Chapter Three- -

            Cherry Blossoms

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             Spotting the boy that all the girls swooned over, she smiled wickedly. Raising a single hand treacherously high in the air, she planted her feet at the ready.

            "Arimaaaa!" The amber haired beauty called with a girlish tone, her voice echoing through the sky. The boy, to say the least, was shocked. His eyes widened in surprise, his hair practically standing on end, his body tensing to that of a tree. Stoically, he turned, walking stiffly towards her, as her smile widened.

            Reaching her beaming eyes and smile, his voice seemed to be locked in his throat. In a strained voice, he answered her call.

            "Y-yes, what do you need Yukino?" His voice almost squeaked, sounding like a mouse being caught by a cat. Somehow, when he looked deep into her beaming mahogany orbs, he saw the real her. There was a sadness that gleamed behind those eyes. Maybe that was what drawn her to him. The way she always hid behind the mask in fear, her jovial spirit always apparent. She was just like…him.

            "Well, I was wondering…" The lithe girl began, tracing small circles on the grass with her right foot. Just then, when she had glimpsed at his eyes with her own, she felt her breath lock in her throat. Being blinded by the jealous rage towards the innocent boy, she never had the chance to notice how good he looked. His onyx hair, a few strays wisping in the gentle breeze. His deep, sooty eyes staring at her in confusion, it was….sexy. Blushing slightly, she felt her face become extremely warm. She began to shake her head violently, almost looking as if she was suffering from hallucinations or something of the sort. Catching some glimpses of classmates passing by she clutched her hands into fists, feeling very embarrassed.

            "Yes?" He continued, confused by her whole scene.

            "Ha, nevermind, I remembered that I was going to ask someone else," She blurted suddenly with an extremely apparent smirk. Still feeling very puzzled, he gave her one last glance, and then turned to rejoin his friends. When he stepped a foot forward towards his friends' direction, Yukino saw her chance. Planting her foot discreetly in front of his, she tripped him so his body fell flat and forward onto the unforgiving earth. A fairly loud 'thump' could be heard, as the people began to turn their attention to the two. Yukino laughed inwardly watching him spit out a mouthful of grass disgustingly. Muttering incoherently under her breath, in more of an evilly happy defeat than an actual insult, she grumbled: "That stupid Arima, thinking he could win my love" –she cackled again- "how stupid he is…I'll never ever fall in love with you…" Of course, her voice was low, dark, unknown; at least she thought it was.

            "Oh!? Are you alright Arima? You should really watch yourself," She chided, laying a thick amount of syrup into her voice, watching him begin to return to his feet.

            But from the way he was acting, it wasn't unheard by the one boy she desperately didn't want to hear it.

            Placing his hands firmly onto the ground, he stumbled upwards, standing with an almost dazed confusion etched across his features. His eyes gleamed with sadness, his hands clutched together violently at his sides. She watched him in an almost blind puzzlement. Why was he acting this way? It was all good and fun, correct? Revenge is sweet. Suddenly, she felt her world stop. His eyes were fixed on hers in a near deadening glare. It was scary. The way his mouth formed into a vicious scowl, his hands shaking uncontrollably, his eyes never once leaving hers. She felt herself flinch, taking a small step back, a barely audible gasp escaping her throat. He had heard her.

            He suddenly turned, violently, stepping hard on the ground while making his way back to the school building. Not a word sounded. Not the wind, not the trees. Nothing. Everyone gawked at the auburn haired criminal in front of them. She felt herself blush in embarrassment, whispers among her classmates flying across the crowd. Never had she felt so ashamed. Oh that Arima! It was his fault. He didn't have to say anything, he could have just laughed! A scowl appeared on her face. Too blinded by her anger, she did the unpredictable. Her eyes flared, her throat becoming unworldly dry, angry tears daring to fall. Stomping her feet on the ground, hands fisted into the sky, she bellowed in heartfelt rage:

            "I'LL GET YOU ARIMA!"

           

            Silence. A thick, thick silence.

            Running off, clearly embarrassed, realizing what she had just violently screamed, she found the nearest hiding place. Currently, she hid behind the walls of the school, out of her classmates' eyeshot. Hopefully, she wouldn't be found. She crouched low on the ground, legs weakly brought up to her chin, watching her classmates begin to scatter about, whispering and giggling wretched words of hate about her.

            He heard her. He heard her. He heard her.

            Ohh, now the rumors would surely start!

            Oh, he would pay now.

            For everything.

            Now everyone definitely knows I am just a fake and a freak… She thought in an angered sadness. All that work to be the best. All those long hours and wasted summers of being enthralled into books of study. That's all she was good at. School. Work. Study. Those three words summed up her whole personality, at least in her classmates eyes. Now the chatter would start. The undying rumors would begin of the study geek turned crazy. Or maybe it was the study geek who was already crazy…

            There was no use now, torturing the innocent boy. She'd already done enough damage.

            Wonder what he'll do….

           

            Classes drawled on, at least to the lithe, ginger-haired girl anticipating the end of day so she could be free from everyone's stares.

            Arima wasn't seen. Nowhere. At least not in her watchful eye's line of sight.

            She should really be ashamed of herself. Acting like an immature little kid crying endlessly when their mother doesn't buy them candy. It was almost sad, really. Yukino's ongoing masquerade to hide herself was now out in the open. She had done it so expertly too, considering she'd been doing it before she could even walk. The constant mask, making herself to seem perfect, living a life of virtue. Her parents praised her, her teachers praised her, and her classmates were in awe by her abilities to the point that she was truly addicted. Addicted to praise. Addicted to those few moments where she was envied by her classmates, fawned by her teachers, her parents giving her loving words of flattery. It was an addiction. An addiction that seemed to eat her away every night and every day striving to be better, striving to be the living form of sheer perfection. It was sad.

            She slung her backpack sloppily about her shoulders and headed home. It was a long, slow walk. None like the others she had gone on, where'd she race home to tend to her hard work of laying lazily in front of the television, flipping through channels, somewhat content with her boredom. The pavement became interesting to the girl, watching it with a sudden blind fascination like she was in some sort of trance. Her steps were small and light, her skirt quietly swishing to the beat of her hips. A light, feathery texture of cherry blossoms began to fall from the trees as she walked. She smiled a tiny smile. Spring. Yes, it was really beautiful. Cherry blossoms gracefully painting the pavement as the wind silently rustled past. Too engrossed in her thoughts and in the beauty of Spring, she hadn't heard the gentle voice calling her from behind.

            "Miyazawa?"

            She stiffened outwardly. Turning, eyes growing wide in frightened anticipation, deep raven eyes met dulled mahogany once again in a heartbreaking stare.

            "Arima?" She whispered surprised, her words fluttering breathlessly into the wind. Just before he was about to comment, she turned stiffly away, allowing him a view of tears beginning to stain her right cheek.

            Why was she crying? He should be the one who's supposed to be…

            Before he could even finish his thought, his eyes widened in surprise. Only footsteps and the light rustling of trees swaying could be heard. She had done the unthinkable.

            She ran away. Ran away fast.

            And he did the first thing he could think of, if he was even thinking at all.

            He ran after her. Ran after her fast.

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