A/N: Sorry for the super late update! I have a difficulty in plotting this chapter. And I'm pretty sure it has a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes, so I just posted it and edit it when I got time…
And thanks for those who reviewed! :D
So here's the next chapter…
Chapter 3 – To deal with
"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.
Twenty-nine pairs of eyes observed the two teens as they blazed at each other from across the quiet classroom, fingers still pointing straightly at one another. Edward was the first one to surrender and let his arm fall back to his side; his glaring eyes not leaving the equally stern ones of the girl standing a few feet away from him.
"What's a trespasser doing here? Or are you lost again like a five – year – old in a mall?" Ed began bitterly; making the blonde's burning eyes to intensify with more anger.
She snorted and placed her hands on her hips; deciding that she will not let herself be humiliated by a jerk like him. Not again. "What's more unbelievable is to see your ass barging in such a respected school. Shouldn't you be back in your garden planting more of those cherry blossom trees of yours?" She spat at him with a mischievous squint in her eyes.
The sixteen – year – old's orbs flashed with rage at the words that left her mouth and left his jaw to tighten with fury. He growled at Winry and took the last steps toward her angrily; making his classmates whom he strode by to squirm in fear of his darkening aura. He stomped in front of the girl's table and flared his sharp gold eyes at hers before slamming a fist on the wooden desk with such force that the vibration rattled all the way through Winry's spine.
Winry furrowed her brows deeper as his livid eyes burned a very deep hole into her soul. This is the first time she met a person with such unyielding eyes that can immobilize anyone with an invisible rope.
The four -eyed boy sitting beside Winry backed away in terror; his arms shielding himself shakily for the infuriated boy's any possible attacks.
"Not anyone…especially you…" He grounded at her like a wild beast. "Has the right to talk about that place!" The young man barked at Winry with such ferocity that made her flinch inwardly from his sudden loudness. She managed to maintain her composure, meeting her blue orbs to clash with a pair of pissed, amber ones. She could tell, through those unblinking eyes, that he's emitting a different kind of anger compared to the one he unfortunately shown to her two months ago.
What's with this guy anyway? She said irritatingly in her thoughts.
"You'r-"
"ENOUGH!" The cross voice of Ms. Router rang through out the room like a busted siren that just ran out of batteries, cutting Winry from finishing her any of sentence.
The forty-five-year-old woman adjusted her thick glasses in the brim of her long nose. Ed pffed at her, his frown curling into an annoyed one while muttering something about old bats and how to get rid of them.
The teacher's heels clicked noisily as she walked away from her desk, eying the two people responsible for interrupting her precious lesson with unmoving eyes. She stopped in her tracks by the time she reached Ed's side, her presence not even making the boy stand properly for respect. Boy, he could even kick her out of her ground right now for being uncomfortably close to him.
"I can see that you are really willing to put my red cards into collection, hm? Mr. Elric?" Her sharp, high – pitched tone cut through Ed's ears stingily "But don't you worry. I have a box full of them with your name on it." She then raised a red card up in his face for him to receive. He let an eye twitch with a frown still tugging his lips before snatching the stupid piece of paper that will eventually join with his stack of those in his drawer later. The Elric dragged his way back to his seat located at the back of the class; not one of his classmates dared to look at him for the apprehension for any violent reaction they might get as he passed by the aisle that have somehow cleared for him.
Winry watched 'the weasel' drag his ass back to 'his hole', a victorious smirk forming in her face. "Take that, loser." She whispered to herself. But her triumph was lasted in a second when the History teacher coughed purposely to get the girl's head to turn back to her. Without letting any moment pass for her. The woman dangled a 2 " 5 paper in her face, the same paper she gave to the annoying Elric boy but in orange color.
It says, 'WARNING FOR DETENTION', with eye – pricking capital letters.
"You're a new student here, right? Ms. Winry Rockbell I presume?" She inquired with authority.
The girl gave out a stiff nod of 'yes.'
The woman wiggled the paper for her to get, which she obliged with hesitant hands. She gazed at the construction paper between her fingers with disdain.
"Welcome to Central High, Ms. Rockbell. As you still might not know, my name is Ms. Emily Router, your History teacher for the whole year. We'll meet once a day at 7: 15 A.M. as declared in your schedule sheet, from Monday to Friday. But if once is not enough for you, collect one more of those cards then we can see each other again at 5 o' clock after class…in detention." Winry gulped at the last word. Detention? With this woman? She can't even stand her for thirty minutes!
She has to be careful.
"...which I hope won't happen." Ms. Router finished; her black eyes piercing dangerously at the student before her through those broad spectacles.
"I hope so, too, Ma'am." Winry answered nervously; her small smile failing her when it started to quiver under the woman's hard stare. Boy, she couldn't even imagine spending endless hours in detention with this woman. That might be the greatest torture ever.
The teacher gave her one last rebuking glance before proceeding to walk her way to the back of the class, resuming to her earlier boring discussion.
"Now open you books to page 10…"
This gave time for Winry to sit back in her seat with a heavy sigh escaping her lips.
So much for her first day at Central High.
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The loud ring of the bell echoed through the grounds of Central High, hiking all the students up from their sprawled positions on their desks to look at the wall clock placed at the back wall of each room.
12: 30 P.M.
That time only means one thing…
"Oh I'm so glad it's lunch break already. My stomach's crying for food for three straight hours!" Winry complained as she and Shezka made their way to the cafeteria. Winry scanned the place briefly, seeing that this school's cafeteria is larger and has more tables than the one back in Riseembool.
The white tables were significantly decorated with the school's logo on top of it – a hexagon with a beast that is closely alike to a dragon which was crawled inside it's intersecting lines.
After taking a quick look around the place, the blonde's eyes darted to the line that started to form in a part of the area where the foods were served. It wasn't that long yet so they hurried themselves before other students start to contribute to its length.
"Didn't you eat your breakfast this morning?" Shezka asked from her behind, stainless trays already in their hands.
"Actually, I didn't. I have to prepare food and medicine for my sick friend back home this morning. Didn't have the time to make one for myself and I'm already late…" She explained sheepishly, taking a step forward as the person in front of the line disappeared to his table.
"I see." The black – haired girl chuckled at the good – natured girl.
The line was starting to get shorter by the minute and they could already see the cafeteria lady scooping the 'meal of the day' to each student's plate.
"I was a little worried about what you did back there." Shezka stated suddenly, snapping Winry from her gaze on the saucy steak of the red – haired girl who came pass them to retreat to her seat.
"Why? 'Cause Ms. Router gave me a warning for detention? Nah, that's okay. I'm pretty much acc-"
"No. It's about the one who also got a card." Her classmate cut her off with that concerned statement. Winry swiveled her head towards her and raised a confused eyebrow.
"That blond weasel? How so?" She asked with a puzzled expression in her features. The Marimon girl averted her eyes to the floor, and then peeked under her eyelashes with a wave of anxiety flowing in her eyes.
"You must not mingle with him if you don't want any trouble tailing you." She whispered at her with furrowed eyebrows. The blonde arched her brow higher at her words, pondering the reason behind it…
"Next!" The cafeteria lady's voice brought her back to her mind and faced her front to see that she's already the first person in the line, and was about four steps away from the stall of foods.
"Hey move it!" A chubby woman with a steak sauce-covered apron tied compactly around her wide waist called impatiently at her. "Sorry!" The new student said back and rushed to the front to take her food.
After a few minutes, the two girls managed to get themselves to one of the tables, sitting across each other as they satisfied their systems with a bowl of rice, steak and orange juice. Winry ravaged her food hungrily into her throat, gulping with the liquid beside her every time a fiber of food failed to slide through her esophagus. Shezka watched her with what seemed to be awe, leaving most of her food untouched as she continued to observe the girl's eating habits.
She didn't eat any breakfast, all right.
"-ey –eshka. –hy you're –ot ea-ing you're –ood?" She asked through mouthful of steak bits and rice as she continued to chew them with every word, making her statement incomprehensive.
"Please swallow your food first." She replied with a taut grin, not understanding a word the girl just said.
"'-orry." The Rockbell then munched the last of her food and snatched the orange juice sitting beside her plate to her mouth, finishing it with three gulps. She placed the empty pack back and sighed contently at her now full stomach.
"About Edward Elric that I was trying to tell you earlier…" The ebony – haired girl started.
"Hm?" She prompted, gazing at the girl in front of her with her baby blue eyes. "What about him?"
Shezka's grin was turned into a thin line of frown, the uneasiness shown in her green eyes. "Don't come near him. If possible, don't make any possible contact with him." She warned dangerously.
Once again, Winry perked a brow for her. "What are you being scared about that guy? The rest of the class for that matter. Is he someone who's always involved in fights or bullies everyone? I think he looks just like someone I can easily beat up." She interjected freshly and quickly thought of her trusty wrench.
"No. Well sometimes he's starting up rambles in the school but I think that's only when he's provoked which always has something to do about his height or his…" The girl paused, unsure of what to say.
"His what?" Winry supplied, waiting for her to answer.
"There's something about…about his family…his background, that makes him…so unsafe to be with." She explained, looking at Winry only to find her more confused.
"Unsafe?" She repeated.
"Yeah. Anyone who comes near him, dies or have their lives broken or left to see, we have this schoolmate two years ago…"
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A juicy piece of crispy chicken stabbed in the three points of a fork was snatched away by the pearly teeth of a certain someone's mouth, chomping it delightfully in attempt to satisfy his taste buds and starving stomach.
"This Al's chicken is good, almost as good as yours." He praised with a big smile as he sat his self at the lush green grass with his legs crossed under him, chewing his lunch with deliciously. His happy face then loomed in a matter of seconds, bending one leg towards him for his chin to rest, gazing sadly at something in the grass.
Before him were two gravestones.
The one on the left belongs to Nina Tucker, the only friend he had ever had. She died two years ago.
And there's his mom.
'Trisha Elric', says the gray tombstone.
The one, and always will be the only one parent he recognized.
He still has Al, his little brother, but they are still two of the people he truly cared about and felt it from. And most of all, they died because of him. Because of his stupid, unforgivable and selfish mistakes.
All because he can't do anything right in this useless life that they had to leave their lives.
Edward gripped at his propped leg closer to his chest, his nails digging painfully through the cloth of his pants, deciding he will stay like that for another hour. His eyes narrowed as he fixed his eyes on the inscriptions with hurt and guilt that he bores within him every time he visited the cemetery, reminding himself of the foolish mistakes he made.
And every time he read those letters deeply carved into the face of the stones, he swore to every living form that can hear his heart …that he will never ever repeat the same faults again.
That he will never care for another person ever again.
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"She died in an accident?" Winry's voice questioned as she leaned over from her side of the table with more interest.
"Yes. I didn't know what kind of accident exactly but I do know it's all Edward's fault." Shezka answered and adjusted her round eyeglasses to save it from sliding from the rim of her nose, gazing at the other girl in hopes that she already understand.
"I see. But I still don't get why you're all so scared of him. It doe-"
"I forgot to tell you that Nina's father died two weeks after that incident. Two months after that, our guidance councilor, Maes Hughes, who's frequently seen hanging with Edward, got shot in the heart from an ambush while driving his way home, leaving his wife and only daughter devastated." The girl narrated, her fingers curling in her front in agitation.
"You see Winry, that guy has some horrible things going around him, and you don't want to get any of that. That's why you shouldn't make any plans of befriending or…even getting near him." She beseeched with her eyes getting teary with concern and pleading.
She already found herself a potential good friend that might want her as an actual friend, not a nerd who'll do book reports for them, with this kind Winry girl. She couldn't afford to lose her with Edward sharing his ghastly contagious destiny with her like he did to sweet Nina two years ago.
Winry curled her lips into a thin line of mid – frown, still a little bamboozled with her friend's explanations. Is she saying that this Edward Elric is that deadly?
"You don't have to worry. I have no plans on befriending or entertaining that weasel. Unless he crosses my way like two months ago, I'll take him down anytime with my wrench." She growled to herself darkly; her blue eyes flashing dangerously.
"NO!" Shezka shouted and stood from her seat abruptly, catching Winry's and the other students' notice with her sudden movment. As she remained in that state for several moments, the others found it unnecessary to pay attention to so the blonde girl was left to look back at her angry eyes with her surprised ones.
"You can't do that too! It's too dangerous!"
"Why?! I can't just sit back and eat all he throws at me like all you guys are doing! I won't deal with him like what you do!" Winry retorted at the girl for the first time, her lips lurched into a stubborn scowl.
"You have to deal with him like everybody else. Or else, you'll just end up like Nina…or Mr. Hughes." The other girl widened her eyes with bookworm's words, somewhat getting a little of the trepidation she's trying to explain about the Elric guy for minutes now.
Shezka watched as her classmate slowly digested some of what she'd said, placing herself back to the bench to face her once more.
Winry let her expression slipped from a gravitated one into a smiling face in seconds, beaming at the girl even though the unconvinced part of her still lingering around her head to argue more.
"Let's go back to the classroom. We're gonna be late."
If they're afraid of that Elric guy for such reasons, maybe she should keep her past from these people from now on.
A/N: Sorry I had to end it there…and sorry for distracting you with all the typos and grammatical errors up there! (I have no beta for this one D : )
I hope you'll leave some reviews! I entertain constructive criticism! ;)