Dancing around Mint, I made my way over to the table waiting for me and sat down their plates. Turning, I caught the last plate literally thrown at me by a falling Lettuce and sat it down as well, already used to the amazed looks usually given to us. "Please enjoy your meal." I bowed lightly at them before turning to walk off and greet a nice looking blond girl at the door. "Welcome! May I show you to a table?"

"Um, actually I…" I blinked at her, she was speaking English. "Oh, sorry," She continued in Japanese. "I'm looking for Masaya, is he here?"

…eh?

College Mew Mew 11

By: Satashi

"Masaya?" I asked, slightly confused. The girl nodded, smiling. I couldn't help but feel my cheeks burn a little bit at how pretty she was. Instantly my mind got worried. Who was this girl? Why did she want to see my Masaya?

"He told me to come find him here. In England."

She flew from Englandto see him!?

"Is this…Not Café Mew Mew on Tokyo University campus?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." I bowed lightly, too confused to think straight. "Masaya isn't here... Can I take a message?"

"I'm, not supposed to let anyone know I'm here for him, so it'll be okay." She smiled at me. "We're keeping it a secret from someone, so don't say anything about a foreigner, please?"

"Oh…Oh, I see…okay…"

The girl weaved at me before running out of the café, and away into campus.

"Ichigo? Ichigo, geeze, how long you going to stand there and space out?" Mint put her hands on her hips. "I'm amazed you're still in school, as much as you space out. I bet Masaya gets really annoyed with that too- Ah, Ichigo!?"

I shoved past her and ran through the café, past Keiichiro and Zakuro in the kitchen and around the corner and up the stairs. Barging into the familiar room of Ryou, I tossed myself onto his messed up bed and buried my face into the pillow. My mind was reeling. Maybe I was just insecure? Maybe I was over reacting? This wasn't like me, I should know better than to doubt anything…

"You okay?" Ryou's voice was concerned, but light all at the same time. His hand rubbed my head, which I didn't even realize had sprouted cat ears.

"I don't know," I replied, face still buried. "…Do you think I'm a bad girlfriend?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know…"

"You're not making any sense," He complained to me, sighing. I looked up at him and sniffed. Seeing me, he softened a little and rubbed one of my ears. "You must be over worked. Why don't you go home early? I'll fill in for you."

I nodded lightly and pulled myself up in his bed, looking down. "I think I'm just too stressed out… all of this work, I'm over thinking things that I shouldn't be, jumping to conclusions…"

He smiled at me, helping me off his bed and walking me to the door. "Go on, take the day off, and don't do anything at all. We can study some tomorrow, it'll all work out."

Smiling up at him, I nodded, agreeing. "Thanks. I'll do that."

Hopping off my bike, I clicked down the lock on the long row of other people's bicycles. I smiled to myself, seeing Masaya's. I felt really dumb to doubt him like I did. Putting on a smile, I walked to our building and walked up the stairs. When I was halfway up I stopped, hearing Masaya's voice.

"Brittany! What are you doing here!?"

"You weren't at the café, so I came to your address."

Looking up the stairs, I saw the girl hug Masaya. "I'm glad to see you too, but you could be seen here! This isn't the best place."

"Sorry, I forgot to set my watch back."

"Well, Ichigo won't be back for a while, and I was counting on her to be with Mark for the night, but I haven't been able to speak with her yet. Oh, where are my manors? Come in, come in."

I swallowed thickly. I was…supposed to be with Mark tonight? So… she could…come here? But…that didn't make sense…I…

My phone rang. I clicked it on and brought it to my ear. "H-Hello?"

"Ichigo!" It was Masaya. "I'm sorry, but can I ask a favor?"

"Yes…?"

"Can you meet Mark somewhere for me? You see-"

I clicked off my phone. Turning, I walked away, past my bike, and to no where. A drop of rain hit my nose, making me blink, but I didn't care. I just kept walking.

The day passed by me as I walked, not really understanding any of it. Who was that girl? Why was she with Masaya? Why was I supposed to meet Masaya's best friend and hang out with him for the night?

Night…?

I looked up in the rain. It was already night time. Now what? My legs hurt and I felt sick. Go to the apartment? No…I can't go there. Home? It's too far from school, even if tomorrow was one of the days I didn't have classes. I couldn't get there without my bike. Mint's house? No, she would worry too much about me and make fun of me…

You can come stay here if you ever get lonely. I don't have a lot to entertain with, but it's always a choice.

My feet headed in the direction on the café.

I unlocked the front door with the key Keiichiro had given me and stepped inside slowly, shivering. It was dark inside the room, and everything was already set for the night. I felt a cold rush over me and I closed the door, locking it. My sneakers squeaked on the floor as I walked to the other side of the restaurant and then turned the corner and up the stairs.

Walking into Ryou's room, I caught him in the middle of reaching for a shirt to put on. He looked like he was going to ask what I was doing, but apparently after seeing me, he closed his mouth.

Silent, I walked over to him and touched his shirt. He turned around. I peeled my wet shirt off of me and let it fall to the floor. Following came my jeans, which I had to pull forcefully off thanks to the rain. I then picked up his shirt and slid it on before walking to his bed and getting in it. Facing the wall, I sniffed. A moment later, the light was cut off and Ryou patted my head. "Sleep. We'll talk tomorrow."

The door closed and I pulled the covers around me. My phone rang, but I pulled the covers tighter, trying to warm up.

"You have a fever," Ryou told me as he took the thermometer from my mouth and looked at it. My cheeks burned and my body shivered, despite being under a few blankets. "Idiot, walking in the rain like that when it's so cold outside…"

"…Sorry…"

He softened, looking at me worriedly. "What's wrong?" His hand moved the bangs from my eyes. His touch was kind; gentle. Not at all like it normally was; teasing and playful.

"I don't know…"

"You said that yesterday. Is it something with Masaya?"

"How can you tell?"

He held up my cell phone. "You have twenty six missed calls, all from him, and he called here several times as well, worried sick about you. Mint even said that he called her, Lettuce, Pudding, and Zakuro at three in the morning when he couldn't find you."

I didn't know what to say about that… "Am…I a bad girlfriend?"

"Again with that question…What's wrong?"

"I don't know…"

He sighed. "I'm going to have to call him and see what's up. You stay here." He placed a cloth over my head. "I'll come to check on you later."

"Sure…"

I watched the door close and sighed. "I'm sleepy…"

"You're awake." I opened one eye and saw Pudding in front of me, holding my hand. "I heard you were sick, so I came."

"Thanks, I'm fine. Just a cold." I smiled at her lightly. "How's Tart?"

"He'll be fine. Their technology is way ahead of ours. He'll be good as new in another day. Pai came and told me after Tart apparently wouldn't shut up about me." She smiled and blushed. "I still owe him a candy drop."

I squeezed her hand and smiled at her. "You two would make a cute couple." The words hurt my heart to say. "Pudding, I'm getting sleepy again…"

"I see." She patted my hand. "I'll be off then. Sleep well."

"Thanks."

"Ichigo? Ichigo."

I opened my eyes slowly. "Eh…"

"There you are."

I looked at the voice, still sleepy. "Ma-masaya…"

"I was worried sick!" He scolded me, before flinching and calming down. "I was so worried about you…"

I took my hand from him and rolled over.

"Ichigo…?"

"Can I come in?"

"Ah, Brittany, come on."

My heart throbbed, and I felt my tail lash out behind me. I pulled the sheets over my head to cover my ears.

"Bad time to meet, but I guess it'll do." Masaya spoke. "Ichigo, this is Brittany. I met her in England."

Go away…I can't take this…I can't…

"Brittany, this is Ichigo, my Kitten."

My eyes snapped open.

"I didn't know it was you I met when I first came here," Brittany spoke to me as I peeked out from the covers. "He has told me so much about you, I feel as though I've known you for years."

"I…don't understand…" I spoke, sitting up. My ears were gone now.

"She came down to see her boyfriend, Mark. They met in England. It's his birthday today. We're having a party for him tonight. I flew her down here to see him as my gift."

Haven't talked to Ichigo yet… She needs to be with Mark…

Mark always came over to Masaya's house…that would make it the worst place for Brittany to hide…

A tear came to my eye, then another.

"Ichigo?"

I flung myself on him and clawed at his shirt, trying to make him as close to me as possible, crying so hard it began to hurt to breathe.

"Um… I'll be down in a bit." Masaya told her, uneasily.

"Of course."

"Ichigo? What's the matter honey? Are you okay? You still feel bad?"

I didn't answer, only pulled him into the bed with me and clutched him tightly, burring my face into his chest and crying freely.

I'm not sure how long I clawed at him, pulling him closer, but it must have been a long time, as my arms were tired and my sobbing had quieted down to small sniffs and hiccups. "…I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked softly, stroking my hair.

"I'm a horrible girlfriend…"

His hand paused a moment. Apparently I shocked him. "No you're not, don't say things like that. You just worried me last night, I shouldn't have-"

"No…not that…" I looked up at him. I must look as horrible as I felt. My eyes burned and my cheeks were still hot. My boy was weak and I knew my hair was a frightful mess after sleeping with it wet all day long. "I thought…I thought that you…you and Brittany…were…were…"

He was confused for a long moment before it dawned on him just what I meant. "What? No, never, I mean she's like my sister. And she's Mark's girlfriend. And, just, no way!"

I pulled him close. "I'm such an idiot…"

"You mean the world to me, Kitten."

I sniffed. "Really?"

"Yeah. Really." He pulled back enough to make me look up at him. Leaning forward, he kisses my eye, taking a tear away. "You know, you look kind of cute in a weird sort of way right now."

I couldn't help but choke out a small laugh and pull him close again. "Sorry. About everything."

"It was my fault for not telling you sooner what we had planned."

Downstairs I head everyone scream out a surprise and then Mark yell out Brittany's name in shock. "I made you miss it."

"He'll live." Masaya smiled down at me. "Right now, you're what's important."

"Aw..." I hugged him. "I don't deserve you."

"That's backwards, but I'll forgive you anyway." He kissed my forehead. "Come on, I'll go say hi to Mark then take you home. Sound good?"

"Yeah, thanks." I smiled at him lightly, which he returned. "I love you, Masaya."

"You too Hun." He smiled. "You too."

A/N: Sorry for the delays on updating. Work sucks sometimes, ya know? Anyway, please review. More reviews I get, the more I'll write. == I hope you enjoyed.