"Himari it's time to get up for school! Himari!" A woman shouts and then sighs as she goes upstairs opening her daughter's door.

"Himari, are you still in bed? C’mon let's get up!" the room was darkly lit and the woman opened the curtains and blinds. The sun shined on a young girl, she groaned as she sat up. Her messy red and white hair. The eye bags under her purple eyes make her look like a horror villain.

The woman sighs again, quickly grabbing a brush and straightening out her hair. "Himari it's your final year in high school. You can't look like this you wanna look your best ok? And there's so much white hair…are you sur-

"I told you it's dye Mom," Himari said.

"I know sweetie and I believe you it's just a mother's worry is all."

Her mother then reaches into her pocket and pulls out 30$ from her pocket. "Here get yourself something to eat ok?" she offered it but in her tone, she wasn't taking no for an answer.

"ok" her mom. Smiled as she  finished brushing her hair. "well thank you Himati now go get dressed and eat your breakfast before it gets cold!”

New year same Tsubaki high, Himari thought to herself. Idiots talking to their friends who they won't see again after this year. Idiotic couples who think they're destined to have ugly babies and new teachers who either saw way too much Onizuka and think "I'll whip these kids into shape!" or read too much manga and think "Oh the kids will be so nice. What hopeful optimism I can't wait to see it dashed in a week.

Suddenly the students start packing the hallway like a concert, Himari despite this rush has no panic on her face she puts her headphones on and sits in between the lockers.

Oh great, here comes Miss  Popular and her super friends!

It's a blue-haired friend and orange-haired friend...who's actually kind of- no no that's not important

Wait...I don't see the white-haired one..well not my business not like I'll be in the same class as those idiots anyway what do I care?

"Oh my god summer like totally went too fast! I still had more outfits to post on insta and everything!

"Mimi we just got back and besides you barely posted." an orange-haired girl with green eyes & a ponytail said with a chuckle.

Mimi put her hand over her mouth, her yellow eyes glaring at her friend. "Miyazaki Eri I'm so appalled you  know I'm an overthinker it takes time to be perfect!"

Miyazaki grinned "Perfect? Last time I checked someone doesn't like the cold."

Mimi just blushed before pouting and looking away from her friend. 

No one gives a shit about your pointless bickering turquoise fish and orange-haired little shit. I wish I bought my headphones so I wouldn't have to hear such unimportant shit its the last year of high school, take it seriously! Himari thought to herself

"good morning my name is Rintaro I'm your homeroom teacher for 3rd year. A pleasure to meet all of you I'll start counting attendance."

He gets through most of the names,

"Kousaka, Mimi?".        

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"here! You can like totes call me Mimi if you all want!" Mimi said 

Rintaro just nodded moving along, "Eri Miyazaki? "

Miyazaki raised her hand and took off her noodle showing a scar on her right cheek. Students start whispering saying "Oh my god it's the scar!" 

"can't believe we're seeing it up close?"

"Where do you think she got it? You heard the rumors it was from. a bear fight?" "no way dude I heard it was from a fire!'

"dumbass it's not a burn scar!"

"alright alright enough!" rintaro says in a stern voice quieting the commotion

"You can talk about bigfoot or whatever when class is over now...Himari Aikawa?"

Himari raised her hand, but no one really looked in her direction or so she thought until she saw Mimi looking in her direction...with a smile.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

What the hell are you smiling about Valley? We don't even know each other.

Other students start talking.

"well, they don't call her the ghost for nothing."

"true I thought it was a joke but I really didn't notice her."

"well get used to it she's always over here not moving or anything it's kind of creepy". A girl says and her group of friends agree.

"alright alright, you can talk amongst yourselves once I'm finished. Now one last name

"Nepha Hikari" 

Mimi sat up raising her hand "Oh! She'll be here soon she uh...got on the wrong train haha."

Rintaro sighs while the other students laugh.

"that's nepha for Ya"

"yeah, she's not only beautiful but a little silly too."

"yeah but I mean getting on the wrong train we're 3rd year's we gotta lead by example

Just then the door slid open and a girl with short white hair, and red and yellow eyes, was chewing on something.

"for" she was trying to talk but the food was making it hard to speak.

"Neph swallow!" Miyazaki shouts nepha nods and swallows.

"Sorry for being late Rintaro-sensei!"

Rintaro looks at nepha and it gets tense, everyone goes quiet but nepha smiles, and Rintaro just sighs. "Well, you made it time don't get on the wrong train again ok? You're a 3rd year now also stay right there.

Nepha just giggles "Yeah yeah I know."

"alright well, first things first I want all of you to get up from your seats i"'ll be assigning seats. 

Ok, I'll be paired with some random fine by me I don't see any-

"Himari you're   sitting with Mimi so get out of the shadows and come up front."

I beg your goddamn pardon 

Himari slowly walks forward all the others looking at her, whispering things like "Oh she moves* "The creepy girl is gonna be up front?"

"right talk about a sight for sore eye-

"hi!" Mimi snaps Himari out of it, the turquoise hair girl just smiling and then she grabs her hands. Making Himari a little nervous,

"It's so nice to meet you like oh my god I love your hair!"

You're just saying that for sure you're one of those, the fakes that pretend to be all friendly but really you're just dying to be everyone's friend so you don't get left out of anything.

"n nice to meet you too Kousaka."

Damnit I sound like a total nervous wreck stop being a pussy!

"no no please call me Mimi I insist!"

Rintaro clears his throat "ok nepha, Miyazaki you're in front of Mimi and Himari!"

Wait wasn't this for everyone to know everyone these 4 already know each other so that

Himari's thoughts are cut off as she looks at Rintaro sensei..who smirks at her. 

….

"anyway, class we'll talk more tomorrow. This is more just an introduction. You can get to know your partner or partners by getting their phone numbers."

Himari glares at Rintaro, slowly getting up but then her phone buzzes, she opens it to see a text. "where are you, buddy? We missed you over the summer."

The glare was now gone, replaced with a nervous look before anyone could say anything. Himari grabbed her bag and bolted.

The 3 girls and Rintaro looked at the door all confused, “her hands were shaking.” Mimi said, ‘But that could just be nerves sitting next to me she did it there too.”

“Maybe it was something urgent I wouldn't worry too much about it but as her teachers and as her partners we’ll make note of it.

…” something seemed off though… “ nepha said her expression solemn.

“by the way rintaro-sensei you said you wanted people to meet everyone but you put me, nepha, and Mimi in the same seats mostly with just Himari added whats up with that?”

Rintaro puts his hand on his neck. “ah you noticed?... Well”

Himari is running like her life depends on it…because it does,

Himari didn't care who was in front of her it could have been the president for all she cared she was in a rush. She finally stopped at the doors to the back of the school, she looked around to make sure no one was looking before she went out to a corner of the school where a girl and a guy waited.

“HIMARI-CHAN! Girl, you look like shit my god who did your hair? They did a bad job.”

Right… its time for this part of the day new year same shit.

“my mom…she tried her best its….nice to see you too… Satsuki and Umi I…hope your summer went well.”

Satsuki laughs “It did me and him went on toms of dates it was so much fun! But we missed you Himari. Where were you? Oh right staying inside playing video games all day right you little neet?” 

“Y you missed me?” Himari asked, Satsuki laughed “Oh my god you really ignored me calling you a neet because you actually thought I missed you! That's fucking pathetic right umi?”

Umi had no expression at first but laughed “A little yeah you really can't believe what everyone’s telling you. You know?”

“Anyway, where's the money?”

Himari looked surprised “Money…b but you said you went on dates and stir

“I did dumbass but that's my summer allowance I need money for me and my future husband's date! Satsuki snapped her fingers.

“chop chop”

Himari was hesitant, but 

..we don't have 30$ often..so…but-UGH!

Her thoughts are cut off as Satsuki punches her in the gut, as she fell her wallet fell out of her pocket along with the 30$.

“I thought you said you were just gonna talk to her,” Umi said to which Satsuki laughed and said. “I was but she like took too long and damn only 30$ I guess fast food it is then. Let's go babe!” Satsuki grabs Umi’s arm and they walk,umi looks back at her Himari laying on the briefly before turning ahead.

Himari holds her gut...and tears welled up in her eyes. New year it doesn't matter, this is my life now...nothing will change. This has been 2 years of this same old shit….fuck this shit.