When Opposites Attract
Disclaimer: I don't own RK…
PrologueHer room went cold as the temperature dropped to 27 degrees Celsius. The windows were wide open and the drapes flew against it ruthlessly. She held her blanket closer to herself while her teeth clattered in the cold. From outside, she could hear her father's voice rising against her mother, blaming her of the supposed to be debut-of-the-year turning into a horrible fiasco. Yes, that night was her 18th birthday and the worst birthday of her life.
She could still remember all her supposed friends laughing at her face, not even reaching out a hand to help her stand up. Her boyfriend was there too but he instantaneously left when she fell head to her to feet on her 10-foot mint green birthday cake. It wasn't because of her doing; it was because of her inability to dance. She was dancing with her cousin, Sanosuke when she stepped on his foot and he subconsciously pushed her…towards the cake…and everything went chaotic. What happened next…she had no damn idea. All she knew was that she hated everyone around her. Her parents, her friends, her boyfriend…everybody.
"They want trouble, I'll show them what it's like my way," she cursed, bitter tears falling down her face. She immediately wiped them off and slept with her hands balled in fists.
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"What are you still doing here, Himura?"
Kenshin turned his head to the direction of the voice and spotted the librarian amidst of the dark. "Reading, ma'am" he replied gently, straightening his glasses.
The older woman's brows arched up and her hands reached up to his shoulders. "In the dark? You'll make your eye condition worse"
Kenshin gave her a weak smile. "Nah…I can still recognize some few letters and my eyes can't get any worse now, can they?" He was trying to sound funny but it was conspicuous that he was having a hard time.
"Nonsense, child" scolded the librarian gently. "Even I, who have better eyes than yours can't read in the dark! Now, I want you to get home and bring whatever it is your reading there, okay?"
The redhead smiled and stood up, clutching more than 3 books in his arms. He bowed and said goodnight to the librarian and left.
"Wait, Himura" the lady called up when he was about to open the door.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Don't read in the dark" her voice was stern but Kenshin could tell it was more of a friendly advice than a reprimand. He smiled and nodded as he disappeared through the dark.
Chapter 1Kaoru walked heavily through the corridor with scrutinizing eyes and filthy gossips all over her. She gave all of them a leer and a swift raise of her eyebrow to let them know she could hear all of their comments.
On her way to her classroom, she met the assistant principal. The older woman immediately called her attention, those austere serene blue eyes of hers flaming as Kaoru went nearer. The girl gulped, feeling her stomach churn with every step. She knew she was going to get scolded again. For what reason? She didn't know.
"Kamiya, follow me in my office." She said firmly, her brows in extreme tangle shape. "We need to have a serious talk"
"I'm sorry ma'am but I have a cla-"
"Skip your class" answering her unfinished question. She was too used with younger women giving wimpy excuses like being scared of skipping classes. "This is more important than classes. And besides, you have skipped classes a hundred times before. I suppose this one wouldn't make a difference"
Kaoru rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out when the assistant principal turned around. Sure, she had been a thousand times in her office before but this one seemed completely important. She heaved a small sigh and whistled softly.
"Be quiet," the woman snapped.
And Kaoru was quiet until they got to her office.
The assistant principal opened the door and made her enter first. Inside, she saw the principal himself, her parents and her major academic teachers. She bobbed her lips and strode her way to an empty chair, wondering what it is this time.
"Kaoru" began the principal with a gentle voice. "Your parents and I have decided to transfer you to another division."
Kaoru smiled. She didn't understand. "Excuse me, Mr. Takamura but I didn't get you"
The old man sighed and shot her parents a look. "Well, you're aware that we divide each year level in high school into four different divisions, which is according to social and economical status. You are also aware that the reason behind this is to-"
"Keep each student from stepping beyond their borders" Kaoru gave them a rude smile and added, "I've heard that crap many times, Mr. Principal"
"Kaoru!" her father snarled, disgusted by her choice of words in front of the principal. Her mother was taken back herself but said or did nothing except hold her father's hand.
The girl gave her father a cock of her eyebrow and continued talking to the principal. "Let's cut to the chase, Mr. Principal. What is all this about? Oh, let me guess. Is this about my debut last night? Was it because I failed my parents that you called me here to give me another set of reprimands?"
"Darling, this is not about-"
"Stop talking bullshit, mom and let the principal tell me what I am doing in this office for the 100 and 1st time."
"I am transferring you to division C, Kaoru. Your parents think it's a great idea for you to learn" the Principal interrupted.
"What exactly is division C?"
"It's the division where the third-class students go" the assistant principal supplied, making it obvious that she was quite happy about the decision. At least, one of her biggest problems has been taken out of her shoulder. With an undeniably evil grin, she glimpsed at the wide-eyed Kaoru, fuming in disbelief.
Her jaws hanged low as she looked at her parents to her teachers. She shook her head and squeezed her mother's lap. "You can't do this to me"
The assistant principal tapped her on the shoulder and smiled, "Darling, it's happening so deal with it" Her tone was final and everybody looked at her in such a way that she didn't complain any longer. She heaved a deep sigh and settled herself, toying with her fingers.
"When?" she shot the Principal a look.
"Right this afternoon, Ms. Kamiya. We can't have time wasting on us…and besides…you have always told me waiting was never in your vocabulary" the older man flashed his mottled teeth, while his eyes twinkled in obvious gladness.
The assistant principal stood up and took Kaoru's hand, making her stand up as well. "Shall we, Kamiya?"
Kaoru rolled her eyes and shot daggers at her parents but they just gave her smile, a smile that told her she deserved what she got. But the reason wasn't really because of that debut fiasco…it was because she already failed four subjects and if she continued flunking, their diamond-like name might as well go to the rubbish.
Kaoru sighed again and bobbed her lips the last time before going out of the door. "I have to get my things," she told the older lady.
"It's already taken care of and is waiting for you in your new classroom" the assistant-principal's smile was so wide that Kaoru would have almost ripped her lips off her jaw.
She felt tremors down her spine as they continued going downstairs and it was getting noisier and noisier. She thought it must be very chaotic down there. She had never been in Division C but she did hear many not-so-pleasing comments about it. Her friends never failed to mention how malodorous their classrooms were because the students were too poor to afford water for bathing purposes. They also told her that Division C or Division Chaos as they call it was the breeding ground of many drug addicts and gangsters, that it was the home of bullies and terrorists.
Kaoru suddenly felt a big lump beneath her throat. She felt her hands trembling as she held the plates of her skirt tighter. The assistant principal looked at her and her brows knotted instantly. From their distance, Kaoru could hear her chuckle. She gritted her teeth and walked faster ahead of her.
"Don't worry, Kamiya. There are no murderers in this Division" the assistant principal started, "only geeks. Here you will find the most intelligent people in the campus." She straightened her glasses and looked straight at Kaoru's flaring sapphire eyes, "not to mention the most responsible"
"Whatever" Kaoru scoffed. She never mentioned that there were thugs in the Division. But yes, in some ways, she did think that way and she was torn in half about believing her friends and finding the real truth on her own.
"Here we are" the old lady cut her thoughts. Kaoru swallowed hard, watching the asst. principal's hand turn the knob. She could hear noises inside. Laughing. People were laughing. Were they laughing at her? They haven't even met her! She began to tremble uncontrollably as her hands chilled to the bones.
"Ms. Kamiya…" the other woman gestured for her to come in. Kaoru was reluctant for a moment but then she gathered her guts and slowly entered through the door. Instantly, the noises smothered. Not a single squeak was heard.
Her eyes roamed through the room. Everyone wasn't what she expected. In fact, they looked far more presentable than those at her former division. Most of them had glasses, only few had ear piercing. No one looked fit enough to be called a thug, or a murderer. Not even fit to be called delinquents. She sighed, feeling relieved for the first time.
From afar, a pair of lavender bespectacled eyes watched the new girl enthusiastically. A small smile crept onto the corners of his lips. She had an angel-face but he felt that she was far from angel. After all, he was still a student of the school and even news from other division reached theirs. He had heard a lot about this girl. Interesting things.
The redhead straightened his glasses and pretended reading, noticing that she was looking at his direction. At the back of his mind, he knew something fascinating would happen in her stay. What it was, only time could tell…