Hello readers! I'm trying to update as frequently as I can, which I know I've been sucking at. I'm trying!

Anyway, it's late, and I really should be asleep right now, but I wanted to get this in first. (That's what she said). So here it is! Not much to say. Expect some yuri...because this is a yuri story. That is all.

: I couldn't reply to your review through pm, so I'll just thank you here. Thanks! :D


Chapter 6

Junior Year

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I was careful in Chemistry. I was careful with the way I approached her. I had it all planned out the night after I found the book in my locker. Except when I sat down, and saw her diligently focused on her work, my whole plans flew out the window. A deep nervous flush overwhelmed me, as I tentatively tapped her on the shoulder. Bad move.

She stiffened instantly, before slowly craning her neck to look at me. Her expression was deadly, and I nearly flinched.

"What?" She hissed – angrily, impatiently, anxiously.

"I, um, wanted to thank you for the book." I stammered out nervously. Kairi's blue eyes widened slightly, before narrowing into tiny accusing slits. Her mouth pulled downward into a dissatisfied frown. Her brows knitted together into a frustrated crease.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She snapped, turning back to her work. I coughed, interrupting her attempt at redirecting her attention. She stopped mid-turn, and gave me a sideways glance.

"You bought me a new copy of-" I started, taking out my book, but her hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and clamped tightly around my wrist.

"Don't take that out. Are you stupid?" She was in hysterics. Her pale, composed face was angry and borderline magenta. However, my entire focus zeroed in on the soft hand that was tightly gripping my wrist. Flames erupted immediately, traveling up my arm. It was unnerving, yet fascinating at the same time. I found myself staring intently down at our hands.

Kairi followed my line of sight, and with a slight gasp pulled her hand away as if she'd been burned.

I stared at her intensely, watching as her frightened look faded into a nasty glare.

"Keep that book inside your bag," Kairi said dangerously.

"Why?"

"Because people can see it!"

I frowned, watching as she occasionally glanced around the room. Her eyes flickered to the nearest cheerleader – that girl Selphie.

"I just want to thank you for, for doing this." I muttered imploringly. "Why are you – why are you being this way?"

"For doing what? I didn't do anything," she retorted, sounding incredibly annoyed. "And what part of leave me alone don't you understand?"

I shut my mouth the rest of the class. I couldn't help the miserable frown that was already forming on my miserable face.

Getting Kairi Lockhart to admit that it was she who had planted the copy of Wuthering Heights in my locker proved to be a troubling feat.

What was more troubling was the way the cheerleader began to ignore my very presence. I knew I should've been used to this – I should've accepted the nasty shove she gave me in the closet. Yet, replacing my book only seemed to want me to become her friend even more. It was almost like a hook bringing me back to the surface.

Why did she do it? It obviously meant something – going out of her way to replace the book her horrible friends ruined.

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So I tried harder. I tried to inconspicuously follow her to class. It wasn't that inconspicuously, because every time I was caught, one of the girls that was with her would laugh. On one occasion, Selphie caused a big scene in the hallway.

"Look at that Kairi, you're number one fan!" The brunette cackled, jerking an ugly thumb in my direction. I scowled, blushing, before burying my nose in my book. Kairi scowled back, looped her arm with the other girl and continued on.

Eventually, Kairi cottoned on because she began taking detours to her classes.

Thus, my stalking was put to a miserable end.

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During P.E., I stared reverently at the neat handwriting in the book. My name spelled out in such angelic script – it almost seemed like a dream. I tucked my bottom lip beneath my teeth, as I tried to hide the smile that was begging to form across my face.

"Hey watch out there Nami!"

I didn't even have the time to look up before something hard and rubbery knocked me right in the forehead. I toppled over the bleacher, dropping my book across the shiny wooden floor of the gym. A volleyball bounced off to the side innocently, as I heard the heavy footsteps of Sora Highwind making his way towards me.

His laugh was more like a snicker, and then a hiccup. Such an annoying laugh. I winced; rubbing my head and sitting straight back up. His shiny, cerulean blue eyes crinkled in amusement as he took in my disheveled appearance. I dizzily looked up at him, the two Sora's came into focus after a few seconds.

"Sorry," he murmured. "But why'd you bring a book to P.E. – that really doesn't make any sense."

I brought a hand to her forehead, gingerly brushing her fingertips against the sore spot.

I really hope it doesn't bruise.

Before I knew it, the brunet bent down, reaching between the bleachers to pick up my book. Anxiety flooded my body as he glanced at it curiously. I snatched it back from him before he could open it up. Surely he would've recognized Kairi's handwriting –

"Funny, I could've sworn I saw Kairi buying this book the other day…" He mumbled, looking at my book with interest. I set it down on the seat beside me to direct his attention elsewhere. It worked. He didn't really have all that much of an attention span.

"So anyway Nami, you've totally got to work on your serve. I saw it the other day and it like…really lame." He commented petulantly, grabbing my hand and tugging me towards the net. I grabbed my book, and let myself be dragged.

Sora demonstrated a perfect serve (which ended up with the volleyball taking a kamikaze dive towards the net). I watched him warily as he cursed a storm, bouncing the ball roughly and repeated the process. After five minutes of watching Sora turn into a raging bull at his failure of being a good server, I let my eyes glance around the gym.

Everyone was in different groups practicing their bumps and serves, but occasionally they'd peek at Sora and I. With a slight frown I turned back to Sora who was currently threatening the volleyball. I had a tiny hunch as to why we were getting curious stares. It wasn't everyday a popular boy would talk to someone the school deemed as unworthy… Well if my education in the film industry was up to speed.

"Hah! I got you now you little sucker!" Sora cheered as the ball skimmed the top of the net…and then bounced out of the courts. "Eh, whatever, it went over the net. Still counts."

He turned to me with a cheeky grin, before reaching down to hand me a ball. I took it.

"Sora," I hesitated, glancing down at the thick black, bold Wilson spelled across the padded ball. For some strange reason I thought back to Cast Away. Poor Tom Hanks. I had a sudden urge to cuddle the ball, but when I looked up at the brunet he was already staring at me with an impatient expression. "Why do you – I mean why do you bother talking to me in this class?"

He looked confused. Confused as if I asked him a really hard philosophical question. His blue eyes squinted, his lips pursed, eyebrows furrowed and his whole expression reeked of someone who was constipated.

"I think you're cool." He answered honestly after what felt like a whole ten minutes. His expression cleared up, and I was surprised to find genuine sincerity in his tanned face. He really meant that. He really thought I was cool, and worthy of hanging out with and speaking to. It felt like an immense revelation. I could use him – well not in a mean way. But I could use him to get closer to Kairi. They were good friends anyway, and if I became friends with Sora I'd surely –

"Yeah but don't tell anyone I said that." The brunet adds in a hasty, urgent undertone. "I'd totally look like a loser if everyone found out I like you."

My smile fell.

"Then why are you speaking to me now, in public –"

"Don't be stupid, Nami, this isn't public. These losers listen to what I say," he declares, gesturing towards the people in the gym. "And if I don't want any of the cool people finding out, then they won't."

I tried not to be offended by his statement. What could I expect from this egotistical jerk? If anything I rolled my eyes. And I had the urge to tell him off for that stupid nickname. Nami. Really?

I didn't have the heart to say anything though. Especially not when he smiled innocently at me. He was just an oblivious idiot.

I sighed, turning away from him and serving the ball. It went over on the first try. So much for my befriending Sora plan.

Wait

"Sora, what do you know about Kairi Lockhart?" I asked as he handed me another ball (sourly, I might add). His usually vacant eyes sharpened defensively, protectively, as if he were trying to enforce that fact that she was his property.

I was careful with my words. I didn't need an upset Sora Highwind, and admittedly his half friendship felt good. He was nice…most of the time, even if he was a little stupid.

His eyes narrowed, as I struggled for a response.

"I just, um, I just noticed that you – you like her, don't you?" I tried the questioning approach. His suspicious expression fell away abruptly, and it was replaced with a look of satisfaction.

"That's right!" He exclaimed. "She's going to be mine." He deflated a little. "Well, when she says yes to a date."

I fed on to his insecurity.

"See, if I become friends with her, I can so try to hook you two up." I lied, internally wondering how easy it was to lie to such a clueless boy. "That's why I need to know stuff about Kairi."

"You'd really do that?"

"Sure! That's what secret P.E. friends are for."

Sora's face split into a huge grin. "I knew you were cool Nami."

I smiled in return, suddenly feeling extremely guilty. I was deceiving the brunet, using him just as a method of gain. Was I that desperate to know the girl? Was I that desperate to go against my morals of friendship just to talk to a girl who wanted nothing to do with me?

"So the first thing you need to know about Kairi is that she can be a moody bitch sometimes."Sora explained.

Yes, yes this was so worth it.

"Usually she's in an okay mood, but whenever she's mad, she's super scary. You might want to stay clear of her around those times."

I nodded my head, eagerly. I almost felt like running into the changing room to dig out a notebook and pen.

"Kairi's smart too. I mean she probably has straight A's and stuff. Sometimes she likes to use big words that kind of gets confusing. So my advice, carry a dictionary with you." He warned me. I didn't have the heart to tell him I had the app on my phone.

"She's also the head cheerleader, even though she's like the youngest on the team. That's cool and that's what makes her the hottest and most popular girl in the school."

"How old is she?" I asked, curious.

"Fifteen."

I felt myself droop at this. Fifteen? That must have meant she was a sophomore. Not that being a 10th grader was bad…

"You know, I think you're going to have to do more than trying to memorize Kairi-trivia. You need to do something, like, cool," Sora said thoughtfully, when I said nothing.

"What do you mean?"

I turned to him curiously, my expression slowly turning flat at his suddenly lecherous looking smile.

"You need to join the cheerleaders."

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I pondered Sora's advice. Was it a trick? Was it another way to humiliate the new girl? I felt myself sigh, and then I sipped on my chocolate milk. I swung my legs against the edge of the stage, occasionally picking at my sandwich. My newly acquired book was planted safely on my lap.

And what about myself? Was I willing to risk my own – well – sanity by joining the very people who pushed me around when I first started this school year?

I toyed with pages of my book. I stared at the title page. What would these characters do?

Heathcliff wasn't good enough for Catherine, status wise. Almost similar to my current situation. So what did he do? He went, worked, and made himself a gentlemen.

I sipped my chocolate milk again, feeling a slow smile creep on my face. Maybe that was my problem. Maybe Sora and Heathcliff were right. My status here at this school was so bad, I needed to… reinvent myself.

I set the carton down, buried my book in my bag, and hurried out of the auditorium. I remembered seeing something about cheerleading tryouts on a flyer.

If a cheerleader was what Kairi Lockhart wanted, then by god, was she going to get one.

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"What the hell is this?" Selphie demanded, nearly spitting out her water. She rounded on the nearest girl who happened to be Kairi. The redhead face palmed, looking more like a tomato by the second.

I shifted my weight between my feet, as I watched the girls nervously. The September sun beat against my face uncomfortably, when I stood at the feet of the cheerleading squad at tryouts.

Selphie was a raging bull, pointing furiously at me, while demanding an answer out of the head cheerleader.

"What the hell is she doing here, Kairi?" The sandy-haired girl cried out, nearly spitting at me.

"I'll take care of this." The redhead whispered in an undertone, her cold blue eyes never leaving mine. I swallowed thickly, watching as the head cheerleader walked around the long foldable table, across the short gap between me and the rest of the girls, and stopped a few feet away from me.

She put her hands on her hips, before gesturing me to follow her. I traced her footsteps, as she led me off the football field. I ignored Selphie and the other girls' snickering when I passed the table. Kairi's stride was quick, crossing the dirt track field, and into the nearest hallway. She looked over her shoulders both ways, I tried to copy but before I could glance over one shoulder, she was pushing me into the nearest door.

The door closed with a loud thud.

"What do you think you're doing?" Her voice was accusing. I peeked timidly around my surroundings, half expecting to be in another closet, but my sight was welcomed with the clean, pristine cheerleaders' locker room.

"I-I-"

"You can't do this! You can't just go around stalking me everywhere I go. Naminé, this has to stop." She sounded distressed, paranoid even. But I wasn't preoccupied with the tone of her voice. Oh, no, no, no. She said my name. She said my name, and it was ridiculous how much of something I felt when my name was uttered from her glossed lips. It was ridiculous how much my own lips were practically begging to split open and beam. Her usual well placed hard glare was replaced with a look of confusing anguish.

Worry was etched upon her pretty face that it made me worry. It concerned me. Whatever it was that was bugging her, I just wanted it to go away.

"I know you said you couldn't be seen with a loser like me, but – but that's why I'm doing this." I said quickly. The redhead looked at me incredulously.

"Why are you trying so hard?" She demanded angrily. Her temper flared suddenly, leaving me shocked for a moment. It was like some sort of switch was flipped. She stomped closer to me; her fists were clenched at her sides. I backed up warily.

"I just – I just want to be your friend." I whispered back pleadingly.

I stepped back, she stepped twice forward furiously. The process repeating until I was pressed against the nearest locker. The combination dug harshly into my back, as the redhead continued to advance upon me, until we were nearly nose to nose.

"I don't want to be your friend," she hissed back, her voice dangerously low. I shrank even farther into the locker. The combo lock was seriously going to bruise my back. Kairi narrowed her eyes, as they bored into mine. Her stare was intense and dark. The usual shining tint of her blue eyes were blackened out, and looked more like molten rocks.

The dark coals studied my face (which was burning up fervently), occasionally flickering up and down. It vaguely reminded me of a predator, but I was too dazed and flustered to really consider the fact that I was the trapped prey.

"Why-" I squeaked.

"Because!" She breathed out anxiously.

"Because wha-" My question was completely cut off, by something I should've seen coming, considering how close the girl was. I didn't even get to finish the second word before the head cheerleader, Kairi Lockhart kissed me.

I didn't even exactly understand what was going on. My clammy hands were pressed flat against the cold locker, making me shiver, however the warmth radiating from her touch sent a hot trickle throughout me in an instant.

Her hands clutched at my sweater sleeves, nails digging into my skin. Her eyes were closed. I could almost count all of the freckles on her face – one, two, three, four…

I felt her breath shudder against my frozen lips, and then her mouth worked around mine again.

Five, six, seven –

And then I was shoved harshly sideways.

"What the fuck?"

Perturbed, I glanced upward to find the redhead, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her eyes were wild – scared. She blinked rapidly, backing away from me as if I had the black plague. She stumbled backwards, falling against the tiled wall, eyes still wide with fright.

She looked around quickly, before turning back to me. Her face was crimson, as she pointed a trembling finger at me.

"Y-you! You – you kissed me!" She cried out.

"W-wuhh?" I stammered, bewildered. I shook my head, shaking out the stupor. "I – you kissed me!"

"You're a fucking liar!" She accused furiously. "How – how dare you!"

"What do you mean?" I demanded, standing up, feeling offended. "I just saw you do it!"

"Stay the fuck away from me!" She warned, turning on her heel, and running out the door. I watched her go, my mouth literally hanging open. Was she serious? Was… what the heck just happened?

I glanced around the room, without really seeing it. A flood of things hit me all at once.

Kairi Lockhart just kissed me. Kairi Lockhart didn't have a boyfriend. Kairi Lockhart constantly rejects Sora's advances.

Was she – was she not the entirely straight, head cheerleader I had her painted out to be?

The image of her face up close was burned into my mind. My lips tingled (and by extension every other part of my body) at the memory of her touch. I licked my lips involuntarily, tasting the strawberry lip gloss smeared across my mouth. If it were possible, my face flamed hotter than before.

Any of the questions I had about Kairi Lockhart, seemed to multiply after this. And the answers I thought I initially had seemed to minimize every passing second. But I was sure of one answer, whatever Kairi's intentions were, I enjoyed that kiss a lot more than I should have, and that may not have been a good thing. No, not a good thing at all.

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And then, the pace of the story has been rigged with jetpacks so it rocket through the plot. Heh, so anyway, thank you for reading! Next update shall be soon - if all goes well! Good night...or good morning, I should say!

Reviews = love.