This is my first story ever. So I hope you like it and if not, sorry. I rushed a little to get this out so don't mind any typos and its shortness (:

Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine; it is Tite Kubo's.

Karin stared out the classroom window at the rain drenched world. It was just another boring, old day in Karakura Town. She sighed, trying to turn her attention back to the teacher.

"Tomorrow there will be a new transfer student coming to this class. I hope that you will treat them with the utmost respect." The teacher narrowed her eyes at a boy sitting in the back of the room.

Karin felt the classic wrench in her gut. 'No,' she thought. "It's not going to be him. He hasn't come back to the real world in 3 years. What makes you think anything is going to change now?' Karin grumbled and looked down at her shoes, disgust for herself slowly filling up.

A bell startled Karin out of her thoughts. School was over. Finally. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, only to be replaced by an even heavier one. Her school problems were done for the day, but now she had to go home and put a fake smile on her face. She was going to have to pretend that everything was all fine, and that she was happy, but really she wasn't. She hadn't been ever since the day she found out how utterly helpless she was; ever since she found out how pointless life is, and how only death matters; ever since the one who taught her all that left. Karin hated having to be fake to her own family, yet it was better this way. This way, her family could be happy and not worry about her.

Karin saw Yuzu looking at her, but she pushed out of the room before Yuzu could get a good look at the emotions displayed on her face. As she stepped out of the school a wave of cool air and water hit her body. It felt so good. She stopped walking, closing her eyes. She blocked out everything, all the bustle and chaos, focusing only on the rain: each drop slapping her face and rolling off it.

All of a sudden, her eyes flew open. This reiatsu… A hollow! She started off, running smooth, rhythmic steps. Pushing herself fast, she muttered "I have to get there. Fast. Before anyone gets hurt. I have to be the strong one. I have to kill this hollow." Yet as suddenly as the reiastu had appeared, it disappeared. Karin slowed down and eventually stopped. "Tch. Shinigami. Actually doing his jobs for once."

Slowly she turned and walked back the way she had come, trudging towards her house. As she walked up a hill close to home, her breathe caught in her throat. That figure. Could it be? 'No,' she told herself. 'No. He left and he's not coming back. Stop getting your hopes up for nothing. Stop.' Yet as she approached the form, it turned towards her. Those turquoise eyes. That white hair. The serious expression. It is him. All of the emotions bottled up inside for years finally released, overwhelming Karin. Her stomach felt like it was being ripped in two, her heart filled with lead and being crushed. Tears mingled with the rain already streaking down her cheeks. Her head was pounding so hard that her vision clouded slightly.

3 years she had waited for this.

"Toshiro…"

"Karin."

Slowly, she walked towards him. She was afraid that if she came any closer he would disappear; afraid that he wasn't real; afraid that she was just imagining him.

"I missed you,' he said, breaking the silence.

All of the emotions swirling around inside Karin's head finally solidified into one: anger. It started boiling over, harsh and cruel. It poured out of Karin in words. Loud words; words screamed to the world. "3 years. I wait 3 years for you. Everyday I wake up knowing I dreamed of you. Everyday I go about with my life, reminders of you everywhere. Everyday I have to tell myself that you're not coming back. Everyday I have to miss you and know that I can't do anything about it. You know how pathetic that makes me feel? You know how much that makes me detest myself? And now you think you can just waltz back here and say that you missed me? No, Toshiro. You fucking can't!"

Toshiro's face hardened. He was getting angry, too. And before he knew it, he was yelling back. "Why the hell do you think this was easy for me? It wasn't. How do you think it felt for me not knowing if you missed me as much as I missed you? How it felt not knowing if you loved me back?"

Karin's eyes widened. Did he say he loved her? And just like that all traces of anger melted away. She pointedly looked down; not able to bring herself to look in his eyes to see if he was serious.

"Do you think you could forgive me?"

"Toshiro…"

Karin felt a hand under her chin lift her face to his, forcing her to look in his eyes. She saw tears glimmering in them; tears he refused to let fall. Time seemed to slow down; everything moved in slow motion. Her ears filled with buzzing; her breathing became shallower. All she could feel was her heartbeat lurching threw her body, solid and rhythmic.

Thump, thump… Thump, thump… Thump, thump…

He leaned closer… and kissed her.

All around them, the rain continued to fall.

Thanks for reading! Remember to review it.

I know this was a one shot, I should be posting some new, longer stories up here soon. Maybe in a week or so? Any ideas that you don't want to use yourself, message me. Also, if you have any stories you think I should read message me; I'm really in need of a recommendation.