Disclaimer: Characters are not Tite Kubo's

A/N: This is not exactly romance-centered (or at least that's what I think). I hope you enjoy. Definitely OOC and in an AU

Chapter 1: Of Friendship and Guilt

I saw him walking with his groupies among the crowd towards the school gate like everyone else who made way for him. I hesitated but somebody pushed me forward to move in the middle of the crowd. I was already there, no choice but to be done with it. Bowing down to lessen the embarrassment, I mustered all my might to shout. " Sempai, I…I love you please let me be your girlfriend!" I yelled in one breath.

The whole school ground paused and hushed, probably shocked by my stunt. Everyone was watching us. I didn't have a choice. I had to endure the embarrassment. They were watching me. I waited to him to haul at me and chew me whole…but nothing came. Instead, I heard slow footsteps coming towards me. I slowly looked up, bracing myself for the worst.

Gasping, my eyes widened as I took a step back .I made a mistake. This is not the person I was supposed to confess to! What should I do?!

Staring at me for a moment, his frowning lips curved up into a small smile. " Sure." He said.

My name is Kuchiki Rukia, age 15. For the last six years of my life, I've lived on my own when my mother died. Luckily, she left me a great sum that I didn't have to work to get my way through life, until I finish college that is.

Today is my first day as a full-pledged freshman high school student. I'm looking forward to it.

-000-

" Nozomi-chan, if you don't hurry we'll be late." I called out in front of my best friend's apartment door.

I heard some footsteps running around from the inside. " Coming." She answered, her voice slightly muffled through the door . A few minutes after that, the door swung open and revealed Nozomi wearing her new high school uniform, the same as mine. Hooking an arm on mine, she asked. " Let's go?"

I nodded in response.

There was total silence between us as we walked the pathway towards school. As the cool morning breeze blew, gently blowing our tresses, Nozomi began humming a familiar tune.

I tensed and glanced at her. She looked at peace, not a problem in the world. Nervously, I spoke. " Neh…Nozomi. How long have we known each other?"

She stopped humming and gave me a skeptical look. I didn't say anything else. Looking up, she answered. " Ten years probably."

" Is that so?" I began to start drowning myself in thought.

Then, that would be six years. How come you've never come to hate me Nozomi? I was the one who took away what you cherish the most. You shouldn't be standing her beside me right now. You should have been cursing me, hating me…loathing me. You didn't have to bottle up all that emotion and smile at me only to cry in your room at night. Why don't you hate me—

" Rukia~" Nozomi shook my shoulder, getting me out of my daze. " Why are you spacing out?"

I blinked my eyes several times in front of Nozomi. " Huh?"

Nozomi scowled a little. " We're already here."

I looked around and found myself in front of Karakura High School's gate, waves of students rushing to enter.

" Let's go in." Nozomi pulled my hand and lead me to where the class assignments were posted.

We browsed the list for our names. " We're classmates!" I chirped as I saw Nozomi's name below mine in the class 1-3 list.

She smiled at me. " Yeah."

~000~

Whoever said that high school was fun, he's a poor liar. It had already been two months since school had begun but there was nothing so called 'fun' in it. Nozomi and I were isolated inside the classroom and were forced to sit quietly, like nobodies. Not that I mind, but looking at Nozomi…I find ourselves pitiful. If Nozomi was happy, I am happy. That was what I live for right now.

Our class had divided themselves among groups of their own. Looking at the right corner of the room, there flocked the preppy girl wannabes led by the classroom's queen, Dokugamine Riruka. All they do is talk about how to prove that they're prettier than the others. What's worse? They love making fun of those who are weak, plain and ugly.

Shifting to the left back part of the classroom, there stayed the hippies. I really don't understand those guys and their interest. A little bit in front of me stayed the nerds who calculated anything and everything. The rest not belonging to anything were nobodies…silent and invisible. Our classroom was not much an environment for social growth.

I sighed and turned towards Nozomi. I noticed her looking at Riruka. " Nozomi?"

" They're cool, aren't they?" She sighed as she continued to watch them.

I didn't know how to respond. Yes, Riruka's group is popular, but cool?...I highly doubt it. " You think so?" Was the only response I can give, not confirming or denying what she said.

" Uh-huh." She looked at me with a mysterious glint in her eyes. " There's a rumor that Kurosaki-san likes girls like Riruka-san." She told me fondly.

Skeptically, I looked at as I raised a brow. " So it's all about that Kurosaki guy, huh?"

Colors rose on her cheeks as she gave a flustered reply, stuttering as she spoke. " W-what made you think that?!"

I chuckled. She was funny that way, taking jokes so seriously. " Just kidding, just kidding." I held up my hands defensively.

She pouted at me as she hit me playfully. " Mou~"

" I'm sorry. I won't do it again." I swore, laughing. " I'll buy you your favorite juice as compensation."

Hearing it, she stopped. " Then I want my compensation now." She held out a hand, asking for it already.

I sighed. " I have no choice then." Standing up, I told her. " I'll get it then. Grape juice, right?"

She nodded in a childish manner.

I left the room and walked idly towards the vending machine in a usually isolated area. ' Come to think of it, Nozomi had become fond of someone.' I thought as I took a turn to find someone standing in front of the vending machine, his bright orange hair standing out. Looking down at his indoor shoes, I can atleast tell that he's a second year. I stood behind him, waiting for him to move aside if he's done.

He must have noticed my presence when he turned his head back to me. " Ah…sorry. Were you gonna get some juice?" He moved away the vending machine. " Go ahead first, I haven't decided what to get yet."

I nodded as a gesture of gratitude and did as I was told. Luckily, there was grape juice available. I bought one and was about to move away when my eyes caught my favorite fruit drink. I felt thirsty myself and decided to buy one as well.

" Neh, which flavor do you think is better?" He asked me all of a sudden.

I looked at him sideways, confused if he really just asked me that. When he looked at me expectantly, I answered the first thing that came to my mind. " Strawberry." I said and retraced my steps back to the classroom.

I was rather surprised with what I saw after coming back. Nozomi…she was chatting happily with Riruka's group. Noticing me, she called out. " Rukia!" She was definitely excited. The others turned to look at me as well.

" W-what's up?" I asked in confusion as I slowly approached them.

Grabbing my hands, Nozomi happily gave me the news. " Rukia, Riruka-san invited us to go out with them later! Let's go with them."

She was definitely excited about it. I glanced at Riruka's group who were looking at us cynically. " R-really?" I stuttered, not knowing how to react. My gut was telling me that it wasn't a good idea at all. But looking at Nozomi's face right now, I had no way to refuse. " Sure, why…not?" Was my response as I forced out a smile. I have to do everything that makes her happy. I reminded myself.

" Then I'll see you later after class." Riruka haughtily said as she walked confidently back to her seat, her minions trailing behind her.

~000~

I didn't know their reason or intentions in inviting Nozomi and me but because Nozomi wanted to go, we joined them in their afternoon charade after school. So far it was uneventful but still I was wary of them. Either they were being too friendly with us or it's just me thinking everything in a wrong way.

" Have some more juice, Nozomi-chan." Riruka sweetly offered as she poured another serve of lemonade into Nozomi's glass. We were currently eating in a café near the school because we've been invited by Riruka's group earlier.

" Ah…thank you Riruka-san." Nozomi forced another glass of lemonade into her mouth. That's been the fourth glass they had offered her.

Tagawa Yushino, one of Riruka's minion glanced at me. " You're so nice Riruka-san." She praised.

The said girl's ears peaked as she raised her chin. " You don't have to say it like that. I'm just being nice to our classmates." She was definitely acting.

" I'm sure even Kurosaki-san is head-over-heels with you. You're perfect, Riruka-san." Sado Miruru gave her unsolicited opinion.

" Of course! Riruka-san is as more popular than that snob Inoue-girl in second year." Oda Hikaru, another minion added.

Riruka began to act bashful. " You guys are too much." She held her cheeks.

I, who was just sitting at the corner and was starting to feel out-of-place with their group, just looked at them dumbly. Are they for real? I silently asked.

Nozomi, however, was as naïve as one can be. " Really? I think Inoue-sempai looks like a model. I've seen her once. She seems nice." She just ruined their mood.

" Idiot." I murmured to myself.

The rest of the group laughed awkwardly.

" Of course, Inoue-san is nice and all, but Riruka-san deserves more to be Kurosaki-sempai's girlfriend right?" It was Miruru, who didn't want to completely ruined the mood.

Nozomi looked rather surprised. " Eh?! Aren't Inoue-sempai and Kurosaki-sempai already together? I always see them together."

There was a hint of hope in Nozomi's voice which I did not fail to miss. She really did have someone she likes after all. I studied her face and found an unusual glow in it.

Hikaru happily answered her. " Of course not! I mean, I've heard they've been like that for like forever. Kurosaki-sempai doesn't even give the even slightest implication of interest for her. That's got to be something."

The rest of the minions nodded with a second of hesitation. Riruka looked really proud in her seat as she listened.

" Is that so?" Nozomi was definitely oblivious of their bias dispositions on the matter at hand.

Yushino decided to add her insight as well. " Besides, Riruka-san and Kurosaki-san had just become very close recently. He replied 'good morning' when Riruka-san greeted him this morning."

I was in disbelief. Are this people really idiots? That was just being polite and not a symbol of closeness at all!

But the fondness and delight in Nozomi's face stopped me from voicing out my thoughts. It's very rare to see her as ecstatic as this. This is the only time that I can feel the burden in my heart slightly lifted.