SORRY FOR TAKING FOREVER TO UPDATE ;; I know few of you probably noticed but I still feel bad considering I've had the chapter written up for about 3 months now...

You know what they say 'Time flies when you have absolutely no life.'

It doesn't help that kpop has somewhat taken over my life. I feel like this entire fanfic doesn't do justice to the actual anime... I'll try to work on that.

Chapter 5

"You're an idiot" I said bluntly to Kaden.

"What why" he whined. I really wanted to leave but I was forced to wait for all of his team mates to show up because 'he wanted to introduce us.' Currently there were only two of them and they didn't seem too friendly, not like I wanted to meet them anyways.

From my research I could easily tell who they were; the captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu, third year, and master of the Tezuka zone; and Kaido Kaoru, second year, constantly called 'Viper,' signature move is the Snake Shot and is always caught wearing a bandana.

Neither seemed too friendly but the least they could do was introduce themselves.

"The fact that you don't know just proves my point" I scoffed crossing my arms and looked to the side. I could see him pointing to himself confused and trying to think out of my peripheral vision. I constantly told him about Ryoma and his team, whenever Kevin and I learned something new.

I'd write to him about it sometimes, sure I hadn't been doing it lately but he could've tried to remember. I mean we practically grew up with Kevin and Billy. He never met anyone else from the little group seeing as he left.

I sighed anything I thought about lately was about them, why couldn't I let go of that bunch of crazies.

"Come on gimme a hint" Kaden whined shaking me wildly. I was becoming even angrier and it seemed like my only emotion lately, anger. I needed a stress reliever but I doubt this tennis based school had a soccer team. I didn't want to be angry all the time, I wanted to laugh and smile like I did before but being surrounded by all of these people just reminded me of the life I left and Kaden's forgetfulness wasn't helping.

"Shut up" I growled pushing him away harshly. He stumbled backwards and fell on his butt looking up at me shocked. I was shocked at what I had done too, why was I being so mean to my brother he was only trying to be friendly and introduce me to his friends and here I was acting like an asshole. I couldn't take what I did back though so I didn't try to.

I turned on heel and started walking briskly towards the exit knowing all very well all the looks I was the center of attention after that little stunt. I noticed the rest of the regulars coming towards the gate probably wondering why everyone had stopped practicing and was watching me. I was such a drama starter and I hated myself because of it.

It must seem like I'm an over-dramatic teen, trying to draw attention to myself. I wanted to get away from all of this but I couldn't let my pain show. That would just demoralize me even further.

With my lips set in a grim line and my eyes narrowed in anger I made my way to the gate. The red head, known as Eiji yelped and jumped onto a boy with black bangs swaying in front of his face causing him to fall over.

The rest of the team moved to the side for me except an all too familiar face. A short first year with choppy black hair, Ryoma Echizen, the main reason my best friend was a monster. He had a hat pulled down over his face a bored expression laid on it.

How I wanted to throw him to the sharks but I had to remind myself that where I was from it would be normal here I might actually be thrown in jail.

He didn't seem to have respect for his elders and he was so cocky he probably expected me to move to the side. If possible my eyes narrowed even more but I didn't give him the satisfaction of looking him in the face and showing my distain. I just kept moving forward making it seem as though I didn't notice the small freshmen.

I can't lie when I felt my shoulder connect with his and I felt his shoulder buckle under the pressure and give way sending him to the ground I wanted to sneer so badly but I was already making a big enough scene as it was.

He probably didn't expect a girl such as I to be able to do that but I was more than used to getting shoulder checked and I barely felt it. I didn't even feel bad that I was technically bully an underclass man I messed around with Kevin like this all the time he never got hurt.

Some of the older regulars checked to make sure he was okay while others glared at me.

"Aren't you even going to apologize" second year, Takeshi Momoshiro, asked angrily. I looked back at him with a stoic face before turning back around and walking away without another word.

"Where are you going" Kaden yelled running out of the gate and towards me.

"I don't know maybe when I remember I'll tell you" I snarled at him.

"What the hell has gotten into you" he asked surprisingly angry, grabbing my forearm harshly most likely going to result in a bruise later.

"If only you knew" I yelled ripping my arm away from his grip and walking away heatedly. I heard a couple people yell 'good riddance' and other things as I left and I could only laugh.

Once I turned the corner I felt a small tear fall down my cheek. I bit my lip and gasped as my phone buzzed. I looked down to see a small reminder. 'Work at 4'

I sighed and broke into a run realizing I only had thirty minutes to go home, change, grab some food, and make it to work on time.

I passed many people and got many strange looks but didn't look much into it. When I got home my parents weren't there, probably still at work' I mused to myself. I ran upstairs not bothering to take my shoes off and nearly ran into the forgetting to open it.

I raced through my closet picking out a teal jacket with a white zipper and strings, a pair of dark blue shorts with light brown suspenders lounging at the sides, a dark tea beret, a long necklace with three keys differing in size and length, and some black converse that came up to my ankles. [ yesh/set?id=32589311] I pulled my hair out of its bun it had previously been in and let the curls flow out.

I took one look in the mirror and was shocked at what greeted me. I had been crying as I was running and I didn't even notice. I quickly grabbed a tissue and dabbed off the tears and old make-up not bothering to apply fresh eyeliner or mascara.

I bolted out the door grabbing a sandwich and my phone. I began running to my work having only 10 minutes before I was considered late. I pushed past too many people to count and ran many red lights surprising myself when I hadn't been hit by a car.

I made it in with one minute to spare and ran to the back of the store. I was greeted by my manager's surprised face.

"I made it in time" I gasped clutching my chest and sucking in air like a fish out of water.

"Oh well I didn't expect you for another thirty minutes" she said beaming. I felt like someone had dumped a cold bucket over my head while I was sleeping and had then dragged me through the mud and thrown me off a cliff.

"What do you mean" I asked my mouth left agape.

"Well I figured if I told you 4 you'd arrive at 4:30 instead, which is the time we open" she said clapping her hands together. "Most of my old workers would show up 30 minutes late so I figured you'd be like them."

"What happened to your old workers" I asked as I let my back slide to the floor still trying to calm my heart beat.

"Well let's just say they aren't here anymore" She said patting my head and walking towards the front of the store. I was stuck debating should I fear for my life or assume she was just trying to scare me?

"Your shift ends at 8, close up before you leave" she called chucking the keys at me before leaving the store. The doors closed and the bell's ring faded off into the distance leaving me with an eerie silent shop.

Its official this lady is crazy, she met me yesterday and she already trusts her shop in my hands. How does she know I'm not a crazy psychotic killer or a robber?

I shook my head and pulled myself up examining the keys she had thrown at me. There were three keys, a small one labeled, 'freezer', a bigger one with jagged edges labeled, 'backroom', and a third looking dull and more faded than the rest without a label which I assumed to be the key to the shop entrance.

I got up and began to check out the shop and get familiar with my surroundings. The shelves were covered with everyday foods; orange juice in a box, cereal, and crab cakes, etc. The fridges on either side contained eggs, milk, and fresh fish.

The wall was painted a dull blue and had white flowers painted into them. They faded into the paint and unless you very closely and knew every type of flower in the world you wouldn't be able to tell what type they were.

The register was in the very back and cut off the shop from the back. There was a glass display case not unlike the ones you would see in jewelry store except ours displayed candy and gum. The counter was a worn oak with a chipped black stone top. The register was about the only thing that looked new.

It was silver and seemed to have a never ending shine. It had no dents and was in its prime. Next to it was a worn, golden bell. I tapped it once and it emitted a strangled ding.

I made my way to the backroom and pulled out the key sliding it in and entering.

I was expecting to see shelves of supplies and freezer after freezer instead what met my eyes was a small, blue loveseat, a desk in the corner with piles of paper atop it, a large freezer and a minimum amount of shelves.

It almost seemed homely. I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of the deranged bell of the front counter. I made my way out putting a small smile on my face.

A boy stood with his mother tugging on her arm pointing at the candy with a wide smile on his face. She scolded him telling him he didn't need such sweets. She had long brown hair that fell into curls at the bottom and small brown eyes; he child was almost a spitting image of her except he had green eyes. She was wearing a black tank top and capri's while the boy had on a red and yellow stripped shirt with white shorts.

"Hello, how may I help you" I asked smiling at them. She smiled back and set a bag of carrots on the counter. I had seen this done before in stores but doing this for the first time still set my nerves on edge.

I flipped it over and found a price tag; it read $3.29 [it's pretty obvious I'm making up prices]. Okay math this is where you come in %6 tax for every dollar so… $3.47?

"That would be $3.47" I said smiling, I doubted they used receipts here, since I saw no paper and the register wouldn't have printed out any either. She didn't seem to object as she gave me another smile, handed me the money, and wrangled her child out the door.

I was so bored, not a single customer had come in since that woman and her child. Not like I wanted the place to be swamped I was just increasingly bored. Last time I checked my phone it was 6:30, tennis would've gotten out by now.

I wish I hadn't made such a scene now. My brother is probably infuriated with me but I have a right to be mad, we were all child hood friends he knew what happened to Kevin, he knew who the cause was, and yet here he was playing dumb.

I wonder if my 'friends' will still want to talk to me once they've caught wind of what happened, hopefully Montgomery will get the hint that I don't like the sport now and leave me alone about it.

I eventually fell asleep due to lack of sleep the night before, boredom, and too much thinking.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I lazily swatted it away. I had fallen asleep sitting up leaning over the counter with my head resting on my hand while my other hand helped balance my hand.

The person tapped again, softly yet again, I swatted it away and then they rang the wretched bell.

I let out a strangled yell and threw my hands up in shock. I fell backwards onto the floor.

I landed with a thud and began to rub my sore butt. I got up and rubbed my eye trying to get the sand from my eyes.

"Hello" I turned to the side and let out a yawn, "how may I help you?" I blinked a couple times and looked at him taking in his features. He had brown hair with long side burns, brown eyes and bushy eyebrows. He was wearing a brown apron over a white button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and worn blue jeans. I bit my bottom lip trying to figure out where I had seen him from but I guess the lack of sleep was getting to me. He seemed to not want to look me in the face and he twitched a lot almost expecting me to explode at him. Was he just shy?

"Um I'd like 3 lbs. of salmon please" He said shyly. I was about to go make his order or find it in this case before I realized that I had no idea where the salmon was and how to weigh it.

"Um… you wouldn't know where to find the salmon and weigh it would you" I asked scratching the back of my head and laughing lightly. He looked up and raised an eyebrow at me. There goes that nagging feeling that I know him from somewhere.

"I'm sorry it's just she hired me yesterday but didn't explain anything and" I looked down blushing in embarrassment. Instead of being criticized like I thought I would be he started laughing softly.

"That woman is crazy" he said shaking his head, "um the fish are in the freezer in the back and there should be a cooking scale somewhere under the counter" he said reverting back to his shy attitude.

"Okay thanks" I said rushing back there and grabbing three decent sized fish and bringing them back up. I fished under the counter for the scale before bringing it out and setting it up there.

"That's more like 7 lbs." he said eyeing the fish wearily. I groaned and tugged on my hair.

"You should come pick out the most accurate fish since you're just a fish expert" I said grabbing his arm and leading him back to the freezer.

"This isn't safe" he said nervously.

"What do you think I'm going to dice you up with a giant butcher's knives?" I asked playfully raising my eyebrows.

"No, I mean, could do you know I'm not a robber or a thief, you should be more careful" He stuttered nervously looking away.

"Are you admitting to something" I asked edging away from him slightly.

"No I mean how do you know I wasn't that type of person"

"You're too shy it just wouldn't fit you" I said shrugging my shoulders as he pointed out three fish of different sizes. I hauled them up to the front ignoring his request to carry them for me and threw them down onto the counter.

"I could've been acting, then what" he asked as he handed me the amount due.

"Then I would've have had to recommend you to the drama club" I said taking the money and putting it away. He gave a short laugh as I sniffed my jacket and crinkled my nose at the fish smell.

"You're a lot different outside of school and tennis" he said shyly before leaving. My eyes widened and I watched his retreating figure. Now I knew why he looked so familiar, he was one of the regulars, Takashi Kawamura, I'm so stupid.

I bet he's telling the rest of his team where I worked now so they can terrorize me and get me fired. Uh I'm so stupid and I'm dressed all casual, shoot me please!