"Why do I always gotta clean the classrooms?" Ahiru grumbled to herself, dragging a mop with one hand and swinging a bucket of water in the other. The water sloshed inside the metal pail with each lazy step she took.

"I was just thinking. It was only for a second. I swear," she whined.

Ahiru closed her eyes, letting her feet lead her down the hallway towards the advanced class room. She knew it by heart, unfortunately. Her constant day-dreaming was often punished by cleaning duty, much to her dismay. It wasn't so bad before. Mytho, or even Rue sometimes, would keep her company. It wasn't intentional, but their dedication to ballet had often left them practicing after hours in the room. Ahiru would babble endlessly when they practiced just the basics; but other times, when constant focus was needed, Ahiru would often sigh in amazement, marveling at their delicate steps and graceful leaps. Maybe one day, she would whisper.

Today the classroom would be empty. Mytho and Rue were in another world, after all. Ahiru groaned inwardly. She would have to get used to an empty room from now on.

As she slowly made her way towards the classroom, a soft mumble reached her ears. Ahiru's head immediately shot up, eyes scanning the hallway for any other life form. But there were none.

What was that? Ahiru questioned, eyes shifting around. No one is here after hours besides me.

The quiet voices grew more apparent now that she was paying attention. Ahiru's ears perked as her head drew her towards the advanced class room.

They're coming from the room, she thought. But who could it be? Upon further assessment, Ahiru was able to distinguish a male and a female voice. She couldn't help but feel a vague sense of familiarity the more she listened.

Ahiru slowly crept along the wall, lifting the mop and keeping the bucket steady to be as silent as possible. Reaching the door that was left slightly ajar, Ahiru set the mop and bucket down, the latter creating a resounding thunk against the floor which the voices inside seemed not to notice.

Ahiru wasn't the type to eavesdrop– ah, well she was, but she did it with guilt inside. She sidestepped the entrance of the door, as quickly and quietly as possible, before kneeling down. With her palms pressed flat against the floor and her butt in the air, Ahiru turned her ear towards the small opening of the room. The crack of the door was slight; she could only see the light beige walls of the class. The two voices, however, were on the opposite side.

"– really should be more careful, but for whatever moronic reason, she's just not," the male voice said crossed.

"That's why you always yell at her?" The other voice inquired.

"I'm not yelling," the young man swallowed. "I'm just telling her in a louder fashion, so it can reach through her thick skull," he added hastily.

The younger girl quietly, albeit nervously, chuckled.

Fakir and Pike! Ahiru recognized. What are they doing here? And why are they talking? I mean, it's not a bad thing, but Fakir and Pike? When did they become friends? Was it when I was still a duck? All this time, were Fakir and Pike spending time together while I was a duck?

An uncomfortable feeling tugged at the strings in Ahiru's chest.

But still, even now I've never seen them together, but then again, I'm always cleaning this room. Ahiru frowned. Has Fakir been with Pike when he wasn't with me?

Ahiru paused, red tinting along her freckles. When he wasn't with me, she mused. Ahiru and Fakir were constantly around each other. She would wait for him after advanced class let out, or tagged along when he went to the library. While he would wait until she finished detention to have dinner together, or read a book as she swam in the all-too-familiar pond.

They were always together, Ahiru thought. Did Fakir tired of her?

"Then why are you always around her?" Pike asked. "If she always makes you mad, then why do you spend so much time with her?"

Ahiru leaned closer towards the door's opening, hearing Fakir drag out a long sigh.

She waited for a response, but none came. The room was quiet for a while.

After Fakir's "moronic" comment, Ahiru was able to deduce their conversation was about her. As flattered as she was, she couldn't help but feel uneasy as to why Fakir and Pike were alone in a room having what felt like a deep conversation. Fakir doesn't like to waste time on trivial things, Ahiru knew. So if they were talking like this, they must have a pretty interesting conversation for him to be going along with it.

"I see," Pike said knowingly, "did you kiss her then?"

Ahiru snapped back into their conversation.

"W-what?" Fakir stuttered, taken aback by her sudden question.

"Well, did you?" Pike said a little more excitedly.

Behind the door, Ahiru's eyebrows were raised so high they disappeared behind her bangs. Kiss! Fakir! I've never kissed Fakir! How could Pike ask a question like that? She better not be trying to give him another love letter from me!

"I did."

Ahiru's eyes grew wide with questions. Fakir… Fakir and I never kissed.

They're not talking about me…are they, Ahiru thought despondently. Of course they're not talking about me, Ahiru shook the thoughts away. Why would they talk about me? I'm just– I was…a duck, she contemplated solemnly.

Her eyes glossed with unshed tears as Fakir's statement sunk into her mind. Her head fell forwards, eyes trained on her hands which were clenched tightly, fingernails digging into her palms.

But if it's not me, then who? And when? And why?

"When?" Pike's voice grew louder.

Fakir cleared his throat, starting his story with a loud, but strained voice, "I pulled her out of a pond."

"She was drowning?" Pike asked urgently.

"I thought at first, but no, she wasn't."

"CPR isn't a kiss," Pike said blatantly.

"I know that," he shot back. "She wasn't drowning, okay? She was breathing when I pulled her out."

"Then you kissed her?" Pike asked, trying to follow Fakir's story as best she could; but it wasn't sounding as romantic as she anticipated.

"Yes, I kissed her."

"So, she doesn't know you kissed her."

"No," he said wistfully, "she doesn't."

There was a long silence that followed. Ahiru was now as confused as ever. Why? Why did she have a strange feeling about this? It feels familiar, Ahiru thought, like Fakir's told this to me too.

And then it dawned on her.

Ahiru sat back on her legs, slapping a hand to her mouth to muffle the quack that barely left her lips.

"Hm," the voice inside murmured, "Ahiru never told me she swims."

If you're confused, here are some important things to know to understand my story: Fakir changed Ahiru back into a human while she was swimming in the pond. As her body changed permanently, she became disoriented and fell unconscious in the pond. Fakir, standing on the dock, jumped in to save Ahiru. He pulled her out and laid her against the dock. After noting she was in fact breathing, probably overcome with emotion, Fakir planted one on her.

Of course, he would never tell her this.

I'm thinking of writing a story about the events surrounding Ahiru's transformation. Tell me what you think! Until then, reviews would encourage me greatly. I just got back into the writing game and am extremely rusty. :|