DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ouran, nuff said.

Thanks to all who have read here's chapter two enjoy ! And again this is the newly edited version so thanks so much to my beta ! (:

Chapter 2

I stumbled across the campus of the elite Ouran Academy. Shit, they won't be happy if I'm late again… I thought. This time, I had fallen asleep in the library. Things at home, if you could really call it home, were awful. I was fairly certain I was going to be evicted. All of this time with the Host Club made it hard to work as much. Well, if worst came to worst, I could always ask one of the Host Club members for money. I laughed a bitter laugh. One filled with no humor at the thought.

I came upon the door, thinking it strange how I was slowly getting used to these boys. It became easier and easier to distance myself, as opposed to the first few weeks, when I had been surprised and shocked at almost everything that happened. I opened the door, and I saw…

A Middle Eastern country?

What the hell? I thought. Well, maybe they could still surprise me. My mouth dropped open. I quickly closed it. I refused to acknowledge the sight of these boys, half naked, in royal desert garb.

"Oh, it's just you, Haruhi," Hikaru said. "We thought it was a guest, so we positioned ourselves" he finished. He sounded slightly miffed, but I knew he wasn't really upset. It was strange, how easy I found those twins to read. Everyone else seemed to have a hard time with it.

"Isn't it the middle of December?" I asked. The heat was beginning to make me flush. Yes, it was the heat making me flush, not the boys.

"Only a commoner would be frightened of the warmth in the middle of winter" proclaimed Tamaki, in that dramatic way of his.

He started chattering about how men shouldn't have to cover their bodies with lots of clothing, and on and on. It was a miracle no one had slapped this boy yet. Instead of listening to him, I studied the lavish decorations adorning the room. There were what I assumed to be authentic exotic plants everywhere, trees and flowers making the room bright and cheery, as opposed to the reality outside, which was cold and bleak. I would never tell the boys this, but I loved the warmth. I had always been prone to cases of the winter blues, and that, added to my already unhappy state, was not healthy, I was sure. This room, and its overwhelming colors and heat, had actually lightened my mood. And I was glad for it.

"And the best part is yet to come" Tamaki said, with a glint in his eye, as I tuned back in. "The Christmas Party" he exclaimed excitedly.

I stared at him, eyes wide. I really didn't want to go to this party. It was hard enough spending a day around these boys and their silly guests, but I couldn't give up a busy night of work too. I couldn't afford it. I really couldn't afford it.

I walked around the Host Club, listening to snippets of conversation. There was Tamaki, talking about how beautiful he was, and the girls were falling for it. Then there were the twins, saying how they rented out the banquet hall for the party. Oh lord, now they were doing that little incest thing of theirs'. Honestly it was the last thing that would turn me on; it kind of made me embarrassed for them. But it's not like Hikaru and Kaoru ever got embarrassed.

I walked by where Kyouya was. "The girls seem much more hyper-active than usual" I said softly.

"Yes, well, being partially naked helps with that. The first idea was some Santa Claus outfit cosplay, but I'm glad I put the Bali book in front of Tamaki. This idea sells much better," he said, an evil glint in his eyes.

I looked at him strangely. So, this was why the club operated so effectively. Kyouya didn't have any real say, as he was only Vice President, but he knew how to make an idea look like Tamaki's. That clever bastard. Sometimes, it worried me. I knew that Kyouya was smart, and I was fairly certain he had many resources, so he probably knew something of my past. I cringed at the thought. No, he couldn't know.

I caught him glancing at me from the corner of my eye. "What?" I said calmly.

"It's nothing, but, well you really shouldn't fall asleep in the library anymore. Someone might see and get you in trouble" he said, with an equal air of calm.

"How did you..." I started, but then I shook my head. I didn't want to know. "Okay, thanks."

I quickly walked away, not wanting my face to betray anything. But my hands were still shaking as I sat down at my post, ready to entertain the girls who had called on me today.

"Haruhi, you're not wearing a costume! How come?" one of the girls asked, sounding disappointed.

"Oh, well, I think it's only natural to wear winter clothes in the wintertime," I said hurriedly. In all honesty, the costume Tamaki had picked out for me had been a dress. He really was an idiot sometimes. I politely rejected the idea, so I was still in my Ouran uniform.

"Oh, so you value the seasons? How wonderful" the same girl exclaimed.

I found it easier just to not remember their names. They all blurred together, in reality. But, as long as you have a charming smile and call them princess every now and again, they don't even notice. It was amazing how quickly I had picked up faking being happy. No one seemed to suspect I was constantly ready to cry, or maybe scream. All of the time, my hands were shaking, and my nightmares still kept me up at night. Hence, the sleeping in the library. But back to the girls. They started talking about cuddling in the snow and such.

I rearranged my features, eyelids slightly drooped, charming smile and head tilted slightly, as I softly said, "You girls all have your little dreams. It's really cute" I added a hint of bashfulness.

It was so easy, telling girls what they wanted to hear. I had seen enough love stories, whether in books, movies, or reality, to know what made the girls swoon.

And sure enough, they blushed red and continued talking and fantasizing about getting caught in blizzards or climbing up mountains. I kept my smile carefully in place and tried not to think of Kyouya's words earlier. He had sounded worried almost, but surely sleeping in the library wasn't cause enough for worry? Unless he knew why I was sleeping in the library all of the sudden. I pushed the thought away and tried hard to listen to what the girls were saying.

I hadn't noticed that, when I had shown my perfectly-sculpted smile and voice, that the twins and Tamaki had been watching. Blushing red themselves and mentally agreeing that I was the cute one. If I had known, well, I wouldn't have believed it, but I remained oblivious to anything concerning me.

"Excuse me, but I believe it's my turn now." I turned around and saw a pretty girl, with short red hair, and an almost wistful air to her.

"Oh, you must be the one with the reservation," I said pleasantly, still studying the girl. "And you're name is…" I continued.

"Kasugasaki Kanako, from grade 11, class B" she said amicably.

Kasugasaki leaned in close and said, "You're cuter than I heard. I've decided that you'll be my new favorite." She tilted my head up to meet her gaze.

There was an almost blank look to her eyes, like she was trying not to show what she felt. I knew that look well; I had honed that look. But it wasn't my business. Shouldn't I know better than anyone that people generally don't want to talk about it? But still, it made me like her more, to know that she had something to hide, and was not as shallow and empty-headed as most of the other girls. Without even meaning to, I had committed her name to memory, Kasugasaki-san.

I had a pleasant time with her, although sometimes she would get a faraway look in her eye that I couldn't seem to place the origin of. Once Kasugasaki had left, I made my way over to the other boys. Shockingly enough, I saw Tamaki muttering and stuffing his face with Ramen noodles.

"I don't understand…!" he said, sounding rather pathetic and dramatic, as always.

The twins called out to him. "Stop eating Peasant's food and come help us with the final plans for the party."

"What's wrong with him?" I asked, confused as ever.

"Well, Kanako has the illness, the 'switching-guys' disease," began the twins.

"And just last week, it was Tama-chan's turn" finished Honey-sempai.

"See, normally when we have regular customers, they pick their favorite host, and then stick with that host forever" said the twins.

Understanding dawned on me. Tamaki was probably upset that someone had selected to prefer me over him. "So, it's because I took his guest," I said slowly.

"NO, THAT'S NOT IT!" yelled Tamaki.

Oh, no, I thought inwardly, he's going to start one of his rants. Naturally, I was right. He started going on about how it's because I need to dress like a girl, and that it's shameful that only the Host Club knows. I pretty much started ignoring him after the first few seconds, but I essentially understood the gist of his message.

What caught my attention was when he put up last year's school photo of me, with my long, thick hair, makeup, and all of that. "Daddy wants this!" Tamaki said, halfway between a whine and a sob.

My eyes widened, and I felt like a deer in headlights. I was panicking. How would he have known how to get that picture? What did that mean? "Where did you get that?" I demanded. And while I spoke at a normal volume, I had said it both accusingly and suspiciously.

All of the boys stopped to look at me strangely. I thought I saw a glimmer of understanding in Kyouya's eyes, but it could have been a trick of the light, for it was gone in a flash. Tamaki looked on the verge of tears, and I realized that I was acting really sketchy. Way to go, Haruhi, I mentally chastised myself. Way to play it cool.

Forcing myself to get back under control, I took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, it just took me by surprise that you had found that. I mean, it's a whole different life from there to here, so it surprised me." I put on my charming smile, and tried to appear nonchalant about the awkward situation I had put myself in.

Just like that, the situation diffused, and Tamaki was back to swooning at that old photo of me.

"It really doesn't matter to me," I began cautiously, all hints of malice were erased from my voice as I spoke honestly." Boy or girl, being identified as one or the other, it doesn't bother me that people think I'm a boy. All I want to do is get my 200 costumers, pay my debt back, and then move on with my life" I said.

"Mommmy," Tamaki wailed, "Haruhi is talking about herself as if she's a boy"

"Who's mommy?" asked Hikaru.

"Well, given our current positions in the club, I would say that mommy is me" Kyouya said, seeming resigned to the fact that he was referred to as mommy by the biggest baby I had ever met.

"Well, I have to go," I said, backing out slowly, hands clasped behind my back. While my hands were often shaky, they had begun to do so violently. I held them together, until my fingers were turning white with the effort.

"Do you know how to social dance?" the twins called out, before I was fully out of the door.

"Dance?" I said. I had always been very uncoordinated; dancing in public did NOT sound like a good idea.

"Don't worry, we'll teach you tomorrow, " they said, grinning in their mischievous way.

"Not likely" I muttered under my breath as I headed out. Once I was free of the school grounds, I ran as quickly as I could to get to work.

Hope you liked ! R&R please (: