Part 8! (wow….it's getting long…)
I thank all those who have given me ideas! (I adore you to no end)
Please review!!
Ode to Blubber Nuggets: Do you have any idea how much I freakin' LOVE you!!!!? …lots and lots. I loved reading your UBER long review so much, and dude! Your idea of Elli's show getting canceled and her creating her own soap opera was amazingly awesome! I'm totally going to use it, maybe even create a spin off of Truth or Dare with this as the idea. I'm so honored that you think I could pull it off! Now lets hope I can! So… basically that story will be an ode to you and all of your amazing ideas! So stay tuned!! And yeah! I FREAKIN' LOVE YOU!
Dear ffnetgoddess: Thanks for the review! I think it would be fine if you started your own Truth or Dare story, as long as you had original ideas of course.
Dear other reviewers : I love you all. And please keep giving me ideas….cause…I need them. LOVELOVELOVE!
Truth or Dare
To-Bi-Do-By
"Gill?" Elli dared, after the long stretch of silence in the room was threatening to drive her crazy, and the weird, almost inaudible, moaning sound escaping Gill's half parted lips, convinced her that he needed help. "Is there something wrong?" and then she winced, preparing herself for the impending verbal stab.
But she didn't get shot, much to her surprise.
He sighed heavily and glanced up at her from the book he hadn't been reading. "Nothing…" he mumbled.
"Oh, Gill…I know something is wrong, you haven't been yourself at all lately.… You can tell me what's bothering you,… maybe I can even help."
He seemed to consider this for a moment, his face thoughtful as the conflict was wrestling inside his head. He could tell her…but he never told anyone anything! Why start now!? He liked to keep his problems bottled up where he could keep an eye on them. He never before had considered telling someone how he felt. But maybe,…just maybe, Elli could say something that would help…something that would thin some of that confusing cloud that seemed to be settled around him recently. He pursed his lips together, then said, "Well, tonight there is this--"
"Oh, the date!?" She exclaimed.
His eyebrows raised. "Yeah…how did you know about that…?"
"Pat told me!"
He blinked vacantly.
"That was very nice of you to ask her on a date!" she added.
"Don't think I'm nice, It was Akari who told us we were going to double with her and…Chase…" When he said 'Chase' his face turned sour for a split second, as if he had bitten into a lemon, then, after regaining composure he said, "I don't want to go--"
"Oh!? You have to go!! Think how disappointed Pat would be!" She exclaimed, then thought, Well, Pat probably wouldn't be disappointed at all…she probably would be relived… He didn't look convinced. She took a different angle.
Elli looked down to her fingers and picked at her nails listlessly, feigning disinterest. "Well, I guess if you don't go… Chase will be all alone with Akari…"
His whole body shuddered while his mouth twisted into a confused frown as to why he had reacted to that thought that way. She analyzed him with a tilt of her head, silently taking his convulsion as a 'Yes, I'm going.'.
"Well that's good…wait, you aren't going in that are you?" She asked.
He glanced down at his sweater-vest, a confused crease on his brow. "Sure. Why not?"
"You have worn that same outfit for…EVERYDAY! If you are going on a date you have to look nice!"
His eyes widened slightly as he stared at her.
"Elli…what are you implying…?"
That I don't look nice? That phrase seemed to hover in the air like a dead fish.
Her face burned suddenly. "Oh, I mean something,…something different! Different than what you normally wear." He had to be charming, this wasn't just a date! Gill's happiness was on the line! And if he was a good date for Pat, then maybe Akari would see what a great guy he was and fall madly in love with him!! (That last bit was a little farfetched…but she can go ahead and dream, right?)
Pursing her lips together determinedly, she stood and stared down at Gill, then said, "You are going to make a good impression on Pat (And Akari) tonight on this date! Come with me and we will go find you a new outfit that will show everyone just how… uh…terrific you are!"
He rolled his eyes. "I believe that going shopping for a new outfit would be a little superfluous." he said, like a drippy rain cloud.
"Oh please!" she begged, daydreaming of a shiny new adorable Gill.
"It's not going to happen." he said matter-of-factly.
Her eyes narrowed and she scrutinized him carefully, "I'm sure Chase will be dressed nice…" she mused, tipping her head thoughtfully.
The whole left side of Gill's face twitched. "Fine. Let's go." he spat.
"Wonderful! Let's go!" she chimed.
He stood and shuffled to the door behind her.
"Wait!" she exclaimed. "You do know how to behave on dates, right!?"
"Well," he mumbled vacantly, "I've never been on a date before..."
"Oh Gill! Your first date! HOW CUTE!!!!" Elli gushed, her hands fluttered up to her face as the light blush flitted across her cheeks. Her mind snapped to her vision of how the date was going to play out...
The four of them seated under a tree for a moonlight picnic. The two girls wearing beautiful gowns that glimmered silver in the moon beams. The boys wearing black tuxes that seemed to blend in with the grass and the shadows.
Akari was giggling about something Gill said, tucking her short brown hair behind her ears. Her cheeks turned crimson every time his hand would brush against hers as they sat side by side. Chase would try to get her attention by offering her a piece of cake or some other treat, but Gill was all he saw.
He looked ethereal. His white blond hair glimmered with silver specks as it fluttered in the breeze. His eyes were as dark and mysterious as the night. His pale skin glowed with a creamy shine that made even the moon envious.
At the end of the date, instead of Chase walking her home, she strung her arm through Gill's, like always, and let him lead her down the familiar paths. They walked in silence, she was only aware of the way her skin prickled where he touched her and he was watching the blush on her cheeks with a small smile on his face. When they finally came to her door she hesitated a moment before starting toward it.
"Wait!" She heard him whisper behind her. She turned and saw him wringing his hands desperately. "A-Akari… I-I…"
"What is it Gilly?" she asked softly, coming to stand in front of him. "You can tell me."
His face turned pink but he met her eyes with an intensity that she hadn't expected. She blushed in turn and stepped back slightly. Suddenly his fingers were entwined in her hair, his breath hot on her cheek. Her heart was trembling like a bird in her chest, her arms limp at her side. His lips brushed hers gently once, twice, and then locked against them. Her eyes fluttered, then closed, as his kiss deepened and his other hand wound around her waist.
Before she knew what she was doing, her hands were gripping his face to hers, her lips pushing against his now in an euphoric sort of way. His eyes snapped open the second he realized she was kissing him back, there was a hint of a smile on his lips before he kissed her again.
Eventually he pried their lips apart, needing that valuable oxygen, and whispered into her hair. "I love you Akari"
"Elli…? Elli!"
"EPISODE 27, SEASON 5!!!!" Elli bellowed.
"What!?"
Elli blinked away the pleasant image to see the grumpy face of Gill an inch away from hers.
"Elli! You spaced out again! If we must go, then lets hurry and get this over with!"
"Oh that's right!" she tipped her head to the side. How in the world was she going to get this bleak young man to become the prince of Akari's dreams!? (And hers) "You said you don't have any date experience right?"
"Right." he grumbled.
"Oh no…that means we will have to start from scratch! We will have to review basic table manners, the sort of questions you should ask, the subjects you should stay away from, the dos and don'ts of door opening, when you should complement and when you should keep you mouth shut-- "
"I would like to think that I'm not that socially inept!" he spat bitterly.
"OOOOOOHHHHHHH…..but you are…" she hissed under her breath. "First lets get you to the tailoring shop and pick an outfit, then we can discuss your….social problems…"
He growled behind her.
---
"No, Gill….that doesn't match,…neither does that one,…or that,….Gill!? Are you color blind!?" Luna shrieked, at Gill's attempts to find an outfit. "That's it! Let me pick it out!"
"No Luna!" Gill yelped as she tried to squirm into the dressing room.
"Come now! I've already seen you half naked! Why would the other half be such a big deal!?" she teased, trying vainly to open the door against his violent protests.
Elli was in the back room with Candace, examining different options for their little puppet. (Little puppet being Gill)
"How about this one?" Candace asked softly, pointing to a ruffled collared shirt with a pair of jeans that had holes in the knees.
"Em…I don't think so…" Elli said with a crinkle of her brow.
Candace nodded thoughtfully and continued on. "This one might suit him…" she said, pulling a rocker styled jacket and slacks off the rack.
"Uh……..perhaps something classier,…like a tux…" Elli said gently.
"A tux…." Candace murmured, placing the outfit back on the rack. "We don't have a tux, but I will show you what we have that is similar."
"Okay." Elli said tucking her blue hair behind her ear.
Candace weaved around the rows of clothing and stopped near the end where there was a frighteningly large amount of the color purple…. Candace reached in and pulled out a velvet purple suit, and before she even had the chance to open her mouth, Elli blurted, "Actually, I think he might prefer something with a little less….stiffness. How about this?" She pulled the first thing she could see off the rack opposite her. It was a French maid outfit. (Perhaps where Chase got his…?) "Never mind!" she exclaimed, shoving it back where she got it.
Suddenly there was a thunder of noise in the direction of the dressing room. Elli and Candace ran there to see Gill barreling toward Luna waving a cane over his head threateningly. (where he got the cane, I don't know…) Oh yeah, and he wasn't wearing a shirt again.
"Did you see what you wanted to see, Luna!?" Gill bellowed, sliding over the counter to chase the petite girl.
"Yes!" she sang, leaping behind a clothes rack.
"Is your ridicules question of boxers or briefs answered!?" He screamed, swinging the cane at the rack causing it to topple over.
"YES!" she gasped as her insane laughter bubbled up, sprinting out of his reach.
Elli and Candace stared wide eyed at the strange scene before them, the two knocking over magazines and stacked fabrics, when suddenly the door opened. They all froze and turned their heads toward the newcomer.
Juli stood in the doorway with baffled look on his face. His long purple locks sprayed out behind him, his red eyes wide, and his mouth slightly hung open on one side. "What are you doing!?"
"Juli!" Candace squeaked.
He smiled at her briefly before turning to Gill. "What is it with you and taking your shirt off!?"
Gill's eyes narrowed.
"Oh great timing Juli!" Elli exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "We need a men's fashion expert!"
Juli perked up from looming over Gill. "Well I'm your man! What do you need?"
Elli motioned to Gill, who still had the cane swung over his shoulder. "Gill has a date tonight, and well….he currently is quite helpless..."
Juli stepped back and examined the blond boy quizzically. "That's for sure." he mumbled.
Gill shot daggers.
"Well! You're in luck! I think I might have the perfect thing! Mind you, it's some of my old clothes, but I'm sure with some quick fixes by the miraculous Candace it will be good in no time!" Juli flashed a prize worthy grin, and Candace blushed.
"Your clothes!?" Gill hissed. "No thank you."
Juli ignored him. "I'll bring it to your house later tonight. Gill, in the meantime, perhaps you should put your clothes back on. You are making a terrible glare in the room." And with that he disappeared through the door he had entered just moments before.
"Juli's right, Gill." Luna said with a nod. "I have to squint to see you." She squinted her eyes and flailed her arms out in front of her, while Gill mumbled death threats and slid back into the dressing room.
Candace and Elli exchanged looks.
"Gill!" Elli called, knocking on the dressing room door, after he had been in there for a good ten minutes. "Time for dating class!"
A few minutes later, Gill, Elli, and Luna were all seated at a table.
"Alright, lets begin with the basics." Elli began. "This is a true or false question. When you go to pick up your date you arrive fashionably late."
There was a tense silence.
"False!" Luna sang.
"I knew that!" Gill spat, then yelled to the short girl, "Why are you here anyway!? To torture me!?"
"Why would I want to torture you!? I want to listen to Elli's date lesson too!" She said innocently.
"Yeah, right."
"Okay, you can listen too." Elli said, blushing. "But Gill needs to say the answers."
She nodded.
"Alright, so, the first thing you should do, after picking up your date is to tell her what you have been doing all day. True or false?"
Another tense silence.
"T-True…?" Gill said hesitantly.
"No." Elli sighed. "You are supposed to show interest in her! You should be the one who asks what her day was like."
"Alright. I'll remember that." He promised.
"Okay, so then you are at the restaurant where you are going to eat. The first thing you should do once arriving at your table is to… A) sit down, B) tell her she looks good, C) help her sit down, or, D) none of the above."
Gill squinted and scratched the back of his head. "I think it's….C--" Luna was shaking her head and mouthing 'B' vigorously. "I mean B!" he shouted.
"No, Gill. The answer was C." Elli sighed again.
"Luna!" Gill bellowed at the girl who was laughing hysterically. He pushed his chair away from the table angrily. "That's enough of these stupid dating lessons, and I don't need a new outfit, they aren't going to help anyway! Not for what I want!"
The other two stared up at him.
"Well, what is it that you want?" Luna asked nonchalantly.
Gill frowned then spat. "To not go on this stupid date!!"
---
"Excuse me, Chase…?"
Chase glanced over his shoulder from his simmering pot at the green haired girl who was peering at him from behind her red rimmed glasses.
"What's up Pat?" he asked with a smile, one hand stirring a large wooden spoon, the other stretching for a bowl that was just out of reach.
Pat picked up the bowl he was trying to get and placed it in his hand. He smiled in thanks then turned back to his work, as a shiver ran down her spine.
"So this date tonight…" she began uncertainly. He glanced up again. "What do you have…planned?"
"Well, I was thinking we could come here for dinner and then…I don't know, play games or something…" His pot spat angrily at him and he quickly turned the heat down.
"Oh, that should be fun." she said to make conversation, causing him to smile at her again, causing more shivers. Earlier that morning, Elli had told her that she was going to try and find Gill a new outfit to wear, one that would catch Akari's attention. Pat was worried that it would actually work and wanted desperately to help the poor peach haired boy by finding him a great new outfit too. So, she asked hesitantly, "But I was wondering…"
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering if you had anything special you were going to wear."
"Nope. Just the regular." he said with a shrug. "Well, I'll ditch the apron though."
"Oh…" she looked him up and down, he shuffled uncomfortably under her gaze.
"What is it?"
"Oh nothing…its just…"
"Tell me!" he stirred more vigorously.
She blinked. "Well, it's just…you want to make a good impression right?"
He stopped stirring. "Yeah."
"Well then you probably shouldn't wear things with juice stains on them…you know?"
"I have another shirt…"
"I was referring to something…really nice. Like a suit."
"Oh, well, thanks for the advice..." he said, turning the spoon around the pot again. "But I don't think I will. I want to be myself on this date, and I wont feel much like myself if I'm wearing a stuffy suit." he glanced at her over his shoulder. "Okay?"
Her respect for him grew, he was such a sincere guy! Forget Gill and his fancy new clothes! Chase deserved Akari's love!
"That's a great attitude." she said with a smile.
His face became slightly confused, but he shrugged and focused again on his cooking.
"I'm sure you will win her heart!" Pat exclaimed with a grin, and then slid out of the kitchen with a, "See you later!" as Chase just blinked for a moment, caught off guard. Suddenly the tea pot began it's high pitched whistling. "Crap!" he moaned, setting his spoon down and swiveling toward the tea pot as the concoction in the bubbling copper pot started spitting and frothing over the edge. He quickly set the tea pot aside and twirled back to the big pot, spoon in hand, as he smelt something burning in the oven. "Oh no!" he gasped, whipping around to solve that problem, knocking over an open jar of cinnamon in the process. He cursed under his breath and reached for the fire extinguisher.
---
"Gilly!!!!!!!!" Akari exclaimed, as she burst through the doors of Town Hall dressed in a bright purple bunny costume.
No response.
"Eh?" She opened her eyes and glanced around the large open room. No Elli was trying to hide the blush from her face and no Gill was trying to pretend she didn't exist. It was quiet…too quiet…
"Where did everybody go!?"
Again, no answer.
A sinister smile crept across her face as she rubbed her fluffy paws together maliciously.
"Sabotage!" she cackled, her voice echoing loudly through the empty building.
---
"Akari!? Why are you dressed like a rabbit!?" Luke laughed as she bounced up the hill to the Secret Spot.
"What's strange about me dressing up like a bunny!?" she exclaimed, coming to a stop next to him.
He thought about this for a moment. "You have a point…"
She grinned underneath her rabbit ear hood.
"And you do make a pretty cute bunny rabbit…" he mused with a tilt of his head.
She danced joyfully and wiggled her cotton tail, then plopped on the ground next to him.
"Hey, Lukie, you ready to play Truth or Dare!?" she exclaimed.
"Yeah!" He said cheerfully, then his smile faded and he scratched his head. "Well, as long as another one of those…uncomfortable dares doesn't happen."
She laughed. "I'm sure there will be more!"
"Great…"
She perked up when she saw Candace and Luna coming up over the hill. Candace blushed suddenly when she looked at her and Luna burst into laughter. "Akari the bunny!" Luna gasped. "Priceless!!" Candace came up close to her with her hand hovering over one of the furry bunny ears hesitantly. "C-Can I…?"
"Of course you can pet me!!!!" Akari cried, flinging her hands up in the air.
Candace flinched but gently brushed her hand against the ear, a smile blooming on her face. I wonder if I could make one of these…she thought.
"Your kidding me!?" Came the voice of Juli. "A bunny costume!? First Chase, now you!? But you weren't even dared!!" He put his hands on his hips and smirked down at the purple rabbit.
"I know." Was all she said, a cat-like grin curling slowly across her lips.
He rolled his eyes playfully and sat down just as Gill and Chase could be seen stalking up the hill. Gill shooting evil glances the whole way. Pat was close behind, and soon after they had all admired Akari's bunny suit, and Gill had told her she looked like an idiot, and Chase had blushed fiercely as he said she looked adorable (Not in so many words. What he actually said was, "Akari…*blush*…I like your bunny ears…*blush, blush*") they all sat down on the grass in their normal positions.
"Alright everybody!!" Akari cheered. "Who's turn is it to go first!?"
She looked at each in turn. Pat shrugged, Luke pointed exaggeratedly at himself, Candace looked away, Luna twisted a lock of her hair, Juli just smiled, Chase's face was blank, and Gill was frowning.
"Okay! Go ahead Lukie!" she sang.
"Yes!" he exclaimed, making a fist, then pointed dramatically at Pat. "Do you have a secret crush!?"
"You didn't ask truth or dare." she mumbled vacantly.
"Shoot!" he smacked himself in the head then yelled, "Truth or dare!?"
"Dare."
"Crap!" Luke yelled, while everyone shook their head in disbelief of his stupidity. "Uh….I dare you to tell me if you have a secret crush!"
"No. That would be a truth."
"Gah!" he scratched his head, then something caught his eye. It was a pair of sandaled feet sticking out from behind the tree. "Wait…" he said counting everyone in the circle. "Isn't everybody already here…?"
Akari nodded confusedly, then stood and poked her bunny head around the tree.
"To-Bi-Do-By!!!!!" she exclaimed, suddenly leaping on the silver haired boy who was currently napping peacefully.
"Oof!!" Toby gasped, eyes slowly opening to see a purple bunny sitting on top of him. "Hey Akari…" he mumbled sleepily. "You are on my lungs."
"Oh sorry!" she rolled to the side and curled up next to him. "Toby…" she whispered. "Do you want to play Truth or Dare with us?"
"What!? Why do you keep inviting people!?" Luke complained, suddenly hovering over them with an irritated frown. "Before you know it there will be no room under the tree!"
"That may be true…" Juli mused. "Luke. You can leave to make room for Toby."
"Shut up Juli!" Luke barked, shooting daggers. "If anyone were voted off the island it would be you!"
"Actually…" Said Gill. "I have to side with Juli on this one."
"Agreed." Added Luna.
"You guys are….JERKS!" Luke exclaimed, for lack of a better word, and plopping down on the grass again in a pout.
"So, Toby? Will you play?" Akari asked again, completely ignoring the conversation.
Toby yawned. "Yeah…sure."
"Great!" she exclaimed, dragging him to his feet and then pushing him down again in a spot next to Gill. "Okay! So now I think it is Pat's turn!"
"But I never got my turn!" Luke whined.
"You lost your turn." Akari stated curtly. "Go ahead Pat."
Luke whimpered while Pat glanced over to Toby.
"Truth or dare?" she asked softly.
"Truth…"
"Do you have a secret crush?"
A drunken grin spread over his face. "Yes."
"Oh." she said nodding.
"Fish."
"Oh?" her eyes widened and everybody exchanged looks of mild shock. "Well, your turn…" she said warily.
His head suddenly dropped on Gill's shoulder, causing the blond boy to stiffen uncomfortably.
"Gill…" Toby breathed. "Truth or dare?"
"Uh…" he tried to lean away but Toby just leaned with him. "Dare."
"I dare you…to sing everything you say for the rest of the day."
Juli made a choking sound.
Gill frowned, but mumbled, "Okay."
Pat sighed. This was going to make the date…strange…
"Nuh-uh." Toby garbled. "You have to sing everything as of now."
Gill's face twitched. "~Okaaaaay~" he said in a singsong voice.
Akari hid her face in her paws, trying to hide the smile that exploded there, while Juli and the others were gasping out bits of laughter, and Luke laughed openly with his head thrown back and his shoulders bouncing.
"I believe it is your turn now." Toby said evilly, sitting up.
Gill's brow furrowed and his eyes darkened. "~Akari…truth or daaaaare?~" he sang.
Luke was dying… seriously. Akari peaked at him from in between her paws, trying desperately to hide her laughter. "Sorry, what was that?" she asked sweetly.
His eyes narrowed threateningly. "~I saaaaid, truth or daaaare?~"
"Oh!" she exclaimed as her laughter slipped out. "Dare!"
"~I daaaare you to hiiiit Luuuuuke.~"
Luke's laughter suddenly died and his eyes went big as he stared at the bunny fist that was reeling back. "Sorry, Lukie." she said, grinning. "Akari….n-no…" he squeezed his eyes shut as she swung her fist forward and hit him in the shoulder. His eyes flickered open, glancing down at her fist then up to her face.
"Akari! You didn't hit him hard enough!" Gill exclaimed, Toby glared at him, then Gill sang, "I mean…~ you didn't hit him haaaaard enough!~"
"Well, I didn't want to hit him very hard." she explained, tipping her head to the side, making her bunny ears bounce. "Plus, you didn't say I had to hit him hard anyway."
Gill muttered singsong profanities under his breath.
"My turn!" Akari announced. "Ju-Ju Baby! Truth or dare!?"
Juli flipped his hair in the breeze. "Dare."
"Ooooooh! I dare you to….improvise a poem about Luke right now!"
Juli smiled demonically, Luke winced.
"I will call my poem, 'Ode to the Idiot'…" he began, standing and raising his arms dramatically, then cleared his throat. "Ode to you who is so idiotic, to you who knows nothing and shall never know anything. To you who cannot comprehend simple logic and believes a square root is just that….a square root. To you who cannot open your mouth without sending nonsense into the atmosphere…and who believes a flaming bandana is fashionable. I pray that your children do not inherit your stupidity. Amen."
There was a moment of silence, then Luna started clapping enthusiastically. "Bravo!" she yelled. "Encore!!" Luke seemed to sink noticeably. Akari put her paw on his knee. "It's okay Lukie, he was just kidding." she said, smiling comfortingly. "Right?" Juli sat back down and glanced up with his cat-like eyes. "Of course." he said unconvincingly.
"Well, it's your turn Ju-Ju." Akari said.
"Alright. Luke, truth or dare?" Juli said.
Luke seemed to be getting tired of begin chosen, he felt a little picked on, but he made a tough face and said, "Dare."
Juli unveiled another wicked grin and said, "I dare you to have a sleep over at Akari's house tonight."
Luke's face was blank. Chase and Gill glowered at Juli, who apparently didn't notice or didn't care and was too busy, anyways, cackling at his death sentence. Pat sighed again, and Luna and Candace were speechless.
"Oh goodie!" Akari exclaimed passionately. "A slumber party!" She tugged on Luke's shoulder. "Will you let me braid your hair!?"
Luke looked at her as if he had never seen her before and nodded without knowing it. "Yay!!!!" she cheered. "It's going to be so much fun!!!" Suddenly her smile drooped. "Oh wait…I have that date tonight…" Luke snapped awake. "Oh really? Oh that's okay, we don't need to have the sleep over--"
"No it's fine!" She cut in. "You can just come over later!!!" Luke's eyes shifted from Gill to Chase who were both now focusing their evil glares at him. "I'm so excited!!" Akari sang. "We can stay up all night long doing fun things!!!!"
Luke ran his hand nervously over his bandana and gulped. Yeah…he thought, As long as I don't get killed first…
---
Later that night, Chase stood at Akari's doorstep with a daisy in his hand. He had been standing there for what felt like forever, and had been wringing his hands so much that four of the five daisies he started with now lay twisted at his feet. His hair seemed to be more wild then it normally was, probably due to the fact that he kept running his fingers through his hair nervously. He raised his first to the soft wooden door for the fiftieth time, and for the fiftieth time he let it fall back to his side, then ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.
Suddenly the door flew open and there was Akari.
His heart started beating three times as fast as it had only a second before as she stood there with a concerned frown on her face that quickly melted into a bright grin.
"Chasy! There you are!" she exclaimed, brushing the skirt smooth on her cute orange sun dress. "Ready to go?"
He felt his cheeks go hot as he stared down into her warm chocolate eyes. "H-hey…" he choked, then shoved the daisy into her hands wordlessly.
She smiled at the tiny flower. "Thanks!" she gushed as if he had just handed her some priceless gem. Then she weaved the flower into her hair and secured it with a hair pin pulled from her skirt pocket. "Does it look good?" she asked softly, her lips curled in the familiar smile.
"Yes…" he said just as softly, her smile making him smile.
"Great!" she exclaimed, then strung her arm through his and said, "Let's go!"
---
"Akari, what are you doing!?"
She stared at him.
Gill cleared his throat. "I mean, ~Akaaaari, what are you doooooing!?~"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked, just to make him sing more. (He had refused to talk up until this point.)
"~It looks like you aaaare maaaaking a messsss!~"
She laughed at him. "No, I'm making salt people!" she exclaimed, dumping more salt out of the salt shaker onto the table and moving it around with her finger to form the legs of 'Mr. Saltmon.'
Pat leaned over and looked at her creation. "It's very nice." she said kindly.
"Thanks, Pati!" Akari gushed, then looked up at Gill critically. "I've been dying to know…what's up with your outfit Gilly?"
He wrapped his arms across his chest protectively, trying to hide it from their eyes. He had put the shirt on that evening after Juli had delivered it and promised it was made out of a great material and would fit perfectly. Little did he know that 'fit' to Juli meant skin tight and 'great material' meant practically see through. Not to mention, the pants Juli had given him were extremely tight as well… "~Doooon't aaaask.~" he sang.
Just then Chase came into the room carrying two heaping plates of delicious smelling food. Akari blew Mr. Saltmon at Gill, making him blink angrily when the salt got in his eyes, as Chase placed a plate in front of her and the other in front of Pat. He then quickly left the room only to appear again with two more plates. One for Gill and himself. The second he sat down Akari shoveled a spoonful into her mouth. He waited nervously while she chewed and swallowed, praying she would like it. Once she had finished the mouthful she just sat and stared at nothing for a moment, then turned her gaze to Chase. He was startled at her expression, it being on the verge of tears.
"D-Does it taste bad!?" he exclaimed, terrified.
She shook her head wiping away her tears. "It tastes….BEAUTIFUL!" She suddenly clung to his arm and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, causing him to blush cutely. "Will you marry me!?" she cried.
He froze and his face turned as red as a stop light.
Pat smiled at the precious scene and took a small bite of her meal.
Gill held his glass a little too tightly and looked as if he wanted to break something…or better yet, burn something.
Akari shoveled another spoonful into her mouth, unaware of the tension.
Once everyone had calmed down somewhat, the conversation bounced from the Truth or Dare game to everyday life. What was Pat's latest invention? (She went ahead and described a machine that none of them understood.) Was there anything interesting going on at Town Hall? (Unlikely…) Had Chase conquered any new recipes recently? (He had, and the description of the dish made Akari beg to be his bride again. Needless to say, his face turned a lovely shade of red.) Had Akari been working hard on her farm? (Her reply to this was, "What farm?") Soon they all had finished their meal and Chase went back to the kitchen for their desert. It was Akari's favorite, Cheese Cake. She practically had inhaled the piece as soon as it had been set in front of her and was licking the plate before Chase had the chance to pick up his fork.
"Osh…" she breathed, leaning back in her chair and patting her full belly. "That was the best meal of my life."
"That's the best compliment I could have ever hoped for." Said a flattered, blushing, grinning Chase.
Gill had been in the process of stabbing his cake, but had stabbed the table instead. His face was vacant as he stared at his cake, his deep blue eyes held so much sadness. Pat glanced sideways at him. Her heart went out to the poor boy…but she was so, so, so happy for that silly grin that was plastered on Chase's face.
---
After all the plates had been cleared up, and they played a few hands of "Go Fish," requested by Akari, Chase glanced at the clock and gasped. "I had no idea it was this late…I guess it's time to end the date…"
"Oh no!" Akari exclaimed. "I wish that only time would wait, and now I must…anticipate…"
"That makes no sense." Gill spat bitterly. (He had given up singing quite a while ago…)
"I couldn't think of anything else that would rhyme…"
"Do not worry, do not feel bad," Chase said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "When on this night much fun was had."
She grinned. "What can I say? What can I do? I feel so lucky to have a friend like you."
"That's so precious… I think I might puke…" Gill mumbled. "Come on, I'll walk you home Pat." He walked out without so much as a goodbye, Pat shuffling quickly behind him and thanking Chase for the wonderful food. Chase and Akari followed them outside and waved to Pat until they disappeared around the corner.
Throughout the dinner, Chase had slowly became more and more comfortable with having Akari next to him. He realized he wanted to saver this feeling for as long as he could, and so he offered his arm to her and said, "Come, my Lady, and we shall go…down the road back to your home."
"Oh, kind Sir. I will indeed…" she grinned and took his arm. "Of a walking companion, I was in need."
They strolled arm in arm, silent, enjoying the quiet sounds of the night. The crickets chirping, the leaves whispering, the sound of their sandaled foot falls on the cobbled street…all were like pleasant music….but too soon did they arrive at her door.
---
Gill was wondering around town aimlessly after he had said goodbye to Pat. The thoughts that were tumbling through his head made him so confused. Why did it bother him so much that Akari seemed to be growing attached to Chase? Chase was a good guy, it wasn't like he was insane like Luke, or just plain creepy like Juli…he was…nice… But for some reason he felt ill every time he saw them together…and now it was whenever he thought of them together too…what was wrong with him?
Was he….jealous…?
No, no, of course not! That would be ridicules! It would be nice for a change to have her clinging all over someone else and pestering them. Now he might actually get some work done!
Yeah…Chase would soon realize that having her around was nothing but trouble!
Just wait until she follows him around so much that he has to make sure she didn't follow him into the bathroom when he has to use the toilet!
Just wait until he wakes up and sees her hovering over him with a badly made breakfast that she insists he eats!
Just wait until she follows him to work and begs to help until he gives in and then she ruins something!
Just wait until she chases him down and forces him to play games with her all day!
Just wait until she breaks into his house and goes through his things and steals his clothes!
Just wait until she comes and pounds on his door at three in the morning because she had a nightmare and didn't know who else could comfort her!
He slowed his brisk walk at that last thought.
He remembered her face that night…she had been crying, and for the longest time she wouldn't admit what was wrong. He had been cranky and wanted her to leave, so he yelled at her…and that made her cry again…he hated himself in that moment. She was kneeling on the floor next to the bed he was sitting in, her face buried in his blanket. "Tell me what's wrong…" he had whispered. And suddenly it was as if he was overwhelmed by a flood as she told him the terrors of her nightmare, clinging to his hand, tears dripping into his palm. He had brushed her hair with his free hand like how his father used to do for him, and soon she had fallen asleep. He had laid back down, careful not to pull his hand out of hers so he wouldn't wake her. She had squirmed slightly and placed her head on his forearm, in the morning he wouldn't be able to feel it, but at that moment he didn't care. He remembered looking at her tear stained face, her eyelashes glued together, her cheeks reddened, her bangs stuck to her slick forehead…
Gill glanced up now and found himself in Akari's farm. He had no memory of how he had come here, and yet, this was exactly where he wanted to be.
He started forward with a slight smile, suddenly hopeful to see his friend…but then he stopped. At her door, Akari and Chase stood close together, Chase's back to him. He could see her mouth moving but couldn't hear what she was saying, then she smiled and Gill felt that familiar sickness in his stomach. Suddenly Chase bent down and Akari stood on her tiptoes and for a moment her face was hidden by his. It only looked like one thing….and that one thing made something inside him ache terribly. The sickness replaced by an odd numbness that tasted bitter on his tongue.
His head fell…and his heart, …as he slowly walked away…
---
(Rewind!!)
"Thanks for dinner and everything." Akari said smiling up at Chase. "It really was amazing!"
"I'm glad you liked it." he said, smiling in turn. "And I'm really glad you came."
Her eyes shifted to something on his face then she laughed. "There is something on your cheek!"
He brushed at his cheek but missed the crumb.
"Here, let me get it." she said.
He bent forward slightly to make it easier for her to reach and she stood on her tiptoes to brush away the frosting on his cheek.
"There!" she said, slipping back to her regular height. "Good as new!"
"Thanks."
"Well, goodnight!" she said turning on her heel and opening the door to her little house. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Goodnight." he breathed. The second she had closed the door behind her Chase suddenly reacted to how close their faces had been. Reaction being : widening of eyes, shaky hands, dry mouth, and, of course, his trademark blush.
As he walked home that night his huge smile might as well have been the moon.
---
Even later that night, after Akari had called up Luke for their slumber party, the blue haired boy stood on her doorstep, hesitant to knock.
When I go into her house…will I die…? he thought.
The door suddenly burst open and there was Akari dressed in giraffe print pajama pants and an old T-shirt that said DISNEYLAND. He flinched back in shock and shielded his head with his arms as if she was going to throw something at him.
"There you are Lukie!?" She exclaimed. "Come in!"
He peaked at her, decided she at least wasn't going to kill him….for now…, and followed her inside her brightly lit house. Once he was in she closed the door, his only escape route. He flinched again.
"Well, what should we do first!?" She asked, taking the bag from his arm and flinging it to the ground. Then she started talking really fast. "Should we paint fingernails!? I can do my left hand if you can do my right, I always mess up on my right hand! Oh! How about we tell ghost stories!! I've got a good one! It's about this guy who-- No! No! Let's make some popcorn and then watch 'I couldn't help but love you!!!' (pulls the six disc set from seemingly nowhere) I borrowed it from Elli!! Do you think we could watch all thirty episodes in one night!?"
Luke turns towards you, his eyes are wide and filled with horror, his face twists as he yells a ghoulish, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
You shall be haunted by this sound until the next chapter…until then, goodbye~
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Holy cows…this chapter is so long…
I'm super sorry if y'all don't find this chapter that interesting, it might be because I'm so excited for the next two chapters that I simply just want to get to them!
So yeah…stay tuned for next time on Truth or Dare things are getting GOOD!
…want a hint…? *cough* handcuffs *cough* …but with whom…?
Reviewers will be given…um…chocolate…so please review!!!!
Random thing that seriously happened two seconds ago : My little brother and his friends just chanted "R2D2!" (ya know…from starwars…) It kind of scared the crap out of me for a second there…I'm not going to lie….*ahem* please continue…