Chapter Three-

Previously-

"Yeah sure," the other smiled, and Ichigo noticed his eyes become a little brighter.

Surprisingly for a wet and snowy day, the usually vibrant canteen was virtually empty, besides a few first year girls and a small group of boys who were playing some sort of card game.

The three students headed for a circular blue checked table by the window. They started to unpack their bags, books piling beside them as they searched for their lunches.

"So, Grimmjow, what brings you to Karakura Town?" Ichigo asked, piercing his juice carton with a straw.

"My dad wanted to move away. His job needed him to anyway, so it was well timed. He's the manager of an accountancy firm and they needed someone in the Karakura offices," he replied as he picked out a pink sashimi square. "Have you two always lived here?"

"Born and bred," Ichigo smiled, chewing his sushi wrap.

"And what about you, Rukia?" Grimmjow asked, turning his attention to her.

"My brother decided to move us here a while ago. He said he needed to be somewhere busy and bustling. Naturally, I followed and here we are!" Rukia took a sip of her own juice. She swallowed. "I guess I was a little like you in all respect".

As Grimmjow watched her, he saw a sadness. A sadness that crept into her eyes and extinguished what bright life there was. Something had happened to her long ago and it seemed she still felt the recuperations.

Grimmjow admonished himself for staring at her and tactfully changed topic:

"Is there anything fun to do here?"

The day seemed to fly by. Classes had well and truly begun and the transition from Maths to Chemistry Science was smooth.

Miss Ochi demanded the class move to the Science blocks and so they packed their bags and set out into the cloud, huddling together for warmth.

They bundled into a lab, gathering around the front tables, where Miss Ochi began the lab prep. They class were thoroughly enjoying it, until Miss Ochi asked them to form groups, as they would be replicating the experiment. She wanted tests, she wanted results, she wanted conclusions and evaluations.

It was at this point the class groaned.

Ichigo immediately sidled to Rukia, with his hand around her waist.

"Hey Grimmjow! Come join us!"

Attaching their safety goggles (and in Rukia's case tying her hair back in a small ponytail), they began. Rukia made notes while the boys took over the all the fun stuff, like putting the magnesium metal strips into the hydrochloric acid.

They worked quickly, the boys chatting excitedly as they went, and it wasn't long before they had finished the experiment and they had become friends.

Ichigo slapped Grimmjow's back.

"We make a great team!" he said.

"Yeah I guess we do!"

Rukia sighed as she packed the equipment away and washed the test tubes. As per usual, the cupboard in which the test tubes were kept refused to shut, so as she finished packing them away, she turned and gave it a good sharp backwards kick. She felt satisfied when she heard it click.

Sliding back into her lab seat, she noticed the new boy watching her, mouth slightly open. She watched as he raised a finger to point at her, in a mock exclamation.

"You're the girl who kicked my car this morning! I thought you looked familiar!"

"Your... c-car?" Sudden realization hit her. "Oh Gods, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"Relax, it'll buff out. And anyway it's not my car, it's my dad's. Are you alright? It didn't hit you, did it?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, as the bell rang, signalling the end of the day.

She snatched up her belongings and ran from the room.

"Ichigo, do you have a cell phone?" Grimmjow asked, as the two friends headed out of the gates.

"Sure. Why?"

Grimmjow dug into his pocket and handed the strawberry a scrap of paper. "My digits," he laughed. "I'll catch you tomorrow!"

He slid into the waiting car's open door, and with a wave, he was gone.

The car trundled down busy streets, slush flying up from the wheels. Grimmjow stretched his arms and legs, settling back onto the leather seats. As they made to turn a corner, Grimmjow caught sight of a familiar figure.

"Slow down," he told the driver, as he unwound the window. He stuck his head out and called to her.

She spun on her heel and caught sight of him.

"What do you want? If this is about earlier-" she began moving towards him.

Grimmjow motioned for the driver to halt the car.

"It's just a car," he laughed. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something".

"Oh?"

"Yeah... Do you have a cell phone?"

"Yeah... Why?" She looked nervous.

Grimmjow rifled through his bag, until he found his notebook. Quickly he scrawled the number and tore the sheet out.

"Call me," he winked, as she stared blankly at the page in her hand.

Author's Note: Mmm I'd call Grimmjow ;) I will admit the characters are being abused by my brain but they damn well enjoy it! :D Reviews please :)

Much love, ZeeZee the Dreamer xx