Rei sat in her classroom, stewing over her lunch. She sat alone, something she was used to considering her cold demeanor. Normally it was a refreshing break from school, a time to be alone with her thoughts, or study, or just zone out for a while. However, her thoughts were taken up not by schoolwork, but by a smack, and the sting of embarrassment she still felt. And it hadn't gone unnoticed. All day, students had been sneaking glances at her, exchanging whispers behind hands. They were undoubtedly talking about how the usually calm and collected Rei Hino was getting a little hot under the collar. That just made her increasingly angry, and the last person who she caught looking at her had received a glare so fierce they still hadn't picked their head up from their desk.
Still, nothing seemed to lessen her agitation. The feeling of being toyed wasn't something she had felt before, and it wouldn't leave her alone. Half-formed thoughts of revenge filled her head, with flashes of a certain blonde in different hazardous situations. There was Minako tripping and falling on her face. There was Minako tumbling down the stairs. Minako tied to a tree with an apple on her head as Rei drew back her bow... Rei took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it out slowly. What Minako had done probably didn't call for such harsh reprisal. Probably.
Rei turned back to her lunch, about to start in on it when the classroom door opened. While it wasn't unusual for students to come and go during lunch, Rei still felt her stomach sink, and an overwhelming sense of foreboding came over her. And true to her recent bad luck, she heard Minako's voice from the doorway.
"Ah, there she is," Minako said. When she looked up, Minako and Serena were standing in the doorway, and Minako was pointing to Makoto. Rei let out a relieved breath as the two blondes made their way over to Mako. Maybe she could get away with not interacting with the blonde for another day.
While the two girls made their way over to Makoto, Rei took the opportunity to observe Minako. Since the only class they shared was PE, she never really saw the other girl in her regular uniform. Ever since that first class, she did her best to avoid looking at Minako in the changing room. The last thing she needed was to give the blonde more opportunity to tease her. Still, she was curious about what Minako was like outside of that class.
She looked... beautiful, really, was the first word that Rei thought of. She stood tall, shoulders square and chin held high. Her gait was even, and she looked around the room with those clear blue eyes. Her smile flashed at everyone, open and friendly. A large red ribbon sat at the top of her head, holding her hair away from her face. The golden mane was straight and luxurious, and Rei couldn't help wondering if it was as soft as it looked.
Rei was shaken from her thoughts by Serena's voice. "Oh look, Ami's here! I'm going to ask her if she wants to sit with us."
Rei listened as Serena did just that, offering Ami a place with the other girls. Ami was hesitant, clearly not used to someone inviting her to join them, but agreed, and Rei listened as the group settled in and started eating. She just about let out another sigh of relief. It seemed she would be safe after all.
As the lunch period went on, Minako and the others held a lively conversation. Their seats were far enough away that Rei couldn't hear what was being said, but she could hear the laughter, and could see the movement as they got more excited. She was surprised to see even Ami getting into it; the girl who was normally quiet and reserved was laughing almost as hard as the others. It was nice to see, considering most of their classmates left Ami to her own devices. For a long time she had been left alone, both because she was naturally shy, and because her intelligence was intimidating. Rei knew many of the other students used to bully her, though it had slowed down as they grew older.
Now there she was, sharing lunch with three girls Rei never would have expected. It seemed so natural, too. The blondes were fast-talking and spirited, Makoto was loud and boisterous, and Ami, though quieter than the others, got her turns to speak. And when she did, the others listened, laughed, and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say. It was good to see that someone was extending a welcoming hand to Ami, and the fact that one of those people was Minako... well, Rei supposed, even that scoundrel could have some good points.
Rei spared a last glance at the group of girls across the room before returning to her lunch. She finished, and was just about to pull out a book for the remainder of the period when a chair was pulled up to her desk. She didn't have to look up to know who it was.
"Hey there," Minako said as she sat down.
"Aino," Rei said coolly, without looking up.
"What's with that reception?" Minako asked. "Here I thought we were teammates."
"You know what you did," Rei said.
Minako tapped a finger to her chin and made like she was thinking hard. "Hmm, nope, I can't think of anything," she said.
Rei scoffed. "Yesterday, when you- at the end of class you-" Rei couldn't quite figure out how to put what she wanted to say. "You- you know what I'm talking about."
"Well I remember we won our second game, and I congratulated you on doing so well. Nothing that really stands out."
"Not even the sexual harassment?" Rei asked sardonically.
"Hm?Oh that," Minako said with exaggerated comprehension. "That was nothing, just a congratulatory pat on the butt. We do it at volleyball all the time," Minako said.
"We weren't playing volleyball."
Minako rolled her eyes. "Everyone who plays a sport knows the butt-pat. There's nothing sexual about it, let alone harassing."
"I don't play any sports."
"If I recall correctly, you scored the winning goal yesterday," Minako said, a smug tone in her voice.
Rei resisted rolling her own eyes at the other girl. It was clear to her that Minako knew what she meant, but was willing to tease her in a circle for her own amusement.
"I can't imagine you came over hear to talk about your indiscretions," she said.
"Indiscretions? When you put it like that it sounds so dirty, much worse than it really was."
Rei gave Minako a look, and the blonde raised her hands in surrender.
"You're right," Minako said. "I didn't come over here to get yelled at over nothing."
Rei didn't fight her urge this time, and rolled her eyes at Minako's words. The other girl continued resolutely.
"I was wondering if you wanted to sit with us."
Rei let a beat go by as she considered the words.
"You, want me, to sit with you?"
"Yep," Minako said brightly.
"You, the girl who molested me yesterday?"
"If I molested you, you'd know it," Minako said with a waggle of her eyebrows. Her face dropped a moment later. "That actually sounds pretty bad, forget I said that."
"You can't help herself, can you?" Rei asked rhetorically.
"Not around pretty girls." Minako went with a wink this time.
Rei groaned and let her head drop. "No. I'm not interested in sitting with you."
"Why not?"
Rei chose not to answer.
"If it's the butt thing, I'll apologize. I'm sorry for patting your butt yesterday, even though it was in an entirely platonic way."
"Can you not call it the butt thing," Rei managed to say through gritted teeth. Just hearing that phrase from the other girl was enough to bring a blush to her face.
"The pat incident?"
"Whatever you call it, yes, that's one of the reasons I don't want to sit with you."
"What else is there?"
"The fact that you aggravate me more than anyone I've ever met."
Minako nodded slowly. "That would do it, yeah. Still, I figured it couldn't hurt to ask."
"Not you anyway," Rei muttered.
"Me and Serena might be coming over here more often for lunch, so if you ever change your mind, you're welcome to join us."
"Right," Rei said.
Minako was silent for a moment. "Are you sure you don't want to? I could tone it down a little."
"I doubt it," Rei said. "And yes, I am very sure I don't want to."
"Geeze Rei, you're so firm," Minako said as she stood.
Rei jerked her head up and narrowed her eyes at Minako. Had that been intentional?
"I guess that's the end of that conversation," Minako continued.
Rei was speechless. That little... minx, Rei knew Minako hadn't been serious about her innocence. Rei doubted there was a platonic bone in the other girl's body.
"Remember, if you change your mind..." Minako said, and with a quick wave she was off. Rei briefly saw the rest of the class shooting looks her way as well before red took over her vision. Her earlier fantasies of revenge came back in full force. She saw Minako tied to the tree again, except this time her arrow was on fire. She let go, and a savage satisfaction filled her as everything caught fire. If Minako wanted to tease her, she would have to be prepared for the reprisal.
