Till Someone Comes Along Chapter 19. Don't own SM or SLY. Please R&R. Does anyone even read the disclaimer? I mean, everyone knows I'm not as talented as Naoko-sensei, so why? Oh well.
My fame was overwhelming me. I had press conferences, newspaper profiles, magazine articles, so-called tabloid exploits, radio appearances, TV interviews, and one network was even talking about giving me my own advice show, or my own sitcom.
It was all very fine to the outside world, but my head was screaming in pain with all of these things I had to do. I didn't want this fame. Never. My plan to get out of this backfired!
I went to buy fruit at the grocery store. I was making sure a cantaloupe was okay to eat, when there was a camera flash, and next week in the tabloids: COW GIRL USES FRUIT FOR SEX TOY.
I go to work and have an average of 173 messages waiting for me, and camera crews basically stalking me - a day in the life of Usagi Tsukino kind of thing.
Setsuna was relishing the moment. She'd found out I was some radical post-feminist icon that used sarcasm (ha!) to get her point across, so now she was treating me like one of those groomed dogs at the Westminster Dog Show. She gave me a pay raise that was very luxurious, some new stuff for my office, and a new laptop. I even found a big screen TV at the apartment door.
Well, I wasn't completely complaining.
Mamoru wasn't really noticing. In fact, he kept giving me these weird looks ever since I kissed Seiya. So, I decided to just keep going with what I had, and pretend he didn't exist.
The most amazing thing that happened to me, however, was that I got to meet my favorite actors and actresses at a benefit. Private jet, Hollywood CA, I was completely thrilled. I was now an international star, all because of one article that had circulated through satellite dishes and printing presses. It had been translated into many different languages, but the message was still the same - men suck.
Even though I had Seiya, I still stuck by the message. I hated how men used women. I was explaining this to an actress named Ashley Judd, who was totally in love with the article. I never mentioned Seiya, however. A post-feminist icon can't mention the man she's in love with, especially after she wrote an article on how much she hates men.
I came home after the long flight from Hollywood, and walked in the apartment. Mamoru was sitting, reading a book. I closed the door, and her looked up. "How was it?"
"Oh, it was wonderful!" I gushed. I went on about the actors and actresses, food, clothes, and how everyone knew me.
Mamoru nodded. "That's nice," he said when I'd finished.
"Seiya was totally thrilled for me," I said, lying down on the couch. Inu-chan was sleeping peacefully on the other chair. "He's really supportive of me."
"Mm-hmm," he said. "Well, I'm going to bed. Good night."
He got up, and just left. I sighed. I was just stating the truth, and he just...well, it didn't matter. Inu-chan opened his eyes, hopped off the chair, and slowly walked over to where I was lying down, wagging his tail.
"Hey, boy. How are you?" I petted him softly. He closed his eyes in content and licked my hand.
"You know, you're the only guy I can really rely on," I said to him, scratching him behind the ears. How true that was.
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"Just tell him to shut the fuck up! Is he the one having the baby, or are you?" I told Sakura on the show.
"But he wants me to have an abortion," she said timidly (By the way, we'd reverted to real callers).
"How old are you hun?"
"Fifteen."
The audience gasped.
"How old is the bull?"
"Twenty four."
More gasps.
"Sakura, do you want an abortion?"
"I don't know."
"Well, take time to discuss it with your conscience, then go with what's right for you, not what's going to protect him," I said. "You shouldn't be having to make this decision at fifteen."
"Thank you, Usagi. Thank you."
"Anytime. Next!" I said. "Umino! Welcome to the program."
"Hi, Usagi."
His voice sounded familiar. So did that name.
"I called because I have a deep problem with a girl, and I'd like to change for her."
"Aww..." said a collective audience.
It wasn't Motoki - he'd used the name before, I know- but his voice sounded deeper.
"I'm in love with her, but she didn't see that, and now she won't admit her feelings. She's the one being a so-called cow."
"Who are you in love with, Umino?" I said stiffly.
"I'm in love with my roommate."
Another collective "awww..." I froze.
"She's sitting in this studio."
I turned white. There was a louder collective "awww..." I looked to see Mamoru standing in the wings, staring at me, his cell phone poised at his ear. He was looking at me with a blank glare - a solemn look.
I gaped at him, and stared front again. "There are probably no feelings to be admitted, Umino, except for the fact that she's over you," I said angrily.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure that's not it," he said.
I ran off the stage angrily, leaving Setsuna to deal with the audience ten minutes early. "What the fuck is your problem!" I cried.
"Let's go somewhere else," he said, pulling me into the office. I threw it away from his grasp.
"You kissed him. You don't even care for him-"
"How do you know?"
"I know. I just do-"
"News flash, Mamoru Chiba! You're not me! I care for Seiya very much, and I-"
"You're making him believe you love him, when you don't!"
"That's not true!"
"Really?" he said sarcastically.
"Yeah!"
"You know, you're a pretty rotten liar, Usagi."
"You wouldn't even know the truth, because you've never been in love!"
"Oh, sure-"
"You've never been in love, you can never be in love, because no one could be in love with you!" I snapped.
He stood, looking furious.
"You know I'm right, Mamoru, because who'd want to be in love with the man I based my whole article on? You don't love a girl, you just love to fuck one! That's the truth!"
He turned on his heel and stormed off.
"You never cared how someone could feel about you! Why do you think I told you I thought you were like a brother to me?"
He turned and looked at me. "Then leave him."
"I can't!"
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Because why?"
"Because how do I know that I'm not going to be a part of the whoring cycle? I don't want the same thing to happen to me that happened to every other girl you've had!"
"It wouldn't be that way!"
"PROVE IT!" I cried tearfully.
"You want proof?" he asked. He grabbed me by the arm, pulled me into him, and devoured my lips. His tongue was rolling across mine, and he was holding me tighter than any other man has held me before. I closed my eyes, and ran a hand through his soft hair. He was kissing me so forcefully, I thought all of me would explode.
He finally let go, and looked at me. "Whenever I see your face, I want to be the one that causes your smile. Whenever you cry, I want to be the one to wipe away your tears. I want to make you laugh, I want to make you happy. Usagi, I've never felt this way about anyone before. It's like...it's like...I don't know."
I looked at him oddly. "Have you been reading my romance books and manga?"
He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah."
We melted into each other again. It felt...good. Refreshing. Everything I knew it would be.
That feeling I'd had the first time we kissed was back, but I understood it now. Suddenly, it was breaking up. The feeling of insecurity was leaving me. I had always loved him.
I could feel little tears at my heart, the prelude of breaking.
He looked down at me. "Usagi, I love you."
"Are you sure?" I whispered.
"Absolutely."
It's like Band-Aids were being plastered all over my heart.
"Mamoru, I...I love you." I said timidly. Then, a little more bravely, I said, "I love you."
He kissed me yet again. He was warm, just as I knew he was. It tasted so sweet, and he kissed me like they do in all of those romantic movies. There was no grabbing of my ass, there was no moving to unbutton my blouse, it was just all of him, sending his love coursing through my veins. It was sweet, as sweet as chocolate, sugar stars, honey...
Crap! I forgot my lunch!
He looked down at me, and kissed me on the forehead, and I giggled like a little girl.
"How about a movie? Is Tuesday okay?" he asked.
"Are you asking me out on a date? On Valentines Day?" I asked.
He nodded. "I'll do this properly."
I laughed. "You? Properly? Not in the same sentence."
He gave me a little pout. I laughed harder.
"All right, all right, I'll meet you at the theater at seven. I have to work until six."
"Okay," he said. Suddenly, a loud grumble escaped my stomach. I looked at him embarrassed.
"Heh, you don't happen to have an extra lunch, do you?" I asked.
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I called Seiya when I got home. "Hey, Seiya."
"Hi, Usagi. What's up?"
"Nothing, just wanted to talk."
"Yeah, there's something I need to tell you." There was some rustling of papers in the background, then I heard him say, "Usagi? I can't talk now. Do you want to talk when we go out Tuesday?"
Tuesday...why did that sound...
"I'll meet you at the theater at seven, okay?"
"All right." I said. We hung up, and I stared the ground, thinking about how I was going to break it to him - oh no.
Oh no, oh no, oh no!
I had scheduled to meet them on the same night, same place, same time! I would see them at the same time! I-
Hey, really, would that be so bad?
I called Minako, who'd done this before. I'd forgotten I wasn't speaking to her, when I had dialed her number. "Hallo?"
I froze. "Uh, Minako! Please, don't hang up! I'm sorry!" I cried. "I know why you did what you did and I would have done the same thing, well, it depends on who or what-"
"Was? Wer ist das? Sprechen Sie Deutsch?"
I stood there, feeling like an idiot. "Uh, bye!" I said, hanging up. I dialed the correct number, and got her answering machine.
"Hey, It's Minako Aino! Hope you're having a wonderful day and I'll get back to you soon!"
"Don't screen Minako, it's me, Usagi! You're best friend before I snapped! I know why you did what you did, and you did a good thing as a best friend! I miss talking to you, and right now, I need your help, and only you can help me!"
There was a clicking sound, and Minako said, "I missed you too, hun. How'd you know about it anyway?"
"Your voice resonates when there's no one around," I said. "I have such a problem!"
I explained the whole Seiya-Mamoru-me triangle, and she thought for a moment. "Do you know what movie you're seeing?"
"Seiya's taking me to see 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' and Mamoru hasn't picked one yet."
"Pick a different movie. Make sure the rooms are close, but don't pick the same movie. That way, to be with both of them, you can make excuses. Example: I have to go to the bathroom, I'm getting another soda, this is the wrong candy, I need a tampon, I-"
"How do you know all this?"
I've done this before, many times. Course, most times I was trying to sneak away from my family to meet with my boyfriend in the movie I wanted to see, but it's the same thing. Just remember one thing."
"What?"
"Don't get caught."
Easier said than done.
"Don't spend too much time with one guy, and when you leave one, don't use the same excuse-"
"Minako? I'm glad we're friends again."
"Me too."
Now to pull this off. This was going to be the last trip to the slaughterhouse.
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Please review, and let me know what you think.
EternalSenshi
I'm glad you all like the new sound of music. The hills are alive, and Usagi's singing...