The Hands of Life

Chapter 2: English is Overrated

"Ahh! Lynn, is that really you?"

I pulled the phone's earpiece away from my now ringing organ. We had just pulled into the house my grandmother owned before her death and my old friend was already calling me. I pushed my bags near my closet and opened my suitcase with essentials.

"Of course, who else would it be?" I asked the girl, trying out sarcasm in Japanese.

She laughed,"It's so great to hear from you! When will I see you?"

I nodded to her voice and set some things onto my desk,"Probably tomorrow, I want to get into school quickly."

I heard a loud bang on the other end and some small noises. She was probably at school right now.

"So soon? And my grade? Aren't you all smart and stuff? Why drop down a grade?"

I smirked on my side, though I knew she couldn't see it,"I decided that I wanted to be in the same grade as you."

I heard her overexaggerated gasp on the other side and than someone yelling to her. There was quick and muffled Japanese spoken and I gave up trying to decipher what was going on. After a minute I decided to make up an excuse to get off of the phone,"Koizu."

The girl stopped talking to the stranger immeaditely,"Yes?"

"I need to go and help Alex unpack."

"Okay. See you tomorrow! Bye Lynn!"

"Bye."

I closed the small phone and sat down on the rickity bed structure. I was surprised at myself for having told my mother that I didn't want to be in my first year of high school here in Japan. I guess that I was going to sacrifice education for my only friend here, but it did help that this Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku school had the best education this side of Japan for a middle school. That and my late grandmother's old money was the only thing stopping my mother from putting my brother and I in some kind of public school.

"Lynn! I need help!"

I groaned loudly and got up off of my bed. I shouldn't have said anything to Koizu about my brother. I walked out of my room and over to his to see his dilemma. His closet door was lying on top of him. I deadpanned at my brother and continued to help him up even though I didn't want to.

"I've got it!" Alex yelled, his voice muffled by the toast in his mouth. I growled since he was getting jelly on his uniform jacket.

"Don't wipe your hands on that!" I yelled, only to get smacked on the arm by my mother.

"Don't yell at him like that!"

Our relationship hadn't been that great lately. I couldn't help it. After the years of me being in charge because my mother was stuck with work it was just prgrammed into me. I sighed and stuck my tongue out at my brother, getting the same response back.

"Get going if you want to get there early."

I smiled and nodded to my mom. She remembered my annoyance with getting somewhere late. Even on time was late to me. I have issues with that.

I picked up my bag and slipped on my shoes. I opened the door and Alex flew out before me. I sighed again and adjusted my hairband to follow the boy. This was another thing I was slightly regretting suggesting to my mother. My brother would still be in elementary in Japanese standards and I felt that he would be good enough in his studies to hurry into his first year of middle school. I reminded myself that my reason was so that he would be in the same school as me for our first year here in Japan.

"Okay, let's get to the office to get our schedules." I said in Japanese. Alex huffed and pouted out.

"Just talk to me in English."

I pinched his arm and he jumped back,"Ow!"

"I know you can understand and talk back to me, so do it."

"Lynn? !"

I looked to my right, away from the office. I squinted my hazel eyes and saw a dot on the horizon running up to us. I knew it was Koizu.

I would appreciate it if anyone gave me some criticism or praise. I don't mind which it is. I hope that this is pretty good at least :]

I do not own the characters of the Prince of Tennis