[Meiko Sakine]: Happy

I couldn't say, really, that I minded being Kaito's partner. Actually, I was sort of... happy. He's really nice, once you get to know him, and everyone else has sort of turned on me since the rough times began. Anyways, he was a hardworking guy too. I knew I could count on him to not make me work alone.

I began to give Kaito rides daily, now. It would be awfully sad if I just left him alone, on the curb, sulking like he did in the rain. He would always give me that same smile, the one that took up his whole face. A beaming child, rewarded for being good. A gracious elder, overjoyed that you gave them your seat. I wasn't sure what it reminded me of, but it showed that he was happy, too. And I liked that outcome.

"What do you think our project should be about?" he asks me one day as we sat in science, heads turned towards each other in genuine curiosity. The light was shining through the window on the boy, brightening his whole face. His blue eyes glitter at me like jewels. I can't think for a moment, but am eventually able to regain my thoughts.

"O-oh, uhm..." I rack my brain for ideas. I knew that a volcano wouldn't cut it: it's the most cliché of all projects, and would result in disaster. "Uh... maybe..." I was stumped on the question, and I sigh, setting my head on my hand. Suddenly, a girl walks up behind Kaito, making a point to kick his chair on 'accident.' The poor boy falls to the ground. I look up angrily to find the school's butthole, Neru. She had a satisfied smirk on her face that made me want to punch it off.

"I'm sorry, but was that necessary?!" I snap at her, folding my arms crossly. Neru makes a pouty face at me, golden eyes full of such a hateful fire. She looked as if her entire purpose on earth was to piss people off, and frankly, with me, it was working. Kaito looks up weakly from the ground, stumbling to stand up. Neru steps on his sleeve to prevent it from happening.

"Oh, is that you, Meiko?" she mocks, voice dripping with a thick and hateful tone. "I couldn't recognize you in those grandma sweats." She laughs at her own joke, as do her other friends that I hate. "Oh, but they are much, much better than those hot-shot revealing clothes you used to wear. I mean, I guess you finally realized that you aren't much to show off, huh! Who knew?!"

My cheeks grow hot as I grit my teeth. "Shut up..." I whisper. It's not like I haven't heard these words before, though. I also heard my old clothing, my old confidence, destroyed verbally by him. I close my eyes, wishing the impossible. That everyone would just... go away.

"And when will you stop stuffing, hmmm?"

I look down at my chest, embarrassed as crap. "My size is natural," I spit back at her. "Don't be uncivil cause you're jealous." I cross my arms over my chest, self conscious. Why did she suddenly pick to be such a rude person? Does she plan out the things she says? Does she wait to crush the dreams of a chosen person every week? I could never know how her brain works, and that pissed me off even more.

"Looks like you're fooling around with Kaito now, too," Neru continues, arousing giggles. "Why would you pick such a huge crybaby? You can fool all you want, but Kaito doesn't have anything about him that's worth crap, you know. So have fun with that."

"I happen to think Kaito is a good person," I decide. Neru's eyes turn to dangerous slits, but I don't care. "Much better than people who randomly pick someone to pick on. You can leave us alone, now. We have some science to do."

The stupid blonde scoffs, finally allowing Kaito to be able to get up, and stalks off with her even stupider friends. I help Kaito off the floor, and he sits down in his chair, not looking at me. There was a small amount of blush making its way up his face, his cheeks, his ears. I turn my gaze to the paper. "Anyways," I clear my throat. "What do you say we skip today?" I whisper it under my breath, so prying ears could not hear. "We can go to my house and work on the project there."

Kaito nods his head. Up, and down.