A/N Hello all,

Here's the next chappy for ya. I was going to wait until the end of the weekend to update thinking that I had lots of homework but I got some time now.

*-*: Thanks for reading hope you'll continue. Oh and writing it was truly a pleasure

Michelle: Thanks for reading. The compliments were nice to. If you want me to continue emailing u when I update that's no problem to

Spirit: So glad to see you reading this! Your story is so great and I urge everyone to read it! I love High school fics and am thinking of writing one myself when I finish this one lol. Anyway, thanks for reading sofar and I hope you'll continue reading

Night of the Raven: Thanks and I will keep writing lol

SabenBallZ: I liked the fight part to. It was my favorite part to write lol. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!

Avelynn Lauren: Thanks for being so dedicated to this story. Yes I did make Hitomi dence didn't I? Lol Anyway, I've updated and now you will be able to read what happens next

Anri: Thanks for enjoying my story!

Trace: Your crazy woman! I dedicate this one to u for driving me crazy to update this after you figured out that I was writing today lol. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chibi Usagi: Poorpoor girl, I wish I could see him in his boxers to lol a girl can dream. Here's ur next chapter. I liked ur reviews,  there always amusing lol

And now, on with the story. I hope you will all do the honor of hitting the happy go review button and telling me what you think. Suggestions are always welcome!

Chapter 10

            Allen had been sitting with Yukari, watching the concert on TV. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. There was the girl that he had been in love with forever, slow dancing and singing with a guy whom she had hardly knew. He instantly felt jealousy for Van. He wished that he were the one dancing with Hitomi. Yukari looked over and saw the angry expression on Allen's face. He noticed her looking and tried desperately to hide how he was feeling. He knew that if Yukari saw how angry he was about Hitomi's performance with Van she would start yelling at him for not giving Hitomi the space that she desperately needed and such. It was too late. Yukari had noticed the look and was already beginning to rant about it.

            "Allen, what's your problem? All they did was sing and dance. It's not like Hitomi was going out with him. We both know that she's not ready for that sort of thing, and she probably won't be for a while."

            Allen couldn't help it though. Yukari had all of a sudden put something in to his head. Were they going out? He started to talk to try to defend his expression.

            "Look, I know that Hito's not ready to date, but you never know. Maybe he like made her better?"

            "I doubt that. I got a letter from her not long ago telling me about her plans. She never mentioned anything about them dating. Allen, I think you have to relax just a little."

            That was the last thing on Allen's mind at the time. He wouldn't relax until he got answers about what was going on with Van and Hitomi. In his mind, Hitomi was all his and she would never belong to any other. He finished watching the rest of the concert with Yukari before going home. He would have stayed to visit, but now there were more important things to deal with. He was going to go home and email her asking her when she would be going back to New York. He was going to go see her there and hopefully bring her home with him. In Allen's eyes, home was where Hitomi belonged.

Hitomi had stayed in the dressing room after the fight with Melirna. She also didn't want to go out there in case the press was waiting for her. She knew that after that type of performance they would be sure to think something was up between she and Van. She wanted to see the rest of the show, but she couldn't look at him any longer. Every time she did, she felt warm and fuzzy inside. She wanted to look at him and talk to him all the time now. This wasn't healthy for her and she knew it. This had convinced her to lie on the couch and keep to herself until the show finished. Before she could control anything, her eyes were heavy and closing. Hitomi had fallen asleep.

            Van walked down the hall toward the dressing room. He was on the most amazing high from the show and now he wanted to go and see how Hitomi had enjoyed performing with him. He had loved it so much, but he was afraid of how she had felt after their dance. He didn't mean to get so close to her, but he felt that it was the right thing to do. Maybe he did it for show, but in the back of his mind he could hear a voice screaming at him; telling him that he did it out of compassion for the girl. He couldn't help but think that maybe it was time to distance himself from her. He knew how Hitomi felt about love and such emotions, as that and he didn't want to loose his friend again. He finally reached the door of the dressing room and opened it slowly. He noticed that the lights were on, but it seemed to him that no one was in there. He walked to the far corner of the dressing room and noticed Hitomi peacefully sleeping on the couch. He looked at her and couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked when content like that. He was just about ready to take his eyes off of her when she opened her's slowly. She stretched and yawned smiling at him in the process.

            "How long have you been in here?"

            "Oh, I just came from the stage. I was going to… well I wanted to change."

            Hitomi blushed and got up abruptly. She didn't want to invade his dressing room and now she felt as if she had. She ran across the room and told him to open the door when he had finished. He told her he would and closed the door behind him. As Hitomi stood outside the door, she wondered how he had been feeling. She thought that he might have been a lot more excited about his show than he had just looked. She made it a point to ask him when ever he had reopened the door. Finally he did just that and Hitomi let herself back in to the room. She plopped back down on the couch and Van sat on a chair beside her.

            "Van?"

            "Hmmm?"

            "You don't look very happy. Did something happen at the end of the show?"

            Van didn't want her to notice his expression, but it was too late now. He had to find an excuse to why he seemed so distant and sad. With in seconds he had found one. Before he could say anything, there came a knock on the door. Van jumped up off of the chair and opened it to see a very battered up looking Melirna. His eyes widened in a mixture of amusement as well as confusion. He wasn't sure what had happened to her, but he knew it would surely be a good story.

            "Hi Melirna, what can I do for you?"

            "Well, the press is kind of anxious to know what was up with your little um… performance out there. They want to have a conference tonight. They didn't believe me when I told them that you and Hitomi were only friends. Oh, here's the other part. They want her to join you. I told them that it shouldn't be a problem for her. She seemed to enjoy herself out there on the stage. I think she should be able to attend this to if she's so up to being involved in the life of a star.

            All of a sudden Van heard a cough coming from the couch. He looked at Hitomi and noticed a grin plastered across her face. Melirna had instantly shut up after hearing her cough. She understood Hitomi's signal to shut up. She flashed a smile at Van and told him that was all she wanted. She told him that the conference would be in fifteen minutes and not to be late. She excused herself afterward, leaving Van and Hitomi alone once again. He use to like it when they were alone, but now it felt awkward. He felt as if he was invading her personal space, but if he asked her he feared that she would think that he wanted her to leave. He tried to push the thoughts out of his head and decided to return to his place on the chair. Hitomi looked over at him and told him that he could sit with her if she wished. He hesitated but took up her offer. He asked Hitomi what had happened to Melirna and all she said was, "well, I really don't know." Van didn't believe a word that she said, but figured that she'd tell him the truth eventually. He knew that he had to get ready for the conference and now felt bad because Hitomi had become involved. He asked her how she was feeling about doing the conference.

            "I dunno Van. I guess I could. I've never done anything like this and I'm sort of camera shy."

            He now felt even more guilty and moved closer to her. He gave her a look of remorse.

            "Hitomi, I'm sorry. I know you don't want to do this. I just hope you're not mad at me. I did what I did strictly for show. I guess people must think that we have good chemistry or something. I'm sorry if it upset you."

            She smiled and looked in to his reddish brown eyes.

            'Van, I figured that's why you did it. I will do this one press conference, but no more of them please. That's not what I'm here for. I only came to visit you; not to become your little co-star. I told you already that I gave up on that sort of thing when my father died a few years ago.

            "I know Hitomi. I wasn't asking you to be my co-star. I just wanted to make you happy that's all. When you were performing out there, I could see the look in your eyes. You looked so happy and in to it. You were like an angel out there. I couldn't believe your talents, but I won't ask you to perform with me ever again. I didn't mean to hurt you."

            He reached out to give her a hug and she accepted his offer. He couldn't believe what had happened. For a split second, they clung on to one another. Her arms around him made his heart leap. His whole body had tingled with warmth. Now that he had gotten one hug from her, he didn't want to let go. He did quickly though; not wanting to upset her. After they had parted she smiled at him. She noticed the shocked look on his face.

            "Why do you look so shocked? It was only a hug."

            "Ah, n no reason. I just thought you didn't want to be close to me?"

            Hitomi stopped everything around her. Why did she give him a hug in the first place? Before she could have time to think about once again leaving Van abruptly; she looked at her watch. She looked back at Van and said, "I gave you a hug that doesn't mean I will fall in love with you. We have to go to the press conference now. It's been fifteen minutes.

            The two got up and walked down the hall. Hitomi was running the brush through her hair trying to look perfect for the cameras. They reached a small room and entered. Cameras were flashing all around them. The lights were beginning to hurt Hitomi's eyes. The two sat down on the two chairs in the front of the room. Van began to speak. He was going to try desperately hard not to have to make Hitomi talk. He could see her fidgeting and he automatically realized that she was uncomfortable.

            "Hello everyone. I am here to tell all of you that Hitomi and I are not dating. What happened on the stage tonight was strictly part of the show. Hitomi and I use to be best friends when we were small children and now we're working on re kindling that friendship. I would ask that you don't spread roomers about her. She did this for me and she has her own life to live. Hitomi is a normal teenaged girl and she's not a star. You have no need to write horrible things about someone who isn't in this business. Not that you all write those things, but some of you do. Now I will open the floor for questions.

            Hitomi was taken back by his little speech. Hardly anyone had questions and she only had to answer one on her own. She knew from the moment he began to speak of her that he was beginning to care for her. She knew that he was being a true friend but a fear was creeping up inside her. Was he falling in love with her?

            After the conference was over the crew piled in to the limo to go back to the hotel. Tomorrow would be an other tour stop.

            When the reached the hotel, both Van and Hitomi went straight to their rooms with out saying a word. Both were exhausted from the night's events and wanted to rest. Hitomi went inside her room and locked the door behind her. She decided to flick on the TV and see what was on at the late hour. She had too many thoughts floating around in her mind to rest just now. She began flipping the channels on the tv  until she noticed a clip of her and Van appear on the screen. She stopped and watched herself. She looked at how she moved with him. She then saw the headlines that came afterward. It read, Are they really just friends? Hitomi shut the TV off immediately. She knew this was going to happen. Now she would wait to see her mother's reaction. She was sure Yukari would call and have a huge fit at her for not telling Yukari first. Hitomi knew the truth though; there were no feelings between she and Van.  At least she hoped there wasn't. She decided to go and access the Internet for a few minutes. She hadn't gotten the chance to check her email since she had left New York. She walked down the hall of the Hotel until she reached a large room that had computers lining each wall. She pulled up a chair at the first computer and opened her inbox. There she saw an email from Allen. The subject reading When will you be coming home. She hadn't been reading any of his emails since the incident, but she decided to open it and take a look to see what he had to say. The email read this

Dear Hito,

How are things going? I saw your little performance tonight on TV. You looked beautiful out there. Seeing you on the stage made me very sorry for what I had said to you before you left. I know you need your space and I should have just let you go and have that. I was wrong to yell at you and now I want to come and make it up to you. Hitomi, I want to come and see you in New York. Even if it was just for one day. I know you probably don't want to see me, but you weren't the one who did wrong here. I just hope you'll write me back at least. I know you haven't replied to any of my emails. Oh Yeah Yukari said hi. Anyway, I hope to hear from you soon. I miss you Hito, I miss you a lot.

            Allen's kind words made her sink in her chair. Had she seemed so bitter with him that he was willing to fly out and see her for a day? The only problem was now she was with Van and he had the say of what she done while she visited. She knew he wouldn't mind, but she felt out of place for asking. She decided not to bother him just yet. In the morning, she would ask Van whether or not Allen could come and visit them. After reading his email as well as a few forwards and letters from Yukari she decided to call it a night. She left the lab and went back to her room. She turned out her lights and climbed in to bed. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep and morning came quickly after.

            She woke early and went to the cafeteria just like every day so far. There she sat with Van and the two ate happily. For some strange reason, he still seemed quite distant with her. She couldn't figure out why. She figured that now would be the time to ask Van if Allen could come visit. He looked shocked, but told her it was fine. She felt as if he was lying, but he re assured her that he wasn't. After eating with Van she left to go and write Allen back.

            The next morning did not come fast enough for Allen. He quickly ran to the computer and was happy to see her email in his inbox. What made him happier was when he saw the line stating that he could come and visit her in New York. Now he would be able to put his little plan in to action.

To Be Continued