Happy chapter 11

Previously

"Not your mother?" Fuji said out of natural curiously and mentally berated himself for the kicked puppy look that flashed in Ryomas' eyes before she spoke.

"She died in a car crash when I was 3" Ryoma said quietly and expertly held back her tears. All the memories that came along with this statement came back to her.

After the funeral when her Father looked at her coldly for the first time.

The first time he blamed her for her mothers' death. The first beating.

The breaking point when she lost faith in everything and one and the day Ryoga apologised and hugged her, her father finding out …

Ryoma didn't notice the tears that streamed down her face.

"Blood, everywhere" She whispered into her hands unconsciously. She had long since stopped swinging as had Fuji and all the regulars stood up around her looking incredibly worried about their wonder freshman.

"Ryoma, I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" Fuji placed his hand on the crying girls' shoulder and she jerked back almost violently "STOP!" She exclaimed with fear in her eyes, then she seemed to grow aware of her surroundings and blushed red and wiped away the tears from her eyes. She kept her eyes planted on the ground as she quickly walked past the stunned frozen regulars "I'm sorry" she whispered as she past Fuji. Effectively snapping him out of his daze as he processed what had just happened he turned around in the direction Ryoma had just gone in time to see her turn a corner as she ran away.

"…Ryoma" He whispered, for the first time in his life Fuji Syuusuke was completely confused as to what just happened.

Currently

Ryoma dug her nails into her bed sheets in a rather fruitless attempt not to be pulled away from the warmth by her Oyaji. Normally it wouldn't come to this but normally Ryoma wouldn't have 'made a fool of herself' in-front of a big group of people.

"C'mon gaki, it's time to go!" Nanjiro said through gritted teeth

When did girls get strong? Nanjiro wondered to himself as Rinko came into the room with a sweet smile on her face as she dragged her husband out of their daughters' room by the collar of his monk outfit.

"Leave her be, what happened on Halloween is still really effecting her" Rinko whispered

"It's been three days, woman!" Nanjiro exclaimed

"Nanjiro Echizen don't you have any compassion? I mean she's your daughter!" Rinko reprimanded hime

"Che, it's fine. He's right, I should go to school" Ryoma emerged from her room fully dressed albeit with slightly dishevelled hair.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Rinko asked, cupping her daughters' face in her gentle hands and staring intently into her eyes.

"Yes" Ryoma said with determination in her eyes that had been lacking for days "I'm an Echizen now and Echizens don't run away" Ryoma smirked

"Damn straight!" Nanjiro cheered and Ryoma slipped downstairs while her mother was distracted chiding her Oyaji over using such language around their child. It was ice having Rinko home, since she was always away working.

"They're arguing again" Nanako giggled as Ryoma walked into the kitchen. Ryoma nodded as she took some oniguri from where her cousin was cooking.

"You're gonna be late for school" Nanako chided her young cousin gently, waiting for the explosion that usually came after such statements but instead all she got back was a quiet

"Oh"

"Ryoma, you can do this" Nanako said with a voice that showed all of the confidence she had in her little baby cousin.

"Yea, you're right" Ryoma agreed with empty cockiness. She felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to deal with the awkwardness or the questions from the regulars.

What if Horio knows? If he knows then everyone will know I broke down. That's what I did didn't I? I broke down, how pathetic

"Bye Okaa-san, Nanako-san ,Baka Oyaji!" Ryoma called as she shut the door behind her and slumped her shoulders. It was a surprisingly warm day so she slid off her blazer and starte walking to school at a leisurely pace.

Buchous already gonna give me 100 laps for being missing for three days, might as well be late

As Ryoma was lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice she crashed into the man staring at her, then approach her

"Hey there cutie" He whispered icily into her ear.

Ryoma, turning quickly on her heel jabbed him in the stomach with her fist and then kneed him in the shoulder as he collapsed to the ground in pain.

"Haha Atobe buchou got beat up by a girl!" Squawked a bouncy red head that wasn't Eiji (how many of them are in this country?)

"Honestly, how very degrading" A bluenette pushed his classes up and looked down on his fallen captain. Ryoma tilted her head to the side, obviously confused.

"So is he a freaky stalker dude or what?" Ryoma asked curtly. Receiving a hearty laugh and an arm around her neck by the aforementioned red head.

"No, he is our sad excuse for a captain" The bluenette sighed.

"Uis" Agreed the man mountain beside him who had an orange haired boy sleeping (or dead) slung over his shoulder.

"He was trying to show us his magnificent skills at courting a lady" A brunette wearing a cap smirked.

"Ore-sama is not a sad excuse for anything Ore-sama is wonderful! And not a stalker" Atobe rose from the ground and defended himself.

Weirdoes Ryoma thought

"Sorry I don't speak Japanese" Ryoma said in perfect English off handedlyand started walking away.

"But you were speaking Japanese just a minute ago!" Atobe complained after her whilst Oshitari smirked and Shishido snickered with Gakuto.

Ryoma didn't even turn around "You still have a ways to go" She called back once again in perfect English.

Atobe grumbled under his breathe which was most un-kingly as Oshitari was quick to remind him.

"Ore-sama commands you to shut the hell up Oshitari"

Upon reaching Seigaku, Ryoma had completely forgotten about the weird Atobe guy and his team. Taking a deep breath, she headed towards the tennis courts.

"O'chibi!" was the first noise she heard after the rhythmic sound of tennis balls hitting rackets of course. Against her better judgement, she tensed her body for impact. Her logical mind told her it would her more that way but her human side told her to make herself as small as possible.

The red head reached her faster than expected and only for them being the two best balanced members of the tennis team kept tem standing as the cat boy glomped the life out of his O'chibi. Others gathered around at the sound of the familiar nickname for the wonder rookie.

"Eiji, let go of her she can't breathe!" Oishi ever the mother hen fretted as Ryoma turned an all new shade of blue. Out of the corner of her blurred vision Ryoma thought she saw money switch hands.

I was gone three days and they were already betting on whether or not I come back? Yaro

Taking a lungful of air into her deprived lungs, Ryoma smiled the smallest smie "Thanks Oishi sempai" She breathed.

"Echizen" Ryoma stood up straight at her buchou voice.

"Hai buchou" Ryoma wondered briefly how many more laps she would get for disrupting practice.

"There's no point in you getting changed, there's not a lot of time left in practice. You can go to class or sit and watch practice. EVERYONE ELSE BACK TO PRACTISE OR IT'S 20 LAPS AROUND THE COURTS!" Tezuka said the last bit so loudly that both Ryoma and Eiji winced whilst Oishi backed away a bit. Everyone got back to practice and Ryoma decided to get to class early, surprise a few people. She could probably trust Horio to spread some ridiculous rumour about her spending the night in school. She then stopped dead in her tacks

I forgot I take third year classes with Syuusuke and WAIT did I just think of Fuji sempai as Syuusuke? What the hell is wrong with me? Oh well Ryoma shrugged as she headed up to her first class for a cat nap. It's not like he didn't already call her Ryo-chan.

Authors note

What d'ya think?

I'm doing this thing in all my stories when I want everyone who reads this from Ireland to review (the non-irish folk can review too) so

Please rate and review :3