Summer Birdie

N

"Careful!" Your mother shouts, catching the kettle before you pour the boiling water onto your hand, completely missing your cups. "Are you that nervous for your first day at school?"

"No- I'm fine!" You say trying to reassure her. She stares at you and furrows her eyesbrows, the wrinkles in her face deepening the longer she stares at you. She was very concerned.

"If you're sure..." She says, exhaling loudly as she tries to get rid of her own jitters as well as yours. "Promise me, if there is something wrong that you won't push yourself."

"I promise." You promise her, knowing full well that it wasn't school that was on your mind but what happened yesterday...You had your first kiss and it was...indescribable. You remember after the date, Hawks had to depart from you at the station as he had errands to run before he went home. You offered to accompany him but he wanted you to get home before dark. You sigh, putting on your uniform. Thinking how weird it was that you and Hawks had been hanging out for only a couple of days, but it felt more like weeks had gone by.

Checking and rechecking your bag, your gaze wanders over to Hawks' pendant on the desk, the little rooster resting against the crimson feather. It didn't feel right to wear it but you wanted to bring it with you for good luck on your first day. You take off the rooster and hang it on your wristwatch and put the quill into your pencil case just in case.

On your walk to school you notice many students wearing bright red feathered accessories. The red was noticably bright against the mundane uniform colours. 

Were they the same girls from yesterday? 

Entering the school gates you great Mr. Bug as politely as possible, his faces scrunches up into an I'm-watching-you type of look which reassures you that he hadn't forgotten you from the first incident you were a part of at the school.

The morning went by smoothly. You introduced yourself to the class and quickly got into the routine of lessons. It was a little difficult at first as your writing and reading in Japanese was not to the level of a high school student but you quickly adjusted. As the next period approaches you noticed double English on your timetable. Smiling you think to yourself, this will be easy...If only it was that simple...After a straining hour, you were finally given a fifteen minute break. 

Finally a breather!

As you head out to the cafeteria to grab something quick to eat, most of the student's with the red feathered accessories quickly scurry in the opposite direction towards the school's gymnasium. Curiously, you follow. You hear the loud squeals growing louder and louder as you approach the gymnasium.

"He looks so good in black!" One squeals.

"The new guys good!" Another shouts.

"There he goes! Kyaa!!!" The shrill squeals continue to the point you couldn't understand them any more as they were mostly shrieks than words. Curious still, standing on your tiptoes, you peer over the heads of the crowd. You couldn't get a good view. There was too many of them in front of the door. You feel a tap on your shoulder and turning your gaze you see beside you a plump girl with lovely dark curly hair.

"Hey- you're-"

"Shh!" She shushes you quietly, grabbing you by the hand and leading you away round a different entrance. You climb the fire exit to the top of the gymnasium. 

This is definitely not allowed. However when you reach the top the door was wide open.

"It tends to get hot in there, so they open all the door to let the air circulate." She answers you without you needing to ask. You both lean against the banister and gaze on a bird's eye view of the game. That's where you see him. Hawks...and Jay?!