Oooooooooooookay! Right! Next chapter!! I think (?) that this is the 9th chapter. WARNING!!!! Van will flirt a little bit in this chapter, and- you'll have to read it to find out!! I might be a tad bit hyper, because i had a brian scan the other day, and-quite tragically-it left some side- effects!! So, for the mean time, please ignore everything i say! Okay! On with the next chapter!

Chapter 9-Friends?

When Hitomi arrived in her form-room, she sat down in her usual place at the back of the classroom. As she did sit down, she was prepared for the usual name-calling. Madison looked over to her. Hitomi saw her whisper something into her best- friend, Amy's ear. They both giggled. Pathetic. Hitomi looked around, and saw Van staring at her. He had a sort of dreamy look in his eyes, and was wearing a very wide grin. Hitomi blushed, and looked down. In the corner of her eye, she saw Van still staring at her. She thought back to the first time she ever saw him. Now it was her turn to grin.

~Flashback~

She chose to ignore them all, and stare out of the window. As she looked, she saw a family approaching the front of the school. The father, was tall and had black hair. The mother, had long black hair as well, and was wearing a very pretty outfit. There were then, two boys, and one girl. The tallest boy, was very tall, and had spikey, blue hair. The girl, was short, and had short pink hair. The last child, was a boy, with unruly black hair, and he was kind of tall. They stopped at the school doors, and the parents started to talk to Principle Short-Man. The boy with black hair, looked around, seeming interested in the school. He looked up at the top window, where Hitomi was. He stared at her, while she stared at him. His face then split into a wide grin. Hitomi, without hesitation, shoved her middle finger up at him, and turned to look at her teacher, without looking at his reaction.

~End of Flashback~

She threw her hair over her shoulder, and stared back at him. Van raised his eye-brows at her, and his grin grew wider. Her eyes twinkled back at him, and she began to bit one of her finger-nails. (A/N-What a flirt!) Then, without warning, they smile was suddenly ripped from her face, and she stuck her middle finger up at him. He smiled, as he shook his head. Hitomi couldn't help but grin, either. After class, Van was hanging around in the corridors with about 20 of his friends. Hitomi walked past them, clutching her books close to her. She hadn't bought her crutches to school, as she had decided not to use them-it made her look weak. Some of Van's crowd looked at her. One of his friends stuck their leg out, and tripped her up. She fell to the ground, and all of her books scattered all over the floor. Everyone in the corridor turned to look, and burst out laughing. Hitomi gathered all of her books, and got up. "Oh, sorry!" , said the person who had tripped her up. Hitomi glared daggers at him. "Jerk", she muttered. She began to walk away, when someone grabbed her shoulder. "What did you just call me?", he asked in a threateneing tone. "Well?" Hitomi rolled her eyes at him. Van was looking at her, and he then stepped forwards. "Leave her alone, Jack. She didn't mean it". Jack turned around to look at Van. "Leave her alone?", he said back to Van. "Why the hell should I? She's always been so miserable and depressing to look at. She deserves to be beaten up. It's what she wants, after all." Van argued back. "No, it's not. No one asks to be beaten up. She just prefers to be on her own, than be surronded by lots of people. My older brothers like that. Why don't you all just lay off her?" Hitomi raised her eyebrows. Van Fanel, the most popular boy in the school, was sticking up for her; Hitomi Kanzaki, the schools most biggest outcast. Even the science geeks looked cool compaired to her. All of Van's crowd was staring at him. He turned to Hitomi, and winked at her. Hitomi blushed, and walked away. When the last bell of the day went, Hitomi made her way over to her locker, and began to load all of her books into her bag. She felt someone lean against the locker behind hers. She slammed her locker shut, and Van was leaning against one of the lockers, with a grin on his face. "Hey", he said. "Um....hi", said Hitomi. "Thanks for sticking up for me earlier. You didn't really have to". Van shook his head. "Thats alright", said Van. "I think it's horrible the way everyone else treats you. I'm surprised that Daniel didn't help out too, actually". Hitomi let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, well. You try being one of the most popular guys in school, and have someone like me as a sister!" Van's smile saddened a bit. "Is that really what you think?" he asked. "It's not what I think-it's what I know". "Don't be so down on yourself", he told her. "Look. Why don't I walk you home?" Hitomi smiled at him. "Kay!", she said.

Van and Hitomi walked silently through the quite road, Van enjoying the company a lot more than Hitomi. "So", he said. "So." Hitomi began strumming her fingers on one of her books she was holding in here hands. Van looked at her. She began humming aswell. "Did you just make that up?" "Huh?", said Hitomi. "Did you make that up?", asked Van. Hitomi blushed a little. "Yeah..." "It's pretty good, y'know, just out the top of your head". "Thanks", she said. "I'm hoping to become a song-writer when I leave for college". "Really?", he asked. He smiled. "I want to become a......never mind!" He turned his head away from her, his raven hair covering his eyes. Hitomi smiled playfully. "Go on!", she said. "Tell me! Please!" "Noooo!", he said, smiling. "I swear that I won't tell anyone!", she said, "Besides, who am I gonna tell?" Van looked at her carefully. "Alright", he said. "But you won't tell anyone?" "Promise", she said. "Okay. When I leave, I wanna become a......." "A what?" "A writer", said Van. "A writer?!", asked Hitomi. "What's so embarrasing about that?" Van looked at her as though it was the most simple thing in the world. "Well....", he said. "This is me. Van Fanel-the most popular boy in the schol. A writer isn't the most difficult and tough job in the world". "Who cares?", said Hitomi. "Look, you have to stop thinking about others. Who cares what people think of you? I don't. I stopped caring ages ago. Sure, you'll lose just about all of your friends, but at least you'll be able to do what you enjoy". Van stared at her. "Have you written any stories-like, proper ones?", asked Hitomi. "Ummm....yeah! I've written quite a few, actually". "Well, said Hitomi, blushing. "If it means anything to you, I'd love to read a few of your stories one time. If thats alright with you, of course?" Van smiled. "Of course it is!", he said to her. "Thanks!" They walked for a while longer, Hitomi now enjoying the company of Van. They were a few yards away from the apartment block where Hitomi lived, when Van asked her something. "Hitomi?", he said. "Uh huh?" "Well....you know that you said you wanted to read some of my stories? Well, would you like to come over to my house? Y'know, just to read them?" Hitomi looked up at him. He looked very red. Hitomi grinned. "Umm.....well....I'm not too sure", she said, uneasily. Van looked up. He looked pretty terrified. "Umm...well. Okay! Bye!". He turned around, and was about to go full speed ahead, when he heard giggles behind him. He turned around, and saw Hitomi laughing at him. "What?!", he asked, stupified. "You should have seen your face!", giggled Hitomi. "You looked so scared! I was joking around, you stupid idiot! I'd love to come round your house!" "Oh....", Van laughed nervously. "So...I guess we'll arrange it at school?" "Sure", said Hitomi. "Kay!" Van smiled at her, and ran in the opposite direction to his house. Hitomi was laughing as she climbed the stairs, and couldn't stop grinning- even as she slept. ***********************************************************************

Like it? Okay, i added Van and Hitomi flirting with eachother a lot in this chapter, but i hope ya like it! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!