SPEED DIAL
By: Feathertop

A/N: Ahahaha? (barely dodges the flying knives) I'm so sorry I went missing for a hundred years! I'll try to make up for it with uh… (cough) faster (cough) updates so please forgive me? And for the weird ending of POYS, my sincerest apologies...

Disclaimer: As much as I want to own Rei – I mean – I do not own GALS. :D

A/N: Cheers to my best friend, Ryan, for giving me the "push" to write fanfics again. To my insane best friend, Eric, for constantly putting "thoughts" into my head, to my sadistic best friend, Keia, for proof reading, and to Drei, for "indirectly" giving me the idea for the plot! You guys are so AWESOME!

-x-o-x-o-x-Chapter 1 - Switched (Aya's POV) –x-o-x-o-x-

"Aiyeeee!!"

I looked up from my book to see Mami, my roommate, panting like crazy. She usually did that so I didn't bother asking what happened to her. She probably saw another one of those "hot" guys on her way to our apartment.

"Aya, you will not guess what happened to me today!" she squealed like a high school girl as I placed the book I was reading aside and adjusted my position on the bed so I could listen to her properly.

"Hmm… You… uhm, saw this really, really handsome guy?"

"Even better!" she made a dramatic pose and started squealing again. "Remember the guy I told you about a few days ago?"

"Uhm, which guy?" She told me about so many guys that I lost track and even if I kept a record of every guy she met, it would take me ten years to list them all up. I could even fill up a whole library with just their names!

Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating but really, the list is just… long.

"The really-really-really hot guy!"

I remember her saying the same line with other guys so I just pretended I knew what she was talking about.

"Oh, I remember! That… really… hot guy." I finished tentatively but she must have missed the uncertainty in my voice for she continued her rambling about how she met him again and how she's so sure he's her prince charming in disguise and so on.

"And then… And then…" At this point, insert a dreamy sigh, a momentary silence where in she'll stare up the ceiling with starry eyes and finally, another dreamy sigh. I resisted the urge to just let her be.

"And then?"

"He… he… he…"

"He?"

"HE GLANCED AT ME!! For 1.2 seconds!!" she fanned herself frantically. "It was such a magical moment! Time stopped and my heart practically burst out of my rib cage! We stared at each other, knowing that we were made for one another… And then… he disappeared."

I stared at her for a moment.

"So, uhm, he magically appeared and disappeared?"

"No, of course he did not just magically appear. That's just silly! I was looking for him around university since this morning and when I finally found him and we stared into each other's eyes, he magically disappeared."

I looked at her in silence and laughed.

"What?" she demanded exasperatedly.

"Oh nothing, Mami-chan, it's just amusing how much of an obsessive stalker you are." I gave her my sweetest smile, hoping it would be enough to make her forget the fact that I called her a "stalker".

"I am not a STALKER!!"

And then again, maybe my smile isn't as sweet as I thought it would be.

"Just because I put an effort into making my happy ending come true doesn't mean I'm a stalker!"

"Of course, just because you practically tail the guy everywhere doesn't make you a stalker at all."

"Exactly! Wait… Hey, I do not tail the guy everywhere! I just happened to be where he is at all times, that's all."

"Uh-huh…"

"…" She glared at me and I merely replied with another laugh. "I photocopied his schedule just now and I even know where he is at specific times! I'm amazing, aren't I? I even have his phone number! Of course, I had to go through hell just to get this but it's worth it. Would you believe I bribed my classmate in this certain class just to get him to ask his friend's brother to tell his girlfriend to make her cousin copy his contact number?"

I blinked several times. Wow, uhm, I got lost there.

"I am going to set this on my speed dial!"

"Mami?"

"Yes?"

"You're still sane, right?"

"WHAT!"

"Just asking..."

She glared at me again before sitting on my bed with me. Taking my book with her index finger and her thumb, she held it before her and scrunched up her nose as if it were the most disgusting thing she's ever seen.

"You know, Aya, if you sit around here and just… read… you're going to miss all the fun in life."

"I have all the fun I need right here." I snatched my book back and stuck my tongue out playfully at her. She smiled and pinched my nose.

"Ugh, I give up… Aya, you're nineteen – for crying out loud – get yourself a freaking love life!! Get out more and have fun!"

And here we go again with my love life.

"Ah, oh, look at the time! I have to go to the library and finish my report!" And again, I was avoiding the topic but I didn't care as I scuttled to put on my shoes and jacket.

"Fine, but before you leave, let me borrow your phone! I need to make a prank, uh, I mean… I need to call someone!" I shook my head, grinning. She replied with The Look. Ack, not The Look! Sure, she did this a lot of times before but I just can't seem to get immune to her big puppy dog eyes.

Can't resist… No… Make it stop!

"Fine."

And we switched phones.

-x-o-x-o-x-

It took me longer than usual to reach the library because of a few distractions. People were a bit too friendly today.

I rummaged through the bookshelves and surprisingly, I found myself thinking of what my roommate told me. Am I really a bookworm? Sure, I love books but I do love getting out sometimes and just have fun but… I guess I never have the time.

And what is it with her rushing my love life anyway?

Scratch that, I don't have a love life.

Why are people getting on my case very often nowadays?

Am I that closed off?

Great, I'm actually worried about it. No, this is just the effect of thinking too much on that bookworm comment. Maybe if I stop delving on the matter, it would go away. Yep, it would just go away.

-Aha! I found the book I needed!

Turning right, I continued to walk until I reached the very end of the library where I usually sat. I was too busy looking through the windows that I didn't notice that someone was using my favorite table.

I came closer and found that the stranger was a guy. He was sleeping so peacefully that I took a step back to use the other table so not to disturb him. I guess someone likes it here as much as I do. Although apparently, he utilizes the table far more "creatively" than I do.

Without thinking twice, I left with his dark brown hair as the last thing on my mind. It looked so dark that it almost seemed black but I'm pretty sure it's dark brown –a really, really, dark brown. But I guess, it could look black at some point but I really think it's dark brown-

Wait.

Why am I debating with myself?

More importantly, why am I debating with myself about that guy's hair color?

"Breathe." I told myself and tucked the stray strands of my dark blue hair behind my ear. I probably just need to eat and take a break or something. Yes, that's just what I need.

But I should finish this report first.

-x-o-x-o-x-

I had returned from the grocery store with our snacks. It would have taken me sooner if not for my mother who called earlier just to remind me of how poorly I was doing with my studies. According to her, I am so lazy and so ignorant and that I don't even deserve the effort she and father are doing for my future.

But I guess I understand them. I mean, they've worked so hard just to get me here and I guess their high expectations are just… I don't know… reasonable? I guess I should stop complaining. I mean, they wouldn't expect anything that I'm not capable of doing, right?

Right.

That's comforting enough.

Plastering a smile on my face, I headed up stairs to our room while greeting our neighbors along the way. When I finally got to our door, I grabbed my keys and-

Grabbing my keys… keys… keys-

Where are my keys?!

Oh God, don't tell me I forgot my keys inside… Ack, I am such a klutz!

I took Mami's phone from my bag. She had set my number in the first speed dial so I simply pressed the said number, not bothering to look at the screen.

Ten rings.

That's surprising, she's not answering. That's not like her.

I tried again. I tried four times and finally, on the fourth try, after three rings, someone answered.

"Hello?"

I froze.

The voice on the other line belonged to a guy. It sounded so monotonous and cold… and really, really annoyed at that moment. Nonetheless, it was one of those clear, soothing types.

He had a nice voice.

Although I'm not quite sure why I find his monotony soothing.

"Hello?" He said again, this time, just a bit gentler.

It took five seconds for me to realize that I wasn't answering back. Oh God, I was being rude!

"Ah, haha! Uhm, I'm sorry, I think I dialed the wrong number! Haha! I'm really, really sorry!" I quickly ended the call. My heart was racing like mad. That was just too embarrassing!

Whose number did I call anyway?

I checked the speed dial options and found…

"Rei Otohata? Who is this guy? Probably a friend of Mami's that I didn't know about? But why didn't she tell me she changed her settings? She could've at least – then maybe I wouldn't have - Ugh…"

This time, I made sure to look at the screen as I dialed my own number. It took three rings to make Mami answer the phone. I sighed in relief when I heard her voice.

"Mami? Where are you? I forgot my keys inside and I'm stuck outside the door."

I was making weird sentences – very obvious, awkward ones at that, but my mind was panicking too much to care. I could've jumped ten feet in the air when she said, "I'll be there in a jiff!"

"Okay, thanks… and Mami… I am never going to switch phones with you again..."

-x-o-x-o-x- END OF CHAPTER –x-o-x-o-x-

A/N: Uh, so, uh… why are you guys holding torches? - Eeep, mercy? OH! By the way, thank you so much for reading! I hope the first chapter is okay given that it's been a really long time since I last wrote a fanfic. It would also be really wonderful if you leave a comment. I'm sorry again for the oh-so long absence.