Disclaimer : I do not own Strawberry Panic. I also do not own Sailor Moon.

"talking"

Is it friendship or is it love? Or is it both?


Makoto was getting really upset since everyone kept teasing her about Melanie. She was glad when everyone decided to leave at 10:30 pm. This meant that maybe she could get some studying done before she went to bed. That was until there was a knock on the door. Makoto just decided to ignore it.

"Makoto, can I talk to you? Please?"

Makoto did not know who would that could be. So she got up and walked over to the door. She opened it to see Rei. "What are you doing here?" Makoto asked. She was surprised to see her. "You just left."

"Can I come in?"

"Of course," Makoto could not help but feel like something was wrong. "Rei?"

Rei sat down on Makoto's bed and said, "I have to tell you something, but I would sit down first."

Makoto was confused, but she decided to sit down because she could tell that Rei was serious. "What is going on?"

"I saw something today when I got back to my room."

"What was it?" Makoto wanted to ask if she saw Minako and Hotaru, but decided to wait and see if that was Rei saw.

"Melanie."

"What?" Makoto barked. "What the hell was she doing?"

"She was with Kaname."

"But she has been hanging out with her and Momomi."

"Yeah, but they were kissing."

"What?" Makoto had been glad that Rei told her to sit down otherwise she might have fallen over in shock.

"I think that they might be dating, but I'm not sure."

Makoto did not want to believe it. She did not want Miyuki and the others to be right. "Are you sure? Because if you're no-"

"I'm sure," Rei said cutting Makoto off. "I'm sorry Makoto."

Makoto shook her head. "I thought that Kaname and Momomi were dating again."

"They are."

"Then what the hell is Melanie doing?" Makoto was confused. She did not understand why Melanie would be dating Kaname when Kaname is dating Momomi.

"I don't know, but I thought that you should know."

"Thanks," Makoto whispered. After a few moments of silence, Makoto asked, "Do you think that is why she isn't spending that much time with me?"

"It could be."

"If she really likes her, then it's just going to break her heart when she finds out about Momomi."

"Well, maybe you could ask Melanie if she is dating anyone. I think that you should probably go see Momomi and ask her before you talk to Melanie. Then you'll know for sure."

"Ok, thanks Rei."

"No problem," Rei quickly hugged Makoto, "but I have to go."

"Ok, I'll see you later."

"Bye."

"Bye."

After Rei left, Makoto sat on her bed. She could not stop thinking about various things and they were all about her roommate, but Makoto could not help it. She was upset that Melanie would keep this from her and confused as to why Melanie would do this.

"I wonder where Melanie is," Makoto looked at the clock, "its 2:45 in the morning. She should have been back by now." Makoto laid on her bed. She could not take it anymore and left the room in search of her roommate.

Makoto walked downstairs to see Melanie sitting on the steps talking to Shizuma. She was not sure why Melanie was talking to Shizuma, but she did not really care. Makoto stood there for a few moments before she turned around and walked back upstairs.

Shizuma turned around and said, "Makoto where are you going? Because you can sit here."

Makoto stopped and said, "Well, if it's ok with Melanie."

"It's fine," Melanie said without looking at Melanie.

Makoto walked back down to where Melanie and Shizuma were. Makoto did not know what they were talking about, but she could tell that Melanie was upset about something.

"Ok, well, I'm going to go to bed, " Shizuma said as she started to feel the tension between Makoto and Melanie.

"Bye," Makoto and Melanie said at the same time.

They two of them sat there for a little bit. Neither one of them knew what to say. The tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

After about five minutes, Makoto said, "I'm sorry for upsetting you."

Melanie laid her head against Makoto's right shoulder, "I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"It's ok."

"I d…Mako?" Melanie nervously asked.

"What?"

"I t…something happened today."

"What happened?" Makoto had to ask even though she had already had a pretty good idea.

"K…Kaname…" Melanie blinked back tears.

When Makoto noticed this, she grabbed Melanie's hand and they walked up to their room. This was something that they needed to talk about in their room. She did not want to cause a scene in the hallway, especially since they were suppose to be in their room. When they got to their room, Melanie broke down and cried.

"Melanie, what did Kaname do?"

"She told m," Melanie shook her head. "I was dating Kaname."

"That's great," Makoto said even if it was not true. She did not want Melanie dating Kaname or anyone for that matter. She wanted to keep her safe.

"You're not mad?" Melanie hiccupped.

"No, I'm not," Makoto stated. "Melanie?"

"Yeah?"

"If I tell you something, you will promise not to be mad at me?" Makoto was nervous about telling Melanie that she knew, but she could not keep lying to her.

"I promise." Melanie sniffled as she sat on her bed.

"Rei saw you and Kaname kissing." Makoto paused. "I know that you're dating Kaname."

"Why did she tell you?" Melanie was confused. She did not know why Rei would tell Makoto something like that.

Makoto took a deep breath and said, "Because I was worried about you and she thought that maybe that was the reason."

"Oh," Melanie said. She could not believe that Rei would do that, but she was glad that she had told Makoto. "Um, Mako?"

Makoto walked over and hugged Melanie, "Did you break up with Kaname?"

"She dumped me," Melanie sniffled, "because she's dating Momomi."

"So is this the reason that we haven't been talking as much?"

"Yeah, Kaname said not to tell anyone."

Makoto could not believe it, but then again that did sound like Kaname. She could not believe that Kaname had been able to manipulate Melanie into dating her and keeping it a secret. "But why would you date her when she is dating Momomi?"

"I knew that Kaname wasn't dating Momomi when we started going out."

Makoto did not know what else to say without Melanie finding out that she did not like the fact that she had dating Kaname. Instead of talking, Makoto hugged her roommate. It did not take long for Melanie to fall asleep.

When Makoto realized that Melanie had fallen asleep, she whispered, "Don't worry Melanie I'll protect you from Kaname. She won't hurt you again. You'll be safe from now on."

After Makoto said that, she laid Melanie on her bed and covered her up. Makoto stood there for a few minutes watching Melanie before she quietly left of the room. Makoto did not want to wake up Melanie. Once Makoto was out of their room, she walked to Kaname and Momomi's room. When Makoto got there, she knocked on the door.

"Makoto, what are you doing here at four in the morning?" Momomi asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"I need to talk to Kaname," Makoto calmly said.

"Ok, hold on," Momomi walked back into the room and reemerged a few moments later. "She's sleeping."

"I don't care!" Makoto stormed into the room. Makoto had tried to be calm, but she could not help but lose her temper. "How the hell could you use Melanie like that?"

Kaname opened her eyes and said, "I see you found out about my relationship with Melanie."

"Yeah, I did! You were dating h…"

"Dating? She told you that we were only dating?" Kaname asked. "Because we were in a serious relationship. If you get wh…"

"You slept with her?" Before she even got an answer, Makoto punched Kaname.

"Yeah, I did."

"What?" Momomi exclaimed. She was shocked. "You told me that you just went out on a few dates not that you slept with her!"

"It was easy. I told her that I loved her and she gave in."

Makoto punched Kaname again over and over again until several Spica students, including Rei, managed to pull Makoto back. "Don't you ever come near Melanie again!" Makoto started to walk back to her room, but at the last minute darted down a hall and outside. She then managed to get over the cement wall and ran off. She needed to be alone to calm down before she went back to her room.


Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Let me know what you thought about the chapter! Bye!