Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Against The Odds: Take A Look At Me Now ❯ The Price Of Loving a Demon ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: I don't own any of this so don't sue me! This all belongs to Yoshihiro Togash except for except for Suika and the plot.
The rest is his! ^_~

















Key:
~~~=Change of POV.
*Words*=Dream sequence/ thoughts/ flashbacks






~~~




















*Against The Odds: Take A Look At Me Now*




















Chapter Three





















Subrina peaked through her window- seeing that the daylight was already swallowed up by the dark blue of seven. She shrugged, frustrated. No pictures. Nothing. Even worse, she couldn't bring herself to read a word in her English book. As much as progress allured to her, she despised working on something she wasn't into. Cracking her knuckles, she laid back on her swivel chair and stared blankly at the glowing computer screen in her bedroom. Poetry assignment. A photo project, English review, and NOW a poetry assignment- of all things.


















Pulling out the keyboard from the rolling drawer beneath her desk, she 'tacked' away at the keys- making up phrases of no value to her.





















"Look at the sky- it's just so high!

Look over there! A bird is flying by!"




















She rolled her eyes at that. Pathetic, simply pathetic. Without delay, she deleted the first and only two stanzas written on her word program. Resting her cheek in the pool of his palm, she blew up her lip- causing her hair to fly up messily. It was time to try again.







"Do you know why? We all laugh and wonder?




















Her fingers grabbed a mechanical pencil and began drumming it repeatedly over her table. This, by far, was the hardest thing she ever tried to achieve. Either she hated words, or words hated her. Now, conscious of the fact that she liked talking so much- she figured words were tired of her, and hence ran away when she needed them most. Such as now.



















Again, she deleted the stanza.


















To the lower right-hand corner of her computer screen- she took notice that her e-mail box was glowing. Lifting her eyebrows with appeal, she minimized her window and clicked on the icon.


















Her mouse momentarily transformed into an hourglass, fading away after a few seconds once a box appeared. Clicking on her account and inbox- she scrolled down the letters until she found the ones in bold. Fifty-seven messages today- most of which were Spam mail, homework help requests, chain letters, and adds. It was depressing- to open a mailbox, only to delete useless junk for half an hour. What a waste of precious time.


















Finally, she came into contact with something intriguing. It was labeled: "Suika's Love". Subrina smirked. This certainly wasn't the first time that there was gossip about her friend. Clicking on the mouse, the letter loaded- revealing an eternal list of forwarders and recipients. The teen sighed in semi-pity. This was bad- it had to be. Judging by some of the e- mail addresses- chains went all the way to Kyoto and further. There was no message on the document- just a simple code name from an anonymous person. It didn't take long at all before she discovered a highlighted paperclip on the note. It must be an attachment. She pressed on the icon and waited for the attachment to materialize. Then she dropped her pencil.


















"Oh my God."



















~*~

















Either spring decided to pass the ritual equinox, or summer completely absorbed the season with its unbearable heat. The climate had been peculiar as of late. Winter didn't have the intense winds or piles of prickly frost- no. This year it was pleasant, the snow had fallen to the earth delicately and caused no more than the reddening of cool cheeks. The fall beforehand had dropped the leaves, as usual, however the air was modest. One would not fear going out for a walk in a simple shirt or sweater- those alone were enough for needed warmth. Now spring, it was as if it never came, but had passed by unseen. In truth, this was the season, and it displayed within the blossoming of flowers and feverish romance. As for the weather. It baked.


















Suika opened the door- wincing a little as the metal handle frankly burnt her hand- and entered the hall. It felt wonderful to step in. The air- conditioning blew back her hair in that instant, freshening her visage by a scale. Astonishingly, the everyday commotion she was accustomed to did not meet with her senses. In fact, her very appearance created a wave of silence that washed over the once clamoring students. At the time, she made no business of it- she could care less. The weekend had gone by fleetingly, two days of recreation plus the much needed Sunday for convalescence. Within her own mind, she could hear whistling. Happy whistling. It was another day and it felt good to live. Good to breathe and stroll down the school building.


















As she walked, whispers emitted from all over- clouding around her ears, and yet not making much definite sense. The only few words she could clearly recognize were: 'Did you.?' 'I can't believe.' and other odds and ends.


















Stares were jabbing into her back- she felt them. It was a sharp sensation, almost as though she were stripped of all her clothing. before them all. Such a feeling leads only to pitiful shame. and yet Suika thought in contradiction to her emotions. There was no need. Her intuition was off today. Simple. After all, what could be expected after an exhausting two days of outing?


















Making a turn to her locker, Suika fingered her combination- rotating to the right, then to the left, and then to the right again. Readying to pull the lock open, the blonde stopped at noticing several shadows crowding around her on the white tiled floor. They were surrounding her. It was only so conspicuous because of the unmistakable outlines of humanly figures- bunched together and swaying as the tall brown grasses do.


















As she took her eyes away from the ground, Suika turned and smiled haphazardly. Her grin melted away. The faces around her sent messages of impending darkness, disposed to fall over her shoulders at any moment.


















That's when it happened. Someone, a person she had no history with whatsoever slapped her hard on the ass and whispered into her ear.


















".So. How's your fuck buddy?"














The blonde nearly jumped at that. Electricity. She reacted with immeasurable stun. "What- what are you talking about?"



" You went demon cock-sucking!"




"I- I would do no such thing."





"Yeah, sure! Now we know why you keep your hair so long- you keep it that long so ypu cab hide all the marks you get!"




"Slut!"




"Slut!"















The metal of the locker banged loudly as it met with the rushing of her back. Meekness somehow poured over her demeanor. Retaliation would have been her first impulse, but the first onslaught of shock from earlier still lingered throughout every fiber of her being. They found out. All of them. They KNEW.



"Slut!"




"Slut!"















Their jeering swallowed her eardrums. The same chant over and over: SLUT. It was just a word, a four-letter word at that, but it stung. Suika bowed her head down- somewhat hoping her hair would hide the dreaded manifestation of her face. Peering through the fine strands, she saw many guys looking on from behind the gang of girls. They did nothing- merely looked on and watched as the teens battered her with cursing. To the far left, the blonde spied a face of a friend. Without a doubt it was Saito Satoshi. Yes, the fine and smooth long midnight blue hair. the aqua marine eyes. His beautiful face had gone pale, and his skin seemed to shiver uncontrollably with what Suika perceived to be as moroseness and resentment. Then, as if it couldn't have gotten any worse, Subrina joined her boyfriend's side- staring emotionlessly at her as the barrage of verbal abuse continued.















"If you start sticking your tongue down some demon's throat, why don't you just become one while you're at it!"



"What do you keep in your locker, Suika? Condoms?"















The crowd laughed. The hateful kind of laugh, where one would go so far as to shoot herself first before becoming the new hunchback of Notre Dam.















Suika felt her lips trembling wildly, innumerable questions trafficking her head in concurrence. 'How did this happen? Why? Everything was going so well. Why must they do this to me now? Who started this? I want to cry, but I refuse to. Why do I need to cry? They're the ones who are fools. But how is it, then, that I am the one outnumbered?'















"Open her locker!"



"Open her locker!"



"OPEN HER LOCKER!!!"















Pushing her violently to the side, another student pulled at the already set lock. With this, the locker door was forced open as a waterfall of tampons, lipstick and condoms tumbled out of the dark cabinet. The items spilled onto the floor loudly- plastic rods spinning around in circles and coming into counter with peoples' feet. They gasped and yelled- disgusted. Some of them even jumped away as if they would somehow be contaminated.















"Those don't belong to me!" The blonde cried with earnest. "Someone must have planted them there! I swear it!"



"I don't believe you."





"Me neither. For all we know, you USE those tampons to masturbate!"



"Gross! Pick up your shit before someone slips and gets hurt because of you!"















"I ALREADY told you! Those don't belong to me! And what makes you even THINK that I would even think of being with a… demon?"















The last line was tragic denial. It wasn't until shortly after that Suika realized it, and when she did- it hit her with such a pang she had to lean against the wall she was thrown to. To her further consternation- Subrina walked up to her silently, reaching for some crumpled piece of paper tucked within the folds of her pocket.















"This does." Subrina said stringently. She handed her the paper, her head angled down and her eyes aiming straight up. She changed, Suika's friend changed. The face was the same, however. there was an impression of coldness that emanated from her frame.















Unfolding the paper, green irises widened at the print out. "The. Arboretum." She whispered. "Where did you get this?"





"It's. all over the place, Suika. I received mine from e-mail. Just about everyone else got it the same way." At this point, Suika forced herself to be as kind as possible- the effort of this indisputably showed. "This. This is a joke. Right?"





Suika still stared intently at the paper.





"Suika?" She went back to her original tone. "It IS a joke, right? Tell me this guy, is not the demon Yuskue Urameshi."















The blonde swallowed. This person, the one talking to her now, was a friend searching desperately for the truth. She couldn't lie to her. Lies ruin everything. That's how it was with her mother- forbid the same would happen between her and Subrina. The answer, Suika knew, would be one the other would not want to hear. But what else may she do? Deny her lover?















"He's." She has the chance- she could lie out of it. No. It wouldn't work. The evidence was plainly too pure in fact. No. Never deny the truth. Never deny the one you love, for then what there was. will never be again.




Karma.















"He's. He IS. Not an enemy to me-"




"Did you kiss him?" Again, her friend was urging her on hastily. The pressure was extreme. So bad it was, Suika felt her insides being incinerated, and her bones being crushed from both sides.




"I. won't deceive you."












The bell rang and many departed- they heard what they needed.




"I see." The dark haired one turned- figure somewhat bent over in what could be disappointment. Satoshi followed after her, his black shoes tapping at the flooring almost musically. He turned back to Suika, his semi-long hair flying in a thin sheet against the atmosphere. His eyes had deepened. They were oceanic, and the tears he suppressed only furthered that image.
















Now being the only ones in the hall, Suika had to be the one to bring to sum enough courage to walk to him. Satoshi stood at wait, uneasy of what to think in the latest of revelations.




"We're…Still friends, right?"

"I…don't know." Balling his fist, he clutched onto the hem of his uniform. "Gomen nasai. But I feel as though I don't know you at all anymore..." He looked down to his shoes- absently swallowing the tension in one gulp. "Do you remember, when we first met? And it seemed as if we knew each other inside and out when we spoke to one another? Now. It feels like I lost that."
















Suika found her teeth chattering. Suddenly, it felt so icy. "I'm still the same person."




"Maybe, but." The boy wasn't too sure as to what to say. He was already late for class, but what was important to him at present was that his number one friendship was at stake. "But. I thought. Listen, when I received that letter, I refused to believe it- I never thought of you to be perverse. However- "




"Is THAT what you think I am?" She interrupted emotionally. "Satoshi. You and Subrina are my closest friends here- I'm not sick, I'm just like everyone else. Only."




"That's not my problem, Suika-san. Don't you see? I noticed three months ago that you were hardly communicating with me. You already know how Subrina is; she's always busy when we're not going out. I want to talk to you whenever I get the chance, but recently, you haven't been around- not even for a study date. Just last Monday, I called if you wanted to come to Subrina's volleyball game. You never called back. It wasn't bothering me at first, but now that I know what's going on. Well.I feel bad that you haven't at least told me you were seeing someone. You didn't have to give me the specifics, just give me a reason as to why our friendship is deteriorating." "Satoshi."




"No. I'm not finished. What leads me to believe that you've done something perverse is the fact that you keep everything so secret. The more I think about it, the more I realize how much I honestly DON'T know about you. I can't be friends with someone who's just a stranger." Finishing, he sighed. "I better go. I'm five minutes past due."
















The blonde watched as the boy walked in the opposite direction, and headed for the flight of stairs. Unable to face first period, Suika knelt down to gather everything into a pile, and disposed of the heap at a nearby trashcan.
















What occurred this morning- it happened so fast it nearly blinded her with it's cruelty. The bruise on her back was only beginning to swell, and it felt so sore- it hurt to lay back against her chair in the second hour of school. The whole day she was ridiculed- over and over in an endless cacophony of swears and beatings. In biology, tubes filled with dog sperm awaited her at her desk- a piece of paper taped to them reading: 'Suika's FAVORITE subject'. Math was the same, on the whiteboard- written in block letters- was: 'Suika can't multiply the way rabbits do!' Then there was Language Arts. The teacher had been reviewing the paintings on the projector from the early Renaissance to compare them to the poetry written in that era. Eventually, the next slide was a sculpture of David in the nude. A student cried: 'Turn it off! Turn it off! Otherwise you'll turn HER on!'
















Lunch in itself was a nightmare. Avoiding it was just the only sane thing to do- lest she be splattered with trash or ignored by her own companions. So she sat, on the roof of the school- watching the cars blaze by through the fence wrapping around the building's edges. Binding her fingers around the criss and cross patterns of metal, she heaved a heavy sigh. The wind blew her white gold bangs to the side, nature's way of caressing her forehead as a mother would. Suika's eyelids lowered despondently. Today felt unreal- as if all the events were experienced at a dreamlike state. She could almost watch himself- see herself be battered by those who once knew her. Now she understood, how Caesar must have felt on the night of his death. Et tu? Subrina?
















She drew closer to the fence, her clean face touching the cold steel.



Et tu? Satoshi?




~*~




Running home was not an option. Instead of dodging mobs of guys, she was now escaping for the good of his life. The last thing she wanted to end his day- was to be jumped by a random gang of men/women who had to prove the ostensible 'purity' of the generic testosterone. Suika had seen some of the feats her classmates had performed. The mildest of all were effortless name-calling. The worst, however, were too monstrous to even been mentioned. The door banged behind her on her way inside her own household. With speed, she ran up the stairs and locked himself within her room. The blonde huddled in a corner- shaded from the sun- and brought her knees as close to her chest as she could possibly achieve. Suika sobbed quietly, allowing the tears to spill from her eyes in soundless streams.
















There came knocking on the door, followed later by Suika's mother's voice speaking softly through the wood.
















"Suika-san, daijoubu ka?"



".Hai!.Hai. Daijoubu."
















Eying the shadow of Shiori's presence- from beneath the gap of the door and the carpeting- she noticed her mother hesitate before she finally decided to leave her daughter be. She must have distinguished the breakage in Suika's voice. The few words she uttered struggled coming out of her lips, and the quality of it was austerely weak. When she needed to be alone, however, there was only one thing she could do. and being the kind of mother she was. Shiori always did it.
















Suika brought her head back, resting it in between the juncture of two walls. Pulling her palm over her tired complexion, strands of hair came up with her fingers- dripping with cold perspiration. Staring at the ceiling she choked:

"Why is this happening to me?" Sensing that her right hand was hardening, she pounded it fervently against the soft carpet floor. "Who. Who would do this.? Why?"



Her fingers groped above her forehead, and around her scalp, tugging at her locks with aggravation. "WHY?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?!"








More tears trickled from the corners of her eyes unceasingly- some of the drops disappearing into her clothing.




"Why."










~*~









The latch clicked faintly- glass pane lifting to permit him to enter the bedroom. Bare feet had settled onto the cushy carpet- boots removed for they were caked with mud and blood. Once coming into the room completely, Yuskue turned to shut the window again. His sharp eyes slowly roamed around the proximities; they wandered about carefully until they reached a certain person pathetically curled up against the wall. Delicate eyebrows arched at what he saw, that was, the saddest appearance man could ever see: someone so beautiful and strong sitting in a fetal position, hair washing over the carpet as the head was hung low and disheartened.

















Forgetting about the affairs circulating around his head, the hybrid stepped up to his lover- kneeling down slowly to put an affectionate hand over a trembling shoulder. In reaction, Suika looked up. What a sight she was. If the mood of the atmosphere weren't so unnerving, Yuskue would have flat out said that she looked like shit. Green eyes appeared sore, face flushed, and cheeks tear streaked. As for the fine strands of pale blonde hair- they were disheveled. Literally chunks of locks were caught in impossible tangles…

















On the floor itself, were hairs that had been seemingly torn straight out of the scalp. The elder cringed a little. Not only did it look sordid, but the very idea of ripping your own hair out by the handful was emphatically twisted. Glancing at his lover again, he took note that her lips were dry and cracked, that her long eyelashes were dewy, and that Suika just could not cease hiccupping as she tried to smile up to him.




"Bad- Bad day…"




Suika wiped her eyes quickly, almost embarrassed at being seen so unkempt. She released a well held-in sigh, later resting her chin upon her knee listlessly. Without uncertainty, Hiei stood promptly and headed for his lover's bathroom. There he found a glass and quickly filled it with cool water. Coming back, he knelt on the ground again and offered the drink. The other gazed at it vacantly- the whole form of the cup appearing blurred before her vision. As the shorter squinted, the glass began to materialize, along with it its contents of refreshing liquid.




"No- no thank you."



Yuskue's face contorted at such a ludicrous reply. "You had BETTER drink it… Judging from what I am seeing- you must be dehydrated from crying all day… What happened to you?"


















Finally accepting the cup, her hands shook with frailty as they attempted to lift the cold drink to her lips. Not much success, the blonde almost dropped the water if Yuskue hadn't steadied her grip. The hybrid held onto the glass patiently, allowing his lover to absorb every last drop before speaking. Re-hydration first, then the information.


















Suika's throat moved quickly as the water went down her mouth. It was revitalizing- she had never thought that water of all things could taste so good. In time, the cup was empty, and found itself a spot on the floor to stand. By now, Yuskue sat cross-legged directly in front of a young woman who couldn't quite enunciate the words she wanted to speak. The words that DID make sound were words she had already spoken from before…





"It was just- just a… bad day."




"Whatever. Not even bad days are this grim."






For a reason she could not conceive, Suika couldn't look at him as he had said that.


















Reaching out a hand, Yuskue combed some of the hair out of the younger's face. Coarse, tousled hair. It felt so foreign to his touch. Normally, the strands felt smooth- as if they would melt in your palm. Again, he ran his fingers through- somewhat stroking with unsaid sentimentality- if not empathy. The blonde closed her eyes. This felt nice. It felt… soothing. There was a certain aspect to the way the tentai touched her. It was as though their skin clashed, and therefore attracted. Yuskue's cold hands against her hot teary face. Fire against water… or perhaps ice. Such a feeling could only cancel out the pain.





She pleasured in being touched by him… Caressed.




Suddenly, supple lips lay upon the edge of her jaw. She felt them once more as they fondled about her cheek, and then…





Suika put her finger on Yuskue's lips. "No… I don't… feel like kissing you- not right now. Not today- tonight…I mean…"




The visage on her lover's face was somewhere in between apologetic and considerate.


"I see… Why don't you go to bed then?"




"I'm… not sleepy."




"Don't argue with me." The elder scolded. "You're tired. Go to sleep. If you don't feel like confiding in me, that's fine, but go rest at least. Did you even have anything to eat?"





Suika stared at the cup. The last thing she had was…





"Suika?"





She played around with the cuff of her sleeve. She pulled it clockwise, and then counter-clockwise- loosening the buttons even.





"You didn't eat, did you?"




"… I wasn't hungry…and I honestly don't feel like retiring for the day. I just… I just want to sit here."





Folding his arms over his chest rather indignantly, Yuskue cocked his head to the side in question. He opened his mouth to say something more, but then halted at seeing the message of pleading written all over the others countenance. After a while, he felt himself soften- letting go of the tight pompous manner that was unsurprisingly growing from the inside out.





"Would you like my company then?"





The smaller grinned a very humble, but all the same sincere grin. "You're not obliged to… Go to bed ahead of me if you like…"





Wordless, the demon stuffed his fists into his pockets. He then turned on his heel, and unhurriedly situated himself to Suika's right. Out of habit, Suika leaned against his shoulder- her eyelids drooping to relax.





"…How was your day, Yuskue?"




"Stupid. As usual. I ran a few errands- nothing new."






"Oh…"


















The clock on the night table blinked its red digital lights as another minute racked onto the night. It wasn't exactly so late, but it was affirmative that the children of the city were already tucked in for delightful dreaming. The lights in Suika's bedroom were subtle, so as to not disturb her mother. The kind of light it was… a gentle light- akin to daybreak, only softer. The two of them, demon to demon- soul to soul- conversed for more than an hour on end. Their voices carried lightly… very secretive and unconditionally intimate. It was as though they were whispering, but they weren't… They were conversing… in the very same fashion the night they…





"I saw Kurama this afternoon… I had to drop a message for Koenma…"




"…Of what about…?"





"… I'm not positive… I tried to read the letter by holding the paper to the light, but the note was encrypted…"




"… Do you think it's serious…?"




Yuskue looked up to the ceiling. "…Saa na…"




"Hm… Well… If it's something new to take care of, we shouldn't be worried…"





"…Yes… Things always work themselves out… But the very concept of that bothers me…"





Suika rubbed her head against the crook of her lover's neck. "…Why…?"

"Because… The more you analyze it, the more you think that we never had control in the first place…"

She closed eyes. "…Maybe… That's how it's meant to be…"

"Hmm."

"…Yuskue…?"

"…Yes…?"

"Did Kurama…" The blonde stopped. She had to think things out carefully. "Did Kurama… ask about anything, when you met him today?"



Yuskue blinked. "No… I simply gave him the letter, and he took it."

The answer was unsatisfying, the other had to know. "Did he… look funny at you, then…?"

The corner of the demon's eye twitched awkwardly. These inquiries were perceptibly evasive… But evasive of what? While trying to decode the question, Suika's irises encouraged him to cough up an answer. Relinquishing from his puzzlement, he retorted:

"As a matter of fact, he did. He looked at me up and down, and said that you were damn lucky to have a bad-ass bastard like me!"

"Yuskue!" Suika laughed a little. Immediately, her face brightened several hundred volts.

The taller, on the other hand, smirked ruthlessly. "You know it's true."

"You're so narcissistic…"

"I have the right to be." The hybrid continued solemnly. "I just made you smile, did I not?"

Shrugging, the shorter kissed him on the forehead. " And who taught you to make the selected few smile…?"

Yuskue shut his eyes as Suika embraced him a little more tightly than usual.



"You did… Just don't tell anyone I have that ability… and that I said so myself…"









~*~









A heavy textbook fell from the locker and landed with a 'plop' on the spotless floor. Suika groaned and knelt to pick up the book, when someone stood over her. The blonde squeezed her eyes shut- wondering what more her peers could do to her. Yesterday's incident had taken her entirely off guard, but now dread was something she'd have to face day after wretched day. The problem was, today was only day two…





"Here, let me help you with that…"




Suika didn't bother to thank in advance, nor did she look up to show her visitor the hurt she was bearing. She knew what was going to happen- it would be the fourth time today, if she had counted properly…







As anticipated, the student kicked the book, and it went sliding along the floor until it hit clear across the other side of the hallway.




"Slut…" He muttered, inserting his hands into his pockets, and then he strolled casually away.




Sighing miserably, the blonde stood to walk towards her text. Her only hope was that no one else would take liberty in this instant. To her dismay, when he bent down again, a new 'someone' did the very same thing. The book clanged against a locker wall.




"You oughta' keep your crap off the floor, Suika. Gets in people's way…"




She knew that voice, she knew only too well.




"Hello, Arimi. I didn't expect you to follow what everyone else was doing- has it become a trend?"

Arimi raised her thin eyebrows maliciously- knitting one down in the most daunting way. "My, your voice has become so cold. Don't tell me you didn't get any last night…"






Standing, the other gave him the most profound stare as yet to be ever seen. Her eyes penetrated into Arimi, almost boring holes into the pupils of her own eyes. Suika didn't blink- she didn't blink at all. She just stared… that icy, deadly… stare…



"Don't look at me like that." Her classmate said a little warily. "People will think we've got something going on..."




The blonde said nothing. She held Arimi where she was at with her mere gaze- a harsh gaze. It was scary. That was particularly odd because she hadn't ever expected to be afraid of Minamino Suika- of all people. The clemency that was once there somehow faded away into nothingness. She couldn't avoid swallowing in secret.




"I should hope… that you are not like the others, Arimi. I've thought of you to be different…"





She loosened; Suika's tenderness was still there. So long as she had this characteristic, she had nothing to worry of in her. Although Arimi had no personal background on Suika, she could read her perfectly by her actions: trustworthy, intelligent, compassionate, and for better or worse, unselfish. The last trait would easily be manipulated and exploited. Then again, who really knew anything about her?





"Heh' YOU'RE the one who's different."




A smile gradually drew its way on Suika's face. "That's… nice to know…"




"Che'. Pick up your book before another guy kicks it…"



"Yes… Thank you…"




Grunting boisterously, Arimi slipped her schoolbag under her arm and headed off to her next period. Suika watched her walk away- shaking her head dimly at the other's attitude. 'Always in bad temperament…' She thought, finally seizing the book from the ground at last. 'I wonder what could be bothering her…' The reflection would have continued further if the third set of bells hadn't set off in its regular chime. So instead of continuing to mind over the 'ice-bitch', she organized her homework in the hall in preparation for world history.




~*~






The doorknobs 'clack' seemed more amplified than usual as she entered the quiet room. The majority of the students shifted in their seats to greet her with impassive faces- sometimes glaring. The blonde stooped her head over apologetically- a simple gesture given by the teacher as a sign of excuse for tardy. When she took strides down the aisle in semi-forced confidence, Suika noted her sensei writing something on the roll sheet in bright red pen. As far as she knew, red pens never meant anything good, and without a doubt, whatever note was taken must have been for her.










It then dawned on Suika just how far the gossip had been taken. Evidently, the whole faculty must have gotten some word of the scandalous e-mail. What astounded her, however, was the fact that even adults were being dragged into the company of chauvinistic submission. It disturbed her. She couldn't see how it was possible for teachers to be partial on any kind of socialistic group- in regards to students themselves anyway. Of course, there was always the 'teacher's pet', a name she had taken for the past so and so years. If they had favorites, then they had to have nuisances too. To think it only took Suika one day to shift from opposite sides of the spectrum.





"Please open your textbooks to page 386…"





They all obeyed- reaction to the order very much like clock work and synchronization. The sound of flipping pages filled the room- the occasional yawn or whisper breaking the monotony. The sensei was a visibly old man; his hair was a hue of steely blue since his strands were becoming faded with years. He blew lightly on his bifocals, wiping them carefully while he eyed the class with his brown irises. If the redhead hadn't known any better, he would have said that his teacher was taking a great part of his time focusing on him with a quality in his eyes akin to cynicism. Revising his thoughts, Kurama decided that that assumption was also likely to be correct, but it was a lot smarter to not comment on it during the period.






"Did all of you read the section last night? On World War II and the Kamikazes?"





The class gave a jaded reply of 'yes'- most of them already prepared for a note and drill session by taking out some college ruled paper. Someone in the back of the class found humor in sending spit wads directly behind Suika's neck. Suika made a face at the repulsive feeling of having someone's saliva on paper dart on her skin. One hit- then two. Then there was three and four. After undertaking several more sticky wads, she turned on her seat crossly- searching for the one with all the ammunition.







Two students at the rear of the room laughed to themselves- even at already being caught by their 'victim'. One of them took out another sheet of paper and scribbled something down on it. Crinkling the sheet into a compressed ball- he chucked it across the room and it landed dead on top of Suika's lap.





Unfolding the paper, the teacher abruptly crept up behind her and snatched the note away. Her teacher appeared to be turning an angry shade of red at seeing what was on the wrinkled article. It didn't take long before Suika started fearing as to what was on it…






"See me after class, Minamino."





"Yes, Yamato-san…"










~*~

The blonde grumbled something to herself once she was finally released from the classroom. As it turned out, a scribbling of herself giving a blowjob to hers own teacher was on the crinkled note. Suika had to tolerate an hour of hopeless arguing, finally winning the teacher's forgiveness once she confessed that everything was a set-up against him. Such a claim left her partially relieved and partially guilty. At any rate, at least she managed to pull herself out of dirty water… For now…






A strange feeling was coming over her. She felt… deadly. As she walked around the campus, she felt her own eyes flash at everyone who past her. Amazingly, a few people actually avoided her. Those who didn't were met with terse words or malignant silence.







She made a turn for the restrooms, and once entering- she gripped onto a sink and faced herself in the mirror.










If she hadn't known himself- it was possible that she would have been frightened by her own appearance. She wasn't upset anymore- not the woeful kind, more specifically. Rather, she felt cold rage. That was odd, especially since Suika found it so easy to keep her anger in check.










"This is all blown out of proportion…" She whispered in a cracked voice.

"Well, what do you expect? It's the truth, you know…"



Suika frowned- slowly turning to the owner of the voice front and center.




"May I help you with anything?"

The girl who dropped in stuck her hands in her pockets while she chewed on her pen. "Nah, not in here particularly. You know, it makes sense to me now… why you don't date, I mean… You've got someone else."

"And?"

"And what you've got is not natural." She paused for a moment to throw the pen into the trashcan. "Suika, you probably don't remember me, but you helped me in trig last year…"




"No, I remember, you're Suzua Kamiya. So? What do you want to say? That I'm a slut? A freak? A bitch? Which is it?"

"Calm down. I'm not here to take sides or anything…" Kamiya removed one of her hands from her pants to point a finger. "Let me tell you something- the only reason why this is happening to you is because you've got things other girls would die for. Now that the people who're jealous of you know your secret- they'll make the most of it and make everyone else hate you. See, if you were a school nobody- no one would care whether or not you were a transvestite, bisexual, homo, or prostitute."

"Why are you telling me this?" Suika blinked a few times, actually relieved that this was the first time today she wasn't being attacked.

"Because… you're a nice girl. Hell, I feel sorry for you. Plus you don't need shit from me- I have no right to give that sort of thing to you anyway."

She smiled at that. It was an awkward moment to smile, but it came out through and through.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that."

Kamiya waved herhand thoughtlessly in response. "It's nothing. Just remember, this is gonna last a while… Don't come to me for help though, I've got my own skin to watch too."

"Mm… High school is ugly."

"True that, and hey, be careful about what you do. You're popular- no question about that. Every last action that comes out of you will stick to you like crazy glue."

"I'll remember that."

Nodding, Kamiya waved again- without much emotion- and left.











~*~




























Yuskue crossed his arms over his chest- his head following the other around the room as she quite literally made a hurricane of herself. By removing one arm from a tucked elbow, Yuskue formed a fist with his hand and coughed into it. At the small sound, Suika stopped while still in the middle of removing her skirt.








"What's wrong with you?" The demon asked. "You looked like the world was coming to an end! Your mother was amazed that you didn't even greet her when she was downstairs!"





"Don't talk to me now."



He blinked.




"Sorry Yuskue, but I'm NOT exactly in the type of mood to socialize."




Socialize? What kind of word was THAT? And to be used around Yuskue, no less…

She removed her pastel green eyes away from him then- continuing with unzipping her skirt and hurriedly pulling off the top of her uniform. The next thing the taller knew, his lover was out of sight and the bang of the bathroom door hit the core of his ears. Yuskue stepped toward the blonde's bathroom with ease- his head bending to the side to listen for anything out of the ordinary.






Nothing. The shower door simply banged shut and the blast of pouring water were the only things that could be heard from the other side.






~*~









Once arriving on school grounds, her track instructor met her with an unwelcoming face. Not only was she late, but she also didn't have her team uniform. In actuality, it wasn't Suika's fault. The day previous, one of her male team members took the liberty of writing 'suck my crotch' in permanent marker all over her shirt. The evils of being the only girl on an all boy team. At first, when her eyes first laid upon the uncalled-for doing, Suika felt electricity beckon him to tear apart the garment, sniff out who ever had done this, and rip him apart as well. Fortunately for the graffiti artist, Suika's good side came into play, and so she fell upon the consensus to simply steal another uniform from the gym warehouse. It would be very easy to do, and as another positive, she would be able to prevent her name from becoming any more soiled as Kamiya had warned her.

























The team readied themselves by running in place before the rubber track. On the signal of the coach's blowing whistle- they ran. The warm up of one mile, which equaled to be four laps around. To let out some trapped steam, the blonde accelerated her pace- immediately overtaking the person in lead.

























But she did more than just that- she lapped everyone. Her feet were burning with fire, but she paid no heed to the sensation as she proceeded to sprint. The other members watched on as they tried to catch up with her, however it was no use. She was too fast… MUCH too fast. It didn't take long before the movement of her legs turned into blurs, and her instructor even raised his cap with his pen as he watched Suika come towards him in a startling finish.








One mile in two minutes- most likely less.

























"Keep going." The older said, seemingly trying to sound unimpressed. Suika said nothing- she merely obeyed.


























Before anyone could think about it, the blonde lapped them all again. What amazed them was the fact that Suika wasn't at all exhausted. In fact, it appeared as though she could only get faster. BOOM. She lapped the leading member of the track team yet again.

"She's… She's not human!" one of the members huffed- perspiration bulleting out of every pore of his wasted body.



























Two miles total- finished in four minutes.



























"Keep going."



























By now, the members were finally ending their mile, but Suika had to continue on her senseless rampage. She was ordered to. Three miles, four miles. When she thought she could stop as everyone was filing for the relay drill, she was shocked when her teacher told her to carry on running. 'They're excluding me…' She thought warily. 'They don't want me on their team, but they can't cut me without a warranted reason…'



























From the bleachers, a woman with long and wavy mahogany hair came into view. As it was zero period and school wouldn't start for another hour, she seated herself on one of the stands and watched the track team. Her eyes were docile, but watchful. She made note of the one student going around and around in a hopeless circle as the others enjoyed the regular activities. The woman frowned, piercing her elfin lips for she had already made a conclusion as to what was happening.





"Why, if it isn't Kairu, Honoka… What brings you here so early in the morning?"

She closed her eyes and rolled them in secret. This man was horrible with flirtation. "Just watching you coach your team, Yatori-san. I've noticed you haven't been paying much attention to Suika, however…"





"You know that student?" He was a little surprised at this. All the same, he didn't let that get in the way of trying to get all-masculine around this fair lady. He lifted one leg up to rest on the lowest bleacher, and then put on this ridiculous one-sided grin that simply looked wrong on him. Honoka coughed quietly, suddenly putting her legs tightly together to prevent the other from looking up her short lavender skirt. At the same time, she also pulled the ends of her matching lavender suit closer together to conceal her bust.





"Anyhow, as I was saying… Why won't you let him participate with the others?"




"Oh, that kid…" Yatori grunted shamelessly. "Well, look at her… she's a little bit of a show off, don't you think?"




Quickly, she glanced at the teenager. "I don't happen to think so. She's the top student in my English class and she never says anything at all about it…"

"It's just a façade." He replied in a low voice.

"Hm…" Honoka stood and carefully stepped down the bleachers. The coach lent out a hand to help her down, but she refused to take it. Somewhat offended, he placed that hand in his pocket instead. "Everyone has at least ONE veneer…" She continued. "Why don't you give her a chance? Just because she's not like the rest of you doesn't mean she can't run BETTER than you…"

"Are you- are you DEFENDING her, Kairu-san? You know very well that teachers should be impartial towards their students…"

"I know… That's why I don't separate them…"
















~*~










" 'And with that… he shot a bullet through the flower, and its petals then bursted in an array of ice blue… Oh, what a lovely bloom it was… Blossomed from nothing more than a mere seed… 'There are no blue roses in this world…'He scoffed. '…Blue roses are a foolish fantasy that exists only within the mirror of the garden… And everyone knows…fantasies bring sorrow for they are unattainable… You may merely look at it, but never touch it…" Honoka removed her thin-framed glasses and shook her head to move away some stray strands of hair. "Please tell me, class, what is the significance of the color blue?"




"Coldness?" Suggested one student.





"No… not quite…" She responded while walking about the classroom with the book still at hand.




"Fear?" Said another.




"Mm… In part, yes, but in general, what is it?"




"…Sadness…"

At the hushed answer, the teacher's ears perked up immediately and centered their attention upon the voice that spoke it. "Why… that's correct, Suika-san. But do you know why sadness was given the form of a rose?"



Suika didn't look up from her desk. She kept her vision focused on her notepad, where her pencil scribbled about the paper in endless motions. "Because…" she went on in a monotonous tone. "The dove that carried the flower from family to family- house to house- brought such intense, beautiful happiness… But the flower was cursed for it was one of a kind… So right after the joy, came the sorrow…"

"The mirror- what does it represent?"

"The mirror is a person… any person. You can find something on this earth you love so much, and yet you are not permitted to have. Instead, all you may do is look on, and hold that image of that treasured one in your heart in the same way a mirror holds an image in its glass… The very image brings such bliss… but you can't have it, and so pain strikes you. This is the curse of the blue rose… no one may have it because it's a fantasy…"

"Then why the bullet? Why did James Claudon destroy the flower?"

"He was disillusioned… Why have the pain of wanting, when it's already evident you may never have it? So he destroyed it- he destroyed the rare flower in order to protect his own family from being hurt. But what he didn't realize was that the rose was really happiness in itself. Happiness is a form of fantasy. It was the dove that brought the misery when it took away the flower in order bring it to a new family to enjoy. This is why they may only look at the rose… the fantasy… it was only there for a period of time before it left the windowsill by the wing of the pure white dove. When the flower was destroyed, the bird- the dove- died. It was really the only creature that knew how great the flower was… and once the rose was taken away from it, it could not live."

"Excellent."



























The class glared daggers, arrows, bullets, and spears at Suika, but she paid them no regard whatsoever. The blonde did nothing, nothing but continue scribbling on her notepad in purposeless lines. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. Hard lead on rough paper.

'She talks like she knows EVERYTHING…' murmured one peer. 'She's all bored when she answers too- what a bitch!' whispered another. Suika smirked to herself. How stupid they were- utterly ignorant. 'As Yuskue would say…' The redhead mused. 'Men are nothing more than a flock of braying sheep…' Finally, she raised her pastel green irises. Her sensei, Kairu-san, had set the book on the whiteboard where all the dry markers were held. She discerned into the cover. It was black, with one blue rose at the top-left corner that made the whole book glow with mysterious attractiveness. To the lower-right corner, was the dove. Suika liked the dove. It protected the flower all throughout the story, until it was murdered by fate. James Claudon… the poor, blind fool- if only he had known that misery can only be stipulated through the minds and actions of a weak crowd.



It wasn't long before the bell rang, and almost instantly, all the students grabbed their belongings and exited the room for the long-awaited lunch break. Suika took her time. She was packing her pencil and notepad into her bookcase, but then Honoka interrupted the process by catching Suika's wrist.



"What have you been doodling? You know I don't like it when my students don't pay me the attention I desire…"

In response, Suika shrugged. "I believe your whole CLASS isn't paying you the attention you desire." She then removed the notepad from her pack and showed it to her English teacher. She accepted the pad, not saying anything to Suika's cruel, and yet, truthful comment. At what Honoka found on the paper, she furrowed a fine eyebrow.

"Spirals…" She said. "Endless spirals…"

Suika gave out an open hand, which signaled to her to return her property. Wordlessly, Honoka complied.

"I know what's happening… I've known since Monday, ever since I overheard that rude comment while I was presenting images of the Renaissance…"

"So you do…"

Crossing her arms over her suit, Honoka closed her eyes. "You don't have to be so cold… I want to help you…"

The other's head jerked up suddenly in surprise. "Why?"

"A teacher should help her student. Besides, I don't think you have it so easy during lunch OR break… I've seen you. You head straight for the roof." She then turned quickly on her high heels and leaned against the desk. "Rather than wasting your time up there- why don't you stay here with me and talk?"

"About what?" She was growing uneasy now- if not a little suspicious.

"Whatever you want to talk about. The book, what's happening, my class- whatever pleases you. Besides, I'm quite disappointed with the faculty these days; it's growing quite difficult to find an intellectual conversation- believe it or not. Or, if you don't want to say anything to me, you can be my class aid and grade papers- it will look good on your transcript…"

"I suppose…" Suika said solemnly, subconsciously re-seating herself in her desk. Honoka joined her by taking the chair in front of her and facing backwards to see her face- just to be civilized and respectful.

"Well, now that you've settled down. Do you think you can answer me one question?"

"And that would be?"

Abruptly, her elegant face hardened. "… Is it true?"