A/N - Hey so I'm finally updating. With the whole computer thing, I ended up fixing it myself. It's true what they say if you want something done right you have to do it yourself, screw those computer programers. So any way, here's the chapter I hope it doesn't dissapoint you after all that wait.

Special Thanks - This is to thank the people that took the time to actually review my last chapter You Guys Freakin' Rock:- Kida Satsuki, Rukz, Cnm, K. Higurashi, and Cev And to those who reviewed my note, a real special thankz to you guys for understanding and I dedicate this chapter to you : - ... and rukz, thanks alot to all of you!

Disclaimer - refer to first chapter

Eye Contact

Chapter: 3

Tickling Jealousy

As he walked behind the cutely sleepy girl Van couldn't help but thank God for his luck. For almost two years now his life has been slightly Hitomi-less. She hasn't been in his homeroom for two years and wasn't in his P.E class last year. Actually last year he hardly ever saw her, it was the longest year he'd ever spent in school, he would revel in the few moments she walked by; having a chance to see her even if only briefly.

But this year was different. This year was a deciding year in their High School, tenth grade decided it all. Almost everything was final. Final in that who ever were in your Mandatories and/or Electives were the people you would be forced to spend the rest of your High School life with. The only hope you'd have of a change was in changing home-rooms each year.

The little Van in his mind did a few cart wheels and back flips as he thought about the three happily Hitomi filled years he would enjoy. Though he was sure she didn't like him, a part of him couldn't help hoping that they would get together….somehow. He smiled in his mind as he continued on his way.

But then the most infuriating thing happened….

"Dryden!" screamed his now awake angel…um crush. She was attacked blatantly in the hall by some over grown, glasses wearing monkey! Because of the "attack" she was forced to stop.

Surprised by the sudden stop Van accidentally bumps into the two and to his relief (though he can't figure out why) the pervert removes the arm that he had so casually slung around his girl's shoulder. As the procession continues Van stares (coughglarescough) at the back of the guy's head.

The guy was absolutely intolerable. So what if he's a year older? So what if he's got some height, he's only a few inches taller than Van himself. He was a known pervert, had a lot of girl friends and was known to drink and smoke. He wasn't even richer than Van. He continued to watch the brute talk happily to his girl, and missed noticing the side glance a certain green eyed girl gave him.

So why, Van continued to question in his mind, why was it so easy for him to connect with her? How did she become so close with him in only a year when Van had known her for more than four and he was still at an acquaintance level? He just couldn't understand. It's not like he hasn't tried to connect with her, he had, really hard actually. But it just never seemed to work out.

Actually he is kind of to blame for that. When ever they got into a conversation, he would choke. It frustrated him like hell that a girl could make him so nervous. He wasn't a pimp like Allen but Van, the sexy, mysterious, too good to be so bad boy did not get tongue tied because of a girl. But he did, and it's because of her, and he wanted to talk to her even more because of it.

He stared/glared harder at the guy that was grabbing all of Hitomi's attention.

"Well she had said that they weren't dating" A voice in his head reminded him.

"Yea, but that was then and this is now. And that doesn't mean that he isn't trying, the little male whore, he doesn't deserve her friendship."

"Don't you think that's a little harsh? And Hitomi likes him, so he can't be that bad a guy" his more reasonable half argued.

"Yea, but she doesn't know him."

"And you don't know her"

Van was silent.

……………

As they continued down the hall Hitomi began to panic. Although she knew this was a perfect time for an experiment she hadn't quite figured out how to actually go about it.

"…always had tickling fights…"

"Wait Tomi, don't tell me you're ticklish." Dryden cut in; forming a plan himself, depending on her answer. Catching the glint of mischief in his eyes Hitomi quickly tried to correct her slip.

"What? Oh! Me? Nooo…I'm not ticklish, I was tickling them you see, I'm not ticklish; naw, not me. Won't feel a thing." Dryden smirked, Wrong answer he thought.

"Oh….No…"

"Dryden….wait Dryden, I said I'm not ticklish! Wait, Ahhh…hahahah…Dryden, haha ha ha…STOP IT!" But it was too late, Dryden had caught his prey and sadly Hitomi was it.

The two stumbled down the corridor as Hitomi tried to fight him off. But Dryden couldn't have that happening; he didn't want to lose such a fun toy. So cleverly, he brought his other arm around her waist to keep her in place. A benefit to this was that he could also tickle her on both sides while making sure she didn't escape his torture.

When a double dose of tickling hit her, Hitomi went into a surprised high pitched squeal of delight. Startling passer-bys and drawing many questioning stares from on lookers. But she couldn't care less, there was a more pressing matter at hand, trying not to laugh her lungs out her body, and stop the enforcer of her punishment. Wait. There was something else she was suppose to do….

Aw Damn...Van! She shouted in her mind remembering her crush trailing behind her. Remembering didn't help though, because she still couldn't think of anyway to pull her little plan off. Little did she know that her question had already been answered and her subject? Prepped and ready to be studied.

………...

Huddled in a group at the back of a class, we find the other members of Hitomi's friends. Yukari, Amano and Celena were all in this class. Millerna had the same subject but was sadly put in a different class because this one was full. Of course being the humble one that she was she took the news without a big fuss, but her friends new that inside she was cursing and ranting all she new at the bastard teacher.

But that's just how things work out sometimes. Since its break she still had time to chill with them since her new class room was only a few doors down. They talked and talked and laughed as more students came in, dropping off their bags or sitting down and talking with their friends.

"Oh my god you saw that too?" Yukari said laughing.

"Who could miss it" Amano said "it was so obvious she might have written a sign "Have been rejected" on her head" The group burst with laughter.

"Oh my god, Oh my god" Celena said trying to catch her breath, "You two are too mean. Do you even know that she's sitting right there?" She pointed to a few seats on side of them.

Without any subtlety the entire group proceeded in turning around and staring. Millerna, being an exception since she was already facing the correct direction shook her head and crossed her legs.

"You guys have no subtlety, if she didn't know that you were talking about her from your loud speech, the slow turn and stare definitely gave you away." They turned back to face her then looked at each other and shrugged.

"What ever, she's my friend it's not like I'm talking behind her back. I already told her all this to her face." The rest of them sweat dropped.

"Yukari, I think you've been around Hitomi a little too much." Celena commented.

"Yea, that is definitely a Hitomi thing to do." Amano continued. Yukari put a thoughtful finger to her cheek and tilted her head to the side.

"Well I guess so, I was in her class last year and I'm going to have her for another three. I guess we just naturally took on some of each other's traits." Removing her hand she smiled. "But you and Millerna are no different. You guys do the same things all the time"

"We do not!" the blonds chimed in unison.

"Point made." Said Amano, giving Yukari a high five.

The conversation went on and a few minutes later the group startled the class with a roar of laughter. It would seem that Hitomi and her friends had a bad habit of scaring people. No other group could draw questioning stares as quick and as frequently as her own.

When the laughter had died down Millerna checked her watch and noticed that break would soon end so she said goodbye to her friends and went to her new class.

"Man, it seems they're trying to separate us as much as they can this year. It looks like we'll never have a class with all of us in it." Celena noted dejectedly. Yukari put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry bout it. We're a strong group, a few classes separated won't make our friendship any weaker. We can take it." Amano stated proudly, smiling broadly at the two grieving girls. Processing what Amano had said the two perked up.

"Yea, our friendship is strong. We could be totally isolated all year and still be closer than those that see each other like, every day." Yukari added.

"Yea, I guess we do have a good enough friendship. Ok, we don't have anything to worry about. Why'd you guys even bring that up, being separated doesn't matter." Celena said, looking at them disapprovingly. The other two looked at each other tiredly. It seems like Celena forgot that she was the one who had brought up the sad subject. They didn't press it because Celena is one that would fight them to high heaven no matter how wrong she was.

"Hey doesn't it suck that we got Mr. Oshiro this year?" Amano asked, changing the subject. The girls accepted it gladly and once again they talked and laughed knowing that everything was as it should be.

…………...

To say that Van was thoroughly pissed would be the understatement of the century. Outside his face was calm as he talked a little with his friends but inside his mind was on fire. As the little Vans in his head went to work to douse the mental flame Van himself tried to help by calming himself to almost the point that he portrayed.

As he watched his girl being touched by the monkey and enjoying it! He chanted in his mind "I am not jealous, I am calm. I am not jealous, I am calm..." Then, Hitomi sent out a high pitched squeal of delight when the ape encased her in his arms and continued his onslaught of tickling. "I'm not jealous damn-it!"

"Well would you look at that." An auburn haired boy said, "The little tomboy is getting freaky with her pimp in the halls."

"How naughty!" another guy said, and they (including Van) snickered amongst themselves.

To Van's defense he only laughed, he didn't say anything. This could also be a reason why he would never get Hitomi, because he was too much of a chicken to even defend her from his own friends. That would mean him acknowledging that he liked her. He wasn't particularly ashamed of his crush, but he just didn't feel comfortable telling anyone. Does that make any sense? He wondered.

But enough thinking, he couldn't stand watching the spectacle that was in front of him. He just had to think of something to end this open display of affection.

"Yea," the other guy started again, "They're so engrossed in themselves that they don't even notice us normal people." The group turned to stare at him.

"Engrossed?" Van repeated, raising a brow.

"What?" he said looking hurt, "I listen in Vocab…sometimes" he defended. The others still looked on skeptically but decided to leave it. Especially since the girl being attacked in front sent out another set of squeals.

"Dryden, my lungs are gonna burst!" she said between giggles.

"A strong runner like yourself? Your lungs are like iron. I'll stop when I feel satisfied."

He replied not missing a beat of his tickling.

"You meanie!"

"Why thank you dear."

Van wanted to puke.

"Hey do you think they even know we're still behind them?" the auburn haired teen asked. Van threw his bag over his other shoulder casually, feigning indifference.

"Don't know." He said simply, "Why don't I check." Using it as an excuse to stop the display Van did the only thing he could think of, he…

……………

Millerna had found a comfortable seat in her new class and waited half heartedly for the end of break. She looked around at the few students already in the class room and she sighed inwardly seeing that none were any that she could talk to. She had this strong urge to just throw her self across the desk in dismay, but she was too dignified to ever display such actions in public.

In her group of friends she is known as The Model, or Princess. It wasn't her fault that she was brought up this way. It wasn't her fault that she was born beautiful, and it sure wasn't her fault if guys wanted to do stuff for her. It's just how things are.

So she sat, alone, with nothing to do and no one to talk to. Sighing out loud this time she went to her sling bag and took out a note book to scribble in to waste some time. What she didn't know though was that a certain blonde had eyed her as he strolled in, and saw fit to greet her.

He walked casually toward her desk and then stood quietly beside her and looked at what she was scribbling. His chuckle startled her out of her concentration, but being the person that she was, instead of jerking her head up to see who it was, she slowly raised her head to meet the blood red eyes of Dilandu.

"How may I help you?" she asked pointedly.

"Oh don't mind me. I was just enjoying the view." Millerna glared at his comment. Dilandu only smiled and shook his head.

"No, you misunderstand. I meant I was looking at your lovely drawing of Mr. Oshiro. Oh and by the way, I think that the giant knife in his back is a great touch." He smiled more. Taking a chair from the adjacent seat, he pulled it closer to her desk and sat and leaned over to point at her book.

"But I think that a spiked chamber would have been better." Millerna looked at the paper intently, forgetting that this person wasn't her friend and was definitely parting too deep into her personal space.

"Hm…I guess so. Instead of one knife, he can get completely shredded in one move. But that would take the joy out of stabbing him yourself." As she spoke she drew stick illustration to show her points. Dilandu nodded his head in agreement.

"Yea, I can see how you would want a more hands on approach. It's like shooting someone and they die right away. Where's the satisfaction in that?" Looking away from the paper, Millerna turned in her seat, facing him and nodded slightly in agreement.

"Exactly. If I was ever to kill someone, especially if I really hated them, I would want to make it as long and painful as I could. That's why I think guns are useless. I'd rather watch a well fought fist fight then a gun fight any day."

"Yup, I'm always telling Van those that anyone can pull a trigger, Skill comes into play with a gun fight. But when its fist on fist, body to body, it's all will and endurance that makes the difference.

"I so totally agree. I mean, someone could be so totally weak in normal circumstances but give them the right reason and they could beat up someone twice their size easy."

"Exactly. I thought I was the only one who thought that."

"Yea, me too." The two then went into silence, staring each other down, scrutinizing and thinking about what just occurred. But one thing they both knew was that something changed between them, whether it was drastic or not, was still to be decided.

……………

"Ahem…" Van coughed not so softly in the back of the giggling school girl and her pimp…friend.

Oh how original He thought in his mind. Ok, so I'm sure some other people could have thought of something better, but Van couldn't so they could just take their good ideas and shove um up their asses. He still got a response even with his lame tactic.

Hitomi turned around and her eyes locked with Van. He could still see the laughter dancing in her eyes and he couldn't help but long for the day when he could make her that happy. His musing soon turned to rage as she quickly turned her head away and said nothing. Noticing this, the hyenas on the side on him started cackling.

"Ooooo, shut down." One said after regaining some composure. Van fumed silently but still managed to keep up is nonchalant demeanor.

"Whatever."

"Is mister mystery mad 'cause he was ignored? Huh? Huh?" the other guy teased.

"Just shut it. I wasn't shut down, you guys wanted to see if they noticed normal people, well they don't, your question answered."

"Yea, sure," the other guy said skeptically, he then placed a mocking hand on Van's shoulder, "Don't worry, there are other fish in the sea." Van slapped his hand off then slapped him coolly in the back of his head with his book bag.

"Spoil sport." He commented sourly as he eased the pain out of his head. The others just laughed more.

"Man just forget it." Van said lightly, finally calmed somewhat. "Here's our door, let's go." He added, glad to leave the scene.

……………

Hitomi raised a brow. Did he just…? She thought still struggling with Dryden. Although it wasn't the most original tactic, she still got the response she was looking for. Van had responded and showed interest in what she was doing.

First experiment: Tickling Jealousy

Result: Positive.

Without thinking she had turned around to say something but then Dryden touched an extremely sensitive spot and as a reaction she quickly turned around to address the situation. She could have killed Dryden at that moment. She just sent Van the worst message a potential love interest could ever send. Rejection. Even if it was a mistake, that's the message her body sent, and that's the message Van got.

Finally getting Dryden to stop, him being satisfied and thinking her punished enough, she listened, while mourning over her mistake, to Van's conversation with his friends. His answers were calm but she could tell he was trying to keep his hurt hidden.

Inside Hitomi was banging her head repeatedly against some random hard object. She felt like doing it for real, but the area was too crowed for her to carry it out. She waved goodbye to Dryden and then went into her class. Though the thought was rather random considering the ironic both good and bad progress she just made with Van, as she found a seat she liked she couldn't help but think how damned long that hall was.

A/N - Ok, so I'm sorry about the crowding with the author's notes, FFnet won't let me put the seperation line so until that's fixed this is how it'll be. Ok about this chapter, I was suppose to comment on something in this but I forgot...OH! I remember now! Ok, so with the whole, Dilandu and Millerna thing, you know how strange things bring people together, well that's that kind of situation. You'd be surprised how much you'd have in common with people you don't talk to if you'd just sit down and have a conversation with them.

So that's all for that topic. I have mixed feelings about this chapter, I'm not completely thrilled with it, but I can't bring myself to change anything about it. So there it is. Well you know what to do now, review and tell me what you think. And if any of you decide not to continue reading my story, still review and tell me what about it made you loose intrest. So that's all until next time. I've already started the next chapter. Technically two sentances is starting a chapter !

Well by now you all know that I edit my own stuff and I'm not the best, so if there are any mistakes, just bear with it for a while, I'll eventually look over it again.