Chapter 4: Learning about

After strip poker, in Kira's room:

"You totally rocked girl!" Hilary exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, so did my brother," Kira responded, biting her lip.

"You wouldn't be seeking revenge now, Kira?" Anya asked.

"Who knows? If I have time. School is starting tomorrow and that means that I have stuff to do," Kira replied.

"Kira has her own little "newspaper" that she spreads around the school," Hilary said.

"What do you mean by the "newspaper"?" Anya asked curiously.

"Well, let's just say that it isn't against the rules, but if the teachers saw it I could be in trouble," Kira explained and smirked.

"What is it that you write about?" Anya continued, getting suspicious.

"I'll show you." Kira went to a shelf that was full of some papers that pretended to be magazines.

Kira picked up some stapled papers and handed them over to Anya.
She looked at them. It was very clear, why Kira didn't want to get caught by the teachers.

"You sure have put your spying-skills in use," Anya commented.

"It was too tempting to resist. The first photo I took was purely by accident," Kira said.

"So you decided to continue..." Anya replied.

"How could I not use this brilliant idea of mine, to pester Stacy?" Kira stated.

"It is a big risk. If this stuff goes through a lot of students, someone might give you away or be careless and leave this thing somewhere," Anya lectured.

"That's why it hasn't got my name on it," Kira argued. "And I think that there isn't even one student in this, other then you guys, that isn't afraid of me."

"Okay, you got your back covered. Let's drop this subject," Anya replied.

"I agree," Hilary said. "We haven't still told you anything about this place called school."

"Hilary is right," Veronica said suddenly. "You have to be clear of what are the rules are and what happens if you break them."

She glanced at Kira, who made a face at her.

"So let's get started with this," Veronica continued. "You aren't allowed to leave the school-area before 8 am or after 9 pm, except for Fridays and Saturdays, when the limit is at 10.30 pm."

"You also aren't allowed to yell at teachers," Hilary continued, glancing at Kira.

"I don't think we have to tell all that basic stuff to Anya," Kira cut in.

"She's right," Anya agreed.

"Well, then after the written rules there are a million unwritten rules," Hilary said.

"Sort of a hierarchy," Veronica explained.

"Basically the more beautiful, talented or powerful you are the higher in the hierarchy you will be," Hilary stated.

"Of course this only applies with the students," Veronica said.

"Then there is all the stuff that follows with a certain position in the hierarchy," Kira cut in. "And there are stuff that will lower your position."

"Like what?" Anya asked.

"If you get beaten, both mentally and physically," Kira said.

"High grades are important if you don't have power or beauty," Veronica stated.

"I think that covers it," Kira replied. "Just so you understand. It's a minefield in the school."

The girls chatted about other things and at some point Anya left to make dinner with Rei.


In the kitchen:

"So, what is this place like really?" Anya asked as she was making pizza.

"Define "this place", school or this house?" Rei answered back with a question.

"Both," Anya said.

"They are totally the opposite. Except for the fact that Kira is bossy in both places, but beyond that they are two different worlds," Rei stated.

"What do you mean by that?" Anya questioned.

"Here you can do pretty much anything and it doesn't go outside these walls. But at the school you better be careful. There are some teachers that "eat students for breakfast". Like our teacher in math, Miss Montana," Rei explained and shivered. "Kira is in trouble if she is caught. Miss Montana knows what she does, but she can't prove it, YET."

"Well, Kira is a free spirit. Chain her and it will become a catastrophe," Anya stated.

"You think of yourself as good judge of character?" Rei asked, grinning.

"Well, yeah," Anya replied, confused about Rei's grin.

"What kind of spirit are you then?" Rei asked.

The question caught Anya completely of guard.

"Well, I'm umm..." Anya started, but didn't know how to continue.

"You don't know," Rei stated.

The tone of his voice surprised Anya. It wasn't mocking, not one bit. There was undoubtedly pity and sadness in it.

There was a silence in the kitchen. Suddenly Anya cut herself with the knife that she was slicing the fruit with.

"AGH!" she screeched.

"What happened?" Rei asked and his eyes locked on Anya's hand.

"It's nothing," Anya replied.

"What do you mean it's nothing! There is a big cut on your hand, that is bleeding and you say it's nothing!" Rei exclaimed.


Anya tried to avoid him, but he grabbed her hand and dragged her to the bathroom.
Anya stood motionless where Rei left her as he got some bandages, to wrap the wound.

"What are you standing there? Wash it." Rei ordered as he noticed Anya wasn't doing anything.

Anya moved slowly to the sink and washed her hand and dried it.
'What am I doing? I know what's going to happen. I can't let him do it.'
She was heading for the door when Rei caught her hand again.

"What are you doing? You want to get yourself killed by blood loss?" Rei snapped.

"NO! Of course not, but..." Anya replied.

"So hold still so I can tie this," Rei cut her off.

Anya didn't try to get away anymore, but that didn't help...

The cut wasn't very deep but it was very long. Rei held her arm firmly as he wrapped the bandage tightly around the wound, moving his hand bit by bit upwards Anya's arm.

Anya was practically in a trance. The feeling of someone's skin against hers was so amazing. It was a long time since she had felt it. 9 months. That was when she had felt Kai's lips against hers. She shivered. Rei felt it.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked with concern.

The wound was wrapped in bandages.

"Huh? No," Anya responded, her voice all dreamy.

She snapped back to reality as she saw her face from the mirror. It was bright red!
She blushed even more as she looked back at Rei.

"I don't want to know what you were thinking," he replied and smirked.

That was when they saw something that made them both speechless.

Kai was standing at the doorway and looking at them with disgust and disbelief in his eyes. He left quickly. Anya ran after him, but he had gotten away.

She dropped down to the floor and put her back against the wall.
Tears were coming.

'Why? Why did he have to see?' Anya asked herself.

Tears fell from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. She let them run down, soaking her face.

Rei came out of the bathroom and stopped in front of her to lift her up.

"Stop," Anya ordered.

He hesitated a little, but continued.

"I said stop!" Anya snapped, more tears running down her face.

She looked into Rei's eyes and saw the same hurt and pain that she felt.

"I need to be alone," Anya said calmly.

Rei nodded and headed for the kitchen.


Anya watched him disappear from her sight and got up after that.
She stood still for a few seconds. Then she left the house into the rain outside.
She let herself get soaked. After that her attention went to the bandages on her arm. With a swift move of her hand she ripped them off. She heard yelling from the house.

'Rei told them what happened,' she though.

Anya started running. She wouldn't get far like this. They would catch up. She sat down behind a bunch of bushes and wrapped her hands around her legs, which she pulled against her chest.

'Why did this happen? What did I do to deserve this? Kai must be hurt and confused. He probably hates me and doesn't want to see me ever again. What else could he possibly think? I know I couldn't think of anything else. I should have just faced him after the fire. He would have understood. Or would he? This all my fault. I screwed it up!'

Pretty soon she heard some running steps and shouting.

"Anya!" Rei shouted.

"Anya! Where are you?" Kira yelled.

The voices weakened slowly.

Anya could feel the cold air and her soaked clothes. She was freezing.
More tears flooded from her eyes.

'This is what I deserve. I loved him, but it wasn't enough, I wasn't enough. I didn't try hard enough. I should have trusted him more. But I didn't and it's over. I would be better of dead. No more hurt, misery or loneliness. I'm sorry Kai.'

Her eyes closed and she was motionless. She didn't even shiver from the cold.

A few moments later...

"Anya!" Kira squalled as she saw her lying on the ground.

"Wake up Anya!" she screeched. "Don't you dare do this to me!"

She shook her friend.

People started appearing around her and she was dragged away.

"Anya! No!" Kira cried out.