Cuxie:(shaking) Oh God...Oh God, Oh God...
Ryou:...Boo.
Cuxie: GYAH!! I can explain! Don't kill me!
Ryou:(taps foot impatiently) Well?
Cuxie: I-I'm trying to...I didn't mean...I kinda had WB I--
Ryou: You know they're all preparing to kill you, right?
Cuxie: THEY CAN'T!! I'M TOO POWERFUL!! (runs away and into wall) Owwie...
Ryou: Roll it.
"Oh my God, do you see that?"
"I don't believe it."
"She's not even in our group."
After leaving the pool area, the girls and Ryou still had about an hour to spare before lunch. Ryou took the lead as they wandered aimlessly around the park. The girls hung back, some fearing to get to close to the newest additions to their group...
Tae Ikuyo and her followers, Namiko and Hanae, had somehow managed to flawlessly inbed themselves into Ichigo's group. No one knew where their real group and chaperone were, but they didn't seem to mind the switch. Tae walked next to Ryou, a bit closer to him than Ichigo would've liked. She had changed out of her skimpy bikini and into a micromini and a lowcut V-neck top. Her sidekicks were only a few steps behind them while the rest of the girls hung a good ten feet back.
Ichigo stood in the mist of her group, hating herself for watching them so closely and obviously, but unable to stop. Occasionally, she'd hear Tae laugh loudly at something Ryou had said, or watch her flip her long dark hair over her shoulder, and her gut wrenched. That seemed to be Tae's thing, the hair flip.
"Can you believe it, Ichigo?" Moe asked.
"No," she responded slowly. "No, I can't."
Ichigo hated the awful feeling in her chest that formed when she saw Tae with Ryou because she knew it could only be referred to as jealousy.
But what did that even mean? What did she have to be jealous of? That whore? Maybe jealous wasn't the right word after all. Perhaps she was just angry. That would make more sense. Who wouldn't be angry after the things Tae had said to her? (Although 'pissed off' might be a more accurate term.) She wasn't angry with the idea of Tae&Ryou. She was angry with the idea of Tae&Ryou. If it was any other girl, she wouldn't mind. But Tae was a ruthless slut who clearly planned on using Ryou for whatever disgusting purposes she had in mind.
She couldn't let that happen.
"You...You don't think he's...into her, do you?" A shy girl with glasses asked.
Ichigo regarded that thoughtfully. From what she could see, Ryou didn't seem to be 'into' Tae any more than he was 'into' the other countless girls that had hit on him. Although none of them had been quite so forward and shameless as Tae.
Moe snorted. "Are you kidding? There isn't a guy on the planet who isn't into her. You know she's been with, like, more than half the senior guys this year."
Well...that's comforting, Ichigo thought, bitterly sarcastic. She cast Moe a Can-you-not-see-how-upset-I-am?-Just-leave-it-alone-already look that Moe, of course, didn't notice.
"Shirogane's as good as gone."
God. Shut up, Moe.
"Aww, that sucks. I was kinda hoping..." Glasses Girl blushed.
"Who wasn't?"
The girls sighed, defeated.
"Oh, c'mon!" Ichigo cried. "You guys are acting pathetic!"
"What's your problem, Ichigo?" Miwa asked, eyeing her skeptically. "You've been moody ever since we got out of the pool."
"There's nothing wrong with me," Ichigo said defensively. "I just--"
"What's the hold up, Ichigo?" Ryou called back, finally glancing over his shoulder and noticing how far back they were.
"Maybe we should slow down," Tae suggested sweetly. Her eyes locked with Ichigo's and she smirked. "Looks to me like they can't keep up."
Urgh! That little--! Ichigo gritted her teeth together, refusing to show any kind of reaction. Tae was asking for it. That much was obvious. Clearly she didn't think Ichigo was any kind of competition for her. We'll see about that... She spotted something that made her eyes light up in excitement. It was time to start fighting back.
She ran right up to Tae and Ryou. "Hey, let's go on that!" she said excitedly, pointing to their right.
The Waku Jet, an enormous roller coaster that consisted of deadly looking curves and spirals. It was painted bright reds and yellows and the sign had a picture of a cute chibi super-hero who looked as if he were daring anyone to get on his ride. The cute outlook was in stark contrast to the looming structure. But that was to be expected. Everything in Tokidoki Paradise was perfectly cute and chibi. Even the most death-defying rides.
It was perfect.
"Can we, Ryou?" Ichigo asked brightly, pretending not to noticed the horrified look on Tae's face. Perfect. Of course she would be opposed to a ride like that. Roller coasters as extreme as the Waku Jet often took a toll on one's appearance, hair especially. And, naturally, the first step in tearing down Tae was to take away the only thing she really had going for her: Her looks.
"Sounds good to me," he said, shrugging nonchalantly.
"W-What? No, we can't," Tae protested, tearing her eyes away from the ride.
Ichigo pretended to look surprised. "Why not? You're not scared of roller coasters, are you, Ikuyo-san?"
"Of course not," she snapped. "B-But, the lines way too long. We'll be waiting forever."
"It's not that long," Hanae, Tae's not-too-bright henchgirl mused. Clearly not taking note of her leader's distress.
Tae ground her teeth. "Yes. It is."
Ichigo turned back to Ryou. "The ride's huge. Each car seats like twenty people. The line'll be down in no time. And besides, it's probably best we get the coasters out of the way before lunch."
Ryou looked from her to Tae, a knowing expression on his face. He seemed amused. "You have a point. Alright, Strawberry. Let's go get in line." And just like that, they changed direction, heading straight for the Waku Jet. Ichigo marched boldly in between Tae and Ryou. Score one for the Strawberry, she thought smugly. "Are you coming?" Ryou asked, glancing over his shoulder at Tae, who was pale-faced and rooted in her spot.
She blinked at them and Ichigo sent her a faux sympathetic look. "You don't have to come if you don't want to, Ikuyo-san."
"Of course we're coming," she said indignantly. "Right girls?"
"No way," Hanae said. "That ride'll totally ruin my hair." She twisted a lock of her bleached-blond hair around her index finger, pouting in that spoiled, pretty girl Just-let-me-have-my-way look.
Tae turned to glare at her, flipping her hair impatiently. "Oh, you're so funny, Hanae-chan."
Hanae cocked her head, confused. "I wasn't being funny."
"Of course you were. Now let's go."
"But--Ow!" Hanae started to protest, but Namiko, the slightly smarter of the two girls, elbowed her. Still confused but outnumbered, Hanae fell silent.
Ichigo had definitely been right about one thing; the line was moving satisfyingly quick. They were at the front of the line in about ten minutes, where they all got a clear view of the cars they'd be riding in. They were sleek and red with yellow lightning bolts. The cars sat eighteen people in nine rows of two.
Instinctively, the girls paired up silently, moving closer together in orderly pairs. Tae had once again asserted her way to the front next to Ryou, but Ichigo didn't mind. That just meant he'd be the first to see the aftermath.
As the gates opened and they rushed inside, Ichigo found herself seated next to the girl with glasses and she struggled to remember her name.
"I saw what you were doing," she whispered, pointing discreetly at Tae. They were seated directly behind her henchgirls who were seated directly behind Tae herself. "That was really brave." She blushed lightly. "I'm Fumiyo Sakiyurai, by the way."
"I know your name," Ichigo laughed nervously, deciding not to comment about the Tae thing.
The ride started it's slow ascent up to it's first spiral.
Fumiyo dipped her head shyly. "I'm no good on roller coasters."
Ichigo nodded. She reminds me of Lettuce." Just try your hardest not to scream." She nodded her head towards Tae. "I have a feeling we'll be hearing more than enough of that from them."
--
"That was amazing!" Ichigo cried, stretching her arms up. Her cheeks had a healthy flush and her eyes sparkled as she recalled the rush of all the twists and turns. Being a part-time super-heroine, her sense of fear was dulled compared to most girls when it came to mundane things like roller coasters. After all, she had fought aliens on towers hundreds of feet in the air. A little roller coaster wasn't going to spook her. Instead, she'd found the indescribable feeling she got going through each flip and spiral exhilarating.
"What did you think?" She asked Fumiyo.
She was a little pale and shaky, but she seemed to have survived it. "I-I think I'm okay...I'm not sure about them though," she said, pointing at Tae&Co. Hanae and Namiko hovered around their leader frantically, complaining loudly about their hair. Ichigo was surprised they still had their voices after all the screaming they'd done.
"Are you okay?" She heard Ryou ask and her eyes lit up again.
Just as Ichigo had predicted, Tae's long glossy hair had been whipped into a mass of knots and tangles. The wind rushing in her face had caused her eyes to tear and her mascara to run. It was smudged under her eyes, which were wide. She teetered on her heels, looking sick.
The pinkette grinned triumphantly. Ichigo - 1; Tae - Zip.
Cuxie: Yes! I finally finished! I've been working on this chapter for ever.
Ichigo: Well, I'm satisfied with this.
Cuxie: Me too! The pink-haired girl always comes out on top!
Ichigo: Well, my hair's technically red, but still. Truer words have never been spoken.
Cuxie: Well...(blushing) I know it's been too too long, but I'd still greatly appreciate reviews, onegai. Please. (puppy-dog eyes)
