7I stopped outside my classroom, which seemed to be empty. I checked the timetable pinned on the cork notice board at the back of the classroom. It read Chemistry, Lab 6. Great. It was Chemistry next block, and I didn't know where to go and I was definitely going to be late. Very late, if I don't find a guide fast.
While those thoughts were whizzing through my head, I failed to notice a certain raven-haired boy at the back of class.
He cleared his throat to get my attention and said, 'Chemistry's at Lab 6.'
I just stared back at him as though his spaceship had just crashed into our classroom.
His face took on an annoyed look and he told me to hurry or be late for class.
With that, he turned his heel on me and walked off briskly, presumably in the direction of our designated classroom.
I was left with no choice. I obviously didn't want to skip Chemistry class since it was my favourite subject (If it was Geography, I wouldn't have minded skipping, though), so I gathered my books quickly and ran after Rukawa.
*************
'Gomenasai, sensei. I'm a transfer student and I couldn't find my way to class. Rukawa was the one who took me here.' I just had to explain why Rukawa was late too, otherwise I'd owe him one.
'Well, since I was changing everyone's seating arrangement just now, and since you two were not here-'
Oh shucks. Please don't make me spend my favourite Chemistry classes with that freaky guy Rukawa who drools more than my dog. Please please please please please please please please please please please.
Of course, I knew my prayer was in vain. Again. Maybe I really should consider converting to another religion whose God answers prayers like mine.
'-you two shall sit together, and that's final.'
DAMN! Not next to that drooling Kits-(no I cannot call him a kitsune since he looks like me and calling him a kitsune would mean I looked like one too. =( ) mop-head.
I wanted to scream. I never seemed to get what I wanted in life, and always got what I didn't. Now I have to sit right next to the guy who totally freaked me out. I wanted to request a change of seat, but seeing the look on the teacher's face, I grudgingly sat down next to Rukawa.
************* -right after school-
Somehow I felt that I was being followed. By whom? I didn't know. Anyway, I couldn't care less since I was going to be late for gym tryouts, which would start in precisely 3 minutes and 12 seconds, and I hadn't changed into my leotard yet. I certainly wanted to give my seniors a good impression. But, I simply didn't know my way there.
In any case, I finally made it to the school gymnastics block (nearly 30 minutes late) after asking more than half the school population how to get there. It certainly didn't help that my sense of direction was atrocious.
The gymnastics team captain, Ito Shizuka, was very understanding. She, as well as the rest of the team, tried to make me feel at home. But the fact that I was always shy with strangers, and that I was more than a head taller than most of them, made me feel like a sore thumb sticking out, literally. It sure didn't help that Shizuka was teasing me about joining basketball instead in an attempt to break the ice.
And of course, there was the strange feeling that someone was watching me. But I was going to have to do my prepared floor routine to show my ability and total concentration was required. So I brushed aside the feeling I thought was paranoia and took a deep breath.