However, given that she knew what her grades were like before she moved, and the weight of the books in her arms, she had a big reminder of just how far she had to go.
"I'm never going to get through this, am I?" she whined to herself, hanging her head and closing her eyes in dismay.
"Is something the matter, Ema?" asked a voice off to her side.
Opening her eyes, Ema glanced over at the speaker and blinked. "Hikaru? I thought that you were over getting a snack."
"Yeah, yeah... I was, but you know me," the short haired girl replied with an embarrassed grin as she rubbed the back of her head. "I kind of wolfed it down almost as soon as I got it...."
"You're going to choke one day, you know...."
"I know, but it just tasted so good.... Even if I know that it isn't good for my figure, I can't help myself."
That got a pout from Ema. "Which is part of the problem...."
"What? That I keep on pigging out?"
"No, that you don't gain any weight from it."
"I guess that I just get a lot of exercise, is all...."
"Hikaru has been snacking again?" murmured a shy looking girl as she moved up to join them.
"She has," Ema confirmed.
"Oh dear.... That could be a problem...."
"Come on guys," Hikaru complained, her brows furrowing in a small show of distress. "Miyuki? Ema? I'm not that bad, am I?"
The shy girl looked rather apologetic as she nodded, letting her long hair bob like a brown curtain. "She is."
"Definitely," Ema agreed, nodding as well.
"Aw man, if a girl's friends tell her something like that...." Hikaru whimpered, her shoulders slumping as she sighed.
Her words lightened Ema's spirits, and not because she had caused the other girl to be depressed. She hadn't expected to make friends at the school, but she had these two as her friends for certain. Hikaru was an unabashed tomboy who loved guys and guy activities, and Miyuki was a shy young woman who spent most of her time tending to small animals, but both of them seemed to gravitate to being her companions. And for that, she was pleased and thankful, as she'd been certain that she'd be dropped into some sort of trouble with another student, without any one else to care what would happen to her.
"Ah ha! I thought that it was you, Ema Maeda!" called out a voice that echoed off of the walls of the hallway.
On that note, Ema could admit that it wasn't all good for her at the moment.
"Michiko Shinoda," her short haired friend growled. "What do you want?"
"Nothing from you, I can swear to that," the sophisticated looking raven haired girl responded, with several other students standing behind her. "I only want dear Ema to agree to what I want."
"You don't mean...." Miyuki whispered.
"Of course I do! I will have her be mine!"
"She's our friend...."
"And friends help each other. I so do want to do that for my precious Ema. I believe that I can have her looking lovely and being ready to work with me as soon as possible."
"You think that you can just have her like that?" Hikaru muttered.
"But of course. If things go as they should, I'll have her dressing to impress, acting properly dignified, and ready to be helping me out at all times."
"You're talking like she's going to be your personal assistant."
"But of course! I see so much potential in her, and want to make certain that it is taken advantage of!" the beautiful and popular girl told them.
"Is that so...."
"But of course! I don't have time to do it now, but I'll be get her one of these days!"
The short haired girl watched the popular girl walk away, and scowled. "I really don't like her."
"She's scary," Miyuki whispered.
All Ema could do was hope that such 'popularity' would mean that good things would be coming in her future, though she kind of doubted that this would end quietly. It was just another stress on her life, and she was wishing that it didn't blow up in her face. Fortunately for her, she had help, but she knew that she was not going to have a simple time with that being a problem, while:
(Posted Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:00)
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