"And I'd like to end this assembly by stating that I hope you will all have a successful and prosperous school year. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your day."
Students applauded as the principal stepped down from the podium and exited the stage. Moments later classmates rose from their seats and filed out of the gym.
"That assembly was totally lame. Didn't we get that same speech last year when we were freshman? I don't see why everyone makes high school out to be such a big deal. Mina? Mina are you even listening to me?" the young girl tugged at her friend's arm.
"Huh? Oh I'm ok." Mina responded solemnly, looking off into the distance.
"Heh I didn't ask if you were ok. Sheesh Mina you're really out of it. Yeah, the first day of classes gets me down too. So what did you do over the summer huh?"
Mina could no longer hear her, she couldn't hear anything, just silence. It was as if she were in a different time, slowed down, as everyone quickly passed her by. Everyone except Makoto, who was standing at the back of the room, leaned against the wall. They met eyes, but there were no warm greetings, no smiles, just a cold stare shared between them. Although it wasn't a glance shared by enemies it was one of sadness, remembrance of a time in the past when bonds were broken and something precious was lost. The two passed each other no longer as friends but as strangers, not having uttered a single word to each other in two years.
"Hey why weren't you at the assembly? Don't tell me you spent the entire time here with your nose pressed up against a computer screen."
"Hmm?" Ami looked up at the young man standing in the doorway. He was tall, dark haired, and rather handsome, which Ami would have noticed had she not drowned herself in her studies. "Oh hello Hideki." She immediately looked back to the screen and resumed her typing.
"Books, books, books, how can you understand all this medical jargon?" Hideki took a book in his hands and leafed through the pages.
"I want to become a doctor, you can't be a doctor if you don't study."
Hideki put the book down and walked towards her. He quickly grabbed her chair and spun it around so that they were facing each other.
"And where in there do you live?"
"Excuse me?"
"You may become a doctor Ami, probably the most successful doctor in Tokyo, but how do you ever expect to enjoy your life, to truly live it, when you spend all your time escaping, hiding in these books."
"You don't know anything about my life." she muttered softly, her head down.
Hideki lifted Ami's head with his hand, brushing the loose strands of her blue hair from her face. She looked up at him slowly, her cheeks turning a subtle rosy shade.
"I could know, I want to know, if only you'd just let me in." he then leaned in to kiss her.
"I-I-I have to go!" she pulled away from him, quickly gathering her things and leaving the classroom. Hideki just stood there, sighing and shaking his head.
Rei stood in the hallway, alone, as everyone went off to lunch. She stared into her open locker as she slowly placed her notebook inside. Pictures, pictures she had taped to her locker door, were a reminder of when things were better, when they were all together. There were pictures of Mina, Makoto, Ami and Usagi, even Chibiusa. Rei gazed upon the picture of all of them together, watching as Usagi and Chibiusa faded away and the four remaining friends moved apart. She touched the picture, her fingers slowly sliding down the surface. She sighed for a moment, then in a fit of anger Rei slammed the door shut and walked away.