Kotone's Story

(K: ) = Kotone  (M: ) = Mac  (E: ) = Elena

Beep!  Beep!  A hand reaches for the alarm and presses the sleep button.  A girl comes out of the covers.  The girl rubs her eyes and gets out of the bed.  The girl goes to the dorr drowsily and opens it.  The girls goes ot the bathroom.  
15 minutes later.  
Girl: “It is wird dress up in regular clothing.”  A woman’s voice comes form downstairs.  Woman: “Kotone, come downstairs!”
Kotone: “Okay!”   Kotone goes downstairs.  Kotone goes to the kitchen.  
Kitichen.
K: “Hello father.”  
Kotone’s dad: “Hello 10th grader.  How are you?”  
K: “Good.  Just nervous.”  
Kotone’s dad: “I know you’re English is a bit rough but don’t worry, you will do fine, and you’ll be able to pick up English.  Besides it’s only for 10 months tops.”
K: “Yes father.”  
Kotone’s mom: “Now your lunch…”
K: “Already packed mother.”  Kotone goes to the kitchen and grabs a bento box and puts in her backpack.  
Kotone’s dad: “Now go, young warrior and bring honor to us all.” Kotone’s dad smiles.  K: “Yes father.”  Kotone bows and runs out the door.  Kotone’s mom: “She’ll do fine.”  Kotone runs out the door to find a group of kids at a stop sign.  
K : “Um.  This where bus is?  A boy turns around.
Boy1: “Yeah, what’s it to you?”  
K: “Uh, can you repeat that?”
Boy 1 (yelling): “What?  DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?!”  Kotone looks taken aback and scared.  Another boy turns around to face Boy 1.  
Boy2 (yellin): “Hey what’s your problem?”
Boy 1: “You’re my problem now punk.”  Boy 1 shoves Boy 2.  Boy 2 shoves Boy 1.  Boy 1 punches Boy 2 and Boy 2 punches Boy 1.  A fight ensues.  Kotone is scared.  The bus starts to come around the corner.  
Girl: “BUS!”  The boys stop fighting, dust off themselves.  
Boy 1 (acting as if nothing happened): “So what’s up?”  
2 (in the same manner): “Nothing man”  The bus arrives at the bus stop.  Kotone stands at her place in awe as the kids talk while  getting on the bus.  The bus driver’s voice echoes out of the bus.  
Bus driver: “Hey, are you coming on?”  Kotone snaps out of her daze and runs inside the bus.  
Inside the school.
Kotone looks at the paper.  The list goes down in class order:  English Honors, Algebra II Honors, Spanish I, World History Honors, Lunch, Art I, Chemistry Honors, Gym, Choir.
K: What are these classes?  I know English, and History, but what’s “Chem-est-tree”?  Lord help me.”  Kotone unexpectedly bumps into someone.  Kotone drops her books and papers.  K: “Oh no.”  A group of cheerleaders come to her.
Cheerleader1: “Oh look!  A poor girl is in need of help.”  
K: “Why yes.  Can you…”  The first cheerleader kicks one of Kotone’s books.  Cheerleader 1: “Oops.”   Kotone tries to grab the kicked book.  Another cheerleader kicks a book another way.  
Cheerleader2: “You better go get that.”  The cheerleaders laugh and walk away except for one.  
Cheerleader1: “Elena, are you coming?”
Elena: “I’ll catch up.  I just want her to know the rules of this place.”
Cheerleader1: “Good, have fun.”  The group of cheerleaders walk away.  Elena beds down and starts picking up papers.  Elena talks in Japanese.  NOTE: Whenever talking in Japanese, it is translated, so a different style of text might be needed.
E(Japanese): “Listen.  It’s best if you avoid the cheerleaders.  They’ll hurt you.  They’re not kind like me.  They, with the jocks, rule the school with an iron fist.”  Kotone’s mouth drops.  
K(Japanese): “You…you…”  
E(Japanese): “Yes, but I would rather not talk about it.”  Elena grabs a pen and quickly writes something down.  E: “Call me tonight.”  Elena smiles puts down Kotone’s books, gets up and runs away.  A tall black teen boy comes behind Kotone.
Teen boy:  “Looks like you could use some help.  The boy bends down to collect the papers.
K: “Oh, tanks you.”  
Teen boy: “Don’t mention it.  Let me guess, you’re Kotone Hagesawa.  Kotone is shocked.
K: “How…”
Mac: “My name is Emanuel Macintosh, but you can call me Mac for short,  You’re Japanese right?  Came straight from the land of the rising sun?”  
K: “Yes.”  Kotone and Mac get up.   
K:”How you know Macu?”   
M: “I live five minutes away from you by walking.”  
K: “Wow.”
M:”Here, let me quickly get you to your first period class.”
K: “Arigato…I mean tanks.”
M: “Don’t mention it.”  Mac grabs the schedule.  M: “Hey that’s convenient.  You have the same English class, World History, Lunch and Choir classes and I do.  So I’ll be able to show you around most of the school.”
K: “Okay.”  Kotone walks with Mac.  K: “Do you know this girl named All-en-ah?”
M: “You mean, El-ain-ah?   Yeah I used to know Elena.  We were great friends but we’ve drifted since then.”
K: “What?”  
M: “I mean, we grew apart.”
Kotone looks sad and a bit frustrated.  K: “I don’t know slang very well.”
M: “Ah, IT means we had separate interest and stopped talking.”
K: “Oh.  Sorry.”
M: “Eh, don’t worry about it…”  Mac stops at a door.  M: “Well this is English.”  
K: “Tanks.”  Mac opens the door.  M: “After you.”  Kotone walks through the door.  Mac walks through the door and closes it.
At the cafeteria.
K: “Wow.  It’s huge.”  M: “Yeah, luckily we’re on time.”  Mac walks to a table.  M: “Come here.”  
K: “Okay.”  Kotone walks to where Mac is.  M: “Grab a seat and sit down.”  Kotone pulls out a chair and sits down on the chair.  Kids start filling in the cafeteria, sitting down, and getting in a line for lunch.  K:”What are they lining for?”  M: “Cafeteria lunch.  The school provides lunch for money if you don’t feel like bringing lunch.”
K: “Oh.”
M:”So what did you want to say about Elena?”
K:”Elena, she can speak Japanese.”  
M: “You’re kidding me.”
K: “No.”
M: “That’s ridiculous.”
K: “What’s so absurd speaking Japanese, you know I speak it.”
M: “No. no no.  It’s slang.  It’s shocking that she can speak Japanese.  I’ve been wanting to learn since ever, but I haven’t found a teacher.”
K: “Ah.”
M: “So what about you?”
K: “Well, I’ve learned some English but apparently I’m not close to fluent.”
M: “Don’t worry.  You’ll be able to pick up English.  Half the part is leaning through talking.”  
K: “Thanks.”
M: “Here’s a deal, I’ll help you with school and English while you  felp me with Japanese.  Okay?
K: “Okay.”  Mac offers his hand.  
M: “Handshake.”  Kotone shakes her hand.  M: “Cool.  Now let me setup the school for you.
K: “Okay.”
M: “This school is split up into tribes.  You have you’re popular tribe, your outcast tribe, and your normal tribe.  Under the popular tribe you have the cheerleader and jocks, your funny people, you’re cool and your rich kids .”  Mac point the groups one by one.  M: “The outcast tribe has the nerds and geeks, also known as the smart people, your Goths with emo, and your gangsters.  Then you have the rest, the normal people.”
K: “Wow, I didn’t know the school was so divided.”  
M: “It is, but many times, if you get enough respect, you can go to the mythical fourth tribe, the semi-popular.”
K: “What’s that?”
M: “I’m not sure, supposedly it’s a class where it allows for you to go across any part of the tribes but at the same time be in one tribe.”
K: “Does it matter?”
M: “Heck no!  I act normally and thus that’s why I’m supposedly in.  Just be yourself Kotone and that’s all that will matter in the end.”
K: “Wow.  That amazing.”
M: “Indeed it is.”  Mac takes a sip of orange juice.  M: “And you mean that’s amazing.  Anyway, so how are you enjoying your first day?”  
K: “Yes I am taught many things.”  M: “You mean I have learned.”
K: “Yes.  Tank you.”  Elena walks in talking with the rest of the cheerleader.  Elena glances at Kotone.  Kotone and Elena’s eye meet.  Elena looks forward and walks away.  K: “I would like to speak to her.”  
M: “Go ahead but fair warning, she’s probably going to act as if you don’t exist.”  Kotone gets up and walks to Elena’s table.  Kotone gets up and walks to Elena’s table.  
Cheerleader1:  “What is she doing here?”  
K(in Japanese): “Hi.  How do you know Japanese and can we talk some more?”  
E: “What?”
Cheerleader 1: “Look, if you don’t mind, speak English.”  Kotone looks heartbroken.
K(back into English): “Oh.  I’m sorry, I’ll leave.”  Kotone walks back to her seat and sits down.
M: “Ouch.  That bad huh?”  Kotone nods her head.   “Eh, CF will cheer you up.”
K: “CF?”
M: “Cypherfusion.  It’s a mix between a coffee shop, an internet café, a store and more.  I’ll take you there after school.”
K: “I don’t know…”
M: “Nonsense.  Give your folks a call and then they’ll allow you to go.  If they need me, just get me.”  Brring!  “Oops, we need to go.”
K: “Why?  Is lunch over?”
M: “I’m afraid so.”  Mac gets up pushes his seat in and grabs his backpack.  “IF you need me, just ask for Emanuel Macintosh.”
K: “Tank you Macu.”  
M: “Don’t mention it.”  Mac walks away.  Kotone gets up from her chair gets her stuff and walks away.  
In the office.
Kotone walks up to the desk.
K: “Excuse me, but may I make a phone call?”  
Attendant: “Sure.”  The attendant types in some number and hands the phone to Kotone.  “Here just type in the number.”  Kotone types in the number.  
Voice: “Hello?”
K: “Dad?”
Kotone’s dad: “Hi Kotone.”
K (in Japanese): “Dad.  A new friend…”
Kotone’s dad (in Japanese): “You found a new friend?  I’m so happy for you.  How old is she?”
K: “Dad, him and I are going to a place called Cypherfusion.”  Kotone’s dad over the phone puts on a sly grinning face.
Kotone’s dad: “Oh.  You mean on a…”
K: “Dad!”
Kotone’s dad: “Yes you can go.  I know where that is.”
K: “Thank you very much.”  
Kotone’s dad: “Just make sure to call me when you’re done  dating that special guy.”
K: “Father!”  
Kotone’s dad: “Okay, okay.  I will talk to later.
K: “Bye.”  Kotone hangs up the phone.
K (back to English): “May I go to my class?”  
Attendant: “Sure, but you need a pas.”
K: “A passeru?”
Attendant: “Yes.  Let me wright you one.”  Attendant grabs a pad and writes on it.  The attendant peels it of.  “Here you go.  Give this to your teacher as soon as you walk into the classroom.  Got it?
K: “Yes madam.”  Kotone grabs the slip and walks to her class.
Three hours later.  In the choir classroom.
M: “So can you go?”  
K: “Yes Macu.”
M: “Nice.”  Mac pauses for a second.  “Wait for it.”
K: “For what are…”  Brring!
M: “And school’s out!  C’mon let’s go.”   Mac grabs Kotone’s hand.  Kotone quickly grabs her bag.  Mac rushes out the door with Kotone
At Cypherfusion.
M: “Nice walk huh?”  Kotone is dizzy and out of breath.
K: “How…possible…that?”  
M: “What do you mean?”
K: “I do not…know…how…running…possible.”
M: “You mean you don’t know how it was possible for us to get here so fast?”
K: “Yes.”  Kotone looks normal.
M: “Simple really.  I…”  Mac stops in mid-sentence and sees Elena and the rest of the cheerleaders.
M: “Here comes trouble.”  The cheerleaders come to Mac and Kotone.  
K: “Macu…”  M: “Just brace yourself.”
Cheerleader #1: “Oh If it isn’t beauty and the geek.  Oops I meant the beast and the geek.”  The girls roar with laughter except for Elena.  
E: “C’mon, can we drop this?”
Cheerleader #1: “Elena, you’ve been acting weird today.  First with what happened in the halls, then now?  For a second I’d almost think I didn’t know you.”  Elena looks enlightened.  
E: “You know what?  You’re right.  You don’t.  I’m sick of hiding.” Elena wals over to Kotone.  “Gomennasai.”  Kotone looks elated.
K: “You do speak Japanese.”  
E (in Japanese): “Yes I do, and I’m proud to.”  Kotone claps her hands in happiness.  “I’m sorry for lying.”  
K (in Japanese): “It’s okay.”
E: “To tell you the truth, she’s been acting like a witch lately.”  Kotone giggles.
Cheerleader #1: “What are those two talking about?”
M: “I don’t know, but I bet it has something to do with you.”  
Cheerleader #1:”Ooh, that slut!  When I…”  
M: “When you what Angela?  Throw a hissyfit?”  Angela gets furious.
Angela: “I’ll have you know…”   Mac walks up to her.
M: “What?  That you can destroy her popularity Angela?  How low can you go?”  
A: “Shut up Mac.”  Elena turns to Angela.
E(back to English): “Leave Mac alone.”   
A: “Okay.  Fine.  But you’ll regret this.”  Angela turns around to the rest of the cheerleaders.  “Let’s go girls.  Seems like someone decided to not show team spirit.”   The cheerleaders walk away.
M: “Thanks Elena.”  
E: “No, I should be thanking both of you.  You both showed me that I wasn’t being myself.”
K: “You…are welcome.”
M: “Yes you did it Kotone!”  
K: “Thank you…I trouble with grammar.  I think.”
M: “In that case, teaching you English will be a lot easier.”
K: “Okay.”  
M: “Elena, welcome to the outcast group.”  Elena laughs.
E: “You always were funny.”
M: “I still am, I just got smarter now.”  
E: “So have I.”
M: “A cheerleader…smart?  No way!”  Mac looks jokingly shocked.  
E: “Yes Mac.”  
K: “Should not we find seats?”  
M: “Don’t worry, I found some.”  
E: “Nice.”   All three of them walk to a table and take their seats.
M: “I’ll pay for this.”  Mac pulls out a twenty dollar bill.  Elena look shocked.
E: “Whoa.  Look at a Mac with the money.”  Mac smirks.
M: “Yeah, I know.”  Mac and Elena laugh.
E (Japanese): “I will explain it later.”
M: “Oh and I almost forgot.”  Mac pulls out a paper and writes something down.  “Here’s my cell and screen name.”
E: “Let me see that paper.”  Elena grabs the paper and writes something down.  “On the bottom is my cell phone number and screen name.”
K: “Sorry for asking but what do you mean?”  Elena explains to her in Japanese as Mac tell the waiter their order.
M: “I hope everyone likes ice cream.”
E: “Don’t tell me…”
M: “Yep, I order the cookies and cream ice cream supreme.”  
E: “You can’t finish that by yourself!”  The waiter puts down the ice cream bowl.  Kotone’s eyes widen.  
K (Japanese): Oh my god!  I didn’t think this could exist.  Thank you god!  Elena laughs.
M: “What?  Did I miss something?”  
E: “No, I just thought of something funny.”
Waiter: “And here are your spoons.”  The waitreer lays down three spoons.
E: “Aww.  That’s so kind of you Mac.”  Mac puts his spoon in the air.  Elena puts her spoon next to Mac.  “Cheers.”  Kotone does the same.
K: “Cheers.”  Elena, Kotone, and Mac all smile and laugh then stop eating.  “I also finish my homework.”   
E: “You mean finished: “Yes I mean finished.”  
M: “You’re getting the hang of it.”  Mac smiles.   A man walks over to Kotone.
Man: “Kotone, it’s time to go home.”  Everyone turns around to see Kotone’s father standing behind Kotone.
K (Japanese): “Father we…”
E: “Yeah Kotone, I have to go home.  I need to check my email.”  Mac gets up.
M: “If you don’t mind, I’ve got to excuse myself.  I want to do a bit of studying.  Elena, can I…”
E: “Of course Mac.”  Elena gets up.  All three of them grabs their bags and head out the door with Kotone’s dad.  A car pulls up.  “That’s us.”  Mac and Elena rush to the car.  
E and M: “Bye Kotone!  See you tomorrow!”  
K: “Bye!”  All three of them wave to each other.
Kotone’s dad (Japanese): “So by the looks of things you had a great first day.”  
K (Japanese): “Meeting Elena and Mac, seeing the school…getting used to American life may not be so bad.”  Kotone chuckles and smiles.