Disclaimer: I do not own The Prince Of Tennis

A Rude Awakening

Riko came to when the sun was already setting off in the distance. She wasn't seeing straight either, to her things looked like an abstracted painting. Though it was a good thing that she didn't regain her 20/20 vision right away. If Riko had she would have had a heart attack. For Atobe was standing over her, glaring. She had been out for a good two hours. Tennis practice had ended and everyone had left, except for the captain. IF Atobe weren't the captain he wouldn't have stayed. But since he is it was his annoying responsibility to make sure that everyone was off the tennis courts when the day was over, and that included Riko Hayashi.

So at the first sign of Riko waking up Atobe stood up straight, blew some hair out of his face one irritated exhale. He just couldn't believe that he, the great ore-sama, had to wait for a mere commoner.

Moaning softly, Riko sat up on the hard bench that the freshmen had put her own. Still unaware of the tennis captain standing at her side, Riko lightly ran her hand over her fore head. Where there was a perfect circle shaped bruise, right in the middle. She could feel one hell of a headache coming on.

"You have made Ore-sama wait", Atobe began in a lazy tone as Riko spun around on the bench in surprise. "You are now indebted to Ore-sama."

Riko stared at him, her mouth gaping still in shock. That is until she processed what he had said. She felt her face grow red with furry. Who did he think he is? "I own you absolutely nothing!" She yelled at him. Her voice was so high pitched that Atobe had to take a few steps back. "It was one of you players that nailed me with that ball and knocked me out. And as their captain it means you are also at fault!" Riko finished, her voice never changing its volume.

Atobe took a moment to compose himself. He wasn't used to girls yelling rude things at him. Atobe was only used to hearing yelling admiration. "Your voice is annoying". He told Riko.

However Riko wasn't paying attention to him. She was turn her head left and right, looking for something. Atobe felt himself becoming more annoyed, and intrigued at the same time. There was never a person that had openly ignored what was coming out of his mouth. Finally giving up in her search, Riko turned back to him. "Where are my bag, and that book I was reading before I was knock out?" She snapped at him, impatient written all over her face.

Atobe shrugged his shoulders. "It is not Ore-sama's job to now where a commoner's things are." He said it like it was one of the most obvious things in the world.

Though Riko had stopped paying attention to him once he had shrugged his answer. "Most still be at where I fell", she muttered to herself, as she stood up. Once she was on her feet, she was staggering about as she tried to walk straight. A wave of dizziness washed over Riko and she stumbled right in to Atobe himself.

Atobe gently rebalanced her, so she could stand with out his assistance. "Ore-sama knows he is desirable, but please try to control yourself." All those words did was earn a glare from the scholarship student. Riko slowly started to head forward again, this time staring at one object to further help her balance. "You could thank Ore-sama for helping you", Atobe called to her, though Riko just waved him off like one would a bug. His arrogant smile quickly turned to an amused smirk. This commoner had spunk; he'd give her that.

Riko came home to find her father standing in the doorway waiting for her. By now the sun had fully set, welcoming the night sky. Riko knew that she was tardy and would be in trouble. Though during her long walk home she had decided not to tell her father about the tennis ball incident. For that would mean having to talk about Atobe. Her father wouldn't be annoyed with him as she was. Actually Riko's father would probably scold her for not playing the part of damsel in distress so Atobe could rescue her. Riko had rolled her eyes when she had thought of that. It would just be better to take whatever punishment her father gave her for being late.

There Mr. Hayashi stood, in the doorway of his ramen shop. His arms folded across his chest, a ladle was being tightly clenched in his hand. As soon as his daughter had come into sight he had started his lecture. "It is one thing to be late Riko, but another thing entirely not to call me when you'll be late." He said in an eerily calm way.

Riko flinched, usually when she was in trouble and he wasn't yelling at her meant that he was very mad. "I'm sorry dad, I got held up at school," She told him, being as honest as possible. If she lied to her father and he found then she would be tasting soap for the next few days.

Mr. Hayashi moved aside, to allow her to enter the shop. Though while she was taking off her shoes, since she lived here, and is not a customer, Mr. Hayashi unfolded his arms, and smacked his daughter across her rear with he ladle. "Father!" She screeched, whirling around to face him.

"You know to call me when you're going to be late." He scolded, ignoring Riko's flushed embarrassed face. It had been a slow night, and the only customers he had right now where parents. They would understand. "I want you to go up stair and write a back to back five paged apology letter to me."

"Yes dad", Riko said meekly, as she scurried past him to the stairs, her head bowed. Though she wasn't feeling as sorry as she looked. On the inside she was cursing a certain tennis captain. This was all Atobe's fault that she was being punished. Apology letters where just such a pain to write.

Atobe sat in his room, munching on a snack that the family chief had prepared. Slowly the days events where reply in his mind. The team was doing well; they would for sure win the next tournament. Though what was really on his hand was how that lowly commoner had just waved him off like a pest. It still amused him to know end, though he could just let it end like that. He had to put that girl in her place. Make her see that he truly was attractive to all females. Atobe smirked to himself, he just what he had to do to get the girl, Riko, to join the rest of his fans.