The Twitching Game

by Seraph-Anaesthesia

His smirk resonated through her like cheap fluorescent lights. Her eye twitched in obvious annoyance and she yelled the only thing that had come to mind. “GurTHUNK!” VH! Ch. 1 and 2 Revised!

3. The Best Deceptions

The Twitching Game

Chapter Three: The Best Deceptions

By :SeraphAnaesthesia

I heard about your trip. I heard about your souvenirs. I heard about the cool breeze, in the cool nights, and the cool guys that you spent them with. Well I guess I should of heard of them from you. I guess I should have heard of them from you. Don't you see, don't you see that the charade is over? And all the "Best Deceptions" and the "Clever Cover Story" awards go to you. So kiss me hard, 'cause this will be the last time that I let you. You will be back someday and this awkward kiss that tells of other people's lips will be of service to keeping you away. I heard about your regrets. I heard that you were feeling sorry. I heard from someone that you wish you could set things right between us. Well, I guess I should of heard of that from you. Don't you see, don't you see that the charade is over? And all the "Best Deceptions" and the "Clever Cover Story" awards go to you. So kiss me hard, 'cause this will be the last time that I let you. You will be back someday and this awkward kiss that screams of other people's lips will be of service to keeping you away. I'm waiting for blood to flow to my fingers, I'll be all right when my hands get warm. Ignoring the phone, I'd rather say nothing. I'd rather you never heard my voice. You're calling too late, too late to be gracious and you do not arrant long good-byes. You're calling too late. You're calling too late. You're calling too late.

The Best Deceptions Copyright 2001 Dashboard Confessional

Summary: His smirk resonated through her like cheap fluorescent lights, only much lighter and more handsome. Her eye twitched in obvious annoyance and she yelled the only thing that had come to mind. "GurTHUNK!" V/H

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, or the song Screaming Infidelities By Dashboard Confessional.

Last Time On: The Twitching Game….

What's Another Word For Desperate.

Van stared at Hitomi, slightly anxious. He wasn't too scared of the first two conditions, they were easy as pie. Apple pie. "Well? What's the third condition?" Van looked hopefully at Hitomi, but not exactly happily. He seemed grateful, as if her pretending to be with him was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. It probably was... She knew that life in The Popular World was a harsh one. It may seem like he had it all... Hitomi thought that for that one brief moment, Van Fanel actually looked sincere. Not playful, not cruel, not teasing. Actually sincere. But then the instant was gone. He was back to playing the playboy, and Hitomi was snapped out of her musings. This was sarcastic, rude Van Fanel, who probably had a house the size of Hitomi's apartment building stacked on top of itself six times. And she lived in an eight floor building! This was Van Fanel. Hitomi would not fall for his deceptions... But she WOULD milk this for all it was worth. She smirked anyway. Two could play at this game.

"You have to make Amano Watanabe fall madly incredibly insanely in love with me."

Van mentally sweat dropped. 'This could be harder than I thought…'

Cerulean.

Dear Diary That Should Be Drowned, If That Is Even Possible,

Newsflash! BANG BADDA BOOM. I am on a roll... A short roll, but still a roll! Hold on a sec. (?)

WAIT. Why am I telling you to hold on? You're just a stupid book...

Nature calls. And, well, I just wanted to let you know, in case my thoughts change between here and the potty room. No complaints? ... Okay, back. While I was leisurely taking a stroll (...Not.), I decided to look at the optimistic side of life at this point. After some careful searching, I have come up with a few things that might make my outlook on life a little less harsh. 1. At least now, my Home EC project will be easier. Sort of. If that Van boy decides to cooperate. And... I can always use certain methods. 2. And I won't be teased about being single anymore, which is cool, I guess.. Alright, gimme a second, I know I had more… Wait, nevermind. I lost them. Sorry. Now, dear readers of this loathed diary, shall we list the infernally sucky parts of this arrangement? I'm cursed. I am going to be burned at stake. And if that doesn't work, the knives will. And I am also convinced that God is out to get me... But there has to a reason for all of this stuff, right? Maybe I was dropped on my head at birth. (My mother even confessed to dropping me on purpose a couple of times...) Maybe I've broken too many mirrors. (Yeah, by staring into them.) And not to mention that I AM VAN FANEL'S GIRLFRIEND. (And that's just the icing on the cake, no?)

You And I Go Way Back, Baby.

Van smirked, raised an eyebrow, and proceed to look cool and aloof. He suddenly appeared more alive, as if glad that SOMEONE was finally presenting him with a challenge. Psh? Challenge? Hitomi was perfect, why would it be a challenge? Okay, okay... We've already been through this. Mentally, the raven haired junior huffed. But of course, being Van, his outward appearance remained calm. Make Amano Watanabe fall madly incredibly insanely in love with Hitomi Kanzaki? Easier said than done, most definitely. He imagined that it was hard even being friends with this girl, but making one of the most popular guys in school (Besides himself, of course) fall for her? It wasn't that Hitomi wasn't a nice girl, (If you considered all those damn ear piercings 'nice.)it's just that she didn't seem like Amano's type, per say. The golden-haired girl was rebellious and could almost be considered... sinister, in a way. Hitomi was too smart for her own good, and a complete freak over punk rock music and writing weird things down in her little diary. Probably writing about HIM, no less. But he wasn't one to question her conditions if it would help him out in the end. Van wasn't selfish... Just self-satisfying. Hehe. Snickers, please.Van knew hehad to manage this somehow, because there was no way in hell as he going to lose a bet to Millerna, of all people. Van could handle the first condition with little to no difficulty, his reason was a good one. "Hitomi, you know Millerna Aston, correct?"

Van seemed grim as he asked the question, as if he was about to go dig up his grandmother's grave, and Heaven forbid that he ever do something like that! It would be so much easier to explain why he couldn't back down on the bet if Hitomi knew just how pushy Millerna was. Hitomi nodded in response to his question, looking a tad bit skeptical. Millerna...? Well, no wonder Van was in a pickle. She had never had to experience the ridicule of the Queen bitch Millerna, but she had seenher perform quite a few acts of injustice. Hitomi knew that if the whole girlfriend business had something to do with an evilbaby-eating monsterlike Millerna Aston, no wonder Van was losing sleep over it. "What about her, Van?" Hitomi watched her so-called 'enemy' run a hand over his face as he tried to fix his hair. It only made the black locks stick up worse. Hitomi snickered as she watched Van try in vain to make his hair stay flat in the back. He glared at her, looking much like a indignant house cat after being called fat too many times.

Hitomi blinked, before sticking her fingers in the sides of her mouth and pulling the skin under her eyes down. Van just oogled her with a dumbfounded expression, the perfect imitation of a boy in their fourth period class named Ferrin. His expression changed then, and he sort of stared off into space, no longer with a stupid look... It made her idly wonder what it was exactly that Van was thinking about. A sudden idea popped into her head, and she mentally smirked. If Van reacted the way that she thought he would... The results would be hilarious. Hitomi leaned over across the small, round table to Van, and poked him gently in the shoulder. She never broke eye contact with the young man, and she kept her expression teasing and light..

"Van, you're drooling."

Van broke his trance, a light blush staining his nose and the top part of his tan cheeks. "Say what!" He squawked and turned away, frantically wiping under his chin for the offending saliva. He searched around a bit, hoping none had fallen onto his shirt. To Van's surprise and annoyance, there was none. "Hey!" He glared at Hitomi, yelling slightly, sounding mock-offended. "I am NOT drooling, you liar! Hey, be quiet! Hitomi, that's not funny!" Hitomi broke in a giant fit of laughter, clutching at her sides as Van tried to shut her up by flicking her hard on the arm. Wow, such harsh treatment. Her laughter simply increased, and his attempts failed. "Fine, yuk it up while you still can." Van made strangling motions with his hands, still fake glaring at Hitomi. After Hitomi finally stopped hergiggle fit in a random bout of self-control, Van sighed wearily. She chuckled, "Sorry, but I just couldn't resist."

Van rolled his red-brown eyes at her childishness, but a small smile still played on his tan features. He poked her on the shoulder. This was comfortable ground... Maybe being friends with Hitomi (and having her as his pretend girlfriend.) wouldn't be so bad. "Anyway, Millerna made me a bet. She told me that I wouldn't be able to keep a girlfriend for any longer than two weeks. How dumb is that?" Van asked. Hitomi snorted at his innocent face. "Van, what's the longest relationship you've ever had with just one girl?" She didn't even have enough time to blink before he answered off-handedly, eyes staring at the ceiling. "Three days, six hours, twelve minutes, and eleven seconds." Hitomi just stared at him oddly, raising a questioning eyebrow. "My point exactly." Van scratched behind his head sheepishly. "But it seriously pissed me off! She was all, "Oh Van, you're such a player!" Yadda yadda yadda…" Van muttered something about evil demons with fake boobs, flubber, and too much free time on their hands.

Hitomi sighed lightly as Van continued to rant about leopard skin thongs, the wild throes of teenage politics, and how to open the pickle jar with nail polish remover.The whole thing couldn't really even be considered rambling, it was morelike organized ranting. 'What a goof… Millerna probably said that he is a player, because it's true. He knows it's true, he just doesn't want to admit it. He is pretty cute, though. And I can definitely imagine him shirtless…' Hitomi pulled herself from her free flowing thoughts. 'Holy Hell! I do NOT like Van Fanel.Get it? Got it? Good. Hitomi,pull yourself together... Geez.You like Amano, remember? Smart, cute, sweet, funny Amano! Not that mean, evil, selfish, mischievous, spicy, clever... Ookay. There goes that train of thought. I think I'll take the back door, please.' Hitomi snorted at the sudden turn her thoughts had taken in the span of only a few brief moments. "Hitomi, are you even listening?" A deadpan voice broke her from her 'musings.' She rolled her eyes, as if the question was completely silly. "Um…no?"

Van 'hmph'ed in frustration. "As I was SAYING, ( He sounded sooo much like a PMSing girl right then, it was frickin' hilarious.) there's a party at Millerna's house this weekend. I know that neither of us like her, but we need to go to make this relationship believable. I picked you because I wanted to surprise Millerna and show her that I can like 'conservative' girls too." Hitomi snorted and Van sweat dropped. "Okay, maybe not conservative, but I think you get my drift. Millerna will know that you're the girl I picked specifically for the bet, but you know too, so there's no way that you can lose in this situation. So will you do it? Hitomi Kanzaki, will you pretend be my girlfriend and allow me to escort you to a party this Friday night?" Van gave her a brilliant hundred-watt smile that would've had cheerleaders squealing for months on end and Hitomi found herself a little bit shocked. Regaining her (very little) composure, she grinned back. Every girl need a little excitement in her life, right? "Yes, Van, I accept your invitation." Hitomi held out her slender hand, Van's rough one coming in contact with hers as they shook. "Thank you." Van's head nearly dropped on the table in relief. "No problemo, sweetie."

Terminal.

Do you see, Diary?

Do you see what I have to put up with? He's annoying, irritating, and frustrating as hell! Okay, so he's not that frustrating... Or annoying... Or irritating, but you catch my drift! And probably for once in his entire life, he didn't say anything rude. I was kinda the mean one... But you hafta admit, that drool thing was a classic. Pure classic. But in all truths, did Van Fanel have to kiss me in the restroom? Did he have to be partnered up with me in Home EC? (With me as his darling wife, and now his darling girlfriend?) Did he have to ask me to be his girlfriend so nicely, so politely? I gam once again back at my original point: I am cursed. I, Hitomi Kanzaki, a rocker by nature and a loner my choice, member of no Pretty Girl Tea Society and cynical poet until the end, am cursed. How did I get this curse, you ask? Another statement that shall be repeating itself: The dropping of me as a baby. ( Most definitely on my head.) That would explain a lot of things... I might've broken too many mirrors, or commited mutiny in a previous life! And if anyone tries to tell me otherwise, I am going to rip off their arms and feed them to the person intravenously. Or maybe just give them a wedgie. Yeah, that sounds so much easier. I mean... Would I really want to get all bloody and stuff?

Being me is simply fantabulous, huh?

(Hold on, the microwave just beeped. Why am I telling you to hold on? Once again, I'm drawing a blank…)

A/N: Revised. Better?