Wait-what? Who...he knows about that? Oh no. He's going to call the orphanage and I'm gonna be put up for adoption, my life will be over—even if I don't have much to live for. W-what can I say? Hm..
"Excuse me, sir?" I said. Oh now that was just a wonderful move. He's just going to repeat himself, and then I'll have to answer because he knows I must have heard him correctly after hearing it being said twice. Crap.
"Miss (y/n), I know your house burned down. Are you living with anyone? Who?" he asked me, seeming genuine.
No way out of this one. I could bolt out through the door, but he would just call me back again. If I do tell him the truth then he's gonna say something about it like a responsible adult.
I sighed. Guess I gotta give it to him straight. "Sir,I..I'm not currently living in any home," I mumbled.
Despite my mumbling, he seemed to hear me. "Well, please understand that I'm not heartless, and I won't send you to an orphanage. Those things are terrible. I also understand you must be going and must have been through a lot. If you want, there's actually a room in the basement, as odd as that sounds. You can stay here."
Was I hearing him right? Was he offering me a home at the school? I would love that!
"I would love—"
"But, before you decide, you will have to do some things for the school," he stopped me, leaning a bit back into his chair.
You know, it's kind of weird, our principal is actually twenty six years old, pretty young especially for a principal. He's very responsible as a regular principal, but I've noticed he has some sense of humor which was nice in anybody. (If anyone has seen fruits basket, imagine Shigure)
"What kind if things?" I asked, interested in his proposal.
He balanced a pencil on his nose. "Well since you asked, you would need to keep your grade average up, and you would need to work as a janitor and help around with the cooking for the school lunch. About the legal things, I can take care of that. With your belongings, you can move them to the basement," he explained, kind of smiling.
"Yes sir! Now, what time would you like me to bring my things in?" I asked, drumming my fingers onto the hardwood arm rests.
"Smart girl, thinking ahead. The time, pretty early I'm afraid. I would like your things here by five. I can inform your teacher about your situation, so she won't be left wondering why you're here so early. And I can give you a spare cellphone and an alarm clock," he offered, smiling.
He rummaged around in the drawers of his desk and pulled out a flip phone and a tiny alarm clock. "These all were from students a few years ago, but they never claimed them. I've checked them to see if they worked alright, and the contacts in that phone were deleted. Actually," he paused, opening the flip phone. He punched some numbers, and continued, "this now has my number in it in case you ever need to contact me or the school," he smiled.
I smiled back. This is great but...
"But when you get your legal things done and such, will they take you seriously? You are, like, twenty six years old," I asked, taking the alarm clock and phone from his outstretched hand.
"Oh, you flatter me," he said dramatically, "Twenty seven as of yesterday, but I am a principal. This gives me authority, so no worries. I just want to help out with your situation," he explained, getting up and walking over to one of his house plants. He pulled of some tiny flowers growing in the pot. He seemed to tie them together in to a crown and he stuck it on his head.
I laughed. "Nice look," I said, referring to his flower crown.
He took it off and straightened out his ruffled short brown hair. He laughed as well, and stuck it back on. "Yeah maybe it'll be a new trend," he jokingly said, sitting back down in his chair.
"Anyway, in all seriousness that cell phone is for contacting the school. It wouldn't hurt if you happened to put some friends's numbers into it, but keep in mind what it's for. That alarm clock, you can use for waking up on time, what time for your janitorial...things and such," he explained.
I nodded. "Of course sir. So five o'clock tomorrow?" I asked, a making sure I knew what time to make myself a home, in the..basement.
He nodded his head. "So is everything settled then?" he asked me.
"One more thing. Can I make the school lunch? Pretty please?" I asked, putting my hands together in a pleading way.
He seemed a bit taken aback by my question. "(Y/n), what do you mean?" he asked me.
"Well, it's just, I used to cook...I used to cook for my mom and my sister, Mao. But now, I uh, haven't really had that chance. But I do love to cook and bake and such. Also, that would be one more chef for the school, completely nonprofit. That couldn't hurt, right? So I'm asking if I could, maybe if you would like, for me to be a cook for the school. It wouldn't take away from my school work and my cleaning, I promise. If it does then you can make me stop," I explained to him, kind of ranting, but still. I would actually be thrilled to be a chef for all of my fellow high schoolers.
He seemed to understand my request. "If you can do it without it taking time away from your studies, then please, be my guest. But it wouldn't really feel moral if I added that without something in return," he insisted in all seriousness.
"Really sir, it would honestly be my pleasure. And think about what you're doing for me. You're providing a home for me, and letting me use these supplies, a few little jobs like cleaning up the school and cooking for the students is almost nothing, it couldn't hurt in the slightest," I reassured him. As nice and adult like as it is to care, this would be fun for me, so if he told me I couldn't do it he would basically be dead to me.
He sighed in defeat. "Go ahead then, starting tomorrow. Now, you're excused, I have some phone calls and paper work to do," he dismissed me with a wave of his hand towards the door and a buh-bye.
I smiled. "Thank you sir," I said, standing up and taking my leave.
As I walked out of his office, I started walking down the hall back to my class. I smiled to myself.
Now I can have a home here. Maybe it can be fun, who knows? It's a new experience and as much as I wish mom and sissy could be here with me, I still have to push forward. If I didn't, that would kind of be like letting them down, yeah? So it would be better if I could push through. Cutting won't take away problems, but still. In saying that, I'll keep strong for my family, because they've done so much for me. They've always said I was too kind, but I was influenced by them.
Okay. Now, think things over rationally. The situation you agreed to, how is it dangerous? Is this dangerous?
Yes, I thought. This is so dangerous-I just had my family slaughtered and I just randomly agreed to live in this principal's house? Think. Think. Would he do that to me? It's not like I know the answer to that. Murderers don't reveal their intents to any old person.
I'm going to give it a shot. I've lost so much, maybe my own life is a sacrifice to make if I want to try to start a new one.
Taking a few turns and all, I entered my classroom. Most people, I noticed, were already gone and going home. I did see however, that Nagisa was here, packing up his stuff. That was a bit surprising, thinking he would have already left or something. Doesn't he go to a swim club?
I walked over to my desk, and I saw all of my stuff in my backpack. Apparently, someone had already packed up my things for me, assuming it was Nagisa.
As I approached my desk, Nagisa walked up to me, kind of with a bouncing stride.
"Hey! (Y/n), do you want to come to the swim club? Today isn't a free day, but still!" Nagisa asked me, taking my hand in his.
Really quickly, I stuck my phone and alarm clock into my backpack. Right now, I was feeling pretty happy, no harm in seeing the swim club in action, huh? "Sure," I responded, putting my backpack on.
His face seemed to light up. "Yay! Alright, we'll walk to the pool then," he said, pulling me along with him to the pool. Literally, I was barely walking. It was mostly dragging on his part, me being the dragged.
After taking a few turns and navigating through the school, we got to the pool. Nagisa and I dropped out backpacks over by the pile of backpacks the team had made. Makoto, Haru, Rei and Gou were already there, swimming it up with the exception of Gou.
It was feeling kind of hot out here. Nagisa told me he was going to go get his swimsuit on in the boy's locker room.
"You should go get a swimsuit on too! You don't have to swim, but it is pretty hot out here. It would be a good idea," he told me, dragging me along with him. Once again, with the dragging buisness.
Trying to release myself from his grip was impossible. Wow, he had a strong hold on my arm. "Really Nagisa, I'll be okay, I promise," I insisted.
Suddenly out of nowhere, a wild Gou appeared! She started walking with us. Ugh. "Where are you two going?" she asked.
"We're going to go get our swimsuits on," Nagisa explained with a smile.
"Oh! (Y/n) too? That's great, she looked adorable in her swimsuit," Gou insisted giggling. Oh no, not two if them! This means that Gou can make sure that I get my swimsuit on.
"Yeah huh!" Nagisa agreed with a closed eye smile.
Nagisa went into the boy's locker room and Gou and I went into the girl's locker room. I guess I had no choice but to put it on.
Gou started to say something. "Alright, you go to go get your swimsuit on and I'll just wait out here for you," she instructed me, giving me a slight push in the direction of my locker.
I nodded and I grabbed my swimsuit out from my locker and went to go change in a changing space.
This swimsuit reminded me of the pool I used to swim at. With my mother and sister.
Not now. Not right now, dammit, don't think about that. Block. It. Out.
I stepped out and Gou said, "Aww, you look adorable!" She put her hands on my shoulders. "Now come on!" she said, pulling me along.
Once we reached the pool area, I just sat down in a chair. I sure as heck wasn't going to swim, and plus they were practicing anyway.
As I sat down, I saw Nagisa walking over to me. "Hey (y/n), now might not be the best time, but I finished that project yesterday. You don't need to worry about it," he said with a smile.
He had apparently been swimming already. His blonde hair shimmered with the water and his muscles were also—
Wait. What project?
Hmm, project, project...oh right! The history project! So Nagisa did it all? Wow, that's amazing for him, I didn't know he could finish it without me, but hey! don't underestimate people. Lessoned learned.
I looked at his happily smiling face. "Wow Nagisa! Thank you so much!" I thanked him.
His face seemed to blush just a bit. He gave me a hug. "Aww, thank you, (y/n)! It's not like I could have done it without your help," he insisted.
I smiled. "Alright, alright. Don't you have some swimming things to do?" I reminded him, tapping his forehead a little.
"Oh right! Well, I'm gonna do that," he said, jogging back to the pool and diving in like a...a penguin kind of. Wasn't Nagisa's favorite animal a penguin? I think he told me that once.
I smiled softly, watching them all. They were so determined, even if it wasn't an actual competition. Their strokes were completely whole hearted and...free. Every move they made was concentrated, everything they did, they did with purpose. It was beautiful. And then there's Gou who was fan girling over their muscles, but even she had a purpose, 'cause, come on guys, where would we be without girls like Gou?
Thinking about this made me think about my purpose. I don't really have one too much any more, I suppose I could go on to pass college and work in (your dream profession), and it seems like Nagisa would miss me. I was pretty happy about the principal letting me live here, but he cares for all of his students.
Sighing, I looked up at the beautiful blue sky and the bright shining sun, that was getting lower every minute, ever so slightly. Birds flew through it, decorating the afternoon sky with their bird shapes.
As I looked back at the swim team I saw Gou telling them something and using hand gestures. At this I laughed just a bit. This anime was pretty funny. (Lol you just became self aware )
So, the afternoon went on and soon it was time for everyone to part ways and go home. Nagisa offered to walk me home, but of course I declined his offer. I can't bring him to a grassy area and then just be like, hey yo! I live in by a tree! Make yourself at home, buddy.
I walked home myself and crawled through the brambles to my little grassy area. I still had that alarm clock, which, thank goodness, didn't need a a cord and outlet, it was battery powered. Tomorrow, I was going to be living in an actual school, the basement. While of course I would prefer to live in a house with my family, I couldn't for obvious reasons. But think, there's probably going to be some pretty cool stuff in the basement of a school, like awesome unused or used books, supplies, school records, and now I'll get to cook again! Also, this gives me a chance to bond with the principal, it's nice to be on his good side. He can be like a caretaker, but he doesn't actually take care of me. Also, it's not like the cleaning will bother me one bit, I have done chores before y'know.
As the day turned to night, I started to think of a song my mother had sang to me and Mao when we were a bit younger.
I sang quietly to myself, allowing me this one indulgence into my emotions, before falling asleep...