Sakura Kiss -An OHSHC story-

"Haruhi, I can't cut this off!" I whine, holding my friend's beautiful hair in one hand and a pair of sharp scissors in the other.

"Would you like to get the gum out?" she asks.

I wince, and position the scissors. Haruhi always had pretty hair... But she doesn't care about any of that. I don't understand it. At least the gum isn't that high up.... She'll be able to keep most of it.

I slowly snip the wet, pink mass out of her hair. I'm almost finished, in fact about to cut the last strand, when a voice arises.

"ALEXIS! YOU NEED TO CLEAN MY ROOM!"

That interruption caused my scissors to slip, cutting a diagonal pattern across Haruhi's hair, cut quite short.

"Oh my God! Haruhi! I'm so sorry! They just slipped!" I exclaim, dropping the scissors, ignoring my stepmother's plea - no, make that command.

She laughs a little. "It's fine, Alexis." I love the way Haruhi says my name. No, not in that way, just in her accent. Of course, Japanese and American accents are actually very close, but I still like it. My Japanese is rough. It's not speaking it, it's writing it. Haruhi's been helping me.

Different alphabets are confusing.

"Are you sure?" I ask, biting my lip. "I mean, I just ruined your beautiful hair, and it's only a day until we start at Ouran!"

"It's fine. You better go attend to Hurata before she has a fit." Haruhi bites her lips, but not because of herself. Because of my stepmother. She's vile, really.

"Okay... I'll fix your hair later, I guess," I say glumly, entering my apartment, right next to Haruhi's. I look around at the drab walls, the mismatching furniture, and the cracked cupboard.

It isn't much, but it's home.

Or it is when Hurata isn't here. Hurata's a virulent woman, really. She forces me to cook and clean, and Mom doesn't do anything about it. After Mom divorced Dad and left for Japan, she married Hurata, and they're in love.

The worst part? Not missing Dad, going to a new school, or even Hurata. Tommy. Tommy's back in Chicago. I miss him terribly. My own little brother, on the other side of the world, with only my father!

"There you are, worthless girl. Clean my room," she says. Her short black hair sways as she swaggers away. She's been drinking. Again. I don't know how someone as nice as Mom likes her. But apparently Mom's attracted to Japanese women.

I sigh and brace myself for the horrors of Hurata's room.

......

"Haruhi, it's an abandoned music room! Of course it'll be quiet!" I complain, dragging her down the hallway on our first day at Ouran.

"What's that?" she asks, pressing a dark bruise on my forearm. It had been uncovered as I was tugging her down the hallway.

"Ouch!" I yelp. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it," I growl, pulling my sleeve sharply down my arm.

"Hurata?" she asks.

"Maybe. I cleaned her room as best I could! Whatever, we're going in here!" According to my poor Japanese reading and writing, it read, "Music Room Three."

"If it's abandoned, it wouldn't have a piano in it!" Haruhi insists.

"Pianos are heavy. So they'll be too lazy to move it." I feel guilty. Haruhi's hair looks awful. It's in her eyes, covering her glasses. On top of that, neither of us can afford uniforms. But at least I'm wearing my usual. Jeans and a blouse - long-sleeved, of course. She's in some horrid black sweater and pants that are too big.

Haruhi shrugs. "Whatever, Alexis. As long as I can study."

I grin through the guilt gnawing at my stomach, turn the fancy golden handle, and open it. I'm blinded by a bright light but cautiously go in anyway, Haruhi trailing me.

"Welcome," several voices say at once. My eyes adjust to the light, and I see six of the cutest guys I've ever seen in my entire life.

A tall blonde, a short blonde, a tall raven with glasses, a tall raven without glasses, and identical twins with light brown hair. Why are there six hot guys in an abandoned music room?

They're obviously students; they're wearing the uniform. Wait... I think the twins are in my class... Kiharu and Hura? No, that isn't right...

"Welcome to the Ouran Host Club," the tall blonde says pleasantly.

"Host Club?" I ask unenthusiastically. Isn't this a music room...?

"This is a host club?!" Haruhi asks, panicked, cowering against the door.

Raven-with-glasses says, "Hikaru, Kaoru, aren't these two in your class?"

In perfect unison, they shrug and reply, "They are, but they're shy, so we don't know much about them. They mostly hang out together." Is it me, or is it really annoying/creepy how they talk simultaneously?

"Well, welcome to the Ouran Host Club, Mr. and Miss Honors Student!" raven-glasses says.

"Wait! You're Haruhi Fujioka and Alexis Barnette!" tall blonde exclaims.

"How do you know our names?" I demand.

"Not many honors students get into Ouran," glasses-raven butts in. He proceeds to call me a commoner, before the tall blonde steps in.

"I admire you two! Setting the stage for other poor people, other commoners, to come to our school! It takes a lot for two commoners to excel at an elite private school, you know."

I edge away from this creep, and tune out his babbling.

"Haruhi, let's leave. We can find another music room," I say, grabbing her hand.

"Wait!" shortie blonde says, dragging me back. "Do want to have cake with me?"

Tall blonde cuts him off. "I never expected that an honors student would be so openly gay..." He looks at Haruhi.

"Openly what?!" I whisper to Haruhi. She shrugs, looking at her feet.

"So what kind of guy do you like? The strong, silent type?" The tall raven comes forth. "The Boy Lolita?" Blonde-shortie. "How about the mischievous type?" The twins link arms. "Or the cool type?" Glasses-raven.

"It wasn't like that! We were just looking for a place to study!" Haruhi exclaims, backing up as tall blonde approaches her.

"Or maybe you like someone like me," he muses, tilting both of our chins up.

"Hey! Get away from Haruhi! I may not be some martial arts expert, but I know self defense!" I exclaim.

He ends up scooting her back into a pillar holding an ornate vase. As she knocks it over, she lunges for it, but it slips from her fingers and smashes into a million fragments.

I sigh. "Haruhi, must you knock over something everywhere we go?"

The twins lean over to inspect the damage. Kuara and Hokara? No. Um... Hikauro and Kiharo?

What I do catch of the conversation is that it cost ¥8,000,000 and we have to pay it back... with our body? No way in hell am I touching these pervs!

Wait! Hikaru and Kaoru! That was it.

Now back to the current dilemma. I'm not touching these ásses.

"You two can be the official host club dogs!" tall blondie says.

"Woo-hoo," I mutter unenthusiastically. "Haruhi, you owe me."

.....

I walk back, totally humiliated. I'm surrounded by beautiful, prissy, spoiled women. Ugh.

"Haruhi, I think that they think you're a man," I mutter.

She shrugs. "Let them think what they want. I don't care. Everyone knows you're a girl, though."

"That because my hair didn't get chopped off! I feel really bad about it!" I say for the thousandth time.

"Don't. It's fine, Alexis." I chew my lip just as tall blondie - whose name is apparently Takami - calls out.

"There's our little piglets!" Wait, Tamaki, not Takami. Japanese names are weird. "Wait... I've never seen this brand of coffee before."

"It's instant coffee," I say in a monotone.

"You just add hot water," Haruhi finishes in the same tone.

"Fascinating! Commoner coffee! You must demonstrate, Alexis!" he exclaims, thrusting it at me.

"Fine. C'mon, Haruhi," I mutter unwillingly.

The twins pull - wait, make that yank - me aside. "What?" I hiss.

"Are you and Fujioka dating?" Kaoru asks. Hikaru is right by his side.

"No," I say shortly, turning around and following Haruhi. Yep, they think she's a dude.

Haruhi dumps a spoonful into four cups, and I follow with hot water. "This is dumb," I mutter.

All the prissy rich girls are too scared to drink it, so Tamaki steps in and offers to let everyone drink it from his mouth.

"Damn rich people," Haruhi mutters.

"Agreed." I shove my way through the crowd and past where the twins are gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. "Numbskulls."

I pass Honey and Mori, too, going to entertain girls. "This place is sick and degrading."

"Not to most of our guests." Ah, who was raven-glasses again? Kyoru? Kyo... Kyoya! That was it. "We bring out each boys unique characteristics to cater to our guests. Tamaki is the king. He brings in about 70% of our guests."

"Your guests are girls trying to get into your pants," I mutter, turning on my heel and coming face-to-face with Tamaki.

"You need a uniform. So does Haruhi. I was thinking a makeover." I raise an eyebrow, before furrowing them both.

"I don't want your help!"

"Haruhi's back there with Hikaru and Kaoru."

I sigh and head back. "Haruhi?" I call. "You done being tortured?"

I'm grabbed by the two reckless twins and thrown into a changing room. "Here," Hikaru says.

"Put this on," Kaoru finishes. They thrust a uniform dress at me and say nothing more.

"What the hell?" I murmur, looking at it. I shrug, and put it on. I comb through my messy brown hair and put my typical headband in it.

I look in the mirror. Ugh. I look prissy and rich. Gross. And the dress is a little too long. Not that I'm complaining. I was always really short.

I reluctantly step out, and see a new boy blocking my way. "Um, excuse me," I say, tapping his shoulder.

He spins around. "Oh, Haruhi!" I exclaim. "Guess they know how to do hair better than I do," I say, rubbing the back of my head.

"Let us see!" the twins chorus, lining us up.

"Not bad. They could work as hosts, you know," Kyoya says.

"A girl host?" Tamaki asks. "Do you really think boys would come?"

"I didn't mean Alexis, you moron," Kyoya mutters.

.......

So, next day, I'm at Haruhi's table, trying to painfully help her through an odd game of charades.

"Um, hello," she says to the three other girls.

"Hi! So you're Haruhi Fujioka?" one says.

"Uh, yeah!" She looks unsure. So I pipe up.

"So, Haruhi, what's your life like at home?" If she can talk about her mother, she's home free. So she launches into a lengthy story of her mother, her father, her home, etc.

I grin, but see tall-blonde evaluating her. What was his name? Takami! That was it! Wait... Oh, Tamaki! I think...

Short-blonde is Honey, but I forgot his actual name. Tall-raven-without-glasses is Mori, and his real name is... It starts with a T, I think. Tashki? Whatever.

Let's see... Twins are Hikaru and Kaoru... I finally got it! Yes! I'll figure out which one is which later on. Tall-raven-with-glasses is... Kyoru? Kyo... Kyoya! That was it.

Japanese names suck. Everyone should just have a normal name, like Alexis. Why did Mom ever make me move to Japan?

Right, Dad cheated on her, and on a whim, she fled with me to Japan, leaving Tommy behind. Tommy... This'll be his first year of middle school, back in Chicago.

Anyway, Mom met Hurata, and married her. Yes, my mom married another woman. Don't act so surprised. Hurata isn't nice. She seemed so at first, until she started living with us. I cook and clean, and Hurata sits and abuses me.

It's not that bad. I only end up with a few scrapes and bruises. Okay, I have a few scars. But I'm fine. Really.

I met Haruhi on my first day of middle school, when someone stole her pair of backup glasses she had to wear that day. So, of course, I stepped him, punching him and swearing like a fiend - in English. I learned Japanese through immersion. Not easy or fun, but fast.

I only passed the entrance exam to Ouran because of the foreign language section. Most of it was English, so it was easy. Oh, and my musical talent. I'm pretty good on a piano. (A/N - Because, as y'all might have noticed by now, all of my OCs have to have some sort of musical talent. :])

.......

Next day, I just sit around and watch everyone for a long time. Fun, fun, fun.

I see Haruhi bolt out. The twins are being creepy again, Honey's being a toddler, Mori's being quiet, Tamaki's being.... Tamaki, and Kyoya's being overly-smart. No one notices.

Well, she is my friend. I bolt down the hall after her, and see her dash to the pond. Shìt... Did some bullies throw her stuff into the pond?

She rolls up her sleeves and pant legs and hops in, retrieving everything. I sigh and hike my overly ornate dress up to my knees, helping her.

"Hey, Haruhi. D'you know who did this?"

"I have a few suspicions."

"Can I hurt them?"

"Wha-? NO! No, Alexis, no."

"Damn."

Haruhi's mouth tugs into a small smile. "Damn these rich people."

"Definitely. Everything's out. Wanna head back?"

"Wait, I need my wallet. It has my lunch money for the week. Wanna help me look?"

"Aren't I the girl who helped you the first day we met when someone stole your backup glasses?"

"Swearing like a fiend," Haruhi remembers fondly.

"In English, of course. I didn't know too much Japanese back then. I learned."

"You kicked some àss that day."

"You know it."

"Can I join you two?" Tamaki's voice interrupts our conversation.

I groan. "Aw, Tamaki, just go back to your fancy-boy manor!"

His face flushes. "What's that supposed to mean? Hm?" It's so funny watching him try to keep some of his dignity.

"That you're a spoiled brat whose never done a day of work in his life."

Haruhi snorts and continues looking. "Think it's funny? Fine, I'll get in this filthy old pond!"

"Go ahead," Haruhi says.

"Be our guest, high class citizen. Man, these dresses suck. Can't I wear a suit like Haruhi?"

"No, you're a girl."

These damn, stupid rich people.

"Hey, is this it?" Tamaki asks, holding up a wallet.

"Yeah, thanks," Haruhi says, pocketing it. "Thank you, too, Alexis."

"Is it weird that I love the way you say my name?"

"Yes," Tamaki whispers.

"Oh, shut up!" I say, elbowing his rib cage. "Not like that, pervert!"

.....

I can't believe Haruhi only has one guest! I'm not allowed to be her guest anymore. But that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to stay in here, even if I am sitting near enough to Tamaki to hear the girls fawn over him.

"Ale-chan!" Honey calls. "Come sit with us!" he says, motioning over to where he and Mori are with about four girls.

"I think I'm fine over here," I say.

So Honey drags me over between him and Mori. Perfect. Why do I hang out here? Well, Haruhi does need moral support....

A smash and the sound of broken glass causes everyone to look over to Haruhi.

"UGH! TAMAKI! TEACH THIS COMMONER A LESSON!" she yells, trying to get Haruhi off of her.

Everyone's eyes are on them. "You're a lovely girl. Really, you are," Tamaki starts. "But I know you threw Haruhi's things into the pond. We have no place for you here."

"You're all idiots!" she exclaims, running out in tears.

"Hm... Haruhi, I do have to punish you, since it was technically your fault... Your quota is now 1,000 clients!" Tamaki decides.

"Here, change into this uniforms. It's the only spare we have," Kyoya says, offering Haruhi a bag.

"Excuse me, I need to go speak with Haruhi," I say, getting up.

Ugh, these morons.

"Haruhi, why'd you do that?" I ask, catching up with her.

"Because she deserved it."

"Hm, sounds like something I'd do... I'll help you change, I guess. I hate this dress anyway. I brought some jeans."

"Thanks, Alexis... I guess..."

"Your suit really is wet!" I say as she drops it on the floor. "Ah, jeans! My best friend!" I say and I put them on and rip my dress off. I pull my shirt over my head and wait for Haruhi to finish.

"Haruhi, I brought you some tow-" Tamaki doesn't finish his thought. He opens the curtain as Haruhi is changing, only having her tank top on.

"PERVERT!" I yell, poking my head out. "Don't you know not to walk in on a girl when she's changing, dumbass?"

"Haruhi's... a girl?" Tamaki asks.

"What an interesting plot twist," Kyoya says in a way that suggests he knew all along. Judging the looks on everyone else's faces, they figured it out somewhere along the way.

"Of course she's a girl! She's as much a girl as I am! You are the biggest knucklehead I've ever met!"

I roll my eyes and go back into the changing room to help Haruhi. They give her a spare dress, which she changes into.

"I'm still mad that your hair looks good," I pout as she smooths it out.

She laughs. "Don't be! I'll blame Hurata instead, 'kay?"

"Just don't let Hurata find out about that," I mutter, heading out.

"Look, I don't care if you recognize me as a girl or a boy. Do whatever you want." She really doesn't look half bad in a dress...

Tamaki's just ogling at her. She's my friend... That's it, I'm protecting her. I grab an umbrella and hit him on the head with it.

"Ow! What was that for?!" he asks, rubbing his head.

"Maybe you should quit staring at Haruhi like a piece of meat. I can make it hurt more. I know how to hurt people."

"You know, being fussed over by a bunch of girls isn't all that bad," Haruhi says. "I wonder how I'll pull it off... I got it! I'll just call everyone dude and bro now!"

Well, Haruhi's hopeless.

The title sucks. So... Any title suggestions would rock! Because I suck with titles.... xD