It was morning, and I was ready. My second year of high school had started yesterday, and I was still getting used to my schedule. 

As I walked past the gates, heavy, running steps honed onto me. As I heard them, I stopped and braced for impact. Slam. I stumbled forward as Mei slammed into me. "Watch it!" I heard another student yell. Clusters of students giggled as they walked past us.

"Akari-chan, Good morning!" I ignored her, embarrassed. Why did she have to do that everyday and, get us weird looks? As I kept walking, Mei kept bothering me. "Aka." I heard her whisper in my ear, with a teasing voice (Aka means red in Japanese as in the color red). She was right. Face red, I turned to yell at her, but I only stumbled. She reached out her hand, as I took it, my face felt even hotter. I looked up as I was standing, until I was face to face with her. I quickly backed off, covering my face with my arm. I looked at her once more, bathing in her beauty. Her light brown hair, that contrasted my dark brown hair. Her hazelnut eyes, that were a lighter color than mine. Her beautiful, ladylike features, that would fit my face.

Wait, what?! I blushed as I thought of her face coming closer and closer, until there was no more space. Her lips that looked, oh so very soft. Her long eyelashes that just added to her beauty, her closed eyes, silently waiting for a kiss. 

"Akari?" I heard Mei call, a familiar face snapping me out of that weird dream. "Are you okay Akari? Your face looks red, and you have been drifting off. Her worried face came closer.

"I'm fine," I try to say confidently, "Plus I only drifted off just now! What are you talking about?"

"Okay...if you say so." she said hesitantly. "Let's go." She hurried past me as she said those words.

"Yeah." I agreed. I didn't want to make things awkward between us on only the second day of school. 

-Class-

As I sat at my desk, I pulled out my phone, and texted Mei.

Mei: hru

Akari: Fine

Mei: Are you sure?

Mei: You should prob get it checked

Akari: I'm fine fr

Mei: ...

I put my phone away, because the teacher was already coming in. I certainly didn't want to get in trouble. I was already getting great along with the teachers, because of my above average grades last year. Of course, that was the teachers, obviously students weren't involved.

-End of Class-

As the end of class neared, and very soon ended, I went to the girls changing room. I put my stuff in the lockers and changed into my outfit, ignoring the stares I got from the other girls. Why were they always staring?

"As expected, Akari also has a good body." I heard another girl whisper as I walked past.

"I remember last year, she was liked by the boys very well, that if you said a bad thing about her, you would be bullied by them!" 

"Well, last year I heard that if you did something or said something bad about her, your grades would drop!"

I was tired of these. Why couldn't we just be friends, and just have a great time? I mean, I don't wanna hang out with the boys, who would always brag about how they got a new girlfriend, or how they were placed in top 10,000 on a video game.

I walked into the gym and waited for the other girls to come. While waiting, I saw Mei. I waved to her and walked over.

"So, Akari, how exactly are you going to do well in this class if you're sick? Listen to me sometimes."

I sighed. "I excel in sports remember? If I do well today, that just shows that I'm doing well."

Mei blinked, and processed that for a bit. 

"... Uh Mei? You okay?"

She scrunched her eyebrows together and made a "I'm thinking very hard right now," face.

I laughed as I looked at her. "What is that?!" I laughed. I kept on laughing and Mei smiled. 

"I guess you're okay of you can laugh that much." she said happily.

I laughed until the other kids came in. The instructor came in and PE was about to start. We started off, choosing a partner. I chose Mei. Obviously. Once we chose our partners, we were to start doing stretches, so we would get warmed up. Mei and I went through the routine. 

"By the way Mei, what are doing today in PE?" I asked. I had forgotten simply because I didn't care.

"Huh? Oh, we're just doing exercises. And I think we might go out to the track to run or jog some laps."

I sighed again. Seriously? That was so boring! I was hoping to do a game today. Well, we couldn't exactly just defy our teachers.

"I'm gonna die," I said "It's going to be sooo boring!"

Mei laughed as I said this. I smiled. Her smile made me happy, and that was all I needed. We continued doing exercises and all too soon, PE had ended. We took quick showers in the shower rooms. I was about to head out, when I heard Mei's voice call to me. I turned around and she asked me,

"Hey, Ri-chan, do you wanna skip today?"

-Continued in the next chapter-