A/N::slowly comes out from hiding:: Hi everyone! I hope everyone is well this holiday season, especially with all that's been happening lately.
So...yes, I know I haven't updated in a while. But not because I've lost interest in the story-far from it. A lot's been going on in my life since my last update. I've had family members get sick who needed my attention, in the process of moving. And of course the requirements of work. But rest assured, I have not lost interest in my writing.
Anyway, you all know the copyright. Ouran High School is copyright to Bisco Hatori-no profit is being made from this story. Yasuko Chikafuji belongs to me-no using without my permission please. Avaron Saji belongs to my friend Tess LaCalme-who has generously given me permission to use her in my story. And Akira Sugawara and Shiori Fudo belongs to Casandraelf, who has also gave me permission.
Anyway, on with the long awaited chapter 9!
Yasuko stayed where she was, still staring at the still ball. She couldn't believe what had happened. It was a dream. A very bad dream. That was the only explanation. But the grass blades poking her skin, the aches throughout her body, and the light breeze of the day sending goosebumps through her skin said otherwise. This was no dream. Her defeat was real, as was the crumbling of her dreams.
She was close. So close! And she missed it!
In the back of her mind, she heard high pitched screaming and hollering, along with rapid footballs. Great. Not only did she lose, but those lazy trust fund babies were celebrating her defeat and the security of the status quo. She was still lying on her back, facing the cloudy blue sky, but she didn't need to see to know what they were doing: swarming their captain, hugging her, jumping up and down while in a huge circle. Something she had hoped to have been one day part of; or better yet, be the one people were celebrating. And now that would never happen.
So many emotions were swimming in Yasuko's body at that moment. She couldn't decide if she wanted to cry, scream, break something (or someone), or just storm off.
Or maybe she would just stay on the grass and let the world pass her by. Until her mom would find her and force her back home demanding she mop the floors or do some other damn chore. Probably while accusing her of being lazy and trying to shirk her responsibilities, and not even bother to inquire why she was in this condition.
"Need a hand?"
Yasuko slowly lifted her head up and saw Shiori kneeling before her, and arm extended. She looked at the extended hand, then back at Shiori. The brunette narrowed her eyes at the captain. She felt her blood start to boil, the strain in her body forgotten. How dare she! It was one thing to beat her at her best sport. But to further humiliate her like this?
Yasuko sat up and smacked away Shiori's hand. "I don't need your damn fake pity! I can get up myself!"
Yasuko brought her legs up closer and began to stand up. As she began to push herself off the ground, she felt her legs start to wobble, and she collapsed to the ground again. Her legs still felt like they were on fire from all the sprinting, dodging and lunging. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but Shiori gave her a better workout than she ever had back at her old school. For someone who looked so lazy, she was definitely a powerhouse. Yasuko tried to stand up again, this time using her hands to push herself up. She managed to get part of the way up before her legs gave out once again and she collapsed onto the grass once more. She balled up her fists and slammed them on the ground. Dammit! What was wrong with her body today? It couldn't have been that long since she last had a gruesome workout!
"Want to try again?"
Yasuko slowly looked up at Shiori again. She looked back, her face still indifferent, her hand still extended. She could not believe she was about to do this.
"…if it'll make you feel better."
Reluctantly, Yasuko extended her own hand out and took Shiori's hand. She blinked at how firmly she gripped back. She had a strong grip too-not to the point where she could crush it like Avaron's grip was, but still felt a strong pressure on her hand. She shouldn't have been surprised, considering the match. Yasuko slowly got to her feet as Shiori pulled her up to a standing position. Her legs still felt strained from earlier, but they didn't wobble as much. While waiting to get full footing back, Yasuko looked back at the captain.
"Congratulations on your victory," she said evenly. She already humiliated herself enough before-she wasn't going to add to it with a tantrum. "You were…tougher than I gave you credit for."
"And I you."
Shiori looked back at Yasuko blankly. In turn, Yasuko looked back at her. It looked like the captain was going to say something to her. But before anything else could be said, the rest of the team swarmed around Shiori again, hugging her while bouncing up and down. All of them had large toothy smiles plastered all over their faces as they congratulated their captain. In turn, Yasuko glowered at them. As if losing weren't humiliating enough-they were celebrating that they were going to remain sloths on a dying team. And that they wanted it that way!
One of them looked back at Yasuko-the one called Fuyuku-and smirked. Yasuko frowned at her. Everyone else was already rubbing her defeat in her face-there was nothing this brat could do that would make her feel worse. Nor was she going to give her-or anyone-the satisfaction of another meltdown.
"You best go before you humiliate yourself anymore." She waved at her, the arrogant smirk still plastered to her face. "Maybe you'll have better luck with the art club. They're always looking for more fat freaks to paint."
Yasuko felt her eye twitch, and she squeezed her stick so hard she felt it crackle in her hands. Oh how she wanted to march over to that snooty bitch and smack her across the face with the loop of her stick. Or better yet, punch her straight in the face and break her nose-and possibly her jaw-right on contact. Seeing her with a crooked nose would have been a very sweet form of revenge, and needing to have her teeth replaced would have made it all the better. Sadly, she knew it would backfire on her-probably lead to being expelled again. And no school would want to take in someone who was kicked out of two high schools in less than a year. Even if one was crazy enough, she doubted her mother would allow it and would instead make her get a job instead. The fact that she bothered letting her go further than junior high was miraculous in itself.
Instead, she just settled for glaring at the girl. In return, she shrank back, squealing as if she was about to be struck and held up her arms to shield her face.
"Not my beautiful face! I just had a facial and everything!"
Yasuko rolled her eyes, and glared at her again. "…you're not worth this shit."
With that, Yasuko turned around and walked away. She wanted to move faster, to storm off. But that would only let them know for sure they got to her, and she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. As she passed by Akira, she shoved her lacrosse stick into her hands and continued moving forward. She clenched her fists as she walked off the field, her fingers digging into her palms. As she walked, she heard squealing and cheering, and she was sure was shuffling of grass as people were jumping up and down. She dared not look back to see it, lest she lose what little thread of control she was barely hanging onto.
Don't lose it, Yasuko. Don't give these brats the satisfaction of seeing you going ballistic.
Yasuko felt her vision start to blur as her eyes watered up. She resisted the urge to wipe her face with her forearm and let them know how badly they got to her. If they saw how her defeat affected her, it would only give them more ammunition to further humiliate her. In the back of her head, she was sure she heard someone calling her name. But she ignored it-obviously more of those spoiled flakes wanted to rub her defeat in her face and make her lose what control she was barely hanging on to. That only made her walk faster, just short of a full on run. She refused to give anyone-especially the likes of them- the satisfaction of seeing her in tears; to succumb to something so…so…girly.
Yasuko slammed her fist as hard as she could on her locker door. She felt her bare knuckles sting as her skin made contact with the metal door, but she ignored the stinging as she continued punching the door until the pain finally registered in her mind and she saw speckles of blood on the door. Anger gave way to exhaustion, and she slowly unclenched her fist and dropped her arm back to her side. Full exhaustion finally hit Yasuko completely as she sank down on a nearby bench, and gripped the bench's edge as hard as she could. Almost as soon as she sat, two tears ran down each of her cheeks. She wiped her cheeks and eyes with the back of her hand, but more fell down. She tried to wipe them away, but more and more kept coming, faster than she could get to. Eventually, Yasuko gave up and just let them fall. A sob escaped her mouth as the tears fell from her eyes and down her cheeks, splattering onto her knees and thighs.
She still couldn't believe she lost. Everything she wanted, that she hoped for, it was all in her reach…and just like that, it was all gone. It wasn't just the chance to be a captain and play lacrosse that she missed out on. It was more than that. The chance to be part of a team, to be part of something where her aggressive, competitive behavior would be rewarded. Where, even if only for a little bit, be someone else than a "problem", or someone to bark orders at. What could she look forward to now? Staying on as her mother's and Yuudai's live in maid? People picking fights with her and then punishing her when she retaliates, gaslighting her for her actions?
Why was it so much to ask for to have just one thing for herself? To be a part of something that she actually liked?
"You okay?"
Yasuko quickly sat up. She quickly brought her shirt to her eyes and pressed the material as firmly as she could to stop more tears from falling and wiped her face as best she could. Bad enough she let herself go and turned into a sobbing mess-the last thing she needed was someone else to see her this way. As she smoothed out her shirt, she felt someone sit next to her. The smell of freshly cut grass, along with the faint odor of baby powder and peaches and cream, was enough to confirm who it was. She didn't feel like being around anyone right now, not even Avaron.
"That was…quite a spectacle," Avaron spoke up. "I don't think anyone was able to turn their eyes away."
"Yeah…people say my tantrums are better than a Korean soap." Yasuko hoped Avaron wouldn't talk too long. She was too tired and weary from her match and breakdown to try to fake her way through small talk.
"Not that. The match. The way you moved out there was incredible! It was like watching a ballet with sports equipment. You were so graceful with your swings, lunges and dodges."
"It doesn't matter. I lost." Yasuko sulked. "Not only did I not get to make captain, but I didn't make the team at all."
"Well, I'm sure there are other sports teams that will welcome-"
"You don't get it!" Yasuko stood up and looked at Avaron. "I LOST. In LACROSSE. The one sport I have been wanting to play since forever! And to make it worse, those other girls were CHEERING over it!" She pointed at herself. "The one thing-the ONE. THING-I wanted to do since forever. And that was taken from me! And no one cared-in fact, people were HAPPY about it!" By then, more tears were welling up in her eyes. "Once-just once-can't I have something that I want and NOT get screwed over!?"
Yasuko paused. She just lost her cool-again, and had another meltdown. Twice in less than an hour, and in front of people. What was worse, she felt herself tearing up. AGAIN. Why was it so hard to keep her damn temper and emotions in check?
Yasuko couldn't wonder about that long. Avaron, who managed to stay calm through the whole rant, stood up. She walked over and pulled her against her body. Yasuko felt the taller girl's hands press to her back as she held her in a tight hug. Her eyes widened as her body was pressed to hers. Just what was going on?
Avaron eventually released Yasuko from her arms, then looked back at her. Yasuko just stared back at her. She wasn't sure what that was about. She wasn't unfamiliar with hugs-her great aunt used to hug her whenever she could. Her mother, though distant to her now, also hugged her on occasions until her great aunt's death. Still, the last time she was genuinely hugged was a lifetime ago.
"Ava-"
"Feel better?"
Yasuko paused for a moment, and looked back at her. "…a little, yeah. But why did you hug me?"
"You looked like you needed it And I was right."
"Umm…any chance you won't tell anyone about this?" Yasuko rubbed her left arm as she looked at Avaron.
"If you mean the hug, it'll be our secret." Avaron smiled. "As for you chewing out the lacrosse girls…I can't make promises for them, but I swore the track team to secrecy."
Yasuko smiled at Avaron, but she couldn't bring herself to be completely happy. It wasn't as though she didn't appreciate her gestures and efforts-she did-but most people never bothered to put in the effort to make her feel better. Even Yuudai, the one person in her family she got along with, would only go so far. Still, it didn't make the defeat and crushing of her dreams any less bitter or painful. Sure she could try again next year, but…it would be a whole school year. And she had already gone without for so long.
Why did life always have to be so damn unfair for her?
It seemed that her distress wasn't lost on Avaron, who looked at her seriously.
"It seems that a moment like this calls for drastic measures." She paused for a moment, then looked at Yasuko. "No, we're not going to beat up the lacrosse girls for rejecting you."
"Jeez, I'm not that petty. I wasn't going to suggest that." She paused. "Maybe the girl who called me fat. A bloody, crooked nose would be a great look on her."
"Karma will get her sooner or later, but I was thinking of measures that will make you feel better now."
Avaron slipped behind Yasuko and opened her locker. She pushed aside her uniform and dug into a duffle bag stuffed inside, and pulled out a small red box. When the box was open, a sweet smell filled Yasuko's nostrils. Was she imagining things, or did she smell chocolate?
Sure enough, Avaron presented to Yasuko a box of thin biscuits cookies covered in chocolate frosting. She could already feel saliva flowing to the front of her mouth, threatening to gush out. What was it about sugar that made whatever sense and willpower she had left, grab the source and stuff it down her throat like she hadn't eaten in years?
Yasuko knew herself when it came to Pocky-she wouldn't be able to stop after just one biscuit. Snacks like these were a rarity in her home, with her mother budgeting their food down to the last soybean. No, she wouldn't stop at just one piece-she would inhale the entire box, and probably lick the inside of the wrapping to get whatever of the frosting she missed. And she doubted Avaron would be okay with her doing that. Plus, while no expert on manners, she doubted eating all of someone else's food and licking foil was polite.
Still, the chocolate smelled so good from where she was. And all that running, sliding and dodging made her so hungry….
"If you want, you can have the whole box." Avaron giggled, pointing at Yasuko's mouth. "I know you want to. I can see the evidence."
Yasuko paused, and felt the corner of her mouth. Sure enough, there was a light trickle of drool leaking out. She hastily wiped all of the evidence with her forearm, and looked away. She was sure her face was red with embarrassment. Dammit! Why was it so hard for her to hide her true self around Avaron-senpai?
"But, it wouldn't be right, to take all your Pocky." She wanted to try to maintain some dignity and propriety. Just because she wasn't high born didn't mean she could be rude.
"Who said you'd be taking all of it?" Avaron smirked.
Yasuko stared at Avaron as she watched her open her locker and pulled out her duffle bag. She set it on the bench before opening up the middle zipper and parting the sides. Yasuko blinked. Why did she want to show her under her uniform and other clothing?
"Look inside."
She leaned forward and gaped. She had expected clothes, shoes, tampons and maxis, and maybe some fancy perfume and deodorant. Instead, inside, were ten-no twenty-no, too many to count-boxes of Pocky! Not just the standard chocolate Pocky, but all sorts of flavors! Strawberry, matcha, cookies 'n cream, café au lait, even flavors she had never even heard of! She knew Avaron had a big appetite and could pack a lot of food-her three tier bento proved that. But twenty plus boxes of Pocky AND all that? There was no way someone could put away all that much food and still keep a figure like hers! Even professional athletes would need to monitor what kind of food entered their bodies. And yet she had all these boxes of snacks at her disposal, like a drug dealer having varieties of drugs to disperse to desperate customers. Even with all that, she still had that perfectly proportioned figure, no ounce of unnecessary body fat. Despite her hair all messy and the slight sweat stains under her arms and neckline, she still looked like she stepped out of a photo shoot.
She was both amazed and jealous.
"I got enough to last me up until graduation. Or at least the end of the month. Depends on how heavy my period is, and how much sugar is needed help me endure." She laughed. "Some days it's bad enough that I can down three boxes in one sitting."
Yasuko almost choked on her own spit. It was just so odd to hear someone like Avaron talk about something like that so bluntly.
"I'm all for an occasional treat, but having all that processed and artificial sweetener at your disposal cannot be good for your health. Even if you are an active athlete with a functioning metabolism."
The two girls looked back at the sound of a familiar voice. Sure enough, Shiori Fudo stood at the entryway, still clad in the lacrosse uniform. Yasuko felt a large swelling of rage building up in her, and she sucked in her mouth and clenched her fists to keep herself in check.
This woman already humiliated her, and got her banned from the one sport she had been wanting to play since she first held a lacrosse stick. What more did she want from her?
"I was hoping we could talk for a bit." Shiori approached Yasuko. "You left before I could say anything."
"You don't need to say anything." Yasuko held up her hand. Her voice was strained as she struggled to keep herself in check. "I gave it my all, but it wasn't enough. I lost, simple as that."
"True…but I didn't come here to talk about victory or defeat."
"You…didn't?"
Yasuko raised an eyebrow at Shiori. The pulsing rage she felt building up began to subside, but now she was feeling suspicious. This didn't make any sense. Rubbing a defeat or any short coming was always the high point of someone against her. Until Avaron, everyone always looked forward to a chance to reveal in defeating her in something…even if they knew she could easily break their limbs in a matter of seconds. If she had no interest in rubbing her victory in her face, then what did the captain want with her?
"You played an incredible game out there. Very impressive for someone who never played on a sports team before."
"Umm…thanks." Yasuko paused. "You were incredible too. Obviously you're captain for a reason."
"That's why I'm here."
Yasuko's jaw fell open. Did Shiori have a change of heart and decide to make her captain after all? This was a dream. It had to be a dream-why else would this be happening?
"Before you say anything, no. I'm not stepping down as Captain and giving the position to you."
And just like that, she felt her heart sink. Of course tit wouldn't work that way for her-this was her life after all. What was it with life and getting her hopes up only to crush them seconds later?
"However, having that match with you re-kindled a passion and drive I had long thought gone. It made me realize what I missed so much about lacrosse: the thrill of the game, and all the risks and mess that come with it. And I let that loss of passion spread to my team when I should have been keeping that drive along. We need more of that drive and raw, aggressive nature back in our team." Shiori paused. "We need YOU."
Yasuko felt her heart beating faster as she looked at Shiori, and felt her vision getting blurry again. She wasn't sure how to react. Just a few moments ago, all of her hopes and dreams had been destroyed right in front of her. She had been convinced that everything was going to be like it was before coming to Ouran: the angry girl who had to be kept isolated from everyone and everything. But now she was being offered a chance to be part of something.
"I'm…I'm not sure what to say." Yasuko was finally able to get her voice working.
"A yes or no will suffice," Shiori simply answered.
But then Yasuko remembered something: if something was too good to be true, then chances were it was.
"…wait. What about the others?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they made it clear from the beginning they hate me and that I don't belong on a team." She narrowed her eyes. "They cheered when I lost. Said I was the enemy." She paused. "One of them called me fat!"
"There hasn't been a match for them to observe or be part of in a long time, and they didn't know you. People always cheer for those they are most familiar with, and they've known me longer than you. It wasn't an attack on you-it's basic human nature."
Yasuko just stared at the blonde girl. If it weren't for her hair color and non-curved ears, she would have sworn she was a Vulcan. Or at least an android. Only those two could get away with being so stoic in moments like these.
"Secondly, if you're referring to Fuyuku, there's no need to worry. After you left, I cut her from the team."
"Wait…what? Why?"
"She's always presented herself with an attitude problem. Self-centered, callous, high maintenance, always acting like she's the center of the universe and that people should be lucky to be basking in her presence. It can grate on one's temper having to deal with it every day." As Shiori spoke, there was a slight irritation in her voice. Perhaps she wasn't so robotic at all. "But her behavior today was the final straw. The way she acted towards you…it was less than sportsmanlike. Being happy for a victory is one thing, but callous disrespect for someone simply for being different…that is uncalled for. We women face enough hardships in the world without antagonizing each other and destroying each other's self-esteem. There's no place for people like that on my team."
It was odd for Yasuko to hear someone say that. Ripping apart people who are different and couldn't conform to the status quo was part of school life. Hell, it was more than an expectation: it was a requirement. It was also a requirement to punish those who would dare stand up for themselves, all while branding said person to be a "menace to society". She was living proof of that.
"I doubt she took being kicked off well."
"Hardly," Shiori scoffed. "She screamed, threw a fit, threatened to have the school-and my family-sued, and threatened to have the whole team expelled and thrown in jail for-" Shiori used her fingers to make air quotes. "-ruining her life." She rolled her eyes. "That girl needs to see a therapist…and be sentenced to community service at Skid Row until graduation. Some humility would do her some good."
Yasuko snorted, but quickly covered her mouth afterwards. Too late-there were too many witnessed who heard her. But rather than saying anything, Shiori's face remained neutral. Avaron, on the other hand, couldn't help but throw her head back and let out a loud, hearty laugh, her voice echoing throughout the halls. While laughing, she wrapped one of her arms around her abdomen, the other resting behind her for support. Eventually, she ceased laughing, and wiped a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye. She looked back at the two girls, an amused smile on her face.
"Why would you suggest sending her out there?" As she spoke, her voice cracked-clearly she was trying to not to break down laughing again. "Don't the homeless have enough problems without dealing with some whiny princess who would scream and freak out over a little bit of dirt every five seconds?"
"Maybe…but apparently there are laws against dumping someone in a prison unless they're actually prisoners."
All of this felt so surreal to Yasuko. She pinched her left forearm and winced when she felt pain. Yeah, this was clearly not a dream.
"Well, glad to know karma got to her. But what about the other girls? There's no way they're gonna be happy that I was offered to be part of the team. And besides, won't they be mad that you did this without talking to them first? Especially after kicking off someone who they've known longer-and probably like?"
"I'm the captain. As we don't have a coach, I have final say in who is part of the team. If they have a problem with my decision, they can take it up with me. But I'm not about to let good talent slip past us just because of a bunch of unfounded prejudices." Shiori paused for a moment. "And Fuyuku wasn't well liked by many of the girls. They just tolerated her because of who her family is."
"Well…I doubt they're going to accept me with open arms. Not after how I acted-"
Shiori firmly clasped Yasuko's shoulder. In return, she looked up at her. When she did, her stoic, neutral expression had been replaced with a firm stare.
"First impressions can be misleading. But I know there's more to you than your temper. They will learn to see that." She paused. "I did, or we wouldn't be having this conversation. So, what do you say? Will you join the team?"
Yasuko's vision blurred once again as she felt tears forming once again. She was unable to stop staring at Shiori. So much was happening at once. Two people standing up for her without anything personal to gain by it in one day. And now it felt like her dreams were finally coming true. If she didn't feel the warmth of her tears or the slight sting on her arm from pinching herself, she would still be convinced she was still dreaming. She wanted to believe this was real-that this wasn't a trick. But life had a habit of screwing her over.
She looked at Shiori's face. She scanned her over, looking for anything to indicate this was a trick. No twitch in the mouth. Eyes stayed locked with her own. Maybe…this was for real.
"Well, when you put it that way..." Yasuko smiled. "Yes. Give me a stick and sign me up!"
"Excellent."
As if pulling it out of thin air, Shiori reached from behind her and held out a yellow jersey shirt and what looked like a pair of black bottoms. Yasuko beamed as she held out her arms, feeling the material touch the skin of her hands. The material felt so soft and cool-much different from the starchy material of her PE uniform. She placed the jersey on the bench and looked it over-a large outline of a large flower with multiple pointed petals. The petals almost looked like sharp pins protruding out from the center.
A flower as the mascot for sports? Really?
"Um, is there a reason we have a giant flower in the middle of the uniform?" Yasuko looked back at Shiori.
"It's part of our team name," Shiori answered simply. "We're called the Ouran Dahlias."
"The Ouran…Dahlias?"
They were named after some flower? Seriously? If they had to go with a plant, why not a Venus Fly Trap? At least those were deadly and would be taken seriously by competitors! She could have said it was a sea anemone and it would have worked fine! Who would be threatened by taking on a group of girls named after some…flower?
"It's a fitting name really."
Yasuko turned to look at Avaron, who smiled serenely at her. She had to have been hit on the head with something a few seconds ago or smoked something really strong; why else would she think something so stupid?
"Think about it-dahlias come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They also symbolize a lot of things: elegance, inner strength, dignity, and diversity. The name shows that you're all women of grace and refinement, but also of strength and resilience, and have a strong commitment to your teammates."
Yasuko looked back at the jersey. When Avaron put her explanation like that, it made sense. Besides, the team name and mascot shouldn't matter considering where she started from.
Even so, the flower logo looked droopy, stretched, and faded. This jersey had clearly seen better days. Yes this was a team that needed life breathed back into it. But still, they were in an elitist school, where a single desk cost more than all of her family's living room furniture combined. Surely they could afford better uniforms than this!
"I know the jerseys aren't the best right now," Shiori explained. "But perhaps with your presence, we can inspire the rest of the team to reignite their passion for this sport, and make the administration care enough to provide us with better uniforms and equipment."
Yasuko looked at her uniform again, then back at Shiori, and at the uniform once more. She held the jersey over her head and slipped it over her body, and looked back at the team captain. "Well? How does it look?"
"It fits you well if that's what you mean." Shiori looked at the bench. "Try it with the skort so I can make sure I got the measurements right."
Yasuko looked at Shiori for a moment, bewildered. She couldn't have said what she said, could she? Skirts in sports? Why not make it a requirement to wear heels while they were at it? Or cover the goal posts with pink glitter?
"I think you mispronounced it. They're called shorts. You can't run, slide, or you know…do actual sports stuff in these."
"No, it's called a skort. They're shorts, but with material covering them to look like a skirt. Or in some cases, it's a skirt with shorts underneath. They're commonly worn by women lacrosse players and tennis players. And if you've watched any of those matches, you can see them move perfectly well."
Yasuko picked up the black bottoms that came with her uniform. She unfolded the material and frowned-sure enough, it was a skirt. She was never a fan of skirts to begin with-her body was not compatible with anything designated feminine. Still, she wanted to be on the lacrosse team; had to take the good with the bad. She tugged on the material and watched it stretched. Good, at least move in this pair. She dug her hand inside, and sure enough there were shorts inside. She grabbed the hem of her shorts and slid them off, and slid each other legs inside the shorts underneath the skirt material and pulled the hem up to her waistline.
When she finished, she turned back to Shiori. At that moment, Yasuko felt embarrassed beyond belief and wanted to rip off her uniform. She felt a chill go down her bare thighs and calves. This wasn't her first time wearing shorts, but none of them ever showed so much skin. All of her gym classes had their shorts go to the knees, which suited her fine as she was always self-conscious of her height and thicker lower body. Even her uniform skirts never exposed so much of her legs and provided some coverage. But now here she was, her bare legs exposed for all the world to see. The shorts under the skirt squeezed her thighs, and felt less like shorts and more like underwear.
The more she thought about it, the more she was feeling this was a bad idea.
"W-well?"
Shiori looked at her, as if pondering what to say. Yasuko felt her breath catch in her throat. She had to be thinking the same thing-she looked like a swollen bumblebee. Dammit-this was a bad idea after all!
"The skort is definitely much too short for your build. It looks less like a skort and more like underwear. It will definitely restrict your movement for lunges and running." She paused. "It was not designed for someone with a build that goes beyond a size two."
Dejected, Yasuko grabbed the hem of her skort, hastily peeled them off and slipped her gym shorts back on. And not a moment too soon-she material of the skort was pinching her skin (seriously; another moment and she was sure the material would cut right through her skin!). Seriously-what was with life and jerking her around at every moment? She knew she was larger than other girls-no need for the universe to rub in her face every five seconds, dammit!
"We will have to talk to the administration on making sure we get funding to get better uniforms. Ones that better accommodate for all body types. Until then, you will have to stick with your gym shorts. Fortunately they're the same color as the bottoms, so you won't stick out so much. And we do not have any matches coming up yet, so we should have time to put everything together."
She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Faulty uniform aside, she was on a team. That was all that mattered.
"Come by the gym tomorrow. We'll need to discuss our strategy on obtaining funding for the team and getting new uniforms. And of course have you formally introduced to the rest of the girls." Shiori paused. "Once again, welcome aboard, Yasuko Chikafuji."
Yasuko watched as Shiori gathered the discarded skort and made her way to the other side of the locker room-likely to shower and change. She stood where she was, still dumbfounded by what had just transpired. If it weren't for the still slight sting around her legs from those tight bottoms, she would be convinced this was all a dream. She almost wanted to pinch her cheeks or slap herself-preferably someone else-just to be sure.
She almost wished that mean girl Fuyuku was there just for that moment.
"It happened. It actually happened!" Her eyes started tearing up and she leapt up in joy. "I made the lacrosse team!"
"Congratulations!" Avaron wrapped arms around Yasuko and gave her a firm hug. "I just knew things would work out! This calls for a celebration!"
"It sure does!" Yasuko grabbed one of the Pocky boxes-cookies and cream to be exact (she earned her sugar dammit!), ripped open the lid and foil wrapper and pulled out two biscuit sticks. "To dreams coming true, and the start of new beginnings!"
"And to forming new friendships!" Avaron pulled out her own Pocky biscuit sticks and crossed them with Yasuko's. "Hmmm…a thought just occurred to me."
"What's kind of thought?" Yasuko idly munched on her Pocky sticks before pulling out four more. She had no idea how hungry she was until she took her first bite. Maybe Avaron would let her grab a second box?
"A moment like this needs something more substantial than mere Pocky to celebrate." She smiled. "There's this wonderful cafe not far from Ouran that makes and sells the most delectable cakes and the most delicious tea blends. What do you say?"
The curly brunette paused in pre-chew and looked back at Avaron. A café? Judging by how fancy the area near the school was, no doubt it was one of those fancy places that had elegant décor and dishware, played classical music, served desserts and sandwiches on those layered platters that would be beautiful to look at but too small to savor the taste. All to be served in tea where the dishware was painted in elegant floral patterns, lined in gold. And it would end up costing somewhere around 5,000 to 6,000 yen-more than what she and her family spent on a week for groceries.
It was likely Avaron was going to offer to treat her-she knew of her financial standing. Still, there was a part of her wanted to scoff at eating at such a place-why pay so much money to eat something that was smaller than one's finger (even if the focus was on the tea)? It made no sense. If someone was going to spend so much money eating out, why at a place where the portions were smaller than one's own hand? Not to mention she had her pride and standards-she wouldn't feel right for Avaron treating her out to such a place and not being able to pay for her share. She was no mooch dammit! And even if she was, she was sure she wouldn't be able to get the time to go. Who knows how long she'd be out, and she needed to pick up Yuudai from his music practice and get both of them home before her mom got back.
Yet at the same time, she was imagining herself sitting at such a place, calmly sipping tea in one of those delicate cups and taking delicate nibbles on a tiny cake. In one of those elegant floral print dresses with the poofy skirts. Wearing lace gloves and elegant flats. With a large poufy hat decorated with roses-
Her eyes widened. Her-Yasuku Chikafuji, sports enthusiast, and all around hater of all things girly-fantasizing about fashion and high end parties. Good grief-she was turning into one of THEM! She almost wished she was having flashes of Kyoya Ohtori instead!
"Yasuko?"
She blinked and quickly looked back up at Avaron. She in turn looked back at her with a quizzical face. She felt her cheeks heat up, and was sure they were red. Losing her temper, turning into a blubbering mess, and spacing out for who knows how long. Why couldn't she go one day without being weird?
"Is everything alright? Your face went blank and-" She paused and smiled. "Were you worried about the cost and dress etiquette?" She pointed at her face. "Don't lie and say no to me-I'll know if you're lying and chase you down to get the truth!"
"…you're not gonna let this go are you?"
"Nope. I tend to be very stubborn about these things." She paused. "My grandmother has said that it's one of my worst traits and will make it harder for me to get and keep a husband."
"Really? No offense to your grandma, but she needs to check the calendar-this is the twenty-first century and not the feudal era." Yasuko paused. "Well, yeah the cost and clothes are part of it. But…what if I still get hungry after eating there? I'm not sure if the sandwiches and tiny pastries at those tea places will hold me o-"
"Wait…you really thought I meant one of those high end British style tea shops that serve pastries and sandwiches that are smaller than a finger?" Avaron snorted and laughed. "If I'm going to go to a tea place that costs that much, I want my sweets to fill up the entire plate!" She shook her head, laughing. "No, I have another café in mind I go to. It's actually a bakery, but they do serve delicious coffee and tea blends as well. My personal favorite is their strawberry shortcake, with a nice Darjeeling tea to wash it down. Or a latte if I need more caffeine to power me through the rest of the day. Best of all, their portions are very generous and are actually filling. Like, if have more than one someone needs to cut you out of your clothes." She smiled. "So what do you say?"
"Well…"
Yasuko looked down as she felt her stomach growl. She quickly looked back at Avaron, who just smiled at her. At least she was kind enough to not pick on her for when her body betrayed her (always) failing desire to remain composed. And she wasn't going to lie-after what happened today and yesterday, her body craved something sweet-preferably smothered in chocolate. Cake with either coffee or tea would hit the spot.
Hell why not? She earned the right to junk out today!
"Oh to hell with it-I'm in!"
"Fantastic!" Avaron smiled. "I'm not going to lie-I wanted an excuse to go there anyway. I've been craving cake for the longest time."
"So you're saying if I didn't get accepted, you'd still convince me to go?" Yasuko cocked an eyebrow.
"Sweets are perfect to have for any reason." She smiled innocently. "Enough babbling though-the longer we talk, the longer it takes for us to have our cake and eat it! Go get ready!"
"The place needs a dress code or something?"
"No, but I figured you wouldn't want to go to a bakery smelling of grass and sweat."
Yasuko blushed when she realized she was still in her sports uniform. Her sweat soaked, grass and dirt covered sports uniform. With bits of dirt and grass no doubtedly stuck on her arms, legs, and probably her hair too.
"…oh. Right. My uniform."
"It's probably not a good idea to go somewhere looking-and smelling-like you crawled out from underground." She gave her a light shove towards the shower. "Go wash up. I'll be here when you're done."
"Okay, okay. I'm going." Yasuko grabbed a towel on a nearby stand (seriously-were they in a school gym or one of those fancy sports clubs?) and made her way to one of the shower stalls.
"But don't take too long. I need my strawberry shortcake fix!"
Yasuko followed Avaron out of the locker room and towards the campus exit. Even though nothing overtly had changed-the sky was still blue and sunny, with clouds still speckled here and there-everything felt so…surreal. Like she was walking in a dream. She couldn't help but feel this way-so much had happened in less than twenty four hours. Making a friend-one who knew of her background but still accepted her and enjoyed her company, temper and low income be damned. She was so sure that she would be rejected after blurting out her mother's job. But instead, Avaron accepted her without question-even berated those who were quick to poke fun at her looks and outfit. There was a relief that she didn't have to keep up a façade with Avaron. She could be herself, at least with one person.
Not only that, but all that had happened with the lacrosse team. Just as she was ready to accept that she had been rejected and cast side-again-life threw her two more curveballs. Another person-the captain-willing to see beyond what was before her and make her one of them. If it wasn't for the slight chill of the spring air hitting her body, she would be convinced she was dreaming.
Only two days at Ouran, and already two of her goals had come true. Perhaps there was hope in her fitting in after all.
She could see it now. Running out onto the field, lacrosse stick in hand, hair tied back through her helmet while wearing her team's uniform-a better version of it. The jersey, bright and yellow, the team's insignia in black font. Athletic shorts that fit properly (she was sure she could convince Fudo-senpai that shorts were more practical than a skort), clinging to her legs without digging into her skin. Flower petals being thrown onto the field as she rushed out, the petals decorating her head and clothes.
Not only that, but the students. People screaming as she did. But not screams of terror. They would be screams of delight, of cheer. Everyone would be excited for her, cheering for her. She could see it-everyone in the stands, smiling for her as they showered her with flowers. Flowers of all colors: red, white, pink, blue, lavender.
Wait, a lavender-colored rose?
She looked up at the stands, and saw him. That familiar face. The thin glasses, black hair and eyes, and fair skin. His mouth curved in a slight smile while holding a single blue rose in his hand.
Dammit! How did that bastard work his way into her fantasies again!?
Yasuko vigorously shook her head. She needed to get him out of her mind and fast.
C'mon, Yasuko. Fantasies are supposed to be soothing, and that four-eyed prick is the OPPOSITE of that! Think of something else-ANYTHING else besides that damn Ohtori jerk!
Yasuko took a deep breath, and closed her eyes once more. This time, she was standing on a podium, wearing a red and white track suit. Two people were standing next to her, each on different podium levels. One on her right, standing at a slightly lower level than her; one of her left, even lower than herself. Colorful confetti was being showered from every direction. The roar of the crowd was deafening as they cheered Yasuko and the other competitors nearby. She smiled contently, basking in the glory.
"Congratulations to our top competitors in this year's Olympic Division for Lacrosse! Receiving our gold medal is Yasuko Chikafuji. Not only is this her first gold medal, it's her first time being in the Olympics! Talk about an amazing feat!"
She kept her face neutral as the announcer praised her accomplishments. As a professional athlete, she was to remain objective and show good sportsmanship to her fellow competitors. Which meant not showing any signs of being overjoyed, lest she appear smug and be a "bad winner". At least in front of the spectators and media.
That didn't mean she couldn't bask in the praise she was receiving.
"And now to present our Olympians with their medals-"
She bowed low to prepare herself.
"-Mr. Kyoya Ohtori!"
Yasuko felt the color drain from her face. That…that couldn't be right? It had to be some sort of cruel joke!
She lifted her head, and sure enough he was there. He looked back at her with that arrogant smirk he was known for, holding the gold medal in his hands. As he made his approach, she felt her heart racing, and her body beginning to tremble. She opened her mouth to say something-anything-but nothing would come out. No words. No screams. Nothing.
What was going on? Why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she talk? What was happening to her body?
"Congratulations."
She just stared at him as he draped the medal around her neck. Oddly, despite the material touching the bare skin of her neck, she couldn't feel it at all. She couldn't even hear the announcer or the crowd cheering for her. All she could concentrate on was Kyoya's face as placed the medal around her.
But it didn't stop there.
After placing the medal on her, one of his hands went to her face, and he pressed it against her cheek. His touch was oddly warm, despite his cool demeanor. All Yasuko could do was just stare at him, her body frozen in place. As she felt his hand caress her cheek, she saw him leaning closer to her.
As his mouth got closer to hers, she felt his warm breath on her lips. She could hear her heart beating loudly as he inched closer, her body trembling-the only movement her body capable of doing.
"G…g…"
She tried to speak, but it was no use. She couldn't form any words. Heck, she couldn't even make any sounds! She was powerless to do anything but watch him get closer.
Closer.
Closer.
"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEAD OHTORI!"
Yasuko hastily brought her patched-up book bag to her face and banged her head against it multiple times. As the interior was cushioned due to the bag's material, and the bag itself was not heavy, the impact of the banging was barely felt. She hoped if she hit herself enough times, she could forget all about Ohtori. Or at least the fantasies that don't involve breaking his bones or making him bleed.
"GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!"
As Yasuko attempted to bring the book bag to her face again, she realized her arms were not able to bring the material all the way up. Not from lack of effort; it was as if something stronger was stopping her. She opened her eyes and saw that someone had grabbed a side.
Her eyes wandered up and she saw Avaron looking at her. Yasuko froze in place, feeling the color in her skin drain and her heart stilling in her body. One moment she felt like she was on top of the world and that her life was finally going in the direction she wanted. And less than a minute later, she destroys it because of some stupid dream. She wanted to disappear at that moment; or at least run away and hide. Probably forever.
Death, if you are real, and you're here…take me right now.
"I'm not sure what's happening inside your head-" Avaron smiled at Yasuko, pointing at her forehead. "-but it's not worth the possible concussion."
Yasuko quickly hugged her book bag to her chest and looked away in haste. She could feel heat radiating from her face; she was sure she was blushing. If she wasn't losing her temper and getting into fights, she was acting out and making herself look like some sort of crazy person. Why couldn't she go one day without making an idiot of herself?
She waited for something to happen. The ground to sink below her feet and swallow her whole. A random bolt of lightning to strike her down. A random kaiju to fly out of nowhere and eat her alive. ANYTHING to take her away and relieve her from this embarrassment!
"Is there something you want to share with the audience?" Avaron paused. "And by audience I mean me."
"…I don't want to talk about it," Yasuko mumbled, pushing her hair in front of her face to hide it as best she could. "It..it's stupid."
"Any more stupid than trying to knock yourself out with a book bag?" Avaron chuckled. "C'mon, I'm sure it can't be that bad."
Yasuko felt her face heat up again as she blushed. Would Avaron understand what was going on with her? Even SHE couldn't understand why her thoughts kept wandering to Ohtori-senpai. Why did he keep making his way into her thoughts? She only met him yesterday, and he was by no means a gentleman-almost running her over and having the audacity to blame her for it. Seriously-who does that?
If men had to invade and take over her brain, why couldn't it have been chosen Mori-senpai? At least he was a courteous, and chivalrous; a rarity in men-especially those at her age. Was seeing Ohtori-senpai in her thoughts a prelude to sado-masochism for her, or something else?
"Your face is turning red. You coming down with something?" Avaron pressed a hand to her forehead. "No…everything feels normal." She brought her hand to her mouth and gasped, her lips gradually forming a smile. "Oh. My. Go-you're in love!"
"Wh-wh-what?" Yasuko backed up slightly. "No I'm not!"
"Oh you are! You totally are!" Avaron smirked. "Question is, who?"
"No one! I mean, who's there to love? I've only been at this school for two days. You're the only one I really know here."
"Trust me: when it comes to love, time is not a factor." Avaron's smirk never left her lips. "Now, who is the lucky fella?"
"I told you before: No. One." Yasuko felt her cheeks get hot as she blushed again. If she wasn't embarrassed before, she sure as hell was now.
"I can tell you're lying," Avaron taunted in a sing-song voice. "And one way or another, I'm going to get the tru-"
"YASU-CHAN!"
"GAH!"
Yasuko suddenly felt a weight on her back, and a pair of small arms and legs around her shoulders and mid back respectively. The sudden weight caused her to drop her book bag, and she flailed her arms trying to keep herself from falling lover. Her efforts were in vain as she found herself falling forward, her body rapidly getting close to the ground below.
And here comes Death now.
At least that was what she was preparing for.
As she was falling closer to the ground, the weirdest thing happened. She stopped midfall, hovering between the ground and the air.
She looked down at and noticed there was an arm wrapped around her waist. An arm draped in a blue blazer. Wait-did that mean-
"Mitskunki."
Yasuko felt her heart pause again. That deep baritone voice. The familiar combination of cloves, licorice and sandalwood. Could it be? Was it…him?
"Please don't jump on people we don't know."
"Sorry Takeshi."
The weight suddenly lifted from her shoulders, Yasuko slowly turned around. Her jaw dropped once her eyes focused on what was before her. She was right-it was him.
"M-M-M-Mori-senpai!"
Mori looked at Yasuko and smiled softly at her. When he did, she felt her heart start to beat faster, her stomach performing gymnastic maneuvers inside her, and the heat return to her face. Just how many times has that happened already? And why was her body doing this all sudden? Was she sick? Was there something in the Pocky that she was having an allergic reaction to (was she even allergic to anything)? Did the sugar in all that Pocky warp her brain and turn her into a boy crazy spaz?
"Uhh…I…er…nothing! I said nothing!"
Mori and Hani just looked back at her. The former looked back with the usual stoic stare that he was well known for. Hani, on the other hand, appeared confused. He blinked several times while looking at her, his head tilted slightly, eyebrows raised and his large eyes widened-if that was even possible. Yasuko stared back, her own face blank. Having realized at that moment what she just said, she hung her head down and slumped her body forward. Of course she had to make herself look like an even bigger ass right in front of Ouran's popular group.
Seriously-why wouldn't the ground swallow her now and put her out of her misery?
"Hello Hani-senpai." Avaron bowed her head slightly, and smiled softly at Hani. When she turned to look at Mori, her cheeks suddenly had a rosy glow to her, and she tucked a loose strand of her black hair behind her ear. "Mori-senpai."
Mori glanced at Avaron's direction, and smiled at her."Avaron."
"Forgive us-we weren't expecting to run into you. Especially out here."
"Takashi's kendo meeting just finished up and we were on our way to the Host Club." Hani's face darted between Yasuko and Avaron. "What about you two? Where you two heading to?"
"We were just on our way out to celebrate. Today is an important day for Yasuko."
"Is it your birthday already!?" Hani gasped.
"Uhh…no, nothing like that," Yasuko answered.
She just paused. Why was it so hard for her to say anything? And since when did she get nervous about anything and turn into a stuttering mess?
"Just tell them what it is silly."
Avaron gently pushed Yasuko forward. She looked at the two, and her body went completely stiff. She felt her heart beating faster, her stomach flipping inside her body. She felt her legs shaking, and she couldn't get her mouth to move. Not even make a sound. She wanted to leave right then and there, lest she embarrass herself further. But she knew she wouldn't get far-not with Avaron so close by. As athletic as she was, she was sure Avaron was even moreso.
If she wasn't tense before, she was now.
"I…err…"
"What is it, Yasu-chan?" Hani smiled while looking up at her, standing on his tiptoes and squeezing his trademark pink rabbit plushie. "What you and Ava-chan celebrating today?"
"I…that is…I got…lacrosse…"
Yasuko paused and touched her throat. Did she just make squeaking sound? What was going on with her?
"Yes, Yasu-chan?" Hani continued looking up at her, smiling. When he did, it was as if his brown eyes got even bigger, and somehow started shimmering. As if he was excited about what she was about to say.
How did those eyes get so big? Yasuko gave her head a brief shake. Focus Yasuko. You're just announcing you're on the lacrosse team. Why are you getting so damned worked up about nothing? "I…I made…I made the lacrosse te-"
"HOORAY!"
No sooner had she said the word lacrosse that Hani suddenly leaped up, gripped her shoulders, and spun around with her. Yasuko twirled rapidly as Hani spun with her, her vision blurring. She couldn't see shapes, people, anything at all. Everything was just a never-ending blurr of changing colors and shapes. Even just trying to stay standing was impossible as Hani spun her around; she felt her feet straining as they struggled to stay standing.
Even when Hani's weight was suddenly lifted off her-no doubt thanks to Mori-senpai's intervention-Yasuko couldn't stop swaying and wobbling. She felt a pair of hands-hopefully Avaron's-gripping her shoulders and firmly holding her as she stopped moving. Gradually, the blurs in her eyes morphed into coherent shapes, and she was able to see where everything and everyone was.
Didn't make the lightheadedness any easier to cope with. Hopefully that would pass too...along with the nausea forming in her stomach. Too bad she couldn't see in hindsight Hani approaching her-she would've avoided the three boxes of Pocky earlier.
"Are you alright, Yasuko?" Avaron asked as she kept her grip firm on Yasuko's shoulders.
"I'm…ask me again when the ground below me stops spinning." She rubbed her temple as the dizziness and nausea gradually ebbed, and she began to feel like her regular self again.
"Sorry, Yasu-chan."
Yasuko turned her gaze to Hani, who was being held against Mori-senpai's chest. He looked at her with his large brown eyes, pouting while holding his pink plushie close to him. She couldn't focus her gaze as she still had a slight strain in her head from the spinning, but it looked like his eyes were watering up. He wasn't about to cry was he?
"I was really happy for you, and got overexcited. I didn't mean to get you sick. I'm sorry."
Yasuko sighed. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. Not that she did-he was too sweet and adorable for words. Even if he did forget his strength. Though seriously-how could someone as small as him be so strong?
"It's alright, Hani-senpai. Just…try not to make this a habit alright?" She pushed aside some strands of hair that fell down her forehead. "Not everyone can will themselves from not getting sick after being spun like a dreidel."
"Congratulations."
Yasuko looked back to Mori-senpai. When he smiled at her, she felt her heart pause for a moment, and her stomach flip. Again. How many times in one day was her body going to act up just by thinking of a boy?
"I wanna make it up to you." Hani gasped, and a large smile formed on his face. "I know! You and Ava-chan were gonna celebrate, right? Come with us to the Host Club! You can celebrate with us!"
No sooner had Hani suggested that idea that Yasuko felt her stomach turn to lead, her heart stop, and the blood drain from her body. Her? Back at the Host Club? With the twins, and the loud blonde? And worst of all: Ohtori? If it was just Haruhi who she had to face that would be one thing-he was a decent person and treated her with respect and compassion. Tamaki…he was a walking headache, but seemed harmless enough. But to deal with the twins' lack of respecting personal boundaries, and smartass insults…she knew herself well enough that she would need to be restrained lest there be bloodshed.
And if they weren't enough, to face Ohtori again? She just couldn't. Just hearing his name was enough to make her blood boil and stomach churn. With his arrogant smirk, the scheming glint in his eyes, his smooth skin and black hair-
What the hell? Why did those weird thoughts keep jumping into her brain?
Either way, Yasuko couldn't go back there and face the Hot Club. She couldn't trust herself to stay composure. Especially if he was still there.
I can't go back there. Not yet. Probably never again.
But how to tell Hani-senpai no?
"Well? What d'ya say, Yasu-chan?"
When she looked back at him, he smiled up at her. That large smile. Those large brown eyes, glistening with anticipation. Holding his pink blush toy close to him. She felt her mouth quiver as she looked back at him, and her cheeks flush. Dammit! How could someone so much older than her be so darn cute! More importantly, how could she get herself to say no without hurting him?
"I…that is, we-"
"WE ACCEPT!"
Yasuko blinked. That wasn't her mouth that made those words. Nor was that her voice that said those two horrible words. She slowly turned her head to her side, and looked up at Avaron. The taller girl looked back at Mori-senpai and Hani-senpai, her green eyes wide and bright. She had a large smile plastered on her face-almost to the point it could rival Hani-senpai's. Yasuko just stared back at her, jaw hanging low. She couldn't have actually said that, did she?
"We accept your invitation!"
Did all that sugar in the Pocky destroy Avaron's brain and warp her short her short term memory? Did that girl forget Yasuko's last experience at the Host Club? And she wants to go back? Seriously?
"Avaron-senpai, you ca-"
"Hooray!" Hani-senpai threw his rabbit plushie in the air as he spun around, then caught it and hugged it tight. "We're gonna have so much fun!"
"But I-"
"C'mon before all the yummy cake is gone!" Hani smiled up at Yasuko. "Don't worry-we'll make sure yours is chocolate."
Yasuko felt the saliva in her mouth cultivate near her lips, and start to dribble out of the corner of her mouth. She hastily wiped the drool off her mouth with her sleeve before it could run down her chin. Damn her betraying sweet tooth! It was almost as treacherous as Avaron at that moment!
"On second thought, I gotta get Yu-"
"He can wait a couple hours." Avaron grabbed Yasuko by her hand and guided-or rather dragged-her in the direction Hani-senpai and Mori-senpai were walking in.
"W-wait!"
Yasuko tried to break free from Avaron's clutches. She tried to remove her hand from her grip and turn in the opposite direction. Alas, Avaron only continued forward, her grip ever tighter. She tried pulling away from the taller girl, but to no avail-she just kept walking forward and kept pulling Yasuko with her. She stopped moving hoping the sudden pause would work in her favor. Instead, Avaron kept walking forward, her grip as tight as ever. Yasuko ended up losing her balance from the strength of Avaron's grip, falling right on her back. Avaron merely continued on, her grip tight on Yasuko's hand. Yasuko tried to get back up, smacked Avaron's hand repeatedly with her book bag to get free. Nothing worked. It was as if she was immune to everything that was going on.
Yasuko felt her stomach sink and her blood turn cold as she was dragged off to the location of the music room. Where she would have to face the Host Club. Where she would have to see Kyoya Ohtori.
Death, I am begging you. Kill me. NOW!
