Wow! i never thought this fic would be so popular on the first chapter! thank you to everyone who reviewed and favorited my story, it means alot!

sorry, it took longer than expected to update, but my internet has been down for a while. i'll try to update more often, but here's chapter two!!!

The next day of school was the same, the same hoodie, the same attempt at seclusion, Ichigo didn't get why this boy insisted on being alone.

"Just leave him alone." Renji said, "it's obvious he's not all that into people."

"No, no he'll come around," Ichigo reasoned, "he's just a bit shy."

"I'll come with you." Rukia said. Together they walked over to Toshiro.

"You know, hanging out with us wasn't a one time deal." Ichigo told him.

"I know."

"Then why don't you come over?" Rukia asked.

Toshiro sighed and looked up at them; his piercing teal eyes regarded them coolly. "I just don't particularly care to be around other people."

"Don't care? Come on, everyone enjoys being with people." Ichigo said.

"Well I d-"

"Just come on, no one wants to be alone in high school are you crazy!"

Toshiro finally agreed, if only to get Ichigo to shut up. Why the heck did he care anyway? The day came with all its "fun". Classes were as boring as usual, and at lunch, Ichigo and Renji had a bubble blowing contest with their milk. Ichigo won and Renji started yelling accusing the winner of cheating. A bubble blowing contest with milk? Toshiro thought, honestly, how childish, and how can you cheat in a bubble blowing contest? After Rangiku shut Renji up by punching him in the face they both were sent to the principal's office, resulting in Rangiku getting a detention. "It was worth it" was all she had to say on the matter.

The next couple of days started the same way, with Toshiro attempting to seclude himself from the group and each time, he would unwillingly comply with Ichigo's request to join them, a little more willing each time. But after a week of the same thing, Ichigo got ticked.

He stormed over to Toshiro's desk and slammed his hand down, causing the boy to flinch. "I don't know what your deal is." Ichigo fumed, "but we have been trying to include you. You brush us off each time! I for one am sick of your 'holier than thou' attitude! If you don't know how to except friendship than forget it." Toshiro didn't know how to respond, he did the only thing he knew how to do when being yelled at, he glared at Ichigo. His eyes impassive and cold hiding the sadness and frustration he was actually feeling.

This did not go well with Ichigo, angry at the "better than you" attitude he thought Toshiro was giving off, he snapped. He grabbed the boy by the front of his hoodie and lifted him up to meet his eyes. Only then did Toshiro's eyes give away the fear he felt. With Toshiro up in that position, Ichigo was able to get his first real look at the boy. His hair was white, at least the part that hung over his left eye was, the rest was hidden under his hood. He looked like he had a fading bruise on one of his cheeks and Ichigo couldn't tell if it was shadow or bruises on his neck.

"Let me go!" Toshiro was struggling against Ichigo's grip, and the other's had gathered, not quite sure of what to do in this situation.

"Only if you answer some questions." Ichigo said.

"Fine, fine just put me down." He did and Ichigo wasted no time.

"Why do you think you're better than us?"

"I don't."

"Then why do you act like it?"

"I don't, I told you, I'm just not good around people."

"Then why don't you try to get better?"

"I don't know, are you done?"

"Just one more, how did you get the bruises on your face and neck?"

He paused, "I don't have any on my neck, it must just be shadow. As for my face, I was walking down the hall looking for this room and someone accidentally hit me in the face with a door when I wasn't looking." He used the excuse his dad told him to if anyone asked about it.

"Ha, I've had that happen to me." Renji admitted.

"Well, we'll be around if you decide you want some friends." Ichigo said. They then went back to where they were sitting. Toshiro debated whether or not to join them, but decided against it. Best to just leave it, his mind told him, but in his heart, he wanted to go and join them.

For the next few days, Toshiro endured his conflict of whether or not to give friendship a try again. Last time, at his old school, it had ended in disaster. They had found out about his home life and his situation and things had gone downhill from that. he wasn't sure if he wanted to subject himself to that kind of rejection again. To have the first people he ever though cared about him, reject him the way they did. It still hurt to think about.

But after another week of debating, he decided. He walked over to where Ichigo and his friends were sitting, and as boldly as he could, which right then wasn't that bold, he asked them. "Is your offer still good?"

Ichigo smiled and nodded his head, and Orihime gave him a big hug, soon after came Rangiku, the busty strawberry-blonde soon had the small boy gasping for air. "Welcome to the gang." Rukia said and Renji simply ruffled his hair.

"What made you change your mind?" Uryu asked.

"Loneliness I guess." He answered.

"Well whatever the reason, we're glad you decided to come over." Ichigo said.

Toshiro smiled and spent the rest of the day with them, he actually enjoyed himself, and as much as his mind screamed at him to be careful and not let emotions get the best of him, his heart told him to let loose, if only a little, and enjoy himself. And he chose to listen to the latter.

At the end of the day Toshiro stared to walk home, only to have Ichigo stop him. "Why don't you hang out with us."

"I can't," the boy answered, "my dad needs me home." It wasn't a complete lie.

"Need a ride?" he asked.

"No I'll be fine, thanks anyway." again he turned and started to walk home. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought to himself, you're making the same mistake again. Why did you take their offer? Why are you such a weak, pathetic idiot? But on the other side he thought, better to have friends for a season, than never at all.

Ichigo watched him walk away then turned back to his other friends. "Where to today?"

"How about the arcade?" Renji suggested, "Chad and I have unfinished business on the shooting range." Chad nodded.

"Fine but tomorrow, I get to choose." Rangiku said.

"Alright whatever." Ichigo agreed.

They went and played games having a fun time till around five o'clock then each returned to his own home. The weekend was only two days away.