"Nina give them back!" The fifteen-year-old whined . Nina ran, laughing, as she clutched the musical instruments in her hands. She turned and taunted, "Come and get zem!" Stan ran after her, thinking he'd start using his mom's running machine first chance he got. He wasn't in bad shape, but if he wanted to get on the football team he'd have to try a whole lot harder.
"Come on zilly boy, you can do it!" Nina encouraged, shaking his maracas at him. I'll never ask Nina to help me train ever again, he thought miserably, sprinting after her. "Go Stan!" Their friends cheered behind him and he raced toward Nina on the football field. Nina flashed him a grin. He growled in reply.
"You can do it!" Nina said. "I know you can. Always and forever I'll believe in you." Stan nodded, trying to find hope in her words. Sure she was a better sprinter, but she was small. He was half a foot taller than her. In amazement, Stan slowly saw the distance decrease between him and his best friend. Then, suddenly, she was in reach. "I gotcha!" he shouted, feeling victorious. He spoke too soon. He didn't see the turned up soil, which sent him flailing on Nina.
"Ow Stan you're heavy." Nina groaned, wiggling. His maracas lay several yards away. "Torahamu, that's not how you score a chick!" A booming voice shouted. Stan froze, Nina growled. Slowly, carefully, as if the voice would spring with any sudden movements. He held out a hand to Nina, who took it and jumped up, making Stan flinch. "Hi Sam." Nina said cooly. "Oh hey Nina." Sam Tasuma answered, winking.
Stan rolled his eyes. Sam, who was a Junior and the football captain, had a thing for Nina. Every boy had a thing for his best friend. Except for Stan. Sam grinned at Nina. "Making-out with Torahamu? Don't waste your breath on him. He's not worth it." Nina smiled sweetly through clenched teeth and said, "I was helping Stan train for the tryout."
Sam laughed, shaking his head. "Playing girl's football, Torahamu?" Sam sneered. "No." Stan snarled. Sam smiled evilly, clenching his hand. "Hey Tasuma." Boss stepped in. "Cool it." Sam shrugged, glaring at Stan, his hand still in a fist. "Leave him alone." Nina said, surprising Stan as she put her hands on Sam's chest and smiled sweetly at him.
"Please?" She asked, batting her eyelashes. Sam seemed lost, nodding absently. Nina held her face close to his and whispered, "Thank you." Sam seemed to come back to life, nodding and grinning at her. "Hey Nina, whad'ya say to dinner tomorrow night?" He said. "I zay," she curled her hands and lifted a corner of her mouth, "maybe." She smiled and stepped away. Sam smirked.
"Maybe's usually mean yes." He smiled at her and, without a glance at Stan or Boss, walked away. "What was that?" Stan asked, staring at his best friend. Nina smirked. "It's called flirting, somezing you do everyday." Stan shook his head, amazed. "And I had to zave you after you vere stupid enough to face up to him like that." She added.
He made a face. Nina grinned. "You have to say oui!" Bijou said eagerly, bounding up to her sister. "I agree with Bij." Pashmina said, nodding. "He really likes you." Nina rolled her eyes and groaned. "I agree with Nina. Why would she date Sam?" Stan asked. Bijou groaned as if this was an easy answer and he was too dim to see it.
"So she can protect you! She dates Sam, he leaves you alone." She said wisely. "Ohh." He said thoughtfully. "Fine I'll do it. For Stan." Nina said quietly. Stan stared at her in stunned silence. Bijou and Pashmina jumped up and down, giggling happily. "Come on sis!" Bijou said, clapping her hands. "I saw Sam go to the boys locker room. You can wait outside for him."
Nina leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. "Nina." Sam's voice was full of surprise. Nina opened her eyes and smiled. "Hey." She said softly, walking to him. "I came to accept your offer." Sam smiled. "Told ya maybe's mean yes." She smiled, standing close to him. She leaned into him and, taking that as a cue, he wrapped his arms around her. "I knew one day you'd dump Torahamu for me." She wanted to break out of his embrace and punch him. But Bijou wanted her to give him a heavy dose of flirting. And this was for Stan after all. As long as Sam didn't harm Stan, she'd suurvive.
"You were right." She said softly. She never was this intimate with any boyfriend, being hold close like this was unfamiliar. She hoped he wouldn't kiss her. She doesn't kiss on the first date. Or before it, either. "See? This probably feels more comfortable than being with Torahamu. " He said. Nina wanted to shake her head, to say she would rather be in Stan's arms. But she couldn't. Not yet.
"I'm sorry, Sam. But I have to go." She said, filling her voice with regret. She hated to play him on like this. He nodded. "Bye then. See you tomorrow." He winked at her and started to turn. His sudden movement surprised her as he spun around and pressed his lips against hers. It felt like, to him, it was a belated kiss. She should have been his the day he first saw her. Nina couldn't say she was shocked. It was such an understatement. To concel her anger, she played along.
She kissed him back, though not needily as he was with her. Tomorrow, I'll tell him I can't date him, She thought, even if this will help Stan. He pulled back, his lips curled in a big smile. "Bye babe." He said, winking as he jogged away. Nina stood, dumbfounded, her mouth opened in a 'O' of surprise. The kiss made it official to him. Official that Nina Ribbon belonged to him. Nina groaned, and started walking to her also surprised friends.
"Seems like Nina doesn't mind 'fake-dating' him." Stan said sourly. "Shut up." Nina snapped. "He kissed me." Stan glared. "But you seemed to like it." He said meanly. Nina felt frustrated. "I'm doing this for you, Stan!" She shouted.
"But why?" He challenged. "Because I love you, you idiot!" She shouted, hot tears swimming in her eyes. She turned and sprinted away, leaving her stunned-into-silence best friend behind. "I knew it." Sandy whispered. "No one can care about Stan that much and not love him." Stan ignored her and stared helplessly after his... what exactly? Best friend? Girlfriend? He felt confused. He stood there, watching Nina fade in the distance.
Stan stood in the halls, searching for Nina. "Yo, Torahamu." Someone called. He turned and saw several of the football players waving him over. He sighed and walked toward them. "Hey." He greeted. Wesley, an oversized player, grinned at him. "Sam's all happy that you gave Nina up. So we wanna say thanks for him. Dude's happy." He said. Stan nodded, mumbling an "okay." He walked away. "Hey Stan!" Della Sone bounced up to him, flashing a smile. "I heard Nina cheated on you with Sam. I can make you feel better." She winked at him. How many people here think she was my girlfriend? He thought, feeling frustrated.
"She wasn't my girlfriend, and no thanks." He snarled. She didn't seem to notice. "Oh Stan." She said symphetically. She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the student board. Thats when he saw the blown-up picture of Sam and Nina from yesterday, when they were kissing. He felt angry, felt the blood rush to his face.
"I knew you'd get mad. I'm so sorry Stan. I shouldn't have put them up." She smiled. He turned to her, sputtering. She smiled and said, "Look Stan, there's Sina." She said, pointing. Sam and Nina walked, hand in hand, down the hall towards them. "Stina's over, Sina's beginning."
Stan glared at her. "What the heck is Stina and Sina?" He asked. Della smirked. "Stina is you and Nina, Sina is Sam and Nina." With a wink, Della turned and walked away. Through out the day, Stan got apologies from everyone about Sam and Nina. Finally, at lunch, he couldn't take it. He went up to Sam's table, where Nina was sitting, and slammed his fist on the table, glaring at Sam.
"Nina what the heck was yesterday about? You kiss Sam, but tell me you're only doing it to protect me 'cause you love me." Stan grinned at the anger that rushed to Sam's face as the boy stood in front of him. "You're lieing!" Sam yelled. "No, he's not." Nina said quietly, standing up and walking towards them, eyes on Stan.
The three of them didn't notice the quiet, shocked cafeteria. "I love Stan. I'm sorry Sam. But I can't let you hurt him. Hurting him would be like hurting me." Nina placed herself in front of them, hands on Sam's chest, pushing him away from Stan. "You-you... " Sam sputtered. "Get away from me! You stupid..." Sam clenched his fist and raised it. The principal cleared his throat, coming up from behind. "Come with me, Mr. Tasuma. Back to order, students. Nothing's wrong here."
Nobody in the cafeteria breathed until the principal and Sam were gone. Then all eyes focused on Stan and Nina. Nina turned to Stan, her face unreadable. She reached out her hand, as if to caress his face, but she surprised everyone by slapping him. "What were you thinking?" She demanded. "I was going to set him straight after school, when you were long gone!"
He rolled his eyes. "Should have gave me instructions." He grinned. She groaned, slapping his shoulder playfully, a slow smile crossing her face. He gazed at her, reaching his hand out to cup her cheek. She breathed deeply, pressing her cheek against his hand and smiling shyly at him. "Does this mean?..." She trailed off. "That we're back together and you promise you'll never cheat again? Yeah." Stan said jokingly.
Everyone gasped, and murmurs of, "I knew it!" filled the room. Nina hit his shoulder, curling her arm around his neck. "It means I love you, Nina." He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. She smiled. "You better. Always and forever." She murmured, kissing him. "I do. I will." He murmured back.
Two weeks later
Nina paced nervously, waiting for them to put up the paper announcing who made the football team. Stan laughed, watching his girlfriend. He caught her by the waist. "Relax." He murmured, kissing her. "I can't." She told him. "When I see that your training-" "Our training." Stan injected. She smiled. "When I see that our training has paid off, I will."
"At least Sam's not on the team anymore." Stan said. After the incident two weeks ago, Sam was kicked off the team, on account to his suspension for attempted assult on a female. "Then you'll be safe during practice. Oh wait, Della will torment you." Nina said, making a face. Last week, Della Sone announced to Nina that she now had a ruthless enemy. Nina had looked around, pretending to be confused, and asked, "Who is it?"
And Della had been bothering Stan constantly, begging for a chance. Levi, the school reporter, smiled at the couple as he tacked the prized paper on the board. Nina jumped up, pushing away the oncoming crowd. She scanned the sheet, quickly reading off each name until... "Stan! You got in!" She shrieked, running to him and throwing her arms around him. He laughed, kissing her hair. "See? I told you not to worry." He said. She smiled.
"Yeah, you did." She stared at him, smiling. "What?" he asked. "Do I have something on my face?" Smiling, she shook her head. "No, I was just thinking how much I love you." He smiled, holding her close. "You don't have any idea how much I love you." He mumbled. "Always and forever, Nina."
"Always and forever, Stan. That's how long I'll love you." She said. They smiled and shared another kiss.
Hi! I'm back from the dead! It's so good to be back! I can't believe my comeback was so... fluffy.