"More than a Friend"

Poshpuppy27: Thank you very much to all those who reviewed! I was a bit disappointed though, every one of you asked me if this was the ending…Or you assumed that it was the ending. I already explained it in the first chappie, though. Oh well. That's that. I like this Chapter! Enjoy~

Die-normal and stuff…Changed it. It's hard.

"Die"-talking

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. Not mine.


"More than a Friend"

Chapter 3: Shader's Back-up Plans (Plans B and C)

It was my fault.

My entire fault.

I sat in my chair dejectedly. It was a blue Monday for me. It was supposed to be a great Monday, with the concert that just happened last Saturday. I spent Sunday sulking at my house and at Shader's house---drinking coffee milk.

"Chrno?" a familiar voice say. "Leave me alooooone", I whined like a baby. I laid my head down my armchair with my arms hanging at my sides energetic-less. "CHRNO!" someone shouted in my ear. I looked up lazily; ready to glower at the person I was planning to avoid until I get over her. But those big blue eyes are just simply irresistible. Kami-sama! She's so unfair!

"Yes?" I sighed. She pouted, visibly disturbed. I sat up, properly this time. "Yes, Ms. Christopher? How may I help you?" I exhaled wearily.

"You've been down ever since the concert".

"Have I? Oh, I didn't notice that at all. Thanks for noticing" I said sarcastically. "Geez, no need to get all sour" Rosette scowled. I sighed dejectedly again. "I'm sorry"

"Was it because of something I said?" she asked. I looked at her with poignant eyes.

It all came back to me again.

=Flashback (Ending of Chappie 1) =

Rosette stared at me as if I grew another head.

"Uh…" I said, trying to break the atmosphere. Then she comprehended what I just said. Her expression turned into a sarcastic one.

"Oh, to me then?" she asked, to make sure. I nodded. Uh-oh, something doesn't feel right.

"Gee, so I was the girl you were looking for? You really made me laugh back there. I pushed you into the pool last school reunion right?"

"Yeah", I smiled. A little bit comfortable already. "Wah, I felt so nostalgic when you sang that back there…" she stared at the sky, smiling at the memories.

"Yeah"

"But…" she narrowed her slits and looked at me. "That wasn't funny Chrno."

"Yeah---wait what?" I said, confusion plainly written on my face. She made a disappointed sound and scanned me with disapproving eyes.

"I said it wasn't funny Chrno. When you looked at me in the crowd while saying 'I'm really falling for you', maybe you thought I was MARY didn't you?"

"WHAT?! I DON'T LIKE MARY ANYMORE!"

"SHUT UP! AND YOU WERE PLANNING TO KEEP IT A SECRET FROM ME CHRNO! YOU PLANNED ON CONFESSING TO HER THAT TIME DIDN'T YOU?!"

I just looked at her—speechless.

"SEE?! I WAS RIGHT! YOU! You…still like her don't you?" she pushed that thought towards me. I shook my head absentmindedly. No, no…She was wrong…Mary Magdalene was a girl I used to like, because she resembled Rosette though with an opposite attitude…She moved away when we were twelve.

"Besides…You falling for me is impossible. It's not even funny"

=End of Flashback=

I closed my eyes and exhaled depressingly. "No…No…It's not your fault…I was the one who made a mistake anyway…" Rosette was still skeptical. "Are you angry since I found out that you still liked Mary?" she sounded hopeful. It made my heart go CRACK!

"No Rosette", I opened my eyes. "I told you a thousand times…I don't like Mary anymore…I only liked Mary because she reminded me of you" I sighed, not caring if she found what I said extremely disturbing. To hell with all of it. But stubborn Rosette remained unfazed.

"Ask anyone in here." I told her. Rosette startled me by saying "Don't give me any of that 'I like you' crap. And I won't ask anyone here anymore, they've been saying the same thing" and walked away.

"Gawd! Why does she have to be so damn stubborn?!" I screamed. Eric, the guy seated next to me, chuckled. "Well, that's Rosette Christopher for you"

**--**--**--**--**--**--**

At lunch time, I tapped my foot impatiently. I was at the rooftop, waiting for Shader to arrive. She said she was going to help me do something exciting in my boring life. Well, I couldn't blame her.

At last, the door opened.

"Chrno! Oh, sorry I was late. I was still entertaining your idiotic brother" she explained. Shader belonged to my brother's group, 'Sinners'. I rolled my eyes. "I told him to do something with his life."

"I told him to go and make his hair look pretty" she grinned. I chuckled. We sat at one corner and I drank in my juice box. Giving her an eager but curious glance, she laughed. "Wait a minute Chrno. I had written it all down." She reached for her pocket and gave me a piece of folded paper.

What I read in the now unfolded paper made my eyes ten times bigger.

"SHADER! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" I waved the piece of junk---I mean paper in front of her. She rolled her eyes at me and waved it off. "Relax Chrno; they're not that dangerous you know. It's not as if you'll threaten Rosette to like you or kidnap her or something. You should even be thankful to me because I'm helping you. Remember?"

I sighed again. How many times did I sigh this day? I lost count. She was right, she was helping me and here was I criticizing her master minded plan. "You're right as usual. Thank you and I'm sorry for judging your plan."

She grinned at me happily---too happy, for my liking. Shader has been my friend for how many years now. Since I was eight, I suppose. When Aion and his pretty dress was in the fourth grade, Shader had joined his group right then and there. She resembles a cat, with her foxy grin and her playful attitude. She likes to say 'Meow' and 'Nya~' too.

Sometimes, I think that she was born a half-cat and half-human. A catman or a Catwoman?

"Earth to Chrno! Earth to Chrno!" she waved her hand in front of my face. I snapped back to reality and looked at her. "Chrno, forgive me if I said this…But…You're drooling." I blushed and wiped my mouth, there it was…Saliva. She glanced at me from the corner of her eye suspiciously. "You were just thinking how I look so much like a Cat huh? And that I was actually Catwoman?"

"Stupid alien half-cat mind reader…"I muttered. She ignored me by sticking her tongue out then changed her mood completely. Her eyes glistened and sparkled as if something exciting was about to happen. All she needed were twitching ears and an over-excited wagging cat tail.

I gazed at her wearily. I don't feel anything good in her plans.

"Let's do it Chrno…Shader's plan B."

**---**---**---**---**---**

NEXT DAY

SHADER'S PLAN B

HALLWAY--- 6:34 AM

I walked with Rosette in school as usual. But 'Operation: Secret Admirer' also known as 'Shader's Plan B' already took place. I was really nervous about this, so I kept quiet. Me being nervous and depressed and hopeful at the same time is enough reason to lose my sanity. As if any of it is left.

This was it. The last straw. My last hope.

"Wow, Chrno. You look horrible" remarked Rosette while we were walking towards our lockers in the hallway. We arrived in our destination and I also got my things, since hers was next to mine. "Thanks for the compliment, Rosette" I mumbled. She gave me a puzzled glance.

"Compliment? It was an insult, idiot!" she smacked me in the head, as usual. No day of mine was complete unless it began and ended with Rosette smacking me in the head. I winced from the pain but I still kept quiet. She eyed me suspiciously. "Weird."

The blonde quieted down and I even grew more nervous, so impulsively, I asked her about something that randomly popped into my insane head. "So, how's Joshua doing?" Joshua Christopher was Rosette's younger brother. Her opposite and her twin, though Joshua had a lighter shade of hair and eyes, plus he was a person whom you assume was gentle and friendly---unlike Rosette.

"Oh! Him?! Ugh! He's so secretive and so…something like a teenager in love! I caught him staring dreamily at Azmaria's photo! And he's so shy and so defensive! Not to mention emotional! Do guys act that way when they're in love?!" she rampaged.

We all do, I answered her silently.

You see, Joshua was in a relationship right now. With Azmaria Hendric, a sweet and shy albino girl, the twins' life turned upside down. Secretly, I knew that Rosette was somewhat jealous. I don't know if it's because of the attention Joshua's giving Azmaria or being in love.

"But I guess its okay since he's happy" Rosette finally got her combination after five tries and opened her locker. Damn, this is another reason why I liked (or loved) Rosette, she was so selfless. Behind that tough exterior, she was so kind and gentle.

A piece of paper fell from one of her notebooks. I stiffened. "What's this?" Rosette picked the mysterious pink paper up.

Thinking of you is an easy thing to do

But the hardest part is how to say 'I LOVE YOU'

Confusion was written all over her face. "Who could've sent this?" she asked giving the paper to me without any hesitation. She trusts too easily. What if another guy sent this?! Didn't she know that I might possibly be angry?!

"I---I don't know" I shrugged with furrowed brows. "Come on Rosette, we might be late for class." The first bell rang already, so I grabbed her hand and dragged her along with me.

**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**

Fourth period for the morning class was Chemistry, which I shared with Rosette. We all headed towards the Chemistry lab and sat in our seats. I already went in, sat down, and saved a seat for Rosette like I usually do. Rosette came in a bit late, with a pale face.

"Rosette, what's wrong?!" I asked, worried. She gave me a violet paper wordlessly.

There's this question that's hard to miss

If I have feelings for you

Do you feel the same way for me too?

The same guy huh…I observed Rosette, she was still pale. I touched her hand and it was trembling. "Rosette?" She just bowed her head and held my hand tightly. Upon opening her book, yet another piece of paper, green this time, fell down the table. Rosette gave me such an alarming look that I instinctively told her to calm down and let me read it this time.

Unfortunately, our Chemistry teacher, Professor Dumblehead, snatched the piece of paper away and glared at me. "Well, well, Mr. Sinner, what do we have here?"

"I suggest you read it yourself Mr. Sinner" he raised an arrogant eyebrow. Rosette's eyes widened in surprise and the rest of the class kept quiet and stared at me. Oh, I don't like it one bit. Professor Dumbhead---I mean Dumblehead handed out the troublesome piece to me. I got it from him slowly. The class held its breath, even Rosette's too. I inhaled deeply and began to read.

I tried everything to make you notice me….Look at me…To make you LIKE me.

But with just one smile of yours

You make my heart skip a beat

That is so unfair!

"Aww…" the girls said. I blushed. Even Professor Dunghead looked pleased. He made a gesture that said 'Go on'. I didn't even dare to make eye contact with Rosette.

When I talk to you, I stammer incoherent gibberish words

Just to try to tell you…Or at least hint you my feelings…

But with just one simple 'Hi' of yours

My mind went blank

"Chrno! Man! A beautiful Man's romance!" one of the guys shouted as he cried. The other guys cried too. The girls all went in love-love mode. They knew who the writer was. The whole school knew who I liked since Rosette transferred here.

The heat reached to my ears downwards the nape of my neck and my hands. They all clapped at me but when I gathered enough courage to face Rosette, she was gone. Where did she go?

**---**---**---**---**---**

At lunch time, Rosette didn't eat. I found her in the rooftop of our school, gazing at the sky with a serious look on her face. I sat with her there, with no words willing to share or to comfort. I was that pathetic. She stared at me, I stared back. I smiled at her. She frowned.

Last period is History Class with Professor Remington. Guardian of the Christopher twins before they were handed over to their lost now found parents. Rosette was back to her usual self, to my surprise and relief. She was chattering rather animatedly about the weird letters she'd been receiving and her odd suspicions about who sent them.

Funny thing was, she didn't include me in those suspicions.

Eric, my seatmate went in and handed over something to Rosette. I was shocked because…Never mind. Let's just say that didn't go in my plans. It was a yellow paper this time. I peeked over Rosette's shoulder while she was reading it.

Roses are red, Violets are blue

You are sweet and I love you

"Here, it came with this" added Eric, handing Rosette a pinkish rose with hints of light blue. I was fresh…and very rare. I glared at the rose offendingly. While Rosette played with its petals, lost in thought, I was thinking about that poem.

And I knew who the felon was.

**---***---***---***---***---***

NEXT DAY

3:38 PM---HALLWAY

SHADER'S PLAN C (LAST ACTION)

It failed.

All of it failed.

I sat down disconsolately in one of the pavement stones found in the hallway. I removed the stupid leather jacket and spat the tooth pick out. I scruffled my gel-styled hair and threw the large ray-ban shades away. It was so stupid. But I was more stupid because I had agreed to Shader's stupid plan.

Her plan was to act tough, since she believed that Rosette's ideal guy was tough guys, since she was a tough one herself. So I acted like John Travolta in one of his early movies, Grease, a musical. I looked weird, but I did it anyway. She also told me to say sweet stuff and cool things.

Me, being a dork, told her stuff like "Hey sugar, do you have a name or can I call you mine?" and "I must be in heaven, cause there's no way there'd be an angel here on earth" and stuff like "Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I pass by you again?" even "If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together"

At one point I told her "Baby did you fart? Cause you blew me away!" and did that 'Tsk. Tsk' thing followed by the gun hand gestures. If you get what I mean, I even wiggled my eyebrows at her!

Her reaction? Either she'd smack me on the face or ignore me.

Someone whistled at me. I jerked my head and saw Mephisto. Kami-sama knows why his parents named him after a demon. And the second in command to boot. He was a popular ladies man and an infamous bully slash delinquent. For me, the name really fits.

"Yoh Chrno! You're that blonde's boy right?" he hollered at me, cracking his knuckle bones. I was in no mood for this. "Boy? No, I'm not her boyfriend---just a friend"

"Oh. Then I should beat her up directly for beating one of my boys up huh?" he thought and pretended to look for Rosette. Now, I grew angry. Steaming mad, actually. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them told me there was smoke coming out from my ears.

I growled at him threateningly. "Oh, what? Pretty boy got mad?" he scoffed. I tried to reason with myself to not hurt him. But he kept on pushing me. "I even heard them that she turned you down after confessing twice to her. Kind of desperately persistent, aren't you?"

He pushed the wrong button. Don't add gas to the fire they say…Or something close to that. Whatever!

I lunged at him and punched him hard in the nose. It made a cracking sound and blood was oozing forth from his nose. He flipped me, dominating because of his size and elbowed my ribs. I winced in pain. I kicked him in the shin and grabbed a fistful of his hair and rolled us over. Before I knew it, there was a crowd circling us, chanting and betting on us. It was revolting. The monsters.

He bit me in the arm so I punched him in the mouth. I saw some teeth fly and more blood. I stood up, wincing and dizzy. He stood up too and prepared his fighting stance. He attacked me this time but I dodged and tripped him over with my leg. I trapped him by straddling and crushing his chest with both of my legs wrapped around. He bit and clawed my legs. I poked his eyes.

He grabbed my legs and threw me to the lockers where I hit my head strongly. My vision was affected, making everything blurry and dizzy. Mephisto took this opportunity and strangled me. I still fought back, spitting into his face. He made a disgusted sound and kicked my stomach. I kicked his face in return. I kicked and punched him repeatedly until he bled on top of me.

Suddenly, a pair of arms separated him from me and our fight was stopped. I squinted my eyes to see who saved me and interrupted me while I was venturing my stress and my bottled anger to this unlucky guy.

Disappointed angry blue eyes.

Oh my god, Rosette.

How was I going to explain this to her?! She was mad at me enough for my actions this morning, and now…

"Chrno! Stop! What the hell are you doing?!" she shouted. The crowds' eyes on us, I hate them so much. "CHRNO! ANSWER ME!"

I spitted out some blood and she released me, backing away. "I only did it…because he told me…he'd beat you up!" I slurred, my tongue heavy with some blood. She only grew angrier by what I said.

"YOU THINK I COULDN'T TALKE CARE OF MYSELF?!"
"Of course I know you can! But that---"

"That wasn't any of your business Chrno" she spat coldly. Rosette gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

"IT WAS! I HAD A DAMN RIGHT TO DO IT!"

"AND WHAT IS THAT?!"

"YOU'RE A GIRL ROSETTE! I'M A GUY! WE'RE SUPPOSE TO PROTECT GIRLS!"

Oooh. Wrong answer.

"ASSHOLE! JERK!"

"Thank you very much" I mock bowed her sarcastically. She glared at me so spitefully that it would've made me flinch if I wasn't this adrenaline-pumped angry teenage guy.

"I PROTECTED YOU REMEMBER?! IS THAT THE ONLY REASON YOU'VE GOT?! BECAUSE I WON'T FORGIVE YOU AT ALL"

"IT'S BECAUSE I LIKEYOU DAMN IT! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU GET HURT!"

Everyone gasped and fell silent. Rosette too.

"I' m so tired of repeating it to you and proving it to you! I LIKE YOU! OKAY?!" I exclaimed, Mephisto was right, I was this desperate. That must've hit my last button.

A few moments of silence have passed, and everyone held their breaths.

Rosette shook her head so frustratingly, it broke my heart.

"I don't even know who you are anymore Chrno…" she muttered. "Stop toying with me" she angrily said.

"I hate you…I hate you so much Chrno Sinner" she whispered so hatingly that it can burn me alive. She turned her heels and walked away.

I fell on my knees and was dumbfounded. There were no words for what I feel right now. Not ever. I just made the biggest mistake of my life. Everybody pitied me. Even the bloodied Mephisto laying down on the floor.

"I'm so sorry man…" he whispered.

I…I don't know what to do…..

I….don't know anything anymore…


Poshpuppy27: Aww…Poor Chrno…Lol. I understand what Rosette feels. It can be quite confusing and surprising when you found out that your childhood best friend likes you right? But for me…Confessions are a very selfish thing…:)) Sorry if this was long…Review please!

--Not in the mood to share anything--