"...."

"...."

"... Awkwaaard...."

"Nice."

I gave Soul a raised eyebrow before we both looked back at Marie-sensei. She tucked some hair behind her ear before fingering her teacup. I sipped the sweet lemonade I was finally able to drink, and Soul poked an ice cube his water glass.

All of a sudden, a soft ringing was heard. It loudened before softening, then disappearing all together. Marie-sensei and I looked over to see Soul running his index finger over the edge of his glass. I felt my eyes widen slightly and Marie-sensei smiled.

"Maka, darling," She started, looking at me again, "would you come help me get some snacks?"

"Sure." I said before following her inside. After she stopped in front of her refrigerator to find some goodies, I slapped my hand on the pink tile counter. Her head shot up from behind the chilled doors and I gave her a look.

"Okay, what's his story?" I demanded. He seemed fine. I didn't think he needed anything. Possibly academic assistance, but nothing mental.

Marie-sensei sighed and closed the refrigerator door and turned so she faced me. "It's a long story."

"I have time." I said simply.

"Alright then. Soul, he was, abandoned."

My mouth formed the shape of an O. After I took in a breath, I asked, "When?"

"When he was eight."

I felt horrible. I was considering kicking him out of the program because I thought he was normal.

"W-Well, is he, you know, over it?"

Marie-sensei scratched her wrist and bit her lip. "Normally yes, but sometimes if something reminds him of it, he gets either extremely depressed or just totally shuts down. He also has random acts of violence occasionally."

Oh.

Lovely.

I was about to say something, when Marie-sensei stopped me.

"But this was not ordinary. Soul was from an extremely rich family. We still don't know why he was abandoned, or what he did. No special talents we know of, either."

I opened my mouth slightly. "So, no one knows anything about his past?"

"Actually," Marie-sensei said with a lighter, but still serious, tone, "he does have two best friends that know everything about his past."

"Did they tell you anything?"

Marie-sensei's gaze shifted to the window to look at Soul, who was again playing with his tongue. "No, they didn't."

I could tell Marie-sensei was worried about Soul. I wanted to know more, but I wasn't sure about how far she'd go, exploiting him like this.

"Who were they?" I asked carefully.

She sighed, still gazing at Soul like a concerned parent. "Their names are Black Star, and Death The Kid."

Death The Kid?

Black Star?

"Black Star is rather self centered, but does care rather deeply for Soul. He was Soul's first friend when he arrived. Kidd is the silent type anyway, and has much respect for Soul's past. He won't even tell his father,"

"Shinigami." We said in unison.

She looked curiously, but only turning her head slightly, so she was still facing the window. I pursed my lips. "I've heard of him." I didn't want to go into the details of what Tsubaki told me.

Marie-sensei spun around to tend to the sandwiches in the fridge again. "Soul must be getting impatient by now! I've left him there far too long!" She bustled around the kitchen in her usual flustered manner, but I could still hear the sadness and desperation in her words.

"But I still have questions! Where does he get tuition money? Where does he sleep? When does he eat? What-" I yelled to her over the clanking over glasses and the buzz of the microwave.

I heard a soft cough from the doorway.

Me and Marie-sensei spun around and my eyes widened. Soul was leaning against the doorway of the kitchen with a look of 'I don't care' plastered on his face, but his eyes were rather cold.

"So," his words were short and hurt like icicles, "you were talking about me, I presume?"

I bowed my head in apology and embarrassment, and Marie-sensei tried to explain, "I-I thought that Maka would like to know-"

"Stop, Marie-sensei." I turned to her and gave her a warm smile. She gave me a 'What are you doing?', but I ignored it.

Spinning on my heel, I faced Soul with the upmost confidence. "It was my fault. I asked about it because I thought I would need to know when I tutor you." The ice in his eyes softened at my words and his face went from indifference to slightly impressed. Inside I smiled triumphantly.

Looking back at Marie-sensei, I saw her beaming with happiness. Her eyes were almost closed with her cheeks pink and her I thought her face might freeze that way. "Well then! This is fabulous! I would like it if you two could, as the kids say, 'hang'," she made air quotes, "so you can become situated with each other!"

I nodded slowly, not sure if this is what Soul wanted, but if I turned my head and pushed my eyes as far as I could in his direction I could see his shrug.

"Okay." I said after focusing my attention back to the bubbly woman in front of me. I felt for Marie-sensei, with her being all alone and all. She wanted a husband so bad. It hurt me to watch her being tormented by all the happy couples she saw on the street, in the market, anywhere, really.

"Bye!" Soul said quite loudly, shaking me from my thoughts and making me jump. He grabbed my arm, he had a rather large hand I noted, and basically dragged me from the house.

I waved my free hand at my teacher. "BYE, MARIE-SENSEI!"

She waved back and pressed the stop button on the smoking microwave.

- - - -

Outside of Marie-sensei's house, Soul roughly let my arm free of his clutches, and I immediately fixed my skirt, which was riding up in all the wrong places.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Soul quickly turn his head away from my direction.

Good.

I went to fully face Soul, but what I saw instead was a motorbike (1). I stared at it.

It stared back.

I narrowed my eyes.

The sun gleamed dangerously on the shiny orange metal.

Not blinking, I took a few steps backwards.

I didn't notice Soul look up from his key ring at me like I was crazy, then smirked when he realized I was having a staring contest with a motor vehicle.

"Hey, crazy." I looked back at him, then blushed while he continued. "It won't help anything if you stare at it, how about getting, oh I don't know, on?"

I looked at the light grey pavement of the sidewalk, and fidgeted in my place. "I've never really, been on one..." I trailed off and waited for him to call me stupid or something.

Instead, he rolled his eyes and beckoned me over to the vehicle. I shyly approached the motorbike, and watched as Soul swung one leg over the seat, and I attempted to do the same behind him. It wasn't as graceful, and I tried to keep as much distance between our bodies as possible.

I felt Soul bark out a laugh as I pushed against his back to keep the rest of me from touching him, and he quickly lurched the vehicle. I flew forward in surprise and pressed up against his back. Blushing, I tried to push away, but he just chuckled.

"Hold on!" He yelled, before speeding down the street.

"Shouldn't we have helmets?" I asked loudly over the screaming wind.

Soul just laughed and sped up.

Short A/N: Wow. Our computer wasn't working for like, two days, so I couldn't finish this. Gosh darn it.

(1): I never really considered it a motorCYCLE, it was always much more bike-ish, or even scooter-ish. Also, is it orange? Please say yes.

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