My Sweet Shina - Book One

Chapter One

I could hear the whispers around me as I walked down the halls. The quick glances that I still saw, no matter how sneaky they thought they were. It didn't make any difference to me, I wasn't going to change who I was just because I didn't fit into their cookie cutter world. I was already used to being alone, what did it matter if they tried to exclude me. You can't exclude something that wasn't inside your reach to begin with.

"Shina!" I heard my history teacher call out from the classroom door. Ignoring the increasing whispers, I walked to him, knowing it was about the project he'd assigned earlier that day. Walking into the room behind him, I began explaining the ideas I had, never noticing the dark eyes watching me.

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It had taken all week, but I had finally finished forming the models for my project. I know many would call it OCD, but I preferred to call myself detail oriented. Besides, the project counted fora huge part of our grade. Just because nobody else seemed to care about that doesn't mean I felt that way. I had goals in life, dreams I wanted to fulfill. And this grade was an important part of that that dream.

Heading into the library, I began searching the shelves, grabbing the books I needed and taking them to a table in the back of the room. Pulling my notebook out I opened the first book and began taking detailed notes, occasionally heading over to the copy machine and scanning pictures that I felt would be useful for my project. With my attention absorbed in my research, I once more failed to notice the eyes watching me for the next hour before the school began closing down for the day and I had to go, quickly checking out the most relevant book I had found for my project.

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It was nearly another week before I had finished the written part of my project, writing out draft after draft before I was finally satisfied with what I had on paper. I had even gone out of my comfort zone and asked one of the students in the art class if he would be willing to paint a background for my display, since I was more comfortable with 3D art than I was with the 2D spectrum. Surprisingly he had agreed, asking simply for a bit of help tutoring him in history in exchange. I was a bit uncomfortable with doing so, but agreed nevertheless.

It had taken him three days to complete the background and I was beyond satisfied with the results when he turned it over to me at the beginning of our first study session in the library. He even gave me a small smile when I told him how happy I was with the painting. I was more than happy to offer him additional study sessions to the 5 I had already agreed upon.

By the end of the third study session with him, I found myself agreeing to stick with him until he had raised his grade from a C- to a B. I was beginning to think of Leon as a friend, not just some random guy who had helped me out. We had even taken to giving each other quick smiles when we saw each other in the hallways.

And the whispers grew quieter, less noticed.