CHAPTER 25- A SCHOOL DIVIDED

''Do it again Konata!'' Sojiro sighed.

''Do what again?'' Konata asked innocently but with deceit in her voice.

''I just went into your room as you were taking a shower and discovered that you didn't do your homework last night, like you said you would!''

''Look Dad, I was going to do it but…a new episode came on last night that I just had to watch and then I remember I needed to complete a level on that new game I bought last week, then Tsukasa called me and that lasted for about an hour…I kind of just forgot'' Konata tried to explain.

''You…forgot?'' Sojiro said in disbelief ''Konata…DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEY'LL DO!'' he yelled angrily ''If you don't hand in this homework then you'll have to repeat your final year!''

''They won't do that!'' Konata said calmly ''It was just a threat to scare me!''

''Are you just playing dumb here?'' Sojiro asked her.

''Dad, get off my back! I'll easily just do the work on the way to school, relax!''

''They said I had to pass the exams, remember?'' Konata asked him.

''We can't take any chances!'' Sojiro snapped at her ''I think your relationship with Tsukasa has become more important than your schoolwork or your future!''

Konata went silent on this; she ran her fingers through her hair and slightly blushed.

''KONATA!''

''What Dad?! Tsukasa means the world to me, especially more than stupid work!'' Konata shouted.

''My little girl isn't being expelled from school!''

The two glared at the other, neither wanting to back down. A protective father wanting his daughter to be safe from harm and Konata who was determined to be with her lover Tsukasa, nothing would get in the way of that. Suddenly, without warning, the glass window in the front room smashed, causing glass to fly everywhere as the two of them barely had time to cover up. Sojiro covered his daughter and they fell to the ground, only with small grazes on the arms.

''Are you alright, Konata?''

Sojiro checked Konata for any serious injuries but was unable to find any cuts on her face or arms, only he had a couple of marks on his arms.

''I'm fine but what happened?'' she asked cautiously.

Sojiro wandered over to the smashed window and found amongst the shattered glass, a big rock with a note tied onto it, he gulped and feared the worst but his curiosity took over and he ran outside into the street, hoping to catch a glance of someone running away from the scene, alas…no one was there. He sighed in disappointment and went back inside.

''Dad!'' he heard Konata call out.

He made his way back into the front room and saw Konata holding the note in her hands, a small tear in her left eye.

''Have a look at this''

Sojiro read the message and his eyes widened as on the paper was only three words nut they were powerful ones.

''Your Lover's Next!''

Konata looked beside herself, her breathing increased dramatically as she paced about the room, not caring about the glass on the ground and her lack of any footwear on her feet. Without another word being said, she went and changed into her school uniform, tossed on her bag and slipped on her school shoes before making for the door.

''KONATA!'' her Father called out.

Konata turned and looked at him in the street, the look of concern on his face worried her.

''What are you going to do?'' he asked her nervously.

''I don't know but I can't let this bastard get to my Tsukasa!'' she told him before turning and running away, down the street and around the corner as Sojiro reached out to stop her but it was too late.

''Oh Kanata, what will I do with her?''

Konata made it away from her area and entered a local park before she began to type in Tsukasa's number and call it, the phone dialed but after a few moments, she didn't get a response and it went straight through to voicemail.

''Damn it Tsukasa, this is not the time to sleep in!'' Konata muttered.

She then tried to call Kagami who picked up almost immediately although Konata was scolded by the Tsundere as Kagami was waiting for Miyuki to call her. Konata explained the situation as much as she could and despite Kagami assuring her that Tsukasa would be safe, Konata was having none of it, she shouted down the phone that Tsukasa was to stay home from school today.

''Konata, this is ridiculous!'' Kagami moaned ''Nothing will happen to Tsukasa with me around''.

''I can't take any chances, not until I get this sorted once and for all'' Konata told her ''Give me this one day, please Kagami!'' Konata pleaded.

''Fine, let me sort that out but you had better find the bastard sending all of these threats or I will!'' Kagami shouted angrily ''I haven't forgotten the letter they sent me and I assume I'll receive on as well soon enough''.

''Perhaps you should warn Miyuki as well?'' Konata suggested.

''WELL I WOULD IF YOU GOT OFF THE PHONE!''

With that said, Konata hung up and then proceeded to walk to school and despite missing her morning train, Konata was able to get into the area of the school a couple of minutes before school was due to start. This girl was on a mission today and nothing was going to stop her. However, in the distance, Konata spotted out of the blue, Miyuki but it wasn't a casual good morning welcome, it almost appeared that Miyuki was pleading with Konata to turn back and not come any closer. This seemed strange to Konata as it wasn't something she expected from Miyuki off all people. She chose to ignore this warning and jogged over to Miyuki who looked beside herself.

Miyuki, your here?'' Konata said in a confused manner.

''Yes but that's not important, you shouldn't have come here!'' Miyuki warned her.

''What do you mean?''

''Konata, you really shouldn't go to school today!'' Miyuki warned her. ''I tried to call you but you appear to have been engaged''.

''Miyuki, what's wrong, you look terrified!''

''Let's go and grab a coffee in town or something but let's just get away from here!'' Miyuki suggested.

Konata was suspicious of Miyuki, a girl not known for wanting to miss school and not to mention the pure look of fear on her friends face.

''Miyuki, talk to me…what's going on?'' Konata asked.

''I can't!''

''Miyuki, you can…I'll go and look if you don't anyway so you might as well'' Konata warned her.

Miyuki, full of reluctance knew she couldn't keep her secret for much longer, she sighed and beat herself on the head before coming towards Konata and kneeling down, placing her hands on the Otaku's shoulders.

''Konata…someone has done something about you at the school…so to speak'' Miyuki said quietly, her voice full of nerves.

''What do you mean?'' Konata asked.

''A message has been written on the school and…a group of students are looking at it'' she explained.''

''What kind of message?'' she reluctantly asked.

''Maybe it is best if we look but from a distance, no one can see you!'' Miyuki told her. Konata didn't understand why no one could see her but agreed to the terms. They made it down the last few streets before coming up to the gates of the school.

Konata's eyes immediately widened as she stared at the building, with its impossible to miss new feature. Hung from its rafters on the roof was a giant banner hanging their but as she looked at the writing on it, she gasped out loud as she noticed in big letters, her name.

KONATA IZUMI AND TSUKASA HIIRAGI, SECRET LESBIAN LOVERS BEHIND YOUR EYES!

Gasps, whistles and looks could be heard and seen in the crowd of students who had gathered in the yard to see the big banner hanging from the roof but what was most disturbing was the pictures of both girls Konata and Tsukasa, side by side but with big x marks for eyes, as if they were deceased, no more, dead. Bellow the girls was another sentence written in smaller writing this time.

Will you accept this travesty in our school?

''Well, I don't know…should we accept a lesbian couple in school?'' a boy was heard asking.

''Sounds hot'' another jokingly yelled.

''Well I don't want them near me'' A girl cried out from the crowd. ''Disgusting behaviour, it's unnatural!''

A discussion that looked as if it would never have a conclusion, no one was able to truly decide if a relationship between two of the same sex was right or if it was just wrong and if it wasn't for the sudden ringing of the bell, it may have never ended. It was time for the first class of the day and for Konata, she was relieved that the people were dispersing. However, as the group slowly made its way into the school, a second year girl turned to look back and to her surprise, she spotted Konata.

''Theirs one of them now, look over here!''

The crowd all turned their heads and saw Konata nervously stood in the gateway, Miyuki by her side. The Otaku could not move at all, she was too scared to, fear what someone might do but with encouragement from Miyuki who knew that there was no turning back now, slowly led her friend from the gates and the two slowly began walking towards the building. To Konata's humiliation, she heard a few jests and hisses from various students but there were some who looked like they didn't know what to think and a small number who were trying to prevent any verbal insults to be thrown at the Otaku.

As soon as they made it inside the walls of the school, Konata ran into the school bathrooms and was violently ill into a toilet, she threw up more and more, screaming away as she did so, she felt disgusted that in one day, she had become an outcast in a building she once felt safe and secure. Now many were wanting her blood and for what, being with someone that she loved, who cared if it was a girl, as long as there was love, would it really matter?

''Konata, speak to me'' Miyuki said as she knocked on the bathroom door. Konata came out and wrapped her arms around Miyuki, crying frantically into her shirt.

''I can't let them win Miyuki, I haven't done anything wrong!'' she cried.

''I know…we'll fix this!'' Miyuki told her.

Konata looked into Miyuki's eyes and felt uncertain about that. After all Konata was determined to fix things this morning but once she saw that banner, her confidence slipped away.

''How on earth are we going to do that Miyuki? I don't see it being that simple?''

''I…I don't know as of right now but we can start off I guess by finding out who's behind these acts of hate?'' Miyuki suggested.

All of a sudden, the two girls heard the bathroom door open and they were afraid of who it could be, unsure whether they should try to hide or not but alas, their fears were soon put to one side as they realized by chance who had walked in.

''Kagami!'' Konata cheered.

''Thank goodness'' Miyuki smiled.

They crowded around her by the sinks which may have been slightly overwhelming for the poor Tsundere who demanded that they step back a bit and let her breathe.

''How's Tsukasa?'' Konata asked desperately.

''She's pretending to be sick but she sends her love'' Kagami sighed. ''I didn't tell her why she had to be ill, just that it was for the best, I don't think she understood but agreed''.

''Did you see the banner?'' Miyuki asked.

Kagami looked down to the ground and appeared to be uneasy.

''Yeah I saw it…teachers are trying to take it down and the police have been called or so I heard as I came up the stairs'' she told them.

''Do they know who did it?'' Miyuki asked.

''No idea I'm afraid but whoever it was, they were up their bright and early, they would have needed quite a bit of time to hang it up and secure it…not to mention the first person arrives around six each day'' Kagami explained but maybe the police will get to

''The police, what can they do?'' Konata asked.

''Find the people responsible for that disgusting act and make them face justice for it'' Kagami explained ''But for now, we should probably stay low and out of sight for a while, not make it obvious that we're together or anything…make it appear like a stupid stunt'' she suggested ''But Miyuki, that means…I can't do anything that would suggest we're together Miyuki…not even hug you.

Konata noticed the sound of sadness in Kagami's voice as she said this; the Tsundere appeared angry and sad at the same time. The three girls stood in the bathroom, clueless who would try to split them all apart, not to mention attack people as well…whoever this person was clearly had no boundaries when it came to getting their own way.

''Ok, until we find this person or persons, we'll keep low'' Miyuki agreed.

''What about Tsukasa, she's too pure to deal with this kind of thing!'' said Konata ''I swear I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt her!''

''Calm down Konata, it'll never come to that! I swear that Tsukasa will be protected'' said Kagami.

''I will destroy this person, if it's the last thing I do'' Konata swore

''No! If you act out and do that then they win!'' said Kagami ''your violent act will turn everyone against us and we won't stand a chance!''.

All of a sudden, Konata stormed away and out of the bathroom, without saying another word to either of them. She was angry and confused about it all and deep down; she knew she couldn't do anything about it without making the situation ten times worse. Why was someone going to all of this trouble to break her up with Tsukasa, had she done something and this was an act of revenge?

With a deep breath, Konata slided open the classroom door and bravely stepped inside.

A school that appeared to be divided by the couple and the trouble had only just begun.

Next Chapter to be released before the next Three Years!

First off, I apologize that it has taken me soooo long to continue this story! No big deal, I just went through all of University, Got Engaged, and Moved House and finished Summer Trip before we got to this point. However, I can finally continue this story, now that the major roadblocks have been passed. I will pay full attention to this story and make it exciting, dramatic and jaw dropping because there is a long way to go yet.