Bonjour!

This chapter includes a foreign language. Don't worry; there's a translation for most of it. The only word that's not translated is "Merci" which happens to mean "thank you."

I would like to thank Gunlord500 for his review on my first chapter. I'm glad you think I did well with characterization and keeping Serra's personality true. Thanks very much for being my first reviewer. Or should I say, Merci?

All you readers out there enjoy my next installment. Word picked from my dictionary.

...

Hiding

Ninian slunk into the classroom, head bowed low over her books. She lowered herself into her seat carefully, eyes darting from side to side as if expecting someone to jump out at her.

She was a nervous person. Loud noises and sudden movements jarred her, no matter how many times she told herself there was nothing to be afraid of. She didn't trust herself to know what was best very much. She had secrets and it seemed like everyone wanted to know them. Everyone and him too.

Why did he even talk to her? She was younger, and not particularly beautiful. Her looks were unique as Nils put it, including himself in the description. Light green hair and crimson eyes, brimming over like blood. Nils was always better with people though, so it had never mattered as much with him. She had never liked parties or get-togethers. Her nerves couldn't handle it.

Farina plopped into the seat on her right, and Priscilla took the one on her left, wrenching her from her thoughts with a jerk. She unconsciously slouched a little farther down in her seat. The girls were friendly enough, but Farina was much too loud for her ears and Priscilla was very polite and distant. Not for the first time, Ninian wished that Florina was a sophomore.

"So Fiora and I got into a fight again," Farina was complaining. "That's two nights in a row now! She really needs to just leave me alone. I can make my own decisions!"

Priscilla nodded sympathetically, and Ninian merely made a small humming sound. If only they knew how much their fighting affected their poor sister…

"I know what you mean," Priscilla replied, giving a politician's smile. "My brother is very overprotective of me as well. However, I know it is just because he cares about me."

"But that's different!" Farina protested vehemently. "An older brother's job is to be protective of his younger sister! An older sister doesn't have to do that! Ninian, you're so lucky for only having a younger brother.'

"Huh?" Ninian started at being so suddenly included in the conversation. "Actually, Nils is very protective of me, despite him being younger."

"Is he really?" Priscilla asked, to which Ninian just nodded. Farina looked slightly put off.

"Well, I guess you're not as lucky as I thought you were," Farina grumbled. "We're all suppressed by our siblings. It's wrong! We're self-respecting teenagers! We should be trusted by our own families!"

"You should start a movement against sibling oppression," Priscilla suggested, half-jokingly. Farina grinned and raised a fist.

"We'll have bake sales and auctions to raise money, until we're rich rich rich!!" she cheered. Ninian just gave her a strained smile. Money was never far from Farina's mind.

"Alright class!" Mr. Pent Reglay called, clapping his hands together. The class immediately hushed.

Mr. Reglay was their French teacher. He also taught German and Latin, but his primary language was French, as he'd said on several occasions.

"Aujourd'hui, nous avons répondu à une annonce de l'équipe de football au sujet de leur prochain match," he announced, and Ninian stiffened, watching the door nervously. "S'il vous plaît de leur donner toute votre attention et indivisible."

Translation: Today we have an announcement from the football team about their upcoming match. Please give them your full and undivided attention.

He was on the football team. Oh, no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Quickly she opened one of her books and placed it in front of her face. She didn't want to see him today.

Farina gave her a strange look, before shrugging and facing the front again as he and linebacker Hector Ostia came in.

He was the quarterback. His name was Eliwood Pherae. And he was the object of her idiotic and totally impossible obsession. If Nils knew he would kill her. And then him.

Really, her brother may be annoying, but he did not deserve to be in jail for two murders. So she had been doing everything she could to keep him from finding out. Avoiding him, finding ways to get out of conversations they had, asking if Nils really didn't want to go to that performing arts high school at the edge of town, wondering if she should go there, not attending football games… The list went on and on.

And here they were. Just because he had to make a stupid announcement. The red-head walked up to the front of the room and smiled at the book that hid her face. She could feel it. But she would not look up, she would not look up, she would not look up.

"And that's about it!" Eliwood was finishing. In her determination, she'd managed to miss the whole announcement. It didn't really matter though; she didn't go to football games.

"Merci!" the class chorused, Ninian just mumbling it under her breath. She didn't want to alert him to her presence anymore than she already had.

As he started to walk out of the room, she lifted her head a bit, to peer over the top of the book. She couldn't help it. It was like there was some unseen force, making her spine straighten and her head rise. But as he turned to give a last wave to the class, she quickly ducked down again.

It was better that she hide. She shouldn't be in love with him. She couldn't be in love with him. She wouldn't be in love with him. She would not allow it. And even if she did, Nils wouldn't. So she should just keep her head behind the book and pray that he loses interest.

It would really only be a matter of time. A girl who disappears whenever you see her isn't the best girl to be in love with. He would forget about her soon.

So why did that hurt so much?

…

Yay, Ninian and Eliwood drama! Because, there is no drama, like Ninian and Eliwood drama. Come on. Try to think of something like Ninian and Eliwood drama.

I probably could if I thought long enough, but I don't particularly want to do that right now.

If you have the time and the inspiration, please drop in a review, will you? I would be much obliged, even if the things you have to say aren't positive.

3 for 3 now! I'm getting pumped, baby!

Au revoir!