Hello there! My name is VanyD and I shall be your host this morning/evening/afternoon/night/whenever it is you're reading this... Um, I know I should probably finish off some of my old stories before I start posting a new one, but I've been wrapped up in this story for a while and I kinda just need to get it out. Before I let you read, I want to say that this first day has been broken down into three intro chapters and I apologize for that. It was just too long to all be one post. I do want to make a promise that, in the future, I will (try to) not break down one day into several chapters. Now please enjoy the show and don't be afraid to tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own squat :)

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? Like everyone else was moving around at top speed while you were still in slow mode? That's how I felt all the time. A long time ago I had decided to change my life; I decided to change me. However, afterwards it didn't seem as if I had stepped up from where I had been before, but rather, it was like I had stepped down. I stepped down into this big oozing puddle of gook, which was what trapped me in this slow-mo nightmare! It wasn't so bad at first. I figured that I could live with a little gook. But by senior year it had become unbearable. That was when I had to decide whether or not to, cliché enough, sink or swim.

"We're going to be late!!" I bellowed up the stairs. Every friggin' day she had to take all the time in the world to get ready. I let out an exasperated breath and stalked off to the kitchen where my parents were eating breakfast, not paying me any attention, as usual.

"If we don't leave in 5 minutes we're going to be late to the first day of school!" I plopped into a chair at the table and grabbed a piece of toast.

"You know your sister. She'll be down soon enough." My mother said, barely glancing up from scrambling eggs at the stove. She deftly scraped some eggs onto a plate and handed it to me. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to spend some time on yourself either." She said with a knowing smile.

"Mom, we do this every morning. Megumi is the popular one, not me. I've no reason to gaze at myself for hours in a mirror; I actually plan on doing something with my life."

"How touching," Megumi said, coming up behind my chair, "I'm ready when you are."

"Megumi, you didn't eat anything," My father said, not bothering to look up from the newspaper in his hands.

"No worries. Kaoru eats enough for the both of us," Megumi smiled smugly.

After briefly glaring at her, I gulped down my eggs and toast and hopped up, "Let's do this."

Both of us waved at our parents before stepping outside into the warm August air. Senior year, here we come…

"Jeez, could it get any hotter?" I whined, throwing my stuff in the back of Meg's car.

"You know what would help? If you weren't wearing a black long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans that are two sizes too big and a few fashion seasons old."

"For your information, my jeans actually fit me, unlike most of your jeans which are too tight to breathe in. Plus, what else am I supposed to wear? A barely there skirt and a prostitute top?" I gestured to her outfit, rolling my eyes.

"How is a stylish tank top a prostitute top again?"

"Whatever, we're late," I crossed my arms and looked out the passenger side window. I could hear Megumi sigh exasperatedly as she backed out of the driveway.

Everyday went pretty much like this: The bickering, the disapproval on both sides, the annoyance. It was like a tape that was constantly on repeat. Ever since I decided on the new me, I've been so… bored!

I chanced glancing over at Megumi. Unlike me, her hair was down and loose around her shoulders, there were little silver earrings dangling from her ears, and she had just the right amount of make up on. I couldn't help but think how gorgeous she was, and perfect, and let's not forget popular. All of which were things I wasn't… well, not anymore at least. I shook my head and reached up to redo my ponytail. This is me, and this is a hundred times better than what she is, I told myself, trying to believe it. I pushed my glasses further up my nose and waited for us to get to school.

We parked in the school parking lot and immediately parted ways; Megumi off to meet up with her extra-cool friends, mental eye roll, and me to meet up with—

"KAO-CHAN!" Misao yelled, running up to me with open arms.

"Misao!" I said, hugging her tightly. Misao's my best—and by best I do mean only—friend at school.

"Summer sucked without you. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you, but my family insisted on spending the whole time traveling, seeing the sights or whatever," Oh, and if I forgot to mention, her family is loaded.

"It's fine. I caught up on some reading and I saw some movies I'd missed out on during the school year… is everything ok?" Misao was bouncing, but not her normal happy bounce, a slightly nervous, anxious bounce.

"No, nothing!" Misao smiled but it was obviously not sincere. Something was wrong.

"Misao, whatever it is, you can tell me. It can't be that bad!"

"You'll hate me."

"What makes you think that?" I asked, slightly taken aback.

"Because I know you, Kaoru. You're going to be angry with me."

"I promise not to," I said, concerned. I mentally braced myself for whatever she could possibly say, unsure of what was going on.

"I met someone…" I did a slow blink. Reading my face, Misao rushed into her next sentence, "You see, while traveling my family met up with some of my father's co-workers and spent a weekend at a villa in France, and uh… I ended up spending most of that weekend with Mr. Takana's son, Riu." Misao twisted her hands in nervousness. I stared at her blankly for a while, unsure of what to say. She had… a boyfriend?

"Riu?" I finally asked.

"He goes to that private school around the corner. Isn't that great?" Misao smiled at me again, only this time it was more cautious than fake. She looked like she expected me to tear her head off. My only friend at school was officially scared of me.

"Boyfriend. Yeah. Great." I said after a moment, determined not to let my upset show.

"You promised you wouldn't be angry," Misao said, not buying into my weak reply.

"I'm not!" I'm furious, "I'm just surprised is all. What about our pact? I thought the both of us were going to hold off on dating. I mean, for you to change your mind about everything he must be some sort of amazing guy."

"He is! And I'm really, really sorry. It's just that we made that pact almost two years ago. Back then it seemed so logical; hold off on guys until college when they're mature and smart and not skeezy like the guys lurking around here. But Riu is different, and he graduates this year anyway, so it's almost like dating a college guy!" Misao looked at me, begging for me to understand.

"I get it. I'm happy for you," I pushed forward my most convincing smile. I knew the smile didn't quite reach my eyes, but Misao grinned back anyway. She flung herself into my arms and thanked me for being such a good friend, but I felt like a bitch. Even while I should have been happy for her and her new guy, all I kept thinking was, senior year is really going to suck.

I stood in the middle of the cafeteria with my tray, lost in a sea of people. I felt lonely at first, then sad, and finally angry. Here I was, a senior, with no one to sit with all because Misao had to meet her stupid boyfriend for lunch. I had to sit through homeroom listening to her gab on and on about Riu and his gorgeous hair and how lucky they were that we had senior privileges this year, allowing us to go off campus. But Misao wasn't excited to use her privileges with me. No, she was excited to be with Riu; to go off campus and eat with him instead. I thought Misao and I would celebrate our first day as seniors by going off campus to eat together. I glanced around the crowded room again, but couldn't find a friendly face anywhere. I hadn't felt so alone since my family moved into town my sophomore year of highschool.

With a sigh, I finally dragged my friendless ass out of the cafeteria doors and walked to the field behind the school. It had been my safe haven as a sophomore and I supposed it would be still be just as good even though I was a senior.

I walked over to the bleachers facing the soccer field and sat a few rows up so I could look at the empty vast of green.

"Excuse me, could I ask you a question?"

My safe haven was no longer safe; I rolled my eyes. I turned my head in annoyance to look at the guy who had just spoken to me. For a moment I lost my words, he was remarkably handsome with unique violet eyes and a shock of red hair falling around his face.

"I, um, I don't know. Depends on what the question is," I said, not sure what to say to a guy who looked that good.

"Well, I'm new and—" Right then I started laughing. Oh God, a newbie? A freshman? Coming up to me? I had really sunk to a new low. I was the loner girl who looked like she needed a friend, and a freshman, no less, was trying to make me their friend. Just perfect.

"Look, you can go now," I dismissed him, turning back to look at the field.

"What?"

"You can go. I have nothing to talk to you about because I damn sure don't want to be your friend."

"And who said I wanted to be your friend?" He asked taken aback, his eyes darkening. My heart raced for a second and my cheeks blushed.

"Then why are you talking to me?"

"Maybe I'm lost."

"You have a map sticking out of your pocket," I gestured to the folded paper in his jeans pocket.

"And if I'm still just lost?"

"Then you're an idiot," I smiled smugly.

"I can't believe this," He laughed, "You're such a brat."

"At least I'm not a jackass, like you."

"You're going to regret that statement."

"And how do you figure that?" He leaned closer to me, inches from my face. I blushed harder. Finally he whispered, "Karma."

"Sure. Whatever you say," I growled, annoyed that I couldn't control my blush.

"Who knows? You might end up stuck with me one day."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure; when pigs fly."

"Bet your ass. Thanks for nothing, Brat." The boy immediately turned around and walked back toward the main building of the school.

I wanted to kick his ass, I wanted to yell, but instead I just sat there and watched as he walked away in his stupid jeans and polo shirt. I shook my head and stood up to toss out my half finished lunch, my appetite—like my day—was completely ruined.

Have you ever been having a bad day and comforting yourself with the thought that it couldn't possibly get worse? Well it always does, doesn't it? It always does.

Right after lunch I had AP English, supposedly a pain in the ass class, from what I had heard, and I was not exactly looking forward to it. I slowly walked to class trying to prolong the utter pain of sitting in such boredom. I stepped into the room right as the bell rang and found myself face to face with the reason why you never show up last to a class on the first day: Every seat was taken. Every seat except the one right next to a certain red haired boy who apparently wasn't a freshman like I had thought. This was a senior class only, which made him a senior, which only added to my already messed up day. I trudged over to the seat, dropped my stuff on the floor, and sat. From the corner of my eyes I could see him smiling. Smug bastard.

"Now that Ms. Kamiya has finished taking her time to sit, let's begin class," The teacher glared at me briefly and then turned around to write on the board. "Welcome to AP English, also known as hell. This class will not be easy. It will take up most of your time and create most of your senior year stress, with the exception of college applications of course. Let me say that this class was nearly impossible to pass, but the school has forced me be more lenient. So Congratulations! Now it will only be slightly less impossible to pass," The teacher turned to us as a sinister smile curled on his face. The class shuddered as one. He picked up a stack of papers from his desk and began to walk up and down the isle of chairs, handing them out. "Every student will be paired to work with another student. Every week a paper is due in addition to your normal work and your partner is your peer reviewer. They will edit your papers before you turn them in. If I assign any projects, the two of you shall work together. If you have any questions about anything, you turn to that person. The paper I am handing out now has the list of partners. No, you can't change your partner. I don't care if he or she has slept with your brother or sister or mother. I don't care if you don't chill with the same people. I don't care if you're allergic to their very being. Failure to work with them will lead to failure in this class." The teacher dropped the handout on my desk. I quickly scanned down the list of names till I found mine. My partner was Himura, Kenshin. After thinking about it for a moment, I realized that I didn't recognize the name at all. So I twisted in my chair to look around.

"Hey," red haired boy said to me. I pointedly ignored him and continued to scan the room. "Hey!" he said again, poking me lightly on my shoulder.

"What do you want?" I said, glaring at him.

"Your name's Kamiya, right?"

"My name's Kaoru. Kamiya is my last name. Now leave me alone," I looked away from him. Maybe my partner was sitting in the back?

"If I can have your attention I have something really important to tell you."

"Nothing you have to say is important."

"Pigs are flying."

"Excuse me?" I finally looked back at him, frowning in annoyance and confusion.

"Hi, my name is Himura, Kenshin."

And that is how my horror story, senior year, began.