Mokada scurried over to the cluster of girls, pigtails bouncing in time with her footsteps. "Have you heard?" she whispered urgently. "Those two got in a huge argument! Yuki told me on the way out of gym!"
"Who? Which two?" The girls leaned in eagerly.
"You know, THOSE two." Mokada hissed this under her breath, waggling her eyebrows and giving blatant eye signals.
"Ohhhh….!" The girls breathed out collectively.
"Did they break up?"
"No, silly, they were never going out in the first place."
Sodagi snorted. "Of course they were! They were always eating lunch together and talking…"
"…Yeah, where have you been, Kana? They were so obviously a couple."
Dugi sighed. "How sad for them… they've been together, what, four years?"
"No," Mokada shook her head, accidentally smacking Kana in the face with a pigtail. "I heard that they were childhood friends—you know, like their families always did stuff together."
"Ohhhh…!" The girls sighed again. Such a tragic ending for such a charming couple.
"Yes, simply tragic," languished Nabiki, no trace of sorrow or sympathy apparent in her voice. "But that's not the point." She pulled out bag of crackers. "The point is that this is a perfect opportunity to exploit."
Sodagi pouted. "But Nabiki, Hidori and Natsume were so happy together! Shouldn't we try to get them back together… or at least leave them alone for awhile?"
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Right now the information is still fresh… and secret. Those two are both pretty private people. Not a lot of people will know about the split for at least a week. That gives us a window of three days to take advantage of this. Any names?"
Kana raised her hand. "I think I know a guy who has a crush on Natsume—you know, Boss, the funny lower classman with freckles and permanent bed head?"
"Jutsuya Ota. Perfect." Nabiki tapped her fingers together. "Kana, tell him that you can set him up with Natsume for a date tomorrow night. Usual fee." She smirked. "No, wait, raise the fee 35%. Daddy Ota owns OtaData Systems in Tokyo; he can afford it."
"Sure thing. On it right away." Kana saluted and dashed off. Nabiki purred to herself. Gossip was the cheapest way to get information—and profit. The girls chattered on around her, and they continued down the hallway.
They arrived at class five minutes early. Nabiki slid into her desk, and reached inside to take out her textbook. "Huh?" She pulled out a pure white lily.
"Oooh, Nabiki! You've got a secret admirer!" The girls regrouped around her desk. "That's so pretty! Who is it from?"
"I have no idea," she deadpanned, though she had a not-so-sneaky suspicion that she knew who it was.
"Yeah right," jeered Sodagi. "He must be your boyfriend!" Nabiki almost choked.
"Sure!" chirped Dugi. "Nabiki, tell us who he is! No fair keeping secrets from you best friends!"
Nabiki put an extra large cracker in her mouth and crunched loudly. "Seriously. I have no idea. Who would want to give me a pathetic flower anyway?" She snatched it from Mokada and put it back in her desk.
"That's true," Dugi agreed. "No one would dare give you a flower to express their love for you. They would be too terrified of the public rejection they'd receive from you."
Mokada pitched in. "And the taunts and blackmail and teasing and sarcasm and rejection and un-maidenly spurning of their heart. Only an idiot would send YOU flowers, Boss." Her pigtails bounced again and a shower of dandruff fell onto Nabiki's desk. "Or someone really desperate."
"Or neither," said Sodagi. "It's probably that Kodachi girl. Though why she would send YOU a poisoned flower I don't…"
"Kodachi favors black roses," Nabiki said sharply, rather hurt at the unpleasant assumptions the girls had about her. But then, amended, she had never really given them reason to think otherwise. The sensei came into the room, scattering the girls. He began class.
Nabiki had been ignoring Kuno all day, but now she turned to the left and fixed him with a piercing stare. Had he given her the lily?
To be continued…
Cliff hanger! Muahahaha! Yeah, this one was short, but the next one will (hopefully) be coming sooner than usual. This one is more light-hearted than the few previous ones have been. Give y'all (and me) a breather. But it's setting up for more drama. C&C please!