Sorry that this took so long everybody! Sophomore year in high school is a bit more challenging than freshman year … and I didn't really expect that (although I was warned by my older friends many, many times). In other words, "I'm busy to da max!".

And apparently my point of view shifts are confusing… I'll try to make them clearer from now on! Sorry about the shortness...

Thanks to all of my reviewers so far- a lot more of a turnout than I ever expected! I will once be greedy and request for more of course! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks again to RadiantBeam! You are fantastic in general and for BETA-ing!


So my first day of school began. The other members of my homeroom were a bit on the rowdy side today, seeing that the school was not completely done being constructed and so we were only having our first three or so periods of school. My friends, sensing class was going to start soon, straightened up in their seats to look presentable. I followed suit.

Vanessa, our young English teacher, prowled across the room and then with a clap of her hands and a satisfied smile she called us to attention. I knew that I was going to like her just by the way she held a strong authority over the class. Everyone quieted down at her actions and settled in their seats.

"Ok now before we start anything I want to do a free write. Your prompt is…" Vanessa turned back to the white board and wrote in neat lettering in a vivid orange:

Your earliest childhood memory.


A Reason To Be: Already In Trouble


I quietly looked down at my light blue notebook situated in front of me on the bland beige desk. This would be a tricky subject. Seeing that the first three years of my life, that I could recall rather well, consisted of me being a test subject. I figured it would be a good idea to feign ignorance and write a little vaguely about my first memory of visiting Ellis Island.

With the smallest effort of my thumb I double-clicked the top of my black mechanical pencil twice and pushed back a strand of annoying straw-colored hair behind my ear. I sighed to myself again and noticed that out of the corner of my eye that the new girl was already staring off into space. I had a vague feeling that if caught it was not going to go over well with Vanessa. I allowed myself a small smile as I methodically moved my pencil by the commands of my slightly embellished thoughts.

When I was about three and was just adopted my father and I immigrated to the United States from Germany. Thankfully my father had quickly acquired a green card and we were in the city one day. I was still nameless at the time, but since I was so young I guess it didn't really bother me. He took me sightseeing and we went to Ellis Island. I was immediately taken by the place and enjoyed the trip thoroughly. I did get in trouble a few times when I wandered off into the 'forbidden' parts. Later on that day he sat me down in his lap and told me that he thought that I should be named after the island of hope. I agre-

"Alright time's up! Stop writing!" Vanessa called with slightly enough cheer to make me apprehensive. I shifted in the uncomfortable seat slightly catching sight of Nanoha. Apparently Nanoha must have had a long morning at Midori-ya because she well into slumber. Here head was almost completely obscuring the view of her paper, which she had also drooled on. If you looked closely you could see the only 'stroke of genius' Nanoha had for our free write assignment this consisted of the single word: Nyahaha. Okay so it was not really a word, but that seemed to be as close as it got for Nanoha. This 'word' was followed by a long sporadic line that was obviously when Nanoha had drifted off while writing her epic piece.

Fate, paying no attention to her own practically blank paper, stared at Nanoha intensely no doubt admiring 'how cute' she looked in her sleep. Fate sometimes was just the epitome of shamelessness. I was not sure if I was supposed to be proud of that or not.

Konoka was in "Kono-Kono Land" as she liked to call it. That was perfectly predictable of her thought so I would not say that I was particularly disappointed or surprised. Setsuna had about two full pages and half of a third page of dutifully written work. I was pretty impressed. Mine was only about a page and a half. Then again I was pretty distracted.

Vanessa sat up from her desk and walked around and would check a random student's work and move on. Of course she was not aware of the mental workings of Setsuna Sakurazaki and did not realize what a big mistake she was about to make.

"Well," Vanessa started in a 'just-kidding' type of manner, "I hope you all have at least have written three full pages…"

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Setsuna, extremely alarmed, gave some of her thoughts. "EXCUSE MY INCOMPETENCE! I AM NOT WORTHY OF THIS CLASS! I BEG FOR A SECOND CHANCE AT COMPLETING THE NEXT TASK. I SWEAR ON MY HONOR THAT I WILL SUCCESSFULLY CARRY IT OUT EXACTLY TO YOUR WISHES!"

Konoka returned from "Kono-Kono Land".

Nanoha woke up.

Fate, realizing Nanoha woke up, looked away very flustered.

The whole class roared in laughter while Setsuna hung her head in shame and Konoka was trying to comfort her to the best of her ability. Setsuna never failed to be entertaining in her own special way. Eventually after the laughter subsided I noticed Konoka lean over and rub her back comfortingly. It was working until Fate said something to Setsuna, whom looked like she was then going to die of embarrassment... again.

I shifted my attention and watched Vanessa walk closer to my area and over to the new girl's (who was spacing out) desk. I saw her lean down and say something to her and the girl seemed embarrassed and annoyed. Whatever she said was out of earshot, but some people heard it because they were smirking and giggling. I naturally felt a little badly.


So far my first day at this supposed "School of EXCELLENCE!" had not been so great. My English teacher had taken note of the fact that I spaced during the "all-important" free write and passed a smart-ass comment to me about it. What was worse? I couldn't defend it! Seeing that she was a teacher for crying out loud!

Entering the locker room, tying my red hair up in a ponytail, and looking up my name on the list, I found my name on the list and went to that designated area. Someone with a locker in my row seemed to be having problems getting their locker open. I didn't really care because I was already in such a bad mood.

I had just finished changing and there were very few people left in the locker room when someone had the gall to tell me to take my precious earrings off! This girl told me that according to the rules no jewelry is allowed on for physical education.

I turned to the person and gave them a piece of my mind. After the words flew out of my mouth it was already too late to stop their destructive force. I saw beautiful crystalline eyes. I felt like I had just shattered the most beautiful stained glass. The damage was already done though and I was already going to be late to my first physical education class. I quickly ran out of the locker room and made it to the field before we started to warm up, not before taking off my earrings and putting them in the little pocket of my shorts.


I just remained there in the locker room for a bit feeling like I just stood through a hurricane. I was only trying to be helpful to the new girl from getting in trouble again. Perhaps I should stay away from her was the main thought that light up the corners of my mind. Yet, I felt like that I would miss out on something if I actually listened to that. Somewhat hypocritical I suppose.

Then again I have always been some kind of hypocrite. I felt the warm Inca Rose stone lightly tap against my chest as I jogged out to one of the fields to join my physical education class.


I had just finished putting my earrings back in when my angry chemistry teacher pulled me alongside with a few other girls from our class to lecture about wearing flip-flops while doing a lab. I was not sure how we were supposed to know that we would do a lab on the first day of school. When I asked how we were technically responsible for this he 'humph'-ed at me and told me to "always be prepared for such trivial things". If it was so trivial then how come he was making such a big deal out of it?

As he was reprimanding us I glanced at his hands and noticed that there were no rings. He was unmarried. How surprising. I bet a mail-order bride would be perfect for him. Then again I would feel badly for the mail-ordered bride. The lovely teacher turned his back to the board and I gratuitously flipped him off to show my appreciation of him teaching us.

I saw the girl I had taken out most of my frustration and anger on earlier that day. She was also amongst the group of people being accosted for wearing 'open-toed' shoes. I made a mental note to apologize and perhaps introduce myself to the angelic blonde. Unfortunately by the end class I had spaced back out sufficiently enough to lose track of her as everyone made their exit.

After I packed my stuff up I made my way back out where I had walked in earlier. Passing the slightly emotionally scarring sign, I inspected the empty bike rack for no reason that I could place. I looked up from it just in time to observe the angelic blonde on a light blue bike pedaling away accompanied by another blonde with a redhead on seated on her handlebars.

I watch her fade into the town and I could feel my heart slamming against my chest, somehow, I knew I was already in trouble.