Author Note: Not many people seem to be liking this...hahah, but as long as I have a few that like it I'll continue it. I wanted to thank these following people for following my story, I hope you guys review when you have the chance as well ;) Renee Tanaka, Shadiya, Fer-Trms.716, NaruHinaFanboy And I of course will thanks White Moon Princess for reviewing! And Rebeca for reviewing from the best ichihime fan page on facebook! Thank you guys so much and I hope you like this new chapter as well.

Sorry it's been almost a year, like I said this is one I update every once in a while and...so here's an update! It isn't very long but it gets the point across I believe.


-Phone number-

As I sit at my desk reading over the divorce letter my attorney mailed to me, I come across a pink sticky note attached to my finances. It has her writing on it.

The elegant curves she uses as she writes has me captivated. I forgot she used to leave little notes like this around for me to find. Apparently this was one of her last.

Picking up the folder it was stuck to I read:

Hi Honey! I hope you have a great day! I love you so much...more than a quarterback loves his football! I'll see you soon-your loving wife (p.s. I still love the sound of that!)

The slight aching in my chest starts again and I don't understand it. Why does this happen to me? It's not like I missed her, because I didn't, never had the time to. But as I continue to look at this single sticky note I can't help but remember back to the time when I was a nervous Freshman about to ask the head cheerleader for her phone number. Never had I done anything so scary, even though with being the Quarterback in high school was scary enough. Some of the linemen were HUGE, and well...huge!

Laughing to myself I set the folder down and look at my computer screen, the screensaver was on showing pictures of my accomplishments in football. Along with pictures from my college days. A picture came up of my soon to be ex-wife and me, right after I had help take my team to our big bowl game. My eyes zeroed in on her bright smile, shaking my head I can't help but wonder how I was ever scared of her. Maybe it was because she was so beautiful that she seemed like she was in a completely different league from me.

How wrong I was.


The room was filled with people that worked effortlessly to get the decorations up for the homecoming dance that was a few days away. The first football game of the season was going to be on the same night and the dance would be after. Ichigo Kurosaki held up a string of streamers for Renji, which was on the ladder so he could hang them up.

"So are you going to finally get the balls to ask her out?"

Ichigo sweat dropped, "I'm not very good at this type of thing. "

"It's easy; you just walk up to her, flirt a little, then casually ask for her number. It isn't rocket science."

"I wish it was that easy." He muttered under his breath as he felt his palms begin to sweat as he looked over at Orihime Inoue who was laughing at something another girl had said. 'I'm going to screw this up royally, I can see it now.'

Renji grunted when he had to reach a spot that was a little high, with enough stretching he was able to finish up the task he had been assigned, "Stop being a chicken Ichigo and just go over there. From what I've seen she's really nice so you have nothing to worry about."

Ichigo's legs felt like they had a hundred pounds on them as his throat began to dry out. 'N-no, this is going to turn out terribly if I do this. It's much safer to stay right here.'

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a sweet song voice filled his ears, causing them to ring.

"You're Ichigo Kurosaki right? The new freshman that everyone has been talking about?"

Shakily Ichigo turned his head to come face to face with none other than Orihime herself. Sweat cascaded down his brow as he tried desperately to come up with something witty or cool to say. She simply stood there, her gray eyes looking up at him with intensity he had never seen before.

"I uh..."

Orihime giggled, which was music to his ears, as she tilted her head to the left beautifully. "I guess I was right. It's wonderful to meet you Ichigo, my name is Orihime Inoue and I just transferred to this school at the start of this semester."

Renji watched from where he was sitting on the ladder. He smacked his face when Ichigo didn't reply, only stood there dumbly. Swatting Ichigo's head he tried to urge him to answer.

"Ouch." Ichigo groaned as he shot a dirty look at Renji who only shrugged his shoulders in response. Rubbing his head with his left hand Ichigo forced himself to turn back towards Orihime. "So uh...are you liking it here at this school or do you miss your old one?"

"Hmm.." she placed her hand on her chin and squinted her eyes in concentration.

'Was it that hard of a question? Gah! See I'm even messing this small talk up! I'm going to get nowhere but embarrassment from this conversation. Why'd she have to catch me off guard like this?' Ichigo thought rapidly as he continued to rub his head.

She laughed then, it was a beautiful laugh that left him wanting to hear more. "This school is really amazing, and the people here are great. My other school was fun too but..." her eyes saddened, "there was...history, I couldn't get away from."

Ichigo decided then and there that he didn't like to see her sad. If there was something he could do to make it so she wasn't sad...he'd do it. He cleared his throat, which caused her to look back up at him. "Hey, there's actually something I'd like to ask you."

"Sure! What is it?" Orihime replied, cheery once again.

The sweats started again and Ichigo found himself speechless. Renji, who was continuing to look down at them rolled his eyes. His eyes widened when he saw Ichigo shake his head and then words came tumbling out of his mouth.

"I heard you like to go to amusement parks. Have you been to the one that's only an hour away?"

Orihime blinked in surprise and then a bright smile lit her face, "No I haven't! Is it fun?"

"Really fun, would you like to go with me sometime?" he asked, not a hint of nervousness in his voice. Renji could say in that moment he was truly proud of the tiny freshman. Even though he was nervous he was able to keep it hidden. 'I'll be damned, he is talented at this crap.'

"I'd love to!"

"Great, can I get your number so I can call you when I get everything planned out?" Ichigo pulled out his cell phone and slid his finger across it so he could insert her number.

"Of course, it's.." she blabbered some numbers off that he quickly put into his phone.

"Here, I'll call you now so you can have my number as well."

Orihime's cheeks flushed as nodded, "Thanks, that'd be great."

Renji didn't miss the way she reacted but it went unknown to Ichigo since he didn't look up from his stupid cell phone. 'She totally digs him, it's so obvious. I just hope cluelessness down there doesn't miss it. I might have to get Rukia in on this in order to help things along.'

When the phone number exchange was over Orihime talked a little bit more with Ichigo before she was called over to another corner of the room that needed her aid. Renji slid down the ladder and stood next to Ichigo. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Ichigo's eyes were focused on Orihime as she got on the floor and picked up a paintbrush to help finish up the signs for the dance. "No...it wasn't."

Renji knew as he watched Ichigo's face that he was a goner; that happy go lucky girl had his heart and it was only a matter of time before Ichigo came to the realization as well.