Let me know that I've done wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you
Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know
-Dirty Little Secret, The All American Rejects
Bus Station, Basketball Retreat Day 1, Tuesday January 19th, 9:45 AM
"You're early."
"I can say the same for you." Henry smiled as he sat down beside her, placing his bags down beside hers. "I thought you'd be coming with Ryo."
"I was going to." She smiled somewhat bitterly at his comment. "His grandmother had some unfinished business with him."
"And you think she's intentionally trying to keep you two apart?" Henry translated from her tone.
"You said it, not me."
"It'll work itself out sooner or later."
"That's what everyone says, but nothing seems to be changing."
"It takes time."
"I'm tired of waiting."
"No, you're just impatient." Henry laughed while she made a face at him.
"Hey guys!" Jeri and Takato called as they stepped out of the taxi together.
"Seeing them together doesn't make it better." Rika said, standing up and turning away, wandering off on her own. Henry looked back but decided to give her space.
"We're ready to go!" Kazu exclaimed as he got out, Kenta following behind him. "This is going to be awesome!"
"Are you blind? Not everyone's here yet." Lina scowled, getting out of the car behind them.
"Who are we missing?"
"Ryo, for one. How could you forget about him?" Lina mocked. Kazu gasped, as if truly horrified by this.
"Alice isn't here either."
"So this is the team?" The group turned to find the new exchange student standing there, sports bag by his feet.
"Andrew?" Rika called, hurrying over. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm the supervisor." He smiled. "The principal asked if I was interested. Didn't think you'd be on this trip."
"I could say the same to you."
"Aren't you the same age as us?" Kazu asked, surveying him.
"I'm more than qualified." Andrew said cooly.
"You don't look like you play basketball."
"Don't judge a book by it's cover."
"Drop it, both of you." Rika said, rolling her eyes. "Kazu, don't underestimate him. Andrew's captain of his team back in America and he's been scouted for several collegiate teams."
"Did I tell you UCLA offered me a full scholarship?" Andrew said smugly. "I'm aiming for Duke though."
"That's the number one basketball college team!" Kazu exclaimed, seeing the guy he dubbed as "Ryo's rival" in a new light.
"Anyway, I'm supposed to be here to supervise, but I rather you just see me as a participant. I'm quite excited to be playing in Japan again." Andrew laughed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You guys won't mind?"
"Nah, it'd be cool." Henry grinned. He liked Andrew already, based on what he heard from Rika. "I'm Henry. Nice to meet you."
"Henry Wong. It's nice to meet you too." Andrew said, offering his hand. "Thanks for taking care of that one over there." He said, smiling a sincere smile.
"Welcome to the team."
"I hope you get your ass kicked." Rika laughed. "It'd be a nice change."
"Aren't you suppose to be my number one fan?" Andrew frowned.
"I see you have a thing for guys that play basketball." Jeri teased. Rika elbowed her warningly.
"I really don't blame you." Lina smirked. "I'm Lina, by the way. You're cute."
"Thanks. What's this about Rika-" Andrew asked, but the rumbling sound of a motorcycle drowned out the rest of his question.
"Ryo's here!" Kazu exclaimed.
"What is he doing here?" Ryo asked as he took off his motorcycle helmet, his eyes narrowed and his brown hair ruffled.
"How can you be late when you're the captain?" Rika rolled her eyes. "Everyone's been waiting for you."
"Why? Missed me?" Ryo teased. She shot him a warning look and he scowled. Was it because they were still pretending or was it because Andrew happened to be here?
"So you're the captain. I'm Andrew, I'll be supervising this trip."
"I see."
"Oh, don't be such a stick." Lina groaned. "This is Ryo. Please excuse his rudeness, he's just being an alpha male."
"Where's Alice?" Jeri asked, breaking the palpable tension.
"She's here." Henry pointed.
"Ryo, you coming on the bus?" Kazu called, lugging his bags over.
"No. I'll make my own way there." He said shortly, climbing back onto his bike. Before he could leave, a fancy car pulled up and Madison stepped out.
"Great."
"What is she doing here?"
"I'm Madison, but you can call me Maddie. I know I've seen you guys around school but I never got the chance to introduce myself."
"Sorry, but why are you here?" Alice asked, turning around on the bus seat to face her.
"I thought it'd be nice spending time with Ryo and his friends." She said quietly. "My grandmother agreed and she made arrangements."
"Right." Alice turned away, bristling.. Henry gently nudged her.
"Hey, don't be like that."
"I can be whatever I want." She snapped.
"We haven't introduced ourselves." Takato smiled broadly. "I'm Takato. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you ever need help-"
"Ignore him." Jeri cut in, shooting him a Rika-like glare. "I'm Jeri."
"Hi." Madison smiled shyly. Jeri smiled back, tentatively. It was unfair of her to judge Madison based on the trouble she was causing between her friends, but…it wasn't fair to Ryo and Rika that this was all happening. Plus, Takato being over-friendly irked her.
"I'm Henry." Henry said, trying to be friendly. "It's nice of you to join us."
"You're cute." Kazu said, smiling. "I'm Kazu by the way." His head was shoved to the side by Lina.
"I don't like her." She stated.
"I'm just saying…" Kazu muttered. She stared at him. "What? You said the same thing about Andrew. I think she's quite nice."
"That's the problem. Who is she anyways?" She asked, eyeing the girl with dislike.
"She's Ryo's betrothal partner? Don't you remember her from that one time?" Lina's dislike for the girl only intensified.
"So she's the reason Rika and Ryo are-"
"Shh!" Kazu shushed. "It's suppose to be a secret."
"Right." Lina snorted. "Well, this trip will be interesting."
"How so?"
"Are you that dense? Maddie, or whatever her name is, is here. Despite what Ryo says, Rika still views her as a threat. Then, there's Andrew. I don't think I need to tell you Ryo views him as competition."
"Oh. Right."
"This whole keep-it-a-secret thing is ridiculous. Maybe, over time, Ryo's feelings will change."
"That won't happen." Henry and Takato cut in, their voices hard.
"I'm just saying..." Lina shrugged. "It doesn't necessary mean he'll develop feelings for Maddie, but what if he has no other choice but to accept it? Or if he was forced to by some means?"
"Let's hope it never comes down to that." Henry said grimly. "You think Andrew's going to be a problem?"
"Rika and him are close, aren't they?" asked Lina.
"In the past, they were. She mentions being in contact with him once in a while."
"They're just friends." Takato voiced.
"Of course. There's nothing between them now, but there's a possibility something could happen." Lina said, shrugging.
"True." Alice nodded, "Andrew was the first person Rika's ever liked."
"What?" The boys exclaimed.
"How come I didn't know that?" Henry asked.
"You think she'd tell you?" Alice raised an eyebrow. "She's told Ryo about it but I don't think that helps on his part..."
"Exactly...so like I said, this trip will be interesting. It'll be like a test on their relationship."
"This is getting so..." Jeri shook her head, leaning her head on Takato's shoulder for support. "I just hope they'll be okay."
"Same." He said. "We all do."
"Oi guys, the driver needs you guys to sit down." Kenta called from the front.
"Sorry!"
Kazu turned towards Lina. "I don't think you have to worry."
"Don't assume." She said, eyeing him.
"I'm not. I just don't think it's going to happen."
"You could be wrong. Don't all guys fall for the sweet, gentle girls?"
"Rika's clearly not one of those girls." He said, raising an eyebrow.
"Rika's still soft, underneath, she just puts on a strong front. Ryo knows that. Why do you think he's so protective of her even after she told him to bugger off?"
"Why are you so concerned?" Kazu asked, unhappy all of a sudden.
"What's wrong with you?" Lina asked, looking at him.
"Nothing." He said, turning away. She gave him a strange look.
Mountain Side, Camp Area
"Hey, Ryo's not here yet..." Kenta said as they got off the bus. The others all look around, noting the empty parking lot, the cabins and the campfire site.
"Why don't we go set up first?" Alice suggested. "These bags are heavy!"
"Here, give me that." Henry motioned.
"Remember, boys to one, girls to another!" Andrew grinned. Everyone laughed.
"Not cool!" Kazu protested.
"Sorry, school rules. No…anything."
"What's anything? Takato asked, grinning a wicked grin. Jeri hit his arm.
"Training starts in an hour! Let's go!"
"What?"
"Already?"
"Our captain's not even here yet!"
"We can't start practice without him!" Kazu declared. "We should wait for him."
"You guys go ahead. I'll wait for him." Rika said cooly.
"Good idea. That way we can settle in first." Henry nodded.
"I'll wait-!" Kazu opened his mouth, but Lina tugged on his arm.
"Ryo's a big boy. Rika already said she'd wait here with him."
"But-"
"Want me to wait with you?" Andrew asked.
"You go supervise." She teased, pushing him towards the campsite.
It wasn't long before the roaring sound of a motorcycle could be heard. Rika smiled inwardly as she watched the rider turn into the parking lot and stop in front of her. Ryo took off his helmet, a look of surprise on his face.
"What are you doing here?"
"What, can't I wait for you?"
"Where are the others?" He asked, looking around.
"They went to set up."
"So it's just me and you?"
"Just for now." She said. Ryo grinned as he hopped off the bike.
"That's the best news I've heard this morning."
"Tell me about it." Rika scowled, but the look softened as she looked at him. "You never told me you rode a motorcycle."
"'I'm a man of mystery."
"Please." Rika scoffed, but kissed him. He kissed her back instantly, holding her closer. Their kiss was rushed and fierce, emboldened by the unspoken jealous between them. Ryo was more aggressive than usual, but Rika didn't care.
"They'll be looking for us." She breathed as they broke apart.
The two weeks had been torture.
He hated how she seemed so far away. How he couldn't hold her hand, carry her books or even make her laugh.
She hated the rumours, the girls giggling and throwing him flirtatious looks, believing he was a single again.
"They can wait." He said, tightening his hold on her, refusing to let her go. He dipped his head and captured her lips again.
"Ryo! You're here!" Kazu exclaimed as the two came into view, the distance between them apparent again. "We've already put our stuff in the cabins, I saved a spot for you. Do you want a top bunk or bottom? It doesn't matter to me."
"Thanks Kaz." Ryo said, laughing.
"Do you know how pathetic that is?" Lina scoffed. "Oh, god."
"If I didn't know better…" Rika said, shaking her head. Ryo shot her a fake hurt look.
"Don't you guys have training now?" Jeri asked, "It's been an hour."
"We do." Kazu groaned.
"What are you girls going to do?
"What are we going to do?" Alice scowled. "We'll be preparing dinner."
"Leave us here to do the cooking." Rika groaned. "Lovely."
"You sure you won't give us food poisoning?" Andrew teased.
"Funny."
"You girls don't want to train?"
"No thanks." Jeri shook her head. "We only volunteered."
"Besides, there's nothing interesting about chasing after a ball." Rika smirked. "There are better sports to play."
"No, like kicking your ass." Rika scowled.
"Really? I was looking through your portfolio the other day..." Andrew grinned. Rika's eyes widened.
"You what!?" She exclaimed. He rummaged through his backpack for something, pulling out a thick black folder.
"I even brought it here." He finished, smirking evilly.
"Don't you dare." Rika said, gritting her teeth.
"Oh?" Andrew dared and handed it to Henry. The others crowded around him, curious.
"I am going to kill you."
"I'd like to see you try!" He said, ruffling her hair. She glared at him. The rest looked on amused before turning back to the pictures.
"Wow. Rika." Henry said, flipping through the first pages. "This is impressive."
"I hate you." She spat at Andrew, who beamed.
"Hey, you have talent. You've got to let your friends know at the very least."
The next few minutes were spent examining the photos in Rika's portfolio. Jeri loved the high-fashion editorial picks. Alice suppressed a smirk as Kazu and Kenta tried hard not to react, fearing Ryo's reaction. Ryo stayed silent, his face dark but his eyes pleased as he scanned the pictures. Even Takato couldn't resist staring at some of the pictures.
"I like this one the best." Andrew said, flipping towards a page near the end. "I had no idea you could look so sweet." Rika glared.
"Where did you get this?" Ryo asked, forced casualness in his voice.
"Rumiko gave it to me when I saw her a couple days back, she said it was a present of some sort." Andrew said, smiling, turning towards Rika. She made a mental note to yell at her mom once they got back.
"Let's get going." Ryo commanded, before walking off briskly. Henry and Takato exchanged looks.
"So I don't know much about how your team plays, but I can make a few guesses." Andrew stated. "Takato is Power Forward, good at rebounds and close shots. Henry, I'd say, you're Centre. You have the height, and from what I've seen, your defence is great. Ryo, as captain I assume you're Point Guard, but you're three-point shots qualify you as Shooting Guard."
"You're good." Ryo nodded, conceding to Andrew's observation.
"Thanks. For our last exercise, we're focusing on one-on-one defense and offense. The objective is two-fold. The player on defence needs to try and steal the ball. The player on offence needs to make it across the court whilst guarding." Andrew said. "Any questions?"
"I like it." Kazu pumped his fist. "Bring it on!"
Andrew grinned and blew his whistle, indicating for Takato and Henry to battle it out. Henry managed to succeed in the end and Takato groaned in despair.
"I was so close!"
"Kazu and Kenta, you're next!"
The pair didn't take as long, but eventually Kenta emerged victorious.
"I can't believe I lost." Kazu cried.
"You leave yourself too open." Kenta smiled. "Don't be too cocky."
"All right, Ryo. Your turn." Andrew said, throwing him the ball.
"Are you able to take the ball from me?" asked Ryo, rather haughtily.
"Are you questioning my ability?" Andrew said, raising an eyebrow.
"Scared?"
"Worried?"
The two stared deadlock at each other.
"What was that?" Takato whispered from the sidelines. The whole group could feel the tension in the air.
"Answering questions with questions..." Kenta commented. "Did you notice?"
"This isn't going to turn into a fight, is it?" Henry wondered, rather worried. Rika would kill them both for fighting.
"Are you ready?" Andrew mocked. Ryo nodded, charging forward with the ball. He spun around as he came closer with Andrew, ball tight within his grasp. As he moved out of Andrew's reach, Ryo no longer had possession of the ball.
He stopped, eyes wide.
The rest of the team stared, silent. No one has ever got past Ryo's move like that. Andrew was definitely something.
