Hey, everyone! This is a cute romantic story about Ami's first love...with Yaten! I hope you enjoy the story; please read and review! Thanks! ^_^
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Ami, over here!" a voice called out, warm and compassionate. Ami wheeled around instantly, nearly bumping into her fellow female friends, a smiling Makoto, a giggling Usagi, and fuming Rei.
"Ami, what was taking you so long?" Rei snapped disapprovingly, her eyes flashing with impatience and worry before casting a curious glance at an envelope held limply in Ami's seemingly shaking fingers.
Bowing her head down, her eyes falling to the cool wooden floor of the school hall, Ami stumbled with her words, trying to think carefully before she said them. "Forgive me, everyone; I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to keep all of you waiting; you see, I kind of got distracted by this letter; you know how much I disapprove of love letters, " Ami briefly apologized, obviously disturbed by the present situation as she swiftly turned to close her locker shut.
"Ooohh! Ami, don't tell me a guy likes you! Oh my gosh, I have to read this!" Makoto blurted out, her emerald eyes sparkling with mischief. Her eyes darted towards the wrinkled note and searched the hall for any boys who might have sent it until she finally turned her head back to Ami. "It's Yaten, isn't it, Ami?" she asked coyly, grinning in satisfaction at Ami's bewildered look.
"Makoto, calm down! The note is signed with 'your secret admirer.'" Ami mumbled irritably, rolling her eyes at Makoto's childish attitude as she politely handed the folded letter to her boy-crazy friend.
As the others bent over around Makoto excitedly to read the anonymously given note, Ami's eyes firmly rested upon her exactly accurate watch. What she saw immediately brought her out of a daydreaming and back to reality.
"Oh no! I'm almost late for my Calculus class! How could I forget?!" she shrieked, looking horrified as she hastily gathered her enormous hard-covered books and hurriedly started off in the opposite direction.
Shaking her head slightly at her absentmindedness, her steps quickened even more as she vividly remembered how her teacher redundantly stressed punctuality. Mr. Motoki, of course, was boiling with rage whenever one of his students entered the classroom late; he was definitely not the kind of person to fool around with. Ami flinched from the thought, closing her eyes to shut out the awful image of her angry calculus teacher - not a pretty sight at all. Suddenly, she felt herself bump into something-or someone-hard as her books heavily toppled to the ground with a ringing crash. Her eyes widely opened, shocked at what had just happened, before rising slowly to her feet and looking up face to face with the "thing" she had accidentally crashed into.
"Good morning, Ami. I can see that this is not your day," Yaten greeted her warmly, calmly bending down to pick up her thick, opened books, now with ripped book covers.
"Oh Yaten…hello. I'm so sorry; I wasn't looking where I was going. I don't know what's wrong with me today," Ami sighed softly, apparently flustered by what had happened. "First calculus, now this…" Ami muttered as she warily attempted to recover her books with the shredded paper.
"Don't worry, Ami. I've had worse days," Yaten laughed, smiling slightly as his subtle aquatic eyes locked with hers in a mere second.
Well, that smile just about did it. Ami's heart melted to pieces, jumping against her ribs violently as she held her breath. She slowly nodded and then blushed, her rosy cheeks growing redder.
"I've never felt like this before for any guy, "she thought nervously playing with the rubber band between her limp fingers.
Yaten handed her several more pieces of paper. "Well, Ami, I guess I'll talk to you later, k?" With that, he rushed past her to his next class.
~*~
You drive me crazy, you turn me mad,
Yet you're the first love I've ever had,
If only I could stop all time,
To keep your heart so close to mine.
~*~
Ami's shoes clicked loudly against the wooden floor as her eyes danced upon the door of her classroom, just a mere meter away. Jogging up briskly to the door, she swung it open slowly, cautiously entering the classroom as her unsteady footsteps mingled with the voices of her chatting classmates, now seemingly cooperatively working in groups of five on a challenging mathematical puzzle.
"Ami, great to see you make it to class. I was starting to get worried; you've never missed or been late to any of my classes before." Mr. Motoki began, his anxious eyes searching for an explanation as he briefly led her to her assigned group at the fifth row of desks. Shuffling several papers in his hands, he placed them noisily upon his metallic file cabinet before turning to Ami again, this time apparently calmer.
Silently, Ami stood there, trying to remember her rehearsed response, but she could not. Shocked by his reaction, she had forgotten what she had earlier decided to tell him.
"Mr. Motoki, I deeply apologize for causing a disturbance to the class today. I promise you, it won't happen again," Ami whispered nervously as she tried to figure out how to tactfully explain the situation to her teacher. Taking a quick glance at her watch, she now continued, breathing even more uneasily as her stomach seemed to fill with butterflies. "It was just that…I just don't feel well, Mr. Motoki," Ami paused for a brief second before continuing. "I'm not myself today, Professor, to be perfectly honest," Ami stumbled in her words, carefully thinking before she articulated them.
She wasn't lying about not being herself either. Ami-a studious top student-boy crazy? No way, not even in a hundred years.
"In that case, are you sure you do not need to go down to our nurse?" Mr. Motoki asked, furrowing his brows into a concerned frown, before reaching out for a health room pass from his desk.
Ami smiled reassuringly, briefly placing her books upon the ebony desk. "No, I'll be fine, Mr. Motoki; I think I just need a bit of rest after school today," Ami commented, before pulling out her navy chair.
"Okay, Ami, if you say so," Mr. Motoki replied uncertainly, obviously doubting Ami's remark. Hesitantly, he handed her a set of activities, gently adding, "Just work on these problems. I'll be right at my desk if you have any questions." After a few seconds of silence, he abruptly returned to his desk at the back of the classroom.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ami watched as Mr. Motoki neatly pulled out a set of papers from an orderly arranged binder and immediately started correcting them. Her mind absentmindedly drifted off to Yaten again, before she suddenly realized she still had much work to complete. Clenching her hands into fists of frustration, she desperately tried to forget about her "destined" meeting earlier that morning.
~*~
Will you be there to cloud my fears
To wipe away those endless tears,
Just to be with me a little longer,
To make our hearts…grow a bit stronger?
~*~
The morning breeze blew gently against Ami's wet cheek as she wrapped her arms more tightly around her shaking body and book, her azure hair waving and falling slightly in the wind. She shivered slightly, her body hidden in the shadow of the towering trees encompassing the cement pavement. As the autumn sun rose ever higher into the faded blue sky, the city of Tokyo became alive with multi-colored leaves of red, orange, yellow, green, and brown, and the streets grew packed with tourists and local citizens of the Crossroads residence. Yet Ami still felt depressed.
The sixteen-year-old sighed softly, hurrying over to the Crown Arcade a few blocks away. She had agreed to meet her three friends, Makoto, Usagi, and Rei, there. Her shoes echoing against the paved, worn sidewalk, her steps quickened; she did not want to be late again. Reaching the corner of the Crown Arcade, her eyes rested on the door, which stood meter away. Strolling up to it, she swung it open with a quick motion of her free arm, the other still tightly clutching to her calculus textbook. The bells softly rung in the air, eventually mingling with the conversations of the people in the building, as Ami searched aimlessly for her friends among the crowd of other teenagers there. Seeing none of them in sight, she sat down, slowly opening her book to the chapter where she had left off - multi-variable graphing.
"Ami! Ami! Over here!" a shout called out from behind. Ami turned her head around, now facing her three friends, Makoto, Usagi, and Rei.
"Rei, Usagi, Makoto" Ami acknowledged quietly, bowing her head down as a sign of respect. "So Rei, could you please inform us on why you insisted on calling a meeting here?" Ami now questioned hastily, still flipping through the pages of her extremely long book. "I must study at least five chapters ahead if I want to properly prepare myself for the next national practice exam," she now commented, pushing up the bridges of her glasses with the tip of her fingers.
A mischievous grin lit up upon Rei's face, as she giggled with obvious excitement. Pulling out four pieces of paper from her purse, she handed each one out, keeping one for her. "I overheard someone talking about this really cool Christmas party this month; I'm sure all of you would love to go, so I took the liberty of asking my boyfriend, Chad, for a few tickets!" she nearly shrieked as her ruby lips widened even more. "You know what the best part about this it? We get to dress up! Isn't that great?" she exclaimed ecstatically.
"Well, I don't know," Ami groaned, wanting to stay at home to study. Her eyes rested upon the open page of her book as her hands flew over a paper with her pen.
"Oh, Ami, pretty please? You do need to loosen up a bit, you know…studying too much is not good for you," Rei pleaded, her eyes glaring at Ami kindly. Ami glanced at the ticket in her hand, trying to make a decision.
Amy smiled cheerfully, closing her book gently as her eyes glistened with humor at Rei's face. "Oh, all right, I suppose I'll go," she agreed almost reluctantly. Neatly, she placed her ticket in her enormous folder.
"Yay! Cool, Ami! Let's start shopping, girl!"
~*~
If but one moment existed,
Would it be that our love has subsisted?
A glance of you, a glance of your smile,
Makes me wish you would love me for a while.
~*~
"Motoki, this party is for little kids!" Yaten growled, raising an eyebrow in exasperation at his male friend, Seiya. His cerulean eyes stared at the carpet of Seiya's three-room apartment, laying along a beige leather couch. He cast a discouraged look at Seiya, only to have Seiya wave his arms excitedly in the air at him.
"Of course, it's not immature, Yaten! And you know what? It's the best way to meet new, hot girls, and you even get to dress up! Loosen up a bit, will you? You're one of the most uptight guys I know!" Seiya impatiently shouted, shaking his head in frustration at Yaten's introverted attitude.
Yaten's brows knotted upward, before replying anxiously to his friend. "No, it's just that…that I am not into this kind of party. What if someone sees me and recognizes me? You know, and it'd soon get out that I like…" Yaten suddenly stopped speaking, running his hand through his jagged raven hair nervously as he realized what he had clumsily just told Seiya.
"You're nervous because you know Rei's going, and you think she'll take Ami and the other girls with her, too," Seiya blurted out, his aquamarine eyes sparkling with mischief as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Yaten was simply speechless. Seiya was perfectly right; he was consistently worried that Ami would be present there.
"You like Ami, don't you?" Seiya questioned, his grin widening even more as if he had just discovered the world's biggest mystery.
Again, Yaten could not respond; was Seiya psychic or what? Yet, he still could not forget that delicate figure, those shimmering aquatic eyes, and of course, her outrageously azure, yet beautiful, hair.
"Oh my gosh! You do! You're head over heels in love with Ami, and I figured it all out! I rock! Oh yeah, I do!" Seiya exclaimed as he started to dance quite humorously.
Yaten could not help but laugh at the sight of his mature-looking friend flaring his arms at his sides while executing several silly feet motions. His face gradually turned a fuming red, obviously embarrassed by the unexpected revelation. Seiya stopped his dancing immediately, and stood solemnly at Yaten's side, a huge smile crossing his face.
"Well, what are we waiting for? The party is tonight, so we better start finding a good costume for you!" Seiya exclaimed, dragging Yaten towards the door of his apartment.
~*~
I will always love you to the end of time,
Is loving you such a crime?
To win your heart is all I ask,
All love's secrets I shall unmask.
~*~
"Ami, Usagi, Makoto! I have the costumes!" Rei called out, heavily slouching with an assortment of bundles and bags as she impatiently waited for Makoto to open the door. She was greeted by a pair of emerald, beady eyes, ebony hair twisted up in a ponytail, and two other equally excited girls.
"Wow, Rei…You really went the extra mile to organize this," Makoto murmured exhaustedly, her eyes swiftly darting from Rei to five small bags, neatly piled up in the right corner. Rei plucked four of the bundles from the jumble, handing one to each girl.
Instantly, Ami spied the fifth bag, still left aside, staring at it curiously with wonder. "What's the last one for, Rei?" she questioned intelligently, pointing directly at the stuffed faded yellow pouch just a mere yard away.
Rei tossed her glimmering black hair to the side, her piercing eyes resting firmly on the parcel. "Oh, I just met a girl at the costume store. She seemed really nice, so I asked her if she would like to come, too. Her name's Minako, and she'll be here any second now," Rei responded as her eyes flew back to the wooden door before her.
Almost, as if on cue, the door slid open slightly, creaking on its hinges loudly as a red bow and pair of sparkling eyes fearfully appeared though the tiny crack in the door.
"Rei?" the girl asked coyly with a thick British accent. "It's me, Minako."
Rei hastened towards the door, opening it widely with a smile drawn across her face. "Hey, Minako! Time to get ready for the party, everyone!"
~*~
Your heart has always been close to mine,
You've made me cry, you've made me shine,
Just give me a chance, just give me your heart,
And never again shall our souls ever part.
~*~
"Rei! This is much too revealing on me, and the fabric is just…just too thin, but my, I do admire the way in shines in the light at this angle, don't you?" a blue mermaid of the deep sea called out, wrapped in a tight turquoise silky dress that adorned her body. The glittery dress accentuated every one of her curves like water spilling upon a delicate porcelain statue as curled, rather short locks fell over her eyes, enhanced by a slight brush of pink on the cheek, a light aqua eye shadow, and a black eyeliner carefully applied.
"Ami…it just looks lovely," Makoto whispered in surprise, now an evergreen forest fairy, her short olive skirt fanning out in every direction as she spun and floated gracefully around on the tips of her verdant sandals.
She turned around, resting her eyes on a Rei, now a fiery genie, and Usagi, dressed up elegantly as an angel, her wings sparkling with every angle of the light. Minako danced around, masquerading as Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, long curls of flaxen hair weaving around her head to form an exquisite crown in her loose gold and snowy outfit.
"Wonderful, all of you!" the genie, Rei, affirmed, clearly pleased over her excellent taste in costumes, eyeing each girl with a look of triumph. Suddenly, she darted across the room, reaching her hand forward for the doorknob. "Let's go before we're late for the party!" she shouted, as she quickly ushered everyone out the door.
"Maybe, just maybe, I'll see you tonight, Yaten," Ami thought hopefully to herself, being dragged outside to Chad's jet black car.
It was not the party she was thinking of, however; her mind had drifted to someone else.
~*~
Maybe, just maybe, I wish with all my might,
Somehow, just somehow, you'll see me tonight,
And then, if ever,
We'll dance a dance…forever.
~*~
"Have you tried on and picked out your costume yet, Yaten?" Seiya asked as he impatiently jumped from foot to foot, waiting for Yaten to exit the bathroom.
In a shining suit of armor, Seiya tapped his feet in anticipation.
"Yeah, Seiya, hold on a second, will you?" a deep voice answered from inside Seiya's bathroom, tired yet tense.
A few minutes later, Yaten stepped out, now wearing a black tuxedo and pants, slightly covered with a dark cloak, sweeping to the carpet in neat folds.
"Looking great, pal! Now, let's go!" Seiya jokingly laughed, tugging at his friend's arm as the two exited the building.
~*~
Angel in the night,
I long to hold you tight,
To keep you, however,
Could me please dance with me forever?
~*~
The music boomed loudly inside the ballroom, hundreds of huddled couples and people dancing, sitting, and talking while making quite a big commotion inside the crowded area. The clamor accumulated in the corners of the room drowned out the melodies easily as young teenage girls danced and caroled on a high platform, providing live entertainment for the gathering. Yaten and Seiya were silently standing next to the refreshment table, speaking in rather hushed tones and attempting to search for a certain bunch of girls, namely, Ami, Usagi, Rei, and Makoto.
"Hey there! Want to dance tonight?" a disguised youthful lady confidently strolled up to Yaten, staring up at him, her fiery mahogany eyes and scarlet hair resting upon her broad shoulders. Well, she definitely was not Ami for sure; and who did she think she was, sneaking up to him and being so curt like that? Yaten defiantly scowled at the girl, opening his mouth to speak gruffly, before being rudely interrupted by Seiya.
"Well, my friend here isn't much into dancing tonight, but I'd love to dance with you," Seiya consecutively muttered, as he gave her a strained smile.
The young girl titled her head to the side. "Seiya?" she asked, shocked, before taking her mask off to reveal a very attractive face with braids adorning her head.
"Reika! Long time, no see!" Seiya exclaimed, reaching out to hug her cheerfully.
So they commenced in a long conversation, which led to a dance, and then to a date. Meanwhile, Yaten slouched behind them grumpily, slightly ruffled, as he slunk into the shadows of the room, hoping to avoid as many girls as he could. He deeply sighed, digging his hands into his leather pockets, peering through the slits of his black mask for any sign of Ami as he leaned up against the wall for a better look.
It was not long before he noticed that an eerie silent loomed throughout the room, replacing the laughter and noise, which once ricocheted off the walls. Glancing upward, a bit irritated to say the least, his heart suddenly stopped beating; before him in the doorway emerged five radiant girls, so exquisite and elegant nobody dared to speak a word as they approached closer. They glided down the staircase, silent, and solemn, though it was obvious smiles were growing on their rosy cheeks.
The music began abruptly again, though all eyes were on the new-coming ladies. Yaten started to guess their identities - a genie, a sprite, an angel, and…his princess, a siren from the sea. It had to be her, the perfect likeliness of a Cinderella fairy tale; it was as if she was a carved delicate sculpture of porcelain and would break at the lightest touch. Should he come closer?
It was too late now. She laughed fraudulently, nervously conversing with her other female friends. Absentmindedly, she wandered from her group of friends, becoming lost in her own feelings and thoughts. She must have realized that she was lost, for a look of panic swept briefly over her serene face. She wheeled sharply around and slipped through the crowd, trying to find a solitary spot, as voices blared behind her in Christmas carols. Instantly, she spotted a door leading to an outside balcony of the building. Sighing with relief, she rushed over to the door, opening it briskly and slamming it shut behind her, her back stretched across it, her breathing increasing heavily as if she was running away from someone.
"Running away from the crowd?" a voice called out from the darkness, as Ami twirled around, startled. She could see nobody there. A look of fear appeared upon her pale face as a slender silhouette glided out of the darkness from the corner of her eye.
"Who's there? Who are you?" she nearly shrieked, her voice now high-pitched and tense. A hand suddenly clasped over her shoulder from nowhere. Ami uttered a nearly inaudible cry, reeling around on the ball of her foot. Her face nearly touched that of a stranger, dressed in a tuxedo and dark cloak, as she frightfully stared into his steely teal eyes once again, shivering at the eerie silence.
"It's okay. Pardon me for scaring you…I didn't mean to…" he apologized, embarrassed, as he uneasily withdrew his hand. Ami's face became a fuming crimson, her eyes falling to the floor as she awkwardly took a wobbly step towards the edge of the balcony, resting her elbows on the edge of it.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you here. I really thought that nobody was out here; I just couldn't stand the noise any longer," Ami murmured, cocking her head sideways to get another glimpse of the masked man. He nodded politely, giving her a courteous smile in return, as Ami felt her heart drumming inside of her so loudly she was almost sure he could hear it, too.
"I know what you mean. Still, why talk of sad things? Who are you, and what are you doing here by yourself? Didn't you come in with several other beautiful friends a while ago?" he added, brushing Ami's arm lightly as she returned her face to meet with the stranger's mask and concealed eyes.
"My name doesn't really matter now, but I came out here because I needed to be alone," Ami replied, fiddling with her fingers playfully. Strangely, she felt comfortable around him, as if she had know him for ages. "Those sapphire eyes…" she thought as she stared into his eyes, sparkling with vigor.
The stranger glanced at her, apparently depressed. "Well, I guess I'll leave you here alone then. I'm sorry for bothering you," he commented, casually rising to his full height. As he pivoted towards the door, he felt a hand reach out and grab his. Ami stood in front of him, her eyes begging.
"No, by no means, please don't leave…you're not bothering me at all," she explained, feeling dwarfed by the man's tallness as a blush crept onto her cheeks. For a few seconds, their eyes locked, nobody saying a single word.
The mysterious man broke the reticence. "Hey, I have an idea; why don't we go back in and just dance for a while, shall we?" he laughed, melting her heart to pieces with a smile.
Ami was utterly speechless; she nodded her head in agreement and let the man whisk her back into the ballroom. Opening the door, he bowed, peering up to grin at Ami as he extended his hand. She gratefully took his hand, being pulled under the glimmering lights and music of the ballroom.
The soft tune of "Silent Night" and dimmed lights lolled the crowd to a tranquil buzz, spreading throughout the room. Her new companion gently wrapped his arms around her waist, as her hands fell over his shoulders. They rocked themselves to the rhythm, both lost in their own world as serene peace washed over them gradually.
"Ami," the stranger whispered into Ami's ear, loosening his arms around her waist as he stepped back. Ami opened her eyes, shocked.
"What did you just call me?" she replied, her eyes widening. As she watched, the mask slowly peeled from the man's face, revealing familiar eyes, which matched the tanned skin and raven hair. At once, she knew who it was.
"Yaten? How-" she began again, confused yet ecstatic at the same time.
"Just hush, please, Ami…" Yaten muttered as he pulled her tighter to him, Ami shaking in his arms with disbelief. Their foreheads touched. Ami was stunned, a slight pink tint glazing her face. There they stood, Ami still wrapped in Yaten's arms, oblivious to the soft music, which matched the romantic milieu so perfectly.
"What child is this," the melodious music continued, looming through the ballroom as the couple danced until the last note of music ceased.
~*~
May I keep your heart forever?
Will your love ever waver?
Your gentle touch, your sweetest kiss,
Could but one dance bring all of this?
~*~
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Ami, over here!" a voice called out, warm and compassionate. Ami wheeled around instantly, nearly bumping into her fellow female friends, a smiling Makoto, a giggling Usagi, and fuming Rei.
"Ami, what was taking you so long?" Rei snapped disapprovingly, her eyes flashing with impatience and worry before casting a curious glance at an envelope held limply in Ami's seemingly shaking fingers.
Bowing her head down, her eyes falling to the cool wooden floor of the school hall, Ami stumbled with her words, trying to think carefully before she said them. "Forgive me, everyone; I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to keep all of you waiting; you see, I kind of got distracted by this letter; you know how much I disapprove of love letters, " Ami briefly apologized, obviously disturbed by the present situation as she swiftly turned to close her locker shut.
"Ooohh! Ami, don't tell me a guy likes you! Oh my gosh, I have to read this!" Makoto blurted out, her emerald eyes sparkling with mischief. Her eyes darted towards the wrinkled note and searched the hall for any boys who might have sent it until she finally turned her head back to Ami. "It's Yaten, isn't it, Ami?" she asked coyly, grinning in satisfaction at Ami's bewildered look.
"Makoto, calm down! The note is signed with 'your secret admirer.'" Ami mumbled irritably, rolling her eyes at Makoto's childish attitude as she politely handed the folded letter to her boy-crazy friend.
As the others bent over around Makoto excitedly to read the anonymously given note, Ami's eyes firmly rested upon her exactly accurate watch. What she saw immediately brought her out of a daydreaming and back to reality.
"Oh no! I'm almost late for my Calculus class! How could I forget?!" she shrieked, looking horrified as she hastily gathered her enormous hard-covered books and hurriedly started off in the opposite direction.
Shaking her head slightly at her absentmindedness, her steps quickened even more as she vividly remembered how her teacher redundantly stressed punctuality. Mr. Motoki, of course, was boiling with rage whenever one of his students entered the classroom late; he was definitely not the kind of person to fool around with. Ami flinched from the thought, closing her eyes to shut out the awful image of her angry calculus teacher - not a pretty sight at all. Suddenly, she felt herself bump into something-or someone-hard as her books heavily toppled to the ground with a ringing crash. Her eyes widely opened, shocked at what had just happened, before rising slowly to her feet and looking up face to face with the "thing" she had accidentally crashed into.
"Good morning, Ami. I can see that this is not your day," Yaten greeted her warmly, calmly bending down to pick up her thick, opened books, now with ripped book covers.
"Oh Yaten…hello. I'm so sorry; I wasn't looking where I was going. I don't know what's wrong with me today," Ami sighed softly, apparently flustered by what had happened. "First calculus, now this…" Ami muttered as she warily attempted to recover her books with the shredded paper.
"Don't worry, Ami. I've had worse days," Yaten laughed, smiling slightly as his subtle aquatic eyes locked with hers in a mere second.
Well, that smile just about did it. Ami's heart melted to pieces, jumping against her ribs violently as she held her breath. She slowly nodded and then blushed, her rosy cheeks growing redder.
"I've never felt like this before for any guy, "she thought nervously playing with the rubber band between her limp fingers.
Yaten handed her several more pieces of paper. "Well, Ami, I guess I'll talk to you later, k?" With that, he rushed past her to his next class.
~*~
You drive me crazy, you turn me mad,
Yet you're the first love I've ever had,
If only I could stop all time,
To keep your heart so close to mine.
~*~
Ami's shoes clicked loudly against the wooden floor as her eyes danced upon the door of her classroom, just a mere meter away. Jogging up briskly to the door, she swung it open slowly, cautiously entering the classroom as her unsteady footsteps mingled with the voices of her chatting classmates, now seemingly cooperatively working in groups of five on a challenging mathematical puzzle.
"Ami, great to see you make it to class. I was starting to get worried; you've never missed or been late to any of my classes before." Mr. Motoki began, his anxious eyes searching for an explanation as he briefly led her to her assigned group at the fifth row of desks. Shuffling several papers in his hands, he placed them noisily upon his metallic file cabinet before turning to Ami again, this time apparently calmer.
Silently, Ami stood there, trying to remember her rehearsed response, but she could not. Shocked by his reaction, she had forgotten what she had earlier decided to tell him.
"Mr. Motoki, I deeply apologize for causing a disturbance to the class today. I promise you, it won't happen again," Ami whispered nervously as she tried to figure out how to tactfully explain the situation to her teacher. Taking a quick glance at her watch, she now continued, breathing even more uneasily as her stomach seemed to fill with butterflies. "It was just that…I just don't feel well, Mr. Motoki," Ami paused for a brief second before continuing. "I'm not myself today, Professor, to be perfectly honest," Ami stumbled in her words, carefully thinking before she articulated them.
She wasn't lying about not being herself either. Ami-a studious top student-boy crazy? No way, not even in a hundred years.
"In that case, are you sure you do not need to go down to our nurse?" Mr. Motoki asked, furrowing his brows into a concerned frown, before reaching out for a health room pass from his desk.
Ami smiled reassuringly, briefly placing her books upon the ebony desk. "No, I'll be fine, Mr. Motoki; I think I just need a bit of rest after school today," Ami commented, before pulling out her navy chair.
"Okay, Ami, if you say so," Mr. Motoki replied uncertainly, obviously doubting Ami's remark. Hesitantly, he handed her a set of activities, gently adding, "Just work on these problems. I'll be right at my desk if you have any questions." After a few seconds of silence, he abruptly returned to his desk at the back of the classroom.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ami watched as Mr. Motoki neatly pulled out a set of papers from an orderly arranged binder and immediately started correcting them. Her mind absentmindedly drifted off to Yaten again, before she suddenly realized she still had much work to complete. Clenching her hands into fists of frustration, she desperately tried to forget about her "destined" meeting earlier that morning.
~*~
Will you be there to cloud my fears
To wipe away those endless tears,
Just to be with me a little longer,
To make our hearts…grow a bit stronger?
~*~
The morning breeze blew gently against Ami's wet cheek as she wrapped her arms more tightly around her shaking body and book, her azure hair waving and falling slightly in the wind. She shivered slightly, her body hidden in the shadow of the towering trees encompassing the cement pavement. As the autumn sun rose ever higher into the faded blue sky, the city of Tokyo became alive with multi-colored leaves of red, orange, yellow, green, and brown, and the streets grew packed with tourists and local citizens of the Crossroads residence. Yet Ami still felt depressed.
The sixteen-year-old sighed softly, hurrying over to the Crown Arcade a few blocks away. She had agreed to meet her three friends, Makoto, Usagi, and Rei, there. Her shoes echoing against the paved, worn sidewalk, her steps quickened; she did not want to be late again. Reaching the corner of the Crown Arcade, her eyes rested on the door, which stood meter away. Strolling up to it, she swung it open with a quick motion of her free arm, the other still tightly clutching to her calculus textbook. The bells softly rung in the air, eventually mingling with the conversations of the people in the building, as Ami searched aimlessly for her friends among the crowd of other teenagers there. Seeing none of them in sight, she sat down, slowly opening her book to the chapter where she had left off - multi-variable graphing.
"Ami! Ami! Over here!" a shout called out from behind. Ami turned her head around, now facing her three friends, Makoto, Usagi, and Rei.
"Rei, Usagi, Makoto" Ami acknowledged quietly, bowing her head down as a sign of respect. "So Rei, could you please inform us on why you insisted on calling a meeting here?" Ami now questioned hastily, still flipping through the pages of her extremely long book. "I must study at least five chapters ahead if I want to properly prepare myself for the next national practice exam," she now commented, pushing up the bridges of her glasses with the tip of her fingers.
A mischievous grin lit up upon Rei's face, as she giggled with obvious excitement. Pulling out four pieces of paper from her purse, she handed each one out, keeping one for her. "I overheard someone talking about this really cool Christmas party this month; I'm sure all of you would love to go, so I took the liberty of asking my boyfriend, Chad, for a few tickets!" she nearly shrieked as her ruby lips widened even more. "You know what the best part about this it? We get to dress up! Isn't that great?" she exclaimed ecstatically.
"Well, I don't know," Ami groaned, wanting to stay at home to study. Her eyes rested upon the open page of her book as her hands flew over a paper with her pen.
"Oh, Ami, pretty please? You do need to loosen up a bit, you know…studying too much is not good for you," Rei pleaded, her eyes glaring at Ami kindly. Ami glanced at the ticket in her hand, trying to make a decision.
Amy smiled cheerfully, closing her book gently as her eyes glistened with humor at Rei's face. "Oh, all right, I suppose I'll go," she agreed almost reluctantly. Neatly, she placed her ticket in her enormous folder.
"Yay! Cool, Ami! Let's start shopping, girl!"
~*~
If but one moment existed,
Would it be that our love has subsisted?
A glance of you, a glance of your smile,
Makes me wish you would love me for a while.
~*~
"Motoki, this party is for little kids!" Yaten growled, raising an eyebrow in exasperation at his male friend, Seiya. His cerulean eyes stared at the carpet of Seiya's three-room apartment, laying along a beige leather couch. He cast a discouraged look at Seiya, only to have Seiya wave his arms excitedly in the air at him.
"Of course, it's not immature, Yaten! And you know what? It's the best way to meet new, hot girls, and you even get to dress up! Loosen up a bit, will you? You're one of the most uptight guys I know!" Seiya impatiently shouted, shaking his head in frustration at Yaten's introverted attitude.
Yaten's brows knotted upward, before replying anxiously to his friend. "No, it's just that…that I am not into this kind of party. What if someone sees me and recognizes me? You know, and it'd soon get out that I like…" Yaten suddenly stopped speaking, running his hand through his jagged raven hair nervously as he realized what he had clumsily just told Seiya.
"You're nervous because you know Rei's going, and you think she'll take Ami and the other girls with her, too," Seiya blurted out, his aquamarine eyes sparkling with mischief as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Yaten was simply speechless. Seiya was perfectly right; he was consistently worried that Ami would be present there.
"You like Ami, don't you?" Seiya questioned, his grin widening even more as if he had just discovered the world's biggest mystery.
Again, Yaten could not respond; was Seiya psychic or what? Yet, he still could not forget that delicate figure, those shimmering aquatic eyes, and of course, her outrageously azure, yet beautiful, hair.
"Oh my gosh! You do! You're head over heels in love with Ami, and I figured it all out! I rock! Oh yeah, I do!" Seiya exclaimed as he started to dance quite humorously.
Yaten could not help but laugh at the sight of his mature-looking friend flaring his arms at his sides while executing several silly feet motions. His face gradually turned a fuming red, obviously embarrassed by the unexpected revelation. Seiya stopped his dancing immediately, and stood solemnly at Yaten's side, a huge smile crossing his face.
"Well, what are we waiting for? The party is tonight, so we better start finding a good costume for you!" Seiya exclaimed, dragging Yaten towards the door of his apartment.
~*~
I will always love you to the end of time,
Is loving you such a crime?
To win your heart is all I ask,
All love's secrets I shall unmask.
~*~
"Ami, Usagi, Makoto! I have the costumes!" Rei called out, heavily slouching with an assortment of bundles and bags as she impatiently waited for Makoto to open the door. She was greeted by a pair of emerald, beady eyes, ebony hair twisted up in a ponytail, and two other equally excited girls.
"Wow, Rei…You really went the extra mile to organize this," Makoto murmured exhaustedly, her eyes swiftly darting from Rei to five small bags, neatly piled up in the right corner. Rei plucked four of the bundles from the jumble, handing one to each girl.
Instantly, Ami spied the fifth bag, still left aside, staring at it curiously with wonder. "What's the last one for, Rei?" she questioned intelligently, pointing directly at the stuffed faded yellow pouch just a mere yard away.
Rei tossed her glimmering black hair to the side, her piercing eyes resting firmly on the parcel. "Oh, I just met a girl at the costume store. She seemed really nice, so I asked her if she would like to come, too. Her name's Minako, and she'll be here any second now," Rei responded as her eyes flew back to the wooden door before her.
Almost, as if on cue, the door slid open slightly, creaking on its hinges loudly as a red bow and pair of sparkling eyes fearfully appeared though the tiny crack in the door.
"Rei?" the girl asked coyly with a thick British accent. "It's me, Minako."
Rei hastened towards the door, opening it widely with a smile drawn across her face. "Hey, Minako! Time to get ready for the party, everyone!"
~*~
Your heart has always been close to mine,
You've made me cry, you've made me shine,
Just give me a chance, just give me your heart,
And never again shall our souls ever part.
~*~
"Rei! This is much too revealing on me, and the fabric is just…just too thin, but my, I do admire the way in shines in the light at this angle, don't you?" a blue mermaid of the deep sea called out, wrapped in a tight turquoise silky dress that adorned her body. The glittery dress accentuated every one of her curves like water spilling upon a delicate porcelain statue as curled, rather short locks fell over her eyes, enhanced by a slight brush of pink on the cheek, a light aqua eye shadow, and a black eyeliner carefully applied.
"Ami…it just looks lovely," Makoto whispered in surprise, now an evergreen forest fairy, her short olive skirt fanning out in every direction as she spun and floated gracefully around on the tips of her verdant sandals.
She turned around, resting her eyes on a Rei, now a fiery genie, and Usagi, dressed up elegantly as an angel, her wings sparkling with every angle of the light. Minako danced around, masquerading as Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, long curls of flaxen hair weaving around her head to form an exquisite crown in her loose gold and snowy outfit.
"Wonderful, all of you!" the genie, Rei, affirmed, clearly pleased over her excellent taste in costumes, eyeing each girl with a look of triumph. Suddenly, she darted across the room, reaching her hand forward for the doorknob. "Let's go before we're late for the party!" she shouted, as she quickly ushered everyone out the door.
"Maybe, just maybe, I'll see you tonight, Yaten," Ami thought hopefully to herself, being dragged outside to Chad's jet black car.
It was not the party she was thinking of, however; her mind had drifted to someone else.
~*~
Maybe, just maybe, I wish with all my might,
Somehow, just somehow, you'll see me tonight,
And then, if ever,
We'll dance a dance…forever.
~*~
"Have you tried on and picked out your costume yet, Yaten?" Seiya asked as he impatiently jumped from foot to foot, waiting for Yaten to exit the bathroom.
In a shining suit of armor, Seiya tapped his feet in anticipation.
"Yeah, Seiya, hold on a second, will you?" a deep voice answered from inside Seiya's bathroom, tired yet tense.
A few minutes later, Yaten stepped out, now wearing a black tuxedo and pants, slightly covered with a dark cloak, sweeping to the carpet in neat folds.
"Looking great, pal! Now, let's go!" Seiya jokingly laughed, tugging at his friend's arm as the two exited the building.
~*~
Angel in the night,
I long to hold you tight,
To keep you, however,
Could me please dance with me forever?
~*~
The music boomed loudly inside the ballroom, hundreds of huddled couples and people dancing, sitting, and talking while making quite a big commotion inside the crowded area. The clamor accumulated in the corners of the room drowned out the melodies easily as young teenage girls danced and caroled on a high platform, providing live entertainment for the gathering. Yaten and Seiya were silently standing next to the refreshment table, speaking in rather hushed tones and attempting to search for a certain bunch of girls, namely, Ami, Usagi, Rei, and Makoto.
"Hey there! Want to dance tonight?" a disguised youthful lady confidently strolled up to Yaten, staring up at him, her fiery mahogany eyes and scarlet hair resting upon her broad shoulders. Well, she definitely was not Ami for sure; and who did she think she was, sneaking up to him and being so curt like that? Yaten defiantly scowled at the girl, opening his mouth to speak gruffly, before being rudely interrupted by Seiya.
"Well, my friend here isn't much into dancing tonight, but I'd love to dance with you," Seiya consecutively muttered, as he gave her a strained smile.
The young girl titled her head to the side. "Seiya?" she asked, shocked, before taking her mask off to reveal a very attractive face with braids adorning her head.
"Reika! Long time, no see!" Seiya exclaimed, reaching out to hug her cheerfully.
So they commenced in a long conversation, which led to a dance, and then to a date. Meanwhile, Yaten slouched behind them grumpily, slightly ruffled, as he slunk into the shadows of the room, hoping to avoid as many girls as he could. He deeply sighed, digging his hands into his leather pockets, peering through the slits of his black mask for any sign of Ami as he leaned up against the wall for a better look.
It was not long before he noticed that an eerie silent loomed throughout the room, replacing the laughter and noise, which once ricocheted off the walls. Glancing upward, a bit irritated to say the least, his heart suddenly stopped beating; before him in the doorway emerged five radiant girls, so exquisite and elegant nobody dared to speak a word as they approached closer. They glided down the staircase, silent, and solemn, though it was obvious smiles were growing on their rosy cheeks.
The music began abruptly again, though all eyes were on the new-coming ladies. Yaten started to guess their identities - a genie, a sprite, an angel, and…his princess, a siren from the sea. It had to be her, the perfect likeliness of a Cinderella fairy tale; it was as if she was a carved delicate sculpture of porcelain and would break at the lightest touch. Should he come closer?
It was too late now. She laughed fraudulently, nervously conversing with her other female friends. Absentmindedly, she wandered from her group of friends, becoming lost in her own feelings and thoughts. She must have realized that she was lost, for a look of panic swept briefly over her serene face. She wheeled sharply around and slipped through the crowd, trying to find a solitary spot, as voices blared behind her in Christmas carols. Instantly, she spotted a door leading to an outside balcony of the building. Sighing with relief, she rushed over to the door, opening it briskly and slamming it shut behind her, her back stretched across it, her breathing increasing heavily as if she was running away from someone.
"Running away from the crowd?" a voice called out from the darkness, as Ami twirled around, startled. She could see nobody there. A look of fear appeared upon her pale face as a slender silhouette glided out of the darkness from the corner of her eye.
"Who's there? Who are you?" she nearly shrieked, her voice now high-pitched and tense. A hand suddenly clasped over her shoulder from nowhere. Ami uttered a nearly inaudible cry, reeling around on the ball of her foot. Her face nearly touched that of a stranger, dressed in a tuxedo and dark cloak, as she frightfully stared into his steely teal eyes once again, shivering at the eerie silence.
"It's okay. Pardon me for scaring you…I didn't mean to…" he apologized, embarrassed, as he uneasily withdrew his hand. Ami's face became a fuming crimson, her eyes falling to the floor as she awkwardly took a wobbly step towards the edge of the balcony, resting her elbows on the edge of it.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you here. I really thought that nobody was out here; I just couldn't stand the noise any longer," Ami murmured, cocking her head sideways to get another glimpse of the masked man. He nodded politely, giving her a courteous smile in return, as Ami felt her heart drumming inside of her so loudly she was almost sure he could hear it, too.
"I know what you mean. Still, why talk of sad things? Who are you, and what are you doing here by yourself? Didn't you come in with several other beautiful friends a while ago?" he added, brushing Ami's arm lightly as she returned her face to meet with the stranger's mask and concealed eyes.
"My name doesn't really matter now, but I came out here because I needed to be alone," Ami replied, fiddling with her fingers playfully. Strangely, she felt comfortable around him, as if she had know him for ages. "Those sapphire eyes…" she thought as she stared into his eyes, sparkling with vigor.
The stranger glanced at her, apparently depressed. "Well, I guess I'll leave you here alone then. I'm sorry for bothering you," he commented, casually rising to his full height. As he pivoted towards the door, he felt a hand reach out and grab his. Ami stood in front of him, her eyes begging.
"No, by no means, please don't leave…you're not bothering me at all," she explained, feeling dwarfed by the man's tallness as a blush crept onto her cheeks. For a few seconds, their eyes locked, nobody saying a single word.
The mysterious man broke the reticence. "Hey, I have an idea; why don't we go back in and just dance for a while, shall we?" he laughed, melting her heart to pieces with a smile.
Ami was utterly speechless; she nodded her head in agreement and let the man whisk her back into the ballroom. Opening the door, he bowed, peering up to grin at Ami as he extended his hand. She gratefully took his hand, being pulled under the glimmering lights and music of the ballroom.
The soft tune of "Silent Night" and dimmed lights lolled the crowd to a tranquil buzz, spreading throughout the room. Her new companion gently wrapped his arms around her waist, as her hands fell over his shoulders. They rocked themselves to the rhythm, both lost in their own world as serene peace washed over them gradually.
"Ami," the stranger whispered into Ami's ear, loosening his arms around her waist as he stepped back. Ami opened her eyes, shocked.
"What did you just call me?" she replied, her eyes widening. As she watched, the mask slowly peeled from the man's face, revealing familiar eyes, which matched the tanned skin and raven hair. At once, she knew who it was.
"Yaten? How-" she began again, confused yet ecstatic at the same time.
"Just hush, please, Ami…" Yaten muttered as he pulled her tighter to him, Ami shaking in his arms with disbelief. Their foreheads touched. Ami was stunned, a slight pink tint glazing her face. There they stood, Ami still wrapped in Yaten's arms, oblivious to the soft music, which matched the romantic milieu so perfectly.
"What child is this," the melodious music continued, looming through the ballroom as the couple danced until the last note of music ceased.
~*~
May I keep your heart forever?
Will your love ever waver?
Your gentle touch, your sweetest kiss,
Could but one dance bring all of this?
~*~