A/N: Holy crap, is that---A CHAPTER?! Y'know BEFORE THREE MONTHS LATER?! HOLY CRAP, YO!!!

..... *ahem* Yes. I got one typed up and finished. For you guys. Because I love you guys. A lot. And wrote a whole bunch of this story while on vacation in Canada. *nodnod*

AND LOOK. IT'S JUST IN TIME FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR WITH ALL THOSE INFO CARDS AND CRAP. /sarcasm plz

OH, YEAH, AND I HAVE A TITLE FOR THIS PUPPY NOW!!!! 'Life is a Deception'. ^^ I made it up myself~! :D

Anyway enough of my rabble.

EDIT: THIS CHAPTER IS NOW BETA'D AND WAS DONE SO BY DESERT(DOT)MOON. KTHX.

Chapter 2

"'Shiro-chan, you've been quiet," Momo chirped as she stood next to Hitsugaya in the lunch line.

Toshiro looked up from his tray. "Hmm?"

"I said, you've been quiet today," Momo repeated. "After first period you quieted down a bunch."

"Oh, sorry." Hitsugaya tapped his pin number into the keypad and waited for her to do the same. As they headed toward their customary table outside in the sun, he explained, "I've just been thinking."

"Uh oh," Renji wise-cracked as he sat down next to them at their table. "That's never a good thing."

"Shut up, pineapple."

Renji turned red in the face. "Shut up yourself, 'Toshi!"

"Guys, stop," Momo said plaintively as Kira joined them. "Do you guys want to get in trouble on the first day?"

"No."

"Then don't argue!" Momo said exasperatedly.

Hitsugaya sighed. "Fine. But just because you act like my mother doesn't mean you are, Bed Wetter."

"Sh-Shiro-chan!" Momo gasped, blushing crimson. "Don't call me that!"

"Don't call me ''Shiro-chan,'" Hitsugaya said calmly, swirling spaghetti onto a standard-issue plastic spork and popping it into his mouth.

"You're mean, 'Shiro-chan!"

"You bet."

Renji and Kira laughed.

"You guys argue a lot," Rin said, dropping into a seat next to Kira as Rikichi sat next to Renji and Hanataro next to Toshiro. "If I didn't know you guys so well, I'd think you two hated each other."

Hitsugaya shrugged.

"One another note," Rikichi said, taking a big bite of his sandwich before finishing, "shoccer teamsa gonna roc' thish yea'."

"Ugh," Renji grimaced. "Rikichi, swallow yer food before ya talk."

Rikichi gulped before muttering, "Sorry."

"I still can't believe practice is at six-thirty," Rin groaned, poking at his food. "I can barely get up on time on the best of days."

"Aw, suck up," Renji drawled. "It ain't that bad, even if your coach is an a—yeah. . ." He trailed off, mumbling something about Kaien under his breath.

"A professional?" Hitsugaya asked, a white eyebrow raised. "Really, Renji. You're just sore because he called you 'pineapple.' I call you that."

"Well, you're—" Renji started, then cut off. "Whatever. . ."

"You guys are so lucky," Momo said wistfully. "Wish I could be trained by a pro."

"I don't see why not," Kira spoke up. "Why don't you try out for the team?"

Hinamori shook her head. "No, I'm fine with sitting on the sidelines and watching with Kuchiki-chan."

The table fell uneasily silent at the mention of the adopted Kuchiki.

"Lunch is almost over," Hanataro said quietly after a few minutes of awkward quiet. "We should go inside."

Renji seemed to have been waiting for someone to saying something: He jumped up from his seat and almost sprinted inside with his tray and backpack. Momo made to go after him, but Hitsugaya grabbed her arm and jerked her back into her seat.

"Leave him be, Momo," he said quietly. "He's upset about something, and you worrying about him will only make it worse."

"But—"

"Momo, don't." Hitsugaya gave her a stern look and stood to take his trash inside.

Hinamori picked up her own tray and bag and hurried after him. "But what if Abarai-kun wants help?"

"He'll get it on his own," Hitsugaya said. "If he wants to talk to us, he'll come and talk. We shouldn't meddle with the affairs of others."

"You sound like Ukitake-san," Momo huffed as they dumped their trays.

"I've lived with him for almost an entire year," Hitsugaya said bluntly. "Must've rubbed off."

Hinamori, despite herself, giggled. "Maybe!" She looked over at Rikichi, who was explaining something with much excitement and arm flailing to Hanataro and Rin. "What is he doing?"

Hitsugaya followed her gaze. "Good question. It's usually Rin who flails like that, and that's because he's high on sugar almost twenty-four-seven. This is the reason he can't go to sleep until four a.m."

"How do you know he doesn't sleep 'till four?" Momo asked.

"IM," Hitsugaya said matter-of-factly. "He kept IM'ing me over the summer. I don't mind, really. Rin is fun to talk to, even if he's a bit of a kid about some things, like candy and cake. And Rikichi is always so excited about stuff."

"You're still a kid yourself, 'Shiro!" Momo exclaimed. "Don't condemn others!"

"I'm fifteen years old," Hitsugaya said acidly. "I am not a child anymore."

"Yeah, and I'm seventeen!" Momo exclaimed.

"Yeah, but you have the mentality of a five year old!" Hitsugaya snapped before grabbing his bag from the table and stalking off to class, leaving Momo standing there, looking hurt.

"'Shiro-chan," she said quietly, tears pricking in her eyes. "You're so mean . . ."

-/-

There was a tense silence between Momo and Toshiro that spanned the rest of the day and their walk home together. The silence, like the heat, was insufferable, and Hitsugaya soon began to despise both.

"Momo," he said quietly, almost so quietly he couldn't hear himself. His companion seemed not to hear him.

"Momo," he repeated, louder this time.

Hinamori turned her head. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Momo."

"Huh?"

"I snapped at you . . . and I apologize. I shouldn't have taken out my anger on you." Hitsugaya bit his lip. "Forgive me?"

Hinamori looked rather surprised, but covered it up with a smile. "Of course, 'Shiro-chan! I forgive you!"

It was Hitsugaya's turn to look surprised. "So . . . easily?"

"I've known you for years," Momo said, starting to walk again. Only then did Hitsugaya notice they had stopped. "I should have known I was going too far. It's my fault, really, not yours. Besides, I can't stay mad at you for long, 'Shiro-chan!"

Hitsugaya opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. "Thank you, Momo."

Hinamori waved his thanks off. "No problem, don't worry 'bout it! Man, it's hot today!"

Hitsugaya smiled slightly. That was Hinamori; as quick to forgive and change the topic as ever. "It is."

The young teenager pulled at the collar of his t-shirt. "It's like an oven," he complained. "I hate it."

"You're funny, 'Shiro-chan!" Momo giggled.

"It's true!" Hitsugaya growled. "It's boiling! I'm going to die of the heat pretty soon!"

"You're a snowflake, 'Shiro-chan," Momo said primly. "You're exaggerating, too."

"Am not!" Hitsugaya exclaimed. "On both accounts!"

"Are."

"Aren't."

"Are."

"Aren't."

Hitsugaya sighed in defeat. "Okay, I might be exaggerating on the heat, but I am not a snowflake!"

"You so are," Momo giggled.

"Are not!"

"Are so."

Hitsugaya sighed as they turned down Thirteenth Street. They stopped in front of his house. "Whatever. See you tomorrow, Momo."

"Yup!" Momo chirped loudly. "I can come over for breakfast, right?"

The white-haired boy nodded. "Yeah. My dad said you could come over for breakfast anytime."

Momo beamed. "Yay! I'll see you tomorrow then, Shiro-chan!"

"Yeah." Hitsugaya half-waved and trotted up the driveway to the house. He turned the doorknob and breathed a sigh of relief as he was met with air conditioning. "Ah, sweet relief. . ."

Ukitake appeared at the top of the stairs. "Welcome home, 'Shiro-chan. How was school?" He descended and joined Hitsugaya on his trek to the kitchen.

"Okay," Hitsugaya shrugged. "Normal first day stuff."

"Who are your teachers this year?" Ukitake asked as Hitsugaya opened the cupboards and pulled out a glass.

"Aizen-sensei, Akon-sensei, Ichimaru-sensei, Yoruichi-sensei, and Kyoraku-sensei," Hitsugaya replied, going to the fridge and filling his glass with ice water.

Ukitake nodded. "I see. I suppose you have papers for me to sign?"

Toshiro nodded, put his glass down, and slid his backpack off his shoulders. He unzipped it and rummaged through it. "Yeah. Here you go." He pulled out a folder and handed it to his father.

Ukitake thanked him and opened it. "Let's see here," he said as he flipped through the papers. "Information, information, schedule, emergency information cards. . . hmm, what is this?"

Hitsugaya peered over his father's shoulder. "Oh, that's the practice notice. Practice is being switched to the mornings now."

"So Kaien got his way, huh?" Ukitake asked, skimming the article. "I thought he would."

"You knew Kaien was going to be coaching?!" Hitsugaya asked incredulously. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"You didn't ask," Ukitake replied simply, putting the paper back and closing the folder. "I'll have these papers back to you later."

Hitsugaya nodded. "Okay. Oh, one question."

Ukitake looked up at his son. "Yes? What is it?"

"Do you know where Kuchiki-san is?" Toshiro asked. "She wasn't in class, and Renji's not saying anything."

A shadow passed over his father's face, but he quickly covered it with a puzzled expression. "No, I don't. Why do you ask?"

"Well, uh," Hitsugaya flushed. "You know a lot of people, like Kuchiki-san's brother, so I thought you might know."

Ukitake shook his head. "Sorry, I'm afraid I really don't know."

Hitsugaya nodded. "It's okay. I was just curious."

"It's perfectly alright to be curious," Ukitake said with a smile. "Don't be afraid to ask questions."

"Then can I call Renji?" Hitsugaya asked.

Ukitake laughed. "Yes, you may."

"Thanks!" Hitsugaya grabbed the handheld and ran upstairs, dialing his friend's number.

Ukitake watched his son disappear up the stairs, and sighed. 'I'm sorry Toshiro, but I swore I wouldn't tell anyone.' The man sighed again, then opened the folder and began to fill in the paperwork.

A/N: What could Ukitake be hiding from his son?! Where is Rukia?! Why is Renji acting weird?! FIND OUT SOON!!!

I hope you liked it! ^^ Please review and tell me what you think! :D

-Toasteh