Chapter Four: Coming Out from my Shell

I closed my eyes,as I tried to relax myself.I have finished reading 5 books,and I've slept half of the day...And now I'm starting to get bored.Is stared at the empty house. I looked at my watch and I realized that it's only two p.m.

"What am I going to do next?" I asked myself.

"When are you going to school? It's fun there! " the newspaper boy's voice echoed into her mind again.

One idea suddenly came into my mind. I hurriedly snatched my purse and went at the backyard to get my bicycle...

After almost fifteen minutes,I stopped my bike infront of the school gate of Naha Highschool. The school looked almost like the private schools in Tokyo that I previously attended...

"Excuse me,but can I help you with something?"

I glanced back to see who was talking to me. Isaw a tall girl with soft,pretty features...She was standing infront of me and she was looking at me with a curious expression on her face.

She was wearing a school uniform,and yet she looked amazing with it.

Her companions all stared at me as well,and I panicked in return.

"I-It's nothing!E-Excuse me!" I blurted out,suddeny feeling embarassed.

I mounted on my bicycle and left the place in a hurry.

I was staring blanky at the ceiling of my room, while I was remembering what happened few hours ago.

I can still clearly remember all the students who were having a happy conversation with their classmates...

She suddenly remembered all of her friends in her previous school. She used to eat lunch with them,study together and hangout during weekends. She suddenly missed those times. She missed the feeling of being a student again....She wanted to be young and free again...

She then realized that she's more than ready to live her life again as a seventeen-year old highschool girl...

**************************

After a week...

I nervously made my entrance at the school grounds of Naha Highschool.I can see lots of students who were curiously looking at me as I walk past them.

After I told my family about wanting to go back to school,my mother and Mika happily cheered. They were so happy for me and they said they would support all the way.

"It's rare to see a new face in town." I overheard a group behind me.

"Haven't you heard the news yet?She's the adopted daughter of Nishikawa-san!" exclaimed another girl.

"I don't care what you all think...Just leave me alone!" I angrily said at the back

of my mind.

"Hey,Nao!" somebody called behind me,and it made all the students turned their heads towards the school gate.

I sighed miserably.

"Why do you have to show yourself at a complicated time?" I groaned inwardly.

I decided to ignore him and and just kept on walking.

"Hey!Are you going to ignore me too?" Van called out for me.

"Can't you be a little discreet?" I muttered,as I walked faster.

Van walked faster as well to catch up with me.

"Please,stop acting like we're best of friends,will you?' I whispered at him.

"Why not?" Van innocently asked.

"Because I wanted to have a peaceful time at school." I shot back.

"Ugh,that's boring. You're supposed to have fun at school!" Van smilingly stated.

Trying to reason out with Van is mentally exhausting.Having a conversation with them makes all brains cells are going to

dry up.

"Come on,I saved a seat for you." encouraged Van.

"How about asking me first if I want that seat?" I spat out.

"You don't have a choice.And believe me,you'll be thankful for it someday..." Van smirked at me.

We finally reached our designated room.I was lucky enough to have passed the

entrance exam with flying colors.In which I ended up being with the same class as Van.

"Morning,everyone!" Van greeted everyone in the room.

There were already 10 students inside.They looked at us in a bored manner,and resumed with their own businesses as if we're invincible.But I'm cool with it.This is better that being in the center of everyone's attention.

"Here's your seat." informed Van,while tapping a certain desk just beside his chair.

"Thanks." I thanked him half-heartedly.

"Our first class is Math.The teacher on this subject is really strict,so you should

prepare yourself----!" Van stopped at mid-sentence when I interrupted him.

"Look,just save your breath,okay?Mika already told me what I needed to know

last night." I curtly said.

Instead of getting offended,Van gave me a wide smile.

"You're nervous,aren't you?" he probed.

"I am not!" I barked at him.

"I can see it on your face.You're so nervous that you'll throw up any minute

now..." he continued to annoy me.

"I said I'm----!" I wasn't able to finish my sentence when I felt my stomach turning upside down.

Van gave me a

"See-what-I-told-you-look" look.

"E-Excuse me!" I stammered,as I ran to go to the nearest comfort room...

Classes for the day are over. Van volunteered to escort me back to my home eventhough I kept on rejecting his offer. He wouldn't listen,so I just let him do what he wanted. We are now standing infront of my house.

"So,I'm home. Thank you for escorting me all the way here."

"So,what do you think about your first day at school?" Van suddenly asked me.

"Well,it was not bad.I'm just glad I survived the first day." I replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'll see you tomorrow at school and don't be late,okay?" Van stated.

"Hah! You should say that to yourself." I responded in return.

I watched him go as he pedalled hard and once he was out of my sight,I smilingly went inside the house. I can't wait to share all the good things that happened at school to my mother. . .

As soon as I entered the house, I can smell the good aroma coming from the kitchen.It made my stomach rumble

because of hunger. I found my mother and Mika busy preparing dinner.

"That smells good,mama." I spoke,as I entered the kitchen.

"Nao! Mika was just telling me about her first day at school...How about you? Did you have fun?" asked my mother,as she quickly walked towards me and gave me a hug.

"The people are great at school and I adjusted pretty quickly." I reassured her. I washed my hands and wore an apron to help them prepare our dinner.

"I'm so glad and relieved that my girls had an amazing time at school!" my mother chirped,and she was obviously happy.

I lovingly smiled while looking at my mother and sister. I am just so lucky to have a family like them.