Here it is! Birthday fic for Dot-chan (Peridot Tears), who turned 13 on August 24! (now we're the same age...isn't that a bit creepy? I'll be 14 in October)...

...Though it's a bit late. o.o; Better late than never, right...? Heheh.

I used "Ann" here instead of the usual "An". I'm not quite sure why.

Disclaimer: It's a fanfic. Pretty self-explanatory, there. :D


"Ann-chan! Where were you? I was so worried! Are you okay? Don't tell me, you were hanging around with that Momoshiro, weren't you? You know that he just wants to get into your pants, right?"

Those were the first words that Kamio had spoken (yelled, really) to her, right after Tachibana Ann jumped off the public bus and walked into the school building for after-school practice. Not Hi! Hello! How are you? I missed you! but something that he shouldn't even be sticking his nose in.

To be honest, Ann was a bit –just a bit—pissed. Her hair was a bit ruffled and a pink barrette was missing. She was sweating, and her lip gloss looked chewed-upon.

"Kamio-kun…" she waved, ignoring his rude comments towards her friend, and then gave him a chaste kiss. Seeing his face bubble up like a cherry, she felt a little more annoyed. They were officially going out, now, for God's sake, and he still couldn't get a grip on himself. Kippei had called it very romantic and then gave an unmanly giggle, but Ann just thought it rather embarrassing.

It wasn't that he wasn't a perfect boyfriend. Kamio Akira was one of the more good-looking guys in Fudomine High School, and he had the brains and the athletic skill to make up for anything that wasn't there. He was in Kippei's good graces (something that was very difficult to gain), and had a sentimental side that no one but her (and possibly Ibu-kun) had witnessed.

But Kamio was a bit –just a bit—overtly-possessive. Insecure.

Afraid that she'd fall into the hands of every other guy on the planet, more like.

There's Momoshiro Takeshi, for one. The power player of Seishun High (formerly their Seigaku rival). Charmer of many-a-fangirl. But that didn't mean that he just wanted her body. Ann thought Momoshiro-kun was a very caring guy. And she knew for a fact that he preferred his Echizen Ryoma over any girls.

And Fuji Yuuta, for another. He and Ann had instantly connected when both had related their annoyance at being referred to as "Fuji's little brother" and "Tachibana's little sister." But Yuuta was too wrapped up in that-slime-ball-Mizuki's claws to really have time for her.

No, Ann-chan was safe from any bad boys. And she was Kamio's for sure.

But after the events of today…Ann couldn't help but reconsider her consent at being known as "Kamio's girlfriend"—

She'd kissed Kirihara. Not any little kiss on the cheek, either, but one of those large, passionate ones that suggested something else might've happened if they had been locked in a closet together.

And he hadn't started blushing like the world was going to catch on fire.

--

"It's you," The boy had been practicing in his little spot at the park, for once outside of his school. He was avoiding all the curious stares and freshman girls stalking him with a cold indifference, his concentration focused on nothing but the tennis ball and his racket. Ann had been watching him for a while, just looking at his sweaty back and following the motions of his muscled-arms.

His movements were fluid, beautiful, and well-formed. Entirely different from Kamio's fast, blurry forehands. She had been thinking about wanting to touch his arms, just to see how it'd feel, when Kirihara stopped and glared at her.

She felt her cheeks flush, as she tried to muster an acknowledgement that didn't make her look like a complete dolt, "Kirihara-kun."

"What do you want?" his nasal voice was impatient as he wiped the sweat off his face with the edge of his shirt. She couldn't help but stare at the blank patch of skin that was exposed.

Well-sculpted and sexy. Nice.

--

...Things sort of snow-balled from there. She asked him about his captain and his own injuries and how he was doing, and he had replied about it being nothing she had to worry about, and then they'd both went into a café and ordered a couple of drinks and after that took a nice walk together and then—

Yeah.

At least she got to touch his abs, and smooth down his hair, and trail her fingertips against his arms…

If anyone else had heard, they would think it was the most random, absurd thing she'd ever done.

"Kamio-kun, I want to break up."

You could just see his face crumple before her eyes. For a second, Ann felt truly sorry and miserable for doing something so cruel, but then she remember Akaya's lips and arms, and she didn't give it another thought.

The truth was that Tachibana Ann just didn't care for Kamio Akira. Not anymore. She might've wondered about him before, but now he was just another meaningless guy in her life.

Right now, he could fall into a thousand-foot pit and get fried in the depths of hell, and Ann just wouldn't give a damn.

Ouch.

They say that the opposite of love is hate. But it isn't. It's indifference. When someone just doesn't care about you anymore, won't ever have you in their mind unless you're standing two feet in front of them, that's when you're truly not-loved.

--

"O-Okay," the boy had seemed a bit shell-shocked as he walked away from her, footsteps echoing against the tennis courts sounding every bit as hollow as an empty box.

"I'm sorry!" she added, hoping to comfort him a bit, but it just seemed to make it worse.

--

At least when you hate someone, you had the thought of them in your mind.

But now, Kamio was officially history.


A/N: I'm SORRY! I'm JUST SO SORRY! I totally messed-up the POV in this thing, it's a bit incoherent, and I wrote it in a rush yesterday. In any case, the plot content clearly doesn't match any well-wishing birthday present. I suck. But it's the best I could do for KamioAnn, I swear.

Didn't get to post it now, well, 'cause the stupid FFN login system cut me off. And then I got side-tracked by the new Special A episode...and yeah.

Anyways, happy belated birthday to dear Dot-chan! Luff you!