Millefiori
Chapter 4
"WHAT!" A slam and more bangs came from her bedroom. "This clock is demented! Seven thirty! God d---!" She hurriedly rushed into her bathroom, practically drenching her face to get up. Rubbing her face against a towel, she dashed into her room to change and get ready for school.
"I'm going to be late! Augh! I can't be late!" She quickly slipped on her uniform, grabbing her brush.
"Would you like me to walk you to school?"
She blinked, turning so that she saw Touya in her mirror. "Really?"
"You walk too slowly."
She grinned. "Welcome aboard then. Have breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Did you tell Jin?"
"He'll sleep later than you think."
"Mm." She pulled her hair up into a ponytail. "Good…" She began to stuff her books she had left out last night into her backpack. She went into the kitchen, expertly burrowing through the fridge to bring up an apple. Tossing one to Touya, she found another.
"Got a copy of the keys?"
"Yes."
"Cool." Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she closed and locked the door behind her. The ice apparition set the pace, but Yumiko led them through the backstreets and alleys, trying to find a quicker way; also, less people there meant less people would see Touya's strange garb. (She never asked him to change out of it.)
"Do you wish he was here more often?"
Yumiko glanced at him, but kept on walking. "Why?"
Touya shrugged, looking ahead. "Just wondering."
"Try not to interrogate me Touya. It's not a very comfortable situation." A smile lightened her words slightly.
"At least I'm not tying you to a chair like Jin did." They emerged from the alleyway.
"Hey, Yumiko!" They both turned to their left. Keiko stood there, waving. "Come on!"
"Who's that?"
"She's one of my friends. We take the same route to school. I'll be fine from here."
"Alright. Take care." He went back the way they had come, easily disappearing into the shadows.
"Hey Keiko!" She ran over. "What are you waiting for?"
"I was actually waiting for Yusuke to show up. But then I saw you and decided to walk to school all together."
"Guess who?" A pair of hands appeared over Keiko's chest area.
"Yusuke!" The sharp sound of a slap practically echoed down the busy street.
"He, he, sorry Keiko."
"Hmph." She sniffed before turning to me. "You remember Yumiko, right Yusuke?"
"Yeah." He grinned cockily. "So you actually go to school on your own free will, like Keiko?"
"Yusuke, your mom works hard to keep you from being suspended-!"
"Well, I'm not as bad as Keiko-"
"What!"
"-but not as bad as you either."
"I'll go with that answer." He smirked.
"Hey, Urameshi!" A tall figure with orange hair waved. "Wait up!"
'Wait… orange… hair? Oh s---…'
It was that guy from yesterday.
And right behind him was the redhead.
'Green eyes…' She stiffened. 'D---, I had almost forgotten them!'
"Hey Kuwabara!" The brunette smiled. "Good to see you both!"
"Hey Keiko!"
"Good morning Keiko, Yusuke. And who's this?" The question was directed for her to answer instead of Keiko. But Keiko's attention was already turned to trying to prevent Yusuke and Kuwabara from brawling again, so she was left to it.
"Uingu Yumiko," she said, bowing. When she straightened, she tried not to look into his eyes, but she was already pulled in.
"Ah, Yumiko?" He smiled. "Then I might have something for you." He pulled something out. "I found this in the park earlier- yesterday to be exact." He held it out.
Her mouth went dry. "R-Really?" She accepted it with trembling fingers, nearly dropping it again after his hands brushed hers. "Eeto… thank you very much." She examined it, mentally groaning. 'It's the one I signed! That's why he knew it was mine… hopefully Kuwabara won't hurt me.'
"Don't worry. Kuwabara is a kind man, underneath it all. Just like Yusuke." He smiled at her shocked expression.
"Thanks… for the advice, and the pencil, I guess… I better get going- otherwise I'll be late for school."
He checked his watch. "It's 7:35"
"What! Are you kidding me!"
"No."
"Ooh, I am so going to kill Touya when I get home," she muttered, fuming. "Or was it Jin who reset my clock?"
"Excuse me?" The redhead looked a little surprised at her complaints. Yusuke had also looked up.
"Eh, never mind. Just two of my friends played a prank on me this morning." She took a step away at those inquiring eyes. "Eh, I think I have to get to school earlier anyways. Bye Keiko, everyone!" She ran off, nervously looking over her shoulder once at the group who was staring after her.
Two figures looked out the window, easily covered by the dimness of the room and the gauzy curtains. "So that's her? She still doesn't look like much."
"Looks can be deceiving Ryoto. Her brother is quite powerful- her family I known for it. And she will be the same. Don't underestimate her."
"Yes sir."
-(Sarayashiki Junior High)-
"Set it up! Outside!"
"Yes! Excellent spike Uingu-!"
"Ow!"
"Oh my god, Hoshi!"
"What the hell was that for!" The girl was bleeding from the nose. "It's just a game, Uingu! It's a d--- PE class! What's wrong with you!"
"I… I didn't mean to. Look, I'm really sorry-" She reached out to help the girl up.
She moved her arm. "Don't touch me! Unlucky, conceited b----!" She ran off to the nurse's office, flanked by two of her friends.
The gym was silent. Even the teacher hadn't moved.
She glared, dark black eyes burning like coals, at everyone. "May I be excused from this class, Myo-sensei?" she said coldly.
"Of course Uingu."
She walked into the changing room, putting her uniform back on. She went to her locker soon after, packing her backpack, then sitting down on the ground, waiting for school to be let out. (A/N: for some magical reason, PE was last period.)
When the awaited bell did ring, all the students came pouring out several seconds after. She got up to prevent from being crushed, being quickly joined by another.
"Hey Hiya."
"Got the materials Sachi?"
"'Course- I promised I would after all. Got the information?"
"Yeah." They walked to an empty classroom and spread out over a desk. They began to paste information on a cardboard board- Science project their teacher had assigned them.
"Everyone is avoiding me now," she mumbled. "It's kinda getting annoying."
"All of them?" Sachi's indigo eyes finally flicked up from pasting on a piece of paper. Black hair was restrained into a long, high ponytail, and her height barely topped Yumiko's.
"The ones from our school- our grade."
"What did you do?"
"I gave a girl a bloody nose in PE class by accident." Yumiko redid her hair back into a low ponytail quickly before resuming.
She thought for a moment. "Who?"
"Hoshi Ito."
"Hunh. She's got a few well-connected friends, but not enough for the whole grade to avoid you like the Plague if it was truly accidental. It's something else. Not something in school- I was with you. Anything this morning?"
"I was actually early."
"After that."
"I actually raised my hand in Literature."
"Okay. Before the early school part."
"I met Keiko and her friends on the street walking to school."
"Which friends?"
"Urameshi Yusuke- I've talked to him before."
"Good street rep for a loner- could be a reason. Who else?"
"Kuwabara."
"Good rep too- not as good as Urameshi's, but enough to have some power; he has a small gang to back him up. Though his bad looks do offset it somewhat. Next."
"A redhead- different uniform than Sarayashiki High."
She started to laugh. "You're so oblivious sometime, Hiya."
"What? Is he a street fighter? Because he doesn't look like it…"
"No- definitely not. He's a great academic student. No fighting at all- though he's still a fine piece of ass."
"Sachi!"
"That's probably the reason- Shuichi Minamino. All the girls fell for him, even though they're still in Junior High. Even some of the seniors of high school are after him- quite funny, he's only a freshman. Better watch out. Next they'll be stalking you."
She shoved Sachi playfully. "So that's the reason they're avoiding me?"
"Well, also the fact that they think that you're an over-competitive psycho who could maim them for life. And you have one of the worst street brawlers for a friend."
"…Did this counseling session count?"
"Nah, I'll leave it off your tab, since I need fresh meat to play with."
"Ha, my sides- they're splitting." They began to glue their information about the movement of plate boundaries down. The science teacher had assigned them the project.
"What's the time?"
"Don't have a watch. There's a clock on the wall though."
"I hate analog though."
"Fine- it's 5:00. Wait… oh s---."
"Too late for you?"
"I forgot to tell them I'd be home late."
"I have to go anyways- pick up my little sister." She started to clean up. "Time flies. I'll finish it over the weekend. It's due on Monday anyways."
"Thanks so much. Are you sure-?"
"Just make sure you work on your History essay. That's the only reason why I'm letting you off the hook."
"Thanks Sachi. I'll clean up then."
"Okay- see you."
"Bye." The door closed behind her.
A tear dropped.
"I don't need your pity," she ground out, though the other wasn't there to hear it. "I can do it myself."
Her cell phone rang. Picking it up, she opened to see it was a call from Keiko. "Hello?"
"Hey Yumiko. I'm really sorry to bother you, but are you still at school?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Could you please get me my textbook? I have an Algebra test tomorrow, and I need to study."
"You never need to study for math tests."
"Please Yumiko."
"'Course I'll do it. I'll drop it off, or have someone do it for me."
"Thank you so much- bye!" She hung up.
"Bye," she murmured, before putting her phone back in her bag. Closing the door behind her, she left the building for Keiko's highschool.
"Hey, Yumiko!"
: End Chapter
14thShrineMaiden: Fourth new chapter!
