Then there was her voice. She almost didn't even recognize it. It sounded so ... American. Her usual non-American accent was gone. Now she sounded like everyone else.
Except ... Melissa (this new Melissa) didn't sound like everyone else. She sounded foreign. Maybe Eastern European? Why was that?
"Yukio!" she suddenly heard a girl shout out. She turned and saw Jessica Davis, Melissa's closest friend. Jessica picked on Yukio almost as often as Melissa did.
Yukio turned and walked quickly down the hall, hoping that Jessica couldn't spot her. The last thing she needed was for someone to hassle her. She was still trying to figure out what was going on with herself and Melissa.
But after another ten seconds, Jessica caught up with her.
"Yukio, why are you running away from me? I needed to talk to you."
"Talk to me? Usually you only want to make fun of me."
Jessica looked oddly at her. "Make fun of you? Yukio, you're my closest friend. Why would I make fun of you?"
Now it was Yukio who had the odd look.
"I just wanted to tell you that we're having cheerleader tryouts during sixth period today."
"I'm trying out for cheerleading?" Yukio never bothered to try. Most of the people who teased her were on the squad, so she figured she never had a chance.
"No ... you're already on the squad," Jessica said, looking oddly at Yukio again. "Sarah just wants us there to put on a show for the potential recruits." She paused. "Yukio, are you okay?"
"Actually, I'm not sure," she answered.
