Desperate For Attention

Chapter Five – A Run in the Rain

Disclaimer – I don't own Eyeshield 21 because I didn't write the story or draw it. That would be cool though.

It was hard avoiding Shin at school, football practice, and football games, but she managed to do it somehow. It was easy because she knew that Shin simply didn't care. Aya knew Sakuraba cared, but he wasn't at school and when he came back he tried to talk to her, but she coldly refused him.

It was a cold, grey, drizzly Sunday morning and Aya was at home in a Ojo jersey and jeans. She didn't feel like hanging out with her friends. They were annoying girly girls who did not have any interest in sports except the boys playing it. Her heart felt cold and empty, but she did not regret what she had done. She had fallen out of love with Sakuraba as fast as she had fallen in love with him.

Aya was snapped back into reality by her father yelling, "Aya! Take the trash out!"

"Ok, ok…" She replied and sighed. She was having a really fun weekend. Aya lifted the bag out of the trash can and lugged it outside. The rain was pouring hard now and she wished she had put on her jacket. She shoved it into the bigger trash can and sat down on a stone bench nearby. She raised her head to the sky and closed her eyes. It felt like the rain was washing her guilt away.

All of a sudden Aya had a urge to run. To run as hard and far as she could. She stood up and took off. She was also pretty fast, but she had never gotten her time recorded because she was only team manager.

She ran for hours, or that's what it seemed like to her. Aya stopped to rest against a wall and panted heavily. Her hands felt numb and she felt like she might barf any second. But she needed to keep going.

"Aya?"

She looked up and she saw a person wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled over their head. They pulled the hood back and she saw to her horror that it was Shin.

"It's really pouring. You could catch some kind of cold."

She tried to catch her breath so she could speak, but she was so tired.

"Sakuraba just called me. Apparently, he doesn't know where you are."

When her brain started functioning again she tried to get away. He grabbed her sleeve and pulled her back. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Torunsomemore." She mumbled. (Translation: To run some more.)

"Funny. I'm taking you home. You're going to hurt yourself."

"Nogoaway!" Aya screamed while still trying to speak properly. She wiggled out of his grasp and tried to escape again, but he was on to her this time.

"Stop. I'm being serious."

"Welliamtoo." She said slurring her words. She tried to break free, but he was too strong. "Lemmego! Lemm-" She collapsed and Shin tried to hold her up.

"Hey…..Aya. Come on this isn't funny. A-Aya?" She tried to keep her eyelids open, but they were so heavy. They sank lower and lower as Shin freaked out.

"Aya? Please stay awake."
And the world went black.

…………………………………………………………………………………

Aya was standing on a football field. She realized she was in a uniform and that she was playing on one of the teams. "Hut! Hut! Hike!" The play started and the quarterback threw it to her. She stretched her arms out to catch it, but all of a sudden the ball was gigantic. She looked around and she was in dark hallway. She looked at the football again and it had a mouth full of fangs now. Aya ran away, but the ball chased her. The football was getting closer and closer. It was going to eat her……….

"No! I don't wanna get eaten!" She shrieked and sat up. Huh?, she thought, Where am I?She looked around and she was in a plain room that was neat and organized. A few football posters, a desk with a computer, and a bookshelf full of manga occupied the room. Wait, what's going on? She got up from the bed with blue sheets, comfy blue sheets she might add, and walked down the flight of stairs in front of her. "Hello?" She called and walked into a nice room that looked like it was decorated by an interior designer. "I'm in here." A voice called and she followed the sound of the voice to the kitchen. Shin was standing at the stove making tea. Suddenly, her memories of everything that had happened came crashing down at once into her head. "Oh…." She managed to squeak out and sat down at the kitchen table. "So um, thanks for, like, saving me."

"You have to try to be less careless."

"I know, I wasn't thinking."

He took the pot off the stove and poured it into two white porcelain cups and added tea bags. "Sorry, I don't know how to make the real stuff."

"Um, that's ok." ,She said, "I mean, at least it's hot."

Shin stirred his tea with his spoon and stared at it.

"So, you live here?'

"Yeah."

"Where are your parents?"

"Dad's out of town on a business trip."

"Um, what about your mom?"

Shin was silent for a minute and finally answered, "My mom died when I was little."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry." She felt like a horrible person for bringing that up. But it wasn't like she knew right?

"Don't say that. I hate it when people say that. I barely knew her anyway."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't have a mom either."

Shin picked up his cup and took a sip, "We have something in common. Wow."

Aya wasn't that slow. She knew he was being sarcastic. "Well, sorry. I really don't. I never even knew her!"

"Ok. I get the picture."

Now Aya was feeling a bit annoyed. So this is Shin's house, she thought and looked around. Then she remembered something and giggled. Shin collects manga! That's the funniest thing I ever heard!

Shin heard her and gave her a puzzled look. She tried to cover her mouth and gasped out, "You collect manga? Isn't that for like, little kids or something?"

"Yeah, so what?"

Aya was irritated at how the dude never showed any emotion. He wasn't embarrassed or anything like a real person should be.

"Never mind. You're no fun to tease."

"Yeah, I get that a lot. I guess I'm weird like that."

"That's for sure."

Silence came over them again.

Then, for some reason Aya was curious about something. Something she hadn't gotten out of her mind since the day they had met. She put her cup down and said, "Shin?"

"What."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"What did Sakuraba tell you that day to make you eat lunch with us?"

"It's a secret."

"No. Really, tell me."

"It's none of your business."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because Sakuraba told me that you had made a bet, but he wouldn't tell me what he said to make you smile which is really rare."

"You really want to know?"

"Yes. I REALLY want to know."

"He, uh…, told me about you." Shin took another sip again because he seemed to be hiding the fact that his face was red.

"Ha ha. Funny Shin." Aya said, but she knew he was probably telling the truth. "I'm just joking, but I'm not telling you what he said."

"Arrggghhh. You're so difficult."

Aya suddenly realized that they joking around. Like they were old buddies or something. And then she also realized something else. Something so horrible she couldn't explain it:

!.)She thinks her worst enemy has a crush on her.

2.)And she thinks she likes him back.

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Ha! A cliffhanger! What are you going to do now! Review! Thankies to my reviewers and Magical Girl Pretty Sammy-Chan.