• Chapter 5- Getting Acquainted

    Time sure does fly fast; the weekend is finally and it’s Monday again. Since it’s close to our summer vacation, I think that I should enjoy the remaining days of our school. But it’s kind of too bad that we don’t have school because of that camp thing. And plus, giving me another reason to dislike it.
    When I woke up a while ago, I plan to slack off even for just this day but unfortunately I saw the pile of folder in my desk, which reminds me of a project or projects that needs to be done. So I went to the bathroom and took a nice cold shower; the cold water running through my body in such a hot day was a nice thing to do to start the day with. And when I was finished with my nice shower, I convinced myself to do some projects that needs to be done. I was sitting in my table when I realized that I forgot some of my books at school. This is bad, really bad. Now I have to not only finish these things but also pick up some things at school. Well, at least it can’t get any worse. I have to stay positive.
    When I exited our house, I noticed of how it was such a nice day out. The sun is shining brightly just right but it was too hot for me. I wore a black short and some black and white shirt with some sandals, so I won’t have to walk around sweating and feeling uneasy all day long. I immediately went the convenience store to buy some cold fresh milk for breakfast. It wasn’t exactly an ideal breakfast but I’m not used to eating much during that time of the day. Maybe it’s because I usually wake up late and would skip to lunch. But even so, nothing like a fresh cold bottle of milk to start your day.
    I arrived in school in less than 20 minutes so I still have a lot of time. I’m trying to budget my time, as to what some people would call it. There weren’t many teachers around which isn’t much of a biggie for me, so I just went straight to our classroom which is on the third floor. When I arrived at the 2nd floor and was about to go up, something hit me. I just remembered all of the stories some of my classmates especially Haru would talk about. By stories I meant the scary ones. What a great way to remember Haru. I have to keep calm, because all I have to do is go to my locker and get some books.
    Walk fast and get stuff
    Walk fast and get stuff
    I repeated on these words as I walked towards my locker. And I was almost there when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I shrieked when I felt it and snapped my head backwards hoping it isn’t a ghost or some bad person.
    “Uh…hi” was all he could say after I shrieked.
    I was surprised to see that it was none other than Akasu. Great. And this guy seriously has some issues to deal with. Why is it that in every place that I’m in or going, he’s always there; ready to annoy me.
    “W-what are you doing in here?” I asked in an annoyed tone that says get out and stop following me.
    He chuckled lightly, “Do you always do that? Scream whenever there is someone who wants to talk to you?”
    I blushed of embarrassment at what he just told me, did I really do that? Although I didn’t mean to, it’s his fault on the first place. He shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.
    “No, I’m sorry. Wait, what are you doing here? Everyone’s suppose to be at the stupid camp thing?”
    “Have you forgotten, I’m new so I wasn’t informed and it would be late if I come.” He smirked as he stated the obvious. Oh why am I stuck with him today?
    “Oh right, I forgot. Too bad, you should have just asked some teachers about it. Or you can even ask Rika about it, she’s the president of the student council you know, and I’m sure she’d be more than happy to have you.” I said, trying to talk with him.
    “I don’t think that will be necessary, I don’t want to come anyway.” He said
    Then why didn’t you tell me in the first place, instead of trying to explain all of that to you. I’m starting to lose my patience with this guy.
    “Oh…I see,” I said as I grab some of my books, but do my dismay the notes for my project was in my notebook after all. Darn it, it would have saved me from the regret of coming down here and bumping into this guy. “If you’re not in here for that camp thing then why are you here?” I looked at him from head to toe and vice versa, trying to analyze by his clothes as to why he’s here.
    He wore a simple white polo shirt that isn’t buttoned all the way through, some black jeans with some rubber shoes. It’s looks so simple and ordinary but with him wearing it, it looks extraordinary.
    “Don’t know, I just felt like going in here,”
    I rolled my eyes at his pathetic excuse and walked past him.
    “Hey wait, where are you going?” he called
    I didn’t look back at him and just answered, “I’m going home now,”
    He caught up with me and I tried to walk fast. I wish he would stop annoying me.
    “Hey wait, I thought we’re friends. Did I say something bad?” he asked
    I stopped; I don’t want him thinking that I’m mad at him. Plus, I owe him one. For carrying me when I passed out in the middle of nowhere. “Ok, what do you want?”
    “Would you like to come and join me for lunch?”
    “Are you asking me out?” I asked, bewildered by his sudden action. This guy really does the unexpected.
    “Yea, I guess. You know, just a friendly lunch out,”
    “Fine, fine.” I answered.
    Then we both went to the mall and he asked me what I want. It’s his treat since he told me that it would be rude of him to let me pay. So I just agreed, after all, I love free meals. He asked where I’d want to eat and I was craving for some burgers for a week now, so we decided to eat at a local burger joint at the mall. I felt like a pig around him, cause he just ordered some burger and some coke, while I order some large coke, burger and come large fries. And while we ate I noticed that he isn’t actually eating; he’s just playing around with his food.
    “Aren’t you hungry?” I asked, feeling ashamed of how he paid for all these but isn’t eating anything at all.
    He looked at me, like he was expecting my question. “No, it’s not like that. I’m kind of in a special diet.”
    “Diet?”
    “Hey, you asked me about not going to that camp, but you yourself didn’t go there. Can I ask why?”
    “Well, it’s because I don’t think I will feel comfortable during my stay there.” I answered him honestly
    “You’re friends are there right?” he asked curiously
    “Yeah, well, except for Haru; everyone thinks he’s become one of those anti-socials now. Don’t know why but I think it’s just because he doesn’t like outdoor activities like that. And don’t get me wrong, I like being with them and all, but I think that I don’t have the right or energy to enjoy myself after all that’s happened this year. I’m still adjusting to my new life.”
    “New life?” he sounded interested this time, maybe I said too much.
    “With my parents away at their business at America and my older brother living in a different city because he has to go to college; I’m not used to this kind of thing, I guess I just want to be alone for a while. At least for now,”
    “I see. I guess something things will never change; life is still unfair. Some teenager your age would be happy that they get to live alone, they would even use this opportunity to do what they want but you…” he trailed of, wanting me to complete his thought in my head.
    “But that’s what they want, it’s unfair.” I said as I looked down at my food
    “Living your life the way you don’t want; it truly is unfair.”
    “How about you, is your life unfair also?” I asked, trying to enlighten the mood of our conversation
    “Yea, I was forced to move in here from Paris. I didn’t have any choice, my parents died and I don’t have anyone else back there, so I have to go back here.”
    “Is it because of the fact that your grandmother lives here?” I asked, starting to get curious about his life.
    “No, not just that. It’s because I wanted to see how it is to live and grow up in the place where my mother grew up.”
    So, his mother lives here. Doesn’t that make him like, half Japanese, half Italian? But he sure doesn’t look like it. His skin is too pale; with white silver-ish hair and dark red eyes.
    “And no, I’m not half Japanese half Italian. My mom just grew up in here but she’s born somewhere in Italy.”
    “Oh, how nice. I wish I could go there too. So Akasu-“
    “Please, just call me Kazu, I think it would be better that way since we’re friends now right?”
    Ok, so now I get to call him by his first name.
    “So, Kazu, how about you tell me a little about yourself?” I asked in a curious tone, hoping he’ll answer me right this time.
    “But I just did, and I can see that you’ve done some snooping of yourself about my background.”
    I can’t believe I just slipped about the whole grandmother thing. Ok, so he caught me about that but I wasn’t snooping like all the other girls, it was Isamu who started talking about it.
    “I don’t know a lot, and isn’t it better if you tell me about yourself since we’re friends now?” finally, I defeated him by his own word of friendship.
    He sighed at defeat, “What do you want to know about me? I don’t think that there is something about myself that will be of any interest to you?”
    I was shocked at his words, I mean, every girl in our school would die just to be here in my position right now and now he will actually tell me that he’s boring. Doesn’t he see how he dazzles and appeals to everyone, including me?
    “Well, from what I can see, you’re very interesting.”
    He chuckled lightly and looked at me, “I guess we’re the same on that part because I find you very interesting too.”
    Did I just hear him say that? Me, interesting? And more importantly to him? This is strange, no one has ever said that to me, or even asked me to eat with them and have some serious conversation with them. Minute by minute I’m starting to discover things about Kazu.
    “How about this, we both want to know a little piece of information from one another, so how about we take turns and ask each other one question at a time?”
    I nodded at his question while taking a sip of coke from the can. This conversation is making me thirsty, but it’s turning out to be good somehow.
    “Ladies first,”
    Good, I get to go first, “If you don’t mind me asking, I know it’s rude and I know I don’t have the right, but I’m just curious you know about what-“
    He cut me off and said, “It’s fine, you don’t have to worry about offending me. Feel free to ask me anything.”
    “How did your parents die?”
    He shrugged at my question and it made me think of how a bad idea of even thinking to ask this to him. What if he got mad at me or something, will he ignore it. “Kazu, you-“
    He smiled, “My parents…my mother died a long time ago, she die because of an illness, while my father died just recently so I have no one else there. Even my sister was killed too.”
    “Do you know how killed them?”
    “Yes, I know him. He was very close to me before but now, I don’t even know him or don’t want to hear anyone mention his name.”
    His tone is full of anger but when I look at him, he doesn’t show it. I guess he’s restraining himself from getting mad or showing me how mad he is.
    “We’re the same huh? Well, I know it’s pretty hard for you but you have to move on. You may say that I’m in no position of telling you this but you have to, at least for your own good. And if there’s anything you need from me, like help, just tell me, ok? Our kind is rare, cause there aren’t many teenagers with no parents now, so we have to help each other out.”
    He chuckled lightly, his stance became softer than usual, and his warm red eyes looked at me again while he answered me, “You know, you’re a weird one. Being helpful and with me might get you to trouble someday.”
    “Well, maybe your right but who cares. I’m sure your problems aren’t as half bad as me, right?”
    “Your still young, you still don’t know how life is and how real trouble is.”
    “Kazu, you talk like you’re older than me, as in really older than me, like a hundred years older than me.” I teased him
    “And what if I am, would you still want to be my friend?” he asked
    “Of course, that’s what friends are for, right?”
    “So…you finally accepted the fact that we’re friends now?”
    “Don’t get your hopes up to high, but wait, It’s your turn now.” I said, trying to change the subject
    “Tell me a little about yourself, you family and your childhood?”
    “My foster parents?”
    “You choose, anything’s fine by me.”
    And so I told him about my foster parents, I don’t really like talking about my real parents. I don’t have real happy memories about them. He asked about my older brother, his name is Ken. He’s very kind and caring, although he teases me always when he has the chance. He’s really good at math and English, plus he has a girlfriend at Tokyo named Sen. Isn’t it nice how their name rhymes. As for my foster family I told him of how they come home from time to time to visit us and for business trips. They own a big company at America but some people doesn’t know that we’re their adopted children cause that would stir up our lives and the media. Plus, me and my brother want to keep our lives private. And Kazu promised not to tell anyone about this so it’s fine to tell him the whole story. They’re real nice to us and take care of use even though they’re away. He didn’t ask about how my real parents we’re killed which is nice for me, maybe he got the message when I didn’t talk about it at our house.
    “Very interesting, I guess I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover.” He finally said when I was finished with the story.
    Our conversation was very nice and interesting I didn’t get very bored with him around that I didn’t notice that it’s starting to get dark, and when I looked at my watch it’s almost 6pm.
    “I guess I should get you home now, it’s getting late now.” He said before I can ask if I can leave now.
    “Yeah, you’re right,”
    “Time sure flies when you’re enjoying company, isn’t it?”
    I smiled at him; glad that he enjoyed my company, “Yeah, your right.”
    It’s kind of disappointing because I still want to talk to him and get to know him better but I can’t since there’s school tomorrow. He walked with me to my house, he wouldn’t take no for an answer, said that he can’t forgive himself if something bad happens to me trying to get home. We talked about things as we walked to my house. Out topic were first impressions and the class we want to take when we get the chance to switch it; history will be the first thing he’ll change. And I was right about him no noticing how all the girls think of him or how perfect he is. It was nice, to see him like this for a while, so care free and enjoying himself other than the cold and heartless guy he used to be at his first day of school. Then, finally, we arrived at the gate of my house. It’s time to say goodbye.
    “Bye,” I said
    “Bye, thanks for today. I’m glad you didn’t refuse my offer.” He said
    “Yeah, I’m glad I didn’t. So, I’m going now. And thanks for the lunch. Will I see you at school again tomorrow?”
    “Yes, you will.”
    “Oh…ok. So, bye now.”
    “Bye, and good night.”
    “Good night,”
    I can still sense him looking at me as I opened the door with my keys. He waited until I was inside, making sure I was safe now.
    What a tiring day, so many things happened. Well, at least it didn’t turn out as bad as I thought it would. I went up to my room and just remembered about my projects. I was too tired to do or even thing about them, so I just decided to finish them tomorrow at school when I have the time. I needed a warm soak in the tub to regain my strength and feel comfortable.
    After of almost soaking in the tub for almost half an hour, I sat at my table to check my email. So I guess almost everyone was at that camp thing. Good, at least I don’t have to be bothered by their childish antics. So I just dried the ends of my hair and got ready to go to bed. At last, I can finally have some rest at my soft bed. It’s still kind of early for sleep but I don’t want to be running late again for school tomorrow. I switched the lights off and laid down on my bed to get some rest but instead of landing in a soft bed, I felt something hard against my back. I got up to look at what it was and noticed that it was my mobile phone. I guess I forgot to bring it, thinking that I’ll be back shortly.
    “Huh? There’s one message in here? But who could that be? Everyone’s at camp?” I said as I looked to see as to who it was. It’s from…Aya.
    Spill. I want every detail by tomorrow.
    Saw you with Akasu at the mall. Love Aya     smile


    Hey guys, the title isn't suppose to be like that, well, i still don't have a title for this story yet. any suggestions? just pm me smile