The dining room was silent except for the clinking of silverware against expensive china. Her father had insisted they forego traditional chopsticks when they moved from Japan the first time, and still refused to use anything but western dining utensils. Usagi was quiet and poked at the fluffy white rice on her plate with her fork absently. Her mind was on Haruka and what she'd said as she walked out of the school. Her words had been arrogant and as far as Usagi was concerned, absolutely wrong. For one thing, she wasn't a lesbian. She'd had crushes on guys all of her life. Granted, those crushes had never turned into anything more but she blamed her lack of romance on her father. And anyway, now that she knew Haruka was actually a girl, she definitely didn't find her attractive…Usagi pushed her chicken across her plate as forcefully as she pushed away the nagging doubt that lingered in the back of her mind.

"Usagi. You didn't attend Elizabeth's Academy for Young Ladies so that I could watch you pick at your food like a child." Her father barely glanced up from the file spread across his end of the dining table as he said this.

Irritation rippled through Usagi's veins but she kept her mouth shut in a tight line and stabbed a piece of chicken violently. He had no right to criticize her. He hadn't been home since their plane landed and now here he was, nose buried in work and ready to point out any of her wrong doings. Usagi glared at her mother across the expensive teak table top and wished that for once, her mother would stick up for her. Her mother didn't meet her daughter's angry stare as she placed another bite of chicken and rice into her mouth.

Her mother's silent acquisition to her father's every wish and demand was too much. "May I be excused?" Usagi didn't wait for her father's approval, she was already walking from the dining room and neither of her parents made an effort to stop her. As she let the front door close behind her, Usagi wished that for once, one of them would care enough to stop her.

Haruka slouched lower into her leather couch, a half finished beer on the coffee table and the TV turned to the racing channel. Chet Williams, an American motorcycle racer, had been plastered over every major racing channel for the last two hours. The media was idolizing the foreigner because he was not only good looking, but he was notorious for being a ladies man and an all around "bad boy". Not unlike Tenoh Haruka, as so many reporters were quick to point out. The fact that Chet would likely never race against Haruka was apparently a source of great disappointment for fans, both American and Japanese. Haruka rolled her neck back and let her head rest against the plush back of the couch, her eyes staring blankly at the vaulted ceiling of her pent house.

Her mind, while occupied briefly by the aspect of new competition, turned back to the new girl. Usagi. She thought, and couldn't help the predatory smile that crawled across her lips. The girl was interesting to say the least.

She'd arrived at school late, a major faux pas for the first day, especially at Infinity, and looking as if she had tangled with every possibly dangerous object along the way. Her hands had been scraped and she had been in the process of fixing her hair when she'd noticed them. The way her blue eyes had widened had amused Haruka, along with her bedraggled state. Usagi was as far from the usual Infinity girl as possible. Not that she wasn't pretty; in fact, as she'd approached them, Haruka had been surprised just how pretty the new girl was. Looking past the blood and ripped clothes, the girl had actually been beautiful. Her hair was a beautiful golden blonde, shiny, thick and long. Her unusual hair style could have looked out of place but its whimsical buns seemed to do nothing more than enhance the delicate and sweet structure of the girl's face. And her eyes…Haruka groaned, oh the color was the purest blue and there was something about how open they were that made Haruka want to protect the girl and pour her heart out at the same time.

Haruka stood up and walked out on the large balcony that wrapped around the entire floor of her pent house. The balcony was littered with expensive lounging chairs and at one end a covered hot tub overlooked the glittering water and expanse of twinkling city lights. She loved it up here. When she had received her first paycheck from her sponsors for winning her first motorcycle race, the first thing she had done was calling a realtor and bought this place. She didn't mind that the condo was huge, with five bedrooms and three full bathrooms; she had more space than she knew what to do with. She'd hired an interior decorator and set the woman loose. Luckily, the designer had judged Haruka's tastes perfectly and each room of the apartment exuded masculinity. Still…

The tall blonde sighed and leaned against the balustrade, and stared out across the city that was her home. Still, she sometimes wished that she could find someone to share this with.

Usagi had been walking aimlessly for the last two hours and finally ended up at the beach. The sand was deserted and dark; the only light came from the city at her back and the moon that was rising lethargically from the black ocean before her. She took off her shoes and walked barefoot through the sand down to the water. The waves that licked the beach were cold and Usagi revealed in the way the water caressed her feet before gently retreated several feet, only to do it again. When her feet were numb and she could no longer feel them, Usagi walked back up the beach and plopped down on a dune, tucking her feet up to her knees and stared out at the water.

What was wrong with her parents? Her father was oblivious to anyone's desires or needs except his own and her mother was okay with it. She would make excuses for his short comings as a father and as a husband, all the while reaffirming what Usagi had felt for years: that her mother would always put her husband before their daughter, regardless of how unhappy Usagi was. It had infuriated her in the past but now Usagi was beginning to lose her hold on that anger, its protective shell slipping and in its wake, only a sad sense of desolation was left. The anger over her parents' lack of understanding or empathy for their only child was much easier to hold on to and for some reason it felt safer. Whenever Usagi felt the anger begin to disintegrate and the loneliness swell it take its place, she would think of each time her father had come home and announced that he was, yet again, uprooting his family. The image of his face, infused with smug self-indulgence, was enough to efficiently kill any troublesome despondency and leave Usagi seething. Her father's inability to put anyone before himself was something that Usagi had grown to accept, but her mother's submissive compliance hurt. She couldn't get used to the way her mother would look away from her only daughter and ignore the pleading looks Usagi threw her way. She couldn't get used to the way her mother always took her father's side, or the way that she quelled any quiet hope that Usagi retained about staying in one place long enough to become good friends with anyone.

Sometimes she wished that she had never been born, or that her parents would just disappear and leave her to live alone in one place. It would be easier if they just forgot they even had a daughter that they weren't proud of, and if she could just forget she had parents who didn't care about her. She rested her cheek on her knees and let her eyes drift close. She wondered how long it would be before the expensive cell phone her mother had given her so they could "keep in touch" would ring. The sadness lapped against her like the ocean's waves as she realized that it probably wouldn't.

Haruka cut the engine off to her street bike in the small parking lot at Infinity Academy. It was mostly empty; most students and teachers were "going green" and had stopped driving to work or school, instead opting to walk or ride a bicycle, which was evident by the number of students pouring into the courtyard on foot and the over-flowing bike racks. Haruka pulled off her helmet and ran a hand through her slightly damp hair, aware of the appreciative looks the girls were throwing her and the jealous grumblings of the male students. Hinako, a curvy brunette who was famous for her crawl stroke and long legs, strutted over to Haruka and placed a more than friendly kiss on Haruka's cheek, her dark eyes sparkling.

"Haruka, why didn't you call me back the other night?" She play-pouted, her plump red lips drawing Haruka's attention. "I waited by the phone all night hoping you would call and ask me to come over." The brunette tilted her head and let her long hair fall over her shoulder enticingly.

Haruka shook her head and pulled her eyes away from the open invitation that Hinako was making with every square inch of her athletic body. "You know I don't invite girls to come over, Hinako. And I never said I would call you."

She watched and caught the flash of disappointment in the swimmer's eyes but was impressed by how quickly she recovered, the play-pout replaced by a confident, sexy smile. "I know, I just figured that you would. See you around." Haruka watched her walk away, and thought briefly about calling her, but dismissed the thought as soon as it crossed her mind. She never spent more than one night with a girl. It led to complications and expectations that she didn't want to live up to. One night was all anyone ever got, and most of the time, the girls took her subtle rejection in stride but every student at Infinity knew that Haruka was untouchable and took caution.

Rei met her by the school stairs, her raven hair shot with streaks of deep violet in the morning sun. Hino Rei was beautiful, but her quick temper kept most students at bay, with the exception of the tall, leggy brunette who kept pace beside her. Kino Makato was a star karate student at Infinity and already a chef with a reputation that stretched across Japan. Her latest cookbook, a collection of her easiest and most delicious recipes, was flying off the shelves like crazy and there was talk of her own cooking show on primetime TV. Whatever her claim to fame was, Makato was laid-back and friendly, with open green eyes and a welcoming smile. It was impossible to dislike her, which Haruka thought was part of the problem Rei was having.

Rei never dated, disliked most men and boys with a disturbing passion and kept girls at an arms length. Haruka had wondered whether the priestess in training was a lesbian or simply asexual until Makato had transferred to the academy three months ago. Suddenly, Haruka was seeing a side of Rei that she had previously thought did not exist. Makato had immediately been drawn to Rei, whom she told Haruka later she thought had an injured soul that needed nothing more than love and good food. Rei had resisted the taller girl, but gradually, she'd broken down and now it was clear from every look and small touch that passed silently between the two that they were deeply in love. A small, hidden part of Haruka was jealous. Not that Rei was with someone else, but because there were times when she wondered what it would be like to love someone so much…She nodded in greeting and kept walking, the two other girls in their skirts and blouses falling in step beside her. Rei was first to break the companionable silence.

"The new girl is cute." The statement had a lilt at the end and Haruka knew that Rei was subtly asking if she thought the girl was attractive. Haruka shrugged and declined to respond.

Rei glanced at Makato, who shrugged and smile good-naturedly before taking her girl friends' slender hand, linking their fingers. Rei scowled. The whole point of bringing up that annoyingly cute new girl was to see if Haruka was actually interested, like most of the school seemed to think. She didn't even like to admit that another girl was cuter than she might be because so far, no one at the academy was. She glanced at her girlfriend again and mentally amended that last statement. Besides her girlfriend, no one was as cute as she was. It wasn't that she was vain and she never would have cared in the past but since she had started dating Makato, she'd become increasingly jealous of other girls. Makato was so sweet and open, and her personality seemed to draw guys and girls alike to her side. Rei didn't really mind if Makato had friends…as long as they were ugly. She hid a smile.

Makato tried to get some information out of Haruka as they walked into their homeroom and sat at their desks. "I heard she was at GALA for like three hours just sitting there." She waited for Haruka to respond but the blonde just pulled out a book and opened it. Makato plowed on. "So she's a lesbian. I wonder if she's dating anyone…I know that Mina is interested, maybe I'll try to set something up."

That did the trick. Haruka's ears had perked at the mention of Mina and now she was glaring at Makato through narrowed eyes. "Usagi isn't a lesbian."

Rei looked over curiously. There was a hint of steel to Haruka's usually smooth voice and the noticeable change had her raising her eyebrows. "She's not? Well, even if she isn't, I'm sure that Mina will still take a crack at her."

Haruka stiffened and then caught the amused and knowing looks her friends were throwing her way and forced herself to relax. The thought of Usagi being subjected to Mina's fickle flirting and attention rubbed her the wrong way but why should she care who Mina flirted with? Usagi held no particular interest for Haruka. "Mina can do whatever she wants. I just know that Usagi is not into girls." She turned a page in her book randomly, hoping that she appeared unruffled by the conversation.

Rei shrugged, not believing Haruka's feigned indifference for one second but Haruka thought herself the master of deception, flirting and having relationships that never meant anything. Rei didn't feel like being the one to point out that she'd revealed more about how she might view the new girl in the last five minutes than she ever had with any girl before.

Makato ignored Haruka's fake indifference. She wasn't one to hide what she thought or how she felt. "Well, I think the new girl is hot. She looks completely different from anyone in this stuffy school. I'll bet she's really interesting."

Rei shot her girlfriend a warning look that smoldered with bridled jealousy. Makato smiled and kissed her girlfriend's clenched fist softly. "Not as interesting or nearly as hot as you though."

She couldn't resist. Whenever Makato gave her that sweet look, her green eyes full of promise and sincerity, she just melted. Rei smiled back. "Haruka, maybe you should find out if she is as interesting as Makato seems to think she is. Or maybe you are a little afraid that she might be more interesting than you can handle…?"

The carefully worded challenge hung in the air, and Haruka stared at her friend stonily. Rei was baiting her, taunting her with something that she knew Haruka was afraid of, secretly. Haruka never got close to anyone she was physically involved with and Rei knew that best of all.

"There isn't anything any girl can throw at me that I wouldn't be able to handle, Hino." She muttered, and turned back to her book, not believing her statement for one moment. There was something about Usagi that made her feel a little off balance, as if she were walking a tightrope blindfolded. It was disconcerting but it was exactly for that reason and that reason alone, that she was determined to prove Rei wrong. She didn't need anyone; she never had and she never would.

Usagi carried her lunch in an old-fashioned English pewter lunch pail. It made her feel a little out of place as she walked through the inner courtyard where all the students were sitting in groups eating lunch, because none of them had lunch pails. All of their lunches appeared catered or bought from the school cafeteria, which Usagi had discovered the day before, was like a five star restaurant.

She paused at the edge of the courtyard, her eyes skimming over the crowds looking for someone that seemed remotely familiar, maybe someone from one of her classes…? But the girls that she did recognize from a few of her classes pointedly avoided eye contact and Usagi felt strangely deflated as she sat at an empty lunch table. It had never bothered her before to be the new girl, but then again, at all of her previous schools, she hadn't been avoided like the plague. Oh well, she thought and then straightened resolutely, never let them see you down!

With that thought, she dug into her lunch (fried chicken and macaroni salad) and opened her journal. Her journal was actually a beat-up sketch book full of blank slightly yellowed paper pages that she had purchased from a Tibetan monk when she had vacationed in Tibet over winter break. Since then, it was her constant companion and she wrote and drew everything about her life in it. It was beat up mostly because she was clumsy and it had taken a few dunks in the toilet, bathtub, mud puddle and dirt with her. Now she opened it to a mostly blank page that she'd been drawing the view of the ocean from where she had been sitting last night. It was realistic but Usagi knew that it lacked emotion, like most of her drawings, which was why she never pursued it except in the privacy of her journal.

A shadow fell across her paper and lunch and Usagi glanced up, shielding her eyes against the glare of the sun. Her heart gave a funny leap when she recognized Haruka and she didn't know what to say. After everything the girl had said yesterday, she didn't know what to think.

Haruka stood there for a second more then finally sat down across from Usagi, her tall frame draping over the bench seat with the same grace of a predatory cat. Nervous energy coursed through Usagi's limbs and she folded her fingers tightly together to keep from reaching and touching the other girl's large hand on the table top.

"What are you eating?" Haruka asked, not really interested but it was a good way to start a conversation. If the blonde liked sushi, Haruka would immediately make a face and tell her how gross she thought it was. If the blonde said she hated sushi and she was eating pork, Haruka would pretend to be disgusted by pork…etc. It worked every time.

"KFC." Usagi was caught off guard by the question and showed her open lunch pail to Haruka.

Haruka forgot the rules to her own game and leaned forward, suddenly very interested. "Kentucky Fried Chicken? How did you get that?" KFC was a secret addiction that she'd developed when she was doing some racing for charity in the USA last year. She hadn't had it since then, although she'd tried to duplicate it in her kitchen with disastrous results.

Usagi felt confused by Haruka's sudden change in behavior. She had gone from being coolly remote and vaguely disinterested and now she was leaning forward looking almost…hungry? "My father bought a chain of them when we lived in the States and we get packages of chicken and the sides once a month." She hesitated and then offered the lunch pail to Haruka. "Would you like some?"

Her hand was already in the pail and out by the time Usagi had finished her sentence and a look of pure joy passed over her face when she bit into the cold, deep fried chicken. Usagi watched as she polished off the chicken leg in astonishment. How could anyone enjoy chicken that much? It wasn't like cake or something. "I'm glad you liked it." She mumbled.

Haruka nodded. "It was okay." She was disturbed at how easy it had been for her to completely relax her guard like that, and over something as ridiculous as American chicken. She carefully reconstructed her cool, collected veneer, and watched as Usagi quickly closed the book she'd been drawing in. She'd been drawing the ocean at night, and Haruka wondered how often she went down to the waterfront and sat in the sand. It was something Haruka did whenever she couldn't sleep and if alcohol wasn't an appealing alternative.

"How are your classes?" She finally asked.

"Fine. They're classes." Usagi tucked her journal into her book bag and took a sip of water. She would have much rather had soda but her father insisted that soda was not something that the upper class ingested. Looking around at what the other students were drinking, Usagi realized that he was right.

"Well you either like your classes or you don't."

Usagi looked back to Haruka, her heart doing that odd stutter. She really was handsome, even if she was a girl. Her hair was that sandy blonde and in the sunlight it picked up strands of dark gold and red. She was wearing the black slacks and blue button up that the boys wore, with her tie loosened at the neck. A tiny diamond earring glinted in one ear and she'd pulled men's designer sunglasses from her pocket and put them on. Usagi realized that she'd been staring and flushed, looking down at her fingers. "I don't really care if I like them or not. I won't be here long enough to form an opinion so it doesn't really matter."

Haruka stared at Usagi's tilted head, admiring the deep golden strands that fell loose from the buns and framed her face. She was beautiful in a way that made something clench inside Haruka. "Why wouldn't you be here long?" Somehow the thought of Usagi leaving before she had a chance to get to know her, or rather, prove Rei wrong, didn't settle well.

"My father is constantly moving up in his company and it won't be long before another promotion comes along that he has to take."

"It sounds annoying. Don't you miss your friends?"

Usagi shrugged. "What friends?" She caught the raised eyebrow and rolled her eyes. "I didn't mean it in such a pathetic way. I just meant, I don't have time to make friends and even if I do, what's the point? I'm constantly moving. This is the second school this year that I've attended."

It didn't matter that Usagi acted like it didn't bother her that she didn't have friends, because Haruka had seen the raw look of loneliness flicker in her eyes. There it was again, that clenching. Why did she want to pull her into her arms and fill that lonely void? "How many schools have you been to?"

"In my life?" Usagi laughed but the sound was tinged with bitterness. "I'm almost eighteen years old and the first time we moved was when I was a child. Since then I have attended two schools every year except for my first year of high school. I was in America and we stayed there for the full year."

"And then what? You just moved again and that was it for the friendships you made there?" Haruka pitied Usagi, but knew that the last thing the other girl would want was pity.

Usagi shrugged again, "We kept in touch for a while and sometimes my friend Molly will send me an email but it's hard. All we have in common is our freshman year and what does that equate to now? We are different people, living in different worlds." Usagi finally looked at Haruka questioningly. "Why are you talking to me?"

The question was so straight forward and without any preamble that for a moment Haruka didn't know how to respond. "You looked lonely." She regretted the words as soon as she uttered them because Usagi was already on her feet, her expression rigid as she grabbed her bag and lunch pail. Haruka stood quickly and stopped Usagi with a gentle hand on her wrist. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. You were alone and the truth is--" She paused, feeling uncertain for the first time in as long as she could remember. "Would you like to go out for dinner with me tonight?" She hadn't intended on asking her out but the words were out already and there was no retracting them.

Usagi stared at the other girl in amazement, her face turning red. Did that just happen? Haruka was looking at her expectantly and Usagi didn't know what to say. "I'm not a lesbian, Haruka."

It was the first time that Usagi had said her name and Haruka let the thrill of it roll down her spine. She decided to let Usagi think that she wasn't attracted to another girl. "I already told you that you don't have to be a lesbian to be attracted to me, Odango."

"I told you not to call me that!" Usagi shrieked, causing multiple heads to turn their direction. Usagi's face turned a deeper shade of red and she wondered if it was going to become a daily habit to humiliate herself. "I am not attracted to you, and I am not an odango!" She finished in a loud whisper, her eyebrows drawn down across her blue eyes in annoyance.

"Fine, fine. Look, do you want to go grab something to eat with me or not?" Haruka was quickly slipping back on her indifferent mask and waited almost impatiently for her answer. Screw Rei and her stupid mind games. She didn't have to prove anything to her.

It was Haruka's sudden withdraw that Usagi noticed, like yesterday in the bathroom. She was putting up her walls, Usagi realized and instantly felt bad. Haruka hadn't been asking her on a date, she'd been asking her to grab food and Usagi had acted like she was trying to force her into bed right in the middle of the courtyard. She felt like an idiot and an arrogant jerk. Just because Haruka was a lesbian didn't mean she was attracted to every girl in the world. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a friend.

"Yes."

Haruka's eyes snapped back to Usagi's face in surprise. "What?"

Usagi's face was still a little pink but her eyes were softer when she met Haruka's gaze. "I said that I would like to get something to eat with you tonight."

Haruka felt her stomach turn and nodded gruffly. "Fine, I'll pick you up at seven." She had already disappeared into the school before Usagi realized she hadn't asked where she lived.

Ah, there you guys go. Thanks for the kind reviews. This fic is a little more difficult for me because it is a girl/girl pairing and anything I have ever written before was girl/guy. So this is new but it is definitely fun so far. My work allows me nine hours to just sit in front of a computer since the season is slow so far, so hopefully I can get out a chapter every time I work. If not, be patient. And if anyone is interested in writing a Haruka/Usagi story with me, email me and let me know! Thanks so much and until next time!