Ice and Flame
By: The Demise of the Fallen Angel
Summary: My dear girl, what do you have against me? I'm hot, I'm cool, I'm rich, I'm good-looking, I'm famous. What's there not to like? … You.
Yo! Gem! This is for you and for Ms. Sonia's Shin who inspired this story...
I hope you would enjoy reading this. Warning though, due to Atobe's slight OOC-ness.
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Prince of Tennis. Sigh. I'm so unlucky…
Chapter I
"What the-?" She swore before she managed to hide herself on the brick pillar of a random café.
Normally, Akimoto Reia was a very calm person. She always maintained her cool composure, NO MATTER WHAT. But lately, she found herself trilling on the verge of her sanity.
It was a quiet afternoon. Peace. Serene. Calm. Tranquil. But a certain silver-haired diva seemed to like making her day horrible. She met Atobe a couple of weeks ago when she was dragged by her friend to watch a tennis match, and since then, Atobe had been hot on her trail.
She spotted her pursuers, a group of suit-clad men, obviously under the control of a rich person glancing left and right, eyes sharp like a hawk, trying to find a certain raven-haired girl that their employer wanted them to capture.
"Arrgh, how did they manage to follow me here?"
She sneaked out of her house to avoid her mother's incessant talks about how she should get a boyfriend. She's just 15 for god's sake! She doesn't know what kind of parent she has. Normal ones would usually fret and lecture her daughter to avoid getting into any relationship.
She saw that Atobe's goons were still in the vicinity, trying their best to find their target. She pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed an annoying person's number. "Oi, rich brat!"
"Reia, my dear girl! I'm glad you took the initiative to call me first. So, have you realized that you like me too and you're now asking me for a date? Don't worry, I'll accept if you would just stop calling me a brat."
She could just imagine that infuriatingly arrogant smirk on Atobe's lips as he spoke the words. She seethed in annoyance, "That would never happen, brat! I won't date you, EVER, so could you do your self a favor and dispose these creatures that you sent to find me?! Oh, and it should be Akimoto-san for you."
"Oh, come on. You don't really mean that. Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you come to my mansion today so we could—"
"For the last time, Atobe, stay away from me!" She wanted to strangle herself for even calling this brat. Why did she call him in the first place?
"I can't do that. You like me, and I'd hate to see you hurt if I rejected you."
"Yeah right. I reeeally like to castrate you so my world could be in peace again."
"You're too harsh."
"I'm sick and tired of telling you this, Atobe. But I don't like you. And I would never go out with you. EVER!" She shouted and turned the phone off.
She looked around and saw many people staring at her. She glared at the onlookers.
"What?! Never saw a crazy girl before?!" They looked away immediately to continue with their own tasks.
Actually, there's a chance she might like Atobe, since he's not some kind of serial killer or drug addict. But his 'holier-than-thou' attitude, the one in which he never let's anyone get in his way clashed with her independence. She has a high respect for those who also respected her independence and Atobe was definitely not one of them.
She peeked again from her hiding spot and saw Atobe's goons still looking for her. She sighed. Maybe she should just cut her wrist or something. She looked down on her innocent wrist and dispersed the thought away. She has a very low pain tolerance and killing herself would never be an option. She looked around to find some help when her eyes caught a certain salon. She touched her short ebony locks and smiled evilly.
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She smirked when her friend, Yuko nearly choked on the tea she was drinking.
"Reia! What happened to you?"
She shrugged her shoulders as she sat down across her friend. She fingered her once ebony locks that were now flaming red in color. "I was avoiding someone so I tried to alter my appearance."
Yuko's eyebrows wrinkled, "Is it that Atobe again?"
"Is there anyone else?" She tapped the table loudly, "Did you know, he sent his goons to find me and bring me to god knows where! The nerve of that guy!"
"Why don't you just tell him straight in the face that you don't like him?"
"Don't you think I haven't done that?! I've told him a lot of times but it just won't penetrate his thick skull!"
"Then, why don't you try to like him?" Yuko sighed exasperatingly.
"I can't because he's too obnoxious, so why should I waste my time? Besides, guys like him are jerks."
Yuko frowned, "Not all men are like that stupid ex-boyfriend of yours, Reia."
"Whatever." Then she smirked, "Hey, what do you think?" She asked her friend as she turned a bit to show her new hairstyle. "Does it look good on me?"
"Yup, you look like a lit-up matchstick."
"I was asking, does it look good?"
"Rei-chan, if I'd look like a matchstick, I'd probably kill myself." Yuko shuddered as she touched her own wavy chestnut hair and imagined it in color red.
She frowned at her friend's comment, but smirked when she remembered the purpose of the hairstyle.
"Hmm… That's exactly the reaction I wanted."
"What?!"
She smiled sweetly, "It's nothing. Anyway, I have to go. I'll be late for my part-time job."
She practically skipped on the way to the ice cream shop where she was working. Making herself look like an idiot was just the first step on making Atobe stay away from her. She's willing to sacrifice her looks since she's desperate to redeem her lost peace of mind. Atobe, with his good-looks and fame, surely won't go out with a girl that looked like a 'lit-up matchstick', according to Yuko.
She was walking towards the door of the ice cream shop when a pair of hands grabbed her arm and dragged her.
"Hey! Let go!" She scrambled to free her arms but the hands were holding her tightly. She saw the exact people she was avoiding earlier and she panicked. "This is kidnapping! Help! Someone, help me!"
Before anyone could react though, she was already pushed into a black limousine and the car sped off. She tried opening the door but it was locked. She banged the window to try to ask for help.
"Hel—"
"Quiet."
That deep baritone voice rendered her speechless. She slowly looked behind and saw Atobe, sitting cross-legged beside her, those strong arms crossed elegantly on his well-toned chest, with a haughty smirk plastered on his annoyingly gorgeous face.
"I knew you'd miss me soon and would be too embarrassed to approach me, so I decided to spare you from your impending depression and visit you myself."
She resisted to bang her head on the window. This guy's ego couldn't just get any bigger!
Atobe scooted closer and touched her hair, "Hmm… It's been a week since I saw you. It seems like a lot of things changed." Then Atobe's smirk got wider, "For one thing, you grew a wig."
She slapped the hand away and glared, "Don't meddle with my life, especially with my hair."
Atobe ignored her and his fingers once again found its way to her hair. "But I like this new you better. It speaks too much of what you are. Tough and fiery."
She stopped when she heard his voice. It was devoid of the usual arrogance and instead, it was pure fondness and truth. She scoffed and scooted away. She tapped the glass separating them from the driver's side and the driver lowered it.
"Just stop at that corner."
"You won't—" Her glare cut off Atobe's words. "Like what she said, Kato-san, drop her off at that corner."
The driver followed the order and stopped. She immediately opened the door and got out of the car. She was surprised when Atobe followed her out and she sighed in frustration.
"For the last time Atobe, stop following me. I don't like you and I won't go out with you!"
"Amen to that. But I just wanted to give you your bag that you left in the car." Atobe said and handed a small white and green bag.
She refused to feel humiliated so she stomped her way to Atobe and snatched the bag away from his hand. He was smiling but he didn't let go of his hold on the bag.
She glared at him. Slowly, his grip loosened and she pulled the bag away. But he startled her when his arms enclosed her in a warm embrace, his face burrowed on her hair. She felt a warm flush spread on her cheeks, her stomach tightened. She felt weird.
After a few moment of shock, she composed herself and pushed Atobe away, who, though unwillingly, released her.
Her eyes were shooting daggers at Atobe but he didn't flinch, he merely stared at her. "Don't. You. Dare. Do. That. Again. And don't you ever come near me again." She hissed.
Atobe looked at her with strange expression, "I'll see you again soon, Reia." He opened the door to his car but before stepping in, he turned to her and his intense stare made her flinch. "I'm not gonna let you go just as easily as the guy who broke your heart." He smiled, not smirked and he entered the car. She just watched as the car sped off.
He wouldn't let go of her just as easily as the guy who broke her heart? How did he know about that? Her grip on her bag tightened as she walked back to the ice cream parlor.
'I'm not gonna let anyone get near me and break my heart again."
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-o0o-
Just in case you didn't notice, the title 'Ice and Flame' refers to Atobe and Reia's hair color. Haha! Actually, I just wanted to include the word 'Ice' on the title since I think it suits Atobe.
Reviews, criticisms, comments, suggestions, anything would be wonderful and would be much appreciated.