Author's note: Harlo! I'm backkkkkkkk! Did ya miss me? I know you guys have been waiting so long so I shall not waste your precious time anymore.
Special thanks to my wonderful reviewers: lilactouch, Beyblade-gal, Toboe-Angel, xCrystalx, moonlit sea, Armith-Greenleaf, SUGARHIGHSWEETYUMMM, Hikari, Blackdranzergurl, observaant-not mean, Blackraven-ying, moonlight kitten, Mystic Black Phoenix, Shitza, puppalupp2008 and to those who read but don't review!
Chapter 11
"You were the first boy I ever kissed." she confessed to him the following week while they strolled down the hallways of the school side by side. He was carrying her books for her in that sweet boyfriend way and he glanced at her as if surprise to hear this bit of information.
"You're kidding." he said.
She smiled, noticing the expression on his face. "Nope. Not kidding. I'm serious, Kai. You're."
"Could have fooled me." he said, a small smile tugging its way across his handsome face. "You're a very good kisser."
A faint tingle of red appeared on her cheeks. Smiling shyly, she glanced aside, not noticing the stares they got from passing students. People tend to stare especially if they knew of Kai's Ice Prince reputation.
Kai on the other hand, noticed but didn't care. Let people think what they want. He didn't give a damn. For once, something in his life was perfect or close to perfect as perfect could get and he wasn't going to let rumors of the Ice Prince falling in love -which are basically true- bother him.
"Kai? Hello? Earth to Kai?"
"Huh?" caught between thoughts, he glanced at Jade, realizing she must have said something and he had not heard what she said. "Yeah?"
Most girls would have made a huge fuss over their boyfriends not listening to them and yadda, yadda, yadda...but Jade merely smiled and tilted her head at the poster pinned on the bulletin board. "I asked if you're going for the Annual Autumn dance." she repeated.
He gave her a lazy smile. "Are you?"
As innocent as she may seem, there were moments she could be as mischievous as he. Now was one of those moments. "I don't know..." she said slowly, pretending to ponder over the idea. "I mean...seeing as I don't have a date..."
"Well, you do now." he said, leaning in.
Noticing their lips drawing closer to each other, she allowed a coy smile equal to the one he had given her. "Kai, people are looking."
"Let them." he said easily. His lips met hers. A soft moan rosed from her slender throat. Kai knew as many times as he could kiss her, he'll never grow weary of the taste of her lips against his or the sensation she sent reeling through him. Her lips were filled with untried innocence, so fresh and warm. Just like her.
Reluctantly he pulled away, giving them both air to breath. She surprised him when she said breathlessly yet with a hint of amusement.
"I never get tired of that."
Kai laughed which resulted in more stares thrown their way. The Ice Prince laughing was another unusual thing to be behold. But he didn't care. Just when he thought he had her figured out, Jade had to throw another pleasant surprise his way. He loved her even more for it.
"Which reminds me." she added thoughtfully. "Halloween is coming soon. I was thinking of doing something for the children at the orphanage. What do you think, Kai?"
"Sound great." he said. "What do you have in mind?"
"Hm...I was thinking of having a small Halloween party for the children and take them trick-or-treating." she explained with a hint of excitement in her eyes.
"But the problem is you need people, volunteers to pull this off." he pointed out. "Where do you think we can get that kind of help?"
She smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry. Have faith. We'll think of something."
"I hope so." he muttered.
Jade sighed. "According to Mrs. Mason, she's the caretaker of the orphanage, last year the children barely got anything for Christmas and I would like to do something for them this year."
"Don't you have a class to run for?" he reminded her gently.
She grimaced, looking at her watch and sighed. "Yeah, I do. Unfortunately. Guess I'll see you after school?"
He answered that with a quick kiss to her lips and nodded. Jade grabbed her books from him and hurried off, leaving Kai to ponder over her problem. How on earth was he, the Ice Prince, the most antisocial guy in school ever going to find people to help out?
His hand grasped the pendent around his neck. Have faith. I'll think of something...
"It's definitely the end of the world." a very familiar and annoying voice remarked.
Kai groaned inwardly, considering between walking away or facing the red-head. Some moronic part of him chose the latter. Sighing, he turned and faced the other boy. Tala whistled lowly.
"You and Jade?" he asked.
Kai nodded tiredly.
He whistled again, shaking his head slowly. "How?"
"It just happened." he shrugged.
"What did happen?" Tala asked curiously. "I thought you both hated each other's guts."
"I never said that." Kai said defensively. "I can't explain it. I just….I guess I just fell in love with her."
"Bout time." Tala muttered almost to himself.
Kai's eyes narrowed. "What's that suppose to mean?"
Tala shrugged carelessly. "I have never seen you act the way you acted when you're around her. Usually, you would brush off any other girl but you didn't do that to her."
"You're delusional." Kai retorted.
"Must be." Tala agreed but he was grinning from ear to ear. "Anybody can see that both of you are into each other."
"Since when?"
"Since the play." the red-head answered. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Must be the kiss."
Kai growled. "Give me a break."
Tala's face lost its playfulness, growing serious. "Take care of her, Kai."
"I plan to." Kai muttered. "She deserves more good things in her life and I'm going to give her that."
Tala studied him for a moment and said with a slight smile "You've changed."
Kai wondered what he meant. But before he could ask, Tala said cheerily. "So are you going to enlighten me on your first date with her?"
Kai rolled his eyes at him and turned to leave when an idea occurred. He glanced back at the boy who was just starting to fall into step behind him. "Tala, are you free on Halloween?"
"I don't believe it."
Jade tilted her head at Tyson as she stared at him across the cafeteria table. "What?"
Tyson stuffed a spoonful of unidentified cafeteria glop that supposedly passed as food into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Those rumors that has been going around. About you and Mr. Ice Prince together. Just for your information, I don't believe it."
"But Tyson-." she tried to cut in but he cut her off.
"Pay no attention to those cruel rumors, Jade. They're just meant to hurt you." he went on. "Don't worry. I, as your friend, will always believe you and that you'll never go out with that Sourpuss."
She waited until he was done before she attempted to speak again. "Are you done yet? Sorry, Tyson but I'm afraid those rumors are true."
It took awhile for the news to register in Tyson's food-witted brain and when it did, he nearly choked on the salami he was chewing. "What? I'm sorry but I just thought I heard you say you and Kai are together? I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
She shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "Say what you want, Tyson but that's the truth."
"It's completely unheard of." the navy-haired boy said between mouthfuls. "The Ice Prince going steady with someone…Hm, Hilary isn't going to be happy." he said in a sing-along way.
"Why?"
As if in answer to her question, Hilary's voice boomed across the cafeteria. "JADE ANNE SUMMERS!"
"Yikes." Tyson muttered, grabbing his tray of food." I am outta here."
He bolted leaving Jade to face the raging brunette as Hilary stormed over to the table with Mariah and Mariam at her heels, trying in vain to calm her down. Mariam was making 'get the hell out of there' gestures at Jade behind Hilary's back but Jade calmly sat there, a perfect picture of serene ready to face the wrath of Storm Hilary.
"Hey, Hil."
Hilary planted her hands on her hips, placing herself firmly in front of Jade. "Don't 'hey, Hil' me. You're in serious trouble, young lady."
"What did I do?" Jade asked feigning confusion and innocence.
"Don't give me that!" Hilary pouted. "Why didn't you tell me that you and Kai were going out? I thought I was your bestfriend?"
"You're my bestfriend." Jade said.
"Nice to know. Back to the point." Hilary sank into the chair that previously belonged to Tyson. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Jade glanced at Mariah who shrugged in return. "She's just pissed that she wasn't the first to hear bout you and Kai. It's all over the school."
"Oh." was all the girl in question could say.
Mariam leaned in, an evil glint in her eyes. "So are you going to tell us what happened between you and Kai?"
Jade shrugged. "It just happened. God willing."
Hilary groaned, rolling her eyes upwards. "That's what they all say." she snapped her fingers. "Details, girl. We want details."
"Like what?"
"When did you realize you were in love with him?" Mariam asked.
"Um…."
Jade never got the chance to answer because just then a cool voice broke in. "Since the annual school play."
They looked up and Mariah blushed. "Hi, Ray."
"Hey, ladies." a shorter blonde kid poked his head out from behind the Chinese boy and waved.
"Hey, Max." Mariam grinned.
Hilary's eyes narrowed at the taller of the two boys. "Since the annual school play?" she turned to her friend who was quietly sitting across her. "Is that true, Jade?"
Jade bit her lips, staring at the floor. "Um…"
Apparently Hilary took that as a 'yes' and that sent her off the edge. "YOU'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH THAT GUY SINCE THE SCHOOL PLAY AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!"
"Because I knew you would probably react like this." Jade told her defensively.
"Let me worry about my reaction." Hilary said. "Now where was I? Oh, yes. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME! I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BESTFRIEND! WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE! A NOBODY? Don't answer that." she warned Mariam when she started to open her mouth to say something. A thought occurred and she whirled in her seat to face Ray. "And how did you know?"
Ray grinned. "Well, technically the best seat in the house is on the stage and that was where I was standing during the whole thing. Even a blind man could see how those two were into each other."
Jade blushed as she remembered the kiss she and Kai first shared on stage in front of everybody. How could she forget it?
Hilary made a face. "I think I'm gonna be sick."
Jade took the opportunity to change the subject and regarded the two boys with a smile. "So, guys, are you going for the Autumn Dance?"
Ray turned various shades of red and shrugged. His eyes seem to roam the cafeteria room. "I don't know. I mean...I don't have a date yet."
"That's great!" Jade exclaimed joyfully. "Neither does Mariah. Maybe you two could go together."
Mariam caught on fast, smiling sweetly. "Yeah. That's a great idea, Jade. What do you think, Mariah?"
The pink-haired girl was blushing furiously as she shifted uneasily in her seat. "Oh, I don't know... I am in...you know, I mean if you want to."
"I do if you want to." he told her.
"I do." she said a little too quickly and gulped nervously. "If you want to..."
Ray opened his mouth to speak but Max stopped him. "And the judges accepts that as a 'yes,'" he joked, breaking the tension as only he could.
Jade was impressed with herself. Mariah and Ray did look great together and it was no big secret that they both had a crush on each other since...well, since God knows when. But like all human, they were just too damn shy to admit their feelings. With that settled, she glanced at a grinning Max.
"What about you, Max?" she questioned.
The blonde kid shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I was thinking of asking..."his baby blue eyes turned to the blue-haired girl and he smiled mischievously. "Mariam."
Mariam pretended to swoon. "I would be delighted, Maxie. Sure I'll be your date."
"Awesome." Max said and shot Ray a look that said 'see how easy it is,'
Ray rolled his eyes at his friend.
Hilary pouted, crossing her arms in front of her. "This is just great. Now everybody has a date and I'm all alone."
"Oh, don't worry, Hil." Mariam offered kindly. "I'm sure Tyson will find courage to ask you out soon."
Hilary's face twisted up until it was comical. "Ewwwww." she declared. "I rather kiss a Gila lizard!"
As everyone broke into laughter, Mariam said dryly. "Right. Evidently you never have kissed a Gila lizard."
Hilary growled at her. "Shut up."