Chapter Six: Two Birds with One Stone
Quote:
"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any
reaction, both are transformed."
-Carl Chung
Monday, July 7th, 2003
Once again, I was stupid and didn't update for months. After I promised I would, too. But you do
know what would encourage me? You know it's coming…more reviews! Hey, hey! Perhaps I
should put that down in larger letters, since few people even botherto read the author's notes unless
they're in bold. First rule of advertising, catch the eye.
PLEASE REVIEW THE STORY!
Ooh, crap. I just read the last chapter, and I realized that I have no idea whom I had calling on the
phone. I know. My sheer brilliance astounds me, too, sometimes. Anyway, after the (somewhat
unnecessary) usual disclaimer, the chapter will start.
Sailor Moon, all character images and likenesses are copyrighted by Takeuchi Naoko, Dic,
Cloverway, et al. The author of this fanfic is in no way affiliated with any of the copyright holders.
No infringement is intended.
Turbines to power! Thrusters to speed! Go, Batmobile!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I'll get it," I said, sliding out of my chair and walking over to the telephone.
"Moshi moshi. Tsukino residence." I said blandly.
"Moshi moshi. Is Serena available?" an unfamiliar male voice asked.
"Speaking."
"Jeez, Odango, could you sound any more aggravated? You don't like phones or
something?"
"No, I don't. Because with every conversation there's an inevitable awkward phone
silence," I explained, annoyed.
Silence on the other end. It stretched out for what seemed like hours, and finally, Mamoru
said, "Was that an awkward phone silence?"
I grinned. It wasn't funny, really, but Mamoru made me smile. "Yes. But, you know, I
somehow found it preferable to the awkward phone conversation that followed it."
He chuckled on the other end. "Anyway, I was thinking, do you want to go to a movie on
Friday?"
I nearly dropped the phone. In fact, I did, and fumbled with it for a few moments to keep it
from hitting the floor. "Wait, repeat that," I gasped out.
I could feel him grinning at my expense on the other side of the line. "Do. You. Want. To.
Go. To. A. Movie?" he asked with exaggerated slowness.
"Like, on a date?"
"Like, as friends."
My heart sank for a moment, but I shook it aside. Why was I disappointed?
"Yeah, sure."
His response to my acceptance was indiscernible. "Right, then. I'll pick you up at six on
Friday. See you at school."
The phone clicked, but I only put it down when the operator's voice came on, telling me to
'Please hang up and try again.' I dropped the phone into its base and walked back into the dining
room, stunned. I answered Mrs. Tsukino's perfunctory questions about who was on the telephone.
The rest of dinner continued in silence.
I analyzed my conversation with Mamoru over and over. If we were going to the movie as
friends, then why was he picking me up? Wouldn't friends just meet at the theater? Why did he call
me during dinner instead of just suggest it at school? The more I thought it over, the more I
convinced myself of ulterior romantic motives. I was really a hopeless romantic at heart, and being
asked out by a boy, with romantic intentions or not, made me giddy.
Friday Morning, at School…
I stared blankly at the board while the teacher talked about-something. When the bell for
lunch rang, I quickly shoved my stuff into my bag and raced out of the classroom. I stood in the
hallway and exclaimed, "I'm free!"
"Glad that you found class stimulating," a now familiar male voice mocked from behind.
One would think that I would be wise enough not to say anything stupid or embarrass
myself, because Mamoru would always manage to be there with a sarcastic comment. Then again,
maybe his being there wasn't so bad.
I snorted. "Right back at you. I saw you in front of me. You've done a fine job mastering
the fine art of falling asleep with your eyes open."
"At least I made an effort," he sounded somewhat offended.
"To what, drool all over your books? Anyway, you want to eat lunch together?"
"Sure."
We made our way out to the school courtyard and I flopped down in the grass under my
favorite tree. Mamoru made his way over much more slowly. "No, please, take your time," I
called to him.
Mamoru made slow motion movements of walking before resuming his normal pace back
to the tree. We both pulled out our lunches. I scarfed my down hungrily. When I had finished, I
noticed Mamoru looking at me with an amused expression. "What?"
"I was just thinking how genteel you are when you eat."
I shrugged off the comment and eyed his lunch, only half finished. Mamoru attempted to
shield his lunch from my sight, but not quickly enough. I launched myself onto his lap and grabbed
a piece of tempura before he could yank his box away. I adjusted myself on his lap and popped the
tempura into my mouth. "That was delicious," I concluded.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Mamoru grouched.
He stuffed the rest of his lunch into his mouth, and his cheeks bulged. "That's attractive," I
giggled.
I almost smacked his cheeks with my hands, to make the food spray out. But then I
remembered that I was in his trajectory, and stopped. "Can you even chew with that much food in
your mouth?"
Apparently he could, and slowly his cheeks returned to their normal size. "You're very
comfortable with physical contact, aren't you?"
"What do you--" I stopped, realizing that I was still on his lap. "Oh. I was just trying to
distract you."
"Yeah, I know. I mean, not that I'm complaining, it's good for image to have girls sitting
on your lap, but you have the boniest butt known to mankind," he said, shifting his legs to stress his
point.
I slid off his lap and lay down on the grass, my legs still draped over his. "I know you can't
get enough of me, but there's plenty of me to go around, Odan-Serena. There's a nice, big janitor's
closet on the third floor…" he trailed off with a wicked grin.
I snorted derisively. "Can't get enough of you? I'm just too lazy to move my legs. As for
the janitor's closet, you can go have a tryst with the mop."
"You wound me, fair lady. I have to get to class early, anyway. You want to move your
legs?"
"No, but I will, anyway."
"Thanks. I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Have a good time in class."
I could hear Mamoru wandering off to the school building, and closed my eyes. A shadow
blocked the glorious sunlight streaming down onto my face. I cracked open an eye and stared into
green ones. "Oh, hi, Makoto."
"Hey. I was thinking, you wanna go to a movie with some people tonight? I already got Rei,
you remember her, the priestess at the shrine, to agree to come. Oh, and the British exchange
student, Minako. So, what do you say?"
"I can't. I really do want to go, but I already agreed to go a movie with someone else
tonight. How about tomorrow night?"
"Cool. I'll reschedule. Who're you going to the movie with tonight?"
"Mamoru."
Her eyes lit up. "Oh, I see how it is. You know, he reminds me of my old boyfriend."
"Really? Oh, and before you start off asking prying questions, we're not romantically
involved. We're just friends."
"Friends who sit on each other's laps?"
"Right," I said, blushing.
"And flirt constantly?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. We don't flirt. We've only known each other for
like 37 days, anyway."
"Oh, you counted the days."
Damnit, she'd caught me.
"And you do so flirt, every time you see each other."
She continued, "Admit it, you like him. You seem awfully close for 'friends,' anyway."
"I think our definitions of flirting are different. Don't you normally flirt with people you're
attracted to?"
"Oh, now you're just being silly. Everyone's attracted to Mamoru. And if you weren't, this
conversation wouldn't embarrass you so much. And you flirt by anyone's definition, by the way."
Makoto was too perceptive for her own good. It was just a crush, anyway, if I had to admit
to any attraction. Maybe not even that.
"Right, time for a topic change."
"Ok, what do you think of Ken, the guy who sits next to me in Math?"
I consciously kept myself from grinning. Time for teasing. "I think that he's a great guy,
and you should date him immediately."
"That wasn't what I was asking," Makoto said.
"Well, what were you asking? If he's good in bed?" I asked innocently. "Because if that's
it, I wouldn't know."
Makoto blushed madly. "You know that's not what I meant."
"I know. I'm sorry. And even if you weren't asking if you should go on a date with Ken,
you wanted to hear me say that you should. Let me guess, he asked you out, you told him you'd
think about it, even though you want to go, and you're merely seeking confirmation that you're
right in wanting to date him. And my answer remains the same: he's a great guy, and you should
date him immediately," I smiled reassuringly
"Was I that obvious?" she winced.
"No more so than anyone else would be. I've got to get to class. You'll remember what I
said, won't you?" I winked as I stood up, and brushed off my skirt.
That Evening…
I turned in my mirror, checking my appearance. I dressed in low-rider jeans with a studded
black belt, a red tank top, and matching red flip-flops. He did say we were going as friends, so I
felt no real need to dress up. Not that I didn't want to look good, but Mamoru would probably
show up in jeans and a t-shirt, and I didn't want to be overdressed. I wrapped red hair ribbons
around my hair buns. After I dabbed on a touch of lip gloss, I rushed downstairs and sat on the
couch, waiting expectantly.
I glanced at my watch. 5:57. What a loser I was. I was supposed to be pretending to do
girly things when he arrived, spraying myself with too much perfume or applying fake eyelashes.
Or something like that. Just to look like I wasn't too eager. And there I was, waiting for him on
the couch.
'Well, why shouldn't I?' I snapped at myself. Mamoru and I were going as friends, after all.
The doorbell rang, and I bolted from my seat to the door. I pulled open the door and found myself
eyelevel with a muscular chest. My eyes drifted up to the face of Mamoru. As I had predicted he
was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, though admittedly clean and un-torn. He looked me up and down,
relief evident on his face.
"Good, I was worried that you'd wear a skirt or something. That would make it awkward."
"Make what awkward?"
"Riding on the motorcycle," he explained simply.
"Motorcycle! Don't you have to be older to drive one of those things? They're death traps.
Death traps, I tell you!"
"No, you don't have to be older. And I'm careful. What, you don't trust me?"
"With my life--let me think. NO!"
He looked a little hurt. "I promise that I'll be careful. Anyway, it's the only transportation
to the theater. Unless you want me to carry you there?"
He was back to himself, much to my relief. I sighed. "I guess I'll choose the lesser of the
two evils."
"And that would be?"
I smiled sweetly. "Your mechanical death-trap."
"Good, 'cause you're too heavy to carry."
I socked him in the arm and closed the door behind me. At the motorcycle, Mamoru
handed me a helmet. He placed his own helmet on and turned to me expectantly. "How come you
get the cool helmet?"
"Because I'm the cool one, of course."
I rolled my eyes and pulled the helmet onto my head. I sat down on the motorcycle behind
Mamoru. "Hey, where's your cool biker jacket?"
"I am too tough and manly to need a jacket," he joked.
"Well, shall we ride off into the sunset?"
"Sure. Hold on tight," he said as he started off.
I almost fell off. I flung my arms around his waist and hung on for dear life. Well, once I
got comfortable, it actually wasn't that bad. Mamoru had nice abs, I felt. My hands drifted
upwards to feel the rest of his torso. Mamoru said something, but it was muffled by the wind.
"What?" I yelled into the wind.
"I said, are you done feeling me up, yet?"
Heat flushed to my cheeks and I quickly let go. Mamoru, expecting my reaction, grabbed
my arm with one hand before I went flying off the bike. "Idiot, don't ever let go," he yelled to me.
Too frightened to make a sarcastic comment, I went back to clinging to Mamoru's torso. I
wished that I hadn't been so schoolgirl-ish when he'd asked me if I was done feeling him up. I
berated myself for not saying something flirty like: 'No,' feel his chest, and then say, 'I'm done
now.' Instead, I'd almost gotten myself killed. Sheer brilliance.
"Sorry to get you flustered," Mamoru called.
"I'm sure you are, you cocky bastard."
We finally reached the theater, and I nearly threw myself off the motorcycle in my effort to
escape. I handed Mamoru my helmet, and he put both of our helmets on the back of the motorcycle.
I felt my hair. "Oh great," I muttered.
"What?"
"I've got motorcycle hair! It's the child of hat hair and convertible hair. Half of my hair is
mashed down, and the other half is sticking out in all directions."
Mamoru snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about. You look beautiful. Shall we
go in?"
I nodded, blushing, once again cursing my lack of composure. Mamoru's off-hand
compliments really sent me off balance, even if he didn't really mean them. We walked to the box
office. "What movie are we seeing?"
"Attack of the Killer Slug Creatures."
"Mamoru, that sounds like a B-Movie 50's horror flick."
"It's actually supposed to be scary, not cheesy. Oh, I know what you're worried about.
Don't worry, if it gets too scary, I'll be sitting right next to you," he teased.
"Mamoru Chiba, if you think I'm going to clutch your arm and scream in fright whenever a
monster horribly slimes on someone, or whatever killer slugs do, you are sorely mistaken."
Mamoru didn't respond, just bought tickets and ushered me into the theater. "Hey,
shouldn't I pay for my own ticket, Mamoru? I mean, since we're going as friends, and all."
"Don't worry about it. You can pay next time."
We sat down towards the front of the theater. The tedious previews passed and the
beginning credits appeared. I was distracted, however, by the couple loudly making out in front of
Mamoru and me. "I thought we were watching 'Attack of the Killer Slug Creatures,' not 'Attack of
the Face-Sucking Leeches,'" Mamoru whispered in my ear.
"I vote for pelting them with M&Ms," I whispered back.
"Plain or peanut?"
"Peanut."
Suddenly, the couple fell out of their seats and onto the floor with a loud thump. They
apparently hadn't noticed. "I guess they're drunk as well as hormonal," I muttered under my breath.
I could tell Mamoru was smiling. The rest of the movie passed in relative peace, or, at least
the monsters actually appeared. One of the slugs slorped out of an air duct onto the heroine. To be
fair, I didn't grab Mamoru's arm and scream. I shrieked, jumped into his lap, and hid my face in
his shoulder. "Tell me when it's over."
Mamoru patted my back smugly. "It's ok, Serena, I'm here for you. But really, that is the
fakest looking slug I've ever seen."
I rolled my eyes, not that he could see. "I don't think fakest is a word. And duh, Mamoru,
that's why they're called slug 'creatures'."
"No, really, it's kind of funny."
I crept back into my seat and stared at the screen. "What the hell is that supposed to be?"
"The slug creature, of course."
"It looks like a liver," I stated.
"Yes, yes it does."
I felt incredibly stupid for being scared. Well, not so much for being stupid as for leaping
onto Mamoru. And for believing Mamoru when he said that the movie would be scary, not cheesy.
At the end of the movie, Mamoru and I emerged into the lit lobby, blinking at the harsh
light. "So, what did you think of the movie, Mamoru?"
"Complete crap," he concluded.
"Agreed. You want to go for ice cream?"
"Sure. There's an ice cream place next door."
At the ice cream parlor, I rattled off my order. "I'd like a scoop of chocolate chip cookie
dough, a scoop of s'mores ice cream, and a scoop of vanilla-chocolate twist. Oh, and I'd like hot
fudge and sprinkles on that."
"Because who needs unclogged arteries, anyway. I'd like a scoop of coffee ice cream."
We took our orders and sat down at a table. Mamoru stared at my order. "What?" I asked,
annoyed.
"I'm sorry; I was trying to find your face behind that mountain of ice cream."
"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Health. Just eat your nasty-flavored ice cream while I scale my
mountain."
His head snapped up and he stared me in the eyes. "Nasty-flavored? Coffee ice cream
tastes perfectly good!"
"Oh please, it's like licking cement. The point of coffee is the caffeine, not the taste. So
what's the point with coffee ice cream?"
"I'll have you know that coffee ice cream tastes nothing like cement, not that, unlike you, I
know what that tastes like."
"Fine. If you don't attack my perfectly unhealthy dessert, then I'll ignore your perfectly
nasty dessert."
"Serena, I have a confession to make."
"You're a drug lord? You're part of the Japanese mob? You wear Sesame Street pajamas to
bed?"
"No. Actually, I was going to say that I think of you as a good friend. I'm really glad to
have met you. You're the only one who can, I dunno, ruffle my feathers."
I choked on my ice cream. "Ruffle your feathers? Try knock you out of your tree."
He scowled. "I'm trying to be serious."
"And apparently on the way down your got a stick up your ass. I was just teasing."
"Okay, I think it's time for a new metaphor."
"Agreed. Though, to be truthful, I really was impressed with your emotional outpour. Even
though I had to restrain myself from smacking you upside the head for saying something like,
'ruffle my feathers'."
I scraped my spoon against my bowl and licked the last of my ice cream off of it. Mamoru
drove us back to my house, and once I relaxed, I actually enjoyed the ride.
Mamoru walked me to the front step and paused. "So, I'm not familiar with the decorum
when dropping off a female friend at home. What would be the appropriate parting gesture?"
I thought for a moment. "A passionate kiss."
Mamoru looked at me suspiciously for a second before shrugging. He didn't believe me,
but I didn't care. "I think that can be arranged."
I leaned back against the door frame and closed my eyes as Mamoru's head bent down
towards mine.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Well, that was fun. No more chapter! Is it a cliffhanger? I don't know, you tell me.
So, PLEASE REVIEW! I'm hoping for more than like, two, like with the last chapters. You guys
could manage 10 or 15 reviews, couldn't you?
Oh, I also need to know. Would it be better if I used the Japanese forms of address, like Tsukino-
san, Makoto-chan, etc? Oh, and should I sprinkle Japanese words into the story? Oh, and do you
want me to use the Japanese way of saying names. e.g. Chiba Mamoru, or the American way,
Mamoru Chiba?
Email: icefaerie0719@earthlink.net
Quote:
"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any
reaction, both are transformed."
-Carl Chung
Monday, July 7th, 2003
Once again, I was stupid and didn't update for months. After I promised I would, too. But you do
know what would encourage me? You know it's coming…more reviews! Hey, hey! Perhaps I
should put that down in larger letters, since few people even botherto read the author's notes unless
they're in bold. First rule of advertising, catch the eye.
PLEASE REVIEW THE STORY!
Ooh, crap. I just read the last chapter, and I realized that I have no idea whom I had calling on the
phone. I know. My sheer brilliance astounds me, too, sometimes. Anyway, after the (somewhat
unnecessary) usual disclaimer, the chapter will start.
Sailor Moon, all character images and likenesses are copyrighted by Takeuchi Naoko, Dic,
Cloverway, et al. The author of this fanfic is in no way affiliated with any of the copyright holders.
No infringement is intended.
Turbines to power! Thrusters to speed! Go, Batmobile!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I'll get it," I said, sliding out of my chair and walking over to the telephone.
"Moshi moshi. Tsukino residence." I said blandly.
"Moshi moshi. Is Serena available?" an unfamiliar male voice asked.
"Speaking."
"Jeez, Odango, could you sound any more aggravated? You don't like phones or
something?"
"No, I don't. Because with every conversation there's an inevitable awkward phone
silence," I explained, annoyed.
Silence on the other end. It stretched out for what seemed like hours, and finally, Mamoru
said, "Was that an awkward phone silence?"
I grinned. It wasn't funny, really, but Mamoru made me smile. "Yes. But, you know, I
somehow found it preferable to the awkward phone conversation that followed it."
He chuckled on the other end. "Anyway, I was thinking, do you want to go to a movie on
Friday?"
I nearly dropped the phone. In fact, I did, and fumbled with it for a few moments to keep it
from hitting the floor. "Wait, repeat that," I gasped out.
I could feel him grinning at my expense on the other side of the line. "Do. You. Want. To.
Go. To. A. Movie?" he asked with exaggerated slowness.
"Like, on a date?"
"Like, as friends."
My heart sank for a moment, but I shook it aside. Why was I disappointed?
"Yeah, sure."
His response to my acceptance was indiscernible. "Right, then. I'll pick you up at six on
Friday. See you at school."
The phone clicked, but I only put it down when the operator's voice came on, telling me to
'Please hang up and try again.' I dropped the phone into its base and walked back into the dining
room, stunned. I answered Mrs. Tsukino's perfunctory questions about who was on the telephone.
The rest of dinner continued in silence.
I analyzed my conversation with Mamoru over and over. If we were going to the movie as
friends, then why was he picking me up? Wouldn't friends just meet at the theater? Why did he call
me during dinner instead of just suggest it at school? The more I thought it over, the more I
convinced myself of ulterior romantic motives. I was really a hopeless romantic at heart, and being
asked out by a boy, with romantic intentions or not, made me giddy.
Friday Morning, at School…
I stared blankly at the board while the teacher talked about-something. When the bell for
lunch rang, I quickly shoved my stuff into my bag and raced out of the classroom. I stood in the
hallway and exclaimed, "I'm free!"
"Glad that you found class stimulating," a now familiar male voice mocked from behind.
One would think that I would be wise enough not to say anything stupid or embarrass
myself, because Mamoru would always manage to be there with a sarcastic comment. Then again,
maybe his being there wasn't so bad.
I snorted. "Right back at you. I saw you in front of me. You've done a fine job mastering
the fine art of falling asleep with your eyes open."
"At least I made an effort," he sounded somewhat offended.
"To what, drool all over your books? Anyway, you want to eat lunch together?"
"Sure."
We made our way out to the school courtyard and I flopped down in the grass under my
favorite tree. Mamoru made his way over much more slowly. "No, please, take your time," I
called to him.
Mamoru made slow motion movements of walking before resuming his normal pace back
to the tree. We both pulled out our lunches. I scarfed my down hungrily. When I had finished, I
noticed Mamoru looking at me with an amused expression. "What?"
"I was just thinking how genteel you are when you eat."
I shrugged off the comment and eyed his lunch, only half finished. Mamoru attempted to
shield his lunch from my sight, but not quickly enough. I launched myself onto his lap and grabbed
a piece of tempura before he could yank his box away. I adjusted myself on his lap and popped the
tempura into my mouth. "That was delicious," I concluded.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Mamoru grouched.
He stuffed the rest of his lunch into his mouth, and his cheeks bulged. "That's attractive," I
giggled.
I almost smacked his cheeks with my hands, to make the food spray out. But then I
remembered that I was in his trajectory, and stopped. "Can you even chew with that much food in
your mouth?"
Apparently he could, and slowly his cheeks returned to their normal size. "You're very
comfortable with physical contact, aren't you?"
"What do you--" I stopped, realizing that I was still on his lap. "Oh. I was just trying to
distract you."
"Yeah, I know. I mean, not that I'm complaining, it's good for image to have girls sitting
on your lap, but you have the boniest butt known to mankind," he said, shifting his legs to stress his
point.
I slid off his lap and lay down on the grass, my legs still draped over his. "I know you can't
get enough of me, but there's plenty of me to go around, Odan-Serena. There's a nice, big janitor's
closet on the third floor…" he trailed off with a wicked grin.
I snorted derisively. "Can't get enough of you? I'm just too lazy to move my legs. As for
the janitor's closet, you can go have a tryst with the mop."
"You wound me, fair lady. I have to get to class early, anyway. You want to move your
legs?"
"No, but I will, anyway."
"Thanks. I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Have a good time in class."
I could hear Mamoru wandering off to the school building, and closed my eyes. A shadow
blocked the glorious sunlight streaming down onto my face. I cracked open an eye and stared into
green ones. "Oh, hi, Makoto."
"Hey. I was thinking, you wanna go to a movie with some people tonight? I already got Rei,
you remember her, the priestess at the shrine, to agree to come. Oh, and the British exchange
student, Minako. So, what do you say?"
"I can't. I really do want to go, but I already agreed to go a movie with someone else
tonight. How about tomorrow night?"
"Cool. I'll reschedule. Who're you going to the movie with tonight?"
"Mamoru."
Her eyes lit up. "Oh, I see how it is. You know, he reminds me of my old boyfriend."
"Really? Oh, and before you start off asking prying questions, we're not romantically
involved. We're just friends."
"Friends who sit on each other's laps?"
"Right," I said, blushing.
"And flirt constantly?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. We don't flirt. We've only known each other for
like 37 days, anyway."
"Oh, you counted the days."
Damnit, she'd caught me.
"And you do so flirt, every time you see each other."
She continued, "Admit it, you like him. You seem awfully close for 'friends,' anyway."
"I think our definitions of flirting are different. Don't you normally flirt with people you're
attracted to?"
"Oh, now you're just being silly. Everyone's attracted to Mamoru. And if you weren't, this
conversation wouldn't embarrass you so much. And you flirt by anyone's definition, by the way."
Makoto was too perceptive for her own good. It was just a crush, anyway, if I had to admit
to any attraction. Maybe not even that.
"Right, time for a topic change."
"Ok, what do you think of Ken, the guy who sits next to me in Math?"
I consciously kept myself from grinning. Time for teasing. "I think that he's a great guy,
and you should date him immediately."
"That wasn't what I was asking," Makoto said.
"Well, what were you asking? If he's good in bed?" I asked innocently. "Because if that's
it, I wouldn't know."
Makoto blushed madly. "You know that's not what I meant."
"I know. I'm sorry. And even if you weren't asking if you should go on a date with Ken,
you wanted to hear me say that you should. Let me guess, he asked you out, you told him you'd
think about it, even though you want to go, and you're merely seeking confirmation that you're
right in wanting to date him. And my answer remains the same: he's a great guy, and you should
date him immediately," I smiled reassuringly
"Was I that obvious?" she winced.
"No more so than anyone else would be. I've got to get to class. You'll remember what I
said, won't you?" I winked as I stood up, and brushed off my skirt.
That Evening…
I turned in my mirror, checking my appearance. I dressed in low-rider jeans with a studded
black belt, a red tank top, and matching red flip-flops. He did say we were going as friends, so I
felt no real need to dress up. Not that I didn't want to look good, but Mamoru would probably
show up in jeans and a t-shirt, and I didn't want to be overdressed. I wrapped red hair ribbons
around my hair buns. After I dabbed on a touch of lip gloss, I rushed downstairs and sat on the
couch, waiting expectantly.
I glanced at my watch. 5:57. What a loser I was. I was supposed to be pretending to do
girly things when he arrived, spraying myself with too much perfume or applying fake eyelashes.
Or something like that. Just to look like I wasn't too eager. And there I was, waiting for him on
the couch.
'Well, why shouldn't I?' I snapped at myself. Mamoru and I were going as friends, after all.
The doorbell rang, and I bolted from my seat to the door. I pulled open the door and found myself
eyelevel with a muscular chest. My eyes drifted up to the face of Mamoru. As I had predicted he
was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, though admittedly clean and un-torn. He looked me up and down,
relief evident on his face.
"Good, I was worried that you'd wear a skirt or something. That would make it awkward."
"Make what awkward?"
"Riding on the motorcycle," he explained simply.
"Motorcycle! Don't you have to be older to drive one of those things? They're death traps.
Death traps, I tell you!"
"No, you don't have to be older. And I'm careful. What, you don't trust me?"
"With my life--let me think. NO!"
He looked a little hurt. "I promise that I'll be careful. Anyway, it's the only transportation
to the theater. Unless you want me to carry you there?"
He was back to himself, much to my relief. I sighed. "I guess I'll choose the lesser of the
two evils."
"And that would be?"
I smiled sweetly. "Your mechanical death-trap."
"Good, 'cause you're too heavy to carry."
I socked him in the arm and closed the door behind me. At the motorcycle, Mamoru
handed me a helmet. He placed his own helmet on and turned to me expectantly. "How come you
get the cool helmet?"
"Because I'm the cool one, of course."
I rolled my eyes and pulled the helmet onto my head. I sat down on the motorcycle behind
Mamoru. "Hey, where's your cool biker jacket?"
"I am too tough and manly to need a jacket," he joked.
"Well, shall we ride off into the sunset?"
"Sure. Hold on tight," he said as he started off.
I almost fell off. I flung my arms around his waist and hung on for dear life. Well, once I
got comfortable, it actually wasn't that bad. Mamoru had nice abs, I felt. My hands drifted
upwards to feel the rest of his torso. Mamoru said something, but it was muffled by the wind.
"What?" I yelled into the wind.
"I said, are you done feeling me up, yet?"
Heat flushed to my cheeks and I quickly let go. Mamoru, expecting my reaction, grabbed
my arm with one hand before I went flying off the bike. "Idiot, don't ever let go," he yelled to me.
Too frightened to make a sarcastic comment, I went back to clinging to Mamoru's torso. I
wished that I hadn't been so schoolgirl-ish when he'd asked me if I was done feeling him up. I
berated myself for not saying something flirty like: 'No,' feel his chest, and then say, 'I'm done
now.' Instead, I'd almost gotten myself killed. Sheer brilliance.
"Sorry to get you flustered," Mamoru called.
"I'm sure you are, you cocky bastard."
We finally reached the theater, and I nearly threw myself off the motorcycle in my effort to
escape. I handed Mamoru my helmet, and he put both of our helmets on the back of the motorcycle.
I felt my hair. "Oh great," I muttered.
"What?"
"I've got motorcycle hair! It's the child of hat hair and convertible hair. Half of my hair is
mashed down, and the other half is sticking out in all directions."
Mamoru snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about. You look beautiful. Shall we
go in?"
I nodded, blushing, once again cursing my lack of composure. Mamoru's off-hand
compliments really sent me off balance, even if he didn't really mean them. We walked to the box
office. "What movie are we seeing?"
"Attack of the Killer Slug Creatures."
"Mamoru, that sounds like a B-Movie 50's horror flick."
"It's actually supposed to be scary, not cheesy. Oh, I know what you're worried about.
Don't worry, if it gets too scary, I'll be sitting right next to you," he teased.
"Mamoru Chiba, if you think I'm going to clutch your arm and scream in fright whenever a
monster horribly slimes on someone, or whatever killer slugs do, you are sorely mistaken."
Mamoru didn't respond, just bought tickets and ushered me into the theater. "Hey,
shouldn't I pay for my own ticket, Mamoru? I mean, since we're going as friends, and all."
"Don't worry about it. You can pay next time."
We sat down towards the front of the theater. The tedious previews passed and the
beginning credits appeared. I was distracted, however, by the couple loudly making out in front of
Mamoru and me. "I thought we were watching 'Attack of the Killer Slug Creatures,' not 'Attack of
the Face-Sucking Leeches,'" Mamoru whispered in my ear.
"I vote for pelting them with M&Ms," I whispered back.
"Plain or peanut?"
"Peanut."
Suddenly, the couple fell out of their seats and onto the floor with a loud thump. They
apparently hadn't noticed. "I guess they're drunk as well as hormonal," I muttered under my breath.
I could tell Mamoru was smiling. The rest of the movie passed in relative peace, or, at least
the monsters actually appeared. One of the slugs slorped out of an air duct onto the heroine. To be
fair, I didn't grab Mamoru's arm and scream. I shrieked, jumped into his lap, and hid my face in
his shoulder. "Tell me when it's over."
Mamoru patted my back smugly. "It's ok, Serena, I'm here for you. But really, that is the
fakest looking slug I've ever seen."
I rolled my eyes, not that he could see. "I don't think fakest is a word. And duh, Mamoru,
that's why they're called slug 'creatures'."
"No, really, it's kind of funny."
I crept back into my seat and stared at the screen. "What the hell is that supposed to be?"
"The slug creature, of course."
"It looks like a liver," I stated.
"Yes, yes it does."
I felt incredibly stupid for being scared. Well, not so much for being stupid as for leaping
onto Mamoru. And for believing Mamoru when he said that the movie would be scary, not cheesy.
At the end of the movie, Mamoru and I emerged into the lit lobby, blinking at the harsh
light. "So, what did you think of the movie, Mamoru?"
"Complete crap," he concluded.
"Agreed. You want to go for ice cream?"
"Sure. There's an ice cream place next door."
At the ice cream parlor, I rattled off my order. "I'd like a scoop of chocolate chip cookie
dough, a scoop of s'mores ice cream, and a scoop of vanilla-chocolate twist. Oh, and I'd like hot
fudge and sprinkles on that."
"Because who needs unclogged arteries, anyway. I'd like a scoop of coffee ice cream."
We took our orders and sat down at a table. Mamoru stared at my order. "What?" I asked,
annoyed.
"I'm sorry; I was trying to find your face behind that mountain of ice cream."
"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Health. Just eat your nasty-flavored ice cream while I scale my
mountain."
His head snapped up and he stared me in the eyes. "Nasty-flavored? Coffee ice cream
tastes perfectly good!"
"Oh please, it's like licking cement. The point of coffee is the caffeine, not the taste. So
what's the point with coffee ice cream?"
"I'll have you know that coffee ice cream tastes nothing like cement, not that, unlike you, I
know what that tastes like."
"Fine. If you don't attack my perfectly unhealthy dessert, then I'll ignore your perfectly
nasty dessert."
"Serena, I have a confession to make."
"You're a drug lord? You're part of the Japanese mob? You wear Sesame Street pajamas to
bed?"
"No. Actually, I was going to say that I think of you as a good friend. I'm really glad to
have met you. You're the only one who can, I dunno, ruffle my feathers."
I choked on my ice cream. "Ruffle your feathers? Try knock you out of your tree."
He scowled. "I'm trying to be serious."
"And apparently on the way down your got a stick up your ass. I was just teasing."
"Okay, I think it's time for a new metaphor."
"Agreed. Though, to be truthful, I really was impressed with your emotional outpour. Even
though I had to restrain myself from smacking you upside the head for saying something like,
'ruffle my feathers'."
I scraped my spoon against my bowl and licked the last of my ice cream off of it. Mamoru
drove us back to my house, and once I relaxed, I actually enjoyed the ride.
Mamoru walked me to the front step and paused. "So, I'm not familiar with the decorum
when dropping off a female friend at home. What would be the appropriate parting gesture?"
I thought for a moment. "A passionate kiss."
Mamoru looked at me suspiciously for a second before shrugging. He didn't believe me,
but I didn't care. "I think that can be arranged."
I leaned back against the door frame and closed my eyes as Mamoru's head bent down
towards mine.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Well, that was fun. No more chapter! Is it a cliffhanger? I don't know, you tell me.
So, PLEASE REVIEW! I'm hoping for more than like, two, like with the last chapters. You guys
could manage 10 or 15 reviews, couldn't you?
Oh, I also need to know. Would it be better if I used the Japanese forms of address, like Tsukino-
san, Makoto-chan, etc? Oh, and should I sprinkle Japanese words into the story? Oh, and do you
want me to use the Japanese way of saying names. e.g. Chiba Mamoru, or the American way,
Mamoru Chiba?
Email: icefaerie0719@earthlink.net