She's been speaking in English for the past years, how can she even interact with them? She gulped and pulled herself together. She marched down the hall and looked for her seat. She noticed there doesn't seem to be sitting a.s.signments, she went ahead and sat nearby the window. She watched people walk past her isle. No one is interested in her. She looked down on her clothes and brushed her hair. Was she that plain and unapproachable to them?

Everyone had taken their seats. Eika stood up from her chair that she seems to be the only one who doesn't have someone sitting next to her. She wondered if the people here knew each other and decided to sit by friends?

She flopped down seemingly hopeless. When she thought that was over, someone tapped on her shoulder. "Is this seat taken?" A girl with sleek black hair and her eyes dark as night smiled at her. The strands of her hair slowly fell allowing for Eika to look at her profile. Eika's jaw dropped, the girl looked mature than her! Even prettier! Plus, she can speak j.a.panese fluently too. She already lost before she can fight!

"N-no," Eika stammered, and the girl sat down at her seat. Feeling uncomfortable, Eika took the magazine from the net and decided to skim through it but, the girl beside couldn't take her eyes off of her.

"Is there something on my face?" Eika asked, lowering the magazine down on her lap. She blushed in embarra.s.sment. The girl rested her chin on her palm and smiled cheekily.

"Nothing, you look cute!" The girl remarked, and Eika's cheeks turned red. She flailed her hands around in denial. "N-no! I'm not!" She insisted and, the girl giggled at her reaction.

"You stand out from everyone here with your hair," The girl offered her a handshake. "Mei Qian, glad to be your acquaintance,"

Eika hesitated to shake it back. She couldn't help but lower her head a bit. She shook Mei's hand and nodded shyly to her. "My hair? Is there anything wrong with it?"

"Ginger!" Mei exclaimed, "You're the only ginger head here!" She mused, and everyone's eyes turned to Mei. Eika shrank in her seat, thinking about it. That's true with everyone's looking directly at their direction. She noticed that most of the people here either have black hair or brown hair.

"P-please don't point it out that loud," Eika pleaded, and Mei covered her mouth. She hunched her back to whisper to her. "I had never seen a person with orange hair like that. I apologize,"

Eika isn't surprised. Back at her school, it was normal to have this hair but, her cla.s.smates always wondered why a halfie like her was able to get these type of genes. Who could blame her though?

"It's okay, and my name is Jane Eika Miyamoto," She introduced, and Mei's eyes expanded. She kept her hands together and sighed to herself. "That's the longest name I ever heard, will Eika suffice?"

"Of course," Eika nodded along, she's still uncomfortable with Mei's presence. She seemed like an elegant princess who's forced to sit with an unbearable trash can and had to keep up faces. But even so, she admired Mei. She has the looks and probably the talent. What if she's a daughter of a high-cla.s.s family too? With the way, she's speaking formally Eika can see that she might become a popular girl.

"Excuse me, would you like to have snacks?" A stewardess interrupted Eika's thoughts, pus.h.i.+ng a food trolley in front of her. It has a bunch of elegant sweets, drinks, and is that confectionary? Somehow Eika felt like she was in the first cla.s.s of an airplane! Nothing is cheap! Ever!

"No, thank you," Mei smiled. The stewardess turned to Eika, "Would you like anything?"

The first time is everything right? She decided to take a simple burrito from the tray "I'll take this," She responded and, the stewardess bowed her head and went over to the next aisle.

"The airplane food is tasteful. I think you would enjoy it," Mei commented with a rea.s.suring grin. Eika opened the package of the burrito. It smells weird but, it still looked presentable.

"It's grade S, help yourself," Mei insisted, and it looks delicious though. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. She unwrapped the paper around the burrito and, she took a bite.

It didn't even take a minute to lose her seatmate.

She wiped her mouth with wet wipes. Thank G.o.d there was a paper bag on the net. She leaned back on her seat and closed her eyes wanting to cry. So much for making friends on her first day. She can imagine the headlines in the school now. 'Eika Miyamoto puked in the First Day!'

She hugged her stomach as the pilot announced that they have landed on the island. Everyone around her cheered and she's alone, disgusted and sick. She tricked me to it. Eika thought to herself painfully.

Meanwhile, Mei Qian approached her friends and gave her a high five. "Great job back there!" They praised and, Mei Qian smirked right at them. She sat down and brushed her hair to the side. Her once and elegant features turned fierce and venomous.

"That's one newbie down," She praised herself. "Pathetic commoner. No one can trust airplane food even in first cla.s.s!"

They exited out of the plane, and instructors were waiting for their arrival at the gate. Even though the sun was about to set in j.a.pan, the island looked glorious from they stood. Ma.s.sive mountains, a horizon of forests, the sparkling gems of the orange colored sea. Eika can live with this. If only, she wasn't a naive idiot. Eika wondered if this is what her father meant about idol life.

Eika scanned her surroundings. She didn't see Mei Qian. It was a good thing since she didn't want to encounter a girl like her anymore. The students were now led to take a shuttle bus. Eika sat alone at the back part of the bus. It was easier since no one would notice her. She hugged her backpack and shoved her face on it to hide from the world. In a few minutes, they'll be reaching Ace Academy.

A new school year shall begin.

New friends. New allies.

New enemies.