Hola people! Well, I'm real scared here. I'm running out of material!!! (Now I know how the Excel Saga producers feel) But, I'm just going to write what's in my heart and I hope you all enjoy my work so far. So sit back and enjoy chapter seven of "Sixteen and In Love"
June 23rd
Misato stepped out of her car with her purse at hand and high hopes. "Well, it's been two weeks. I think it's about time we found out once and for all if I am or am not." As she walked on towards the front door of her best friend's clinic, Ritsuko was there waiting to invite her in. "You're just in time. Come with me and we'll get this done right away."
Back at the apartment, Shinji and Crystle where finishing up the assignment for their class. "Well, I think that about does it." she said. Shinji sighed out of exhaustion. "Yeah. All that's left is the wrap up speech." They both spent the last several minutes writing away and putting the final touches on the report, although it felt like an eternity to them. With the last stroke of the pen, Shinji fell on his back, let out a sigh, and rested his weary mind.
Crystle leaned against the wall, completely spent from four hours of non-stop writing. "Wow. Two weeks seems like forever. Thank goodness we're finally through with this. Misato runs a pretty tight class, huh?" He continued to look up at the ceiling, thinking about how much everything has changed over the years. Misato was even more fun and games at school than at home. She didn't drink as much, and with the way things are now, she's gone sober all the way.
The door slid open and Asuka came in, threw her coat on top of Shinji, who layed on the floor, and dropped herself face first on the worn in sofa. Crystle saw this and had to ask. "So, Ms. Soryu, did you have a rough day?" Asuka didn't even pick her face up to acknowledge her when she spoke. "Don't press it, missy!" She just layed there, trying to get some moments of rest before she took off for the showers.
Shinji was so exhausted mentally, he ignored the coat over his face, seeing it as a blanket for him to get some rest as well. Crystle saw how much they where drained. "Well, I guess I'll take my leave now. Shinji, I'll see ya tomorrow and I hope to see you soon, Ms. Soryu." With that, she grabbed her bag and left the two to rest.
Shinji layed down for five minutes before he heard some noise in the kitchen. He looked up and saw Asuka looking for something to eat. he noted his own stomach churning, as he remembered only having a bite of Toji's sandwich. He sat up and looked on, hoping she would find something for both of them.
"Sheist! Not even a cup of instant ramen. I swear, when Misato and Kaji come back..." She overheard the rumbling going on inside the young Ikari's gut and rolled her eyes. "Ok, fine. Get dressed and let's go."
"Huh? Where are we going?" Shinji was at a lost for words. She never really invited him along to do anything anymore and this was right out of the blue. "Where do you think I'm talking about!?!? We're going to the grocery store!" Shinji just sat on his butt as Asuka walked to her room to change quickly into something less fan-appreciative. She came out wearing a knee length skirt, and a white blouse. Shinji noted how it wasn't buttoned up all way, as it was clear that she was showing off more than she wanted to.
"Um, Asuka...." Even after so many years, he still couldn't speak to her clearly during some rather awkward moments. "Asuka, I think you should... don't you need to... button up... just a little bit more?" She looked down and noted her assets covered by a blue bra peeking out and immediately ran back in her room. "You saw more, didn't you!?!? PERVERT!!!" She was almost shrieking at him from the utter embarrassment she just faced. Although from inside her room, she had the rosiest cheeks that even made her hair look dull and plane. And her heart was beating ever so fiercely. She shook her head and quickly buttoned her blouse as she came back out.
"Next time, Ikari," she warned him. "Say something sooner!" She headed for the door when Shinji thought of it "Hey, wait! How are we gonna carry them all back here?" Asuka simply looked over her right shoulder, smiled, and swirled a key chain around her pretty, little finger.
"WWHHHHAAAAAAAA!!!!" Shinji was gripping the O.S. bar like he was holding on for dear life as Asuka pressed the gas to the floor. She cut corners and turns like she was a NASCAR pro. He could only sit and look on in horror as she dodged every car in her way. That is, until they got to a red light.
"Asuke! Red! Red light! STOOOAAAGGHH!!!"
....
"What the hell is the matter with you?" Asuka looked at Shinji who was cringing in his seat, holding his knees to his head. He picked his head up and looked just how close Asuka was from ramming the Subaru in front of them. With unblinking eyes, he shifted his gaze to Asuka. She was griping the wheel like she would her EVA controls and had that same burning passion in her eyes. She looked at him and simply gave him a rather cocky smirk. "Well, Ikari? You think the greatest pilot can't control her own car? Give credit where it's deserved."
She pressed the gas again and skidded her tiers and, once again, passed everything in her way. Shinji was still holding on with a death grip when he asked "Hey Asuka? Why didn't Kaji take his car?" Asuka didn't take her eyes off the road when she answered. "He said he need the exorcise. Although I can't imagine him getting any sexier than he already is." She was now in la-la-land when she parked the car, totaly cutting off the old man in the Mitsubishi. She grabbed her purse and opened the door. "Well, Shinji. Shall we?"
They entered the front door and Asuka grabbed a cart. "Here, you do the hauling while I do the shopping." She went right for the dairy aisle first, getting her favorite yogurts and puddings. She didn't even seem to care how much she would be throwing away on food, but she kept tossing whatever junk caught her eye. As they walked down the rest of the aisles, she bent down from her knees to look at the bottom shelf that was filled with all the "food" Misato would buy.
"You know, Shinji? One would think that because it's on the bottom shelf, it must really suck." Shinji didn't say anything as Asuka continued on. "But that woman always buys this crap! Why?" Shinji shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I guess to each their own, right?"
Asuka looked at him with a cold glare. "After two years, you still can't manage to admit her cooking sucks? Man, you'll never grow a spine. But, I guess that's what makes you our little errand boy." She tossed the foam cups into the basket a she walked on to the next aisle. Shinji sighed as he followed.
Several minutes passed with neither one saying another word to each other. She continued to buy needless snacks and He kept hauling that load. The quiet started to get to her, so she decided to try to lighten the mood. "So, Shinji. How's school now? Are you still the apple of every girl's eye?" Shinji was taken quite aback by that.
"Wha...what? Since when have I been so popular with girls?" She rolled her eyes at the thought of his ignorance. "PLEASE! You where all the girls could ever talk about in P.E., and now I'm sure you get notes every day." Shinji thought about it. He always saw girls passing notes in class, but they would always stop around either Toji's, Kensukei's, or Kaworu's area. He never thought of himself like that.
"Well, I never get the notes, that is, if they where for me. Kaworu seems to be more popular with them from me." Asuka smiled at the mere mention of his name. "Yeah, he is kinda cute in his 'I-don't-give-a-damn' way." Shinji didn't even pay her any attention while he read his magazine. He took his eyes off the page long enough to note the Pokey sticks on sale and started to grab a few.
Asuka read her list she made before she left. The last item on her list was her favorite snack.
...
Shinji stopped as he felt his hand grip something warm and soft as silk. He stopped reading and set his magazine down. Asuka put her list down as well and looked as he gripped her hand firmly, yet gentle at the same time. Shinji was scared. He thought she was going to beat him so hard, that he couldn't even loosen the grip he had on her.
"Shinji." Asuka was the first to speak. "Let go of my hand." At her request, he slowly, but surely, opened his palm, releasing her from his grasp. "Um... Asuka, I'm so sor-"
"Don't be." She said. That's all she said as she walked on to the check out line. He heard those words, but didn't know what to make of it. She always scolded him for even looking at her bare arm. What just happened here, she didn't even look him in the eye. She didn't even tell him to shut up.
From behind the last aisle, a roll of toilet paper came flying through the air and landed into the cart. "YES! Two points!" Shinji peeked through the shelves and noted a man with a base guitar and long, brown hair. "Hey, Shinji. enjoying you're sixteenth year?" Aoba came from around and handed him a soda. Shinji looked at him. He was dressed in a rather tacky, yet sharp suit and had rose tinted glasses. "Um, Aoba? What's with the suit?"
"Oh, this? I'm just taking a break from rehearsal and getting some drinks for the guys." Shinji looked confused. "Rehearsal?" The former bridge bunny pulled out a flyer from his coat. "Yeah, I met some people and we're starting a band. We're thinking of a name, but our singer likes something around "As Sekira", or something like that." From down the asile, Shinji saw him point out to the band. One was a rather large, bearded man twirling his drum sticks, another was a skinny guy with a red bandana and a worn in button up shirt.
"Well, looks like you've gotten into something you enjoy." Shinji waved at them as they waved back. Shinji felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face a rather young woman with dark, brown hair, pale skin, and the brownest eyes he's ever seen. Shigeru decided to introduce them. "Shinji, meet our lead singer, Priss."
She extended her hand, wrapped in leather biker's gloves. "How you doin, kid?" Shinji was shy at first, but gave her a firm handshake. Strange enough, though, her grip was far stronger than his. She waved at him as she proceeded down the aisle. "Take care, kid." Aoba looked at Shinji, and gave a chuckle. "Sorry, Ikari. She's a bit old for you, and besides, she's not really you're type." He pulled another thing from his coat. "Here, kid. Hope to see you and Misato there sometime."
As he left, Shinji opened the envelope inside and pulled out 4 passes to a club in down-town. "Why would he give me these?" Before he could come up with a logical reason, a certain German girl yanked them from right out of his hands. "What do we have here, Shinji?" He paniced and tried to get it back, but she was too fast and read it all before tossing them into the air. "What's the matter with you? it's just some tickets. So, who are you going to take, Shinji?"
He thought about it for a second. "Well, I'm sure Misato and Kaji might like it..." But who to take with him?
To Be Continued.
Been awhile, hasn't it? I just started school this past Monday, so I'm sorry if you won't hear from me for a while. And let's see... one more thing... Oh Yeah! Is it just me or does the basest from Priss' band in Bubblegum Crisis 2040 look a hell of a lot like Shigiru Aoba? I guess it's just me, but It's nice to make these little anime cross overs. and if you're wondering, no, there are no such things as boomers in Tokyo 3. I just put Priss in there for fun.
Well, untill next time, I leave you with a quote of "wisdom."
"For the love of... I'VE GOT THE CRAPS!!! It's all loose!!! Everything comes out water!!! WATER!!!"~Naru Narusagawa from the Love Hina Manga #8
