Blazing Memories

Freya's POV:

It would be lying to say that I was merely curious about Natsume Hyuuga's behavior. Something was really bothering him, and I had the feeling that nothing bothered him, ever. He had the aura of someone who is used to holding their own and supporting themselves with the smallest amount of outside help possible. I could already tell that I would undoubtedly learn a lot from having him as a sensei this year.

I wandered over to where the bride and groom were to give my congratulations and to excuse myself from the party as well. Why I had been invited to the wedding when all the Academy knew my hatred for parties was beyond me.

"Congratulations, Ruka and Mikan! I'll be seeing you around then?" I asked politely, honestly not caring too much if they were around. The only conection I had to them was through Narumi sensei, who had told me they were as important to him as I was. It seemed to me like he had only taken me on as his favorite because he was lonely, but regardless, Narumi had been looking after me since the beginning of my junior year.

"Yeah, we'll come to visit the Academy sometime, and you and Narumi of course!" Mikan, the blushing bride said blissfully. I didn't know Mikan too well, but she seemed to be a genuinely sweet person. I nodded to her and looked to Ruka, who also nodded, before walking away gracefully. I really can't say why, but I had the urge to leave and head back to the Academy, as though something or someone were calling me by name.

I opened the door to my dorm room and set all of my bags on the table. The senior dorms had been renovated recently and were far larger and nicer than all of the younger students' dorms. The room was complete with it's own bathroom and small kitchen, two small beds, a coffee table, and a closet like those in hotels with a washing machine inside. I made quick work of unloading my instant ramen, cereal, milk, orange juice, soups, and other simple meal items into the cabnit and small fridge we had been provided with.

Exhausted from a long day, I dove onto the bed, letting out a long contented sigh. It was then I got to wondering where my roommate, and best friend since early elementary school, had gone off to. With a now exasperated sigh, I picked up my cell phone to call her. She had a habit of running into trouble, and I was slightly worried that she might need me to bail her out of something again. I dialed her number quickly and easily, having memorized it ages ago.

"Hey~! Aoi Sora speaking? S'up?" Aoi's bright and bubbly voice greeted me. Although I was somewhat of a stickler for proper grammer and English, Aoi was one of the few who didn't bother me when she spoke so childishly. Perhaps it was just part of who she was. I shrugged inwardly.

"Aoi, where are you? Not in any trouble, I hope?" I said nonchalently, almost positive that she was simply goofing off again. A bad habit of hers that even I, who she usually listened to and absorbed my every word, couldn't break her fun and stupidity loving nature. I had given up trying long ago.

"Ne, do you really think I can't handle myself Freya? I am almost eighteen now, after all! Stop treating me like a baby!" She said in a voice that told me she was pouting.

"I will. When you stop acting like one," I joked lightly.

"Hey!"
"Sorry, but it is the truth, you know!"

"I know, I know. Anyway, unlock the door for me, will ya? I'm almost there!" Aoi said, consenting to my teasing without much of a fight. I supposed that being around me so long had taught her that she couldn't beat me in an argument of words, or action. About time.

"Uh, yeah sure. But you never answered my question. Where've you been?" I asked persistantly. No way was she going to get off without telling me. With my luck, she had been doing something that would have an effect on me later.

"I was....uh....um....eeeeh," She stumbled around her words.

"Aoi," I said in a serious and commanding tone that said 'do not mess with me'.

"You see, I....met this guy....and...," Aoi trailed off again. Oh boy. Something told me I wasn't gonna like this.

"Aoi Sora. I hope for your sake that this is the kind of guy I would approve of!"

"You sound like my mother....I assure you, he's a great guy, really!"

"We'll see about that. I want to meet him sometime, Aoi. He better not be like the last one," I growled threateningly. Her last boyfriend hadn't been a decent gentlemen and some of the comments he had made around me earned him a bloody nose and a black eye. He didn't come back after that. I didn't blame him, it was a smart move.

"Gah!" Aoi breathed, flipping down her phone and ending our call. At about the same moment, she walked in the door slowly, looking at the expression on my face. She smiled sheepishly. Her blonde hair was tied up carefully in a pony with a pink ribbon tied into it. She wore a pink and black plaid shirt and a jean skirt that sugggested her innocent, bubbly, and without a doubt girly nature. How did someone like me end up friends like someone like her? The million dollar question I had asked myself since the first day I met her, in first grade, when she had been too afraid to sit alone on the bus and had held my hand and sqeezed it tightly the whole way home.

"Do I get a hug? Or a welcome back Aoi?" She asked expectantly, holding out her arms.

I sighed. Classic Aoi. So much trouble. I stood and walk towards her to hug her, but was assaulted as she flung herself at me, pushing me back and causing me to stumble a bit. I chuckled for a few seconds and hugged her back. What a silly girl. Ah well, although she was silly and perhaps a bit of a clutz, this girl was still my best friend for obvious reasons. She was able to lift me out of my occasional dark mood, and make me laugh more often than I normally would, and she made me feel genuinely happy. Her existance also gave a reason to be stronger. I had made it my goal to protect her, and I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself.

"Shall we have dinner, Aoi? I bought more ramen," I stated in a monotone voice, knowing full well of her love of the noodles. She sqealed happily and hugged me again breifly.

After a quick dinner of ramen and cleaning the dishes was complete, the two of us hopped into pajamas and right into bed. I lay with my hands behind my head and my legs crossed, thinking.

"Hey, Freya?"

"Mmm?"

"Is it....silly to be nervous about school starting?"

I frowned. "No, not really. But I don't know what you're nervous about," I stated simply.

"Well, I mean, it's just....starting a new year has always been kind of weird, hasn't it?"

"I suppose, but it'll be fine, Aoi. You'll see," I said, hoping I was comforting her at least a little. Making people feel better had never been my strong point.

"Okay,"

"Okay?" I asked, confused on why she had dropped it so quickly. That was out of character for Aoi.

"I trust you. You're usually right about these kind of things," Aoi said, yawning sleepily.

I chuckled. "Alright. Get some sleep. Good night Aoi,"

"Night," She mumbled back.