"Hey, Ranma! Wait up!" Akane yelled after the boy. They were outside of their school, going back home or hanging out with friends but Ranma chose neither.
"Hmm? What is it Akane?" Ranma said.
"Gee! Can't you wait for me?" Akane said with her usual, harsh voice.
"Sorry, Akane. I'm going somewhere else." Ranma said sheepishly.
"Where? You're going to Shampoo's place?" Akane said with a hint of jealousy.
"No! Why would I? I'm going somewhere else. So, I got to go. Ciao!" Ranma said and jumped on a roof top.
"Hey!" Akane said and was alone. That jerk.
--
"Hey, sis. What do you want?" Nabiki said while leaning on her bed, reading a comic with snacks. Akane closed the door and sat on the floor.
"Nabiki, do you think Ranma is acting strange?" Akane asked looking at the soft purple floor which is actually a wide mattress. (An: Hope you can understand that. XD)
"Not really. What so strange about him?" Nabiki muttered, looking at the comic while munching her potato chips.
"Well, he always went out after school and came back home so late! Don't you think it's a little...you know...suspicious? Plus, he's always came home with his clothes having dirt on it." Akane said, inching closer to her sister.
Nabiki sighed and closed the comic book.
"Look sis, he has his own life. We can't really control his life or whatever your mind is thinking right now." Nabiki said, holding Akane's shoulder.
"But-"
"You could just leave him for a while. Besides he may be at the shop right now. Searching for the right item." Nabiki muttered. Akane looked at her with a frown.
"That's it! He must be flirting with other girls! Ugh! That pervert! I'm gonna-" Akane rolled her sleeve madly but Nabiki hit her with her comic book making Akane said, "Hey!"
"You have a negative mind you know. Just forget about him for a while! He's not going to ruin your birthday next week! He's probably in training or something, that's all." Nabiki mumbled.
"Well, that does make sense. I totally forgot about my 18 birthday!" Akane panicked, cupping her face with both of her hands.
--
Akane looked at her bedroom ceiling, having millions of thoughts in her head.
I wonder where he went...
Akane groaned. Maybe Nabiki's right. She shouldn't let her jealousy take over her. Whoa! Jealousy!? Not in my world!
Akane scrunched her nose. She looked at the clock. It's 2 a.m. Ranma's still not back.
Akane was worried though like always she never realizes it. Then, she heard someone downstairs opening the door.
Maybe it's Ranma! Akane thought and got out from the blanket walking out her room and quietly tip-toed a few steps on the stairs, taking a peek at downstairs. She doesn't want Ranma to think she's a stalker or anything.
Akane saw a tired Ranma throwing his shoes aside and decided to go upstairs. Akane hurriedly, tip-toed to her room and closed the door quietly.
--
Next week.
"Akane! It's your birthday! Happy birthday!" Yuka said cheerfully.
"Yeah! I can't wait for today's party!" Sayuri said dreamily, resting her arm on Akane's desk.
"Yeah, thanks." Akane smiled a little.
"What's wrong? You don't look excited." Yuka said, concerned with Akane's behavior.
"It's not that I'm not excited or anything, I am but....it's nothing." Akane muttered.
"Come on, tell us! You're our friend and friends tell each other's problem." Sayuri said.
"Well, it's about Ranma. He's been going out everyday, after school ends he went somewhere and then he came home at 2 in the morning and has dirt on his clothes!" Akane said and sighed loudly.
"That is a little weird. I mean who would ever-" Sayuri stopped talking when Yuka gave her a nudge on the shoulder and a glare.
"Calm down, Akane. If he went out somewhere like that he may be training his skills and all that kung fu stuff." Yuka comforted her.
"Uh, yeah. I guess that's it." Sayuri said, clueless.
Akane let a small smile slip. "Thanks you guys."
--
That night.
The guest and the Tendo's sang the classic song for a happy birthday celebration. However, Akane was wondering if Ranma was even there. He was not. Akane smiled sadly and felt like crying but her friends were there.
"Come on, Akane make a wish!" Daisuke said excitedly. Akane closed her eyes and made her wish. An important one too. Akane blew the candles. Everyone clapped their hands.
"It's time to open the presents!" Nabiki said with a huge smile.
"Okay, we're going to give you the presents according to this name. Ukyo, Shampoo, Ryoga, Soun, Me, Kasumi, Yuka, Sayuri, Happosai, Mousse, Genma, Cologne, Mrs. Saotome and Dr. Tofu!" Nabiki said and give from new present to another.
After 30 minutes they were done. Ukyo gave Akane a bow, Shampoo gave her a Ramen model, Ryoga gave her a pineapple though Kasumi took it, Soun, well, he gave her a wet handbag, Nabiki gave her 10,000 yen, Yuka and Sayuri shared money for her presents so they gave her a lamp, Happosai gave her a pink thong which Akane kicked him out of the house, Mousse gave her a bracelet, Genma gave her a bean bun, Cologne gave her a perfume, Mrs., Saotome gave her a long sword which made her scared and Dr. Tofu gave her a book about Chinese Medicine.
Akane liked all the gift (except the thong) but she wanted Ranma to come. Why can't he come!!!
--
Akane sighed and pulled her blanket to her face closer. Suddenly, there was a knock. It was from her window. The only one that does that is...
RANMA! Akane thought and her face lighten up. She missed him so much!
Akane stood up and opened the window. It is Ranma.
"Hey, sorry I didn't come to your party. I just want to give your present privately." Ranma said with a smile.
"Um, it's okay."
"Can I come in?" Ranma asked. Akane looked at him. He doesn't look like he has a problem with his head today. Akane nodded.
Ranma got in and sat on the floor while Akane sat on her bed, wearing her yellow pajamas.
There was an awkward silence between the two of them until Ranma decided to break the silence.
"Umm, Happy Birthday, Akane." Ranma said.
"Uh, thanks. Ranma can I ask you something?" Akane said.
"Sure."
"Where have you been for the last 2 months? I mean, you're always came back home so late." Akane said, avoiding eye contact.
"So, you noticed huh? I was working." Ranma muttered.
"What? What for?" Akane asked looking at him.
"I wanna buy you a great present, ya know. So I went to work at this construction field, carrying things and get a part time job to be a waitress at Burger King." Ranma muttered.
"So, here. I bought this for you." Ranma said giving her a baby blue with pink stripes box and a purple bow.
Akane opened the box and gasped. It was the new Jimmy Choos shoes!
"Ranma you do all of those to buy this?" Akane looked at him.
"Yeah, I wanna buy the perfect gift for you so I thought the shoes you're bragging about 2 months ago." Ranma muttered. Akane remembered. She wasn't bragging about it! Well, she does. A little.
"Thanks, Ranma. I really appreciate what you're doing." Akane said and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Ranma blinked. Akane giggled. Her wish had just come true. Well, almost. She's going to kiss him on the lips next time. She just needed time. Akane tightened the shoes around her chest.
~THE END~