RUMOR HAS IT

''Did you hear about [Y/N].''

Fingers crawled through your hair, scrubbing at the scalp- trying to rub off any information it might have stored in there. Your head, filled with images and text- anything but what you needed.

Your head felt little. And with the amount of information it was processing and trying to find- the dots your head was trying to connect and the texts you were trying to align-

Your little head was about to pop.

The teacher droned on in the background, reminding you that you only had twenty minutes left, and that if she caught you cheating there would be dire consequences.

I would cheat if I had the heart for it, you thought. You've never cheated. But now you wished you did. You wished you cut a hole into your eraser and placed a little paper inside telling you all the formulas you'd need. Or wrote on the back of your shoe.

You saw the kids who wrote on their gum and re-wrapped it. You see, gum was allowed to be eaten during tests- it proves to help jog your memory- and there would be no evidence if the sequences on the gum were eaten up; chewed down.

You'd once seen a guy eat his 'quote-on-quote' note paper.

And another write on her thigh. She accused the teacher of being a pedophile.

She got him fired, and she passed her test.

Cheater's dedication.

You wouldn't blame them. When you think you know something, you don't. No matter how hard you studied, there was always going to be something on the test you didn't know.

And you did not know.

You did not know what 3/4ths of the pages were about.

''I didn't expect it from her.''

Think, [Y/N], think! You know how to do that. It's the only thing you're good at, so do it! Come on, you know this- you've studied this. We know this. They're just numbers, and we're good at numbers. Very good.

''That guy...''

This is important. So very important. It counts for your grade.

Every test counts for our grade.

Now is not the time.

''Did you see what he looked like?''

''Five minutes.''

Your head shot up. The teacher's eyes were on her watch. She called out again, her voice firm, projecting all the way to the back of the room where you sat, ''Five minutes everybody.''

Your left foot started tapping automatically, creating a soft tip-tap sound throughout the classroom. Nobody seemed to pay any mind, too busy focusing on finishing their test. Your eyes darted around the room, hoping to find some answers lying around.

Just once.

Lifting your bum slightly off the chair, you raised your shoulders and peered over the shoulder of your classmate in front, Kenjirō Shirabu.

Just this once. You've never done it before. This is the first and last time.

You and Shirabu were friends, he wouldn't mind. You know he studies well. After practice he spends all of his free time studying. You're pretty sure the only people he hangs out with is his team.

Craning your neck, you strained your eyes to see what he was writing.

''Dangerous.''

Your eyes fluttered up to lock onto your teacher's eyes. Immediately you plopped back down. Quickly you bowed your head down inches away from your table, pen trembling between your fingers. Your tapping increased with speed, your foot not being able to calm itself down.

Shoot.

You were on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

''Time. Pens down and papers upfront.''

Nonononononononono-

''He must be in college.''

''Come on [Y/N], it can't be that bad.''

''Rin she looked right at me. Eyes connected, zeroed in on me- she even glared, I think. I'm so done for.''

''Who cares, Miss Cuntenator glares at everybody. You'll be fine.''

''Miss Tachibana,'' you corrected, ''Has never glared at me.''

''Well now she has, feel special yet?'' She sent you a wink, flashing her lashes at you. Her lashes, long and black, was your favorite part of her face. She was close to dying them red, to match her hair, but you stopped her- thankfully. Red hair and red lashes would take away from her brown eyes.

''Yes. So special I can already feel my grades dissipating.'' You buried your face in your hands, a groan following with.

''Dissipating?''

''Disappearing, dissolving,'' you mumbled into your hands.

''Huh?''

Goodness. This girl. She took language and arts.

''How are you even in this school?'' You looked up, genuinely curious and slightly envious. Shiratorizawa is not easy and Rin seems to breeze through it. Somehow.

''Hacks bro.'' She formed up two finger guns, pointing them at you. You scoffed, a smile taking over.

''I'm going to fail the year,'' you said through your teeth, lips still stretched wide.

''Let's do it together.'' She goofily smiled back at you. ''But first, lunch.''

''I heard he was in a gang.''

''No way.''

''Yes way. Heard it from Chieko myself.''

''You'd think the lunches would be better seeing as this is such a high tier school.'' Rin's lip twitch downwards into a grimace.

She held a spoon inches away from her face, holding up a mix of peas and carrots laced with some finely cut green herbs- gives a little edge to it, the lunch ladies words, not yours.

''Well, you could start making your own lunches.''

You spooned up some rice and promptly popped it in your mouth, chewing quickly- you ate quick when nervous (nervous about the test).

You didn't own any chopsticks- your parents and your own hand coordination were pretty bad- so you always brought a spoon or fork for lunch. Rin just wanted to match with you. She's never seen without her designated blue handle spoon.

''Disgusting. Who even cooks in this day and age?'' She made a belching noise, cupping her hand in front of her mouth as if she were puking.

Coming from Rin, that was a lie. She loved cooking. She loved cooking with you specifically. You've invited her many times over to cook up something so later she could do it herself.

''Have you not washed your dishes?''

''I have not washed my dishes.''

''You're going to have to at one point. It's just going to pile up until you can't use your sink anymore,'' you pointed out.

''I've actually stopped using my kitchen sink completely. I buy bottled water and wash my hands in the bathroom. Most of my China is now on my table, so that's also un-usable.''

''Rin!''

You gave her a disapproving look. She recuperated by spooning some more vegetables and shoving them in her mouth, obnoxiously chewing as some first years passed your table.

''Stop that.''

''What? I have to show my dominance.''

''You're just like Ryū , you know that?.''

Rin was a bit like him. Maybe not as menacing looking, but the fierceness they both held was very similar.

''Ooh, your boy-toy right?'' She wriggled her eyebrows at you.

''Not my boy-toy, my boyfriend,'' you corrected.

''Same thing. Now, tell me; is he treating my sweet [Y/N] right?''

Is he treating me right?

''Of course.''

You should be asking if I'm treating him right.

''Hanging out with an older guy? What does she think she's doing...''

You did not know how you landed so lucky with Tanaka.

You weren't even sure if you were ever going to date at all. You weren't scared of it- wait, that was a lie. You were absolutely terrified of it. You were scared you weren't going to like it, dating. That the person you were going to date didn't really click. That you'd have to live in this lie where you didn't really like the person in the first place.

Tanaka clicked. He clicked so well. He's never once gotten angry at you, not once. Always nice. Always caring. Always there for you. Always everything good.

You however, have gotten angry at him. When you shouldn't have.

He'd waited for you a few doors away from your house. You spotted him as you were walking out. He greeted you with a big smile, arms wide open, and started walking towards you.

You'd never slammed your front door that hard before. You ran towards him and tugged him away, out of site from your house. When you thought you'd covered enough ground, you were fuming.

''You know not to come!''

''My parents don't know about us!''

''You can't do that again!''

He just stood and listened as you ranted on. Not saying a word. And finally, once you'd finished, cheeks red and throat raw, he spoke,

''Your parents don't know about me?''

It was horrible. The look on his face. How soft his voice was. You'd never felt this way, so broken. Broken because of the mistake you made.

It was you who didn't tell your parents. It was you who hid Tanaka away. It was you who was being secretive. Because of your problems with them.

Not your problems with Tanaka, but your with parents.

Tanaka had no blame in your faults.

He understood when you apologized, tears streaming down your cheeks. He understood quickly. Too quickly.

You didn't feel like you deserved his understanding. His compassion for you. He was supposed to be mad. He was supposed to be offended.

Tanaka was too good for you.

''Didn't think she had it in her.''

The last bell rang, signalling the end of school. You were more than happy to leave and go home to study your behind off. You'd totally flunked that test.

''Look, there's [Y/N].''

''You think she's going out to see that guy again?''

''Isn't he like, twenty?''

''They do know that we can hear them, right?'' Rin pointed out, staring directly at the group of second years.

They were huddled together in a half circle, hands covering their mouths and fingers pointing discreetly at you and Rin. The level of their voices weren't as discreet though. More like whisper shouts- as if they wanted you to hear.

''They might not be as bright as you.''

Rin nodded at that.

''Nobody could. I shine very brightly.''

''That's not what I-''

Shaking your head, you sent her a smile. ''I'll see you later.''

''Laters.'' Waving lazily at you, she turned around to walk her separate way.

She lived on the opposite side of town, near the edge. You lived smack center in the middle, near the train station. Quite convenient- although you didn't leave town very often.

Not that you didn't have any friends, everything was just available for you where you lived. The town has an indoor pool and sauna. Tourists have to pay double, residents get a discount. Though, you've only been twice. Once when you were five and once when you were twelve for Rin's birthday party.

She'd failed to mention she couldn't swim. That was a very uneventful day.

There's lots of shops and places to eat. You'd love to take Tanaka with you once. He'd enjoy the steak house.

And not to mention, Shiratorizawa has almost everything. Horse riding, swimming, tennis- any sport you can name. Plus, any sport that required it, had its own field. A whole field, for just one sport. Each. The place was magical-

Like a castle.

No.

You'd say more like a fortress.

Instead of fairies, hippogriffs and unicorns it's filled with trolls, giants and vampires. Stomping and leeching off each other to get on top. To be number one. No time for friendly conversations and compromises, only using brute force to get where they want to be.

Shiratorizawa was like a wendigo.

Once human, but driven by greed and power turned into a creature beyond words to describe. Starving for the things it doesn't have, killing and eating at others who have it. Until finally, after sucking the other dry from their power and status, they've somehow gained it.

They've gained that power and status into their own system. And as it sucks more away from others, it gains even more power.

More, more, more it chants.

And anybody who stands in their way will be stripped from their potential and capability. Because nobody stands in Shiratorizawa's way.

The powerhouse school of Japan.

Shiratorizawa will prevail.

You should have done more research before joining this school.

This was definitely not what you'd signed up for.

Oh well. What's done is done.

Are you going to say that to all the problems you run into?

Shush. 

You had a habit of talking to yourself. In your mind, of course. You didn't want people to think you were crazy.

The walk home was brisk and short. Shiratorizawa made sure to build its fortress in the middle of town easily accessible to all the monsters and peasants surrounding- but you were only allowed to see. Don't dare touch the fortress unless you don't have the power they oh-so-need to keep the walls up and strong.

Grabbing your keys from your bag- a pocket on the inside, left side front- you unlocked the door. Taking your shoes off and placing them neatly on the shoe rack, you made your way towards the living room, leaving your bag by the stairs to take up later.

About to head over to the kitchen to start on lunch- you made lunch for your family, your dad made dinner and your mom, well, you did breakfast too but only because you woke up so early. Of course, lunch wasn't always guaranteed, seeing as you've been going out more- you stopped in your tracks.

Your parents- both your parents, sat opposite each other on the dining table, leaving only a chair at the head of the table. Where did all the chairs go? You swear (no, you know) that you guys had five dining chairs. Two for guests and the bar stools in case you had more than two guests.

''Renji... and Sho?'' Your dad and mom were never at home at the same time. It was always your dad first- unless he was pulled back at work-, your mom worked longer hours.

''[Y/N]''

''[Y/N]''

They said in unison.

Creepy.

Was this the stage in your life where you were about to figure out your adoptive parents were actually aliens in disguise sent to take over the world, starting with you...?

They probably just want to talk with you.

Or they plan to kill me.

You had to remind yourself that these were your parents and not aliens with the goal of world domination.

''Yes?''

Your mom motioned you to sit down, at the head of the table, in the middle of them. Doing as requested, you sat down and gave them both an inquiring look.

''A delinquent.''

''Hun, you know you can tell us anything,'' Renji started, a hand reaching over to squeeze your own.

''I know.''

''And if you're hiding anything from us, now would be the time to speak up.'' Sho wasn't one to beat about the bush. She was a mother not a wait-er, or waiter.

Ha, pun.

''And if I was hiding something, I'd tell you,'' you reminded your mother. You always did and you always will. You weren't going to suddenly stop telling them things- you didn't suddenly just stop doing things. That wasn't you.

''Who is it you've been meeting up with after school behind our backs.'' Sho's tone sharpened near the end.

''Well-''

''We know it isn't Rin,'' she added on, interrupting you.

Renji let go off your hands. They felt cold and vulnerable without his comfort and warmth. Your hands, palms facing up, felt defenseless.

Turning your head away from Sho's to look at Renji, you hoped to find the warmth in his eyes. The warmth he always held in his eyes. But as you looked in his eyes, they held nothing but disappointment and a hint of betrayal.

''I'm not allowed to have other friends?'' You mostly hung out with Rin, what's wrong with branching out a bit?

''You're allowed to hang out with other friends, of course,'' Sho said. She actually wanted you to make more friends.

''Then what's the problem?''

''The problem is that you're hanging out with the wrong type of people,'' Renji finally spoke up.

You scoffed. Unbelievable. Is this how they were describing your friends now.

''The wrong type of people? Really?''

''Thugs and delinquents, [Y/N]? You think we wouldn't be concerned?!''

News travelled fast.

No wonder.

Nobody can keep their mouths shut. Nobody can mind their own business. Nobody can just keep with their own lives without prying into another and disturbing their life.

''He's not a thug or a delinquent, Renji.''

''Oh, so it's a he now, is it?'' He scoffed, as if astonished.

''As if you didn't know already,'' you muttered. They must have got the information from somebody's parent at school. Rumors didn't stay put in school, they spread like wildfire. Burning everything until everybody knew about it.

''[Y/N], you're young,'' Sho made a gesture to grab at your hand, but instead moved to finger a strand of her behind her ear, ''And you have to experience things and explore and all of that- I understand. But, we're worried. You're so bright and we don't want you to let go of something like that. You know what's best for you. So, if there is something going on, you have to tell us, okay? Because we're here to help you, not fight against you.''

''And I understand that. If I have something to tell you, I will.''

Maybe you were hiding one thing from your parents.

''Are they dating?''