Voodoo Doll
WARNING: This story is slightly combined with the manga Hibi Chouchou. I do not own anything!
DISCLAIMER: Kleia does not own Letter Bee—only her OCs.
Chapter Two – Lunchtime
She was pretty but not too pretty.
Zazie arrived at his class while they were presumably doing their seating arrangement—something he dreaded each year. Not only did he hate how his classmates were always so damn noisy whenever this happens, he also hates how he was forced to sit with a stranger and make friends with him/her. Sometimes the person he sits with was a crazy head-over-heels-in-love-with-his-looks-and-coolness girl who always giggles violently and shifts closer to him which was unbelievably annoying and creepy. But those 'admirers' of him were only a trickle, not unlike the other guys (like Jiggy Pepper and Gauche Suede) whose aficionadas would spread throughout the school. Even the teachers adored them. So he considered himself as a normal being in the school with fans and haters just like everyone else.
"Zazie, you came here late so please stop staring and get one folded piece of paper in this bowl right here. And if you won't mind, you could look at the illustration of the seating arrangement drawn on the board. It'll be our arrangement for two whole semesters. No swapping or take-backs." The president informed as Zazie nonchalantly took a piece of ripped paper from the bowl, opening it to see his number: 9. His seatmate would be number thirteen, or so the board says.
"Alright, now please stay at the back with the others and wait for your number to be called." He informed and Zazie nodded, his lips stretching into what he hoped was a small smirk before turning around and walking towards the back. His eyes traveled from the far left corner of the room to the right, seeing familiar faces and strangers alike.
He stood still at the front row and silently waited for his name to be called. He didn't pay attention to the voice of the president, because all he could think of is that vacation is over and now he's back in this crappy place called school. He knows how school is beneficial for his future, but it's what he learns in school. Finding x and y isn't even used in life! Screw finding x and y. But then again, he felt like vacation had passed by like a breeze. He even felt like he didn't do anything memorable during his break from school.
A tap on his shoulder, and Zazie looked over to see who tapped him. It was a girl, and she pointed to the front, obviously blushing. Zazie brushed it off and snapped his head to the front, eyes meeting the president's. Zazie raised a brow.
"Winters, take your seat with Hunter," he said, gesturing over to his seat. "Over there." It was by the window, and a girl with long curly blonde hair was sitting by it. Her hair looked familiar. But what caught his attention was her last name. He thought she was originally a boy.
Zazie shook the first impression off and strode over to his seat, and sat down quietly. Once again his ears were blocked off from the others' noises. He clasped his hands together and planted his clasped fingers over his nose, remaining silent. Should he talk to her? Maybe he shouldn't. Maybe she'll talk to him first. Why is he even thinking about talking to her? Maybe she's not even thinking about anything. Maybe she's just sitting there like a rock without any thought in mind. Maybe he should take a small look at her.
He took a sideway-long glance at her, and all he saw was a bunch of blonde hair. He then slightly turned his head to her to take a better look at her, and he did. He saw her face. (She was pretty but not too pretty. Maybe the right kind of pretty. The kind of pretty that takes some time to look at, that's what he thought about her.) She was simply staring at her table without any emotion. Her hands were holding the sides of her seat and just then Zazie couldn't point out what air they had between them. He couldn't tell if it was awkward or comfortable. But whatever. They'll talk someday. One way or another. So he shouldn't think about it much.
"Alright so that will be your seating arrangement for two whole semesters." The president announced and half of the class was filled with grumbles and murmurs. He cleared his throat and raised a finger, signaling silence. "We'll be having our first class in a few and after this, recess. That's all. Minimize your noise!" he exclaimed and went to his seat afterward.
Zazie didn't know what to do so he simply folded his arms on his table and laid his head on them. He didn't want to talk to the new girl, and the newbie acted as if she didn't want to interact either. What was the use?
The thing about sitting almost beside the window and being the second row to the last was that it was one of the best seats Zazie could ever ask for. If he could only move one seat back and one seat left, he would be the most satisfied boy in the class.
He wasn't the one to talk or just to make noise. Unlike his other stupid classmates, who are being rowdy so to speak. He wasn't pretty fond of noise. Which is why he prefers sleep over activities, being alone than being with many people, silence over sound. Maybe that was why people called him 'different' in middle school. Because, unlike the other guys (who were rowdy and stupid and annoying) he was silent and he simply didn't care about anything, in a good way. But that was what his former classmates told him way back then.
"Class is starting! Everyone settle down!"
Eating lunch at the back of the school wasn't so bad for Zazie, since he was eating with his two most trusted friends (which were a white-haired boy who cries a lot for his age and a fat-ass man who is obsessed with pizza— known as Lag and Connor, respectively). Both of them were complete dorks, but at least they were there for him through thick and thin. And that was enough for him. They were dorks who he could trust.
"It's sad that we're not classmates this year, Zazie…" Lag sadly muttered, staring at his bento box just as despondently. "We could still eat lunch like this, though. It's fun!" he said, now grinning. Zazie could only give him a look of uncertainty. The thing about Lag is that his mood could change in approximately 0.03 seconds. It scared him, to say the least, because one moment he's all smiles and giggles, then the next moment it'll be flooding because of his goddamn tears.
"So how's your class, Zazie?" Conner asked, his mouth full of pizza.
He shrugged. "Okay, I guess. It's the usual." He answered, taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"Any new students? Ah, I hope there is! I want to make new friends this year!" Lag exclaimed, a gleam of hope and excitement in his eyes. Zazie couldn't help but grab him by the neck and ruffle his white shaggy hair with his knuckle, causing Lag to shriek and sob. ("How come you're so energetic after coming out of vacation?" he asked as he knuckled Lag's head.) "Ouch Zazie that hurts! Knock it off!" he shouted, tears forming in his eyes.
He snickered and obeyed, letting Lag go. "Eh, I think we have a new student in class… She's my seatmate, but I don't really care." He said halfheartedly, eyes gazing up the clear blue sky. As his bronze eyes darted down to the rooftop railing, he thought he was hallucinating when he saw the girl he was talking about standing there. Holding. Onto. The. Railing. It wasn't like she was about to jump off or something, and it wasn't like Zazie cared that whether or not she was looking at them or somewhere else, but he felt a pang in his chest when he suddenly saw her there. He suddenly started twitching. She must've shocked him. Damn her.
"What're you looking at?" Connor asked, still munching.
Just as Connor was about to look at where he was looking, he averted his gaze and said: "Nothing," almost too hurriedly and nervously.
"Is she the one you were talking about?" Lag intervened, and now Zazie realized that he was looking at her again, her blonde hair swaying messily with the wind. He could only grunt at Lag's question. "Wow, she looks pretty." Lag sighed, definitely meaning it.
That was a first from Lag. Sure he'd been around girls (a bit too much, really) and he'd always treat them by the same token and compliment them, but he has never praised a girl from afar. And Zazie could only gape at him as if he'd grown two heads. He watched Lag as he squinted more to where the girl was and saw his face brighten up instantly.
"Ah hey, is that Sylvette?"
Conner chewed and chewed. "I guess so." He answered, voice muffled.
"Why don't we go up there and join them? We have lots of time with us!" Lag initiated. Zazie gulped. No way in hell would he go up there just to see some girls he didn't even care about. Lag turned to look at him with pleading eyes. "Come on, Zazie! It's time to make some new friends!"
"You just say that so you have an excuse to be with Sylvette…" Connor mumbled, but it was apparent that Lag heard as he flushed.
"That—that's not it! You're making it up, Connor!" he exclaimed, face beet red.
Zazie smirked, folding his arms across his chest. He gave Lag a teasing stare. "Right…"
He turned even redder than before, causing Zazie to chuckle. "I—it's not true…!"
"Yeah whatever you say, Lag," Zazie mischievously said, nudging Lag in the process. He then stood up after the teasing (with Lag still looking like a fully ripened tomato) and stretched, moaning in satisfaction. "Anyway, since Lag insisted we go up there, then fine… but I'm going back right after we enter." He said and slowly started walking to their destination.
"Yay! To the rooftop!" Lag happily shouted as he ran past him, Connor in tow. ("Gah—hey—Lag wait—I'm not done eating…!" he exclaimed, bits of food falling from his mouth.)
Since Lag was almost one of the popular kids (he didn't want to admit it, but Zazie was glad Lag was a humble dork so now he was hanging out with two nobody's) he passed down the hallways smiling or waving at his 'friends.' Most of them smiled and waved like him, and some greeted like, "'Sup Lag?" or "Hey there Seeing!" as he and Connor whispered to each other, and he swore to God he saw sparkles around Lag as he greeted the students.
When they all reached the quiet part of the hallway, Lag started speaking up. "So Zazie, have you talked to this girl?"
"Kinda. I bumped into her this morning." He explained, rubbing his nape with a blank expression on his face as he shoved his other hand into his blazer's pocket. "I just told her to watch her way then went somewhere besides my annoying classroom. Too noisy."
"You didn't help her carry her books or walk her to her classroom?" Lag asked, voice breathless. Obviously he was hurt at his actions. As always.
He shoved his other hand in the other pocket and shrugged. "Eh, she wasn't even carrying anything that much and I didn't know where her classroom was and I didn't want to ask her so I just walked away." He said in his best dismissing tone so Lag would shut up. He decided to add: "And it wasn't like she needed help or anything. If she did need help she would've asked for it."
"Maybe she's just the quiet type but she really did need your help." Connor pointed out, huffing.
"… Help in what?"
"I don't know… are we almost there?"
One more staircase to go and that would lead them to the rooftop. Zaze nodded at Connor's question. "Either way, Lag, you shouldn't be worrying about it too much. She's my seatmate for two whole semesters. We're gonna talk one way or another. Don't sweat it." He said, though it came out much more rudely than he intended it to be. He just hoped that Lag didn't take it to heart.
He sighed. "Okay."
Zazie watched Lag as he swung the door open, predictably, his mood changed from down to up and Zazie still couldn't figure out how he did that. "Hey everyone! Do you mind if we join you guys for lunch?" his voice boomed across the staircase.
"Oh sure!" Sylvette's familiar voice echoed from the rooftop.
Zazie reluctantly walked in with Connor, his eyes immediately scanning the area. There was Sylvette, a black-haired girl and the blonde. In the middle of the rooftop lay a blanket with their bentos on it. Typical lunch setting for three girls.
"You know these people?" the black-haired girl asked, her eyes traveling to each one of them. Her emerald eyes last stopped on Zazie, curiously and mysteriously scanning him with narrowed eyes. Hopefully he had his best poker face on. However, she suddenly pointed a finger at him, saying: "We're classmates… right?"
He shrugged, honestly not knowing whether they were in the same class or not. Zazie didn't make it a point to observe whatever class he was in, he would just be shocked that his friends were there with him or if a random former classmate was once again in the same class as him.
"I'm Lag, this is Connor, and that's Zazie! Connor and I are from different classes. Nice to meet you!" Lag cheerfully introduced, making hand gestures to his friends as he grinned. "Sylvette knew us from middle school. We almost always had the same classes together—all four of us! That's why we know each other well." He explained, earning nods from the three girls.
"Anyway, Lag, Connor, Zazie," Sylvette eyed him expectantly, though he didn't know why, "this is Mia, and the girl beside her is Emi. The three of us are classmates." She pointed to the black-haired girl then to the blonde respectively. Mia smiled at the three boys whilst Emi simply scanned the three boys observantly, Zazie noticed how she blinked when her eyes landed on him. Somehow, she emitted an aura he couldn't explain. It was clear she was a hard nut to crack.
"Nice to meet all of you! Say, you three can come and join us for lunch anytime!" Mia ecstatically said, giving them a comical thumbs up.
Connor instantly made his way to the blanket and sat on it cross-legged. "You can count on it, Mia!" he exclaimed as Lag also strolled to the blanket, sitting down politely. The three girls followed suit and sat as well, instantly chatting with the two boys, more specifically Lag.
Zazie pursed his lips at the sight and he cringed inwardly. He really couldn't see himself having lunch with more than two people—especially with girls. Unlike Lag, he doesn't know how to approach girls. Not that he was shy—he really wasn't—but he doesn't have any knowledge about girls and about how to talk normally to them. Being with boys was definitely him—heck, he couldn't even see himself dating for God's sake.
"Zazie, come join us! It's fun!" Lag shouted from his spot, catching Zazie's attention as he snapped his head to Lag, leaning more on the wall beside the door, hands in his pockets as usual.
He sweat-dropped at the sight of Lag having a mini tea party with three girls, laughing and telling jokes. Connor, meanwhile, was busy finishing off the girls' leftovers after asking them. Lag… are you a girl? He thought, wincing at Lag, who seemed to be enjoying with the company he got. Honestly, Lag could be a girl. His voice was developed, sure, but it didn't stop him from hanging out with girls. Perhaps it was because of living in a house with a little sister and a mother. They were all he has, but of course, he also has Zazie's and Connor's backs.
Zazie sighed, pushing himself off the wall and lazily walking to the group, a bored look etched on his face as he sat down with the group, remaining quiet as all of them chatted away. He folded his arms indifferently, a small frown on his face as he kept his eyes averted from the group. The noise didn't seem to bother him but he couldn't shrug off the feeling of someone's stare piercing through him after a few moments of sitting quietly.
He decided to take a look on who that might be, and found himself staring back at Emi, who seemed to be analyzing him and looking at him as if she was expecting him to talk to her, which he found impossible to do, given the situation. She was silently watching him, sitting in the middle of Sylvette and Mia, who were still busy talking. He blinked and noticed that her eyes were gray—a rare eye color. He'd seen very few people who had the same eyes as her, but he viewed it as dull. Gray was a dull color for him, so he removed his eyes from Emi's and muttered loud enough for Lag to hear: "I'm going back…"
He swiftly stood up and left for the door, not sparing a glance at the remaining five people and opened the door before hearing Lag shouting after him while, he presumed, pulling an unwilling Connor with him as he apologetically and cheerfully bid his farewell. ("Ah Zazie…! Wait for us! Come on, Connor! We have to chase after Zazie! Goodbye, thanks for your hospitality!" Lag exclaimed all at once.) He left the door open but instead of waiting right outside, he climbed down the stairs and waited for his friends who immediately caught up with him.
"What's wrong, Zazie?" Lag asked, worry evident in his voice.
Zazie didn't turn around to look at Lag and kept an apathetic look on his face. He didn't want to answer Lag's question because he didn't really understand the situation itself. Indeed, he really didn't know how to approach girls. "… Girls." He simply said, audible enough for Lag and Connor to hear.
"Ah that's right… Zazie doesn't know how to talk to girls." Connor said in realization, and Zazie nodded.
"But don't you think it's time for you to talk to them? I mean, we're juniors now… we're gonna graduate soon and…" Lag's voice faded, apparently not knowing what to say to Zazie's situation anymore.
He then started walking, leaving his two friends dumbfounded. He planted his hands in his uniform pockets and slowly strolled to his classroom. Growing up with both parents deceased at the young age of ten, being taken care of by his kind uncle, being in a soccer club, and spending most of his free time with guys caused him to not interact that much with girls. Let alone feel his own mother's love. He frowned.
To say he was sad at that time was an understatement. He was alone, depressed, lost. His uncle didn't help him emotionally but merely financially. He would, at times, imagine what it would be like if his mother and father were alive and right beside him. What it would be like having them again.
He narrowed his eyes and shook his head simultaneously. It was no time for depressing thoughts. Save it for later, he thought, instead focusing on his trip back to his classroom, a sigh escaping his lips.
A/N: How was it? Lol I hope it wasn't boring. Well guys, I'm already starting on the 7th chapter of this little feller! (I decided to have this strategy of being 5 chapters ahead before publishing a chapter.) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! And read Secrecy for me as well!
