Blow Away These Rumors

Invited

Early in the morning, Caine hummed a random tune quietly around the hallways that has hearts hanging everywhere and cupid figures on every door. She loved how peaceful it is when there is no student around, especially for this day. She always felt uncomfortable and out of place when there is. During lunch, recess, coming to school and dismissals, she’s always alone. People around her just stare at her and create rumors on why she’s a lone wolf. They say she’s cursed that when you become her friend, something bad will happen afterwards. She smiled at that. Thanks to that rumor, nobody ever bothered her.

But, because of that rumor, she has problems joining clubs. The leaders get scared and shove her away. So, she had to study extra hard on her lessons because clubs boosts up your grades.

She stopped in front of the door of class A-3, the section she stays in. Being always first in class, she opened the door. And to her surprise, she wasn’t the first to have come to school today. That was a first.

With his teal-green hair radiant under the morning light and focused eyes on the empty board, he looked like a hunter concentrating on hunting his prey. Too bad he was just sitting on his chair with his hands supporting his bored face. But the focus was disturbed when Caine constantly walked to her seat like she owned the place. She sat down on the first seat beside the window and didn’t even bother to turn around to face that early boy.

“You’re early, Caine-san,” he greeted with a mocking tone.

“You too, Kariya-kun,” she replied emotionless.

“C’mon, where’s that spirit every girl has when it’s Valentine’s Day?”

“I don’t have that spirit,”

“You don’t?”

“I don’t,”

“Why not?”

“Because I hate Valentine’s Day and that’s final,”

“Aw, there are other people out there who don’t feel the love too,”

“Who, you?”

“I’m offended,”

“Well, sorry for insulting you,”

“You’ll never get a boyfriend when you’re like that,”

“As if I’ll ever get one,”

“C’mon, aren’t you happy I’m talking to you?”

“You’re annoying,”

“Well, this is the way I act every day,”

“Act?”

“Yeah,”

“Oh, so you’re two-faced, didn’t see that one coming,”

“Are you always this rude?”

“I don’t know,”

“I’m having a long conversation with you, and you’re not grateful?”

“I don’t know,”

“Stop that,”

“Stop what?”

“Whatever you’re doing,”

“I’m not doing anything but talking to you,”

“Exactly!”

She turned around to face him but when she did, the people she recognized as Sorano, Nishizono, were gaping at Kariya, and Tenma was just smiling. She smirked.

“You started this conversation, not my fault,” she said and stared at the blackboard.

“Give me a break,” he cursed under his breath.

“Kariya-kun, how long were the two of you talking?” Sorano asked with her voice wavering, not believing what she was seeing. She was obviously scared for she believed in the rumor.

“I don’t know,” Kariya casually answered like it was nothing.

“Ne, Kariya-kun, you don’t think you’ll be cursed, do you?” Nishizono asked worriedly.

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Kariya replied.

“Why?” Sorano asked.

“Because curses are not real,” Tenma answered.

Caine turned around, curious on why Tenma said that. They never talked to each other before but there was a time they looked at each other eye to eye. Today was also her first time talking to Kariya. She only added the suffix –kun because he seemed comfortable with it. She was very observant with her surroundings that her sense of sight and hearing became sharper. Is that even possible?

“How are curses not real?” Shinsuke asked.

“Because, we’re in the real world and magic don’t exist. There’s logic for everything that happened,” Tenma said.

“Nicely said,” Caine mumbled to herself, but loud enough for the four to hear.

When she realized that they heard her, she froze and turned around to face the blackboard again.

‘I totally messed up,’ she thought, embarrassed with a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

An awkward silence filled the air and before they knew it, the bell rang and students were already around them. The three rumor believers sighed with relief.

“Saved by the bell!” Nishizono cheered.

“Not so loud,” Sorano said.

“We still have morning practice, right?” Kariya asked.

“Oh, Yeah! I forgot! C’mon guys, let’s go!” Nishizono shouted and ran off with Kariya and Sorano following behind.

Tenma stayed behind on purpose. He walked up to Caine and tapped her shoulder. She looked up to him and gave a pout.

“What do you want?” she asked rudely. Tenma just smiled.

“I just want to say sorry for my friends’ behavior. And, I really did want to talk to you once,” he said.

“You did?” she asked him with shock, not believing a single word he said. Nobody ever wanted to talk to her. The talk she had with Kariya sounded like a dare.

“Yeah,” he replied and smiled again.

‘What the heck?’ she thought. She stared at him for a longer period of time and she couldn’t help but just stare at his smile. Tenma is a weird fellow alright.

“Then why didn’t you talk to me before?” she asked.

“I guess I was scared like them too, but, hey, I can’t let a rumor stop me from meeting a new friend, right?” he replied calmly and honestly.

“I guess,” she said faintly.

“Can we talk again later?” he asked with his eyes hopeful.

“Oh yeah, you have soccer practice. How about we meet at the rooftop at lunch? Nobody goes there because they know that’s where I eat my lunch. The rumor is handy sometimes,” she joked.

Tenma laughed, “Sure, see you later,” and left the classroom. It’s a great thing nobody noticed them talking. They were all too busy gossiping about today’s event, Valentine’s Day Ball, for this evening.

She wasn’t going. She doesn’t have a dress for it. Plus, you need a date. Everyone has a date. Maybe even Tenma.

She sat there in silence watching everyone around her.

“Looks like I’m lonely,” she said. Talking rudely to Kariya was fun and chatting with Matsukaze felt like riding a cloud. She wants to talk to someone again soon, or him. It really felt good. It felt… warm.

“She’s staring at us,” she heard a student whisper.

“She’s not planning on targeting us, is she?”

“I hope not,”

“I don’t want to be cursed,”

She sighed and faced the blackboard. “More gossips about me again, I feel very popular,” she muttered.