Right now, I felt like falling over . My heels pinched my feet, and my chest heaved with apprehension. The rush of vertigo and nerves that tangle in my stomach brought me to tears. Sam clutched my arm, and sent me an encouraging smile.

" Stop looking like you're about to f***king cry."

"Y-Yeah", I stuttered nervously.

Ion dropped Tammy off at her class, and next was my turn. I never wanted Sam to let me go, I was too scared. She seemed excited, considering she would sit down while her students did yoga infront of her. The cute secretary patted my shoulder, slightly pushing me into the classroom. The students were raucously swearing at each other, throwing pieces of paper not even noticing my aghast expression.

" WAIT ION!, YOU SAID I GOT THE HOSTS, NOT THE DELINQUETS!", I yelled and banged the door. My head gently knocked the door, tilting it to meet the widened eyes of the students. Their piercings were obviously casting light against the walls. I redeemed myself by clearing my throat, smiling at them hesitantly as soon as the bell rung. One of the students slipped into his chair, propping his legs on his table challengingly. The others followed into their chairs, some even popping their gum .

" So, I get the delinquents huh?", I mumbled while crossing my arms.

" My name is Nandini, but you must call me Miss Nandini. I am your new English teacher, who in fact won't stand for any bullshit that comes out of your attitudebut...", I paused while strolling near the leader of the rash pack. He smirked at my boldness, slowly taking his feet under his table."I am willing to have fun with you guys, by learning. Ask me questions about work or advice , and I will answer to the best of my ability. I am younger, if not the same age as you and yet I'm teaching you English. Which means, I'm definitely smarter than you guys."

The students laughed at my last line. I grinned, folding my arms across my chest.

"So, what do you say we get along?"

Some seemed reluctant, atleast the leader was eager As soon as the leader accepted me, the rest of the herd soon followed. My eyes trailed around the seats, realising that infact one was empty..I made each one tell me their names, ticking off the roll.

" Who sits there?", I pointed through half lidded eyes.

" Ryuu .", was all the leader , Tama spoke. He yawned, scratching his stomach.

" Is he always late?"

Tama slowly opened his mouth, barely glancing in the direction of the boy that slammed the door open. I hid the shock and swear words that boiled through my lips, instead clearing my throat hurriedly. A plain boy stood with his legs apart, and his arms pushing the door open. He had scratches along his cheek, and the occasional twig in his hair. He blushed under thick-rimmed glasses, tucking a strand of his long-ish brown hair behind his ear.

I felt my heart melted at his vulnerable stare.

" Are you alright? Is this your classroom?"

He nodded mutely, picking out a leaf that got stuck in the ends of his glasses.

" Are you sure?", I asked again this time with encouragement for him to speak.

"Ryuu's mute sensei. He doesn't talk at all, he's always late cos some f***ing mugs stir him up near his place.", Tama answered through shut amused eyes. I failed to notice his clenched fist decorated with gleaming rings, ready to strike under the table.

I slightly bent down to meet his shy gaze, barely touching the scar on his cheek.

" Would you like to go to infirmary?"

" Nearly got raped last time, sensei.", one of Tama's henchmen sniggered.

When he saw my aghast expression ,Kyou sunk into his seat.

The boy shook his head vigorously, touching his heart with a thankful smile. I gently pushed the back of his head towards his seat, which was dangerously close to Tama. I figured that Tama occasionally gave him shit for being mute, yet he made no move to attack him. I clapped my hands together as I looked at the time, twirling my hands around my ponytail.

" For homework, I'd like you to write a 2 minute speech yourself in English. I will too, but in Japanese.", I laughed. " Ryuu you can sit this one out, or you may draw you wish to express yourself, I would love to hear or see it."

Ryuu blushed, bowing while seating down. When the bell rung, students bowed and bid me farewell. Tama lingered after, glancing at me one last time before slouching out of class. The mute boy was last, slowly placing his books into his bags, no rush to meet his friends. A child whose mute, in a sex school filled with perverts is a horrible place to be, and I vowed to protect him as much as I could.

I guided his arm to sit down infront of me, feeling tears well in the corners of my eyes.

" Ryuu, what are you doing here? I know I'm prying into something I shouldn't, but what brings you to this school?"

His head snapped to meet my gaze, grabbing a note pad out of his bag. Ryuu bit his lip and scribbled something down, inching it towards me with averted eyes.

I have no choice sensei. This was a promise I made to my father. He worked as a host, and my mother was his favourite client. He worked so hard, this is the least I can do for him. To come to this honorary school, was his dying wish. Oh, and I'm a virgin so apparently I get more in this school.

I read the notepad through blurred eyes, patting his hand comfortingly.
" You're a strong person Ryuu, and I'm sure you'll get through it."

The boy nodded in gratitude, tucking that same strand of hair behind his ears. He stood up, shutting the door behind him only to leave me deep into my thoughts.

That night I didn't talk much to Tammy and Sam while they were chattering away about their day. We had dinner in a separate table in the cafeteria, away from the students in a private area.I spotted some of the students, eyeing the spare seat next to me. I threw my bag on top of it, too tired to push the chair away. Tammy occasionally threw looks at me, pausing her conversation about how the boy's shorts are too long.

" Hey Nandiz, what's up?"

I leant my head against the palm of my head, twirling the noodle around my fork.

" Nothing actually, just...thinking."

" Don't think too much, you always analyse things .", Sam laughed wholeheartedly. My smile failed to reach my eyes, I finished a few mouths of noodles strolling back into my room. It was a cold night, and I hugged my jacket closer. There were a few students roaming around, probably up to no good. A few lights remained in the classrooms, and I knew exactly what was going on in there. I scrunched my nose when I smelt smoke, afraid to go further into the bush. I peeked my head around the bush, sighing in relief when I saw Tama. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, tapping his lit cigarette against the rock next to him.

" Smoking halves your life.", I stated with a fake cross smile.

My red-headed student laughed, running his hand through his layered hair.

" I've been in worse situations. Many involving a quick f*** relantionship. "

" You're joking me," I exclaimed while sitting next to him. " Never thought you'd be the player type ! Surely, there's some girl out there that you like."

He stared at me with a dumbfounded expression, " we are in an all boys school sensei, where do you see a girl?"

Tama started laughing when he saw me angry, " Well, you know what I mean."

Lucky for him, I accepted his answer and nodded.

" Okay, who is it?"

" Sensei, what makes you think I'll tell you?"

" I know!", I continued jokingly. " Is it...Kotetsu?"

He shook his head with a smirk. " No, but I've screwed him before."

" Then I don't know."

He only laughed.

"He won't answer me, he'll probably shy away."

" Oh.", I stood up in a rush hearing my friends call my name.

"Well you better tell him Tama. One thing I've learnt in these type of stories, is the quicker the confession the quicker the...you know."

" F***?. "

" I was about to say intimacy, but you beat me. The important thing is to show that you're his pillar. You're certainly built to be one, so why not use those muscles of yours?"

Tama laughed at my feeble attempt, also standing up and disappearing into the trees.

I jumped out of the bush, scaring the shit out of Tammy and Sam.

" Hey guys!"

They screamed.

Ah, the bliss .

The next day I made it a point to visit Ryuu under his favourite reading spot, basking in the shade and gathering all sorts of grass in his hair. He was so focused on his literary piece, the adorable teenager barely heard my steps. What I didn't notice, was the shadowed figure nearing the boy.

" Ryuu."

Ryuu gasped, nearly topping over onto his back. Once he steadied himself, his eyes finally noticed my dipped head. He bowed dramatically, dropping all the contents in his arms. I apologised and reached for a few of them, shocked when I recognised the figure he had drawn.

" Tama?"

Ryuu hid his face under his bangs and nodded.

" These are amazing Ryuu, you have such talent for drawing."

He peeked slightly, blushing under my intense awed gaze.

" Tell me something, ", I dropped my tone into a whisper with a secret smile. " Do you like Tama?"

I felt bad, his reaction was too adorable scuffling around and hiding his face into thin air.

The thick-rimmed glassed boy nodded solemnly.

"That is dangerous, " I sighed loudly. " Considering he's a bloody delinquent. But he's kind isn't he?"

Ryuu nodded, his eyes welling up with unshed tears.

" I'm sorry Ryuu. "

He shook his head vigorously, clenching his first and circling it around his heart. This meant , his heart was aching or some sort of turmoil. I nodded sadly, grabbing his shoulders to meet my eye.

" Whatever happens, you remember you who you ?"

"SENSEI! THERE'S A FIGHT JUST BEHIND THE OVAL."

Ryuu and I flinched at the high-pitched yelling of a boy from a younger grade. I ran to where the boy pointed too, ignoring the shots of pain from my high heels. As suspected, Tama stood with his fist clenched near his oppositions face, teeth bared and eyes blazing.

" One finger on him, and you will pay."

" One finger up where?", Shigure smirked.

"LET GO AT ONCE."

Even I was surprised at my high authority like tone, that just blasted across the congested clearing full of cheering students. There was a sense of apprehension tight in my chest, on the verge to explode. I shoved them aside, ushering them to their classes. Tama and Shigure were separated by their sides, still swearing and making a pass at each other.

Tama's face was shadowed, his ears as bright as his hair and his piercings blaringly obvious.

" You, head to the principal's office. Tama come with me.", I ordered submissively. Both boys snapped out of their daze momentarily, hesitantly obeying orders. Once we were out of ear-shot, I grabbed his shoulders into a dark corner.

" You are so lucky that I am letting you go for now, and the secretary is my best friend. But what the hell are you thinking ? That's your best friend." , I whispered rashly. Tama refused to meet my eyes, widening his eyes when I wiped my hands on my shirt. He opened his dry lips, before clamping them down again , raking his hand through his matted hair as a nervous habit.

" Tammy and I fight all the time, but does that mean that we rip each other's skulls off?No. Although, I have been tempted.", I continued while pacing the ground relentlessly. Tama cracked a smile, sucking air through a tongue piercing, when he saw my disgust the delinquent merely laughed.

" He was going to touch him.", he spoke suddenly darkening his tone.

" Who?"

Tama sighed , finally meeting my eyes with a swirl of emotions.

He covered his mouth with a hand, looking away with shock.

" Ryuu."

" As in, adorable Ryuu that I teach?"

The delinquent nodded, he was just as astounded as I was.

" How...How would that affect you ? You've never even noticed him, let alone talk to him", I paused for dramatic effect fully knowing the answer for myself. At that moment I could feel my heart clench for these boys, there it was – so blatantly obvious yet their ego stopped them.

"T-that's not true sensei. When that bastard at the infirmary tried it on him, I saved him. But he ran away from me so many f***ing times. I can't fully protect his face that just attracts all these paedophiles. I made sure he was safe, yet he doesn't even look me in the eye!"

" Did you ever think, it's not that he doesn't want to...it's that he just can't. He's not used to explaining himself, or expressing his feelings. Plus, its not exactly like you're a saint to love or anything."

Tama shrugged when he saw my sheepish smile.

" So now, what are you going to do about it?"

The delinquent shrugged his shoulders again, this time tiredly.
" Do you think sensei, that he's the only one who's not used to explaining himself to such detail?"

"Why don't you tell Ryuu what you just said huh, tough guy?", my finger poked at his chest challengingly.

That's where he left me to dwell in my thoughts, again. With his hands dug into his pocket, and his tattered shoes kicking at the dirt.

Bastard.

"Nandiz!"

I swivelled my head in annoyance to the screeching voice that called, pretending to walk away hurriedly , and laughing when Tammy pulled a shocked expression.

" Hey!"

" What were you doing talking to that gangster?"

" He's a good kid."

Tammy sighed, pinching her nose.

"Yeah, and pigs talk"

" Well, you're talking.", I grinned.

" Shut up faggot.", Tammy snapped. " Anyway, apparently we're taking some of the kids to a school trip or something to strawberry fields. "

" Awesome!"

Tammy looked around hesitantly, slipping in the necklace into full view. Slowly, its blue tinged opal was glowing, mending its cracks. We shared a secret smile, clearing our throats heavily when a good looking teacher winked at us from across the small pavilion.

I patted her shoulder heartily, leading her arm towards the direction of Sam's classroom. Although I laughed distractedly, my heart stilled yearned for those two boys to be together soon.

so um..youre forgetting the review button :)