Hitomi sat slumped over her desk. She glared at the board and imagined a drop of acid eating its way through the stupid mathematical formulas written on it. It didn't give her very much satisfaction.
On Friday, she had cut off her hair in an act of defiance. She wanted to defy her shyness and come out of her shell again. It also defied her classmates: Hitomi was going to show that she wasn't just the shy girl behind the hair.
Too bad her act of defiance wasn't doing anything.
In truth, Hitomi had only changed a little. Her haircut was the only drastic change that remotely resembled an act of defiance. True, she did not hide away anymore but that was because there was nothing to hide behind anymore as her hair was cut off. She also had a little more courage to look people in the eye right now, but that was extremely rare.
Shortly after first period had started, Hitomi discovered that, as her hair usually covered her face, she was in the habit of looking down. Now that her hair was out of the way, Hitomi had naturally, out of habit, cast her gaze down at the floor. Then she wondered what was so interesting about the floor and looked up. It was shocking to realize that looking upward was uncomfortable for her.
In the hallways, Hitomi walked to the side, skirting contact with other students. She stopped in surprise, wondering why the hell she was still avoiding others. Hitomi had then carefully walked into the middle of the hallway. She then promptly bumped into a tall senior who, when he recognized her, immediately started to apologize. Hitomi then found herself looking down and stopped, horrified. The blush rose to her cheeks again, but not in shyness, embarrassment. She then raised her head, told the senior it was alright and went on her way. The senior stood there, gaping in surprise. Hitomi had been so distracted that she hadn't noticed that the senior was the popular Allen Schezar.
And here, as Hitomi slumped over her desk hoping that acid would burn the mathematical equations on the board, she had realized that although her mind had changed, her instincts had not. She was still used to acting shy and she still acted that way. And here she was now, thinking herself acting defiantly.
Hitomi felt utterly stupid.
When the bell finally released the class from the mathematical equations, Hitomi leaped from her desk and hurried out instead of lingering behind as normal. She was the first one to leave the classroom.
As she strided to her next class, Hitomi took the opportunity to look around her. One group of sophomore guys instantly looked away when she cast her gaze on her, a sure sign that they had been staring at her before. Hitomi looked another direction and found the same result.
She sighed. All throughout the day, she had noticed people staring openly at her wherever she went. It annoyed her. Sure, her hair was very different, but it wasn't that shocking really. Hitomi wondered if there was a sign that said, "kick me" on her back but there wasn't. Aside from her hair, there wasn't anything strikingly different about Hitomi's appearance. So why were people staring at her so much?
"People notice you a lot more than you think." Dilandau had told her that with so much certainty.
Hitomi reached her class and sat her desk. As an experiment, Hitomi looked around her again. Papers shuffled, heads quickly turned, students around her were suddenly very busy with their backpacks.
Hitomi blinked. She propped her elbow onto the desk, resting her chin on her palm and flicked her eyes around once more. Again, there was a shuffle as the students suddenly looked preoccupied. Hitomi felt her cheeks beginning to turn red.
The starers flinched as Hitomi Kanzaki did something rare: she glared at them.
Hitomi covered a smile of satisfaction. It was amusing to see their reactions to her small changes.
"Yukari?"
"Yeah 'tomi?"
"Do people normally stare at me all the time?"
Yukari stared at her friend. "Why do you ask?" she said cautiously. They were at their usual lunchtime spot. It was just the two of them, as Amano had lunchtime detention.
Hitomi shrugged. "I know we don't have many classes together so I don't see you much. But, well-" She shifted uncomfortably. "I've noticed that people stare at me, like all the time. Is that true?"
Yukari sighed. "Is it true?" This was a question that Hitomi had been asking frequently these past days.
"To be honest, whenever I walk with you, people around us always have their eyes on you. Yes, you Hitomi," she insisted when Hitomi gave her a bug-eyed look.
"Has it always been that way?"
"Pretty much. I just ignore it so I didn't really notice…"
Hitomi blew a strand of hair out of her face pensively. There was Dilandau in the parking lot again, leaning on his EscaXX. He seemed to shift from side to side, uneasy. Hitomi flicked her eyes around and found Van there too, standing next to his Dragon. He noticed Hitomi's glance and waved at her in greeting. Hitomi waved back, dreamily.
Yukari gaped next to her. "Hitomi!" she hissed. "Did Van Fanel just wave to you?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Hitomi!" Yukari sighed in exasperation. "That's Van Fanel? Hello? Popular Van that everyone respects? The guy whose father owns Escaflowne Motorcycles? He just waved to you."
"So?"
Yukari blew out impatiently. "Doesn't that mean anything to you? You've been interested in you for like forever-"
"No, Yukari," Hitomi countered calmly. "I was jealous of Van and his family business, not interested in him."
"What are you talking about? You stared at him all the time!" Yukari pointed out.
"I don't stare at him all the time and when I did, I was staring at his motorcycle, not him," Hitomi corrected.
Yukari buried her face in her knees and screamed silently. "Oh Hitomi, you're so hopeless."
"Why thank you."
They both burst out laughing. When they stopped, Yukari still pressed the matter.
"Why did he wave to you?"
"I don't know, to say hi?"
"Hitomi."
"Okay okay, no need to growl at me!" Hitomi resettled herself. "On Friday, he drove me home from the mall. So now I guess we're kind of friendly," she explained.
"He drove you home so now you're kind of friendly," Hitomi said faintly. Then she smacked Hitomi on the head. "There's more to it than that, 'tomi, I know it. Tell me again."
Hitomi stayed silent for a moment. Then she said, somewhat hesitantly, "I had…a little…trouble at the mall with Dilandau and his friends…"
Yukari listened intently. Something had happened over the weekend to Hitomi, and as her best friend, she still didn't know what it was.
"Um…" Hitomi thought for some words. "I managed to… call off Dilandau…"
"Stop being vague, Hitomi," Yukari said.
Hitomi sighed and told Yukari about that Friday night. Yukari whistled.
"Jeez, so that's why you came to school with the new hairdo."
Hitomi shrugged. "I would've done something about it sooner or later."
A shadow fell over them. They looked up to see Van Fanel leaning on a tree. He looked as if he had been standing there for a while.
"Hello, ladies," he said politely.
"Hey Van," Hitomi greeted him. "What brings you here?"
Van shrugged indifferently. "Nothing. Just passing by." He nodded to them and walked away.
Yukari had a small mischievous smile on her face.
"He likes you," she said bluntly.'
Hitomi closed her eyes and opened them again. "No," she said.
"Well, I'm sure he didn't come over for me. I am taken after all."
"Shut up."
"You shouldn't be so pessimistic about yourself, Hitomi. You're actually really pretty, whether you like or not."
"Oh never mind."
Van groaned. He and Allen were sitting on the bleachers, watching the track teams practice. Allen was here because Amano, who was the captain of the track team, needed a ride home. Van was here in order to ensure that Allen returned the motorcycle as he had failed to do so on Friday. Van was regretting this; he was bored.
Allen, of course, was having the time of his life. He was perfectly happy watching long-limbed girls in track shorts and tank tops running back and forth. As long as he ignored the boys track team practicing in the same clothes, Allen was like a baby with a sweet.
"Ah, there she is," Allen commented when Millerna walked out to the start line of the hundred meter dash. Van rolled his eyes.
Millerna's father, like Van, was the owner of a large franchise. In fact, he owned the mall. His three daughters were all very pretty and extremely witty, their father's business only enhanced their popularity. Millerna was the youngest of the three and perhaps the most vivacious.
"You're such a playboy, Allen," Van said. "Didn't you just break up with Millerna's sister?"
"Oh yeah, Millerna's there too," Allen mumbled to himself.
"You didn't mean Millerna?"
"Not at all." Allen pointed to the girl racing against Millerna. It was Hitomi Kanzaki.
Van frowned. Why was Allen interested in Hitomi all of a sudden? He started to scowl at he bench in front of him. It wasn't as though Allen had said anything to Hitomi that Friday night, he had just gaped at her.
What gave him the right to be interested in Hitomi?
After he had this thought, Van mentally slapped himself. It wasn't as if Van had much of that right himself. Seeing Hitomi that night had really changed her in his eyes. Hitomi was certainly an unusual breed. To Van's mind, nobody really truly deserved her.
Then Van wondered why he had that particular thought.
Hitomi stretched out her long legs, Millerna doing the same beside her. She wondered why the coach was making her race Millerna. Millerna was one of the fastest runners on the team. Hitomi was only just okay. Well, that wasn't really true. Hitomi just never exerted herself to her fullest yet, she could be the fastest if she wanted to, and it was just that nobody knew it yet.
Next to her, Millerna suddenly sighed happily. Wondering why, Hitomi followed her happy gaze to the bleachers and caught sight of Allen and Van. They were both staring at towards Millerna and her.
Thinking of Van reminded Hitomi of his family business. She moved her gaze and caught sight of two motorcycles parked at the bottom of the bleachers. She instantly recognized Van's Dragon as one of them. She suddenly smiled to herself, remembering the smooth operating system of the Dragon. Van sure had one good bike.
"Ready."
Hitomi and Millerna went into their starting positions.
"Go!" The whistle sounded.
Hitomi and Millerna shot off like an arrow. Millerna pulled up ahead. Hitomi was only going at a comfortable pace, not at her record-breaking speed that nobody knew about. She was also distracted, thinking of the Dragon.
In a space of a few seconds, Hitomi's mind began to be dominated by the memory of the Dragon. It was such a good bike, really high class. When Van took her home, he had sometimes ignored the speed signs and pulled a 90. She had cried out in happiness then. It had been deliciously fast.
Her body began to shape itself to her thoughts. Hitomi's eyes widened lazily. The memory of the intense speed of the Dragon buried itself in her eyes. She didn't notice her legs suddenly picking up speed because she was distracted by the sudden desire to once again be just like a motorcycle, fast and sleek. Hitomi wanted to feel the wind blowing in her hair and whipping pass her face. She wasn't going very fast now, she had to go faster! Be just like a motorcycle! The fastest!
Hitomi failed to notice Millerna disappearing behind her as she accelerated more and more. She even kept on running as she passed the finish line. Hitomi only stopped sprinting when she reached the bend in the track lap, running onto the grass and stopping just short of the fence.
She blinked and rubbed her eyes. Turning around, Hitomi cringed as she met the stares of her track mates and the coaches.
"Sorry," Hitomi said as she walked back. "I just got carried away I guess…"
The coach stared at her and then at the stopwatch in her hand. She looked suspiciously at Hitomi.
"Have you been holding out on us, Kanzaki?" she asked.
Hitomi blinked. "Sorry?"
"Kanzaki, you beat Millerna by two seconds and you beat your personal time by six seconds. You either accomplished an impossible amount of progress since last practice or you've been running slowly for the whole year. Which is it, Kanzaki?"
Hitomi was beginning to turn red. "I…I don't know, coach," she said uncertainly. "Something just came over and…well…" she began to look sheepish. "To tell you the truth, I didn't even notice it."
Coach nodded. "Take a short rest, Kanzaki."
"Thanks coach. I don't really feel tired though." In fact, Hitomi still felt in great shape.
"Really? Then run the next one."
The coach made her run the next two hundred meter dashes. She beat all of them. Her times were all roughly the same and consistent. The coach looked at her in exasperation.
"Kanzaki, you have been holding out on us. You haven't been running your full potential at all this year, have you?"
Hitomi shrugged. "I just didn't try, I guess."
"Well I'd better start seeing these times consistently, or maybe some improvement."
"Yes coach."
On a whim, Hitomi glanced up at the bleachers again. Van was sitting slumped on the bench while Allen sat forward, intent on the scene below. Allen noticed her gaze and smiled at her.
It didn't occur to Hitomi that Allen was smiling at her so she just shrugged and sat down, taking a cool swig from her water bottle.
Millerna slung herself down next to her.
"Good race, Hitomi," she said cheerfully to her. "I never thought anyone could beat me. You proved me wrong," she commented good-naturedly.
"I think the coach is going to work me real hard today," Hitomi murmured.
Millerna laughed. She opened her mouth to say something when Yukari ran up from behind her.
"Hitomi you were fabulous!" Yukari squealed. Being the President of the track team, Yukari was well informed of Hitomi's sudden progress. "You were so fast!" It was then that she noticed Millerna. "You were good too," she added to her.
Millerna raised an eyebrow archly. "Thanks," she said dryly and left.
It didn't look like it but Van had watched Hitomi's racing with rapt attention. He looked in awe as Hitomi zipped down the track like a speeding bullet.
More like a motorcycle, he thought to himself. Yeah, that was a better analogy. She moved just like a motorcycle, efficiently and confidently.
To his annoyance, Allen was watching her too. Van heard him whistle as Hitomi ran a third time.
"She's got some legs," he noted to himself. Van rolled his eyes again. Allen's observations on Hitomi were starting to rattle on his nerves. He was surprised to realize that he liked it better when Allen was in raptures about Millerna.
"Hey Van, can you do me a favor?" Allen asked.
"Depends."
"Give Amano a ride home."
Van raised an eyebrow. "He's your brother. You give him a ride home."
Allen sighed. "But I see another down there who needs a ride more desperately then that dear brother of mine."
Van glanced down. "Who Millerna? Don't bother, she's got dozens of guys offering her rides already."
"Not Millerna, Van."
When Allen didn't elaborate Van took a sideways glance at him. "Not Hitomi, is it?"
Allen sighed happily. "I already knew she was pretty," he remarked. "But she was always to shy so that I didn't dare make a move on her. Then that night, Hitomi changed like blossoming flower." His smile widened dreamily. "Today, I accidentally bumped into her in the halls and I immediately apologized for fear of her hating me forever. But you know what she did? She looked at me and said it was all right. Hitomi Kanzaki said it was alright for bumping in to her."
Van rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Sorry, you'll have to drive Amano home."
Allen narrowed his eyes toward his friend. "What? Are you planning to drive her home?"
"Well…"
Allen threw up his hands. "Van, Van, Van. Don't you know that Hitomi would appreciate a ride from me more than from you?"
"I was the one who took Hitomi home last Friday," Van shot back. "I spoke to her. You just stared at her."
"I was enraptured by her startling performance and her enhanced beauty. I was taken by surprise," Allen protested.
Van shrugged. "Shall we make it race then…"
Hitomi walked out of the locker room feeling refreshed and bright. As she had predicted, the coach had worked her hard, trying to see if Hitomi could be fast on a consistent basis. She hadn't really minded, it was nice to run fast.
She looked around for Yukari and blinked to see Van walking toward her. She looked the other way to see Allen walking toward her as well, just a breath behind Van.
"Hitomi," Van greeted her. "Nice running."
"Thanks, Van," Hitomi said.
Allen was there then and was opening his mouth-
"I can take you home if you like?" Van cut in suddenly.
Hitomi looked at him, a puzzled expression in her eyes. "Thanks," she said. Van brightened. "But no thanks," she added. "I already have a ride. Yukari's driving me home." She shrugged and smiled. "I'll see you, bye," she called over her shoulder as she walked to meet Yukari.
"Bye," Van and Allen called out at the same time. Then they glared at each other.
Millerna walked out of the locker room on this scene. Allen's expression changed immediately.
"Hello, Millerna, you looked lovely today," Allen remarked gallantly.
"Oh stop, Allen. You're just flattering me," Millerna said playfully.
"But I'm not," Allen said blinking innocently. Then he cut to the chase. "Can I give you a ride home?"
"Well…" Millerna glanced over at other guys waiting for her. Then she shrugged. "Why not?"
Allen offered his arm and they walked out, arm in arm to Allen's borrowed motorcycle.
Van stared at Allen in distaste and left.
Amano walked out of the locker room and was forced to walk home.
A/N Poor Amano! Allen and Van forgot about him…lol.
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