Ahh, the second one is up! Thank you for taking your time to read this! I'm really enjoying writing this. Please read on downwards!
----------
Chapter Two
Ichigo came upstairs after ten minutes to see Inoue looking around his room curiously. At the moment she was staring at pictures placed on his wall. It was one of him and Tatsuki holding the Silver Metal of one of their many fighting competitions. He guessed that they were only about ten at the time. He smiled lightly at the memory. He watched Inoue move onto another picture. It was one of his twin sisters, Karin and Yuzu, running away from their dad. Ichigo was just about to be caught by their father. He had a wide smile on his face.
Ichigo leaned against his bedroom door's frame and cleared his throat. He saw her jump slightly and turn around to meet his gaze.
"Oh, you scared me!" she said putting a hand to her heart. "I'm sorry for being snoopy but after a minute of waiting I got curious. Ichigo?"
"Yeah?" he responded with a raised eyebrow.
"Why is your mom only in one of these pictures?" Inoue asked. She saw something in him change. His body tensed and his smirk faded. He looked just like he had when she met him in the school courtyard. "Oups."
"Ichigo?" she said approaching him lightly. He looked up at her and showed her a small smile, if you could call it that, to tell her he was ok. She didn't buy it, but she decided not to press on. He would tell her when he wanted to.
"Do you have anything to eat?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.
Ichigo seemed to lighten up slightly. "Yeah," he said leading her to the kitchen. "Take whatever you want."
"Ohh, thank you," she said bowing in thanks. She practically dove into the fridge. Ichigo watched in amazement and disgust as she ate her 'snack.'
She had made a bowl of ice cream with bean paste and hot dogs. (an: I don't' know what they eat over there so I just made up a random concoction.)
He watched her stuff her face in amazement. He didn't notice his father sneak up behind him until...POW! He was kicked in the back. His father tackled him to the ground and held his arms behind his back. Ichigo used a manoeuvre he learned in Karate to flip his father off his back. He quickly got up but his dad was too fast. He jumped on his back.
Inoue laughed because it looked like Ichigo was giving his dad a piggyback. (an: Bad sight...) Ichigo flipped Isshin off his back once again and yelled, "Lay off it dad!"
He swore he heard his dad grumble, "You're no fun..."
He looked over to where Inoue had finished eating and had been watching the two fight. She was giggling.
"What?" he said turning around. He crossed his arms and waited for any kind of response from him.
"Why didn't you fight like that when the three guys were beating you up?" Inoue asked.
This surprised Ichigo but he still answered, "If I do fight back then even more people would join the fight. I would get the shit beaten out of me."
"Oh, " Inoue said.
"Yeah," was the last thing he said. It grew silent. After five minutes of awkwardness Inoue decided to break it, "Well, I've got a bit of homework to do so I must be going."
"Alright," Ichigo replied. He followed her to the door.
"Thank you for letting me stay over for so long," she said, her hyperness returning.
"Alright," Ichigo said as she walked out the door. "Oh, and Inoue," he said catching her attention.
"Uh-huh?" she said turning back around.
"Thanks for being nice to me," he said as he closed the door.
Minutes later the doorbell ran. Ichigo could hear his dad's snoring and his sisters weren't back from school yet so he told himself that he had to get it. He opened the door and was pulled outside.
"Hey, you little shit," he heard the guy from earlier. Ichigo said nothing.
"I saw you with that hottie. I'm telling you if you see her again, you'll be in worse trouble than before," the guy threatened jealously. "Got it?"
Ichigo still said nothing.
The guy punched Ichigo, "Answer me when I'm talking to you. Got it?"
"Yeah," Ichigo said pulling away.
"And do something about that hair," the guy demanded.
Ichigo walked back into the house and fell to the ground by the door. He let his head fall forward as he let out a breath.
"There goes another friend," he said to himself.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Ichigo smashed his fist down on his alarm clock. He heard it crack under the weight. He mentally smirked. That had been the fourth one this month.
He got up and walked into the bathroom. He stripped off and got into the shower. His wrist didn't hurt anymore so he took off the splint. (an: That's what their called, right?) He let the hot water relax his muscles.
He let out a soft sigh. This was the only place he could fully relax. At school or on the streets, he never knew when he was going to be attacked. At home he never knew when his dad's foot would connect to his head of back. Here he could relax and take his time.
Soon the hot water ran out of he was forced to get out. He wrapped and towel around his waist and walked into his room. He dried off and got dressed. He walked downstairs and grabbed a piece of toast. He set off to school, not looking forward to it one little bit.
He was instantly greeted by the happy Inoue. He remembered the guy's threat yesterday after Inoue had left.
"I saw you with that hottie. I'm telling you if you see her again, you'll be in worse trouble than before," the guy threatened jealously. "Got it?"
He kept on walking, trying to ignore her. But damn it was hard. He eventually had to let her follow him to a deserted part of the school. He looked around and pulled her into an empty classroom.
He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to stop talking, "Inoue, listen. I can't talk to you anymore."
"Why?" she asked, hurt.
Ichigo sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "I just can't. I'm sorry."
Inoue watched as he turned and walked out of the classroom. A sad, hurt one replaced her usual cheerful appearance. Had she done something wrong? Probably asking him too many questions yesterday.
Ichigo walked slowly through the halls. He avoided bumping into anyone in case it got him beat up after school again. Like that would change anything, he would get beat up anyway. It didn't matter. He walked into class and sat in his usual seat in the back all by himself. As he walked to his seat he saw people scowling at him. It hurt but he didn't let it bother him anymore.
He walked right by Inoue earning a grin from the guy who had threatened him. He sat down just as the teacher walked in.
"Alright, alright. Class, settle down," she instructed. Everyone sweatdropped (an: I guess fanfiction has turned that into a verb, eh?). No one in the class had been talking before. They all thought how stupid this teacher could be sometimes.
"We have a new student to day. I'm expecting you all to be nice to her and make her feel welcomed," she told them. She turned to the door, "You may enter."
All eyes were on the girl as she walked to the front of the classroom. She stood before the class looking around. One boy caught her attention. He was the only one not looking up. He was seated at the back, alone. The thing that caught her attention the most was his hair. Orange. What a strange colour. She kept on staring at him.
"Everyone this is Kuchiki Rukia," the teacher introduced her.
"Hey babe," the guy who beat up Ichigo said. "How about we hook up?"
"Aizen this is hardly the time," the teacher stated. "You may do that after class."
"Will do," he said, full of himself.
Ichigo finally looked up and saw the girl standing at the front. She was short. Not midget short, but still short. She had her hands clasped together in front of her. Her hair was short and ebony. But her eyes. Her eyes were a violet colour, unusual but beautiful. They sparkled with happiness yet he could still see some sadness. Worst of all, she was staring at him. Probably at his hair. What was her name again? Kushi- no Kuchiki? Yeah. Kuchiki what? He couldn't remember.
He looked back down at his desk and stared at it like it was the most interesting thing in the room. But it wasn't. Something about this Kuchiki girl intrigued him. He wanted to get to know her but he knew that it wasn't allowed.
Who is he? I need to know. Why is he all alone back there? Rukia thought.
"Now where would you like to sit?" the teacher asked her.
"Back there," she said pointing back to where Ichigo was. He looked up and saw her walking toward him. All eyes followed her as she just volunteered to sit next to the freak.
Ichigo watched her sit down next to him then looked at him. He looked away.
"Hi," she said cheerfully.
"Hmm," was his response.
"I'm Rukia," she said holding a hand out to him.
"Hmm," he said not even looking at her. He glanced up at Aizen to see him glaring dangerously. He looked back down and closed his eyes tight. He knew what was going to happen after school. Another beating.
Rukia watched this strange boy with interest. She saw him glance up momentarily then back down.
Is he a mute? Maybe that's why he's all alone, she thought. "Is that all you can say?"
She heard him mumble a no.
"Then say something. What's your name?" she asked politely. Just then the bell rang. She watched as he got up and sped out of the classroom. She still wanted to know who this guy was so she followed him. She searched for him in the busy halls but couldn't find a trace. Half the school was rushing out the door, since it was the end of the day. (an: I know the day went by fast, ok? Live with it! Please.)
----------
Ahh, here's the next chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I was going to add more but I decided to put it in the next chapter (which I have already started.) Please review! If you do...I will...uhh...I will...oh! I will give you each a box of cookies!!! How's that? Oh man, I'm bribing you people. Anyhoo, please review and tell me what you think.
Eva-miko