Adventures In Summer School

AN: R/R and enjoy!

Being as Ichigo and Rukia had missed so much school because of Soul Reaper duties, they had been assigned a few weeks of summer school. It was a bummer, but it was what they had to do. Ishida and Chad had qualified too, but seeing as their grades were so good, they had gotten out of it. It was into the ending of the day when Rukia begged for a pass.

It struck Rukia as very ironic that after all the times she had left the classroom to fight hollows under the pretense of going to the bathroom, that this was the first time that she was actually in the girl's bathroom of Karakura High. Maybe it's a Kutchki thing that I don't go very often, she mused. I can hardly see Byakuya running off in urgency to go pee in a stall.

Perhaps it would have been better if she had been in here before. Then Rukia would have known that girls only go into the lavatory for three reasons, the first being the most obvious, the second having to do with the application of makeup and the fluffing of hair.

Teenage girls nearly always go in groups so that they can gossip about other teenage girls. Shortly after Rukia latched the stall a group of girls meandered in for just that reason.

"I just can't believe her. Always acting so cute and fake. And then she drags Ichigo off somewhere."

"I know right? And what's with all those retarded bunnies she always draws? She's so weird."

"I've seen her kick him! And somehow he puts up with her."

"Did you hear that she's living with him and his family?"

They were talking about me? Rukia blinked and wondered why they would want to talk about her. She mostly kept to herself. And her drawings weren't that bad!

"I don't get what he sees in her. I mean, she's not even pretty."

"You should show him how a real girl acts. I bet she's a virgin."

"Who would even touch her? She's so flat!" They erupted into giggles and loudly walked out of the bathroom.

Rukia got out after them and calmly washed her hands. Those girls could gossip all they wanted. She could kill an Espada and an army of hollows! They couldn't do shit. Why should she care what they think?

"I can't believe her, always acting so cute and fake. And then she drags Ichigo off somewhere."

It was her responsibility to drag Ichigo out to hunt Hollows. And she liked the cutesy talk since it pissed him off so much. If it bothered them too, than that's not her fault.

And sometimes he needed to be kicked. It was fine that she was living with his family. Isshin considered her a third daughter. Yuzu and Karin liked her well enough, and Ichigo had assured her that she wasn't a burden.

It was strange how all the cruel things the girls had said could be explained away, yet still left a sore spot. She knew she wasn't ugly, or weird, and that it was alright to be a bit of a prude.

So why does she still care so much? Honestly, it shouldn't bother her so much if a bunch of silly human girls didn't like her.

'School' went by fairly quickly. Rukia kept scolding herself for dwelling on the overheard conversation in the bathroom. It didn't matter.

It doesn't mean anything. She needed to stop thinking about it. What was her problem anyway? She's had her body slashed to bits and gotten over it, and somehow she can't let go of some juvenile bashing. It was getting to be ridiculous.

"You ready to go?" Rukia blinked and looked up at Ichigo, who was waiting for her to pack up so they could walk home.

"Oh. Yeah." She shoved her stuff in the bag unceremoniously and followed him.

"You okay?" He inquired after they walked in silence for a few blocks.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" She snapped. He kept right on walking and she felt a twinge of guilt.

"No, I'm not okay." Rukia murmured in defeat. He kept walking, but she knew he was listening.

"I overhead a rather juvenile conversation in the ladies room. I'm not exactly well received by all your classmates."

"And lemme guess. You feel stupid for caring so much about whatever shit they said about you? Well get over that. You may be a damn good fighter, but anyone would feel hurt by people talking smack about them. So just stop feeling bad about it already." Ichigo demanded, though not unkindly.

Rukia looked at him in disbelief. Did he really just tell her off to make her feel better? And god help her it had worked.

"Rukia?"

"Yes?"

"What they said isn't true." Ichigo assured her gently. She kicked him in the shins.

"Idiot! How can you know what they said isn't true? I haven't told you what they even said." Rukia scowled.

"I just know okay!" Ichigo growled, then softened, "Fine then. Tell me what they said, and I'll tell you why it isn't true."

"They said I was a flat chested virgin, who kicked a lot and drew bunnies nonstop! How is any of that not true? There I told you! Happy now?"

"You idiot!" Ichigo chuckled fondly, " Those things are all true, but I just can't see why those girls considered you a bad person because of it. Hell, I'd say those traits were what make you so damn entertaining. A kick happy prude drawing bunnies? How is that not badass?"

"It is badass isn't it?" Rukia muttered happily.

"Those girls spend their free time gossiping in bathrooms. Do you really want to be their definition of cool? You'd never spend you free time doing something that lame. You have better things to do."

"I'd say so. I could make you buy me ice cream." Rukia warned brightly.

" If you think you can make me do anything." He taunted slyly.

"How about I beat you to a pulp until you buy me ice cream?"

"Or how about not. We'll race to the clinic and if you somehow manage to beat me I'll buy you ice cream. Can your little midget legs handle it Rukia? Rukia? Hey no head starts!"

The ran like lunatics to the clinic, all thoughts of bitchy mean girls long gone from their head, to be replaced for the hope of ice cream that would surely be purchased soon.

AN: I think this is pretty IC. Do y'all like it? It's gonna be multi chap. And I know Rukia is like a 100 plus years old, but she's a virgin to me:]