Strawberry Milk [COMPLETED]

❧Chapter Seventeen

Kotoko was in nearly all of my classes.

Whenever she would see me, she'd either act like I didn't exist, or smirk and mutter something to her friends while scrutinizing me with a glare. I did my best to ignore her, but the anger that rose inside me like a raging fire was starting to burn me up inside. My knuckles were aching to start colliding with something. Just picturing how easily I could stand up and walk over to her desk and take my frustrations out on her pretty little face seemed delightful.

She turns to glance at me as the class eats during our lunch break. When she and I lock gazes, she snickers and turns back to her friends. My fists clench as my internal flame starts to grow.....

I watch her in the next moment. She leans over to whisper to the people who had moved to sit with her and they all turned their evil pairs of eyes on me before bursting into wicked laughter. They laughed and pointed condescendingly.

The way they laughed and looked at me was starting to make me feel strange. Like I was..

Smaller.

I didn't particularly like it. I'd never felt like this before — and if I had, I'd pummeled someone before it could start to mess me up on the inside.

It was a sickening feeling!

Time to get rid of it!

I stand up, and the entire class turns their attention on me, looking up from their meals to watch me. I walked over with my fists clenched and slammed my hands down on Kotoko's desk with a rough WHAP! She and her circle of friends jump a little, but a glare washes over the fear in their expressions in seconds.

"What do you want, garbage girl?" Kotoko mutters the nickname she gave me. It didn't even make sense and that was how she chose to refer to me!

"I want to know what it is you have against me, you skank!"

Kotoko gasps at the name is given her, like I'd just offended a princess, "You really want to know? I have a problem with outsiders who think they're somebody coming into my school and upsetting the balance of things!" She stands up, matching my height. Her beautiful hair flows behind her.

"That's —" I'm prepared to tell her she's nuts when she cuts me off again. Our classmates whisper amongst themselves about us.

"—-I run things around here, garbage girl, so either you leave quietly because you clearly don't fit in here, or you sit back down in your assigned seat and make yourself scarce!" Her eyes are fierce — it was a wonder I ever thought this girl seemed kind. She looked like she would transform into a witch at any moment.

The class starts to snicker in response, clearly on her side. If Kotoko hadn't already made it clear to them that I wasn't socially acceptable before, she certainly had, now. Frustration and anger bubble up in me, and I raise my fist, ready to strike. I just needed to swing my arm back, and strike her right across the cheek and knock her off her pretty little figure. It would be quick and painless. Well. Not for her, obviously.

I was used to conflict among people at my old school. You call someone out for looking at you funny, and you go at it in public and things are settled from there. No need to think this place any different, right?

Kotoko glances briefly at my hand as I ready to hit her. I'm surprised when she doesn't flinch — shocked in fact. There wasn't a trace of fear or intimidation on her face. She looked like some kind of fearless, confident goddess leading her people, while I was nothing more than a rat trying to fit in...

What's happening? I lower my hand, feeling defeated.

"You were going to hit me? Is that what all of the kids did at your old school? That's how they solved problems? How uncouth..." Kotoko scoffs. The class backs her up with chuckles and murmurs about how foolish I looked.

"She was gonna hit Kotoko?!"

"No way.."

"Who let her into the school?"

"Are we even safe in here?"

"It's disgusting how she was raised."

"I'll never speak to her!"

"If she ever tried to make friends with me, I'd kill myself!"

How can anyone my age going through the same problems as me be so judgmental and cruel?!

I'd never felt such an intense feeling of discomfort. I was constantly reminded that not only did I not fit in, I never would. And I couldn't use my fists to fix the problem. Or hide my embarrassment.

I turn on my heel, and I walk back over to my desk. A few kids start to clap as the class roars with laughter and insults. I grip my pencil in my hand, lowering my head into my desk.

I don't lift it up for the rest of the day.

I, Ichigo Manabe — the toughest tomboy who never showed any emotion...who built up rocky walls but acted like they were stable — was at a loss for words, in way over her head, insecure, and totally ashamed.

And I had no idea what to do about it.

I should have never gone to this stupid school!