A Story Different From Before

By: aelaishia

Note: This part is dedicated to Elair Swiftfire, rurouni, Ayce Shade, E.C, sLL, super rookie, and to all who reviewed. Thanks for reviewing my fic. ^^ I had to remove this before because something went wrong when I uploaded this part so your reviews were deleted in the process. Gomen. ^^;

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Part One – When I First Heard Your Name

I wonder when it all started. It was nowhere near before and then suddenly it was just there. A thing I could not understand. Like a bubble popping out of thin air but instead of popping out, it popped in. It must have been due to the fact that I transferred here. In all the schools I could go to, why did I transfer to Takeishi High? If I didn't then maybe everything would be fine, just like the way there were before.

The first occurrence of this was on the first day of school. I had studied long and hard just to get the highest score in the exam. I wanted to make this my debut in this school. I wanted everyone to know me, to know my name, to look up to me. I wanted to be popular. And I was. My long hours of studying paid off as the principal announced my name as the Class Representative of Takeishi High. I felt a shiver ran down my spine as I heard the sounds of awe echo inside the gymnasium, the felt the thrill of excitement and joy knowing that everyone in the whole Junior High now knows who I am. I felt what I have always felt within myself – pride and conceit.

"Hey, have you heard? Hisashi-kun is going to be in our class this year?"

I was in the locker room. When I first heard his name.

"Really?" I heard another voice squealed in excitement. Then one after another I heard them giggled. A group of girls gossiping near the entrance of the room.

I tossed the matter, all the while thinking that those girls were idiots enough to gossip about somebody. I went out the locker room and saw their startled faces, as I seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

"Ta-Takahashi-san" One of them stammered while the rest of the groups lowered their heads in embarrassment.

I wanted to tell them how stupid they looked. I wanted to criticize them but instead I just smiled sweetly and said, "It's okay. I didn't hear anything," while tilting my head to one side for an add-up effect of innocence.

Of course I did not go around the campus full of myself. I acted out as the perfect model student, both to be revered and admire by students and teachers alike. I was perfect. No one could ever match up with me. I was gifted with both beauty and brains, plus a good personality that people always thought was the real me. I wanted to laugh in their faces whenever they ask me to help them in a particular math problem, I wanted to tell them that it was so simple and that they were the ones who are stupid. But being the good model student that I was I teach them instead, all the while deceiving them of my true nature. I wanted to always be number one, to be the best, and if someone else is better than me, although that is most unlikely, I will beat that person. I will never let anybody win against me. Never.

The first week in school went just like before.

//"Takahashi-san"

"Yes?"

 "I was wondering if you could do me a favor…" //

It was as it always was before - normal.

And it goes on like that for the whole day. Classmates asking me to do something for them, teachers asking me to work on this and that, classmates asking me to help them with the lessons, teachers asking me to recite, etc. And I did all of that just to be praised and looked upon. I guess you can call me selfish, but at least I am helping out others too for my own gain. I never wanted to fail so I do my best every time a thing is asked from me.

I hate that word. Failure. Fail. Failed. It was something outside my vocabulary, something that had never happened to me before. Something I could not easily cope up with.

But I guess I did failed.

It happened right after the week of school. As usual, I was ahead of the class. Being early, I sat down my desk and opened one of my textbooks. I did not have anything better to do so I read until one by one my classmates arrived, and read until finally the first class began. I put down my book and stood up as the teacher entered the room. He looked at the class for a moment then asked us all to seat down.

"Takahashi-san," the teacher called out.

I immediately stood up, gracefully and smart, and responded to the teacher's call. "Yes, teacher?" I asked.

He looked around the class again and focused his eyes on the empty seat beside mine. It was the right seat next to me seeing that I'm seated with the window at my left. I've always wanted to seat near the window. I guess I could say I could always gaze outside the window and think about things when the lesson is too boring for me. Somehow, I haven't done that yet. Maybe the years I spent being the perfect student couldn't allow me to let my mind slip out of the lectures my teachers are teaching inside the class. I recite on all possible occasions and am already ready to answer problems on the board when no one else seems to. But that besides the point already…

"I know you're still new here but I was wondering if you know where Hisashi-kun is?"

Hisashi. I knew I heard that name before. I recalled back when and where and remembered the unpleasant incident in the locker room. All those girls going crazy over him, I wonder who could he be? And why is the teacher looking for him? "No, teacher. I do not know where Hisashi-kun is. I'm afraid I've never met him."

I heard a few gasps from my classmates. I suddenly felt embarrassed. I hated it. I hate not knowing what other people knows. I heard one of them say, although that person did not know I heard it, "Takahashi-san doesn't know Hisashi-kun? That's so odd. Everybody in this school knows who Hisashi-kun is. Isn't he in one of the committees Takahashi-san is?"

So he's in one of the committees as I am. That's very odd. I know I've memorized everyone in my committees. I'm sure I haven't forgotten anyone. What unnerved me however was the statement that everybody in the school knows him. Nonetheless, I tried to push their whispers behind and focused my attention to the teacher again. He looked somewhat surprised about this as well and I feel one of my veins is about to blow.

Clam down, Amika. Calm down.

"It's okay Takahashi-san, you may take your seat now."

I breathed more easily as I sat down, but not before I noticed the frown on our teacher's lips and the creased in his forehead. This Hisashi person might be a very trouble some person to make our teacher look for him. School hasn't even started at all and he goes around doing troublesome things. And he's even my classmate. God! That would put me in great trouble if I won't be able to restrain him. So not only do I not know him, all I know about him is that he's someone in one of the same committees as I am and might be important or someone who causes a lot of trouble. Great! Junior High year is just great! I wanted to slump down on my seat but I didn't. My ego did not allow it, but I was troubled. Sure enough, I saw Hisashi's presence, even though I haven't met him, as nothing but unwanted and threatening. He better not get on my bad side.

A good thing though, the day passed by in my favor and I began to forget the incident involving the name 'Hisashi'.

But…

It wasn't until that afternoon during lunchtime that started to get worse.

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Author's Note:

It's the start of my fic. This takes place during Mitsui's Junior High, before he came to Shohoku High. Just so you know, this part is composed of the girl's pov. Comments, criticisms, death threats, rotten fruits, and bricks…you know where to throw them. ^^