Deditionis
Chapter 5 - Appreciating Him (dedicated to shining star & Arabian rose, my homicidal reviewers who seemed just about ready to jump on my neck if I didn't update FAST ;))
Ishida Yamato flinched instinctively back as a large, pink object came dangerously close to his face. Feeling completely perplexed, his puzzled eyes stormed over in a matter of minutes as he looked up and found that the owner was Taichi, the sudden flash of pink being his hand, which was left waving ferociously around.
"Damn Tai, are you trying to poke my eyes out or what?" The blond boy exclaimed, while moving his chair backwards in an attempt to stay away from his friend's reach.
"You were staring into space again. I asked you about a gazillion times what happened when you were taken out of maths this morning and you just stood there. It looked like your brain was going through this malfunctioning stage or something…" Yagami Tai retorted back, while helping himself to a third serving of the cafeteria's alleged ramen.
"I'll tell you who's bound to get a brain malfunction should that hand go anywhere near me again." Yamato replied through clenched teeth.
"Calm down Matt." Kido Jou well timely cut in. As his friend's neck snapped instantaneously towards his apparent new source of irritation, Jou nervously took his glasses off and started cleaning them on his school shirt. Any reason to avoid the infamous Ishida glare would gladly be accepted by the tall, blue-haired boy. Besides, it gave him more time to conjure something up that would make the information spill from his tense friend's mouth.
Putting his glasses on once more, Jou tried a different approach. "You didn't get in trouble for doing something incredibly stupid, yet very Yamato-like again, did you?
The former infuriated ice-blue orbs dimmed down just a notch. As the teen opened his mouth to say something, no words came out. Closing it again, Yamato shook his head, seeming as if what he was about to say was not appropriate for the current location or time. Replying with one word, he let his eyes roam the area, settling at a fixed point for a few minutes, before returning his gaze to his friend, who had just spoken.
"Yamato, I know what Mrs. Hiroyuki asked you to do. I was just hoping you'd willingly talk to us about it."
Yamato could feel his heartbeat quicken as his friend made that last statement. He could also picture himself looking extremely sad with a hanging jaw that seemed to extend towards the canteen's unkempt floor. He could not, however, help it.
"How the hell did you find out?" His eyes narrowed themselves "You weren't eavesdropping were you?" He shot an accusing glare towards the bushy-haired boy sitting opposite him.
Taichi almost dropped his fully loaded fork. "Hey! I strongly resent that mate. You think…"
"I was told by Mrs. Hiroyuki Matt," Jou quickly cut in. Ignoring Tai's satisfactory smirk, he went on. "She asked me if I was okay with the sudden change of plans. When I said yes, you were called in the next day."
Yamato let his chin rest against the cool surface of the table. "Why didn't you say no then? I have to deal with that bitch now." Just the thought of spending time with her was enough to worsen his mood. Sure, he wanted to get even with her, but this was definitely not part of the plan.
Jou looked seriously at his friend. "Matt, you know you need those points left to graduate. I don't," He rubbed his tense temples "Honestly, you should be thanking Mrs. Hiroyuki for taking the initiative for you and- what is it?" he cried out, seeing his two friends grinning at him.
"Well, hate to break it to you Jou," Taichi started.
"But you act like my dad." Yamato finished, before Tai burst out laughing.
Feeling annoyed, Jou chose to ignore their comment. "Plus she's not a bitch Yamato, she's just hot headed."
Yamato snorted. "Oh yeah, hot headed, suuure. No way in hell will I go through with this shit."
"Fail the course and you'll not only have to endure the same, tedious lessons again, but you'll have to endure it with her." He grinned as he saw Yamato wince, as if the mere thought were torture to him, "Just go talk to her."
Sighing, Yamato heaved himself off his seat. "Until the end of spring term right?" Receiving a nod for an answer, he started making his way across the crowded room.
"Amazing how he knows where she is huh?" Taichi remarked, once he had gained his self-control again.
The furthest right-hand corner of Odaiba High's cafeteria was swamped by the school's most desirable females. While this idea in itself made Sora somewhat self-conscious, she didn't mind sitting there most of the time. Whether they were reading, laughing or flirting even, she could always count on someone being there, and that was a comforting thought for any freshly transferred student. Poking her food absent mindedly, Sora was forced out of her daydreaming as a girl with dark brown hair leaned in towards her from across the table.
"Look who's coming this way," Igarashi Asusa whispered, as several other girls inclined their heads forwards.
Giggling hysterically, Inoue Miyako tried to regain her compsure, "I think he's set his sights on our Sora here,"
Tachikawa Mimi's lower lip quivered slightly.
Frowning, Sora swung around and almost instantly felt her heart give an involuntary leap. Striding towards the girl's table was Ishida Yamato, the last person in the world she wanted to deal with right now. Gathering all the courage she could muster, Sora latched her eyes onto his, boring them until her message was clear.
As the boy's former expression of sheer determination changed into something inexplicable, Sora was surprised that he actually walked right past the table and out of the canteen's double doors. Of course getting him to change his course was her intention, but Sora didn't expect him to have done so without at least attempting to harass her.
Biting the end of her chopsticks, Sora mentally kicked herself. It really didn't matter if she couldn't understand what it was she felt whenever he was around, or whether she was scared by it. Glaring at him really wouldn't improve their relationship (whether they even had one), and she did want to at least try to be friends, regardless of what was said or done. When she took that offered ride home from Taichi, the handsome soccer player had described a completely different Ishida Yamato, one whom Sora could see something in. Besides, she needed to talk to him.
Getting up, Sora hastily stuffed all her school things into her back-pack. She was starting to run out of time, her practice exams were coming up, and as much as she hated to admit it, she did need that boy's help.
"Where are you heading?" Mimi's voice spoke up.
"To my locker," Sora lied "I really need to dump some of these books in there before class starts."
"I'll go with you then," Mimi almost immediately replied, getting up herself and searching for her bag.
"Mimi, maybe you should let Sora go on her own," Miyako said, tugging on her friend's arm so that she would sit down again "Besides, I needed to talk to you about something…"
Sora could have sworn she saw Miyako discreetly wink at her.
That girl seemed to know something, something that was apparently oblivious to everyone else, even Sora herself. Managing a feeble smile, Sora swung her bag over one of her shoulders.
"See you guys after lunch," She waved, before walking out of the canteen herself.
Yamato was livid by the time he had made it to the school's basement. Theoretically, this area was strictly 'out of bounds' for all students during recess. Yamato had simply grinned along with Akira and Reiko when the idea was presented to the whole school during a morning assembly. There was no way that they'd give this place up, it provided just the amount of privacy they needed and was perhaps one of the reasons why the guys looked forward into coming to school every day.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets Yamato started going down the spiral staircase. Know that girl back there sure had some nerves, glaring at him when all he wanted to do was talk.
"Forget it," he muttered to himself, "If she wants a tutor, she comes to me."
As he took a few more steps, Yamato could just about make out the distinctive sound of quick paced footsteps, echoing along the empty corridor placed right on top of him. The footsteps were definitely coming closer and it was only a matter of seconds before one reached the stairs.
Yamato suddenly froze. It could be a teacher; this place was constantly being monitored after all. Taking his surroundings in, Yamato came to the harsh realization that being in the middle of a flight of steps did not offer an adequate amount of hiding places. Well-bloody-done Matt.
"Ishida!"
Sighing deeply, Yamato turned around. He was not in the mood for teacher confrontations, much less more detention time. His sight, however, was greeted with an unexpected view. Actually, the impact of the surprise was of such intensity, that Yamato could feel his eyes luring out of their sockets.
"Listen, I just wanted to apologize, I really shouldn't have looked at you like that," The girl said, her reply coming in short breaths. She started twirling a lock of auburn hair around her finger, while drawing an invisible circle with her foot on the floor, "The truth is, I need your help."
She really was pretty; Yamato had to at least agree to that. Nevertheless, scenes linked to the park incident and basically every other encounter they had, added themselves to Yamato's frustration. It was an expensive piece of musical equipment, his natural charm had backfired, and just a few moments ago he had only wanted to help.
Walking past her, he made his way back up the stairs and into the corridor which she had just come from. Spotting a vending machine, he started walking towards it, thinking that a drink would probably soothe his crazed hormones.
Sora had followed the boy, perfectly aware that he was not going to make things easy for her, "I heard you're good at physics."
Sora watched him search for a coin inside his pockets. "And I must admit I was pretty impressed because you really don't look the type who would…" She stopped herself soon enough. The boy merely glanced at her indifferently. This really was not going well at all.
"I suck at physics," She said quietly, "And I really want to keep my grades up."
Yamato leaned against the machine, arms crossed against his chest, "I suppose you want me to help you out?"
Sora lifted her chin up, cinnamon eyes sparkling with delight. "I mean if you're not busy or anything…"
Yamato shrugged, "I'm always busy Red, but I guess I'll make an exception for you." He took a sip of the coke can lying in his hands, "So Saturday noon at my place?"
The fact that he kept colour-coding her flew out of Sora's minda as she processed what he had just told her. "Um, maybe we could study in the library, it's opened on week-ends…"
That statement almost made Yamato spit out the sweet, black liquid, "You wanna study at the library?"
Sora nodded.
"And how do you suppose we'll do that, by sign language?" Yamato shook his head, "No. My place'll do."
As he saw Sora squirm in discomfort, he rolled his eyes and added, "Don't worry girl, I have no intentions on raping you."
"That is NOT what I was thinking Ishida!" Sora answered hotly, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment.
A smirk. She should have known better.
TBC
Chapter 6- The Gang Re-unites
Ahhh! I feel so proud! I actually finished this chappie! Well b4 I go I'd just like to address certain ppl:
Crazyamzy- thanks so much for your words of encouragement. I can write action scenes rite? LOLz, maybe not…anyways, THANK YOU!
Theladyknight- such an honor it is, having u review such a sad fic. Love your stories btw, keep em comin hehe!
Inconnu- squeals LOVE Forbidden Hearts, ur story rocks :D Thanks for reviewin!
Bigfan, jul, Mimi, Gelsly - those were rly sweet reviews, u guys had me smiling all the time :)))))))))
Placid Snowflake- Geez, I seriously hope this guy isn't that bad…I can't imagine any kid being as bad as my Matt, lolz, thaks for ur review!
Sorato4eva- Glad u dnt sleep through the former chapter..actually hope u don't fall asleep through this one either mate!glares kiddin!
Akurei17- umm, yea guess it shows that ive never been to Japan right? Hehe, anyways, if u find more mistakes, plz correct me…
To all u other ppl, THANK YOU for takin the time to review this fic! I will try to update sooner, but with GCSEs n all, its hard to say when...