"The Red Hibiscus"

Chapter 3: Trabajo en grupo¿buscando compañeros?

"You are Cagalli Yula Athha?" the blue haired coordinator asked obviously confused.

A weird tension could be felt by the three but nobody spoke.

This was awkward.

Thinking wisely Athrun decided to drop the subject, "Sorry I must have mistaken you, it's just you look so much like a childhood friend I had…"

"… Whatever" she said turning to see what was the teacher writing on the white board and started to write. Kanelly did the same.

'She doesn't recognize me? Did I change so much in these years?' Athrun asked himself quietly.

Poor Athrun was thinking hard about this but could not find the answer he wanted, so lost in his thoughts, not paying attention to the girl looking at him nor the class.

'He looks concern' she thought. Taking her Harry Potter pen, she started to look for a blank paper within her notebook. Writing in the little paper first, she folds it until it was a tiny peace of paper and cautiously threw it to the desk behind Cagalli. The blonde saw something fly near her shoulder, looking at the girl next to her with a blank expression. The red-haired just wave at her and resume her writing in her notebook as following the lesson so did she.

Athrun got out of his thoughts as the square paper landed on his desk. Looking at it then at his classmate searching for who it might came from but everybody was focus on the teacher's writings. Unfolding it, he saw purple letters: Athrun

Don't try to push her or she will be mad at you.

In the corner he read: Kanelly. The sign had a small draw of a face. It was a wink. He smiled. Writing on another paper and taking the chance that Cagalli was focus on her notes, he pass it back. The message landed on the destined desk informing the she had an answer.

It was written in black ink.Thanks.

She turned to see him and made a 'v' with her fingers then both students went back to their studies.

§

"Your next group work is going to be about the 'War and Peace in England,' make a good research, this essay if for two weeks time so you better do a good job" said a short-dark-hair woman leading the same class that Mr. Le Creuset had left hours ago. Her serious face never left her, she continued, "No I want you to make a group of three. You can choose whoever you want."

As soon as the teacher finished with her indications several girls turned to look at Athrun. Boys turned to see near the direction were some girls stared.

Cagalli eyed Kanelly who gave her an affirmative nod. Both girls oblivious of the not so usual looks your classmates would give you. No, they were no oblivious, the girls were ignoring them.

"Hey Cagalli, who should we pick this time?" asked the copper-colored haired girl as usual with her hand on her right cheek as she looked intently at her partner with a mischievous grin.

"I don't know…" she answered scanning the boys. Some of her classmates were already in trios discussing how would they work but some were watching at a specific corner of the classroom. Suddenly two girls stood up. One had red-fiery hair while the other had longer grey tresses. As they walked a boy got near them to ask if he could be their partner but they ignore him as he was never there.

"Do you mind if I join you?" asked a voice from behind. Simultaneously the girls turned.

He spoke again. "…To work with you two." His blue haired shone with the sunlight.

Blue eyes look at the blonde while she blinked. Golden looked back.

"For me, there is no problem." She said talking especially to Cagalli. Now both were looking at her.

Cagalli finally spoke. "I guess it's ok."

"Good!" cheered the copper haired girl. Now the girls that had stood up passed between Cagalli and Kanelly.

"Hi Athrun ♪" said the grey-haired girl, standing as posing, her left hand on her hip while the other one waving and moving her fingers slowly to the boy. Now all eyes were at them while the teacher was writing the names of the groups formed who were blocking the view. Girls had angry eyes.

"Hey there ♫" greeted the other girl with fiery hair already sit in the now-not-empty desk next to Athrun on his right. Now boys were looking irritated at Athrun.

"Hi, can I help you?" he responded to the new comers. Neither Cagalli nor Kanelly were happy to have these girls near.

"Such a gentleman!" complimented the standing girl clapping her hands. "Well we wanted to ask you if you wanted to work with us."

"Yeah, since you are new we thought that you would like some new friends to help you." The girl behind Kanelly joined the 'conversation.'

He looked stunned; it was difficult for him to say no to a girl. "Thanks but I already have a group."

"C'mon Athrun, leave them we are way better than them" insisted the red haired. Suddenly those who knew who were his partners got nervous, specially the brown haired girl who was in front of Kanelly who saw her and the boy in front Cagalli, they both knew how they would react…

"Excuse me?" Athrun was amazed how confident these girls were not forgetting how rude.

The girl standing opened her mouth to ask who were his partners but she got cut.

"Who-"

"Kanelly, I think Flay is deaf." Said Cagalli from her desk now sit crossed-legs like Kanelly.

Athrun stared at Cagalli. "Yeah you are right Cagalli" chatted back an amused Kanelly not caring to low her voice.

Everybody was staring on the chatting girls. Fortunately the teacher was still busy; the students already knew that they had to obstruct her sight; they already knew that these girls didn't get along.

'This is going to be interesting' thought Milliaria.

"Excuse me! I'm right next to you, you are the deaf!" she said as insulting her.

Kanelly acted surprised. "Oh sorry! I thought you were deaf" said with her hand on her chest after she gasped. Cagalli laughed.

"How rude!" intervened the grey-haired looking at both girls. Athrun speechless, just blinked.

"You are the one who is rude, Meer!" argued back, "well I'll explain it to you: since you seemed not have heard Athrun say he already has a group well I assumed…"

Some student giggled in silence. Flay turned to look at them with deadly eyes.

"And rude because… oh god I have to explain it…" went on Kanelly not affected from the fuming face of Flay and Meer. Some of her classmates laughed.

She continued, "Because you are not better than us," showing her that her stupid feeling of superiority was idiotic.

Meer couldn't find words her words but Flay wouldn't keep her mouth shut.

"You think you are better than us, then?" inquired the red hair, thinking that this might be a clever punch in their faces.

"No, that's nonsense, of course not, we wouldn't compare to you" answered Cagalli waving her right hand negatively.

Flay was about to speak again when Kanelly spoke first. "Well, if you two fine ladies excuse us, we need to talk with Athrun how we are going to work." Her smiled showed how sweet was shutting this two 'enemies.'

"Yeah besides you two need to find another member, right?" Cagalli stated mockingly.

As they couldn't fight back they left furious, now caring of some boys that were offering their membership to them.

Athrun astonished looked how the girls celebrate lowly, giggling as he went to tell the teacher that they were a group. He had to admit it was funny how they handle those girls. He wanted to laugh but it was not the right time. After registering with Ms Natarle he went back as he walked the short distance to his place, he though, now convinced that she was the Cagalli he knew, sure because she haven't changed at all, her strong character and energy never left her not matter how many years had passed. But now he was sad, she didn't remember him, not even a little.

He wondered what make her forget about him, she now didn't use her surname as Hibiki but Yula Athha then it means she forgot about Kira too. This was weird when he read her profile, her profile! Now he remembered, she now lived alone with some guy named Kisaka or something like that as her guardian but there were not many essential information, just that he was informed that ZAFT got information from some anonymous that said that Cagalli was The Red Hibiscus and he was here to figure if that was true, he prayed this to be false. He stopped before sitting down, Cagalli and Kanelly still chatting lively…Kanelly, she was her best friend.

§

After all classes have ended, all the students prepare themselves to leave school there was no exception. Athrun, Cagalli and Kanelly discussed that they will get together the next days when they were free, no days specifically had been settled because of the homework.

"Do you mind if I go home with you?"

That was the question Athrun asked Cagalli some minutes ago when she and the copper-haired girl were heading the exit. Athrun had run to catch them. They watch Athrun carefully as they never saw him before but then said that it was ok and the three began to walk away the school field. The reason for Athrun to run was the previous girls that were asking him to work with them again.

'They don't give up, do they!'

The truth was that he didn't want to be with those girls, it was better stay with these two girls, they were … funnier.

"So Athrun are you willing to change us for Flay and Meer?" asked Cagalli after stopping in front of him, she was grinning.

"Yeah because they are so smart and better than us!" exclaimed Kanelly dramatically, following Cagalli's game. Athrun sweat as he saw the two girls hands taking as simulating as crying for his answer.

"No, I don't think so" he said. Then he laughed. The girls stopped their act to watch him laugh alone and in the next second follow him.

As they walked they talk about their likes, the blonde had similar likes as the copper girl but at the same time they have differences, like Kanelly like long hair the opposite of Cagalli, that's simple but the most outstanding was that somehow Kanelly's way of think was more mature than Cagalli's. He realized that, maybe as mature as Athrun was.

"Well, I'll take this way" Kanelly indicated before saying good bye to them. Athrun and Cagalli kept walking for a moment, there were quiet as none spoke. Athrun talked first.

"I guess you two met at school, right? I kinda understand why you are best friends, that's nice, I also have my best friend from school."

Cagalli looked at him, he was smiling, hearing his comment she lowered her head, telling him the truth wouldn't hurt right? Since normally nobody asks, he was the first to inquire how she knew the Chinese girl; generally everybody would think the same as Athrun asked since they went to the same school for years. She always liked to say things as they were, be good or bad it was still the truth, and this time would not be an exception.

With her eyes fixed on the pavement she spoke, "Well we didn't become best friends because of school."

"No?"

"School is indeed the place where we spend most of out time together but that's not why we became friends"

'She looks cheerless' the blue-haired coordinator thought. "Then how?"

"She helped me, years ago, when someone tried to kill me"

Ok now me speaking: sorry if it took so long to update it happened for the same reasons as Cursed Maidens plus some lack of inspiration I wasn't sure how to write my ideas AND that my new pc is out of antivirus, who knows which antivirus, is good? I need to buy one. I guess this time I have less errors and mistakes or at least I hope XD any suggestions? Grammar advices, misspellings or corrections? They are welcome.

Here Flay and Meer are baaadd! I don't like them, sorry for the fans who follow them, I just really don't like them but anyhow they are here for some of my fun. Yeah Meer is with her original hair color. She is supposed to be as before surgery to become Lacus copy.

Thanks so much to:

MXC - the show- rocks my socks, asga, shad0w118, hibiscus8, ZGMF X-19A infinite Justice, cottongreentea and jenniferseedlover for all the reviews

Wanna know what happened years ago to our poor Cagalli? Stay tuned and REVIEW!

Eternally Asuka

Hey just one more question: Who thinks Heine and Cagalli might make a good couple? Don't worry this is not for this fic XD LOL Enjoy!

Oh yeah Harry Potter I'm crazy for him XD

And those who like NAruto i made a new fic, check it ouy!