- A Beautiful Tomorrow - An Ambient Generation

. . . Between Mind & Heart . . .

Hey guys! Sorry for taking long, I've been depressed lately and college just keeps packing on me.

Hope this chapter satisfies you.

Alice waited for Yoshiko after school by the Principal's Office. Yoshiko had to go back there for some reason, which Alice did not know of. She shifted her weight in her uncomfortable seat inside the secretary's office. Talking to the secretary was the same teacher who had stopped the earlier fight well, kind of stopped it anyway.

They were in a deep discussion, with dark, disapproving expressions on their face. Both were women. Alice watched as the teacher made weird gestures while she talked. The secretary responded by clucking her tongue.

The head office's door opened and Yoshiko walked out, she paused to glance at the teacher, who looked back, saying; "Wait outside. I'll be with you in a minute."

Alice stood up and they both left together.

"Why do you have to wait?" she asked, "She wants to talk to you?"

Yoshiko rolled her dark brown eyes and leaned against the wall, just outside of the office.

"She has to escort me out the building in case I try or someone else tries, to pick up a fight with me."

"You're going to pick up a fight with yourself?"

Yoshiko rolled her eyes again. "No, I might start a fight with someone else." She gave Alice a look, who smiled sheepishly back.

Yoshiko looked around them. "Where is everybody? Why is it so quiet?"

"Most of them left," Alice replied, glancing up at the clock which read 2: 47. "School's kind of over, you know?"

"I know." Yoshiko bristled. Alice shook her head.

The girl had major mood swings. At one point she'd be all timid and sorrowful, and the next second she'd hit you with the bitch act. It was her nature, Alice guessed.

"Yoshiko! I heard Nicholai tried to beat you up!" a breathless Kurando came crashing down the stairs of the school, towards them, book bag banging into his side as he puffed up to them.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

Yoshiko smiled upon his arrival, shifting her attention on him. "No, thanks for asking. He didn't, but I think I broke his nose." Her smile turned modest when Kurando let out a piercing giggle of congrats.

"Awesome! That's terrific! Good for you!" He beamed up at her, she was slightly taller. "I think I should learn how to fight like you. Will you teach me? I really could use self-defense! People are always picking on me!"

"Hard not to," a male voice sneered before Yoshiko could answer.

Yuri swaggered up to them, his shoulder bag slung lazily over his left shoulder. He smirked at Kurando and Yoshiko, but flashed a fake smile in Alice's direction. She responded with a sickened glare.

Jerk, she spat mentally. I hate you.

She didn't know why he had suddenly changed. It was as if he turned vicious and evil overnight. He looked so familiar to her now. Reminding her of his usual self.

The side she despised and hated and absolutely loathed. What was wrong with him? Just yesterday he had actually touched her face. Just thinking of it made her suddenly sick.

Alice almost reached up to rub her chin without knowing. She stopped herself midway.

"What are you doing here, Hyuga?" Kurando barked, abruptly sounding like Mr. Albert, in a more girly way. Shrill and high.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else?" his eyes swiftly looked over to Alice, studying her quickly before he studied Yuri.

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Why do you care, Inugami? Shouldn't you be at home studying for an exam a month away?"

"I already have," Kurando said haughtily. "Of course you haven't, probably having to--having to--" he squared his shoulder bravely. "Probably having to be too busy screwing girls!"

Alice stared at him as Yoshiko gasped and started giggling. Yuri threw Kurando a sudden angry look and began walking rapidly towards him. Kurando shrank back into the wall.

"Hey, stop!" Alice started, thinking about the teacher in the room beside them. "Yuri, stop!"

Yuri backed Kurando up into a wall; he didn't have to, as to seeing how Kurando was already glued to it, and began talking in a hissing, spiteful tone.

"You don't know shit, so don't talk it. Stop trying to act all macho to impress your best friend--"

Alice furiously cut in. "Leave him alone, Yuri! What's your problem anyway? You can't even take a small insult without practically killing the person!"

Yuri glared at her, but didn't say anything and continued to bear down upon a scared Kurando.

"Just because you never got a chance to get laid--screw that, I mean a chance to be kissed doesn't--wait, screw that too. Just because you never had any one liking you, doesn't make the rest of--"

Alice had enough, she angrily pushed him away. It was feeble, wimpy, and a mistake.

The second her finger tips brushed against his shirt, the teacher walked out of the secretary's office, witnessing the action. She went into a shrieking rage.

"AGAIN? YOU AND HIM?" she pointed a very angry and accusing finger from Alice to Yuri.

"Into the office this minute! You kids need to be SUSPENDED! Two fights in ONE day, my word indeed!"

"Sorry," Yuri said unconvincingly beside a very frightened Alice. "But I got detention."

"DETENTION FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK!" The teacher shouted.

She pointed once again at Alice . "YOU TOO! Now get!" she turned to Kurando and Yoshiko.

"Are you two fighting too? Ms. Kawashima, you had better not be part of this! You are already in big trouble as it is! If I find out that--"

"I'm not," Yoshiko cut in calmly. "I was silent the entire time. I didn't partake in even the argument, so there."

The teacher stood there, raging for a minute before she abruptly grabbed both Kurando and Yoshiko by the shoulder and marched them away from Alice and Yuri. "Get to D hall!" she snapped over her shoulder. "I'm coming back to check and see if you're there after I take them out of the school."

--------------------------------------------------

Yuri couldn't have been more pissed. He wanted to grab the teacher and wring her neck. One whole week! Did she go suddenly insane or something? He was Yuri Hyuga. The star of Nemeton High's Martial Arts team, and had practice almost every day of the week after school!

He briefly glanced over at Alice, who was gaping wordlessly at the empty hallway. He noticed how her lower lip was trembling and prayed she wouldn't start crying.

Jesus, he was the one who should be crying. Missing out practice was going to kill him.

"Your fault," he said emotionlessly, turning away from her.

"How is it my fault?" she asked shrilly, voice cracking. "I didn't do anything!"

She miserably folded her arms across her chest and started walking past him.

"You need to go to D hall," Yuri said, catching her arm to stop her. She violently wrenched it free as if she had just been electrocuted.

"I know where it is." She said stiffly. "I've been there once."

"Well then good luck in finding it." Yuri said coolly, walking away from her, and also tearing his eyes away from her mouth. "Hope you don't get lost."

He didn't hear anything except the loud echoing of his footsteps. Seconds later however, he heard her own steps following him. A grim, satisfied smile formed at his lips.

Minutes later they were both seated in the old Math room, with some old male teacher in the front. Only 3 other students were there, looking bored out of their minds.

Yuri sighed and had slumped into a seat near to the door. Alice moved away and sat in a seat which he noticed, farthest away from him. The old teacher sat up and surveyed Alice.

"I do not have you on my list for today's detention, Ms. Elliot."

"I received detention just now, Mr. Zhuzhen." Alice said with a hint of respect in her tone.

Yuri heaved a sigh and looked away. Seeing the side of her cute face was enough to get him up from his seat, over to her, and kiss her.

God! Just one fucking kiss, Yuri thought, forcing his eyes not to wander.

It pissed him off how he couldn't get something so simple. He had always been able to get whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it…. But now he couldn't even look at her without having to force himself to look away. One more momentary look…

You need to find somebody, Yuri griped. You're not going to torture yourself like this forever.

He raked through his mind, trying to think of a girl but ended up being frustrated. All the girls he knew were so…so wrong. They didn't like him for him. They liked him for his looks and popularity. They didn't appreciate the real him like… Alice did.

Did, Yuri reminded himself. She DID appreciate you, but obviously not anymore. The way she looked at him now made him want to beg her to not be mad at him. It was pathetic.

Yuri found himself pathetic.

He let out an audible groan without realizing it. They all looked at him. Even Alice. She cocked her head to the side as if to say; What's wrong?

He shifted his eyes back to the dull desk top, wanting dearly to respond; You.

---------------------------------------------------

Alice let out a sigh of relief when the clock finally hit 4 and they were allowed to leave. She saw Yuri immediately bolt the room as she took her time to weave through the desks. She was the last one out. Even the other three students had ran.

The minute she stepped out into the hall, she was surprised to see that the three students weren't insight, and was even more surprised to see Yuri still there, taking a long drink from the water fountain.

She stopped walking, pretending to look through her backpack so he'd have time to walk down the hall. After she was sure he resumed walking, she herself followed.

Yuri walked on ahead of her leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world. Half dragging his feet, he didn't seem to bother to quicken his pace.

Alice studied his walking for a second before exhaling noisily and began to sift through an Advanced Calculus book Mr. Simon lent her. The starting seemed pretty basic and Alice felt almost sure she could do it.

Smiling, she flipped through the rest of the thick book. Thoughts and attention focused on what she was looking at, Alice paid no attention to where her legs were taking her.

Down the hall, she assumed. When she reached the end, she'd look up.

Before she could do that however, Alice's body suddenly slammed hard into, she could guess who. But Yuri didn't even stumble from her crash.

He stood there, still and silent as she rubbed her shoulder. Even though she was feeling a bit irked because he had stopped walking, she knew it was partially her fault for not watching where she was going.

"Excuse me, Yuri." She said, trying to sound polite and annoyed at the same time. It didn't really work, so she stuck with polite.

His response was swiftly turning around and grabbing her arm before dragging her back up the hall. "C'mon."

"What the heck…?" Alice sputtered as she stumbled backwards.

Click, clack, click, clack.

This time, Yuri grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so she could properly walk. "C'mon." he muttered again. Alice tried twisting herself out of his grip.

"Let go." She said angrily. "What in the world are you doing!?"

Click, clack, click, clack.

"Someone's coming." Yuri hissed, suddenly pinning Alice to a wall right beside a row of lockers.

"So!" Alice tried digging her nails into his wrists, but it made no effect, seeing how short they were.

Click, clack, click, clack.

"What is that noise?" Alice strained her ears, but just at that second, the click and clacking stopped.

"Yuri, baby?"

He threw Alice an angry now-look-what-you-did look. "It's Karin."

Alice stared at him. She didn't know whether to be in disbelief or anger.

She felt like saying; So? And Let's go! At the same time. But instead, Alice tried looking over Yuri's small shoulders to see Karin.

She knew immediately what had been making the clicking noise; Karin had some sort of strappy-heeled sandals on. In her head, Alice was wondering what on earth the girl was doing after school so late.

"Yuri," Karin giggled. "What are you doing?" She obviously didn't think Yuri knew about her and Alice's little episode and went right on talking to him in a flirtatious tone.

"Come on, Yuri boy. Quit humping the wall." She giggled again.

For the first time Alice was glad Yuri's body was covering her. Even though she could hardly breathe due to how close they were standing, she was thankful.

Alice slightly looked at Yuri, to see his reaction towards Karin's words. He closed his eyes briefly, before opening them again and rolling them. "Yes, I just love humping the wall, hun."

He said scathingly, slightly shifting his weight, trying to allow Alice some air.

"What the heck are we doing this for anyway?" Alice murmured under her breath a bit uncomfortably. "It's not like she will--" Yuri covered her mouth.

But Karin seemed to have heard anyway. "What are you doing?" her voice sounded a bit higher. "Is that a girl? Are you standing with a girl?"

"You sound surprised." Yuri said dryly.

Over his shoulder, Alice could see Karin clenching and unclenching her hands in outrage. She snickered softly despite herself.

The girl was obviously possessive of Yuri, and as Alice had experienced, she would make any gal who hung out with him miserable.

"I thought we were a couple!" Karin cried with bitterness visible in her tone.

"You and the rest of the girls in this school." Yuri snapped, now annoyed.

"Turn around!" Karin said angrily, stamping her feet. "What are you so afraid of? She must be really hideous if you want to hide her face--"

Yuri let out a soft irritated cry and started to move away but Alice grabbed the front of his shirt, suddenly terrified. What if Karin suddenly charged and started beating the crap out of her?

"No--"

"She won't do anything--" He hissed in return, moving away.

Alice just helplessly stood there as Karin screamed with disbelief. "YOU!" Her perfectly lined eyes widened. "No! This is INSANE! This--this is CRAZY!"

Her chest heaved emotionally. "I WILL NOT LOSE YOU TO HER!"

"Isn't this a shock," Yuri said idly expressing how much he enjoyed seeing her lose control.

He entwined Alice's hand with his and tugged it slightly towards him. The smaller girl got the impression that he wanted her to follow him.

"Let's go lover." He drawled. "We'll be late for our date tonight if we don't hurry."

"Um… oh, o-okay." Alice murmured, trying to go along with it.

"You're going out with her?" Karin asked suddenly, forcing obvious calm into her voice while her chest continued to heave. "I mean, officially?"

"Yes." Yuri said a bit disgustedly as he began to once again, drag Alice down the hall. This time however, towards the exit.

"I don't believe it. Prove it."

Both of them didn't hear her at first; Alice was mentally wallowing in relief while Yuri was pretending to talk to her in loud cooing tones.

They both stopped when she repeated it again, "Prove it."

Alice looked back at the red head in utter disbelief. She then glanced up at Yuri who was also studying Karin. Prove it? How were they supposed to prove it?

"What's so hard to believe?" Yuri asked, but he was also wondering the same thing at the moment. "I know you thought no one was better than you, hun… but life's a bitch isn't it?"

Karin laughed. "I'm sure it is, Yuri. She is not better than me. She will never be better than me."

She glared harshly at Alice. "And I think she knows that."

The cheerleader folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "Well prove it."

"Prove what?" Yuri snarled, his annoyance getting the better of him. "Just go home, okay?"

"I don't think you're dating. I--I think you're just trying to get me mad and jealous--" She quickly added. "And it's NOT working."

Alice looked at Yuri again, perplexed. "Maybe we should just go…" she muttered distinctively, trying to pull her arm out of his grip without Karin's noticing.

"You guy's aren't even dating!" Karin cried triumphantly. "I knew it."

She laughed almost scathingly. "I mean, who was I kidding? That girl is hideous! Nothing compared to me! I know you would never go out with ugly girls, let alone freaks right Yuuuri?"

She grinned scornfully and shook her head, not noticing the angered look on his face. "I mean--come off it! Jeez… I was being really paranoid wasn't I?" she laughed again loudly.

"For your information, Karin. We are dating," Yuri spat, fury evident in his voice.

He gripped Alice's arm tighter without noticing as she softly cried out. "She's caring, beautiful, compassionate, amusing, and truly likes me for who I am. I think YOU are nothing compared to Elliot. She's-"

"Elliot?" Karin echoed. "ELLIOT? Oh yeah, I believe you Yuri. She so is your girlfriend. Elliot, hah!" She flipped her fluffy hair arrogantly.

"Stop messing with me Yuri baby! My patience will not last much longer. C'mon, let's ditch her. We can go catch a movie--"

"Fuck off, okay?" Yuri said vehemently, eyes flashing furiously. "You go catch a movie yourself."

"YOU'RE NOT DATING HER!" Karin shrieked suddenly, stamping her foot.

"We are dating." He retorted, raising his voice also.

"LIAR!" Karin screamed, her nails digging deep in her skin. "You can't even PROVE it!"

Yuri let out an angry, frustrated cry and without warning, grabbed Alice by the shoulders and gently pulled her towards him.

Startled, Alice stumbled forward willingly before looking up at him questioningly.

He didn't answer, and tilted her chin up. Lowering his head towards hers, Yuri kissed her.

Yay! They finally kiss! After all those times he wanted to kiss her. He did. I bet you all are happy and furious at the cliff hanger. Heehee.