AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey there! Thanks a lot for the reviews… and about THE END. I'm sorry, it wasn't THE end… it was just the end of the chapter. Sorry to confuse you I'll never do it again. Okay thanks a lot for reading this and please… review! It's really appreciated.

CRUSH

She looks like a deer caught in highlights. I would find her expression funny if it weren't because it's not funny at all. I'm starting to have a bad feeling about this.

"Ranma."

She finally says in a small voice while clutching some paper she's holding. She really looks nervous.

"Where did you got in?" I ask again curiously. She looks down. "And what's Nabiki so wind up about?" At that her head snaps up and she looks directly at me.

"You heard?" She asks a little bit panicked.

"I heard yelling."

"Didn't you heard what she was saying?"

"Am… " I think a little about it. "Congratulations?"

Akane sighs. It sounds as if she was holding her breath.

"Oh boy." She mumbles and I can't help but tilt my head in confusion. This is weird. She won't look at me. I frown.

"Is there something wrong?"

She hesitates. "No, not really. It's something…" She looks thoughtful. "…new," she ends tentatively.

"New." I repeat.

She breaths in. "I got accepted in College." She confesses awkwardly.

"Oh"

What am I supposed to say about that? Yeah… that's definitely new… I didn't even know she…

"I didn't even know you aplied."

"No one did… that's why Nabiki got mad."

Ooookay… I frown. So why didn't she…"Why didn't you tell me?" I'm confused about this. Aren't friends suppose to know this kind of stuff? Aren't Akane and I at least friends? I don't like this at all.

"I didn't even tell my dad…" she says meekly, "and, I'm telling you now."

"Okay" Nop, I don't like this… She should have told me. Why didn't she? This wasn't in my plans. I know I'm frowning and I can see her fidgeting nervously so I assume it's still my turn to talk. "Okay" I repeat slowly. I'm really out of words. "I'm sorry… but again why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want to make a fuse about it"

"A fuse? But… isn't this kind of important?"

"Well… yeah kind of."

I just stare at her… I don't understand and she should know it.

She closes her eyes looking defeated. I guess she does feel bad about not telling us sooner. "I know I should have told you…" she sits down. "I really do. I'm sorry" She finishes while covering her face with her hands.

There's a short beat while I move to sit beside her. The need to comfort her stronger than my confusion. "No… I guess it's okay." I pat her back. "It's just… I wasn't expecting…" I trail off. I had a plan. Akane in college wasn't part of it. Everything will be more difficult without having her home everyday. How am I going to cope without her here? I can't be happy with this news. I know it's good for her. I guess this is what she wants. But I'll… lose her. I'll lose her again.

I sigh and frown all at the same time. This is what she wants. She wants to study. It doesn't necessarily means she doesn't want to be with me. She doesn't know what I want. She doesn't know.

"This is important to you, right?" I ask with a small voice.

She merely nods while looking at her shoes.

This is what she wants. I can't get in her way. It wouldn't be fair for here… and maybe she's not even leaving home. College might be near. And if it's not I guess it won't be that far either. I'll visit a lot and she'll be here on weekends and holy days. And if it gets really painful I could enroll next year no matter how hard it is. Yeah… things are gonna be all right. I'll make them be all right. Yeah… I can work around this. I can be supportive. I have to be.

I realize Akane is expectantly looking at me. I bet I've been quiet quite a long time.

"Am…" I smile sheepishly. "… Congratulations. I guess?" She just looks down again and takes a few breaths.

"I should have told you sooner." She says in a small voice. "I knew you'll take it well." She is smiling but I can't help but think she also looks like crying. Well, I guess she's just really happy I'm finally being mature about something. I give her my biggest smile. I want her to know she can count with me.

"Well if it's what you want…"

"It is what I want." She nods vehemently. Her eyes are watery. I hate seeing her cry, even if it's out of happiness. Girls are weird about that. They can cry about anything.

"Then I think it's great!" I say a little bit too enthusiastic.

"Yeah." She croaks. "It's great." And then she burst into tears.

I frown worriedly. "Akane, don't cry."

But she won't stop… so I count my blessings and I hug her. I feel surprised and a little bit giddy when she not only lets me but also returns the hug.

"I'm sorry I just thought… " She mumbles against my chest. "It doesn't matter." She sobs. "I'm so stupid."

"Don't say that… the college people might hear you and don't want you anymore."

She chuckles and I smile in triumph. But then she suddenly starts wailing and I feel like an idiot. I held her closer. "Come on Akane" I try to soothe. "You know I hate see you crying… even if it's 'tears of joy' or whatever"

"Yeah… I'm sorry about this. I know you can't stand seeing girls cry." She says starting to calm down. I frown… better to set that straight.

"I hate se you crying. YOU, okay?"

She breaks the hug and looks at me then. She is beautiful even with her puffy eyes.

"Thank you Ranma… I feel better now" She says and starts to get up. I watch her leaving and when she's out of sight I turn and see a letter forgotten on the couch. It's the piece of paper she was holding when I got home. I take it and I can help but frown when I start to read it.

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"Akane" I call after finding her on her way up the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"You got into Yale?"

"She looks at me from the corner of her eye. "Yeah… I'll take drama."

So it's true… maybe, maybe I could still be wrong. "Isn't… isn't that school in America?"

She nods and then she starts leaving again. "Yeah…" She answers simply. "I'll have to move abroad."

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Boy… it's really painful when your whole world crashes around you in a second.

TO BE CONTINUED