Dark Horizon

Note: Well, randomperson, you're the only reviewer so far, and I thank you for that! Since I'm writing this anyway for fun, I'll update for you! Who knows, maybe I'll pick up some other readers along the way! If you're there, other readers, please review! LOL! Okay, so, here's the next chapter. I made some changes to chapter one, so if you want to go back and skim it, I don't think there was anything TOO major, just some different lines and a little more beef to it is all. Okay, I'll shut up now!

Chapter Two: School and the Shack

The bell rang and she jumped nearly three feet in the air from the sound. She heard muffled laughter, and knew that more than half the class found her amusing.

"Are you ready to go?" Yuki asked her, appearing from, it seemed, no where.

Strange… I had no idea he was there. Normally, I would have known.

She nodded. "So… it's History next?"

He nodded. "This way."

She could feel heated glares as she followed him to their next class. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her. "Yuki… why do those girls stare at you like that? Surely they can't all have crushes on you?"

A little color crept into his cheeks. "Well… actually, they're the 'Prince Yuki' fan club…"

Kara bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Prince Yuki?"

"It's his nickname," a strange voice said from behind her.

"Oh, I see," she said. "I don't think I caught your name."

"Right. I'm Arisa Uotani."

"And I…" the electrical girl said. "Am Saki Hanajima. You have strange electric signals… stranger, even, than the Sohmas."

"Cut it out, Saki, you're scaring her."

"Uo, Hana! Sorry it took me so long!"

"Not a problem Tohru. We were just introducing ourselves to the Prince's new friend here."

Tohru smiled. "Oh hi! I'm Tohru Honda!"

"Kara Silvers," she said unnecessarily.

"We should hurry to class if we don't want to be late, Miss Honda," Yuki said to Tohru. Kara felt something in the air at that moment and it made her cheeks turn pink. Saki was still staring at her.

"Right!" Tohru said with a smile.

At that moment, a bowed orange head sulked past them. "What's eating him?" Arisa wondered aloud.

"Class?" Kara reminded gently and they all scurried off.

"So Miss Silvers, are you having a pleasant first day so far?" Yuki asked her.

"Yes. Things here are… nice." She sighed and stared at the ceiling. Why did he have to be so polite?

"Here we are," he announced at last, leading the way into another classroom. She recognized the orange head of Kyo Sohma in the last row.

This time, she introduced herself, telling Yuki that she was fine and to go sit down. The teacher nodded and told her to sit in the only empty seat, behind Yuki.

The rest of that class and the next two passed by smoothly, with no more new people for her to meet, and no more staring from the strange Saki Hanajima.

When she went into the girls' bathroom at lunchtime, however, she was ambused by several of the Fan Club girls.

"Who do you think you are, prancing into this school and making nice with Prince Yuki?"

"Um… I'm sorry, I didn't realize that it was illegal to be shown to class. But you'll have to take that up with the secretary, because it wasn't my choice."

"I don't believe you. You just want to steal Prince Yuki's heart."

Kara's temper flared at this accusation. "You, my dear girl, are just a hollow, empty follower with no mind or will of your own. All you care about is popularity and your Prince Yuki , who is not made any happier by your constant hounding of anyone who might actually want to be his friend. Tell me, did you treat Tohru Honda in this manner as well?"

She stared at her, as did the other two. "That's what I thought. Did it ever occur to you that, in order to win someone's heart… you have to act like a human being and not a fan crazed idiot. It's no wonder he likes Tohru so much. She's half normal."

The last bit she hadn't really meant to say out loud. Before any of the girls could answer, she walked out, leaving the blaze of her temper behind.

She took her lunch to a lonely table in the corner, hoping to distance herself from the group that she'd accidentally stumbled into a sort of familiarity with. She couldn't let them get any closer to her, or they might get hurt.

"Do you mind if we sit with you?" the voice of Tohru Honda said sweetly from beside her.

Curse it, they're here. "No, not at all," she lied. "Although… I'm sure there are millions of places you'd rather be."

"Not at all!"

There was a scraping of chairs as her lonely table was joined by Tohru, Arisa, Saki, Yuki, and, to her surprise, Kyo, who was wearing a sour expression, probably, Kara reasoned, because both seats beside Tohru were taken. He was forced to sit in the only open spot, on Kara's other side.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced," she tried, hoping to ease the tension, and possibly to scare him away. "I'm Kara Sil-"

"Can it," he ordered harshly.

And they said I had a temper. Hmph... he makes me look like a docile rabbit.

"That's not the way to treat a new student, Kyo," Yuki said calmly.

"Nobody asked you!"

Hatred and jealousy seared from Kyo, and from Yuki, although it was much better controlled on his part. Kara wanted to ask why they hated one another, but knew that it could only lead to far too much familiarity between her and these people.

"So… where did you go to school before here?" Tohru asked.

The hair on the back of Kara's neck stood up. On no account was she going to tell her about her past. "That doesn't matter."

"Oh… okay, then."

"She asked you a simple question," Arisa snapped. "What's so hard about answering? There somethin' you don't want us to know?"

Kara glared at her. "I don't like to talk about it, is all."

"Her past is shrouded in sorrow, Arisa. It makes sense for her to want to avoid the subject," Saki said simply.

"What part of town did you move into?" Yuki asked politely.

"Um…" Kara started. "I'm not really sure what you'd call it. It's… that way," she said, pointing in the general direction of the shack, deciding that lies could lead only into suspicion and possibly further investigation.

"I live in that direction as well," Yuki said.

"What're you tryin' to do, tell the whole world where we live so those Fan Club girls can attack you in your sleep or somethin'?" Kyo said, speaking for the first time since he'd told Kara to can it.

"The two of you… live in the same house?" Kara asked before she could stop herself, letting curiosity get the best of her again.

"The three of us, actually," Tohru said.

"Oh." It must be nice… being able to have friends. Even Kyo fits in better than I ever can, despite his temper, I can tell. The three of them are very close.

Saki was still staring. Kara had the unnerving feeling that she could see right through her. Maybe that's why her aura feels so strange… maybe she's some kind of psychic.

"Lunch bell is almost over," Yuki said. "It would be a good idea to head to our next class now, Miss Silvers."

She nodded and stood, deciding not to say goodbye to the others. The less they liked her, the better.

"I'll see you later, Miss Honda," she heard Yuki say before he led her to their next class.

The silence between them was painful. Kara longed to ask questions, to learn more, but she kept a firm grip on the bottom of her lip to still the words. She liked Yuki, Tohru, Arisa, and even Kyo and Saki. She didn't want them to get hurt, and therefore she couldn't afford to get to know them any better.

Finally the day ended and she gladly headed back to her locker. It took a while, but she managed to open it herself this time. She had just closed it when she heard and felt the approach of Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo. Why do they have to do this to me?

"I was thinking that, since we're headed in the same direction, we could maybe walk together," Tohru said brightly.

"Well… I don't know… I mean…"

"Just answer her already so we can get going!"

Kara took a deep breath to prevent herself from saying anything she might regret. She could tell that Kyo didn't always mean to be so cruel, and it wasn't a good idea for her to get his temper fired up. There was only one answer if she didn't want to spend her life being hated. It wouldn't hurt, she reasoned, to get a hello every now and then. She just wouldn't ever walk with them again.

"Alright, then."

"That's great!"

"Can we get going now or what?"

Tohru kept up a steady stream of conversation, talking mainly to Yuki, since neither Kyo nor Kara seemed very keen to talk. After what seemed like an intolerably long walk, she recognized the worn path to the shack.

"I go this way," she said simply, turning onto the path.

"That's odd. I didn't think there were any houses in those woods," Yuki said.

"Well, you're mistaken. Good bye."

She kept walking irritably into the woods. It was none of his business where she lived.

"Ah, home," she said wryly, unlocking the padlock she'd secured to the door of the shack, even though anyone who wanted to get in could tap the rotting wood of the hinges.

The few things she'd brought with her were set up around the shack, hanging from rusty nails and stacked up along the walls. She didn't have a bed, but instead a few blankets folded neatly on the floor. There was a stream within walking distance, which was where she planned to do her washing and taking her baths.

Her parents had been decently wealthy, so money wasn't really a problem. She had a stuffed wallet and a few other hiding places stored with all the cash she'd need for a long time, as long as she played it safe.

She pulled out her homework and started on it, trying to distract herself from the bugs that were crawling around her home.

Some time later, she heard footsteps in the woods and tensed, ready to show them what happened when you messed with Kara Silvers. She pushed the door open slowly and peered out.

End note: MWAHAHAHA! Cliffies! I love them, and I'm a bit notorious for them, so you better get used to it! Hope you liked this chapter! Please review!