Author's notes: By the way before I forget, RK is not mine! Usual disclaimers apply..

---Chapter 2: The Car Rides to School and Encounters with Kenshin---

It has been a week since Tomoe apologized to me. As I expected, nothing has changed and Yumi and Kamatari still bully me. However, whenever I see Tomoe, I don't feel as hostile towards her as I have felt before. Sometimes, I would even smile at her and she would smile back at me. It's good to know that not all of the popular people in school are mean and superficial. Although I don't want to be a hypocrite and I will admit that I'm feeling envious more than ever. How can one girl have everything?

It's morning once again and I'm right beside the front window, waiting for Kenshin to come out of his house. I watched him as he went out of the door with his school bag at his right hand and no apple this time. He sauntered in his usual fashion from their front door towards their gate but I was surprised when he didn't stop walking when he reached the gate. He continued walking and stopped at the edge of the pavement and looked at his left and right before crossing the street.

I took a step backwards as I realized what is happening in front of me. If my eyes are not deceiving me, it seems like Kenshin is… coming here? But why? How can that happen? I immediately went towards the mirror to see what I looked like at this very moment. I see that I looked like my plain self but I smoothed my hair and adjusted my glasses trying to look a little better. Why in the world am I bothering? It's not as if I can look better.

My heart beat faster as I heard our doorbell ring. He really came here. "I'll get that!" I called out trying to sound normal. I marched towards the door and took a deep breath before opening the door. I acted slightly surprised when I came face to face with Kenshin, my eyes meeting his violet ones. "Himura-san, what are you doing here?"

He gave a smile as he slightly bowed. "Ohayou gozaimasu(Good morning). Kamiya-san."

"Kaoru-chan, is that Kenshin-kun?" My father asked as he descended down the stairs.

My father expecting Kenshin? "Hai, otousan." I stepped away from the door to give our guest space to enter. "Please come in." He was quite close to me when he entered so I was able to smell his cologne. He smells really good.

"Kojiro-jisan, ohayou gozaimasu."

"Ah, Ohayou Kenshin-kun. It's good that you can ride with us to school today," My father said as he faced the mirror and arranged his necktie.

I felt the color drained out of my face as I heard what my father said. 'Kenshin is riding with us to school? Since when? How did this happen?' "Huh?"

My father turned to me as he gave me a smile. "I suggested to Hiko to let Kenshin ride with us to school everyday. It can save gas since the two of you are going the same way anyway."

I looked at Kenshin, unable to hide my shock. "But aren't you always going to school with Shinomori-san?"

"Aoshi's car got broken so he has to ride with his dad to school. Our house is out of the way so I think it's better of I ride with you instead. Besides my father already agreed on my behalf," Kenshin explained.

"Kaoru, are you ready now, your okaasan is not coming with us, she went our early with Kenshin's mother," Father said grabbing his suitcase from the couch.

My head is spinning as I digested what just happened. Kenshin would be riding with me everyday to school? "Ano, I forgot something from my room. I'll just get it," I lied. I ran upstairs and rushed to my room sitting on my bed as I entered it. 'Oh no. What would happen now? My parents might know that Kenshin and I are not really friends and they might learn that I'm being bullied in school.'

I stood up taking deep breaths to calm myself. I can't do anything about it anyway; I just have to accept things as they happen. I grabbed a pen from my drawer as I left my room and rushed downstairs. I gave a big smile as I approached the two men. "I left my lucky pen." I held up my pen for them to see.

"Lucky pen? Anyway the car is now ready and waiting for us outside," Father said. Then the three of us went outside and entered our car. Father sat in front beside the driver while Kenshin and I sat at the back. I was so frigid on my seat that Kenshin must be thinking what a weird girl I am.

"So how is school for the two of you?" Father asked, attempting to make a conversation. "You two are not having a hard time are you? No one is trying to make your lives miserable in school?"

"Of course not Otousan, everything is fine in school," I was quick to react, not wanting to give Kenshin a chance to speak in my behalf. I don't want my parents to know my situation in school; as I have said earlier, I don't want any trouble. "Actually I'm really loving high school, the teachers and my classmates are great and everything is a lot of fun, ne Kenshin-san?"

Kenshin looked at me oddly definitely surprised by what I said about school being fun.

I glared at him to not contradict what I told my father and gave him a look that says, "Just play along". He should be thankful that I did not tell my parents that it is his crowd that is giving me a hard time. Otherwise, my parents will tell the Himuras and his parents will have his head.

"Aa, school is definitely… interesting," he replied still giving me that same look his hand reaching up to his face to rub his cross-scared left cheek.

"I'm glad then. It's nice to know that the two of you are having fun during high school; you know; high school is the best time for us. The four of us met and fell in love during high school. Our most memorable memories happened during high school," my father gave a sigh as if he is reminiscing about their past. "I hope you two would have the same experience."

I cast a brief glance at Kenshin and averted my gaze outside the car. He is definitely experiencing it, I on the other hand… Silence enveloped the car as my father, Kenshin and I did not say anything further. I just continued to stare outside, very aware that the boy I like is right next to me. Although it feels very uncomfortable, I really wish this moment would last a little longer. Let me pretend that we are going to school together as very good friends… or better yet as something more…

But before I knew it, the ride is soon over and the car pulled to a stop as we reached the school gates. I bid my father good-bye as I slid off from my seat and stepped outside the car. Kenshin and I stood side by side as we watched the car go away.

"Himura-san, I'll go ahead now, ja ne(see you)," I told him and turned my back on him as I went towards the school.

"You didn't tell them, did you? That you're not being treated nicely in school?" he suddenly said out of nowhere.

I turned around to look at him and I noticed he is giving me a very probing look and I could feel myself drowning at his stare. 'His eyes are really beautiful.' "What's it to you?" I bit out quite harshly not trying to let him notice how mesmerized I am with him. Besides, how dare he ask me that when he is part of that group who is "not treating" me nicely?

"Why didn't you tell them?" He inquired further not wanting to be left unanswered. He placed a hand inside his pocket and stared elsewhere. It's pointless to argue with him because he is so persistent in having answers to his questions.

"I just don't want to concern them with such a small thing. It's not a big deal anyway," I just answered seeing that he would not let it go quickly. I turned on my heel again, intending to leave when he called me out once again.

"What else should I know? I don't want to blab anything to your parents that you don't want them to know."

I stopped on my tracks as I remembered that there is still something that I need to tell him. 'Should I tell him that I pretended we are friends?' I kept silent for a while contemplating whether I should tell him or not. It's kind of embarrassing to tell someone that you've been telling people that you are friends when you are not. Well, it's not as if I have a choice on the matter anyway. Without turning around and continued to face my back at him, I said, "Ano… I kind of told my parents that the two of us are very good friends. I don't want to disappoint them you know, they were expecting that since the four of them are best of friends. I hope you won't mind…"

"But aren't the two of us friends?"

Now where did that come from? Did I just hear Kenshin, the guy who ignored me for almost five years now, ask me if we are friends? "No, we're not friends," I said firmly then I ran away from him, not wanting this talk to go on further. I didn't even look back, I just ran and ran away from the guy who is always causing turmoil in my heart.

I directly went to the shoe locker to change my shoes. I was panting when I reached it and leaned my back on the cold metal for a while. Then I turned around to open my locker. I was expecting to find many crumpled papers again tucked inside my locker but to my surprise I didn't find any. The worse thing is that my shoe locker is completely empty. 'Damn, they took away my shoes.' I was looking around the floor when Kenshin came up behind me.

He went to his shoe locker, which is directly opposite mine, and changed his shoes. "Why aren't we friends Kamiya-san?" He asked, still not dropping the subject.

I gritted my teeth getting annoyed at his behavior. "How can we be friends when we don't even talk to each other?" I retorted, my attention focused on finding my missing shoes. Darn those jerks, someday they are going to pay.

"We're talking right now."

"That's not what I mean. We can't be friends, we're so formal with each other, Himura-SAN." I placed emphasis on pronouncing the –san to make my point clearer.

"Then I'm going to call you Kaoru-chan then."

I stopped what I'm doing and looked at him. He stood beside his locker looking straight at me casually as if we really are good buddies. What's with all these? Why is he suddenly acting like this, even insisting that we're friends? "Just by talking to me and calling me Kaoru-chan doesn't make us friends Himura-san. Friends don't ignore each other for years, friends stick with each other through thick and thin, friends know each other, friends share their memories together… friends don't leave each other in the dark Himura-san."

His face is very expressionless so I wasn't able to read his thoughts. I just gave him a resigned smile and resumed my task of looking for my shoes. I tiptoed and looked above the lockers to see if they put it up there. It's not there.

"What are you doing? Did you lose something?" He asked closing his locker door shut.

"Your friends took my shoes away," I said sinking down to the floor and buried my face in my hands. How on earth will I go to my classes now? They never let anyone in who hasn't worn the proper shoes.

I hear a locker door open and was shut once again. A moment later I felt Kenshin's presence in front of me so I opened my eyes to see what he is up to. He sat directly in front of me and is handing me a pair of white school shoes. "Here wear these instead until we find yours."

I looked from the shoes that look like my size then him. "Whose-- "

"They are Tomoe's. She always keeps spare shoes inside her locker. Go on, I'll tell her I took them."

What is Kenshin doing? Why is he suddenly so nice to me when he barely notices me the day before? Is there a hidden agenda behind all this? "Why are you doing this? It's your friends who did all this. You shouldn't be helping me at all."

He placed down the shoes beside my feet. "Boy, you sure are hard to help. First of all, I am not my friends and I do things because I want to do them. Secondly, I am still convinced that the two of us are friends," he answered nonchalantly as he stood up and left leaving me staring at him in disbelief.

This is one of the weirdest mornings in my life. Why did Kenshin help me? Why is he so convinced that we are still friends? I stood up and picked up the shoes that he left in front me. I might as well wear them for I don't want to miss my classes. Himura Kenshin surely never fails to leave me confused… all the time.

-------

The rest of the week passed by with much monotony and nothing eventful happened unlike Kenshin's odd behavior towards me last Monday. As I expected, everything reverted back to normal and during the rest of our car rides together every morning, only an exchange of small and meaningless chit chats would occur then the two of us would go our separate ways.

To say that I was disappointed is an understatement because I hoped after what happened that we would talk more frequently and become somewhat like friends, just as he told me he was convinced we were. Now it is Friday morning and we are walking side by side going to the shoe lockers, as if we did not go to school together. I looked at him and watched him as he talked on his cell phone his strides causing his hair to bounce lightly making me want to touch it because I want to feel if it is as soft as it looks like. He looks really handsome in the morning; no not just in the morning but he looks handsome all the time.

Suddenly, a small pain flashed through my heart as I looked at him intently. I hate him. Why did he have to talk to me last Monday and pretend to help me? Now he is ignoring me as if I'm invisible once again. I wanted to punch him in the head and ask him, 'Where is the friendship in all of these?' Once again just as before, he left me in the dark.

The morning passed by with the same events happening. It was fifth period when something humiliating happened once again. It was chemistry class and the whole class was doing an experiment when Yumi dropped a note to my direction just as Kusonoki-sensei, our terror chem. teacher passed by my way. I unfolded the letter and saw a ratty drawing of Kusonoki-sensei with his hair flying everywhere looking very funny and a note on the side of the drawing 'Beware, the freaky terror teacher is here to haunt you!'

Just as I was to crumple the paper and tuck it in my pocket, Kusonoki-sensei clutched the paper away from me and read it. Horrified, I watched as his face went from stern to an evil snarl. "What is the meaning of this Kamiya?"

The whole class turned to us as I said in a small voice. "No sir, it wasn't me, I didn't--"

"You didn't! How dare you bluff? You are caught red-handed!" He exploded throwing the paper on the floor. "You dare not listen to my discussion, insult me in my class and now attempt to give me a pathetic lie!" Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Yumi and Kamatari snickering quietly.

"Sensei, it wasn't Kaoru, I swear--" Misao tried to defend me.

"Don't defend your friend or you'll get in trouble as well Makimachi," Sensei warned as he averted his gaze back at me. "You, go out with a pail of water and stand there the whole period. I will give you an F for this experiment. I will also give you a detention later."

I heard snickers from almost everyone in the class as I went in front and got the pail near the door. I felt everyone's eyes on me as I went to a faucet inside the classroom and filled up the pail. Someone threw a piece of paper on me and saw that it was one of Kenshin's friends Makoto Shishio. I picked up the paper and threw it back at him feeling more humiliated than I ever felt.

"Kamiya! Get out!" Sensei bellowed once again.

Kenshin and Tomoe are just beside Shishio, not doing anything but fix their eyes on me as I picked up the pail of water. My eyes locked with Kenshin as I gave him a glare that says, 'Is this what friendship is all about?' I left the room and stood beside the doorway my head hung low. I felt the tears suddenly threatening to come out of my eyes, teardrops landing on the water inside the pail creating ripples one by one. Just when is this going to end?

--------

"Kaoru-chan, are you ok?" Misao asked looking very concerned. It was the end of the sixth period and that means classes has also ended for the week. Everyone seems to be rejoicing for they are now free to go and do whatever they want for the weekend. Except for me… I am stuck in this school until I finished cleaning the whole chem. laboratory. That is what Kusonoki-sensei gave me as a detention for something that I did not do.

"I'm fine Misao, I will be able to finish cleaning in a jiffy," I told her flashing her my genki and determined smile, showing her that I'm fine.

Misao looked uncertain though. "I wish I could really help you clean the lab but I still have to go to the restaurant to work…"

Unlike my other classmates, Misao came from a slightly poor family and is just entering this school because of a scholarship. She has to work part time at a nearby restaurant, which her grandfather owned called The Aoiya, to be able to help her family with money. She is part of the reason why I don't want to get on Yumi's bad side because anytime, she can ask her grandfather to cut down Misao's scholarship and she won't be able to finish high school. I know because Yumi threatened me last year that she can do such a thing. "Misao, daijoubu(I'm okay). Don't worry about me." I said placing a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her once again. This time I think she was convinced already because she smiled in return and nodded.

As soon as my best friend and I parted ways, I went straight to the chemistry laboratory, wanting the task to be over and done with so I can go home already. I took a deep breath as I fixed my glasses on my face. "Yosh! This would be easy!" I took hold of the door handle and slid the door open.

My eyes widened as I saw someone inside the room, his back facing the door and looking outside the window. The breeze is flowing gently inside the room, softly blowing the curtains, covering the figure of the person once in a while, his hands inside his pocket, his red hair softly swaying with the wind and oblivious to me entering the room. He's got a faraway look in his beautiful violet eyes and his thoughts seem to be traveling elsewhere. He looks absolutely calm and peaceful and I can't help but just stand there and watch him. The things Kenshin can do to me… 'Please be calm my heart.'

Then the moment was broken as he sensed another person inside the room and turned around to look at me. "Hey."

I snapped out of my daze, not wanting to be caught staring. "Himura-san, what are you doing here?"

"I came here to help you. Aren't you happy to see me Kaoru-chan?" He asked reverting back to the nickname he told me he would call me last Monday.

'What the--?" Is he trying to play a game on me? I placed down my bag on a nearby table and marched towards the utility closet to get the cleaning materials. "Please go away Kamiya-san. I don't need your help."

He approached me and helped me take out the mop and a bucket out of the closet. "And why is that? I thought you'd be relieved that I would help you. And please Kaoru-chan call me Kenshin. There is no need for formalities between friends"

I glared at him once again as I snatched the mop away from his grip. "You're part of the reason why I'm doing this Himura-san."

He shrugged as he got a washcloth and wiped the blackboard clean. "I told you once and I'm telling you again. I'm not my friends. What they do is none of my concern and they act on their own volition. I do not control them you know."

I mopped the floor hard displacing my anger on cleaning. "Well you should have just joined them because ignoring me and letting them hurt me that way doesn't make you better than them. Why the hell are you doing this anyway?"

"Whoa, I didn't know you had fire in you. You are usually so quiet and I didn't think you can snap like that."

I reached for a washcloth and threw it directly at him. Too bad he was able to catch it and didn't land on his head. Why is he suddenly so annoying? Why did he suddenly approach me when I was so sure that he thinks I'm invisible? "Why don't you just leave me alone! Why are you suddenly like this? Go back to your stinking friends! You're not my friend Himura Kenshin! Don't act like you are one!" I was breathing hard as soon as I said that. What is wrong with me? Here the guy whom I have liked half of my life is in front of me saying that he is my friend while I'm openly rejecting him?

He didn't respond as he stared at me long and hard making me feel uncomfortable. Then he turned his back on me and resumed cleaning the blackboard, not saying another word.

Neither of us said anything anymore as we worked to finished cleaning the room.

I could feel the rapid pounding of my heart as I sneaked glances on his way. As usual, his face is expressionless so I can't gauge what he is feeling right now. Is he angry with me? I don't understand why I reacted like that. He was just trying to help and it's true that he did not cooperate with his friends in humiliating me. I was supposed to act composed and distant around him, not burst out and rage like a volcano. The things only Himura Kenshin can do to me…

-------

"Kaoru, Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas(What's wrong)?" My friend and my French teacher Yukishiro Enishi asked as he waved a hand in front of me.

I snapped out of my thoughts and apologized. "Je suis navre (I'm terribly sorry).

It is Saturday morning and Enishi and I are inside our living room having our usual French classes. We've been having these sessions every weekend ever since high school started and I can proudly say that I can already talk in conversational French. When I was in junior high, I have asked my parents let someone teach me to study French because I have always been wanting to learn it ever since we visited France when I was still a 9 years old. Good thing my mother's friend's son lived in France for a while and is quite fluent in speaking the language, so she recommended Enishi to us.

Enishi spent his elementary days in France but returned to Japan because his family wanted him to spend his high school here. He is already 19 years old and has already graduated from high school but he still doesn't know if he wants to go back to France so he enrolled in Kyoto University instead and is still undecided on where he wants to stay.

What I can say about Enishi is he is really a very nice guy plus he is mature unlike the boys in my high school. It is very nice of him to spare three hours of his weekend mornings to teach me French.

You must have noticed by now that Enishi and Tomoe's surnames are similar. Both of their fathers are brothers so that makes the two of them cousins. Once I asked him about his relationship with Tomoe and he said that he is quite close with his cousin despite the feud that is going on between both of their fathers. That is why they don't talk or get to meet each other often because their two families are not on speaking terms. But that doesn't stop him from getting along well with his cousin. Personally, who wouldn't like Tomoe? Of course everyone will get along with her.

"Ne vous en faites pas, ce n'est pas grave. Commencez Plutot par me dire ce qui ne va pas(Don't worry, it doesn't matter. Just start by telling me what's wrong)" He said taking a sip from his coffee.

"Non non(No no)," I replied shaking my head. "I'm fine. There is nothing bothering me Enishi-kun."

"You don't seem fine. You seem sad…Are you hurt? Dites-moi ou vous avez mal(Tell me where it hurts)" Enishi insisted his last sentence taking a slight teasing note. "I am your friend, right? You can tell me your problems you know."

"Not now Enishi-kun, I need to think first. I'll tell you once I sort things out. Gomen ne," I said giving him an apologetic smile.

Enishi stared at me for a while then gave my shoulder a friendly pat. "I know you would be fine. You're one of the strongest and smartest girls I know. Just remember that you can always count on me ok?"

'Strong? If you only knew how weak I am,' I thought my eyes glancing at the house across the street.

After my outburst yesterday afternoon, Kenshin did not say another word to me all throughout our cleaning session. It was only when we were at the shoe lockers when he suddenly spoken, "Kaoru, why are you so angry at me?"

I wasn't able to answer his question. I didn't know until yesterday that I was indeed very very angry with Kenshin, an anger that is not caused by any of his present actions but goes deeper in the past. I only realized it now: even though I truly like Kenshin, I'm also angry with him, maybe even hate him. I hate him for leaving me and ignoring me all these years. I felt like a useless trash, cast aside by someone who is so important to me. I guess I haven't really forgiven him yet.

Now the question is: Do I still like him?

"Oui, bien sur(Yes of course)."

And that's what really frightens me. How can I like someone this much?

-------

"Can I borrow your English notebook?"

I tore my gaze away from the window and looked at Kenshin in disbelief. "Ara?"

"I said, can I borrow your notebook? I promise, I'm not going to copy your assignment. I just want to compare our answers."

"Oh come on Kaoru-chan, don't be selfish. Just lend Kenshin your notebook." Father backed him up oblivious to the tension between Kenshin and me.

"Fine," I said and tossed him my English notes.

Kenshin is so unpredictable. One minute he is so detached, then he is acting like we're buddies the next. It is Wednesday morning and Kenshin and I haven't really talked decently since Friday afternoon. I can't really tell if he's angry with me or not. He hasn't approach me except during the mornings when he goes with us to school. You can hardly count that as a conversation.

He returned my notes to me as soon as we arrived at the classroom and we went to our desks for classes are about to start. As I was scanning my notes, I was surprised to see a note written in a blank page.

Kaoru-chan

Please meet me at the cherry tree where we met last time.

I'll be waiting there the entire lunch period. I think we

really need to talk.

Kenshin-kun

I turned my head around to look at Kenshin and saw that he is talking to his girlfriend Tomoe. Then I glanced back at the letter to read his note once again. 'Now, what should I do?'


AN.

Okay, I don't know if the French back there is accurate, I just took them from a French conversational book somewhere.

So what do You guys think? How do you like the story so far? Please leave me your reviews!