"What class are you in?" I asked as we got out the car.

Luffy shrugged. Dad leaned over onto the passenger seat smiling at me.

"What?" I asked.

"He's in your class," he said pulling the door shut and turning on the engine once again.

We stood and waved as the car disappeared down the road. We walked through the gates and stood near a cherry blossom tree.

"Where are your friends?" Luffy asked looking around. "Shouldn't they be here to meet you?!"

"You'd think," I answered. "But I don't have any friends."

Luffy frowned. I smiled and rubbed my arm.

"I'm fine, there's a reason anyway," I murmured.

Luffy grabbed me by the arm and pulled me towards him. He tilted my chin, leaning into me. I turned my head away.

"I'm sorry Luffy," I said walking away.

I went to the library where I knew I'd be alone. Luffy had always loved me, since the day we met. I must admit that I like him but there's just so much he doesn't know about me even as my best friend.

I sat down at the table in the middle of the room and pulled out my favorite book; "Bad girls don't die".

"What are you doing in here?"

I dropped my book, looking up at the girl who had spoken. She was sat on the table in front of me with a packet of sweets in her lap.

"R-reading," I answered picking my book back up and bookmarking the page.

"Well duh," she said smiling. "But I meant why in here. During registration?"

"No one comes in here. It's a good place to be alone."

I expected her to ask why I'd want to be alone but instead she stuck out her hand for me to shake.

"I'm Apis Suko," she said.

I shook her hand, "Ryu Roronoa."

I saw a flicker of something for a moment there. Her smile faded hearing my name but reappeared in an instant. If you weren't paying attention you'd have never of noticed. But it was so obvious that she knew, she had heard the stories just like everyone else, I hardly expected her to go on acting as if she knew nothing. But she did.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I watched her stand up on the table, taking off her shoes in the process.

"I thought I'd come here and muck about on my own," she answered.

"But instead I found you," she smiled. "I'm so glad."

I didn't understand- and I still don't- why she was so happy that we met on that day.

We didn't return to class until after lunch when we had run out of fun things to do. I talked to her about Luffy and she talked to me about her step-mother. She didn't seem to mind considering we'd only just met.