BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. Satsuki Kanehara rolled over to slap her alarm clock, and the incessant beeping ceased immediately. She groggily opened her eyes, and it took her a moment to focus them. The digital display read 7:30am.
The sunlight streamed through the curtains of her small, one-paned window, lighting the straw yellow color of her walls. A lonely, wooden bookshelf stood in the corner by the bathroom, its shelves almost bare, except for a few books and other belongings. Kanehara yawned, stretched, and stumbled out of bed. She untangled her foot from the cloud-print comforter, and hobbled over to her small and cramped ensuite bathroom. Kanehara rubbed her left eye and reached for the tap, twisted the cheap and broken plastic, and splashed her face with the little dribble that came out. Turning the tap off again, she reached for an old, used face towel. She flicked off the light, casting the tiny blue bathroom into semi-darkness and shut the door.
Kanehara re-entered her bedroom, quickly tidied her bed, brushed out her waist-length blue hair, guided by her reflection, and clipped her bangs out of her eyes. She changed from her burgundy flannel pajamas and into her gray school uniform, red bow and white socks included.
She grabbed the gray shoulder bag from the end of her bed, and dashed to the door. She reached into the yellowed and outdated fridge next to it, snatched her pre-made lunch she had prepared the night before, tucked it inside her bag, slipped into her shoes, and left her apartment, locking the door quietly behind her. Kanehara slowly climbed the stairs down, and made her way around the corner to the busy street below.
She made a dash for the bus stop, her hair flying behind her. The teen glanced back over her shoulder; the eight-o'clock was fast approaching. She had fifty feet to go. Thirty. Twenty. Come on, Kanehara urged herself, Almost there! Suddenly, Kanehara stumbled; her shoe had caught a crack in the sidewalk. Kuso! She inwardly cursed, as the bus rumbled on past. The dust cloud the bus had brought settled around her, and she coughed as she pushed herself up. A stinging made Kanehara look back down at her knees, both had been skinned, and now were bloody.
"Just what I need." She mumbled angrily, pushing herself up and picking up her bag.
"Are you alright?" a kind and aged voice asked from behind her. "That was quite a tumble."
Kanehara turned to find an old man hunched over his cane looking up at her with curious brown eyes from below thick silver eyebrows. He wore a summery red button-up t-shirt with khaki pants and plastic sandals. The top of his head shone slightly in the sunlight, with a few wisps of silvery hair clinging around the base of his skull. His short silver beard, unlike his hair, was thick and full. He smiled at Kanehara, his wrinkled and droopy skin making him look slightly like an old pug.
"Thank you, I'm alright, but I'm late for school, I'm sorry!" She apologized and bowed quickly "Good-bye, ojisan." Kanehara turned and dashed off down the sidewalk in the direction the bus had gone.
The old man stroked his short beard with his free hand, turned away, and dissolved into thin air.
Stopping every block or so, Kanehara panting, sweating, and with many cramps, eventually made it to school. She glanced up at the giant clock high over the entrance; she was 2 hours late. "Kuso!" she cursed out loud, and made her way into school. With ever stair she took, Kuso! resounded inside her mind. Kanehara slowly climbed her way to the second floor, her heart steadying itself back to its normal beating, her breathing slowed. She located her classroom, and slid the door sideways. The entirety of the classroom froze, and all eyes were on her. What a sight I must be…Kanehara thought tucking a lock of windswept blue hair behind her ear. Bloody knees, tired, and breathing heavily? Kuso...
The classroom looked as it always did; white walls scattered with motivational posters and kanji, the blackboard heavily laden with notes, and the neat columns of desks perfectly lined up one
behind the other. The windows had their shutters pushed up, letting the morning sun shine in, shining on the linoleum-tiled floor.
"Kanehara-san, you have some explaining to do." The teacher glanced over at her, her eyebrow arched accusingly. Some students in the back snickered and whispered. Kanehara felt her cheeks burn as the teacher came over, and slid the door closed behind her.
"Now, how do you explain your tardiness and appearance?" The voice was like salt in her scraped knees.
"I'm sorry, sensei. I missed the bus and fell, so I ran to school. I'm sorry." Kanehara stared at the floor, and bowed, never meeting her cold, steely blue gaze.
"You will stand here until the end of class." The teacher sighed, and slid back through the sliding doors, shutting them behind her.
Kanehara closed her eyes, and heard the giggles and mocking chatter about her sudden and strange appearance. She hung her head, and gripped the handle on her bag tighter in both hands.
The bell rang, and Kanehara's head snapped up, it was lunch. She slid the door open and walked in quick strides to where she sat, three seats down and in the second row. I wish I could've sat in the back, and then there wouldn't be so much staring. She glanced over at the long-haired redhead who sat next to her. Her large gray eyes were innocently curious and she smiled when Kanehara made eye contact.
"What happened Kanehara-san?" Inoue asked, turning in her seat so that she was facing Kanehara, her brow slightly furrowed in concern. "Your knees look like they hurt a lot! What happened?"
Kanehara couldn't help but smile, Inoue Orihime was always blissfully ignorant of what everyone else was saying or thinking, and she could always make everyone smile.
"I missed the bus and tripped, so I had to run to school." Kanehara sighed, and looked down at her now scabbed knees. "My knees don't hurt too much, it's okay Inoue-san." She looked up and smiled.
Inoue nodded and clapped her hands together, smiling brightly.
"Today I have an anchovy, pickle, peanut butter and jam sandwich!" She opened her bento and proudly showed Kanehara her creation. "Want some? We can share!" She smiled brightly again.
"Uh, it's alright Inoue-san! I brought my own lunch today, but thanks for offering!" Kanehara said quickly, shaking her hands in front of her, and smiling falsely.
"That's alright, Kanehara-san!" Inoue smiled, and shrugged, digging in to her lunch.
That girl needs some serious cooking lessons, Kanehara thought and smiled, and sweatdropped when Tatsuki looked over at Inoue's newest 'masterpiece', her expression mildly horrified.
Author's Note: That's my first chapter! I encourage you to reply or flame, whatever floats your boat. This is a very, very short chapter but they do get better, I assure you.
Read and review!