CHAPTER ONE

8:39 PM.

It was horrible; she felt idiotic and horrid, however, the alcohol in her brain was preventing further thoughts of her stupidity as she swayed along to the music. Utau was giving everyone a show, singing on the makeshift stage, Amu was missing, somewhere here but no one knew the specific place and Yaya danced out on the floor with her, giggling drunkenly.

Do you know who this 'her' to which I'm referring to?

'Her' is an eighteen year old girl named Mashiro Rima. She's a junior-about-to-turn-senior in Seiyo Academy, the High School division. Today was her birthday, February six, and she was having the time of her life; though at first, Rima didn't dare touch the obviously spiked punch (there were senior students present. Best you thank Kukai and Utau) but with much persuasion that the birthday girl had to get a little funk in her system, she managed to down half of the pink stuff. As if that hadn't been enough, someone had suggested that they'd run down to the nearest club and party like there was no tomorrow.

She didn't know why or how she'd agreed; it was merely a fuzzy memory in the back of her head due to the fact that as of now she was starting to hallucinate.

Why she was hallucinating, you may ask. Well, there were a lot of people present at this party, but she'd know that body build that she was resting against anywhere. Fujisaki Nagihiko had saved her one too many times when they were younger and the feel of his firm chest against her back had gotten way too familiar for her to not be able to recognize when she was pressed up against him.

And no one else in this room, with the exception of him, would have been capable of turning her into the dancer she had on display as she was now passed from partner to partner only to end up in his arms.

If it weren't for the fact that she was highly intoxicated and it was dirty dancing music being played, she would have been ravaging the boy already. He was seventeen, his birthday was in five months, but Rima knew a good looker when she saw one.

True, they'd had a lot of disagreements when they were younger, and at one point, he had suddenly manned up and turned on her once or twice with snappy comebacks and a wry look of his own, Rima still knew Nagihiko meant well; which was why she didn't refuse to his offer of being her dance partner for the rest of the night.

.

10:15 PM.

It was at this time that Rima caught herself thinking such unforgiving things. Why were these things unforgiving, you might ask. Well, she was thinking, that maybe, she liked Nagihiko and how he made her feel special with each turn and each compliment he whispered in her ear as they danced.

She knew that it could most probably have been the alcohol, or the flashing disco lights in the club, but that gleam she saw in Nagihiko's mesmerizing bronze eyes told her that maybe, just maybe, he liked her too.

Rima closed her eyes when Nagihiko's cool breath washed over her face. She didn't need a mirror to know that her cheeks were flushed, and it didn't help that they were getting even redder when he suddenly murmured, "We should get out of here."

During a normal day, that would most probably involve a not-so bold Nagihiko, and a sane and non-intoxicated Rima, she would have declined and made up an excuse. But seeing as right now Nagihiko was being way too bold and Rima was most definitely intoxicated, she nodded her head, completely mesmerized and dazed by his gosh-darn-looking eyes.

With a small smirk, he lead her out of that club, leaving their friends to wonder where they'd run off to- if they'd even realize that the birthday girl left the club at all. It was something that she doubted as Nagihiko lead her through the throngs of dancing people, her hand gripped tightly in his.

Rima couldn't control the giggles leaving her lips as she was lead away- it was the damn alcohol, she insisted in her head; but she knew just as well that it was the fact that Nagihiko looked extremely dazzling whenever he glanced over his shoulder.

Can't you just imagine it? With each turn his head made, the black fedora on his head kept his hair in place, but didn't quite manage to tame his dark fringes that managed to sway each time. How the dark black of his shirt managed to make his hair appear even lighter and how his hand felt oh so warm holding her own.

It brought butterflies to her stomach and damn did she feel stupid.

"So," she giggled again when he pressed her up against a wall somewhere near the exit of the club; his lips- his smooth and soft looking lips- were so deliciously inviting she considered throwing herself at him then and there. "It's your birthday… where do you wanna go?"

"Anywhere, as long as I'm with you." At this point, Rima realized just how out of character she was being; with the giggling, the blushing, and the sudden willingness to be with someone she'd never really gotten along with unless completely necessary and in the firm grasp of the moment, but did she care? As of this moment, right now, no.

"My place then." Nagihiko managed to peel her off of the wall and with the help of some sense of clarity that penetrated through the alcohol, he'd lead her to his house.

"Isn't your mother home?" was the first thing Rima muttered when his bedroom door closed. The boy shrugged, his fedora falling of his head when he'd gotten her to relax on his bed.

"She most probably is, but she won't be coming by my room." Her eyes widened at this- was this really the alcohol talking? Nagihiko still looked a little in control for someone who was intoxicated, or perhaps Rima had drunk a little too much and was yet again imagining things.

Too caught up in her thoughts, she barely managed to stop Nagihiko when he was merely inches away. With a very hesitant hand, she pushed him back away, thankful when he backed up on his own.

"What are you doing?" her head throbbed and she was gaining a bit of control over her thoughts. The boy in front of her was biting his lips nervously and his eyes shone with something Rima couldn't recognize, and suddenly her thoughts went fuzzy all over again.

"Nothing I know you don't want me to do." He leaned in another time and Rima didn't - couldn't - stop him. Who's to say she didn't want him right at that moment; the moment being the time she'd frozen and gotten kissed.

It wasn't her first, it wasn't that cliché, but it was most definitely better than any of the other kisses she'd ever had. The mere fire that burned from her lips as Nagihiko moved around, pressing light kisses on her face and neck, made her melt instantly, and she couldn't stop him or herself when clothes started to disappear and a foil package appeared in Nagihiko's hand.

.

3:52 AM

Her head hurt, no seriously it did. Sitting up against an unfamiliar bed that was much too soft to be her own, was not at all helping. Rima was dazed and confused, her vegas gold eyes flickering around the room. Nothing at all appeared familiar to her and she was a lot more confused when something warm moved from somewhere to her right.

"Shit." Now, Rima wasn't one to curse, but seeing a certain someone sleeping right beside her with his arm slung around her just-now-noticed-naked waist was most definitely the ideal time to use at least some form of vulgarity.

Nagihiko had a contented look on his face, his complexion slightly paler in the moonlight. Raising a hand to her head, Rima desperately tried to think of what had happened. Judging by the fact that there were no clothes on her, and that she was in bed right next to him, they must have done 'it'.

Okay, so she wasn't a kid- let's rephrase that; they must have had sex.

"Damn that alcohol." Rima slumped against the headboard and let her thoughts run free. It wasn't like she hated Nagihiko - sure they'd disagree often - it's just that she'd never seen him in that light. The light that was reserved to be lit only for people who made your heart beat a hundred miles per hour, people who made your cheeks turn red at the cheesiest and corniest of compliments.

But they'd done it, had sexual intercourse and it was still semi-illegal. Nagihiko was only seventeen- she could get sued for this being the older one.

Attempting to calm down, Rima took in a long breath. Now was not the time to think about such stupid things, technically, in five months, the boy would be an adult and he'd be allowed to have sex. Her current problem would be solved by then.

But this hitch she had now... What would this make them? Would they become a couple- she's had a handful of boyfriends and Nagihiko wasn't much of a prude, but she never in a million years saw Fujisaki Nagihiko holding her hand and telling her he loved her, much less them being naked in a bed together right after her birthday party.

Second on her thoughts was that; she'd lost her virginity at such a young age, and to someone she'd considered her semi-friend.

As much as she could remember, Rima didn't think it'd hurt. She could vaguely replay it in her mind. Nagihiko had been gentle and he'd been sweet about everything. He stroked her hair as he held still for her to adjust to him, he cupped her face as his first few thrusts hurt her, and he flinched at each pained cry she made, desperately wanting to make it as painless as possible.

Rima knew she was lucky it had been someone like Nagihiko… but to think that she didn't even get along with him most of the time.

Almost as if Nagihiko suddenly sensed her agitation and confusion, the seventeen year old stirred and raised his head, groggily opening his eyes. When he saw Rima beside him, he seemed just a little too surprised, his hazelnut eyes widening.

"Rima…-chan?" He sat up, his arm moving back to his side. When he'd seen that her shoulders and part of her chest was bare, barely being covered up by his Persian blue comforter, he'd already managed to put two and two together and no more words left his lips.

.

6:45 AM

Rima found herself sitting in her own bed, lying on her own blanket dressed and alone with no naked Nagihiko right beside her. The fatigue of partying out last night and having sex for the very first time while drunk was getting to her and she felt sore all over.

It'd been over three hours, going on four, since Nagihiko'd dropped her at her house. She was glad he'd been nice enough to bring her home even though she knew she'd pretty much messed up everything.

Rima didn't miss the look in his eyes when she'd said goodbye, and it was horrible that she saw it. What she would give to go back in time and tell her past self never to look into those betraying and mesmerizing eyes. She felt like an awful, horrible person- stupid and idiotic.

Closing her eyes, she let out a shaky breath, feeling like the stupidest person on earth. Again and again, she let their conversation float through her head, taking comfort in the fact that this would never be a problem.

"This never happened." she repeated mostly to herself as she tightened the straps of her silver heels. He threw her top at her and went back to buttoning up a fresh shirt he'd pulled out of his closet, not saying a thing. Rima stared at Nagihiko as he continued to snap those buttons. She ran a hand through her hair rather nervously before sealing the deal. "I still hate you."

Nagihiko froze; his hands at the last button. For a moment Rima thought he would finally say something and speak to her, tell her what was on his mind. But all he said was, "Of course you do…"