Chapter 3



Rei let herself into her room and immediately kicked off her shoes. She'd spent the last three hours explaining the inner workings of the female mind to Jed. Most of the complexities had flown over his head, but she was pretty sure that he finally understood that no one liked to hear about Jed as much as Jed liked to talk about himself. Before she left they agreed that they'd have to talk each other up. It was the only way to add credit to their new images.

Jed had decided that her "total bitchiness" could probably pass for aloofness, which Jed assured her guys found "totally hot". Rei decided that once he stopped "making a total ass" of himself, girls would be more receptive to his many charms, providing that he had any. Rei was just glad she didn't have to act perky to match her new wardrobe.

Her phone rang. "Hello."

"You're home late."

Rei grinned. "I wasn't aware you'd set a curfew for me Darien." He grunted. "So how was Blue Dog?"

"Fine. Why'd you come home in different clothes?"

"Were you watching at the window for me?" His silence was damning and Rei did a quick victory dance. "I went shopping, remember? Hence the forty billion bags I toted in with me. Which by the way, you should have helped me with since you were spying."

"I wasn't spying. I was keeping an eye out for you, that's all. So you and Jed were shopping all this time?"

Rei laughed. "I can't really picture Jed trailing behind me from store to store." Well, maybe Victoria's Secret, but she was fairly certain telling Darien that wouldn't help Jed's new image. "Mina went with me."

Darien seemed to perk up a bit. "So you were with Hathaway's little sister all this time."

"As if I could stand the mall for that long. I stayed with Mina for a few hours, then me and Jed went back to his house."

"Alone! What were you thinking, Rei!"

He was beginning to sound more like an outraged parent than a jealous would be boyfriend. "Your faith in me is astounding, Dare."

He sighed. "I trust you. It's Hathaway I don't trust."

"Well, get over it. Jed's not the asshole you think he is. He's really very sweet." Rei wrinkled her nose at her outlandish description of Jed. She could only hope he was on his best behavior tomorrow. "You know I had reservations about Serena. I still do. But I don't waste my time with you saying so."

"What's wrong with Serena!"

"Well, you have to admit she's kind of...vapid." She ignored his outraged gasp. "Well, it's true! And she's clumsy."

"She's not that clumsy. And even if she's a klutz, it's nothing compared to Hathaway's love affair with himself!"

"Well at least Jed doesn't consider an C to be a good grade!" Darien started to protest but she cut him off. "She's no scholar and you know it! But I'd be willing to give her a chance to prove me wrong. And the least you can do is give Jed a chance."

"When?"

"Sometime this week."

Darien grit his teeth, knowing he was trapped. "Fine. And Rei, be ready to go by 7:30 tomorrow. I need to get to school early."

She started to agree, but realized everything would look more believable if she rode in with her pseudo boyfriend. "Actually, Jed's giving me a ride. I'll see you tomorrow. Night." She hung up the phone and immediately dialed Jed's number. "You're taking me to school tomorrow."

"What? Rei, is this you?"

"Were you asleep?"

"I'm told that is what people sometimes do when the sun goes down."

"Har har. Don't forget to pick me up. Oh, and I got Darien to agree to spend time with you sometime this week."

"It almost sounds like you're trying to hook me up with Chiba. Explain to me why I'd want to spend time with him?"

"To talk me up moron. I'll be doing the same for you with Serena."

"Can't I just tell everyone but Chiba how great you are? I don't want to spend time with Chiba. I don't even like him!"

"You think I'm dying to spend time with Serena?"

"Fine, fine. You win. I'll do it. Can I go back to sleep now?"

"You're more than welcome to. Don't be late tomorrow."

"I won't. Hey, before you go there's something I've got to ask you."

"What?"

"What are you wearing?"

"The same thing I was when I left your house."

"Aw, come on Rei. Couldn't you indulge me for a minute and say your wearing a silk negligee or something of the like."

Rei rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, Jed."

"That's what I'm aiming for. Goodnight my sweet nothing."

"Go back to sleep. Jerk."


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~


Almost against her own will, Rei stressed about what to wear when she got up. After surveying her newly stocked closet, she decided to go for a dramatic departure from her old wardrobe. Deciding a skirt would be too much of a hassle she settled on black capri's and a violet halter top. With a forlorn glance at her dirty sneakers she slid on strappy sandals.

Luckily Debbie hadn't been lying and applying make-up took Rei no more than 15 minutes. The extra time spent was worth seeing her mother's face when she came downstairs.

"Where's my daughter? Are you a pod person?"

Rei rolled her eyes. "Mom, please."

Her mother grinned. "Well, I can't say it isn't a welcome improvement."

"See if it's still welcome when the credit card bills arrive."

Janet Hino studied her daughter. Her daughter, who had hidden behind her hair and baggy clothes for years. Her daughter, who was beautiful, so very lovely, and she hadn't even noticed how much until now. "You're happy?"

Rei shrugged. What did that have to do with anything? "I'm not unhappy."

"Then I'm sure I'll live through the shock of bill." She handed Rei a glass of orange juice. "You'd better hurry up. You know Darien hates to wait."

A horn blared outside and Rei took a sip of juice and set the glass down. "Actually Darien's not giving me a ride today. Jed is." She grabbed her backpack before Jed could honk the horn again.

Jed wouldn't let her in the jeep until Rei had done a full circle for his inspection. "Are you going to do this every time I change outfits? Because you could have saved us a lot of time and just gone shopping with Mina and me." She leaned forward and changed stations. Rap gave her a headache. "Speaking of which, where is Mina? I was going to ask her to tag along when I have that bonding thing with Serena."

"What's this love? Thrown over for my sister!" He clutched a dramatic hand to his heart.

Rei swatted his shoulder. "Idiot. You'll be busy with Darien at the same time. Remember?"

He scowled. "Actually, I was hoping that was all a bad dream."

"No such luck. And it's not as though I'm dying to spend time with the queen of the klutzes. Hence you sister's invite. Mina gets along with just about everyone."

"That's not fair! Who gets to be the buffer between Chiba and me?"

"You're big boys, you can play nice for a few hours. Calling each other by your first names would probably be a good start."

"Ruin all my fun." Banter was forgotten as they pulled into the school parking lot.
Jed handed Rei her book bag. "We've got to make this look authentic."

She nodded and waited by her door for Jed to catch up. Everyone was staring at her. "Oh God, I can't do this." She started to back up towards the jeep, but Jed guided her forward with a casual arm around her shoulders.

"Too late to turn back dear. Half the school's already seen you."

"I knew, I knew that this was a bad idea from the start." She glared up at him. "You're the devil aren't you?"

He grinned. "You know I bet this would look a lot more authentic if I had my hand in your back pocket." His hand slid down her back.

"Don't you dare." Rei hissed through clenched teeth.

"Aww come on Rei, it'd be a step towards the goal."

"Jed, carrying my books would be a step towards the goal. Your hand on my ass would be a step towards a broken nose."

He sighed. "After all my hard work, you're still so mean."

Rei snorted then realized that she was standing in her first period classroom. Somehow Jed had maneuvered her into the school without her noticing. "How'd you do that?"

He grinned innocently as her slid into the desk behind her. "Do what?"

She was saved from comment be the teacher's appearance. Throughout class Jed leaned forward in his desk and muttered comments about the teacher's chosen subjects, while playing with her hair. Rei stopped trying to swat him away after a few minutes. It was no use.

After class, Jed grabbed her hand and started tugging her towards the gym.

"Slow down Jed. We have ten minutes."

He slowed down his stride to match hers. "So are you going to sit with me at lunch?"

She rolled her eyes." It's either that of watch Serena and Darien make moony faces at one another. Decisions, decisions."

"You could sit with Mina."

She looked at him incredulously. "Jed, I'm shocked beyond belief that I get along with your sister. I don't think all her friends are going to turn out the same way."

"They are kinda shallow, aren't they?"

"In a word? Yes."

"Well here we are." He stopped outside the gym doors. "And here comes Serena and Chiba. Rei, don't kill me for this."

Any reply was cut off when he leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn't a particularly passionate kiss, but for some reason Rei's brain fogged.

Jed pulled back and gently tucked Rei's hair behind her ears. Seeing that there wasn't murder in her eyes, he smiled. "So, I'll see you at lunch?" He walked off whistling before she had a chance to reply.

Rei nodded, still taken by surprise. She walked into the gymnasium not even noticing Serena and Darien staring after her.




A.N.

Sorry so late. And, erm, so short in comparison to chapter two. It's not really chapter three's fault. Chapter two was a freak.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who replied. I heart you all with a heartness reserved for the likes Gideon Yago and NSync.
Still no beta. Am nearing point of desperation. This would be me asking my sister to proof. My younger sister who hasn't had an English course in two years. This would doubtless leave everyone with worse results than now. So fair warning. Anyone who wants to step up for the job or knows someone who does betaing, please contact me at ElBucko17@aol.com.
Next chapter should be up in a week. Two at the latest. Honest.
If you leave a review you'll be on Rei's good side. And if you think about it, that's really where you want to be. (She's scary!!)