Chapter Fourteen

Are You in Love?

"Hello, Hiyama-sensei!" said Miku in a singsong voice as she and Gumi entered class 2-C's room for lunch. Luka and Gakupo followed close behind them, a little unsure of themselves, unlike Miku who seemed to think she owned the entire school.

"Miku?" said Kiyoteru in shock. "What are you doing here?"

Miku winked at him. "I'm joining your class."

Kiyoteru stared at her in disbelief. "Seriously?"

Miku stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Of course not. We're here for lunch. We always come. You're just running late today."

Kiyoteru looked infinitely grateful and let out a sigh of relief. Miku pouted at him a little and snubbed him for his rudeness. Gumi shared an eye-roll with Luka, amused at Kiyoteru's flustered reaction when Miku had entered the room. The rumours about Miku going after Kiyoteru were definitely true. Not that Gumi had ever really doubted it, but Kiyoteru's reaction had made it all too obvious.

"So, anyway," said Miku, pulling a desk to the cluster Rin's group had formed, "Have you guys heard the latest gossip? No, no, no, Gumi, you sit with me. Bad girl."

Gumi froze. She'd been pulling up a chair beside Rin, but Miku locked their gazes together and pulled a chair up beside herself, staring at Gumi expectantly and decidedly. Gumi sighed and gazed at Rin apologetically before joining Miku. Miku had overlooked their fight after the incident in the haunted house, but Gumi knew that, in return, Miku expected her to behave as a better friend, which Gumi knew she hadn't been doing before.

"Okay, so," continued Miku, returning instantly to her previous thought, "anyone? Anyone heard anything juicy lately?"

Iroha exchanged a look with Rin, who shrugged in return, and then turned to Luka. Luka seemed a little unsure what to do, unused to being the subject of Iroha's wide-eyed gaze. Iroha soon grew bored at Luka's lack of answer and turned to Gakupo, who was more accustomed to her and shook his head.

"I don't believe anyone has heard anything," Miki replied on behalf of the group.

Miku scowled and sighed. "My gosh, you guys are so out of the loop. I need better friends."

"I resent that," said Luka, narrowing her eyes at Miku.

"Whatever," said Miku, waving away the comment. "So, the biggest news is those class 2-B girls, Yowane Haku and Akita Neru."

"Who?" questioned Rin, looking to Gumi for assistance.

But Gumi was too captivated in her own thoughts to notice. She thought of the day she'd caught Len and Neru in the hall, when Len had turned all his attention onto her and tossed her into a state of enchantment, where the only thing in the world was him and he was all that mattered.

"They're these two girls in class 2-B who talk to no-one but each other," replied Luka. "Everyone assumes they're going out."

Len laughed at this. Piko and Gakupo looked at him curiously, but all the girls were completely enraptured by the sound of his voice. Even Gumi found herself eager to soak up his words, despite herself. "This is quite the odd school you have," said Len. "Two girls in a relationship . . . . Anywhere else in the world, that in itself would be the juiciest gossip, but you all treat it like it's completely normal."

"Well, actually, I get a lot of grief for loving Miki, meow," commented Iroha a little defensively. "I still get picked on a lot, but Piko always defends me, meow." She smiled at Piko sincerely for what Gumi thought was the first time ever. Piko smiled back at her. "Piko is a good boy."

"And I get scolded for leading her on," said Miki with a smile, obviously not at all bothered by it. "It's just the way things are. I'm sure Neru and Haku deal with it too."

"But they've already kind of locked themselves away from the rest of the school anyway. They don't have to deal with it like I would have to," said Miku.

Gumi watched Rin as they all spoke, thinking of what it would be like at school if she were to confess her feelings for Rin. She knew Rin wouldn't be able to handle all the attention she'd get, whether she turned Gumi down or not. Rin was busy studying her bow, which she'd taken off her head in order to pick off pieces of fluff and cat hairs.

Gumi could sense that Len's words were directed at her when he said, "Still, a relationship between two girls is odd."

"Oh, shut up," snapped Gumi, unable to control herself. Everyone turned to her, though they'd begun to get used to her short temper when Len was involved. "Have an open mind, jerk. Anyway, at least keep your opinions to yourself when you happen to be among girls who love other girls."

The corner of Len's mouth twitched into a smirk. "You say that like there's more than just Iroha who's in love with another girl." Gumi's face flushed red. Darn it. She'd probably given herself away now.

"Hey, Miki loves me too, meow!" exclaimed Iroha.

"I'm pretty sure she meant Luka," said Miku, saving Gumi. Gumi had to admit, Miku was the best friend she could ask for.

"Miku!" shouted Luka, her face red.

Miku dismissed Luka's exclamation with the wave of a hand. "C'mon, Luka, everyone in school knows you asked me out."

Luka glared at Miku. "You could be nicer about it," she grumbled.

Miku frowned, a little apologetic. "Sorry, Luka, girls just aren't for me, y'know?"

"Yeah, I know," sighed Luka, though she still glared at Miku. "You said that when you rejected me, remember?"

"So, anyway, people, we've gotten off topic," said Miku. "So, the latest news is that Neru and Haku ran away together."

This pricked Gumi's interest. That had to be the most interesting thing to happen here in a long time. She turned to Miku, eager to hear what else Miku had to say. Miku, satisfied that everyone was paying attention, continued.

"So, get this: Neru and Haku have always been rumoured to be together, right? But, of course, that's gotta be hard for them since they're both girls, right? So, about a week ago, Haku and Neru stopped coming to school. So, one of their classmates went to both of their houses to see what was up, and it turns out Neru and Haku both ran away on the same night! They went to bed at night, but they were gone in the morning, their windows wide open." Her eyes glimmered with excitement. "Awesome, right?"

Len seemed only slightly amused, but everyone else was completely absorbed in the story. Neru and Haku, a modern Romeo and Juliet, tossed into this realm of forbidden desires for each other, had run away together. Well, maybe it was Juliet and Juliet . . . . In any case, Gumi hoped they had a happier ending than that story.

Gumi peeked at Rin through the hair falling down beside her face. If Haku and Neru could be together like that, maybe she and Rin could do it, too.

. . .

After the discussion at lunch that day, Gumi had come to the conclusion that the time had come for her to do it. Finally, after two years apart and many months beyond that of suppressed feelings, Gumi would finally tell Rin how she felt. Of course, the fear of rejection lingered, but Gumi found herself thinking that the rejection couldn't be that bad, and that she could survive if that happened. Hiding her feelings had to be worse than rejection. After all, even if Rin didn't return her feelings now, maybe she'd come to love Gumi when Gumi's feelings were out in the open.

Anyway, there was only one thing that could be worse than keeping in her feelings, and rejection wasn't it. He was.

Len was waiting for Rin outside the choir room. Gumi watched him in disgust. How desperate. It was so obvious. At least Gumi was Rin's best friend, so it wasn't nearly as weird for her to take position beside Len and wait for Rin.

They were both silent as they waited for Rin, and a part of Gumi wished Len would turn to her and start whispering inappropriate suggestions into her ears like he used to at lunch. She hated that part of herself, the part that was as intoxicated by Len as all the other girls, the part she fought against every moment they were together. She longed to grab him and insist he lay claim to her, to say again that he would kiss no one but her.

"Gum-Gum!"

Gumi crashed backward into the wall as Iroha attacked her with a giant hug. The breath was knocked out of her lungs, and Gumi found it hard to believe that someone so small could be so powerful. Iroha looked up to Gumi with sparkling eyes. "I've decided that you're one of my best friends, Gum-Gum, okay? I'm yours too, right?"

Gumi tried to get a grip on what was happening and gazed down on Iroha confusedly. "Um, sure," she replied hesitantly, looking at the other choir club members for help. They stared at her, amused, and offered no aid. Gumi looked back to Iroha and slowly picked her words. "So, um, you're gonna call me Gum-Gum from now on?"

Iroha nodded cheerfully. "Gum-Gum acts so tough that she needs a cute nickname to show her soft side."

Gumi raised her eyebrows at Iroha, who remained oblivious. Gumi was only tough because Len was around, not that Iroha knew that.

"Okay, Iroha, we don't want to miss the bus," said Piko.

Iroha whined, "But Gumi waited for me," but went over to the white-haired boy anyway. Gumi didn't bother letting Iroha know that she'd actually been waiting for Rin. She didn't see what would be gained from making her–apparently–best friend upset.

"Bye, Gumi, Len, Rin," said Miki with a polite little wave before guiding Iroha and Piko down the hallway.

"So, Len, Gum-Gum, shall we go?" giggled Rin.

Gumi glared at her. "Say that again and die," she growled.

. . .

"Rin, I want you to come to my house today," Gumi said when she, Rin, and Len had arrived at Rin's house.

Rin stared at her, confused. "Really?"

Oh my God, she'd adorable even when she's confused. Gumi's cheeks flushed red and she stuttered, "Y-yes. But only you!" She stared at Len pointedly. Rin looked to Len, who was already in the door and glaring at Gumi.

"I'm gonna go, okay, Len?" Rin said tentatively. He looked at her in utter disbelief, not quite believing his ears. "I'll be home later."

Len said nothing to her. Instead, he closed to door decidedly, using more force than necessary. Rin watched the door a little sadly, but she still followed Gumi to her house.

Gumi flinched when she stepped onto her porch. Even before she opened the door, she was assaulted by shouts from inside the house. Gumi sighed. They were at it again, huh? She gazed at Rin apologetically, but Rin understood and took Gumi's hand in her own. Gumi's face flushed, though Rin didn't seem to think anything of it. She was probably used to it after being around Miki so much and saw it as nothing but a sign of friendship. She guided Gumi over to a bench and sat there.

"So, why did you want to go to your house?" asked Rin, leaving out the obvious considering it's always like this whenever I come.

"I wanted to get away from Len," replied Gumi. Before Rin could speak again, Gumi locked their gazes and let it show that she was incredibly serious right now. She took a deep breath. "Rin, would you be willing to stay away from Len, forever, if I asked you to?"

Rin was taken aback. She shook her head vigorously and gazed at Gumi as if the other girl had lost her mind.

Gumi felt anguish take over her entire being. It was such a blunt response. So there was no way? No way Rin would ever give up Len and be Gumi's alone? The only thing worse than rejection was this, being told that Len was the one Rin wanted most in her life.

"Are you in love with him?" Gumi questioned, tears springing to her eyes as she waited for Rin's response that never came. Rin stared back at Gumi, at a loss for words, but Gumi could tell what she meant.

It was too much. Gumi jerked off the bench. Tears dropped onto the pavement as she wiped her sleeve under her dripping nose. "Alright then," said Gumi, choking back the worse of the tears. "Never mind. You can go back to Len."

Before Rin could call her back, Gumi ran into her house and slammed the door shut, ignoring all the shouts coming from her parents in the kitchen as she dashed into her room, slammed the door, and sobbed until no more tears would come.

Author's Note: I went from adorable Iroha to that? Geez, this story is depressing, but I love you people for putting up with it. I'm quite pleased with it overall, even if it's, as I said, depressing. I've tried to keep an open mind about Len up until now, but even I'm starting to hate him . . . . Sorry, Len, I won't make you the antagonist next time I write about you. So, yeah, three days left this week, yay! Oh, apparently yay isn't a word according to spellcheck. Anyway, I love all you readers and reviewers! Please keep following this story! We're nearly at the halfway point!