A/N: For anyone who's still interested, I'm very, very sorry for the long delay! I will update my profile regularly of my progress on this fic.

Happenstance
Chapter 3 – A Loner's Independence

you said run fast
and don't look back
make it last
you can't look back
the field is vast
but don't you slack
you will surpass
just don't slack
meet the mass
and now attack
remember the past
and now attack
your attack
don't you slack
get him back
when you run fast

Mr. Wakka calls for the class to settle down, glancing at the clock on the wall and then at the attendance sheet. He gestures toward me, standing beside him at the front of the room. My face is as bright as his hair, the humiliation already getting to me as I pray for someone – anyone, I don't care anymore – to jump up and offer before he speaks. But it doesn't happen. Of course it doesn't.

He clears his voice. "Rikku doesn't have a partner."

I don't dare look at any of them. I can already feel their amused glares on me, laughing, snickering, mumbling, 'Who'd want to be with that snobby Al Bhed? What a loser…' That's how it's been in every one of my classes this week. I don't try and talk to anyone, so no one talks to me. They say I'm stuck-up. They say I'm dumb. They don't want to be seen with me.

Mr. Wakka narrows his eyes irritably, glancing at the attendance sheet once again. "There's an even number in this class. Whoever doesn't have a partner, speak up now, ya?"

I hope it's not the weird kid in the front. The one with the funny medical mask apparatus around his head, talking to himself in strange mumbles as he picks apart everything he can get his hands on. I don't want it to be the auburn haired girl either. She's always spreading rumors and loves to blabber about anything about anyone that would appeal to the student body; she'd make a good newscaster though.

"Paine, who's your partner?" the teacher suddenly asks, and I realize he's talking to Red-Eyes.

She doesn't look at him, her eyes fixated on an empty spot on the ground. She doesn't reply.

"Alright, you two. Together."

He nods in her direction, and I tentatively walk her way. The class eventually breaks out into chatter and discussion of the news article assignment while I sit in silence with Red-Eyes. We're the only pair not conversing. I don't make any offer to talk, and she gives all indication that she doesn't want me to.

When class ends, the teacher tells us we'll have to come to detention after school for not finishing the work.

- - - - - - - -

Baralai breaks off a piece of his sandwich and holds it out to me. "Do you want to try?" he asks with an assuring smile.

I twist my mouth and turn away with a soft laugh. "It smells funny," I tell him.

He shakes his head, dropping it into his mouth easily and chewing with excessive 'Mmm-ing' in an attempt to make me jealous.

I laugh a bit once more and then lean back against the metal bleachers, the cool surface providing relief from the unusually hot April sun. A gentle breeze blows our way and tickles my face as I stare out at the field of students walking, playing soccer, or sitting in the blissful shade.

"Aren't you hot in that sweater?" he asks in between bites.

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

He rolls his eyes and chuckles softly, pointing to my forehead. "And I suppose you've just went swimming then?"

I immediately wipe the sweat off with the sleeve of my sweater, embarrassed and blushing hard. "Maybe I'm a little warm," I say.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Then why don't you just take it off?"

I impulsively inch away. "I'm fine."

He raises his eyebrow. "Right," he replies in a sarcastic tone. He pauses before saying, "You know, I've actually never seen you in anything but a sweater." He laughs. "What will you do when it gets closer to summer time?"

"I have a light jacket."

He shakes his head, taking the last bite of his sandwich. "You don't like wearing T-shirts?"

I glance down. "No."

"How come?"

"I just don't," I respond, a bit too forcefully. And instantly I regret it. I look back up at him with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay. It was none of my business anyway." He turns his attention to the basketball court down the hill. "You want to go and watch them play? The team has a game this Friday, and I bet you they'll win again."

I nod with a smile. "Sure, why not?"

He brushes the crumbs off his lap. "Okay then." He turns to me with a challenging smile. "I'll race you."

And immediately he jumps of the bleachers and sprints across the patchy green grass. With an uncontrollable laugh, I charge after him, knowing that he's no match for me. And in no time, I've surpassed him, and my surroundings seemingly so blurred and distorted that it's as if they've been lost to the wind in my hair.

I reach the court soon enough, and turn around excitedly to see how well I've beaten him by. But he's no where in sight. Feeling quite satisfied, I jog up the hill once more looking for him. Only to soon see him as the center of attention of a circle of girls.

He catches my gaze, and smiles, gesturing me to come over. I shake my head, 'no', but he nods his head instead. The girls turn and follow his stare, and their eyes eventually fall on me.

"Come here, Rikku," he calls out, and then turns to one of the girls. "Did you see how fast she ran? I've never seen anything like it."

I look away shyly, rubbing the back of my neck.

The girls don't seem to care. "But are you going to join track this year?" they ask him.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Perhaps." Once again he looks at me. "Rikku, do you want to join? The tryouts are after school today."

I shake my head. "I have detention."

He breaks through the crowd and walks toward me, completely oblivious to the curious looks the girls give him for approaching me. "That's okay. Come after. It usually doesn't start till then anyway." He smiles. "I'll go if you go, alright?"

I can't help returning his smile. "I don't know… I'm not that fast…"

"Of course you are! Besides, I'm just asking you to try." He attempts a dashing smile. "For me?"

I giggle softly. "Erm… I guess… I guess I can try. I'll have to tell my Pops first…"

He pats me slightly on the shoulder. "See? This'll be fun, just you wait."

- - - - - - - -

The teacher leaves for a moment, and Paine leans against her chair, arms crossed and deadly red eyes glaring out the window. I begin to get worried that we may not finish again, and I don't plan on being in detention for another afternoon.

Standing up from my seat, I take the newspaper article and start to skim it and jot down the answers on the question sheet. I can feel her staring at me out of the corner of my eye, and I think she's about to thank me for independently taking up the task when she suddenly says, "Your writing is like chicken scratch. Let me do it."

I don't know whether to feel angry and insulted, or surprised that she even spoke to me. But I tentatively pass her the sheet, and watch as she erases my answers and rewrites them again. Then, she looks at me. "Who's side is the author on?" she asks.

I realize that she's talking about the work and skim it frantically. "Uh – I'm not sure. Let me read it again." And I begin to scan the paper. I hear her sighing in the background and can feel her eyes intently on me. My palms begin to get sweaty, smudging the words on the paper, wondering if she would stab me with that pencil if I say the wrong answer.

"Well?"

"I – I think he's on the government's side," I reply, and she writes it down.

"What are his three main arguments?" she reads out in a monotone voice from the question sheet.

"Uh – I'm not sure. Let me read it again."

The rest of our detention continues in a similar fashion. And by the time the teacher returns and collects our sheet, and dismisses us out the door, I can still hear her aggravated sigh, as if I deserve to hear it for the rest of my life.

- - - - - - - -

The school gym is big. Big and scary. Big and scary and bright. And my head spins dizzily just looking at it. In the center, a ring of girls – most of them I recognize from the group that was around Baralai earlier – are gathered together in their little cliques, laughing and smiling and stretching their finely toned muscles much to the appreciation of many observing males. I can't help noticing how high up their thighs and down below their hips their shorts are, remembering the school dress code I'd been strictly told of by the office secretary. I bite my lip nervously, thankful that I didn't take gym this year.

"Hey, aren't you going to go change?" Baralai asks from behind.

I shake my head, unsure of how to explain to him that I've completely changed my mind and am not running half-naked down the field with all those people watching.

"You don't have gym clothes?"

I shake my head, hiding my relief. "No! Oh, darn it." I press my hand to my chest with a disappointed sigh. "I forgot; I don't have gym this year."

He frowns with me, but only his is sincere. "Not even a change of clothes? Shorts and T-shir – Oh wait, you don't like T-shirts." He smiles teasingly a bit upon saying so.

I narrow my eyes. "Would you stop with that already?"

He chuckles slightly, apologizing as he drops his bag on the ground and bends down to unzip it. He takes out a pair of shorts and a large T-shirt, holding it out to me. "Here, you can wear mine," he says. "It'll be pretty big on you… so think of it as a long sleeve T-shirt."

I blink. "But – But aren't you gonna try out too?"

He glances at the ring of girls, giving a friendly smile as he catches a few of their eyes. Then he turns to me, a bigger grin on his face. "No."

I laugh a bit. "How come?"

"I… just don't have the time. There's just no way I can wake up early for practices, anyway."

I glance down at the neatly folded pile of clothes in his hand, still outstretched. He waves it tauntingly.

"Take it."

I reach out for it, and then pull back. "I don't think I'll try out either."

He raises his eyebrow. "Why not?"

I can't answer him.

"It'd be a real waste if you didn't. If you always run like you ran today, trust me, you'll bring this school back a medal, a trophy, a something." He lightly throws the bundle into my arms. "Try." And he gives a sarcastic pout.

I laugh. "I don't think-"

"They're clean. I just washed them yesterday."

My eyes bulge wide and I shake my head vigorously, "No, no it's not that! It's just, I… My pops doesn't like me doing… And my brother really thinks that I shouldn't be… You know, it's not like I actually like-"

He stands up, placing both hands on my shoulders firmly, sighing. "Just try, Rikku. Don't be so shy. Just try."

"But I-"

"I'll be here with you, okay? Better?" he says, as if that was all I needed to hear.

I turn away. "But…"

"But?"

"I…"

"You?"

I glance at the girls staring at us, and then glance at the guys staring at them. And then at Baralai. And suddenly I feel warm. "I guess… Maybe… Just try…"

He smiles, giving me a slight shove. "The girl's change room is down that way."

I nod slowly, picking up my bag and heading toward the door, my shoulder warm where he had touched me. His bundle of clothes shakes in my worried hands, and I cannot help but wonder what Pops and Aniki would say if they saw me now. 'You get yer' ass back home Rikku!' and 'I'll be damned if you put that boy's pants on!'

I pause, turning around briefly to look at Baralai, who's staring straight at me, giving me an encouraging smile. I grip the fabric of his shirt, its fresh laundry scent reminding me of him and his comforting words. I turn around, about to enter the door when a familiar girl steps out in the same short-shorts gym attire with her friend. They both look at me, snicker, then past by. I can hear them behind me.

"…She's the one always around Baralai, isn't she?"

"Yeah, snobby, slutty Al Bhed, kid." Her giggle curls the hair on my back. "I wouldn't worry about her, Love."

I pause before dropping the bundle of clothes on a nearby bench and running out of the gym.

- - - - - - - -

Ms. LuLu says there are powerful hormones that are released when you cry, those responsible for making you depressed or overjoyed. Flowing away with your tears, all the negativity inside you. And so they say, the more you cry, the better you'll feel. If that's the case, I must be frickin' ecstatic.

The rock I've been kicking finally winds up trotting down the sewer, clanking loudly despite its small size and smooth surface. I forget about it quickly and simply find another pebble to push around, imagining it were that mean blond girl. But my imagination doesn't hold for long, and I begin to feel guilty – and quite silly – after a while, so I stop.

It's quiet out here, most of the students take the bus home. Aside from the redhead by the wall, I'm standing all alone in the parking lot. And let's just keep it that way. But of course, that doesn't happen, and before I know it, I see a stark of blinding silver hair through the glass doors, bouncing up and down in the hallway, getting bigger and bigger and oh crap, he's found me!

I snatch my backpack off the ground and quickly look around for a place to hide, spotting a large tree a few meters away. My lean frame actually works to my benefit this time, allowing me to safely hide behind the trunk. I dare not move.

I hear the large door close, and hear his feet scraping against the gravel roughly. There's a pause, and then a sigh. And then the door opens again, and closes. I peek out slowly. He's gone.

Aniki arrives a while later, still angry that I had decided to take up an after school sport. But I tell him I didn't make the cut, and he pats me on the back with an apologetic look that I can see right through.

- - - - - - - -

I tie my hair into another vicious knot, waking myself up from the daze and forcing myself to concentrate on the book in front of me. The words are blurry in my vision, smeared across the page, the brightly coloured pictures faded into dusty reds and blues. And even with the shock of pain from my hair tie, my brain begins to doze off again. I glance at my alarm clock behind me. Two in the morning. Two tests tomorrow. Too damn tired. But must study. Must study. Mom said must study.

Alright, alright. I grab my pencil and begin to jot down the given information in the question. That's always the first thing you do. Now, okay… so if the block is on an inclined plane, then the acceleration due to gravity would be the… would be the sine… or the cosine… if I figure out the angle… but then there's the coefficient of friction reducing its velocity and… Gawd, is the block even moving?

I grip my head in frustration, throwing down the pencil before dropping my head on my desk with a thud. The result isn't so great. But hopefully I've knocked something in my brain to my benefit.

I end up staring at the wood of my desk. Lines of the tree trunk run from either end. And they look so pretty. Some of them swirling together to create long wobbly rectangular shapes… like… oh no. No, no no! Onion cells! Plant cells! Biology lab tomorrow! Damn it.

My fingers curl into a fist, and I let out a quiet whimper, angry at myself. Angry at myself for being so stupid. Furious with myself for not being able to concentrate and focus when this is clearly not the time to stare at wood.

I glance at my textbook again.

What's the point, seriously? I already know I'm not a genius or anything, so it's not like I'll ever become anything exceptionally great. My best bet is to get a steady job now and keep it for the rest of my life. But I know Aniki regrets his decision.

But my hand won't write and my head won't think. And I'm so angry at myself because I know I want to do it, but I just won't. There's no motivation, no encouragement and does anyone really care…?

I somehow "forget" about my homework, sliding the papers and books into my bag and take a shower instead.

- - - - - - - -

The moonlight spills on my pillow from a little crack in my curtains, and I trace my fingers over it, making friendly shadows in the pale blue light. It takes a while for me to realize that I'm tracing a rather familiar shape onto the surface, and I reach over to the cabinet of my nightstand. My hands dig through all of the precious possessions that I keep in there, until I feel the comforting touch of cool metal. I fish out the blond boy's necklace from so long ago and lay it on my pillow to bathe in the moonlight.

It shines instantly, glistening with a friendly light, radiating comfort and love. And it gives me a feeling of security. Of safety and assurance. And soon, I'm fast asleep.

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