Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater; I do, however, own the plot. I thought about breaking this into three parts but I really didn't want to. Thus, please enjoy this very long chapter. Because it will never happen again in this story. :3
Chapter Eleven: This Stupid Trip (Part Two)
Everyone was awake and munching on breakfast at nine, and getting ready to head to the beach by nine thirty. The students had been told to simply wear their bathing suits under some casual clothes they could ditch once on the sands of the shore. Maka was shifting uncomfortable in the oversized blue shirt and white booty shorts, which were not even visible under her shirt, and lightly tapping the sides of her light yellow flip-flops against one another. The shirt reached her knees and she had tied her hair back in a single ponytail today. She was seated with a large pink and white spotted beach tote in her lap, keeping her towel, sunscreen, her book and a small portable stereo that would connect to her iPod within so they'd be easier to carry. "Are you guys almost ready? The others have already left," She called lightly.
Liz walked over, a black hair tie in her mouth and her hair pressed to her head with her hands. She had yet to put on an outfit over her swim wear, giving Maka a good view. It was a pretty little bikini with horizontal blue and white stripes that complimented Liz' figure quite well. Thin straps went up and tied at the back of her neck, and the top revealed quite a bit of her friend's generous torso. At the spot right between her breasts, where the two pieces of fabric that covered her goodies from complete view, was a striped yellow bow that added an innocent charm that the swimsuit… Well, it really couldn't make use of. There were ribbons that matched the one on the chest on either side of Liz' hips, tied into cute bows, which kept the bottom portion attached. "That's quite the swimsuit," Maka remarked, looking down at her feet. Her toes wriggled in discomfort.
The other girl grabbed the hair tie with one hand, twisted her hair into a sloppy bun then smiled brightly. "Isn't it, though? If this doesn't get some guy looking at me I'll be pissed!" She snapped eagerly. She then looked at Maka and raised an eyebrow. "What about yours? I hope you got something new to replace that ugly green one piece you've been wearing since, like sixth grade."
Maka's cheeks flamed to life and she glared at the other. "I liked that swimsuit but no, I'm not wearing it! It got too… tight around… Yeah… So I got a new one a few days before the trip!" She stammered out nervously. Sapphire orbs twinkled with mischief before she walked closer, invading Maka's personal space.
"You mean to tell me that Maka Albarn had to get a new swimsuit because she's developed some lovely lady lumps?" She sang excitedly. She grinned when her victim turned ten darker shades of red. She was having way too much fun. "Does that swimsuit highlight your goodies or did you get another nasty one piece?"
Suddenly, a navy blue colored garment landed right on Liz' head, hiding her face behind the fabric. Laughter could be heard from the other side of the room, and Maka turned her gaze to find Patty approaching them. "Sis, you had a rape face going!" She laughed happily. The younger Thomson Sister had clearly gone with something less flashy (though, with her equally stunning figure, there was no such thing as modest). Her swimsuit was a coral pink bikini that tied around the back, much like her sister's. The main exception was that the only detail was two little strings tied into ribbons on either hip, but they were not used to hold her suit up. They were just added decoration. Though the top went around her breasts completely in a square-ish figure that covered everything, it still accented the size and a bit of cleavage. Patty had a pair of sunglasses on and a red tube top dress in one arm.
"It's not my fault Maka was being so damn cute," Liz teased merrily. Maka huffed as she stood up while the Thompson sisters put on their little dresses and grabbed their bags. The dirty blonde threw open the door, singing loudly and intentionally off-key, "Her humps, her humps, Maka's lovely lady lumps~! (1)"
"What the Hell are you going on?" Soul gruff tone cut her off as the three exited, Patty shutting the door with a loud slam as the last one out. He stood there, wearing a pair of shades much like Patty. He had on black leather sandals and a pair of swim trunks that were black with blue flames going up the ends at his knees. What got to the girls, however, was the painfully loud red Hawaiian print shirt he was wearing.
Both Thompson sisters started guffawing at him more than willingly. "What the Hell are you wearing, Evans? Did you get dressed in the dark or something?" She howled, pointing at him. Maka looked at Soul, now growling and blushing slightly, before giving Liz a small shove.
"Let him alone, Liz. I think it's kinda cute," She said with an adorable smile. All three figures gawked at her, in awe at how damn innocent she looked in those oversized clothes and with her hair up in a pony tail. Soul turned significantly redder at this statement.
Patty suddenly hugged the other, giggling loudly. "Maka's so cute!" She cheered, making the other girl blush and try to push her off frantically. Meanwhile, Liz turned her attention to Soul.
"So, where's Kid?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"Last I saw him, he was yakking up in a bush because of the asymmetry of me and Black*Star's shirts," He said with a frown, "which, by the way, is where I got this stupid thing. I forgot to pack a shirt to wear until we got to the beach and Wes wouldn't let me just use the same one I wore yesterday. And, since Black*Star accidently tossed an extra in his bag, I got stuck with this."
Liz sighed and shook her head, shifting her bag on her shoulder. "I'll go find Kid and get him settled on the bus real fast. Maybe I can talk him down from having a nervous breakdown, since I somehow doubt you guys are the only ones wearing Hawaiian print today," She said before marching off. Soul shrugged to himself as Tsubaki and Black*Star came trotting up, since the other had run off to talk to her before they got on the bus. They seemed a touch more comfortable around one another, but Tsubaki's cheeks were faintly pink and she seemed really embarrassed.
"Ready to go, you two?" Soul asked with a quirked eyebrow. They both nodded mutely, which had the other three suddenly worried. Since when did the Great Black*Star shut his mouth?
On the bus, the situation had to be worked a little differently. To assure Kid would survive the ride, Liz had to trade spots with Soul so she could be next to the other. However, Soul and Patty didn't feel comfortable sitting next to one another so Tsubaki offered to trade spots with Soul. Thus, Soul and Maka ended up next to each other (though they were both delighted but couldn't show it). Since there were no other spots left, Black*Star got stuck in the back seat with Dougie Smithson and the rest of the tuba section. Maka had noticed that the individuals whom played the rules of annoying bus-mates the day before had actually managed to get more kazoos; none of them, however, dared to play them.
She assumed they thought Black*Star was a spy sent to handle them if they tried anything like they had pulled the other day.
The drive to the beach was filled with the hum of excited chatter among all groups and was much more comfortable than the drive to get to the hotel had been. Once all the students were gathered up and told the rules, they were allowed to form groups and given umbrellas, depending on group size. Maka's group required two umbrellas, since there was to be seven of them. While Liz, Maka, Patty and Tsubaki finished getting their things settled, the guys ditched their shirts and bags with them and headed out to the oceans with tons of other students. Maka rolled her eyes and took the time to fold all three shirts before placing them on each boy's respective bag.
Tsubaki, Liz and Patty ditched their over-clothes to start lathering up with sunscreen. This revealed Tsubaki to be wearing a bright yet charming orange one piece. It had a strap over the left shoulder, a round metal piece holding the piece of fabric that came up over the back together with the piece in the front. There was also a missing patch of fabric over her slim abdomen in the shape of a diamond, leaving her naval and flesh more revealed.
It was as Maka was helping her get some sun block on the portion of her back that she couldn't reached that she revealed what had transpired between she and Black*Star.
"HE KISSED YOU?" Liz screeched loudly, causing a few nearby students to perk up in interest and gaze their way. Tsubaki's face flamed to life and she flailed her arms uselessly, her words doing her no good in this situation. Liz glared at a few of the gawkers before looking at the inky haired woman apologetically. "Sorry, it's just so… shocking."
"How do you think I felt? I wasn't expecting it any more than you three were!" She squeaked like a little mouse, her face playing the role of a tomato.
"What did he say?" Maka asked interestedly.
"He said he wants me to give him a chance, to prove that he can be better to me. He also said that he lo… lo… really likes me a whole lot," She said quickly, unable to utter the four-letter most girls dreamed of. Her face was starting to turn back to its normal peachy glow as she pondered her situation completely. "I told him I needed some time, to think about it. Then he got really serious and looked really sad, but he said he'd respect whatever decision I made."
"At least he was being respectful in that regard," Patty chimed in merrily. She then giggled loudly. "You're better off than Sis, anyway! Black*Star kissed you in yet Kid didn't say one word about her swimsuit and she wore it just for him!"
And suddenly Liz was blushing, and all incredulous looks were sent to her. "Patty!" She hissed angrily, but the younger girl only laughed happily. She then blushed and a small smile came to her lips. "Besides, that isn't true… He said that the swimsuit was very symmetrical and charming on me…"
Maka, Tsubaki, and Patty were all openly laughing at their ring leader.
"What?" She snapped angrily. Maka covered her mouth and perked one eye at the other girl, viridian sphere alive with joy.
"It's just cute, Liz. You've always said you wanted a bad boy that you could whip into submission, in yet you're falling for a relatively sophisticated guy. After all, his father is the headmaster and he's always lived in the lap of luxury," She pointed out gently.
"Maka's right. Kid is basically the modern day equivalent to Prince Charming," Tsubaki agreed, glancing out to the sea. Soul and Black*Star were trying to dunk one another while Kid shook his head at their antics. They were splashing a few other students, whom Kid was immediately apologizing to in his friends' stead. "Plus he's always been pretty good at diffusing a situation… Or, rather, he's always been able to knock Black*Star down a peg or two when he gets too energetic."
"Wait," Liz said slowly, "you mean Kid, as in Death the Kid, right over there, can and has kicked Black*Star's ass?" The other girl merely nodded and she let out a loud groan. "Great! Now I think he's ever better than I did before!" She whined.
"You aren't the only one who likes Kid, you know," Maka chimed in, setting up her stereo and pulling out her book. She picked a song, turned the volume down low and turned back to her friends. "There are tons of girls in our grade alone that think he's a hot commodity. Plus, you have a hand up against them considering you go to his house once a week and probably know more about his personal life than any other girl on campus. I think if you work your angle a little more you could probably get him to be yours."
"You have a point," Liz hummed lightly. She then smirked over at Maka, azure orbs twinkling in mischief. "But what about you, Maka? We all know who Patty and Tsubaki like, now you know who I like, but what about you?"
"What are you talking about? I told you guys I don't like anybody!" She hissed quickly, opening her book and holding it up to hide her face. Maybe if she was evasive they would just let the subject die.
She should have known better.
Liz suddenly pounced forward, grabbing at the hem of the other girl's shirt and started tugging it up. "Nice try Maka, but I know better! Now ditch your clothes and strut your stuff! How else will you get this guy to notice you?" She mused while Maka tried frantically to yank the shirt back down.
"Liz, quit it!" She yelped loudly, trying to squirm away. The other girl got a hand around her waist, however, and suddenly her eyes sparked to life with excitement.
"I feel skin! Maka is totally wearing something that shows skin!" She howled eagerly, Maka's squirming becoming that much worse at the declaration. A few other students suddenly perked up, glancing over at the whole spectacle with acute interest. Even Soul and the other guys, whom had abandoned the water to play volleyball against Kilik, Harvar and Ox, looked over in interest.
"Is Liz trying to molest Maka?" Ox asked with his head tilted. Harvar smirked a touch while Kilik laughed at them. Black*Star was cackling like a hyena watching the two girls scrambling around like idiots while Kid smacked his forehead lightly. Soul quirked an eyebrow at the going ons before Maka abruptly stood up, her hands fisted at her sides.
She turned on her heels and looked down at her friends, face flushed and an embarrassed scowl on her lips. "Do you really want to know that bad? Fine!" She snapped before grabbing the bottom of her shirt and yanking it over her head. She tossed it on the ground next to her bag, and then abandoned the shorts she had won underneath. She smoothed out the material of the bottom a little, then set her hands on her hips and looked back at her audience. "There! Happy?"
The swimsuit was adorable to say the least. As Liz had suspected, it revealed quite a bit of skin of the younger girl. The top was a bikini style that tied around her back underneath her breasts and had a small buckle that hooked together at the back of her neck. It revealed very little of her chest, but did prove she had more curves than her uniform blazer ever hinted at. Her entire midriff was on display for all to see, and the bottom had a small sash of fabric that hid the actual bikini style bottom from view. The fabric went about an inch and a half over her thighs, resembling a skirt of sorts. The fabric was held in place with a pink flower shaped clip on her left hip. The whole swimsuit was in a powdery tint of white that looked great on Maka. "Oh, Maka, you look so cute!" Tsubaki gushed excitedly, eyes shimmering brightly.
"Maka-Chan, you really did bring the swimsuit Bu-Tan picked for you nyah~! Bu-Tan is so happy nyah~!" Blair suddenly squealed as she ran over, throwing her arms around the other girl. Maka's cheeks had again flamed to life at all the eyes now trapped on her and the whispers that went with it.
"I didn't have a choice! My old one didn't fit and you hid the one I picked out for myself!" She called back while trying to squirm out of the bear hug being forced upon her. After she got away, everyone's attention returned to where it had been previously.
Or, in Soul's case, trying to hide the evidence of the slight bloody nose he had gotten.
It was another hour before Soul managed to break away from his friend and their volleyball game to go check on Maka. She was sitting on her towel under the umbrella, her iPod turned up a bit louder, and she had resumed reading her book. After the swimsuit thing, the girls had joined in on the volleyball game and started swapping around. Soul had currently traded places with Patty, whom had developed a rivalry with Black*Star to see who could spike the ball better. "Hey," He said calmly, flopping down beside her. He perked up when he heard the song she was listening to. "I didn't peg you as a fan of The Cranberries."
"Well, I was told I should open up on what I'd be willing to listen to by some asshole a while back and figured I'd give it a shot," She said with a shrug, flashing him a little grin. He grinned back before nodding his head lightly, humming to the beat of the song. Suddenly, Maka set down her book and looked at him in alarm. "Are you a fan?" She asked in surprise. He merely shrugged before meeting her gaze and singing the next few lyrics so softly that only she could hear him.
And now I tell you openly
You have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You're everything to me. (2)
Maka felt her cheeks grow a little hotter at this. It was suddenly much clearer to her that Soul really did come from a family of natural born musicians; he had an incredible voice! Not only that, but considering the song was typically sung by a girl, it spoke volumes to his ability as a musician to correctly gauge the pitch to match his own (3). Maka could do it okay with songs that were sung by women, but she herself could never properly make the transition with songs sung by male performers. "How was that?" Soul asked with a grin, noticing how flustered she suddenly was.
"You're really good," She squeaked lightly, pulling her book back to her attention as per her usual defense maneuver. He laughed lightly and gave her shoulder a small nudge. She glanced back and rewarded him with a small smile of her own. Accepting that as his trophy, Soul got up and headed back to switch out with Kilik.
Liz glanced back at Maka, noticing the goofy grin, and scowled. Soul knew something Liz didn't, and that would certainly not fly.
…
The next morning, Maka could already tell that things were going to be interesting. Liz had been all over her at breakfast to know who Maka was interested in. "I already know you have Soul helping you out somehow," She said lowly, misunderstanding the reason the other girl tensed up, "and I expect you to be honest with me. We've been friends longer and, while I do know that you're not used to being interested in guys, you don't need to hide it from us."
After that, Maka clammed up for the whole bus ride to Disneyland. Hell, she ignored everyone; including Soul and Tsubaki, neither individual really knowing what was going on. Once they pulled into the lot, William gathered all of the orchestra students (and Black*Star) together for an announcement. "Now, as I am sure you all know, our marching band will be performing with a parade later on this afternoon. Because it is going to take a lot of work to get it all situated, I have agreed to help set it up and I expect all of you to attend and support your musical brethren," He explained calmly. He was answered with a dull roar of casual agreement. "Now, in the meantime, I'm going to divide you all in to teams of three with people whom are not in your section to assure a stronger bond is built. After all, some of these students have been with you for years but you barely know them! Or, some of them are going to be joining your ensemble and it would help to get a feel of who you'll be working with."
This was met with a small chorus of groans. Will rolled his eyes. "It's just until after the band performance. After that you can form whatever groups you'd like, no questions or complaints from me," He said, holding his hands up in surrender. The groans died down and he started listing off names. And then, he read the most diabolical trio he possibly could. "Soul, Maka and Black*Star shall be partnered up."
"What?" Liz protested loudly, stepping up. She had her hands on her hips and a scowl on her lips. "Black*Star isn't even a member of the orchestra!"
"Yes, but he isn't in choir or band either. And, since I have been looking out for him over the years, that makes him my responsibility, Elizabeth," He responded evenly, letting his hand holding his clipboard drop to his side.
"Mr. Evans, if you send the adorable little Maka away with those mongrel they will gang-bang her! They will gang-bang her in a filthy bathroom stall!"She wailed dramatically, grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket and pulling him to her. She blinked a few times before tilting her head. "Has anyone ever told you that your nose is kinda pointy?"
"Enough!" He snapped while prying her fingers off and stepping back a bit. He scoffed lightly and shook his head at her. "I am sorry if you disagree with the groups I have organized, Elizabeth, but this class is not a democracy. This class is a dictatorship, and I am the one running the show." He sneered at her lowly, causing her to tense up. Never had she infuriated William Evans to the point he made remarks like that.
The other students weren't sure if they should be impressed or horrified.
"Now, you are all free to go," He said calmly, snapping his fingers. Immediately the groups dispersed, and when Liz looked around she realized that Soul, Black*Star and Maka were gone as well.
"Damnit!" She snapped angrily. A hand found itself to her shoulder, and she glanced up to face Kid. Liz had been lucky and been paired with Patty and Kid, as per usual as of late.
"Liz, I know you may not trust them, but I know that they wouldn't try anything," He said gently. She flashed him a skeptical look and he sighed, looking off to the side lightly. "Okay, Black*Star may say something to upset her but Soul will make sure to fix the situation. He and Maka have been getting along better than ever as of late, after all."
"Kid does have a good point there," Patty agreed with a bright smile. The older sibling nodded and sigh, smiling weakly.
"Okay, I guess you two are right," She said gently, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans. She started walking into the entrance of the actual amusement park. "Soul and Maka have been getting along really well. I mean, she was comfortable enough with him to… Tell him… Who… She likes…" She trailed off, slowly coming to a stop. Her group mates came to a stop beside her. The gears in her head were starting to turn.
Soul had said something that got Maka all kinds of frazzled at the beach.
Soul had blushed when Maka said he looked cute in that Hawaiian print shirt.
Maka offered to go with Soul to get ice on their first night in, though getting ice was not a two person task. And they had been quite a while, though Liz had just assumed it was because of a line or something.
Maka had been hanging out with Soul in his room the night before they left for the trip.
Maka and Soul had been spending a lot of time hanging out together after school.
Soul made a habit out of picking Maka up from her job on the weekends now. And Maka had accepted the fact with the greatest of ease.
And with that last thought, all the puzzle pieces clicked together. Liz' eyes narrowed to slits and her lips twitched up into a snarl. "EVANS!" She shrieked with all the raw fury held within her. Kid stepped back, cowering in the face of such insane rage, while Patty's eyes lit up in admiration. She had never seen Liz reach this degree of pure fury but it was incredible!
Elsewhere, in the line to get on the California Screamin', Maka suddenly shudder and made a small noise. "What's wrong?" Soul asked her gently, looking back at her. Black*Star stood in front of him and Maka stood behind him, to assure the pair wouldn't start up a slap fight.
"I sense a disturbance in the force," She muttered, her hands wrapped tightly around herself. Her eyes were narrowed and shimmered with a mix of fear and concern.
"What do you mean?" He asked lightly, a little unnerved by the way she was phrasing everything.
"Liz… She just realized something that means we're going to be in huge trouble," She whimpered, looking at him fearfully. Soul's eye twitched a little bit before he stepped forward, since the line had started moving again.
"We'll just have to make sure to avoid her. She may have Kid with her but there is no way he'd rat out our location to her," He commented gently.
"Wait, how would Kid know where we are?" She asked.
"Black*Star and I were saying last night how we wanted to get on this ride first, since we knew it would get totally crowded later on," He explained with a shrug. He then smirked lightly at her, his face the picture of relaxation and confidence. "But don't worry; Kid has our back, no matter what Liz thinks she knows."
Maka wasn't so sure about what Soul was saying, but did try to relax. However, when they got off the ride, Maka's intuition proved to be right. Liz was standing at the exit, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed to slits, and a scowl on her lips. Patty had copied her sister's posture, though she was grinning instead of frowning. Kid was a few feet behind them, smiling nervously and waggling his fingers at them.
"Goddamnit, Kid!" Soul snapped lightly.
"It's not my fault, Soul; Liz can be very persuasive when she wants!" The darker haired male called back. Liz glared at him and he quickly clammed up, yellow eyes twinkling in fear.
"What the Hell is going on between you two?" Liz asked harshly, her glare shifting back to them. Underneath her rage, however, Maka could also sense pain and she knew why. After all, Liz was far from an idiot. When she put everything together, she must have thought Maka didn't tell her because she didn't trust her.
"Liz," Maka said with a small sigh, "I should have told you but I was worried how you'd respond. Soul and I… We've kinda been dating in secret."
"But why?" The older girl asked.
"Because our parents are dating and we were worried that things would turn out bad if they found out. I mean, if Mama knew she'd immediately assume Soul and I were sleeping together or something!" She blurted nervously, cheeks turning a little pink. She glanced at Soul sideways, her cheeks darkening, and then looked at her shoes. "We haven't done anything like that but… Well, you know how Mama gets sometimes…"
A long sigh was released and Liz shook her head. "You're crazy, you know that, Maka?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow. Maka made a small noise until Liz ruffled her hair lightly. She was flashing her best friend a weak smile. "But you're my little crazy-head." Maka smiled and nodded eagerly. Liz dropped her hand and glared at Soul, suspicion and mistrust still there. "Well, I can't give my blessing until we girls have had the chance to talk. We'll discuss it more in the morning, when we can get Tsubaki in on the action."
Maka nodded and smiled lightly. "Thank you, Liz," She said meekly. Black*Star suddenly jolted to attention, blinking a few times in alarm.
"Wait, you two are dating?" He asked in alarm, indicating Soul and Maka. Maka smacked her forehead and shook her head while Soul glared at his friend in annoyance.
"You are such a doofus," He remarked flatly. Everyone decided to ignore Black*Star, but he surprisingly let the subject drop.
The rest of the afternoon went by easily enough. The groups watched their marching band perform in the parade and were actually surprised. The band sounded wonderful even though their teacher made it sound like they were nowhere near ready. They wondered briefly if they had been tricked, so that they'd think their band was better. It sounded like their fine arts teachers; they always liked to talk a bad game to make sure an impression was made. After the parade, they got on a few more rides until it was time for the fireworks display. The group gathered back at the entrance all together to watch before getting back on the bus.
The whole show was incredible, to say the least. All the students "oh'd" and "ah'd" before getting on the tour bus that would take them back out to the parking lot. Various students were yawning, cuddling close to friends or loved ones before dragging themselves onto their bus. Though most were too tired to notice, there was an unusual amount of silence between Maka, the Thompson sisters and Tsubaki.
This did not, however, go unnoticed by a certain violet haired pop singer.
…
It was the second trip to Disney before Soul and Maka couldn't stand to feel the heat of Blair's prying eyes and Wesley's knowing smiles any longer. After the somewhat tense air on the bus ride back from the happiest place on Earth the first time, the indigo haired woman had caught on that something interesting had transpired between the seven students in question. She tried to eavesdrop at breakfast when the click got together to discuss the whole thing, but she was distracted when a few students approached to ask questions about life as a pop star. When she turned back to the group, after the other students had left, the group themselves had disappeared to get ready for the trip to Universal Studios. At the time, Maka had just been overjoyed that her friends had accepted the relationship and actually been happy for her.
While the group tried to enjoy the rides, the little gift shops and the shows they could see they did realize that the team of Blair and Wes were following them everywhere they went. Soul and Maka, whom had been hoping to at least get to be a little couple-ish in their manner with their friends, were forced to keep their distance like usual. It had put a damper in their moods but they still had tons of fun getting to goof around with their friends.
On The Sunset Strip they were a touch more annoyed by the two adults' stalking effort. After all, there were tons of little shops to browse! Why did they have to keep following their group? At one point, they all tried to split into two separate groups (Kid with the twins and the other four teamed up) but Blair and Wes made it clear they were only interested in Soul and Maka. It was another day wasted, and Maka was especially bitter about this one. Soul had told her he wanted to get her a necklace or bracelet of some sort while they were out, but they were unable to. After all, if Wes or Blair saw that he was the one paying for it for her, they would figure things out even easier.
And then, the night of the symphony performance, they had both been excited again. After all, in the darkness of the performance hall they could at least hold hands without any of their peers noticing! They would be sitting in the far back, after all, and the lights wouldn't reflect well enough to see anything outside of the range of the stage lights. But then Blair had situated herself in a chair right between the two teens. Before Soul could move to take the open spot to Maka's other side, Wesley snatched it away and started up a conversation with her about the difference of bow quality.
Maka had forced herself to be merry and handle the conversation as best she could while Soul contemplated ways to castrate his older brother (and it wasn't just because Wesley was getting in the way, either). Thus, with all their efforts throttled, Soul and Maka could only see one last effort. That morning, at breakfast, they discussed their little problem with their friends.
And, needless to say, they had plans at the ready.
"It's the last day of the trip," Liz said as the girls stood in their hotel room that morning. Their other roommates had already left to get their things packed away on the bus while Tsubaki had stopped by to help her friends get settled. Liz held her fist up in their air and looked at her sister and dark haired friend with determination. "Thus, we have to make it special for the blooming romance of Soul and Maka! Disneyland may be the happiest place on Earth, but it is also the place known for making dreams come true! A day together at an amusement park… What could be a better first date in the fight for young love than that?"
"Nothing!" Patty cheered, pumping her fist in the air. Tsubaki merely giggled at the two while Maka shook her head. She heaved her reloaded suitcase of the couch bed before setting to putting it back together.
"Look, all I need is for you guys to distract Blair from following Soul and I today," The girl chimed in, tossing one of her pigtails over her shoulder when it got in her way while tucking in a corner of the blanket. Maka had started the day on a sour note.
The night before, one of the younger girl's assigned to their room had explained that she was going to be switching into a room with one of her friends, since they had an opening. It had been fine by the teachers and fine with her roommates, so Maka, as room leader, had assumed it was all good. However, on her way back from breakfast, Will had pulled her off to the side. He started lecturing her in a stern, angry voice about how the girl whom had transferred rooms claimed Maka and the others had been bullying her. When she tried to argue, he cut in with a clipped, "I expected better from you, Maka. I am very disappointed," and then told her he'd be telling her mother. After that riveting conversation, she was sent to finish getting ready for the trip home.
Needless to say, she decided that someone was going to get some sever payback when they got home for not listening to her side. After all, he seemed to forget who it was that did the laundry and cooking and cleaning in the Evans-Albarn household.
After that she had been more than eager to hear what the others planned, but Liz made it sound like they were going to war or something. It was just Blair, and her sidekick of Wes. Hell, Blair could be easily thrown off the trail by receiving a compliment on her shoes or outfit. And Wes? He was a tad more difficult, but a conversation about different musical styling could be an easy tool to be implemented on him. She figured Liz could handle Blair, Kid could handle Wes, and then she and Soul just needed to have one other person with them to assure they wouldn't be accused of breaking the three-person-group-minimum rule.
"Maka, I am a master at this shit," Liz said while whipping out her cell. She started clacking away at the keyboard with the talented perfection of a seasoned pro. "Now, I'm sending the plan to Kid so that he can let Soul and Black*Star know what the deal is. And now, ladies, here's my plan." She said, putting her phone away when she was done. She took a deep breath then grinned, pointing at the choir student among them dramatically. "Tsubaki, you and Black*Star will be staying with Maka and Soul so no one gets in trouble for group size. Besides, you and Black*Star may as well be dating so it'll be more like a double date than having being babysitters."
"But!... Oh, whatever," The cerulean eyed woman sighed, hanging her head. Despite Black*Star's efforts to prove to her he had changed his ways, she seemed more exhausted by the effort than charmed by it. He was always so over-the-top, so unnecessarily loud. And while his enthusiasm was nice, it was played up too much. She just wanted him to be… Well, normal would be a bad term to use but it was the truth. She just wanted him to talk to her like a normal human being. Was that too much to ask?
"Patty, Kid and I will keep Wes and Blair distracted as long as we can. I figure if we can give you guys a good ten minute head start they'll have less luck finding you, right?" She asked, looking at Maka curiously.
"Probably. Soul and I hadn't had the chance to really look around at all the Disney merchandise they have to offer to pick out trinkets to take home so we'll be looking around there," She said simply while finishing with making the bed. She then lifted the metal part that kept the mattress up and started the effort of pressing it back into place. "Blair will probably assume that we decided to do more rides. But the one that really worries me is Wesley." She huffed before finally getting the pull-out back in place with a loud protesting squeal.
"Why does he worry you?" Liz asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"Blair's a touch airheaded every now and then but Wesley always has his A-game on. I really don't like them being together; she has the looks to get them anywhere and he has the logic to know where they need to get to," She said with a sigh. She then picked up her tote and the handle of her suitcase.
"Anyway, let's get a move on. The bus will be leaving soon and I want to get everything situated."
"Okay," Liz agreed easily, grabbing her own things as well. The four girls did one last sweep to make sure nothing remained from their stay before they headed out. Maka made sure she had all the room keys and led the girls back to the check out desk. She turned in the room keys and headed out, spotting Soul, Black*Star and Kid hovering by the exit to the parking lot. "Any sign of Thing One or Thing Two?" Liz asked softly, looking around suspiciously.
"They got on the bus already," Soul explained calmly. He then looked at Maka. "You know anything about their plan?"
"You kidding? I was there when Liz came up with it," Maka laughed while they walked out through the electric sliding doors.
"Good, because Kid and Black*Star won't tell me. Kid told Black*Star in private, they got in some kind of argument and now neither one of them will talk," He said with a frown. Maka herself blinked a few times in alarm. What would keep Black*Star from agreeing with the plan? This would give him another chance to try and win Tsubaki back, after all!
She ended up simply texting the plan to him on the bus ride over, since as soon as they were visible from the bus Blair had rushed out to greet them.
Upon arrival to the amusement park entrance, the plan was set right into motion. While Kid and the Thompson sisters distracted their targets, Soul and Maka crept away with Black*Star and Tsubaki close behind. The two tried their best to enjoy themselves but the tension in the air was hard to ignore. Sometimes it felt like it was choking them. "How about we go on the Ferris wheel?" Maka suggested after checking her watch. They had thirty minutes before they were going to have to go back to the bus to head out for dinner and then back to town.
"Sure," Soul said calmly.
"Can we go in separate carts? I kinda want to talk to Tsubaki alone," Black*Star suddenly chimed in, voice surprisingly calm and collected. All eyes were on him in alarm. "What?" He asked, glaring a little bit.
"Sure, no problem. There isn't a line so it shouldn't be a problem," Soul said quickly, leading them over. They let the person in charge know, and Soul and Maka took one of the carts that swayed. Neither of them planned to make it move, but they figured it'd be easier for Black*Star and Tsubaki that way.
After all, this must be an important conversation if he had asked for privacy. Why risk the mood being ruined by unintentional movement?
Soul and Maka sat next to each other so that they were facing the window that would show them the sunset. "Hey," He said with a grin, reaching into his pocket. She tilted her head when he pulled out a little necklace with a strange symbol on it. The actual string was made of a thin black leather and the symbol was in either Japanese or Chinese. "I got this for you."
"What is it?" She asked curiously, turning so that he could tie it around her neck.
"It's a Chinese Zodiac necklace. It's got your sign on it; year of the rat, right?" He asked with a small grin. She lightly touched the cool metal of the charm once the necklace was in place. It was such a simply piece of jewelry but she had always had a sweet spot for simplicity. On top of that, she could wear this every day and it would be able to last! "You like it?" He asked, a small tinge of nervousness creeping into his voice.
"I love it," She giggled, leaning over and gently kissing him. He hummed into the kiss and lazily twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "Thank you."
"It's cool," He hummed before letting his arm drape over her shoulder and they settled in to watch the rest of the sunset.
Elsewhere, things were as tense as ever between Tsubaki and Black*Star. They were seated across from one another, and while Black*Star was gazing steadfast at her, Tsubaki was looking at anywhere but him directly. "It was nice of you to let Soul and Maka have some privacy," She said meekly, hoping to try and alleviate some of the discomfort in the air.
"I didn't do it for them," He said coolly. She glanced up and saw the seriousness in his expression. Her eyes immediately fixed on her fingers, laced together in her lap. "I tried kissing you to make everything clear but that didn't work. What will it take for you to forgive me?"
"You've been trying to impress me but not once have you just been honest and said sorry," She said with a small sigh. She shook her head and looked up at him, all her frustrations with him suddenly pressing up to the surface. "All you ever do is think of what you can do to entertain yourself, like a spoiled child. You told everyone who Maka's dad was because you thought it would be funny! And I don't care if you want to claim it was because you were trying to get back at her for what she's said and done to Soul over the years, it's all a crock! And-And you just-! You're so arrogant and selfish! It's all about how great you are, how strong you are, how talented you are! Never once have you ever complimented another person! You can't expect people to always deal with you if you aren't going to be likeable, you know?" She said frantically, a few of her words coming to the edge of being yells. When she finished she looked at her hands again, not wanting to see his anger.
It was as their cart stopped at the top for a few seconds that he started talking.
"My eyes have never been anywhere but fixed on you," He said softly. He sounded so certain, so confident in those words, that she looked up at him in alarm. A neutral mask played on his feature and it had crept into his eyes as well. She felt unnerved by the emotionless stare. "I never tell the truth because that would be showing weakness, and I don't want to be seen as that. My father was one of the greatest martial artists in the world; not living up to those expectations isn't acceptable. I boast about myself because I hope that maybe if I say it enough it will be true. I know I'm not the smartest, the strongest, or the best at everything but… I want to be. I want to reassure myself that I can be. I always wanted to be worth yout time in your eyes, always trying to strive to heights that would make me even with you. I've always known you were too good for me, so I figured I'd be better off just keeping myself trapped in the friend zone. I would only serve to disappoint you if we tried a relationship and I still wanted to be near you. That was enough for me. I meant what I said, and I meant it when I kissed you. That wasn't just to impress you; it was to prove my feelings to you."
"Black*Star," She said softly, her eyes starting to sting with the sensation of approaching tears. Why was he saying all of this? Why was he telling her this now?
"But I know you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore. So I'll just leave you alone from now on, okay?" He said, flashing this tragic little grin. And suddenly she was crying, and she was hurting, because she realized he wouldn't let himself feel pain. He wouldn't let his own heart break, no matter how much he was aching over this.
It simply wasn't in his nature to be like that. He was sacrificing his own happiness, and eagerly accepting loneliness, to make her happy.
And after they got off the Ferris wheel and got back on the bus, he kept his word. Just like he always had.
End
(1) Liz is referencing the song My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas. If you have not heard this song, you clearly live a very sheltered life since it was a big hit for the longest time.
(2) Dreams – The Cranberries. Look this song up and you'll realize you know it, just you may not know this lyric. I got a ton of The Cranberries music from my older sister a while back and it's all so wonderful it's on the playlist I listen to while typing. This song and, more specifically, that lyric seem to really fit Soul and Maka in this story.
(3) Pitch of a musician – In order to have the ability to play a musical instrument well, an individual must have some ability to notice differences in pitch. For example, I may not be able to hit notes as high as some musicians, but by listening to their performance I can adjust my pitch to a point that works for me and could still sound correct on its own. I gave Soul a kick ass voice because… Okay, let's face the fact; guys that can sing are freakin' hawt. :D
Notes:
That necklace Soul got Maka? I actually have one like it. The only difference is that mine is the Chinese symbol of the monkey, since that's what year I was born in. :3
Ugh. Black*Star, why you go and make this end sad? You not supposed to do that. :T
Confession time: some of the events in this chapter are from my actual life. My freshmen year I went to Disneyland (though our trip was for only three days, so we didn't get to do nearly as much as the crew will in this story) and some very… interesting things happened. If you want a full explanation on what was true, what the circumstances were and all that jazz just send me a note.
Also, just wanted to address the question asked by "Dead violin girl" (I hope that you still read this story and see this note, since I really should have explained this a long time ago): I do not hate violins or think they are evil. The whole bitterness towards the violins was a running gag within my close friends (all lower strings in high school, like myself) simply because most songs are composed so that violins get the melody and we lower strings get the less spectacular harmony. Our teachers for the first three years of high school (because my graduating class alone went through three teachers; one our freshman year, a new one for sophomore and junior year, and then a new one for our senior year) had a strong preference for songs that favored the violin. And, to be honest, we never really blamed them; it is hard to find songs with lower strings featured for the melody throughout most of the piece. So, yeah… I meant to make it short but I really thought I should address it since it was asked. I don't want to create any anti-violin hysteria or anything; it just stems from a joke more toward all those snobby dead guys who wrote the music. :)
Next Chapter:
Crazy shit goes down involving characters other than Soul and Maka… Although the aforementioned duo is present for the whole incident. Tsubaki seeks out an interesting source for help in handling her sticky situation with Black*Star. An unholy force arrives on the scene to ruin the sense of contentment in the lives of our characters.