Allen pov.

"Do you enjoy calling me out or something?" I stated flatly to the smug looking red head.

"Well maybe if you stopped daydreaming during my class..." He rebutted, his eye darting to one of the kids from class lingering in the hallway.

Point taken.

"Yes, I started daydreaming again... But it's not my fault..." I respond lamely.

Great Allen... Couldn't you think of a better excuse than that?

His uncovered green eye narrowed at my answer.

"Then whose fault is it? Why are you so tired anyway...you're a student aren't you?" He replied, obviously fed up with me always dodging his questions.

"-And what's with the gloves? What high school student wears gloves on an everyday basis?" He added later, making me cringe and stare bitterly at a now interesting spot on the floor. Instinctively my hand grazes over the smooth white fabric that encased my other hand, protecting my secret.

"Well what kind of teacher where's an eye patch?! Did you poke your eye out doing something stupid or what?" I spat back, making the usually playful teacher glare at me.

I might have gone too far... But hey, this proves my point. Everyone has their own secrets that they would like to remain secret.

I gave an exasperated sigh and apologized.

I'm usually way more polite than this, but... lately... Let's just say I've had a lot to stress about.

Mr. Bookman closes his eye for a second then looks up at me, his glare melted away.

"It's alright, Allen-chan! Just pay attention next time, okay? You are dismissed." He grinned, but it didn't reach his eye as he brushed me off. He returned his focus to clearing the scattered papers that littered his mahogany desk.

I can leave right...? I received my scolding after all. So why am I rooted to the ground right now? This isn't like me, it's like my feet aren't listening to my brain when it tells them to move.

Mr. Bookman notices me still standing next to his desk awkwardly and tilts his head like a child.

"Allen... I said you can lea-"

"Listen!" I all but yell, getting a startled jump from the red-head.

"I- I don't know but I feel obligated to tell you.. um ..." I hesitate, rubbing a hand through my white hair.

An emerald green eye stares up at me curiously, coaxing my mouth into speaking.

I can feel a slight blush stain my cheeks. I'm not used to being on the spot like this...

"...The reason i've been sleeping in your class so often is... I have work." I finally manage to choke out before bowing on instinct. "It didn't feel right to leave without telling you...i'm really sorry...it's just, English is the easiest class for me to fall asleep in."

Geez Allen.. You're acting like it's scandalous news, I chastise myself in my mind. You basically just told him his class is boring...

"You have a job?" He asks incredulously and I blink in surprise. He isn't upset...?

"I have two.." I reply tentatively and look away.

His eye widens and he looks up at me. "You have two jobs? You're so young though..." He says as if in awe.

"Why do you need two? You're a student so you shouldn't have much to pay for... Don't you ask your parents for money?" He asks as if he were thinking out loud. My eyes remain averted, murmuring a soft, "I gotta go..." And dashing out of the room. As I fled I heard a not so quiet, "dammit.." Emanate from the classroom.

I found myself running down a barely populated hallway, struggling and cursing as I try to pull my schedule from my bag. I receive a few curious glances when my enormous binder chooses now to tumble out of my bag.

"Ugh!" I groan, ready to rip my hair out. I bend down to scoop up the heavy binder but a set of pale hands beat me to it.

"Allen~!" A familiar voice calls and I look up to see just who I was expecting. She brushed her dark green hair from her neck and smiled at me.

"Lenalee..." I acknowledged her and gratefully accepted my binder from her hands.

"Geez... that binder weighs a ton." She stated in concern as she watched me open said item.

"It isn't that heavy, give me some credit. I can handle it." I managed a small smile that immediately faltered when the robotic beeping of the bell interrupted us.

"Seeya Allen!" Lenalee waved, walking in the opposite direction of the hall.

She's a nice person, and probably the only one who's spoken to me since I transferred to this school. A lingering smile plays on my face, she really has an impact on my mood, I think as I make my way down the hallway. Little did I know, someone was watching our interaction from the shadows.

Finally managing to crack open my binder without it falling to the floor, I took a glance at my schedule and realized that I had lunch right now. I shoved the binder back into my bag and began to make my way to the cafeteria. However, not before being pushed up against the wall roughly by an unforeseen pair of hands.

With the wind knocked out of me, all I could really do was close my eyes and gasp for breath. When my eyes opened again I was staring into a pair of dark, angry ones. I bit my lip instinctively, waiting for the pain to come.

This won't end well...

"What did I tell you about hanging around Lenalee, moyashi?" The boy's eyes narrowed and glared harshly at my limp form.

There's no getting through to this guy. Believe me. I've tried explaining that Lenalee was the one who started talking to me thousands of times, but he just wouldn't have it. I also won't stop being Lenalee's friend just because he wants me to. Besides, how could I stop? If I ignored her she'd just persist and prod me until I gave up. Lenalee was a very headstrong person. It didn't take her long to win me over into wanting to keep her as a friend either.

I remained deathly silent as I stared into the irritated eyes of my bully, wondering if staying quiet would help. Usually if I don't say anything he lets me off with a few bruises, however today he seemed genuinely pissed.

This was what? Maybe my 7th time getting cornered by him this week. Sure, I know martial arts and could probably hold my own in a fight with him but-

My thoughts were cut off when the stoic samurai-like boy threw his fist. A second later I fell to the floor, clutching my cheek in pain and gritting my teeth. My eyes widened enormously when I coughed and spit up some blood.

Oh my God! He's always roughed me up and stuff but he's never punched me in the face before!

I sat limp and fragile, my cheek throbbing painfully. A moment later he walked away muttering, "remember that," his, long dark pony tail swishing behind him was my last glimpse I got of the Japanese boy before I collapsed. Slumping to the floor and outright refusing to get up, I stared at the small pool of blood in horror and disgust. Tears pooled at the corners of my eyes and I sobbed loudly.

What should I do now?

Kanda pov.

I watched in anger as the moyashi smiled and spoke with her, when I couldn't even get so much as a word in with her. I gripped the wall in frustration, clawing at it as the two split up and the moyashi started digging through his bag.

For awhile now, I've liked Lenalee. This comes off as a bit of a shock to me because I don't like anyone really. Besides Tiedol, my foster father and my two other 'siblings' (but I'll never say it to them) I've never cared about anyone else. Then she came along...and now she's fraternizing with the moyashi. I've been getting into little scuffles with him lately because he can openly talk to her. The only way I can get my point across is with violence, It's really the only way I know how. I can't express my feelings at all.

The moyashi gets closer and I choose this as my chance. Grabbing him by the collar I shove him roughly, making his head slam backwards into the wall. His hands grip and claw at my own as he gasps loudly, but my grip is tight. He closes his eyes, looking like a wounded animal and I rage.

He makes me look like the bad guy and I hate it! I hate not being able to get my feelings across.

He bites his lip and looks away, the blood draining from his face. I decide I'd just give him a warning this time, I mean he looks pretty pathetic right now. I'm not giving him any sympathy.

"What did I tell you about hanging around Lenalee moyashi?"

I glare at him and he goes limp, staring blankly at me. He's quiet for a long time and I realize he's staring off into space! The fact that he's ignoring a threat from me pushed me over the edge and I snapped, punching him right in the face. A second later he crumpled to the floor, clutching his cheek, eyes wide.

I stand before him coldly as he coughs up blood, his eyes widen when he sees the scarlet liquid drip from his mouth.

Serves him right...

"Remember that." I mutter.

I walk away at this point ignoring the sobs from the small boy that echoed behind me in the empty halls.