"So, today we're going to start a new topic."

Again the lessons went on without him really paying attention. Sadly it went on way too slow to his liking. However, as long as he was in class and was supposed to listen there was absolutely no reason to deal with the girl sitting to his right. Yesterday evening had ended not quite positive for them and his will to keep up this whole charade began to crumble even further with each passing day.

"Rukia-chan has already left. But I guess you know that."

His father's voice from this morning echoed in his head.

No, he didn't know, he mumbled to himself deep in thought. And he still didn't know why she had left for school that early, without him.

Renji probably knew what was going on, because he had spotted him talking to Rukia near the school gates this morning.

"Bear in mind, Ichigo... Rukia and I have shared a lot more than you might think."

He remembered the redhead's words. What the hell did he mean by that? What was going on? Maybe they had been...?

It was no secret that the vice-captain had feelings for his childhood friend. They knew each other since they were young. He couldn't catch up to that.

"Which author has written a lot of sonnets throughout his career, again?"

The word 'sonnet' had drawn his attention.

Ochi-sensei strolled through the rows and then stopped in front of Keigo all of a sudden, bending down a little: "Asano!"

Ichigo's friend nearly jumped upon hearing his name being called out and was desperately searching his memory for the right answer: "Uhm… Shin…? Ake…? Yamada? I.. I know it, I swear!"

"Shakespeare. It's Shakespeare."

Ochi-sensei raised an eyebrow slightly amused. She grinned mischievously, turning around to Ichigo: "Oh, seems we have an expert here!" As his teacher's steps neared his table, he turned his head from the windows to the classroom. Oh, damn! Did he say that out aloud?

She stopped in front of him: "As we are obviously quite familiar with the matter, I'm sure we wouldn't mind reading one of the sonnets to the class, right Kurosaki?" The small booklet landed on his table.

"Whatever."

He didn't have a choice anyway so he fetched the booklet and stood up from his chair.

"Number 115, please."

Ichigo opened the page at said sonnet and started reading.

"Those lines that I before have writ do lie, even those that said…"

"Stop right there!" Ochi-sensei interrupted. "This is about deep emotions, got that? Again! And put a little more consideration into the words you're reading, feel them!"

He breathed out with a sigh that was clearly audible for everyone in class: "…even those that said I could not…"

"From the start!"

An annoyed grunt left his throat.

"If we're having that much trouble taking this serious, how about reading it out to our girlfriend?" His teacher pointed to Rukia with her head. "Turn around, Kurosaki!"

Ichigo bit his lip, turned to Rukia grudgingly. His facial muscles twitched.

"This text is about love, does that ring a bell? So go for it, perform, tell her." Ochi-sensei pointed at Rukia one last time before leaving his visual field.

Ichigo glanced at Rukia for a second – she didn't look at him.

He turned to the book, trying to concentrate on the lines before taking a deep breath:

"Those lines – that I before have writ – do lie."

He suddenly hesitated.

Shit.

His voice was slightly shaking. Damn, he couldn't lose it in this situation, not here, not now… Ichigo's eyes trailed off to the floor, nothing would help him, he couldn't just run away. He cleared his throat, hoping to regain control of his voice: It was just a text, just words that had been written hundreds of years ago that had absolutely nothing to do with him.

"Even those – that said – I could not love you dearer…

…yet then – my judgment knew no reason why…"

This has got nothing to do with me.

"…my most full flame – should afterwards burn clearer.

But reckoning Time, whose… million'd accidents…

Creep in 'twixt vows and – change decrees of kings…"

Just words.

"Tan sacred beauty – blunt the sharp'st intents,

Divert strong minds to th' course of altering things…

Alas – why – fearing of Time's tyranny,

Might I not then say…"

He sighed.

"Now…"

He raised his head, looking directly at her. This time she returned his look.

"Now… I love you best."

'I'm sorry.' He wanted to say, but then went back to the words that should just have been words.

"When I was certain – o'er incertainty

Crowning the present – doubting… of the rest?

Love is a babe then – might I not say so

To give full growth to that – which still… doth grow."

Ichigo snapped the book shut, placed it on the table and took his seat without looking at anyone.

"That was really sweet."

He noticed from the corner of his eye how she situated herself on the edge of his table slightly bending down to him. Ichigo peeked up to her cautiously: 'That… is not funny.' he already heard himself retorting to her, but then he remembered that this was in the end part of the plan they had discussed yesterday when he had promised to be more considerate.

"That… wasn't sweet", he began, mirroring the challenging look Rukia's face was wearing. "That… was real."

She flinched. Who would have thought that he was finally the one leaving her flustered and not the other way round, as it usually happened. A victorious smile formed inside of him. Rukia's mouth was still trying to formulate a response, her eyes helplessly searching his for an answer.

She must be feeling the same he always did.

"W-what was real?" The question finally left her lips.

Insecurity. That was so unlike her.

The inner smile rose to his face: "Every…" He meaningfully raised an eyebrow. "Single…" His voice was nearly a whisper only she could hear: "Word."

His confident look remained on her. Rukia was still staring at him, baffled, shy. This time she wouldn't be the one to have the last word.

"Then…" she began unusually quiet and reserved. "…that was anything but sweet."

Yes, that's it.

It caught him completely unprepared when she suddenly bent down even further to him so that he could nearly feel her breath on his skin. There was no trace left of any insecurity.

"Then…"

He tried to withstand her intensive glare.

"…that was pretty hot."

A winning smile, a superior glint in her eyes and then… she was gone.

Damn it.

"You waited for me?"

He raised an eyebrow doubtfully, as if she didn't really stand in front of him at the school gates.

"Do I have a choice?" Her cynical remark hit him in the gut. "People will start talking if I don't."

"In the morning you didn't wait for me."

Her eyes narrowed to slits: "So what?"

"I've seen you. You and Renji."

Rukia turned to walk home: "Oh, so you're jealous now, or what?" Why was there this sudden disinterest in her voice?

"What did you two talk about?"

"Us." was her numb answer.

He looked at her questioningly and maybe a little worried: "About us us or us you?"

"Both." Her cold voice seeped through his heart.

He wouldn't leave it at that now. Everything was complicated enough already, there was no need for a stupid redhead to make it worse.

"What is going on between Renji and you?"

Rukia flipped around to him, obviously sour: "I don't know why you dare imply that, but as you and I are not really in a relationship I can do whatever I like!"

"Why don't just shout a little louder?! I don't think everyone was able to hear you!"

"Everyone except us has left! So stop making a drama out of this again, if you don't want to hear that!" she hissed in response to his inappropriate remark.

"I see, something's going on between you…" was Ichigo's inevitable conclusion to her outburst.

Her expression was cold: "I'm going to break up with you in two weeks anyway, so why do you care?"

Ichigo theatrically placed a hand on his chest, acting a little over the top: "Wow, if we were really in a relationship I would be deeply hurt now."

A despicable laugh escaped her throat: "Well, you know… that's the good thing about it." She stepped closer and looked at him with a severity that made him flinch: "If you're not really in a relationship it doesn't matter what you say… it never hurts. Not. A single. Word."

And then she did what she was best at recently, leaving him standing there, alone.

He sighed and wished she was right.