Sorry it took me forever to post this! I had no inspiration for months, and was busy with school, but I finally was inspired again by the lovely YarningChick, whose stories I have becomed addicted to again. One more chapter, and then it's done, and I can get back to work on 'A Heart's Wish'.

"Okay, spill: what happened Friday night?" Kokoro and Ami strolled out of the classroom, clutching their various books to their chests.

After her dad had gone outside to mow the grass, Kokoro called up her best friend and let her know she would explain everything on Monday, because she had a ton of homework to do and she and her dad were going to hang out, something they hadn't done since she was ten.

Being the absentminded person he was, her father had forgotten in his exhaustion to check to make sure his only daughter was in her room, let alone alive, yet Ami had been calling nonstop from six o'clock till eleven o'clock, desperate to find out where her friend was.

"I mean, I called you like, fifteen times, and nobody picked up," Ami continued, waving her cone around. "Seriously, were you like on a date or something?"

Kokoro laughed. "No, I wasn't on a date," she said, turning her gaze to the shorter girl and grinning, her dark eyes twinkling with amusement. "But you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"How do you know? That's so not true Kokoro and…" Her voice trailed off as she grabbed a hold of her friend's shoulder, causing her to stop.

"What, Ami? Let go…" She turned around and saw what her friend was staring at. Coming toward her with a broad smile on his face was none other than Tora Shibuki, gorgeous upperclassman. Any normal schoolgirl would've been a puddle on the floor by then, but Kokoro remained upright, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Hey, Kokoro right?" Tora said, coming up.

"Yes, that's my name," she replied indifferently. Ami had stepped back to give her privacy, but Kokoro hadn't noticed.

"Yeah, we're in Environment Club together."

"Yes, Tora, we are." She sighed. What did I ever see in him? she thought, annoyed. He didn't even know until Friday.

"Did you hear I broke up with my girlfriend?" he asked, shoving hi hands into his pockets.

Kokoro raised her eyebrows, only slightly surprised. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, well, it just wasn't working for me. So, I was wondering if you're doing anything Friday night? Maybe we could catch a movie…"

Smiling to herself, she shook her head, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Sorry Tora, but I like someone else," she said. "But I'm sure lots of other girls would love to go out with you on Friday." She turned to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist, and she had to turn back around.

Tora looked incredibly surprised. "Are you turning down a date with me?" he asked, astounded. "Because you like someone else?"

She nodded. "That's right Tora. Sorry to have to be the one to break it to you. Now, if you'll excuse me," she slid her wrist out of his hand, "I'm going to go to lunch now. See you later." Spinning around, she whispered to Ami, "Let's go," and her friend followed behind her, neither girl glancing behind to see the stunned boy standing there, arm out, mouth agape.

"I can't believe you totally said no!" Ami said once they'd reached the cafeteria. "I thought you were totally in love with Tora!"

"I was," Kokoro said quietly, lifting a yellow tray off the stack. "But then I got over it."

"How can you just 'get over it'? All you talked about was Tora!"

"Yeah, I know."

Ami stuck out her lower lip. "So what gives?"

A small smile appeared on Kokoro's mouth, and her eyes glinted in remembrance as she recalled the events of Friday night. "I realized that it wasn't love, just infatuation. Besides, there's more important things in life than boys."

Ami shook her head. "Where are the aliens that kidnapped my friend?" she said, shaking her head as they paid for their lunches. "I want my Kokoro back."

Kokoro laughed as they trotted over to a table and sat down. "You do have your Kokoro back," she replied. "Just a new and improved model." She smiled, then stood up again. "Ami, I'll be right back."

"Now you're ditching me!" Ami grumbled, angrily spearing her angel food cake. "I don't think I like the new and improved model."

But Kokoro wasn't listening. She was making her away across the cafeteria toward a table in the back, where the soccer team sat. When she approached some of the boys wolf-whistled and Tora, who was on the team, smiled smugly. However, she walked right past him and over to Takashi. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he spun around.

"Hi Takashi," she said brightly.

Takashi had to swallow whatever he had in his mouth before he could grin at her. "Hey Kokoro, what's up?" he said as all the boys at the table fell silent.

Kokoro took a deep breath, nervous about what she was going to say, but she ignored the urge to tug at her hair. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm dropping out of Environment Club," she said bravely, tilting her chin just slightly. "I care about the environment and all, but I'll stick to recycling cans."

Takashi sighed, ran a hand through his thick black hair. "Can't say I'm surprised," he responded. "You never liked going, huh?"

She shrugged. "I've cleaned about all the rivers I can stand."

"Well, you suffered a semester and a half. That's longer than most."

He started to turn back around, but she said, "But... To make it up to you, would you like to see a movie with me on Friday?"

All the boys 'oohed' as Takashi flushed. Tora stood back, his smirk having faded to a scowl. "This is the guy you like?" he asked accusingly, glaring at her and Takashi. "This is the guy you'd rather go out with than me?"

"Wow." Everyone, whose attention had been focused on Tora, turned back to look at Takashi. "You said no to Tora?" She nodded. Takashi's grin broadened. "In that case, I'd love to go out with you."

Kokoro beamed. "Great!"

Takashi beckoned her to step closer, then asked for her hand. She offered it and he flipped it over, palm up. Seiji, Ami's boyfriend, handed him a pen, and he casually scrawled a set of numbers on the inside of her wrist. "There's my number," he explained, recapping the pen but not yet releasing her hand. "Give me a call and we can decide which movie to see."

"Okay," she replied breathlessly. Takashi lifted her hand, pressed a kiss to the top of it, and finally let it go. She turned to go, her cheeks stained pink, while the boys either clapped Takashi on the back or taunted the glowering Tora.

As she returned to her table, her mouth curled upwards as her friend squealed in delight. "Oh my gosh, that was awesome!" Ami said, clapping excitedly. "The look on Tora's face was absolutely priceless! I wish I had a camera."

"It was pretty good," Kokoro agreed, sitting down again.

After more congratulations and girlish giggles were exchanged, Ami sighed happily and grabbed her sandwich. "I take it back," she said, taking a bite. "The new and improved model is way cool. I like her."

Glancing over her shoulder, Kokoro smiled softly. Takashi noticed her look and sent back a brilliant smile as he ran his fingers through his raven hair, and her heart skipped a beat. "Yeah," she murmured as she waved back. "Me too."

~*~