Chapter 4: Do You Like Him?

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Rukia teased me the entire time we walked to school. She had seen Renji leaving my house last night, and apparently everyone knew that I had gone over to his house yesterday… so she had been texting Rangiku and Orihime about it and now I was dreading going to class. But, nonetheless, I had to. So, as soon as I walked in the door, Rukia forcefully pushing my begrudging self in, everyone that was already there immediately began bombarding me with questions.

"Did you guys really spend all day together?" Orihime.

"Are you and Renji dating now?" Rangiku.

"So, how far did you and Renji get?" Yumichika.

"Is it true that you guys made out in his bedroom?" Chizuru.

"Did you really take him home to your place?" Tatsuki.

"Aw, man, does this mean that you're off the market now?!" Keigo.

"Damn, can't believe Renji snagged you up, already…" Shuuhei.

"But wait! You can't be exclusive already, can you?!" Rangiku.

"Does this mean that I still have a chance?!" Keigo.

"Please, she's way outta your league!" Mizuiro.

"Will you all just shut the hell up and leave her alone?!" Ichigo walked into the room and yelled louder than anyone, silencing them all.

"Oh, Ichigo. You're here." Orihime smiled and made her way to his side. "We were just talking to Juna about how she and Renji spent yesterday together."

"Yeah, I heard…" He muttered, rolling his eyes. Then he cast a glare at everyone that had assaulted me with their questions. "You guys really need to learn to mind your own business."

I sighed, feeling relieved the Ichigo had saved me from the assaulting inquisition. I mouthed a thank you, and he gave me a nod in a return.

Orihime scratched the back of her head. "Gee, I guess your right… I didn't realize how intrusive we were all being…" The oblivious grin on her face was so sweet and innocent that I couldn't help but smile at her.

Now that everyone was too scared to speak, I was able to get through them and sit down at my desk. With a sigh, I figured I might as well clear things up… "Renji and I just went to his house to do homework… Then he walked me home and my uncle invited him to stay for dinner, so he did… that's all that happened. Homework and dinner… nothing else."

"Well that's disappointing…" Rangiku mumbled.

"Yeah, hardly viable gossip, at all…" Yumichika agreed with her.

"Yes!" Keigo shouted excitedly. "This means that I still have a shot!"

Orihime gave me a warm smile. "I think it's a cute story."

I deadpanned. It wasn't supposed to be a cute story… it was just the truth. But I forced a smile in her direction. "Thanks, Orihime."

She gave me a thumbs-up before picking up a conversation with Ichigo.

Then Rukia and Rangiku came scurrying over to my desk, cornering me and smiling like they were up to something.

"So, do you like him?" Rangiku asked.

My breath caught in my throat. But I chose to play innocent. "Who are you talking about?"

They both rolled their eyes, but Rukia was the one to answer. "Renji! Duh."

I let out a controlled breath. "Oh. Of course I like him. He's my friend."

They groaned. "No!" They complained together, and then Rangiku continued. "What we mean is… do you like him as more than a friend?"

I shrugged, focusing on my homework as I pulled it from my bag. "I haven't really thought about it."

"How could you not have thought about it?!" Rukia shouted in a whisper. "I mean, he clearly likes you."

I froze in my movements. He does? "What makes you say that?"

Rangiku waved her hand dismissively. "Please… It's all in the way he looks at you."

"Not to mention the way he acts around you. He goes out of his way to talk to you, tease you, and spend time with you." Rukia added.

What? Did he really do all of those things? And how had I not noticed? I wanted to bang my head on the desk… My uncles were right, I really was naïve.

"So?" Rangiku pressed, leaning closer toward me. "Do you like him or not?"

I bit my lip. What was I supposed to say? Ugh! Luckily, I didn't have to answer, because the bell rang and the rest of the students walked in, our teacher just behind. Everyone hurried to their desks, and I watched as Renji rushed into the room and sat beside me. He gave me a grin, but was unable to say anything as the teacher gathered our homework and then started the lecture.

I tried to pay attention… but then a crumpled up paper landed on my desk. I looked up to see Rukia sitting at her desk in front of me, but she had turned around to give me a pointed look. I sighed and unfolded the paper to read a note written in her handwriting.

Well? Do you like him or not?

I sighed as I scribbled a reply. I don't know! Can we talk about this later? I tossed it back up to her and tried to focus back on the lesson,

To my dismay, a reply came. I want to talk about it now! Do you like Renji or not?!

I groaned mentally, since groaning for real would earn me unwanted attention. Ugh! You're so annoying sometimes! Yes! Yes I like him! Okay?! I just… I don't know if he likes me… and you know I don't have much experience with this kind of thing… I was so busy trying to scrawl out my answer and explain myself properly that I didn't even notice that the teacher had snuck up on me.

"Is that a note, Miss Ukitake?" Her voice sent chills down my spine.

I looked up to meet her eyes, and they flashed menacingly through her glasses. I froze not knowing what to say. Only death himself could save me from this situation. And for the first time in my life, I considered praying for his sweet release… and even though I realized that I was being dramatic, I wanted to jump out of the window when she wrenched the crumpled paper from my hands.

"Since this seems to be so important, why don't I just read it out loud for the entire class to enjoy?" Her words were laced with venom and her eyes held a dangerous glint.

Oh, please… give me detention, suspension, even expulsion… any of it would be better than this… I plead with my eyes, but there was no mercy to be found in her gaze… so, I kept my mouth shut, and just stared down at my desk and awaited the horror.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Ochi! That note actually belongs to me. I just dropped it and Juna picked it up for me." Renji's voice broke the dreadful tension.

Why? Why would Renji be trying to save me?

"While I commemorate your efforts, Mr. Abarai, I highly doubt that you would write about whether or not you like yourself…" Mrs. Ochi actually seemed amused at Renji's attempt at saving me.

I chanced a look up and saw that Renji looked taken aback, and was even sort of blushing. And then I started blushing, too, so I just looked back down at my desk, wishing that embarrassment was enough to kill.

Mrs. Ochi sighed, then. "Well, I suppose that since this is a first offense, I'll let it go." She wadded up the piece of paper and put it in her pocket. Then she cast a glare down at me. "But I assure you, Miss Ukitake, if there is another incident, I won't be showing any mercy."

"Yes ma'am." I nodded my head, still avoiding eye contact.

I was beyond relieved when she resumed her lecture… but I still wished that I could just fade away somehow.

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When the lunch bell rang, I grabbed my bag and ran for it. But I wasn't fast enough, because I heard the teacher's voice calling out after me. With a sigh, I turned back around and stood in front of her desk, wondering what my punishment would be.

"Miss Ukitake," she began when the classroom had been emptied of students and we were completely alone, "judging from this note, I can tell that you were not the one to instigate it. And I don't expect you to tattle on your friends… I also understand how difficult it can be to enter a new school, especially after moving to a new country. It's easy to get overwhelmed by everything… so try not to be so easily influenced, okay? You're a nice young girl, and I don't want to see you getting into any trouble."

I nodded, even though I was very confused. "Yes, ma'am." I gave her a bow before walking away. "Thank you, Mrs. Ochi!" As I walked out of the room, I wondered what the hell she could have possibly meant by all of that.

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I was trying to find a place to eat lunch alone, mostly because I wanted to think about things. I had a lot of information to process… With Rangiku and Rukia telling me that Renji liked me, I was just confused now… and I wasn't sure if it was true or not, but either way, it made me unsure of how I should act around him. I had very little experience with boys. I had never held hands, or kissed, or even gone on a date with a boy… sure, I had hung out with them as friends… but never anything more than that.

"Hey." A growingly familiar voice interrupted my uncomfortable thoughts.

I looked up to see Renji smiling nervously down at me. "Hey." I smiled back up at him.

"We're all sitting over there." He pointed in the direction that the usual group had gathered.

I restrained a sigh. "Actually…" I scratched my cheek. "I kind of wanted to avoid Rukia and Rangiku…"

He gave me a surprised look, and then he laughed. "Yeah, I understand that." Then a big grin formed on his face. "Why don't just the two of us eat together today?"

I felt my eyes widening at the proposal. While I had wanted to be alone with my thoughts, I just couldn't seem to say no… or to even want to say no… "Yeah, okay."

So we found a nice spot, hidden behind a big tree, where we wouldn't be seen by our nosey, sometimes overbearing, friends. I shared my lunch with him, since it was my uncle's cooking, and he was practically drooling over it.

"So, what did Mrs. Ochi want?" He asked around a mouthful of food.

I shrugged. "To lecture me about the note."

He nodded in understanding.

"Sorry about that, by the way…" I blushed and looked down at the grass, feeling embarrassed for both him and myself.

He laughed. "Don't worry about it."

He was pretty much the last person that I wanted to talk about it with, but I really just had to know… so, I asked. "Why did you try to cover for me?"

He tugged on my hair so that I would look up at him. He was smirking at me. "Because… you just looked so damn cute… all terrified and helpless… and I couldn't help myself."

The butterflies were back and swarming relentlessly in my stomach. He leaned in, and they started to swarm faster. What was he doing? Oh, damn…

"Juna!" Rukia called out, and I jumped in surprise, turning to face the direction her voice had come from. "There you are!" She stomped over, Rangiku right beside her.

"Go away." Rangiku waved her hands at Renji in a "shooing" motion. "We need to have a girl talk."

Renji grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Jeez, you chicks are annoying."

"You're the annoying one." Rukia snapped back.

"You're the one interrupting a perfectly good lunch! And I was here first, so why don't you leave!" Renji growled, clearly annoyed.

They all started to argue, and I just sighed as I watched them. Eventually, Rukia grabbed me by the wrist and stalked away, dragging me behind her as Rangiku followed. When they had me properly alone and cornered, they started bombarding me all over again.

"So what did you write back on that note?! Do you like him or not?!" Rukia asked immediately.

I groaned. "Rukia, it's not that simple… I've never even been close to having a boyfriend. And I'm still not even sure what flirting is. I have absolutely no experience when it comes to boys…"

Rangiku was more patient on the matter. "Well, how do you feel when you're with him?"

I tilted my head as I thought about it, and I started smiling. "Well… I get all of these butterflies in my stomach when he says certain things... And when he smirks at me, my stomach flips… And I feel like I'm always blushing because he makes me so nervous… but it's a good kind of nervous… And my heart will speed up with I think about him… And… well, I dunno…"

They both nodded and spoke in unison. "You like him."