Chapter 2

A Dozen of Blue Roses

"Stop what you're doing." Chie said as her eyes narrowed on Tomoe. Tomoe stared at her and Chie saw a cold dark look flash in her eyes. "Shizuru would be sad too." she said. Tomoe looked away from her as her eyes softened. "If she figured out that you were the one to tell Miya to do those things" She said as she walked towards her. Tomoe refused to look at her and then a small smile came to her lips.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what you mean." She said. So she was playing stupid.

"Is that so?" she asked and closed her eyes. She let out a sigh before she stared at her a little longer.

This little girl was a bull face lair. Chie knew for a fact she had told Miya to do all those things. But there was nothing to prove it. Tomoe was good at this game of hers and she played her part well. There was nothing more that she could do. This was going to catch up with Tomoe sooner or later and for her sake she was hoping sooner. Don't get her wrong she cared about Tomoe a lot and didn't want anything to happen to her but the little tricks she's been pulling where going a little too far.

Chie sighed again as she looked to her before she turned and began to walk away. "Be careful Tomoe." She mumbled under her breath as she walked. She could still feel the younger girl's eyes on her. She sighed and put her hand on her hips as she walked back into the building. What ever happens, happens. This is Tomoe's fate. She sighed and opened the office door. She stopped at seeing Aoi sitting at the triangle table.

"Hi Chie." She said as she stood up with a smile. Chie returned it as she walked in to the room and closed the door.

"Well isn't this a lovely surprise. What are you doing here?" She asked as she sat down across from her and rested her head on her knuckles.

"Well every scent Mashiro stepped up after her talk with Arika I have more free time so I thought I could come see you that's if you're not busy." She said. Chie smirked before she closed her eyes with a sigh.

"I'm never to busy for you." She said and opened her eyes. Aoi looked taken back before she giggled.

"You always know the right thing to say." She said with a smile. The two stared at each other in silence. "You look stressed." Aoi spoke up after a while. Not only that but she looked tired too. Chie always looked her best but right now she looked almost ready to pass out. This wasn't like Chie. Chie nodded as she leaned back in her chair.

"I am. I got a lot on my mind is all." She said. Aoi jumped up and moved towards her.

"Well I can give you a shoulder massage. I'm always giving Mashiro one. She says I'm the best." She said as she creaked her knuckled and stopped behind her. Chie let a small smile come to her face as Aoi began to rub her shoulders. "This should help you relax. Is there anything you want to talk about?" She asked. Chie let out a sigh as she closed her eyes. They opened again before they narrowed.

"Tomoe." She said. Aoi blinked a few times.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"My helper. She's up to no good I can feel it. I mean I always knew there wasn't something right about her but I never would have thought that she was this...messed up." she said and rubbed her temple. The younger girl was causing her more stress then she would have imaged.

"Did you talk to her about whatever it is that she's doing so wrong?" She asked with a frown. Chie nodded and Aoi stared at her from behind waiting for the other girl to respond.

"She is completely denying any involvement." She said and opened her eyes. She put her head back to look up at her. "What do you think I should do?" she asked. Aoi looked to be in thought as she continued to rub her shoulders. Chie smiled. She loved it when Aoi looked like that. She was so beautiful from any angle. Aoi stopped her hands and stared at the wall. Chie chuckled. "You don't have to think so hard." She said.

"Well I guess if I knew the girl it would help me." She said and looked down at her. "But I don't know what to tell you. Maybe she'll stop on her own and see that what's she's doing isn't going to help her in the long run." She said with a shrug and began to rub her shoulders again. She smiled down at her. "Sorry." She said. Chie smiled before she reached her hand up to touch her face. Aoi stopped her hands.

"Don't worry about it. After all it has nothing to do with you but you were a lot of help." She said. Aoi nodded and brushed some of her bangs from her face. Chie smiled up at her before her hand moved to the back of Aoi's neck. She pulled her down a little and was relieved when she didn't pull back. She pulled her down a little more until their faces where only inches apart. Chie stared at her as Aoi bite her lip. She leaned up and kissed her forehead. "Thank you Aoi." she said as she pulled back with a smile.

Aoi blushed as she stood up right and nodded her head. She backed away from her as Chie stood up and creaked her neck. Aoi watched her closely. What was that? What was the feeling she got in the pit of her stomach when Chie had kissed her. It was only on the forehead. Friends kissed each other's foreheads right?

"You are the best. That felt good." Chie said as she turned to face her. Aoi looked lost in thought with a frown and her eyebrows furrowed together. This caused Chie to frown. "Aoi? Are you alright?" She asked and reached out to touch her shoulder. Aoi stepped out of her reached as she looked up at her.

"I just forgot there is something I have to do. I have to go." She said and made a dash for the door.

"O.k. then I'll walk you out." She said and pushed in her chair.

"No!" Aoi said. Chie stopped and stared at her in shock as Aoi looked close to tears. Did she do something to up set her? Was it something she said? Aoi shook her head and sighed. "I can walk myself. Thank you." She said before she opened the door and walked out. Chie stood there before she took off after her. No, no, no. You don't snap out like that and then think you're going to walk out with out an explanation.

"Wait a minute Aoi." She said and ran after her. She grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Did I do something to upset you? If I did I'm sorry." She said with a small shrug. She didn't even know what she was apologizing for.

"No. I really have to go. Can you please let go of me?" she said and pulled her arm but Chie didn't let go. Aoi looked up at her. She frowned a look of confusion was on Chie's face. She was feeling more confused then Chie looked she knew that for sure. But she didn't like the look of hurt that she could also see in Chie's eyes. She looked away from her. She didn't want to see that look anymore

"Aoi." Chie said. Aoi looked back up to her face. "What are you so afraid of?" She asked. Aoi stared at her. Chie's eyes desperately looking for an explanation, looking for something to understand. Someone cleared their throat and they both looked to see who was trying to get their attention.

"Miss Maria." Chie said and release Aoi's arm, just releasing she had it in a death grip, an almost threatening manner as she held it up. Held Aoi to her and Aoi who looked like she just wanted to run away. Not to mention the fact that she looked close to tears. To Miss Maria it probably looked like assault of some sort

"What's going on here?" Miss Maria asked as she looked over the two younger girls with a raised eyebrow and her trade mark frown.

"Nothing." Chie said as she lowered her head.

"I was just leaving." Aoi said as she took one last glance at Chie before she walked away. Chie watched her leave before she turned her attention back to Miss Maria.

"That's something I didn't expect from you Chie." She said. Chie lowered her head again. "The last thing we need around here is an over aggressive pearl running around. And it also might do you some good to stay away from Princess Mashiro's personal maid." She said. Chie looked up at her and her fist balled up causing Miss Maria to look at them. She unclenched them and nodded her head.

"Yes Miss Maria." She said and looked to the ground again. Miss Maria stared at her a little bit long before she turned on her heels and walked down the hall. Chie looked up and watched her go. Who was she to tell her that she couldn't see Aoi? Her chest felt heavy at the thought of never seeing Chie again. She looked to the ground again and let out a defeated sigh.

"Well if you ask me I think you should go and talk to her." Chie quickly turned around to see Shizuru. She smiled to the younger girl as she walked towards her. "Clearly something is bothering her and she might need a friend like you to lean on." She said. Chie looked to the ground.

"What if I'm the problem?" She asked. Shizuru stared at her before she walked closer to her so she was standing right in front of her. She put her hand on her shoulder and Chie looked up at her. She smiled down at her.

"You could never be a problem. Everything will work out fine if you keep having hope. It'll work out I promise." She said with a wink before she patted her shoulder and walked pass her. Chie turned and watched her go. She smiled softly.

"I see why everyone likes you." She mumbled to herself before she turned and walked back down the hall.

Shizuru let her smile grow as she turned to corner and stopped to see Natsuki. "You like to put your nose in others business don't you Shizuru?" She asked as she got off the wall she was leaning on and began to walk. Shizuru fell in step with her as she let out a giggle.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't seem to help myself and besides isn't it are jobs to guide and give advice to the pearls and Corals when they need it?" She asked and looked to her. Natsuki let out a sigh as she nodded her head. Shizuru looked ahead. "And then there's the fact that she clearly likes that Aoi so who is Miss Maria to tell her that she can't see her?" she asked. Natsuki looked to her with a raised eyebrow. Shizuru was frowning and her eyebrows going in a little. Natsuki never seen that look on her face.

"Is this situation hitting close to home?" She asked. Shizuru smiled and looked to her.

"Of course not. I've just heard of a story like this once. It didn't end to well and I wouldn't want to see Chie in so much misery. She is one of are top Pearls after all." She said. Natsuki nodded her head as she they walked into her office. She sat down and Shizuru quickly made a cup of tea for her. She sat it down in front of her and Natsuki nodded her head in thanks.

"It does seem kind of interesting. I would like to see how it plays out as well." She said and sipped her tea.

"Well Natsuki. I didn't know you had an interest in high school romances." she said. Natsuki blushed as she looked up at her.

"I don't" She said and her eyes narrowed. Shizuru let out a small giggle as she sipped her own tea.

"Natsuki your so cute when you blush." she said and sat her cup down. Natsuki's face turned an even darker shade as she looked away from her.

"Shut up Shizuru." she said threw her teeth. Shizuru laughed again.

Aoi and Mashino walked into her office the next day. Aoi closed the door as Mashino made her way to her desk. "Hey someone got me a dozen of blue roses." she said as she blushed and picked them up. Aoi looked to her with a small smile. Mashino looked to the card before she rolled her eyes and threw them to Aoi who caught them, a few blue lily pads falling off. "There for you." she said and sat back in her chair. "Who would want to give you such nice flowers?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and put her nose in the air.

Aoi looked to the card that had her name on it before she flipped it over and read the back. I still don't know what I said to upset you to such a degree that you would storm out like that but I wanted to say sorry again anyways. If you would give me the chance to make it up to you I'd like to meet you tonight at the dock. From Chie. Aoi stared at it before she gripped the flowers tightly in her hands. Mashino stared at her. What was wrong with her? Aoi was just standing there. She knew it didn't take that long to read a card. What could have been on it?

"What's wrong with you?" Mashino asked as she walked up to her and took the card out her hand. She read over it as Aoi looked down at her. "I didn't know you were seeing someone Aoi." she said with a small smirk as she looked up at her.

"I'm not!" Aoi said with a small blush as she tried to get the note back.

"Aoi got a boyfriend! Aoi got a boyfriend!" Mashino said as she ran around the room waving the card in her hand. Aoi chased after her trying to get it back. Mashino jumped onto her desk "Oh Chie I love you so much." she said as she read the name from the letter. "I just want to kiss and hug you all day long" she teased as she hugged herself and pocked out her lip like she was kissing someone or something.

Aoi froze at the thought of Chie even kissing her. Her face and neck turned red. "Mashino stop it!" she yelled and reached up to pull her down off the desk.

"Oh look how red your face is! Your in Love!" she laughed as she pointed at her. Aoi stopped again. Mashino fell over laughing and Aoi took the card from her. She picked up the flowers from the room and walked out as Mashino continued to laugh. Aoi leaned against the door as she sighed and looked to the flowers again. She wasn't in love with Chie. She never felt this way towards the other girl before. Why the sudden change now?