Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach
I just want to give a shout out to everyone that's reviewed and loved this story, THANKS SO MUCH!!! I really appreciate it!! Now we have to get back to the drama of Ichigo and Rukia. Will they realize their feelings for each other?
Enjoy
DIRTY DANCING: RUKONGAI TRUTH
CH.7
Never in Kuchiki Rukia's life had she felt such despair. Why did it bother her so much, why did he bother her so much?
Nothing made sense anymore. She didn't even want to study history. Two days had already passed.
Rukia wouldn't come out of her room very much. She usually just ordered room service.
She called her brother a few times to tell him about the reservation and to see how he was doing.
"I wonder if they found someone else to dance. Maybe they used that woman Ichigo was kissing; they seemed to have good chemistry." Rukia muttered bitterly.
To make the day worse, it was pouring down rain outside, how typical.
At about noon on Sunday, there was a knock on her door. Rukia looked through the peep whole and was surprised at who she saw.
"Um, come in Inoue." Rukia closed the door and Inoue took a seat. Inoue cast her eyes down. Neither of them spoke for a moment, Rukia didn't have a clue as to what to say.
"What are you doing Rukia?" Inoue asked. The question took her by surprise.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Inoue chuckled. "You really don't know much about Ichigo, and yet you like him so much."
"No, I guess I don't know much." Rukia finally mumbled. Inoue started laughing. "You guess Rukia?"
Rukia nodded, not really understanding where Inoue was going with all this.
"So," Inoue began. "You probably don't know that Ichigo blames himself for his mother's death. And you probably don't know that dancing is the only real talent Ichigo can go far in." she paused, staring at Rukia's delusional face. She stood up and walked over to Rukia.
"You probably don't know about the women that come here. They tell Ichigo they want 'extra dance lessons' when really they want so much more than that. Ichigo tells them no every time, but sometimes they just keep pushing him. Most of the women are younger, and married to very wealthy men, having tons of money. Their husbands send them here for vacation. So when they see someone like Ichigo, they can't resist wanting to learn more about 'dancing.'"
"Why didn't he tell me then?" Inoue grinned lightly. "Don't you think he wanted to? It probably seemed easy for him to tell you seeing as how it's impossible for you two to not be together. Especially with the current situation I am in."
Inoue now circled around Rukia, taunting her. "All my life I have tried to open Ichigo up, and I guess I did to some extent." Inoue stood face to face with Rukia.
"And then, the one time he sees you at a stinking party, you bring out of him what I had been trying to do for years." Rukia began fidgeting under Inoue's intensity.
"It drove me insane. When he first asked you to dance and how happy it made him. He may have not appeared out of the ordinary, but I can read Ichigo like a book."
"What's the point of all this?" Rukia asked, getting frustrated.
"If you can't see the answer, then there is no point in being here. We still need you Rukia; there isn't a single person here that can learn the dance. You can still be ready by Friday." She stared at Rukia again, opened the door, and left.
Rukia was furious. "How dare she! Charge in here and tell me all those crazy things! If Ichigo isn't man enough to tell me himself than why should I bother?!"
Out of no where, her feet slipped on the ground and she fell to the floor. But Rukia didn't care.
Instead, she curled up in a ball and cried along with the rain that poured outside.
For the rest of the day Rukia tried to ignore Inoue's words, but they kept haunting her.
She finally gave in and let the words consume her mind.
"He never said anything about his mom. Why does he blame himself?" Rukia pondered over and over again the words which Inoue spoke.
"Why didn't he just tell me about the women?" Rukia asked herself. She sighed.
"Because I never game him a chance to."
"I've only been here for two weeks and I am already having boy drama. There has never been a single guy to like me! Well, except Renji, but he doesn't count." She laughed.
"I wonder what Renji is doing, I'm usually always with him." She rolled her eyes, thinking about all the times he worried about her.
Her thoughts drifted to Ichigo again. "I've known Renji my entire life and he's always been there for me, but then I meet Ichigo and I feel like I he's been a part of me since the beginning."
"I feel like I already know you. Like you've been here all along."
She began to cry once more, remembering those words Ichigo had said to her. Should she go talk to him? Would he even listen?
"He probably doesn't ever want to talk to me again." By night time, Rukia understood what Inoue meant.
"Ichigo didn't want that woman on him then? She was the one pushing on him after all." Rukia finally decided that she would talk to him in the morning.
She felt confidence. "Please let it work out, please."
Rukia woke up the next morning and dressed a little cuter than usual.
She called Inoue to see where Ichigo was. "Hey Inoue, yah I want to talk to him. I don't know. Do you know where he is? Which one is his cabin? Number 11? Ok, thanks bye."
Rukia stood in front of a mirror and practiced what she was going to say. "Gosh, I feel like I am practicing for a speech, only I was never this nervous."
After a few minutes, she headed out the door. The rain was still pouring outside, so Rukia walked to the cabin from inside the hotel.
She felt something at the pit of her stomach, and it wasn't good. A black man with dreadlocks was walking passed her, and he didn't look too friendly.
The man seemed to be staring at her as he walked towards her. Rukia couldn't tell though because of his sunglasses. "Why is he wearing sunglasses inside?" Rukia thought.
Taking a sharp turn towards her, he bumped into her. She flew to the ground, hitting the cold floor. The man only kept walking.
Rukia was scared out of her wits. "What just happened? Did he try to attack me?"
A waiter from the dining area came and helped Rukia up. "Are you alright miss?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you." She said stuttering slightly and began to walk again.
"I need to focus on Ichigo right now." Rukia said to herself.
Realizing she had forgotten an umbrella, she quickly ran to the cabin. "Why is it the cabin on the very end?" Rukia cried. When she reached his cabin, she stood under the porch.
After brushing herself off, she took a deep breath. "Come on Rukia, you can do this."
Before she realized it, she was already knocking on the door.
At first, Rukia didn't think he was there, but as she started to walk away, the clicks of a door being unlocked were heard.
Ichigo stood there, having a blank expression on his face.
"What do you want Rukia?" he asked. She looked down. "Well, I thought I would talk to you."
He stood at the doorway longer, debating on if he should let her in or not. After what seemed like forever, he nodded and opened the door wider, allowing Rukia to come in.
She tried not to smile at the sight of his room. There were two beds, each splitting the room in half. One half was clean and spotless, while the other side was a pig sty.
"Which side is yours?" Rukia asked. "The messy side." Rukia giggled, trying to lighten the mood some. He didn't seem interested in small talk.
"You said you wanted to talk, so talk." Ichigo muttered harshly.
"Look, Inoue came and told me what really happened, and I believe it."
Ichigo smirked. "I don't even know what to tell you. You already said it was to be expected from someone like me. So why are you here?"
Rukia folded her arms tightly, feeling the harsh winds of rejection flow past her.
"I didn't mean what I said Ichigo, I was just angry then."
"You couldn't even ask me to my face. You had to go to Inoue." Rukia was starting to get irritated, and fast.
"For your information, Inoue was the one that came to me. I didn't even say much to her. She just told me about what happened that day."
"And when was this?" Ichigo asked, sounding even more irritated than Rukia.
"Yesterday."
"I would never do that Rukia. I'm not that kind of guy."
Rukia's hands turned into fists. "Well what am I suppose to believe? When I wanted to see you and surprise you but instead I find a woman all over you?"
Rukia walked backed up a little bit. "Do you know how much it hurt. Something I would never imagine was seeing you with someone else, and then I open a door to find my worst night mare come true?"
"No Rukia, I don't." She jolted her head up, there were tears everywhere. "Well you should Ichigo, if only you knew how much I care about you."
Ichigo stood, standing over Rukia. "How do you think it made me feel? I told you about my family and how I was barely making it . Than you say how I make bad choices when you don't know anything!"
"No Ichigo," Rukia said mockingly, "I don't know how it made you feel."
"Exactly." He whispered. "I don't sleep around with other girls Rukia. That's one mistake I will never make."
"Then why did you let that woman all over you? I understand how rich women like that can be, I've met some before. But you didn't seem to be doing anything to stop it."
Rukia lowered her head, and spoke softly. "Or better yet, why didn't you just tell me?"
"It may sound easy, but its not. Those women know what they want, and they won't stop until they get it. If I were to just push them away, than they would go tell the hotel owner. He already can't stand me, so that would send me packing. So I slowly let them down easily, showering them with compliments. It's worked every time. They push on me, pleading at me and stuffing money in my pockets. I slowly pull them off and give them there money back. It's hard, but I can do it."
Rukia started to understand more clearly. She found herself easily trusting in his words. "Why don't you go work somewhere else?"
Ichigo smirked again. "I told you, I'm barely making it through. What I am saying is this is the only place I have until I can go to college."
"Ichigo," Rukia whispered. "I still don't understand why you didn't just tell me."
He stepped closer to Rukia, his hair covering his eyes. "I was afraid that if I told you about the women, that you wouldn't believe me, and that you would think I was some sort of player of something." He grinned lightly. "But I guess I should have told you, seeing as how I made things way worse."
He placed his hand on the side of her cheek. "Rukia, I told you that I like you a lot. I wasn't just saying that to flatter you, I really meant it."
Rukia smiled lightly. "I like you a lot too, that's why it hurt so bad seeing you and that woman. I've only known you for two weeks and I feel so close to you. I don't understand any of it."
"Why don't we take things back a step." Ichigo whispered.
They stood like that for a moment longer, when there was once again on a knock on his door. "Oh, Inoue." Ichigo said, letting her in.
"Hey Rukia." She said bubbly. It really frightened Rukia. Each time she saw Inoue, she sounded nicer and nicer.
"You need to start practicing if you are going to have this dance down by next Friday. You only have four days." Inoue ordered.
Ichigo looked at Rukia and smiled. "Are you ready to finish learning?" he asked.
"Let's do it." Rukia said grinning.
Ichigo and Rukia left the cabin and ran for the dance room, leaving Inoue all by herself.
"I knew she would figure it out." Inoue mumbled, smirking.
For the rest of the week, Ichigo taught Rukia the rest of the steps. They began to trust one another again. The harsh words that were spoken to one another just a week ago seemed to fade away. By Thursday night, Rukia was almost done.
"Ok, you've been practicing in the heels right?" Ichigo asked, hoping for the right answer.
"Yah, I've been wearing them all the time and I haven't fallen once surprisingly!" Rukia said very proudly.
"Ok good, we still have one lift left that we need to practice. It takes a lot of balance." Ichigo looked around the room and shook his head. "That won't work." He whispered.
"There is only one place I know where we can practice. Do you mind getting your clothes a little dirty?"
Rukia laughed. "No, I guess not." Ichigo grinned. "Good."
They walked to an old garage behind the cabin, and inside were four cars. The first three Rukia saw were all Volvos, but Ichigo walked all passed them to the fourth one.
"Wow, a classic t-bird!" Rukia cried. She had only seen pictures of them. "Yep, this car is all mine. You would be surprised at how good it runs."
Rukia quickly sat inside the vehicle, feeling excited. The t-bird roared to life, and they drove out of the hotel driveway.
"Where are we going?" Rukia asked. "You'll see."
When Ichigo turned the car off, Rukia was confused. "We're in front of a forest Ichigo."
"Exactly, follow me." He helped Rukia out of the car and Ichigo guided her through the forest.
After ten minutes, Ichigo stood in front of a giant log. Rukia could see the wild look in his face. "Ichigo!" she called out as he climbed onto the log.
"You do know that if you fall you could possibly die!" Ichigo grinned huge. "It's not dangerous unless you look down."
"Oh like I haven't heard that one before." Rukia muttered.
"Come on, this is to help with balance." He held out a hand for her. Rukia finally gave in after letting the irritation pass.
"Slowly Rukia, you don't want to fall OH NO!" Ichigo's hand jolted against Rukia's arm.
Rukia fell on her butt as Ichigo laughed. "You jerk! I really could have fallen off!" Ichigo laughed hysterically.
"I couldn't help it, your such an easy target." She couldn't believe Ichigo purposely scared her like that.
"I wouldn't let you fall Rukia." She glared at him for another moment and finally rose again, catching her balance.
"Ok, now stand up straight and tall. Ok good, now start walking towards me, and keep each foot exactly behind the other." She tried to do as he said, and slipped.
Ichigo grabbed a hold of shoulders. "You've got it, your fine, now walk to me." She took in a deep breath, trying not to look down, and walked to Ichigo.
"Ok, good Rukia. This will help us stay balanced as we dance tomorrow night."
Ichigo and Rukia got into their beginning dance position, and slowly did the movements. Rukia stumbled at first, slowly stepping back each time.
After repeating the steps, she got the hang of it. "Now, start moving your hips some." She moved her sides, making sure she stayed balanced.
"This is how we should look tomorrow night, minus the log and the forest." Ichigo said. Rukia only laughed.
"Ok, now follow me." Rukia obeyed and stayed close behind him. They walked off the log and headed deeper into the forest.
"This is probably the best way to show you this lift."
Rukia sighed. "Are you serious?" she whined.
Five minutes later, they were in the lake. "Ok Rukia, on this lift, you are going to jump up high. But you need to make sure to keep your body straight so I can catch you properly. Once you are up, stay as balanced as possible, I'll try to keep you up as much as I can."
Rukia nodded and jumped up towards Ichigo. He caught both her sides and lifted her high above his head. His arms were straight.
Just as soon as Rukia was up, she fell. "Ok, now that you know what its like, try balancing more when you're above me." They practice over and over again. Sometimes Rukia would stay high in the air, while other times she would fall quickly.
It was 10 o'clock at night when they finally got home. "It's late, you better get to bed." Ichigo commanded.
"Don't tell me what to do." Rukia snapped. Ichigo gave her an apologetic look.
She waved goodbye to him and got ready to sleep. Tomorrow was her big day. "I've practiced for a long time, but am I really good enough?"
For some reason, she wasn't as nervous as she thought she was going to be. Maybe it was because of her dance partner.
"I remember first seeing Ichigo and Inoue dancing together. I was so envious of her and wanted to be Ichigo's partner more than anything. And now, I do get to be his partner." Rukia whispered happily as she fell asleep on her bed.
Authors note: Yay! The drama between Ichigo and Rukia is fixed! I hope it didn't sound corny or anything! I had to put some mushiness in here at some point! Everyone loves good drama! I also decided to add the scene from Dirty Dancing where Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey (Baby) go and dance on the log in the forest, that's one of my favorite scenes so I hope everyone liked that! Well, Rukia is about to perform in front a huge crowd. Will she be flawless, just like Inoue? Or will her clumsiness decide to pick on her at the right moment? Also, be ready for an unexpected guest! Anyone want to guess who? Read and find out!
R&R!!
