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                                                                          Three years ago

“Everyone, we have a new student today!” My new homeroom teacher, Ms. Sato, blared out like it was the best news she’d heard in years. Just the volume alone made me want to tear my ears out.

Barely meeting her eyes, I walked into the classroom, looking every one of my new classmates in the eyes.

They weren't exactly an impressive bunch, though there were more foreigners than I’d expected. I could feel their gaze through the black hoodie covering my uniform. Anyone studious enough to attend a specialty English Religious school like this probably didn’t interact much with people like me.

Just the fact I’d somehow passed the exams was a miracle in itself.

“It’s nice to meet everyone, I hope we can have a great year.” Those boring words said by every student ever who started a new school past the very first day.

Without saying anything, I looked at the only empty desk in the classroom and took my seat, right near the back where I belonged.

“Hi, I'm Chiyo, it's so nice to get a new student in class.” The girl next to me whispered. Even sitting down she looked half my height, with glittery makeup clear enough to get her kicked out of almost every high school in Japan.

“Mari, likewise,” I whispered, having to stop myself from grabbing a cigarette. Not the time.

“So, what made you decide to come to a school like this?” Chiyo said.

“I wanted something different, a few years free of the normal Japanese school system.” Sure the exams were hard, but out of everything in the area, they seemed a lot more relaxed about dyeing your hair, or smoking for that matter, at a place like this. The great English program didn’t hurt either.

Granted, I’d rather die than admit my main motivation for English was watching Western crime dramas.

“Chiyo, Mari! If you’re free enough to chat, surely you can work out the problems on the board?” My teacher grinned, sending a shiver up my spine.

Well, of all the ways for a year to begin, this sure was one of them.