Sora & Fumiko

Chapter Five

I grabbed my satchel and sprinted out the door with my mother's gift for Nanami in hand. As I made it onto the sidewalk I heard her voice saying,

"Fumiko dear, don't run you could fall down. Besides you're early, so you have a lot of time on your hands."

"Yes mom." I replied as I caught my breath.

"Maybe mom is right, I have a lot of time so I should slow down." I thought while walking down the street with the basket in hand. As I came around a corner I suddenly thought of Nanami and her daughter Anastasia. They were not particularly my friends, in fact I didn't know if Anastasia liked me.

I arrived at Nanami's house around 6:15, which meant I had plenty of time to get things done and to see Sora, and still be early for school.

I was smiling happily as I knocked on her door,

"I'll just drop this off and be on my way." I thought just as the brown wooden door swung open and a skinny, pale woman wearing bright pink lipstick with flowing hair stepped out. She was dressed beautifully and she always wore a smile, but any beauty she had was long gone, as she had fresh age marks on her body.

"Ah, Fumiko dear, why are you here .....Oh! Is that for me?" She said eyeing the brightly coloured wrapped basket.

"Yes of course Nanami san" I replied handing her the basket.

Now I'll be on my way...

I was about to turn and walk away when Nanami stopped me,

"Why don't you join me inside for a cup of tea. I see your off to school early today so we have plenty of time to talk." When I tried to protest, she gripped me by the hand and pulled me inside.

Once inside, I sat on her cinnamon coloured sofa and sipped a cup of cocoa she had given me. "So Fumiko, how is school?"

"It's okay, I guess." I said stirring my tea with a spoon.

"Oh really?, well let me tell you about school in my day, it was much more exciting and educational..." I listened to her ramble on and on about various topics, whilst all the time I wanted to leave. It was late and getting later by the minute and that meant that I would not be able to see Sora that morning. I knew that Nanami liked to talk a lot, but my mother knew that also. That was probably the reason why my mother was not reluctant to send a gift to Nanami through me because she probably didn't want to get stuck listening to her rambling - like I was now.

Soon a dark haired girl stepped from one of the rooms, she had a short cut bang in front and the rest of her tall hair dangled at the back. She had stone dark eyes which matched the colour of her hair.

"Oh Anastasia, your ready!, I totally forgot about you. I was busy talking to our neighbor from up the street, Fumiko"

The young girl looked at me with a deadpan face briefly before turning to her bag and stuffing it with her things. Her expression was always deadpan and slightly stoic.

"Honey, you're going already?"

"Yes mom, I don't want to be late." She replied emotionless.

I stared desperately at Nanami in hopes of her hearing her daughter talk about being late would make her loosen her hold on me.

"Oh well, go ahead! Fumiko can catch up with you later, as soon as I'm done talking to her." She said much to my dismay.

"Yeah, whatever you say" Anastasia replied as she walked through the door with her bag pack on one shoulder. Anastasia and I were the same age but Anastasia was in a lower grade than I was because she and her mother traveled a lot and she missed most of her school year, so she had to repeat the grade. Anastasia's uniform was practically the same as mine except that hers was green while mine was dark blue due to the different colours each grade wore.

"So where were we...Ah yes, when I went back to Japan, I went to this nice restaurant called the Blue Dragon that served the most delicious sushi I've ever tasted! Oh and their rice balls were......" Nanami kept on rambling about her frequent travels whilst I tried to hide the boredom and frustration on my face. My eyes then drifted up to the clock on the wall and I gasped when I saw the time. It was 6:45 and I was going to be late.

"I'm sorry Nanami, but I have to go" I said as I grabbed my bag off the sofa and headed towards the door.

"Oh, alright then but do come back some other time dear Fumiko"

"Okay Nanami san. I have to go, I'll be late." I said as I darted through the door and made my way up the street as fast as I could. I arrived at school five minutes after seven much to my dismay.

"I got up so early this morning and I'm still late, and worst of all I didn't even get a chance to see Sora." I thought as I climbed up the stairs leading into my school.

***

School ended at 2 O'clock everyday but each evening I would stay back for tennis club. I was not particularly good at it, but I enjoyed playing the game and most of the smart kids at school played tennis.

"Watch out!"

I tried to swing at the ball as it flew over my head and onto the court. It was an indoor tennis court and the team consisted of twelve members, eleven of whom were present that day.

I ducked from another ball that flew my way, which almost hit me in the face.

"Are you alright?" My opponent asked me as he held my hand to check for bruises. He was the captain of the team and also a senior, he was the best player at school and not to mention his muscular body and attractive face. He had a very pleasant personality and with a brain to match. He was also on the honor role and the top student of the school academic year.

In short he was perfect.

While checking my hands, he suddenly looked deeply into my eyes and said "Your name is Fumiko right?"

"Ye...ye...yes!" I stuttered while blushing and turning my head away. Just then two of my teammates irrupted in laughter at hearing my name. However the captain gave them such a disappointed glare which caused them to stop immediately.

"Hey Jake, I'm up next" a familiar voice said suddenly behind us. It was Anastasia, who wore an irritated look on her normally deadpan face.

"Okay, but after this game we'll have to end practice because its after four."

"What!" I said as my eyes widened. "I'm sorry, I have to go!" I said grabbing my bag and tennis racket.