From You to Me || NozoEli AU

1- Arisa

I walked, first day of school like I've always done: alone. I'd secluded myself from friends, as I said already, no one to walk with to and fro. Fall was clicking in today. The warm breeze turned into autumn wind. The leaves covering the entire sidewalk crunched beneath my feet. A mural of scattered red, yellow, and brown.

I stopped and stared for a few minutes until a leaf slapped my face, and then I pawed it away, sighing. I took out camera that I always used for taking pictures whenever I needed. I was in the Photography club (and I also volunteered to work at the local shrine) last year, and so I bought a camera for my birthday by the teacher who ran the club—"Teacher's pet", they called me.

I always try to save money no matter what. I barely eat breakfast, maybe just pop a small chocolate or a tiny handful of grapes for a boost of energy. Occasionally, I go out to buy groceries—a human can't live on water alone. And my clothes are always bought cheaply—and besides, since I rarely eat much, I don't need to buy much either. However, I did grow pretty tall...and lately, my chest seems to have swelled up a lot, too. Not that I hate it- but now it hurts to run and I have to purchase bras...

A tap on my shoulder interrupted my thoughts. I blinked, and then turned my head, half-expecting a cranky old woman to stare into my soul with tiny withered eyes.

But instead, it was a girl with black hair and bright blue eyes. She didn't look my age—quite short, though her face said that she was a middle schooler. Her eyes twinkled.

"School starts next Monday," she said with a smile.

I cocked my head. "Not for all schools," I replied. "Which school do you go to?"

"Branton. Junior high school just around the corner. You go to Branton, do you?" She asked me.

"I go to a different school. I'm a first year in high school at Olive Tree High." I gave her an attempt at a smile; as if I am even used to the kind gesture.

"Oh? But I swear I could have remembered seeing you last year!" she protested.

"I graduated," I clarified.

"Oh, really!" She looked at me surprised, and I can't help but smile back. Then she looked at me, and it was as if her whole entire face lit up. "Wow," she said.

"What?"

"Do it again," she added, "smile like you just did!"

I frowned. And then she used her hands to lift my brows, and my cheeks. I brushed her hands away, and she acted as if I didn't even touch her, and continued to grin. "You look prettier while smiling," she cheerfully said, "Especially prettier when you smile naturally. Don't try to do it the other way, just smile like you just did."

"Smile...naturally?" I looked up at the heavens, and the blowing leaves fluttering in the air. "How? How do you smile, 'naturally?'" I queried.

"You just do," the girl said. "What makes you laugh? What makes you smile? Put it simply- what do you like?"

I turned around. As I did, I heard a creak from behind me. The girl opened the gate, stepped outside, and on the floor with me. "I like acting," she said. "I like art, especially acting! I want to be on a stage! When I am on a stage, I get nervous, but I always smile! Sometimes I smile so hard, I can't even get my lines straight! I run out of breath, get laughed at, but I'll act as if I were talking to my friends. It's a dream to be on the stage. My dream. I want to sing. I want to act. And what I like...I like jokes too, and I want to be in a comedy play! They make me laugh and smile, and I want to make people laugh and smile too! Don't you think it feels great to make someone happy?"

I turned back to her—wow, she sure has much to talk about. "Me? I don't know what I like. Maybe..." The sudden thought of finding out who that girl was entered my head, but I didn't want to tell the secret to anyone. "Maybe...maybe I'd like a friend," I admitted. "I'm all alone, so I want to have friends."