[FanFiction] The Rules of a Speech

This is a new fiction! I'm not sure how to explain the summary and all, but it's about my real life. I'll post out the details when I think of it properly. For now, I'm just going to keep writing and see what will happen. 

Note: I will be changing the title if I need to. I guess this is just a temporal posting place? :)

________________________________________________________________________

Rule 1

Coming back from my trip to New York, I still have some troubles trying to sleep during night time in Tokyo.

I looked outside the balcony of my comfy home to see endless mountains at the far back and clouds covering up half of the mountain top. It was only five in the morning and I can still hear the crickets cricking. I know that Tokyo is a busy city and it’s rare to have peaceful moments like this.

I stand up from my position on the bed and make my way to the living room downstairs.

By the time I got down stairs, rosy streaks were already breaking though in the east.

“There you are.” My mother welcomed me with a light hug. She and father have just come back from the morning jog and they were starting to make breakfast.

“Morning mom, dad.” I nodded to them while taking a seat at the dining table.

“School’s about to start soon, do you have any plans for this semester? Anything you want to do in particular?” Father asked as he looked up from the newspaper. This is the typical chat we have every morning, I can sense he’s trying to find something to talk to a teenage girl like me. Rebels he calls us. We barely socialize, but that doesn’t mean anything’s wrong. Though I sometimes wonder, does he actually understand me? I doubt it.

“Well, I’m thinking about joining sports clubs this time instead of talent clubs or music clubs. And…” I paused.

“And?” Father asked.

I took a deep breath before responding. “Remember the speech composition contest last semester? And remember that I got first place? Well, the truth is, the school wants me to go outside and join the district speech composition. In two months. I know you guys would want me to join…But I’m still wondering, am I fit for making speeches?” I confessed.

“Of course you have to join, honey.” Mother told me sternly. “It adds credits to your average score and helps you get into a better university.”

“But I’m not the type of people whom—” I was cut off by my mother.

“This is a rare chance! And honey, you’ll be fine. You have so much to say every day, you will do well.” Mother implied with the stern look she gives out to things she think is obvious.

I sighed and nodded, but inside, I kept on wondering about what I really want…I’m not even sure of my own answers, but I’m not going to let people decide for me, that’s for sure.

“Morning.” Kaito came down the stairs at exactly six o’clock. My brother smiled at me with his angelic face, his cherry red lips and warm aura that made it hard for me not to gap at him and his height—oh! He’s already taller than me and it’s been only one summer.

“Look at you.” I teased.

“No. Look at you.” He rolled his eyes as he pointed to my looks. “Already applying makeup and are those black contacts you have on?” Kaito eyed me suspiciously. I shrugged it off and started on the various selections of food Mother made. My brother picks up a blackberry from the plate and tosses it in a high arc toward me. I didn’t hesitate to catch the berry inside my mouth. I laughed and broke the delicate skin with my teeth. The sweet tartness explodes across my tongue.

“I miss doing that.” I snuck glances with him as we laugh. Kaito and I were never this close, not until last summer when I saved him from falling into the river at Grandpa’s. I can still remember the short, arrogant boy that used to retort everything I say, but I’m glad our relationship has gotten better throughout time.

“You guys should get going.” Mother shouted from the kitchen. Kaito and I grabbed our bags and head to the door, just in time to see a big truck parking in front of our house.

“Woah. What is that?” I cried out. Kaito laughed.

“It’s a truck sis.”

“I know that, but why is it here? Outside of our house I mean.” I muttered.

“Let’s just go. Someone’s probably moving out or moving in.” He shrugged and walked ahead. I watch him join a couple of his friends at the corner and they head off to their junior high school a few blocks away. Leaving me to walk alone to the bus stop, humming to myself on the way.

“Hey.” A voice interrupts me. I turned around to see a boy wearing the same uniform as he walk up to join me at the bus station. His hands were inside his pants’ pockets and he was wearing a vest over the school blouse with hair that seem like he spent the whole morning working on. I can tell from the excessive use of hair gel.

“You are?” I questioned.

“Call me Katsuro.” He winked.

“Katsumi.” I replied back.

“I know you. Don’t you know me?” Katsuro pouted.

“No. I don’t know you.” I looked at him bluntly as he sighed. He dropped his fake attitude and changed to what seem like his real personality.

“I’m from another school, but transferred to your school starting from this semester. Unfortunately, I won the English speech composition in my original high school. I was about to take part in the district speech composition, but I moved and I couldn’t represent my old school. Now here’s the catch, I talked with the director of the Academics Affair and she told me I can still join. That’s when she told me about you, representing this school.” Katsuro left me without an answer. I don’t get it. Only one person from each school gets to join the district speech composition contest. I am the one for my school. It is me. He already lost his privileges since he moved, how can he still join? Why? How? Am I being replaced? Well, that may seem possible, for he looks far more convincing and outgoing then me. He’d probably bring back a first place where else I won’t get anything.

I secretly hoped that this wasn’t happening.