HitomiFanel: Hey everyone! I'm back with another part for you. Thanks to all who reviewed.

Zakyra: Hey everyone! (Looks at Hitomi) Hey Hito, when are you going to introduce me?

HitomiFanel: (sweatdrop) Oh, sorry Zakyra. People, I got tired of doing this introduction stuff alone so I brought along Zakyra. She's a character from my fanfic "The Adventure of a Lifetime" that's a Hey Arnold fic that I'm working on.

Zakyra: How you all doing? So what's going on with this story?

HitomiFanel: Well, I was getting to that. I want to present part two of my fic! I hope everyone enjoys it.

Zakyra: That didn't really answer my question.

HitomiFanel (sweatdrop): Well, I'm not about to reveal anything. So go ahead and read!

The New Kid

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne.

After Hitomi's algebra class was over, Hitomi headed to the track field. She knew Yukari was there, waiting for her like always. She was glad to be excused from her third period history class anyway. She hated her history class. (I'm sure we all agree with you Hitomi :)) Although today she would have been grateful for SOMETHING to take her mind off the new kid. He seemed so strange to her, although handsome. She shook her head from the thought. 'Stop it Hitomi!' she scolded herself. 'You're acting just as dumb as all those other swooning girls.'

Once she got there, she spotted Yukari and headed toward her. "Hey Yukari."

Yukari spun around and smiled. "Hey Hitomi. Glad you came on time for a change. I heard from Dui that the hotty is in your first period class and that he sits right behind you." She got a dreamy gleam in her eye. "You're so lucky Hitomi. Everyone is so envious of you."

Hitomi only sighed as she took off her school uniform to reveal her track shirt and shorts. 'Yukari will never change' she thought as she laced up her track shoes and headed to where all the girls were standing.

Before getting into position, Hitomi looked around at all the people and spotted Amano. She smiled at him and he smiled back. 'I wonder if he likes me like I like him.'

Hitomi knew that wasn't true though when she saw Amano walking towards Yukari. Hitomi had always known that Amano liked her but Hitomi tried to pretend that that wasn't so. She would always dream about Amano telling her his feelings. It seemed all she could do was wish.

She tried to ignore them now by getting into position and concentrating on the race. The gun was shot and she was off like a bullet (pardon the pun). She ran as fast as she could. She had practiced way too much for this. She couldn't give up. On the way, she saw the new kid, Van, standing on the side and watching her. He had on this smile that would have made any girl swoon.

Hitomi was so distracted by it that she began to slow down. Once she remembered that she was in a race, it was too late. She continued onward, trying to get her mind back on the race, and ended up in third place.

Hitomi was furious by this. She had practiced way too much to end up third. She decided to blame it on the new kid. Of course, she wasn't about to go and tell him and fume at him. She was too mad at him to even speak to him.

She walked over to Yukari and Amano instead who looked disappointed by the place she got.

"Don't worry Hitomi. I'm sure that next time you'll do better," Amano tried to reassure her. He wasn't doing a good job though, especially since…

"Geez Hitomi, what did you do? You were doing great at first, then I saw you start to slow down. Did you get tired or something?" Yukari asked in her trainer voice. "You'll never make it to the championships if you keep that up."

Hitomi didn't want to tell Yukari that the new kid distracted her or else Yukari would be on her case saying that maybe she liked him or something. "Yes Yukari, I began to get tired. I'm sorry for letting you down."

She smiled, turning into her best friend form instead of her trainer one. "It's okay Hitomi. With some more practice I know you'll be able to do it."

Hitomi only quietly groaned to herself. She didn't need anymore training but she guessed it was better than constantly being pestered about liking Van.

Amano and Yukari left Hitomi to get ready so they could go home.

As Hitomi was putting her school uniform back on, a shadow overlapped her. Hitomi turned around and discovered the new kid standing there, a big smile on his face.

"Hi. I saw you run. Why did you slow down?" he asked, as if he didn't know that he was the cause.

Hitomi blushed with fury and embarrassment and frowned at him. "It was your fault. I saw you standing on the side and I began to slow down because of it."

Van only began to laugh. "Why would that make you slow down?"

This was a question Hitomi didn't want to answer. She picked up her duffel bag and walked away to go meet Yukari and Amano. She was glad that Van didn't follow her.

-----

After what happened with Van, Hitomi decided to go home instead of accept Amano and Yukari invitation to go get some pizza. She didn't feel much like enjoying herself and stuffing her face with pizza.

'What's the matter with me? Why is this affecting so much? I don't get why I feel so different now that that new boy came' Hitomi thought to herself as she finally reached home.

She heard murmurs inside that she didn't recognize. She opened the door and saw two people seated with her parents on the couch. One had on a business suit and his hair looked like Van's (!!!: Means Hitomi makes the realization) and the other had on a lovely dress and had long, dark hair.

"Hitomi, welcome home. Please meet Mr. and Mrs. Fanel. Mr. Fanel is in the same business as your father (don't ask because I don't know what business he's in). I heard from them that their son Van goes to the same school as you," Mrs. Kanzaki said.

Hitomi freaked with that bit of information. 'Great, not only am I confused on what's going on with me and him, but now it turns out that Van's dad is in the same business as my dad.'

She bowed in front of them. "Please to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Fanel."

Mrs. Fanel giggled at how nice Hitomi was. "We're so glad to meet you too Hitomi. We've heard a lot about you from our son," Mrs. Fanel commented.

'I wonder what he said to them about me?' Hitomi thought as she only picked up her head to look cluelessly at them. Then she straightened up completely "If you'll excuse me, I need to go do my homework. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Mr. and Mrs. Fanel nodded in agreement.

Hitomi climbed the stairs to her room. She could hear the murmurs continue downstairs as she closed the door behind her.

She didn't really have homework to do. That was just an excuse to leave the room. She plopped down on her bed and decided it was time for a nap.

To be continued…

HitomiFanel: Well, that's all for now.

Zakyra: That wasn't really a good place to end it.

HitomiFanel: I know but I promise that part 3 is longer and more exciting.

Zakyra (excited): Oh! It really is! I read it! It's great.

HitomiFanel: Thank you Zakyra. Below is a little bit of info as to what part 3 has.

I'll give you a little bit of info for the next chapter:

1) More character appearances

2) A rescue from…

3) Information

4) And a little jealousy

HitomiFanel: Please review!

Zakyra: Yeah, or else you won't get to see all that exciting part.

HitomiFanel and Zakyra: See ya in part 3!