“Kami?” The teacher called looking from his roster up at the students. A young girl in the back raised her hand, attention still held by something outside the window. It was the first day back at school and Kami Kagami was already wishing it would end. As a senior, it was the last year she would have to deal with the hectic schedule of a student. She sighed, slowly tearing her gaze away from the window to look over at her best friend Temari. Temari smiled at Kagami, dirty blonde hair pulled back into four neat ponytails on the back of her head. Her bangs hung loosely around her face and her deep green eyes were fierce and inquisitive. 

Kagami smiled, her dark eyes brooding. Her gaze returned to the window where she finally saw him. Temari’s younger brother was walking through the school gates, accompanied by his father. Temari had given a brief description of the boy, but she had done him an injustice. His hair was a dark reddish brown. Almost the shade of brick. He wasn’t tall but he’d easily look down on half of the seniors. Kagami could just make out his lean frame under his school blazer. The jacket was big on him and seemed to be one of Kankuro’s hand-me-downs. Kagami noted the kanji for love tattooed above his brow and remembered to ask Temari for the story. 

His eyes were rimmed in black, but not with eyeliner. Kagami’s mother had shown the same marks before her death. Signs of an insomniac. The boy looked up towards the window as if he could feel Kagami’s stare and glared. 

“Ms. Kami. If you would be so kind as to join us and open your book to page two twenty-three. I’d like to start the lesson.” Kagami already knew she would get along with this teacher. He was one of the few that didn’t have a stick up their asses. He seemed cocky and sarcastic. Kagami decided she liked him before the first ten minutes of class had passed. 

“Of course, Mr. Miyagi.” She opened her book and smirked at him, flipping through the pages at a leisurely pace. It would be a fun year for her. 

---

The bell sounded and Kagami was the first one out of her seat. She had hated trigonometry with a passion and despised the teacher even more. She was the definition of hag from hell. And she had to be the most un-intriguing teacher of the twenty first century.  Temari was next out of the classroom and Kankuro followed behind closely. The three sighed simultaneously and smiled at one another before entering the cafeteria. Temari and Kankuro’s younger brother sat at a table alone in the back of the large room. Kagami eyed him closely before making her way through the line to get her lunch. 

People moved aside for Temari, Kankuro, and herself as usual. Nobody dare do anything against the three. Kagami literally ruled the school. She was loved and loathed. Feared and respected. Kagami loved and detested the constant swarm of Freshmens and Sophomores that seemed to flock around her for protection the first few weeks of the new semester. She would smile and act politely and then send them on their way. 

Kagami scowled at the choices of the day and instead, migrated to the snack line as they called it. You could buy anything from ramen to Redbull in that line. Kagami laid five dollars on the counter and asked for a bowl of insta-ramen. The girl behind the register smiled and held her hand out for Kagami’s ID. She handed her the card and walked off moments later with a bowl of freshly microwaved ramen. She sat down in between her two best friends and began to slurp the ramen down when she caught the eye of Temari’s youngest brother yet again. 

She scanned the area in front of him and saw no food. She stood slowly and took another large bite of ramen before walking over to the redhead. She placed her half-eaten meal on the table and smiled. 

“Hi. Kami Kagami at your service. What’s your name?” the redhead simply stared at her through indifferent eyes for a moment before mumbling, 

“Gaara.” She thought on her reply for a second. 

“Hm. That’s cool. Why’re you sitting all alone?” 

“People. I don’t do well with them.” His voice was deep and husky, sexy in a mysterious way. 

“I don’t either, but I do enjoy the company of someone else every now and then, Gaara.” He frowned at her and glanced over at his older brother and sister, eating their food and talking animatedly about something. 

“People don’t enjoy my company. So I don’t bother.” His eyes locked on her bowl of ramen. “why did you bring your food over here?” 

“I noticed you weren’t eating and figured you might want some.” She smiled down at him, dark, onyx eyes locking with pale, jade orbs.

“I’m not hungry. Now go away.” Kagami’s smile turned into a heavy glare as she looked at Gaara. 

“Hey, I’m actually trying to be nice here. If you don’t want you’re last two years here to be a living nightmare, you might want to bask in it for a while.” She nearly snarled. The venom in her voice was almost palpable as her brows drew together. 

“I don’t want your kindness. Leave me alone.” Kagami looked as if she was about to throttle him. 

“Fine. You made your choice.” Kagami turned on her heel, school skirt flaring wildly, and walked back to her table.