Chapter 3: Mobs and Suspicious Classmates

Monday, October 2, 2006, school roof

I woke up this morning to the sounds of joyful laughter and the phone ringing. And believe me, it was not a good way to be woken up, no joke. I was having a pleasant dream about a life with everyone and everything in perfect harmony, and suddenly, in my meadow full of beautiful sheep, I hear my dad laughing uncontrollably and the phone ringing nonstop.

But, that wasn't what got me out of bed. What got me out of bed was the smell of Sakura's yummy eggs and sausages. Sakura was the best cook I knew, as I said before, and I wouldn't be surprised if she woke the dead because of it.

I got dressed really quick, and put on my usual ensemble of a pink shirt, my while skirt, and a black tank top underneath my shirt. I brushed my teeth in my private bathroom (I make sure a) nobody goes in there, and b) its always clean and never disgusting), combed my hair and headed downstairs.

"My, my! I am so proud of her! Hm…well, we'll have to change that…" I heard my dad say on the phone as I entered the kitchen for breakfast. Sora, dad, and Eric were already there, eating their eggs, toast, sausages, and OJ. It may seem like the perfect family, but expect for Sakura, we all aren't that innocent. My sister would probably sell my soul for a hundred dollars and an I Pod.

As I sat down on the table, I asked Sora who my dad was talking to. I thought maybe it was principal, congratulating me on a perfect A report card, or something along those lines.

"Mr. Granger." She said simply, putting another helping of food in her mouth. I wondered at the time what they were talking about. I mean, obviously they're talking about Tyson and I, but why would they be proud of us? We do hate each other, you know…

"Dad, what was that about?" I asked my dad, when he finally hung up the phone. Sakura set a plate of eggs and sausages on my plate, and I got drunk on the aroma for a little while. But, I had to snap myself out of it. After all, I have an engagement to destroy.

"I read the paper today!" he cried happily, running out of the room with the newspaper in his hand. I looked over at Sakura, who just shrugged and started to clean up. My father always reads the paper! Especially the entertainment section, so why would today be any different…

Immediately, I grabbed my bag that was resting on the floor. I had to tell Tyson. Maybe he didn't have to go to school today. I think when you're the gossip of the week in the media, you don't have to go to school, right?

Well, not really. You see, diary, Tyson would make up excuses, not me. He would try to get out of school; I wouldn't dare to. As I was outside his dojo, I realized that if we are going to get married, I should at least be the mature one, don't you agree?

I walked into his house and carefully sneaked into his room. I passed by Grandpa. He gave me a quizzical look, as if to ask me, what the hell are you doing here? I put my finger to my lips as an indication to be quiet, and I pointed to Tyson's room. He immediately left me alone.

As quietly as I could, I tiptoed into Tyson's room, and it is a pig stein. There were socks everywhere, his clothes on the ground, homework incomplete on his desk; it was nasty. It was so bad in there that I could hardly find Tyson in the mess, and when I finally did, he was sleeping beside his boxers!

I grinned evilly as evil thoughts of waking him up crept into my mind. I could use his alarm clock he always complains about; or I can pour ice cold water on his body…I was actually about to do that, until I saw his sleeping face. It was so calm and peaceful; unlike his arguing, or beyblading face. He actually looked cute, if you could ever believe me!

So, I did the impossible. I ran into the kitchen, whipped up pancakes for him (it's the only food that I make decently) and ran right back in the room. "Wake up, Tyson. I have food for you…" I said quietly and seducing, waving the pancakes in his face. His eyes had fluttered open, and I had struggled from laughing at his innocent face.

"Hilary, what are you-Pancakes!" he lunged for the plate of pancakes in my hand, and he stuffed one whole one in his mouth. I looked away; I didn't want to lose my breakfast.

"What are you here for? Are you taking this whole engagement seriously?" he asked me, after his second pancake.

"No, Tyson, I'm not. It's just that…maybe we should, I don't know, cut school today?" I said anxiously. Although, you diary, you may think that there is no need for me to be nervous, right? Tyson is bound to agree.

Wrong.

Tyson looked at me strangely, as though I had seven heads. And, I couldn't blame him, since I haven't missed a day of school, unless you count me going to my mom's funeral when I was in second grade. "Hil, what are you talking about? Why wouldn't you, the ultra nerd, want to go to school?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. I am not an ultra nerd! Not even close! I have a double life! A double life, I tell yaws!

I put on my most pleading, happy face, and inched closer to him. "C'mon, Tyson! Just me and you, no school at all! Please! I'll buy you food!" I pleaded, adding a little perky tone in my voice. Tyson looked uncomfortable for a moment, until he smirked. "So…what you're telling me is that there is something you don't want to do at school, and you're trying to avoid it, huh? Well, that isn't really like you…"

I felt my self-esteem lower. Tyson was-as crazy as this sounds-right. I shouldn't avoid the problem; I should confront it like I always do.

Alas, that's where it all started. Because once Tyson and I arrived on school grounds, we were mobbed by more media press, with even more outrageous questions, such as, "Rumor has it that Hilary will start beyblading. What do you have to say about that?" and, "Hilary is it true that you have yet another fiancé?"

Even Tyson's head was spinning with that question. He suddenly grabbed my arm, and yelled at me. "Hil, what the heck is going on?" he asked me. I told him in reply that we could have been eating cinnamon buns at the mall if he agreed on skipping school today.

And, that's basically it. Fortunately for us, we got out okay. I suggested we hide up on the roof, just in case the press decides to bust in our class and try to give us an interview or something. Me, skipping class? ME! I am changing for the worst, my precious diary, and if I don't survive this scandal, I give you my favorite Hello Kitty pen that I am now using. Enjoy.

Same day, girls' bathroom, after school

I think I'm going to run away. Like, forever. I'll never come back to Tokyo. Maybe I'll go to Hokkaido. Or America. I can be a foreign exchange student, or something. I'll start packing my bags when I get home, and then I'll use my million yen my dad saved for me to buy myself train tickets. Yeah, that's exactly what I'll do.

My best friends in the world, Aimi, Izumi, and Kimiko hate me. Well, maybe not hate, but they're angry at me. We've been attached at the hip for our whole lives, up until I started hanging out with the Bladebreakers. They didn't like the idea I was hanging around such a popular group (they are complete fan girls), but I told them I was only friends with them, nothing more. And even though they believed me, they had suspicions.

Now, imagine their surprise when they realize I'm engaged to Tyson, one of the strongest members. They weren't too happy. When Tyson and I arrived at school late today, I was almost beat up by them.

Kimiko was the angriest one. She was a huge fan of Tyson (along with Maya; they are personal enemies), when right when I entered the classroom, she jumped me right to the ground.

"How could you, you…you…witch!" cried Kimiko in my face, as my back settled in the ground. Tyson was yelling something that is unclear to me now, but I think he was calling Miss Kincaid. Like she would do anything anyway.

I blinked up at her, totally oblivious to the obvious at the time. "Do what?" I asked her confused. The whole class was surrounding us now in a big circle, me and Kimiko and Tyson in the middle. And, as for Miss Kincaid, I think she went into hiding…

She rolled her eyes at me, and pinned my flailing arms to the side of my head. "You are ENGAGED TO TYSON!" she yelled. I gasped in surprise. Actually, I felt like laughing. If only she knew how it really went down.

I used me legs to kick Kimiko off of me, then picking myself up and dusting my skirt off. Seriously, where the janitors here?

"You don't understand. Yeah, we're engaged, but-" Kimiko faked yawned, implying that I'm boring.

She glared at me. "I thought you were my friend, you jerk!" she yelled, before sending a slap to my cheek.

The SMACK echoed through the classroom. My eyes widened, and my hands flew to my cheek, lightly touching the red mark. My best girl friend, the one I knew since I was a baby, had slapped me. I looked over at Aimi and Izumi. They looked shocked to see her slap me, but somehow, they looked content she did it. Like…they wanted to see me hurt.

Which is why I'm here. In the girls bathroom. I ran out of the class, (picking up my bag before I left) ignoring Tyson and Kenny's calls out to me. It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing does. My friends hate me. My teammates think I'm a freak.

I'm not going home.

Tuesday, October 3, 2006, 1 a.m. Tyson's dojo.

Hey, what can I say? I didn't go home. Even before I went to Tyson's, I was wandering the streets. I couldn't face my dad. I couldn't face Tyson. I couldn't face anybody.

So, ever since, like 4 PM until around 12 AM, I was at the beach. I watched the sunset. I watched the people disappear like snow in March, from the beach. I sat there, feeling the sand become hot to freezing cold.

But I didn't notice. I was numb. I felt hollow. It was like…my life didn't have any meaning anymore. Everyone had betrayed me, and I wanted to feel loved again. But I knew inside that it wouldn't happen. The world wouldn't see me as Hilary Tatibana. I would be Hilary Tatibana, Tyson's fiancée. Or, maybe Hilary Tatibana Granger.

I shook that thought off. I didn't need more heartache and misery. I had enough of that, thank you very much.

By this time, the sun was completely gone, and the sky was a dark purple color. I had pulled out my cell phone and sighed when I saw the time. 10: 47…

I wondered if someone was looking for me. Did my friends know I was missing? Did my family? Did Tyson? Probably not. If someone betrayed someone like they had me, they wouldn't care where I was at.

Then, just as I was thinking about Tyson, -speak of the devil- I heard him call my name from behind me. "Hilary." He breathed. It wasn't loud; it wasn't soft. It was just enough for me to be able to hear him and turn around. His hair was limp, he didn't have his favorite cap on, and he was in his PJs.

I laughed at him lightly, before turning back around and started staring at the water. "It's pretty, isn't it?" I asked him randomly. I didn't want him telling me off or worse; the slapping incident.

Tyson growled at me, and yelled, "What are you doing here!" I ignored him and kept on staring out to the horizon. It was so pretty and calm; totally opposite from my life in every way.

Unfortunately for me, Tyson hates being ignored. He jumped in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders angrily. "Do you know how much you had me worried?"

Those words made me stop ignoring him. I looked up at him questioningly. "You were worried?" I asked quietly, a blush creeping on my cheeks. He was staring at me intently, until his cheeks also started to flame. Immediately, he removed his hands from my shoulders.

"Um…well, after your dad called my house…I …you know…I mean…you get it?" he asked, kind of embarrassed. I smiled at him. Leave it to Tyson to sometimes make me feel like I'm the only one around. Well, technically, we were the only people on the beach, but you know what I mean.

So, we stared there for a while, listening to the tides crash into the sand. But, since it was like almost eleven, we left. I'm at Tyson's house, wearing some of his clothes, and he smells actually pretty good, considering that it's Tyson. There is some sort of…odd feeling arousing in my stomach. It's sort of a fluttering feeling, but it's probably nerves or something.

But, what do I have to be nervous about?