Era : Entropy

The First Sign

Sakura was on the bleachers waiting for Yukika to finish her track practice so she could finally go home. Yukika was on the race track, sprinting again and again. Sakura secretly admired how methodical Yukika was about it. She knew when to speed up and when to conserve her energy. Her body was almost mechanically calculated to push herself forward. At the same time however, one could tell that she brimmed with a fighting spirit, a fire in her eyes no one could extinguish.

She shifted around on the bleachers. Only about half the students were left in school, most of them lingering in class and around the school fields. She looked up at the evening sun setting in the sky. She should be back at home already, immersed in a new game show. But of course, she had to be stuck waiting for Yukika.

"Hey look, there she is now," Angie pointed out.

Her gaze dropped to the sight of Yukika getting off the race track, flanked by admirers from down below. They swarmed her with water bottles and towels. She could only imagine their grating offers and compliments with varying levels of sincerity. As usual, she paid no attention to them as she walked away from the track.

"Jeez, that girl..." Sakura muttered to herself.

Now that practice was over, she was finally free to leave. She slung her heavy schoolbag over her shoulders and jumped off the bleachers with Angie. Sakura turned to her.

"Let's get outta here," she said, jerking her thumb towards the gate. Angie saluted.

"Aye, aye, chief."

They jogged between the empty bleachers down to the field. She wanted to get out of the stuffy school so badly. The only reason she even stayed was because they went home together ever since they were babies, a tradition Yukika refused to break. It was as if there weren't a million other admirers willing to walk with her.

She waved and called out ,"Hey! We'll be at the gate, but if you don't hurry up, we'll leave you!"

Yukika looked her way and nodded nonchalantly. Right at that moment, a girl came running up to Yukika with her uniform in her arms.  Sakura could almost see the stars in her pupils. She scoffed and turned back.

"She obviously doesn't need me to walk her home. This is just a waste of time."

"I don't know," said Angie. "I think it's nice of her to want to go home with you, she's trying to keep you safe."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Probably. She barely lets me out of her sight."

Angie elbowed her. "Aww, your bestie cares about you," she teased. She blushed furiously. A light smack landed on Angie's back.

"Please, I'm only her 'bestie' because she doesn't have time to make any other friends."

"That's so mean."

"Don't you think it's true?"

Angie thought for a while. She giggled and smirked as she responded. "Yeah, maybe you're right, everyone else would run away before making you their best friend. Unfortunately, I can't run."

She rolled her eyes.

"Now you're the one being mean."

They stepped between the trees lining the path toward the school gate. Dry leaves crackled under their shoes. They stopped in their tracks at the back gate. Angie stared at a lone car cruising by while Sakura leaned against the brick wall, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Are you really that tired?" teased Angie.

"Maybe a little.."

"You're not the one who had track practice," prodded Angie. Sakura narrowed her eyes. She flipped her short hair defiantly.