Disclaimer: I don´t own "Escaflowne" or "Save the Last Dance"
Chapter 2: Friends
Gaea was a small town located on the West Coast. The climate was warm and a day without sunset was extraordinary. The centre consisted of many shopping places and restaurants, among with the school, mall, and different clubs and entertainment places. Hitomi´s trip from her new home to school was about seven kilometres and took 10 minutes with the bus. She had seen some of the town on the way home from the station the night before, but had not paid that much attention to it, for she had had many other things on mind.
Her father had insisted on taking her to school. He had seemed quite guilty on leaving her already on the first day. She did not mind though; her father´s absence was not new to her. They had used to see each other only twice a year; she had at all times lived alone with her mother.
Hitomi always considered her self as an "accident-child". All she knew was that her parents had met at the local pub and things had just got out of hand. He had been a penniless poet, trying to find inspiration from wine and whores. She had been a rebel to her parents, running away from home and ending up to a place where excitement sure was to be found. The two had sought nothing but pleasure from each other's, but later the moment of fun had turned to a shocking result.
Hitomi had never missed her father; her mother had made it sure that she was both parents for her. She raised her daughter well, teaching her to avoid all the mistakes she her self had used to make. Her job had succeeded, making Hitomi a well behaving young lady.
Hitomi now stood in front of the large school. The sidewalk was crowded with chatting people, waiting for the bell to ring. She studied them and noted that girls somehow seemed to have the idea of "the less clothes, the better."
To Hitomi, the whole town seemed like a real Cliché-place, with half-naked girls flirting with every passing guy and giggling cheerleaders exchanging opinions about the latest rumours.
She secretly checked on herself. Her fear of not mingling to the crowd seemed somehow come to reality. Other students kept shooting suspicious glances at her and her simple outfit that existed of light-blue jeans and a red T-shirt with a V-neck. Nervously she started playing with one of her two shoulder-length braids, and sighed in relief as the bell rung.
* *
The building was enormous; nothing at all like the pleasant private school Hitomi was used to. She soon found herself horribly lost when looking for her locker. The first lesson had been English and she had sat in the outmost corner, trying to avoid people's gazes.
Suddenly a hand came to her shoulder and Hitomi spun around. She met a pair of large, violet eyes. The girl let go and smiled in a friendly way: "Hi, I don´t know if you noticed, but I´m in the same English class with you. I suppose you´re knew, since I´ve never seen you."
Hitomi quickly observed the girl before her. She was taller than her, more than 10 centimetres. Her long, blond hair fell over her shoulders and behind her back. She wore a short, pink skirt with a wide leather belt. Her one-sleeved shirt was the same dark blue as her high-heeled sandals, and short enough to reveal her navel. The girl looked like she had been heading to the beach more than to a lesson.
The girl grinned: "Oh sorry, didn´t introduce myself. I´m Millerna. Millerna Aston." She smiled a warm smile. Hitomi thought that she seemed very kind and nice. "I´m Hitomi Kanzaki. Actually I moved here only yesterday, so that´s why I´m a bit lost."
Millerna laughed and took her hand. She started leading her down the corridor at the same time talking happily like they had known each other for years. Hitomi thought that she must be popular, since she greeted every other passing by and all seemed to know her. They went by a group of guys and one of them whistled and shouted: "Hey Millerna, nice outfit."
Millerna swirled around and smiled captivatingly. Turning back to Hitomi she said in a slightly dramatic voice: "Those guys have some kind of an obsession with me, always running after like a punch of hungry wolves." Hitomi was a bit taken back by her remark, but didn´t have time to comment back when Millerna started flinging to someone on the end of the hall: "Yukari! Hey Yukari!"
Hitomi saw a red-haired girl turn and wave back. She followed Millerna and watched the two.
"Hey girl, how was it with Amano?"
The girl called Yukari sighed and shook her head: "The same, kissing, cuddling... Too romantic for you to listen."
Millerna laughed and then turned to Hitomi: "Hitomi, this is Yukari, my best friend. She just had a mushy-fluffy evening with her boyfriend Amano and is in the seventh heaven now." Yukari gave her friend a glare and smiled kindly to Hitomi: "Nice to meet you. Don't listen to that madonna´s talk, she´s just jealous, because she´s never experienced a romantic candle- light-supper."
Hitomi decided that she would like Yukari very much. The redhead wore a dark blue skirt that reached her knees. Her top had wide straps and matched nicely with her reddish-brown eyes. She wore no make-up, which made her natural beauty shine from her friendly face.
Millerna clasped her hands: "Well then, shall we show you around a bit?" Again she took Hitomi´s hand and started leading her towards the doors.
* *
When half of the day had passed, Hitomi´s head was spinning with all the new faces. Between classes Millerna and Yukari had introduced her to every other person that had passed by and already she had forgotten all of their names.
Along with her two new friends, she sat at the table that was placed outside on the grass field. The warm sun glimmered over the happily chatting students. Hitomi ate her lunch quietly and listened the two talk about the newest gossips. Again her mind started travelling back to her old school and friends. She still had not called anybody and decided to do it today. A tap on her hand woke her up from her daydreams.
"Huh? Sorry, I wasn´t paying attention."
Millerna and Yukari giggled: "We just asked that are you dating or anything, but apparently yes, because of that absent look on your face." Hitomi gazed at Millerna and then shook her head. A forced, weak smile appeared on her face:
"No, I´m not. I used to date a boy from my previous school, but he..." Hitomi paused for a while and tried to find the right words. Shortly she concluded: "We decided it was better on our own."
Both girls nodded in understanding. Suddenly a smile spread across Yukari´s face and she rose from her chair. Hitomi watched her walk to a brown-haired boy and kiss him. Holding the hand of the guy, she returned back to the table and introduced him.
"Hitomi, this is my boyfriend Amano Susumu."
He smiled kindly to Hitomi and she returned it. Yukari turned to Millerna and spoke something to her. Hitomi was not sure what to say to the boy in front of her, but Yukari saved the situation. Taking Amano´s hand, she smiled to Hitomi and told her to see her the next day. Hitomi nodded and then the couple left.
Millerna was about to say something, when a loud rumbling sound stole their attention. Many faces near Hitomi turned around and lit up. She wondered what was the fuss and started glancing at the direction where the noise had come.
A black and shiny motorcycle had appeared to the parking-place on the other side of the road. Through the crowd Hitomi saw a guy sit on the bike. His silky black hair glimmered in the sun, as he casually took away his sunglasses and folded them to hang out of the pocket sleeve of his worn leather jacket. Shutting down the motor, he rose from the seat and dropped the keys to the hip pocket of his jeans.
Hitomi turned to her new friend: "Who´s that?"
Like waiting for her to ask, Millerna replied: "Oh, that´s Van Fanel, the absolutely hottest guy in school; every girl in the whole town run after him!"
Hitomi lifted a brow: "Why´s that?" Millerna laughed and said in an amused tone: "Well see him and then ask again. He´s got the best looks compare to any other." Then leaning forward she continued in an excited whisper: "You know, they say that he´s got a really difficult past. He moved here two years ago with his Italian mother and brother, but nobody knows about his father, because he never talks about his family to anybody. No one even knows what his home is like, because he never takes anyone there."
Hitomi just shrugged, which made Millerna lean even more closer and continue mysteriously: "But you know, they say that he´s a machine in the bed. I mean, he does it with any possible girl who´s just willing."
Hitomi startled and Millerna looked satisfied again. She smiled and leaned back on her chair: " He´s never been with a certain girl more than once and as far as I know, he´s not even been in a real relationship."
Shifting her gaze from Millerna´s smiling face to the black-haired boy, Hitomi said matter-of-factly: "You seem to know much about this guy." Millerna laughed: "Oh that´s just general information everyone knows. Some girls know even more; sometimes when he´s really drunk, he might splutter something hazy."
Hitomi felt horrible talking like that about somebody and she voiced her opinion: "You make it sound like he´s some official paramour!" Millerna shrugged and replied easily: "Nah, the guy just likes sex and wants to play it sure."
Hitomi rose from her seat. "I don´t have anymore lessons today, so I think I´ll be heading home. Thanks for your company Millerna." The blond smiled: "Anytime, see you tomorrow then." Hitomi nodded and took her bag. Then she left towards the parking-area from where she could take a shortcut.
She halted, when noticing that the black-haired boy still had not gone. He leaned casually to his bike and talked with some other guy that had appeared beside him. Hitomi had already decided to avoid him. After everything she had heard from Millerna, this Van-person certainly was not somebody she wanted to be involved with. And what happened with Sean...
Hitomi mentally slapped herself: ´Don´t think about him!' Then taking a breath she began crossing the parking-area. The passage between the cars was narrow and Hitomi was forced to go quite close from the two. She passed them and for a brief split-second, she met the dark Italian´s deep chocolate eyes. Quickly tearing her eyes away, she sped her step, feeling his burning gaze on her back.
* *
Hitomi sat on one of the living rooms armchairs and read a book she had received from her English teacher. It was overall boring and she soon realised that she had read two pages without following the text at all. Sighing she dropped the book to the floor.
Her thoughts moved to her new friends. Millerna and Yukari had both been nice to her, but Hitomi still decided that if problems, she would rely on Yukari first. Millerna had been very kind, but she was a bit too curious and poky. In addition, she seemed a bit spoiled, and though Hitomi was sure the girl meant no harm, she still said things she should have thought before.
Hitomi yawned and glanced at her watch. Her bedtime started nearing and she gathered herself to her room. The first day had not been that bad, and she started to believe, that maybe life would start smiling to her again.
* *
.
Chapter 2: Friends
Gaea was a small town located on the West Coast. The climate was warm and a day without sunset was extraordinary. The centre consisted of many shopping places and restaurants, among with the school, mall, and different clubs and entertainment places. Hitomi´s trip from her new home to school was about seven kilometres and took 10 minutes with the bus. She had seen some of the town on the way home from the station the night before, but had not paid that much attention to it, for she had had many other things on mind.
Her father had insisted on taking her to school. He had seemed quite guilty on leaving her already on the first day. She did not mind though; her father´s absence was not new to her. They had used to see each other only twice a year; she had at all times lived alone with her mother.
Hitomi always considered her self as an "accident-child". All she knew was that her parents had met at the local pub and things had just got out of hand. He had been a penniless poet, trying to find inspiration from wine and whores. She had been a rebel to her parents, running away from home and ending up to a place where excitement sure was to be found. The two had sought nothing but pleasure from each other's, but later the moment of fun had turned to a shocking result.
Hitomi had never missed her father; her mother had made it sure that she was both parents for her. She raised her daughter well, teaching her to avoid all the mistakes she her self had used to make. Her job had succeeded, making Hitomi a well behaving young lady.
Hitomi now stood in front of the large school. The sidewalk was crowded with chatting people, waiting for the bell to ring. She studied them and noted that girls somehow seemed to have the idea of "the less clothes, the better."
To Hitomi, the whole town seemed like a real Cliché-place, with half-naked girls flirting with every passing guy and giggling cheerleaders exchanging opinions about the latest rumours.
She secretly checked on herself. Her fear of not mingling to the crowd seemed somehow come to reality. Other students kept shooting suspicious glances at her and her simple outfit that existed of light-blue jeans and a red T-shirt with a V-neck. Nervously she started playing with one of her two shoulder-length braids, and sighed in relief as the bell rung.
* *
The building was enormous; nothing at all like the pleasant private school Hitomi was used to. She soon found herself horribly lost when looking for her locker. The first lesson had been English and she had sat in the outmost corner, trying to avoid people's gazes.
Suddenly a hand came to her shoulder and Hitomi spun around. She met a pair of large, violet eyes. The girl let go and smiled in a friendly way: "Hi, I don´t know if you noticed, but I´m in the same English class with you. I suppose you´re knew, since I´ve never seen you."
Hitomi quickly observed the girl before her. She was taller than her, more than 10 centimetres. Her long, blond hair fell over her shoulders and behind her back. She wore a short, pink skirt with a wide leather belt. Her one-sleeved shirt was the same dark blue as her high-heeled sandals, and short enough to reveal her navel. The girl looked like she had been heading to the beach more than to a lesson.
The girl grinned: "Oh sorry, didn´t introduce myself. I´m Millerna. Millerna Aston." She smiled a warm smile. Hitomi thought that she seemed very kind and nice. "I´m Hitomi Kanzaki. Actually I moved here only yesterday, so that´s why I´m a bit lost."
Millerna laughed and took her hand. She started leading her down the corridor at the same time talking happily like they had known each other for years. Hitomi thought that she must be popular, since she greeted every other passing by and all seemed to know her. They went by a group of guys and one of them whistled and shouted: "Hey Millerna, nice outfit."
Millerna swirled around and smiled captivatingly. Turning back to Hitomi she said in a slightly dramatic voice: "Those guys have some kind of an obsession with me, always running after like a punch of hungry wolves." Hitomi was a bit taken back by her remark, but didn´t have time to comment back when Millerna started flinging to someone on the end of the hall: "Yukari! Hey Yukari!"
Hitomi saw a red-haired girl turn and wave back. She followed Millerna and watched the two.
"Hey girl, how was it with Amano?"
The girl called Yukari sighed and shook her head: "The same, kissing, cuddling... Too romantic for you to listen."
Millerna laughed and then turned to Hitomi: "Hitomi, this is Yukari, my best friend. She just had a mushy-fluffy evening with her boyfriend Amano and is in the seventh heaven now." Yukari gave her friend a glare and smiled kindly to Hitomi: "Nice to meet you. Don't listen to that madonna´s talk, she´s just jealous, because she´s never experienced a romantic candle- light-supper."
Hitomi decided that she would like Yukari very much. The redhead wore a dark blue skirt that reached her knees. Her top had wide straps and matched nicely with her reddish-brown eyes. She wore no make-up, which made her natural beauty shine from her friendly face.
Millerna clasped her hands: "Well then, shall we show you around a bit?" Again she took Hitomi´s hand and started leading her towards the doors.
* *
When half of the day had passed, Hitomi´s head was spinning with all the new faces. Between classes Millerna and Yukari had introduced her to every other person that had passed by and already she had forgotten all of their names.
Along with her two new friends, she sat at the table that was placed outside on the grass field. The warm sun glimmered over the happily chatting students. Hitomi ate her lunch quietly and listened the two talk about the newest gossips. Again her mind started travelling back to her old school and friends. She still had not called anybody and decided to do it today. A tap on her hand woke her up from her daydreams.
"Huh? Sorry, I wasn´t paying attention."
Millerna and Yukari giggled: "We just asked that are you dating or anything, but apparently yes, because of that absent look on your face." Hitomi gazed at Millerna and then shook her head. A forced, weak smile appeared on her face:
"No, I´m not. I used to date a boy from my previous school, but he..." Hitomi paused for a while and tried to find the right words. Shortly she concluded: "We decided it was better on our own."
Both girls nodded in understanding. Suddenly a smile spread across Yukari´s face and she rose from her chair. Hitomi watched her walk to a brown-haired boy and kiss him. Holding the hand of the guy, she returned back to the table and introduced him.
"Hitomi, this is my boyfriend Amano Susumu."
He smiled kindly to Hitomi and she returned it. Yukari turned to Millerna and spoke something to her. Hitomi was not sure what to say to the boy in front of her, but Yukari saved the situation. Taking Amano´s hand, she smiled to Hitomi and told her to see her the next day. Hitomi nodded and then the couple left.
Millerna was about to say something, when a loud rumbling sound stole their attention. Many faces near Hitomi turned around and lit up. She wondered what was the fuss and started glancing at the direction where the noise had come.
A black and shiny motorcycle had appeared to the parking-place on the other side of the road. Through the crowd Hitomi saw a guy sit on the bike. His silky black hair glimmered in the sun, as he casually took away his sunglasses and folded them to hang out of the pocket sleeve of his worn leather jacket. Shutting down the motor, he rose from the seat and dropped the keys to the hip pocket of his jeans.
Hitomi turned to her new friend: "Who´s that?"
Like waiting for her to ask, Millerna replied: "Oh, that´s Van Fanel, the absolutely hottest guy in school; every girl in the whole town run after him!"
Hitomi lifted a brow: "Why´s that?" Millerna laughed and said in an amused tone: "Well see him and then ask again. He´s got the best looks compare to any other." Then leaning forward she continued in an excited whisper: "You know, they say that he´s got a really difficult past. He moved here two years ago with his Italian mother and brother, but nobody knows about his father, because he never talks about his family to anybody. No one even knows what his home is like, because he never takes anyone there."
Hitomi just shrugged, which made Millerna lean even more closer and continue mysteriously: "But you know, they say that he´s a machine in the bed. I mean, he does it with any possible girl who´s just willing."
Hitomi startled and Millerna looked satisfied again. She smiled and leaned back on her chair: " He´s never been with a certain girl more than once and as far as I know, he´s not even been in a real relationship."
Shifting her gaze from Millerna´s smiling face to the black-haired boy, Hitomi said matter-of-factly: "You seem to know much about this guy." Millerna laughed: "Oh that´s just general information everyone knows. Some girls know even more; sometimes when he´s really drunk, he might splutter something hazy."
Hitomi felt horrible talking like that about somebody and she voiced her opinion: "You make it sound like he´s some official paramour!" Millerna shrugged and replied easily: "Nah, the guy just likes sex and wants to play it sure."
Hitomi rose from her seat. "I don´t have anymore lessons today, so I think I´ll be heading home. Thanks for your company Millerna." The blond smiled: "Anytime, see you tomorrow then." Hitomi nodded and took her bag. Then she left towards the parking-area from where she could take a shortcut.
She halted, when noticing that the black-haired boy still had not gone. He leaned casually to his bike and talked with some other guy that had appeared beside him. Hitomi had already decided to avoid him. After everything she had heard from Millerna, this Van-person certainly was not somebody she wanted to be involved with. And what happened with Sean...
Hitomi mentally slapped herself: ´Don´t think about him!' Then taking a breath she began crossing the parking-area. The passage between the cars was narrow and Hitomi was forced to go quite close from the two. She passed them and for a brief split-second, she met the dark Italian´s deep chocolate eyes. Quickly tearing her eyes away, she sped her step, feeling his burning gaze on her back.
* *
Hitomi sat on one of the living rooms armchairs and read a book she had received from her English teacher. It was overall boring and she soon realised that she had read two pages without following the text at all. Sighing she dropped the book to the floor.
Her thoughts moved to her new friends. Millerna and Yukari had both been nice to her, but Hitomi still decided that if problems, she would rely on Yukari first. Millerna had been very kind, but she was a bit too curious and poky. In addition, she seemed a bit spoiled, and though Hitomi was sure the girl meant no harm, she still said things she should have thought before.
Hitomi yawned and glanced at her watch. Her bedtime started nearing and she gathered herself to her room. The first day had not been that bad, and she started to believe, that maybe life would start smiling to her again.
* *
.