A/N: I'm back, and boy am I sleep deprived… head rolls slightly to the side> so I thought I'd tried to make this chapter funny and light hearted, because as most of you know from the first story, things tend to get a bit depressing. So here you go. And please review.

Disclaimer: broke, broke, broke, just broke

Faith-Catherine- Thanks! I hope you like it.

Kosmic Kitty- me too, I once ran into a pole and knocked a tooth out that way feels so lame and stupid>

xkuroxhinobix- oooooooh it was kind of ominous wasn't it? Hey... most of my endings are! You have my word this one doesn't!

Being Part II of II

"It's bad to be "fond" of someone who doesn't return the feeling, but it's far worse when they seem to be "fond" of your closest friend," sighs> my own words to my confidant, my bird

Aeris could not believe her bad luck.

The class was assigned a project and Satoshi, Daisuke, and Riku were out of the room!

The boys had agreed to carry a rather large stack of textbooks to the classroom four halls over while Riku was out sick.

Who was going to be her partner?

"Aeris!" Takeshi was grinning like mad, making his way across the room and she gulped. They'd fail for sure if Takeshi and her were partners.

She looked wildly around, for someone, hell anyone, when her eyes rested on the twins. Hiro and Arima.

Hiro pushed Arima towards her, making him stumble a bit and she reached out indistinctively to steady him.

Her hand landed on his chest, right above his heart as she reached out a hand behind her so she wouldn't fall herself.

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum! Arima's heart was pounding and she could feel it through his thin shirt. Shrugging it off, he must've just been startled, she didn't notice the odd look that crossed his features.

But Takeshi, Satoshi, and Daisuke who had come back and were making their way across the room all saw it.

"W-would you like to be my partner?" Arima asked and she nodded.

"Sure."

What was with those two? Aeris frowned. Arima was colder than a fish stick while Hiro was pleasant. She couldn't help but wish that it were Hiro who had offered to be her partner; instead of Arima who looked like all he wanted to do was bolt.

"Why aren't you paring up with your twin?" Satoshi asked coldly, not liking the situation one bit.

Before Arima could answer, Aeris doubted he had an answer after all, she spoke up. "Why can't he be my partner Satoshi?" She did not like the way he treated Arima, even if he wasn't the nicest guy around.

Satoshi looked like he was ready to reply, but Takeshi elbowed him in the gut fast. "No reason, but you know, you two being together and Riku not being here…" Takeshi trailed off. "I'll partner with him Aeris, c'mon Satoshi."

The surprised looks on everyone's faces didn't stop Takeshi from dragging Satoshi away. "Man that is not how you handle things."

"What are you talking about?" Satoshi demanded.

"Now, you don't have to worry about the project for a while, since we'll have testing shortly. I just wanted to make sure everyone had partners." The teacher interrupted their conversation.

At least Aeris wouldn't be partnering with Arima for a little while.

"If you act like that, all you'll accomplish is getting her mad at you." Takeshi muttered out of the corner of his mouth, Aeris was watching the two as avidly as the teacher.

"Hn." Maybe Takeshi wasn't such an idiot after all.

"You think he likes her?" Satoshi passed the basketball to Daisuke who bit his lip and made the shot, missing by a foot.

"From what I hear-"

"From Riku." Takeshi clarified over his shoulder, stealing the ball and dribbling it down the middle towards the basket.

"It would seem to be the other way around. It doesn't make since, Hiro is nicer to her." Daisuke threw up his arms to block Takeshi's shot.

"Maybe he just doesn't know how to deal with girls." Masahiro offered, Takeshi passing the ball to him and making the shot. "Ha. Our point." He wiped the sweat from his brow and held the ball under his arm. "Look Satoshi, Aeris is a great girl. It shouldn't be a surprise that a guy likes her. You'd think you'd be used to it."

Masahiro cocked his head to the left where a couple courts over, the girls were playing and a lot of guys weren't just watching them play. He passed Satoshi the ball with a meaningful look.

"I know that. But she defended him in class earlier." Satoshi made the basket from halfway down the court.

Takeshi rolled his eyes and snagged the ball. "Your right Satoshi. Let's hang her in the courtyard for her act of terrible treason. Truly heinous."

Satoshi stuck out his foot and watched with satisfaction as Takeshi hit the floor face first.

"Our point."

Aeris blinked in surprise and gently bent down and swept the roses off of her porch into her arms. Black roses, again.

She held them in her arms, remembering the last time she'd received them and shuddered.

Aeris had forgotten all about the roses, she'd been too busy being poisoned, and once that was over she'd been too busy trying not to get killed.

"Got yourself a secret admirer?"

She spun around, startled at first to hear his voice, but then smiling. "How are you, police commissioner?"

Satoshi's adopted dad smiled at her and stepped closer. "Fine, so who is it?"

Aeris quirked her eyebrow, "How do you know it's not from Satoshi?"

"Well for one, he would know what your favorite flower is by now and I doubt black roses are it, and I also doubt he'd leave them for you to find with no note instead of just giving them to you himself." He smirked. "I am the police commissioner for a reason."

Aeris resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I don't know… aren't black roses bad luck?"

He shrugged, "I'd assume. Maybe instead of an admirer you have a stalker."

"Gee, how great."

"Don't knock it, they're usually more exciting." He walked away, waving while facing the other way.

He watched her go inside with the roses and sighed. It was too close; he'd only just turned down the alley when she'd shown up.

Checking his watch he started to run, his brother would notice if he was too late and get suspicious.

Riku opened the door and sneezed right into Daisuke's surprised face.

"Oh Daisuke, I'm sorry!" She sneezed again into her elbow while handing him a tissue.

"It's okay Riku, I just stopped by to see how you were feeling." He smiled at her and she almost melted on the doorstep.

He was just so good.

Satoshi watched Aeris out of the corner of his eye. They were watching a mystery movie together, and he'd already realized it was the butler so he really saw no point in watching the rest.

Aeris however was watching it, fascinated. So he had the perfect opportunity to watch her without being noticed.

Her long hair was loose for once and flowed down her back and onto the sofa in a silk puddle behind her.

One of the things he liked about her was she didn't mind it if he was quiet, she seemed to actually enjoy it like he did.

He liked everything about her, the way her eyes would light up when she saw him, her voice, her soothing calm she radiated when they were both quiet, the list just went on and on.

Tentatively he reached out and drew her against him, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her smile against his chest.