Chapter 4
Kyoko: (limps into room sadly) I. Am SO. Sorry. I have left you hanging for SO long. I apologize. Please don't hate me and hit me with large objects any more. I promise to update more often on this story, but I've been on Writer's Block for a long time. (hides)
Terry: She really means it, folks. Leave her alone.
Kyoko: I do not own Batman Beyond. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence. Ja.
…
The next afternoon…
"I'm surprised you didn't get suspended for kicking Nelson's ass." I grinned softly with an eyebrow raised as we walked down the hallway to Pete's classroom.
Terry shrugged, smirking. "Yeah, well, you know how many people hate Nelson so almost everybody said he hit me first. Yaay for geeks and nerds."
I pretended to scowl. "Well excuse me, Mr. High-and-Mighty-Popular Guy! If it weren't for us "geeks and nerds", you'd still be in the eight grade!"
He swayed, a hand clutched to his chest like I'd stabbed him in the heart, a mock pout covering his face.
"Why, Max, I'd never call you a geek!"
I rolled my eyes.
"You're more of a nerd!"
"McGinnis!" I growled, raising a fist to pop him one, although the laugh bubbling out of my throat ruined the threat.
He opened the door to the classroom and Pete greeted us cheerfully. Today, he was "graced" with a light purple button up shirt, khakis, and matching purple loafers. His light golden hair was parted to the left and oiled to stay in place.
"Good evening, my darlings!" He chirped, winking at us. Terry shuddered and I fought back a giggle. Pete picked up a medium sized box and handed it to Terry.
"The white one goes to Miss Gibson and the baby blue one goes to you. Go get dressed, quickly!" He shooed us off and we retreated to the locker room.
I pushed Terry to the other side of the lockers so I could change while he protested playfully, "What? You don't trust me not to peek?"
"Nope."
I held up the white garment and recognized it as a kimono, from way back in the 1800's in Japan. Yeah, yeah, I used to watch Rurouni Kenshin when I was a kid, so what? Well, that and World History textbooks, anyway. The patterns at the bottom were waves of light blue and dark blue flowers. It would look crazy mixed with my hot pink hair, but it was pretty.
I started getting dressed.
"These look like pajamas." Terry stated matter-of-factly. I grinned.
"Maybe it's a hint."
"A hint of what?" He said flatly, suspicious. I couldn't help myself.
"He wants to sleep with you."
He came barreling from behind the lockers, face flaming indignantly.
"That's it!"
I laughed as he playfully shoved me against the locker behind me, pinning my wrists.
"Let me go, you homophobe!" I half-demanded, squirming.
"Not until you take that back."
I rolled my eyes, defeated, and pouted. "Ok, ok, I take it back."
I was suddenly aware of how close we were together. His face softened and he loosened his grip on my arms, gently trailing his fingers down my forearm.
"The kimono looks nice on you," he commented softly. I touched the front of his shirt, tracing the line of buttons down his stomach.
"But not as nifty as your p.j's." We grinned at each other. He moved forward and kissed me gently, a soft touch of lips. I opened my mouth to him and kissed him back. He pulled me into his body, arms encircling my waist.
Amidst all the joys of making out, a nagging thought poked my brain. Reluctantly, I pulled back.
He frowned slightly, eyebrows drawn together. "What's wrong?"
Actually, I wasn't sure. It was as if some part of me was like, 'Dude, this is Terry. You shouldn't be making out with your best friend just because he's available.' I took a couple of breaths and stared up at him.
"Don't you feel a little…funny?"
The question caught him off-guard. His eyebrows raised and he opened his mouth, closed it, then spoke.
"Well…a little, yeah."
I licked my lips and could still taste his mouth. I sighed.
"It's not you, it's just…maybe my 'best friend' senses are going off."
He started to speak but I put a finger to his lips, silencing him.
"It's not you, I promise but…maybe we're taking this too fast. I love being with you, don't ever doubt that but…we kind of rushed into things."
He nodded and moved back to give me some breathing space. The awkward silence was broken as Pete knocked on the door. I went out first, heart still rapidly pulsing through my body.
…
An hour later…
As the class filed out of the room, I slid off of the platform, smoothing the wrinkled cloth over my thighs and sighed, happy that it was finally over. Pete was finishing up his daily grades and Terry leaned nonchalantly against the wall, waiting for me. But I had a question at the back of my mind.
"Mr. Pete?"
He looked up at me, smiling as usual.
"Yes, dear?"
"What does posing for an art class have to do with modeling?"
He set down his grade book next to purple laptop on his desk.
"I am so glad you asked, Miss Gibson. You see, the poses you did for the class sessions were just practice for when you will be doing photo shoots later on in the week. A very large part of modeling has to do with still photos instead of just runway shows and covers. I had you do bikinis one day and long clothing the next to give you examples of different types of clothing that you will be wearing."
He then shuffled through his grade book and handed me two pieces of paper with directions on them.
"Meet me there tomorrow at six o'clock. You don't need to bring anything. And tonight, I want you to research five careers that you can go into from taking modeling classes, due tomorrow as well. You are dismissed!"
I turned and handed Terry his paper and scanned it briefly as I walked down the hallway to the dressing room.
"Oh, goody. We get to do the real thing tomorrow." Terry mumbled, his voice thick with sarcasm.
I pushed open the door to the dressing room and set down my paper, fiddling with the haori around my waist to untie it.
"Aw, you're just mad because it won't make you look manly." I teased. I heard him snort from across the room.
"Do you think it would be "manly" if I hit Mr. Petey with a chair?"
I choked back a laugh as I opened the kimono and stepped out of its skirts.
"That sounds more along the lines of homicidal."
"More like homo-cidal."
I laughed. "You are insane."
"Of course. Why else would you hang out with me?"
I snorted and almost said, "To jump your bones," but didn't. Didn't want to sound shallow. I settled for, "Insane minds think alike."
"Too true. I gotta go to Wayne's right after this so I'll see you around ten."
I buttoned my jeans and laced up my Chucks, then turned to him. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss before shouldering his duffel bag.
"I'll see you then." I said, smiling as I watched him go. I slid my own bag over my shoulder and wondered how things had changed so fast.
…
"So you're telling me that becoming a porn star is not a career drawn from modeling?"
I rolled my eyes and kept writing. "No, it's an inappropriate career drawn from modeling."
Terry pouted playfully at me and sighed, leaning his head on his hand boredly.
"Fine. Take away my fun, why don't you."
I snorted. "Please. You just want an excuse to "research" Lindsay Lohan porn."
He made a face. "Dude, she's like fifty something now. Sure, she was hot back in 2005, but now…yikes. Although she was pretty hot on that cover of Playboy in 2010…"
I rolled my eyes again. "One-track mind."
"Yep. I sure do love studying."
I laughed lightly. "Oh really?"
"You betcha. Especially if it's with you."
The last comment he added softly. I looked at him then. His smile was gentler, more genuine then the smirk that had been there before. I leaned towards him and kissed those soft lips tenderly, affectionately, and it just felt right. I couldn't resist the dopey smile that crossed my lips as I went back to writing my paper, feeling properly gooey inside. Ah, well. That's what happens when you accidentally fall in love. And I had been falling for a long time.
…
Kyoko: 00; Wow. I just realize I keep accidentally adding more of myself into Max. Sorry about that. I hope it's not taking away from the story. I hope to have next chapter up soon. Hang in there and thanks for all the support so far! Later!