The first bell echoed through the school grounds; Kikyou sighed, gathered up her school things, and headed off to her first class. She paused a brief moment to stare wistfully back at the garden before ducking into a side door. A few minutes later she was seated calmly at a desk in her first period Honors Literature class, organizing the papers in her already-neat notebook.

"Hi," said a pleasant voice from beside her.

Kikyou turned to see a girl at the next desk, golden brown hair cut into a businesslike short style, smiling at her from behind large cat's-eye glasses. Unlike Kikyou, whose taste in clothing was simple to the extreme, this girl had gone all-out with a pink tweed business suit, trimmed with ribbons and ruffles. On anyone else it would have been over-the-top, but on her it was only slightly too much.

"My name's Clarice Warren and I'm new here. This is Honors Literature, right?" Kikyou nodded.

"Oh, good. I got here early and I was all over the place searching for this class; do you know how big this school is? And so clean! And the marble floors—I couldn't believe it; my old school just had this ugly linoleum and I didn't even want to walk on these! And arches and pillars and stuff, too. It's all so classy." She paused for breath, then beamed again. "What's your name?"

Kikyou blinked. "It's Kikyou Ito."

Clarice lugged a large binder from the overstuffed bag next to her chair. "I'm not annoying you, am I?"

"No, not particularly."

She sighed in relief. "Good. Just let me know if I need to shut up, okay? Sorry I kinda just took over this seat, but all the others had people's stuff on them and it was either this or next to that weird kid." She pointed to Miroku Yamamoto, who was talking to a girl at the front of the class. "He kept staring at my chest. Well, such as it is. So what's it like in this class?"

Kikyou turned back to her own, slim notebook. "The teaching is slow-paced at times, but very thorough in its coverage of the material. The workload is manageable and critical analysis and comparison of literature is emphasized."

Clarice beamed even more brightly. "Wow, I need to take notes when you talk! I think I've got it, though. So what are the people like?"

"I'm not sure what you mean. Class is starting."

"Right, right."

-----

The next bell rang, and among the last of the students to exit were Kikyou, who walked with her usual measured stride, and Clarice, who was practically dancing beside her. A few other students frowned at the erratic clicking of heels on the tiles; Clarice beamed at them as well.

"Oh, Kikyou, that was divine! The use of simile and metaphor and the wonderfully meaningful symbolism and the subtle imagery that painted a fleeting and ethereal portrait! I love Honors Literature!"

"How nice for you."

Clarice finally stopped to catch her breath, hugging her bag to her chest. "So what classes do you have next?"

"Honors Botany."

"Oh, man. I've got Pre-Calculus and I won't know anyone. Oh, well. See you later!"

-----

Kikyou heard the other person approach from behind, but didn't bother to look up from the plants in front of her. She meticulously checked the leaves and buds of her herbs, pausing occasionally to remove her lavender gardening gloves and jot down a few observations. Eventually there was a cough from behind her.

"Hello," she said absently.

"Hey, Kikyou," responded a bright voice. Ayame plopped down next to her, red hair in its customary pigtails with pink scrunchies. The girl peered quizzically over Kikyou's shoulder at the straight rows of herbs. "Wow, your plot's coming out great."

"Thank you."

Ayame shook her head and moved over to her own small plot, in which several green stems could just be seen poking from the surface. "Wish my irises would grow that fast."

"All things in time."

"Right. Hey, who was that girl you were with coming here?"

"A new student."

"Well, tell her she's stealing my fashion statement." Ayame dramatically leapt to her feet, eyes cast upwards. "I am the only girl here allowed to wear head-to-toe pink!"

Kikyou smiled in spite of herself. "I wasn't aware of that rule."

Ayame pouted. "Well, it's true." She dropped back to her feet, pulled on a pair of white fuzzy gloves, and snatched Kikyou's plain watering can from beside her. "Hope you don't mind if I borrow this. Ah, if only I could just garden and not have to report on it." She turned back to the flowers. "Oosa good widdle iwis? Oosa good iwis?"

Kikyou pulled the watering can back as Ayame set it down. "That would be an interesting topic for a report: the benefits of baby talk for growing plants."

The other girl laughed out loud. "Kikyou, you're hopeless!"

-----

Kikyou emerged into the lunchroom, which was altogether too crowded for her tastes, and just as quietly slipped out through a side door.

Ayame, for her part, arrived a few minutes later, trailing after a rather irritated Kouga.

"For the last time, Ayame, I don't want to date you!"

The girl sighed, running to catch up. "Yes, you do, and we'll both be a lot happier when you realize that."

"Will you please leave me alone?"

Pouting, the girl followed him through the line for entrées and over to the salad bar, where Clarice, aproned and hairnetted, smiled at them.

"Hi, may I help you?"

"Yes," Ayame replied, "I'll have—hey, Kouga!" The girl stamped her foot and glared after Kouga, who'd seized his chance and escaped. "Fine, I'll catch up with him later. You're Kikyou's new friend, aren't you?"

Clarice beamed. "Yep! Clarice Warren."

"Why are you serving salad?"

"Oh, it's to help pay for my tuition here. I don't exactly have the most money in the world, but eh…"

"Well, whatever. See if you can get Kikyou to lighten up a bit." Ayame pulled back her tray and whirled to face the lunchroom. "Prepare yourself, Kouga!"

-----

"Hey, Kagome," Kouga said, sliding his several trays onto the spot next to her. "Mind if I sit here?"

"No," Kagome said, voice a bit strained. "Go right ahead."

Sango peered over at him and laughed. "Are you sure you've got enough food there?"

"Oh, he's saving room for when they roast a boar," Eri said from the other side of the table. Next to her, Yuka laughed and Ayumi nodded from behind a romance novel.

Before Kouga could retort, Ayame strode up and planted herself firmly in the seat next to him. He quickly turned to Sango, talking very loudly.

"Oh, Sango, I just wanted to congratulate you on—"

"Kouga, how dare you ignore me!"

"The game last weekend! Your team did really good!"

"Thanks, Kouga," Sango said as she tried not to giggle at Ayame's red face. "I'd been meaning to ask you about the strategy—"

"Kouga!"

"I'd be happy to talk about football, Sango!"

A burst of unpleasant laughter from the next table interrupted them. Kagome and the others, minus Ayumi, turned to see a girl in pink standing next to a row of empty seats.

"What about this one?"

The girl at the head of the table smiled at her. "No, someone's sitting there, too."

"Oh, okay. What about this one?" The other students laughed again.

"No, sorry. Someone's there, too."

Ayame rolled her eyes and strode over, grabbing Clarice by the arm. "Yura, what are you doing?"

The girl shrugged. "It's not my fault there's someone in every seat."

"Yura, don't be a snob. You all might be proud of your puny little families, but I know none of you want to oppose me, so stop acting like the pathetic little upstarts you are! Come on, Clarice." With that she dragged the girl, waving sheepishly to the smirking Yura, back to Kagome's table.

"You're sitting with us now," Ayame announced with satisfaction. "The nerve of some people! I mean, my family is worth more than all yours put together, but you don't see me gloating about it."

"Gee, thanks," muttered Yuka.

"Anyway," continued Ayame, ignoring her, "this is Clarice. Clarice, this is Kouga, my true love—"

"I am not your true—"

"And Sango right there, and my archrival Kagome, and… um, Kagome's friends."

"Oh, that's flattering. Clarice, I'm Eri, that's Yuka, and the girl with her head in the book is Ayumi."

Clarice smiled at them. "What book?"

"Oh, it's called A Tender Heart's Yearning. She's a noble lady escaping forced marriage and he's a rough pirate with a heart of gold and he kidnapped her and now they're arguing 'cause she's really fiery—"

"Please," Sango cut in, "I'm trying to eat here."

Eri glared at her. "Ayumi can talk about that crappy bodice-ripper romance if she wants to!"

Sango's angry retort was cut off by the school bell ringing; Clarice, who hated conflict, scurried off as quickly as possible. Kagome was not so lucky, and wound up moderating the conflict on the way to a different class.

-----

The scribbling of pens etched an almost comforting melody in the still air of the psychology classroom. Kikyou, taking notes as the teacher lectured, felt a hand slip into hers for a brief moment. Not looking up from her immaculate notebook, the girl pulled her own hand up to the desk and smoothed out the note inside it.

My dearest flower, Kikyou, your eyes are like the moon, your hair like ebony…

She skimmed to the end, penned a brief reply, and then passed the paper back and continued her notes without missing a beat.

Miroku smiled when he unfolded it.

Yamamoto, I know you have no romantic interest in me. What do you want?

Kikyou, he replied, I seem to be having some trouble with our current subjects and am wondering if you could help. And call me Miroku.

Agreed, Yamamoto. See me after school tomorrow.

My thanks.

Kikyou didn't bother to reply; she simply slipped the paper into her notebook, and tossed it in the trash can when the bell rang.

-----

Kagome stopped at the large archway that marked the school's entrance. Eri and Yuka, flanking her, sighed impatiently.

"Are you sure you don't want to come shopping with us, Sango?" Kagome asked, glaring at her friends, who were rolling their eyes.

"I'm sure she can't come," said Eri.

Yuka nodded. "After all, she can't miss football practice."

Ayumi smiled brightly. "Being team captain must be a very important job." Unlike the others, there was no hidden malice in her tone, and Sango gave her a half-smile before glaring with contempt at Yuka and Eri.

"I wouldn't want to keep you," Sango finally said, a bit coldly. "You go on your shopping trip."

"Thank you," Eri replied, and before anyone else could say anything, she and Yuka had dragged Kagome off with Ayumi following placidly behind.

-----

Clarice danced out the school's front doors, executing a complex jig before falling to her knees in a pose in front of Ayame and Kikyou, who'd been walking out from behind the building.

"Hey, Clarice," Ayame said, helping the girl to her feet. "What are you doing here after school?"

"Drama club," she practically sang in reply. "I'm trying to convince them to let us do 'Cats' this year, but no luck so far. You two?"

"Gardening club," Kikyou said.

Ayame pulled Clarice into the small group as they headed for the school's parking lot. "Now tell Kikyou that purple irises would be better for the flowerbeds out front. She wants yellow roses."

"Hmm… Yellow roses are très elegant."

"Oh, not you too!" They stopped in front of a sleek red sports car. Ayame pulled open the door, looking fondly at the leather interior. "So how are you getting home?"

"Well," Clarice said, looking at the ground, "I figured I'd walk a ways down and take the subway."

Ayame, shocked, pulled her into the passenger's seat. "No! One of my friends is going to travel in style! I might not be able to get Kikyou away from that horrible little electric car, but I will keep you off the subway!"

"I don't want to impose…" Clarice looked over the expensive design. "But, okay."

"That's more like it," Ayame said proudly. "Kikyou, take note." The car screeched out of the lot, Clarice waving to the gently smiling Kikyou.