Hello again everyone! I'm extremely sorry for updating this chapter so late, even more so, since this chapter is so short. I just finished exams yesterday and things about halogens and the Meiji Restoration are still floating around in my head. Anyways, I won't bother you with my A/N for any longer.

Enjoy!

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The sky was a perfect shade of blue and white balls of fluff flew by serenely. It was a beautiful scenery; nature was in a fabulous mood today, Ryoma noted as he stared outside. Serena was shooting him nasty glances from the right whenever the teacher looked away, which he hardly did. Ryoma didn't blame him though. She had literally incinerated the cooking club room.

"So, we will be having a field trip on Monday, meaning after the weekend is over. Please have your tickets with you or you will not be allowed in the bus. Our destination this year will be the beautiful mountains where you will learn about various plant and animal species. Remember to take notes and any person caught causing mischief-" here he sent a dirty look towards the brown haired girl, while she stared innocently back, "-will not be taken sight seeing and they will remain in their rooms for the remainder of the trip."

The thought of going on a field trip delighted everyone but it really wasn't too much of an exciting prospect for Ryoma. Of course, he was going with all the other classes so that meant his senpais would go as well, but he would much rather go to a tennis training camp or a tournament to beat some strong opponents. As the teacher droned on about banned items and stinkbombs (an addition made after he had a particularly bad encounter with Serena), Ryoma's thoughts stretched into the past.

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"She should be here any minute!" A boy with golden eyes said, pleadingly.

"I'm sorry son. We've already waited for far too long. You have to default." A kindly man looked sympathetically at the young boy. Him and his partner had so far, won every single match in the Tournament. And yet, today on the day of the Final match, his partner was running late. They had already waited fifteen minutes for her but no more time could be wasted. It was simply unacceptable.

The young boy looked down at the ground, his hair shielding his eyes, accepting his fate. To the 8 year old Ryoma Echizen, this match was as important as his life. Him and his best friend were so close to winning and now she had ruined it with her ill timing. Rage took over him. It was undeniably stupid to have ever trusted someone so completely like that. She had promised that they would go home with the first prize. She had promised that she wouldn't be late and yet she had. He would never forgive Serena Misaki.

…..That evening…

The young boy lay in his bed, looking over his tennis racket. A small creak of his door alerted him to the presence of someone lingering at the entrance to his room. He knew who it was and he knew what she wanted.

"What do you want Misaki?" He asked harshly. His curt demeanor dealt a blow to the girl. He had never used that tone with her or called her by her last name. It was not a good sign.

"Ryo…I'm-" Her words were cut short by an interruption from Ryoma.

"I prefer you called me Echizen." The second blow had left its mark, "And save your apologies, please. They won't really work."

"But I can explain!" Serena retaliated. She was slightly angry at him for refusing to hear her out, but she was mostly afraid.

"It's fine Serena. I don't need your explanations and I don't need your friendship. I prefer you stayed away from me from now on. But please, next time- try to keep your promises." He wasn't yelling and he wasn't being harsh. In fact, his face displayed no emotion as he turned to look at the girl he once called his friend.

The sight of her shocked him, somewhat. Her pale skin was covered in a dark substance which looked like ash and her hair was in a wild mess. But the sight that astonished him the most, was the bandages wrapped around her right arm. The arm was wound tightly and there was almost double the amount of bandages than usual. He wondered what could have caused such an accident, but Serena, apparently failed to notice his surprise.

There were tears threatening to fall from her eyes, as she tried to hold them in.

"Well, then I guess you'll get your wish. I never want to see you again Ryoma Echizen." She managed to whisper through her tears. She tried to show only the anger but even then, the boy could see through her transparent façade. She turned her back on him and ran down the stairs and into the clear night while Ryoma could only stare guiltily.

The following morning, he had made up his mind to apologize to her. He was still angry at her for breaking her promise, but on his way out, his father called out to him.

"Hey kid! Where do you think you're going?"

"To Rin's place," he replied. The nickname had come out without intention- a definite force of habit.

"What do you have? Short term memory? Didn't she tell you? Her family left for Seattle last night."

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And that was the last time he had seen Serena. His parents had often been puzzled as to why they weren't writing or talking to each other. Every time the other's family called and offered the two to talk to each other, they would make up a hurried excuse and refuse. After about three months of this repeated routine, the two families had lost contact all together.

And now, they had crossed paths with each other again. Whether it was Destiny or simply coincidence, Ryoma did not know. He opened his eyelids as the familiar walls of his classroom welcomed him back to the present.

The memories he had locked away in boxes at the farthest corner of his mind, had been opened once again.

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Yes, yes I know this chapter was much shorter than usual. But I assure you, chapters will be longer and I will be more frequent in updating now since I have three whole months to myself. Seeing as I missed the Class Party today, I guess I'll be spending the entire day writing. As always, GINORMOUS amount of thanks to my ever-so-awesome reviewers:

Sayonara Yasaashi Akumu, iRawrTera

Anyway, that announcement by the spitting sensei wasn't only for side show either. The next few chapters will feature the Field Trip, more hilarious scenes and of course-fluff. So all you need to do is CLICK THE BIG GREEN BUTTON TO REVIEW!

-Love you all! (except for flamers xP)