Beep, Beep, Beep

The sound of an alarm clock could be heard resonating throughout the room, followed by the shuffling of white sheets as a small clumsy hand slowly made its way to the unrelenting device.

"Is it time already?" a yawning Rukia wiped her drowsy eyes to see clearly,

"7:30, one hour before school starts," she murmured groggily, making her way to the edge of the bed.

Suppressing another tired yawn, the tiny girl slowly made her way to the shower to start the new day. She stood under the showerhead, letting the icy water hit her naked skin, and shuddering as her drowsiness was lifted by the prickling water.

&-&

Rukia quickly made her way back into her room to change into the school uniform that had been pressed and laid out the night before. Now all that needed to be done was to pack her bentou for her lunch. After quickly grabbing a piece of buttered toast for a quick breakfast, she made her way to the front door.

It was a gloomy, dull day. The clouds were blocking the sun's beams, and the wetness in the air magnified the city smell. However, an overcast, gloomy morning wouldn't stop school from starting in the next forty minutes, so Rukia was on her way to the start of a new school year.

Rukia walked with composure while she made her way through the lively morning streets. They were filled with suited businessmen and women walking to work while their cups of coffee threatened to spill at any misstep, and the early morning shop venders would be out selling their merchandise from their small stores, that walled the city streets.

Rukia also noticed the usual group of classmates walking to her school. She knew it was them because they all had the same khaki skirts and pants and the standard white button-up shirt with her school's emblem on it. She always chose not to walk with them even if they were on route. If one of them stopped to say good morning, she would simply reply and scurry off before any further chatter could ensue. It isn't that she hated them, but she simply found such chatter uninteresting, and most people couldn't find it in their right mind to shut up.

&-&

"There it is," she breathed out, looking at five stories that made Arukara High.

Arukara High was a private school. Only students with extraordinary grades or lucky enough to have the money got in. Byakuya had insisted that she go there instead of an inner city school. At first, she was reluctant, but Byakuya had told her it was one of the most prestige schools there in Karakura and that it would look good on her record.

Rukia stole one more glance at the school before making her way inside with a slight slouch. While walking towards her small locker, she heard a familiar voice call her name throughout the crowds of students.

"Morning, Rukia." Rukia turned to see it was one of the only people she had befriended at Arukara. He was tall, handsome, and had a head of neatly parted light brown hair.

"Oh hey Hitoshi, morning," she nodded towards him while continuing her trek towards the small lockers.

She had known Hayata Hitoshi for two years now since her first year in high school. At first, she wanted nothing to do with the guy. He was one of those modeled students that joined all clubs possible and got high marks on every test. He was also very friendly with everyone and was one-of the most adored males at the school. She really doesn't remember exactly how they became such good friends, but they did.

"Ready to finally admit you love me?" he teased, taking his shoes off in front of their undersized lockers.

"You wish," Rukia deadpanned, getting up from her small locker. Hitoshi just gave her a playful pout.

Rukia knew he didn't really mean what he said; he just liked to tease her on the subject since she had rejected him years ago. Rukia hasn't had any interest in anyone for the last several years. Her only interests were books and school. He'd be lucky to hang out with her once a month outside school.

Hitoshi was walking alongside Rukia to the senior homerooms, trying to make small talk, "So Rukia how were your last weeks of summer?"

"Same as always," promptly said the petite girl, as she turned down the hallway. She didn't bother telling him about the brash carrot top that ruined her weekend a week prior.

Rukia looked down at her schedule then turned to Hitoshi, "What's your homeroom this year?"

"Kagine-sensei's, you?" answered Hitoshi.

Rukia looked up and saw they were in front of Kagine's homeroom. "Same, I guess this is it," Rukia said, brushing pass Hitoshi.

When Rukia walked into the room, she spotted a couple of students crowded around the chalkboard eyeing a sheet of paper. Carefully making her way over to read it, she saw it was a seating chart.

"Mmh, boy girl pattern," she thought, not that it bothered her or anything.

She found her name quite quickly on the sheet, and as she was turning to find her seat in the crowed classroom, a name caught her eye.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," she said softly to herself, reading the name of her neighbor. It had caught her interest, liking the sounding and unusual spelling of it, "wonder what he's like, hopefully nice," she thought to herself. Rukia walked back to her seat and noticed that Hitoshi was already settled, sitting a couple seats down from her.

&-&

Rukia sat in her chair engrossed in her chappy themed organizer. She always did have an unusual obsession with bunny themed items. There inside chappy, she wrote her goals and plans, and she vowed never to lie to the small bunny themed notebook that she praised. She was currently going over her proposed senior goals that consisted of paying attention in class, doing her homework every night, and earning her high marks on test. Rukia had also planned to be first in her senior class like the previous two years of her higher-secondary school career and had even gone to the extent of writing her graduation speech in it over the summer. The ringing tardy bell stole Rukia's attention away from chappy to the intercom and then to the shutting door.

"Welcome to your last year of class, I'm Kagine-sensei," a man announced to the class, turning to write his name on the chalkboard.

He was a tall man with a rough voice and black buzzed cut hair and a trimmed mustache. He was also very well built from what Rukia could see.

"Now then, if every odd row would look to your left" he pointed towards the first row and so on.

Rukia looked around and sure enough she was in the fifth row of seats. She looked to her left but noticed it was still empty. It was that Kurosaki's desk.

"Hmph, hope he's okay, "she thought.

"Take a nice long look at that person. For the next ten months, you and that individual will be like salt and pepper. You two will work on four major assignments, set up activities for the holiday festivals, and be responsible on cleaning your assigned parts of the classroom on your respective days of the week," he grinned at the gawking students, as he finished explaining. It was probably a new set-up proposed by the teachers at Arukara, to teach corporation and conformity among strangers like in the real world.

Great just what she needed, someone who she needed to depend on, and he wasn't even there. He was also the only missing student from their homeroom, but she had yet to realize that.

"Alright no-" The sensei's loud voice was interrupted by the sliding door, reveling a tall orange haired young man, wearing an expressionless face with the exception of his scowl.

"And who are you?" Kagine scolded and narrowed his brows at the young man.

"This is my homeroom," he responded arrogantly, looking into the man's eyes.

It took Rukia a second to register what was happening. Then she remembered! That bastard pissed her off the other day at the park! The way he totally ignored her and was utterly rude when she was being polite. How dare he show his face at her school! Look at him, being all smug to the sensei.

"I feel sorry for whoever gets stuck with this pain in the ass," she thought.

"Why are you late?" Kagine loudly demanded with a questioning voice.

Rukia grinned in happiness as the sensei began to drill him. "Revenge is sweet," she thought to herself.

"Smoke break, then got lost," the carrot top bluntly said.

The room filled with gasps of surprise as they heard the young man's choice of words. It almost seemed like he was challenging the towering man.

Kagine wasn't an inch away from the boy when he said, "Smart one, huh?" making sure his breath hit the young man's face.

He stood his ground, staring right back at the older man with a deepened scowl, "You can say that."

"Forget revenge, he's digging his grave," Rukia mused with a bigger smile playing at her lips.

"What's your name, boy?" Kagine asked.

Then reality hit Rukia like a ton of bricks as she looked to her left and then all around the room. No other empty seats were available.

"No, no, this can't be happening."

How could this happen to her, what did she do to deserve such horrible fate! But there is still hope left, yes there is. He hasn't given his name yet, and he's a moron after all. He could have just gone into the wrong room or even the wrong school. Moreover, Kurosaki Ichigo was such a sweet name, not to be given to a devil like that guy.

"Kurosaki."

"No, no, please don't say it…."

"Ichigo."

"Why me!" Rukia thought as the color left her face.

Kurosaki looked around the class, and saw everyone's eyes wide and jaws agape. Sure enough, he had caused a scene. He hadn't meant too, it just happened. Giving a small sigh, he turned back to the sensei who was red with rage.

"Congratulation Kurosaki," Kagine's voice was full of spite, as he continued, "you've just volunteered yourself and…" He paused to eye the sheet of paper on his clipboard, "Kuchiki for cleaning duties by yourselves for the next week." He pointed an accusing finger at Kurosaki's chest.

If it bothered Kurosaki, no one could see it, but Rukia at the other hand went stiff and began to grimace.

"Kagine sensei!" Rukia's frantic protest was drowned out by the many laughing students.

"Great, just fucking great," she muttered, clearly irritated by the situation at hand.

"Whatever old man, where do I sit," Kurosaki said, choosing to ignore formalities.

"Kurosaki," Kagine bellowed, "take your seat next to Kuchiki. Now!" he roughly yelled red faced, pointing towards the flustered girl.

"Eh, a boy," Kurosaki mumbled but loud enough to be heard throughout the class.

Kurosaki casually started to make his way back to the empty desk, but stopped when he saw a rushing body going towards him.

"Why you bastard, I'll have you know I'm no boy!" Rukia shouted while rushing up to Kurosaki and getting in his face. She was red with rage and was screaming bloody murder.

The students were all gasping at the sudden outburst, never before has anyone known Rukia to be so confrontational, much less at school. Hitoshi was even stunned

"A small one too, shouldn't you be in a lower-secondary school?" the carrot top paraded with a snobbish chuckle, putting his atrocious hand on top of her hair and ruffling it. "Ne?"

This is it. This is where it all ends. Rukia could feel it as her fist made its way to Kurosaki's jaw. Life as she knew it was coming to an abrupt end. All her planning and hard work was going down the drain; incidentally, she had lied to her chappy. Right now, she's going to kill this guy. Kill the guy that ruined her nice day a couple days back, got her cleaning duty for a full week, called her a small boy, and even had the nerve to ruffle her hair! Because of him, she will end up being expelled and sentenced to life in prison and rot there.

At least it would have happened, but Rukia's fist hit nothing but air. "Kurosaki-san, how about we leave Rukia alone?" Hitoshi whispered into Kurosaki's ear while holding him away from Rukia.

"Trust me, you don't want mess with her. Her looks are deceiving," he finished with a smile as he loosened his grip on Kurosaki.

Everyone regained their composure when Kurosaki shrugged of Hitoshi's comment and walked back to his seat, doing his best not to touch the still motionless Rukia. After a few more seconds of cooling herself off, Rukia too made her way to her seat, but not before throwing Kurosaki a nasty glare and pursing her lips together at Hitoshi, giving him a look that said 'Why the hell did you do that for!'.

Rukia's robotic expression soon came forward, once the sensei's lecture started. She would sit there in her seat attentively, making sure to jot down every single phrase coming from the man's mouth and examples written on the blackboard. Kurosaki's usual scowl never left his face, as he too listened to the man, but Rukia noticed he didn't bother taking notes. The tension between the two stayed high throughout the morning, neither daring to acknowledge their presence.

&-&

"Yo, Ichigo." A girl with messy black hair took the now vacated seat in front of Kurosaki's. "Always need to cause a scene?" she questioned with a sarcastic grin. Kurosaki only rolled his eyes at his friend and began to eat the food inside his bentou.

"You know how things are Tatsuki." She gave him a sideways grin then turned her attention to the girl eating beside his desk. Tatsuki leaned forward towards him, propping her elbow on his desk.

"You should apologize," Kurosaki snorted in response, trying his best not to spew out the contents of his eaten lunch.

Rukia was carefully listing in on the conversation Kurosaki and Tatsuki were having, perking her ears so she could hear them better.

"Oy Kuchiki," Kurosaki said not sounding very happy.

"What do you want Kurosaki," Rukia acidly replied back, keeping her head towards the front of the class. There was an elongated pause between the two until Tatsuki gave him a painful punch in the arm.

After glaring at Tatsuki for a second, he turned his attention back at Rukia with agitation drawn all over his face, "Don't bother to stay after class today, I'll cover it." Rukia turned and perked a skeptical eyebrow at the carrot top. After noticing he wasn't fooling around, she drew in a deep breath and sighed before turning back to her lunch.

(A/N) Hope you guys liked it.

I'd like to say if anyone felt offended by the mention of inner city schools. I know they aren't bad in Japan like here in the U.S. It's just part of the fictional story. Also, lower-secondary school refers to middle school and upper refers to high school which spans three years.

Please review to let me know what you like and what I need work on. Thank you.