A/N: I'd planned to finish the next chapter for my other story tonight and get the flippin' thing posted, but I'm in the wrong mood to write something so serious. As my brother so eloquently put it, I'm acting pretty nuts tonight. To vent out the excitement and hopefully get down to business, I started this fic! Got to say that I had a total blast, and I fully intend to keep going with it when the mood strikes me.

Also note that the story shouldn't be taken seriously at all. It's totally for fun and fairly out of character. Fic's rated M for future chapters, even though it isn't bad right now. Self proofed. The entire writing process wasn't even a whole night, so don't expect Shakespeare.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime/Otome or any of the songs in this story.

No one enjoys the daily grind.

Get up in the morning at some ungodly hour, get ready for school, roll up in your piece of crap car and thank God that your drivers side door still hasn't fallen off. Walk up the sidewalk to school and hope nothing embarrassing befalls you on your way to class. Listen to teachers rattle off about something you couldn't care less about. Go home and do more work that your teachers couldn't fit into their damn hour of torture. Go to sleep earlier than you would've liked only to start it all over again. Mmm'boy.

One day, my friend and I decided we were sick of it.

Being the rebels of the school, we kept pretty much to ourselves. Not too many people approached us and we likewise kept our distance. We'd often scoff at conformity, thinking it was the most useless thing on the planet, and made fun of all the people that looked exactly the same. We'd often dress differently from everyone else, exaggerating our appearances to look totally off key. All black was often the way to go.

Melancholy and sarcastic was the name of the game. To be kind was to give in the fight. Friends? Who needs those? We had each other, that was often more company than either of us cared to have. Be a bitch to all within earshot? Check. Detentions and near expulsions? Another name for victory!

One day, we realized that our nonconformity was just another form of conformity. That was the same day we realized that we were screwed! To conform was the same as not to, so what is one to do if they just hate society and what the world is as a whole?

Ah, but the answer is so obvious, my friends. Do whatever the fuck you want!

And so, that's how we've come to where we are today. Tires screeching into the student parking lot in classic "I don't give a fuck" fashion; sound system I'd installed into my bike playing my current obsession: I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) by Pitbull. Definitely an interesting way to pull into school on a blissfully-boring Monday morning. Considering the mixture of scoffs and approving looks my friend and I were shot as we shed ourselves of our helmets and dismounted my beast of a bike, I would imagine it's safe to say we'd made an impression on the poor masses of our tedious little high school.

Unlike the full black you would've seen us in last year, the two of us now dressed as we pleased. My redheaded companion wore sinfully-appealing jean shorts and a blood-red camisole that complimented her hair nicely. She'd dawned a pair of khaki-colored flats to finish off the look. Over all, she was a sexy vixen. Plenty of girls admired her foxy look and many guys lusted after her well-kept body.

While my light-green eyed friend was of the flirtatious style, I enjoy a more boyish style, though I make sure to compliment my feminism with every outfit. Today's pick was a pair of guy's jeans; a tight-fitting, quarter-length-sleeved, blue top with a V-neck; and my favorite black and blue Converse.

"I think we've successfully brightened up their mornings, Zhang." I commented to my slender companion, making eye contact with a few of the people who watched us pull up. I took our helmets and threw them into the seat compartment before beginning the long trek across the parking lot to the school's doors

"I'd be staring too," Nao Zhang said with a smirk as she walked alongside me. "My ass looks damn nice in these."

I couldn't help but chuckle at how modest the damn redhead was. "I'd tap that."

Her light-green eyes turned to fix my dark-green ones with a look. She was sneering. "As if I would lower my standards that far." She was trying her best to sound serious, but we both knew she was just kidding around. That was what was so great about Nao: Despite knowing about my preference towards the female anatomy, she always played along with my jokes, being aware that I couldn't imagine feeling anything of the sexual nature towards her. She may be a caustic little wench, but she was pretty understanding.

"That's right, I forgot that Duran's more to your taste," I retorted.

"You know I love the fur."

Now that reply made me cringe; my splendidly-overactive imagination making short work of burning some very scarring images into my mind.

"The wet noses help too," Nao put in, no doubt seeing my paling expression.

"Oh God!" I couldn't help but let out the exclamation. I would've never thought the images could've gotten worse. "Shit, we're done! Ugh, Zhang that's disgusting. I'm never leaving you alone with my dog ever again."

"Your dog? I thought we were talking about that stuffed animal on your bed," Nao replied in mock confusion.

"What're you doing with my… wait… how would a toy have… a wet… nose…." Sometimes having a good imagination sucks. "Do you have a knife on you? I'd like to gouge out my eyes."

Nao's arms went up and she examined her person. "Where would I hide a knife?"

"In that fat ass of yours."

"You're free to check if you'd like." Nao said, stopping and moving to bend over.

"I'd get lost in there. Hurry up, we're wasting time." The last thing I wanted to do was reach into my friend's ass, so I didn't even stop when she did.

Nao jogged up next to me and shot me a smirk. "But Kruger, you said you'd tap that. You just missed your chance."

"I said 'tap', not 'dive into'."

Nao shoved my shoulder, making me stumble to the side. I shot her a grin as I caught myself. She had her own smirk on her face. "Lucky for you murder's illegal. Your ass would be in gutter."

We reached the school doors, me being in the lead I opened the door and walked through, trying to pull the portal closed before Nao could get in. The redhead was too quick, however, and caught the handle with a hand before I could close the door. She flung the door open and I picked up my pace a bit, knowing she'd do something in retaliation.

"That's right, run Kruger! You know I'm too much for you!"

"Your ass alone is too much for me!" I shouted back. Oh the maturity. That's when my phone started vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out as I slowed my walk so Nao could catch up. I heard her footsteps come alongside me as I flipped open the device. Just as I clicked to read the message, I felt a heavy smack on the back of my head, causing my neck to bend with the blow.

"Ow, shit." A free hand went up to rub the smarting spot as I glared at Nao.

"Got a text?" Nao asked, acting totally innocent.

I let the hit go, remembering I did indeed have a text. I looked back to the phone to find a message from Chie. All it said was, "hurry up."

"That's weird," I said, turning the screen for Nao to see. "Wonder what she wants."

Nao shrugged and picked up the pace a bit. "No doubt some juicy gossip. Hurry up."

Mistake Number 1: Hit Natsuki upside the head. Mistake Number 2: Turn your back to Natsuki directly after hitting her upside the head. It was on.

I caught up to her only to smack her twice as hard as she'd hit me. She stumbled, almost tumbling to the ground, and cursed before looking up at me with killing intent as she rubbed her head. I tried so hard to not laugh, I really did. It just came out. As such, we came upon Chie and Aoi in the same spot that we always met at. I was in the lead, running for my life from a very pissed redhead. It probably didn't help matters that I'd been laughing uproariously the entire way there.

"Fucking got her good," I explained shortly as I came up next to Chie and Aoi, wheeling around to take my friend head on.

I'd expected her to slow down and try to hit me, or maybe even cuss me out. I way underestimated her. She full on flying-tackled me to the ground. Everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing at the sounds of the ensuing tussle and turned to the sight of a furious Nao trying to get a shot in at me. We had a crowd around us pretty damn quick, with Chie's phone out and recording the whole thing. I managed to push the flailing redhead off me, making her fall onto her back.

Like I'd waste a good opportunity to get some revenge. I jumped at her with menacing intentions. We started wrestling, laughing and jeering at one another playfully, not caring in the least about the crowd as they egged us on; half of them thought we were seriously fighting and the other half either weren't sure what was going on or knew that we were just having fun at this point.

"Make like the Red Seas and part! Move it!" A voice called, cutting through the chanting like a knife. Nao and I stopped in our tussle immediately and shot each other a panicked look. We both stood up and tried to look as natural as one could with a crowd of drooling idiots ringed around you. A familiar flash of red hair, tamed down by a ponytail, had us both sighing in relief as the crowd quickly dispersed.

"Ms. Sugiura! How splendid to see you this fantastic Monday morning!" Nao called with a completely painted-on smile. "To what do we owe the wonderful pleasure?"

"If only you greeted me like that every morning, I might've let you two walk off." Midori Sugiura flicked her eyes over to Chie, who was trying to save her new video and hide her phone at the same time. "Hallard, phone," she demanded, holding out her hand to the rumormonger.

"Dang," the dark-haired girl grumbled under her breath as she handed over her most-prized possession.

Midori took the phone and clicked on it for a moment before staring intently at the screen. Sounds not unlike those that had been rising in the air minutes ago came from the phone as our teacher slowly started grinning. "Oh, you got her good there, Zhang." A few more moments of silent watching before an, "ouch! Though that hurt just to watch, nice one Kruger."

Comments like that continued, while Nao and I traded knowing looks. Midori was easily the coolest teacher in the school, and she absolutely adored the two of us. I couldn't imagine getting in trouble from her unless I had a bomb strapped to my chest or something. When the eldest redhead was done, she was laughing as she handed Chie her phone back.

"Not bad, though I'm not sure who won. I'm gonna have to call a tie," the teacher said with a grin. "Oh, and don't let it happen again."

"Yes ma'am," Nao and I said in unison.

"Carry on," Midori said with a mock salute before marching down the hall.

I breathed a sigh of relief while Nao turned about to question Chie. "So what did you have us rushing over for, before all the fun?"

"There's a brand new transfer student starting today," Chie explained as she closed her phone.

"Umm… so?" I asked, not really seeing what was so exciting about some new kid.

"You don't understand," Aoi exclaimed as Chie flipped open her phone and started clicking away on it. "She's really pretty, with an interesting accent."

"So?" I asked again. Pretty girls weren't exactly a rarity; we went to a big high school.

Chie shoved her phone in my face, and I finally saw what the big deal was. A few people were in the picture, but it was obvious who the transfer student was. The picture was to the side, the girl only slightly turned toward the camera. Despite the bad angle, however, I could make out her face and body perfectly.

She wasn't pretty, she was drop-dead gorgeous! A thin figure that was curved dramatically in all the right places; golden-brown hair with a perfect balance of volume and wave; good taste in clothes, dressed in hip-hugging jeans and a simple, red blouse with a few of the buttons unfastened to show off her generous chest, covered only by a white undershirt; all topped off by the most unbelievably-red eyes I'd ever seen.

"Holy crap… she's hot," Nao noted from beside me, snapping me back to reality.

"Isn't she? Ow!" Chie rubbed her head where Aoi had smacked her. "Not that I care," she quickly defended, shooting her girlfriend a charming smile.

Nao made the sound of a whip snapping as she imitated the gesture. I sniggered at my companion, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"Any idea what her name is or what year she is?" I asked, already knowing that Chie had an answer.

"Shizuru Viola. She's a senior like us. I've got her schedule if you'd like," Chie rattled off, a proud smile on her face.

"How 'bout her sign?" Nao joked.

"Sagittarius," Chie's prideful look grew, if that was even possible.

"Damn, are you a gossip or a stalker?" Nao asked, looking mildly creeped out.

"You asked. Don't question if you don't want to know!" The dark-haired girl retorted.

I was only half listening to exchange, of course. I was going over the compatibility of a Sagittarius and a Leo in my head, wishing I'd looked into more of those stupid sign things. The thought was fleeting, for I snapped myself back into reality quickly. There's no way I'd be so lucky as to have the hot transfer student end up digging chicks. Life wasn't that convenient.

"What's her schedule?" I asked suddenly, before I could think about what I was doing.

Chie pocketed her phone and pulled out a folded paper to shove into my hand. "I thought you'd never ask," she said, shooting me a wink.

The meaning of that wink didn't escape me. Chie knew my sexual preferences, so no doubt she'd counted on my interest in such a head turner. I caught myself blushing, realizing my friends could probably read through my actions like a book. Sometimes I wish I was more subtle.

I moved to pocket the package and look at it later. Thankfully, Nao groaned when she saw me starting to do so. "I'm curious. Don't be selfish, Kruger."

"Sorry," I mumbled trying to sound uncaring. I ended up pulling my hand out of my pocket a bit more quickly than I would've liked and ripping open the paper with obvious interest.

We gazed down at the paper a minute before Nao piped in, "she's got classes with both of us."

I nodded, feeling a grin tugging at my lips. "Yeah she does."

The redhead and I exchanged looks, Nao's expression being very impish as she examined my doubtlessly excited-looking face.

The bell rang then, signaling for the four of us to disperse. We all exchanged goodbyes, all three of my friends giving me purposeful looks that I decided to ignore, before parting ways. I tried to reign in my hope as I pushed through the ridiculously-crowded hallways to my first hour. I reminded myself time and time again that the chances that this new girl was a lesbian were slim to none, but I couldn't help but feel that today was going to be a damn fine day.