Tenth chapter up! (Wow, can't believe it's already this long…) Thanks y'all for reviewing. I just uploaded the previous chapter yesterday and finding NINE reviews waiting today was rather shocking. :D Enjoy this chapter! I'll try to squeeze in the next chapter as soon as I find myself free with nothing to do. Man, don't I make myself sound so busy! (Maybe I should change my name to everythingtodo…)

Frack: Thanks! It's funny how so many of us have at least someone we wish to slap (though hopefully the high and mighty bitches in your school aren't so unbearable)! Thanks for reading my fic!

Silhouette Panther: Thanks. : ) Yeah, I've finished reading ur story. Are u continuing or not???

SLL: Ha ha! You sound as if Ika is some kind of a lizard ("..Yuck! How can he touch her!?"). I suppose he IS nicer to Akima – wouldn't I kill to be in her place… Anyway, continue reading!

Tensaispira: What game???

Leika: Gee, you're so imaginative! Really like your idea about the octopus and the leech and the raw egg!! *pictures the scene in her head* And as for Rukawa telling Ika he loves her??? NOOOOOOOOO! And so, to stop you from thinking of such things again, I'm putting up this chapter as quickly as possible!

Tiran: : ) Thank you. I've never really put the entire plan as good evil – but you make sound it cool! You sound so anti-people-who-don't-complete-their-fics!! I really don't want to be in that position, so dun worry! I'll finish this.

Maemi: You'll find out. : ) Let's all see what they do to that wretched whore.

Girl_sport17: Sometimes I wonder myself.

Renei: Thank you!

Chapter 10.

Thinking he couldn't get away without buying something, he bought himself a glass of carrot juice, promising himself that he'd make Akima pay for it. Ika had gotten herself a tiny bowl of salad, for the benefit of her strict diet, she'd told him. "I'm a vegetarian, you know," she helpfully informed. "I love animals. I don't think it's right to slaughter them just so our bellies are full. I'm like, a permanent member of the SACP."

            "SPCA." He corrected unconsciously.

            She faltered slightly. "Oh, yes! Silly of me!" Finishing her salad off and eyeing the burger stall longingly, she cleared her throat and decided a change of conversation would be nice. "So…anything going on in your life lately?"

            Yeah, he wanted to say. A lot is going on, and I don't even know half of it. For example, a week ago, I would have never let myself skip my personal basketball practice even if a bomb was planted in this place. Now, I'm out here doing something so worthless of my time – and all because of what? Because of a girl I barely know whom I'm getting myself involved with for reasons both of us are unaware of. Heck, I don't even know what I'm doing with her. So yeah, that's what's been going on in my life lately. Instead, he grunted and said nothing.

            "My dad just installed an indoor pool in our mansion." And I've just bought a killer swimsuit, she thought silently. "Why don't you come by some time and splash around with me?"

            "I don't swim," he lied, looking around. Where the hell is she??

            "You don't have to swim. We can just sit there and … well, the water's hot, you know. We have a water-heater." She waited for his reply.

            "Hmmm…" He saw Akima stepping in, pretending as if she hadn't noticed them. Looking back at Ika, he quickly said: "You know that girl?"

            Ika looked over her shoulder and snorted. "Of course not," she said with aplomb. "I don't really mix with people like her." Miffed that he actually thought she was connected to that Akima, she pushed her empty bowl away.

            "Why not?"

            Why not?, she thought, shocked. What a stupid question to ask. "Why, she's… poor." She said it as if it explained everything.

            He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

            She was looking at him as if he was crazy. "And – and…" she sputtered. "And… I mean, just look at the state of her clothes!" She gestured at Akima's uniform, and he found his eyes averting to the skirt. He didn't find anything to complain about, but Ika seemed disgusted. "It's filthy. It looks as if it's been passed down since the dinosaur era."

            Reminding himself of his role, he quickly nodded. "I suppose you're right."

            "And she is always walking around as if she owns the world," Ika continued and he had to admit, she had a point there. "Why she thought she deserved to walk freely around strikes me dumb. I mean, her mother is MY maid," she made sure that was clear. "Instead of treating me the way the daughter of a maid should, she's strutting around as if we're…," she struggled to describe it, " as if we're … equals."

            He didn't know whether to cry in disgust or laugh in amusement. "I see."

            Encouraged, Ika hurried on. "Can you believe that she actually once slapped me??" she said it with such rage that he had to struggle to hold back a tiny smile. "Not once, but TWICE. Like, who the hell does she think she is? I'm the one who's helping her get food on her table, and THIS is how she shows her appreciation??"

            Nodding understandingly, he said: "Rude, ungrateful brat, isn't she?" From the corner of his eyes, he could see Akima inching close enough to hear the conversation. Suddenly enthusiastic, he continued: "She seems selfish to me. Bad-tempered too. A mouth that's too clever for her own good." He saw Akima's eyes narrow and watch her stomp away.

            "That is so true," Ika confirmed. Then, smiling proudly, she bent down and whispered to him, "But I've paid her back." Grinning mysteriously, she waited for him to press on.

            "Really?" he said carefully.

            "Yep. Fired her mother." She seemed to like the memory.

            "Yeah," he tried not to sound too interested. "I've heard of that. She was stealing from you, I think."

            Ika chuckled. "Actually, she was just holding my necklace. I saw it as a good opportunity and reported it to my dad. That woman was out of my house and out of her job in merely seconds."

            He didn't say anything, his blue eyes darkening.

            "Of course, that wasn't enough," Ika rambled on, apparently very pleased with herself. "She still seemed bloody happy. So I accused her." She made little delighted sounds. "I placed my purse in her bag and then had the headmaster spot check it and walla! Caught!" she laughed.

            He pressed his lips tightly together. "Clever," he said shortly.

            "She deserved it," Ika said simply. "I mean, she's just outrageous, you know? Shamelessly pining after you like you'd even notice her in the first place."

            His eyebrows raised. "What?"

            "Can you believe that she actually had the nerve to dream about having you?" Ika huffed. "That birdbrain really doesn't know her place. Watching you practice like some loony no-brainer."

            He was still stuck at her first sentence. "She… dreams about having me?"

            Sliding her elbow across until it touched his, Ika assured him. "But of course we all know that she's not really your type. I mean, you are from the Rukawa family, high atop the society pyramid like mine is. We both know whom we are suitable for…"

            He tried to absorb it, pondered on it for a while. "I … have to go."

            "Oh." Disappointed, she pouted. It had been nice talking to him, and she was making good progress. "We should do this more often."

            His brain a mess of thoughts, he said the last of his script, "That idea – the one you pulled on that girl… it's really good. If I were you, I'd do it again."

            Ika grinned.

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