Makoto looked at Mel and smiled softly as her communicator went off. "Um I'll be right back guys." Makoto walked outside and answered her communicator. When she opened it she saw Rei's face appear. "What is it Rei? A new enemy or summin?"
"No Mako-chan I've been trying to get a hold of you all day. You weren't home and you didn't answer your cell phone. Where are you?"
Makoto smiled. "I'm at the arcade with Haruka-san, Michiru-san and Mel."
"Oh ok we'll be there in a few. Wait Mel? Who's he? A new crush?" Makoto blushed "Oh that's so great you finally found someone."
"Uh Rei Mel is-" Rei broke the connection to Makoto. Makoto sighed. "a girl." Makoto walked back into the arcade. Mel stood up so Makoto could sit down. "Well the girls are on their way."
Mel smiled softly and tucked her rainbow hair up under her backwards Yankees cap. Mel quietly drank her soda while Makoto talked to Haruka and Michiru. After about 20 minutes the other Senshi walked in. Mel got out of the booth so Makoto could say hi to her friends. Mel smiled softly as Makoto reintroduced her to Usagi and Minako. When she was introduced to Ami and Rei is when the round 1 of 20 questions started. Finally after about the 5th question straight Mel stood up from the chair she was in and looked very annoyed. She took a deep breath and set her hat on the table and let her thick rainbow hair fall. She then walked away from the group of girls. Usagi went to stand up but Makoto put her had on Usagi's shoulder and shook her head. "I'll go talk to her you guys stay here."
"I'll go with you Mako-chan, it's my fault she's mad. I owe her a major apology."
"Whatever Rei-chan."
The two girls walked outside and saw Mel leaning against her bike smoking a cig. Rei looked at her and blushed slightly. "M-Mel-chan I'm sorry. Mako-chan made it sound like she was with her latest crush and-" Rei bowed "Gomen nasai, I acted very immature."
Mel looked at Rei and walked over so she was in front of the bowing girl. Mel cupped Rei's chin in her right hand and raised the younger girls face to hers. "Don't apologize I'm jus not a 20 questions person." Mel released Rei and walked back over and leaned against her bike. "Truthfully I'm not a crowd person either, so jus ignore my shitty attitude. I mean don't get me wrong I'm not closterfobic I just don't like crowds of people." Mel finished up her cig and dropped it at her feet and snuffed it out. "Shall we go back in?"
Makoto and Rei nodded and Mel opened the door for the two girls then walked in behind them. She chuckled slightly and shook her head. Ami was keeping Usagi in the booth with Minako's help.
"Mel-chan I'm sorry if I made you mad asking questions." Usagi's deep blue eyes quivered. She looked like she would cry if Mel didn't accept her apology.
Mel nodded to Usagi. "Its ok odongo don't worry about it."
Minako saw the look on Makoto's face and looked at her confused. "Hey Mako-chan you alright? You look different."
Makoto raised her right eyebrow and looked at Minako. "Nani Mina-chan?"
"You look I don't know different. And hey where were you last night? I went to your place and you never showed. I finally went home at midnight."
Makoto blushed heavily. "You waited at my place all that time Mina-chan? Gomen nasai I went to see a soccer game with Mel, then back to her place for dinner. By the time we finished with everything it was well after 2am so I staid at Mel's."
Minako glared at her friend. "I happen to know there was no soccer game yesterday anywhere in Japan. Care to try the truth this time Mako-chan?"
Makoto blushed and stuttered a bit as she spoke. "W-w-well a-after school I spent the day at Mel's. We jammed some in her studio, I looked at her sketch book, we had dinner, played video games, well just one game but we played fer a few hours, then we watched a movie. But I did stay the night at Mel's."
"Yea she did but I slept on my couch while she got my room. Shit I'm such a bachelor the blankets are still all over cuz I didn't pick um up." Mel chuckled.
"You have a studio Mel?"
"Hai Rei-chan I do."
"Could I possibly use it to record my demo tape?"
"Yea sure. You guys wanna head up to my place then?"
"Sure where is it?"
"Corner of Tankaishi and Main. I'll wait out front for ya guys ok. Did you guys walk or drive here?"
"We all drove except Usagi she walked."
"I'll give her a ride Mel. We'll see you at your place." Haruka smiled and looked at Usagi "You ready odongo?"
The young blonde nodded and all the girls walked out of the arcade. The others watched Makoto wrap he arms around Mel as Mel pulled her bike up into a wheelie waving over her shoulder to the others then she peeled off towards her loft.
Slowly everyone arrived at Mel's building. Mel led them to her private parking garage and after they all parked they got in the elevator and went up to Mel's loft. The girls all gasped as they looked around. Mel grabbed her boa off the floor draping it around her neck wrapping its tail around her left wrist. Minako saw the snake and ran behind Makoto and stood on her tip toes and looked over the taller girls shoulder. "I-is that snake real Mel?"
"Damn straight he is. What's wrong with Bahamut? If you're afraid of him Minako-chan I'll put him back in his aquarium. How he gets out I'll never know. Make yourselves at home, the studio is jus off to your right Rei-chan." Mel disappeared into her front room and put the large snake back and secured the lid after dropping in his dinner.
Minako followed Mel into the room. When she got there she saw Mel folding blankets listing to soft music. The song Fade Into You was playing and Minako saw a small tear run down Mel's cheek. "Mel-chan are you ok? I mean I know we don't know each other well but we're friend ne?"
Mel looked at the young blonde her sky blue eyes shown with her concern. "Yea Mina-chan I'm ok." Mel wiped the tear from her cheek as the song Lady began to play. Mel frowned and picked up her CD remote and changed the song. She left the music at the same volume and sighed heavily. As more slow songs played in the background Mel looked back at Minako and smiled softly. "Are we friends Mina-chan?"
Minako walked over to Mel and smiled. "Yes you baka we are. So what's the matter?"
Mel looked at Minako and smiled softly. "Nuttin's wrong jus the music. Sappy love songs make me lonely but I'm a sucker for um." Mel chuckled nervously as she tried to read the expression on Minako's face.
Minako looked at Mel and smirked. "I know exactly what's wrong with you."
Mel's eye's got wide "Y-you do?"
"Yup. You have a MAJOR crush ok Mako-chan."
Mel blinked a few times how did she know "w-what makes you so sure I have a crush on her."
Minako took the remote from Mel's hand and turned the song up. Just as Makoto walked in. The song Crush by Mandy Moore was playing. Mel blushed heavily as she saw Makoto standing in the door way. "Mina-chan knock it off will ya yeesh." Mel snagged her remote back and quickly turned off the CD.
"Hey I like that song." Makoto chuckled causing Minako to turn as red as Mel. She mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' in Mel's direction then turned to face her friend.
"I'll have you know it's not very nice to scare the living daylights out of me like that Mako-chan. But your right it is a good song."
Mel shook off her feelings and smiled weakly at Makoto then went back to cleaning up the blankets.
Minako grabbed Makoto's arm and drug her from the room. "Hey Mako-chan who are you going to the Renaissances Fair slash masquerade ball with?"
Makoto blinked a few times and looked at Minako. "Um no one I wasn't planning on going."
"Come on Mako-chan it's a theme ball. Ask Mel to go with you."
"M-Mina-chan I just can't ask her to go to the ball with me. What makes you think either of us swing that way any ways."
"Come off it Mako-chan I seen the way you two look at each other. I'm Sailor Venus remember. Besides I've known you long enough to know when your crushin' so just ask her or I'll ask her for you."
Makoto's eyes got wide as she blushed heavily. "Mina you wouldn't dare."
Minako got a sly smile on her face. "Watch me." Minako left a stunned and speechless Makoto in the kitchen and walked back out by Mel. Making sure she spoke loud enough for Makoto to hear her. "Hey Mel-chan." Mel looked up at Minako. "Makoto is majorly shy. And being new I doubt you know about the masquerade ball at the campus tomorrow. The theme is medieval times. Well anyways Makoto is majorly shy and is crushin' big on you and she wants to know if you'll go with her."
Mel chuckled. "Shy huh. Well tomorrow is what." Mel looked at her December calendar. Her eyes got wide for a second. "It's the 5th. Hmmm well if she honestly wants me to go with her I will."
Minako giggled. "She'll be so happy you said yes. We were worried about her. Poor girl has been single so long."
"Hey slow down there Mina-chan. Am I going to a dance with her or am I marring her."
"Gomen, gomen I guess I got a lil carried away. I'll go tell Mako-chan the good news." Minako went back into the kitchen and saw Makoto standing there with a look of total shock and embarrassment on her face. "She said she would take you. Happy Birthday Mako-chan."
Makoto blushed as she remembered the last birthday she spent with Mel. "Well now I have to go buy a costume. Thanks alot Mina-chan."
Minako got a pouty look on her face. "I only want to see you happy Mako-chan. I've been worried about you. I know it's been hell on you seeing us all with someone. And if Mel will make you happy then don't worry about what everyone else will think embrace that happiness. Mako-chan you're my best friend ok I will always be here for you. You know damn well I'd never judge you, and neither would Usagi."
Makoto smiled at her friend "Thanks Mina-chan. What do you say we talk Mel and the others into going to the mall? I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs a dress for tomorrow."
"Hai lets. You work on Mel I'll work on the others."
Makoto nodded and the two girls set out on their mission.