Disclaimer- Bleach and all of its characters are owned by Kubo Tite.I just came up with this little story that's still under development.

Silk Threads

by J.M.C

Chapter 2- A Day Like This

I know it's futile . . .

These feelings I have . . .

But just for now . . .

Let me dream.

"The first one in class as usual Momo," a classmate of mine said as other students began to pile into the room.

"Ah . . . ," I felt my cheeks start to redden, " no I just- um you know . . . I'm serious about my schoolwork," I finished lamely.

"Oh yeah. I bet the schoolwork is all you're interested in Momo," the girl said looking at me slyly.

Geez she made me sound like some kind of dirty person.

I turned my face away from her before my face reddened even more.

Ring

That was the bell. I straightened up in my seat waiting for the person I had been anticipating to see all day. And just as usual he came into the classroom when the bell rang right after the last student.

Mr. Aizen with his brown hair, gentle smile, and kind eyes behind those handsome glasses looked amazing as he greeted the class. I felt my heart rate increase as it usually does whenever I see him.

"Please take out your homework and we'll go over any questions you have about it. Then I'll give you about fifteen minutes to study before we take the quiz."

He was so kind giving the students plenty of time to get their work in order before he gave us quizzes. Sometimes he even let us use our notes on the quiz. His generosity always amazes me.

The first half of the class was spent mostly on questions my classmates had about the homework and why the government did some of the things they did. I spent most of the class lulled by Mr. Aizen's voice so I was completely zoned out on whatever they were talking about.

I was snapped out of my daze by someone poking me harshly in my back.

"Pass the papers back," the boy behind me whispered irritably.

"Sorry," I said meekly as I blushed a little in embarrassment and handed him the papers. Hopefully Mr. Aizen didn't notice me daydreaming in his classroom. When I looked up, he was smiling at me in amusement.

Oh man, as if I wasn't embarrassed enough.

Ducking my head quickly, I focused all of my attention on the quiz in front of me. It wouldn't do for Mr. Aizen to think he had some ditzy little girl in his class.

I was saddened as the clock reached closer and closer to 3:30. Why couldn't they extend school for another thirty minutes?

"Hey Momo how do you think you did on the quiz?" the same girl from earlier asked me. Her name was Rika.

"I hope I did okay. I studied really hard."

"I kinda figured since you didn't really pay attention when Mr. Aizen was going over the homework." She giggled again and I blushed a pale pink.

Why was it so easy for people to make me blush? Sometimes I think I'm cursed.

"I-I was so paying attention. I just didn't have any questions because I understood the homework. It wasn't too hard," I tried to justify myself.

"Uh huh, I know you're smart Momo. No need to get all hysterical," Rika said amusement shining in her eyes.

"I- I didn't say that. I just-"

She giggled again. "You're so easy to tease Momo. Lighten up. I was only kidding."

Even though I was horribly embarrassed, I smiled at her anyway. I knew she didn't mean any harm. It was easy to tease me. Another thing I hate.

"Hey Momo do you wanna hang out with me and my friends after school?" she asked me after a minute.

I wish I could. She was one of the few people in this school (besides Shiro, Renji, Kira, and Ranginku) that treated me kindly and not just as someone who was somewhat associated with the popular people. But I know that I'm gonna be needed at home to do chores and other jobs.

After school I was all work and no play. No wonder most people found me dull.

"I'm sorry Rika but I have some chores to do when I get home. Maybe next time?"

"Aww. I really wanted you to come. Oh well, I guess we can hang out another time. Maybe this weekend?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, maybe this weekend."

Rika smiled kindly and turned back to talking to her other friends.

Good things always happened to me when I was in this class. Which is also why I'm so reluctant to leave. There isn't much joy for me back at home. But all good things must come to an end.

The bell rang and I reluctantly grabbed my things and trudged out the door taking my last look (for today) of Mr. Aizen and his dazzling smiled as he told us goodbye.

"What's wrong with you Hinamori," Shiro asked me as we made our way to the bus.

"Nothing Shiro, just had a long day at school is all," I replied as I usually did when he was worried about me (although he would never admit it). A little white lie never hurt anyone (too badly).

As we were about too bored, the bus, Ranginku came toward us with the usual five or six boys following in her wake.

"Hey Momo, me and the guys are gonna get together this weekend. Do you and Toushirou have anything to do?"

"Well you know how it is at home. I have a lot of chores to do," I said sadly.

"You need to tell those people to kiss your ass Momo. You do way too much work not to be granted some free time. And its no like it's your job to do all that."

"Ah-I couldn't say that Ranginku. Besides I don't mind too much."

"Yeah sure. One of these days they're gonna work you too hard and you're gonna snap. But call me later just in case," she waved lightly and walked away, her hair swishing slightly in time with her hips. It drove the guys crazy.

"That Matsumoto," Shiro muttered as he got on the bus.

I followed after barley missing being hit with some kind of item. I think it was a jelly bean.

"Watch out!" someone yelled from the back.

Too late for that now.

"Hey Toushirou sit with me!" a girl yelled somewhere from the back. She pushed her friend out of the seat at patted it enthusiastically looking at Shiro with hope.

Shiro hurriedly moved through the aisles and grabbed an empty seat in the middle and hurriedly pulled me down next to him. I think I heard at least five girls sigh in disappointment.

"Your so popular Shiro," I smiled at him in amusement.

"Ha, who said it was a good thing?" he said irritably looking out the window.

A group of girls got on the bus next and as soon as they saw us they immediately started giggling and scrambled to get seats near us.

"Hi Toushirou," they all said in high pitched voices.

Shiro sank lower in his seat mumbling under his breath.

"Oh he's so cute," one of the girls said.

"Um excuse me, are you his sister?" one girl asked me smacking on her gum. "Cuz we see you guys together like all the time and you're kinda too old to be his girlfriend if ya know what I mean." She and her friends started giggling again.

"But they would make a cute couple if he was a little taller," another girl said. She had short brown hair with blonde streaks.

"Yeah but I like short guys," another girl said winking at Shiro making him turn red and sink lower in the seat.

"That's because you're short too Mai," her friend said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah so it's not a problem." Mai then looked at me scrunching up her face slightly. I felt self conscious as her hazel eyes stared at me intently. She was very pretty with glossy black hair that went down her back. I wished I had her hair instead of my mousy dark brown hair. I usually tied it in pigtails and I felt really stupid right now because all these girls looked like they could be in highschool with their sophisticated hairstyles (that I'm sure they paid a lot of money to get done) and they were all younger than me.

"No, I don't think they're going out," she said finally, giving me a smile full of her white teeth.

Great even her teeth were better than mine. I was suddenly craving a toothbrush and some floss. Yeah I'm weird. Believe me I already know.

"So what's your name," Mai asked me looking at her pale pink colored nails.

"Momo. Momo Hinamori." My cheeks were starting to heat up. This girl was making me nervous and it didn't help that her friends were staring at me too.

"Momo," she said slowly, "No. I don't think I know you. Are you in the eighth grade?"

I nodded my head slowly.

Great I'm so nervous I can't even talk right.

"I know a lot of eighth graders. Do you know Renji and Kira?"

"Ye-yes. We're friends."

"Really?" she asked surprised.

"Oh my gosh that's so cool. You know three of the most popular guys in our school! You're so lucky," the girl with the gum said blowing a huge bubble that popped all over her face. "Oops."

She started to giggle loudly, trying to get the stuff off her nose.

"Eww Rikku, that's so gross," Mai said scooting away from her friend.

"Oh hush. It didn't get on you."

"It better not have. I just got my hair done the other day and it cost a lot of money. My parents won't appreciate it if their daughter had pink gum in her hair."

"Oh please. They'd probably say it was an improvement," Rikku said looking at me and winking.

I laughed lightly behind my hands.

"Whatever. Toushirou wouldn't like it if my hair got messed up. Would you Toushirou?" Mai asked as she leaned over her chair, getting closer to Shiro's face.

"This is our stop Hinamori," Shiro said suddenly jumping up, almost hitting Mai in the process. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Uh, o-k."

Shiro kept pushing me hurriedly toward the bus doors.

"Um bye," I called to the girls unsure.

"Bye Toushirou!" nearly every girl on the bus yelled as we got off.

He groaned and pulled me to the sidewalk.

"Bye Momo," someone called from the window.

I looked up to see Rikku grinning widely at me, some gum still on her face.

"Bye!" I waved to her smiling a real smile.

"Girls are so annoying," Shiro grumbled dragging me toward our home.

"Hey I'm a girl too, Shiro!"

"No, you're not. You're just Hinamori."

I don't know whether I should take that as a bad thing or a good thing so I said nothing.

We made our way home in silence, holding hands the whole time.

A/N - Well there's Chapter 2 for you. I hope you like it. Remember, criticism is welcome!

Response to reviews

Kisa is dreaming- Yay my first reviewer! Thank you so much for reading my story. I don't want to give too much away but . . . (whispers) this is a HitsuHina fic. I love that couple. Hitsugaya is so cute! Lucky, lucky Hinamori.

tatatsumari- Thank you for reviewing. Yeah I agree. Hinamori was OOC in the first chapter. That's not really the way I want her to be for the first part of this story. I tried to make her more like the anime in this chapter. I guess I'll just have to try harder.

seal-chan- Another reviewer! Thank you for taking the time to read this. There really should be more AU fics! Come on you other lazy authors, get off your asses and make a story! Just kidding. I have read a couple of good AU fics for Bleach. They're really good. I just wish that the author would finish it.

That's all for now. Hopefully chapter 3 will be out soon.