The next day was the first day of classes and I woke up with a knot in my stomach that didn't let go. I showered and dressed in my school uniform then headed downstairs where my mom had cooked eggs and bacon for breakfast. "Good morning, sweetie, are you ready for school?"
I sat at the table and took a bite of egg, "I'm really nervous and I don't want to go."
My mom started laughing, "Of course you don't, honey. Now get ready, you don't want to be late." She grabbed her keys from the counter and I finished my breakfast quickly. "So, who were those girls I saw you standing with yesterday? Are they friends?"
"The blonde girl was Haruka and the brunette was Yukino, we were talking yesterday and we took a tour of the school which was nice. They're cool, Haruka has a bit of a temper and Yukino is really shy, but I like them."
I shoveled the rest of breakfast into my mouth, and grabbed my book bag and followed mom out to the car. I still remember having to run to keep up with her because she always walked fast for some reason. "You see, you're making friends already. Pretty soon you'll be Student Council president."
I laughed, Student Council president, yeah right. I sometimes wonder if my mom could see the future, it seems like everything she ever said came true.
-IPR-
We pulled up to the school and my mom gave me her traditional farewell kiss on the forehead, I got out of the car and spent a full minute trying to wipe lipstick from my forehead, after that I climbed the Ascent and found my way to my home room. As I walked around the corner I saw three boys walk away laughing, when I rounded the corner I saw Yukino leaning against the locker staring into the blank wall. "Yukino, are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Shizuru."
Before I could say anything more a blonde girl stomped towards us looking angry. "What's going on here? What happened, Yukino?"
"It's nothing, Haruka."
"Nothing? That didn't look like nothing." Yukino didn't move and Haruka pulled her into a gentle embrace, I remember that clearly because Haruka didn't look like the gentle type. I would learn over the years that looks can indeed be misleading, she can be one of the scariest women I've met but she has her gentle side, a side which Yukino was always able to call out. "If you need something just ask me, okay."
More students rounded the corner and Haruka, Yukino and I entered our home room and took our seats. Haruka and Yukino were assigned seats together in the back while I sat in the front row. I set my bag down when a tall, dark-haired boy set his in the chair next to me. He looked in my direction and flashed a smile at me, "I guess we'll be home room neighbors, Reito Kanzaki."
He was handsome, that much I remember, his smile went perfectly with his blue eyes and he wore the school uniform, a white button down shirt with a black coat and black slacks, like he was born in it. "Shizuru Viola."
I held my hand out for him to shake, but he instead held it gently and planted a soft kiss on the back of my hand. I remember blushing, "Have a seat, students, it is time for us to begin." The teacher approached a podium that was set up before the class, an older woman who spoke with a grace that belied her power. "I am Yukariko Sanada and I will be your home room and etiquette teacher, a class that you are all required to master. By the time you leave this class each of you will be able to dine with royalty in ease. This will be an important skill for many of you in your chosen professions. Especially so for you, Mr. Kanzaki." She grinned and Reito reddened in embarrassment, several of the girls giggled around the room and a couple of boots came from the boys.
"Settle down, children, Reito may be a prince outside these walls, but in here you are all considered equal."
A prince, I thought, no wonder he's so dashing.
"Today we will be discussing proper speaking. If everyone can turn to page three of your textbooks." The sound if shuffling papers and books filled the classroom. "When one speaks, one should speak in a clear voice and enunciate every sound in the sentence. For example, Ms. Armitage will you read the sentence that appears on line two please?"
Haruka stood and started reading, I muttered under my breath, "Armitage, why do I know that name?"
Surprisingly Reito had heard me and answered back in a whisper, "Her father is the CEO of Armitage Arms, a major weapons manufacturer. My country has had dealings with them, they are pleasant, if not a bit blunt."
Haruka finished reading and stayed standing, waiting for Mrs. Yukariko's judgment. "Very good, Ms. Armitage, well spoken. You certainly do not lack for confidence, though you're pronunciation could use work. Other than that well done, you may sit back down." Haruka sat back down, and Mrs. Yukariko called on another student to read a line. She went in this manner through each student, critiquing each on how they spoke and how well they enunciated, until she came to Yukino. "Ms. Kikukawa, will you read the line for us please?"
Yukino stood up shakily and wiped her eyes, she started to read and, although her pronunciation was flawless, her voice barely carried to the front seats and I had to struggle to hear her. When she was done Mrs. Yukariko pronounced judgment, "You have flawless pronunciation, Ms. Kikukawa, but you need to speak louder and clearer. Have more confidence in yourself and your speaking will improve."
Yukino nodded and was going to sit back down when a small thing, a paper clip maybe, flew across the room and struck Yukino in the face. She balked and Haruka slammed her book shut, throwing it as hard as she could and hitting a boy straight in the face with it. He sat speechless at the sheer anger that emanated from the girl. "The next time you want to throw something, throw it at me."
"Ms. Armitage." Mrs. Yukariko's voice took on a hard tone and the hair on everyone's neck stood on end. " Mr. Wesley outside, now." Haruka stormed out of the room followed by a boy holding his nose, Mrs. Yukariko excused herself, "Everyone, I need to make a call, feel free to converse amongst yourselves while I do so."
Mrs. Yukariko grabbed a nearby phone and, I assume, called someone from the student council to deal with Haruka. The boys who had been sitting around him snickered and high fived, I turned to Reito and asked him, "Why would they do that?"
Reito couldn't hide the contempt in his voice, "Some small people need to make themselves feel big by stepping on those smaller than them. They are fools not to fear Armitage, she's going to hurt them if they continue."
"She is very protective of Yukino. So," I cut a sideways look at Reito, "Prince Reito, eh?"
Reito chuckled, "Like Mrs. Yukariko said, in school I'm just Reito, and you can call me whatever you like, Ms. Viola."
"You flatter me, my lord." He swiped playfully at me and we both started laughing, breaking the tension of the previous minutes. Mrs. Yukariko returned to the podium and continued the class. "Sorry for that interruption, now let us continue."
-IPR-
Lunchtime was set for one o'clock and I by the time it came around I was ready for it. On the way towards the cafeteria I looked around for a certain blue haired girl, but saw no sign of her. The cafeteria was set in the direct center of the building right next to the faculty offices, Quite a convenience for them I thought.
Being an exceedingly expensive school, the food was not ordinary cafeteria food by any means. Most of what they served I couldn't even name, so I picked what looked best to me and looked around for a seat, spotting Haruka sitting by herself on a bench. Everyone sat away from the American and after her display in class I couldn't blame them. I sat down next to her, she didn't acknowledge me at first. I cleared my throat and she finally looked my way. "Oh, hey Shizuru."
"What happened?"
Haruka shrugged, "Some student council enforcer came to talk to us. We got detention, a slap on the wrist and assurance that next time the penalty will be more severe."
"Do you regret how you handled the situation?"
Haruka thought about it, "Yes, I wish I had kicked his ass."
She caught eyes with Yukino who looked away quickly and approached the table. "Haruka..."
"Are you okay, Yukino?"
Yukino nodded, "I'm sorry you got in trouble."
Haruka slammed her fist on the table causing everyone in the area to back up. Haruka stood before Yukino, and said through gritted teeth, "Don't say you're sorry, you didn't do anything wrong. He made his choice and I made mine, it's not your fault." She placed a comforting hand on Yukino's arm, and I noticed a blue-haired girl watching everything from the doors. She turned and walked out and I decided to take a risk and follow her.
I turned the corner into the hallway and she walked into a nearby bathroom. My heart pounded while my mind said this was a terrible idea. You don't know anything about this girl, except that she rides a motorcycle and gets followed by black cars. Even though everything in me was screaming not to go, something drew me into that bathroom.
She was waiting for me, casually leaning against the counter like she was expecting me. "Hi."
"Hi." Not exactly the encounter I had envisioned, but what had I envisioned? I would fall into her arms and she would profess her undying love for me. No, we were just two girls in a bathroom with nothing to talk about.
Natsuki smiled a crooked smile, "So, did you want something?"
The way she said want thrilled through me like a roller coaster. Yes, I want you. "Well...I...I wanted to..."
"I heard what happened with that Armitage girl, I wouldn't want to mess with her, she looks fierce. What did the mousy girl have to do with it, though?"
"One of the boys in the class threw something at her so Haruka hit him in the face with her book."
Natsuki laughed, a deep, whole-hearted laugh that brought a smile to my face. I knew that I wanted to hear her laugh like that all the time. "It was somewhat funny."
The bell sounded for the end of lunch and I said goodbye to Natsuki who smiled at me, "Goodbye, bella." I gave her a confused look, "Maybe later I'll tell you what it means."
"I know what it means," I said as I left, "I'm just wondering why you called me it."
I didn't hear her answer, but it sounded like, "Because you're beautiful." I wound through the other students and found my way to my next class. When I entered I spotted Reito, who waved at me and pointed to an open seat next to him. I sat down and set my book bag on the floor, "Hi, my lord."
He playfully shoved me, "Stop that, you make me sound like a prick." He turned suddenly serious, "I saw you talking to Haruka, how is she?"
"She's fine, they only gave her detention today and a warning. I worry that if this continues she might get expelled."
"Don't worry, Haruka will graduate, even if we have to forcibly calm her down."
"Good, then I'll leave that to you, then."
Reito thought about it, "Or maybe we can just sit her down and talk to her about it."
Yukino walked in just before the second bell and I motioned for her to sit next to me. She did, "You were almost late."
"I walked with Haruka to the detention room, it's on the other side of the campus. They call it a detention room but it seemed more like a prison."
Reito leaned over to join in, "What do you mean?"
"There are lots of cubicles there, but they're more like prison cells. They have locked gates and everything, Haruka seemed to accept it but I thought it was terrible. I don't ever want to go there."
I still shiver thinking about it, the way she described those cells was very accurate, I never saw them but Natsuki described them in great detail. She said they tried to break her, but she came to enjoy the silence, relish it even. She was so strong, then.
-IPR-
The school day passed and I stood with Yukino where we had stood the previous day waiting for Haruka. When she showed up she looked pale and haggard, she had dark bags under her eyes and she squinted in the sunlight. Yukino worried after her, "You look terrible, Haruka, what did they do to you?"
Reito approached as she answered, "Nothing, it's just dark in there all the time, I guess I got used to it."
Reito put a hand on her shoulder and smirked, "Maybe next time we throw our words, instead of our text book."
Haruka closed her eyes, "Take your hand off me, Kanzaki. I'll lay you out right here, Prince or not."
Reito laughed, "I don't doubt you could."
I laughed too, when I noticed Natsuki headed for her bike. I excused myself and followed after her, finally catching up to her as she mounted the machine and was about to put her helmet on. "Fancy meeting you here."
Her eyes turned to slits, "At my bike, what a coincidence."
I chuckled nervously, pierced by her emerald gaze. She was the only person who had that effect on me, I've stared down senators and congressmen, but only Natsuki could make me nervous. "I was just wondering if you wanted to talk for a bit while I wait for my mom."
"So talk."
My mind struggled for a topic, I finally settled on, "What do your parents do?"
"What do your parents do?"
"Hey, I asked you first."
She sighed, "My mom works for the DoD and my dad, well, he's gone. Sometimes I wonder if he ever existed, like some ghost of somebody that I'm supposed to remember but can't. Now it's your turn to answer." I started to speak when a familiar black car pulled up and honked. Natsuki pulled the helmet down over her face, "I've got to go." I backed away as she started the motorcycle and pulled out onto the street followed by the black car.
I returned to my friends to find that Yukino's parents had come to pick her up and only Reito and Haruka remained. A procession of cars that looked like it could bear royalty pulled up and a woman stepped out of the largest and approached Reito, her long dark hair flowed behind her like a cape. "Reito, let's go, I have an important meeting and I want you there."
"Yes, momma." He said his goodbyes and left leaving just me and Haruka standing at the curb.
We stood quietly for a few minutes before I said, "Do you remember what you said, about not planning to fail." She nodded, "Why did you get so protective of Yukino? You know fighting is prohibited."
She shook her head, "Because nobody deserves that, especially someone as smart and pretty as her. I don't want to fail, Shizuru, but I won't stand by and watch her get hurt either."
I let it go at that. I've learned over the years that when Haruka sets her mind to something it's impossible to talk her out of it. All I can do is come in after and help her clean it up and make sense of it all. I remember going to bed that night wondering how it would turn out with her. I would wait just short of a month before it all went down.
-IPR-
It was about twenty days into the school year and the teasing had only gotten worse. Haruka was chomping at the bit, but thinking about getting expelled was usually enough to keep her calm. That is until Yukino showed up to class one day with a cut on her forehead. No one could have predicted what happened next.
I wasn't there, but I remember walking in on the scene and thinking that it looked like something out of a movie, except way more real and way more horrible. Reito was there and he told me everything that went down.
According to him, Yukino was at her locker when the three boys who had been pestering her approached. When Yukino turned around, one of them pressed her up against the locker and started saying some things to her that he couldn't make out but seemed overtly sexual. What he didn't realize was that Haruka had gotten to school early that day and was waiting for him to make a move.
She grabbed him by the throat with her left hand and shoved him into the black wall across from the lockers. She held him there and hit him with her right hand once, twice, three times. Each time he heard the crunch of bone and cartilage. By the time she was done with him she had broken his nose, his jaw, knocked out several of his teeth and cracked his skull. She threw him to the ground as the bigger of the two remaining boys advanced on her, but he was no match for the sheer size and ferocity of an enraged Haruka.
She growled and tackled him to the ground, raining blows on him until he bled. She got up and started kicking him in the abdomen and head, breaking three of his ribs and knocking him senseless. The last boy had run away to get help and this is when I arrived and saw the blood and mangled bodies, Haruka breathing heavy standing over them.
I saw the monitors coming and, before he could show, Natsuki came out of the crowd and started kicking at the two boys. Haruka backed up a bit at the gesture and Natsuki started shouting at the top of her lungs about how she would kill them if they talked. When the monitor showed up he assumed that Natsuki had done it and dragged her off to the principal's office. I was left speechless by the event.
Yukino slid to the floor, hand pressed over her mouth and tears in her eyes. Haruka ran over to her and took her in her arms, patting her back and telling her that everything was okay. I remember the look that Yukino gave her, it was a look that I would see on Natsuki's face a few times. A look of unconditional love.
The doctor, her name was Sagisawa if I remember correctly, walked up with a couple of assistants and they half dragged, half carried the hurt boys to the infirmary. It would be the last time that I would ever see those boys again.
I remember thinking that I was selfish, my first thoughts weren't for Yukino or Haruka or those two boys who probably needed surgery after what had happened. My first thought was for Natsuki. Reito noticed me and walked over, he put an arm around me and I remember it being a comfortable silence, neither of us knowing what to say.
Haruka helped Yukino to her feet and into home room, to spite the incident neither wanted to be expelled. I wondered after Natsuki for the rest of the day, after word spread of the incident Natsuki became an underground hero. The thought of her in tights and a cape made me smile.
I didn't see her again until the end of the day, I stood on the curb with Haruka and Yukino, who did a poor job of hiding her new found affection for the blonde. It was sickening in all the right ways. Haruka turned her head and suddenly walked away. Yukino and I exchanged a look and followed after her. After a few steps I saw what she had seen, Natsuki was putting her helmet on when Haruka walked up. "Hey, why did you step in?" Natsuki didn't react at first, "Hey, I'm talking to you."
"I wish you weren't." Haruka made a show of being irate, "It had nothing to do with you, I thought I would be expelled. You know that you almost killed one of them, you ogre."
"What did you call me?"
Natsuki put her helmet on, but not before I noticed a smile. "Bye, bella." She pulled out of the parking lot followed by the same black car that always came for her.
Reito walked up, "Was that Ms. Kuga? Her mother works for the US Department of Defense, a real hard ass. I hear that black car is for her protection."
"Then why wouldn't she ride in it?" I asked and Reito was silent. "No, I think it's meant to keep her here."
-IPR-
"That was the first time I had ever seen the hero side of Natsuki. As time went on I would see it more and more as she opened up to the world."
"So were Haruka and Yukino a couple after that?"
"She swears no, but I have always suspected otherwise. If so they've kept it away from me."
"I'm interested in this Prince Kanzaki, you two seemed to hit it off."
"He was quite the charmer. He is one of the only people I ever saw stand up to Haruka after the fight. It happened, oddly enough, during a baseball game."
