i n e e d t o breathe -- l e a v e.

"Hey." Hebe breathed out, shivering in the cold wind on the rooftop. It wasn't cold, really, but the winds made it bitingly freezing outside.

"Hello," Jiro's eyes flitted to Hebe for a single second before returning to look down onto the school grounds.

"You wanted to talk about something," Hebe persisted, even though she knew something was weird already. Jiro was weird, sure, but he wasn't QUIET. And he was absolutely quiet right now. She poked his arm a few times, and waited for his reaction: He flashed a glare at her--completely by accident, she knew (from past experiences, of course)--but she flinched away from him anyways. Immediately, Jiro looked apologetic.

"Sorry Bee," he put on that half-smile that got Hebe's heart all in knots, because she couldn't quite remember the last time he smiled like that.

"Hey, did you know that that trouble kid is my second cousin? Aaron." Jiro whistled at the end of his sentence, as if he himself couldn't believe it. Neither could Hebe--Jiro was perfect; smart, kind, helpful--basically a mama's boy. But he didn't mind, and neither did Hebe, or their vast network of friends from their last school.

"Really." Hebe's voice was dull. Was this what he had to tell her? She hadn't quite forgiven him for the unfriendly voicemail, even if he had flown all the way across Asia just to come to the same school with her. It was selfish and mean, and she knew it, but she was only human.

People, Hebe learned, weren't to be depended on. They were nice, but they always let others down. It was a given, she discovered. But she didn't want to let anyone else down, so she pretended to trust them fully and completely. Jiro was the only one she could count on, and he'd wounded her a little with that neutral voicemail.

Jiro probably sensed that something was wrong, although he was infinitely dense, so that was why it was surprising. His tone softened at the same time as his dark eyes, and he looked her straight in the eye and smiled--but not the half-smile she liked so much. This smile didn't quite reach his eyes, but she could tell he was trying. She still wasn't quite ready to forgive him, though.

"Joined the track team yet? You said you were going to." And suddenly, he was all pushy, like a mom trying to get her kid to eat broccoli.

"The , Jiro. You're such a girl, with all those mood swings. And by the way, no, I haven't, seeing as I got to class four minutes before you did. Were you hoping I'd introduce myself like, 'Hi, I'm Hebe, can I join your track team because that's all I'm here for?' Thanks Jiro. You're just great." Hebe's eyes darkened, and Jiro turned away, murmuring something along the lines of 'Hypocrite'. This was the part where Hebe silently snapped.

"Don't. Call. Me. A. Hypocrite." She glared at him, intimidating though she was small. "I AM a girl, thanks, and you're a guy. And don't go all NO REALLY on me, because I absolutely hate it when you do that. In fact, if that's all you wanted to talk about, I'm leaving. Talk to you later." She mumbled the last four words and loped down the stairs that led back to the school, and Jiro watched.

So now it's my fault. Of course; everything's my fault. Forget that I spent too much money trying to get into the same city, school, class with you. Just forget it. Everything's my fault, isn't it?

You're not supposed to be pissed off at me. I'm the one who came to surprise you. Is it because I didn't tell you? Oh, right, you hate surprises. And I am not crying, for your information.

Guys like me don't cry.

As Hebe rushed down back to the classroom, someone pulled her aside. She scratched her lower tooth back against her upper one and winced at the effect it had on , as she raised her head to glare at the person who'd delayed her. It was Aaron something-or-rather. Another person she'd rather not see, him being too close--closed.

"What do you want?" She didn't want to waste time being friendly and polite.

"Are you dating him?" Aaron asked casually. Hebe's cheeks flamed. What kind of a question was that?

"No, I'm not dating him! Who are you talking about?" Instantly, she sensed that she was being too defensive. Aaron raised his hands, his mouth falling open a little as he raised his eyebrow, looking amused.

"Hey, hey, I'm just asking." He still smelled like cigarettes. Without thinking, Hebe breathed deeply, letting the smell settle. It was sudden, the reactions that followed that.

Aaron's fingers found their way to her nose, where he pinched it shut, and she, in turn, jumped back rigidly, her eyes widening and her falling back. With a quick glance to where she was falling to, fell wide-open in horror as she read the sign.

BOYS WASHROOM.

Her reaction to THIS part was a shrill shriek as she landed on the smooth floor. She shut her eyes tight and got back up without opening them. When she opened them again, she looked straight and opened the door, her cheeks set aflame and her mood as sour as ever. It didn't make it any better seeing Aaron guffawing so hard that he had to lean against the wall for support.

"I hate you." And with that, Hebe was off, running again to the classroom, hoping she wouldn't bump into any more jerks to humiliate herself in front of.

[[initially written & added on april 14 09.