Just Speaking…

I would like to thank all the readers sent their reviews. Thanks a lot! Oh, before I forget, if you're wondering what Kira is wearing in my recent chapter, it is just the same outfit in Gundam Seed Destiny. He absolutely looks like a rock star and the song he just sang was "Let Me Go" by 3 Doors Down.

Back to regular programming…

Chapter 5: Enter Lunamaria

"Alright, class," the teacher with long brown hair began, "today you are going to have a pop quiz." Groans were heard all over the room.

Before anyone would start complaining, she passed the papers to her students and then took a short glance at her watch. "You must be done within 30 minutes, so we could review your answers," she said in a loud voice.

"Here comes a big F in this stupid algebra test," Cagalli grumbled under her breath as soon as she received her paper.

Ten minutes have passed; she still hasn't answered any question. After breathing a sigh, she stared at paper and studied the questions carefully.

"Determine by finding their sum and their product, whether – ½ + √2 and –½ –√2 are the roots of the equation x² + x – 1. Give the reason for your answer," one question read.

"Hmm…," she thought, "I don't know. This is too hard for me. Let's see if there are other easy questions."

She scanned her paper -- one question at a time. Then after reading all the questions, she tightened her grip around her pen and gritted her teeth with fury. "Oh, I just can't take this anymore!" her mind screamed. Suddenly, a thought popped into her.

"Wait a minute! I think there is a way."

Slowly but surely, she glanced at her seatmate's paper to copy the answers.

"Ehem…Cagalli," a familiar voice interrupted her little business.

Uh-oh…

Athrun raised his hand to answer the teacher's question.

"Ok, Athrun. What is Bryan's real emotion to Von's death?" the teacher repeated the question.

"Well…according to the way he acts, he seems really gloomy and depressed," he answered then shifted his hands behind his back, "However, he really felt happy about the fact that his brother is gone. So, he can already get Diane for himself because he believes that Von really stole his girlfriend away from him."

"Uh-huh," his teacher nodded in agreement but wrinkled his forehead to ask another question, "How do you prove this, Athrun?"

"Simple, it is located at the last part of the story," he answered confidently.

"Ms. Cagalli, what is the meaning of this?" asked her teacher more sternly.

"Well…umm…you see…Ms. Ramius…" Cagalli uttered in a shaky voice.

"Well, Cagalli, if you have nothing more to say," Ms. Ramius paused, "It is clear that you're cheating. You might as well hand me your paper." Then, she faced the class. "Time is up! You may pass your papers now."

"OK Athrun, if you think the answer is located at the last part of the story, may you read it for the class?" his teacher asked.

"Hmm…let's see," Athrun said as he scanned the pages of his book swiftly, "Aha! There it is!" He cleared his throat and began to read.

"That night when Von died, the rain descended from the sky. Sounds of thunder shook the earth while volts of lightning flashed and exploded. I lay on my bed with my head to the ceiling. My eyelids began to fall until…

"Bryan! Are you there?" a voice was suddenly heard. I sat up to know if I was just dreaming but…

"Bryan! I want to talk to you!"

I wasn't sure if that voice was for real but I still rushed to open the door. There, standing in front me was a soaked and wet Diane. She suddenly hugged me and began to cry the way I never heard her before. I didn't notice that my arms are slowly wrapping around her. I didn't mind she's wet, but tonight she's all mine. Tonight…and forever.

Once Athrun was done, Mr. La Flaga stared at him and gave him a wide smile.

"Well done, Athrun. Everyone, let's give him a wonderful applause for his answer," he told the class.

Everyone did what he said. Dearka slapped his raven-haired friend "high five" while Yzak gave him a "thumbs up" sign. In return, Athrun just gave them a smile.

After receiving all the test papers, Ms. Ramius piled them on her desk and then, started to look for the remote for the projector (JS…: C'mon people! Today's world is high-tech and even theirs!). Unexpectedly, three knocks came from outside the door.

Ms. Ramius rushed to open. Then, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who it was.

"Ms. Ramius," greeted Mr. Andrew Waltfield, the principal, "May I have a moment with your students?"

"Yes, sir," she answered with a bow.

"Ehem…" he paused to observe the students, "pupils of this class, I would like to introduce your new classmate." A sudden explosion of whispers and murmurs filled the room.

"Ms. Hawke," Mr. Waltfield uttered as he faced the girl standing near the door, "You may now come in."

The murmurs and whispers grew louder when the students stared at the maroon-haired girl. She walked in quite confidently but her eyes just stared at her beaded sandals. When the noise started to die down because of the principal's stares, she slowly faced them with a bright smile.

"Hello, I'm Lunamaria Hawke. I come from East Coast of the country. Nice to meet all of you," she said sweetly.

"Now, I expect everyone in this class to be good friends with Ms. Hawke," the principal paused and then turned to look at the beautiful brown-haired teacher, "Ms. Ramius, thank you for giving me time. The floor is now yours." He, then, exited the room leaving the pupils' eyes on their new classmate.

"Hmm…where do you like to sit, Lunamaria?" Ms. Ramius asked her.

"Umm…I see a vacant seat beside that blonde-haired girl. I guess I could sit there," Lunamaria spoke in a low voice.

"Alright," she answered amiably. "Class, Lunamaria decided to seat beside Cagalli," she announced and then focused her eyes to the surprised blonde-haired teen, "Cagalli, you are now assigned to help Lunamaria as she gets to know the school and the new atmosphere around her. I expect you to be a good friend to her as well."

"Great! Just great! Now I have to baby sit a weird, new student!" she mumbled under her breath.

"Cagalli, is that alright with you?" Ms. Ramius asked her.

"Yes, ma'am," she replied grumpily.

"In that case, take your seat now Lunamaria," said Ms. Ramius.

As soon as the maroon-haired newbie took her seat, she took out a small piece of paper and started to write something on it. She then passed it to Cagalli.

At first, Cagalli was having doubts whether to read it or not, but her good conscience won and she started to unfold the small piece of paper. It read only:

I hope we could be good friends. You seem to be very interesting.

"Fi-na-lly!" Dearka shouted with hands behind his head, "Our classes for this day are over!"

"I hate it when our teachers create long discussions. They make me so sleepy," he added.

"Anyway, you made a few points in our recitation in Chemistry class," Yzak pointed out – stressing the word "few".

"Well, I guess I'm lucky. And Yzak, it doesn't matter if I get a few points, I just want to pass so I wouldn't be left out, OK?" snorted Dearka.

"Hey, quit the fighting guys. Nicol will come out any second by now," Athrun said as he tried to calm his friends.

"Hey guys!" a familiar voice rang the trio.

"Hi Nicol," the three said in unison.

While walking down the hallways, Athrun couldn't help but notice rumors about a certain maroon-haired girl. After passing a couple girls, he then heard a group of students talking about some "Lunamaria".

When Athrun couldn't take the gossips he's been hearing, he turned his face to Nicol.

"Nicol, tell me. Who is this "Lunamaria"?" he whispered in a low tone so Dearka and Yzak wouldn't tease him with a girl.

"Ah, I see she's becoming famous now. Well, Athrun, she's my classmate and as far as I know about her," Nicol paused for a while, "She dresses so strangely, a newbie, and always stays beside Cagalli."

"Oh, OK. Well, that Lunamaria girl sure dresses weird to me. But, I don't care. I just couldn't take who were they gossiping about. C'mon let's go," Athrun spoke.

After hearing what Athrun just said, Nicol couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

"C'mon Cagalli," Lunamaria pleaded, "I want you to go shopping with me."

"This girl is really getting to be a pain in the butt," Cagalli thought as she just threw her things inside her locker.

"Look Lunamaria, I really don't have time for this."

"Why?"

"Because…I'm…busy."

"Busy with what? Are you going to have a date?"

"No, no! I'm just busy, OK?"

"Oh, OK. Maybe some other time will do. I better run off now. Bye!" she said as soon as she made her way to the gate.

"Boy! She's weird. I wonder what she's really up to," Cagalli wondered.

Just Speaking...

Sorry for the late update, guys! A lot of things happened to me during the past weeks and again, I had difficulty thinking about how this chapter will go on. Anyway, thanks a lot!