oOOOo
The following morning, I sauntered into homeroom feeling totally disoriented. I didn't know how to face Reina, who must by now, be laughing her pretty head off at my bungling stupidity. The words "TOTAL LOSER" must be engraved in my face like a finely carved bust. On the other hand, I also didn't want to see Haru who must, by now, thinking of the colorful ways with which he could skin me alive for not bailing him out last night.
I saw Haru sitting quietly in his desk, chewing gum. Casually, I walked up to him.
"So, how did it go? I tried to come with that ticket woman to the main office but they told me I can't come and get you…" I trailed off uncomfortably.
Haru looked at me blankly. "No prob. I got off easy anyway. No big deal."
"Great…uh…so you're not mad?"
That little smile of his appeared near the corner of his mouth. "Nah. It's ok."
Relieved, I returned to my seat just as Reina sashayed inside the room, perfect posture, hair and all. She plunked herself in her desk and took out a small compact, held it in front of her fruity lips and retouched her lipgloss. Suddenly, I had a strange craving for ripe fruit. She snapped the compact closed and examined her long pink-tipped nails. It was then she noticed me gaping at her like a moron.
"Hello Musica! So how was the movie last night?" she purred. I could swear I clutched my throat.
"Uh fine! Pirates of the Caribbean was great. How was the foreign movie?" Pretty smooth, if I do say so myself. Reina gave me a long, slow look, her tiny mouth quirked in a tiny smile. "It was---just as I had hoped for."
Her words hit right home. She must have managed to snare Seighart inside that dark theater. I didn't want to guess what had happened after that. The homeroom teacher began to call the roll and I decided I'd better get to my seat. For the next fifteen minutes or so, my mind was in a complete haze. Visions of Reina, Seighart and the dark theater kept dancing in my head like the rhumba. I practically drowning in jealousy that I didn't hear the teacher call my attention.
"Musica, you're wanted by the school librarian. Musica? Musica!" I jerked my head back to reality. The homeroom teacher was shooting daggers at me.
"Are back to planet earth, Musica-san?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You need to go to the library now. The librarian wants you. Go now before you disrupt the class any further with your snoring."
Muffled giggles came from the back of the room. I gathered my books and walked out the door, still feeling a bit dazed. What would the school librarian want with me anyhow? I've never even been to the library, much less borrowed anything from that stuffy cubbyhole. I entered the library and headed for the librarian's desk when I bumped into a student carrying a huge pile of books that came crashing down with a large thud.
"Hey, sorry bout that! Here let me help you pick that up."
"Oh Musica-san! You did come!" I looked up, startled. Elie Valentine! "Haru told me you'd be coming over to help me with my books. I thought you had class today but I guess you're willing to skip classes for me. Oh Musica, you're so wonderful!"
Before I could react, Elie threw her arms around me. I struggled to break free of her and pick up my own books from the messy pile. Damn Haru! He really set me up this time. I should have known from that smile of his a while back. Elie was still staring at me adoringly. She held out one hand and (could it be just my imagination?) fluttered her eyelashes at me. "Won't you help me stand up Musica-san?"
I held out my hand reluctantly and pulled her up. She kept very close to me, like a leech thirsty for blood---MY BLOOD. Her hands came up to my chest. Uh oh! Is this what she had learned from that darn book? I tried to shake her hands off when my nose whiffed something very strong and very rosy. Perfume? Impossible! My sweat glands shifted into overdrive.
"Elie, will you please let me through? I have to see Mrs. Mikami, she sent for me." She snuggled closer, this time, her head nearly resting on my heaving chest. I was beginning to feel really sick by the smell of the perfume. "Elie, I have no time for this!"
"Musica-san…there's no need to rush," she whispered in a breathy voice. Haven't I heard that voice from somewhere before? Of course! Reina uses the same breathy tone, just like the girls of Cosmo and Vogue, only, Reina sounded like the real thing.
"Will you PLEASE get your hands off me?" I was getting desperate, unfortunately, so was Elie.
"Musica-san, listen to me. Mrs. Mikami didn't send for you…I did."
"You what?!!" My eyes began to water and itch. I felt so numb, like all the energy was being drained out of me by the scent of Elie's killer perfume. I sneezed.
"Gesundheit. Look Musica, Haru told me how you really feel about me and I think that's just wonderful."
"What are you talking about?" A whole volley of sneezes now. My face was burning bright red and the room began to look cloudy. Haru had better write out his will right now.
"Please Musica, let's not be immature about this. You know very well how I feel for you and I really didn't expect the feeling to be reciprocated. But now that I know you also like me so much, I think it's best we be honest to each other, ne?"
An explosion of sneezes followed my long, strangled outburst.
"Are you crazy? I don't like you! What the hell made you think that? Just because you read that stupid book and Haru filled your mind with garbage? Let's get this straight shall we? HARU LIED! He was trying to get back at me for leaving him at the movies. You are not my type, never will be in a million years so butt out!"
Then I stopped. There, I said it. But what in the universe did I just say? Mean, hateful words of rejection echoed in my ears. Did I just say that? I looked at Elie who was too stunned to speak.
"Elie…Elie I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"
But she turned around and was out of the room like a bolt of lighting. I felt the room tilting, or was it just my imagination? A tiny scrap of paper fell on the floor straight out of her jean pockets. I picked it up and read it. My breath caught in my throat, making my head spin.
If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?
If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all
I never know what the future brings But I know you are here with me now We'll make it through And I hope you are the one I share my life with
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?
Did she write this? My eyes scanned the paper over and over again. It was beautiful, so beautiful I could almost feel the music of the words reverberating in my ears. "Hey there stranger," a melodic voice rang into my ears. "What's that you have there?"
Maybe it was just because I was born stupid that I acted the way I did. Maybe it was because deep inside, I'm really nothing but an insensitive, selfish slob. Or maybe it was just because Reina, with all her lusciousness and dreamy, siren's voice, was too strong a force for my normal male hormones to overcome that without even thinking, I thrust the note I was clutching straight to her and said, "It's for you."
The following morning, I sauntered into homeroom feeling totally disoriented. I didn't know how to face Reina, who must by now, be laughing her pretty head off at my bungling stupidity. The words "TOTAL LOSER" must be engraved in my face like a finely carved bust. On the other hand, I also didn't want to see Haru who must, by now, thinking of the colorful ways with which he could skin me alive for not bailing him out last night.
I saw Haru sitting quietly in his desk, chewing gum. Casually, I walked up to him.
"So, how did it go? I tried to come with that ticket woman to the main office but they told me I can't come and get you…" I trailed off uncomfortably.
Haru looked at me blankly. "No prob. I got off easy anyway. No big deal."
"Great…uh…so you're not mad?"
That little smile of his appeared near the corner of his mouth. "Nah. It's ok."
Relieved, I returned to my seat just as Reina sashayed inside the room, perfect posture, hair and all. She plunked herself in her desk and took out a small compact, held it in front of her fruity lips and retouched her lipgloss. Suddenly, I had a strange craving for ripe fruit. She snapped the compact closed and examined her long pink-tipped nails. It was then she noticed me gaping at her like a moron.
"Hello Musica! So how was the movie last night?" she purred. I could swear I clutched my throat.
"Uh fine! Pirates of the Caribbean was great. How was the foreign movie?" Pretty smooth, if I do say so myself. Reina gave me a long, slow look, her tiny mouth quirked in a tiny smile. "It was---just as I had hoped for."
Her words hit right home. She must have managed to snare Seighart inside that dark theater. I didn't want to guess what had happened after that. The homeroom teacher began to call the roll and I decided I'd better get to my seat. For the next fifteen minutes or so, my mind was in a complete haze. Visions of Reina, Seighart and the dark theater kept dancing in my head like the rhumba. I practically drowning in jealousy that I didn't hear the teacher call my attention.
"Musica, you're wanted by the school librarian. Musica? Musica!" I jerked my head back to reality. The homeroom teacher was shooting daggers at me.
"Are back to planet earth, Musica-san?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You need to go to the library now. The librarian wants you. Go now before you disrupt the class any further with your snoring."
Muffled giggles came from the back of the room. I gathered my books and walked out the door, still feeling a bit dazed. What would the school librarian want with me anyhow? I've never even been to the library, much less borrowed anything from that stuffy cubbyhole. I entered the library and headed for the librarian's desk when I bumped into a student carrying a huge pile of books that came crashing down with a large thud.
"Hey, sorry bout that! Here let me help you pick that up."
"Oh Musica-san! You did come!" I looked up, startled. Elie Valentine! "Haru told me you'd be coming over to help me with my books. I thought you had class today but I guess you're willing to skip classes for me. Oh Musica, you're so wonderful!"
Before I could react, Elie threw her arms around me. I struggled to break free of her and pick up my own books from the messy pile. Damn Haru! He really set me up this time. I should have known from that smile of his a while back. Elie was still staring at me adoringly. She held out one hand and (could it be just my imagination?) fluttered her eyelashes at me. "Won't you help me stand up Musica-san?"
I held out my hand reluctantly and pulled her up. She kept very close to me, like a leech thirsty for blood---MY BLOOD. Her hands came up to my chest. Uh oh! Is this what she had learned from that darn book? I tried to shake her hands off when my nose whiffed something very strong and very rosy. Perfume? Impossible! My sweat glands shifted into overdrive.
"Elie, will you please let me through? I have to see Mrs. Mikami, she sent for me." She snuggled closer, this time, her head nearly resting on my heaving chest. I was beginning to feel really sick by the smell of the perfume. "Elie, I have no time for this!"
"Musica-san…there's no need to rush," she whispered in a breathy voice. Haven't I heard that voice from somewhere before? Of course! Reina uses the same breathy tone, just like the girls of Cosmo and Vogue, only, Reina sounded like the real thing.
"Will you PLEASE get your hands off me?" I was getting desperate, unfortunately, so was Elie.
"Musica-san, listen to me. Mrs. Mikami didn't send for you…I did."
"You what?!!" My eyes began to water and itch. I felt so numb, like all the energy was being drained out of me by the scent of Elie's killer perfume. I sneezed.
"Gesundheit. Look Musica, Haru told me how you really feel about me and I think that's just wonderful."
"What are you talking about?" A whole volley of sneezes now. My face was burning bright red and the room began to look cloudy. Haru had better write out his will right now.
"Please Musica, let's not be immature about this. You know very well how I feel for you and I really didn't expect the feeling to be reciprocated. But now that I know you also like me so much, I think it's best we be honest to each other, ne?"
An explosion of sneezes followed my long, strangled outburst.
"Are you crazy? I don't like you! What the hell made you think that? Just because you read that stupid book and Haru filled your mind with garbage? Let's get this straight shall we? HARU LIED! He was trying to get back at me for leaving him at the movies. You are not my type, never will be in a million years so butt out!"
Then I stopped. There, I said it. But what in the universe did I just say? Mean, hateful words of rejection echoed in my ears. Did I just say that? I looked at Elie who was too stunned to speak.
"Elie…Elie I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"
But she turned around and was out of the room like a bolt of lighting. I felt the room tilting, or was it just my imagination? A tiny scrap of paper fell on the floor straight out of her jean pockets. I picked it up and read it. My breath caught in my throat, making my head spin.
If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?
If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all
I never know what the future brings But I know you are here with me now We'll make it through And I hope you are the one I share my life with
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?
Did she write this? My eyes scanned the paper over and over again. It was beautiful, so beautiful I could almost feel the music of the words reverberating in my ears. "Hey there stranger," a melodic voice rang into my ears. "What's that you have there?"
Maybe it was just because I was born stupid that I acted the way I did. Maybe it was because deep inside, I'm really nothing but an insensitive, selfish slob. Or maybe it was just because Reina, with all her lusciousness and dreamy, siren's voice, was too strong a force for my normal male hormones to overcome that without even thinking, I thrust the note I was clutching straight to her and said, "It's for you."