The bell for lunch rang, and I sprang up, shoving my materials into my bag as quickly as I could manage. I saw the sub coming towards me. I pretended I didn't. I leapt out into the hall, ignoring Osano calling out to me.

I went up to the roof, where Osano and I usually ate. Sitting on our usual bench, I pulled my headphones out of my chaotic mess of a bookbag. Why did I bother bringing it out with me? I could have just abandoned it in the classroom.

To my relief, exactly the kind of music I needed started to blare from my headphones. I let it wash through my head while I tried to clean up my bag. Lyrics. Organization. Focus on those. Don't worry about what just happened. Don't even think about it. Bad dreams, bad memories.

It occured to me that Osano was standing over me, trying to say something. I pulled out a headphone.

"Sorry, say again?"

"Geez!" he scoffed. "I said, why'd you leave me in the classroom! Are you listening to that Vocaloid stuff again? Ugh!"

"Actually, I'm listening to American rock today. And sorry, I just needed air." I said. Osano groaned and plopped down next to me.

"I need to show you some real music. The classics; Mozart, Bach, Beethoven... I'll… make a playlist for you."

"Excuse you, The Killers are classic." I said, my grin returning. "But yeah, I'd love it if you made me a playlist."

It seemed the prolonged eye contact had an effect on Osano. His head snapped away as he flushed bright red.

"Y-yeah! You should! So I'll make it for you." he said, staring desively at the ground. I didn't have the heart to tell him I was already a diehard for Mozart and Pagani. Basically, I liked anything with a dramatic violin or piano.

I looked out over the rooftop, surveying all the usual suspects. I saw the guy I noticed this morning, leaning on the railing by Midori. Aishi. He wasn't in my class, I don't know why I thought that earlier. He was one or two years below me, I think. Like Midori, he seemed engrossed in his phone. I made a "hmm" noise to myself. I guess the wave of paranoia this morning had been a fluke.

"Oko." I said to the tall, scraggly boy who was off to Osano's left and technically was sitting with us, "Are you going to be doing that all week?"

"Yes." he answered. "Longer, if need be."

"They're not vampires or whatever!" Osano scolded. "Honestly, only an idiot would believe something like that!"

"Succubi." Oko corrected, not bothering to glance at either of us.

"Tch. Idiot." Osano grumbled, digging around in his bag. "Here, Mika. Take this or whatever."

He handed me a cute bento box with a blue butterfly pattern. I stared at it dumbly for a while. I probably deserved his next tangent.

"Well? Eat it, won't you!"

"Uh what?" I stuttered unintelligently.

"It's not like I made it for your or anything! I… made too much food this morning! If you don't want it, don't eat it! Idiot." Osano ranted, his eyes averted and his face red. If he kept blushing like that, people might mistake him for a lobster. Or something equally lame.

"No, I'll eat it. Thank you." I said, opening the box.

I didn't look at him, but I assumed he was blushing even harder. Seriously, that can't be good for his health. I felt bad, I mean, here he is giving my breakfast and my lunch. But I don't feel the same he does. I'm not thick, you know? I simultaneously wish he would just come out and tell me and glad that he doesn't because I have no idea how to let a guy down gently. Is that even possible? Look at this cute friggin lunch. Way too much effort put into it for "I made too much food". Who does he think he's fooling? ...What am I going to do with him?

"This is really good." I said, both because it was and because I knew the compliment would mean a lot to him.

"Good! I mean, of course it is! I made it after all!" he grumbled. I kept eating, even though I wasn't very hungry. My thoughts, as much as I told them not to, wandered over to the substitute teacher…. His clothes, his voice, his behavior, everything about him screamed "should not be allowed near students". Yet he was allowed into this classy, prestigious . His record must be sparkling clean then, or he had something over someone… the possibility made me sick.

I mean, physically sick. I'm going to throw up.

Without a word to Osano, I practically threw his bento box onto the bench next to me. I dashed to the bathroom, and let me tell you, two flights of stairs trying to hold it in is not happy fun times. Neither is throwing up in a high school bathroom, on your knees on a filthy floor bent over a scummy toilet with no time to even close the stall door.

I heard cries of disgust from Miss What's-Her-Tits and her gang of pastel bitches. They always seem to be in the bathroom, no matter when I go. I'm pretty sure one or a few of them took a picture of me bent over the can as they left, leaving behind a cloud of clashing perfumes.

After the pastels left, I heard Osano calling me from outside the bathroom, through the half open door.

"Wait no, don't go in there!" he hissed, and I heard a near silent set of footsteps approach me.

"Are you alright?" Oko said, unafraid of the horror of the girl's bathroom. I responded by hurling again into the bowl. I heard Oko sigh and lean back onto the stall door.

I when I finally settled enough to stand up,Oko was staring at the back wall of the girl's bathroom.

"Something interesting back there?" I asked, going to the sink.

"The ghost." Oko said in that slow, deliberate way of his.

"She's not that interesting." I said, rinsing the taste out of my mouth. I spat water into the sink a few times. "She just floats there."

"Was it a curse? That made you sick?" he asked. I think he was concerned, but it's kind of hard to tell.

"No. Probably not. I'm allergic to eggplant, maybe it was in the bento. It's the only thing I've eaten today."

"That's not how to react to eggplant."

"How would you know?" I accused.

"Halloween." he answered. Part of me wanted to die a little bit.

"Please don't mention that again."

"I think you're a pathological liar, Mika."

"And you're a weirdo. We all got problems."

I dried my face with a paper towel, and glanced out the open bathroom door.

"Where did Osano go?" I asked.

"To class." said Oko. I let out a breath of relief. I was afraid he had gone to get the nurse.

"You should go too. I'll just… go the the nurse." I said.

"No you won't." Oko said. I shrugged.

"No, I won't. Thank you, Oko. For staying with me."

"You shouldn't be left alone. But here I am,about to do exactly that…"

"You're already late. Go!"