Chapter Eight

"Is something wrong, Sakura?" my father asks as I'm about to walk out the door. His concern for my well-being is touching, but he needs to stop asking when in the presence of my uncle.

Crap.

"No," I reply. "Why would something be wrong?"

"I hope you're as isolated as possible at school, Sakura," my uncle Mutshi says, his voice chilling me to the bone. I really want to tell him to go fuck himself. But that would literally be the worst mistake of my life. And why does he find the need to tell me this almost everyday?

"I am, Uncle," I say back in the most respectful tone I can manage.

I walk out the door and into the snow before either man can say anything else.

My driver, Remi (he's from France and absolutely adorable), opens my door for me. I barely notice when he shuts it, goes around the car, and starts the fifteen minute long drive to Ouran.

Mutshi is basically what you would call cruel. Ever since my mother—his sister, if you didn't catch that—died, he's been trying to form me into an unlovable, cold, heartless, monster. And by monster, I mean bitch.

My mother apparently died because of love. I don't remember everything, but my dad whispered something to me about a train and Mutshi.

Mutshi forbids mentioning my mother in our home, not even to pray.

He says that his mother fucked up with my mom, and he doesn't want my dad to fuck up while raising me.

That bitch.

When Remi lets me out of the car at the front gate of Ouran, there are some cars with flashing lights. I'm just going to naturally assume traffic control. There's not that much snow on the ground, but it hardly ever snows here, so I'm sure they're just taking precautions. It's only September, so I don't know what's been going on with the weather. I guess it was just like "Well, time to drop a shit-fest on this nifty little place."

I locate Maemi's tall figure in the crowd of chattering students, and I ask in a barely audible voice, "What's going on?"

Maemi replies with a tone of glee, "They've decided that, in celebration of the most snow in ten years, we all get to skip our first three classes."

Well, crap.

Wait. Seriously? Ten years? I mean, it's been a long time. But ten? Are you sure about that? And why celebrate it? Shouldn't we all be hunkered down inside, staying warm?

I wonder around. I have way too much to think about right now. I walk around the school once before I decide to climb a tree.

YEP. SURE. BECAUSE CLIMBING A TREE ALWAYS LEADS TO HAPPINESS AND JOY.

I dust the snow off of a branch, and settle down for the long haul. The tree isn't that tall, so if I fall, I won't really care that much.

"What are you doing?" a voice asks from the tree limb right next to mine.

BITCH, WHAT THE FUCK?!

I startle, turn, and see Kyoya right beside me. He sits casually on a branch, watching me.

Huh.

I never would have thought he could climb a tree. I guess he does have the build for it…. Not that I would know.

I manage to say back in a voice that I think is confident, "What are YOU doing here?"

"How easy do you think it is to get some alone time around here?" he asks with a smile that makes me almost fall from the tree. I thankfully don't, but my face does begin to burn.

"Hi!" says a voice from above us.

I can't help but wonder how long Hunny has been sitting eight feet above me. How has he not slipped on snow yet?

"Told you so," I hear Kyoya say.

BITCH I NEVER DOUBTED YOU.

I duck my head and drop to the ground, thanking the snow for the soft landing. I'm about to leave when something hits the back of my head.

I turn and see that Hunny has a snowball in his hand.

"I'm not doing this," I mutter.

When I turn away, I'm hit in the head again.

A snowball is leaving my hand when somebody yells, "Snowball fight!"

"Shit!" I say out loud as I duck behind a bush. I didn't even hit my target!

"That's strong lanuage coming from someone as reserved as you, Sakura." Kyoya's voice asks from behind me.

I blush as Kyoya sits down next to me, appearing comfortable as ever. Again with the first-name basis.

When I turn my head to look back at what has become a battlefield, snow hits the back of my head.

When I turn back to glare at Kyoya, I see him smiling innocently. I can't find it in my heart to glare at him.

Kaoru suddenly jumps over our… MY bush and ducks down next to me. "This is your fault, you know!" he exclaims jokingly.

I roll my eyes. "If I had known that I would end up starting World War Three: Snow Edition, I wouldn't have showed up to school today."

"But what would we do without you there to entertain us?" Hikaru joins us behind our… MY little fort that's apparently growing.

"I still wouldn't show up," I reply with a sarcastic smile.

"And wouldn't that just be a shame."

This time, I do glare at Kyoya.