Disclaimer: Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya. This story's plot belongs to me. :)

Chapter Two

Tohru lay in her bed thinking about today's events. She had abruptly fled into the kitchen after Kyo and Yuki had come out to greet her upon her arrival home. Both offered to help her prepare dinner but she could only shake her head feverishly since words were lost as soon as she looked at him.

Oh kami-sama. The thought of him made her heart rate speed up. She could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. Desperately, she tried to quell the feeling. She could not afford to have a crush right now. Graduation was so close and she needed to focus all her energy on school work and her part-time job. Her focus was ruined when she spent all day thinking about…that person. She moaned slightly into her pillow. Gah! Stupid feelings. Stupid emotions. Leave it to him to take up all her waking thoughts. Not that she really minded…

No, wait! Of course she minded! School! Work! These were things she promised her mother she would do. She would graduate high school and find a respectable job in the working world. She would do this! And she wouldn't allow some silly thing like a crush to get in the way of her promise.

She heaved a great sigh and closed her eyes. Images of his smiling, wonderful face filled her every thought. She groaned in frustration. This "crush" business was definitely not good.

~0~0~

"Who is it?" shrieked Uotani, for the fifth time that day. It had been almost a week since Tohru had begun this whole crush ordeal and it wasn't getting any better. In fact, she was almost having an even harder time concentrating. And it didn't help with Uo constantly breathing down her back trying to figure out who he was. She was sure she was going to have a nervous breakdown.

"Arisa, stop that. Can you not see how your constant shrieking affects our poor Tohru?" Ah, Hanajima. The voice of reason. The only one able to shut the blonde up for a least a few minutes a day.

Uo smirked wickedly, "It'll only mean she'll crack sooner." Hanajima threw her the darkest look. "Eh…I mean she'll tell us when she's ready."

Tohru looked relieved. Really, it's not like she didn't want to tell her two best friends. It was just…well…Sohma boys (and girls) were always around. What if one of them overheard? What if they told…him? She didn't know if she could live it down.

"There, there, Tohru-chan," Hanajima crushed the girl to herself in a motherly embrace, patting the top of her head, "Everything will be alright." Tohru gulped. Everything would be alright…when pigs flew. "I'm going to call you tonight and ask Shigure if you can spend a girl's night in with yours truly and Arisa. I expect you to come."

Hanajima released Tohru and glided away to class. "Well," Uo began brightly, still standing next to Tohru, "guess that means you can tell us who your crush is then!" She grinned broadly and entered the classroom. Tohru just shook her head. How did she get herself into these situations?

~0~0~

As promised, Hanajima called shortly after dinner to ask if Tohru could spend the night. Yuki and Kyo both looked up in mild interest as she passed the phone to Shigure so Hana could request his permission to have her come over. "Of course she can!" Shigure's pleasant voice agreed. "Now remember, make the cookies after the pillow figh- hello? Hello?" The novelist looked offended as he stared at the receiver. "She hung up on me!"

"Pervert," both boys murmured as Tohru stared on in confusion.

"I don't understand," Tohru looked on blankly. "What pillow fight?"

"GAH!" Kyo's face turned bright red and Yuki averted his eyes, a slight blush staining his cheeks. Shigure gave a hearty laugh and smirked. He stared intently at naïve little Tohru as she looked up at him for an answer.

"Well, dear Tohru-chan, let me explain. Sometimes when young women get together, they get the urge to grab pillows and run around in only their- OUCH! AH! HEY! THAT HURTS!" Tohru sweatdropped as the boys pummeled the poor author. After all, he was just helping her, right?

After the boys had calmed down and Shigure was nursing his wounds ("Itai…"), Tohru got up from the couch to pack a bag for the evening. "When did Hana-chan want me to come over?" she asked Shigure.

"Anytime," he responded.

"Wait, what? You're leaving?" Kyo looked up in surprise.

"Baka, neko! What did you think Saki-san and Shigure were talking about on the phone?" Yuki eyed the cat. "Honestly, you're so dense."

"Shut up, stupid nezumi! It's not like I was listening to the entire conversation!"

"So what? If Honda-san wants to go have fun with her friends then that's her own business! She doesn't belong to you!"

Tohru felt the blush creep onto her face. Her neck heated up and her eyes widened. She doesn't belong to you! Yuki's voice echoed in her head. Did it mean anything? Did it mean she was claimed? Could it possibly mean that he liked her? She didn't know what to think. Her eyes swirled.

"Honda-san?" Yuki suddenly noticed her expression and stopped. "Honda-san, are you alright?"

"Tohru," Kyo breathed, looking concerned. "Tohru, say something!"

…doesn't belong to you…

Her heart stopped as his eyes fixed upon hers, boring into hers. They were filled with so much care. "I…" I can't think. "I…" I can't stop staring. "I…" I want to be with you. "I have to leave." She forced herself to turn away as she fled up the stairs. She could not deal with this right now.

~0~0~

"Tohru! You're here!" Uo threw the door open widely and embraced the tiny girl in a hug. She pulled away slightly and caught the look on Tohru's face. "Oh no, Tohru? What's wrong?"

And immediately the young brunette burst into tears, although Uotani couldn't tell if they were tears of sorrow or tears of happiness. Hanajima walked into the scene carrying a tray of hot tea. "Tohru!" she immediately dropped the tea tray, splattering the contents all over the floor. She rushed over to their tiny friend. "Did he do something? You need to tell us what's going on."

"I…I…he…"

"Hanajima, I'll take her up to your room and let her calm down. Then I'll come back downstairs to help you clean up."

"N-no, it's…sniff…ok," Tohru mumbled quietly. "I-I'll help you clean up. It's my fault for making you drop it in the first place."

"Please don't say such things, Tohru-chan. I chose to drop the plate when I saw you," Hanajima explained. "Please go upstairs like Arisa said and we'll come up when we're finished."

Tohru opened her mouth to protest but Uo quickly ushered her up the staircase. She set her stuff down in Hana's room and slowly sat down herself. She looked around the room and spied a photograph of herself, Uo, and Hana on the latter's bedside table. It was when they were all younger. Before all this silly crush stuff began. Before any of them had ever met…him.

She replayed Yuki and Kyo's argument in her head. Now that she though about it, she was probably just overreacting. Yuki's words didn't have to mean anything. She was reading too far into this. But then…what if it did all mean something? What if he liked her? Her eyes swirled again.

"Tohru?" A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. Hana and Uo walked in carrying a tray of milk and cookies. They set them down carefully on the floor. Tohru stared at the cookies.

"But…I thought…the pillow fight…" she murmured.

"What?" Uo looked confused.

Hanajima merely looked the other way. "The novelist," Hana spoke blandly. "He does not know what he's talking about."

"Uh…" Silence.

Back at the Sohma house, Shigure got the creepiest vibe. He shuddered. Maybe it would be best if he didn't tease Tohru so much. Who knew what her friends were capable of? Especially that wave girl…

Hanajima smiled creepily. "Cookie?" she offered to Tohru.

"Thanks!" Tohru grabbed the cookie excitedly, completely oblivious to the ominous waves resonating from her friend. Arisa grabbed a cookie as well. Tohru took a huge bite. "Mmm! Hana-chan! These are delicious!"

The darker girl smiled. "They are still not as good as yours, Tohru-chan."

Uo took a bite. "Wow," she sounded impressed. "Tohru's right. These are amazing."

Hana flushed slightly and put a hand to her cheek. "Well, I've been practicing for Shishou-san…"

Arisa choked on a cookie while Tohru threw her praises about how much Shishou-san would love her baking. In all the commotion, Tohru's dilemma was completely forgotten as the three girls laughed, smiled, and told stories about their day. Before long they were donning pajamas and ready for bed.

"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," Arisa groaned as they began unrolling futons to sleep on the floor. "But we have that stupid English assignment due."

"Did you finish yours, Tohru-chan?" Hanajima eyed the girl in question.

"Y-Yes…" Tohru yawned widely, stretching her arms above her head. "Yuki and Kyo helped me." That had been an interesting experience. The two had bickered almost the entire time and she'd had the hardest time formulating sentences around him. He must have thought she was completely hopeless. They had to explain almost every question to her.

"Speaking of," Uo began concerned. "Are you alright now? You seemed pretty…not yourself when you arrived."

Tohru flushed. "Yes, I'm fine now. I think I was just overreacting."

"Did something happen?" Hana asked looking at the girl inquisitively.

Tohru didn't know how to start. Where should she begin? With Kyo's outburst at her leaving or at Yuki's statement during the argument? Her friends watched as the emotions played across her face.

"Tohru, I think you should just tell him. Whichever one, tell him you like him. It's the only way to get him out of your head all the time and to begin functioning like normal again," Arisa voiced her opinion.

"I, too, agree with Arisa," Hanajima seconded.

Tohru was at a loss for words. It was true. She couldn't afford to have this distraction anymore. "But I'm scared," she voiced quietly. Scared that he wouldn't like her. Scared that he wouldn't be friends with her again. Scared that…he would leave.

Hana and Uo both looked at her. "You know you have to tell him."

Tohru sighed. Yes, she knew. Her belly flopped at the thought of staring into his eyes and telling him how she felt. What would he do? What would he say? "I'll just…tell him," Tohru told herself, trying to gain the confidence to do it. "I'll tell him that I like him."

She punched the air in determination. Hana and Uo both laughed at the action. "That's right, Tohru," Arisa ruffled the top of her hair. "You tell that Sohma boy you like him."

…doesn't belong to you…

She smiled and fell asleep to the sweetest dream about him.

~0~0~

A/N: Hmm...wonder who it could be. Any guesses? Cookies to anyone who guesses correctly. Aaaaannnnnnd...please review!

Preview next chapter:

"Go on," Uo encouraged, pushing her gently. "Tell him and then we'll meet you in class." She smiled as Tohru stumbled her way forward, the girl's entire face alight at the thought of what she was going to do. What would he say? Did he maybe like her too?

…doesn't belong to you…

She smiled at the thought and attempted to muster up her courage, not noticing as Uo and Hana slowly left her to her own devices. But as she got closer, Yuki and Kyo still didn't seem to notice her. They were too caught up in their little debate. She began to falter. Haru noticed and eyed her with interest. Why was Tohru stalking up on them like this was a life or death situation? And why was she looking at him so intently? It was like he was the sole focus of her world.

Tohru suddenly looked very nervous and very ill. Haru could almost hear her heart fluttering. The gears in his mind slowly clicked. She opened her mouth. "I need to talk to-"