Night Rain: Chapter Eight; Apology Route

Where the hell does the time go?
One minute, I’m trying to get my foot out of my mouth, the next, lunch is over and it’s time for class again.
Today’s lunch went interestingly, to say the least. I met another student not even in my level. At my old school, that sort of thing would have never happened, at least not publically.
That’s what I like about Yamaku. The insurmountable challenge of social mobility isn’t as established here. It’s like, if you’re here, you’re already dealing with what has to be a shit deal in life; what’s the use in taking it out on your peers?
Wait. I take that back. It SEEMS like it is. I don’t think I’ve seen everything about this school.
Maybe there’s some rite of initiation that fosters this sense of togetherness.
Maybe you have to kill a man to be accepted. Like in those creepy manga.
Nah. That’s just fiction. No one’s dying here at Yamaku.
Not today, anyway.
That I know of.
I have to stop generalizing.
What’s the teacher talking about?
“…equals the strength of the charge of the electric field between the two plates…”
Electromagnetism. Fun shit. Nothing gets me charged up like ions and their charges.
Hmmm is it too soon to see if Megumi wants to hang out? How would I even find her?
“AMAYA!”
Fuck.
“Yes, sir?”
“What is the mass of an electron?”
Here goes nothing.
“Uhhhhhhhhh… point zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero one kilograms?”
“No, Miss Amaya. Maybe if you were paying attention instead of daydreaming, you would have heard what I said.”
“My deepest apologies, Sensei.”
“…”
“…?”
“Well?”
“Well, what, sir?”
“Well what’s the answer?”
Crap. He’s going thermonuclear on me. Duck and cover.
“It’s not .000000001 kilograms?”
“No, it isn’t, Miss Amaya. Were that the mass of an electron, the universe as we know it would be exponentially more massive than it already is.”
“Oh…”
Why me? Why today?
“Um…”
“9.1094 × 10-31 kilograms, Miss Amaya. You’re new, so you get this one free. From now on, when I ask for a specific numerical value that is, as of this moment, unchanged, such as the mass of an electron OR Avogadro’s number, I want it in scientific notation with proper units.”
“Ok.”
“Is that understood, Miss Amaya?”
“Sir, yes sir!”
“Now please, pay attention. All of this material will be on the next test!”
“Of course, sir.”
Fucking. Ouch.
I can barely keep myself together after that verbal flogging. How can I focus when I’m trying not to lose my shit in the middle of class and cause a scene?
I hope nobody is watch-
Who is that? With that purple hair?
How the hell did I not notice her in this class? Was she even here when I got back from lunch?
I like her hai-
What? Did she just flinch?
Wait, where is she going?
Is, is she leaving?
Fuck. She’s leaving this class
Motherfucker. How come she gets to come and go as she pleases but I get the chewing out of a lifetime for spacing out for a bit on my second day?
Lucky bitch.
OH
AND NOBODY SEEMS TO FUCKING NOTICE?
GODDAM HYPOCRISY!
“OY!”
The entire class turns to look at me. Oh dear god what have I done?
What am I doing?
Well…no sense going only halfway.
“Yes, Amaya?”
“Why does SHE get to come and go all willy nilly in the middle of class?”
A vein just throbbed in his hand. Oh crap. Evasive maneuvers!
“Amaya, what business of yours is the comings and goings of Ikezawa?”
I can only imagine the pressure he’s exerting on his gritted teeth right now.
And all that pressure needs an outlet.
If I say the wrong thing, that outlet will be me.
“Um…”
“Yes?”
Think fast, kid!
“I was of the impression this was a class that operated on a hall pass principle.”
Your move, Mutou.
“It is, miss Amaya.”
“Then where is the hallpass?”
I may have managed to save myself today. Brain, remind me to thank you.
You’re welcome.
“Ah! Of course! I neglected to give these to you yesterday! Do you need to use one now?”
Two yellow papers make their way back to me through the rows.
“Um, yes, sir, I do.”
“Then go right ahead. And keep that pass on you.”
“Of course!”
My mind is hopeless to imagine how I could have gotten out of that room any faster, or as fast, as I did.
“AHhhhhhhhhhh!”
Nor can it fathom how I just sighed so loudly.
Heh. If I actually HAD to use the restroom, that sigh woul-
Oh god.
WELL. That’s going to be awkward to explain later. How I did NOT pee in the hallway right outside the classroom. Such is the power of the lie: to both create and destroy.
I should at least go wash my hands or something. To keep up appearances.
Except…where is the bathroom?
Hmmm…time to go wander!
These are lovely hallways. Almost pristine, save the occasional skidmark here and there from careless shoe treads. It reminds me of a saying abo-
Pain.
Just
Great
Pain
From my head.
“HNNNNNNNNG!”
I’m out in a matter of seconds. My body is screaming.
WAKE UP
WAKE
UP
Ugh…at least I’m not dead.
Am I?
No…I definitely feel floor.
Cold floor.
Dirty floor.
Better get up.
What happened?
There’s…there’s no one here.
Except this random fucking column.
God dammit, I’m an idiot.
How did I manage to run smack into that fucking column?
“OW!”
What a beautiful language we have that allows us to communicate every bit of the idea of pain in two simple letters.
I don’t even remember going that fast.
So why does it hurt so much?
At least I’m not lightheaded.
Maybe dizzy.
Can I stand?
W-whoa!
Easy, easy, there we go.
Heh, what a stupid wallpaper on that column.
It’s polkadotted or something.
Wait…no, stripes.
Then what’s that red spo-
Crap.
Do I even want to know how much I’m bleeding?
I don’t think it’s my nose, because I’d taste it and it’d be dripping.
So it’s my forehead.
I’m gonna regret this.
Hand check…
OH Holy moley that’s a lot of blood. Must’ve gotten the corner.
Alright, alright, calm down. Don’t get your heart rate up. You’ll bleed more.
Ok, you’re on the third floor. The Nurse’s office is ri-
WHOA!
Ok, I’m more than a bit dizzy.
Better keep low to the ground
In case I fall.
How do I…Oh!
Thank! God!
There’s a sign on the wall pointing to the nurse’s office!
And it…leads down all those steps.
Fuck.
Better get a move on.
I’m sure they’re used to this at yamaku.
A redhead with a bloody forehead crawling down three flights of stairs.
Seems legit.
Heh-heh. Who knew going down stairs was as tiring as going UP them?
UHRP!
I feel nauseous. God I hope I make it.
The stairs line up. That’s good. If I can’t walk, I’ll roll down them to the office.
Like a damn barrel or something.
Heheh.
UGH! The lights are so much brighter on the lower floors. I just gotta
Close my eyes
And it’ll be bet- wait
No. Better not do that.
If I can’t see, how can I get to the nurse?
How much further is it anyway?
I’m still bleeding, right?
Check…OHyeah
Still bleeding.
I have no idea how I look right now
But I probably resemble someone from a horror movie at this point.
YES!
First floor! I made it!
Ya-