It's Chpt. 9 time! Yay that allmmoost rhymes! Kool! Sorry it's late and I'm being spazzy.. lol

And so we go.. happy birthday to me!

X

My eyes fluttered open softly to a dark room surrounding me. I quickly looked around for something familiar, hoping I wasn't somewhere where I shouldn't be. I noticed my Epiphone guitar in its stand on the right side of my room.

I sighed and relaxed, smiling uncontrollably, the spot where Ulrich had kissed me tingling on my forehead.

Except I didn't remember much after that...

I tried to close my eyes again to rest, but quickly realized that I wasn't tired at all.

I leaned up and swiftly stepped out of bed and hurried down the stairs to find my mom starting to load up the dishwasher.

"Oh! Yumi, dear, I'm so glad you're awake." My mom smiled at me warmly. "How's you're hand feeling, any better?"

"I- um.." I looked down at my hand, realizing it was still bandaged in Ulrich's shirt, blushing. "Yea."

"That Ulrich boy is so sweet. He carried you all the way to your bedroom and tucked you in! It was so sweet!" My mother beamed with unexpected glee and I froze in fear.

So that's how I got here. I must have fallen asleep in the locker room..

"Don't worry," She continued. "Your father was a bit annoyed, but I told him to calm down and give Ulrich a chance."

"You mean.. You guys don't hate Ulrich?" I asked unsurely, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Oh no! I don't. He's much sweeter and better looking than that last boyfriend of yours." She continued on beaming. I guess she liked the thought of me being with Ulrich, too. "Yumi, you should go back to sleep. I'm sure you're tired, dear."

"Actually I'm not really that tired." I confessed.

"Oh right. You did go to sleep at 7:00. That's when Ulrich brought you home." The spot on my forehead tingled once more.

I blushed at the thought of tonight's events, suddenly feeling tired.

"Actually, maybe I will go to sleep."

X

"SHUT UP HIROKI!" I screamed as I tried to kick my little brother into the window of the car.

My mom chuckled, not seeing my attempted kick. "Hiroki, you know how she gets when it comes to Inu-Yasha Manga."

"Yah, well, everyone knows she just skips threw the pages, hoping that Inuyasha and Kagome will kiss and Kikyo-

This time my foot hit the mark, and I kicked my little brother, just enough so it hurt. "Oww!"

Today was the release of the final manga volume of Inuyasha, in Japanese of course. I had spazzed the whole day about it, my body quaking with excitement.

And I was hoping that Inuyasha and Kagome would finally admit their feelings and just maybe, to see Sango and Miroku get married. Of course, that was pushing my luck.

The car stopped in the middle of the church parking lot and my mom said, "Have a good time, dear."

I just stepped out of the car, almost falling, paying attention only to my book. I waved to her.

Today was the day of the St. Mary's carnival that was run by the local Catholic Church. It was a tradition that my friends and I would go together every year and just hang out.

I walked on towards the events, not even caring to look for my friends, as I just read and read on with my book. I turned the pages eagerly trying to get to the next action scene.

Thump!

"Ouch." I heard a familiar voice say, but I didn't look up.

"Hey no fair, Yumi! How come you get to read them before I do! You have to tell me everything!" Nick pouted as he saw me reading Inuyasha. Nick was another huge fan of Inuyasha and other sorts, his favorite character being Miroku, which I thought sat with Ulrich much better than him.

I waved acknowledging the rest of my friends. I turned the pages of my book as I heard Aelita speak.

"Alright. Let's split up into boy-girl pairings and we'll meet up back up in a bit. Nick and Kelsey can go together, Celeste and Chris, Jeremy and I, and that just leaves Yumi and Ulrich!" Aelita said excitedly and I felt her eyes glinting at me.

I stopped reading in a flash. Stern was here!

"Just what in seven hells-" I started to say, and I saw Aelita's eyes glinting mischievously. She grabbed Jeremy by the arm and walked away, looking back and sticking her tongue out at me.

"Nick!" I shouted, annoyed, but I saw the blonde-haired boy walking off with Kelsey, not even noticing that he was leaving me alone with Ulrich. The person he despised the most!

I scowled and decided just to ignore Ulrich. I looked back to my book and just stood there and read before my senses directed me to the nearest bench, so I could sit down.

I saw Ulrich glaring out me through the corner of my eye, but I quickly looked away.

Ulrich and I sat there for a couple of minutes, trying to ignore each other's presence.

"What, you jealous that blondy seems to like Kelsey?" Ulrich snarled at me, with a look of jealousy on his face.

"I don't do jealous." I said, trying to act coolly, although a torch had just been lit in the pit of my stomach. I stared at my book.

Ulrich quirked an eyebrow at me. I wanted to smack him. "Really?"

This pretty blonde girl had just sat down beside him, her eyelashes batting naughtily. She had heavy makeup on and died hair with highlights. Did I mention the overload of makeup?

I tried not to pay attention as I watched Ulrich come onto her.

"You like what you see, babe?" Ulrich started to lean over to her and wrap his arms around her naughtily.

Just ignore him.

The girl giggled and squirmed as Ulrich started to kiss down her neck.

Just ignore him.

I felt my blood boil and my anger pulsed through my vanes.

I saw the girl try to put her hand up his shirt to feel his muscles. My hands started to sweat on my book.

Just ignore..

"You feel so hot, babe. Sexy." Ulrich whispered as he inched his head up to nibble on the tip of her ear.

Just.. Ignore.. Him..

The girl let out an incoherent whimper and I.. snapped.

I slapped Ulrich as hard as I could on the head with my book.

"Just get a room! So I don't have to watch you make love to her, you idiot!" I seethed and stomped away up the hill towards the school swing set where I could try to calm down.

Damn that Aelita. It's all her fault. She calls herself my friend..

I sat down on a swing with a thump. I scoffed at myself and started to bury my head in the pages of my book once more, hoping Ulrich wouldn't show up.

"I thought you said you didn't do jealous." Ulrich smirked cockily as he stood in front of me.

"I-I wasn't jealous, I just couldn't watch you take advantage of the female speeches like that and-

Ulrich picked me bridal style and quickly sat down in the swing, clutching me close. I dropped my book and gasped.

"So you're saying I could take advantage of you..?" he whispered into my neck as he nuzzled it softly with his nose. "Is that why you're so afraid?"

I heard him exhale and he placed a small kiss on my neck. He allowed me to sit up a little, still clutching me close.

I leaned my head against his neck and let out the breath I was holding.

"Yumi.. I would never take advantage of you. You're so.. different.."

I flinched at the word.. Different!

I tried to jump out of his grasp, but he didn't let go.

Ulrich chuckled. "Not like that. It's just that.. You're the most secure with yourself person I know.. And yet.. You're so insecure with me."

I guess I am secure.. But.. Ulrich for once is right.. I do feel insecure around him..

Is it..?

Is it..?

Is it...love?

I gasped slightly and Ulrich gazed down at me questioning.

I looked back up at him tentatively.

"And the strange thing is," Ulrich breathed out. "is that I l-

"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Yumi!"

I flipped out of Ulrich's grasp onto the ground, flicking woodchips in Ulrich's face, blushing like mad.

I whipped over on the ground to see Aelita, Kelsey, and Celeste standing right in front of the playground giggling like idiots.

"And we came up here thinking that you two were biting each other's heads off!" Aelita giggled in glee, almost falling to the ground in laughter.

I stood up embarrassed and angrily and shook all the woodchips off of my clothes, still red in the face. I scrambled over and picked up Inuyasha, which was lying on the ground a couple feet away from me.

"W-Well.. I for a matter of fact was reading! It's this hentai's entire fault that-" I started to scream out at Ulrich in a defensive manor.

"You call that reading! I was holding-

I gave Ulrich a thunderous look that out right read, "If you say anything, You will never have children, EVER!"

Ulrich stopped in mid-sentence and we both walked down the hill, pasting the laugh-screaming idiots on the ground to go find the guys. We didn't say a word to anyone else, or each other.

"I um.." Ulrich looked and the ground, blushing.

"Not now." I stated simply, trying to put no emotion in my voice.

Ulrich looked at me unsurely, but then returned looking at the ground, clearly embarrassed at being caught in that provocative position.

We walked in silence back down to the entrance of the carnival where Jeremy, Nick and Chris were waiting.

"How was Inuyasha? You have to tell me everything!" exclaimed Nick eagerly, the moment Ulrich and I got within earshot.

"I um.. Haven't finished it yet.." I stuttered out softly, my cheeks still pink, looking at the ground.

"What! No way!" Nick gasped, his eyes racing. I was always a really fast reader especially with manga.

Jeremy looked suspiciously at Ulrich and I, who were clearly avoiding each other. "Did something happen with the to the two of you?"

"No! Nothing! Really!" Ulrich and I spit out almost simultaneously.

I put on a fake- happy smile. "So where do you want to go? Ferris Wheel? Alli Babba? Tornado? Scrambler? Games? Anything for my bestest bestest friends!"

I pushed everyone toward all the rides and games, trying to get their attention focused on something other than Ulrich and I.

This was going to be an extremely long night.

X

I sighed as I tried to lose myself in the bright stars overlooking Celeste and I as we sat in one of the booths of the Ferris wheel. This was our decided last ride of the night since it was pushing 10 o'clock. I had nagged Celeste enough to make her sit with me instead of Chris so him and Ulrich were stuck together. I wasn't going to risk anything else happening with Stern and I tonight.

Celeste sighed and leaned back in her chair. She had been a little distant all the ride, as if thinking about something.

"Anything wrong?" I asked quietly and looked at her.

She just stared ahead into the night sky. "No, nothing really.."

"C'mon, Seriously. I know there's something on your mind." I said pushing her arm coaxingly and smiling.

She sat up and looked at her hands, which were fiddling with each other nervously. "Do you.. Do you think Chris likes me?"

My eyebrows furrowed. Wow, that was something I wasn't expecting, but I guess I was to caught up with my love life problems to notice anything of the kind of sort. Not that Ulrich has anything to do with them!

"Oh. Well. I'm not really sure... He doesn't tell me all that stuff. Nick's really the person to ask."

"But I don't really feel comfortable asking a guy about.. this kind of thing.. Couldn't you just ask Nick? Please Yumi! You two are so close!" She begged me pleadingly.

"I well.. I guess I could.." I said thinking about how I was going to confront Nick about the situation. I realized something. "Aww man.. I'm so sorry Celeste! I kinda stole you away from Chris for this ride didn't I. I'm sorry, I just didn't realize..."

Celeste leaned back and sighed. "It's okay.. I know how you have your love problems to."

"I do not! I mean, I don't like anyone. All this stuff is all stupid." I quickly spat out defensively, thinking she was talking about Ulrich and I.

Celeste chuckled and smirked a little bit. "Come on now Yumi. We all know Ulrich is crazy about you.."

I blushed crimson and looked down at my feet. "Well.. It's not like I li-.. You really think so?"

"Of course! You see how jealous he gets when Nick defends you from him! And he flirts with you all the time!" Celeste exclaimed and patted me on the back, trying to give me some confidence.

"He does that with every other girl he sees." I said dismissively.

"Yah, but you're the only girl that's not flirting with Ulrich back! It's different!" Celeste smiled.

"Who's the only girl that doesn't flirt with me?" Ulrich seemed to pop up out of nowhere.

I jumped back into Celeste almost knocking her over. I hadn't even realized that we had gotten off the ride.

"Someone's giving you chills, Ishiyama?" Ulrich chuckled cockily.

I scoffed. "Just seeing your ugly face always gives me chills, jerk."

I sped ahead of Ulrich quickly to walk ahead with Kelsey and Nick, who seemed to be having a nice little chat.

I head Celeste laugh in back of me and say, "Don't worry, Ulrich. She'll come around."

"Hmph.." I snorted and walked harder on the ground making sure to kick some dirt back at Celeste's face.

"Hey! What was that for Yumi?" Celeste yelped back at me as I heard the dirt hit her.

"What comes around goes around."

X

I flopped back onto my bed, smiling.

Do you guys really think Ulrich likes me?

I mean, I guess he does show some hints of it.. but I really don't want to make the first move!

What if he doesn't like me and I get rejected and laughed at by the whole entire school?

Those thoughts must have ran threw my brain millions of times as the 30 minutes after the carnival passed with me lying on my bed, thinking.

I sighed and flopped over onto my right side.

You Coward!

You Coward!

You Coward!

I gritted my teeth together as Ulrich's voice repeated the same deadly words in my head.

No one had the rights to call me a coward!

I AM NOT AFRAID!

Then that settles it.

Tomorrow I would face the biggest challenge of my life.

I was going to tell Ulrich Stern that I loved him.

X

End of Chpt. 9..

Happy now you guys? He he he! Here we goo! You guys are in for it next chapter Dances Around wildly

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I'll make the goal a simple 103 reviews! O my GOD! 100th reviewer next chapter will be dedicated to!

It's the big question next time on: High school Mishappenings!

See you soon!