Chapter 3:
I walk up the stairs to the front entrance of the school and enter. I look at my watch. 8:30am. I guess I better go to the office and find out what classes I have and where to go for them. The secretary at the front desk looks at me and frowns. "You in trouble already? For God sake class hasn't even started."
"Uh...no," I say, "I'm new. I was supposed to come here to get my class schedule."
"Take a seat," she snaps. She goes into an office behind the desk and returns with a piece of paper. "Here. These are your classes. Your morning break runs from 9:55-10:10, your lunch is from 11:30-12:30 and your afternoon break is 1:45-2:00. You go home at 3:15."
"Um, okay, thanks." She grunts and sits back down at the desk. "Excuse me, Miss," I say.
"What now?"
"I don't know where these classrooms are. How do I get there?"
She eyes me evilly, "Very well." She looks over my shoulder and shouts to a student passing by, "Koga! Get in here!"
"Yes, Ms. Daltry," the guy asks as he comes in.
"This is a new student. Show her where her classes are."
"Yes, ma'am." He takes my arm and leads me out of the office. "You're new here?" he asks.
"Yes."
"Well, I'm Koga," he says and shakes my hand.
"Uhh, I'm Alicia."
"Alicia…that's a nice name."
"Thanks."
"What class do you have first?"
"Umm, science," I reply looking at my schedule.
"Hey me too!" he says. "Come on class is starting soon. I'll show you where the rest of your classes are at break."
"Okay, thanks." He leads me down a long hallway. He has long dark hair and very bright, blue eyes-much like my own. We zigzag through tons of people, until finally he leads me through a steel door. "This is the science room," he says, "You'll be coming in here every morning now."
"Okay."
"Hey Koga, over here!" someone calls to him and he takes me over to a table that has two other guys sitting there. "Hey Koga, who's this?"
"Guys, this is Alicia, she's a piece of new meat around here."
"Alicia, this is Ginta," he says pointing to a slender guy with dark eyes and light blonde hair-that's almost white-except for a patch of black at the front, "and this is Hakkaku," he points to another guy with dark eyes and a light blonde Mohawk.
"Uhh…Hi," I say nervously.
"Hi," they say in unison.
The bell rings and a teacher enters the classroom. "Okay, everybody have a seat," she says pleasantly.
"Here," Koga pulls out a couple seats across from Ginta and Hakkaku and sits in one of them, "sit," he motions for me to sit in the one beside him.
"I understand we have a new student in the class," the teacher says, "Alicia Cambrey, could you please stand up so I can see where you are?"
I blush and Koga gives me a shove. I look over my shoulder at him then back at the teacher's wandering eyes. Slowly, I stand.
"Ah, there you are!" she says. "Welcome to the school and the class, I'm sure you will do well in this course. Okay, you may sit down again."
Relieved I sit. Science was a breeze. We weren't doing anything that was spectacularly hard.
The bell rang. Break. I gather my books and look at my schedule again. "Pre-Calculus," I say aloud.
"That's just down the hall," Koga says.
"Yeah. We'll take you there," Hakkaku says and I smile. I'm surprised by how friendly these people are.
Down the hall I enter the classroom. "What are you doing?" Koga asks, "We still got to show you where the rest of your classes are."
"I know, I'm just gonna' drop of my stuff."
"Okay," he says and they follow me in.
In the classroom, I walk over to a desk to set my stuff down. As I make my way there I see the teacher sitting at his desk concentrating on the computer and a tall, well-built man staring out the window, eating an apple. I can only see him from the back but somehow he looks familiar. My breathe caught in my throat-Naraku! He turns around as I reach the desk and set my stuff down. The teacher glances at me, then returns to his computer. I stand and stare at Naraku. He eyes me coolly and continues eating his apple. "You have this class too?" he asks.
"Y-yes."
"Come on, let's go," Ginta grabs my wrist and starts leading me out of the classroom. Naraku just stands there and watches me, while I look back at him through pleading, sad eyes.
Out in the hallway Koga turns to me, "What do you have after lunch?"
"Gym/Health."
"Okay. You see that class way down at the end of the hall on the left?"
"Yes."
"That's where you go for health…Do you have it with Ms. Marlborough or Mr. Savence?"
"Uhh…Ms. Marlborough."
"Okay, then you have to go to the classroom today. Come, we'll show you where the gym is."
They lead me out of the hallway, around a corner and into another hallway. "There are two gyms down there. You're going to the bigger one, that's way down at the very end. Okay?"
"Uh huh."
"What's next?"
"Art."
"Over here." He takes me down the first hallway again. About halfway down and he stops, the other two not far behind. "This is the art room. And right next to it is the guys washroom. The girls washroom is right there, next to the guys'."
"Okay. Thanks guys," I smile.
"No problem," Koga says.
"Yeah," Ginta agrees.
"We'll be glad to help anytime," Hakkaku pipes up.
The bell rings again. "I guess I'd better get going," I say and wave, "I'll see ya later."
"Bye."
In the classroom, I sit at the spot where I set my stuff. Naraku looks at me from across the room in his seat.
"You're the new student?" the teacher says to me.
"Yes."
"What's you're name?"
"Alicia…Cambrey."
"Well, hi Alicia, I'm Mr. Castle. I'll be right back you two. I gotta go photocopy something."
I watch him leave the classroom and then try to avoid looking at Naraku. It's tough. He keeps staring at me. Then he gets up, picks up his books and sets them down at the spot next to me on the table and sits down.
"How are you?" he asks.
"I've been better," I reply honestly. Other students start to file into the classroom.
"About yesterday…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. Will you forgive me?" he says.
I look at him, "Yeah, okay," I smile.
"Thanks," he smiles back then gives me a quick peck on the cheek.
I look at the students coming in. They're almost all guys. Just one other girl. Then someone else comes in. He's got long, flowing, white hair and strange amber eyes. He stops and looks around the room. Spotting the empty seats across from me and Naraku he starts to walk over but before he can someone else behind him gives him a shove and laughs, "Hey Sesshomaru, get the lead out will ya?"
Without looking back the guy named Sesshomaru keeps walking and growls, "Shut-up."
Sesshomaru sits across from me and the guy that was behind him sits across from Naraku. He looks at me and smiles, "Hey aren't you the girl I ran into yesterday?"
"Actually," I smile, "I think I ran into you."
He laughs, "I'm Miroku." He holds out his hand and as I shake it he takes it and kisses it. I raise my eyebrow and he laughs again. "And this is Sesshomaru," he jerks a thumb at the white haired guy sitting next to him, who had been eyeing me suspiciously. I smile.
"Guys, this is Alicia," Naraku says.
After a hesitant moment, Sesshomaru reaches over to shake my hand, "Nice to meet you," he says respectfully.
"Likewise," I say.
All around us people are chattering away like chimps. I gaze around the room thoughtlessly.
"So I guess I was right when I said we might have some classes together," Naraku says.
"I guess so," I reply.
"What other classes do you have?" Sesshomaru asks me.
"I had science this morning. After lunch I have health and gym split…health today, then I have art."
"I guess you and I will have more than one class together, too then."
"Really? Which?"
"Sadly, you'll have to put up with Sesshomaru for the rest of the day," Miroku pipes up. Naraku starts laughing and I smile shyly at Sesshomaru. He smiles back.
"I'll be in your gym and health classes," Miroku says.
"And I'll be with you in art," Naraku says.
"Oh…wow."
"What else are you guys taking?" I ask.
"I have business education first thing in the morning," Sesshomaru replies.
"I have biology first class and English literature last," Miroku says.
"I have biology first and chemistry after lunch," Naraku grins.
"Interesting," I say and pretend to be spaced out.
"You didn't tell me you like art," Naraku says.
"You never asked."
"So how old are you?" Sesshomaru asks.
"Wait! Wait…I'm good at this," Miroku says, "you are…seventeen."
Sesshomaru looks at me and waits for an answer. I laugh, "No, I'm only fifteen."
"Really? You look about seventeen or eighteen."
"I know," I smile. "I bet I can guess your ages though."
"Are you challenging me?" Miroku grins.
"Yes," I answer simply.
"Go ahead then, give it your best shot."
"Sesshomaru…you're seventeen."
"Correct."
"Miroku…you are…sixteen…and a half."
"Nope!" he says. "You were wrong!"
"No she wasn't," Sesshomaru says dryly. "She was absolutely right."
"How did you know that?" Naraku asks.
"It's a gift."
"…Right…"
Leaning back in my chair I sit in wait with the others for our teacher to return.
"How long does it take to photocopy something!" Naraku says, with impatience in his voice. I smile at him and he smiles back then says "Seriously though."
Patting him on the back I say "You know, Naraku, patience is a virtue."
"I know that. Hell, I put up with you don't I?"
"Yes, but that's not patience, that's tolerance."
"She's got you there, Naraku," Sesshomaru says.
"Yes…she does," he says smiling in a mischievous, yet friendly way. I smile at him and he tucks some hair behind my ear.
"Geez," Miroku says, "You guys can get kinda mushy."
"You ain't seen nothin yet," I say, "You shoulda seen this guy on Saturday, holdin doors open, payin the bill and stuff..."
"Alright, alright I think they get it," Naraku say, eyes cast down at his papers.
"Awwww, look at that," Miroku laughs, "Alicia, you made him blush."
"Mission accomplished," I say Naraku glares at me. "You know what, Naraku?"
"What?" He's still glaring at me and his voice isn't as friendly as it was before.
"You're really bad at trying to be mad." He glares at me for few more seconds but can't hold it, he burst into the biggest grin I've ever seen.
"Alright, you win." He tugs at my sleeve, "Come here," He says with a laugh and pulls me into a hug. "I'll get you for that, though," He whispers in my ear.
"I doubt it," I whisper back.