HELLO PEOPLE! I'M BACK WITH... CHAPTER 4! COOKIE RUSH! READ AND REVIEW!:):):):):)

Chapter 4

Yumi POV

It was about 8.30 when I deigned to go to the party. The party was in full swing. At the back were all the food and cocktails, champagne (hey, this is an elite party after all!). I saw Aelita mingling around with a few guys. Socialising, that's what Sabrina would say. Well, I call it slutting. I sighed, still not into the mood to party.

I went around the back of the hall building, where there was a little greenhouse for the gardeners. There were benches and tables with those shades. I sat down gently, enjoying the silence and the muted partying from the building. There was a full moon tonight, looking so pretty I could see its craters.

"Are you still mad at me?" A voiced asked quietly. I flicker my eyes to see Ulrich Stern behind me. I turned back to look at the garden in front of me.

"I'm sorry okay? I just… I just…" He said softly.

"I'm unworthy of speaking to you because I'm a cheap whore remember?" I said icily as if the night air wasn't cold enough. It started to snow, the snowflakes pebbling on the ground quickly. I had already turn around to see him visibly cringed.

"I… I didn't mean that." He sighed as he spoke.

"Of course not," I said sarcastically. "You meant that I am like those prostitutes who go around having free sex with guys and I am a perp. Don't you?" My last sentence was filled with vicious sarcasm.

With that, I entered the hall, socialising around with a few hot guys.

Ulrich's POV

This wasn't how I planned it to be. She was even more stubborn than I thought. She wasn't a cheap whore. She's just plain beautiful. She looked stunning in her dress, her back bare and the crystal loops made her look even more fragile. Her skin was close to translucent and she was just… brilliant. She looked incredibly sexy and I could already see a few guys flirting with her, obviously trying to feel her up. Perverts.

"Hey handsome, care for a dance?" a blond came by with two other blondes flanking her. I studied her for a second. A dancer, obviously. She would be those typical American cheerleader if she went to a high school. she was wearing a slutty purple dress, not reaching mid-thigh and even higher, her dress so low it was obvious she was trying to flaunt her breasts.

"Do I know you?" I asked in frustration as she come drape her arm around me. Who's the whore now?

She laughed lightly but in a phony way she covered her mouth. Her two clones did the same. "Of course not, hottie. I'm Heather Mint. I'm from dance."

"Okay, let's go." I did this in an effort to make Yumi jealous. I purposely picked the area where she was dancing so she could see me dancing. Heather was delighted and started to tell me about herself.

Heather was an inch shorter than me even on her heels. She stood in such a way could peer into her clothes when I looked down. But I was just staring past her as we sway to the music and she supplies the most of the conversation.

I spotted Yumi dancing with a guy. They were a couple away from us and talking animatedly, she laughed her enchanting and quiet bell-like laughter. It was just soothing unlike Heather next to me who was complaining of her dress and how the dressmaker didn't fit in pearls around her waist line and her hair stylist getting the wrong design for her hair.

The song faded away and the deejay started announcing a clubbing song. More students rush forward to the dance floor and started jumping around and dancing. Yumi left the crowd quietly, sliding past people in death-like stealth.

She took a seat at the ring of booths at the back and I saw Aelita and Jeremy come by. They were carrying cocktails. Jeremy handed one to Yumi and they both took a seat. I walk to their table.

"Hey guys, mind if I sit here?" I gestured to the seat next to Jeremy.

"Oh, hi Ulrich," Aelita smiled. "Take a seat."

Yumi gave her sister the death glare as she sipped her drink. Aelita shrugged in response.

"So are you enjoying the dance?" Jeremy asked politely.

"It's perfect, Jeremy. You did a great job." I said graciously.

Yumi just rolled her eyes. Aelita snickered.

"Hey Yumi, who was that guy? The one you were dancing with? He looks totally hot." Aelita asked.

"Oh, that's Bryan. He's so sweet. And he's like, so hot." She sigh longingly.

"Definitely a hottie… Which class?" Aelita murmured to the embarrassment of Jeremy who obviously has a crush on her.

"Track and Field." That Bryan guy is in my class. What a challenge.

We chatted for an hour or so, with Yumi studiously ignoring me and making my life hard.

Odd came by afterwards, after getting everything check for the countdown. It was already 10PM.

"I'll go get more snacks. All these running about are making me hungry." Odd ran off in the direction of food.

He came back with bowls full of dessert, cupcakes and more cocktails. "And just how are we going to finish that?" Yumi questioned. She was remarkable, gorgeous, outstanding and perfect.

Odd pushed the plate of cupcakes and four cocktails to us and said "Oh. These are for me. And these are for you guys." And he bit into his chicken wings.

Yumi leaned back in her seat, her expression vacant and eyes staring at the wall behind me. Her cool Ice Princess demeanour was back on again. For the entire time, she politely declined offers to dance by fanclub that were gathered around her and talking in whispers about her features. She was attractive in a unique way. Her fanclub were obsessed with her body but somehow, it was her character that got me. Intriguing.

A slow song came on and her fanclub again persisted for her to go to the dance floor. Aelita looked bored. She was used to the drama after all. And Jeremy was trying to stifle his laughter by sipping on his drink and eating a cupcake.

"Would you like to dance, Yumi?" A geek sprung forth to ask her. Once again, she flashed a sickeningly sweet smile her fans sighed at and said, "No thanks. I don't feel like dancing." She had masked her irritation perfectly with a mood of amusement and boredom.

She stood up afterwards, with many of her fans hanging around her. "Where are you going?" Aelita asked bluntly.

"To the washroom." And she left the table, her fanclub and everyone in her wake.

"Sassy much?" Jeremy asked.

Aelita laughed. "She uses the same excuse to get away from her fans. But there were always bodyguards around her last time."

"You have your own bodyguards?" I said.

"Well, sure. We can't make it through a street without the paps shoving their mikes into our faces and people staring at us." Aelita said matter-of-factly.

"Wow. Tough luck." Jeremy muttered.

"You'll get use to the attention." She said in a bored tone.

Yumi finally came back, much to the delight of her fans. "So, what did I miss?" She asked amiably.

"Nothing. We didn't talk much. And Odd went to get more food."

"I can see that." She looked over her shoulder to see Odd coming back with nachos and more taco wraps this time.

"The taco wraps are really good. You guys should try it." Odd pointed to his plate stacked with at least five wraps. i saw Yumi shudder.

"How in the world can you eat this much food? And potato chips are unhealthy and cupcakes have too much sugar. And you're still scrawny." She groaned. Aelita curled her lips in disgust. Jeremy looked sickened.

"Hey! I'm svelte!" Odd whined. Everybody laughed.

Aelita and Jeremy headed out to dance after sitting down for such a long time. Odd was busy stuffing his face with food.

"Ulrich Stern, right? Oh my gosh, you are like, so hot." A brunette sidled by. "Oh, hi Yumi! You two know each other?"

"Hi Tisha." Yumi gave her trademark sweet smile. "He's my neighbour, unfortunately." Finally! She gave me some attention. I was beginning to think she was pretending I wasn't here at all. But her last sentence was muttered with anger.

"Wait… how do you two know each other?" I asked.

"Dance?" Tisha looked amused as she said that.

"So the three other blondes are in your class right? Heather and her clique?"

"Yep. You know Heather?" Tisha looked on with interest.

"Sadly, yes. I sense a cheerleading squad in the making…" I muttered darkly.

Tisha laughed. "Cheerleading comes naturally to us. Cartwheels, jumping around, backflips, pyramid… piece of cake."

Yumi laughed. "Anything is easy for us. We are so damn flexible. Tisha, did you do the stretches?"

"It was horrid. Not painful but horrid. Doing backward bents sucks. Prissy is downright demanding." She groaned. "Anyway, hi Ulrich." She said shyly.

"Erm… hey Tisha." I said, unsure of what to do. "You wanna dance?"

"I love to. Yumi, you wouldn't mind..." She looked at her friend with expectancy.

"Go on. I wouldn't give anything to dance with The Jerk." She said it graciously but with drips of viciousness. Great, I have a new nickname. The Jerk. Very nice.

"Oh… well then…" Tisha looked embarrassed.

I slid my hand around her waist as we started waltzing. Tisha was likable. Pretty, cute and a good listener. I told her about our fight yesterday and just now.

"Wow… that's harsh on her. You called Leighton's daughter a whore. That's like slapping her and calling her a bitch." She commiserated in my failed attempt to apologise.

"Well, what do you think I should do now?" I asked.

"You like her right?" She asked carefully.

"More than I like anyone." I muttered.

"Good. Leave it to me. I know what to do next. You just concentrate on opportunities to apologise to her." Her eyes gleam a mischievous sparkle.

"What about her fanclub? They wouldn't leave her alone." I asked.

"Tell them that she's taken." She smiled. I grinned at her mischievous response. The song ended and I pulled her in for a quick hug.

"Thanks so much." I murmured into her hair. She smelled good, but nothing like Yumi. She smelled of Happy. Happy from Clinique.

"Anytime." And she strode away to the front of the hall while I went back to the table.

"Sorry guys but the girl's taken." I tapped on one of her fan's shoulder. They all look at me angrily.

"Come on Yumi darling," I said in a voice that only she could hear the threat underlying it. Seeing her stand up, her fanclub realised that their chance was gone, started to disperse.

She let me drag her out to the snowing winterland. "What do you want?" She asked as she slid out of my embrace and grip out on her hand.

"First off, I'm really sorry I had to drag you out this way." I said apologetically.

"For what?" she interrupted me.

"If you would just let me finish my speech first!" I said in frustration. She looked hurt by the way I snapped at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you that way." She rolled her eyes and huffed, making little puffs of smoke in the air. It was freezing out here at night.

"I didn't mean to shout at you yesterday and… and calling you a…. a-"

"whore?" she finished.

"I didn't mean to… it was just… you were flirting with Jeremy." I looked guilty.

"Why do you care?" she stepped closer to me.

"Because… because… I like you?" I asked. She blinked. Once. Twice.

"Oh." Uncertainty crossed her face. "I thought you hate me." I cupped her cheek gently.

"How could I? You are witty, brilliant, amazing…" I ranted on.

"You paps do this every year so you can get a photo of me kissing a guy. Nice try." She stalked away. She thought I was a pap! What in the world did I do to deserve this? I groaned.

"Aelita?" I found Aelita and Jeremy by the same table again. "Do the paps want a shot of Yumi kissing in public badly?"

"What?" Aelita looked shock at my questions then looked down at her silver nail polish that matched with the silver at the tips of her hair. "Oh yeah. They pull that at every party we attend. How boring of them." She yawned a little.

"Tired?" Jeremy ask with concern.

"A little… it's already 11.30." she sighed.

"Oh! I need to get the countdown ready!" Jeremy shot up from his seat and looked at Aelita apologetically.

"Run along." She said and then to me, "How did you know about that?"

"Because…"

"You tried to kiss her? Are you a pap?" Aelita screeched.

HEHEHEHEHE. SO IS ULRICH A PAP? I NEED REVIEWS AND IDEAS...