Author's Note: Hello, guys! Thanks for all the follows and favorites (and the review). Those all make me very happy and I'm glad that you have all taken time out of your day to read my story. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 2

I stare down at my partner. Who is, of course, Aomine Daiki.

"I thought I told you to fix this!"

The whole paper is still written in katakana.

Anger boils up inside me. I crumple the paper and slam it into his face again.

"W-what!" He jerks up in his seat and turns to stare at me.

I shake the wrinkles out of the paper. "This! Fix it! Now! Otherwise . . . it's not my fault if you fail this class!"

He squints at me. "Oh, that. I forgot to do it."

Forgot to? Yeah, right. More like just didn't care.

I sigh and throw the wrinkled, ruined, and hopeless paper onto his desk. "Whatever. I don't care anymore. Do whatever you want."

He frowns and leans back into his chair, throwing an arm carelessly onto the desk over the paper he clearly doesn't care about either. "Ehh? Is that all?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just thought you'd try harder or something. Aren't you like the top student in the class or something?"

"W-what are you talking about?" My face goes red. "I've already done everything! It's just — just you that's impossible!"

A smirk slides over his face which just serves to infuriate me further.

"You don't try in anything! It's like you think the whole world revolves around you! Just because you're some big-star basketball player with a bit of talent or something! Well, I'm sick of it! And I'm sick of being your partner and doing all the work! I'm done!"

The class has fallen silent, and it takes me a moment to realize I've begun shouting. My face heats up. Aomine's still smirking.

Nagano-sensei, our homeroom teacher, glances over nervously. "Um, Tsuchiya-san?" he says tentatively. "Could I speak with you a moment?"

This couldn't get any worse.

I head out of the classroom with Nagano-sensei, and he leads me a few steps from the room before turning to me. "I didn't know you felt that way, Tsuchiya-san," he says. "I'm sorry. If you'd told me earlier —"

"I'm so sorry!" I bow down low before him. "I didn't mean to say all of that! I was just a bit frustrated with Aomine-kun, and it burst out of me. Please, forgive me!"

Nagano-san lets out a breathy laugh. "Oh, don't worry about any of that!" he says. "It's all fine. I understand that some students may not work as well with others. In truth, I've been pairing you with Aomine-kun because I thought he might actually learn something from you, and that you could learn something from him as well. But if you're that troubled by it . . ."

I take a step back, slightly stunned. It seems Hana was partly right. But what was that about me learning something from him? How could I learn anything from that idiot jerk?

When I don't say anything, Nagano-sensei continues. "I would appreciate it very much if you tried again, Tsuchiya-san. I understand that Aomine-kun is a bit . . . difficult, but please believe me when I tell you that there's much more to him than what there appears to be. If you could at least be friends with him, I would be very grateful to you."

"You . . . want me to give him another chance?"

"Yes!" Nagano-sensei says, smiling with relief. "That would be wonderful if you could do that."

"But I . . . are you sure someone else wouldn't be better?"

"On the contrary, I think you two are a rather good pair."

Nagano-sensei must be crazy, I decide. But since he asked me to, I will try again.

When I return to class, a few people cast me curious gazes, but most seem content to do their own work, for which I'm grateful. As I make my way back to my chair, Aomine's gaze doesn't waver from me the whole time. It makes me uncomfortable, the way he looks at me, but I try to ignore it.

Once I'm seated, he says, "How'd it go?"

"Like you care?"

"Well, it wouldn't do me that good if I lost my partner."

"Not that you care about me either."

He stretches his legs out. "I mean, that's true enough. I hardly know you, after all, but at least you're better than the rest of the class."

I stare at him. Did he just insult me then compliment me?

Only him . . .

I shake my head, pushing the thoughts away.

And that's when I look down at the piece of paper lying on his desk.

I blink a few times, trying to comprehend what I'm seeing.

Most of the katakana's been erased. He's only begun to rewrite a few lines the right way, but it's a start.

I glance up at him to find him staring at me again, that odd way. He says, "Did I do it right?"

"You used the wrong kanji here," I say, but my mouth feel dries.

"Really? I was almost certain it was right."

"Maybe if you actually paid attention in class instead of sleeping, you would know instead of just being almost certain."

He rolls his eyes as he erases the character I'd pointed out. "Oh, yeah? So what is it, Miss Smarty-pants?"

As I lean over between our desks to show him the correct kanji, for some reason I'm starkly aware of the small amount of distance between us.

The way home is long and quiet. I've long since memorized the path, my feet familiarized with the streets, so I take a book out of my bag, and flip it open to read as I walk.

The sun is beginning to set, a mellow yellow circle in the sky, and I don't hear them come close.

The first guy rips the book out of my hand, throwing it to the ground.

"Hey!" I shout, my hand reaching out.

There are two of them, a few years older than me, probably in college. They sneer at me and glance all over my body, making me feel sick.

"You out enjoying the night?" the second guy asks, and he pastes a smile onto his face.

I swallow, and move to get my book, but the first blocks me, his hands stretching out beside him.

"Come on," he says. "There are a lot more fun things than reading, you know."

"No, thank you," I say, and my voice comes out as a whisper.

The first guy nears me, his eyes gleaming, and he —

"Hey. Stop!"

The guys whirl around, their eyes widening. And then, as one, they both take off, casting me one last dirty glare.

I don't stop to see and thank my savior. I quickly move to scoop up my book and then I'm running.

A/N: The last scene is short and sudden - and it's meant to be that way. For most of the story, it won't be mentioned, but it does play into the story later on. I'll most likely be updating the next chapter by the end of the week. I hope you guys are liking this so far, and if you want to and have the time, leave a review! Thanks a bunch!

~ J. Dominique