It was time for P.E
Hina Inoue's class was instructed to jog around campus. They made their way up and down the steps in paced rotations, another class playing soccer below on the field punted the ball into the air.
"Heads up!"
"Everyone on the stairs!"
As Hina Inoue descended the stairs she noticed the ball flying straight for her face.
She stepped to the side, instinctively putting her hands up to shield herself only to lose her footing when a classmate descending the stairs from behind bumped into her, once.
"!"
She nearly fell over the railing, she held out her arms awkwardly to balance herself.
That was close. Her gym teacher always complained about it and warned the students for a reason, in her panic she had nearly forgotten its existence.
"Huh-aaaaaah!"
But the ball she dodged hit the student right in the face, and as they bore the brunt of the impact their arms flew out in reflex bumping into Hina Inoue a second time.
Hina Inoue tried to steady her landing by holding onto the rail, but the rails had always been short, her upper body was already slipping over it. She wrapped one leg around the railing, swiftly weaving her foot into the bottom rung as she fell halting her descent. The abrupt stop made her head swing downwards and collide into the concrete.
For a second she stopped moving.
"..."
Everyone stared in awe. Her moves were quick and balanced like an acrobat, instead of simply falling she dangled elegantly off the railing by one leg.
"Her Grace, Lady Daidouji" strikes again.
It took a trembling leg slowly lifting itself up over the ledge for those nearest to come to their senses. Weaving her other foot into a rung of the rails, she struggled to lift up the rest of her upper torso.
They rushed to her aide then, holding onto her tightly as they pulled her up.
It was when they saw her distressed face, the beads of sweat, and the pained and terrified expression on her brow that the rest snapped out of their adoration.
"Are you okay?!" Her classmates chorused together.
Hina Inoue breathed in and out. Her vision dancing in a dozen different colors.
[No. No, I'm not okay, I thought I was about to die! I was about to die and none of you were going to help me!]
She clutched her chest, right now her heart was making up for the drum solo it missed when she fell. The dizziness returned and she lowered herself away from the rails to just sit down.
Shock, agitation, disappointment sambaed around her heartbeat. Her breathing became more and more unstable as the delayed panic caught up to her.
This wasn't the first time she experienced something like this and something told her it wasn't going to be her last.
The hands that reached out to her faded from sight as she doubled over to grip her knee and ankles which were swelling from the splitting pain. She had definitely pulled something. She could already hear her Grandmother's screech now, threatening to sue the school or even worse withdraw her from it. Again.
Her Grandmother didn't want her to attend, to begin with. She just wanted her to focus on her studies and the ritual. The only reason she agreed was because it was an all girl's school.
Hino!" A familiar voice called out to her.
Shelby?
Even though she stood in front of her she couldn't see her at all.
Her nearest classmate grabbed her arm and so did another, they slowly pulled her up and once she had planted both feet on the ground let out a sigh.
"Thank you..."
"S-sorry, Daidouji-san…!"
School. It was never a necessity to Grandmother. She just wanted her to focus on her friends and the ritual. Once upon a time, Nana Inoue didn't mind. She didn't mind until she did.
"in...ue....Hinoue!"
Shelby was squatting before her in her P.E uniform, her eyes so wide they might roll out from behind her glasses, her bangs stuck to her forehead, wet from sweat. Class 3B was using the tennis court last she saw when her class ran by. How did she get here?
"Can you move? Are you in pain?!"
". . ." Hina Inoue's eyes misted, she closed her eyes and nodded as she lowered her head "My knee..."
Once upon a time, she thought she knew what she wanted.
"Why didn't you say something earlier?" A frustrated classmate huffed.
They had all been calling out to her but she ignored them all.
She was too young to realize she had sacrificed her youth.
"We won't know what's wrong if you don't spea-
"Outta the way."
Hina Inoue was scooped up in the arms of Coach Mikawa.
She wanted to have sleepovers, hang out after school with her friends, and go shopping.
She wanted to go to the movies and a cafe, talk about cute boys, and get asked out.
She just wanted to live and feel like she's living.
Ah... have I...? Fallen out of love with my current lifestyle?
"I told the damn fools something like this would happen someday!"
Hina Inoue woke to the sound of a bang. She was in the infirmary, sectioned off behind the curtain of the bed, she could make out the silhouette of her coach with a fist on the table. She was bitching about work with Nurse Ririko.
Nurse Ririko sighed.
"And because she didn't fall all the way down, they'll say it wasn't serious."
"Right? That cheapskate of a vice principal, when is the new one the ministry assigned coming in?!"
"He got married recently, last I heard he was on honeymoon."
"The hell?!"
"I feel already feel sorry for him, having to deal with a bunch of complaints as soon as he returns."
"These complaints are nothing! Maybe someone will finally do something about the railing. Are they gonna wait till a student dies or a parent sues before they change it?!"
-
Hina Inoue tried sitting up only to wince. Her head...she held a hand only to flinch. It was covered in bandages but she could also feel a bump.
The voices stopped.
"You awake?"
Their silhouettes were looking at her.
"...Yes, ma'am."
"Okay. You're done for the day, go on ahead and head home, I've already notified your teacher."
"Huh?"
"Make sure to see a doctor, ah I called your mom to come pick you up but she seemed busy do you need a lift home?"
Hina Inoue blinked. Then smiled politely but before she could speak the door slid open. It was as if she had been waiting for her cue the whole entire time.
Shelby readily volunteered. "I can take her!"
- - -