(Alright, everyone… it's time for the 7th chapter of "Akane's New Friend." At the end of the last chapter, Nabiki was trying to talk Akane into learning how to swim… and the fact that she needed some company. Is this finally Akane's time to where she finally learns how to swim? Read to find out. Thanks to James Birdsong, and jdcocoagirl for reviewing. Hope you all will enjoy this next chapter. I don't know how long this story is going to be… so, be sure to keep checking my profile page or the "Ranma ½" Community for updates.)
Copyright 2008
(Nabiki's P.O.V.)
I held Akane's body while she was floating above.
"Come on, Akane, kick up and down with your legs," I said to her.
"This reminds me of when I was learning how to swim in my hometown," Mathew said from the deck.
"How is that?" I asked him.
"Well, that's what I had forgotten when I had to jump in… use my legs," Mathew answered.
In the meanwhile, I decided to try to see if Akane could swim without my assistance.
"Akane, do you think you can do it without me holding you?" I asked her.
"Worth a shot," Mathew said from the sidelines.
"I can try," Akane answered.
"Use your arms to move," I said to her.
As I released her body, I watched to see if Akane got the hang of swimming. After struggling at first, she started using her arms and her legs and she finally got the hang of it. She was able to swim to the pool ladder and back to me.
"I think you got it," I said to her.
"That was pretty quick," Mathew said.
"Yeah, I guess I figured out how to do it," Akane said.
She sure did – instead of waving her arms in the air, Akane was actually floating in front of me.
"I'm surprised that someone who knows how to do martial arts like yourself, doesn't know how to swim," Mathew said to her.
"Why does it surprise you?" I asked him.
"I'm not sure," Mathew said. "It just does; I guess you're the first person that I've heard of who doesn't know how to swim."
After that, I had challenged Akane to a small race to the pool ladder and back; she had accepted. We had gotten ready, and I had taken off with an early lead, but she was right behind me. When we had gotten back to where we started from, I had beaten her by a considerable amount.
"I can understand your loss," I said to Akane. "Seeing as this WAS your first time actually swimming."
"Yeah, though I did come close," Akane said back to me.
"You did," I said, agreeing with her.
"Doesn't it feel good now?" Mathew asked Akane.
"Mm-hmm," Akane answered.
"Well, should we think about heading back now?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think we should," Akane answered.
After Mathew handed us our towels, we had gone back to the changing rooms and changed out of our soaking wet bathing suits. After we had grabbed our change of clothes, Akane and I turned our backs so we wouldn't see each other naked… although we were both girls… and it was the girls' changing room.
"So, what do you think of him?" I asked Akane.
"Who – Mathew?" Akane asked.
"Yeah," I answered.
"He's okay," Akane answered. "He's definitely not like the Principal at Furinkan."
"You said it," I responded.
In the meanwhile, we had just put our clothes back on and left the changing rooms. Mathew was waiting outside for us and we started heading back.
(Akane's P.O.V.)
"Hope you had some fun," I said to Mathew.
"You bet I did," Mathew responded. "Even if we went somewhere where I couldn't join in your fun… who cares… doesn't matter to me."
"Mathew," I said to him. "There's something we wanted to ask you."
"Oh really?" Mathew asked. "What's that?"
"Well…" I started. "Nabiki and I were talking about what the both of us thought of you while we were changing… and we were wondering… what do YOU think about me and Nabiki?"
"Well, like I said about you, Akane – you ARE pretty cute to me… just that it's too bad for me that you're already engaged," Mathew explained. "As for Nabiki… she strikes me as the interesting, calm, feet-to-the-ground, sweet type… somebody that's to my liking."
Someone to his liking, huh? I thought.
I knew I was right from the beginning – Mathew was falling for Nabiki.
"Don't you see it, Nabiki?" I whispered to my sister. "He's falling for you."
"Hmm?" Nabiki said, unaware of this.
So, since you said I'm an 8.9 on a scale of 1-10," I said to Mathew. "How would you rate Nabiki?" I asked him.
Mathew looked at Nabiki and she winked and smiled at him.
"Probably the same as you – 8.9," Mathew answered.
Both of us – 8.9 to him… I thought. What about Kasumi? But then again, Dr. Tofu's already got a thing for her.
In the meanwhile, Nabiki, Mathew and I had arrived home.
"We're home," I called out to Kasumi.
"Oh, back already?" Kasumi asked.
"Mm-hmm," I responded.
"And how'd you like it?" Kasumi asked Mathew.
"Was great… this place is really interesting," Mathew responded.
"How did the girls explain everywhere?" Kasumi asked him.
"Really good," Mathew said, raising his eyebrows.
"So, where'd you guys go?" Kasumi asked us.
"Well, over to our school, Ukyo's restaurant, the market, plus we took a side trip to the pool," I responded.
"The pool was my idea," Nabiki spoke up.
"How nice," Kasumi said, smiling.
In the meanwhile, Dad had just arrived where we were.
"Oh, you all are back," Dad said to us.
"Sure are, Dad," I said.
"We gave him a very good tour of the place," Nabiki added.
"You guys arrived at a good time," Kasumi spoke up. "I just finished making dinner… Ranma and Mr. Saotome are already having their shares."
After we had just joined the two at the table, Kasumi made us our shares of dinner, but we had run into a small problem because Mathew had admitted that he didn't know how to use chopsticks. Kasumi tried to teach him how, but he just couldn't pick up even a grain of rice.
(Kasumi's P.O.V.)
"Hmm… what does he do now, Kasumi?" Akane asked.
"Oh, I think I have something for him," I said.
I had gone into the kitchen and came back with a fork for Mathew.
"Only in the case of emergencies," I casually said, handing it to him.
"Thank you," Mathew said.
When he started eating his food, we noticed that he was using his left hand instead of his right.
"Hey, I didn't know you were left-handed," Ranma said to him.
"It's only natural," Mathew replied. "My Mom's left-handed as well."
"None of us here are left-handed," I pointed out.
"Figured so," Mathew responded. "Except… studies say that left-handed people are said to have the upper edge in fights, and are less likely to get Alzheimer's than right-handed people."
"How'd you know that?" Father asked him.
"I read about it somewhere," Mathew answered. "It's true… but although Ranma here – I'm presuming is right-handed… could probably beat me in a first-round knockout."
"Of course, I could," Ranma protested.
"There you go," Mathew said. "Simply because of one thing: I don't do martial arts myself."
"So, does that mean that the rest of us are going to get this Alzheimer's later in life?" I asked Mathew.
"Not necessarily," Mathew said. "Though I'm not sure, but you guys seem young… so, as of right now, you're all fine – unlike my 73-year-old Grandma, who sometimes goes to certain places, but forgets what she came there for."
"Yikes… that's a disturbing thought," Nabiki said.
After everyone had finished their dinner, I took their bowls to the sink and started washing them. As usual, I was humming a tune to myself while I washed them. When I had finished and put the dishes away to dry, I looked behind me to see that Mathew was standing there.
"Oh?" I said, suddenly noticing him.
"Kasumi, can I talk to you for a minute?" Mathew asked. "Unless you were in the middle of something…"
"Oh no, not at all," I said. "I just finished the dishes. What is it you want to talk to me about?"
Mathew had led me away from the kitchen right outside next to the phone.
"Kasumi, I…" Mathew tried to say. "I, uh… I…"
"What is it?" I asked.
End chapter.
(Okay, we're going to take a break here, and I'll leave you to figure out why I called on Kasumi. Now, hit "review this story/chapter" down below this text and type in those thoughts.
