"Honey time to get up, new day, new school. Are you excited?" she asks opening my blinds to the dawning sun. I grumble and turn towards her. My mother so beautiful. Her black shiny hair cascading down her back. Her wide brown eyes shining from beneath her bangs. She sat on the edge of my bed and shook me gently. " Come on sweet heart rise and meet the day". "Well when you put it that way, alright" I mumble rising from my silky soft sheets. "So what is this school called again" I ask still half asleep. "Sayosai High, it's very good, I'm sure you'll fit right in" she responded smiling sweetly. I sighed in return. My mother left me to get changed. I pulled on a pair of light blue jeans and an orange pull over. I combed my long dark hair and pulled it into a dark ribbon. Girls my age don't usually wear ribbons, but I find them sophisticated. I grabbed my backpack, which contained nothing but a notebook and my schedule and headed downstairs for breakfast.

A large hand smashed down the snooze button and a groan erupted from the massive pile of sheet, knowing that it was back to school. Another year, it would be the same. It never changes. Eventually the body arose. A gruff voice called from behind the wooden door. "Inutashio, are you up"? "Yes, dad I am" Inutashio replied.

"Bye honey, have a good day, good luck at school" she called as I left. I walked to school the way I'd been practicing all summer. I've been here a month and I have no friends. I don't even know who my neighbors are. It's just like all the other times. I guess I'll just have to handle it until we move again. Izayoi looked behind her and saw her younger sister Azami running across the street to drop off her brother, Sutsuki, at elementary school, Azami soon caught up with her very slow moving sister. "Izayoi, why the long face" Azami asked grinning. Izayoi looked at her younger sister. Her sister was pure, free and naïve. Although Izayoi oddly admired her younger sister, her sister was vain to one thing, heartbreak. Her sister had never stood out in the rain sobbing for someone who had betrayed her love. Izayoi forced back her tears. "I'm fine Azami" Izayoi replied putting on a fake smile. Azami's soft brown eyes stared with concern.

Unlike her older sister Azami embraced her beauty. She wore clothes that flattered her body, without damaging her reputation. She lightened her face with blush and pretty eye shadow. Her sister used to be the same way, but she changed after the move. Their mother had said that Izayoi had been 'caught up in young love' and had given her strict orders not to mention Izayoi's ex-boyfriend. Azami silently decided not bring up the topic of the new selection of guys at their school. They arrived in silence. They found their way to the office and were instructed to stay there until class began.

Inutashio walked through the crowded hallways to his locker for the year. It was near the end of the school, near no classrooms. He put his lock on and stuffed his bag inside, only taking his binder with him. He wondered who would be beside his locker. He silently hoped that it wouldn't be the same jocks as last year.

Flashback

"Hey Takashi, what's your deal anyway. You some kinda loser, turning down an opportunity to be on the football team". "You too good for the team"? They punched his locker along with several other of his body parts. He severely tried to avoid going home. Not wanting to explain why he had so many bruises on his chest or why he had a broken nose. It's not as if he couldn't fight back, its that he wouldn't. The police had given him a break last time. He'd beaten and broken all five guys and was almost thrown in jail. He'd lost everything by protecting himself and his reputation. His reputation meant nothing to him now. He'd lost the trust and respect of his father which had hurt him the most. He'd always admired his father and now his father could hardly look at his only son, none the less look him in the eye with pride. It was Inutashio's silent punishment; it tore him to pieces. He fought no one now. He took the kids at schools beatings and taunts it didn't matter to him, nothing did. The bell rang and Inutashio trudged to homeroom.

"Name" the annoyed looking secretary, asked? "Takouyoi, Azami and Izayoi" I answered. "Alright since the student who's supposed to show you around hasn't arrived yet I guess I'll have to do it" she grumbled. "Follow me" she ordered. Azumi and I silently obeyed. "Alright, Azumi is it? Since you're a freshman you'll stay to the west of the school, I'll show you your locker and your responsible for getting a lock by tomorrow and if you don't your locker will be reassigned or bolted. She continued to walk towards the West Side of the building before stopping to glance at a sheet of paper. "1818, that should be easy to remember, here's your schedule now get to homeroom" she instructed handing her a slip of paper. Azumi took it and dashed down the hall. The secretary turned to me and said "Grade twelve huh, well your down the hall at the other end of the school. I only nodded as a response. We walked in silence. "3479, is your locker. You all right to go to homeroom, you look kinda sick" she observed. "I'm fine, thank you for showing my sister and I around" I bow before turning to go to room 431, my homeroom class. I only then realize that I have no idea where 431 is. I turn to ask the secretary, but she's already disappeared. I stand in the empty hallway looking lost. 'How did Azumi know where to go' Izayoi asked herself.

"Late Mr. Takashi, go get me a slip". "Hmpf" was the only response from Inutashio. He was returning from the office when he saw a girl about his age standing in the hallway. Her long dark hair tied in a ribbon cascading down her back. She seemed like she was in a daze. He walked up behind her and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. "You okay" he asked softly? He didn't really expect much of a response but she jumped away, turning and facing him "WHOA"! She smacked his hand away. "Why'd you do that?" she asked, clearly dumbfounded. Her eyes held fear and anger. "You were standing in the middle of the hall" Inutashio responded. "Are you okay" Inutashio asked? She regained her composure and replied "I-I'm fine". "You sure" he asked again. She nodded. He usually didn't concern himself with the well being of lost, confused, angry girls, but she seemed more afraid of someone tapping her than the actual presence of her. It wasn't as if he considered himself particularly frightening but other people seemed to think so.

Izayoi looked this boy up and down. For some reason she thought it was Makoto. "Makoto" the first time she'd actually said his name, she realized it was out loud when he gave her a look of confusion. "Who" he asked? "No one" Izayoi replied biting back her tears.

'Why did this girl look like she was going to cry'? 'What did I do'? "I'm sorry for tapping you". "Huh"? "You look upset, so I'm apologizing" Inutashio replied. "Oh, no its- its not you, I'm sorry, umm do you know where room 431 is" she asked? "Yeah actually I'm heading there now" he responded partially pleased that she wasn't upset with him. He didn't enjoy girls crying. "Follow me" he suggested. She did. Inutashio and Izayoi walked through the door in silence and were greeted by more silence. Inutashio threw the slip at sensei and sensei stood up and stared Izayoi up and down. "Welcome" he said. Izayoi managed a slight smile. She handed him her papers and he quickly examined them before returning them to Izayoi. "Please Izayoi, take a seat". Izayoi nodded. Izayoi took the only seat available, in the back next to the strange silver haired boy with golden eyes and what seemed to be tattoos on his cheeks. Izayoi soon discovered that this class was world history, and although sensei found it terribly interesting, Izayoi struggled to keep her eyes open, she wasn't alone either, half of the students were asleep.

Izayoi didn't even pay attention or notice the other students in her class. Izayoi continued to drone on during all her classes until lunch, which she spent sleeping in the cafeteria. As the day continued Izayoi promised herself that tomorrow she would be attentive in class, and try to make friends. Yes, tomorrow would defiantly be better. Izayoi trudged home at the end of the day, not waiting for Azumi.

Inutashio got home and went back to sleep, not caring about the day's assignments. For some unknown reason he dreamt of the beautiful dark haired girl with the ribbon, Izayoi.