Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN!!!!!!!!! Duh.

Author's notes: I UPDATED! Happy? Good. I could have updated earlier, but with schoolwork and all. I know, no excuse and if I post my stories I should update regularly, but oh well. I hope people like this chapter. Please review it! (I don't much care for the first part myself. I like the second part more.)

And thank you to Magicman/Smokegirl, SabineballZ, big-mops-in-shorts, and Anime Monkey for reviewing the previous chapter!

Chapter 4 – A New Acquaintance

"Van? Van!" Hitomi called. She searched high and low for her little furry friend, but he was nowhere to be found.

If she wanted to get to school on time, she would have to leave soon. Yet she couldn't leave now. Where was Van?

"Van!" she called again as she peeked under the couch. Finally, she turned to the open window. Carefully she leaned partway out and looked down the alley. She tasted something salty and realized she was crying.

Thoughts of him purring as he accepted her affection ran through her mind. His beautiful eyes looking up at her. The sense of companionship she felt when he was around.

If he had left, it was no use searching for him anymore. If he had left, Hitomi was once again alone.

"Oh, Van, have you truly gone?"

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Hitomi ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She had to reach the bus stop before it arrived. She was running late but with luck, she would reach school in time. Still, thoughts of her missing friend filled her head.

Not watching where she was gong, she collided head on into someone. She fell back onto the ground with a groan. There was no time to deal with this either. Shooting a "Sorry", she got up to continue on her way. But then she saw whom she bumped into.

It was a boy around her age. He had piercing reddish brown eyes with unruly ebony hair falling in front of them. He seemed to barely notice her or the fact that a girl had just run into him. He just kept walking after taking a brief glance at her.

Hitomi stared after the strange boy. He was wearing a jacket so she wasn't too sure of his build but she guessed from what she could see, he was muscular but lean still. Shaking her head, Hitomi yelled at herself. 'Don't go falling for someone you don't even know,' she thought to herself. Yet even as she remembered that she was late and dashed off again, she couldn't help but feel a slight familiarity with him.

**

The boy walked lazily down the street. He wasn't in too much of a rush to get to school. Besides, she went to that school. What if he let something slip while he was around her? Maybe it would be okay if they had different classes.

When a form bumped into him, he barely noticed. But he paused in mid stride when he was around the corner. The girl had sandy brown hair and emerald green eyes. It had been her. 'Damn small city,' he thought. Too bad. He would have to stay here for some time. He hadn't had any time to search for what he was looking for. If it wasn't here, then he'd be damned for the rest of his life if he left without it because of one silly girl.

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With a sigh of relief, Hitomi sat down in her desk. She had barely made it on time, but here she was. Yukari had scolded her for sleeping in so late, but Hitomi did not tell Yukari the real reason she was late. She hadn't told anyone about Van. He was her little friend, not anyone else's. After thinking that, Hitomi immediately took it back. Van had a real home and a real family that was probably looking for him. She just hoped that they found him soon. She could not help anymore.

The teacher walked into the classroom at that moment. Mrs. Takani had three weeks of school left before she took maternity leave. It was best if these three weeks she didn't aggravate over too much, but today she looked frustrated and furious. She was mumbling something under her breath as she set that day's assignment down on her desk. The students soon found out what was bothering her so much as she made a small speech about the future and why they were in school in the first.

Pushing a few stray strands of hair from her usual bun out of her face, Mrs. Takani looked about the room and began. "Three weeks ago, we were supposed to have received a new student. He has not shown up or made an effort to contact the school over these past weeks. This shows his lack of responsibility and commitment to his future. This building can be called just a building by some, but with teachers and students, this building becomes a school. Every one of you is here so that you may make something of yourselves when you are adults. This is the last year I will see most of you before you exit those doors for the last time. But, if you don't come to class at all," she hit her hand on the desk, "I welcome you to come join us year after year. You have been warned."

The class was extremely quite after that. It surprised them how their usually optimistic teacher could give such a speech that left everyone shocked and confused except that she was extremely irritated. Many thought that it would be best if the new student never showed up. That way, he wouldn't have to suffer Mrs. Takani's wrath.

That day, the students were unusually attentive.

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The sun was beating down on the boy. It was well past noon and he was late. Maybe he shouldn't show up at all that day. He'd have only one or two classes to go to anyway before the day was over. But, he had missed so many days already. If he continued to miss them, some unwanted attention might occur.

Sighing, the boy sat down on a park bench and started watching a man exercising a dog.

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Hitomi was nearing the gates after a wonderful track practice. She was getting better. She had nearly done 12 seconds. 12:16 was her new best time. Oh, how she couldn't wait for the next competition!

"Excuse me," someone called to her right.

She turned and saw her new friend Celena walking towards her with Dilly trotting beside her. That reminded her of her promise to take care of Dilly.

"Hello," she said.

Celena grinned. "Hey," she said. "So you're on the track team?"

"Yeah."

"Wow!" Celena exclaimed. Her eyes sparkled as she thought of Hitomi running and passing the other races. "I've never been in a club before. Allen won't allow me to."

They started to walk in the direction of the bus stop. "Why?" Hitomi asked, curious.

Celena just shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "I guess because he just wants to know where I am all the time. You know, the paranoid older brother." A frown was on her face and a look longing shown in her eyes.

Nervously, Hitomi tried to think of something to cheer her friend up. She saw a park across the street and was quick to point it out. "Why don't we give Dilly a free reign for a little while? It says dogs are allowed."

This did cheer up Celena quite a bit. The two found a good stick to throw around. Dilly ran left and right chasing. Sometimes, he would fall down for no apparent reason and just start rolling around in the grass. He ran around the feet of both girls who just laughed at the puppy's antics. Older brothers were forgotten.

Dilly, being the curious puppy that he was, decided to go further into the park. He dashed off with the girls trying to follow him. They ran all over the park, which turned out to be quite large. It was surprisingly empty. They did not see one person until one park bench.

The little animal ran up to the person who sat dozing on the bench. With a loud bark and a jump, Dilly was sitting next to the person who was now awake. Hitomi, who was the faster than Celena, came upon the person scratching Dilly affectionately on the head.

"I'm so sorry," she said between breaths. "He just started running away from us. We couldn't stop him. Sorry to ruin your nap." she picked the dog up and rubbed his head.

The boy looked up at Hitomi and sat quite for a moment before answering. "It's alright," he replied. "I should be going soon anyway."

It was then that Hitomi recognized the boy as being the one she had run into earlier that day. Celena came up to the two just when Hitomi started to say, "You're the one I bumped into today. I'm so sorry. I was in a hurry."

"So you did," the boy said as if he had forgotten. In truth, he remembered every detail. It was not easy for him to rid his mind of the emerald goddess that stood before him now.

"I'm Hitomi Kanzaki. This is my friend, Celena Shezar, and this little guy," she rubbed Dilly's head again, "is Dilly. He's Celena's." Celena murmured a short "Hello" and Dilly gave another bark in greeting. "May I ask for your name?"

The boy stuck out his hand to the girls. "I'm Van Fanel," he introduced himself.

"Van," Hitomi whispered. The name brought back the memory of the sleek black cat that had lived with her until today. "My cat's name is Van," she said louder. "Well, it's nice to meet you Van, but we have to be going." Celena clipped Dilly's leash on. "And I'm sorry again for Dilly. Goodbye."

"Don't be. I see your wearing Gaean High's uniform. I'm transferring there so I'll see you in school. Bye."

He watched the girls walk out of sight. Celena was nice, but not quite how she looked. It seemed she should have been more outgoing than she was. Oh well. Hitomi was exactly what she seemed. Kind, considerate, an overall good person to be with. Then again, he talked to her for only what, no more than five minutes? Who was he to judge after only a few minutes?

As he turned to leave, another thought crossed his mind. 'Her cat?' It was interesting how people thought of some things. He started whistling a cheery tune, feeling much happier than before. Now it was time to go home. After all, he had his own cat to feed.

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"Why did you not say anything when we met Van?" Hitomi voiced her question as soon as they reached her apartment. Celena looked down before answering.

"Allen doesn't like me talking to strangers," she said. "Especially handsome young ones," she added.

That reminded Hitomi of what Celena said about not talking to Dilandau because of Allen. Then she blushed because of Celena's last comment. "Yes, he was quite good looking, wasn't he?" she mused. "The total opposite of your brother but so very much the same."

"It seems you like someone other than my brother." This caused Hitomi to blush even more.

"Maybe," she admitted.

Celena stopped her teasing nearly right away. "Dilly was acting odd towards him," she finally said as they entered the kitchen. Dilly was busy sniffing every piece of furniture in the living room.

"How so?" Hitomi got down two mugs to make some hot chocolate.

"Well," Celena started, "while he's friendly to most females he meets, he doesn't really take to anyone of the male gender. It took a long time for him to allow Allen to pet him. Not that Allen wants to, of course. But, with that Fanel, he was acting so trusting. It's just weird."

"Oh well." Hitomi passed Celena her mug. "Maybe he's starting to like everyone."

"Who knows." Celena took a sip as she watched her dog explore.

"Who knows," Hitomi also said, but she meant it differently. 'Where are you Van?'