anna, I heard what Cato did, I'm sorry." I said, my voice lowered. I watched my friend stiffen.

"It's alright, it wasn't bad." She replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No, it's not alright because you're being physically abused by-" I cut off as we walked into class. Anna and I separated as we got to our desks. I sat down, fuming.

How could she be so passive about this? It's not right, and she knows it! That arrogant bastard, I thought I told him to stop it last month! I thought furiously. My fingernails dug into my palm, my knuckles turning white in my lap.

The teacher called the class to look at the front. A boy stood there with a glare that could kill. There was a grunt of surprise somewhere behind me, and I turned to look where it came from. Brown eyes met mine. Ichigo Kurosaki gave me a look of confusion, replacing the surprise that was there moments before. I turned around flustered, and decided to study the boy more thoroughly. He was as tall as I; meaning shorter than the average 16-year-old. His eyes were a strange kind of bluish-green, and his hair as white as the snow itself.

"Everyone, I want you to meet..." The teacher trailed off, encouraging him to finish her sentence with his name. It was a quiet sigh, but I heard the words that came out of his mouth loud and clear.

"My name is Toshiro Hitsugaya." He locked gazes with me that I couldn't break.

{-}

"He's pretty cute," Anna said as we settled into our usual isolated corner on the school roof. This was her 7th time saying this today.

"I guess so, but he seemed mean, you know? The way he glared at everyone." Plus I have this feeling at the pit of my stomach screaming at me that I know him from somewhere. I silently added.

I ran my fingers through my knotted hair, attempting to find one strand of hair I could play with.

"You know, you need to stop that habit of yours."

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling confused. I looked up at her, playing with the strand of hair I managed to free.

"That thing you do when you're nervous, you know, playing with your hair?"

I dropped it instantly and shrugged.

"What are you nervous about? Toshiro? Why?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, I have the feeling I've seen him before." I spoke hesitantly.

"What makes you say that?" Anna sounded a little confused, but curious.

I shrugged again, "Maybe he has one of those faces?" I responded half heartedly and took a bite of my sandwich, avoiding her other questions.

{- Later -}

After school, Anna met me by my locker. I didn't really pay attention to her though, my gaze was fixed on a patch of white hair that was casually walking towards us. I poked Anne's side with my pencil, and she stopped her babble, and joined me with my staring. Toshiro walked to the locker next to mine and opened it. That was when he noticed us, and that was when I realized that my staring was too obvious.

"What are you looking at?" He asked, clearly annoyed.

I shook my head sharply, clearing it. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

We lapsed into silence, and I furiously tried to get my thoughts into order. Why in the hell was I staring at him? I wasn't the type to make awkward moments easily, unlike my friend here who was still staring. Was is because of this feeling I had, like I've seen him before? Probably…

I collected my books and slammed my locker with a little too much force. Anna jumped and stuttered the words: "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and looked over at Toshiro through a sideways glance. He was watching me, a little confused, but there was a flicker of annoyance in his eyes, still. Toshiro closed his locker and started down the hall.

"Hey, Anna!" Someone called from the opposite way. My friend paled, and I turned to find a face I knew too well. Cato Yamada.

"I knew you would be here, beside the Orphan." He beamed at me, and a cold shiver crawled its way up my spine, sinking its claws into my skin. Anna mumbled him to go away, but that only brought him closer.

"Pardon, hun? I didn't get that." He whispered.

"Shove it up your ass, Cato. We want nothing to do with you, so leave us alone." I spoke up, walking towards him, my bag in hand.

"Oh? What's this? Are you challenging me, pipsqueak?" He bellowed, amusement in his eyes.

I glared at him and nodded. "You bet your ass I am."

I wanted to sound tough, fearless, but when it came out, my voice was small, and the threat sounded weak and empty.

Cato laughed. "And what will your parents think if they hear their daughter got into a fight? Your foster-mother? Never mind. Their all dead." Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes as he spat the words out of his mouth like foul venom.

I had been struck cold by his comment. He had never mentioned my parents and foster-mother like this before. He only called my 'Orphan' or 'Lil Orphan Annie', and that was bad enough.

My eyes stung, so I knew I was about to cry. I grabbed Anna's hand and ran, the laughter echoing behind us.

As soon as I left the building, I dropped my friend's hand and ran, letting my feet go where ever they wanted. I ended up tripping in an ally way, and I curled up against a dumpster and cried until there was nothing left.

I stayed there until dusk, not moving, not talking, just thinking. Why was everyone so mean and nasty? Why did my parents have to die? Why will no one bother to help me?

A hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked up to see Toshiro staring back at me. I stubbornly looked away, avoiding his piercing gaze.

"Your eyes, they're red. Have you been crying?"

I didn't respond, I was still in the process of trying to hide my guilt of being so weak and cowardly from running away.

"I was talking a shortcut when I saw you curled up against this dumpster and staring off into space. I wondered if something was wrong."

My arm was grabbed and I was hoisted up by him. I nearly cried out from stretching my poor, stiff legs so quickly, but I bit the inside of my cheek, securing my mouth shut.

"You know, it's not your fault that jerk- Cato, isn't it? Anyways, it isn't your fault. You stood up to him and he felt insecure."

My eyes started to water from being reminded of Cato's harsh words. Toshiro helped me home. I followed after him slowly, my arms crossed. I briefly wondered how the hell he knew the way to my house, but that thought left when another thought entered. Why not ask him some questions while I have him here?

Before I could muster up enough energy to speak, he beat me to it.

"You live alone?"

"Yeah." I said flatly. I was surprised he didn't know that yet. I guess the weed of rumours hasn't been spreading its unwelcoming disease as fast as it used to.

"Where are your caretakers?"

"Their dead." Caretakers? Maybe he does know my parents are dead.

Then why the hell ask me if I lived alone? The nerve of the bastard! I thought sourly.

A look of guilt and sorrow flashed in his features but, before he could say anything, I cut him off.

"Don't you go on pity patrol," I hissed, still angry that he even would ask that question when just hours before, I was hurt by someone who used that memory against me, "I don't need it. Now if you don't mind good sir. Leave." I whisked around and my feet flew across the ground. I entered my house and slammed the door shut behind me and escaped to my room. My safe zone. I flopped on my bed, and I reviewed today's events- being careful to avoid the scene with Cato. One thing troubled me; why did Toshiro suddenly appear in that ally way? He said it was a short cut, but I knew better. It was far away from the school and it couldn't have been a short cut to anywhere a teen wanted to go.

Other thoughts struck me. Was he following me? Or doing something illegal like gangs or drugs? He does have the bleached hair and that delinquent look about him.

"Maybe I could follow him tomorrow after school or something," I wondered out loud. I considered it, the I decided.

I was going to follow Toshiro Hitsugaya and find out just what he's up to