Ha ha ha… the result of watching too much Fruits Basket is this chapter! Go the psychics!

Anyway… I totally agree. Hayate shouldn't be so pessimistic, although, when you constantly get crappy result after crappy result it is hard to stay optimistic…

Good luck to him. But, if I have any say in it…

I don't know if any are actually reading this story, but this chapter is for the Christie fans! Ha, ha, ha… wow, I love this, making her all O.O. (Great describing word, huh!) So… hope you enjoy, and…

Ayane: Can't you guys even let me be %@$#in' absent from the %@$#in' table once in a while? *Evil glare* Mind your own business…

Yeah, that's where Ayane was. Probably off having a smoko or something…

Hayate: *In a smart sounding voice* Smoking gives you cancer and lung disease!

Ayane: *Greasy* You'll be getting a… smoking lung if you don't shut your pie hole!

Yeah, anyway. Enjoy the chapter! ^_^

Oh, and James… you had me laughing fit to burst. Bone head? I'm proud of you ^_^

*

He sighed audibly, loudly enough to make person sitting in front him start at the sound, turning to face him questioningly. He shrugged. He was in the middle of advanced maths. He should be listening… but… I can't. My concentration has gone out the window. And I know that whenever my thoughts lead to this, then there is no chance of me getting even the smallest skerrick of work done. How disreputable. Luckily we finish in ten minutes.

Next to him was a platinum-haired girl. She was continuously looking grudgingly at the questions, scribbling on her book, then looking at the questions again, almost as if she couldn't quite summon up the energy needed to complete them.

I am bored. Perhaps I could make some conversation.

"Excuse me?" he asked, voice soft. She looked up sharply, glaring at him. A… frosty reception, to say the least… refusing to let that deter him, he continued. "Do you have a spare pen which I would be able to borrow?"

She shoved across a pen at him, glared once more, before returning to her own work.

I tried. He picked up her pen, and started sketching lightly, until he studied his picture, realising what it was. I really must stop drawing like this. It's so dark… I wish I could lighten the mood in the picture a bit.

He glanced at the picture critically. A neatly sketched drawing of a person locked in a cell, light streaming through the bars as thinned hands grabbed desperately at the railings.

What the… I didn't even mean to draw that.

He was about to scrunch the piece of paper up and throw it into the bin, however, before he could, he felt a hand on his arm. A hand with sharp claw-like fingernails, digging into his skin.

"You never told me you drew,"

It was that girl who he had attempted to speak to and failed abysmally. He shook his head.

"Not well. I only do it for recreation,"

"It's interesting," the platinum-haired girl commented. "An interesting style,"

Before he could say anything else, a piece of paper was pushed across the desk. He glanced down at it. It was done in careful, thin strokes, obviously done more carefully then his rushed, two-second scribble. Vampires, draining the life out of an innocent girl that looked uncannily like that blonde French girl, Helena.

"I apologise. I don't know your name,"

"Christie," was the short answer. "I know yours,"

"Okay," he responded, slightly taken aback by her response. "In that case, I won't bother with introducing myself, then,"

"Don't," she advised him, smiling an icy-thin smile. "You won't need to. Hayabusa Ryu,"

He looked at her, hoping to see some trace of emotion in her stormy grey eyes, but found none. "You have Japanese in your line?" she questioned. Even that innocent question seemed to reek of ulterior motives.

"Yes. My mother and father both,"

"I thought so. Not just because of the name. You live with your father now, am I correct?"

He nodded mutely, not knowing what to make of her statements.

"Your father. He doesn't like you much, does he?"

What? How does she know all this? I haven't even spoken to her before today. "What makes you think such?" he queried coolly, trying to keep the façade of nonchalance up.

That icy smile graced her lips once more. "I know more about you then you do. And, mark my words; I'll use the information if I have to. If it benefits me,"

What? A psychic or something? Whatever she is, she's rather… disconcerting…

"Care to give me an example?" he asked.

"Of course. Your mother died when you were about twelve. Your father became your sole guardian, soon resorting to threats and violence when faced with an improbable situation between the two of you. Even though you have been best friends with Hayate for several years, you had never met his half sister before she started at this school, albeit reluctantly,"

"That's quite enough," he held up a hand before she could continue. "A psychic? I'm surprised; I have to admit, Miss Christie. Well done,"

Another smile, still as icy-cold and unfeeling as the previous two. "Thankyou. I like surprising people. Especially when they least expect it,"

"I'm glad I pleased you," he stated, nodding to her. With a piercing shrill, the bell went.

Thank the gods for that. She was beginning to make me anxious.

"Oh, Hayabusa," she added before he could go. "Watch out for stray soccer balls on the oval. If you don't, the next stop for you will be the infirmary,"

"Thankyou for the warning," he responded, before picking up his books and going.

"Watch out for soccer balls on the oval?" Hayate snorted. "What a load of rubbish. Besides, nobody kicks soccer balls around, anyway. It's winter. Too muddy outside, anyway,"

He couldn't help but be more alert then usual, watching out for any flying stray soccer ball.

"I don't know what it was about her, but she made me think that there was at least an inkling of truth in her statements. She knew things about me which only you know,"

"Well, I haven't told anyone…" Hayate trailed off. "That's kind of creepy when you think about it in that respect,"

He sighed, and they walked off towards their usual tree.

"Hey Ryu, watch out," he heard from beside him. He glanced down and upon seeing what was there, raised an eyebrow.

A soccer ball, half buried in the ground. Quite easy to trip on. He looked forward. If he had have tripped on it, he would have sliced his head open on a sharp tree branch directly in front. Hmm. Next stop will be the infirmary indeed.

"Well, I suppose she didn't say it had to be moving anywhere…" he trailed off thoughtfully, stepping deftly over the top of the soccer ball and dodging the branch. "Perhaps it would be best if we don't dismiss this as rubbish just yet, Hayate,"

"Good idea," Hayate rubbed a hand over his arms. "I'm getting kind of creeped out by this. I've seen the girl once or twice. She certainly was… different from the rest of them,"

"Excuse me?"

The platinum-haired girl spun around. "I thought you'd want to speak to me again. So. You avoided the soccer ball, I see. Nice footwork,"

"Yes. Thankyou," he said hurriedly, fumbling for the right words. "Would I be able to ask you a favour?"

"Depends on whether it benefits me or not. Remember?"

He nodded. "I do remember. But I cannot think of any way it can benefit you,"

Unlike the immediate rejection he was expecting, she remained in front of him, thinking for a moment. Finally, she spoke.
"Helena Douglas is returning to school tomorrow, back from her mother's funeral in France. Tomorrow, she is going to ask you to the dance. I want you to reject her and say that you never liked her. That you detest her and would never think of going out with her,"

"That's uncalled for," he protested mildly.

"You wanted a favour?" A thin, platinum eyebrow raised. "That's my part of the bargain. If it makes you feel any better, she will know who the message is from and not hold it against you. You have my word on that,"

"Alright," he agreed finally. "Now, the favour?"

She shook her head. "Right. Things are only going to go further down, Hayabusa, for you and your friend's sister, that orange-haired one. I would be very careful if I were you, and tell her to be as well. Soon, that pervert guy is going to want something else of you, something which you certainly won't want to give. Oh, and watch out for that Ayane girl too. She has a few tricks up her sleeve which none of you will expect. One last thing, tell that friend of yours to study. He'll be pleasantly surprised,"

He blinked. Talk about bad fortune. I always knew that it was a mistake following Japanese culture to the line like this… being so superstitious and all, but she really does seem to have truth in her statements… and Hayate, maybe luck is looking up for him?  "Thankyou," he added, not knowing what else to say.

"It was my pleasure," A thin smile crossed her lips. "I know you'll do what you say. You're too easy to read, Hayabusa. That's your problem,"

*