© Ivy Jo Holt

Westside Story From Hell

Chapter One

There are two types of people in this town. The Shinigami, the supposed 'good guys'; the group I was apart of. Then there were the Espada, the supposed 'bad guys' of the town. When our town was divided, so was our high school. These were the things you learned about when you watched from afar. Sure, maybe a couple of your closest friends we're one of the few leaders of the group in your school. It didn't mean you'd be in the picture with them. No, not at all. In fact, you were their back-up, so-to-speak; but I feel like I'm getting ahead of myself, let me start over.

My name is Orihime Inoue, I was in high school, as a senior. I was the kind of girl that stayed in the shadows. Which helped greatly, considering I was the watcher. The person who watched every single movement of anyone. Normally though, since I was apart of the Shinigami, I'd tell them the movements of the Espada.

The Shinigami's main leaders of the school were Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. They were a team, one of the best on our side. You see, when we were in middle school, we were all friends. We, meaning: Ichigo, Rukia, Uryuu, Chad, Rangiku, and I. It was decided that Ichigo was going to be apart of the inner circle in the Shinigami. Rukia, being his best friend, followed his lead; Probably just making sure he wouldn't get in too deep. It was decided there that Chad and Uryuu were going to join them too. So that left me and Rangiku.

Rangiku was childhood friends with Gin, he was apart of the Espada. The Co-captain of the mastermind himself. But Rangiku never thought Gin was going to hurt her, ever. So she took matters into her own hands, and left us. Well, them; she still talks to me.

Then there was me. I didn't have the heart to actually hurt someone. So I decided I'd watch from the sidelines. I'd pretend to be a wallflower or an outcast, whatever you wanted to call it. Like a chameleon, I would blend in, and I'd watch. Watch what their next move was, and how to counter it. Being their watcher wasn't the hardest job to do. I told them almost everything, at least what was battle related. Along the way, I had learned where a few of them lived, but refused to tell Ichigo that. It wasn't my place to give away the only safe haven they had.

Middle school came and left. High school,though, was right around the corner.

In our freshman year, Ichigo, Rukia, Chad, and Uryuu joined the Shinigami. Rangiku began hanging out with Gin and the rest of the Espada. My life became dependent on books in the Library.

In our sophomore year, Ichigo and the rest took over the co-captains' spot. Rangiku started dating Gin and one day in the library, Nel walked into my life.

Nel told me about the Espada, how they weren't really that bad and how she, too, was an Espada. I told her that I was the watcher of the Shinigami. She didn't judge me or anything. She just smiled and said, "We're in for the ride of our lives then, huh?" She became my best friend.

In our junior year, I learned about Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Nnoitora, Starrk, and Lilynette. I had known about them before, considering I watched them most of high school, but I only called them by their number, for they each had a number tattooed on them.

Ichigo and the rest started becoming closer to me like we were in middle school. Rangiku started talking to me, thus making Gin realize my existence. While Gin was trying to find out which side I was on, I learned how deathly afraid Nel was of Nnoitora; and how protective Grimmjow was of Nel. In the end, I also realized my match-making skills sucked.

Now in my senior year, I was working in the library talking to Nel.

"You know, for as long as I've known you, you've always been by yourself. Don't you get lonely?" She mumbled. Chuckling to myself, I thought about it.

"You know, maybe if you weren't here everyday, waiting for my shift to end, I would be lonely."

"But what about," she paused, "guys?" She whispered, as if guys were a disease of some sort.

"Before you get onto me about guys, what do you have to say about you and Grimmjow? What are the juicy details?" I said giggling. In the distance, I heard the bell chime that was above the Library door indicating someone came in.

"Before YOU start going on about my love life, what about your non-existent one?"

"I don't need a guy." At that statement, Nel snorted.

"Are you guys really talking about guys?" Rangiku whispered excitedly, conveniently butting into the conversation. Whenever Rangiku butted into our conversation, she and Nel would go into full force whispers. It was amusing to watch them. Especially when they started to bicker.

Looking around the library, I noticed nobody was in here. Sighing, I resigned myself from my post and started wondering around. Our Library didn't seem very big from the outside. Actually, it looked really tiny. But when you walked into, there was an endless supply of books. The book shelves were all side by side, up against every wall, in columns and in rows. Then there was an employee only door that led up the stairs, to the second floor. From the outside, it would be impossible to know there was a second floor. An attic maybe, but another floor? It was deemed not likely.

There was though, the owner of the library was never here; and after I got permission, she let me hold up the library by myself. The second floor became my home, and only my friends knew that. The owner of the library would send in my paycheck and a new stack of books for me to put up around the library every month, and since I didn't know any of my relatives, I really didn't have anything holding me back.

I walked through the maze of books to the center of the library, only to be greeted by the green eyed wonder. He hadn't seen me yet so I cowered back behind the safety of the selves. He was sitting there, reading the first book of the Hunger Games series.

I was watching him, how his green eyes traveled across the page, how his long, slim finger gently caressed the bottom corner of each page before turning it. I was watching his hair slowly move across his nose from the breeze of the air conditioner above him in the ceiling.

"Orihime! Where'd you go?" Rangiku's voice bounced off the walls. I slowly started backing up, only turning around to run back to them when I was sure I was completely out of sight.

When I got back to the counter, I was surprised to see Rangiku frantically looking back at me and Nel while talking on the phone. As fast as I arrived, she hung up.

"Orihime, we have to go." She turned to Nel, " You can come too, if you want."

"What's wrong?" I asked, then speaking into the intercom saying that we were closing early today.

"It's the Shinigami. Ichigo and Grimmjow are in the school parking lot, at each other's throat." She said, grabbing her stuff and briskly walking out the door. Nel and I quickly shared a glance. We needed to leave, now.

I'm back in the system today xD In a different anime, but nonetheless here. I named it that because my friend named hers Aizen like Purple Gummybears. You see, we're both not so good at coming up with titles. :]

Her story is now named Bleach: The Next Generation by Strawberry-ChappyForever.

Bleach or any of the characters are owned by Tite Kubo. Not me.

And don't forget to review! A little Welcome Home gift in the New Year, wouldn't be so bad? :D