Sadly, that hadn't been the end of the conversation. Just as I was about to make my triumphant exit, like they do in the movies…

"Now about your punishment for skipping classes."

"But…Zero does it all the time!"

"And being in an off-limits area, as well."

Damn. Well, he had me there…

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Supplementary classes for a week. Not as harsh I was expecting, at least. And we couldn't go to one of the school dances that was on Friday, not even just to guard. Besides, it didn't even need to be guarded. Watched over would be a better word to use. Words. I hadn't planned on going, anyways. So…that didn't really bother me too much. I don't think that Zero had been planning to go either. Well, obviously. He's not exactly a party type of guy. It was strictly Day Class only. Not even one of the major formal events…just a cheap little get together in the gym.

I sighed as I walked back to my room Friday afternoon. Yuuki was upset with me, since I couldn't go to the dance. She'd been planning to tag along with me, as friends of course, just so she could whisper to me about how much she was in love with Kaname. Oooh, that would have been fun. Um, no…that would have been torture, that's what.

I saw Zero walking a little ways ahead of me.

He'd kind of been avoiding me since…my little incident. I didn't want to upset him more by talking to him either. He hated me now…that was pretty darn clear. But…I needed some sort of closure…some actual outright response that he hated me. I was a freak. And…I wasn't human. And clearly that bothered him more than I would have liked.

I caught up to him, grabbing one of his shoulders.

"Zero…"

He brushed me off and kept on walking.

"Zero, please! At least…just talk to me!" I cried, upset.

He sighed and turned to me. "What is it, Sakura?"

I swallowed the gathering lump in my throat. He couldn't even call me by my real last name. That's how upset he was at me. I tried to force the tears back…but it just wasn't working. There were people around now though…

"Please…I just want to talk to you, okay?" I pulled him aside, behind a tree. He started to move away, but I grabbed his arm. "Just talk to me this once…and hate me forever if you want to." I put my books down on the ground. "Just please talk to me this last time, okay? I don't deserve a lot, I know. But I think I deserve that much."

"Why didn't you tell me before this?" He was getting fed up with me now. Good. Let him.

"Why, so you never would have told me you loved me in the first place?!" I felt the tears sliding down my cheeks. Hell, I hate crying.

"So I would have been ready when you just go and sprout wings!"

"This is why I didn't want to tell you!" I screamed, shutting my eyes tight. Suddenly my voice dropped down to a pianissimo. "I didn't want you to hate me because…I'm not entirely human."

"Why did you have that silly notion that I'd hate you?!" He asked, quietly. He was upset and frustrated with me. And disappointed…and…well there were other words too.

"Because you hate purebloods so much that…well…" I didn't want to finish that statement.

"Don't even compare yourself to them, Aikido. You deserve better than that. And that's why you deserve better than me."

"Shut up." I said simply, sniffling. "Maybe I do deserve better, but you know what? I'm perfectly happy with what I have." He looked at me, surprised I'd just said that.

"Don't look so shocked, Zero." I caught my breath. "I only want you. You can try to hate me and get rid of me all you want…but…I'm never going to care. I'm not going to suddenly change my feelings one morning. So please…just don't…hate me like this…"

I felt the tears coming as he walked away.

When he was out of sight, I fell to my knees and sobbed.