For Fruits Basket

The secret lies within.

Put your name or a name of your choice where ever you see ‘………’

You are a short female with shoulder length dirty blonde hair and green eyes that glisten like emeralds in the sun. But you aren’t exactly a popular girl at your school. Infact, you are probably the least popular girl in the school ever, and you know it. Hardly anyone notices you as you are so quiet, but those who do, like to pick fights with you either because of your beauty or just generally the fact of finding you annoying as you don’t speak very often or even fight back. In other words you are easy target.

You wake up to the usual sound of your alarm clock in the morning to get breakfasted and ready to leave for school. No one else is in the house as you live alone, although you are only 16. You have breakfast clean your teeth and kiss mum and dad good bye. You leave for school. Today is a beautiful day during spring. The sakura trees are blooming and light pink petals trace your every footstep. You’re actually feeling pretty good today, and strangely lucky.

At school. Your day and luck has gone straight down hill as soon as you enter the school gates. ‘Oh shit’ I thought to myself. ‘I’m not in the mood for this. I thought my day was going well, and so much for the luck.’ Four rather large and tough looking girls lined up in front of the school building. You have to stick it out, or else you run home and get caught half way whilst being beaten the crap out of. ‘No, I’ll stick it out, at least I’m somewhere near civilisation, for a bit of help, if anyone notices me.’ I thought whilst taking a deep breath and heading straight for the girls. Into the jaws of death. Well, near death anyway. They closed in on me. ‘Oh the pain. This is torture. Everyday’s the same I guess. Kicking and punching, even being trodden on. Christ, you’ve done enough, leave me be, leave me b…….’

“HEY. Leave her alone.” I heard from a short distance. ‘Wow, someone noticed me, can this be true!’ I thought in search of hope . I opened my eyes to see my hero. I saw a flash of orange and black, then, gone. I passed out.

I woke up a short while later, to a cold, but refreshing sensation falling on my face and trickling down my neck and blouse to my bra. Then realising that I was in the boys toilets, I sat up with a light sweat and a few cuts and bruises. I looked around and saw two rather tall boys. One had bright orange hair, almost like a sunset. ‘This must have been the flash of orange and black I saw. The black will have been his uniform.’ I gathered. The other boy had white hair and black roots. How strange, but I asked them, “How did I get here and who are you?” The boy with white tipped hair replied, “I’m Hatsuharu Sohma, Haru for short, and this is Kyo Sohma. Kyo carried you here after you passed out.” (Away from his body or that would have been embarrassing!) “I’m ………, thank you Kyo and Haru, I hope I have caused you no trouble.”

Kyo- “No trouble at all, hey what year are you in and what room are you in for your next class?”

………- “I’m in first year and I’m in room 2B next, with those dreaded girls.”

Haru- “Me too. You’re in my year and class! I’ll carry you there, I don’t think you’ll be able to walk on your own for a little while. Don’t worry I wont let those girls near you, okay. Let’s go.”

Kyo- “Okay, I’m in room 3A, just across the hall. Haru, look after her, and don’t let those girls near ………. See ya.”

Haru- “Well, Kyo what do you expect me to do if they do go near her?”

Kyo- “Use your imagination!”

Haru hoisted me into his arms and carried me to our lesson (wedding style!) We were about half an hour late and got a short lecture, but other than that the lesson was alright. Eventually lunch came and I had no one to sit with so Kyo invited me to sit with them on a table together. Two more people joined us and I was introduced. A girl and a boy. The girl had long brown hair and looked happy to meet me. Her name was Tohru Honda, and the boy was very tall and good looking with silver hair and deep amethyst eyes, his name was Yuki Sohma. I thought, ‘Another Sohma, they must have a large family, they can’t possibly be brothers, from their hair colour.”

Tohru- “……… why don’t you come home with us and you can stay for dinner. Then maybe we could get to know a little about each other?”

‘She wants to know more about me. This is a first, I’m so happy.’ I thought.

………- “Um slight pause okay, sounds like fun. So you all live together?”

Haru- “This lot do, but I don’t. Hey, Yuki, do you reckon Shigure would mind if I come for dinner too?”

Yuki- “Sure, you know Shigure, the more the merrier!”

………- “Who’s Shigure?”

Kyo- “Oh, he’s the eldest of our house. We live with him. He’s pretty God damn annoying if you ask me.”

RRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNGG!

Tohru- “There’s the bell. Got to go ……… we’ll see you and Haru at the school gates to walk home together.”

………- “Sure, see you later. Come on Haru were in room 5A, let’s go!”

At the end of the school day me and Haru walked to the school gates (yes I can walk now!) with a close encounter with those bitchy bullies, but Haru grabbed my hand and moved me away swiftly, making the bullies very jealous! We met up with Tohru, Yuki and Kyo whom of which were fighting; all accept Tohru who seemed very relaxed about the situation, so I gathered that this was a regular thing!

We got to their house, and it was beautiful. We ate a wonderful dinner which Tohru made when I helped to prepare it. We ate salmon and vegetables. By the looks of things this was Kyos favourite. It was fantastic.

………- “I just need to nip to the bathroom, where did you say it was again?”
Haru- “Oh it’s just across there pointing through the little door.”

………- “thanks”

I got up but unfortunately I tripped on the rug and I completely embarrassed myself by landing on top of Haru. I heard him grunt a little. ‘I hoped I didn’t hurt him, I’m such a cluts.’ I thought in shame!

………- “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry Haru, are you okay?”

Haru- “long pause and a look of shock upon his face I’m fine, it’s okay.”

………- “I hope I didn’t hurt you, I’ll be back in a sec.”

As I left the others started talking, I looked back and they seemed really shocked. ‘I hope I haven’t offended them,’ I thought, ‘they’re my only friends.’

Haru- “She’s cursed.”

Yuki- “Don’t be ridiculous, she can’t be we’d know her wouldn’t we.”

Haru- “She landed right on top of me and I didn’t transform, of course she’s cursed!”

Shigure- “You know, I think that Haru could be right. Remember, if a member of opposite sex gets too close to you, you’ll transform. I think we all need a visit to the main house.”

Kyo- “I’m not going anywhere near that place, it sucks!”

Tohru- “You can stay here with me then!”

Everyone falls silent as ……… returns from the bathroom.

………- “Thank you for dinner Tohru, it was wonderful. I think I’d better be off now. It was lovely to meet you Shigure.”

Shigure- “NO! making everyone jump at least a few inches out of their skin in the mean time! You can’t possibly go home now it’s 9 o’clock , that’s much too late for a beautiful young girl like yourself to walk out in the dark on your own. God knows what sort of person you could meet on the way.”

Kyo- “what people like you, you mean!”

Shigure- “Ha ha ha! You do make me laugh Kyo! (Purposefully avoiding the subject) Shall I get the phone, so that you can ring your family and let them know?”

………- “There’s no one there, I live alone.”

Yuki- “Well there’s no need to worry then is there! And plus its Saturday tomorrow.”

………- “Well, I guess I could, if it’s alright with you. Thank you.”

Haru- “Well that’s settled then isn’t it.”
We all went upstairs, Kyo and Yuki went to their bedrooms and I followed Tohru to her room as she was kindly lending me some pyjamas. I wondered where I was going to sleep. Shigure was talking to Haru downstairs.

Haru- “I’m going now, I’ll be back first thing in the morning, I want to come with you the main estate tomorrow.”

Shigure- “Fine, I’ll ring Hatori in the morning to see Akito about ………, this needs to be sorted out.”