Disclaimer: Maria-Holic is not something out of my own mind. Thank god… seriously. Have all y'all seen the second season!? O.e

Chapter 9

Dear Mother in Heaven, I will not apologize.

This is one thing I, Kanako Miyamae, am quite certain of.

That devil-I'm not even going to give him the honor of thinking his name-has pushed me around since I came to Ame no Kisaki. He kicked out my beautiful senpai, who has now graduated, sadly, and barged into my room as well as my life. I was supposed to enjoy a lovely, lively high school life filled with gorgeous, cute young girls, but he forced me to be around him, a disgusting boy, instead of frolicking about with my female classmates! Well, now that he's gone, I can frolic all I want! Take that!

…So why aren't I?

That devil boy has only been gone a day, but that's still more than enough time to have arranged to have some girl parties in my room! All of his stuff is already gone, as it had been when I woke up this morning, and I have already told Alyce that since he's gone, she can have that side of the room all to herself.

Of course, since she's such a sweet, considerate girl, she was worried about my ex-roommate's sudden disappearance, but I told her that he(well, she) decided that he was bored of living in the dorms and decided to go live in his house again.

Ah, come to think of it, what sort of excuse did he come up with to tell the teachers? They probably wouldn't mind him living in his own house instead of the dorms, especially now since it gave Alyce a bed of her own, but they would have at least asked why, right?

I shake my head and stuff my face into my pillow. I'm not going to spend anymore of my precious time thinking about him, I decide. Instead, I'm going to use all of my time to become closer with my classmates!

I pull myself away from my bed, which is where I've been sitting since school got out for the day, and stand up, my hands forming into fists in determination at my sides. I slip on my shoes and slam open the door.

At last, my real high school life can begin!

"What? Nooooo!" Sachi moans and reluctantly plucks three cards out of her hands and places them in Yuzulu's. "I was going to ask you next time, I swear… I was so close!"

Yuzulu smiles slightly as she places four sixes down on the table next to her small stack of tens. "Sorry, Sachi-san."

Sachi sticks out her lower lip. "You're not sorry, you big meanie."

Yuzulu ignores her sulking friend and turns to me instead. "Do you have any threes?"

"Go Fish," I tell her while shaking my head.

What a beautiful image this must look like… four high school girls playing a couple of rounds of Go Fish before heading off to bed. Now if only there were a strip Go Fish…

I smile my widest smile ever and turn to Nanami. "Nanami-san, do you have any twos?"

Silently, Nanami forks over one two. "Drat," she murmurs softly, her eyes downcast.

Kyaaa! I squeal inside. Look how sad she is, how depressed after losing just one card! How cute! How sweet! Come, let me hug you, let me comfort you! Come into my arms!

Suddenly my body shivers with the sensation of another body pressed against mine, one taller and lined with muscles that no girl has naturally. Skin that's both hard and soft at the same time presses against mine and a tongue toys with the skin on my neck…

No! I shake my head violently. That was all of that demon's stupid actions! He just wanted to mess with me and give me hives! I'm not thinking about him anymore! I'm not going to ever think about this fingertips tracing my jawline, his hands curled around my wrists, firmly but gently… Not ever…

"Miyamae-senpai?"

"EAACKAA! GET BACK, DEMON!" I scream at the top of my lungs and jump ten feet in the air and as far away from the sudden voice in my ear as fast as possible, my chair clattering to the floor as I stand up. My hands land in front of me, straight as boards, ready to kick some demon-butt with my sweet karate moves.

But instead of the demon I had been expecting, an angel is before me, her perfect brown eyes wide with shock. Everyone else is staring at me as well, but I barely even register them, choosing to devote all of my focus to the startled angel in front of me.

"Ah…" I slowly lower my hands. "Alyce-chan. Sorry about that… Guess I was just lost in thought and you scared me…" I rub the back of my head and laugh stiffly. "My bad. Are you okay?"

It takes Alyce a while before she regains enough of her senses to nod once. "Yes, I'm okay. I just saw you playing with everyone here and thought that I should introduce myself."

Oh, right! She's new, so she doesn't know anyone else except me! My chest flutters a little at the thought of me being the first person she 'introduced herself' to at Ame no Kisaki… well, the first student, anyways. Lucky teachers.

Sachi grins her widest, shiniest grin. "Hello, Alyce-chan! I'm Momoi Sachi!" She places her cards face-down on the table and stands up, extending a hand out towards the new girl. "You can call me Sachi-san! Or senpai!" Sachi giggles. "Finally, I'm a senpai!"

Alyce laughs softly as she shakes Sachi's hand. "Yakumo Alyce. Please, call me Alyce."

Yuzulu and Nanami also exchange introductions with Alyce, and while theirs are much more quiet, they're just as receptive as Sachi.

"Do you want to play with us?" I ask Alyce after everyone knows who everyone is.

Alyce glances at the table, riddled with cards, then shakes her head. "You're in the middle of a round. I couldn't possibly intrude."

"We're going to be done in a second anyways," Sachi says, then pouts again. "Yuzulu is being mean and reading our minds, so she's going to win very soon."

"I'm not reading your minds," Yuzulu corrects gently. "I'm merely guessing, just as you all are."

"Yeah. You're guessing after you read our minds." Sachi turns to Alyce. "Won't you join? Please?"

Alyce takes a tiny step back. "Maybe some other time. I'm kind of tired right now." She smiles wearily. "Ame no Kisaki is completely different from all the other schools I've ever gone to, so I'm really worried."

I nod sympathetically. "I know what you mean, Alyce-chan. I just transferred here last year, and it really is different. But don't worry, you'll get used to it in no time!" Especially since you don't have to worry about some demon cross-dresser like I did…

Did. That's right. 'Did.' I don't have to deal with him anymore… ever. Right.

"Yeah, and we'll help you!" Sachi jumps in enthusiastically with a raised fist. "If you ever have any questions about anything at all, just ask! We'll help you to the best of our ability, and then some!"

Alyce laughs quietly. "Thanks, guys. I'm starting to feel like I might actually survive."

Yuzulu speaks up. "Of course you will. After all, if Kanako-san can survive, then you can, too!"

"Yuzulu-chan!" I start to protest, but everyone else laughs in agreement, so there's not much I can do except smile along with them.

"Oy, that reminds me," Sachi turns to me with a pouting-glare. "You still owe me for ditching that goukon I invited you to. We were one short, and it was so awkward! We ended up having to grab some girl off of the street!"

I hold up my hands in defense. "I had to help Alyce-chan settle in! It wasn't my fault! I was just trying to help our adorable kohai!"

Alyce clears her throat, drawing all of our attention back to her. "Actually, I'm a third year, just like you guys." A faint pink blush dusts her perfect cheeks. "I just didn't have classes today because I still had some forms to fill out and I didn't know where any of the classrooms were, so today I was just led around the campus."

"Really?" My heart skips a beat at this news. A beautiful transfer student, just like me, is living in my room with me! What late at night maidenly secrets shall we share with each other? How will we comfort each other in our dark room? I can feel a nosebleed coming on just from thinking of it…

Alyce nods, then takes another step back. "Well, I'm going to go rest now. Have fun with your game!"

Yuzulu, Nanami, Sachi say goodbye and turn back to the table and pick up their cards again. I, however, watch Alyce walk away just a bit longer. I watch her skirt brush over her legs as she takes long, sturdy strides, her shoulders straight and broad beneath her flowing brown hair.

And yet, even while this fledgling goddess struts away, I can't help but think that the way she walks, the way her legs and hips move and the way her shoulders refuse to sway with each step, looks… familiar.

For some reason, when I look at her, I can't help but think of Mariya.


Soooo, this was supposed to be done much sooner... but then my history teacher is like, "we going to learn all of history in three weeks you guys!" ;_; ugh... even now, I'm supposed to be working on a presentation for him... but I have decided to use my time to write this and update it. Here's to not screwing up my presentation. XDXD

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it's so short! ;_; it was supposed to be longer, but then... idk. Kanako just didn't want to think too much, I guess. XDXDXD YES! BLAME HER! NOT ME! IT IS NOT MY FAULT! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I hope you all are not dying as I am currently dying in school! x.x

PLEASE, GOD, LET CHRISTMAS BREAK COME NOW!

Please R&R!

And thank you all so much for those of you who are patient with me and don't do voodoo on me when I don't update as quickly as I probably should! I really appreciate not being voodooed! :D

BAIIIII! GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!