(A/N): Hello! This chapter took a little bit longer to get done than I had hoped. But I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do... But it's longer! So that's a good thing, right? This is mostly a filler, for-the-hell-of-it sort of chapter, but I hope that no one gets too disappointed.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my reviewers! Lilac Rose6 (HaHa, don't stress yourself out too much over reviewing, I'll live :), sierramaries, Neko-chan, BloodRedTearDrops16, and Kari Sohma. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and review my story! So I'll stop ranting and let you all read chapter 10!
"Ah-choo!"
"I told you that you should have stayed home today," said Haku.
"Are you kidding me? The Spring Festival is this Friday, and it's Wednesday, by the way! The dance is on Saturday! We still need to deliver all of the red roses, and we need to have the yellow and white roses ready for purchase during the festival so that the people who received red roses and respond!" I snapped back at her. She knew better than to scold me when I was under pressure.
"And you're the head of our class! Dump it on someone else!"
"I've already stuck Kari, Yoji, and Muso with the making and distributing the red roses."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because someone here has to make sure that all this crap happens!" I yelled. Several students in passing stared at me. "What in the hell are you looking at?"
"Pardon her! She's sick and delirious!" Haku called after them.
"Shut up..." I said, walking into the student council room. I immediately saw my three lackeys, and then a fourth. It was Toki, the student council president.
"Ah, Miss. Kyoko Sohma! Just the young lady I wanted to see!" he said, getting up from his seat. I had never cared for Toki. Whenever he spoke to me, I kinda wanted to punch him in the face.
"Can I do something for you, Toki?" I asked.
"Kyoko, don't be so rude! She means President Toki, of course!" said Yoji. Nope. I meant Toki. Not that it mattered. President Toki ignored him.
"Well, as you know, after the Spring Formal, we have Spring Break. And After Spring Break, we start our new school year. And I know it must break your heart, but this is the year that I must leave you!"
"You don't say?" I asked. I treated him much as I would treat Arime. They were impossible to stop, so I just stopped trying. Resistance to these kinds of people was futile.
"Yes, I weep to have to leave Kaibara high! But it would easy my woes so much if you were to accept my nomination to take my place as student council president!"
"What?" both myself and Yoji asked this at the same time.
"But President Toki, shouldn't a student in their third year be nominated as president?" Yoji asked.
"Nonsense! I became president in my second year! When you're a leader, you're a leader! So, what do you say Kyoko? Granted, you've behavior has been a bit sporadic lately, but I think you'll make a fine president!" Toki exclaimed.
"Uh... thanks. I guess I'll consider it, but I'm not—"
"Fantastic! I'll have my committee announce the news! Oh, I must have them arrange a ceremony!" he proclaimed, leaving the room.
"What? Wait! I said I'd consider! I didn't say yes!" But it didn't matter. He was long gone.
"You'll consider? With President Toki behind you they'll practically hand you the position! And you'll CONSIDER? Do you have any idea how many people would love to have this opportunity? I would be honored to have President Toki's support!"
"Shut up, Yoji! I don't have the energy to deal with you today!" I yelled, taking a seat and crashing my head on the table.
"Kyoko, you need to get some rest," Kari said.
"Na, ah dunt! Um fahn!" I replied, into the table. Haku grabbed my hair and pulled my head up.
"Ow!"
"You're burning up!" she said, putting her hand to my forehead. "I don't know how your mother let you out of the house this morning!"
"There's too much ta-ta-ta— ah-choo! Ugh... to do!"
"That's it. I'm done. If you wanna stay here all day, feeling miserable, I'm not gonna try to stop you!"
"Yeah yeah. I'm always miserable, so nice try."
"You're sick?"
"Riku? When did you get here?" I asked, standing up quickly. That was a bad idea. I got a little light-headed, and then sat back down.
"Just now."
"What the—? Does anyone think that they can come in here now? This room is for the members of the student council only! Riku, Haku... I must ask you to leave!" Yoji said.
"Ugh... fine," I said, getting up and walking towards the exit.
"Where do you think you're going? We've still got flowers to make!"
"Leave her alone, Yoji. Kyoko needs to get better in time for the festival," said Kari.
"Yeah, and besides... do you want to risk getting sick too?" Muso asked.
"No! I can't! I have perfect attendance!" Yoji cried.
"Of course you do..." Muso mumbled in his seat, as he made yet another flower.
"Kyoko, I order that you go home at once and rid yourself of your terrible ailment!"
"Thanks for your permission," I said, leaving the room with Riku and Haku.
"So, you're going home?" Haku asked excitedly.
"No. I can still get stuff done without going into the council room. I could deliver some of the flowers that we've already made," I replied.
"Damn it, Kyoko! Go home! Crap... I have to go to class. Riku, talk some sense into her!" Haku said, taking off in the opposite direction.
"She worries too much."
"She's right, you know? You shouldn't over-exert yourself. You wouldn't want to transform at school," he said.
"Oh, I almost forgot..." I reached into my bag and pulled out his hoodie. "Thank you... for everything. I know I've been a pain lately, but you've been really patient with me," I said, handing him his hoodie.
"Keep it. It looks better on you," he said. I blushed.
"Oh no, I couldn't keep your hoodie! You wear this one all the time!"
"I want you to have it," he said. "Now please, go home," he said, placing his hand under my chin.
"But Riku, I can't-ah-ah— ah-choo!" I quickly turned away from him. Before I could do anything about it, I transformed. Next thing I knew, I was buried under a pile of my own clothes. Luckily, no one else was in the hall. "Damn it! Stupid curs-ah-ah— ah-choo!"
"Why don't you listen to me?" Riku asked, picking me up and holding me.
"Can you please put me down?"
"We're about to change classes... would you rather someone else picked you up?"
"No..." I muttered. He picked up my things.
"I'm taking you home," he said. The bell rang and students began flooding into the hall.
"Hey, Riku! Why weren't you in class? Hey, what's with the cat?" asked a boy who I recognized, but I didn't know his name.
"I found her. Is she yours?"
"No... besides, I think orange cats are ugly."
"Why you little—!" Riku squeezed me, to remind me that normal cats don't talk. "Grrr..." I growled. I'm such an idiot.
"Uh... alright. I'm gonna go. See you later..." the boy said, walking away uneasily.
"Smooth," said Riku.
"Shut up."
"Kyoko, you need to eat this if you want to get better!"
"There is no way in hell, woman! I hate leeks! Are you trying to kill me?"
"I'm sorry, Kyoko, but this is the best way! You haven't tried leeks in a long time... maybe you'll like them now."
"Like that'll happen! They were disgusting when I was five, and they're still disgusting now!"
"Koko, don't yell at your mother," Shishou said, standing in the doorway.
"I don't know why I'm here anyway! I'm perfectly fi—"
I woke up a few hours later. I had passed out. Mid-sentence, my mother had forced a spoonful of leek soup into my mouth. Ugh... I think I could still taste them. It was dark outside now. I need some tea. I got up and walked out of my room. I walked into the kitchen and my mom was making dinner. I started making tea.
"Oh, Kyoko! You're up! I'm so sorry! I thought that maybe your taste buds may have—"
"Yeah, whatever," I replied. I wasn't in the mood to argue, even though she did poison me!
"Well, um... how's school?" she asked. Really, mom? How's school? I'm 15, I'm cursed, you just force fed me leeks, and you ask me how I'm doing in school?
"Fine," I answered. She gave me a generic question, I gave her a generic answer.
"How is the Spring Festival coming?"
"I don't know. My friends rushed me out of school before I could do anything..."
"Well, you shouldn't have gone to school in the first place. I wondered why you left so quickly this morning. But I guess I should have known better... if you spend over an hour in the pouring rain, you're bound to come down with something. You know, you really should talk to your father," she said. Oh... she noticed that?
"Why? About what?" I asked.
"He told me why you ran off. And what he did."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"He feels horrible about it, Kyoko!"
"He ought to! He made me transform! He's keeping secrets from me!"
"For your own good!"
"According to you!"
"Quit arguing, will ya?"
I turned and saw my dad. I hate that my senses pretty much suck now. Anyone can sneak up on me nowadays. "Kyoko's right anyway."
"If you think I'm gonna fall for some reverse psychology crap, then you're wrong! Ugh... damn it! I feel like shit, I'm going back to bed," I said, walking past my parents and towards my room.
"How ya feelin'?" Akeno asked, joining me, Haku, and Riku in the hall.
"Fan-freaking-tastic," I replied.
"You better be..." Haku muttered.
"Hey, I saw Yoji and Muso delivering flowers this morning! Does that make you feel better?" Akeno asked.
"Not much..." I replied.
"Oh man... look at Muki," said Akeno. Really, Akeno? Looking at Muki was the last thing that would make me feel better, but I looked up anyway. Muki was walking down the hall with his head down. He looked outrageously stressed. He had nearly walked past us when—
"Hey Muki, what's the matter?" Riku asked. And there goes Riku, Mr. Cares-A-Lot. Muki stopped and looked at us, surprised. Part of me felt guilty that Muki had kind of become outcast from the group. Part of me couldn't be happier.
"Uh... it's our play," he said, looking grim.
"What happened?" asked Haku. Who cares?
"Suka's grandmother passed away, and her family is going to be out of town. They're leaving tonight, and they won't be back for a few days. Suka was Cinderella," he said.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Akeno asked.
"Cancel the play, I guess. I doubt I could find another Cinderella in time for tomorrow. It's a shame. Everyone has worked so hard," Muki said. I suddenly got a strange feeling... like I was being watched. I looked up and Riku was staring at me.
"What?" I asked. He didn't say anything, but somehow, I immediately knew exactly what he was thinking. "No. No, no, no, no, no! Hell no! Stop looking at me like that! I'd rather die! NO!"
I hate Riku. Who in the hell does he think he is? Does he think he can just look at me, say a few words, and expect me to do whatever the hell he wants? Apparently so. That's why I'm here now, but I shouldn't be. For a good five minutes I just stared at the door. This was going to kill me. I slowly brought my hand up to the door. I held it in place for a moment, and then grudgingly knocked. Oh man... I still had time. If I ran now, I could probably hide behind that bush and they would never know that I had come here!
"Kyoko?" asked Yuki, who had opened the door. See? He couldn't believe that I was there either. "What are you doing here?" he asked. He was gonna make me say it out loud.
"I'm here... to see… Muki..." I replied, hardly moving my jaw. This was embarrassing.
"Kyoko, I don't know what kind of trouble you're looking to cause but—"
"Kyoko? Dad, it's fine. Kyoko's helping me with the Spring Festival," said Muki, coming to the door. Great... so that's what I am now? The girl looking for trouble?
"Okay... if you say so," said Yuki, walking away.
"Come on in, Kyoko," said Muki, gesturing me inside. God, I did NOT want to do this. I walked inside. It was much like I had remembered it, except this time, everything seemed to piss me off. "Thanks for doing this."
"Whatever.... can we get this over with?" Just because I'm here, doesn't mean I want to be.
"Well, since the play is tomorrow, I thought we could run lines," he said.
"Geez, is that the only reason I'm here? What? Do you think I'm stupid? That I can't remember lines on my own?"
"What? No, I didn't say that! I just thought it might help if you had someone else there who—"
"I could have read lines with Haku! Or Riku! Or Akeno!"
"With someone who knows the play!" he yelled back. "Come on... I have the scripts, it's a nice day out... we can read over the play in my backyard."
"Fine..." I mumbled.
"Can I please go to the ball, Stepmother?"
"In those rags, you shouldn't be allowed to leave the house."
"I could find I dress. And I'll do all my chores."
"Okay then. If you can finish all of your chores, I might consider it."
"Oh... thank you."
"Kyoko, maybe you could try to say it with a little more excitement."
"......... I can't do this. You're kidding me, right? I'm not getting up in front of my classmates and doing this!"
"But you're my only hope!"
"Who's playing the prince?"
"Oh... uh..."
"'Oh uh'? No. Who in the hell is playing Prince Charming?"
"Um... Zume."
"Zume? As in, that guy on your council who talks in the third person? You're joking, right?"
"Kyoko, he's a really good actor!"
"He's a freak! I'm not doing this! You know all of Cinderella's lines, so why don't you do it?"
"Because a guy playing a woman's part is embarrassing!"
"No, it's hilarious! People won't think it's weird, they'll be entertained! All you need to do is be confident!"
"I don't like acting!"
"I'll make you like acting, you damn rat!"
"Would you stop calling me that? I don't call you a stupid cat!"
"Who are you calling stupid?"
"I didn't say you were stupid!"
I massaged my temples. That anger was bubbling up inside me again. I had to keep it under control. If I didn't, it would burst. "Shut up! I know you didn't say that!" I yelled. I'm making such an ass of myself...
"Is this really that hard for you?"
"You wouldn't understand..."
"You're right! I don't understand why you hate me!"
"Because every part of my body screams at me whenever I see you! The cat hates the rat, and that's how it's always been!"
"Not for us!"
"I have to leave."
"No, Kyoko, please. I need a Cinderella!"
"Damn it! I'll take the script home and study the lines myself! And you better not expect me to be at your beck-and-call tomorrow, because I've got a stand to run!" I yelled, getting up and walking away.
"Thank you, Kyoko."
"Okay... grand totals?" asked Kari.
"423 white roses and 108 yellow roses, which is the exact amount we need to correspond to the 531 red roses we sent out yesterday. And according to our poll, along with preorders, we will have enough of each responding rose. If not, we have extras on stand-by," Yoji announced.
"Okay... great! I think we pulled this off," Kari replied.
"The festival starts at 4:00, and Cinderella starts at 6:00. So expect to be swamped with lovebirds for those two hours."
"I knew that, Muso. Do I look like an idiot?" Yoji asked.
"Kyoko told us to report! So I reported!" Muso said, defending himself.
"Guys! This school year is almost over! Let's just get through this together. I can't handle fighting right now!" I yelled.
"Then tell Muso to—"
"Stop picking fights, Yoji!" I yelled. Heh... I wasn't really one to talk. This whole project would be much easier if I could dismiss Yoji from having to be there. But even if I did, he'd just get angrier and show up anyway.
"Yes, please. We've worked so hard. Now, our booth is already set up outside. All we have to do is take our flowers down and decorate it," Kari said. I was happy that she had taken up being the voice of encouragement.
"Okay... it's nearly two o'clock now, so let's get started. Muso and Yoji, grab the boxes."
"Why should—?"
"I said, PICK THEM UP!" I yelled at Yoji. That felt good. He picked up the box quicker than I had ever seen him do anything before. Now... let's get this day over with.
"One white rose, please!"
"Two yellow roses!"
"I need one white and one yellow!"
"I've been standing here for five minutes! Where's my rose?"
"You haven't given me money for one, so pay up or shut up!" I yelled back at the boy.
"Please, if everyone could get in a line!" Kari yelled. Maybe half of them actually formed a line.
"This is a mess..." I muttered.
"It shows how much they listen to you... watch this. Please! Everyone arrange yourselves in an orderly fashion if you wish to purchase a responding rose!" Yoji yelled.
"Shut up, geek!"
"Yeah, and they really respect you... geek," I said to him.
"I am not a geek!"
"Tell him that," I said, pointing in the direction behind Yoji. He turned around and saw the guy who had called him a geek. He was a senior who I recognized from the wrestling team. Even from behind, I could tell that Yoji's body had stiffened from this guy's build.
"Oh, I'm sorry! What exactly did you need again? One? Two? Ten roses? Here! Free of charge for you!"
"You're paying for those," said Muso, as he helped a smiling blonde. "Thanks for your support, and have a great time at the formal!"
"Next!"
"Prince Zume was hoping that he may purchase a red rose to give to his Princess!"
Oh brother... I turned around and saw Zume. Before he had time to say another word, I reached across the stand and grabbed him by the collar. "Get the hell out of here, unless you want Cinderella to be about the death of the Prince!"
"The Prince can't die!"
"I'll rewrite it."
"Fine. But Zume still needs one of each rose." People are stupider than I thought if somebody asked him. I handed him his roses, and he handed me the money. "Zume looks forward to our kiss at the stroke of midnight." That was it. I reached forward to punch him, but he was gone.
"I'll get you..."
"One white rose," said Haku, walking up to the stand. Business had slowed down.
"Who gave you a rose?" I asked.
"Akeno!" she said, bursting with excitement. I had kind of expected it. "Can you believe it?"
"Congrats. I always knew that you two would end up together..."
"It's nothing special... we're not going to the dance. He said he had something else in mind," Haku said, smiling.
"Magical things can happen..."
"Shut up..." Haku said with a smile. "Shouldn't you go get ready? The play starts in 20 minutes."
"Shut up..."
"You'll be fine."
"I'm gonna die. And it's gonna be you and your damn brother's fault..."
"Whatever... get going."
"I can't just leave the stand."
"We're gonna close down for the play, Kyoko. You can go with Haku," said Kari. Grr...
"What's the big deal about some stupid play, anyway? It's probably gonna suck!"
"No, I'm excited to see it!" Kari said.
"Of course you are..."
"Exactly, so come on!" said Haku, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me away from the stand.
"Would you cut it out?"
"Are you kidding me? This is going to make my year!" I wanted to cry. I didn't want to do this. Stupid Riku... it was his words that kept running through my head.
"You have to do it."
"What?"
"The old Kyoko wouldn't hesitate. She'd do anything to help a friend."
"But I'm—"
"And you said you'd like to try acting. Now you can."
"I can't—"
"And I'm sure you wouldn't want to disappoint everyone."
"Kyoko! Quick! You have to put on your costume!" said Muki as soon as he spotted me. Everybody was loving this. Muki took me backstage. Then I saw it.
"No. That frilly thing?"
"Oh... that's the dress for the ball. You don't put that on yet."
"Perfect." This was gonna be a disaster.
Finally. It was over. As soon as the lights went off, I walked backstage and towards the dressing rooms.
"Where do you think you're going so fast?" Riku appeared in front of me out of nowhere.
"Ah! Geez Riku, stop scaring me like that! And I'm getting out of this stupid costume!"
"Not before I get pictures!" I turned around, and before I even saw her face, my mom wrapped her arms around me. "You were so amazing! I can't believe you didn't tell us! Thank goodness we ran into Hatsure on the way in here!" Great... how many other people that I knew saw this?
"Yeah, good job," said my dad. He was standing behind mom.
"Okay, get up next Riku and I'll take a picture!"
"I'm not—!" Riku put his arm around me.
"Smile," he said. I did, to the best of my ability. Though, it probably looked like more of a scowl.
"Found her!"
Haku, Akeno, Hatsure, Mimi, Ritsuru, Arime, and Kiko all piled backstage. Akeno had a camcorder strapped to his hand. I began trying to figure out how many ways I could steal it.
"That was so good, Kyoko! I didn't know you were an actress!" Mimi exclaimed.
"Trust me, none of us did. Say hi to the camera, Kyoko!" said Akeno. I slammed the camcorder into his eye. "Ow!"
"That's for laughing at me when I came out and recording it!"
"Come on, don't you wanna watch yourself? Hey, I even got the part where you knee'd Zume in— well, in a place that made me cringe…" Okay, I had to admit that I was glad that he got that on camera but—
"I don't want to remember this! Ever!"
"But it was funny!"
"Yes, yes. Kyoko was extravagant! Now where is that little cousin of mine, the director!" Arime exclaimed.
"Hey, backstage is for the cast and crew only!"
"Oh, Muki!" Arime wrapped her arms around Muki. Muki sulked.
"Arime? How did—?"
"I heard from your father, of course! As soon as I heard the news, I rushed right over! I brought Kiko with me. She quite enjoyed the show, didn't you Kiko?"
"It was okay," Kiko replied blandly.
"Okay? It was exquisite! I only wish that you had told me sooner. Daddy and I could have made you dashing costumes!"
"Well, thanks for coming! Now, go enjoy the festival!" I said, shoving them out.
"Way to show your gratitude. We all took time out of our day to come see you and you can't even stand our company for a couple minutes? What? Do you think you're too good to spend time with us?"
"Bye, Hatsure!" I yelled.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! How selfish of me, wanting to see you. I'm a horrible person. Please forgive me!"
"It's fine, Ritsuru..." I said, massaging my temples. These people were impossible. "Go check out the third year's stand. They made food," I said, pushing them out the door. Finally... I turned back around to go inside the dressing room. Riku was standing in front of it. "Please... I beg of you. I need to get out of this dress."
"I don't know why you're in such a hurry to..." he said, walking towards me. "I think you look cute." My face got hot. Like, really hot. I quickly turned away from him. "You don't have to hide from me," he said, turning me back around.
"Why do you like torturing me?"
"I hardly think I'm torturing you. I just wanted to give you this," he said, pulling out a red rose.
"Riku..."
"I really like you. And I'm really proud of what you did tonight. Truthfully, I didn't think that you'd go through with it. But you did great. I was hoping that you might come with me and the others to the Sohma summer house on the beach. That's what we're doing, since no one thought it would be a good idea to go to a crowded dance."
"I... I don't know."
"Do you not want to go with me?"
"No, that's not it at all!"
"Okay then. We're leaving tomorrow morning," he said, walking away.
"I can't wait," I said, as I was left standing by myself, in a frilly dress, holding a rose.
(A/N): I have a feeling that I'm really going to enjoy writing the next few chapters... I'm not sure how fast I'll be able to get it up here though. I'll be taking exams for the next two weeks, but hopefully I'll get some writing time in. My graduation is fast approaching. I'm so nervous! But excited. Please, share your thoughts of my story!
stacyTHEemo :)