A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's Note: Sorry I haven't been updating for quite some time but here's chapter 12! I hope you guys also enjoy it! Keep the reviews coming! (",)

Chapter 12: Confusion

Shellagh looked through the thinning crowd for her sister. The clock had struck 5pm, 15 minutes ago and people were starting to leave the theme park with no sign of Zoë whatsoever. She was starting to worry. "Do you think she forgot?" she asked Mitsui beside her.

Mitsui used his considerable height to look for Zoë atop of the people passing them by. "Zoë wouldn't just go home without telling you first. She's probably still playing at some game booth with Rukawa."

"Yeah, probably."

Mitsui slipped his fingers through her own, bringing her closer to his side. "Stop worrying. She's fine. She knows where we are."

Shellagh looked up at him and smiled softly, red tingeing her cheeks. She leaned in closer and placed her head on his shoulder. She glanced at their clasped hands and felt her blush deepen.

She didn't know how to express what she was feeling inside, this remarkable emotion that seemed to swallow her heart whole. She actually felt she could take on the world. She smiled at that and she suddenly had the urge to just wrap her arms around Mitsui tightly. She sighed silently in contentment instead. They were definitely back together, and this time, it was unquestionably more than friends.

"I was asked to join the school paper, Mi-chan. They wanted me to write a few feature articles for the next few weeks," she informed shyly while waiting. "I just wanted to tell you."

Mitsui gave her fingers a squeeze. "That's great! Are you going to do it?"

Shellagh nodded. "I think so. I've always wanted to work for a newspaper, even if it's just for school."

"I'm proud of you."

A breeze passed through, playing with her long dark hair and Shellagh lifted her hand to take the strands off her face. But Mitsui beat her to it and he tucked them behind her ear. She snuggled her head deeper on her shoulder.

"Shellagh, I think I see them," said Mitsui after a few moments of silence between them. Shellagh straightened and looked at the direction he was staring at. It was Zoë and Rukawa all right but something seemed wrong with this picture. Both were neither talking nor even acknowledging the other's presence. As if they're both ignoring each other, mused Shellagh. What happened?

"Hey Rukawa! What took you guys so long?" asked Mitsui when they were nearer.

"Played basketball," was the only reply from the brooding teen.

Is that it? Did Zoë lose and got mad at Rukawa that's why they don't seem to be in good terms right now? questioned Shellagh to herself as she gazed at her sister's face. Zoë wasn't good in hiding her anger to her and she could see it in her twin's eyes. They were dark and cloudy, almost gray from the strong emotion. "Well, we better go. It's late," she said lamely. Shellagh glanced at Mitsui and caught his curious expression. She shrugged lightly and turned to Zoë. "Come on, Zoë. Walk with me."

"No, I don't want to intrude between you and your Mi-chan," she answered sarcastically and then moved away toward the exit.
Did she see us earlier? Is that why she's angry? Shellagh looked at her sister's departing figure with a sinking heart, all the happy feelings she felt earlier vanishing. What is wrong with her?
Mitsui placed a hand on Shellagh's shoulder and motioned to follow the other two. "This was bound to happen, Shellagh. We both knew what Zoë's feelings are for me," he whispered.
Shellagh shook her head. "I don't think she's angry now because of that, Mi-chan. There's no way she could have known about us this soon. She didn't act this way this morning. Something must have happened between those two. I can't seem to put my finger on it."

Mitsui placed an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go. They're already gone."

Shellagh moved closer to him and allowed him to comfort her along the way.

"That was uncalled for, Zoë," said Rukawa quietly. "If you're angry at me, don't take it out on them."

"Shut up," she snarled in a low voice. "Don't FUCKING talk to me!"

Rukawa pulled her arm, stopping her from taking another step. "What is wrong with you? Why are you mad?"

Zoë looked away, avoiding his probing eyes. She struggled to get her arm out of his steel grip. "Let me go."

Rukawa frowned at her. "Not until you tell me what's bugging you. You've been like this since that game we had and you're starting to piss me off. Aren't you glad that you won? Aren't you going to start making my life hell?"

Zoë turned her blazing eyes up at him and Rukawa almost took a step back from the fierce anger emanating there. "Won?" scoffed Zoë. "Funny you should say that because I didn't WIN. It wasn't I who did it. It was YOU who made ME win."

"What are you talking about? I did no such thing," he replied, his frown deepening.

"Don't lie to me! I know you well enough by now to know you're not telling the truth."

"You're talking nonsense."

"Am I?" she asked sarcastically. "I was there, Rukawa, and I saw you even when you first thought of it. Why couldn't you just have let it alone? Why did you have to go and be a hero? I didn't need you."

"I still don't understand."

Zoë flung his arm away from her, her anger giving her strength. "Are you that DENSE? You purposely made those last two shots miss so that I could win. Why? Because you heard those two idiots muttering about me."

Realization dawned in Rukawa. She knows. He looked at her with a stoic expression but Zoë already saw the truth and acknowledgement in his eyes even before he tried to hide them. "You're wrong. I lost because I missed."

Zoë shook her head, emotions of anger, pain and sadness threatening to engulf her. She closed her eyes tightly before the tears could fall and moved away from him. "I didn't care what they said, Rukawa. Even if it was so mean. I know how good I am. Whatever people would say about me doesn't matter, as long as I know deep inside. I thought you think the way I do. I thought you looked past my being a girl and saw me as the person I am. But what you did made me see that I was wrong. You thought that I wasn't good enough."

Rukawa felt as if he was slapped on the face. "I don't think that way! I know how good you are, Zoë."

"No, you don't because you didn't trust me enough to handle that situation. You went ahead and 'saved' me from what those people would say about me. People who I don't even know! I didn't need you," she repeated evenly. "I could have ribbed you from winning and that would be it! I wouldn't feel hurt. I would have demanded a rematch. But that's what you did and that's what I feel right now. You can't know how much I feel humiliated because of what you did."

"Zoë," tried Rukawa but she moved farther and turned her back on him.

"Please. Don't say anything. Leave me alone. I don't think I can take what you're going to say."

Rukawa, shocked beyond belief from what just happened, stared helplessly at Zoë's retreating back.

***

AN: I know it's short but I promise to bring out the next chapter as soon as possible! Reviews please! Thank you! (",)