A/N: Welcome, readers!
Okay, so I suck at writing first chapters of anything, but this fic's going to start getting better. And please look at the date of the chapter because I might flip from past and present in between the story.
The-Boy-In-The-Janitor's-Closet
-:- 5th April, 2011 5:45 p.m. -:-
It was the last working day for the Sereitei students before summer hols began. Rukia walked through the corridors with a blank expression on her face. Things had been better for her now, but not everything felt right.
She didn't know why, but everything seemed so...monotonous. She woke up, ate, studied, ate, pretended to enjoy with her friends and slept. And then the same next day. And the next. And the next.
The classes were all over as the students hurried around talking. They had been given a fat load of homework, but Rukia was fine with it, because she was going to meet her father again. Finally.
At first, when she had newly arrived at Seretei, she'd visited Kuro every weekend. As the work pressure kicked in, she began to visit once a month, which slowly changed to talks on the phone, which then slowly changed to none at all. It had been exactly four months since she'd last seen the guy.
"Rukia! Promise me you'll call me!" Momo cried, leaping towards Rukia and hugging her. A familiar warmth spread through the violet-eyed girl, who smiled and nodded.
"I will."
"I'll miss you so much! Send my love to your Dad, okay?"
"Yeah"
Momo waved and hurried away to pack up her things- her parents were coming to pick her up the following morning.
Rukia watched her go and for the first time felt a sinking sensation at the pit of her stomach to watch a classmate...a friend, leave.
"Hey, Earth to Kuchiki." came a voice and she looked up to see Renji's falming red hair "Whatcha thinking?"
She shrugged "Aren't you going to pack?"
He snorted "Pack? Are you kidding me? I'm staying back for the hols."
"Why?"
"I don't have a great going with my Dad. He has a thing about me attending Seretei."
Rangiku had joined them, a lopsided smile on her face "Yeah, I'm sure a father would hate their kid to attend one of the best universities in Japan."
Renji inhaled deeply, looking like he could care less "He wanted me to be in the family business. Instead, I chose anything else apart from that."
Rangiku rolled her eyes and folded her hands, making her breasts lean forward even more "Fine, make yourself useful then and help me pack!"
"Wha- why?!"
"Because you're not gonna get any until you do"
"I'm not gonna get any no matter what I do for you!"
"You'll definitely not be getting any if you don't do this. Otherwise...you might stand a chance." she winked.
"Well, I'll be leaving you. Have a good holiday" Rukia said, turning around and making her way to the Janitor's Closet.
Some would think she was crazy for going there- of all places to find peace- but it gave her an odd sense of comfort. It was a small place where she fit perfectly and still left enough space to move about.
Walking quietly, she opened the door and closed it behind her as she entered. She pressed her head against the wall and closed her eyes, sighing.
It's been a year since I last saw them...
It wasn't until she'd opened her eyes that she saw a tall figure staring down at her, hunched up in a corner.
Rukia was about to scream, but the way he looked at her with horror told her he was more scared of her than she was. Plus, she'd seen this guy- he was the one girls followed and swooned over, and the one who'd knocked out Gin Ichimaru in that fight.
"What do you want?" he asked, backed against the wall, a mop lying next to him. He had orange hair. Rukia didn't remember his name but she had a vague idea it meant a fruit...
"What do you want, woman?!"
"Ichigo Kurosaki!" she said out loud, his name finally coming to her.
"...Yeah?"
Rukia held the leash of her bag, staring at him "What're you doing in the Janitor's Closet?
"What're you doing in the Janitor's Closet?" he shot back.
"I asked first."
"Hiding." he looked at her confused expression "From a bunch of girls. They're looking for me to give me their damn number"
"...Oh"
"So what're you doing here?"
"I come here time to time. Just like that." she shrugged, not wanting to explain further to this strange-looking boy. She sent him a second glance- be it her imagination, but he looked like an exact replica of Kaien- her imaginary friend- only with orange hair. But it was impossible for someone to look like a person she'd imagined...right?
She was bewildered and looked on at him in curiosity.
"Uh...could you do me a favor?" he asked
"What?"
"Would you stop staring at me?"
A blush tainted her cheeks and she looked down "I wasn't staring."
He rolled his eyes "You so were."
"I wasn't!"
"So were"
Thwack!
"Ow" he mumbled as she hit him. She huffed and leaned back. They stayed silent for a few seconds before Ichigo looked up at her and rubbed his hair unconfortably.
"Uh...well, could do me another favor?'
She raised a brow "What?"
"I really need to pack my stuff, so if you could just...come with me and look out for those girls and...yeah" his voice trailed off.
She blinked at him, not really knowing what to say, before shrugging.
"Sure."
A/N: Okay...so tell me how that was? I won't be updating for at least 10 days, I have a school trip tomorrow :(:( but I sure hope you think it's worth waiting for.
Aaaaah...okay, I'm a mess- have no idea what I'm writing. Blah. Please review.