THE NICKNAME GAME By: ME

"Oh come on..." Usagi thought as the wind whistled on either side of her. "Just a bit further..." her legs propelled her further. Her blonde pigtails were streaming behind her and her eyes were running with water from the force at which she was running. You'd think that since this is an everyday occurrence she'd begin to pack protective eyewear in her backpack.

She sprinted through her school's front entrance, dismayed but not surprised, to see the empty hallways that signaled that she was late. Hurricane Usagi burst through the door to her first period class calling the usual apologies as she continued onward to her seat. "Gomen Haruna-sama, overslept, really not my fault..." she finished as she slid into her seat, her eyes shut. They still hurt from the Olympic-caliber speed in which she ran.

"Detention Odango. Sorry, but you know I just can't play favorites."

Okay now her mind was playing sick jokes on her. As if Chiba Mamoru would be in her eighth grade classroom. Slowly she ventured into opening one eye, then the other. The form that appeared before her was one she was used to seeing, one she normally both dreaded and welcomed at the same time. Silky black hair brushing his eyes...check. Midnight blue eyes that made her stomach jump up into her throat...check. A beautiful face that cannot be mistaken for anyone else in the entire cosmos...check. Why her? "Mamoru-baka?!" she cried.

"Actually as your substitute teacher Odango I'm afraid that I'll be forced to request that you call me Chiba-sama." he grinned.

A female classmate in the next row leaned over to Usagi. "You know that hunk?" she asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, yes." Usagi groaned, not believing her luck. "But I don't understand. Why is he here?" she whispered back.

"Oh yesterday Haruna-sama announced that college students in some particular subject were going to be tested as future teachers by completely running the school today. I suppose you missed homeroom announcements again." she concluded.

Usagi thought. She had missed the announcements. If she had known that there was a possibility of Chiba Mamoru running her classes she would have faked the flu and stayed home.

Mamoru had turned back to the blackboard and was writing something on it. What he was writing he really didn't care. He'd been a wreck ever since he'd seen the name Tsukino Usagi on the class role this morning. She was truly amazing. Of course he'd seen that her grades were less than spectacular. But you can't have everything, and with everything else about her flawless Mamoru thought it was a small price to pay. "Tsukino, if you aren't quiet I'm afraid I will have to schedule a detention for this afternoon."

He wouldn't dare! Detention was bad enough but to be kept locked up with that flying ignoramus? It was preposterous! "Well la-dee-da." she thought...aloud.

"Tsukino. That means detention!" he announced as he scribbled her detention write up on a pink piece of paper. Outwardly, he showed the class a scowl. Inwardly bells were ringing and he felt like a Mary Poppins sing-along. Life's so grand.

The rest of her day crawled by monotonously and routinely for Usagi. At three o'clock Mamoru rejoiced because Usagi would be the only person in his detention. What luck.

She walked in frowning, pouting more like, and dragging her book bag behind her. She was grumbling under her breath. "Idiot baka...who does he think he is...I never...ridiculous..." as she plopped down in a front row seat, facing her mortal enemy.

"Aw Odango. Don't act like you won't enjoy spending some time with me." he exclaimed sarcastically. She looked fit to be tied. Who'd have ever thought that a girl of less than five feet tall could look intimidating.

"I'll enjoy it about as much as having my arm chewed off." she shot at me. Ooh, okay. That did hurt a little.

"Okay, temporary truce. I've planned how detention is going to be spent. I was looking at some test scores of yours today-" Usagi groaned at this comment. He continued. "-and I have a sure-fire way of teaching you how to diagram a sentence." he finished.

"Yeah right." she complained while crossing her arms defiantly across her chest.

"You don't think we can do it?" he asked. He'd never actually been this civil toward Usagi before. He almost rather liked it.

"Do bears drive Volvos? Do bees knit sweaters?"

He smirked a little. "I'll take that as a no."

"You take it right." she concluded.

"Well I have to disappoint you but I'm going to try and teach you anyway. If you don't get it that's okay, if you do though it's great." he assured her.

"I have a better idea. Let's put some kind of wager on it. Like I get that chocolate bar on your desk if I can do it." she told him.

"And if you can't you have to spend an extra hour with me." he grinned evilly.

She stuck her hand out to shake on the deal. He took it and wasn't all that surprised to feel his stomach in his throat again. Usagi however, wasn't as prepared. Warm shivers shot up her arm and spread throughout her body. It caught her off-guard and her eyes widened slightly. She quickly pulled her hand away for fear it may happen again.

Mamoru smiled, silently noting her eyes widening. "Okay here's how it's done..."

Within half an hour two amazing things happened. Firstly: She understood how to diagram English sentences. And Secondly: She and Mamoru were getting along wonderfully.

"See I told you that you could do it." Mamoru told her. "Your problem could be in your teachers. It's not always the student's fault that they don't understand."

"Thanks Mamoru. I'm actually kind of glad I had detention with you today!" she laughed. He laughed with her and thought to himself, "So am I."

She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully and grinned. "Now it's time for my chocolate bar!"

He got up and retrieved it from his desk, handing it to Usagi. "Here you go! You earned it Usagi."

She smiled back at him, "Hey. You called me Usagi. I like it a lot better than Odango, that's for sure."

"Yeah and Mamoru's a sight better than Mamoru-baka." he chuckled. "But..."

"But what?" she asked.

"I don't like calling you just Usagi." he paused. "Can I call you Usagi-chan?" He could barely believe he'd gotten that out. His insides were flaming. Please say yes... Please say yes...

A pink glow spread across the tops of Usagi's cheeks with her next thought. It barely came out. It was hardly audible but it was enough for Mamoru. "Only if I can call you Mamo-chan." He didn't know what to say. Had she just said that? Had this angel actually just... He took her hand and lightly brushed her lips with his.

"I wouldn't settle for any less Usako."