A/N: I cannot believe it has been so long since I've updated. In all honesty, I have been busy working and simply lost my motivation. I've spent the last two days plotting out this story and have become convinced that this is something I need to be doing before I post anything so I have it set in my mind. I'm so sorry for the long wait, and will try to update at LEAST once a month. If it's any consolation, I have been working on a new Sailor Moon fanfiction involving Usagi and Mamoru. I hope that you guys give it a chance when I do decide to post it. I don't want to post until it's finished though so I don't get anyone's hopes up!
Summary: The most popular boy in school has placed a bet with his best friend that he can get the new girl into bed before the class trip, but she ends up being more feisty, and having more depth, than he anticipated.
Gamble
Chapter Two
By Melissa Moore
As the day wore on and Mamoru found that his concentration was severely shot by the stunning little creature next to him, he was getting more and more frustrated. She had not looked his way even once since her graceful tumble, and that was just unheard of. Girls simply did not ignore him. He had tried multiple times to get her attention but to no avail. This girl might as well have been a brick wall.
Motoki sighed next to him and whispered, "This isn't going to be as easy as you thought."
"Tell me about it," Mamoru retorted. "But I don't give up easily. You should know that better than anyone."
The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and as all the students began to gather their things the teacher called out, "Tsukino-san and Chiba-san, may I see you before you go home, please?"
Surprised, he glanced over at Usagi only to find she was looking at him quizzically too. A shock ran through his system as their eyes connected. She was finally paying attention to him. He wasn't going to waste this chance. "Well hello, beautiful. Did you forget I was here?"
With a roll of her eyes, she scoffed. "'Well hello beautiful'? Really? That's the best you've got?" She shuffled some papers before straightening them and putting them inside her bag. "And as a matter of fact, yes, I did. But I guess from the tone of your arrogant voice and the generic quality of your pick-up lines that's an unheard of occurrence for you, right?"
She might be pretty, but her tongue is ugly. He scowled darkly. "Usually girls are falling all over themselves trying to talk to me."
"Well it's no wonder. This conversation is so... thought-provoking."
Mamoru stood and shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning slightly over her desk. "Oh yeah? What kind of thoughts?"
Usagi smiled sweetly up at him and his train of thought was derailed temporarily. "If I told you, your confidence would be completely shattered. I'm not that cruel." She stood, nearly knocking him over and sent him a scathing smile before sashaying her way up to the teacher.
Motoki sighed and put an arm over Mamoru's shoulder conspiratorially. "Looks like this one is going to be a tough one to crack."
Mamoru shrugged. "It's only day one. I bet I'll have her begging for my attention soon enough."
"Care to make that official, my man? The class trip is coming up in about a month. Think you can get her to swoon before then?" He slapped Mamoru's shoulder with enough force to make him wince.
"Motoki, my friend, I believe I can do better than that. We'll discuss the particulars later." He slapped his friend on the back and began to walk toward the front of the room.
"Oh no, that's perfectly okay. I'm sure that I can find my way around just fine," Usagi was saying as he walked up.
"Ah, Chiba-san. Tsukino-san and I were just discussing finding someone to show her around the school so she can get familiar with her surroundings."
"Oh yeah, sure, I can show her a thing or two," Mamoru said, leering at the petite blonde.
Usagi's face flamed and Mamoru was once again thrown by how the color suited her skin tone. "I would rather bite down on a cyanide pill."
"I knew you would, Chiba-san. He's always been extremely helpful," the teacher tittered. "We just want to make sure you're comfortable here and you know where everything is."
"I really don't think that's neces-"
"Of course I can!" Mamoru interrupted jovially. "You can count on me!"
"I knew I could, Chiba-san. Thank you! See you kids tomorrow." And with a huge, trusting smile, the teacher grabbed her bag and left the room.
The classroom was pretty empty at that point and Mamoru turned to her with a huge grin. "Well, sweetheart, looks like it's just the two of us."
She rolled her eyes. "I can barely contain my excitement."
"Well, I can at least show you my favorite place in the entire school. After you," he said, gesturing for her to proceed with his hand.
After a moment's hesitation, she turned and huffed, stalking from the room with an almost murderous look on her face. Though he couldn't figure out why she disliked him so much, he wasn't going to waste time thinking about it when he had such a nice view. He thanked the school silently for the length of the skirt on the uniform. They walked down the hallway for a minute or two before Mamoru cleared his throat.
"So... did you just move here?" he asked, trying to break the tense silence.
"Yes," was the curt response.
Mamoru smirked when she didn't elaborate. "Whoa, slow down. I can't keep up when you talk that fast."
She turned and smiled in an overly sweet way. "Something tells me even if I was talking really slow you still would have trouble understanding."
"Hmm... you might be right. There really is only one language that I understand," Mamoru declared, placing his hand over his heart abruptly.
"Retard?" she asked with a deceptively innocent expression.
"Well, that's rude," he scowled. "I hope your brain is as sharp as your tongue."
Readjusting her hold on her bookbag, she placed a hand on a curvy hip. "Try not to think about my tongue. I might vomit."
"You know, you could stand to be a little nicer," Mamoru retorted, crossing his arms in frustration. "I actually happen to be very smart and could help you out with schoolwork if you needed it."
"The only thing I need at the moment is to be finished with this conversation so I can go home and eat," Usagi sighed. "You said you wanted to show me your favorite place. Show it so we can be done with this."
"Funny you should bring that back up. It's actually right here," he announced, sweeping his arm toward a door with a grand flourish.
Scrunching up her nose, she glanced at the plaque that hung on the wall beside it. "Janitor's closet?" She glanced up at him with a slightly curious expression. "What in the world could be nice about a closet full of mops and chemicals?"
Mamoru raked a hand through his hair and smiled cheekily. "Well, usually during lunchtimes, it's full of passion." He wiggled his eyebrows for effect.
It took a full moment before Usagi finally understood what he was saying. A disgusted look crossed her face as she blushed. "Are you serious? A janitor's closet is where you chose to make out with girls?"
"A small, secluded space where we're forced to press up against each other? You're right, what was I thinking?" Mamoru threw his hands up toward the ceiling.
Usagi couldn't believe this guy. She had never met anyone who got on her nerves more. Feeling suddenly exhausted, her shoulders slumped as her small frame sagged. "All right, all right. I'm done. Thanks for showing me around. I gotta go."
As she turned, he reached out and grabbed her arm, momentarily surprised when he realized her arm was much more slender than was visible. It also felt as if the warmth of her skin burned right through the clothing. He immediately withdrew his hand, feeling as if it were burned. "Care to give me a moment to change your mind?"
She fixed him with a blank stare and then shook her head. "What could be more romantic than a janitor's closet?" And with that, she spun around and ran down the hallway the way they had come.
Mamoru stuck his hands into his pockets and watched her make her exit, her strange hairstyle flowing behind her and catching the sunlight every so often. Something about this girl intrigued him. She avoided his baiting at every turn and set him back on his heels. Even in class she pretended he didn't even exist.
He was going to have to make her look his way.