A/N: Thanks for those who reviewed on the last chapter…X )…
Disclaimer: I don't own any FMA characters…though I really want to own Ed…oh well…
Here goes the next chapter…
Hope you'll read and review!
Chapter 2 – Their lives
Golden sunrays flickered through the window's blinds, decorating the wooden floor with thin lines of light. A bed was placed next the two windows on the right side of the room, a faint image of it's flower – printed covers was shown by the small brightness that managed to enter the small bedroom. Books and pencils were neatly arranged above a medium – sized desk not five feet away from the bed, but the dusts that were collected along its edges lowered its cleanliness level by half.
A built – in white cabinet was located from across the single – sized bed, a notable amount of dusts can also be seen even from its outside, making it hard to imagine how much it has more on the inside.
The walls dressed themselves with simple sky – blue wallpapers, giving the small room a relaxing and peaceful aura. Well except the fact that the walls were already obtaining another color unknown to man because of the assorted dusts and foreign particles that took inhabitance on them.
The door was just a plain mahogany wood ornamented with a rather big poster of a famous pop idol, which covered almost half of the door and a silver round doorknob. Can't call it silver anymore because of the gray dusts wrapped around it.
By the looks of it, the room didn't have any sweeping and mopping for years.
An abrupt clash of the door to the opposite wall stole the silence of the room. The open doorway presented a blonde girl who is standing in her ground in a tired and slumped way with her navy blue bag still attached in her shoulder.
Her tangled sunflower tresses that poked out everywhere in her head gave her a disoriented look, her red headband already failed on its job to keep her bangs pulled back as it threaten to fall in her eyes any second now.
Winry Rockbell slowly maneuvered her way though the room, her nostrils already catching the irritating scent of dusts and rotten pizza, eggs, hell she didn't even want to know what that other smell was. Once she reached the bed, the exhausted girl threw her bag to bounce on the soft, yet dirty cushions followed by her heavily worn out body. Dust particles flew around her at the impact her body made on the bed, dancing around her like pixies from 'Filth World.'
Blue eyes glared at the cream – colored ceiling, almost fuming at the condition of the room. More like her room for the whole year round. Kellie knew she'll be staying in this room yet she didn't move a finger to clean it just a bit?
The blonde gave out a low growl and removed her red headband that already slipped from her head to block her eyes and toss it nonchalantly to the nearby desk.
"If shopping is her excuse for not tidying this room up I swear I'll burn every mall-"
"Hey Winry!" A cheery voice interrupted her. She moved her eyes to see Kellie smiling sheepishly down at her with her hands clasped behind her back.
"Don't hey me." The teen shot back, glaring at the ceiling once more.
"Winry…" The brunette pleaded with two syllables.
"Four fucking, aggravating hours…" Winry trailed off with resentment in her voice.
"I-"
"Three hours for shopping on your damn store." Winry reminded for good measure and that was enough for Kellie to zip her mouth close with sorry. She approached the bed and sat by Winry's still shoed feet, gazing down at her angered, yet weary form lying across the dusty mattress.
"I tried to find you for two hours! I tried to track the cherry blossom paradise you messaged about but I couldn't find it! As a matter of fact, I haven't seen such one in my years of living in Central…" Kellie trailed off, trying to remember any cherry blossom garden within Central. Her best friend frowned at the memory of sending 'Cherry blossoms garden' as her last message before the stupid phone died off. She has to get a smartphone soon.
"The only place I know that has cherry blossom trees is Newford Park in Judo City, which is thirty miles from Central…" The green – eyed girl said thoughtfully then lowered her eyes to Winry.
Winry caught the question forming in her friend's mind and sighed exasperatedly.
"I'm not joking. I swear it's a cherry blossom garden filled with falling pink petals." The young woman deliberated, not moving in her position in the bed.
"But, why did I find you at Rufford Avenue? You're sure you ain't dreaming? With the long trip and all?" Kellie asked once more, gazing at the girl sprawled in the bed for answer.
Another tired sigh came out from Winry.
"No. A weasel kicked me out of the place. Saying it's his place and is off limits to anyone. That bastard…And I couldn't contact you that I'm in Rufford Avenue 'cause my phone died off." The blonde girl growled out as she saw an image of a fuming blond, golden-eyed boy flashed in her mind's eye. Just remembering his face made the girl's face contort with hatred.
"A weasel?" Kellie inquired with a confused raised eyebrow.
"Some guy about our age I guess." Answered the sixteen – year – old, the urge to change the subject traced in her voice.
"About our age? What does he look like? Is he good – looking?" Kellie interjected excitedly, her eyes sparkling dreamily.
A deep frown curled Winry's lips at the reaction her friend made. But to think about it, she really didn't get the chance to see if the boy was handsome or not. Annoyance ate her conscious mind the time she met him.
"Forget about him. What do you have to say about this…this raccoon hole?" Winry spat and glowered at her friend who shivered at her last two words.
"Haha…you see…my brother stayed here last month and all I managed is to arrange some of the things." The brunette stuttered her excuse, not convincing her friend at all.
"You didn't have time to clean it within a month because?" Winry supplied with aggravation laced in her voice.
"Uh…I-"
"No. Forget it. I think I don't want to know anyway." The blonde cut her off with a wave of her hand before it fell back to her side.
Kellie, her childhood friend since seven, averted her eyes on her red – painted toes, guilt written all over her face. She dared to gaze back at Winry who's features were splattered with exhaustion and coldness. She bit her lower lip, her words trapped in her throat.
"Winry, I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you." The girl murmured softly.
"It's fine. Just leave me alone to have some sleep." Winry suggested and closed her heavy eyelids that were open for three straight days.
"I'll try to clean the roo-"
"It's okay. I'll clean it up myself later." Winry cut her off for the umpteenth time this day and rolled to her side, making her gold tresses to fall in her sides to tickle her neck and cheek.
The brunette watched her friend for a few moments longer, shame still coloring her features. She continued to gaze apologetically down at her until her chest began to rise and fall. Kellie took that as a ticket to exit the room to give some peaceful sleep she owed her.
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A blond head poked itself from above the eight – feet tall fences, his golden eyes swaying from the dozens of ply woods aligned perfectly in three rows across the grassy backyard. A mischievous grin was placed in his face and he pulled himself up, trudging his left leg atop the slightly pointy fences then followed by his right one before landing smoothly in his ground.
Get across the fences, check.
He then swiveled his head in all directions to see any viewers. When he saw that the coast is clear, the trespasser carefully made his way towards the lines of cut woods, making sure that he wouldn't make any noise that may alarm the house's owner.
Once the young blond reached his goal, he peered through the lumbers and raised an eyebrow as he saw red – painted 'SIKAMURA' signs on each block of wood.
"As if putting that dumb name will ever stop me." He chuckled evilly to himself and bend over to gather the number of plywood he needs. Once he had three in his arms, he snickered in delight and turned around to make his way out of his neighbor's backyard.
Get some ply woods from the old geezer, check.
"This is too easy." He stated cockily when…
Growling was then heard from below him and Ed looked down curiously to see a bulldog leering up at him, saliva dangling in the sides of its mouth with its sharp teeth grinding wildly at him. The Elric felt his back shivered in surprise at the wild animal in front of him, his eyes flashing with fear.
"ARF! ARF!" The black dog barked at him before lunging forward with sharp claws which almost scratched Ed's leg if he didn't slipped to the side to dodge.
"The old bat got a pet as a freaking guard?" He muttered to himself as he stormed his way to run to the fences, the dog still barking in his behind.
"That's it Rocky! Get him! GET HIM BOY!" Mr. Romeo Sikamura's voice cheered from the opened window behind him.
Edward ignored the dumb shouts and cheers of the owner and threw his stolen plywoods across the fences, which fell soundly on the other side. He then clamped his hands on the edges of the barriers when he felt a tug in his left leg. He glowered down to see the black bulldog gnawing his leather pants.
"Get off you little mutt!" He cursed at the mammal and wriggled the dog off his limb, but the animal remained chewing his pants off of him.
"That's it boy! TEACH HIM A LESSON FOR MESSING WITH SIKAMURA!" The gray – haired man screamed triumphantly from his window, flailing his arms in the air for support for his pet.
Ed gave the man he considered as his archenemy and most convenient source of wood a brief glare then blazed angrily at the dog, his patience ticking like a time bomb.
"Get…off before I turn you to dog meat." He warned at the creature who didn't give up at biting and ripping half of his pants even as he tried to shake it off.
The teen scowled in annoyance and looked around to search something that might help him to get rid of this animal.
His golden eyes then sparkled dangerously as they spotted a pink ball lying in the ground next to him. He took it with his right foot by trapping it between his front foot and front ankle like a soccer player.
The young boy then faced Mr. Sikamura who stopped his cheering when he saw Edward looking straight at him. The man shook in nervousness as he saw Ed's evil plan flashing in his honey eyes.
"Here Rocky, Rocky, Rocky." He called at the dog as he toss the pink ball up and down with his right knee, successfully taking the bulldog's attention and it freed Ed's left leg from its canines. The smoldering eyes of the mammal followed the ball, completely hypnotized by the teen's spell.
"That's a good boy." Ed purred on the dog and flashed his evil – plotting eyes on the poor old Sikamura.
"N-no Rocky! Don't listen to that brat!" The old man ordered as if the pet really understands a word he says.
"Now Rocky, FETCH!" With that, Ed let the ball fly in the air for a good few seconds before giving it a strong and quick kick, sending the fury ball to hit squarely on Mr. Sikamura's wrinkly face, making the man disappear to the floor with a thud. The bulldog named Rocky followed the ball in tow as it jumped right on the old man's face.
"AHH!" He screamed painfully at what might be from his pet's claws digging his dry face. Ed laughed to himself and hoisted himself above the fences, looking at the open window of a shouting Mr. Sikamura once more.
"Thanks again for the woods Mr. Sikamura!" He called out to him teasingly before sliding to the other side of the yard. He then picked his scattered plywoods in his arms when he heard a,
"CURSE YOU EDWARD ELRIIIC!" A wild commence reached his ears and he laughed at it before running away from the scene, snickers still coming out from him from the lines of obscure screams of the old bat.
TWO MONTHS LATER…
A heavy sigh came from the brunette girl Kellie, who was under her thick covers with a wet towel damped in her forehead. She shifted about and took out the thermometer stick clamped in her armpit. She squinted her green eyes at the small numbers and read,
"38 degrees. No good at all." She breathed and placed the thermometer on her bedside drawer. She ran a hand through her tangled locks, her headache starting to build up again.
Running footsteps where then heard from the hallway before Winry came in her opened doorway, shuffling irately with the ribbon in her blouse's red ribbon.
"Winry…you going to school already?" Kellie asked weakly from her bed, her half – lidded eyes gazing at the blonde girl dressed in white blouse and dark green skirt from across the room.
The young teen perked her head up from fixing her ankle boots as a reply to her sick friend's statement.
"Yeah. I got about ten minutes and I have to take the bus 'cause we can't use your car today." Winry answered and walked to the room's mirror with a bag already in her back, fixing her long cornflower hair, which is now tied back in a high ponytail that flowed gracefully behind her as she strides.
"Sorry I can't accompany you in our first day of school." The green – eyed girl apologized.
"Don't be silly. You're sick with a 39 – degree fever. There's no way you can make to school." Her friend stated as she combed her bangs with her fingers.
"But it's your first day in Central High." Kellie insisted, a guilty pout forming in her face and she sneezed.
Winry shook her head and approached the bed to sit at the brunette's side, a small smile plastered in her face.
"You don't need to worry, I'll be fine. All you have to do today is to make yourself better. Okay?" The young blonde reassured.
"But-"
"Here's your medicine for this morning. You'll be taking this every four hours, okay?" She instructed and gave Kellie a small medicine cup and a glass water. The girl slowly positioned herself up and took the medicine and drink in her hands. She gulped down the 15 ml medicine before quickly washing the awful taste with her water. Syrup medicines are the worst.
"There." Winry beamed at her and stood from the bed to walk to the door.
"Winry? Are you sure?" Kellie inquired one last time, worriment traced in her features.
"Sure I'm sure. Just remember when a client calls just look at the paper I stuck in the fridge and from there you can tell them when their appointment will be. Okay?" Winry ordered gently at her from the door, her hand already clutching at the silver doorknob.
Kellie gave her a slow nod as an answer.
"Okay, I'll see you this afternoon. Be sure to take your medicine on time!" With that, the door clicked closed with Winry's thundering steps on the stairs, leaving her brunette friend to gaze at the door anxiously.
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Bell rang all through the grounds of Central High, bringing all the students to hurry on their respective classes. Today was the first day of a new school year, so no one can afford to get late and get humiliated in front of new faces by a new have – to – deal – with teacher.
The hallway of lockers started to be drained from students of first year to fourth year classes, the tingling sound of the continuous bell still filling their ears as if to pressure them to get their asses on their classrooms.
Winry ran through the thick crowd of students, dodging people and the janitor's mop in five seconds flat as she stormed through the hallway to her class. Many pair of eyes followed her direction, seeing her as an energetic new face in the campus.
With a five more "Sorry"s and "Excuse me!"s, the blond girl stood panting in a room with white sliding doors. Above the door was a label that says,
"4 – B"
"Oh my God I made it." She breathed with her last bits of air and approached the intimidating white door, one hand raised to open it. Why was she nervous now? She assured Kellie that she'll be fine by herself just for this day. It's not that hard right?
Going through a day with new faces…
Making friends with some squeaky girls for lunch…
Okay, this is harder than it sounds.
"Excuse me?" Winry snapped her head up at the new voice and twirled around to see a brown – haired girl with glasses waiting for her to open the door.
The young girl blinked at her, not really know what to say.
"Are you new here?" She asked, clutching three books tightly in her chest.
"Uh…yeah. I'm Winry Rockbell." She introduced herself and scratched the back of her head. She felt silly trailing off in front of a classroom's door like that.
"My name's Shezka Marimon." She greeted back with a wide smile, extending a hand for a shake. Winry took it gratefully and they smiled at each other.
"So you're new here, too?" The young blonde asked.
"No. I've been studying here since second year." Shezka answered happily.
"Oh." Was Winry's friendly answer. She really needs to practice on how to make a good conversation.
"Maybe we should go inside." The girl with glasses suggested with a toothy grin.
"Oh yeah, right. Hahaha!" She laughed awkwardly and opened the classroom door for them. They entered with a few eyes leering at them, mostly at Winry, before they found their seats.
A good fifteen minutes passed by quickly for Winry as she and the new girl Shezka chatted and laughed over some stories. She had learned that the girl was from Frego City which was fifty miles north from Central and was a certified bookworm.
Shezka was overwhelmed when Winry told her that she was a mechanic – automail mechanic to be exact – saying that a pretty girl like her is far from being a mechanic, which was only for dirty and muscular men. The young blonde just shook her head and said,
"I got that a lot, even from my grandmother." She confessed heartily.
"Really? How about your parents? Did they agree with that?" With the question asked, Winry's sky blue eyes darkened like water in a well, memories of the past flowing in her orbs.
As if on cue, the door was slid open noisily and a woman in her middle forties strode through the room to the front of the class, a rather thick book in her hand. Her hair was collected in a stiff bun behind her head and her grim glasses gave her a look of an evil lecturer who likes to torment her students with her F's. All of them arranged their scattered and misaligned table before sitting straightly in their seats, their eyes darted on the teacher in front.
Winry reached for the inside of her bag and got a piece of paper. She unfolded it and scanned through her schedule. After reading the information, she placed the sheet back to her bag's pocket.
So it's History for first subject.
"Okay class. Get your books and open it to page five." The woman instructed firmly and started to scribble wildly at the chalkboard.
Winry stared at her back with bafflement. The woman didn't even introduced herself yet!
The blonde girl heaved out a breath and opened her book to the ordered page. This is going to be a long lesson…
"…that is why Dracma, along with…" Winry felt her consciousness flickering on and off from her brain, her baby blue eyes drooping sleepily, her chin resting boringly in her hand. It has been only half an hour and the woman's starting to bore the hell out of her. She looked around the class to see that the dark – haired boy two seats from her sleeping peacefully at his desk. At least she's not the only one dying in boredom here.
She then checked on Shezka and saw her writing notes in her notebook busily. Winry sighed and got back on listening to the teacher in front of the class – or more like looking pass at her. No matter how much she tried to listen to the lesson, sleepiness clouds her senses and teased her to lay her head on the table for a good nap.
Her battle for consciousness continued for the next fifteen minutes when a loud crash came to her ears. Winry snapped upright in her seat, looking at her teacher to check if she already spotted the students sleeping in her class and decided to throw erasers at them.
All she saw is that the old woman's face was crouched in anger, her dark eyes blazing at the direction of the door.
"I see you decided to join my class for a change, Mr. Elric." The woman gurgled out and smoothed down her lavender sweater.
"Whatever." A male voice snorted right back at the teacher and Winry traveled her own eyes to see who the brave one was.
Her sleepy eyes then widened in full awake at whom she saw…
Golden eyes…
Braided blond hair…
Black clothes…
Has an attitude like her former landlord…
It can't be…
Winry stood abruptly from her seat, sending the chair to screech soundly on the floor at the force she made as she gazed fiercely at the boy who just entered the class.
Edward noticed the only person standing in the class and honey eyes enlarged at the awfully familiar person they saw…
Blond hair…
Blue eyes…
The trespasser in his garden…
"IT'S YOU!" The two hollered in unison as they both pointed accusing fingers at each other, ignoring the eyes they caught from doing so.
A/N: Cliffie! Sorry for the grammar mistakes and typos…I don't have a beta for this story…-grins sheepishly-
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