Takato waited patiently as Kazu and Kenta tried to squeeze their way past each other to get into Ms. Izagi’s class first. This happened every year with the two of them and the brunette found it somewhat comforting as he watched his two friends squirm, whine and shove their way into their new class. Last year they actually broke the doorway and had detention for a week, not to mention they were grounded when the school charged their parents for the damaged door. This time he’s betting one yen on Kazu to win.

“Move Kenta! I called it first!” Kazu whined, trying to unjam himself from the doorway.

“No! I go in first this year!” Kenta whined back, pushing harder.

The taller of the two used his friend’s push to his advantage and popped into the classroom. “Ha! I win! I’m a winner!” Kazu cried out triumphantly.

Kenta pouted as he followed after, Takato quietly slipping in behind him. “I’ll get you in P.E. just watch!” He countered.

“I can take you down anywhere, Kenta! Cuz I am a winner!” Kenta shot back with a grin of triumph that promptly faded when his response earned him odd stares and giggles from the other classmates. Takato shrugged carelessly at his embarrassed friend.

“Well at least they know you exist, Kazu.” He offered before looking around for a seat. He peered over a few heads, recognizing a few of his new classmates before spotting the perfect seat, right next to the window, in the middle of the class, but far to the other side of the room where he could hopefully avoid his new teacher’s peripheral vision. He quickly dashed over to it and sat down, staking his claim. Hopefully Ms. Izagi isn’t one of those teachers that assigned their students by last name like his history teacher this morning who sat him next to Karomi Masaki who smelled oddly of glue and left him with a vague headache.

Slowly Takato took a look around from his new post. Not too far away from the board…..Can see everything outside the window….No one that I know is bossy or nosy around me. I think I’m going to like this class He decided mentally with a small nod.

“Sorry, but can we switch seats? I can’t see the board well from here.” He heard someone say to someone else in the classroom as he was pulling out his notebook, drawing pad and pencils. “Oh of course.” He heard a girl say in a sweet, soft voice.

As Takato set his things in order on his new desk he glanced briefly to his side and suddenly found himself doing a double take. Across from him, one desk away was a girl he’d never seen before. She had shoulder-length auburn hair with a small ponytail to one side of her head, her skin was a soft creamy color that reminded him of the pastry-filled sweets that his parents baked at their store.

Hmmm….Never seen her He thought to himself, resting his chin on his hand as he continued to look at her. She wore a green jumper dress with a yellow shirt. Comfortable clothing instead of the bright designer stuff girls were already wearing. She had such a friendly face, fresh and sweet. Takato blushed to himself, a very welcomed change….

A paper ball knocked him out of his daydreaming and he turned around to see Kazu grinning at him. “Whatcha doing over there, chumly? Trying to think of new strategies in secret?” He teased loudly.

Takato grinned goofily. “Just trying to actually pass this class without getting in trouble for once.”

“Fat chance!” Kazu snorted, throwing another paper ball at him. The brunette quickly reciprocated by wadding a piece of paper and throwing it back at him with a laugh.

The laughter and paper ball war ended the minute Ms. Izagi walked into the room. Kazu sat up and Takato moved to sit properly in his desk when his eyes got caught by someone else’s. Instantly a hot blush rose to his cheeks when it realized it was the girl he had been looking at before. He noticed her blushing too, but she did not tear her gaze from his.

For a moment they merely looked at each other, completely ignoring whatever the teacher was saying. The girl had light brown eyes, a typical color for many other girls, but for some reason Takato found her shade of brown much more interesting…and much, much more nicer to look at.

Shyly he wiggled his fingers faintly in a small hello and had to suppress the grin that wanted to spread over his face when she tentatively waved back.

She looks so nice… He thought. I wonder what-

“Katou, Jeri!”

At once the girl lifted her hand up, breaking their eye contact, startling him. “Present!” She called out.

Takato slowly snapped out his daydreaming, somewhat disappointed that it ended, embarrassed on the other hand. He was thirteen! Hormones weren’t suppose to kick in yet for another two years according to his father’s odd talk about sex, which somehow turned into a bread making lesson. To this day Takato’s still trying to figure out what virginity and yeast have in common.

Girls are suppose to be weird….Odd….Nutty…. Takato repeated to himself. They still are….but, Jeri…

His gazed strayed to his notebook, and then it dawned on him. Jeri Katou. That was her name.

“Jeri.” He said under his breath, then smiled faintly. Funny name

“Matsuda, Takato!”

His hand shot up before he could even stop it and yet another embarrassed flush rose on his face as Ms. Izagi looked at him. “Here!” He called out a little too loudly. The teacher raised a brow and his classmates snickered.

“Thank you for letting us know you’re here, Takato. However lower your voice just a little. I’m older then you, but not hard of hearing….yet.” She replied, muttering the last word under her breath before resuming the roll call.

So much for first impressions Takato thought with a mental groan. Phase two, I suppose. Making myself as small as possible As he opened his notepad and picked up his pencil, he couldn’t help but take one last quick peek at Jeri. She’s a little cool…. He decided. ….and just a bit….cute

The End

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Jeri’s POV will come as soon as I’ve had another dose of chocolate. Promise. *grins*