E Is For Enemy

Chapter Eighteen

Asano's P.O.V.

It was the first day of first grade, and I set my bag into my cubby with great care and precision, making sure no straps were hanging out, like some other kids's cubbies.

My father always said I had to be neat and tidy, because I wasn't like those other kids. They were messy. I was better than them.

I took my seat just as class started. I had a table at the front all to myself. All the other kids had a buddy they were talking to, but I didn't want one. I worked better alone.

"Alright everybody," my teacher smiled warmly, "how about we start the day by drawing a picture about something fun we did over the summer?"

She passed out paper and crayons, and when she got to my desk, she stopped.

"Gaku-chan, don't you want a coloring buddy? Why don't you sit with Rina and Fumiya over at table three?"

I shook my head, hands clasped in my lap. "No thank you, I work better alone. That's what father says."

"O-oh..." She blinked. "Well...if you ever want to join them, feel free to do so."

"I will not." I said. I pointed to the black crayon. "May I use that please?"

She set it down in front of me along with a piece of paper. "Sure, do you want some other colors? Here's a pretty yellow, a nice blue and- oh! Here's a bright red!"

But I shook my head again. "No thank you, I don't like red. I like orange."

She took out an orange crayon and gave it to me. "Okay...well, draw something fun!"

I didn't know what fun was, but I knew how to draw a piano, and I had started piano lessons that week. That was fun, right?

A few minutes into drawing, the door opened and a little boy stepped in, a sucker in his mouth. He didn't have a parent with him.

I scowled at him for disrupting coloring time. I almost drew outside of the lines!

"Ah, hello there. Are you lost?" The teacher kneeled down in front of the boy.

He popped the sucker out of his mouth. "No. I'm Karma, I'm supposed to be here."

"Oh, right, Akabane right? Well, better late than never. We're just coloring something fun we did over the summer. How about you take a seat next to Gaku-chan over there and I'll get you some coloring supplies?"

"'Kay." The boy said. He dropped his backpack off on the floor and headed over.

I glared at him as he climbed onto the chair beside me.

"I work better alone." I announced to him.

"Then work alone, loser." He said, biting into his candy with a loud crack.

The teacher handed him some paper and a cup of crayons.

"Sensei, I can't work with him!" I cried, raising my hand. "He called me a loser! I'm not a loser, I'm a winner!"

"Karma, apologize to Gaku-chan please."

The red head sighed, facing me.

"I'm sorry, Gaku." He said, not even bowing.

The teacher, satisfied, headed back to her desk.

He lowered his voice, smirking. "I'm sorry you're a loser, Gaku-loser."

I glared at him. "My father will sue you."

I didn't know what sue meant, but I heard father say that a lot on the phone.