The Girl in Classroom 11-A

Chapter 1

'Oh no I'm going to be late!' Nagisa exclaimed to herself as she bolted along the pavement towards the school. She stood at the driveway, between the two, steel black gates that bordered the school and the rest of the world to catch her breath; resting the palms of her hands on her shaking knees. She rose and stumbled to the steps in front of the school entrance.

"Sorry I'm late! I uh... Slept in,"

"Nagisa! How nice of you to join us!" welcomed her homeroom teacher Ms Kobayashi.

"You're just in time for me to introduce you to your new classmate! This is Mikan and she's came all the way from Kyoto!".

'Woah... Kyoto...' Nagisa thought to herself while she sat in her seat, she looked to her right as Mikan walked to her seat. Towards the back she went, then to the right, then forward. Her seat was behind Nagisa's! She began to blush and focused her attention to the lesson that was about to start. This is the first time Nagisa has shown any interest to physics.

The bell sounded and in a small huddle, students started to filter out of the classroom. Nagisa begun to stood up until she felt a hand tug at her skirt, she looked back to find Mikan looking up at her. She had deep, black hair that was almost perfectly straight, her eyes were an icy blue but had a strange tint to them. They were dull like those of a dead fish, perhaps why she was so pale. Nagisa's eyes widened.

"U-um..."

"May I share my lunch with you?" asked Mikan. Nagisa blushed again.

"Sure!"

It was midsummer so Nagisa thought it would be sweet of her to take Mikan to the roof of the school. The sky was almost completely blue, just a few clouds dotted here and there, pierced by the school's flag pole as they passed by in the breeze. Nagisa and Mikan walked to the fence.

"So Kyoto! I've heard it's a beautiful city," said Nagisa.

"Mm," agreed Mikan. It was clear that she was a girl of very few words. They both opened their bento, placed on their laps. Rice, sushi, vegetables and meats all in their own compartments.

"Amazing! You prepare yours really well!" Nagisa complimented. They ate, the breeze blowing through their hair. Forming a mixture of strawberry blonde and black like a tiger.

Nagisa closed her bento and stretched backwards.

"Ahh! That was so nice!!"

"Yea,"

"Hey Mikan? You say very little, is it because you're new?" Nagisa asked. Mikan looked at the ground, her eyes sad.

"My vocal chords are a bit weak," she mumbled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Nagisa apologised. Mikan shook her head.

"Not your fault," she said with a smile. Nagisa smiled back and stood up.

"Well, we best head back inside," Nagisa announced, holding out her hand for Mikan. She took it hesitantly and followed her inside.

Nagisa retrieved her phone and cardigan from her locker, Mikan stood beside her. Looking up at her face, Nagisa looked back.

"Hi Mikan!" she greeted with a cute grin on her face.

"Your house, may I visit?"

"Oh-! Uh... Sure!" Nagisa replied. This was no problem as she lived alone, her parents bought her an apartment one day and never came back. They thought this would "push Nagisa to grow up faster".

On the fourth floor of the block was Nagisa's apartment, she unlocked the door while Mikan stood close behind her. She switched on the light and welcomed Mikan inside.

Mikan sat on the cushion in the living room, looking around in wonder. Nagisa peeped her head round the archway from the kitchen.

"Tea?"

"Mm," replied Mikan, her eyelids halfway over her eyes. While Nagisa prepared the tea, Mikan wandered around the apartment; looking at the various pictures and photos that hung among the walls. Nagisa entered the room and placed two bamboo cups onto the table, they sipped the tea and Mikan seemed to flinch.

"What is it?" Nagisa asked.

"Hot,"

"Oh... I can add some cold water if you like," Nagisa offered, Mikan nodded. She took the cup and walked back into the kitchen once more. Mikan's body gradually got closer to the tatami floor and soon she was asleep right then and there, a bubble of saliva occasionally drooling from her mouth. Nagisa returned and rushed to Mikan's side.

"Mikan? Mikan?!" she shouted, upon closer inspection she noticed that Mikan was simply asleep. Nagisa sighed and rested Mikan's head in her lap and begun to stroke her silky hair, it didn't feel odd at all; natural more than anything. The amber from the sunset, settled on Mikan's face; giving her an almost ghostly glow, her hair became lighter and small sparkles like glitter fell from Mikan. Nagisa's eyes widened in wonder, just who or what exactly is Mikan?