Watch out~ Here comes evil Miku and her evil boyfriend! /shot

Rin POV

I pulled my legwarmers over my legs, threw on my rumpled uniform, and dragged my backpack downstairs, grumbling to myself.

"Stupid school. Stupid Tuesdays."

"Bye, Rin!" Rinto smiled at me before exiting.

"Yeah..."

I stepped into the chilly yet slightly exhilarating morning, only to have a wild mop of blond hair block out my view.

"L-Len?"

He took my hand, grinning cheerfully. "I'll walk you to school today."

"Uh, okay." I said, bewildered at his sudden attitude change.

"I need you to meet one of my friends."

I watched his tiny ponytail bob up and down as he dragged me to school. I saw a boy with long, shaggy, teal hair up to his chin wave at Len.

"He looks like Miku." I said, surprised.

"Hmm. He kinda does. And his name is Mikuo! But you can call him Kuo."

"Hey Len. You must be Rin." he said, eyes warm.

"Hey, Kuo. Yup, this is Rin."

"Hi." I said shyly.

He started rambling, and I only caught word pieces. I sent a helpless look at Len, who got the message.

"Um, Kuo." He whispered to the boy for five minutes, and then they turned to me.

"Gomen, Rin." Kuo spoke slowly. "I didn't know you were deaf."

"You told him?" I snapped accusingly at Len, who nodded.

"He knows, Rin. His stepsister is blind. And he would have found out eventually." Len pointed out. I sighed.

"Yeah, I have ninja observation skills!" Kuo grinned.

Just then, Miku stalked by with her boyfriend-for-a-day, senior bluenette, Kaito Shion. She shoved a note into my hands.

I know your secret, brat. You want everyone to know your little 'handicap?' Meet me after school at the playground or it will be all over the net.

I froze, and Miku and Kaito snickered. Miku sent a girly wave at me and they glided off.

Len looked at my expression.

"Rin, you okay?"

"No." I muttered. "Look, Len, I gotta go. I have to turn something into Sensei." I ran off before he and his friend could protest.

The rest of the day went by at an aggravating pace. I couldn't help but constantly look at the watch around Len's wrist. Finally, I waved to him and raced to the playground, skidding to a stop as I looked for the teal-haired girl.

"Miku?" I called out softly. Suddenly, I felt my arms being jerked behind me. I could smell perfume, except that this was the one boy seniors used.

"Ne, Kaito, let go!"

He just laughed and pinned me tighter.

"I told you, Rin. I told you to stop hanging around Len." Miku snarled.

"C'mon! I have to get TUTORED by him."

Slap!

She'd slapped me across the face, except that I got beaten up at home all the time. It took a lot of slaps to make me break down and cry.

"Try hard," I said with a grim smile, before Kaito smashed something into my head. Ooh. Now THAT one actually hurt.

"Juvenile."

He twisted my arms until they burned numbly. Miku picked up a huge stick and started hitting my legs.

"Nov-ice." I sang. I'm trying to die.

"You BRAT!" Miku yelled. My kneecaps let out a sickening snap. I smothered my shriek of pain. Then Kaito dropped me. I couldn't walk, anyways.

"Bye-bye, Rin!" she sang sweetly.

I leaned against a Sakura Tree, watching the pink petals drape the ground. My legs ached, and I knew I wasn't gonna get home anytime soon.

I was trapped.

Dad was gonna kill me, and Rinto would wonder where I was, call my phone three-billion times, and realize it's on my bed.

I caught a petal and pressed it to my ears, hoping it would soothe the pain and make the scars fade away. Tears flowed freely now, but were they from pain? I didn't think so.

I wasn't deaf because of music.

I was deaf because my father had made me deaf.

But even he didn't know that.

I wonder if Rinto is worried, or even at home. Poor guy, he has to work so hard. Of course, Dad would be angry.

I cursed my stupidity; I should have told Len.

I was going to be here for a while.