I plummet silently towards the water, it's icy blackness fills my vision as a scream tears at my throat. Bracing myself against the truck's dashboard I close my eyes, waiting for the crash… that never comes.

"You want a ride?" Tatsuo asks.

My eyes snap open. I'm standing in a crowd of people, my peers, all looking at me like I'm mad. Without a second thought I climb up into the truck, fastening my seatbelt. With a screech of tyres we tear out onto the road.

I feel like I've done this before, but I can't put my finger on when. Suddenly we are stopped by the pavement, and I'm in the driver's seat. I blink confusedly, not sure what happened.

"Are you listening to me?" Tatsuo shouts from beside my open window. "Watch the truck!"

I nod mutely, watching him walk away. Rounding a corner he disappears from view, but someone else gets my attention. A black haired boy walks down the street, his white cane unfolded and tapping a safe route - Ayumu!

I watch him move closer, trying to open the door, only to find it locked, but it's okay he will be here soon. When he's about twenty feet away he stops abruptly. To my wonderment he slowly opens his eyes.

Recalling in horror, I stare at him. His eyes are cold and white, dead and careless. His mouth opens to shout something, but the roar of an engine reaches me first. Turning just in time I see the outline of a grey prison bus, before it slams in the side of the truck, throwing me into darkness.

The sound of rain echoes around me. Opening my eyes I already know what I'm going to see. Tatsuo lies dead before me, the blood from his head dripping into a torrent of water that is flowing through the ruined cab of the truck, as if we had crashed into a stream.

I try to move, but I'm paralysed, stuck to my seat. Icy water splashes against my cheek, getting deeper; Tatsuo's face is already submerged, three stray bubbles sliding from his mouth.

"H…help!" I croak, as the rain outside intensifies.

With a sound like a gunshot the windshield cracks, a polished boot blurs into my vision. The water has reached the corner of my mouth. I panic, looking up at the booted intruder. My grandfather stands above me, his wet shirt matching the contours of aged muscle. Eyes fixed on me, he grimaces as if I were nothing but dirt.

"Help! Help!" I cry again, as the water starts to slide over my nose, struggling with everything I have I take a last breath before I vanish under the tide. With my vision blurred by the rushing currents I can just make out my grandfather turn and walk away.

"No!" I scream soundlessly, as icy death slides into my throat. Everything goes black.

I wake up in my dark room, gasping for air desperately. It takes me a few moments to realise that firstly, that was a dream, and secondly I'm not drowning. Outside, the rain that threatened the festival's firework display pounds on the window. With bile in my throat I climb out of bed, almost stumbling over a discarded t-shirt on my way to turn on my desk lamp.

Falling into my office chair I sigh audibly, the clock on my bedside table taunts me with the time, three a.m. - too early to be awake, too late to bother trying to go back to sleep. Damn the rain! Without it I could be on my way to a run right about now.

Seeming to realise I'm awake and should be reminded of it's presence my left hand starts to tingle, icy thrills shooting up my fingertips, as if my hand were still pinned under a submerged truck. There's no way around it, the dreams have been getting worse, much worse. Foolishly I had hoped the truth might relieve my nightly terrors, instead with their grim task completed, they now seem content to play with me.

Ikuno got back late, having been treated to what I'm sure was a very fancy meal. I would have liked to meet her parents as well, if for nothing other than to thank them for my beautiful Kimono, which is now hanging neatly in my closet. At least spending time with Hisao today went well. Despite his apparent apathy he's a fun person to be with. Secretly I think he enjoyed the competitive games as a much as I did.

— — —

That is my goal I will not stop- "Gaaah!"

My feet slide out from under me on the waterlogged track, just as the sun peeks above the horizon. With a wet thud I hit the astroturf hard. With only one hand to catch my fall I end up sprawled almost face down on the four hundred metre mark.

"Damn it!" I punch the ground with my fist, achieving nothing but more pain. Sitting up I find my knees are scraped, small trickles of blood trailing their way down to stain my socks. It's disturbingly reminiscent of the blood dripping from Tatsuo's head. As I get to my shaky feet, trying to banish the memory from my mind the rain which had let up for a while resumes, drenching me in an unforgiving haze.

With the wind at my back I jog to the medical centre. Erupting through the door I sneeze, spraying water droplets from my hair all over the walls, the sound echoing down the corridor. Someones dead, if I end up with a cold on top of everything else.

"You sound decidedly unwell, Miss Miura," The nurse says, stepping out of his office. He is awake and working at this hour, is he a vampire?

"How many years of medical school did that diagnosis take?" I ask grumpily, wringing the water out of my ponytail, to puddle on the tile floor.

"That diagnosis was inherent skill. It's a gift." He laughs. "What can I do for you this morning?"

I point to my scraped knees, feeling like I'm back at elementary school. Nurse it hurts!

"And how, may I ask, did you manage that?" The nurse gestures for me to follow him into his office.

"I slipped on the track," I grunt, sitting on the paper-covered table in the centre of his sanctum. Or is it a lair? Shivering slightly I watch as he gathers his medical supplies.

"Well, I would say what you need is someone to run with," he says sagely, starting to clean the grit out of my wounds. I gasp with the sudden sting of the cold antiseptic and rough treatment of the damaged flesh. "Oh yes, this might sting a bit," he adds unhelpfully.

"I'm not really close enough to anyone in the track team to run with them," I shrug.

"How about Emi?" he suggests, drying my now clean scrapes.

"Nah, I don't need to be beaten in my leisure time."

"Hmmm… How about your new classmate, I've been trying to get him to do more to look after himself." He gives me a knowing look. "And you two get on well right?"

"How could you possibly know that?" I ask, wincing as he applies plasters to my knees.

"I have my sources," he replies cryptically.

What the hell? Is he saying he has a network of spies or something? I mean, it shouldn't surprise me really, he always seems to be on good terms with every student he meets, but I didn't realise he was keeping tabs on people.

"You're watching us?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

"I wouldn't say that, but I like to keep my finger on Yamaku's pulse."

"Well if I discover hidden camera's in the showers you're getting blackmailed so fast."

He rubs his chin, feigning deep thought. "I think you should be okay in the girl's showers."

"That's gross," I laugh.

It's amazing how quickly I find myself relaxing around the nurse, his natural charm and devilish sense of humour blend together perfectly. It's like he was designed in a secret government lab. Or underwent secret vampire charm training. Even Shizune would find herself calming down in his presence, assuming Misha was able to translate without laughing to much.

"So, will you do me a favour? Let Hisao join you for some light excise?"

The thought of Hisao running with me scares and thrills me in equal measure. My time on the track, despite appearances, is deeply personal. It's one of the reasons I will never be as fast as Emi, I can't let go in front of people.

Allowing him to see me let everything go, and just run for the pure unbridled joy of the movement, of the release, racing against nothing but my hopes and fears… Well, it would be like him seeing me naked, but more than just my bare flesh. Running opens a window into my soul.

"I'll consider it," I say simply.

"Well, that's a start." Grinning he stands, turning his back on me to rummage in a cupboard, before withdrawing, of all things, a bright red umbrella.

"Just return it whenever the mood takes you."

"Thanks," I mumble, getting to my feet. I've dried out slightly in his warm office, but the bandages on my arm still feel like paper mache and my damp clothes cling to me, skin tight. I need a shower and some kind of miracle to get through school today.

"Would you like a nurse's note?" He offers kindly.

I refuse. If I start to skip lessons every time I have a disturbed night I will never graduate. Saying my goodbyes I leave his office, opening the umbrella to ward off the heaven's assault.

— — —

Hot water flows over my body, washing away the chill and mingled aches of this morning's activities. I had hoped the steaming cascade would help wake me up - no such luck. It's around the time in the morning when the students with normal sleep patterns are starting their day. Hearing them drag a pair of sleepy feet into the echoing bathroom I'm glad I didn't absent-mindedly start singing, an old shower habit.

Regretfully shutting off the shower I grab my pink fluffy towel - Ikuno insisted mine from home was a health hazard and made me get this - before stepping onto the cool tiled floor. Sitting on the bench that runs through the centre of the room Suzu blinks sleepily, still dressed in her sleep shorts and a well worn t-shirt. She's kind of cute, like a kitten about to nod off into a bowl of milk.

Molly, her neighbour and minder, tugs off her nightdress with no regard for modesty. When I first encountered this particular trait I was shocked, until I realised her reasoning, Molly, like me, would rather have someone stare at her breasts than her stumps.

Not that I'm looking at either.

"You look awful. Did Hisao keep you up all night?" Molly says, striping off the last of her clothing, I look away quickly, like I need any more rumours flying around about my love life.

"N…no," Suzu yawns, staring dreamily at me.

"And how would you know that?" My legless hall mate enquires, completely ignoring me. She sits down on a wooden stall starting to remove her legs. Normally I would be long gone by this point, but I'm as curious as Molly to hear Suzu's answer.

"Hisao watched the fireworks with Misha and Shi… Shi… Shizune." Her yawn has an almost musical quality to it.

"And you're sure you weren't dreaming this?" I intervene before Molly, who has her legs off now and is passing them out to her inattentive blue-haired friend, can speak.

My cheeks burn, Hisao, watching the fireworks with them? It doesn't make sense, we had fun didn't we? Well, I did at least. Leaving him with her was an emergency, a major catastrophe had just decimated my best friends love life, he should understand that right? He wouldn't chose Her over me. Would he?

"I am awake sometimes you know," dreary-eyed Suzu replies, taking her friend's prosthetics and laying them neatly on the bench. There is no anger in her voice, just a sad kind of defiance.

"I know." Sighing I head for the door. "I'm sorry Suzu, see you two in class?"

"Don't be late," she chirps, taking the swish of Molly's shower curtain as an excuse to lay down flat on the bench, apparently planning a steamy power nap.

"Suzu Suzuzki, I swear if you're asleep out there!" Molly's yell follows me out into the corridor.

— — —

Knocking on Ikuno's door I'm hit with a sudden mix of fear and trepidation. Normally she would be the one urging me to get a move on in the morning, but I've not seen hide or hair of her so far today. Being able to shower and dress at a leisurely pace is one of the, admittedly small, advantages of chronic nightmares.

It wouldn't be the first time I've nearly given myself a concussion trying to pull on a knee sock. Luckily I don't have Ikuno's make-up addiction, otherwise I would have lost an eye by now. Come on. I knock again, a touch impatiently. She's sad, I get that, but lying in bed won't fix anything. Especially after my complete failure last night.

"Ikuno, I have a spare key remember," I shout through the door, "You can't hide from me."

She wouldn't do anything stupid would she?

Pressing my ear to the wood I listen hard, my eyes closed firmly. Nothing. When I open my eyes again I meet Misaki's inquisitive gaze as she locks her bedroom door, school satchel hanging from her uneven shoulders.

Under her white blouse the outline of a brace is clearly visible. It looks uncomfortable, like one of those Victorian corsets, but made of plastic. I guess it must help with her condition, sclerosis. Unlike me, our resident class photographer is quick to tell you about her problem, with seemingly no provocation.

With still no sound from inside Ikuno's room I heave a sigh. Fine, well at least we swapped keys. I must thank the nurse for his little buddy system suggestion. The door unlocks with a ominous click, I half expect a horror movie style squeak as I push it open.

Stepping over the threshold I'm hit by the sudden overpowering fragrance of exotic perfumes, mixed one on top of another, that seem to have crept into every surface. With the curtains drawn the only light in the room comes from her many chains of fairy lights, throwing uncharacteristically discarded clothes into irregular relief. Ikuno herself lies curled under her bright pink bed sheets, a muffled beating explains why I didn't get an answer, she's listening to music.

With a squeal of fright and bedsprings Ikuno rips off her headphones, staring at me open-mouthed, she looks a mess. Her eyes are puffy and red, black trails of mascara blemish her cheeks, like mud stepped through a pristine carpet.

"Hey, there," I say softly, kneeling down next to her bed.

"What time is it?" she whispers, rubbing her tired eyes with her palms.

"Time for school, how you feeling?"

She shrugs, I didn't get a chance to talk to her last night, having assumed she would go straight to bed. But it looks like she didn't get much sleep, I've never really known Ikuno upset or depressed before, but like her confidence with shopping it seems to be an extreme side of her, one that she keeps hidden.

Her top-of-the-range pink mobile sits open on her bedside table, the screen facing her. Has she been checking this all night? Her bloodshot blue eyes follow mine, glistening with moisture when they catch the phone.

"I've texted him like a hundred times, and.. and tried phoning him," She sniffs. "His phone is turned off."

"Well, I guess he just wants some space," I try and sound reassuring, but I don't think it's working. "How did dinner go?"

"I told them about Ryouta," she wails suddenly in despair, like a child a few seconds after falling over. If this was any other time I would laugh at her, but this isn't funny. Why the hell would she tell them about Ryouta after the argument, if she was going to tell them anyway couldn't she have done so before the festival and saved us all a headache?

"Were they upset?" I venture, holding my breath without realising.

"Worse!" she cries, closing her eyes. "They want to meet him."

Oh hell.

"Oh…" I say unhelpfully, after all that they want to meet him anyway? I thought I had a complicated relationship with my parents.

"Dad was angry, but… but mum talked him into meeting Ryouta the next time they're in town," she says defeatedly. "But I don't even know if we are still together, or if he still likes me, and he won't even talk to me, and I've not gotten any sleep, and I'm such a mess and, and, and…" Her frantic list of problems is replaced with deep gasping sobs, as she pushes her face into her pillow.

What the hell do I do?

I have no idea how to fix this, no idea where to even start, she really has fucked this up. Well, I guess one problem at a time normally works, not that I've ever been in a situation this complicated. Lying about manslaughter and missing a hand are such simple things to get your head around.

"Look, try and get some sleep. I will tell Mutou you're not feeling well."

"T… thanks, M…Miki," her words are hard to make out between sniffs. Smiling at her softly my eyes wander to her wall clock, is that the right time? Jumping to my feet I startle Ikuno, who gazes at me.

"I'm going to be late for class!" I say, heading for the door.

"Wait!" She calls, catching me just before I open her door. "Don't we have to tell the Nurse?"

"Oh," I grin, "don't worry he will know sooner or later, he has eyes everywhere."

Leaving Ikuno with a confused look on her dishevelled face, I grab my school bag, sprinting for the stairs; damn short skirts. I can't believe I'm going to be late for class when I woke up at three AM!