And here you have chapter 7, enjoy!

Airisu: Aww thanks so much! I'll try and fix my grammar in the future, thank you!

Arisa-chan: Neither did I. Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like it!

cheekycheetah: Thanks a bunch! It makes me happy!

skyressshun: Thanks! It's got a lot to do with the name of the story about her being out of her comfort zone…

Shy Light Akemi: I hope Runo got a little friendlier in the last few chapter! :)

Chapter 7_New challenge…poor Shun…

I had a fantastic night and for some reason I woke up early. I guess I knew I would because I couldn't wait to see if I made the team.

I did my daily routine and was running downstairs and out the door with a smile.

Arriving at school was great at first since I was in such a good mood, but guess who ruined it…

Alice…

She came walking up to me with her 2 other friends – doubt I would have called people like them friends at all – I just knew she was going to irritate me today.

"Hello Runo" she said my name with such distaste.

I sighed. "What do you want Alice?" I didn't really care, but she wasn't just going to walk away and leave me alone.

"Heard you tried out for cheerleading, I doubt you made the squad" she exclaimed. I glared at her.

"Whatever, just go away" I told her and started walking passed her when she stuck her foot out and made me trip.

I caught myself on my hands as I fell. That freaking hurt.

I heard her and her friends laugh at me. I growled. Can't they just leave me alone; haven't I suffered enough of this pain?

I started getting up when I someone held a hand out to me. Without seeing who it was I took the generous hand and was pulled up.

The laughter had died down…why though? I looked up and was surprised to stare directly into Shun's golden brown eyes.

"You okay?" he asked me, it truly looked like he was concerned for me. I nodded dumbly. I still couldn't quite believe he helped me, maybe he's not as cold hearted as I thought.

"Shun, why don't I walk you to class?" Alice came and asked as she latched onto his arm like a leech.

He pulled his arm away from her and gave her a fierce glare. She gasped. "No thanks, I'm walking to class with Runo" he stated loudly.

Some kids had stopped to watch the scene. Before I could comprehend what had happened Shun took my hand and pulled me with him.

"Hey!" I protested. He looked at me. "I'm saving you from Alice" he said. I stared at him. "Oh uhm thanks for helping me, I guess"

"Don't mention it, I'm sure you would have done it for me" he exclaimed. "I guess I would have especially if it was from Alice, but it sure seems like you can take care of yourself though" I told him.

"What do you mean?" he asked me. "Well when she clung to you like that, you just shoved her off. Do you do that to all the girls or something?" I wanted to know.

"Not all of them" he admitted. "Let me guess, you only shove those off you don't like and the others you take somewhere and you make out for an entire period" I wasn't really asking.

"Do you really think that low of me?" he questioned. "Well duh, it is what you do after all" I said.

We were silent for that moment. I suddenly noticed that he was still holding my hand. I also realized that people were staring.

My cheeks turned red of embarrassment. I tried tugging my hand out of his hold, but he didn't let go.

Did he even notice that he was holding my hand or was he in thought? "Here it is" he said.

I looked where we were for the first time and realized he took me to the info board. "You brought me here?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah, to see if you made the team" he admitted. I looked with him through the list of girls who will be joining.

My face fell somewhat when my name wasn't there. I gave an awkward laugh. "Guess I didn't make it, too bad"

I took my hand back from Shun and started walking to homeroom. "We should start getting to class" I told him smiling.

Even though I was trying to act okay about it, Shun saw it; he saw that my smile was fake.

Class wasn't all that bad. I haven't told Julie that I didn't make the team, but she was going to find out when she looked herself.

She was going to be so disappointed. I guess my cheerleading skills weren't as they were back then.

I tried not to let it get me down, it's just cheerleading, I didn't want to be part of the team anyway.

"I'm so excited, are you coming to see if you made the team at lunch?" she asked me cheerfully.

"Why don't you go look and surprise me with the outcome" I told her. She nodded. "Okay then, I bet you made it" she grinned.

If only you knew Julie, if only you knew…

For some reason I thought back to what Alice said this morning. I can only guess she told them not to put me on the squad, I don't know, but I'm not going to wallow in self-pity and I'm not going to care if Alice did it.

I'm sick and tired of Alice.

Lunch started off boring. I got a seat seeing as I was the first one there. Julie and the others probably went to see if I made it…

I sighed. I haven't been very talkative today; maybe it was bothering me a bit more than it should have.

Guess I was having fun and started to change my mind and be on the squad again. I haven't been like my old self in a while.

No one could seem to bring the old me out of its shell, no one, but…S-Shun… My eyes widened.

What! Shun, why is Shun the one who brought me out of my shell? That's right, when we were at my house baking…

I was myself for a while. Laughing, having fun even if it was with Shun. He wasn't that bad of a person, sure he sorta kinda used girls, but maybe he could stop being a playboy?

That's it I declare to make Shun stop being a playboy…It's my new goal!

"Hello" I came out of my revere when someone started waving their hand in front of my face. "Huh?"

Shun retracted his hand and eyed me. "You okay, I've been sitting here for the past 5 minutes and you haven't noticed" he said.

"Oh sorry, I was thinking, I just got the perfect idea" I grinned. He was totally going to hate it.

"And what is that?" he asked raising an eyebrow at me.

"I'm going to make you stop being a playboy" I declared taking a bite of my food. "Come again?"

I sighed. "Hard of hearing? I said that I was going to make you stop being a playboy" I repeated.

"That's a stupid idea, but whatever is going to make you stop sulking" he exclaimed. "I'm not sulking" I stated.

"You've been sulking all day because you didn't make the team, don't think I haven't noticed" he told me.

I huffed. "I was NOT sulking" I said again. "Look I can tell it's been bothering you" he said softly.

I stared at him. "Fine, I guess I have been quite sad about it, but its Alice who told them not to put me on the team" I said angrily.

"You really think Alice did that?" he asked. I nodded. "Alice will do anything to make me unhappy"

"That's pretty low of her" he admitted. "Yeah, but I'll get over it, she can't control my life" I stated.

Just then Dan, Julie and Ren showed up and took their seats, they were oddly quiet. "What's wrong guys?" I asked them.

"You see, well…" Dan couldn't form coherent words. "I didn't make the team, I know" I decided to take the agony of telling me off their shoulders.

They looked surprised. "You knew?" Julie asked. "Then why did you say I should go look and tell you the outcome?"

"Oh because I didn't want to tell you myself, I was a bit sad about it, but I'm fine. I just thought you'd be disappointed that I didn't make the team" I told her sadly.

"I'm not disappointed, you did great, but with your luck it was probably Alice who told them not to put you in the team" she exclaimed.

"That's what I told Shun" I admitted. "Oh so you and Shun have been getting closer huh?" Dan asked, I had the feeling he was trying to imply something when he waggled his eyebrows at me.

I immediately gave him a whack on the arm. "Hey, what was that for!" he protested rubbing his arm.

"For implying that there was something going on between me and the Kazami-boy over here" I said pointing to Shun.

"I heard some kids saying that they saw you and Shun hold hands this morning" Ren smirked.

I knew he was being on purpose. "HE took MY hand not the other way around, alright" I stated loudly.

I glanced over at Shun and sure enough I caught a red tint on his cheeks. "Are you seriously blushing about that?" I asked him poking my head closer to see only to have him shy away.

"No I'm not" he quickly said. "Oh yes you are Shun" Julie giggled. "Are you falling in love with the blue haired marshmallow?"

"I thought I said not to call me that?" I seethed. "Should it be popsicle then?" Ren asked.

"No" I dead-panned. "They both sound good to me" Dan grinned. "Yeah well I've got a name for you too, the fart-machine" I exclaimed.

"That's mean" Dan stated. I folded my arms. "So is calling me blue haired marshmallow"

"It's sounds way better than fart-machine" Dan whined. Shun stared at the new group of friends.

They totally got of the topic…They were a weird group of friends…

"What do you think her nickname should be Shun" Julie asked him. All eyes were on him now.

"I dare you to say something offensive about my hair" I said eyeing him dangerously. All attention was on him as he stared at the pairs of eyes.

This was the first time he realized that Runo had the most beautiful eyes that he had ever seen on a girl.

It was a pretty sea foam colour that matched her blue hair. Runo was actually really pretty when he looked closely at her.

"Shun I said give a nickname, I didn't say you should ogle her" Julie's voice broke through his thoughts.

Her words rang in his ears. "I was NOT ogling, I was just looking" he stated, his face was red even his ears were red.

Julie giggled. "Doesn't that sound familiar?"

"Yeah Runo said the same thing when she was caught ogling Shun in class" Ren stated.

"I was not ogling Shun, I told you guys that already" I exclaimed. Dan put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry Runo, now you're both even since he ogled you too"

I glared at Dan for his comment. "Don't make me hurt you Dan" I warned him.

He took his hand of my shoulder and scooted away from me. Ren chuckled at this.

"Hey so what are you guys doing this weekend, I thought we could go swimming" Julie suddenly said.

"That's sounds like fun" I exclaimed. "Yeah why don't we go to your house" Dan suggested looking at Shun.

"I guess we could" Shun said. "Awesome" Dan cheered.

"Wait, you have a pool?" Julie asked. "Yeah a big pool behind the house" he told her.

"That's cool!" she exclaimed. "You are going to come aren't you?" the question was directed at me.

I nodded with a small smile. "Besides I have a new challenge" I stated.

"What's that?" Ren asked me. "Getting Shun to stop being a playboy" I smirked.

I'm not very happy about the beginning of the chapter, but around lunch time it got a little better… What do you guys think?

Review please?

Chi-Chan…