A/N: Alright, you HARDCORE TAKUMI FANS! This chapter is for you. I kind of took a concept and ran with it. I may have lost myself for a second.
Just A Day In The Life…
Day 4
(She's Lost Her Marbles)
It was the break of dawn. The morning crow cooed across the morning sky, flapping its jet black wings to another location to scavenge for food. It was at a nearby park where people walked by, on their way to school. Students walked on the sidewalks to class, carrying on about meaningless conversations. But among the most things being talked about, one of them was about a mysterious unconscious student that lied at the parks statue resembling a star. It was none other than Takuya Kanbara.
Oh gosh. I got a massive headache. The brunette thought to himself as he grew consciousness. Did I drink last night? Did I have a hangover?
Takuya opened his foggy eyes which felt like dead weights attached to his eye lids. The sun pierced through the branches of an oak tree onto his face, nearly blinding him.
"Where am I?" He thought out loud, shielding his eyes with his hand. He noticed two hazel eyes looking at him. They belonged to a beautiful girl who was unsure whether or not he was alive or dead. She had somewhat of a peculiar look on her face.
"Are you alright?" the girl asked.
"Yeah… yeah I'm fine…" Takuya's eye focused on the girl, "Hey aren't you that one girl I met on the first day of school? Rosa is it?" his voice was gravel as he recalled the girls name. He hadn't seen her since the last time they rammed into each other on his first day of school.
"Yeah it is. It's weird that I found you hear, all by yourself." She replied with no clue as to what was going on with the battered looking Takuya.
"Geez…my brain is all fuzzy. Do you mind telling me what's going on?" he finally stood to his feet as chilly breeze swept across his body, "And why is it chilly all of a sudden?"
The brunette took a look at his surroundings then at himself. He was half naked and all he had was a pair of maroon boxer briefs.
"Aaaaah!" he shrieked as he covered himself with his hands, but it was useless. "What the hell? Where are my clothes? Is this some sort of sick prank you pulled?"
"What? No! I just found you like this. You must have had one wild night." The girl was on the defense, defending her innocence from the humiliating situation.
"Wild night? Wild night?" Takuya repeated those words to himself, hoping it would jog his memory. The last thing he remembered was being at the locker room at school when Kyle and the rest of the stooges ganged up on him before everything went black.
"Those bastards!" Takuya clenched his fist as if he could envision the three of them standing before him. He would pound their faces in if he could.
"Sounds like those girls took you on for one hell of a night." Rosa assumed, flicking her hair to the side.
"They weren't girls. They were the douchebags of all douchebaggery." Takuya's clenched fist continued throbbing.
"OH?" Rosa said. She was surprised by his remark since it was not as she assumed.
"I've got to get even with Kyle and them. But before that I got to go get some clothes."
"Yeah you should get running now, before you cause a scene, pretty boy."
Takuya blushed because the nickname she gave him. This was the worst circumstances to be calling him such names, since he was emotionally vulnerable. He frantically looked to his left and right before immediately dashing from bush to bush like a ninja.
"It was nice seeing you again, Takuya!" the girl called out to him.
"You the same." Takuya replied, still looking around for another bush to hide behind.
"Nice ass, by the way!" the girl replied as she bit her lip in a seductive manner. She watched Takuya's soccer toned butt sprint along the grass.
Takuya's face turned redder than his boxers. "….Thanks?" He did not know how to take her compliment.
-xxx-
"Thanks for showing us that pastry shop, Vanessa." Zoe said wolfing down a dumpling she received from the clerk at the shop. She and her other friends, Victoria, Vanessa, and Naomi, walked back to their dorms before heading back to school for first period. During the margin of time they spent together, they got to know each other. They had a glimpsed into each other's past. Victoria and Vanessa's dad was a major casino owner, which helped put them through school, especially for their education at the academy they were attending. There mother had deceased and was introduced to a step mom. Naomi's dad was in the military and her mother was a stay-at-home Mom who owned a flower shop as a hobby.
Though, among the things they talked about, one thing remained noticeable. They talked about pressing issues … like boys.
"You have some good looking friends." Vanessa complimented. There was one in particular she was talking about.
"Um… thanks?" Zoe replied.
"Who's that one guy again? Takuya?" Victoria recalled the boy's name.
"Yeah, what about him." Zoe wondered. For some unknown reason she felt uncomfortable with where this conversation was going.
"Oh nothing. He's seems kind of cute."
Out of spontaneous predicaments, a young man sprung out of the nearby bush like a wild bushman. The girls shrieked with terror, unaware if he was a perverted mugger, or potential rapist. After further analyzing, they realized it was none other than Takuya. He was stark naked except for some maroon boxers. He looked perplex, frightened, and fidgety due to his situation.
"Takuya?" Zoe called out to him, making sure her eyes were not deceiving her at a young age.
In a split second, Takuya's face turned red before he instantly dashed in the opposite direction towards the men's' dormitory.
"Wasn't that your friend, Takuya?" Naomi asked, her mouth ajar.
"Yeah…." Zoe replied, still shocked.
"So is he normally this carefree and outrageous?" Victoria wondered, taking a bite out of her dumpling, still staring at Takuya running off.
"No… not at all." Zoe could not comprehend what just happened.
Victoria continued ogling the direction the boy ran off in. She was in a daze of admiration. "Man, he runs like a soccer player."
-xxx-
Takuya rushed into the dorms, hoping he would not encounter any officials or students. The last thing he wanted was to be caught with hardly any clothes on. He would never be able to shine his face again in public. He would be stripped of his dignity for sure.
To his fortune, there were little to no students roaming the hall. Of course a few gave him an abnormal look as he passed by, but thought nothing more of it. They were used to seeing sights like this from time to time.
Takuya reached his room number, 217, and banged on the door for minutes nonstop. Each fist pounded on the sturdy door, hoping they would get someone's attention on the inside. If anything, he needed someone to answer the door quick.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming…"JP's muffled voice could be heard on the other side.
Takuya did not get any fast door answering responses and kept pounding.
"Don't lose your shirt, alright! I'm coming."
How ironic the situation was for Takuya for him to hear that response.
The door finally opened, and JP stood on the other end with an indifferent facial expression. He looked at Takuya up and down with his tired eyes as Takuya breathed rapidly from his morning run.
JP, took a second to process the image of Takuya with no clothes, and then closed the door.
"Hey! Open up! This isn't funny."
JP opened the door again this time with a more humane and peculiar countenance. "Where have you been, dude? And where are you clothes?"
"Can't talk. I'll explain later!" Takuya brushed past JP towards the restroom that Kouichi was coming out of. "Dude where's your clothes?" Kouichi asked with a perplex expression.
"Where you partying last night?" JP continued.
"No!" Takuya replied.
"Did you lose a bet?"
"No!"
"Did you get laid?"
"NO!"
"Then what the h-hell happened?" JP demanded as he nearly chuckled towards the end of his sentence.
"Look! Kyle and his friends beat the crap out of me and left me out in the park."
"With no clothes?"
"YES!"
All this yelling caused Kouji to wake up. He looked at Takuya and closed his eyes. "I don't even want to know," he mumbled as he regained his sleep.
"Dude, that's wrong. You got to tell somebody, like the school officials." JP suggested, closing the door behind him.
"Yeah. I'm sure Sgt. Colonel would be great of assistance." Kouichi added, giving some of his great advice.
"DID I HEAR SOMEONE CALL MY NAME?" Sgt. Colonel busted the door open with inhuman strength.
"Uuuh… no." Takuya mumbled, while everyone else looked shocked. JP could have sworn he locked the door behind him.
"NO WHAT?"
"NO SIR!" The boys shouted in unison.
"GOOD! NOW MAKE YOUR BEDS AND QUIT CAUSING A SCENE! Put some clothes on boy, DAMMMIT!" the sergeant shut the door behind him.
Everything went back to normal.
"Well we got to report this to someone. This is a violation of the school code of conduct." Kouichi informed Takuya.
"What school of conduct?"
"The School Code of Conduct. It's in the official handbook. Did you guys not read it?"
"I don't read much." Takuya replied.
"It's states right here…" Kouichi randomly pulled out a large orange and black book and flipped to a random page, pointing at the clause, "Its states right here on page 67, section C 11.19: Students must respect one another upon all aspects of one's wellbeing. "
Takuya stood still, dumbfounded that Kouichi knew that piece of information, let alone read the school handbook.
"Enough! Look, I already have a target on my back, with this Kyle. I don't want to make it any bigger."
"So what did you do to deserve this punishment?" JP asked.
"…All I did was out shine Kyle on the soccer field yesterday at tryouts. On top of that, he thinks I stole Zoe from him."
"HOLD ON! DID YOU?" JP's tone immediately changed to offensive and boisterous.
Takuya was surprised by the sudden outburst and change in tone"…No. No I didn't."
"…Oh good."
Takuya, Kouichi, and Kouji stared at JP peculiarly for a second as if they were trying to spot a fly on the wall.
"I guess, I'll have to deal with this later. Right, now I'm going to be late for class."
The rest of them joined in the morning ritual of preparing for school. The day could only get better for Takuya from here on out.
-xxx-
Back at the girls' dorm in room 224, Victoria, Vanessa, Zoe, and Naomi got ready for school while continuing the undisclosed discussion about Zoe's guy friends and Takuya.
"You friend Takuya is weird. What was he doing?" Vanessa wondered as she buttoned up the last buttons on her white blouse.
"I don't know. I don't look after him or anything." Zoe replied, sounding a little insecure. She slipped one of her foot through her black thigh high stockings.
"But you have to admit, he did look kinda hot… wearing nothing but those boxer briefs." Naomi slightly changed the subject.
"Yeah and the cute face he makes when he's embarrassed." Victoria added. She sounded out of character. She usually was aloof.
"Oh you guys. Stop already. He's really not all that." Zoe still echoed her insecure tone from before. She even over exaggerated a few hand gestures when she spoke.
"Don't pretend you don't notice him. I bet you think of him all the time." Victoria accused the blond.
"Yeah. I bet he's your boyfriend you just haven't told us yet." Naomi joined in on teaming up against Zoe and her lack of interest in the current subject.
"N-no he's not!" Zoe replied, staring at her friends with wide eyes.
"Oh he isn't, eh? So then why are you trying to shush us?"
"Because…" Zoe paused," I don't want you all to get your hopes up, that's all."
"What are you trying to say?" said the almost dressed, Victoria.
"I'm just saying he has his eyes occupied." Zoe bashfully looked away from them.
"Who? By you?" The girls laughed while jabbing jokes towards the blond. The girls were interested in her pending answer.
"Hey I know for a fact he likes me…."
The girls fell silent, as if Zoe dropped a social bomb.
"I'm not delusional. Back in Shibuya, we had a moment together…"
"Really?" Naomi crossed her arms.
"What happened!" Vanessa leaned forward to hear the good details.
"Nothing… I couldn't say."
Naomi looked skeptically at Zoe. "I don't believe you!"
"Takuya has feelings for me… and I'll prove it!" Zoe realized what she had said, but continued with her challenge. "I'll get him to confess."
"Woah, don't you think that's a bit of a challenge?" Victoria jumped up from the bed she was sitting on to confront Zoe.
"And why's that?"
Victoria placed her hand, gently onto Zoe's shoulders. "Getting a guy to admit he likes you is like getting him to go shopping with you. They won't do it unless they no its safe and something is in it for them."
"That's absurd."
"OK? But you've been warned." Victoria added a falsetto pitch towards the end of her sentence.
Zoe smirked knowing she was going to prove the girls wrong. "Challenge accepted."
"This should be gooooood." Vanessa clasped her hands together, more excited than a giddy school girl.
-xxx-
(Later on that morning…)
Later on the way to school, Takuya and the guys walked along the side walk. None of them looked forward to the dreadful school day as usual. They already had their eyes set for the weekend.
"So, what do you guys think of this weekend's plans" JP was still wondering about their get together. "I was thinking, how 'bout a trip to the movies, or better yet, a theme park."
"That sounds good," Kouichi replied, "That would give us a chance to check the area out."
"I thought we settled with shopping or something…" Kouji muttered, not fully aware of the conversation.
"Guys, I feel like I'm forgetting something." Takuya interrupted his friends as he struggled to remember what it was, "Did we have homework last night?"
"Yes, but you wouldn't have done it since you were out 'partying'." Kouji mocked Takuya.
Kanbara grabbed his hair in frustration. He knew he was going to get an "F" on the assignment in class.
Tommy was shocked by Kouji's choice of words. "Takuya was partying last night?"
In the meantime, Zoe and her three roommates were in front of them, chatting before the guys showed up. Zoe was the first to look the boys' way as she waved at them. She then motioned the girls to go ahead and move to class. She would catch up with them later. The girls left her alone with the guys and gave her instigating looks relating to their conversation they had in the morning.
"Hey guys! Hi Takuya." She greeted the young men, segregating Takuya for himself.
"H-hi, Zoe." Takuya was slightly taken aback, as he rubbed the back of his neck like he usually did when he was nervous about something. Even the guys were wondering what was up with Zoe's separate greeting.
"So whachya guys been up to?"
"Takuya returned to us this morning with no clothes," JP outburst, trying to further embarrass Takuya.
"Would you shut up, JP." Takuya retorted.
"Actually, I saw him too this morning." Zoe replied to JP. She then faced Takuya who was trying his best not to make eye contact. "So what was that all about"
Takuya continued sweating bullets and scratching his neck. "Oh that? It was nothing really…"
"Oh really?" Zoe slipped her hands around his biceps, while pulling him away from the guys. "Why don't you tell me all about it?"
The two of them walked arm-in-arm to school, though Takuya seemed reluctant to follow her.
"Uuuuh what just happened here?" Tommy asked as if someone would answer him, "What's this I hear about Takuya partying?"
JP was baffled and outraged. "I can't believe she said hi to Takuya and not me, as if I was a nobody!"
Kouji stared at JP, apathetically. "JP, you are a nobody… you just haven't realized yet."
-xxx-
(Meanwhile in Home Room…)
Later on that day, Takuya, Kouji, Kouichi, Zoe, Victoria, and Vanessa were all in the same homeroom which was Literature with Ms. Avery. She went on to teach the class while the students read passages from their text book.
"So are you going to tell the officials about Kyle." Kouichi asked Takuya.
"No, man. I don't want any drama to spark from this." Takuya replied.
"Dude, you got to tell someone or else that guy's is just going to keep getting away with stuff like this."
Takuya glanced back at Kouichi, "The last thing I want to hear right now is Kyle's name, OK?"
Zoe looked up from her textbook at Takuya since he was whispering loudly about something. The brunette caught her eye and smiled. She smiled back and went back to reading.
"Takuya!"
Takuya's head spun around, facing the front of the class.
"Would you mind sharing with the class what is that's so important?" Ms. Avery said, as she adjusted her glasses wither index finger.
"No. That's ok."
"Takuya, that was not a suggestion."
Seeing that he was not going to weasel his way out of this, he grudgingly stood to his feet before the classroom door sprung open. In stepped an olive skin toned girl, dressed in the girl version of the school's uniform. Her black hair coursed down to her shoulders and her hazel eyes met Takuya's before it locked on to the teacher.
"And who might you be?" Ms. Avery asked, as she leaned off her desk.
"My name is Rosalyn Ramirez, and I've transferred to this classroom as my homeroom."
The students in the classroom stirred in their seats. This was the umpteenth time they had a transfer student of some kind.
"Oh how nice. We're glad to have you." Ms. Avery greeted the girl with a warm welcome. "Now how about you sit over there next to… Izumi."
Zoe's attention locked onto the new girl as she made her way over to her new seat.
In the meantime, Takuya thought this was a good opportunity to sit back down. The girl, who has been known as Rosa, sat down as well and looked over at Takuya. Takuya stared back, unsure what to make of the situation. She waved her fingers at him, showing a cutesy smile. Takuya smiled back, and then turned around quickly, facing the front. His face was slightly pink.
Disgruntled by what transpired between them, Zoe looked at both the new girl and Takuya, trying to connect the pieces to this unsolved acquaintance.
"I'm still not done with you Mr. Kanbara." Ms. Avery called out to the young boy. "And by the way, would everyone please turn in their assignment from last night?"
This really wasn't Takuya's day.
-xxx-
Takuya was at his locker placing his books in his bag, exchanging them for the one's in his locker. He gazed at the pink detention slip in his hand that he well deserved for disrupting class and not finishing assignments.
"I mean, couldn't she have just given me a fair warning?" Takuya said, pouting at the slip of paper. Maybe it would suddenly disappear if he starred at it long enough.
"Well, that's what happens when you stay up all night, partying." Kouji quipped.
"Rrrrrrrrr" Irritated, Takuya crumbled the detention slip in his clenched fists. He grew tired of the continual insults from his so called friends.
Meanwhile, Zoe was listening to the guys' conversation from abroad. She could not clearly understand what they were talking about, but over something about partying last night. This poked her attention. She watched the guys continue giving Takuya a hard time while Rosa, the new girl, walked up to them.
"Hey… Takuya, is it?" the girl asked as she approached the auburn hair boy. He stared blankly at her, waiting for what she had to say.
"Uh hey, Rosa. What is it?" Takuya nervously exchanged eye contact with his friends and the girl.
"I just wanted to say hi and that I have some good news."
"O…K?" Takuya glanced at Kouji and Kouichi with a clueless look on his face. "Can you guys give us a minute?"
The twins were shocked at what they were hearing as they glanced at one another, simultaneously. Takuya needed some alone time with an unknown girl? One could only assume what was going on between them, especially with the way Takuya has behaving secretive lately.
"Sure," Both twins replied as they whistled while walking away to their next class.
Once the coast was clear Takuya faced the girl, "So what's this great news?"
"I just wanted to let you know, Kyle won't be bothering you anymore."
"Why?"
"Because he was suspended."
"What? How?"
She reached in her purse and pulled out her cellphone. She began rummaging through her phone's database. "I took it upon myself to tell the school officials what you told me, about how Kyle harassed you," she found what she was looking for in her phone, "I even showed them pictures of you I took this morning to prove my case."
"You did what?" Takuya grabbed the phone in frenzy."You took pictures of me without my permission?"
"What?" the girl shrugged as if she didn't realize what she did. "Look, you should be happy, now that that creep is no longer around."
With her subtle sassiness she took the phone back from Takuya and sashayed back to her class.
"You better get rid of those pictures!" Takuya exclaimed, hoping that whatever was left of his reputation, didn't go up in smokes… or on cyberspace.
In the meantime, Zoe watched the two and their body language. From what she was seeing so far, made her nervous. Seeing Takuya ask for privacy from the twins, then grabbing the girls phone after some heated dialogue made her wonder if they were having a "fling". She couldn't bear the thought of it but it remained prominent in her mind.
"Oh no, Zoe. Looks like someone's beating you to the punch." Victoria came up from behind Zoe teasing her about Takuya's love interest.
"I can't let this happen. Not after all the work I've put in." Zoe muttered.
"Um, what work?" Victoria wondered.
"Nevermind!" Zoe exclaimed as she walked over to Takuya.
Over the couple of days, Sheila and her other two, trio members noticed Zoe and Takuya together from time to time. Sheila was disgusted with Zoe and her current fame she was gaining from having friends on her first day of school. She was afraid it would only grow exponentially, especially with her friendship with Takuya since he was on the school Soccer team. He was considered a potential star player as people were mentioning the boy's name from time to time. He was a hot addition to the school team, people would say.
"Who does that new girl think she is?" Sheila rhetorically asked her two friends.
"I know right." Camille replied as she flicked her black hair locks aside.
"Does she really think her relationship with that boy is going to make her popular?" said Giselle wither country twang.
Sheila listened to her friends' remarks. She liked it when they agreed with her side of things, which was all the time. "She must be desperate," she said aloud.
"She better recognize that no one is more interesting, smarter, or beautiful than ME! MUAHAHAHAHA!"
Sheila's two friends agreed with their leader, but flinched when they heard Sheila's evil laugh. It was ear piercing and annoying.
-xxx-
(Meanwhile in the library…)
Takuya and pals were all seated at a table reading books for their class assignment. They had to read a book and write a book report which was due next week.
"Man, this is confusing!" JP denounced his book report as he flipped a page back to reread the same passage for the twentieth time. The plotline was not making any sense to him.
"Tell me about it. Girls have been acting weird to me lately." Takuya was day dreaming towards the roof.
With disbelief, JP looked up from his book, glaring at Takuya. "I was talking about this book report, idiot."
"Oh sorry… it's just that, I can't help but wonder what's been going on lately."
Both Kouji and Kouichi looked up from the stories they were reading. It was Kouichi that asked the pending question that lied on both twins mind.
"So what was that girl talking to you about?"
"Who?"
"That new girl, Rosa!"
"Oh… she just told me that she got Kyle suspended."
"How?" Kouichi asked. He was surprised to hear the news after trying to convince Takuya to do the same.
"She told the school officials what happened to me and showed them my picture she took as proof."
The guys attention, perked. "She took a picture of you in the morning?"
"Yeah."
"See! I knew you were screwing around with someone." JP said with accusation.
"What are ya talkin' about?" Takuya's voice went into falsetto.
"Well with all the secrecy that shrouds you lately, one can only imagine."
"You guys are exaggerating. Me and her have nothing to do with each other."
"And what about Zoe? What's with you and her?" Kouji retorted.
"…nothing." Takuya dryly replied.
Meanwhile, as this productive conversation commenced, Zoe and her girlfriends watched the boys from afar at a separate table. They pretended to be reading newspapers while, spying on the group of boys.
"So what do you think there talking about?" Vanessa asked, as if the other girls could read minds and she couldn't.
"Who knows, but it looks like a hot debate whatever it is." Naomi replied.
Zoe reminisces on the events that had taken place with Takuya and the strange new girl. She had to save Takuya and also win her bet with the girls.
"Ok, this is my chance to warm up to Takuya a little. Then I'll eventually go for the kill." Zoe sprung out of her chair and placed last year's newspaper on the table. She straightened out her uniform and hair before she walked over to the guys table.
"What she trying to do?" Naomi asked the rest of the girls.
"She overheard, Takuya talking to some new girl in our class. They may have something going on between them." Victoria answered Naomi, while looking at an interesting news column about fitness.
"I see…" Naomi replied as she and he girls watched Zoe go after Takuya.
Zoe was just a few feet away from Takuya and her heart was throbbing. She didn't know why. She was use to talking normally to Takuya before, but now that girls were after him she felt awkward around him as if she was jealous for anyone else talking to him.
"Hey Takuya!" Zoe said as she dramatically flicked her hair to the side.
Takuya disconnected his attention from the guys and focused on Zoe.
"Oh… Hey, Zoe. What are you doing here in the library?"
"Oh you know me. How I love to read books." She flinched on the inside. She knew that that was further from the truth. She didn't read as if it were a hobby.
"Oh… that's good. That's good you read."
"Yeah," she nodded her head, enthused by his reply. "So how are you? Anything you would like to tell me?"
"No not really. I'm fine." The boy laughed nervously.
"Oh really." Zoe feigned a smile, while on the inside she was ready to bite Takuya's head off for lying. "Well anytime you need someone to talk to," She rubbed Takuya's shoulder and arm, "I'm here for you."
With her token of reliability, she patted Takuya on the back of his hand and walked away to an aisle of books. Takuya eyed the entire arm she touched for a second than watched Zoe sashay away with grace in her footsteps and more bounce than usual in her hips.
"Oh my gosh! Guys did you just see that?" Takuya asked his friends, still eyeing the back of Zoe.
"You're damn right we saw that. What the hell was that, Takuya?" JP said, with a hiss in his voice. He was outrage at Takuya's luck with the ladies.
"I don't know?"
"I swear all the ladies are after you today. Are you wearing some sort of seductive pheromones? I betcha it's something new in that AXE body spray."
Takuya faced his friends. "It can't be. I didn't take a shower this morning."
"Well something has to be going on. Maybe you did something last night that you haven't told us." Kouichi said, implying something.
"Guys for the last time. I wasn't partying nor was I with any female last night," Takuya defended his alibi, "You know what? I need to get out of here and get some air. You guys and these books are driving me crazy." Takuya sprung out of his seat and walked in no particular direction, looking for the exit.
As he left, JP sniffed the air to make sure there wasn't something peculiar floating around.
Takuya walked down sever aisles of book before he saw Zoe reading a book. She was standing in an elegant pose, focusing her attention on the words of each page she read. She looked up and saw Takuya looking back at her.
"Ah, excuse me. I was trying to find my way out of here." Takuya spun around to continue his search for the elusive exit.
"Hold on Takuya." Zoe called out to the boy as he stopped in place. He then slowly turned around, a little bit unease.
"Could you do be a gentleman and do me a huge favor?
"…Sure." Takuya worried what this huge favor could be.
"Could you help me get that book on the top shelf… please?" Zoe pointed to a random book on the top shelf while smiling like an adorable doll.
Takuya couldn't help but succumb to her cuteness at the moment. He looked at the hardcover she was talking about and walked over to her. With ease, he reached for the book and handed it to her. She watched him for a second as she told him thanks and reached for the hardcover. Her warm hands clasped his as she gazed into his brown eyes. For an instant, they got lost in each other's eyes.
"Here you go!" he released it into her hand, slightly blushing after he read the cover of the book.
"Thanks-" Zoe blushed madly after reading the cover of the book herself. It read "Sexy Time for the Young Ones"
They both gawked at one another, realizing how awkward the situation was.
"Hahaha! What kind of book is this? This isn't what I wanted? I thought it said something else, HAHAHA!" Zoe laughed, nervously.
"Yeah, hahaha." Takuya chuckled, sweat dropping behind his neck.
"Why would they even have book like this in the library?" Zoe anxiously laughed some more.
"Maybe for reference." Takuya teased. This was not the moment to be cracking jokes.
Zoe frantically threw the book on the top shelf and walked past Takuya, "Well I gotta go!"
Takuya watched her leave with suspicion clouding his judgment. She really wasn't acting herself lately.
-xxx-
Later on in the day, Takuya, Kouji, Kouichi, JP and Zoe were in Chemistry class. Not much had happened up to this point of the year, but this time the teacher finally gave the students a chance to experience "Chemistry" first hand.
"Alright class. Today well will conduct an experiment, and I want you to pair up with a partner." The teacher announced to the class, and all the students paired up with their best friends.
"Come here brother!" Kouichi gave Kouji an unexpected hug.
"Get off of me!" Kouji pushed the short haired twin aside.
Takuya walked over to Kouji, "Hey buddy. Want to be partners?"
"Sorry, I'm taken." Kouji admitted with a serious tone.
"What? But were always partners."
"Well not this time."
"Dude, how come?"
"Takuya, everytime we end up in a group together, I wind up nearly failing the project with you."
Takuya folded his arms defiantly wondering why the boy would come to such an awful conclusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you're a horrible partner."
"Well gee, thanks a lot." Takuya sounded sarcastic.
"Don't mention it." Kouji deadpanned.
The auburn haired boy ignored Kouji's last remark and faced JP. He was his last hope.
"Hey, JP! Want to be partners?"
"Now why would I want to do something stupid like that?"
"C'mon man! You're the last friend I have here."
JP shook his head. "Sorry man. I was going to ask Zoe anyways."
On cue, Zoe walked over to the two guys as her hair flicked from side to side.
"Hey… Zoe." JP twitched his eyebrows with sex appeal, "Want to be partners?"
Zoe ignored his sexual innuendo. She had other plans instead.
"Actually I was thinking of being with Takuya." She smiled.
Takuya did a double take. "Um sure. That's fine."
JP's head turned an angry red, ready to explode with rage. He never was the lucky one.
"OK!" Zoe placed both of her hands around Takuya's arm and walked him away to their station where they would explore the world of chemistry together.
JP's eye twitched with envy, "Fine. I don't care. Don't care at all. I'll just be by myself."
The teacher took his place in front of the class to get the experiment started. "OK people, put you goggles on before you get started. I want you to test the properties of different metals and afterwards, you and your partner will answer questions from the textbook on chapter 3. You can do this at home if you like, but turn it in tomorrow, when you will be presenting."
The students of the class began working away on the experiments at hand.
Zoe eyed Takuya the minute they begun and she didn't break eye contact. "So…" she stood next to the boy as she twirled a strand of her hair, "It looks like we have biology together."
The brunette gave the girl a weird look. "This is Chemistry."
"Oh, I see you're feeling it too." Zoe joked. She played the same joke she remembered Takuya playing on her back in Junior High.
"Haha, very funny. You still remember?" the boy replied
"How could I forgot. It was so lame." The girl teased. After joking around they both reached for the Bunsen burner, simultaneously. They both clasped the object at the same time, their warm hands feeling each other's warmth.
"Oh go ahead…" Takuya released his grip, letting the girl do the work of lighting the torch.
For the remainder of the class time, everyone conducted the series of experiments given to them as they lit different strands of metal upon the Bunsen burner and drenched it in hydrochloric acid. Kids watched in awe at their discoveries, while some simply fell asleep. JP remained to himself for the most part, watching Takuya and Izumi from the shadows like a stalking raven. Kouji and Kouichi were getting along for the majority of their partnership except for when one of them wanted to be in charge.
For the entire time, Takuya could feel Zoe's eyes continually focusing on him. From time to time, the blond would give him warm signs of affection by inquisitively watching him, listening to what he had to say, or placing her hand on his hand whenever she felt like it. Takuya had to admit, it made him feel wonderful inside, but he still could not understand why she was behaving this way. Girls can be unpredictable he thought.
-xxx-
After the last period of school, the guys hung out around their lockers, discussing what they would do after school. JP decoded the combinations to his locker before he exchanged a few books for some others into his bag.
"So you guys want to watch last night's episode of 'Deadly Truth'?" JP asked, the twins. He sounded lethargic like a worker that had been working all day.
"No, I think I'm going to be studying tonight, and work on my Chemistry Lab homework." Kouichi replied as he closed his locker. He slung his backpack behind his back, ready to go home.
"We need to get started on it right away. I don't want to fail another project in my academic life again." Kouji said, in addition to what his brother stated.
Kouichi faced his brother, "Yeah, if we work together on it tonight, we should be done in no time."
"In that case, count me in." JP replied, not want to miss out on the opportunity to study with a group of friends.
"What about you Takuya? Are you going to be studying with Zoe?" Kouichi asked.
"I don't know… I'm probably going to work on it myself."
"What? Without Zoe?"
"Dude with your luck. You probably would end up making out with her."
"Aghahahahahaha, that's funny JP. Me and Zoe making out. Pffffft like what are the odds of that happening heheheh," Takuya switched from nervously being in denial to being serious, "But seriously guys. I think Zoe is coming down with something. She isn't acting like herself lately."
"And what makes you say that?" Kouichi asked.
"Have you seen her lately around me? She's been extra friendly and she can't seem to stop touching or holding my hand."
"And you're complaining, why?" JP asked, with a demanding tone. He would love to trade places with the boy.
Takuya faced the large guy. "It's not complaining… just an observation."
Zoe watched the group of guys talk from a safe distance. She could only imagine what they were talking about, especially Takuya. Her luck with him didn't seem to peak yet.
"So how's it going with this confession?" Naomi asked Zoe as she walked up behind her. The female twins were also behind Naomi.
"I still haven't got him to say much. I've tried a lot of things. I've tried being extra nice to him. I even tried holding his hand from time to time by showing affection."
"Well it looks like you're going to have to go above and beyond." Victoria said as she approached the girl from behind.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh you know. You probably going to have to get more in touch with you emotions and get down and dirty."
Zoe's facial expression told the story of a frightened child that had seen a scary movie when he/she was not supposed to.
Victoria nearly got in Zoe's personal space, eyeing her with a mischievous expression. "Guys like girls that get down and dirty."
Zoe gulped. "I guess you're right," she said nervously, changing her outlook on the dilemma as she tossed her hair in the wind; "Desperate times call for desperate measures!"
The girl broke away from the group of friends and strutted herself over where the boys were hanging out. Her prime target was Takuya as she carefully walked up behind him. Her hand gracefully reached and gave Takuya's butt an aggressive squeeze.
"Geez, what the-" Takuya's voice escaped his throat in a high pitch. He turned around to see who the culprit was.
"Hi Takuya!"
"Hey… Zoe… What are you doing." Takuya squirmed, unsure of what to think of Zoe's new way of greeting him. He covered his rear to make sure it did not happen again somehow.
"So after school? You think we could meet up sometime and finish that Chemistry Lab assignment?"
"Uh… I can't… you see… I have… soccer practice." Takuya remembered his duties as a school soccer player, "Yeah, I have soccer practice after school and I have to get ready for it soon, sooo… catch you later."
Takuya dashed off in the opposite direction like a ninja.
"Is he avoiding me?"
"Of course not," JP answered, "Me on the other hand… I'm here! I'm available! We can study together after school… if you know what I mean."
Zoe ignored him and pranced off in the direction Takuya took.
"Me! You! Together! 'Studying'!" JP went on, despite Zoe's lack of interest. Even his fellow guys were shaking their head in disgrace.
-xxx-
After school, outside on the soccer field, the freshmen soccer team did various drills that consisted of dibbling and sustaining their stamina throughout a match. The vigorous exercise placed them through turmoil and suffering as each one of them would fatigue in the hot blistering sun.
Takuya jogged off to the side of the field to catch a stray ball. He placed his foot on top and let it glide it's away around the circumference to the bottom, undulating the ball upwards. He caught the ball and proceeded in throwing it back in for play.
"WHEEEEEW! GO TAKUYA!" up in the bleachers was a group of students watching the practice match, but the most prominent one of them was Zoe screaming her best friends name out as if he were a superstar soccer player.
Takuya's hair stood on end. He jerked his attention towards the bleachers to see the blond cheering his name. She was wild and exuberant to see him play.
"Dude, you have your own personal cheerleader?" one of Takuya's soccer teammates pointed out Zoe wailing Takuya's name in the stands.
"She's not my cheerleader. She some crazy girl I call friend." Takuya admitted and continued playing.
"YEAH TAKUYA! SEND THAT BALL FLYING SKY HIGH!" Zoe went on.
People around the girl questioned her demeanor and excessive interest in the particular boy. She realized she was being too loud and had to tone it down before a random security officer escorted her off the benches.
Unknown to her awareness, Kyle showed up to game right next to her and took a seat.
"Hey!" he said in a smooth voice as he sat down. He looked ruggedly handsome, being the popular student he was.
"Kyle? What are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be on the field practicing?"
"Naw, I got suspended for a while."
Zoe was shocked to hear the news. "Really… why?"
"No need to go into detail," the boy said dryly as he eyed one particular player on the field: Takuya. "I'm sorry if I came off a little too strong last time we met but I was looking forward to meeting you again."
Zoe's heart skipped. This was the first time all day she actually felt someone noticing her, especially a popular guy for that matter. For a minute she completely forgot that she was there for Takuya.
"Um… thanks." The girl said as she brushed hair to the side, avoiding drawn eye contact.
The students around Zoe marveled that she was speaking to the popular Kyle Konnor. They could not believe the amount of interest Kyle was giving the girl. Even Sheila and her girls grimaced with jealousy from the side.
"Who does she think she is?" Sheila squealed. She was outraged. To her, Zoe had bitten off more than she could chew.
"She's sparked Kyle's interest for some time now. It won't be long before they go out." Giselle remarked.
"I cannot let this happen! I have to teach her a lesson," Sheila's eyes wandered towards the field where Takuya was standing, "And I think I know where to start."
With her eerie statement, the three girls stood up and left the bleachers.
"So I was thinking… you and me. Tonight. Your treat." Kyle suggested to the surprised Zoe.
Zoe's interest sparked. She had to admit, this Kyle guy was giving her more attention Takuya was at the moment. He was too busy on the game he never looked up at her or noticed Kyle stealing Zoe from him.
"That's an interesting offer and I-" she cut off when she noticed that the game was over, and Takuya was sitting on a bench off the field, packing his stuff. Rosa came up to him with a gym bag. This was the second time Zoe had seen her with Takuya and she began to worry.
"Hey stranger!" Rosa greeted Takuya, who was changing his shoes.
"Oh, hey?" Whatcha doing here?"
"Just thought I come buy and give you this." She opened the bag revealing Takuya's old athletes outfit.
"My soccer gear! Where'd you find it?" the boy stood to his feet with excitement. He was ready to receive the retrieved items.
"I found them in a trashcan nearby the park and figured it must have been yours."
Takuya, with near insanity, embraced the girl in a hug. "Thank you so much!"
"Easy there, fellow. You're all sweaty." Rosa said, barely embracing him.
Takuya let go and bashfully backed away, giving her some space. "Sorry about that, but I'm glad you found my stuff."
Zoe's eye twitched with envy and malice. For certain, depicting from the situation, she could tell something serious was going on between Takuya and this Rosa girl. It all made sense to her now as her mind jumped to conclusions. The reason Takuya was running around half naked this morning must have something to do with the girl and what they "did" last night. And this morning with the phone must had something to do with Takuya not calling her back from last night's, "one night stand". But now that she was returning his clothes to him, he was somewhat relieved and happy for her great act of kindness. She had to admit it was one incredible plot twist that she did not see coming either.
"Hold on. I got to go." Zoe left Kyle hanging as she chased after Takuya.
Kyle growled in frustration. This was the second time she dissed him because of Takuya. He had to win her heart… even if it meant paying that Takuya a painful visit.
-xxx-
(Off at the Guys' Dormitory)
Takuya's foot dragged the whole way back to his dorm. He was in a funk and he had to get out of it. With all that had taken place, confusion haunted him like nothing else. Was Zoe truly coming on to him? Was she showing her true feelings? If the answer was yes, then he would be shoving them to the side which would end up hurting her in the end sooner or later. Before he could make up his mind about the circumstances, he needed a nice long nap to recuperate from today's shenanigans.
"I can't wait to hit the bed…" Takuya dragged his foot up the stair to the second floor of his dorm. "I could use a shower and a nice long nap. Yeah."
As he approached his door he noticed a note at the doorknob. He snatched it and read the lettering…
We went to the school library to study.
We'll see you when we get back
- (JP, Kouji, and Kouichi)-
Takuya crumbled the note in his hand with a sense of satisfaction. He would have the place all to himself at last. He opened the door, about to make his way in when he was interrupted by a voice.
"Hey, Takuya." Rosa called the boy's name as she stood behind him. The boy shrieked, scared that someone was behind him the whole time under his awareness, "Do you like follow me where ever I go?"
"No?" the girl replied. It almost looked like she was trying to hide the truth.
"Rosa? What are you doing here?" the boy hissed to a mere whisper, "This is the guys dorms. You can't be here."
Although he was correct that a girl could not be seen in the boys' dormitory and vice versa, it happened all the time for various reasons, such as emergency "get togethers".
"I know but I realized you forgot your chemistry book at school. It must have fallen out your book bag. I had to give it to you."
Takuya looked at the book. He was not glad to see it but he knew he needed the textbook to finish his assignment.
"Thanks…" the boy took the book from her and went inside his room. He threw the chemistry book on the bed. He turned around to close the door, but Rosa was inside his room, exploring the area.
"So this is your place?"
"Hey? What are you doing in here? If my head master finds out I have a girl in my room, he'd kill me… and you."
"Oh stop. That won't happen," the girl walked over to the door, "Besides, I was just leaving."
Before she could open the door, there was a loud knock. Both Takuya and Rosa froze in place, filled with guilt. Takuya hysterically pointed Rosa to hide inside his closet, until he said otherwise. She replied back by profusely shaking her head, but she had no choice.
"Who is it?" Takuya asked the door. At this moment, Rosa rushed inside the closet and closed the door.
"Its me…" the door opened, "Zoe."
Takuya's eyes flew out of their sockets. "He-hey! Z-Zoe… What a surprise! What are you doing here…. in my dorm room…which was meant for boys only."
"Oh stop it silly. I got permission to come here since we have some studying to do, remember?"
The back of Takuya's neck was drenched with sweat and it was from the soccer practice.
"By the way are you in here with somebody I could have sworn I heard a voice…"
"NO! Not at all! It was probably me you heard, since I talk to myself from time to time."
Zoe looked at the nervous boy with skepticism in her eyes. "O…K?"
She walked over to the boy and stood in front of him. "I see you already have your book ready, so let's get started."
She plopped herself on top Takuya's bed and took her school satchel off. She dug her hand around for a voice recorder she stuck in there in order to capture Takuya's confession. She had to be prepared just in case something potentially happened.
"Come on. Sit down." She grabbed Takuya by the waist buckle and yanked him backwards on the bed. "And take that bag off of you." She removed his backpack from him without his will."
"Ok, I get it… you want me to be comfortable." The boy straightened out his school uniform as he opened up his chemistry book so they could begin.
-xxx-
(30 minutes later…)
Several long boring minutes past and not a single word passed between them. Takuya had his back against the bed, while sitting down on the floor. Zoe was sitting on the bed with her textbook in her lap.
"OK, for number ten," Zoe read the question out of the book, "What are some of the unique properties of magnesium when ignited?"
Takuya was fast asleep. The boy did not hear a single word as a snot bubble swelled from his nose.
"Takuya?"
Still no response.
"TAKUYA!"
"FOUR! The answer's four!" Takuya awoke with a dazed look on his face. He was unaware of what he was doing previous to the unsuspected nap.
"Takuuuuyaaaa," Zoe moaned, tapping him on the shoulder, "You got to focus."
"I can't. This is so boring."
Both remained quiet with uncaring faces. Zoe had to do something in order to get the boy to stay awake and finish this project. At the same time she also had to connect with Takuya on an emotional level. Perhaps at that point he would express his feelings for her. She knew what she had to do as a mischievous idea popped into her mind.
"Hold on… I'll be right back." Zoe shined a smirk and winked at the boy as she left towards the restroom.
The clueless boy eyed her as she gracefully walked into the restroom and closed the door behind her.
In the meantime, Rosa poked her head out of the closet. Takuya wildly threw his arm towards the door, signaling her to leave now that she had a chance. By the time she got the message, the restroom door flew open, and Rosa hid back in the closet.
"So where we?" Zoe said as she leaned on the door way like a super model posing for Vogue. While she was in the bathroom, she made some adjustments to her uniform. Her hair was fluffed up for volume. Her skirt was hiked up an inch shorter than before and her tie was loosened. She unbuttoned the top two buttons on her blouse, exposing some major cleavage. Takuya could hardly contain himself as his sex appeal readings skyrocketed off the charts.
"Wow! I mean… um… Zoe! You-you look like… you look like you could button up a little." Takuya nearly slapped himself for saying that.
Zoe disregarded his remarks as she slowly advanced towards him, her hips bouncing from side to side as she kicked her shoes off. She had a fierce, yet adorable expression on her face. She bit her lower lip to accentuate the full of effect of her attire.
Takuya immediately stood to his feet to have a fighting chance to the oncoming sexiness. If he was going to go down he was going to go down with a fight… or die trying. He started flipping through pages of the book, looking for something to distract Zoe, but she kept coming.
"It says here, sparks may fly when bonds between two atoms merge together… CRAP! This isn't helping!"
The blond was right in front of him and placed her hand over the book. She gently took it out of his hand and tossed it over her should like yesterday's newspaper with no interesting feeds.
"Ahem… Zoe, I don't know think we should be doing this."
"And why not, Taki?" Zoe pouted her lips. The "pouting lips of doom" were upon Takuya. He didn't stand a chance.
"Are you trying to seduce me, Izumi Orimoto?"
"Is it working?" she replied as she pushed him onto the bed. His body bounced on the mattress like a basketball. Dread filled his eyes as he slowly backed away from the girl that was crawling on the bed like a prowling tiger, ready to overcome its prey.
"Zoeeeeee…. Stop this. Stop this right now!"
She giggled as she slowly climbed on top of his leg, then his upper torso. Her warm body touched his as she sat on his stomach. Her green eyes seemed distant, peering into his. She crept a seductive grin on her face.
"OK I get it…haha… joke's ooooover. If you're trying to find a place to nap, you could scoot over a bit onto Kouji's bed. It's very quite-" Zoe placed her index finger onto his lips, shunning him from speaking.
"Sssssh… no need talk," She smirked as her hands traced around his lips and around his face, "You look cute when you squirm."
The boy grabbed the girls hand and clasped it in between his, giving her hand few pats on the back. "Zoe? Are you sure you're, OK?
"Of course I'm OK, silly. I've never been better." Zoe chuckled. She closed her eyes as she her smile shined through Takuya's feeble defenses.
"Heh-heh…something's wrong."
"Well of course something is wrong. You've been neglecting me all day." Zoe's tone changed from light and happy to caring yet serious.
The boy was taken off guard by her confession, especially the tone of voice she delivered it through.
"N-not really… it's just that I'm not sure why you're acting this way."
"Can't you see?" Zoe asked. She took both of the boys hands, placing one on her hips and the other on her left bosom. "I care about you, Takuya, and I wouldn't let anything happen to you, or let anyone hurt you."
"Z-Zoe.." Takuya stammered while his cheeks turned a beat red. He could not believe he was touching Zoe's C sized breasts.
"I just want to know if you feel the same for me."
Takuya remained motionless babbling like a bafoon, "I-I… well I…" he couldn't find the words to express his feelings.
"Maybe this will clear you mind…" she said as she slowly went in for a kiss. Takuya eyed her succulent peach lips as they eased in on his. He slowly gave in as he closed his eyes and waited for impact.
Suddenly, the closet door opened, and out came Rosa as she fell to the floor. "Ouch…" she looked up after rubbing her lower back, "Sorry if I'm interrupting something."
The incident cut off Takuya and Zoe intimate moment as Zoe's eyes widened with shock.
"Who is she?" she asked Takuya, "Isn't she that new girl I've been seeing you with? What's she doing here?"
"I swear I don't know how she got there. She must have wandered in there somehow."
"I don't believe you!"
"I swear Zoe. Its not what it looks like." Takuya could not help but feel defensive, even though he had nothing to be guilty for.
"And what does it look like Takuya?"
"Um, no need to yell or anything. I can tell I must have interrupted something so I'll be leaving now." Rosa headed to the door and opened it. Surprisingly, on the other side was Kyle Konnor, and he looked like he was about to smash something.
"Kyle?" Zoe exclaimed.
"Zoe?" Kyle replied. He looked at the boy she was on top of, "TAKUYA!"
"Kyle? I thought you were suspended?" Takuya asked.
"I was… NO THANKS TO YOU!" he looked over at Rosa, "And who are you?"
"Me? I'm Rosa, but I'm really nobody."
"… Whatever!" the angry teen faced Takuya and Zoe.
"So now you're trying to steal Zoe from me, again?"
"Dude, clearly she's not interested in you as you can she's all over me… literally."
This sparked a fuse in Kyle's nerves as he sprang after Takuya, his malice eyes set on killing the boy.
Takuya with incredible skill, managed to roll Zoe and him off the bed on the other side. It was now him that was on top of the girl.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Zoe said with discomfort from the boy being on top of her.
"I'm getting us out of harm's way."
"I think it's you he wants."
'Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!" Kyle appeared behind them with a chair over his head. He flung it down but Takuya was quicker than him. He grabbed Zoe by the hand and both of them made a run for it out the door. Kyle followed close behind them while Rosa carelessly following as well. She didn't see why not.
"Let go of me!" Zoe yelled.
"What? Just a minute ago you couldn't let go of me?"
The four teens ran around the second floor until they got downstairs in the lobby where a few students where socializing. Takuya and Zoe ran past them, but in the process caught their foot on the loose woven rug. They both fell with a hard thud, right next to each other.
"Ow, are you alright."
"I'm fine…" Zoe replied, looking away from the boys eyes. She was hurt.
"Well. Well. Well, Tatonka. It looks like you're run ends here." Kyle slowly paced his steps toward the couple.
"Wait, Kyle! Before you pummel me to death, you have to realize that you did this to yourself. You're the one that bullied me and left me at that park."
"Yeah, but you went and snitched to the school officials and got me suspended, you little punk. And for that, you're going to pay dearly."
At this moment, they were causing a scene. The few students nearby watched the argument between the two. Even Kouji, Kouichi, and JP made their way through doors, returning from their trip to the library. They were confused as to what was going on.
"NO! I didn't snitch! I swear!"
"I don't believe you 'cause if you didn't then who did, huh?"
"I did." Everyone faced Rosa as she slowly walked down the steps. "I was the one that got you suspended. I talked to the school officials after Takuya told me his story this morning. I figured someone had to report it to the officials, and the pictures I showed them were more than enough proof."
Zoe gasped after realizing what was going on. Her mind suddenly flashed back to this morning and throughout the day when Takuya behaved suspiciously. This whole time she thought Takuya's relationship with the girl was intimate when really it was as normal as it could possibly be. Kyle and Rosa's confession explained a lot as to why Takuya was acting weird lately, especially in the morning.
Kyle stood wide-eyed from the twist of events. But it didn't matter. He still wanted his vengeance on someone, and that someone happened to be Takuya.
"Well Taki boy. It looks like she saved you… but your still going down for taking Zoe from me."
"She was never yours to begin with!" Takuya realized he had to shut his mouth sometimes.
As Kyle took premeditative steps, he popped his knuckles in aggravation. He wanted to beat up Takuya till nobody could recognize him.
"What are you doing, Kyle?" another female voice echoed in the lobby. Surprisingly, it was Sheila and she seemed displeased with Kyle. Everyone questioned why she was there.
"Sheila what are you doing here?" Kyle asked.
"I could ask you the same thing?" she replied with a disgruntled look on her face, "Why have you been chasing this girl around?"
"What does it matter, who I try to go out with? You and I broke up, remember?"
All the new kids to the school dropped their jaws. Another bomb was dropped on the situation. The two most popular teens in school once had a relationship… go figure.
"No! I didn't break up with you. I said I was done with you, and that this relationship wasn't over till I said it was over."
Kyle had a stumped look on his face, as well as Takuya, Zoe and the rest of the gang.
"So what are you trying to say?"
"That I still love you and that this break between us is finally over," she feigned a few tears as she came close to the former star athlete. "Now come here you stud muffin."
"Aw, come here you naughty girl. I have to admit I missed you so much!"
The happy couple embraced one another for a long minute. Sheila than wrapped her legs around his torso and arms around his neck as they performed a long kissing session before the public. They had truly missed each other.
Takuya and Zoe on the other hand, were as confused and dumfounded as everyone else at the moment. They watched as the two continued to make out as they left out the door, passing by Kouji, Kouichi, and JP.
"What just happened here?" Kouji wondered.
"And why are you here Zoe?" JP asked.
"What happened to you two?" Kouichi observed how the two looked flustered. Their clothes were messy and unkempt.
Takuya and Zoe gawked at each other as their cheeks grew redder. They abruptly broke eye contact, looking in the opposite position with a sense of guilt on their faces.
"Hold on! You two didn't do what I think you did?" JP's mind jumped to conclusions.
"Huh?" Takuya looked up at JP.
"Of c-course not… why would you even think of such a thing." Zoe covered up for Takuya.
JP calmed down, being fooled by Zoe's exaggerative reply. "Oh… never mind."
And with that, no one spoke of it again (Until later on Takuya bragged about Zoe's flirtation with him to JP. JP nearly killed him for the incident).
-xxx-
(BGM: Never Say Never, by The Fray)
Today was a wild and unpredictable day for Takuya, to say the least. He had experienced so many encounters of fear, uneasiness, and arousal it was almost overwhelming. He stood atop of the school building, leaning against a fence separating him from falling to his death. He had to admit that the view from up here was nice and vivacious as the sun painted beautiful colors of red, orange, and drops of purple across the sun setting sky. Today was wild and unpredictable day, but for some strange reason he would not mind going through it again, knowing what he knew now.
"So…" Zoe started as she walked from behind the door leading to the roof of the school. Her uniform was more modest than a few hours ago, "The guys said I would find you up here."
After Takuya glanced back at the gorgeous girl, he faced the sunset one more time.
"So how are you?" Zoe asked as she stood next to the boy.
"I'm fine actually," the boy continued looking straight, not wavered by anything, "It's really nice up here."
Zoe gazed in the same direction Takuya was facing and embraced the fresh outdoors. "Yeah, I can see why you've been up here for a while."
Zoe reluctantly changed the subject to recent matters between their friendship, "About today Takuya…" the boy faced her unfazed by her nervousness, "The reason I was acting all 'weird' lately was because…."
"No need to tell me. I already know."
"W-what? You do?" Zoe stammered. She was embarrassed.
"Yeah your girlfriends filled me in..."
Zoe was slightly perplexed and frustrated that her friends would rat her out.
"They said you were jealous between me and Rosa. You thought we had a relationship going on, and you didn't want that to happen since you cared so much about me," Takuya flashed one of his notorious smiles that could get him out of trouble, " They say one doesn't know what they have until its gone, wouldn't you say, Izumi?"
"Uh… yeah…heh-heh. That was the reason..." Zoe nervously laughed, realizing the boy was only half right. He didn't know that those feelings she expressed were real. She did have feelings for him and wanted to get him to confess his love for her in return. It would have been nice to see what would have happened between them under better circumstances.
"I have to admit you had me going there for second." The boy chuckled as well as Zoe, but it was more of an apprehensive laughter, "So you think you could come by my place sometime and finished were we left off?"
The girl was shocked to hear his request. "W-what Are you saying?"
"I'm talking about finishing the lab homework." Takuya deadpanned. He knew her mind jumped to conclusions.
"Oh…" she sighed, "Yeah."
"And do you mind coming in a bikini this time, that way it can keep me excited the whole time."
She slapped him across the arm, "Of course not! That was a onetime thing, OK?
"I was just kidding. Gosh." The boy rubbed his arm.
A minute pasted between the two as they stood in silence, watching the sunset behind the horizon.
"But there is something I have to tell you…" Takuya faced the girl one more time and held her by her shoulders. His firm grip and steady eye contact captured her attention.
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while, and the thing is I…."
Zoe's eyes widen with amazement due to the suspense. He was most likely going to confess his love here and now. Where's a sound recorder when you need it, the girl thought.
Takuya struggled with the words. "Zoe I…"
"Takuya!"
Takuya faced the door as Kouji and Kouichi came, racing up the stairs. They were worn out from running.
"There you are Takuya!" Kouji called out.
"Ms. Avery sent us after you. Apparently you forgot that you had detention with her after school!"
(DUNH! DUNH! DUNH!)
Takuya shot his eyes out nearly twice their size. "Dammit! I forgot."
"You should go right away before she gets angry or something."
He boy sighed as he hung his head down. He forgot all about his appointment with the teacher due to all the fiasco business lately.
"Fine, I'll be right there." The boy moaned as he followed the two twins inside the building. He left Zoe up on the roof, feeling dumfounded and disgruntled as ever. Now she will never what Takuya had to get off his chest. She could only imagine.
-xxx-
(Meanwhile, back in Takuya's room…)
JP stood near Takuya's bed after he took a long cold shower. He slung his lower body in a towel as his foot bumped into a brown satchel.
"What is this?" he asked. He noticed the name "Izumi Orimoto" engraved on bag.
"Hehehe" the boy snickered as he slowly opened the bag and rummaged hoping to find something private and valuable like a diary. Instead, his hand grabbed a hold of a device; a sound recorder.
"What the heck is this?" he said as he pushed the play button.
Immediately, the sound of Takuya and Zoe's voice played on the device. It was replaying the conversation they were having when Zoe tried to seduce Takuya.
JP's eyes enlarged with horror. He did his best not to imagine nor depict the details of the possible situation that took place on the bed as he glanced over at the ruffled sheets.
"NOOOOOOO! DAMN YOU, TAKUYAAAAA!"
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: Aaaaaahahhaha. I finally finished it. I haven't had sleep in three days I tell you. Now I'm starting to lose my mind *collapses*. I think I had a lot of fun with this chapter, especially the bits with Takuya and Zoe.
Well anyways, like always, thank you for reading guys… I have to go to bed now.