TOKO POV

"Urrgh.. Class sucked today.." I thought as I walked down the hall. There are so many faces, but I decide to look at none. I make no effort to talk to people.. Well besides this one girl named Komaru.. She's the only person who's cared about me, besides master Byakuya. As I reach my locker, I grab my backpack, shove my books in it, and start walking to the exit. But as I'm about to open the door, my phone dings-

"Probably another person trying to trick me.." I mumble to myself.

As I open my phone, I see the message was a number I didn't recognise.

"Great.. I was right." I say, irritated.

T: Are you here to humiliate me like everyone else?

?: what? ofc not, why would i wanna do that?

T: You're lying, but anyway who is this?

?: it's komaru silly!

"Hm? How'd she get my-" I'm cut off by "Komaru" texting-

?: ur prolly wondering how i got your number lol

T: Er yeah, I was actually

?: well im not gonna tell lol, anyway, come to the garden

"Well hopefully this is Komaru, that would be a pleasant change.." I say as I walk through the door frame and head toward the garden as "Komaru" told me to. As I reached the garden, to my surprise, it really was Komaru.

"Hello!!" She greeted, with a warm and genuine smile.

"Err.. Hi.." I said, not really knowing what to say. "What did you need me here for..?"

"Am I not allowed to hang out with you?" She said with a slightly disappointed, but still playful expression.

"W-well, yeah, I guess you can but I don't really understand why you'd want to hang out with me of all people-"

"Oh, don't say that! You're great, I'm sure of it!" She says, perky and happy again.

"I guess so..."

KOMARU POV

"EEEEK! I'M SO HAPPY!" I said to myself in my head.

"Why are you so excited to hang out with me? There's so many other people you could hang out with, but you're so persistent about hanging out with a weirdo like me? You have awful taste.."

"..I said that out loud?" My face goes hot and I look away.. "URRGH IM SO STUPID!! I SAID THAT OUT LOUD??!!!" I mentally scream at myself.

I shake my head, and look back at Toko, "Look, I have AMAZING taste. Believe me, we're gonna have so much fun!!"

TOKO POV

She snatched my hand and started running, very fast mind you.

"AH! Where are we going?!" I practically scream.

"My house!! My older brother will LOVE you!!"

"Urrgh!" I groaned, my legs hurting.

"PLEASE, SLOW DOWN!" I yelp.

She immediately pauses, and turns to look at me-

"Oh I'm sorry.. Was I going too fast? Are you ok..?" She says with a worried look on her face.

"My legs just.." I let out a slightly pained sigh, "Urgh.. They hurt a little.."

"Oh no! Let me look at them, maybe I can help-"

"No, t-that really won't be necessary!-"

"NO, I insist." She says firmly.

"P-please, I-i'll really be just fine you don't need to do that!" I say, in a worried tone, making it very obvious that I'm trying to hide something.

"There's no point in trying to hide all of the cuts on my legs, she's going to find out anyway.." I think to myself, letting out a troubled sigh. Komaru bends over, opens her backpack, and pulls out a first-aid kit.

I attempted one more time- "Komaru, you really don't need to-"

But it was too late. She had already lifted up my skirt a little, just enough to see a little below my knee, and she had an almost immediate look of horror and worry on her face.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you.." I say looking away, and biting my finger. "I can't blame you, I look like an attention seeking, stupid and ugly depressed teenager!" I speak with a shaky voice, my eyes tearing up a little.

"No, of course I don't think that! Why would I?!" She said, as she started to tear up too.

"Why wouldn't you?! I mean, look at me Komaru! WHO DOESN'T THINK I'M WEIRD OR CRAZY?" I shouted in a harsh and unforgiving manner.

Komaru stared at me with a scared, and extremely hurt expression on her face.

I felt bad now, and as I looked around the street we were on, I realized everyone was staring at us- no, me, and right at the moment I looked back at Komaru, tears started pouring out of her eyes.

"K-komaru- I-I...I-" She interrupted me by forcefully shoving herself onto me, giving me a tight, but comfortable hug.

"I-I don't hate you ok? B-believe me when I say that..!" She whispers shakily, starting to cry more.

"It's-" I pause and look to the side. Should I believe her..? I want to think she's telling the truth but I can't be sure.. But I decide to anyway, I feel like I can trust her. "O-ok, I believe you then."

She bolts up and smiles a little, "R-really..?!"

"Yeah.." I say, giving her a warm smile.

"I-I've never seen you smile before.." She giggles. I laugh a little, too.