Yay! 12 reviews! And O.M.G! I have 93 reviews, 47 favoriters and 106 followers! *squeals* I love you people! Really! Well, this is my birthday present to you guys! My birthday is Monday! (June 3rd)
Disclamier: I don't own Ghost Hunt! But maybe I'll get it for my birthday! Hehe!
Gene's POV
We all sat at our table. Mai was sitting beside Noll with Mother in front of her and Father across from Noll. I grabbed my own seat at the head of the table so I could feel special. The waitress just left with everyone's orders, except mine of course, but I can get my own food, I fancy a steak, nice and rare and juicy. Mai came to find Mother staring at her and Noll. Her eyes flickering back and forth between them then all of a sudden she let out a squeal, startling both me and Mai.
"You two are just so cute together!" She exclaimed happily. 'Not fair, I want a girlfriend for her to squeal at.'
"Mother." Noll groaned. 'Oh get over it, at least she's interested in you!'
Mother blinked. "What? It's true!"
Mai just laughed nervously and discreetly looked around her to see if she could spot Hiro anywhere. She couldn't, so she relaxed little by little, the anxiety starting to leave her. 'Maybe he left? But why would he even be here in the first place?' She thought. 'Good question. Maybe it's to torment you for not going out with him.'
A while later she saw Hiro though; he was walking towards us, carrying the food. Mai quickly looked at Noll and our parents. They weren't really paying attention to her so she slowly started sinking down into her seat. Once she was low enough she made a quick dash and went under the table. I followed.
"Mai, dear, is everything alright?" Mother asked her in a worried and perplexed tone.
"Uh, yeah! E-Everything's fine! I just, um, dropped... something!" She said hesitantly from under the table. 'Oh yeah, I think you dropped your ability to tell the truth.'
"Mai. Get up." Noll ordered in a low-like whisper.
"I-I will, Naru. Just got to find what I, um, dropped." She frantically looked around her to see if there was something—anything!—that she could use as her 'thing' that she dropped when she gets back up there. 'Hey, grabby, those are precious if I want to have ghost children you know! Seriously, feeling me up! Tell you what, why don't you do that to Noll while you're under here? It's sure to put a smile on his face.' Unfortunately the floor was spotless. Up above I heard Father say something about the food is here.
"Mai Taniyama, get up here. Now." She froze at Noll's cold and threatening voice. 'I was right, I'm in so much trouble!' She thought 'Wait, Hiro's out there! And Naru just said my name... Come on, Mai, think! Hiro can't know about me 'dating' Naru but most importantly he can't say anything about me cancelling our date! If he does, Luella and Martin will think I'm two-timing Naru and then they'll ask questions... Naru will be furious at me for ruining this... and I'll be stuck in the ride home with him!' She was mentally rambling now. 'Well, you should've thought of that when you lied on the phone to him. Seriously, you're as bad as Noll; I think you two deserve each other.'
She slowly—and I mean slowly—got out from under the table and sat in her chair, her heart beating fast. I calmly crawled out from under the table and sat in my own seat. She was met with a very annoyed and suspicious Noll, Father and Mother looked bewildered, and Hiro... well, his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.
"Mai...?" He asked in disbelief. 'No, this is her lookalike.' She looked at him shamefully and did a small wave.
"Hi Hiro..." She said in a half whisper.
"What... what are you doing here? I thought you said you had to work." His tone was making her feel more guilty. I saw Mother looking at them with intensity. 'Okay, I have to be careful with this.' Mai reasoned. 'I'll say! One false word and Mother will destroy you.'
"I..." She could just feel Noll's death glare on her, daring her to ruin this whole thing. She gulped. "I am. I—This is a business dinner." She tried her best to sound convincing. 'Good one, nice cover.' She looked at Mother and Father, begging them not to say anything. "So what are you doing here?" She asked hastily before Hiro could say anything. 'Well played. Stopping him from talking about not going on a date with him.'
"My uncle owns this restaurant. I'm just here helping out." He informed. She nodded her head. 'Please leave now!' She begged mentally. 'How rude! I'd have thought someone would've taught you manners.'
"Well..." He began warily. "Here's your food. Hope you enjoy." After Hiro left all eyes were on Mai. 'Ooh, this looks interesting.'
"Mai, dear. Who—who was that?" Mother asked cautiously.
"Yes, Mai. Who was that?" Noll questioned in an icy voice. Mai gulped again.
"He's a guy from school. He, um, always tries to ask me out even though I told him I have a boyfriend. He's very persistent! Even followed me home a few times." She laughed awkwardly. 'Oh great, I just made him sound like a stalker!' She commented in her head. 'Hiro the local stalker... hmm, I like it, I think it could work! Let's just pray that no-one claps eyes on him again or he will be in for a world of pain.'
"Why didn't you tell me, Mai?" Noll asked. His voice had a hint of concern in it and Mai thought it was just for our parents as his eyes were still angry. 'Trust me; he's not that good an actor. Heck, you should've seen him in the school play, that was just painful! If he sounds concerned, it is genuine, whether he is angry also or not.'
"I just didn't want you to worry." Mai replied. 'I'm so going to get it later.' She thought. 'I don't think so.' Looking away from Noll, we both started eating our delicious food. I have to say, my steak I cooked was just the way I like it.
"Do your parents know about... him? Oh, that reminds me, when can we meet them? I would absolutely love to!" Mai stopped chewing and slowly looked at Mother. Her hands were clasped together and her eyes sparkled with hope. 'Uh-oh, not a good move, Mother.'
"I'm afraid you can't. Both of my parents have passed away." Mai replied wistfully. Mother gasped.
"Mai, I'm sorry! I didn't—"
Mai smiled softly at her.
"It's okay, really!" She tried to assure them. Mother didn't know and Mai didn't want them to feel bad. She'd had enough of people feeling that way towards her when her mom died.
"Who do you live with then?" Father questioned.
"No one actually. My mom died while I was in middle school, so a teacher took me in but I moved out as soon as I was old enough. I didn't want to be a burden on her. My school's really great to people like me. I don't have to pay anything for it and with my job everything else is pretty much covered. I'll be graduating soon too..." She trailed off. 'This is the first I've heard of this. Congratulations, you've proved Noll wrong, you are smart!'
"You are? How soon?" Father excitedly asked.
"At the end of the week." From the corner of my eye, I saw Noll freeze. His food half way to his mouth. 'Noll, don't do that, you undignified pig! Either put it down or eat it. Really, did no-one teach you any manners?!' Mai wondered if he forgot she was graduating. 'It's unlike him to forget something like that.' She reasoned. 'No, it's not. Sometimes he used to even forget his own birthday! And have you ever tried asking him how old he is when he isn't working?'
"Really?! Fantastic! We'll be able to come then!"
Well that somewhat answers the question as to how long they'll be staying then.
"So, Mai, are you planning on going to college?" She looked up at Father.
"Oh, well, I haven't really thought much about it. I mean sure it's crossed my mind a few times... but yeah I guess I am... If I can afford it. I don't think I could just stay at SPR for the rest of my life." She looked down at her lap, disappointed. She contemplated the fact that although it seems like a sensible option she would rather stay with SPR, but she realizes that Noll's real life is in England where our family is and it would break her if he left again and never came back. 'Is he going to leave again? Leave me again? When he left for those couple months, I knew he was coming back. He said so. But I still missed him and couldn't wait for the next day cause it was closer to him coming back... but what if he leaves forever and I'll never see him again?' She rambled in her head.
She took a sip of her tea to calm herself and I took a sip of mine as something to do.
"Oh, sweetie, don't worry! You don't ever have to leave SPR if you don't want to! After all, when you and Noll get married it'll be part of yours too." Mother gushed as if it was the most casual thing to say. I almost choked on my drink; it slightly came out of my mouth and shot out of my nose. Married?! Mai cleared her throat to get it back straight again. Noll glanced at her and their eyes met. She blushed and looked away then took another sip of her tea. 'Geez, it's like that corny scene from Lady and the Tramp. Next Father will burst into song about Bella Notte or something.' I took another drink of my tea. "Oh, I just can't wait until you two give me grandbabies!"
This time... I did choke and so did Mai. Grandbabies?! Mai violently coughed and her tea leaked out of her mouth. Good thing she had a napkin on her lap so it wouldn't ruin her dress. Her eyes started tearing up as well, and Noll started patting her back, trying to calm her down. She wondered what he's thinking of this. 'Trust me you don't wanna know. Bad Noll! Bad, bad Noll! His calm façade works wonders though. How does he keep his face so blank?'
"Oh, Mai! Are you alright?!" Mother asked worriedly. She coughed a few more times before she was able to speak.
"Yeah, you just caught me off guard there for a second." Her voice came out hoarsely.
"Oh, Luella, look at what you did to the poor girl!" Father said gesturing to Mai. "You shouldn't say such things!" And this resulted to Mother saying that it was true though and Father replying that even if it is true she shouldn't say it so causally. I glanced at Noll to see him calmly eating his food while our parents were arguing. 'This must happen a lot or something. Naru's parents are very interesting; they're not really how I thought they'd be. I mean... Naru's their son.' She reflected. 'Yeah, well, you never met me though and Noll wasn't always like this. Our parents have always been this... unconventional though. I think it made life interesting.'
"Mai what the hell was that?"
She flinched. We'd finished dinner with Noll and I's parents and now we're on our way back to Mai's apartment. It's been almost an hour and Noll hadn't said anything... until now. She was wondering when he was gonna explode. There was so much tension in the uncomfortable silence that you could've cut it with a knife. He was clenching the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were pure white. Sometimes it seemed he was gonna say something but he never did. 'He was just trying to come up with the right words. I mean, how would you ask about such a situation?'
"I'm sorry! I really am! I had no idea he'd be there!" He didn't say anything, only stared forward, so Mai continued. "But hey everything went okay! It's not like the wrong thing was said or anything!" He gave her a sideways glare. 'No, you just made it seem like you had the local stalker tailing you. That's not wrong at all!'
"Oh yes, Mai. Everything went fine—my parents now think you have a stalker." He coldly and sarcastically stated. 'Exactly, I'm with you on this one, Noll!' Mai looked out her window and saw we were coming up to her place.
"What was I supposed to say?! Hiro had asked me on a date yesterday and with your parents here I forgot about it until after they left. So when I got home I cancelled it." She looked at Noll before looking down at her lap as Noll parked the car in front of her apartment. "I... I didn't even want to really go on it anyways so I didn't care if I cancelled it." 'So why'd you agree in the first place, Moron?'
"Why?"
She looked up to find Noll staring at her. She swallowed thickly, gripping the fabric of her dress with her suddenly sweaty hands.
"Because... my feelings wouldn't let me." My feelings for you, She mentally added. 'You should've said that aloud to him. This whole thing would be cleared up faster.'
Noll looked away and started to get out of the car. As he was doing so I heard him mumbled that she still must love me. 'Idiot! She's never even properly met me. I'm her spirit guide, I work with her. There's nothing else between us.' I know he didn't intend for either of us to hear it but we did. As Noll walked around the car to open her door, she quietly whispered to herself.
"It's not Gene who I love, Naru."
Mai's POV
I'm on my way to SPR. It was just after lunch and I was in class when my teacher said I had a phone call. It was Naru. He demanded that I come to the office; when I asked why he just said because his mother and Madoka were driving him crazy and that he couldn't take it anymore then hung up before I could say anything. So I had to lie—again!—to my teacher and said it was important work stuff. They dismissed me without further questions. I'm so going to get Naru! I can't be skipping classes just because he can't deal with his mother and Madoka. Especially since I'm graduating in like six days!
When I walked into the office, I saw everyone sitting down on the sofas, talking. I really need to work on my English more. I have no idea what they're saying. But I guess this is why Naru's irritated, they're talking so he can't work, and Luella and Madoka probably made him stay out here with them instead of in his office. I giggled.
"Mai!" Luella and Madoka came running at me, when they noticed I was here, and hugged me.
"Hey guys!" I wheezed out.
"Mother, Madoka, let Mai go before you kill her." Naru glared slightly at them. Luella pouted but nonetheless they complied.
"Oh, Luella, stop that. The girl has to breathe sometime." Martin scolded. He came to me and patted my head as we exchanged greetings.
"Mai." I looked at Naru and he stared back at me expectantly. I sighed. Of course... I think that's the only reason Naru called me here instead of 'entertaining' Madoka and Luella.
"Aww, isn't that adorable?! They communicate without even saying words!" I heard Luella 'whisper' to Madoka as I headed towards the kitchen. I'm pretty sure everyone else heard it also. But since I was already in the kitchen, I missed Lin trying to hide his smirk.
I set the tray down on the table and served everyone their tea. Everybody said thank you—well, Lin gave me a nod—except the one and only narcissistic jerk.
"Mai, let's go shopping!" Madoka suddenly exclaimed. What I didn't know was that those four little words would lead me to so much trouble...
"Sure," I agreed, knowing Naru would probably kill me if I didn't. "just let me change out of my school uniform." Luella and Madoka glanced at each other and then between me and Naru.
"You keep spare clothes here?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I think Lin and Naru do too, right?" I asked looking over at the two of them.
"We have to with your clumsy self." Naru deadpanned.
"For you information, I haven't spilled anything in weeks!" He raised an eyebrow. "Besides last week when I tripped and spilled tea on you..." He glanced at Lin. Really! He's making me feel like a child! "And when I bumped into Lin a few days later and spilled tea on him too..." I grumbled. I heard Madoka giggle.
"You forgot one." Naru smirked.
"What would that be?"
"You dropped those papers last week too."
"Yeah, I dropped them. I didn't spilled them."
"Same difference really."
"No, it's not!"
"Mai, yes it is."
"No, it—"
"Sorry to interrupt your lover spat," Madoka teased. "but go change Mai so we can leave." I froze and slowly looked at Madoka who was grinning. I momentarily forgot everyone was here. See what you do to me, Naru?! I smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, right." I got up and changed in the bathroom. When I came out we told the boys bye but not before Madoka made a comment to Naru about stealing his girlfriend for the day. And then we were on our way.
"Luella, are you ready to spoil our little Mai?" Madoka gleamed as we were walking down the street. Luella nodded vehemently.
"I sure am! Mai, dear, if you see anything in particular that you want, just say the word and I'll get it for you!" She told me. I nodded absently. Anything I want and Luella said she'd—wait, what?! I'm not letting them buy me anything!
"Luella, Madoka, I can't let you do that! I don't want to cause you any trouble or spend your money on me!"
Luella grabbed my arm, and we came to a halt.
"Now listen here, young lady. You are not causing us any trouble, and I am most certainly going to spend my money on you. I don't have any daughters as you know so I always wanted to spoil my daughter-in-law—grandchildren too. Are you going to deprive me of my dream, Mai?" Luella looked me dead in the eye. I gulped. She's serious and somewhat threatening; she's even making me feel guilty! Like I'm not guilty enough! I glanced at Madoka to see that she has the same look in her eye. They're definitely not going to take no for an answer.
"No, ma'am..." What choice did I have? No wonder Naru doesn't argue with them. Madoka and Luella smiled brightly again like nothing happened.
"Good!" They each grabbed one of my arms, with me in the middle, and started walking and chatting again. After a while Madoka abruptly stopped walking, I looked at her questioningly. Her eyes flickered to mine and Luella's before looking back and she pointed to the side. I sighed when I saw what it was. A clothing store. I have to say though those dresses in the window are really beautiful, but I bet you anything they're also really expensive. Looks like it anyways. The next thing I know is Madoka and Luella jerking me along into the store. 'Oh no.'
"I. Am. Exhausted." I said to myself breathlessly. Luella and Madoka bought me three bags full of clothes at the first store we went to then they dragged me to a jewelry store and bought me a couple of necklaces. After that we came to here, a mall, and they got me five bags of full clothes. They wouldn't even let me pay for one thing! Oh, and not mention they made me try on just about everything in all the boutiques. At the moment I'm sitting down while Luella and Madoka are at the food court getting us ice cream. They don't even seem the slightest bit tired so I told them to go get the ice cream while I sat down with our—well, my—bags instead of toting all of them around.
I got my cell phone out to look at the time and sighed. It's 18:33. Luella and Madoka have been gone for a while so they should be coming back soon. I looked in the crowds for the overly-energetic women from where I sat. That's when this guy came up to me and blocked my view.
"Um, can I help you?" I asked with a mixture of politeness and annoyance in my voice. The guy grinned at me.
"Yes, in fact you can. How about going on a date with me?" The way he said it didn't even sound like a question. He just expected me to say yes. Ugh, I hate it when guys like this do that. Even Naru doesn't do it! ...Okay maybe a few times, but he's a narcissist so what do you expect? Plus I love him so I can't hate him...
"No thank you." I replied as I stood up and tried to pick up all the bags with just two hands. It's not as easy as it looks!
The guy frowned. "Why not?"
I could've laughed. See, what did I tell ya?
After I finally won the battle with my bags I answered, "First of all, I really don't like you and second I have a boyfriend."
Okay so Naru isn't really my boyfriend... even if I wish he was... but he is my fake boyfriend. As I tried to walk by the guy, he stepped in front of me again.
"Look, why don't—"
"Did you not listen to single word she just said? She doesn't like you and she has a boyfriend who would kick your butt in an instant if he were here right now." I turned around at the sound of Madoka's voice. Cold and threatening. Yep, she sure is Naru's mentor. And I see Luella has the same expression on her face.
"Look, old lady, I wasn't talking to you now, was I?" The guy rolled his eyes irritably. I gaped and narrowed my eyes. I know he did not just call Madoka an old lady!
To my surprise Madoka just smiled sweetly him. But then she walked up to him, took the drink from his hand, and poured it on his head. My mouth dropped and I heard Luella say, "You go, Madoka!"
"That was for harassing, Mai." But Madoka wasn't finished with him yet. Oh no, of course not. While the guy was cursing, she stomped on his foot—hard—with a 'hmph!' And as the guy's face went down she got one of the ice creams from Luella and shoved it in his face.
"And that's for calling me old!"
Sorry if this chapter isn't good or if it's boring... I didn't really know what to write... or the next chapter for that matter! But I really did like the last part! GO MADOKA! Hehe! Anyways, please review! Help me make it to 100 reviews, yeah?