"Chihiro, wake up! I'm not going to say it again! Summer vacation is over," my mom called.
I groaned. Summer had been so great. And now I was being forced to get up early because I had to face the inevitable: school was back in session.
I slowly got out of bed. I didn't take as much time in choosing what to wear as I usually do. I was still in a vacation daze. You know, because it doesn't matter so much how you look during the summer, but when school starts, you have to start making a good impression. So I put on a pretty-well-planned-out outfit, and then I remembered something. I had to wear a uniform.
My first-day-back-to-school breakfast was totally dull. All summer long I had had the best. But today my mom made:
"Rice?"
"You always have that on your first day of school," my mom replied.
'No I don't,' I thought, forcing down the tasteless grains.
"Chihiro!" my dad called. "Get ready to go! I'm starting the car!"
"Wait a minute!" I rushed to the bathroom and burshed my teeth. Then I grabbed my bag, slipped on my shoes, and ran out the door. I put up my hair in the car, as my dad really would've gone without me, and I would have had to take the bus. I hate the bus.
I put my hair tie in my mouth as I arranged my hair. As I was looking at my self in the mirror, my eyes fell to the hair tie in my mouth. It was very familiar, and all of a sudden, it all came rushing back. All my memories of the Spirit World. Parts of it were horrible, and I would never want to go through them again, but for the most part, I really missed living and working there. I especially missed my new best friend, Haku, whom I'm sure I would never see again. I had been wearing that very hair tie when I left him.
School, as usual, was such a bore. Same classroom, same teachers, same boring classes. The only good thing about school was seeing my friends again. We hadn't seen each other over the summer much. But, luckily, we still had lunch together. So, as usual, we all met in the bathroom before going to the cafeteria. Since it was the first day back, I was a little late. I was rushing to the bathroom, when I accidentally ran right into someone!
"Ohmigosh, I'm so sorry," I said, starting to pass him.
"It's okay," I heard him reply. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around, but I just barely saw him turn the corner. I stood there, looking at that corner, awed and shocked at what I had just heard. That boy had sounded so much like someone I knew.
"Haku . . ." I whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
I turned around and saw Niro with a confused expression on her face.
"Hey Niro!" I said, avoiding her question.
"Geez, where have you been? We're waiting for you." Niro smiled, grabbed my arm, and led me to the bathroom.
The scene was all too familiar. Mika was leaning over a sink, close to the mirror, putting on mascara. Linn was sitting on the counter next to her. Asuka, I guessed, was in a stall, because I could hear her voice.
". . .that tall guy with the dark hair . . ."
She was cut off by Linn, who saw me and shouted, "Finally!" and jumped off the counter.
"I found Chihiro," Niro informed the rest of the group.
"Yeah," I said. "Sorry I'm late. My mind's all mixed up with vacation daze, and I bumped into someone—,"
"Uh huh," Mika interrupted. "You say that practically every day Chihiro."
"No, really!" I pleaded. I heard a toilet flush and Asuka came out of her stall.
"Well, at least she's here now, right? Now, may I please get back to what I was saying?"
We sighed. With Asuka, it was all about her until she was completely done talking. I dropped my stuff in the corner with everyone else's. Niro sat in Linn's spot on the counter. Linn leaned against it. Mika was now on to lipgloss.
"So anyways," Asuka began.
"Wait, wait," I interrupted. "Sorry, Asuka, but what are we talking about?"
"Ohmigosh!" Mika exclaimed. "The new student!"
"The new guy student!" Linn smiled.
"Oh, I think I know who you guys are talking about!" Niro almost shouted. "But doesn't he go to the high school?"
"Hey, keep it down a little, will ya? It's a bit echoy in here ya know."
"I saw him outside this morning," Niro almost whispered.
"Yes, you did," said Asuka. "I saw him, too—because we came to school together! I was just about to tell you what he was like so let me do it.
"K, he's nice and tall, he's got dark hair—not too long and not too short--, beautiful green eyes, and such a kind, handsome face. His light skin looks so soft; I bet it would be if I touched it . . ."
"OK, I think we get it," Linn interrupted.
"Oh Linn, Asuka's just pining over another short-time crush. Let her have her fun," Mika reasoned. "Besides, I should know how hot he is! I captured his picture on my cell phone!"
"So, do you know him, Linn?" I asked, a little shocked at Asuka's description and trying to regain my composure. How could it possibly be him? The guy Asuka described must just look extremely similar. It happened.
"Oh, not really. I haven't actually seen him yet," Linn replied. "But doesn't he sound great!"
"Excuse me!" Asuka called. "But I wasn't done yet! I still haven't told you his name, which I happen to know."
"Mika and I could tell you that, too, Asuka. It doesn't have to be you," Niro said.
"How do you know his name if he goes to a different school?" I asked, mostly to myself.
"Yes, it has to be me!" Asuka shouted again.
"Asuka, I'd like to keep my hearing, if you don't mind," Linn pleaded.
"Oh god!" Mika was fed up with everyone. "His name is Haku! Which is kinda weird, but who cares."
I swallowed and somehow choked on my own salaiva. I started choking and coughing. Everyone turned to look at me. I leaned over a sink, almost ready to be sick.
"Whoa, Chihiro. Are you OK?" Mika asked. The girls went over to me.
"I'm fine," I croaked, coming out of my daze.
"Chihiro, what the heck made you choke?" Niro asked.
"Um, I. . . tried to swallow and breathe at the same time."
All my friends looked at me as if I was retarded.
"Chihiro, I didn't know you were that stupid," Asuka joked.
"No, I think it's something else. What are you not telling us, Chihiro?" Niro accused.
Mika's eyes lit up. "You know him, don't you, Chihiro! Oh, can you hook me up?"
"Yes, she does know him," Niro deducted. "Because when I found her in the hall, she said something, and I'm realizing now that it sounded a lot like, 'Haku'!"
"So I happen to know a guy with the same name," I said, thinking quickly and standing up straight again. "They're not the same. He's totally different from what Asuka described. And besides, the Haku I know would not be here. Give me some room!"
All the girls had been slowly crowding around me with eager eyes. I decided to leave, so I grabbed my stuff and went to my locker. I did not want to talk to any of my friends. I put my lunchbox away, and started moving. If I kept moving, no one would find me.
