The first time I met Enoshima-san. That rainy day…after some classmates pushed me to the ground and threw mud at me. She didn't blink an eye-lash when helping me. She stayed to help clean and patch up my bag, talking animatedly about class and her job as a model. When she mentioned it, I wasn't at all surprised because of her appearance.

She explained to me how much she hated all the attention. Some of it was fine, since she deserved to be noticed. But, she couldn't even go walk outside by herself sometimes…since she attracted men. They'd badger her about things, bad things.

"I don't dress for them," she stated, handing me another needle while we were sewing my bag together. "I dress for myself. The world is horrible, Tsumiki-san. For me, clothes and make-up are a way to rebel against the world, to show them who I am. Apparently some people just don't get it at all." She fumbled with the pin cushion, her red nails shining.

It was hard for me to respond, since I couldn't imagine being in such a position. People had done awful things to me before, like burning cigarette butts on my arms. My situation was different I suppose. If I didn't let them do these things, then how useful could I be for them?

"Tsumiki-san, is everything ok?" she asked, knocking me out of my thoughts. "You've been pulling the string through the needle for several minutes. The tail is several centimeters long already…"

"AAAHH! I-I'm so sorry…! I'll fix it right away…!"

She did something I never expected. She laughed.

"Tsumiki-san! Don't worry about it. It can be fixed!" She shot me that warm smile…the one which made my ears feel hot.

The rest of that evening was spent with me finishing my bag while she fiddled with her phone. I didn't mind her ignoring me; I didn't want to embarrass myself anymore. As I pulled the thread through the canvas, I wondered…why would someone like her randomly approach me…why she was offering her help…

I almost stabbed the needle through my finger when a loud CLANK broke the silence. Enoshima-san was standing now, her phone closed and clenched in her fist.

"It was a lot of fun, Tsumiki-san," she said, turning towards me. "Maybe we can see each other again some time?"

"You're going?" I asked. For some reason, the thought of her leaving really upset me. Having her stay with me in the infirmary was calming, like white noise during an awkward silence.

She motioned towards the clock on the adjacent wall. I let out a small gasp, realizing that we had been in the infirmary for hours. I never noticed the windows grow dark as I had earlier pulled the curtains over them.

"I have to go anyway, my big sister wanted to do things tonight, and she probably thinks I forgot again…" She twirled the locks of her hair absentmindedly.

"Ah, all right, Enoshima-san," I replied. "I…I really do appreciate you helping me…if you need anything from me, please ask! I'll be happy to repay you in any way you want!"

That smile again…

"It's fine, Tsumiki-san. I was just in the area and saw you in here. You don't owe me anything."

What?

Did…I hear that correctly…?

I shook my head. "No, please, Enoshima-san! I must pay you back somehow!"

She was already at the door, opening it to leave me behind. "Hmmmm," she mused, tilting her head back. "You could repay me in one way. We should meet up tomorrow and spend more time together."

I blinked blankly at her as the words registered in my brain. She was now leaning a shoulder against the door frame, one arm around her waist and the other propped on top of it to stroke her chin. "Of course, you have the right to decline my offer. It's entirely up to you." Her smile poked out through the gaps of her fingers.

"I will do anything you say…!" I cried. "I'm not worthy of all the kindness you showed me today." I didn't want her to leave, her presence made my heart feel lighter. Just her sitting next to me made me forget everything that had happened.

"If you're sure, then how about this? Tomorrow, I want us to eat lunch together! It will be lots of fun, I promise you!" She took a step outside, waving a long-nailed hand at me. "Bye bye, Tsumiki-san. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

And then…she was gone. The door creaked to a stop as it closed completely, barring her away from me. The walls of the infirmary turned from a brilliant white to a slate gray as my eyes began to itch and water. I rubbed them, feeling really dim-witted that I was crying over some random girl who decided to be nice to me. A part of my heart knew that she would use me like everyone else. She probably had it all planned, to manipulate me with compassion and make me do whatever she wanted.

The thing was…

…I was entirely fine with it…

I wanted to be of some use to her. How long had it been since someone was this kind to me? I searched through my memories and could not remember any such instant. Although it was such a short amount of time, I had never felt so warm around a person before. Enoshima-san…in that moment, it felt like she truly was concerned for me. I had made up my mind to repay her for those small gestures that made my heart flip. Even if it meant being used again, I would do it for her. Because, she cared. She cared for me in a moment when I probably needed sympathy the most…

I met the next day with unabated expectation.

Sitting through class was torture, but I normally have problems with attending class anyway. Whether it is the unavoidable attention of those who don't like me, or my horrible habit of somehow dropping items or falling. When I am called to the board to solve a problem, the other students leer at me, expecting me to trip.

I ignored everything, channeling my focus on the board and waiting for lunch to be announced, the time I would meet with Enoshima-san again. Scenarios flew across my mind. What would we talk about? Because of being a model, she probably had so many topics to converse about. And me…I liked the infirmary and anything medical related. I saw us facing each other, talking about anything. I enthused about giving shots and how much I wanted to heal people. And then she would chat about the new brand of clothing she would be modeling in the next upcoming magazine. It surprised me, and I promised her I would buy the magazine as soon as it came out! She laughed, smiling at me…calling me adorable. I leaned in close to her, so that she and only she could hear me…I would confide in her the thing I liked the most that nobody else knows about…toilets…I secretly loved toilets…the design of them, how cleanly they flush. She never judged me; she giggled, telling me that I'm silly but also completely right. Where would our lives be without toilets?

A tap on the shoulder broke me out of my reveries. Spinning around in my desk, I found a classmate of mine towering over me. Sa-Say-something. I'm not good at attributed faces with names.

"Tsumiki-san, I am wondering if you could help me with my homework during lunch today? I forgot about it and the teacher said that I can't afford to skip another assignment!" Her notebook pressed to her chest, she imploringly bowed towards me. The drop of her head scared me at first since I was not used to such politeness.

"I…would like to help you, but I promised to meet someone today," I replied. I held my hands up to her, motioning for her to stop bowing.

"I beg you Tsumiki-san! You're the only one who is good in this subject, and it won't take long. I will copy your work and then let you leave!" She bowed again, even lower.

I didn't have the power to tell her no. She kept pressuring me, bowing over and over, crying about how poorly she will do in class if I didn't help her. I was too overcome with guilt to think of the situation, how odd it seemed. My thoughts raced back to Enoshima-san, how she will think I had let her down and lied. At the same time, I didn't want to disappoint my classmate…

I gave into her. Putting her notebook into her bag, she clapped her hands together. "Yay! Tsumiki-san, I owe you so much! I know of an empty classroom where you can show me your notebook and I'll quickly copy down everything. I'm sorry for being so intrusive, but I promise you it won't take up too much time."

Leading me out of the classroom, she instructed me up two flights of stairs into an emptier hallway. I glanced around nervously. The hallway lights dimmed on, casting eerie shadows on the tile. Ahead, my classmate pushed open a door, motioning me inside. Behind us, the door slammed shut.

I instantly recognized the room: it was the art room!

"Excuse m-me, " I whimpered at her. "Are you sure this is the right classroom? I don't think we're allowed to be in the art room by ourselves."

Silently, she set her bag down on a nearby desk. "I know it is the art room, do I look like I'm stupid or something?"

"…huh?"

"I am so tired of your attitude! You act like that to get attention, don't you? It's sickening to see someone be so pathetic!" Her teeth clenched at me, wrinkling the edges of her mouth wickedly.

"I don't understand…please tell me what I have done to make you so upset…I…I won't do it anymore! Please forgive me, I didn't mean to be so rude!" My elbows tucked into my abdomen, my eyes shut tight. I felt my stomach churning, the acid bubbling inside it and rising to my throat.

Someone grabbed me from behind, separating my arms from my chest to lock me in place. It was that moment I realize that Sa-Say-whatever her name, was not alone on this. I squirmed a little trying release myself, until my captor smacked me on the head, bright sparks soaring across my vision.

"We'll forgive you, pig. An attitude adjustment is all you need." My classmate fumbled through her bag, pulling out something shiny. The lights in the art room were purposely faint; I could only make out fine edges of the item in her hand. She approached me, holding it out towards my face, teasing me with it.

In her hands, she clutched a pair of gleaming scissors.