Strawberry Milk [COMPLETED]

❧Chapter Fourteen

"You said your first name is Ichigo, right?"

When first period ends, Kotoko starts chatting with me immediately. I couldn't tell if I should be nervous or excited that I'd captured someone's interest so soon, so I forced myself to at least be friendly.

"Uh..yeah, it's a dumb name.." I blush.

"No! It's an adorable name! It totally suits you."

Flattered, I turn and start to gather my things into my bag. As I'm getting it together, I catch Kotoko looking at it with an unreadable expression in her eyes. She looked like she didn't know what to say. I look back at her with confusion, for a moment. It takes a minute, but my eyes finally fall on the bag she's carrying. It's a creamy white — smooth and delicate with the school's emblem embroidered on it.

Chisame had bought me the same one while purchasing my uniform, but I'd gone and placed all of my things in my simple, tattered backpack. It was ripped and torn at the edges and frequently lost me a pencil or two. I'd had it since I was in middle school. I wasn't sure why, but I'd never wanted to let it go. It held a lot of memories, even though it couldn't hold much else.

It probably wouldn't hurt to relieve this old thing.

Wow. First day of school and I already felt like I needed to make a few changes. What in the world was happening to me?

I didn't know, and I wasn't sure if I liked it.

A few minutes into our conversation in the hallways and I could barely keep up with anything Kotomi was saying. She ran her mouth like crazy. I was so lost, all I could do was smile back and nod like I knew what was going on. I didn't think it was a good idea to tell her to shut up, as badly as I wanted to.

We turn a corner and I realize the room numbers were different than the room numbers on my schedule. I glance at it a few times and look at Kotomi. She looked like she was in her own little world.

"Uh, Kotomi?"

"We're almost there."

She suddenly stops talking, and something heavy hangs in the air. I decide to keep my mouth shut and just follow the leader. What did I know about this school, anyway? I was only here for a boy.

We turn a corner, and the hallway is empty and short. All of the doors a closed and none of the students were hanging out in the area. There are, however, 2 very tall boys I recognized from my class leaning against the wall with a door between them.

When they see us, they perk up and step away from the wall. I note the smirks in their gazes as they watch me walking toward them. When I start to feel uneasy, I stop walking and they close in on me in lightening speed.

"Hey! Let go of me, ya giants!" I swing my legs as the ground disappears from under my feet. They carry me to the door they were standing next to as I turn and look to Kotomi for help.

I'm disappointed when I see a twisted smirk in her once beaming smile. She had led me right into this damned trap!

"You actually fell for it! You thought I'd want to be friends with you?" She steps forward, strutting down the hallway after us. One of the guys throws the door open and they toss me inside. I land on my backside. My senses immediately become clouded with the smell of cleaning supplies and dirty mop water.

Glaring, I look up at the doorway in enough time to see my evil companions shutting the door closed and locking me in. I stand up and run to bang my fists on the door.

"Assholes! Let me out! I don't have any damned time for this!"

"Shut up! What kind of girl talks like that, anyway?"

"She's not ladylike at all!"

"Did you see her face?!"

As their laughter and footsteps begin to sound farther and farther away, I stop banging my fists and instead sink pitifully to the ground.

What in the world had I gotten myself into? It was barely even second period and I'd been locked in the janitor's closet.

Like hell I was gonna put up with this for a guy who sweet talked me into liking him! I was going to call Chisame right now and ask to transfer back to my own run down school, where I was top bitch and wore my clothes however the hell I wanted to! Right after I busted out of this closet and pummeled all three of those assholes!

"GET ME THE HELL OUTTA HERE, SOMEBODY!" I should, my eagerness to ruin Kotomi's face helping me find a newfound determination to get out.

"Guess I'll just have to break the door down."

I take a few steps back, then run at full speed for the door and turn so my side can collide with the door. When it doesn't give, I step back as far as I can in the small space and run as fast as I can again.

It was at that moment, the door swung open and Hajime stood on the other side donning the male uniform. He looked like a glowing angel!

Just his luck, though.

I can't react fast enough to stop running and collide into Hajime's body, the two of us sprawling out across the marble floor.