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Chapter 4: Stranger things, and nick names
"Shiro!" I jump lightly at Orohime's behest.
"It's lunch time! come on!" she coax.
"A...again?" I raise my brows. We'd just hung out yesterday! Did she really want to hang out so quickly?
"Of course! Didn't you have fun yesterday? Let's go!" she takes my hand and pulls me out of my chair.
"Uh... ok" I follow along. And yes, I'm pretty confused.
We get to the roof and everyone's there like last time, and they all turn to greet us.
Not Orohime. Us.
"Oh! Shiro's back!" Rukia starts the greetings, then everyone joins in, though some do seem a bit... forced?
It's really subtle, and it's totally possible that I'm tripping, but some smiles don't reach eyes and some tones have an indifference beneath them. The only reason I'm not dismissing it, is because Ichigo seems to notice too. Not just him, but Uryuu and Sado and Orohime. Their eyes shift when someone's euphoria comes off feigned.
Even those who do it seem to notice.
And they despise their actions. snatching them back in favor of do overs
Tatsuki leads the charge, vigorously shaking the apathy from her tongue with rapid sways of her head. "It's nice to see you again!" and this time, she means it, she doesn't have to, but she does.
She plants the seeds for the other few to grow their plants, and they do, following in her steps, and it makes me crack the largest smile I've ever had. I probably look creepy, cheesing so hard. But the actions just beg me for it.
"It's nice to see you guys too."
~x~
This time, when Ichigo and I are closing the gap between his and mine home, I break the silence.
"You should be proud of your friends," I state.
"I am, but why's that?" he responds, not missing a beat. My heart tingles. I asspire to be a friend like those. One that Ichigo can accept any praise without pause to think.
"... You don't mind if I share something with you right? I promise not to ramble, but it's ok if you don't want to hear me," I look around, leaving out as much emotion from the statement as I can so that he doesn't hear something that forces him to listen. I want his choices to be genuine, not morally driven. I'd hate for him to feel as if he has to listen becuase I want him to, and not because he wants to.
"No, go ahead,"
I smile. I know I mentioned I didn't want to be seen as a cry baby, and I still don't, but I really want to give him something. It seems that he's offered me his heart in the form of his friends, and his time, and I want to pay him back. I want to give him a piece of me just as he did. I reach deep inside of me and take hold a portion me, cradling it as I prep to hand it over.
"Well, I've never really had friends, ever. Not even when I was a kid. I did try to make friends, but the same thing would happen. I would talk to them and they'd hang with me for the day, but the very next, it was like they'd forgotten me? It felt like I was just some needy stranger trying to get their attention," I comb my hair out my face. I've been talking for too long, I'll wrap it up. "I just expected the same thing to happen with you guys, and it almost did. But they...fought for me." I drop my gaze, enjoying the rythmatic charge and retreat of my feet.
. . .
We reach my house, and I wave back at the red head before entering.
It's nice to know cool people.
...
I press my back against the closed door and look upon the dark interior of my home with a sort of ancient love. That love seems to be getting dusty as of late...
Hmm... I guess I'll try that tomato sauce recipe I heard the other day.
I treck my way to the kitchen and pull out the ingredients and... How long has this jelly been in here?
I pick up the cool container, twisting it around to find its date.
"Fuck, this is a year old!" I droop, much like an unwatered flower. How had I not notice that!?
"Two points!" I shoot the jar...Then I realize it's glass and I rush over to catch the mother fucker.
I breathe a sigh of relief, placing it more gently into the trash. It's a good thing I got faster, else that would have been disasterous.
...
Maybe I shouldn't have thrown the jelly away. After all, it didn't look bad. And now that I've pulled it back out and opened it, it doesn't smell bad... I dip a digit into the edible gel.
...
It doesn't taste bad...
"I still shouldn't keep it... If anything, I should be worried that it lasted this long," I cap it and dump it. Seriously, what strawberries are they hyping on steroids to get them to last for an entire year, and then some! Heck, for all I know, the company probably puts the experation day on the lid so they can just recap it when ever the date passes.
...
Ok, I might be over thinking this.
Returning to the opened fridge, I pull out the things I need, checking their dates as I retrieve them.
The recipe goes really well, and I feel a little bad for stealing a family secret right from under their nose...
"Well, to be fair, she was sharing it with someone else while being in a public setting, so she wasn't trying very hard," I justify my thievery, but I still feel like a prick, so yeah.
...
I'm going to keep making this.
I make some noodles to go with the sauce and have myself a nice little speghetti night with the tellivision!
Party over here! Whoop! Whoop!
The next day of school is the same as the last, and if you thought I was shocked the second time they wanted to hang out, you should have seen me the third time! And no forced happiness as well.
The oddest thing that occurs that day is at the beginning of gym when me and the girls are getting dressed.
I dropped my shorts and was undoing a couple buttons on my top so I could pull the shirt over my head. It was my little trick for getting redressed quickly later on.
Anyway, the girls were chatting away and I was listening in, without feeling like a creepy for once, when I felt chilly palms cup my bottocks. The sheer freezing nature makes my back arch and a weird little whine errupt from my mouth. My once leisure pace turns into thrashing as I ripped the blouse from on top my head:
"Chizuro!" I cup my face, twisting my abdomen to look at the girl. Why is her smile so content!?
"Oho! The skin is so soft and smooth! and the color makes your cheeks look like balls of chocolate!" the red head boasts.
Oh my gosh, I'm burning up again!
"Chi-Chi," I pause when my stutter sounds like a nickname, and apparently she thinks it is one, because she makes this satisfied squeal. "Please..." I cover my face with my hands, tuning out the looks I'm getting, "If you stop doing this in public, I swear I'll let you go to town if I ever invite you to my house!" I whisper through my fingers, and this makes her squee again before she releases me and goes off into her fantasies.
"Uh-oh, Shi-Shiro just made a deal with the devil," Tatsuki shakes her head, but she's over exaggerating, I like the attention, I just didn't like being so flustered in public!
...
Did she just give me a nickname?
"Shi-Shiro?" I ask, cause I don't want to get my hopes up. Afterall, she could have just stumbled over her words.
"Yeah, cause you stutter so much," she grins for me, and I feel my heart flutter and my cheeks bunch up. "What's wrong, you don't like it?" She tilts her head, and I shake mine in response.
"No, no it's just fine," I bat away any salty murk.
Turning around, I fish in my locker for my P.E. clothes, when I notice people are still looking at me.
"Um, Shiro, what's with that mark on your back?" Orohime asks.
Has anyone ever notice how close her name is to Oreo? Cause it would fit her, she's all sweet and Oro sounds so close!
But what she says shocks me for a second. Thoughts ram into my brain's forefront. What mark? Where was it? What did it look like? Does it have to do with whatever I've become?
Oh wait...
"Oh, are you talking bout that thick, solid black line going down my spine? I dunno, I'm pretty sure I was born with it," I state when I rememeber what's there. It kind of looks like a tactoo, in my opinion. I hadn't looked at or thought about it in a while; I mean, I see no point to, ya know? And it's not like it's always in my sight.
"Yeah, the one that forks at the end?" Tatsuki tags on.
...
"It what?" I frown, fixating my green eyes on her person, and my demeanor changes hers.
"It's solid, but towards the end it forks into two lines," Rukia joins in.
Now I'm frowning deeper.
I twist my neck as much as my body will allow and, despite the odd angle, I can barely make out where the mark does, indeed, split.
...
"That's... not right," I tell the air, and it whispers it to those around me. "For as long as I can remember, it's been soild. No split," I turn back to my locker and pull a white shirt over my head to end the conversation.
"I'll have to ask my doctor about it after school." I step into my blue shorts and then my shoes, "Come on guys! Let's go!"
I jog in place, my little attempt at rallying the troops,
"Hup! Two! Hup! Two" I lift my knees as the girls rush to finish dressing.
"Hang on Shi-Shiro!" Tatsuki smashes her shirt on her head.
"No time for hanging! Only Moving Soldier!" I bark and everyone scurries to complete their uniforms.
"Ready soldiers?"
"Ma'am yes Ma'am!" They salute.
"Then let's move!" I smile spinning on my toes. I lead the march to the track.
"Hup! Two Hup!"
~x~
"So it's really changed?" I ask, looking to the ceiling to avoid my embarrassment. Currently, Ichigo, and Urahara are looking at my mark, which means I was holding my shirt up infront of two boys.
Oh man, why did Rukia have to ditch us? I would have felt more comfortable with a girl here!
"What do you think it is means, Hat and clogs?" Ichigo turns to the blonde.
"Careful Ichigo, it could mean nothing, but it's a good thing you came here to show me anyway, Shiro," Urahara fans at himself. At least I think he's fanning himself, I can hear the subtle flick of the instrument.
"Uh-huh," I pull my clothes down, and gratefully so, as I turn around to face them.
"Tell me, Shiro," I focus in on the talking blonde, as his eyes do on me. "You seem to be in pretty good shape, do you exercise often?" he asks, and the topic is like humidity being flung into my face.
Ugh,WHY AM I SO AWKWARD?
"Yes, but not exactly? I do a lot of dancing," I speak slowly, my face and posture were showing enough of my timidness, I don't need my voice to shout it from the roof tops.
"I see, how long have you been dancing?" He pauses his fan before him.
"For a while now, about as long as I can remember? Most likely shorter...So maybe since I was about...8?" I ask the wood work about me, but it gives me no solid answers.
"I see," He snaps the fan shut. "Anyway, it's a good thing you came to see me! Even if the birthmark was nothing, I'd like to see you everyday after school for training. You may be in shape, but we have got to find out what you're becoming, little lady!" He springs to life from the ashes of his more somber self.
Interesting how he does that.
"Ok,"
"Oh! Ichigo! Don't you have hollows to slay, you crazy kid?" Kisuke asks, shoving the teen out of the shop like he's over stayed his welcome three times over. But Ichigo is a fighter.
"What? What are you doing, Hat and clogs!? I.. want to see Shiro's training!" the orange haired male protests, grunting during his struggles. "This isn't fair! You just want Shiro to yourself, you filthy pervert!"
The smug hatter is strong, forcing the tall teen out his shop and closing the door, denying the accusations as he does.
"Now. Let's begin," he turns to me, and the light seems to catch this worrying blood lust in his eyes.
Why does it seem like he just wants to train so he can have a chance to swing sharp objects at me?
I retreat into myself, "Um... You know what? I'm pretty tired from gym... so..." The look on his face tells me my attempt to escape is just as pathetic as I think it is.
Oh dear.
~x~
I was FUCKING RIGHT!
For the past thirty minutes I've been sprinting from this lunatic as he swings his pimp cane sword.. thing!
"How is any of this helping!" I scream over his laughter and the crashing of his sword to bolders. Holy shit! If he'd have hit me, I'd be dead!
"What do you mean Shiro?" he sounds so fucking curious, almost like he didn't know that slicing people up would kill them!
"What is wrong with you!? How many people have you killed!" It was clear this guy was a freaking sociopath! Coming at me like I have experience or some shit. "How is all this dodging helping?" I clarify, cause I'd really like to know.
"What do you mean! We're testing your speed." The last part is said like it's some secret.
Oh, I guess that made sense.
...
Wait a minute.
"We already tested my speed! You lying mother fucker!" Crap, I'm beginning to slow down!
Dear, what ever is above, I merely ask that you make it quick.
I hop around to face him, skipping to a stop as a rock rushes up to meet my back.
"That's not a good Idea little Shiro!" he sings to me.
Fuck him all kinds of side ways.
Launching myself off the bolder, I spring forward and tackle the blonde bitch.
...
But he refuses to go down, Digging his sword into the earth to halt our backwards slide.
...
"You... were suppose to fall," disbelief drips from my lips, arms still tight around his middrift, my head rolling back to look up at him.
Did he not know how this tackling thing works?
"But I didn't," He informs me, his voice rumbling through us both as he looks down upon me.
Holy fuck he had some sharp eyes, they cut into me deeper than his sword ever could.
And will, hopefully.
"So... What do I do when the tackle fails?" I blink, loosening my grip just a bit.
"Oh, you run... Preferably very fast, and very soon,"
Oh dear.
I rip away from him, just as he frees Benihime. "CAN'T WE STOP THIS!?" I huff, dashing off. It's a good thing I got him to stop for a bit, I needed that breather...
The answer to my question was no.
No we could not stop this... Unfortunately.
Atleast not for the next TWO HOURS!
When he does finally leave me be, I show my gratitude by flopping onto the ground.
"Well done! You have amazing speed and endurance!" The smug hatter boasts, but I'm not falling for it this time!
"You lying booty hole! We already knew that!" I roll over to glare at him. Now that I'm staring at his smiling face, I'm reminded of another reason I'm upset with him.
"And why didn't you tell me I'd been out for a week! You made it seem like it was just a day!" I huff. I'm trying to yell at him, but it's hard when my lungs have been flattened and are stuck together. Ugh. I also shouldn't be laying down right after running for so long; I'll cramp up.
I stand, stretching, "Why did we really do this, smug hatter?" I look to him.
"It's gotten pretty late, you should head home, Shiro," I pause when his voice shifts to a seriousness I don't think we need right now.
"...Alright," I frown. "Are you ever going to tell me who you are?" I raise a brow at him, in response, he snaps open that fan of his.
"Are you going to tell me who you are, Shiro?"
I frown, "You're suppose to tell me who I am.." I trail off when the wording implies something I didn't mean.
"I can tell you realized your mistake, but I don't think you've realized it fully," He peers at me from beneath that green and white hat. "You're thinking I'm supposed to tell you what you are, not who, but even that isn't true." he glazes over the earthy carnage that was no doubt a side effect of his chasing me.
"I'm not here to tell you what you are, either. You're telling me with your body and abilities, from that, I give you the technical term, and based off that, I may train you," He states.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I mumble to the ground. "Well, I guess I'll... head home" It's so weird, the flare of sadness I get at the thought.
I used to love going home...
Either way, I wave to the shop keeper as well as Tesa and Ururu. I kind of waved to Jinta, but he's a turd that ignores my departing gesture.
Then I head back...
On the way, I get a tranquility I used to crave, and notice just how much my world has changed in just a few conscious days.
I wonder if this is permanent...
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