Part 14

I would just like to say that I've never had so many people begging for an update! It's great that you all are so enthusiastic, I'm so glad when someone tells me they like what I write! Love it a lot! So please tell me what you think of this next chapter, because I totally am looking forward to it!

This Means WAR!

Love is a Battlefield

It took a total of twenty seconds for Akari to realize what he just said. "Excuse me?" She asked, her hands dropping to her sides.

Gill looked innocently from Akari to Chihaya. "I want to talk to her…" His finger still lingered on Akari.

Chihaya stepped forward blocking Akari behind his tall frame. "I don't think so." He said to the blond. "Not after what you have already done to her."

Gill's eyebrows shot up. "That's why I need to talk to her." Chihaya didn't budge. Gill sighed and tried to lean around the peach haired boy to tell Akari, "Please meet me outside." Then he turned slowly and left out the door he just entered.

Chihaya turned and grabbed her by the shoulders roughly. "Look, he is out front, you can escape through the kitchen!" He started to lead her toward the kitchen but she planted her feet firmly on the ground with a frown.

"Look, Chihaya…" She said looking up into his eyes. "I know you want to protect me, and normally I would be all for running away from Gill…" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued. "But I need to know what it is he has to say. I need some answers."

He gazed down at her uncertainly but released his hold on her shoulders. "Alright, I wont stop you." He forced a smile to appear on his face. "But I'm going to watch from the window just to be safe."

She laughed at the concern on his face. "It's just Gill!" She exclaimed, completely forgetting the fact she just hid from him five minutes ago.

He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Exactly, that's what worries me…"

---

That morning before Gill ran out of his house determined he would set things right, his father stopped him in the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Hamilton asked.

"Ah…out." Gill mumbled, brushing past his father and scurrying down the stairs.

"Your not going to Akari's house are you?"

"No…"

"Well, you should!" Hamilton waddled down the stairs after his son. "Just imagine the surprise on her face when you appear on the horizon with the wind whipping majestically behind you. and you take her in your arms and declare your undying love for her!"

"Right…" Gill stopped at the door. "She would punch me again…"

"Stop that, son!" He slapped his belly then exclaimed, "We are young, heartache to heartache we stand, no promises, no demands. Love is a battlefield!"

Gill glanced over his shoulder, his eyes wide. "Wow…that was…poetic…"

The mayor slicked his hair back and grinned. "It's true! And you cant give up on her, not ever!" He slapped his son heartily on the shoulder. "She is your match!"

"My match?"

"Your sole mate!"

"Huh? How could you know…?"

Hamilton sighed. "I just know these things! Now go out there and don't come back until she has agreed to marry you!"

Gill froze. "Are you serious?"

"Fine! Then just confess your feelings if marriage is too soon!"

"Um…weren't you listening to me? She will kill me!"

In answer Hamilton shoved him out the door.

---

Now Gill stood outside the Inn, twiddling his thumbs while he waited for Akari to come outside. He was trying to figure out what he was going to say to her, but any situation he could come up with ended with him being punched.

The door of the inn opened and Akari slipped outside closing the door quietly behind her.

"Yes, Gill, what is it?" She said, annoyance ringing in her voice.

He spun around, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, h-hey, Akari!"

She raised an eyebrow, her lips a tight line.

"I…well, I…" He realized he was making himself look like an idiot and mentally smacked himself in the head. "I wanted to say…I'm sorry." She froze. "I'm sorry for,…for everything…" His voice died pitifully then as he caught sight of her frown.

"You're sorry!?" She spat.

"Now don't get mad!" He flung his hands up desperately in defense. "I am sincerely sorry! I know what I did was horrible and I don't blame you if you hate me…though I really wish you wouldn't…"

"What!?" She almost fell over at his last mumbled comment. "You wish I wouldn't hate you? Didn't we already decide that our hateful feelings were mutual?" She folded her arms and glared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well…you see, the thing is--"

"Spit it out!"

He lost his nerve at the last second. "Forget it…I'm just sorry!" She suddenly came forward and slugged him on the shoulder. He was just relieved she hadn't decided to kick him again.

"You think you can manipulate me any way you want!?" She spat. "First you steal my first kiss--"

"That was your first kiss…?"

"Then you chase me around telling everyone you are going to kill me--"

"I can explain about that…"

"And then you kiss me again!--"

"That time…that time I was stupid."

"And then you tell me you were kissing me as a prank!--"

"I'm sorry!"

"Stop saying that!" She yelled into his face. "I know very well that you aren't sorry! You think you are going to trick me? But let me tell you, I am not so easily fooled!" She spun on her heel and headed back toward the inn but he leapt forward and grabbed her by the elbow.

"Let go of me!" She hissed. "Don't touch me!"

He released her but locked his eyes with hers, stopping her instantly. "Please believe me." He pleaded. "I never meant to hurt you--"

"Well, you did!" She confessed. "I don't know about you, but its not fun when someone toys with your emotions!"

Sadness washed across his face accompanied by guilt and an overwhelming desire to comfort her. "I'm sorry…" He said sheepishly staring down at his loafers.

"I said, stop saying that!" She exclaimed, stepping forward and grabbing him roughly by his collar. "What's with you today anyway!? You're acting all nice to Chihaya and now your apologizing to me!? What's wrong with you?"

I'm in love… Gah! That sounds so cheesy! He thought. I can't tell her…not yet. The only way she could believe me is if I showed her. A small smile curled across his lips, a ghost of the smirk that once resided there, as he stared into her honey colored eyes that glared back at him angrily. "It's a secret."

She raised an eyebrow and pushed him away from her. "You're so weird…" Then she turned and walked toward the door of the inn.

"Wait!" He called out then stumbled around for something he could say to make her stay. "Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?"

She froze and turned back around slowly. "Are you serious?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes!" He exclaimed hopefully.

"You do remember what happened the last time I came over for dinner, right?"

"Uh…"

"You dumped a bucket of water over my head."

"Oh…yeah…sorry."

She stared at him in disbelief. "So, no; I don't want to come over for dinner."

"Then lets go out to eat!" He cried.

"No, Gill. Lets not." She opened the door and was halfway through it then he yelled, "Please! I really would like to prove to you my sincerity…"

She raised an eyebrow and sighed. Something about the pitiful way he was staring at her with those beautiful blue eyes reminded her of a little boy begging to go out and play. "Fine." She said. "Be at my house by six." She walked through the door and yelled over her shoulder as it was closing, "Don't be late!"

The second she disappeared through the door a never before seen grin bloomed upon Gill's face.

---

Chihaya backed away from the window upon Akari's entrance. "So what did he say?" He asked.

She shrugged. "He said he was sorry."

"Sorry?"

"Yeah."

"Weird…"

"I know."

"Good thing he didn't try to kiss you again!" Chihaya said joyfully. "Or I would have been out there in a second and he wouldn't know what hit him!"

"Yeah, well he did invite me to dinner."

"What!?" Chihaya gasped, his hands flying to his hair. "And you agreed!?"

"Well, yeah…he said he wanted to prove he was sorry." She tipped her head to the side thoughtfully. "He was sure acting strange…and he wouldn't tell me why…"

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Chihaya said sitting down on a stool.

"What? Why?" She asked sitting next to him.

"Akari…you really don't get it do you?"

"Huh?" Her eyebrows raised in confusion.

"That's okay." He smiled and tugged at a lock of his hair. "So when are you having dinner?"

"Six."

"Great, that gives us time to prepare."

"Prepare what?"

"You don't think I'm going to let you go with Gill unprepared do you!? What if he tries to pull something again!" He smiled down at her with his pretty eyes.

She laughed and punched him playfully on the arm. "You are the best Chihaya."

---

Gill couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy. Nothing in the world could bring him down, nothing, that is, except for the scary look that was still in Akari's eyes. And it just so happened that every time he closed his eyes there she was glaring at him. But besides that, he was terrific! After all, he had a date with Akari tonight!

---

Luna burst into Akari's house an hour later and exclaimed, "So you get it now, right!?"

"Wait…what?" Akari asked, glancing up from the jeans she was patching up.

The short girl sighed heavily and plopped down next to the brunette at the table. "Gill is acting funny--"

"Yes, I did notice that…" She turned back to her stitching.

"And then Hamilton goes around telling everyone that Gill is in love with someone--"

"Uh-huh…that was weird…but then again, that's the mayor for you.."

"And all this just so happens to happen around you…"

"Bad luck I suppose…"

Luna sighed again and slapped the table to get Akari's attention. "No, not bad luck! Gill is in love with you!"

Akari froze mid-stitch and looked up. "That's impossible." She said confidently. "Gill cant love me." Then she scoffed, "Gill cant love!" as she continued stitching.

"No, no! Didn't you listen to Candace yesterday!?"

"Yeah…something about Gill getting manners…"

"Yeah! And it's all because of you! He is acting this way because he is in love with you!" Luna nearly screeched in her high pitch voice.

Akari actually laughed then. "Luna, that is about as possible as….no wait, there is nothing that is less possible then that!"

"Oh come on! It is so obvious!" She exclaimed dramatically. "I mean, he is always looking for you!"

Akari perked up at that last part. "That reminds me…" She suddenly lurched forward and grabbed the petite girl by the pigtails. "You need to stop telling him where I am! The whole point of my hiding is for him not to find me!"

"It's for your own good!" Luna wailed. "Now let go of me!"

---

Gill swallowed his nerves and knocked on the door. His fingers of his left hand were strangling a flower he had bought on his way over, and his right hand straightened his tie for the twelfth time. The door opened revealing a slightly annoyed Akari wearing exactly what she had worn all day. Which was soiled jeans and an old green shirt.

"Gee, Gill…" She mumbled taking in his white slacks with matching vest over a silk blue shirt with a purple tie. "You're looking… dapper." He smiled nervously with a slight blush on his cheeks. She didn't notice and asked, "What's the occasion?"

He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and offered her the flower. "What's that for?" She asked just staring at the bright pink petals.

"You." He said, prodding her to take it.

She just starred. "What should I do with it?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you like…"

She snatched it from him with shifty eyes and examined it more closely. He smiled at the look on her face as she noticeably softened. Then his smile vanished as she tossed the flower into some nearby bushes with a snort.

"I've never been too fond of flowers." She muttered, stepping past him. "So where are we eating, I'm starving!"

Gill was frozen in time gazing at the spot where his gift vanished among the leaves. She has no idea…He thought miserably. How is this going to work?

"What's wrong with you?" She asked, suddenly jolting him back to reality as she appeared by his shoulder. "If you're just going to stand here, then I am going to go find someone else to go to dinner with…"

"What!? N-No!" Gill exclaimed, stumbling over his words. "I'm fine, lets go!"

"Alright…" She said skeptically, falling into place next to him as they walked down the road in what possibly could be their first non-confrontational meeting…so far, that is.

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Please let me know what you think of this new development!

Gill apparently isn't familiar with Pat Benatar! Haha! His personality is so different now too. Obviously his new found love is finally bringing out the best in him! Cute wittle Gilly!

I would like you all to know that as of last Saturday I am now at college and things so if my updates become…irregular, that is why. I will write whenever I have the chance but I do have school and a social life, or am trying to haha! So try to be patient with me, thanks!

Next chapter preview: Gill and Akari on a date! But she doesn't think it is…what would she do if she realized it was?