"Natsuki?"
The teacher's voice yanked her back to reality and Natsuki scanned the board quickly, trying to figure out what she had just been asked.
"Ahh... the probability of x is 25, given that y is 10."
"Very good," the teacher sighed, "but I was asking if you would open the window please."
Natsuki's face flushed a little in embarrassment as she stood up to get the window. A couple of her classmates sniggered as she passed. She carefully readjusted her hair so they wouldn't see the bruise.
They didn't. Or at least they didn't react to it. Natsuki opened the classroom window and walked back to her desk. Sitting back down, she did her best to focus on the rest of the lesson.
At the end of class, the teacher called her to her desk at the front.
"You're a clever girl, Natsuki."
She was always very friendly to her.
"But I hate to see your grades suffering because you have trouble focusing in class. You need to concentrate more. Failing this year is the worst thing that could happen to a bright girl like you."
Natsuki's response was shameful silence, hiding what she was thinking. It would be her lucky break if dropping out was the worst that could happen to her.
She readjusted her pink hair again, nodded curtly, and took her leave. The teacher sighed again, but quieter this time. It wouldn't be fair on Natsuki if she didn't pass, especially since she deserved it more than most students in the class.
Why did she hold back so much?
Natsuki wasn't about to run off again and cry, and so she just sat through the rest of her classes. For the most part, she was ignored. Somebody gave her a funny look at one point, which she could only assume meant her bruise was showing, but they didn't say anything. Maybe it was the bruise, or maybe it was the embarrassing moment in Maths. Natsuki hoped it was the latter.
After what felt like an eternity, students dispersed for their afternoon activities, and Natsuki climbed up the stairs to the Literature Club. She didn't exactly smile when Yuri greeted her from her seat, but greeted her back nevertheless and sat down in the corner with her manga.
All was quiet. All was peaceful.
She felt safe.
"Natsuki? What happened? Are you okay?"
Uh-oh.
Her eyes darted up to see the concerned face of the club's vice-president, Sayori. She was reaching out her hand to touch the side of Natsuki's face. It was now that she realised she must've absent-mindedly brushed the hair from her eye as she had been reading.
"You're hurt..."
"Shhh! Sayori!" Natsuki batted the hand away and pulled her hair back into place.
"But I want to help!" Sayori hadn't taken the hint to be hushed, and whined at full volume. "What happened?"
"It's not important."
By now, Yuri had looked up from her book and Monika was walking over.
"What's going on?" Monika saw the bruise, but her expression didn't change. Something about that sent a slight chill down Natsuki's spine, but it was
probably
just
her
imagination.
Sayori was gently rubbing Natsuki's shoulder, which felt nice, although Natsuki would never admit it.
At last Yuri walked over, standing next to Monika. "Ah! You're hurt! I... I can get an ice pack, if you want...!"
"Everyone leave me alone! I-It was just an accident!" Natsuki felt her face heating up and she started to sweat a little. Her outburst made everyone, even Sayori, back off a bit. She glared up at her clubmates for a second then back down at her book, fighting back tears of frustration.
"Alright everyone, let's leave her alone." Monika gently pulled Sayori away, and the three other girls returned to their activities.
Natsuki glanced after them, expecting Sayori to be staring at her with huge puppy eyes or something, but she was happily scribbling in a notebook.
Yuri was reading.
Monika was writing.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.