The only things better than having friends at school, is when you're actually in the same lunch hour. Milly and Tamiya were not in Danielle's lunch hour, which made her sit alone, but at least she had someone to talk to after school besides the gang. Someone more her age, someone who doesn't know who she is. But one thing still bugged her, Hiroki still wasn't calling.
Danielle was sitting next to Hiroki during science, stealing a glance or two at him every chance she had. He was focused on his work, which was strange because, when in the hell was he ever focused on school work. Nothing could seem to take his gaze off of the book or the teacher, or the notebook and pen, and that was bothering her more. She was officially less interesting than a sheet of paper, regardless of the context written or drawn upon it.
After class Hiroki would get up and leave before Danielle had a chance to even pack up and walk out with him. Today she was watching the clock and had packed a minute early and watched the second hand. Then something strange happened, Hiroki noticed. Danielle and Hiroki just looked at each other the moment before the bell rang, stood up at the same time, and walked toward the toward in unison like a strange dance.
"What are you doing after school?" Hiroki asked Danielle, catching her off guard.
"Milly, Tamiya and I are playing some games in the rec room," Danielle said and reached the door, stepped out into the hall and waited an extra moment so he could step out as well.
"Mind if I go as well?" Hiroki asked and Danielle suddenly got excited, but tried to keep that from surfacing into an expression.
"Sure, I guess I'll meet you over there," Danielle said and took a right instead of a left to break away from him.
"See ya," Hiroki said and Danielle just kind of waved over her shoulder.
After classes were over Danielle jogged to the dorms and as usual was the first to arrive, took her pocket mirror out of her bag, and then tossed the bag on the bed. She sat next to it and opened the mirror to take a look at herself. Danielle checked her hair and face for anything unsettling, then tried to bite her lip again. As usual she couldn't do it on command. Then she looked at her clothes. Jeans and a long sleeved blue shirt. It was decent but for some reason she wasn't satisfied, which she rarely was. Aelita had told her that being a girl, you naturally have a biological condition to never be satisfied with your clothing.
Danielle threw her shirt off and began to go through her drawers to find something that was a little more flirty. Black tube top looked good so she threw it on and looked at herself in the mirror attached to the closet. Then she felt stupid for pulling out the pocket mirror with a mirror already in the room that was taller than her. Either way she liked the shirt so began to look for something new. It was strange though, she liked the combination of jeans and tube top but for some reason it didn't feel complete.
While Danielle was searching for something else Aelita walked in and saw only half of Danielle while the other half was in the wardrobe.
"What are you looking for?" Aelita asked, making Danielle jolt up and slam her head on the pole, dislodging it and causing her shirts and jeans to slide down. Danielle got tangled in the mess of hangers and clothes and when she manage to pull herself out, also pulled out two shirts and a pair of jeans, hanger and all.
"Sorry," Aelita said as Danielle rubbed her head and turned around.
"I'm looking for something to wear," Danielle said as she reached in and tried to push the pole back in slot, but the weight of the clothes was too much.
"I haven't seen you in the top yet, looks good with those jeans," Aelita said and Danielle began to take the hangers off and throw them on the bed.
"I agree with that, but I think it needs something else," Danielle said and Aelita tilted her head while looking at Danielle to think.
"Try a skirt on top of the jeans," Aelita said and Danielle let that sink for a moment.
"What's the point of that? The reason we wear skirts in the first place is to make them want to look," Danielle said.
"True, but just try it," Aelita said and tossed her bag on her bed and sat down next to it and pulled out a few books to work on some homework.
After Danielle got the pole back on and the hangers back on the pole, she went through her drawers and looked at her skirts, thinking of the best color sequence.
"Nothing matches the black tube top," Danielle said as Aelita opened the page she booked mark in her math book with the sheet of paper she was doing the assignment on.
"Maybe the skirt isn't the problem, maybe the shirt is," Aelita said and Danielle began to go through other shirts to see if anything else worked, "Try your tighter blue jeans, the grey skirt, then your black long sleeve with the grey trim at the collar and wrist," Aelita suggested.
Danielle didn't even fight it, she just put it all on then looked at herself in the mirror. She liked it, but something just felt strange. Why it felt strange was something she couldn't explain.
"I do like it, but I still like the tube top," Danielle complained and fell down on her bed and groaned, "I should have been a male, so I could jus, throw on a pair of old jeans and a shirt, with horribly mismatching color schemes, brushed my hair with my finger tips and then still not care. Women are supposed to be the superiors biologically if only it didn't take us three hours to change and still not be happy."
"Get used to it, I'm not nearly as picky for some reason. One season I was wearing pretty much the same outfit, then the next I change for no apparent reason. It looked better that's all that's important when you think about it," Aelita said and Danielle sat up and looked at herself.
"It's final, this will have to do," Danielle said to herself then stood up, "I've taken long enough as it is."
Danielle stood up and began to walk to the door before she saw herself in the mirror and the black tube top on the edge of the bed, "But it looked so good on me."
"Then wear it under the long sleeved shirt. If it gets hot then at least you have the option to drop a layer. Chances are it won't get too hot though," Aelita said and Danielle looked at her.
"Why not?"
"It's winter if you forget," Aelita said and Danielle shook her head in embarrassment.
"Yeah, I'm going to leave before I change my mind," Danielle said and Aelita giggled as the door shut.
"Yup, she's definitely a girl," Aelita said as she answered equation thirty three.
When Danielle arrived at the rec room she noticed it was more crowded than usual. Winter tended to keep the kids inside more than usual, so there was actually a line to play ping pong and foosball. Hiroki, Milly, and Tamiya were already there, and already all together. The girls were sitting on the couch and Hiroki pulled a chair over and the three were chatting. Danielle ducked down at the door and peered at them from afar, Hiroki making them giggle and grin. Especially Milly.
"What are we looking at?" A voice whispered to her, making her knock her head against the door frame.
"Can't anyone just announce themselves without scaring the crap out of me?" Danielle asked and saw Odd.
"Sorry, you just looked like you were window shopping and saw something shiny," Odd said and leaned against the wall, "Let me guess, Hiroki is in there, but he still isn't being communicative?"
"Yes, but I was going to meet him here, but I took awhile getting changed and now he's in there talking to Milly and Tamiya and I...did you just say communicative?" Danielle said and Odd tilted his body and looked in.
"Idiot yes, complete idiot no," Odd said then saw Hiroki and the girl and leaned back in, "I wonder what they're talking about."
"So do I, but they're in the back of the room," Danielle said and Odd smiled.
"I have an idea, answer your phone," Odd said then dialed her number. Danielle's phone vibrated in her hand and she hit answer. Odd hit speaker phone and said, "Can you hear me?"
Danielle nodded and Odd said, "Put your phone on mute, I'm going to place my phone near them so you can hear." Danielle found mute as Odd walked through the rec room and grabbed a drink and placed it on the table next to the couch Milly and Tamiya were on.
"Could you three watch my phone?" Odd asked and they all nodded, and Odd walked away and pretended to do other stuff. Danielle was surprised that Odd's plan actually worked, she could hear everything.
"...a little weird but, really sweet and nice," Tamiya said, Danielle only catching the end of the statement.
"She has a crush on me," Hiroki said to Milly who giggled into her sleeve.
"No way," Milly answered and Hiroki nodded.
"Well, do you like her?" Tamiya asked and Hiroki didn't really respond right away.
"I guess, she's weird, but in a cute way. On the first day of school it was like she was born a week ago," Hiroki said and Tamiya from what Danielle could see hit him in the arm.
"Leave her alone, she just moved her, did you enjoy having to learn french and being the little japanese kid in primary school?" Tamiya asked and Milly giggled anyway.
"She is a little clueless. Maybe she'll grow out of it like Aelita did," Milly said and Hiroki chuckled.
"Define grow out," Hiroki said and Tamiya rolled her eyes and looked away.
"What is taking her so long anyway?" Milly asked when she realized Danielle should have been there by now. The only thing Danielle could think was, 'They noticed just now?'
"I don't know, but she did kiss me a few months back," Hiroki said and Milly giggled and Tamiya didn't noticeably react.
"Really, who went in first?" Milly asked.
"She did really, so just to be nice I let her," Hiroki said with a smile Danielle couldn't see.
"Is she a good kisser?" Milly asked.
"Not really, but it was probably her first kiss," Hiroki said and Danielle blushed and leaned out of the doorframe and back outside.
"I don't like talking about someone when they aren't in the discussion, maybe she has something to say about how you kiss," Tamiya said and Hiroki chuckled.
"If she was here, she'd say it was great," Hiroki said with grin.
"I doubt that," Milly said with a grin as well. That made Danielle lean back in and see Milly doing something she had been trying to do on command for months; biting the lower lip.
"What, you need proof?" Hiroki asked and Danielle decided she had heard enough and looked away as she ended the call and began to walk in. She looked at Odd who gave her a thumbs up then she looked back at the three to see the two leaning in when she was five feet away.
"Milly," Tamiya said as she hit Milly's shoulder but it didn't stop the collision. Danielle froze as they kissed, not once, but separated lips for a moment to change angles and do it again, "Milly," Tamiya said louder, making Milly stop.
"What?" Milly asked, making Tamiya point with her head in Danielle's direction. Hiroki looked over as well as Danielle wasn't sure if she should cry in front of people or run away crying. She choice the latter.
Tears were streaming before she even passed the door as Tamiya shot up and ran after her. Odd looked over at Hiroki and shook his head, picked up his phone and left the rec room as well.
"What a cry baby," Milly said as Hiroki looked at his feet, looking seemingly guilty, "Don't worry about it, she'll cry for a week and get over it, seats open if you want to prove your point again."
"That's okay, I need to be home," Hiroki said as he stood up and grabbed his back pack and began to walk out of the room. Hiroki still had two hours left on his curfew.
Danielle had her head cradled in Aelita lap as Tamiya rubbed her back and Odd sat on the opposite bed, leaning against the wall.
"Just let it out, you'll feel a lot better," Aelita said as Danielle cried till she soaked Aelita's shirt and jeans.
"I know Hiroki liked Milly as well, but he should stay somewhat more committed to the girl he kissed first," Odd said and Tamiya looked over at him.
"That's rich coming from you," Tamiya said and rubbed her back more.
"That's why I know," Odd said and Aelita looked over at him.
"Odd, this really is a girl thing, so if you wouldn't mind," Aelita said and Odd nodded and left the room, closing the door before Ulrich caught it with his hand.
"What happened?" Ulrich asked, hearing about the incident from someone who saw without the details.
"I'll tell you later," Aelita said as Ulrich began to step out.
"No," Danielle managed to say through her tears, "He can stay." Aelita just shrugged and gestured for him to come down and sat at the edge of the bed next to Tamiya.
"Hiroki kissed Milly in front of her," Aelita said and Ulrich shook his head and patted her head.
"How you holding up?" Ulrich asked and Danielle said something that vaguely translated as, 'What does it look like?'
"I have some homework to do, I'll check up on you before I go to bed, okay?" Tamiya asked and Danielle nodded and Tamiya patted her back twice before she stood up and walked out of the room.
"This is a really strange coincidence," Ulrich said and looked over at Aelita before taking the rubbing the back job.
"What is?" Aelita asked.
"All three us, in a situation like this, like parents comforting a daughter," Ulrich said and Aelita looked at him confused.
"Technically we're all related to her," Aelita said and Danielle smacked Ulrich and looked up at him throw her drowned face.
"What?" Ulrich asked, and Danielle tried to mouth, 'she doesn't know.' "Huh?"
"She...does...ent....know," Danielle stuttered out and Ulrich suddenly realized what she meant and tried to get away without saying it.
"What don't I know?" Aelita asked.
"It's nothing really, I would have said the same thing if it was Yumi's lap she was turning into a pool," Ulrich said and Aelita smiled and looked down at her.
"It does feel like that for some reason though," Aelita said and looked back up at Ulrich, "It's like we're playing house, only the baby doll is real."
"I never played house when I was a kid, my dad made me play accountant," Ulrich said and all three of them got a decent laugh out of it.
"I remember playing it when I was little girl, but never with a boy," Aelita said with a smile then looked back down at Danielle who seemed to be slowing down finally.
"Feeling better?" Ulrich asked and Danielle shook her head.
"Not really," she said in the clearest speech pattern she had, had in the last hour.
"Running out of fluids?" Ulrich asked and Danielle giggled and sat up finally and hugged Aelita, then hugged Ulrich.
"I do have a headache," Danielle said and Aelita left Ulrich in charge so she could get some aspirin from the nurse.
"I can't believe you almost told her," Danielle said and sat against the wall while wiping left over tears from her cheeks and on the ridge of her nose.
"I can't believe you haven't, you have to tell her sooner or later," Ulrich said and then walked over to the door and grabbed a towel hanging off of the door and tossed it over to her.
"I prefer later," Danielle said then rubbed her face dry and looked over at him, "I don't know what to do. I can't talk to him ever again, I hate Milly, I almost hate Tamiya by association but she redeemed herself."
"You could find another guy to like and date him," Ulrich said and Danielle shook her head.
"Who would date me?" Danielle asked, "Unless love spells are real I'm not on anybodies radar."
"You'll figure it out, but you should try to talk to him about it before Yumi finds out, she'll get mad at him," Ulrich said.
"Let her," Danielle said and Ulrich laughed, and Danielle laughed a moment later as well.
"I'm okay for now, you can go, I want to talk to Aelita alone when she gets back," Danielle said and Ulrich nodded and hugged her before leaving and closing the door behind him.
"Love spell, if only," Danielle said, then suddenly had an idea, "Love spell no, love program however," Danielle said and ran to her bag and pulled out her notebook and pen and began to jot down the outline of the programming, "All I would really need is two DNA samples. Who would be compatible?"
Aelita came back a few minutes later to see Danielle writing in her notebook and placed the tablets next to her and a bottle of water.
"Thanks," Danielle said as she continued to list names and traits she'd like.
"What are you writing?" Aelita asked.
"My diary, I guess, I feel like expressing things to myself," Danielle said and Aelita smiled.
"Yup, you're definitely a girl," Aelita said and feel back on her own bed.
"Which guy has the best hair in the school?" Danielle asked.
"Why?" Aelita asked.
"Basis of comparison," Danielle said.
"Odd has good hair," Aelita answered.
"Ew, no," Danielle said and Aelita laughed.
"Umm, William, heck if I care," Aelita answered and started to work on her homework again. Daniel added William to her list and closed the book, deciding to finish her little project tomorrow.
I remember playing house when I was like 4 or 5, anyone else? Danielle has her first heart break, and spends half an hour to pick out an outfit when she said she'd be back in a minute. Yup, she's definitely a girl. I like when Aelita breaks the forth wall, that was my favorite part to write. The original line was Danielle saying, "Can I borrow that hoody dress thing you have?" Aelita shakes her head and says, "I threw it away." "Why?" "Because, it was so second season."