Chapter six: Bad omen

"Finally!" Karin puffed, face flushed as she jogged over to me, soccer ball tucked under her right arm. "Man I swear, it felt like I was doing all the hard work out there." She grinned widely and wiped away the perspiration on her forehead that had formed during the soccer game.

I smiled, "Yeah well, that's what happens when you're the captain," I gave her a small playful nudge to the shoulder, "Besides, we all know you're the best." With that she perked up immediately and gave me a thumbs up, her knowing grin growing considerably wider if that were even possible.

"Damn straight."

Before long the bell had went off, signaling that lunch was over and that fifth and sixth period was about to commence. I groaned, knowing all to well that the last two periods were going to be pure torture—because other than P.E, science was my worst subject. Now, science by itself would have been fine, but double science… oh kami.

"The DNA molecule consists of two helical strands similar to in structure to a twisted ladder or spinal staircase. Each strand is composed in molecules called, nucleotides, composed of-,"

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

My eyes strained to stay open as the feeling of sleep washed over me, it was so tempting to just bang my head onto the table and knock myself out for the duration of both periods, and yet I couldn't be bothered going through with it.

I drew weird little faces in the margin of my workbook to try and keep myself occupied but for some strange reason whenever I aimed to draw something different it always turned out as squiggles on a page, and if I squinted my eyes in just the right way, the squiggles would transform into a sleeping whatever it was.

"Alternating sugar and phosphate groups form the sides and the nitrogen to form the steps of a ladder, there are four nitrogen based—someone please state the four."

Almost half the class raised their hands to answer the question and in my mind I couldn't help but think 'nerds'. If this were any other subject, I would be sure to participate but science… it just wasn't my thing.

"Hinamori Momo, you look half-asleep over there, mind telling me the answer?"

I looked up at the sudden mention of my name and panicked. Out of the whole class that was willing to give her the answer she chose me?

I blinked, obviously not knowing the answer since I hadn't particularly paid much attention and before I knew it the only word that escaped me was a dull: 'No.'

"Excuse me?" She frowned, hitting the ruler she had used to point out the diagrams against the palm of her hand.

"I, uhh…" She raised a brow, willing for me to continue.

"Well, hurry up."

I laughed nervously and opened my mouth to speak but someone else had cut in: "Adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine."

Both our heads turned to in the direction of the voice—and both of us had different reactions. Our teacher, (whose name I still didn't know) gave a half-smile of sorts, though the scowl was still evident on her face. Whilst I had gone under temporary shock, for there, with the calmest of calm looks sat Toushiro, his seemingly trademark smirk intact.

This time, I was the one who frowned before I mouthed a quick 'thank you' in return. His smirk only grew as he mouthed back the words 'no problem'.

I turned back around, facing the front before an odd piercing feeling was felt on my back, almost like someone was glaring holes into my skin. I hadn't the courage to look back and see who it was so I ignored it, aiming to just brush it off as nothing.

When our teacher started drawing cell diagrams on the board I took to taking notes, though it was hard to concentrate with whoever it was glaring daggers. I fidgeted uncomfortably in my seat and in my mind I was screaming unintelligible bad words.

"Okay class, I'm going to be extra nice and only give you half the homework."

Placing my pen down I looked up and listened, the way her lips curled into a devious smile told me there was going to be a catch.

"Because your going to be assigned project partners, so naturally you both work together and do half the work each—and no bribing the other person to do it all!"

Everyone in class started to joyously pick their partners—which all looked like close friends—but our teacher wasn't done yet: "And to make sure its fair, I'm going to make you pick a piece of paper out of this cup, whoever's name is on it, is your partner."

The class groaned, just like how they did in P.E but said nothing more. When she came over to my desk she held the cup out to me, rattling it a little in her hands. Sighing, I picked out whatever was first and placed it on my desk—not bothering to check who I got.

"Alright, has everyone got their partners?"

"Yes." They called lamely, apparently not happy with whom they got, whilst the few others were actually happy with the outcome.

Then, as if she had a bats supersonic hearing she pivoted around, eyes scanning the classroom, "Who was it that said no?"

From the corner of my eye I saw a hand lightly raised into the air, along with the familiar voice saying: "Me." For the second time in the double period I panicked and automatically my head switched from him and then back to the piece of paper I had abandoned.

I reached for it, picking it up and un-folding it so carefully as if it were the most important thing in my life—but as I saw the name, it was the most dreaded thing in my life.

Toushiro Hitsugaya

"Oh kami…"

The same stabbing feeling seemed to increase just the slightest and I soon realized who it was, for it hadn't been the first time I had received a look like that from her, but it was that same look that she had oh-so-kindly given me on our first encounter.

Scrunching the paper up in my hand I did what I couldn't be bothered doing—I banged my head onto the table. Not once, not twice, but so many times that the class had stopped their chattering and gossiping and turned to look at me.

"So…" I heard the teacher say, "I guess that means Hinamori is your partner."

My 'partner' hadn't said anything in reply to that, but in my mind I could just about picture him with that ever widening smirk of his.

Not a moment after the bell had rung, I had packed up my stuff so quickly whilst literally flying out of the room I could have just about broken a new world record. The only thing I was thankful for was that Karin was not in my science and that I wouldn't have to face her wrath about her finding out.

As I neared the school gates I noticed a crowd of people gathering around. Shouting and swearing was heard along with the cry of a girl. As tempting as it was to go over and see what was happening I decided not to—it was curiosity that killed the cat and I figured it best be if I was not involved.

As I turned to walk off Karin's shouting rang loudly in my ears and stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Grimmjow you bastard! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Karin-chan, calm down, please."

"iie! I refuse! I'm gonna kick him where it counts!"

"Karin-chan, please don't."

Pushing myself through the crowd I stood at the front to where Karin, Orihime, Ulquiorra, Ichigo and Rukia were. All of them, with the exception of Orihime, had a serious face on, eyes narrowed, brows furrowed.

"Really, Karin-chan, I can handle this." Orihime said softly, her soft brown eyes all teary.

Karin huffed, stamping her foot hard on the ground, "No Orihime! He can't disrespect you and Ulquiorra like that-,"

"Do you ever shut up?" Came the interrupting voice of a tall boy, his facial features stern, obviously not liking the way Karin kept ranting.

"Excuse me?" Karin said, taking a bold step forward "is this coming from the boy with a one inch?"

A rough growl emitted from his throat and I wished Karin would stop provoking him like that, "What? Got nothing to say? You aren't gonna reply with your lame 'blow me'? Oh that's too bad, because you know what? You can suck my twelve inch you complete psychopath!"

He raised his fist suddenly, jaw clenched as he aimed to hit Karin but before I even knew what I was doing I ran out in front of her. The pain I felt the moment his hard knuckles hit my face was so indescribable that I didn't even have enough time to scream as I fell to the ground.

I clutched my face in my hands; I had never in my life experienced being punched by someone so strong before—and to think that was meant for Karin.

In an instant all three of the girls were at my side, saying things I couldn't really hear because I was too focused on the pain I felt on the left side of my face.

"Tch, self-sacrifice, what a suicidal bitch."

"Grimmjow you freak! What the hell were you thinking?!" Rukia shouted as she attempted to lunge at him but Ichigo quickly held her back.

The said boy smirked, and stepped closer to the struggling Rukia but was just out of reach, "Midgets got a leash." He taunted.

Rukia kicked her legs out, trying in anyway possible to escape Ichigo's grasp. "You bastard!" she spat then, but Grimmjow managed to avoid it.

"Midgets got bad-aim too."

Then as he turned around, his face smug with the thought of victory Inoue had stood and slapped him firmly with her hand. The loud smacking sound caused the crowd to gasp. Grimmjow stood stiff, his face to the side from the sudden impact.

"You bitch!" he snarled, hands clenched and fist raised—but before he could even make the punch, Ulquiorra was there, stopping his hand in mid-swing before he could reach Orihime.

Ulquiorra stood there, the same emotionless look painted on his face as his hand tightened around Grimmjow's.

"Touch her and I'll kill you."

Kay, I'll stop there.
finally! An update, goshh. Anyways, hope this chapter was okay, if not, review and say so.

I was thinking of changing the pairing for Orihime to GrimmHime, but then I thought, 'Actually, Grimmjow would be perfect as the trouble-maker in the UlquiHime bits, since Grimmy is such a badass.'

Lol, so yeah, UlquiHime it is. x)

REVVVVIIIEWWWW! Pretty please with Toushiro on top.