Chewing on my bottom lip, I twirled my pencil through my fingers, doing some little tricks that I had picked up from watching my own mother do them when she was bored or stressed while doing paperwork. 
I stared at the board, seeing the French being used. French wasn't my best language, I was much better at English than French. English of course was a difficult language to learn because of its extensive vocabulary and rules. French was pretty much in the same boat but I had more problems with sentence structure. And pronunciation. I have had problems with speaking for a long while now, but I can see that I was indeed getting better. But when my anxiety acts up, so does my speaking abilities. It was hard time explain unless you are the person on the receiving end of my speech. 

I only had a year of speech therapy. And that was when I was younger. And we basically just practiced on my Ls during that time since that was the most difficult thing for me to pronounce (Ayy. Some Golden backstory to my speech disability.) She told me to put my tongue at the roof of my mouth in order for me to pronounce it correctly. And it has just stuck with me ever since. 

I shook my head lightly, trying to get out of my thoughts and pay attention to the lesson. Tamaki and Kyoya were seated two rows in front of me, and I couldn't help but notice that Tamaki wasn't writing, he was writing everything down. Kyoya was, but even then it was swiftly and he didn't seem to worried about the language. I rose a brow, wondering why. Vani sat beside me, looking distraught as she kept going back and forth between her textbook and what was on the board. 

"Damn..." She muttered to herself. 
"Tamaki isnt writing anything..." I whispered to her, and she looked up, startled. She was about to question before she looked at Tamaki, seeing that he wasn't writing anything down like usual. She blinked before a dawn of realization crossed her. 

"Oh that's right... You don't know that he is half French, and lived in France till he was 14." She whispered back to me. "Really?" She nodded before going back to paying attention. 

The class ended early, giving us time to socialize. But while everyone else was speaking, I was left to look over my notes for French, but didn't dare try and pronouncing anything. It would be too embarrassing for me to do that in the classroom. 

"Miss Alderain." I jumped, startled by the sudden call of my surname. I glanced up, seeing Kyoya standing before me, leaning against the desk in front of me. 

"Ummm, yes...?"

"I see that you are still practicing French." I nodded softly and he smirked, glancing to where Tamaki was, charming the girls in our class. 
"Why don't you try pronouncing?

Ever since you have started here, I have yet to hear you even mutter a word of French." I stiffened and quickly shook my head. 

"Uhh-"

"Oi, Ootori. Leave her alone. She isn't comfortable with that." Vani stated from beside me, seeing my distress. He cocked a brow, whipping out his notebook before writing a few things down. 

"From what I have I have learned. You are pretty good at writing it down, but speaking it is a big no for you, correct?" I hesitantly nodded and Vani glared. "Is that any of your business, Ootori?" She questioned and I saw the corner if his lips quirk upwards into a small smirk. 

"Actually, yes. Currently Miss Alderain has a C in this class, if she continues like this for the whole year, it is possible that she won't be able to pass this grade." That has already crossed my mind, but it was normal for that to happen to me. I didn't make a sound or move, it was bound to happen, so why worry about it? 

"Tamaki." He called his best friend, who instantly perked up at the sound of his name. Tamaki looked over at us before excusing himself from his fangirls. He made his way over, and I began to feel uncomfortable, and a tad bit anxious. 

"Yes Kyoya?"

"Miss Alderain here is having quite the trouble with French. I was wondering if you would like to take her under your wing and tutor her." I could see Tamaki blush lightly. And I could even feel the slight blush creeping up. 'Kyoya...' I whined in my mind, not enjoying his proposition. Tamaki cleared his throat, passing Kyoya so he could see what I was doing on the page. I quickly covered it with my arms, embarrassed. 

"Hey, it's okay. Let me see what you are having trouble with." He told me and I glanced up, seeing him smiling at me gently. I gulped, averting my gaze from his before slowly uncovering my notes. And practice sentence structure. He leaned over some more, his head almost practically resting on my left shoulder. 'Calm down Hemalyn, he needs to see...' I reminded myself, not wanting to freak out by our close proximity. 

"You are pretty good at this, for someone who has only been learning it for-" He paused, counting back the days we have been in school for. "-About two months."

"Her grade average is a C in this class."
"Oh I see. So, what is the most troubling for you?" He asked me personally. I gulped, lightly nodding to myself. 

"Speaking it..." I stated softly. He nodded, "Okay, how about this. You can come by the club later before and after club activities start, that way I can help you speak French without so many of our classmates around. Okay?" I tried to find an excuse not to go, but came up empty. So I simply nodded in agreement. 

"Alright. Te amo." He whispered the last part in my ear so nobody else could hear. I scrunched my eyebrows, we didn't learn that yet, what did he say? Before I could question it, the next teacher walked into the classroom, and I was left to endure the rest of the classes for the day, waiting for the school day to be finally done. 

---

"

Are you going or... Not?" She clicked her tongue next to my ear and I shudder. That was unsettling... 
"I'm going, I'm going... I'm just- taking my time..."

"We have to be there before their guests there, or else you will have to wait until afterwards."

"But didn't he say that I should come at the end too-?"

"Shhh!" Vani clasped her hand over my mouth, stopping me from speaking. I rose my brows in surprise, wondering why she suddenly stopped me from speaking. And this was coming from the girl who wants me to speak more freely. That's when I heard the familiar singing voices drifting through the halls. And I began to understand why. 

'Oh no, I recognize those obnoxious singing voices...' I thought, ready to just turn around and go home. But Vani had another idea in mind. 
"Hmm, we should go see what's up."

My eyes widened and I quickly shook my head. "Vani!" I scolded in a hushed tone as I was dragged down the hallway towards Music Room #3.
"Oh come on! It will be fine-"

Once the door was opened, I was met face to face with the Zuka Club of Lobelia Academy. 

I forced my hand out of Vani's grip, seeing that all eyes were on us. I could feel anxiety rise from the many stares, especially from the three girls that were idolized in the academy. 

"You look-"

"She looks familiar!" 'Oh god, why do I have to have the worst luck of the century?' I thought to myself in pity. 
"Oh my sweet autumn child!"

'Autumn? I was born in May-' Benibara quickly made her way over to him and grabbed hold of my chin, placing her other hand on my hip. 

"Hemalyn Alderain, what a glorious day to see you here of all places! I still remember your beauty adorning the halls, the complimentary colors of the Lobelia uniform. It was such a shame that you left." I gulped nervously.
 
"She was-" I could hear one of the twins begin, "-Enrolled in...-"

"Lobelia!" A simultaneous gasp filled the air as I felt more uncomfortable by the second. I cleared my throat and gently pushed Benibara away from me, messing with the sleeves of my uniform nervously. 

"W-What are you d-doing he-here?" I stuttered out badly. She gushed, "Oh my word! Your stuttering it still cute to this day!"

"Uh, Hemal-" Vani was about time say something when one of the members caught her off. "Shush! Lady Benibara is speaking!" Vani glared and hissed at her, startling her backwards. 

"When was Hema-chan in Lobelia?" I heard Honey question. 

"She was apart of Lobelia Academy for two semesters before transferring to Ouran."

"Wow, I can't imagine Hemalyn being apart of all that."

"Me either." Responded Kaoru. 
"From what I see, she was never apart of the Zuka Club but her-" I quickly butted in. 

"Benibara... Chizuru, and Hinako... Right?" I questioned uneasily, just so I could cut off Kyoya from finishing his sentence. 

"Oh why yes, gifted of memory as always-!" She suddenly turned, her sweet smile turning into a scowl as she pointed an accusatory finger at Tamaki. 

"How dare you defile her innocence! Our sweet golden flower will not be corrupted by anyone else!" 

"Huh-?" I was suddenly swept off of my feet by Chizuru, her daring smile close to looking menacing. 

"Come back with us, you dont need to worry about a thing. We will make sure you are safe and sound."

"Hey! Let go of her!" Vani stormed up to Chizuru, baring her canines at her like a mad dog. Chizuru froze and reluctantly sat me back down. Vani grabbed hold of me and stepped in front of me, using her body as a shield. I glanced over at Tamaki and the others, and I couldn't help but see Tamaki looking distraught. Was he okay? 

"Ladies, I advise you to leave. As our club activities will be starting very soon." Kyoya stated swiftly. Benibara turned to look at him, placing her hands on her hips (And do the pelvic thrust). 

"Perhaps we can be enrolled in as one of your guests-"

"Only students at Ouran are allowed." Tamaki emphasized, his jaw clenching, "Please show your own way out." I rose a brow, why does his voice sound different?

The three left the Music Room and I could feel the weight on my shoulders dissipate. Thank goodness that was over-

"Are you okay?" I snapped out of my daze, finally seeing Tamaki standing in front of me with a worried look on his face. I nodded, "Oh um- Y-Yeah." I stuttered out and he breathed a sigh in relief, smiling softly. 

"Let's get to teaching you some French, yeah?" I nodded in agreement, following after him over to a table that already had papers on it. It looked like he was preparing for me to come before he was interrupted by Benibara and them. 

---

T

he Zuka Club looked through the crack in the door, staring at the red head. 

"I'm surprised that she is hanging out with a bunch of hoodlum prostitutes like them." Muttered Hinako softly, "I agree. I knew that she was transferring to here, but to actually see her after what happened between her and-" Benibara stopped herself, spotting something on the floor. Her curiousity peaked, she leant down and grabbed hold of it, reading the label. 

"Anti-depressants..."

"What? Who would even have those at school-" Chizuru was caught off by Hinako, pointing at the name that tagged onto it. 

"Hemalyn Alderain." The three stood there for a solid minute, shocked. They couldn't believe their eyes. The pills must have fell out of her bag when she entered the music room. 

"Ladies~" The three went rigid and quickly turned around, Benibara hiding the pills behind her back. There stood a cloaked figure, holding a cat puppet over his hand. 

"Are you bothering my friend?" They quickly shook their head back and forth. "No-!"

"Then I suggest you give me those." They didn't dare move. "Now!Benibara threw the pills at him before they ran off. Nekozawa sighed heavily, catching the pills in his free hand. 

"Beelzenuf, we better give these to her before anything bad happens." He stated to his puppet before heading back into his club room once he saw girls beginning to make their way to Music Room #3.

To Be continued