I haven't been sleeping all that well recently so I'm channeling that into writing more chapters. I still occasionally get emails about people liking this story but mostly I just like doing it because I love these characters. Honestly it's hard to believe I started this over a year ago and that it's gotten popular at all but I'm glad it made some people happy even if nobody is paying attention anymore.

Taiga returned to her room to find her bunkmates in a slight circle, gossiping to eachother about whatever. Ami, of course, had returned to her usual self in the presence of Nanako and Kihara, but Taiga would entertain herself as usual by attempting to strip away the facade.
"Hey Chihuahua. You didn't hit the hills as hard as I thought you would. Aren't you worried about getting fat without the exercise?" Taiga chided, interrupting their conversation.
Kawashima exaggeratedly turned to look at her, a bored expression on her face.
"At least if I get fat, I won't be alone. I've seen the way you eat--sooner or later it'll catch up with you." Kawashima bit back.
Their conversation continued this way for a while--as much as Taiga loathed to admit it, she did consider Ami to be a close friend, albeit an annoying and stupid one. Afterall, few people were willing to snap back at her like she was.
Eventually the conversation turned to boys, and Taiga was the center of attention as the only one of the group with any kind of experience. Ultimately the conversation turned to more uncomfortable subjects, and Taiga dare not let slip that she was in any kind of organized living situation with Ryuji. Being prodded away at about "bases" was bad enough.
"What about you, Minorin? Anyone that you like at school?" Taiga asked, both trying to shift the conversation away from her "experience" and attempting to gain some insight into her friend's behavior.
"Not anyo-" she began to reply before Kawashima cut her off.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ami laughed. "There wa~a~s one... but unfortunately some~one came and took him away!" she added, teasingly.
Taiga shot her an accusing look as Kushieda suddenly stood and stomped out of the room, a sour expression on her face.
"What the hell, idiot!" Taiga shouted at Ami.
"Uh oh, did I... uh... say something wrong?" she shrank back guiltily, still trying to save face in front of the other girls.
Taiga opened the door and looked down the hall each way, seeing no sign of Minorin.
"I'm going to go look for her..." Taiga sighed angrily, "and you're going to help me," she ordered, pointing at Kawashima.