Sana's Amnesia- Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO
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NEW TEACHER

Sana climbed into the car and wondered about her sudden memory loss. Why wasn’t she more scared? Sure, she was now, but it seemed it should have been worse. Maybe it was because she was around people she had trusted before, so she trusted them now. “Aahhh.” She sighed.

As they drove along, Sana noticed a little old lady walking with a cane. ‘Wow.’ She thought to herself ‘Either that woman can walk really fast or we’re…’ “Rei! Can’t this thing go any faster?!”

“I’m sorry, Sana, but it’s for your safety. As your manager, it’s also my job to protect-“

“Protect, shprotect! Let’s gooo!”

Sana jumped into Rei’s lap and stomped on the gas, an evil look spread across her face.

“Sana WAAAAIT!!” He screamed as the car bounced along the road, up and down the hills and spun among the other cars. “Sana, please! You’ll get us both killed!” His sunglasses were ascure.

“Ha! I’m sure I’d laugh in the face of danger! Hahahaha!”

“Sana…!”

They finally came to sudden halt in front of the school. “How did you know how to get here?” He asked her.

“Come to think of it, I’m not to sure. Instinct, maybe?” She climbed out of the car and waved. “Bye, Rei! See you after school!”

As she walked through the school yard, three girls came running up to her. “Sana! Hey Sana! We heard about your amnesia!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Tsuyoshi told us! Well, mostly Aya, and Aya told us.” A girl with short dark hair said. “Oh! I’m Mami, that’s Hisae with the loopy braids, (her mind’s just as loopy)”

“Hey, I heard that!”

“…And that’s Aya.” She pointed to the others.

“It’s nice to meet you! I hope you guys can help me out, though. It’d be appreciated.”

“Of course. Oh! There’s the late bell! We’d better hurry!” Hisae said, grabbing the others by the hand.

Sana walked into the classroom and immediately felt the room go quiet. Glancing around, she saw Tsuyoshi, who waved frantically, and Akito, who looked very bored with his arms crossed and headphones in. Everyone else sat still, staring at her.

“What? It looks you guys just saw a ghost or somethin’.”

They turned away, but did keep a careful watch on her.

“Hi Tsuyoshi! Hey Akito!” She called.

“Good morning, Sana!” Tsuyoshi called back.

“Yo.” Akito said, in his monotone voice.

“Have you remembered anything yet?” Tsuyoshi asked.

“Well, I remembered what today was, but other than that, no. But everyone’s been very helpful!”

“Hey Sana, will you sing us a song before school starts? Well, if you can.” Aya asked.

“Yeah!” “Please, Sana?” “Come on!”

“Well… If you insist…” She pulled out the music maker and accidentally glanced at Akito, who quickly looked away. An evil grin appeared on her face as she pushed the buttons.

“Akito Hayama sittin' in a tree!
Feelin’ all kinds of lo-onely!
First came the sun, then came the clouds,
But Hayama don’t care-
He’s just a louse!
Aki-“

Sana stopped mid-song as a lady walked in with a blue aura that extended throughout the entire classroom. Everyone screamed and pushed themselves as far away from the woman as humanly possible without actually leaving the room.

“Ah…” Babbit can’t speak this time.

“Teacher?” Aya asked, very scared.

“I’m sorry students, but it seems I’m going to be leaving you today. I know it’s on such short notice, but I don’t have a choice. Your new teacher will join you after first period.”

Gasps were heard throughout the classroom. “But Miss Mitsuya! We like you!” “Yeah. We don’t want you to leave!” “Why?”

The blue aura retreated a little. “Thank you. But as I said, I don’t have any choice.”

“That’s right!” A crackly voice came from under the small desk. In a flash, an old lady with lots of makeup and brown hair appeared in front of them.

“Aaah! Miss Onda! Where did you come from?” Asked Miss Mitsuya.

“I was hiding under the desk.”

“You’re a nimble little minx, aren’t ya?” Babbit asked, imagining the old woman as a ball under there.

“As I was saying, your teacher is going to be replaced. The reasoning is because it appears she and another teacher were… involved in secret together-“

“You mean making out?” Akito asked.

While Miss Mitsuya became a deep scarlet, the assistant principal said, “As a matter of fact young man- that is none of your business.” She pushed her glasses up her nose, causing her face to crack and fall in a thousand pieces, exposing her real, extra wrinkled, white-haired head.

“Your face fell off.” He said.

“Yaaa!” She grabbed her makeup case and brushed on her ‘young’ face faster than the speed of sound. “Heh-hum. As your teacher has said, your new instructor will join you after first period. For now, she will continue the class as though nothing has- or will- happen.” Miss Onda left.

“I won’t let you leave, Miss Mitsuya! If they say you’re a good teacher-,” Sana turned to the students and everyone nodded, “-then I can’t let them take you away from us!”

They all cheered, and again the blue aura retreated, to just surrounding the woman. “That’s very nice Sana, but I don’t think you can do anything. The school board has say over what I can and can’t do here, include teach.”

“So then why’d you get yourself in this situation if ‘they’ say what you can and can’t do?” Akito stated.

“Akito!” Tsuyoshi hissed.

Sana ignored them. “So you’re just gonna sit there and let the school board take over your life? I say stand up for yourself and let ‘em know you wanna stay!”

“There’s no way. The papers have already been signed, so I don’t have a choice. Now let’s get back to class, shall we?” Close to crying, she turned toward the blackboard and began to write.

Sana tried her best to pay attention, but math was so boring. Hold on- how did she know that? Yeah, sure, it was common sense, but SHE could hardly stand it. All those numbers and symbols that you gotta put together and make whole new numbers! Not only was it confusing, it seemed so hard to concentrate. But for the benefit of Miss Mitsuya, she had to stay awake.

Near the end of first period, their teacher suddenly stopped. “Students, I know we don’t have a lot of time left together, but I wanted to part with theses words. While in the past some of you have tormented me-,” all the girls (and Tsuyoshi) turned and glared at the boys who whistled and looked away, “-and I haven’t been the best teacher, I want you to know that some of my best memories are right from this classroom! Some of you have really made my day, and I would like to thank you. Sana, Aya, Hisae, Tsuyoshi, if you would come up here, please, I have a gift for each of you.”

Puzzled, the four children stood up and walked to the teacher.

“Sana.” The teacher handed her a small box. “Aya, Hisae.” She handed each a box the same size. “Tsuyoshi.” His box was a little bigger, but still wrapped. “And for the rest of the class I got you each a bag with a special piece in each one.”

“We’ll hand them out!” Sana offered.

“Thanks- the names are on each bag.”

“Yup, okay. One for you… one for you…one for you…and last but not least- Akito.” She said the name with venom on her tongue. “Here ya go.” She dropped the bag on his desk and began to walk away.

“How did you know who’s bag was which? If you have amnesia wouldn’t you not know who’s who?” Akito asked matter-of-factly.

She paused and turned back.

“You just placed the bags on each person’s desk and some how you knew which one went where. Don’t you find that surprising?” He asked. “Or maybe you don’t have amnesia at all and it’s just a big joke.”

“I do have amnesia! I don’t know how I knew, but I did, but I still do have amnesia! How can I get it into that thick skull o’ yours that I DO?!”

“You don’t have to shout.” He said, eyes turning.

“Rrrgh!” Sana put her hand in a fist and was going for him.

“Sana, wait. Don’t.” Tsuyoshi grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

The teacher sweat-dropped. “Okay, students, you can, uh, open your bags now!” They already had.

Sana got a gold bracelet that said ‘SUPERSTAR’ on it. “Oh. It’s so pretty!” Sana gazed at it wide-eyed.

Aya and Hisae each got a laser etched block of glass of teddy bears and hearts.

Tsuyoshi got a glasses case and glasses cleaner. “Oh! Thank you Miss Mitsuya! I needed these!”

Everyone else got something worth using. Some girls got barrettes, and some of the boys got pens or whistles. They all got candy.

Akito stared at his bag a second before opening it slowly. It moved in and out, he realized, a lot like it was breathing. Peeking inside, he saw a white body and purple wings. Before Babbit could surprise him, though, Akito grabbed the rodent by the neck and yanked him, making his eyes pop out.

“Aaaack!”

He forcefully tossed the bat to Sana’s desk and proceeded to look inside the rest of the bag. “He better not have contaminated anything.” He muttered.

“So, Akito, what’d you get?” Gome, one of the boys, asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” He closed his eyes.

“Aw, come on!” “Yeah! Tell us what’ya got!”

He turned his head quickly and death-glared at the other boys.

“Sorry sir! We didn’t mean to upset you!” They sweat-dropped and very quickly sat back down.

“Well students, here is where I say my good-byes.” The teacher said, glancing nervously at the clock on the wall.

When the bell rang, everyone jumped. They were sorry the time passed so quickly!

The door opened and a lady with small square glasses and a smart suit came walking in with her nose high. She had blond hair pulled tight into a bun, and green piercing eyes. “Miss Mitsuya?” The lady snidely looked the other up and down.

“Ye- yes?” She asked.

“I believe this classroom is mine. I would kindly appreciate if you would leave.”

Miss Mitsuya quickly gathered her things and bowed to the students.

“Bye Miss Mitsuya!” Everyone called as the door closed.

“Silence!” The new teacher called. Sweeping her eyes across the room, she said, “As your new instructor, there will be a few rules for all of you to follow. First of all, there will be absolutely NO talking back. Second, you will NOT fall asleep. Third, when I call on you, you will stand; look me in the eye, and say, ‘Yes, Mrs. Sigake’. Last, you will have your homework ready and on my desk when it is due.”

“And if we don’t?” Akito asked as he crossed his arms.

The teacher barely glanced his way before continuing. “Since we shouldn’t waste time on name learning, I have come up with a system for calling on you. You there! With the glasses!”

Poor Tsuyoshi clumsily stood up, sweat beads pouring down his head like rain on a windowpane, and answered lowly, “Yes, Mrs. Sigake?”

“Speak up!”

“Yes, Mrs. Sigake?” He squeaked louder.

“Come up here.”

With his head down as far as it would go before breaking, Tsuyoshi walked quickly to the new teacher.

“Put these numbered papers on the front of each desk. Starting with the girl there.” She pointed to Mami’s desk, the first on the right. “I expect all of you to memorize your numbers, and do NOT let me see you in any other desk. Understand? Good.”

All the students were still in shock, though, as their new teacher commanded them around like animals in a lab. Even Sana couldn’t say anything.

After Tsuyoshi had finished, he sat back down and Mrs. Sigake began again.

“Now, to begin our lesson…”

Sana waited and watched as the others began to get fidgety. The girl sitting at desk three began moving her legs around.

“Teacher?” The girl raised her hand.

Mrs. Sigake ignored her.

She kept her hand up and said, “Mrs. Sigake?”

She turned this time. “What?”

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

“If you needed to go, Number Three, you should have gone before class started.”

“But I didn’t need to go then.”

“Then you will have to wait.” Mrs. Sigake returned to the book.

“You should let her go.” Akito said.

“You are out of place Number Twelve!”

“Please Mrs. Sigake?” The girl asked again.

The woman’s veins started to pulse at her temples. “No one is going anywhere and that is final!”

“But Mrs. Siga-“

It was unmistakable the sound of wood against skin at a force. The smack echoed throughout the classroom as the teacher hit the girl on her hand with one of her rulers. Number Three nursed her hand as tears filled her eyes.

“And stand up when you address me. Well?”

Number Three hesitated before obeying. Everyone saw her skirt was wet, but they were too embarrassed for her to laugh.

“I told you.”

Mrs. Sigake ignored Akito (12) and continued. “Now call on me.”

The girl said quietly, “Mrs. Sigake.”

“Louder!”

“Mrs.-,”

“That’s it! I’ve had enough!” Sana charged up to the new teacher. “You shouldn’t do that to her! She’s just a kid!”

“Number Five! How dare you speak that way to me! I am your instructor and demand respect! I don’t care if you are famous, that won’t make any difference!”

Number Three saw her chance and rushed out the door. Mrs. Sigake ignored her and grabbed the ruler without Sana realizing.

“You are an awful person, Mrs. Sigake! You may be our teacher, but that gives you no right to treat us like this!”

Mrs. Sigake was fumed now. She raised her ruler up high.

Akito saw this and flew to the woman to block her. The teacher brought the stick down hard, but it landed on him instead of its intended target. He landed on the floor with a hard thump.

“Let’s get back to class, shall we?” Mrs. Sigake returned to her desk.

Sana put out her hand to help Akito up, but he brushed it away and went back to his seat.

Number Three was brave enough to come back. She returned wearing her gym shorts. After wiping off her chair with some paper towels, she sat back down. Mrs. Sigake never acknowledged her return.

‘He stood in front of me and took my blow. He stood in front of me and took my blow…’ Sana replayed the scene in her head over and over. Why had Akito done that? While everyone else was still in shock, he had managed to jump up so fast and… protect her. She stole a glance at him, and saw his eyes were shadowed over. The mark on his face seemed to be pulsing. He had never even touched it. She turned her attention back to her desk and thought about what had happened.
_____________________________________________________________________

That day at lunch, Sana, Aya, Hisae, Tsuyoshi and Akito sat together to eat. Aya and Tsuyoshi sat in their little romantic world, oblivious to the real one around them. Sana and Hisae were trying to figure a way to break it to them.

Akito sat, hardly eating. How could he? That Sigake lady made him so angry! He clenched his fists as his eyes shadowed again.

“Hey, Akito! You haven’t eaten anything. You okay?” Sana examined him. “That looks like it hurts. Does it?”

“What do you think? He spat.

“You haven’t even touched it! Do you need mommy to kiss it and make it all better?” She did ‘mother’ impression and scootched over to him, leaning in. “Let mommy kiss it…”

“Stop it. Get away from me.” He protested, but didn’t move.

“Oh, son. How can we open up to each other if you keep pushing away?”

“Kurata, I mean it! Leave me alone.” This time he stood up and walked off.

“Come back here, Akito-kun! We’re not done with our mother-son talk! Akito!” She rushed off after him. “Come on! Why are ya running away? It’s just me!”

“You answered your own question.” He kept going.

Sana finally caught up to him behind the school. He was sitting on his heels leaning in and watching a rabbit in its hutch, fingers holding on to the holes in the wire.

“Akito?”

He ignored her.

“Akito.” She demanded.

He sighed. “What?”

She sat next to him and watched the rabbit, too. “What’s her name?”

“Hiroske. He’s Mami’s.”

“Oh. So it’s a boy.” She felt dumb. “He’s cute, anyways.” Sana turned to look at Akito, and saw he was concentrating on the dark creature. The mark on his cheek was still very red, the number ‘2’ imprinted. She smiled as she looked at him. He looked awful. She leaned in, not really realizing what she was doing, and kissed the mark.

Akito wasn’t expecting it. The feel of her lips was almost like a feather touching him. He turned toward her, and for the first time, smiled.

“Ha! I knew I could do it! I made you smile! And here I thought you weren’t capable of it!”

The smile faded. Akito stood up abruptly and started walking away.

“Hey! Get back here! Rrrgh! Hayama!” She ran up and stood in front of him. “Akito.”

He looked at her.

“Why- why did you stand in front of me?”

Babbit asked, “Aww, come on. Can someone really be that dense?”

“Why did you… protect me?”

“I guess so.” Babbit said sadly.

“Because... I don’t hate you, Kurata.”

There he went with that ‘I don’t hate it,’ stuff again! But- (Sana thought on this for a second) if he didn’t ‘hate’ the sushi, did that mean he actually liked it? That would mean he liked her, too! But, perhaps not. She smiled sheepishly. “So you like me, huh?” She teased.

“No.” His leopard ears twitched.

Her grin grew wider. “I think you do… Don’t deny it. Hmmm?”

He shut his eyes.

This time Sana smiled. Another thing she found out. She had faithful friends who would always be there for her.
_____________________________________________________________________

The rest of the school day didn’t go as badly. Mrs. Sigake didn’t hit anyone, and no one stood up to her. Even though Sana had to fight off every urge in her body to jump at the new teacher, she managed through.

When it was over, finally over, everyone rushed out as soon as they could. Rei was waiting for Sana out front. “Ready to go?” He asked.

“You mean to the next commercial, right?”

“Yeah. Are you- okay?”

“I’m fine. We just got a new teacher, and she’s awful!” Sana stopped herself from saying more.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Oh! I got another job offer for you. It’s for a movie called-,”

“No! I don’t want to do anymore filming until I’m over my amnesia. I’ll do the commercials, but that’s it.” She interrupted him as they climbed in the car.

Rei gripped the wheel. ‘Oh no. I can’t turn this down! I know Sana’s right about this, but I can’t! This director is huge! I might lose my job as a manager… What’ll I do? What’ll I do???’

“Good luck on your résumé!” Babbit said.
CHAPTER TWO