Alert! Alert! Plz pay attention!
Firstly, an apology for this stupid mistake that I made.The fourth chapter that I downloaded is actually the fifth – or in other words, I forgot to upload one of the chapters. I was looking at my fic yesterday, and chapter 3 and 4 didn't connect, so I was like: Hah?? Then I realized that I didn't upload the chapter in between, so that's why there was confusion. I'm really sorry! I hope all of you don't mind having to read the entire story all over again – no, not the entire story, but from chapter 3 onwards. Sorry again!
Joy: Thanks! I am continuing it, so don't worry!
Leika: Thank you – that's a HUGE compliment. I'm glad you hate Ika – and not the other way round! :P Anyway, I WAS tempted to – what did you call it? – "leave it hanging like all the other fics" (because it's much more fun when you can have the ending the way you imagined it to be and not just the way the author put it) but since you've requested, I suppose I HAVE to make an ending. Hmm….
Nellie: Here's another one who would like to put her hands on Ika! Ha ha! I've not really seen someone like Ika, but I suppose there are people like that – although not as dramatic. Thanks for reviewing!
Tensaispira: There's nothing wrong with hyper so you don't have to ask to be excused. And yep! Rukawa to the rescue! (though not as gallantly or as charmingly as you would like it to be!)
Mistress of darkness: Hey, you almost sound as if you were apologizing ("don't worry, it's only that I like to read good stories like this one a lot.")!!! Thanks for reviewing!
Girl_sport17: Thanks! Hey, you're a new one! I'm glad you like the story. What does your brother say? Is he into Rukawa too?
SLL: Hi! Thanks! You really threatened someone about slapping her?? Poor her, whoever she is. What did she do? Anywayz, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story! (PS: Is Rukawa nice to her? I dunno. I never saw it from that point of view. From where I stand, he seems to be nosing around – and not being very polite at that too!)
Tiran: Thanks for telling me what you think! Ha ha ha!
Bo^Bi^Ta: Thank you! Very sweet of you!
Chapter 8
He found her by the gym – or rather, under the stairs heading up to the gym – crouched down into a small ball to match the small way she was feeling. There were no tears – he figured she'd got that part over and done with. She only stared moodily at the floor, eyes closing every now and then as if forcing reality to sink in.
"Hey," he called, his shadow looming over her. "Hiding?"
The first word that came out of her mouth was a very rude one. Her eyes, hot and growing hotter, zoomed in on him. He'd expected that. However, the moment her brain recognized and registered him, shame enveloped her face and she looked down again. "Sorry," she mumbled. "What do you want?"
He didn't answer.
Annoyed and out of sorts, she glared at him. Why, why, why did he have to appear at times like this? When everything was upside down and she had yet to compose herself? Why did he have to add to the turmoil that she was facing? "What? The place's surrounded by police wanting to arrest me?"
She watched in astonishment when he ignored her snide remark and sat down beside her. There wasn't much space under the stairs, and him trying to fit in didn't help much. Despite the mess that her head was in, it still found space for a little bit of uncomfortable tugs that the way their body made contact caused. "Go away," she tried to wave him off. "Go practice or something."
"They're looking very pleased with themselves." He suddenly said, drawing loops on the floor with his fingers.
At the mention of the D.U.L.L.S, her eyes darkened. "Yeah, wish them congratulations for me."
"So that's it?" he murmured, eyes locked on hers. "Let them win, and go bury yourself?"
Anger simmering around her, she retorted, "Oh, I'm not going to bury myself. I'm just moving to the Moon." Hissing, she shot him a look. "What do you care, anyway? Listen, I took your advice and blasted those idiots some time ago. Look where that got me." She pointed a finger and waved it in his face. "You want to give me some more advice? Well, I've got one for you too. My advice is, you can take your nosy nose and flapping mouth and stuff it down your thick skull."
He willed himself to stay calm and be deaf to the words she was screaming at him. She was distraught and unstable, he reminded himself. Other times, maybe he'd scream back at her, but not this one. When she struggled to get up, he mildly said: "Aren't you going to tell me that you're innocent?"
"What for?" she replied sarcastically. "Would you believe me?"
"Maybe."
She froze for a second, then got all angry again. "Well, when you finally decide on a yes or no, tell me." Furious that she was actually touched, for a second, by his comment, she all but kicked him aside.
He stopped her. "I believe you."
"Believe I did what? That I did it, or that I didn't do it?"
"That you didn't," he started to snap. "Now are you going to talk properly or am I going to have to scream to get through that thick head of yours?"
Her mind had gone blank when he'd answered her retort. He believed her, she thought dimly. That's a first for today. "I – " lost for words, she sat down again. "Why?"
Contented that she wasn't raising her voice, he shrugged. "You're proud. You would never mar your ego by doing something petty like stealing a purse. It's way too common for you."
She stared at him, awed.
"Besides, if you wanted to steal, I think you would've opted for a bank robbery. More money there."
Tears and humour danced in her eyes. "You believe me," she said it half gasp and half sigh. "Even though I'm sure there's an insult somewhere, but you believe me." Touched and somehow relieved beyond description, she shamelessly reached for his hand and grasped it in hers. "I didn't do it," she whispered earnestly, almost to herself. "For a moment there, I was ready to give in. I thought, heck, nobody believes me, they all think I'm a liar and a thief. Why not let them? It'd be so much easier than trying to convince them otherwise." Her lashes brimmed with tears that she stubbornly held back. "But you believe me."
Her hand was warm on his, uncomfortably warm, making his hand sweat, for some unknown reason. The dots of teardrops that lingered at her thick lashes served as a distraction. She looked down then, as if reflecting. He watched quietly, lost for words to say for the moment. Then, smiling wistfully and rather ironically, she looked back at him and said: "So, any advice?"
He almost laughed. Almost. "I have a plan you might like."
She squeezed his hand. "Wait," she said quietly, "before we get to that, I have something to say." Clear brown eyes sought his and held his gaze. "I want to thank you for everything you've done. You provoked me to tell Ika off, you treated me dinner, and now you're helping me when so many others find it more interesting to watch. I don't know why you're doing all these, but I surely appreciate it."
To be honest, he heard himself say. I don't know why I'm doing it either.
When he snapped back to earth, she had withdrawn her hand in a sudden state of shock and now stared at her shoes in reddening embarrassment. "So, uh," she coughed uncomfortably. "What was your plan?"
He told her.
"That's a stupid plan," she scoffed at the end of the explanation. He started to tell her to shut up but was distracted when she grabbed his hand again and looked at him with a look of pure excitement. Proudly, she announced, "I have a better one."