Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranma and Co.

Ranma ½: The College Years

By: Chrissy H.

Chapter 5

"I hate midterms!" Akane yelled pushing her chair back from the kitchen table. Her hair was all frazzled from running her hands through it too many times.

"Calm down, Akane." Ranma said as he put down his English grammar book. He got up from the couch and went over to the refrigerator to grab a drink. "Want anything?" He asked.

"No, I think I'm good for now." Akane said while putting her head on the table.

Ranma grabbed a bottle of water and walked back to the couch. "I think you're stressing yourself out too much." He put his feet up on the coffee table and leaned back. "You'll do fine. You always do."

"I won't do fine if I don't know how to answer these questions!" Akane said picking her head back up. "Crap! It's 7 o'clock! I'm supposed to meet Kai for rehearsal at 8!" Akane got up from her chair and went over to her back pack. She looked through it and finally brought up the script to her play. "I haven't even gone through the last act yet." Akane sighed and walked over to the couch only to fall back on it. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Michi wants to study for our health exam." Ranma said looking over at Akane. "I don't know why though. It shouldn't be hard."

"Oh, I bet I could think of a couple of reasons." Akane grumbled while crossing her arms across her chest.

"Well, I bet Kai just wants to kiss you. That's why he always wants to rehearse." Ranma shot back.

"Kai isn't that type of person, Ranma! Not like Michi. She's as bad as Shampoo!" Akane said her voice rising.

"I see the way he ogles you! You can't tell me he isn't after you! Though I don't know why anyone would want like a klutz of a tomboy like you!" Ranma yelled.

Akane stood up her face flushed with anger. "Well, Michi can have you, you baka! I don't care!" With that she stomped out of the living room and slammed the door once she was inside her bedroom.

That stupid pervert. Ranma no baka! Akane sat on the bed and put her face in her hands. She sobbed quietly into her hands for a minute and then wiped away the remaining tears. She looked at the clock. 7:30pm. She sighed and looked down at what she was wearing. Jeans and a light green long sleeve shirt. Good enough. Akane looked towards the door as she heard a light knock.

"Hey Akane? Look…I…umm…well, I didn't mean it. And…" Ranma's voice could be heard through the door. Akane walked over and opened it to see him with his hand behind his head blushing.

"It's fine, Ranma. I have to go now." Akane said as she walked passed him and picked up her script. "I'll see you a little after 10 like usual."

"Uh, yea, Akane" Ranma said as he walked back in to the living room. "I'm meeting Michi at her place at 8 as well. I guess I'll walk to campus with you." He grabbed his backpack and came up beside her next to the door.

"Okay Ranma. Let's go."

The couple walked to campus in silence both looking down at the ground. Finally they arrived in front of the Student Union.

"Kai and I are practicing in the auditorium tonight." Akane said softly.

"Okay. I tell ya what. I'll come by at 10 and we can walk home together. Whaddya say?" Ranma said still looking at the ground.

"Sure, that sounds good." Akane looked up at Ranma and he finally looked at her and gave her a small smile. "I'll see you at 10, then." She smiled back and turned around and started to walk towards the Union.

Ranma watched her go for a few seconds before he continued his way to the freshmen dorms. He quickly found his way to the old brick building that housed the freshmen and went up to the 3rd floor. He walked down the hall, passing the lounge where a group of students were also studying for the upcoming midterms. Soon he stopped in front of room 3129 and knocked on the door.

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"Ranma! How good to see you!" Michi said as she opened the door and stepped aside to let him in.

Ranma looked around the room and noticed how neat things were. There were two beds on each side of the room with two desks between them against the wall. The bed on the right was made and the desk next to it looked to have everything in its place. On the left, the bed was not made but not messy either. The desk had an open book on it and other books stacked on the side.

Michi closed the door behind him and walked towards her side of the room, the left side. "My roommate went home for the weekend so we won't have any disruptions." Michi said with a smile.

"Oh, uh, okay." Ranma said as he put down his bag on the floor.

"Here, why don't you sit on my bed and I'll sit at my desk and we can start studying." Michi said as she pointed to her bed.

"I think I'll just sit on the floor." Ranma said uneasily. He sat down next to his bag and started to take out his health book.

"Alright then! I'll join you down there!" Michi said as she plopped down on the floor next to him, book in hand. "Let's start at Chapter 1 and work to Chapter 4."

Ranma nodded and turned to the page. "Umm…I think we're supposed to go through nutrition in the first chapter."

"Yea, I think you're right. It starts with that table." Michi pointed at a diagram in Ranma's book and was right up against him.

"Uh, yea." Ranma said as he tried to move slightly away, uncomfortable with the contact.

Michi frowned at his reaction. Danm it. How am I supposed to kiss him if he keeps moving away! It's okay girl, you'll get him yet.

Ranma stared at his book for a moment before saying anything. "Alright, let's get this started. I'm supposed to pick up Akane at 10."

"Okay, Ranma. I tell you what. Let's quiz each other on some of the key points of the chapters. We can take turns. I'll go first." Michi then started to look through the chapter for a good question.

Slowly, the awkwardness that was so thick at the beginning of the night started to fade away and the two were talking easily. They were smiling more and Ranma didn't move away every time Michi touched him. After one particularly hard question, Michi poked him after taking too long to answer.

"Hey! Watch it!" Ranma jumped a couple of inches off the ground.

"What? Are you ticklish?" Michi inquired. She poked him again and her suspicions were confirmed. "You are!" With that, she started her attack.

"Hey! Stop it!" Ranma said trying to scramble away from her. "Don't do that." Ranma was trying really hard not too laugh but found it very hard under Michi's attack. Soon he fell over, not being able to defend himself against her.

Oh, this is too good to be true. Michi soon found herself over Ranma looking straight down into his face. This is my chance! Ever so slowly, Michi slowly lowered her lips down to Ranma's.

Ranma's eyes became as wide as saucers. Oh no! She's going to kiss me! As soon as he recovered from the shock, he quickly turned his head as she kissed his cheek.

Her eyes widened as she realized he turned his head. He quickly pushed her off of him and he got up and grabbed his bag.

"Uh, yea, I have to go." Ranma said as he put his book in his bag. He quickly looked at the clock. 9:30. Looks like I'm gonna be early.

"Ranma, listen…I can explain." Michi said blushing heavily. "I was just so wrapped up in the moment…"

"Look, Michi. I have a fiancée. I'm sorry." Ranma looked at her with pity before turning his back and walking out the door.

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Akane looked at the clock. 9:30. I'm so tired! I hope this is over soon. "I'm sorry, Kai. What did you just say?" She looked over at Kai embarrassed that she had totally tuned him out.

"Oh, I was just saying we should practice the…uh…end of Act 5 Scene 1." Kai said nervously. "We, uh, haven't, heh, done that scene yet."

"Yea, sure, okay." Akane said without even looking at her script. I hope he doesn't realize I haven't read to the end of the play yet.

"Really? Okay! You start." Kai said walking over to Akane as she flipped to the correct page.

Akane looked for the line and began. "Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado."

Kai came even closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "First kiss me, Kate, and we will."

Akane's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. Oh crap. He's going to kiss me. "Uh…uhm, what, in the, uh, midst of the street?" Akane started to try to wiggle out of his arms as she saw the next line ended with a kiss.

"What art thou ashamed of me?" Kai started to lean in for the kiss and tightened his arms around her.

"Hey, do we have to…hmpff" Akane said as she felt his lips descend upon hers. Just as she was about to push him off, she heard the last voice she wanted to hear at that very moment.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ranma's voice boomed from the back of the auditorium.

Akane and Kai jumped apart from each other at lightning speeds.

"Ranma! It's not what it looks like!" Akane said as she started to run towards him.

Ranma just looked at Akane with hurt in his eyes. Their eyes locked and he turned around and walked out of the auditorium.