Author's note: I've edited it slightly. I've haven't changed much of the plot and I decided on something, I'll never be satisfied with what I write so I don't see the point in a beta-reader, well only for checking spelling and stuff.
The changes show Van and Hitomi haven't found there love for each other yet because I believe I wrote that too soon and I agree with you Aerika, and I thank you for that. If people the un-edited version please do tell me.
My grammar is poor I'm sorry and my spelling is pathetic but I like to write, well not so much anymore but I am determined to finish a story.
Thank you fellow readers for your patience and I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 5
The sky was dull that day. Hitomi walked carefully on the path, past the slippery autumn leaves that covered the ground below her. It was truly a beautiful sight. A scenery, she would have very much liked to paint if she was born with any artistic talent or vision. She had creativity and discipline to write but unfortunately this wasn't the case when it came to drawing.
The leaves were a mixture of copper-red, gold, orange and that slight tint of green which would give reminder of the summer that was now truly gone. Hitomi let out a soft sigh as she reminisced about her past summer and all the pleasant events that occurred within it.
Hitomi was ready to walk up the stairs into the school building when a voice caught her attention.
"Hitomi," it cried. A young blonde haired man ran up to her, panting away as if he'd run a marathon.
"Oh, Allen," she said slightly started by his appearance. 'Why is Allen Shezar, talking to me, of all people?' There was sudden sense of anxiety that started to dwell within her at which it made her mind sketch out conjectures of what possibly, the most popular boy in school could want with her. 'He's probably failing a subject and needs my assistance.'
"I've finally caught you," His face beamed as he looked up at her. He then ran his fingers with his left hand through his shoulder length blonde hair. (LW: I've decided to give him shoulder length)
"Do you want me to tutor you? Because honestly Allen I don't have the time…" Hitomi started in her usual poised manner. One thing Hitomi learned over the years was not to let any man intimidate her no matter how handsome they were.
"Oh no, Hitomi," Allen smiled. "It's nothing like that. I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to go out on a date with me. Will you please give me this honour?"
Hitomi couldn't conceal her startled face; she wasn't suspecting something like this from Allen Shezar, of all people. She paused for a moment contemplating the proposal at hand.
"When and at what time?" she finally asked. 'I've never been courted. It would be a nice change from my normal lifestyle.'
"This Thursday at eight o'clock," Allen replied, his eyes showed his eagerness for a positive answer.
"I can't go on that night, I have to baby sit the twins and it will be really repugnant of me, by giving Naria such short notice," Hitomi revealed.
Hitomi loved every moment she had spent with the twins. They were truly revitalising for her and they sure knew how to keep her busy. They helped her to bring out the child in her that she knew nothing about, till now.
She had only been their babysitter for three weeks and yet she had felt like she was already part of the family and she loved spending time with Naria. Folken was great to talk if you had anything financial to talk to him about and the best part was, she had gained extra help from Mr Fanel who turned out to be the most amazing person she had ever met.
He was like walking encyclopaedia, filled with fascinating stories of his travels and his thirst for more knowledge rivalled and even surpassed her thirst.
"I can't believe his first name is Van, it's such a beautiful name,' She mentally spoke to herself as she thought about the Fanel family.
"Well that's the only day I have free this week, with the football practises and all," Allen sighed. "What time do you finish baby-sitting?"
"It depends, usually around half nine to ten," Hitomi answered slightly baffled by Allen's sudden interest in her.
"Why don't I come over to the place at half nine and if they are not there, then I'll wait with you until they get back," Allen suggested.
"I suppose that would be adequate," she said. "But I can't stay out late, it being a school night and all." (LW: Oh Hitomi, I wish I had your attitude when I was in school)
"But of course and the fact that I have an early morning football practise," Allen chirped in, smiling that radiant smile of his.
* * *
"You and Allen Shezar," Yukari commented in obstreperous (unruly) manner. Hitomi swore she received some odd glances and glares from the rest of the class when Yukari decided to announce it to the whole world.
'Note to one's self, do not share any monumental events in your life with Yukari,' Hitomi mentally scolded herself as she felt her face become torrid (hot).
Thankfully Mr Fanel entered the room which meant that everybody in the room would become absent from sound and would give him their utter most attention. Hitomi swore she saw some girls salivate at the sight of him and others would swoon as he would pass-by, reading the most wonderful literatures with that soft well defined voice of his.
The lessons could be rather humorous when Mr Fanel would ask the girls for their inputs and thoughts into matters. It could get really ridiculous and annoying when no one would voice an opinion and eventually Mr Fanel had to resort to picking on them to get them to speak. It was highly amusing to see them come out of their dream-like trances and make right fools out of themselves.
It always nearly ended with Mr Fanel giving in and asking Hitomi's opinions and inputs. Sometimes it just felt like no body else was there but the two of them discussing away their ideologies. Mr Fanel then would prowl again on the other girls hoping that they got ideas of their own but alas the girl's minds were fickle with television and shopping.
* * *
"Hitomi, is your boyfriend cute?" Merle asked hugging her white fluffy teddy bear tightly.
"Merle, he's not my boyfriend, he's just a guy taking me out on a date," Hitomi replied rather exhaustingly. It was so hard for Hitomi to try and get the little girl to understand.
"Yeah Merle, Hitomi's my girlfriend," Dilandau stuck his tongue at her and hid behind Hitomi's legs waiting the expected retaliation from his sister. Merle burst out into laughter at her brother's ludicrous comment.
"Yeah…right, you wish…" Merle struggled to say between laughs. Dilly immediately let go of Hitomi's legs and bolted towards Merle, fists all ready to deliver.
"Kids, please stop fighting," Hitomi pleaded as Dilly was yanking on Merle's hair and Merle was punching him in the stomach. In the end Hitomi had to resort to pulling the two apart and then having to send them up to their rooms, it was their bed time anyway but she had to be firm.
* * *
'Allen's going to be here ten minutes,' Hitomi thought as she adjusted her dress that she brought with her to change into, when the kids had retreated to bed.
The dress was rather short, strapless and clung to her body enhancing her already slender yet lean figure. She couldn't help but to keep addressing herself in the mirror. She adjusted her black chocker with the diamond on it until it was completely in the middle and then she finished the outfit of with her knee high black leather boots so it gave her a more casual look.
'I look stupid,' Hitomi argued with herself as continued to look vainly in the hallway mirror.
The front door made a click and opened. Hitomi followed the noise with her eyes and to surprise she say Mr Fanel. He closed the door behind him not noticing Hitomi's looming figure that stood in the hallway.
"You're not meant to back until ten," Hitomi commented at his presence.
"Yeah, well the guys were getting pretty rowdy and one thing I've learnt is that's not a good sign for things to come," Van hung his coat and then finally took notice to Hitomi. "Oh yeah, it's the big date with Allen 'he's going to fail my class' Shezar."
"How did you know?" Hitomi asked surprised by her teacher's knowledge of her social life.
"I'm psychic," Van laughed. "No really, I read it in a note that one of the junior girls was passing, which I confiscated. It also said and I quote 'Mr Fanel is hottie.' Oh please, could you use a word that's in the Oxford dictionary."
Hitomi couldn't help but to laugh, he always knew how to lighten the mood.
"So, you're going like that?" Van asked staring at Hitomi's outfit.
"Why? What's wrong with it?" Hitomi asked in a panicked manner as she started to eye her outfit again in the mirror.
Van let out a disgruntled sigh. "You don't wear outfits like that on a first date, well unless you want to give a guy that impression."
"That impression?" Hitomi questioned slightly frightened by his words.
"You know, I'm easy and available," Van replied leaning against the railing of the stairs.
"This dress is a Prada original," Hitomi declared.
"He won't care what it is but what it is representing," Van told her firmly yet truthfully. 'And this is Allen Shezar we are talking about, here.'
Hitomi carefully thought about Mr Fanel words and then thought about her past experiences with dating. 'Oh no, he's right.'
"Darn, I don't have anything else to wear," Hitomi said in a distressed manner.
Van glanced at her for a moment, contemplating in his head if he should help her but part of him was protesting against it. 'Teachers don't get involved with student's social lives but it couldn't hurt to help.' He propelled the protests from his head and gave into the knight in shining armour within him.
"Follow me," Van instructed her as he started to walk up the stairs.
"Pardon?" Hitomi asked surprised by her teacher's words.
"You want a different outfit or not?" Van asked calmly and in a slightly exhausted manner.
"Yes," Hitomi finally responded, startled by her teacher's offering of assistance.
"Well follow me," Van simply said and lead the way.
* * *
"Do you think Naria will mind?" Hitomi asked worryingly. She didn't want to cause an upset from her borrowing an item of Naria's clothing.
"Of course not, I'm sure she'll understand the situation and as long as you return it," Van reassured her. "And it's far more appealing and less indecent then that other 'thing' you were wearing."
'Even though, I've dated some of those type of girls. Ah I was so young,' Van reminisced his high school days.
She was now wearing and knee-length, elegant blue dress that was held together by two tiny straps. She wore spaghetti strap blue heels to match it and a white arm cardigan to protect her from the cold breeze.
"Well, you did choose it," Hitomi remarked and giggled. "I'm very much appreciating your assistance, Mr Fanel."
Van was just about to speak when the doorbell interrupted them. "Shezar is here, you better not keep your date waiting."
* * *
Allen had decided to take her to the 'Claque' restaurant. It was a petite French restaurant which served exquisite food. Hitomi played with her food with her fork as her mind drifted into deep thought. Allen was too busy nattering away about football to notice that Hitomi wasn't the slightest bit intrigued.
'Mr Fanel is quite a catch; I bet he has a girlfriend.' Hitomi thought. 'Why am I thinking about Mr Fanel?' Hitomi pondered on this question. 'I don't fancy him but I do admire his intellect, that's probably it. I'm not shallow like the rest of the girls in the class who just admire his visage.'
"Hitomi, are you okay?" Allen asked noticing that her eyes had strayed to the window.
"Yes, I'm just thinking," Hitomi politely answer. "So, what were you saying?"
LW: Okay I've tamed the story overall because I want to show that Van and Hitomi are really truly madly deeply in love. Also nobody at Hitomi's school knows that Hitomi is babysitting Van's nephew and niece and Allen didn't find out. I hope you enjoy and please review it encourages a writer.