What's Happening?

What is he doing?

The mummering in the class slowly comes to a stop as our attention shifts towards him.

He doesn't look like he is from Japan, but he is wearing our school's uniform, has he always been in our school? I maybe not too social but I am confident with my observation skills and I am sure I have never seen him around, even if I didn't personally looked at his face, I have to have heard about him because a crazy handsome looking guy like him has to be one of the most, if not the most, popular guy among girls.

He looks a bit unsure on entering the classroom, but finally Ms. Suzune comes to the rescue, they both talk for a few seconds, I can't hear to what they are saying from this distance.

Suddenly, Ms. Suzune rushes to the teacher's desk and the boy follows her halfway and stops in the middle, in the front of the classroom, Ms. Suzune claps her hands to gain our attention.

"Class we have received a transfer student this semester, Ray Renner, he is from the U.S., So Ray, will you please introduce yourself to the class?"

A What?

A transfer student? This late in the school year? I didn't knew the school accepted Transfer students this late in the school year, and further more my suspicions were actually right, this guy isn't from Japan, He is from the U.S., It's pretty rare to get transfer student in middle of our school year, but on top of that a transfer student from another country? That's actually super rare and I am pretty sure most of the class is thinking the same as me right now.

But my thoughts were interrupted as Ray started his introduction.

"Hello everyone, My name is Ray Renner, I am from Thomas Jefferson high, Ohio, U.S. but as you all can see I can speak Japanese fluently so please don't hesitate to approach me and I was also in the volleyball team in my previous high school. I hope we all get along."

That was a pretty solid introduction, even better than my own, he sounds pretty confident in his speech, not too confident either, he does still have that American accent though, his voice is bold and heavy just like a mature teenager.

And well I am pretty sure everyone in the class have come to their senses now and is now processing his introduction same as me, the girls have their gaze all over him, they are practically saying 'I wanna be his girlfriend', too easy to read. While, the boys on the other hand are divided in several groups, some are still processing, some are look happy to have a new boy to their group while some look completely like they do not care.

"Thank you, Ray for the introduction, please take the empty seat in the row beside the windows"

Oh, well that explains the empty seat, I got distracted by his arrival that I completely forgot about the empty seat next to me.

I can't say I am not excited to have him beside me but at the same time I can't say I am not worried about myself, I can practically feel the glares of other girls over me.

He casually comes over and sits next to me, up close he really looks different from other boys in our class, I mean I have seen foreigners in movies and stuff but still seeing one in person is a completely different experience. I can easily say that he has got a perfect build (the one for which most of the girl fall for) even though we are in our winter uniforms, I am pretty good at observing, right?

"Well class as you all know we all would be starting our third semester today and thus as Ray's new, he would need our help to catch up though he has done what he can from his side, I need you all to treat him nicely."

We all respond with a musical 'Yes mam'.

"Hinata I am hoping you could help Ray with his way around and academics."

"Sure mam."

Classic Hinata, never turns down a teacher, he is very reliable.

Suddenly I feel a hand touching my shoulder, I look over in that direction, It's Ray.

Wha—why he is calling me all of a sudden?

"This yours?"

He pulls out his hand and reveals an eraser, more specifically, my eraser, it must have fallen down and he picked it up.

"Oh, yea—yeah, thanks" I stutter as I take the eraser from his hand.

Good job me, you just made an impression of a person who gets nervous around people she isn't used to.

"Your welcome."

He says with a bright smile on his face, he looks even better with a smile on, he should just keep that smile on forever and he is nice too. Is he doing this just gain support from his classmates as he is new? Well I know some people who does that, that's why I check my suspicions as normal.

Our regular classes begin as normal, normally I would just focus on teacher's lecture and take notes but this time I found myself glancing over in Ray's direction every now and then, he looked very focused and didn't even notice me glancing at him, maybe he did but didn't care? I wasn't too special or anything. But now that I think about it, why was I glancing at him anyway? Was I too excited to have a foreigner as a transfer student beside me? Or was I worried that maybe he would have trouble taking notes during the lecture?

I really don't know why was I doing it, but I wanted to.

Recess.

As soon as the bell commencing the recess rang everyone closed their notebooks and textbooks but Ray didn't, he continued to write for several moments after the bell. I continued to watch him write, he has an average handwriting but is a bit slow, well speaking and writing are totally different things so I guess it's fair.

Suddenly he stopped writing and looked up at me.

Oh god, was I being creepy? I was definitely being creepy, I mean who watches another person write so intently with no expression on her face, so I guess he did notice me after all but didn't cared.

"You… umm, need anything?" he says as he closes his notebook.

"Oh—um no, I'm sorry" I say hurriedly, apologizing in process for my unusual behavior.

"Uh—Why are you apologizing?" he asks with confused smile

Well maybe he didn't notice me, I have to stop jumping to conclusions.

"Oh, well… it's, never-mind" I say and choose not admit that I was glancing at him during class, I mean I am innocent until proven guilty, right?

"Well the—" he started to say something but was interrupted by a bunch of guys, some from Hinata group too.

"Hey Renner-kun, I'm Daisuke Kakeru, you can call be just Daisuke if you want, so you said play volleyball?" the one who asked this was Daisuke-kun, he himself is a part of volleyball team, though he is not very tall. Ray on the other hand might just be a as tall as Daisuke-kun, if not taller.

"Yeah I do, middle blocker actually." Ray answered without hesitation.

His focus was shifted from me to the others, our conversation was lost, no point in eavesdropping on their conversation, I wouldn't get it anyway. Also, I have more important things to do like, eat up my lunch and prepare for the next class.

After school, the students who didn't had any clubs started dispersing, I personally am a part of art club, though art is just a thing I do for leisure and cool down my brain after all the working it has done during the school hours, I take it seriously when I am at it, still, I am not as good as my other fellow club members.

Ray got up from his seat too, and just I realized he probably haven't joined any clubs yet, but I suppose if he is gonna go for something it'll be volleyball no doubt.

I myself got up from my seat, I noticed Hinata, who was supposed to show Ray around wasn't to be found anywhere in the classroom, he is a part of the soccer team, did he run off to practice just like that? I can't say anything but I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Looking at Ray as I started to walk out from my seat, I felt maybe I should show him around if he is interested? There are not many people in the class, Daisuke-kun is also nowhere to be found.

Really the anxiety is killing me.

'Well here goes nothing.' I think to myself before speaking up.

"Hey Ren—" Just as I was about to call out to him, I was interrupted by another girl's voice.

"HEY Renner-kun"

"Oh hi, umm…" Ray struggled to continue his sentence as the girl suddenly approached him, well obviously he wouldn't know her name.

I backed down.

"Oh, Sorry, my bad, I should introduce myself first, I am Kei Kakashi, Nice to you meet you."

The girl who interrupted me was Kei Kakashi, I watched them talk from my seat.

"Oh, right, Hi, Nice to meet you Kakashi-san, Do… you need anything?" He asked the same question to her that he asked me earlier.

"Well, I see you seem a bit lost."

"Oh haha, you noticed? Well, Daisuke-kun invited me over to check out the volleyball team but even though I got a tour of the school, I don't quite remember where they practice after school." he says with a bit of embarrassment while putting his arm on the back of his neck.

"I see, Well, it happens with everyone, no need to be worried about it, I was a bit confused too when I first came." she is on the mark, really a smooth talker, I am kinda jealous.

"Really? That kinda makes me feel a little better about me." Rays says, he does kinda sound relieved after hearing what Kei-san said.

"I am glad it does, well, the Volleyball team practices in the gym after school, I can show you your way there if you want."

At times like this I feel like taking notes on how to carry out a smooth conversation with a total stranger.

"I do roughly remember where the gym is, actually, on a second thought, I guess that would help." Ray replies still juggling between accepting and declining Kei-san's offer.

"I'll be happy to help." Kei-san says with a bright smile.

"But are you sure?... I mean I don't wanna trouble you with me."

"The gym and my clubroom are close by to each other, I am headed over to my clubroom right now, so you don't have to worry about me."

Kei-san is in dance club and true, the Dance clubroom and the gym are pretty close, well I guess the outcome of this conversation is settled at this point.

"Well then I guess I owe you one, Kakashi-san."

"It's fine, really, don't mention it." Kei-san says still smiling

They both took off together without even noticing me once, is my presence that obscure? Well, I don't really meddle or interrupt conversations, it's kind of a rude thing to do for me so I guess people don't generally have a problem carrying out their conversations around a person like me.

So much for showing him around, it's not like I wanted to show to him around or something but…. I think I felt something, like my chest tightening when Kei-san offered Ray to show him around when I was probably the one who noticed him first, why did I even stopped to listen to their conversation anyway? I… don't know

Well, whatever the case it's probably better for Kei-san to show him around instead of me, and yeah, she does have a point that her clubroom and gym are close so she won't a huge problem, while the art room is in completely opposite direction to the gym.

Yeah, it's better if someone other than me does that, cause' whoever it is, I know they'll be better.