A/N: Before I continue posting more chapters, I'd like to stop and thank RunsWithBulls. She's been a big help with MyAzuStory. So, thank you!
Oh, and I don't own Azumanga or it's characters.
Please, read and review!
Chapter 11
The days leading up to the trip to Chiyo's summerhouse were excruciatingly slow for everyone. The anticipation of going to the beach with friends was almost too much to handle, but today was finally the day of the trip and everyone was excited.
"Is everyone here?" asked Chiyo, counting the girls standing around her. "Five..Six.. ..Seven. Alright, let's go! Who is going in Ms. Yukari's car and who in Ms. Kurosawa's?"
"Uhm, Ms. Yukari. What happened to yer car?" asked Osaka.
"Huh? Oh. Those are just some dents and scratches. Gives it character don't you think!"
"Uh, well…" started Nyamo "I think it'd be best if I took three in my car and two can go with Yukari."
"But Ms. Kurosawa, Ms. Yukari's car is bigger. Why doesn't she take three?"
"The less fatalities the better." Nyamo stated bluntly.
The girls quickly partook in a game of rock, paper, and scissors.
Chiyo and Osaka lost.
When they arrived at the beach house the occupants of Ms. Kurosawa's car went to check on Osaka and Chiyo.
Both girls were paler than paper, both muttering words that made no sense. Yomi and Sakaki were trying to calm them down.
Tomo, on the other hand, burst out laughing, insisting that she get to ride in the newly dubbed 'Yukarimobile' on the way home.
When Chiyo finally gathered her bearings, she let everyone into the house. The girls admired how nice it was, but were immediately ready for some beach action.
"Alright! Everyone get changed, then we'll head down to the beach" announced Nyamo.
"YEAH!" shouted Tomo as she bolted upstairs.
She was ready in no more than five seconds.
"Wow! How'd ya go and do that Tomo?" asked an amazed Osaka.
"Well you see, I have this magical power…"
"Don't listen to her Osaka" interrupted Yomi, making her way upstairs to change.
Soon everyone was ready and were led down to the beach by Chiyo.
"Ahhh perfect beach weather." announced Osaka.
"Mhmm." agreed Chiyo. "What should we do first?"
"WATERMELON SMASHING!" yelled Tomo holding the large fruit above her head.
"Oh, and how do you think you're going to smash that? We don't have a bat. " stated Yomi.
"What?" asked an appalled Tomo. However, the set back didn't stave off the wildcat's enthusiasm for long. "Well, I'll just use my hand!"
Tomo blindfolded herself and threw the watermelon down and began to repeatedly chop at it for several minutes. She finally came in contact with something, but it wasn't the watermelon. Her hand came smashing down onto a rock that was beside it.
"Shit! Owww!"
Yomi, who was the only one left witnessing the spectacle, came to Tomo's aid.
"Ah. That looked pretty bad. Let me see." she said, taking Tomo's hand.
"Ow, ow! It hurts!"
"Well that's what you get for acting like a moron!"
Yomi manipulated Tomo's hand a bit, stretching it out, bending fingers, rotating it, and ended her examination by lightly massaging it.
"It's not that bad. Nothing broken. You'll probably just get a bruise."
"Are you sure?" asked Tomo.
"Yeah, yeah. Now come on. Let's enjoy the beach." finished Yomi, dropping Tomo's hand.
The two girls made their way to where the rest of the group was.
The time at the beach consisted mostly of Sakaki making animal figures in the sand, Osaka and Chiyo swimming in the ocean, Tomo chasing Yomi around with clumps of nasty looking seaweed, and Nyamo and Yukari, laying out in the sun, having occasional arguments about nothing in particular.
The sun was starting to set when the girls decided to head back to the house.
Upon arrival, Tomo was already ready for the next event.
"So, what now?" she asked excitedly, jumping up and down.
"Oh ah know!" started Osaka. "Ya can't have a proper summer night without horror stories!"
"Okay, but do you have any?" Yomi asked doubtfully.
"Uhhhhm….ahhhh…"
All the girls leaned forward in their seats, preparing for Osaka's story.
"Nah can't say that ah do."
Everyone groaned.
"I have one!" announced Chiyo.
She started telling a story of another summerhouse that had a pest infestation when Tomo cut in.
"No, no, no! Now is not the time for horror stories! There are adults here!" Tomo pointed at the two teachers in the room. "Now is the time to hear dirty adult stories. Yukari? How about you go first!"
Yukari was thrown off by the sudden outburst from Tomo and even more thrown off by the question. She looked at the table full of girls who all had their attention on her, except for Chiyo, who was covering her ears.
"Uh, well. To be honest, it's not so bad being a single woman."
There was a collective sigh among the girls.
"Okay, I guess. How about you Nyamo? We'd love to hear some of your experiences and stories." asked Tomo, averting the attention from Yukari to Nyamo
Yukari snickered, making it obvious to Tomo that Nyamo did have a story or two. Tomo looked at Yukari with questioning eyes.
Nyamo turned a deep crimson from both embarrassment and anger. She glared at Yukari before answering.
"S-sorry girls. Can't say that I have any stories either. I'd have to agree with Yukari when she says that being single isn't bad."
"You weren't single last summer…" Yukari mumbled into her drink.
Nyamo's eyes shot open and now all the girls around the table were staring at her with open mouths and admiration in their eyes. They all started talking at the same time.
"Whoa! What did you do? How was it? Stories, now!"
"Did you go on any romantic dates? To any good restaurants?"
"Where did you meet?"
"I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out. How long did you date?"
"Who was the lucky girl?"
The table went quiet. All attention was now on Osaka, who had asked the last question. The girl continued to look at Nyamo, waiting for an answer. The remaining girls slowly turned their head back to Nyamo.
"ROACH!"
Four of the five high school girls screamed and took off in different directions, while Tomo eagerly hunted down the insect, following Yukari's orders.
"IT JUST WENT BEHIND THE COUCH! WAIT, NOW IT'S IN THE KITCHEN. AHHHH IT'S FLYING RIGHT AT YOUR HEAD!"
The whole time this was going on, Nyamo sat and stared at Yukari with an extremely confused look on her face. What the hell. I didn't even see a roach. I still don't see one.
After ten minutes of chasing around an invisible roach, Tomo was dead tired, laying down, panting on the floor.
"I think you scared it away Tomo. Good job!" Yukari announced to the girls that the problem had been taken care of.
"Alright, I think everyone's had enough fun for one night. It's time we hit the sack." said Nyamo, shooing everyone up the stairs.
All the girls nodded in agreement and headed for their rooms. Not even Tomo, who was exhausted from her 'heroic' actions, put up a fight.
Once all the girls were out of earshot, Nyamo spoke up.
"What the hell was that?"
"What the hell was what?" responded Yukari casually, sitting back down on the couch and taking a drink of her juice.
"That whole roach incident you just made up."
"Oh that. Would you have rather I not made it up? I just saved you from the unforgiving questions of teenage girls." Yukari smirked at Nyamo. "I'd think you'd be a little more grateful."
Nyamo replayed the scene in her head. Osaka's question, the shock and surprise on the girls' faces, then Yukari's distracting outburst. Yukari did save her; protected her, just like old times.
Nyamo was still flustered from the event, so she hoped that Yukari hadn't noticed the blush that was growing on her already heated face.
"I suppose you do deserve a thanks….but you were the one that caused the whole fiasco! You shouldn't have said anything about last summer!"
Yukari laughed. "Well, honestly I thought it would be funny to put you on the spot like that. It's not like I was gonna say anything specific. I figured you'd just cover up for yourself, making up some story about a non-existent guy. That Osaka gal though…" Yukari started laughing again.
"I'm sorry but I'm not finding it as funny as you are. How do you think she…."
"I don't know, she honestly is a weird one. Tends to focus only on the things others overlook."
"I guess. I can definitely see that. Hopefully the girls will just forget about it."
"Psh, doubt that. They're probably all discussing it right now."
Nyamo paled.
"Hey, c'mon. They're a good group of kids. I know they won't care. Osaka obviously doesn't." Yukari snickered. "And I wouldn't be surprised if Tomo and Yomi weren't totally into each other to be honest with you."
"You shouldn't be talking about your students like that."
"I'll take that as you agreeing with me."
Nyamo gave Yukari a look. She was in no mood for jokes.
"Look, I'm sorry that I even mentioned the whole summer fling thing, but I'm telling you, you have nothing to worry about."
Yukari reached for Nyamo's hand to give her a reassuring pat.
Nyamo stood quickly.
"Well thanks again, but I think I'm going to call it a night. See you in the morning!"
Nyamo hurried upstairs, leaving Yukari on the couch staring after her, taking a long chug from her drink.
Upstairs behind a closed door, the girls were getting settled into their sleeping bags, ready for some well-needed sleep.
Chiyo was already asleep, and Osaka was drifting off when Tomo started talking.
"Wow, so who else knew about Nyamo? Anyone?"
"Nope." answered Yomi. Sakaki shook her head in agreement.
"Ah did…" announced a half asleep Osaka.
"We know you did! You're the one that called it out!" Tomo slapped Osaka on the back before making her way to her sleeping bag. "That was brilliant! You know, I always kinda had a feeling about our Nyamo…"
"Really now?" asked Yomi. "And how so?"
"Hmmm…. I can't really say. But I can say one thing for sure… now that I know about Nyamo for sure…. her and Yukari totally have something going on!"
"What! No way!" said Yomi
Sakaki blushed and then laid down. She was too tired and shy to hear the rest of what Tomo had to say.
"Yep, think about it, they've been friends for a long time, Nyamo puts up with all of Yukari's antics, and they fight and argue like an old married couple…." Tomo was naming more reasons for why Yukari and Nyamo were supposedly together, but her talking eventually ceased as she fell asleep.
"Sounds like you and Tomo."
Yomi turned around to Osaka, who was fully asleep, but somehow still capable of putting in her last two cents.
"What the heck…" started Yomi. It's true, Tomo and I do fight a lot, and have been friends for a long time….but it's not the same. Is it? Wait, what am I saying? Besides, Yukari and Nyamo aren't even together. That's just another one of Tomo's wacky theories. Yeah, that's it.
Yomi laid down and slowly drifted off to sleep with the rest of the girls; the events of the current day already forgotten while dreams of what the next days were going to hold for them played in their heads.