Serenity feels anything but serene. One hand clutches fingers of the other. Gripping, wringing, twisting. Peering up at the large mahogany doors, she shakes her hand out. She wants to take her nervousness and push it down, smother it behind the harsh realistic persona she created in order to survive back at the Sohma house. But that's a person she doesn't want to be. Someone that doesn't exist. That never existed.

She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and wipes her sweaty palms on the yellow dress just below the jean jacket. A touch of autumn bites her cheeks. She smiles against the wind. It reminds her of pumpkins and coffee; scarves and cardigans.

Metal bites through the bare skin of her fingers as she wraps them around the door handle. The doors are lighter than she expected. A blast of warmth burns the chill from her face as she pulls the door open.

She glances over her shoulder, half expecting Hatori to drive up in his black sedan with his window down, giving her the same disapproving look she became accustom to. But she needs time away from him, too. Time for herself. Time to think without all the noise and chatter of the Zodiac humming beneath the surface of her skin.

Stepping into the warmth, she pulls the door shut behind her, and welcomes the separation from the outside world.

She stands in front of each class, an artifact on display for the world to see. She wants to melt into the expensive flooring, seep into the cracks until it buckles beneath the weight of her substance. Introduces herself. What are her likes and hobbies? Who are her parents? Where did she come from? They all want to know.

She takes a seat next to a tall blonde. Tucks strands of hair behind her ear, then runs her fingers through to release its hold. It spills over her right shoulder, a barricade so the man won't speak to her. He takes no notice.

"Why, hello," he says, a charming smile tugging against his lips.

She knows that kind of smile.

"My name is Tamaki Suoh." Slender fingers not her own tuck her hair behind her ear again. "I'm honored to meet such a lovely maiden as yourself." His hands grasp one of her own, the one nearest to him, and brings it to his lips. The sigh of a kiss grazes her knuckles.

Her hand retracts of its own accord and she shifts to the edge of her seat. Please don't touch me. Her mind speaks but her lips make no movement. Another burn creeps up from the base of her neck, touching her ears and spreading along her cheeks.

His eyebrows twitch upward, his blue eyes widening a fraction.

She apologizes immediately, and yet curses herself for doing so. "I'm not one for physical contact." She doesn't have to explain. She knows that. And yet she does so anyway. Another apology escapes.

"It's nothing to worry about, Princess," he says, and smirks as he puts his fingers through his bangs. Determination spits fire from his eyes.

She pushes away the urge to run.

His fingers curl into a tight fist. "I'll make sure no one lays a hand on you. You can count on me."

She blinks at his words. How is she supposed to react to something of that magnitude? "Um, okay," she says. It seems rude, but what else is she to say? His words seem sincere, but they are only as sincere as his person. And she doesn't know him well enough to know who that is.

When the bell sounds, she shoves her notebook in her backpack. The amount of people here—it's smothering. She ignores the voice that calls out to her and disappears in the crowd of other students. It's best to blend in, fall in with some meaningless crowd or just stay off to herself. It's safer for everyone that way.

All her classes manage the same. She makes it a point to steer clear of the overzealous blonde that insists on capturing her attention. Although she's unsure if it's her attention he seeks, or if it is merely attention in general.

It's tiresome. Starting over. Her eyes are heavy and every movement drags the exhaustion out deeper. A day filled with fake smiles, false promises, and avoiding certain people will wear anyone out. The ticking clock on the wall seems to taunt Serenity with every passing second. Only thirty minutes before lunchtime. Thirty minutes. Before lunch time.

Can this day go any slower? Really? She wants to groan and bang her head against the desk. Because it is the first day of school, none of the teachers want to teach anything. Go over the syllabus and get to know the people sitting on the left and right. They'll be her neighbors for the remainder of the year.

She makes an effort for each class to sit near a woman. The closer she is to a man, the more likely it is they'll find out her secret. And that's something she can't afford. She doesn't think Hatori can either. Erasing memories takes a lot out of a person.

The bell chimes and she bolts from her seat, beelining for the doorway. The pink walls crawl in closer, closing some of the empty space. Chatter fills the rest, bouncing off the increasing walls and slithering in one ear and out the other.

She pushes her way through the crowd until the familiar giant doors come into view. Without a second glance, she slides out of the warmth and into the chill where she can spread her arms and breathe.

A black car speeds past. The cool wind brushes against her face and blows her hair out around her. It forces her back against the door, her pulse thrumming in her ears. Stupid. Stupid, stupid. They won't know she's missing until this evening, and even then, they won't know where to start looking for her. She covered her tracks well enough.

She tugs the map of campus out of her backpack and spreads it open. If she walks around the left side of the building, it'll bring her to the—she squints, trying to make out the kanji written on top of the green block on the page—Kendo building? Past that, there's the Music building, and the Performing arts. Wouldn't those be one building? Suppose not.

And if she veers to the right… That's where she'll go. The gardens. Somewhere quiet. Peaceful. She shoves her hands together and tucks the map in a side pocket of her bag.

On the way there, she tugs the ends of her hair, dancing her fingers around the strands—it's gotten so long since she last cut it. Maybe she'll cut it again.

Then again, maybe she won't. She won't admit it to anyone else, but she's just as vain as any of the other students here. Maybe this will be the place she belongs.

The smell of roses grows stronger the farther Serenity walks. Murmurs become more distinct voices, as though the idle wind carries their words to her.

"I apologize, Princess," says one voice.

Her chest clenches, and her feet stop before she can walk around the corner of the building.

"But I cannot return your feelings. I'm so very honored that you've chosen me. And I do hope you continue to visit me at the Host Club."

"Ah, Tamaki-san, I understand."

Serenity can hear the tears in the girl's eyes, the ache in her chest, the break in her words. She doesn't mean to listen into such a private conversation. Her eyes wander to the cracks in the cement. Of course, a garden in a place like this is sure to draw romantic notions. Even though she hasn't seen it, she can imagine.

"A Prince such as yourself could never be tied down to someone as me. Please forgive my forwardness."

"Nonsense," he cries. "Any man would be lucky to have someone as beautiful as you, my darling. I'm afraid I just cannot be that man. I hope you understand." His voice is powerful, even without the wind to carry it. A born actor.

"I do, Tamaki-san. Thank you so much for your kindness."

The tapping of heels brings Serenity's eyes forward. She doesn't want to get caught listening, so she pushes her feet forward, as though she never stopped walking. She doesn't want to see Tamaki, but she doesn't want to be confronted by a scorned woman, either. Hell hath no fury. The scar on her back is proof of that.

"Hello, Tamaki-san." She forces the words from her mouth out of politeness and keeps her eyes forward. The garden is a maze of rose bushes, mostly red. "Ah," her eyes lower. Red roses. Of course.

"Ah, Serenity-chan," he says.

She turns to look at him, and freezes, as he's no more than a foot away from her now.

"Don't worry," he smiles, tilts his head to the side. His eyes crinkle when he smiles. He must be a very happy man. "I will respect your personal space."

The tension in her shoulders releases, and she nearly sighs. That's a relief.

"Unless, of course, you do something unbearably cute. Then I'll have no choice but to hug you."

She takes it back. No relief. Forever tension. She won't be able to make it one day without her secret being public knowledge. It's a mistake leaving the Sohma house. She should have just stayed. She never should have come here. "Please don't do such a thing, Tamaki-san."

"Whyever not? All maidens such as yourself deserve affection. Don't you agree, Serenity-chan?" He tucks his hands in the pockets of his trousers, as though he were talking with a lifelong friend, not someone he only met this morning.

She gives him a tight smile and turns away. "You shouldn't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to." She feels his eyes against her back until she's swallowed up by the garden. All she wants is to finish out the last two years of her schooling. No setbacks. And that won't be able to happen if Tamaki continues to push. It's only been a day, but her resolve has never been quite that strong. She'll crack beneath the weight of his attention. And Akito will have her head.

The thought has her bent over, vision blurred by tears. Breathe, remember to breathe. One moment at a time. Just take it as it comes. She can do this. One final, shaking breath, and she continues down the pathway, swiping the back of her hand against her face to erase the tears. She sits on a nearby stone bench and pulls her lunch out. As though nothing happened. Nothing's going to happen.