CHAPTER 1
"The darkness closes in. Her sight begins to fade. Her breath slowing. She could feel the cold hand of death grasping at her soul. She knkows the end was near. But even there at her end she was filled with a sudden calmness, a feeling of tranquility aside from the pain. She has saved her friends, family, and possibly the world from those dark terrors she faced. Though it cost her her life, she was happy. She closed her eyes as her final breath drew near. There was a smile upon her face and then...it was over."
The room exploded in applause as Kimi finished her story.
"Bravo! Brava!" The drama teacher stood up and clapped with the others. "Very, very wonderful story Kimiko! A plus as always! Also, you may pick the next person to read their story."
Kimi scanned the room. Some people were eager, some hid their faces, and some just glared. She then spotted three boys in the back talking. She saw one had a scar on the right side of his face and he looked like the smartest of the bunch. She even knew his name, Kazuki Jumonji.
"You there! Jumonji. Your up!" Kimiskipped to her seat. Jumonji growled, but stood up and headed to the front. When he got there he whispered to the teacher. She softly argued with him but in the end just nodded and took his paper. She scanned it and nodded again as she placed it on her desk. He walked back to his seat just as the bell rang.
"Oh and students dont forget about the up coming talent show in two days! I hear its going to be good!" The teacher sat down at her desk and began working on some papers. Kimi was still packing her stuff as everyone was walking out. She still had a stack of notebooks on her desk. As Jumonji and his group passed by he 'accidentally' knocked her stuff over.
"Oops..." He laughed. The other two goonies behind him laughed as well. Kimi growled but went to pick her stuff up. She's only been here about a week and a half and she was already annoyed at some people. Its not like her to dislike anyone but some people were driving on her nerves. She picked up her books and walked out the door. She sped off andzigzaged through the wave of students rushing to their lockers. her long blond hair accidentally swished in peoples faces as she ran she turned and appologized nearly ten times. The last class of the day was over and everyone was hurrying to get home. Kimi found her locker and tossed her books in then started toward the door.
She ran out and started down the sidewalk toward the train station. Kimi slowed to a walk when she saw a group of three guys blocking the sidewalk. It was Jumonji and his friends."Well well...looky here. Nice to see you goody two shoes." Jumonji stepped in front of her.
"Yeah yeah scarface why dont you just move over and let me through." Kimi crossed her arms and stared at him with her deep blue eyes. She felt a little uneasy on the inside.
"Why dont you watch your mouth you little brat." Jumonji clenched and unclenched his fists. Kimi eyed them then cocked her eyebrow.
"Yeah why don't you watch your mouth!" The two behind Jumonji repeated."Hey tweedledee and tweedledumb i heard him the first time. I don't think he needs an echo." Kimi looked around Jumonji to the other two and raised her eyebrows.
"HAAH!!! Why you!" The dark haired one glared and clenched his teeth. Kimi looked back to Jumonji. "Now dont make me repeat myself." Jumonji didn't move. Kimi rolled her eyes and began walking around him quickly. He turned and grabbed her arm, she stopped and stared at him wide eyed in fear. "You better let me go...Just because i'm in a skirt doesn't mean i wont kick your ass right here!"
Jumonji loosened his grip but shook his head, "As if." Kimi jerked her arm back and continued walking. When she got a good ways away she grabbed her arm. "Gah that scared the mess out of me!" she breathed a sigh of relief. As much as she hated to admit she kinda liked the guy. He wasn't that bad looking but his attitude was something she couldn't take. If she ever got the nerve she might ask him to go out for a burger or something. She shook her headand smiled. as if he would ever want to...'
About twenty minutes later Kimi arrived home. She lived with her father in an small house somewhere in the ghetto. Well thats what Kimi would call it. All the houses were too close and the people there were very shifty eyed, scary, rude, and gang like. She hurried up the walkway to her home and stepped up to the door. She reached above the door frame and slid her hand along it until she found what she was feeling for. She stuck the key in the keyhole and opened the door. She walked inside. Her home wasn't as shabby as it looked on the outside. Kimi spent most of her time when they first arrived at her and her fathers new home cleaning everything up and remodeling a few things. The walls were a light brown color with a bit of beige mixed in. She walked in the living room and grabbed the tv remote off the table. The furniture, which consisted of one large comfy lazy chair, a small coffe table, and a couch, is a dark brown color that is situated around a big screen tv that is perched on the wall. Kimi then jumps up and lands on the couch on her back. She clicked the on button on the remote.
The tv sprung to life. The news was on.
"...And furthermore there were four more gang reltated attacks in the downtown regions of..." Kimi sighed at the name of the place. It was exactly where she lived. She sat up and changed the chanel to MTV.
The room is filled with music. Kimi stood up and walked through the living room to the kitchen. She opened the refridgerator door and pulled out a can of coke. She popped the top and took a swallow before walking back into the living room and sat back down on the couch. She glanced up at the clock. it was four fifty seven.
"Dad should be home in about an hour or so..." Kimi said to herself. She yawned and laid back down placing her coke on the table in front of her. There was a piece of paper laying there now under the coke. Kimi glanced over at it but shrugged as she read across the top: Talent Show.
"Already signed up and made it..." Kimi rolled over and closed her eyes. Slowly she slipped into a deep sleep.
That morning Kimi trudged out from the bathroom. She took a bath and got dressed then fixed her hair and make up all before six. She scratched her head as she walked down the hallway into the kitchen. She shoved a poptart in the toaster and walked into the living room. This time it wasn't empty. There was someone snoring in the lazy chair. Kimi looked to the coffee table and noticed it was covered in beer cans.
"Ah go figure." Kimi sighed and tossed a blanket over her sleeping father. The toaster dinged and Kimi's poptart popped up. She grabbed it. "AHH! Hot! Hot! Hot!" Kimi tossed the poptart from hand to hand until it started cooling off. She held it in her mouth as she pulled on her coat and then headed out the door to the train station. It was a warm and sunny day. Kimi reached the train station, boarded, then quickly found a seat in an empty area. It was another five minutes before the train started and it had to make a few stops along the way as always. Kimi was staring off in space. Suddenly the door to the compartment she was in and someone walked in. Kimi glanced over as she saw the person stop in his tracks. He started to turn around but the doors suddenly locked and the announcer came over the intercom stating that they were now moving onto the next stop. The person sighed and walked over to the further corner. Kimi faced him. It was Jumonji. She was a bit confused. She had never seen him ride the train before, well she normally never pays attention anyway. It was silent for a while. He didn't say anything. He just crossed his arms and slouched. He occasionally looked up at her and she, him.
"Ah...so...i've never seen you on the train before." Kimi said randomly.
"Yeah..." Jumonji replied quietly. Another few minutes passed, "I normally take my motorcycle but its in the shop."
"Oh i see." Kimi folded her hands in her lap and sighed. The train made a few more stops and more people began to come in the compartment. Finally, it was Kimi's stop. She jumped up and walked briskly out the door. Jumonji followed behind her slowly. They both continued to the school in silence. He walked about ten feet behind her. Kimi kept wanting to look back at him or wait for him but she couldn't pull herself to do it. 'Wimp...' Kimi sighed and rolled her eyes. She reached the school and walked in toward her locker. She finally got up the nerve to look behind her but Jumonji was already gone. She sighed deeply. "Like I care." She muttered to herself while pulling out her books. The day went by real slowly. Finally it was time for Drama class. Kimi walked in and sat at her desk at the front of the middle row. Other students began coming in. Kimi just rested her head in her hands and closed her eyes. Suddenly she heard a familiar voice.
"...is such a pain in the ass!" Jumonji walked in with his two friends. She glanced over at them. As Jumonji walked past her she smelled something sweet yet strong. She felt dizzy. 'Wooow...his cologne smells delicious.' Kimi was practically drooling. 'Shut up...' she mentally growled at herself.
Suddenly the teacher stood up, "Good evening kids! I hope you had a wonderful day today. I was just going to take the time to mention a few important things. We our having our play auditions for 'Romeo and Juliet' this friday if you would like to try out." The teacher began. Kimiko rolled her eyes, 'What school doesn't have this play...'
"The sign up sheets are outside the door on the wall if you want to sign up for tryouts." Then she turned around only to make a complete three-sixty. "And one more thing!" She started, "Tomorrow is the Talent Show i just wanted to recognize a few of the people who will be performing." She started naming off a bunch of people. Kimi sighed and looked to the floor, "and finally our own Kimiko Kurosame." There were a few applauds. Kimi smiled shyly and raised her hand to acknowledge the ones who clapped.
"So what do you plan on doing for the talent show?" The teacher asked.
"Uh well...thats a secret." Kimiko laughed.
"Oh! I do love suprises." The teacher trilled. Then she went to her seat and started working again.
to be continued....
