The five teens sat in Usagi's bedroom. It was another attempt at a study group that was going to fail no matter how hard Ami tried. They still had their books out but no one had looked at them in half an hour, except Ami. Makoto watched the blue haired girl study and the rest of the group chat quietly so they didn't disturb her and have her lecture them again. Ami looked up from her book and closed it, she wanted to see how long it took before they noticed she was not studying and not lecturing. Makoto noticed but did not say anything; she knew what Ami was doing and nodded at her waiting for the other three girls in the room to notice.
The three girls in hushed voices had been talking about TV shows, manga, and just got onto the topic of current crushes. Usagi lamenting over the fact she could not have crushes anymore since she had a boyfriend Mamaru. Minako talking about the same guy Usagi would have had a crush on if she didn't have Mamaru. And Rei talking about how all the boys their age are so immature. Usagi agreed and took the opportunity to gush about Mamaru, since he was older. Ten minutes passed as they were being watched and Rei noticed Makoto had not chimed in about any crushes. "Makoto you're not joining the conversation" Rei commented quietly
"That is because I am participating in an experiment" Makoto replied in a normal voice.
Rei whispered "Shh, are you trying to get us lectured, and what experiment are you participating in?"
Makoto pointed her head in Ami's direction "seeing how long it takes before you notice Ami has not been studying for about ten minutes now"
All three girls looked in Ami's direction with guilty looks on their faces and waved, Minako said "Hi, Ami. You're done studying?"
Ami waved back "I have been done. Am I really all that scary?"
"Of course not, studying is." Usagi answered with more seriousness than any of the other girls thought was warranted.
Ami laughed she knew there was nothing she could do to get the night back so she decided to give in and have a girls night for the rest of the evening. She joined in with the other girls on the floor and waved for Makoto to join the huddled group. "So now that we are no longer studying, what would you like to do?" Ami asked with a hint of we better do something if I am giving up studying for this.
"Truth or dare?" Minako suggested. Everyone looked at each other trying to find a good excuse not to play, no one came up with one fast enough and Minako started "Usagi, truth or dare?"
"Why me?" the blond whined.
"You are our princess and leader, you have to set a good example for your solders" Minako responded with mock seriousness, the rest of the group rolled their eyes as Minako's flattery worked its magic on Usagi
"Truth" Usagi said in what she thought was an authoritative voice.
Minako smiled mischievously "Have you kissed Mamaru yet?"
Usagi blushed "That's personal"
"That's the point" Minako replied "so, what's the answer"
Usagi blushed brighter red "yes" giggles went around the room.
"Now you get to pick" Minako told Usagi.
"Um, Makoto, truth or dare?"
"Dare"
"I dare you to make me a chocolate cake" Usagi said excitedly.
"You can't dare that, it takes an hour, pick something else" Minako explained.
"Bummer, okay. I dare you to sing you are my sunshine." Usagi picked as a compromise.
Makoto smiled and stood up and cheerfully sang "you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey you'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away." She danced around pointing to the girls and holding her hands to her heart. The other girls laughed and clapped and Makoto hammed it up by bowing then looked around the room for the next victim. She looked at Ami but decided "Rei, truth or dare"
"Truth, I have nothing to hide." Rei said confidently.
"Have you ever wanted to shoot one of us with your Mars flame Sniper and if so why?"
Rei blushed a little, wanting to attack a fellow soldier is unthinkable, and yet there were times. "Yes, I was annoyed at the stupidity presented to me" she blurted out. Everyone stared at her, she looked at them all "Come on like you never once wanted to blast someone with an Aqua Rhapsody or whip someone with a Venus love me chain?" then they all looked down, they knew she was right they loved and respected each other but every now and then the urge comes up to hit someone and they had magic attacks to hit with. Rei looked around trying to keep it even "Ami, truth or dare?"
"Um, dare I guess" Ami said without much enthusiasm.
"I dare you to call your crush and let them know you like them." There was a slightly wicked smile as Rei made her request.
"That is a bit unfair don't you think? It is both a truth and a dare" She replied. All the girls looked at each other and voted it was fair. Ami went over to Usagi's phone and dialed, "Hi it's Ami, I just wanted to say I have a bit of a crush on you and I was dared to let you know. I never would have told you otherwise but you cannot cheat in a game of truth or dare. So I like you, I hope this doesn't change things, I am a bit embarrassed so I have to go now, talk to you later." She looked down a bit relieved.
"Who did you call?" Usagi begged, the others joining in.
"I did not ask for truth, I asked for dare and I completed my dare. Minako truth or dare?" There was a challenge and a warning in Ami's tone.
Minako knew the game had gotten more serious since she started it and was not sure if she wanted to play anymore, she looked at her watch "look at the time, I have to get home. We should all go home."
"You are the only one not to do a truth or dare and it was your idea, so we can all go home after your turn, truth or dare Minako?" Rei asked relishing in Minako's discomfort.
Minako took a deep breath "truth?"
Ami thought "Minako, have you learned anything tonight?"
Minako breathed a sigh of relief "Yes, maybe we should stick to studying at study groups and not play truth or dare, it gets scary the longer it goes." Ami smiled and though maybe tonight was not a total write off in the end. Everyone packed their backpacks and started to head out the door.
Makoto walked out with Ami "Who did you call?"
Ami looked up at her and said "I called the person I have a crush on. Good night, see you at school tomorrow."
Makoto walked home feeling a bit strange, wondering who Ami called, and listing all the smart people she knew. It really didn't matter if she knew who it was anyways. Makoto opened her apartment and put her backpack away. Went to her answering machine to check messages, she had a couple, telemarketer, delete, Ami reminding her about study group, chuckle, delete, another telemarketer, delete, and Ami again "Hi it's Ami, I just wanted to say I have a bit of a crush on you and I was dared to let you know. I never would have told you otherwise but you cannot cheat in a game of truth or dare. So I like you, I hope this doesn't change things, I am a bit embarrassed so I have to go now, talk to you later." Makoto replayed the message; she smiled and replayed the message one last time. Makoto stared at her phone unsure if she should call Ami, or talk to her at school tomorrow, or if it was just a way of getting out of the dare. She went into the kitchen and started baking cookies, concentrating harder on her recipe every time her mind would wander off to the phone call. She baked sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal lace cookies, and macaroons before she was too tired to think anymore and finally went to bed.
Ami woke up, she showered letting the water wash away her fear, she had never been afraid to go to school before and now she was. It was done; she just had to live with it. She waited for a phone call the night before hoping to talk before meeting at school with their friends. But it was too late now, she dressed and grabbed her book bag and out the door she went. She knew she should have eaten but she couldn't and she knew she would be at school really early but the alternative was sitting at home with her thoughts and she had enough of that last night. She didn't notice the car that had been driving at the same pace alongside her. "Ami, are you okay? You are normally much more observant than this."
Ami turned to see Michiru looking concerned at her. "I'm fine, just lost in thought."
"Do you want a ride?" offered Haruka.
"Sure, I'm just going to school" Ami got into the car they drove in silence "how did you know you had feelings for each other?" she blurted it out before she could stop herself.
Michiru looked at Haruka, her worried expression turning into a more compassionate one. "Ours is not your typical relationship, we fought alongside each other, destiny and our pasts calling us together. We dreamed of each other and knew each other before we met. We are very lucky. There were never any others for us. Why do you ask?" Michiru's eyebrow raised at her question.
"It's nothing, thank you for the ride, we should get together and swim soon, I think I need a good swim."
Michiru let Ami out of the car "you have my number call anytime; you know I am always available for a swim."
As they drove off for breakfast Haruka asked "You think she is ready?"
"I don't know, let's wait and see." Michiru replied.
Ami walked around the school grounds, she really was very early. She spotted the tree she normally sat at with her friends at lunch. She walked over and saw she was not alone. "Makoto?"
"Good morning Ami, want to share some breakfast? I didn't want to eat at home so I made it to go." Makoto gestured to three bento boxes.
"Thanks I am starving, it just hit me." Ami sat down, picked up a box and started eating "you really are the best cook I know."
Makoto smiled it was nice to hear when people liked her food. "I also made cookies last night if you would like some" Ami looked at Makoto, there was an awkward silence as they looked at each other.
"Last night" Ami said slightly embarrassed.
Makoto still was not sure what to make of the phone call "so last night was interesting." Ami didn't know what to do, should she say it was a lie, just a way to get out of the dare, should she confess, she was starting to panic.
"Ami, you forgot your book bag in the car." Haruka bent down to set the bag next to her. "Hi Makoto, your guys sure are early for school, one might think you had other reasons for being here."
Makoto blushed a little. Michiru came up behind Haruka, "You run too fast sometimes, you don't always have to race. Oh hi Makoto, fancy you being at school this early the same day as Ami, good fortune I guess" Haruka looked at Michiru raised her eyebrows and looked back at the two girls sitting on the grass. "How are the confessions going?" Michiru asked brightly. Ami and Makoto both shot looks at Michiru with jaws slightly dropped and looked at each other and back at Michiru. Michiru smiled "Okay, they are not going so well to start with, let me begin. Makoto, Ami has a crush on you and has for a while. Ami, Makoto has a crush on you and has had it longer than you have had one on her. We have known for a while. You may have fooled the others but our eyes are better trained."
Makoto looked at Ami "Michru is right, I like you as more than a friend, but was always too afraid to lose you as a friend to tell you. The phone call I got last night, I was not sure if you meant it or not. I was still scared."
"I meant the call I made last night." Ami reassured her.
Haruka slipped her arm around Michiru's waist and they turned to leave the new couple saying as they left "have a good visit; you still have about an hour before school starts."
"So what do we do now? I like you and you like me and everything is okay, what next?" Makoto asked.
"I didn't think that far ahead, I was always a bit too afraid" Ami told her. Ami reached over and grabbed Makoto's hand, it was like electricity surging through her body.
Makoto scooted closer to Ami and put her arm around her shoulders. "This is better than I dreamed" Makoto said.
"You dreamed about this?" Ami asked.
Makoto rested her head on Ami's "I dreamed about you a lot" Something in her heart told Ami this was going to be great.