Haruhi jerked awake as she heard a loud clap of thunder. She looked around frantically before really seeing the bright yellow morning light that came shining in through her window. She shrugged it off with a bit of difficulty. Sure, Tamaki-Senpai had helped her overcome her fears a little, but she doubted she would ever fully get rid of them. Besides, how human could you be if you did not have any fears?
She glanced at her clock. Darn it! It was already eight-thirty! She was be late for school! Quickly, she pulled on her uniform, brushed her teeth, grabbed something random out of the refrigerator, and dashed out the door, leaving her dad still at the table eating his breakfast, looking quite confused.
Of all the days to be late! Tamaki had told them all to be there at seven for a meeting, and, well, he got so pouty when he was upset. It was not that it seriously upset her to see him like that, more like he was just far more annoying that way.
The bus ride was far too long for her liking, and she finally arrived at Ouran at nine.
When she finally made it to her classes, everyone was rather quiet. None of the usual jumble and shouting. Hikaru and Kaoru were gone too. Not that this was really a matter that called for concern. Being Hikaru and Kaoru, they were probably just skiving off somewhere.
But something was definitely wrong. All the girls looked positively heart-broken, and more than one of them sniffled their way through the day. She wanted to ask someone what was going on, but she got the feeling that, if she did, one of the girls was sure to break and start crying everywhere. She would just wait and ask the host club after school.
But when she reached music room #3 after the final bell, the door was locked.
She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Tamaki-Senpai's number. It rang five times, and all she got was voicemail. Weird. Senpai always picked up.
She tried both of the twins. No answer.
She dialed Kyoya's number, starting to actually feel concerned. One ring. If he did not pick up, what would she do? Two rings. She would go to the principal! That was it! Three rings. She turned away from the music room and started to head back down the hallway.
"Haruhi?"
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Kyoya-Senpai, where is everyone? And why did no one bother to tell me the Host Club was cancelled today?"
"I thought you knew."
"What?" Haruhi asked tentatively. His voice sounded a little shaken, urgent, almost scared. And this was Kyoya. Cool, calculated, always-calm Kyoya. What in the world could get him shaken up?
"We are at the hospital Haruhi. There was an accident. Are you at the Academy?"
He spoke so quickly that his words were like bullets out of a machine gun. She swallowed hard before answering. "Y-Yes."
"I will send a car to pick you up at the east entrance."
And with that, he hung up.
Haruhi stood frozen for a moment, her phone still pressed against her ear, before she realized that the East Entrance was on the exact opposite side of campus from where she was now. She broke into a run, millions of thoughts running through her mind. What had happened? Who was hurt? As much as she tried to calm herself, she could not shake the thought of just how scared Kyoya had sounded.
