Hello anime lovers out there! This is my first EVANGELION fanfic, so I hope you like it. Before you read any further, let me point out a few things. This story takes place in an alternative universe (AU), so not everything's the same.

There's a few things I should mention before you read this...

1. Rei and Auska are sisters (yes creepy I know)their last names are Akimoto (cool huh? just kidding)^_^

2. there are no angel attacks (sad isn't it?)

3. Nerv + SEELE doesn't exist

4. Other than that most things are the same.

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Rei walked to school silently. Ahead of her was Auska and her usual group of friends, their family had moved into Tokyo 3 a week ago and already Auska was surrounded by friends, Rei on the other hand was very much ignored. Not that she cared anyways. It was just about the same way back in their old town. Rei was never the outgoing type, she liked being left alone.

They arrived at school and walked into their classroom. Auska took her seat in front of the class and Rei took a seat at the back by the window. She sighed as she sat down, Hikari, one of Auska's friends and class rep. ordered them to stand up when the teacher entered the room.

The lunch bell rang and the students rushed out to the cafeteria. Rei remained in her seat and looked around the empty classroom. It looked so empty and lonely, very much like how she was feeling right now. She ran a hand through her feathery light blue hair and slowly stood up. She gathered her things and head towards the door. Just as she turned out of the door she was knocked off her feet by a boy.

" Oh! I'm so sorry! I did-didn't mean to. I'm such a klutz sometimes." the boy laughed nervously. " Here let me help you with that." the boy gathered her books that were scattered all around the hall and handed them back to her.

" Th-Th-Thank-you..."

" Ikari. Shinji Ikari, your new at this school aren't you?" he asked.

" Yes." Rei answered finally looking up and observing the boy. Dark brown hair and gleaming blue eyes. Rei gave him a small smile and accepted his helping hand.

" Thank-you again, Ikari-kun." Rei said softly.

" Call me Shinji. What's you name?" Shinji asked shyly.

" Akimoto Rei."

" It's nice to meet you Rei, I hope you like it here in Tokyo 3..." Shinji started.

" Hey Shin-chan! Hurry up! You wanna get out of this school don't you?" A boy shouted from behind Rei. Shinji looked over Rei's shoulder and waved to the boy.

" Be right there Touji! I'm sorry I have to go. I'm sorry about the whole running you over thing." Shinji scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

" It's alright, Shinji." Rei said softly nodding. She watched as Shinji ran to catch up with his friend. After Shinji was out of sight Rei sighed.

" Shinji, Ikari." Rei repeated his name letting her tongue grow familiar with the sound.

" Hey what are you doing all the way over there?" Auska yelled from the other end of the hall. " Your missing lunch! Aren't you hungry? Are you stupid?" Rei turned around and saw Auska standing with her hands on either side of her hips.

" Well come on!" with that Auska turned on her heels and walked away. Rei stared at the space where Auska stood for a few more seconds in silence then slowly followed.

*************

Rei walked home from school alone that afternoon, after clean up duty. She and an other girl, Kyoto Kami, had duty today. Rei rubbed her temples tiredly, Kyoto was one of Auska's friends and were one of those people who couldn't stop talking to save their life. Rei could feel a headache coming on and walked faster.

By the time Rei got home dinner was just prepared. Her family sat around the table, and all listened to Auska chatter away about her oh-so-eventful like. Rei stared at her plate and blocked Auska out of her head(which took months of practice, a skill owned by very few).

" Rei? Rei! Rei!" Rei finally looked up from her plate and saw that her mother was giving her a look.

" Yes?" Rei asked in her monotone voice.

" Rei, why can't you talk normal? Your voice sounds so creepy. Ooooh." Auska shivered.

" Are you alright Rei? I was calling your name for five minutes." her mother seemed concerned and Rei gave her a smile.

" Oh that's because Rei met a boy today." Auska said in a teasing voice. Rei suddenly looked down in blushed.

" Is this true Rei?" Her mother asked.

" Shinji Ikari." Rei said softly.

" IKARI! Isn't that the son of that rich business man? Gendo was it?" Her father exclaimed.

" Ooooh, Rei's got a boyfriend." Auska continued teasing.

" Shinji and I only met today. I would hardly say that we are friends, Auska." Rei said turning into a deeper shade of red.

" Oh already on first name terms I see." Auska smiled.

" Excuse me. I'm finished." Rei stood up abruptly and brought her dish to the kitchen before retiring to her room.

**************

The next day at school Rei took her usual seat and looked out of the window. She could here Auska talk to her friends about her, but she didn't care. It had become normal occurrence, even expected that Auska would start rumors about her. In fact Rei had wondered what had took so long. Ten minutes had already passed with her friends and only now Auska started talking about her.

" Must be a record." Rei muttered to herself.

" What's that?" Rei turned around and saw Shinji sitting two seats across from her.

" Ikari-kun?" Rei asked.

" What happened to plain ole Shinji?" he smiled.

" I don't think it's proper to be so familiar with someone I just met." Rei said calmly looking down at her feet, recalling Auska's endless teasing last night.

" Oh! Well I understand." Shinji nodded nervously. Rei watched Shinji for a few seconds and wondered why he seemed so shy all the time.

" I didn't know you were in my class Ikari-kun." Rei said breaking her stare.

" Surprise to me too. I just got transferred this morning."

" That's pleasant."

" Rei! Aren't you going to introduce me?" Auska asked jumping into the seat in front of Rei.

" Auska, Ikari Shinji. Ikari-kun Auska, my sister." Rei said plainly.

" It's nice to meet you Auska." Shinji smiled.

" Like-wise. So your the great Shinji Ikari. I've heard a lot about you...say aren't you the son Gendo Ikari, that famous business man?" Auska asked bluntly causing Shinji to blush.

" Uh-yeah." Shinji muttered.

" Well isn't that great, its not everyday we get a celebrity in our class you know! Well I'll leave you alone to talk with Miss-doll here." with that Auska left both Shinji and Rei looking down at the floor and blushing.

" Um your sister, is...outgoing." Shinji said.

" Yes...and that's one of her finer qualities." Rei replied making Shinji chuckle.

" Hey Shin-chan! There you are!" both Shinji and Rei turned around to see two boys walking towards them.

" Who do you have here?" the boy with large circle glasses asked.

" Oh, Rei, this is Suzahara Touji and Aida Kensuke. Touji, Kensuke, this is Akimoto Rei." Shinji introduced. Touji and Kensuke nodded and Rei and she gave a small smile in return.

" Akimoto Rei..." Kensuke said thoughtfully. " Hmmm, I don't remember seeing that name the last time I checked the school records." he muttered to himself. Kensuke quickly turned to a desk and opened his laptop and immediately began hacking into the school's "private" files.

Touji grinned and gave Rei an apologetic look. " Don't mind him, he's always like this. By the way, check my grades while your at it." Touji said directing the last part to Kensuke who was busy typing away. Rei grinned to herself, she'd imagine that these two would be the class pranks.

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After class Rei was the last to walk out of the classroom, she was surprised to see Shinji waiting for her by the door.

" Why aren't you with you friends Ikari-kun?" Rei asked.

" Oh I don't mind. I thought that you might like someone to walk down to lunch with." Shinji gave her a warm smile and she smiled awkwardly in return.

No had ever bother being this nice to her, with the exception of her parents. It felt...nice. In her life she was always cast aside in school, everyone had thought that her blue hair and red eyes were unusual and because of it no one wanted to be around her. She wondered why Shinji didn't go running away like most people did. If it wasn't her appearance then it was her personality. She was often told by Auska that she had a lousy one.

" Thank you, Ikari-kun, that was be nice." The two teenagers walked in a comfortable silence to the cafeteria. Shinji had invited Rei to sit with him at lunch and she gladly accepted. It felt good to be in Shinji's presence, it made her feel warm and wanted.

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+++Shinji+++

Shinji walked home from school with Touji and Kensuke that afternoon.

" Hey Shin-chan, why are you so nice to that Akimoto girl?" Kensuke asked grinning.

" I think Shinki just wants to get some action don't ya, Shin-chan?" Touji teased.

" Wh-What! N-NO! How can you think of something like that!" Shinji said blushing.

" Calm down, Shin-chan, I was only teasing you." Touji laughed at his friend's reaction.

" Your disgusting, Touji." Shinji said dully.

" Oh, is that a way to treat a friend?" Touji said giving Shinji a "buddy" punch on the shoulder.

" Shut-up."

" So Shinji, why are you so nice to her?" Kensuke asked again.

" Well I don't know. I mean I see her in school and she's always alone. I guess I feel sorry for her. Everyone should have a friend. I've seen how people act around her, almost as if they're scared of her. But, she's really sweet when you get to know her." Shinji said.

" Is Shinji, falling in love with little Rei?" Touji teased again.

" Touji, if you know what's good for you, you'd run...fast." Shinji threatened in a low growl.

" Catch ya later pal!" with that Touji sprinted down the hill with Shinji close behind.

" I can never get those two. HEY WAIT FOR ME!" Kensuke sighed and ran after his two friends.

**********************

+++Rei+++

Rei laid on her bed that night and thought back to what had happened.

" He waited for me. No has ever waited for me." Rei muttered to herself.

She slowly got up from her bed and walked to her mirror. She stared at herself for several minutes. She didn't see anything new. Same blue hair and crimson eyes. She didn't see why Shinji Ikari was being so nice to her all of a sudden. She smiled to herself, deciding that she didn't care. She finally had someone to call her friend...for once.

" Ikari-kun...Shinji." Rei said his name again and her smile grew.

" REI, DINNER TIME!" Rei heard a loud pounding on her door and heard Auska's voice come through her door.

" I'll be down in a minute." Rei looked away from the mirror and walked downstairs.

TBC: How did you like it? Please review and tell me if I should continue. I'm not all that good at write Evangelion fanfics, but there's a first time of everything right? Well don't forget to review! ^_~!