Eeeeeeeeeeeh, I just really needed something to do to relieve my stress. It's finals week! So I'll have more time to type up this fanfic over after the rest of the week or something! Yay!
Read and Review, please? It's hard enough not knowing who my readers are.
Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach. Not me.
Something New
Chapter 2: Counselor and Model Student
I've heard people say that teenagers were pretty rowdy, but I never believed it. Why? To start off, I had never been a rowdy teenager. I didn't have a parent or guardian to rebel against. I listened to my teachers, did what I had to do. The school I went to wasn't particularly full of crazy hooligans either. Ran-chan, who attended the same high school as Aizen and I, didn't particularly piss anyone off either. Sure, she started drinking around that age, but she didn't run around screaming her lungs out or throwing people out the windows or anything. She didn't go crazy, she would just get all tipsy. And whenever she drank, it was always when she thought she was alone, so she wouldn't have to trouble anyone, and definitely not that elderly grandma that took care of her. And Aizen, that guy was always the same. He always kept a calm demeanor, and an ever-so-perfect smile on his face. As far as I was concerned, his teachers loved him to death. And his parents, too.
After two weeks of living in Aizen's house, I noticed that Andrea had a weird personality switch every weekday. Before she goes to school, she's all cute and cheerful and peppy. When she comes back home, she snaps and acts all grumpy. Today was no exception. She had left the house, as fluttery as a butterfly. But when she came home, she was a pain in the ass.
I looked up from my newspaper when I heard the door open. Andrea stepped in and took off her shoes. "How was school, kid?" I asked. "Hn." Andrea replied, putting leaving her shoes out. "Aren' ya gonna put 'em away? Someone can trip over 'em." I raised an eyebrow. "Who cares?" Andrea said, walking right past the couch I was sitting on and towards the hallways. "Bad day?" I thought, as I looked at her retreating back. "Oi, I made some candied apples, if ya want any." I called after her. "Eat them yourself, fox face!" she retorted. I heard a door slam shut. Ouch. That was mean.
But when morning came again, she was dancing about in the kitchen, making omlettes and humming to herself. "Mornin'" I said, trudging into the kitchen. "Good morning, Ichimaru-san! How was your sleep?" She asked ever so sweetly, throwing red peppers into the skillet. "Twas good..." I mumbled sleepily. I took a seat by the dining table. "So somethin' happen to ya yesterday? Ya were awfully snappy." She gave me an empty look. "I was?" She asked. I nodded and gave her a weird look, although my smile never left my face. "You were." She frowned and thought to herself. "Thank god today is Saturday." I sighed, propping my head against my arm. I began to drift off into sleep again, when I felt something hot and steamy under my chin. I opened my slitted eyes. Andrea was holding a plate underneath my chin. "If you're tired, you can go back to sleep in the afternoon. As for now, you should just eat breakfast, then go out for a nice long walk." She suggested. "Fiiiine." I drawled, picking up the fork that she had silently placed on the table. "Itadakimasu."
~l~
The day passed by rather slowly. It was only 10:57 AM. Andrea was locked up in her room, doing her assigned homework and studying for an upcoming exam. Aizen was yet again at work. Or was he? Not that it bothered me. I was lounging around in the house's library, skimming through the contents of an interesting book I found. My cell phone rang, startling me a little. I checked the caller I.D. It was Ran-chan. "Yo." I picked up my phone. "Giiiin, where are you?" my girlfriend immediately wailed into the phone. "Um... at a library?" I answered. I wasn't lying, though. "We should meet up! I wanna drink some sake with you! We should totally throw a party and stuff! I'll invite Hisagi and Kira and Renji and Nanao, and Nemu, and all those other people, and we'll have so much fun!" I rolled my eyes, wondering if she noticed that everyone she was inviting was from Gotei 13, the magazine that I had worked for. Hasn't she noticed that I didn't want to bother with them after I was laid off? "Ran-chan, it's a nice offer, but I'll pass." I cut her off before she started making plans again. "But Gin...!" I could practically see her pouting. "Sorry, sorry. I'll take ya out, after I find a good job again." I tried to assure her. "But, but... at least tell me where you're staying! You're still somewhere in Seireitei, right?" She asked. I frowned slightly. "No. I'm in Hueco Mundo." I answered. "WHAT? THAT SUPER RICH SNOBBY PEOPLE GATE COMMUNITY?" I covered my ear as she yelled through her phone. "Yeah, that's the one." I muttered. "You know someone who is rich enough to live there? Who? WHO?" Rangiku demanded, nearly blowing my eardrums off. "Eeeeeh, not important. I'll talk to ya soon, mmkay? Gotta go now." I quickly hung up. Rangiku despised Aizen, and if she found out I was living with him, she would undoubtedly attempt to hunt him down and slaughter him.
~l~
"Ne, ne, Aizen. Have you ever noticed that Andrea's personality changes?" I asked Aizen. He had come home for the rest of the day. We were sitting on the balcony of the fifth floor of Las Noches, his home. "It does?" Aizen asked, seemingly indifferent. "Mmmhm. Wheneva she comes home from school." I closed my newspaper and tossed it aside. "What's she like?" Aizen questioned. He obviously never saw it. But if he did, and didn't see a change, then he might wanna get his head checked. "Really mean. Not like 'er in da mornin's at all." I tapped on my armrest. "... Oh. In somewhat related news, I found a job for you." Aizen moved on, ignoring what I had just told him. "Really? Wha' is it?" I asked. "The school I'm sponsoring, Andrea's High School... They need a new guidence counselor." Aizen calmly began. "And I know you majored in psychology, so I thought you would be perfect for the job." he examined a paper cut on his hand while I looked at him in disbelief. "Me? Wit' a buncha disobedient high schoolers? No way!" I rejected his offer. "Besides, I doubt I would be hired, even if I did major in psych!" "I supply the school with 90 percent of its funds, Gin. They'll hire you. And if you take on the job, you can continue living in Las Noches with us." Aizen raised an eyebrow. Well, I did find it slightly comforting in Las Noches. And I also didn't like paying rent. "... Fine. Yer victory this time, Aizen." I agreed.
~l~
"... An' now I'm yer new guidence counselor. Let's have a great year together, guys..." I said awkwardly. It was my last classroom visit for the day. I was tired. For three hours straight, I had been visiting classrooms full of annoying, loudmouthed high schoolers. Just as I finally decided to examine everyone in the class, I noticed red hair. Andrea was sitting in the back of the classroom, a small smile plastered on her face. I was tempted to wave at her, but it wouldn't be nice to single her out, would it? I just decided to leave the room.
There were many things I noticed about Hueco Mundo High. For beginners, the uniform consisted of only the color white. Everything was white except for the ties and shoes, which were black. Shirt was white, blazer was white, pants and skirts were white... The school was as white as well. Walls, floor, desks, boards, vending machines... everything. Next, there was the student council. The members were called the Espadas. The Espadas probably didn't set the best example for the students (called the... arrancars?). There was Coyote Starrk, the leader of the Espadas. He was as lazy as hell, and slept whenever he felt like it. Louisenbarim Barragan looked like he got left back a few hundred thousand times. Harribel Tier kept quiet to herself most of the time, and rarely spoke up unless someone with higher authority expected an answer from her. Cifer Ulquiorra didn't bother obeying orders from anyone except the school sponsor (our beloved Aizen). Gilga Nnoitra had extremely lousy language, and he carried around a number of blades and swords and weapons. Jaegerjaquez Grimmjow was a jackass who kept on starting fights with random people. Rureaux Zommari was obviously arrogant, for he believed that he could do anything, as long as he had the knowledge to. Granz Szayel Aporro kept on talking about experimenting on people and things to reach perfection. Arruruerie Aaroniero showed no respect at all, as he wore a mask and refused to take it off. And Llargo Yammy, that moron was just plain retarded. Who the hell decided on this shitty student council? Okay, putting the Espadas aside... There was also Tousen Kaname, the priniple of the school. He's blinded by his one sided sense of justice. And he's blind, literally.
But enough complaining. My office rather cozy, much to my comfort. It was nice and roomy (and white). I was allowed to decorate it in any way I wanted to, so I merely hung a nice looking clock on the wall. Just as I closed my eyes to relax, someone stepped into the office. "Eeeeh, sure looks nice and comfy in here..." Andrea walked in, holding a notebook. "Heya kid. Watcha doin' here?" I asked. "It's lunch break. I needed a place to relax a little." Andrea plopped down onto a chair that sat across from my desk. "You don't mind, do you?" "Nope, not at all. But don't stay here too long, or ya might get in trouble." I made a hand gesture to tell her it was okay. She smiled, and closed her eyes. "Andrea, yer not acting normal." I said. She opened her eyes in an instant. "Of course I am." She said, giving me an unhappy look. "No, yer not. Yer too nice when yer at school. Instead of bein' a 10 year old, like ya are at home, yer like an idol here. Yer pretty well respected, aren'cha? An' ya ain't lettin' anyone know who ya are. Ain't dat the reason why yer always so irritated when ya get home from school?" I gave her a look of disapproval. I notied that her shoulders had started shaking. Crap. I might have taken it a bit too far. "... I don't know anymore..." She sniffed. "I-I don't even remember what I was like before my parents died...! I... I can't remember anything! Ojii-sama just told me how I should behave in public, and I just acted on his words! B-but when I stayed at home more, I realized that I didn't like being so... idol=like! I just wanted to be myself! So I started acting... childish... B-but whenever I come to sc-school, I instantly put on that fake mask!" She said, all in a shakey breath. Tears trailed down her face, and I felt extremely guilty. "... I'm sorry, kid." I patted her head. "But I'm here fer ya. I'll be here to respond to yer needs, 'kay? So no cryin', 'cos I'll wanna cry too." I ruffled her hair. She smiled, and looked up at me. I wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'll be here for ya." I said, planting a small kiss on her forhead. "An' that's a promise."