CLOSED DOORS

A Ranma 1/2 Alternate Universe
Story by: Kristin-a-dette
Characters, trademark and inspiration by: Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2

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Hello! Welcome to my first Ranma fanfic. OK, first things first. I hadn't been updating this fanfic for 8 months since December 2005, and when I finally came back to update, I realized how childish I was back then. LOL... let's just I was such a newbie at writing fanfics. So anyways, I've completely revamped and edited the whole fic, took out the Filipino honorifics because I saw that there is no point to that anymore, and took out all my author's notes. LOL... looking back at them, I can't believe I was so silly. LOL... anyways, I've matured a bit now, and including with that matureness I've started to go back to finishing up my fics, so here you go guys. I'm writing Chapter 9 as of now so hang on! (July 12th, 2006)

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Chapter 1: Hidden thoughts

Akane grabbed her books out from her locker and quickly snapped her lock into place. She hurriedly stuffed her books inside her bag, and began to walk briskly through the west exit door of her school. She frowned at the crowd of students mingling in her way, and controlled the urge to just shove them away.

I have to see HIM now... she growled inwardly.

Then she saw him. Standing only a few feet away.

Oh my gosh! He's leaving! NO!

The object of her suddened horror casually hoisted his backpack on one shoulder and locked his locker while talking to one of his friends. He suddenly laughed and Akane could feel his laughter bounced back to her, pure male and sexy. He pushed his glossy black hair with his strong, masculine hands, and laughed once more, showing sets of dimples on either side of his chiseled face. Akane couldn't help but gawked at him.

I have to get in front of him!

Akane tried to walk a bit faster, but there was still people blocking her way. She sighed, and thrusted her arms to push them away.

"Akane, wait!"

"Oh my gosh... I'm am so going to frikin' kill this person..." Akane muttered angrily. She searched for him again, and was relieved when she saw him still talking to his friend. Then she turned around with a bright smile painted on her face.

"Oh, hi, Ukyou. Look, listen..."

"Hold on! I want to walk home with you!" Ukyou said, grinning. Her long, ebony hair was tied back, but there were still strands of hair falling out from her ponytail. She was holding her backpack with her right hand, and with her left she was holding a cellphone. Akane's fake smile faltered.

"Oh, no, it's OK! I'm in a hurry, and you could just call your chauffer!" Akane replied, a bit loudly.

Ukyou laughed. "Nah! I don't want to call Bruce. I want to walk home. With my best friend." She hooked her right arm around Akane's.

"But... but..." Akane stammered. I won't get to catch up with him then! She looked helplessly at his direction.

"Aw, you don't want to walk with me?" Ukyou asked, with a hurt expression on her face.

"No! It's not that! It's just that..." Come on, Akane. Tell her that you want to leave right now so you could see him. Oh no, wait. That's right. You haven't told your best friend about 'him', did you? "You might get tired easily." Akane ended lamely.

Ukyou narrowed her eyes. "But I won't. I'm exercising quite well enough."

"Ha-ha-ha... I know that... but you always get a ride so one would think that..." Akane laughed awkwardly. She looked around for him again, and saw that he was gone. Crap, he's gone! Stupid Ukyou! No... not Ukyou, stupid me! Akane sighed in defeat. Another day wasted. She turned to her oldest best friend in the whole wide world and smiled, genuinely this time.

"Come on Ukyou, let's go home."

"... So I talked to him today." Ukyou smiled expectantly at her.

Akane looked up, startled. She was so deep in thought that she didn't noticed that Ukyou was talking. "Talked to who?" She frowned. Oh great, now I lost my train of thoughts.

Ukyou either didn't notice her irritated reply, or just ignored it. She repeated her words. "I said, I talked to him today."

"Oh, him..." Akane probed her mind, trying to remember who's Ukyou's new crush this time. Then she got it. "Oh... him..."

"Yes, the one and only."

"You still like him?" Akane frowned at her friend. She remembered who this guy was. He was one of those guys who you can't help but like because of his personality and skills but who would never cast a glance on a girl like her. Ukyou, maybe, but her friend did have some extraordinary abilities, while Akane, alas, does not.

"Well, yeah... I mean, I've known him since I was six. We're practically best friends." Ukyou grinned in memory.

Akane rolled her eyes and replied, "So it doesn't really matter if you talk to him every day, right? I mean, you would always do it anyways, since you've known each other since forever, right?" She spotted a crushed popcan and kicked it. It flew a few feet away.

"Wow, seriously, Akane, you should try out for soccer or something." Ukyou stared at the can, impressed.

"Naw... I'm not good." Akane blushed. Ukyou knew what she really wanted to do, but considering the circumstances at home right now, that dream doesn't look any hopeful for the moment.

Ukyou gave up on making her friend feel better. She's not oblivious to Akane's moods as much as her friend think she was, but she didn't let on. She knew that Akane didn't want anyone probing her personal life at all, and so she didn't bother.

"Anyways," she continued. "What should I do, Akane? I really, really like him. If I didn't know any better, I think I'm falling in love with him."

"Why," Akane gasped in feigned horror. "Say it isn't so." She tried to keep herself from laughing.

Ukyou sighed. "Stop teasing me. You know, if you only believe in love and actually like guys, you would feel the same way as I do." She frowned at her.

Akane's smile dropped a bit, then she smirked. "Ha-ha. For your information, I do believe in love, but I don't believe that guys believe in love. Lust, maybe, but that ain't a definition for love." Well, Ukyou doesn't really know about him... and I'm not going to tell her.

It's not like she doesn't trust her best friend. She does, but the thing is, she just doesn't want anyone to know her personal stuff, that's all. She doesn't want to know what people think about her, and she definitely doesn't want to spill all her secrets out to someone, even if that someone is her best friend. I guessed, in a way, I'm just not a trusting person at all.

Ukyou sighed again. She doesn't know what's going on with Akane lately, but it seems like they're drifting slowly apart everyday. She hardly see Akane at school anymore, and when she gets the chance to see her, Akane looked like she'd rather eat a whale than talk to her. If you would only open up to me, Akane...

Their conversation about guys forgotten, both of the girls fell back to their own thoughts

Darn it, I could see his back from here. Akane stared ahead. She glanced back at her friend, and admired how Ukyou could still look pretty even though she was wearing a frown. Do I even look like that? She wondered. Then she remembered their conversation and suddenly felt guilty. I didn't meant to laugh at her love problems like that. It's just that I'm pissed because I missed my opportunity to see him...

Akane faced Ukyou and sighed. "I'm sorry, Ukyou. I didn't mean to laugh like that." She gave her a smile.

Ukyou searched her face for a second, and then grinned. "It's OK."

They continued walked, talking animatedly once again.

The boy ahead of the two girls, reared back his head and laugh. His laughter carried over to one of the girls behind him, and she perked up her ears. The other girl stared at her and frowned. Meanwhile, the boy punched his friend playfully on the arm and said, "Man, you're one weird dude."

His friend smiled. "I try my best."

The boy laughed once more. "Ha-ha-ha. So tell me again, how did you caught your sister making out with her boyfriend?"

"I was trying to get our cat out from the tree..."

"Sure, that's what they all say." The boy winked at him, and grinned cheekily.

His friend tried to keep his face from breaking out, but he couldn't hide it any longer. He burst out laughing. "Ha-ha-ha. I keep on seeing my sister's shocked face when he saw me looking at her from the window. It was priceless!"

They both roared in laughter.

"Stop it, Ranma! You're killing me!"

"Who, me? I'm not the one spying on his sister! Ryouga!"

They both snorted into another round of laughter, while one of the girls behind them stared at them wistfully.

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