~Step 2: An Inspiration, No Matter How Small~
I opened my eyes and rolled over, the clock read ten after five. I got up and quickly found an outfit, I've never worn the uniform; it consisted of a pale yellow shirt and knee-length black shorts. I walked across the hall and into the bathroom; I let the steam warm up the room and awaken my senses. I shut off the water, drew the curtain, and quickly wrapped a towel around me in one swift motion while opting to get a second towel for my hair. I let out a long sigh quickly drying and changing into my outfit. I walked back into my room, shoved my homework into my bag and ran down stairs to eat. One bowl of cereal later I'm out the door and on my way to the bus stop one block away from my house in the opposite direction of school. I carefully perched myself on the wall and began to draw a rough sketch of the early morning activity. I let a smile cross my face as I began sketching the bus that thankfully was pausing longer than normal allowing me to get a complete sketch. I let out a sigh; it was about time I should head over to school.
I jumped down and nearly landed on top of some guy, who I recognized in the drawing as the one getting off the bus. I quickly offered to help the boy up and walk on my way, hoping not to draw too much attention. It failed, miserably to say the least. I couldn't believe that I lacked to notice the boy was wearing the bumble bee-ish uniform of Rikkaidai, hell I even drew him in it. I let out a sigh of defeat as the boy walked two paces behind me. I weaved through the crowds at the school and quietly put a check next to my name on the way to my seat. The day dragged on slowly, thank goodness tomorrow's the last day of the school week. After school I wandered around Tokyo, looking for the new school in the news: Seishun Gakuen (Seigaku). Another team sketch would bring in a decent amount of cash, cash I needed to restock the kitchen. It's a wonder I'm not dead yet: parents never home, nanny left in second grade, and amazingly I turned out perfectly fine.
I settled down and got comfortable as practice started to begin. I worked on an overall team sketch as practice went on, trying to capture each player's attitude. It took nearly the entire practice in order to get the rough done. I'd most likely will have to come back tomorrow. Grr, why did I have to fill up the memory card yesterday? Unbeknown to be I managed to draw the attention of the regulars. I began removing unnecessary guidelines from the sketch as the freshmen picked up the balls. I let out a long sigh; I still hadn't realized the regulars leaning over my shoulder as I finished cleaning up the sketch.
"Let's see, I'll ink it tomorrow after I take a few pictures then scan it to my laptop when I get home. Yeah this one will be better colored on the computer. Hopefully I can turn it in tomorrow, they shouldn't publish the article until later, gives them plenty of time to contact me if they want changes," I mumbled while packing my things. "Great just great. I misplaced my colorless blender. I need that to finish my other drawing; darn I guess I'll have to go buy a new one." I slung my bag over my shoulder, stood up stretching my sore legs and went on my way. It was already late and I didn't feel like taking a train or bus. Actually I would never take the train or bus; it always was too cramped and risked bending my art. I let out a long sigh as I left the school grounds.
"Hoi, hoi, hoi! Artist-chan!" some redheaded boy with a bandage on his face called out to who else but me.
"?" I turned around.
"Eiji, don't harass her," a boy with two weird strands of black hair in his face calmly reprimanded.
"Does Artist-chan want me to walk you home?" the boy deemed Eiji called out.
"Eiji don't bud into other people's lives. He means well. It is dark out and neither of us have seen you around before," the other boy politely explained.
"No that's okay," I smiled gently and turned on my way. I shot one last smile before moving on my way once again.
"Are you sure? The streets of Tokyo can get very confusing late at night," Oishi cautioned.
"I'll be fine," I replied politely as I walked on. I believe the boys got the message and I walked in silence except for the light buzz of my iPod. I let out a sigh as I looked up at the night sky. I should draw that to add to my sky collection. I went in the back door and pulled down my bed in the studio and passed out. I woke up late and rushed into the house to have breakfast. I was scrambling to get to school and as I jumped over my front gate, I managed to land on the same guy as yesterday. Please, please don't recognize, I chanted in my head over and over again. I don't like people; Eiji & Oishi were probably my first exceptions and only partially. Yeah I really could care less about my parents, the teachers don't even know I'm a student and to the student body I am nothing more than another busy body.
"Yo," the boy I landed on spoke to me oh shit recognition.
"…" my silent response.
"Do you go to Rikkaidai?" he asked and I kept walking. He quickened his pace to keep up with me. I shot him a quick look and noticed his eyes were red around the edges. I slightly shifted away; right now I wish I could just disappear into a puff of smoke. Sadly I would never gain that ability and eventually I would face human confrontation, like now. I let out a sigh at the same time he did, which earned me a glare from him and vice versa. At first I thought he was following me because he wanted a response but I realized during class that he was my classmate, I was majorly hoping that was the reason he went the same way I did. So now I have to face him for the rest of the year, most likely without a moment to myself. I've grown up without human interaction and it hasn't done much harm, so if only I could somehow ditch him. I guess I'll have to get out of class faster and into class faster than before, in hope he won't be able to catch me. My plan worked, that or he gave up on trying to get a response and went on with his life. So of course at the end of the day I began the journey over to Seigaku. But to my surprise I was interrupted.
"Hoi, Artist-chan!" Eiji waved wildly right outside the school gates with Oishi beside him.
"Yo, mute girl," the guy I kept landing on walked up behind me. I felt the odd glance that Eiji and Oishi shot me when they heard him call me mute. "What's Seigaku doing over here?"
"We came to tell her that our practice was moved to the street courts," Oishi spoke calmly while motioning for me to follow them to the courts. I nodded and followed them off the school grounds, avoiding the unwanted human interaction from that guy who was currently shooting us an odd look. I managed to rework the sketch a little bit and ink it. I took a few photos and worked on a sketch of their freshman ace. I packed up my stuff about three quarters of the way through practice, thanked them, and went home to color it in. After I put a few effects in the background I printed it out and rushed to the magazine office to submit it. They happily took it and paid me the small amount of cash; I was practically their private artist, anything they needed an image of I most likely got it to them. I let out a small sigh as I rushed over to the food store, nearly running over that forsaken idiot who is seriously starting to get on my nerves (aka the guy I keep landing on/running over/into). I should really learn his name; it would make describing him a hell of a lot easier.
"Yo, watch where you're going," his tone was angry to say the least but he paused for a moment and then to my disgust he recognized me. "Mute girl?"
"Mhmm," I acknowledged myself to be that before I resumed sprinting off to the food store. I can't believe I just interacted with a freaking human being, a living breathing human being other than the Seigaku idiots and that was just purely an accident. I'm so going to regret this, majorly regret this. He was on the god damn f**king tennis team and if I associated with him, I associated with the entire god damn school. I am an idiot, wait where the hell are my feet taking me? I noted I just spun on my heel and was rushing back to the boy. I gaped at myself; this is not what I should be doing. I avoid human contact and now I'm going to it!
"I'm Kirihara, Akaya. What's your name?"