Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

SebBela: Lonely Witch

Natalia ignored the snickering of the nearby students when she passed them. She was used to it by now. And if she reacted, it would only be worse for her.

"There goes the witch again."

"Be careful or she'll curse you."

Natalia clenched her fists, feeling her nails digging into her palms. It was the only reaction she would show. For as long as she could remember, she'd been called 'witch' and other variations. She couldn't even remember what had started it in the first place, but she remembered something that happened in third grade, where one of the boys pushed her past the breaking point and she yelled at him that she hoped he died. And within a few hours, he got in an accident that necessitated that he be kept from school for a few weeks.

"Um, excuse me?"

Natalia continued walking, intent on getting to her classroom as soon as possible. She didn't stop until someone tapped her shoulder. She spun around, a glare already on her face.

She didn't recognise the boy, and he jumped a bit when she turned her glare to him.

"Sorry," he said. "I just want to know where I can find Class 11C."

Natalia blinked at him. So, he was new. That would explain why he approached her. He probably hadn't had time to hear any of the rumours about her.

"That's my class," Natalia said. "You can follow me, if you want."

He beamed, and Natalia quickly looked away. It was only a matter of time before he heard enough of the rumours to decide that he wouldn't want anything to do with her. His happy face would no longer be pointed in her direction.

"So, I'm Marcello," he said as he slipped in next to her. "What about you?"

"Natalia," she said.

"Nice to meet you."

Natalia couldn't help the brief smile. He would distance himself from her soon enough. He didn't realise how ironic his statement was yet.

"Here we are," Natalia said.

"Oh," Marcello said as he blinked at the classroom. "I thought it would take longer to get there."

Natalia only shrugged, before she entered the classroom. A few of her classmates were already there. They ignored her and she ignored them. She went to her seat at the back of the classroom. Once she sat down, she realised that Marcello still followed her.

"Sorry," he said. "I don't know where anyone sits, or isn't there a real seating plan?"

"Um, you might want to wait for the teacher," Natalia said.

"Okay. So, do you mind if I wait with you?"

Natalia's jaw dropped, though she quickly managed to shut it. He couldn't be serious. Why was he wasting his time with her?

"Hey, you're a new kid, right?" someone else asked. "You should stay away from the witch."

"Witch?" Marcello asked as he turned to face the other, his head cocking to the side.

"Yeah. Stay away before she curses you."

Natalia tried not to flinch, but she still sent a glare in the direction of her classmate. Another one noticed and nudged the first.

"Careful," he said. "The witch is angry with you."

Marcello turned back to Natalia, and she quickly averted her gaze. It was what she had expected, but it still hurt. When was the last time someone at school was friendly towards her, and they weren't her brother or sister?

The scrape of a chair caused her to look up. Marcello sat down next to her with a smile. Natalia's eyes widened, and Marcello turned to the other classmates.

"You know, if you think you can make friends by being mean to people, then you should really question what kinds of friends you have," Marcello said. "And if you actually think that she's a witch, then you may want to find a time machine. This is the twenty-first century, not the twelfth. We really don't need people that mix the two up."

The two scurried away, though not without a glare. Marcello turned back to Natalia.

"Well, that explains it," he said.

"Explains… what?" Natalia asked.

"Why you looked so lonely."

Natalia flinched, before she looked away. Marcello was right, of course. No one wanted anything to do with her, and despite her best efforts to not make it look as though it bothered her… it did. It hurt every day.

"So…" Marcello said after a while. "I'm still new in town, so I don't know what's here. Do you mind showing me around?"

"Why would you want me to show you?" Natalia asked.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Natalia sighed, before she closed her eyes.

"…Alright," she said.

"Great," Marcello said. "It's a date."

Natalia jumped. Was… was he serious?

This was partially inspired by an anime that I recently watched, My Clueless First Friend.