Ch-8: Caught in the Middle

Man, oh man, the next day at school turned out to be a rollercoaster ride, and not the thrilling kind you'd want to hop on at an amusement park. I was on a mission, a stealth mission, to keep a low profile and avoid Ichigo like the plague in my journey to school. But life had different plans for me, plans that included a transfer student bombshell.

So, I walked into class, and immediately, I felt a strange shift in the atmosphere. It was like that charged calmness right before a big thunderstorm hits – the kind that makes the hair on your arms stand up. And then our teacher, probably more excited than she'd ever been, drops the news: we had a new transfer student.

And she introduced Rukia like she was unveiling a superstar. Her smile was so wide it looked like it was competing with the Cheshire Cat's. She was practically bursting with joy as she talked about how talented and amazing Rukia was. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I mean, she is not your daughter, right?

But here's where things took a nosedive into the realm of the absurd. Rukia decided to sit right beside me. Yeah, you read that correctly. To my left, I had Ichigo – who looked at me like I am Mr. I-Can-See-Ghosts-And-Fight-Hollows. And to my right, there she was, Rukia, in all her shinigami glory.

I couldn't believe my luck, or lack thereof. It was like the universe conspired to put me in the most awkward situation imaginable. Picture this: me, stuck in the middle, like a slice of ham in a sandwich made of intense gazes and unspoken questions. Ichigo's eyes were practically drilling holes into my skull, and Rukia... well, she had that look in her eyes, like she knew something – something big.

I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. "Uh, hello," I managed to mumble, offering an awkward smile.

But Rukia wasn't having any of it. She took the reins and went straight to the point. "You were the one who helped us yesterday, weren't you?" Her tone left no room for evasion. It was more like a statement than a question. And with that, I realized there was no escape – my cover was officially blown.

I decided to play dumb, even though I knew it was a terrible idea. With a feigned look of ignorance, I replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Both Rukia and Ichigo stared at me skeptically, as if they were trying to see through my facade. I could practically feel the heat of their curiosity burning into me. I decided to shift my focus to the classroom, pretending to be engrossed in whatever the teacher was saying, all the while cursing under my breath for getting caught in this mess.

I knew right then and there that my plan to keep my manga world adventures under wraps was about to face its ultimate test. How was I going to keep my composure and avoid spilling the beans about my thrilling escapades in the world of shinigami and hollows? This was not how I envisioned my day unfolding, that's for sure.

Rukia's shinigami phone suddenly went off with a jarring ringtone, piercing the quiet classroom atmosphere like a siren. It was the universal call to action for a shinigami, indicating that a hollow had made its appearance and needed to be dealt with swiftly. Rukia and Ichigo exchanged knowing glances, their faces etched with determination.

But then, as they were about to rush off to confront the hollow, Rukia turned her gaze toward me, her eyes filled with expectation. It was as if she was expecting something from me and was silently imploring me to come with them. I could feel her scrutiny, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

Yet, I couldn't afford to reveal my secret. The thought of my mom discovering I'd skipped school and had become entangled in life-threatening situations was far more terrifying than keeping these newfound abilities hidden from a couple of shinigami. So, I decided to stick to my act of feigned ignorance, playing dumb as if I were an ordinary student caught up in the chaos of the world.

With a sigh of relief, I watched Rukia and Ichigo leave the classroom, their attention now focused on the hollow that awaited them outside. I knew my silence was the best course of action, even if it meant keeping these extraordinary experiences to myself for the time being. After all, my top priority was to avoid getting caught by my mom or the school authorities.

As the school period came to an end, I couldn't suppress my curiosity any longer. The anticipation was killing me, and I just had to see what was happening out there with the hollows. So, without a second thought, I hastily unbuttoned my school shirt, revealing the one thing I thought could make me look heroic – a Spider-Man costume.

Yes, I know it's kind of embarrassing, but it was the only disguise I had at the moment. "Here I come, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, saving others from hollows," I muttered to myself with a mix of excitement and embarrassment. And hey, no need to laugh, okay?

But there was a tiny problem – I'd forgotten the most important part, the mask! How could I forget that? I mean, I wore this costume primarily to hide my identity, and now I was practically unmasked. I silently prayed that the police wouldn't mistake me for some kind of weirdo when they inevitably arrived on the scene.

As I rushed to the location where the fight was happening, I could feel the eyes of everyone around me fixed on my peculiar attire. It wasn't just Ichigo and Rukia; even the hollow seemed bewildered by my appearance. I couldn't help but wonder why the hollow looked like it was chuckling – hollows weren't supposed to have the capacity for humor or emotions.

The expressions on Ichigo and Rukia's faces were absolutely priceless. They stared at me as though they'd just witnessed an eighth-grader's fanboy attempt at being a superhero. I couldn't blame them; it must have been a sight to behold. The embarrassment was palpable, but I was determined to make the most of my unexpected role as the not-so-masked Spider-Man.