Sorry for the relatively late update. :( Sunday comes with a lot of housework which leaves me exhausted. I feel like a house-elf sometime. :P
A giant hug to Magica Ring, Sangeeta, Innerflame98, Nisa, Hanagrace, Unattractive Godess and SparkleFace (two tight hugs for you) for the reviews. You people are the lifeline behind this story. You keep me super motivated. :)
This is my longest chapter yet. Enjoy :)
Chapter 5:
Misaki was pacing the length of the roof, deep in thought. She half-hoped that she would bump into Usui there but reality told her otherwise.
What did that intense gaze mean? My heart hasn't stopped pacing since then. And I know he hit You-kun intentionally because he was talking to me. Or could that alien guess or heard that You-kun was inviting me for a movie tonight? But that is impossible. But Usui is not a normal human either! If he heard or guessed that, I wouldn't be surprised! Alien from planet pheromones!
A smile played on her lips. Idiot. She blushed all over again.
I know for certain that he is avoiding me but he also made it clear that he is not far. But why is he avoiding me? I want him around me like before. Hell, I miss him. How long has it been? 2 days? I want to talk to him. Even though I know he will tease me like hell…but still! What to do? What to do?
I don't want to go and talk to him in school. I will start crying, I think rather I KNOW I will. How about I SMS!
That's better idea!
She whipped out her flip-phone from her pocket and opened the message menu.
Now what to write? There are so many things I want to ask but I have to think of an appropriate one to use as an opening message.
Then a sudden apprehension gripped her. He will reply to my message, right?
I hope he does. Because that smile and gaze on that field was almost inviting me to him. Well I have nothing to lose now, I guess. He is avoiding me, so if he doesn't reply, I will reason that it comes with the avoidance package.
She signed.
Here goes nothing.
She typed: You shouldn't have hit Hinata. That was very mean of you!
She read and re-read the two lines as if trying to memorize it by heart and at the same time working out the probability of getting a reply considering the content of the message was pretty straight-forward. And if he does reply, then what would be the nature of the reply? Will it be cold and heartless? Or teasing? Or some cheesy line?
Well I have got nothing to lose, do I?
She hit 'SEND'. Put the phone back quickly in her pocket and made her way down the stairs to her classroom.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Usui stared at his phone screen for full 2 minutes, shocked! Off all the things I could have imagine Prez to do, given our situation, sms wasn't one. Ayuzawa IS sly! And she surprises me every time!
Usui smiled happily.
Ayuzawa does miss me after all. Now how shall I reply? Well, I have decided not to be a pervert.
How about this-
He typed back: Do you think I did that intentionally? Am I that good a player?
She is bound to think that I am fishing for compliments. But I really wanted to say that HInata shouldn't have hit on you and then again, right in front of me. But this reply would do too.
He hit the 'send' button.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Misaki literally jumped from her chair in class when she felt her phone vibrate in her skirt pocket. Although, she always found it against her principle to check phone during a class, she couldn't help not giving it a sneak-peak. She was almost ecstatic at the thought that he had replied. Well, who else would message me now?
And fortunately, she was not disappointed this time.
She rolled her eyes and smiled at his reply. Cocky, as usual.
She immediately typed back: Fishing for compliments, are we? That was a pathetic shot, by the way.
And sent it.
Before she could close her phone, the reply came.
Usui: Oh really? Prez would have liked it if I had hit Hinata more gravely? You could have only indicated me to do so at that moment. And I would have easily complied.
She smiled involuntarily.
Misaki replied: Jerk! You at least admitted that you intentionally hit Hinata.
And she got a reply almost instantly.
Usui: Well, you don't seem too sad because of that.
Misaki rolled her eyes again. He knows me too well. Now what if I add a little twist?
She replied: Who said I am not? I am very sad! He asked me out for a movie tonight! Now you almost crippled my movie date!
And she didn't even bother to close the phone because she anticipated the reply to come immediately.
But…15mins had passed with no reply. She rechecked her phone connection, switched it off and back on thinking the message didn't come due to technical fault.
But, no, the phone seems to be working just fine. Why didn't he reply already? Did it piss him off? Has he gone back to his avoidance phase? Or he just remembered that he is supposed to not talk to me?
Her heart felt heavy again. For a moment, I thought that everything has gone back to normal between us. I know he doesn't like You-kun! But Usui should know that I don't have any special feelings for You-kun. He's just my childhood friend. Why is Usui being so difficult?
And her inner voice answered that for her: Since when have you been so easy?
She hardly paid attention to what was being taught at class. And when the class ended, she felt her mobile vibrate again. Her hands trembled a little as she flipped open her phone to read it.
Usui replied:I didn't know that. Sorry for hitting him. I didn't know you want to go out on a date with him. Enjoy your time!
Misaki felt her heart would burst now, it is aching so much! She could not articulate what she was feeling right now. Her mind felt blank.
She wanted to go to Usui, shake him and tell him that it was not the case. She didn't want to go to a movie with Shintani! How could Usui say it like that? She texted that playfully! Didn't he get that? Since when did he start being so serious and taking all of her words seriously? Is that why he had started avoiding me? Because I said something and he took my words seriously and felt hurt?
I have expected a sneering or a cocky reply. But this? He is saying that he IS sorry for hitting him? And since when did he become such a good guy to actually say 'enjoy' a date with another guy? Has he given up on me? That's why he is avoiding me?
She felt like crying. To cry and cry and cry until her tear glands stop producing any more tears. She had never felt that lost in her entire lifespan. Not even when her dad had walked out on her family.
Shintani observed Misaki's changing expression from his seat: happy to sad to tearful in a matter of minutes, and thought it better, to not confront her at the moment. He could guess who the culprit could be.
As the final bell rang, Shintani packed his belongings and made a beeline to that culprit's classroom to teach him a lesson for making Misa-chan tearful.
Luckily, Shintani didn't had to wander much further from his and Misaki's classroom before he saw Usui walking towards their classroom.
'Usui-san!' called out Shintani, gathering all his courage.
Usui merely looked at him. His eyes were unreadable and facial expression completely neutral.
'Stay away from Misa-chan! Stop messing with her.' Said Shintani, his voice almost trembling because, in his heart, he knew that Misaki wouldn't approve of what he was doing. But, he made Misa-chan sad. I c-can't help it.
'Take care of her.'
Shintani's eyes widened. He could not believe his ears. Did Usui-san just tell me to take care of Misa-chan?
And before Hinata could collect his wits to give a coherent reply, Usui had turned around and walked away in the opposite direction.
Almost dumbfound by this new development, Shintani walked back to his classroom to see MIsaki telling Yukimura, to cancel the Student Coucil meeting for the day as she was not feeling well.
Shintani, feeling a little brave, went towards Misaki and asked cheerfully, 'Misa-chan, would you like me to drop you home? I won't ask you to join me for a movie, I promise!'
Misaki looked towards him. He is always so nice. 'I am sorry You-kun. I just w-want to be alone right now. You go ahead.'
'Are you ok, Misa-chan? You said that you are not feeling well. Are you sure you can make it back to your house safely?' asked Shintani concerned. He could not think of anything to cheer her up and he also knew that her health was fine. And he also felt that Misaki doesn't want his company.
Misaki gave a forced smile. 'You know how strong I am, don't you? I will make it back safely.'
HInata frowned as he analyzed her sentence in search of a loophole in her answer but as he couldn't spot any, he replied, 'Well, you will give me a call if you want company, won't you?'
'I will.' Said Misaki, offering him another small smile.
'Okay, take care, Misa-chan.' greeted Shintani, as he took leave while MIsaki remained seated on her chair, her bangs covering her eyes.
One by one everyone from her classroom took leave while she remained seated, too drained emotionally to even start off towards home. Her mind had gone numb. But as twilight almost turned to darkness, she knew that she had to head home. The school building should be empty by now.
She forced herself to get up, gather her belongings and head towards the exit.
It had started raining. Suzuna had told me to bring an umbrella, but I forgot. I don't feel like going home.
She made her way towards the isolated bus-stop just right outside the school gate and sat on the bench. The shed had been removed as it was broken and a new shed was sanctioned to arrive soon.
It's a good thing that it hadn't arrived yet. I can feel the rain run down from my cheeks.
She stared up at the sky and observed the rain falling as if from nothingness.
I want to sit here like this forever. No other thoughts on my mind. No responsibilities. No Usui. I want this rain to never stop. I want to drown in this. I-
Her eyes fell on the person standing just in front of her, holding an umbrella.
USUI.
Her eyes instantly filled with tears which she was trying to control for so long. MIsaki was glad that Usui wouldn't be able to see her tears in the rain.
She looked into his emerald eyes and was taken aback by how sad it looked. Has he been crying too?
'Usui!' she uttered, trying to choke back the lump forming on her throat.
As if her word was the trigger, Usui pulled Misaki to her feet and hugged her tightly.
This was all that was needed to break Misaki's wall. She held on to Usui tightly and started crying her heart out. She released all her pent up sadness in those tears, in the arms of the person she trusted the most, the person she wanted to share every part of her with, the person who accepted her for who she was and had always been there for her no matter what, the person she had almost come to expect everything from, the person she had come to lo-
Her tears subsided slowly and she wrenched herself from his tight embrace and looked into his eyes. She subconsciously could tell that it reflected her own feelings. She wanted to tell him that that text was a joke, she never agreed to go out with Shintani.
'Usui..I-' Misaki's words were cut short as Usui put his hand on her lips.
'Shhh…no need to say anything. Let's get you home.' Replied Usui softly.
He took her hand, entwined it between his fingers and pulled her close with the umbrella on the other hand and traced the way to Misaki's house.
Their walk home may look like a silent affair for a fellow bystander, but to them, it was the happiest moment of their life as they cherished each other's touch and silence. They didn't mind or bother as rain drenched them as their body strayed often from the boundary of the umbrella. They were having a silent conversation where their entwined fingers and occasional touch of a shoulder or hips talked. It spoke more volumes than words ever could.
As they reached Misaki's house, both of their faces saddened a little as it indicated the inevitable: they had to part. Usui looked into Misaki's bright amber eyes and leaned in to plant a kiss on her forehead.
'You should go in now.' Whispered Usui closing his eyes, as if steeling himself, as he let go of her hand.
'Usui, I-' she began but was cut short as Usui again put his index finger softly on her lips to 'shhh' her.
'Misaki, you should go home and change into dry clothes. Or you will catch a cold.' He reasoned.
'What about you? You are soaked too!' she demanded.
'I will be fine. I am an alien, remember?' replied Usui, smiling softly, 'Now go in and change. I will see you tomorrow. Now go. '
As much as Misaki hated it, she couldn't think of anything to change Usui's mind. She nodded timidly and made her way to the door. She turned back to see Usui still standing there, watching her actions.
Usui gave a tender smile and waved his hand.
She waved back and got inside her house.
Her knees gave out as she collapsed on the floor. She felt full and empty at the same time. She didn't want to let go of Usui just yet. I want more of him. I want to be with him constantly, every second of the day, every second of my life. I want him. I need him.
Just then Misaki's mother came down the stairs to enquire about the noise she heard minutes ago to find her daughter sitting motionless on the doorway, soaked in the rain. She immediately pulled Misaki up and took her to the bathroom to get her changed.
'What were you trying to do sitting like that fully soaked in the doorway? Trying to catch a cold?' demanded Minako Ayuzawa.
Misaki mumbled something incoherent, as her body tried to recall his every touch.
When she went to her room, she clasped and entwined both of her hands just like how Usui held mine.
Don't kill me! I will make the next chapter nice and happy. Review!