Sorry it took so long to update. I only have weekends to write. It only takes a couple hours to write but I take a long time getting around to updating. I have such a full schedule.

Chapter 8

Amu's POV

It still made me blush when Ikuto said my name like that. I didn't understand why. I like Tadase, not Ikuto! At least that's what I thought. I had known Tadase for almost all of my middle-school life, and he was my best friend. It had shocked me when he came up suddenly. Apparently, he was bored. Hmm.

I lifted my gaze from the slightly-rotted boards of the dock to see the two boys shaking hands. Both of their faces were tight and they were staring at each other. Neither was letting go. Something that boys do.

Ikuto's POV

After briefly considering declining his offer to shake his hand, he seemed like a goody-goody gentleman that would do that, I grasped his hand in mine. Firmly. And I didn't let go. He jerked back slightly, but then began squeezing back. Such puny strength. He looked like he was struggling, but I just smirked darkly at him and griped tighter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Amu looking at us with a confused look on her face. Such innocence. I released the boy's hand and stepped back. He dropped his hand to his side, trying to hide it from Amu, I think, and I could see him flexing it at his side. I could see how much he wanted to hit me, but his gentleman façade prevented him from doing it. I grinned; thinking how, if he came at me, I would step out of the way and he would fall into the water. Amu would probably scold me. I wonder if she would laugh or help him.

"What are you smiling at, Ikuto?" I heard Amu ask. I looked over to see her curious face. I smirked in her direction, causing a slight pink shine to her face. "Just thinking of you, Amu."

I could see the blond boy tense up visibly and Amu glared at me, then glanced at boy. A wave of heat flared up in my stomach and my mouth clenched. I quickly relaxed and turned to Amu.

"So, Amu, how do you two know each other?" She turned back to me and opened her mouth to answer.

"Hinamori-san and I go to the same school. We're best friends." The blond quipped up defensively. He had such a little kid voice. I saw Amu's face fall a little when he said that they were friends. He definitely is a problem.

"Ah, Hinamori. I'd forgotten your last name. People don't really use it much around here. We're all on a first name basis ." Amu glared at me.

"Anyway Amu, my mother wanted me to ask you what you guys were doing tomorrow. We were going to come back out tomorrow, but if you have company….." I let my sentence trail off, waiting to see if the blond would be around much.

"Ah, no. Actually, Tadase said that he wasn't going to be here tomorrow," she looked over for him to confirm this statement.

He seemed reluctant. "Hinamori-san's right. We just got here today, so we were going to go get some food and check in with the head office." His voice got tighter as he talked. He seemed to realize that he wouldn't be around tomorrow, but I would.

"Well, I should go. See ya later Hinamori-san." He just looked at me.

"Bye." Replied Amu.

We watched him slowly climb the steps to the path and disappear around the corner.

Amu's POV

As soon as Tadase was gone, my anger finally showed itself and I rounded on Ikuto. "Ikuto, you BAKA! How could y.." I turned around to yell at him, but he wasn't there. I whipped my head to the other side, but he wasn't there either.

Then I felt muscular arms encircle my waist. He sighed and leaned into my back. "Hello Amu," he breathed into my ear. The warmth of his breath seemed to spread around to my face until it was red.

I turned my head and covered my ear with one hand. "Ikuto leave me be," I sighed, frustrated that he was bugging me again. I had learned by now that struggling did no good, but now and then, I would try to twist out of his grasp.

His head was on my shoulder now, and his hair brushed against my check as he shook his head in response to my demand. The scent of his hair was overpowering.

"So, what time should I tell my parents you guys are coming over?"

"Hmm. I don't know. I'll have to see if they want to come over." I felt him chuckle against me.

I took me a second to process what he meant. "Why did you ask about tomorrow then?" I started sounding frustrated.

"I just wanted to see Tade's plans for tomorrow."

"Tadase," she corrected me.

"Yeah, whatever." He paused, then turned his head to look at my face. I looked away up toward the trees; away from him. "See ya tomorrow, my Strawberry." Then he licked my check really quick and released me. I whirled around quick to hit him. But he was gone.

I turned to see him running up the steps. "What's with the nickname!!" I yelled at him, but he just ran around the corner.

XxxLater that nightxxX

I walked out of the shower, toweling my hair. I had on dark purple shorts and a navy blue tank top.

"Amu-chan, what are we going to do tomorrow?" Miki asked sleepily. She put down her sketch book she had out and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"Will we go see Tadase and Kiseki," Ran asked hopefully.

I smiled at my pink chara and shook my head. "No, they're going in to town tomorrow. Ikuto, that pervert, he tricked me into thinking they were coming over tomorrow to find out what Tadase was doing." I scrunched up my face in distaste. That cat was getting on my nerves.

"So are they coming over tomorrow," Miki asked. Her voice sounded a little more awake, slightly hopeful.

"They?" I raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled a little. "Do you mean Ikuto and Yoru?

"What about us," a dark voice asked from the other side of my room. I looked over to see Ikuto perched in my window sill, Yoru zooming circles around his head. The moonlight cast a halo of white light behind him.

"Eeep!" I quietly yelped and then looked toward the door. I looked back at Ikuto. He cocked his head at me, waiting for me to speak. I held up my pointer finger as a gesture for him to stay there. He raised an eyebrow at me. For some reason, it made him look sexy. Oh my god, what am I thinking!

I stared at him for a couple of seconds and shook my head. He smirked. I turned and walked over to the door and stuck my head. I sighed and relaxed. There was no one around. I couldn't hear anything, so everyone must be asleep. I wonder what time it is? I turned around and I put my hands up defensively before I crashed into something.

I felt and arm snake around my waist and looked up into Ikuto's face. His blue-eyed gazed seemed to pierce my soul. I felt my stomach twist and my heart started fluttering. For a moment, I was lost in his eyes. I felt him shift and the door closed softly with a little click.

"Am I that good looking," he asked me. I was still zoned out in his gaze. I tensed up and tried to turn around. "Okay, too close," I said and pushed against his chest.

He smirked at me, leaned down, despite my efforts to push him away, and picked me up so he was holding me. he turned with me in his arms and walked away from the door.

Ikuto! Put me down!" I hissed.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine," he sighed and put me down, but he didn't release my wrists. He stared walking me backwards, staring into my eyes.

I jerked back in an attempt to break his hold on my wrist, but I bumped up against the bed with my knees and I bent backwards over the edge of the bed. Ikuto leaned down and his face became really close to mine. I could feel my face heat up under his gaze. The light from my lamp cast crazy shadows over the planes of his face.

I could feel myself becoming strangely calm and relaxed under his look. His face was slowly coming closer to mine, and, for once, I had no argument.

Then, like a slap in the face, realization of what was going came to me and I abruptly pushed off his chest and made his step back. the suddenness of it was enough to catch him off guard and he stepped back.

I crawled across the bed and put my head between my knees. I was so confused.

Ikuto's POV

Dammit, dammit, dammit! So close!

When I had pushed her over to the bed, I had expected her to start blushing, stuttering and trying to push me off.

The blushing happened. That was a given. Her face lit up and I could feel the heat from it, I was so close to her face. What I didn't expect was for her to look so calm; so happy. "maybe I don't need Utau after all," I had thought. I was almost there. I had almost touched my lips to hers. Then, I felt her jerk and her eyes widened as she took her surroundings in.

She pushed me away suddenly, I was caught so off guard that I stumbled backwards. Then she scooted across the bed and put her head down to her knees. She looked so sad.

My heart lurched and I had a sudden sense to want o go over and comfort her.

I love her; I realized that now. I walked over to the edge and the bed and I started to crawl over. "Go away. Leave me alone," I heard her say and she turned her head away from me. Without a word, I got up and walked to the window. It was closed. I pulled up the sash and leapt silently out into the inky night.

A/N: there you go. I hope that you enjoy it. This was an awkward (that's such an odd word. So many w's) chapter. Things changed for both of them. Next chapter will be funnier. I might also put a chapter up for why the window was closed, if any of you caught that. ??? I have some written out, but I don't like how it is.

Please R&R.

Little random note. My birthday will be coming up soon. February 5th baby! Sweet 16! Woohoo!