Guys, this is short, I know, but it's for a reason: I need to get on with the next chapter! It's where all the drama starts! And I bring in my favourite OC! IRELAND! Yeah, Sophie's Northern Ireland, but this is the Republic of Ireland. Guys, I would LOVE ideas for this story! Mine are gonna be all used up soon, and then I'll have to finish the story. Help me dudes!

x Rachel

"Gil!"

I turned around, beaming, and was attacked by my two best friends.

"What happened? Tell us!"

"Ah, mon ami, can't you tell from her face? I zink zat our little Gil's got 'erself a date for ze dance, oui?" said Francis, raising his eyebrows grinning.

I beamed guiltily. "Antonio, I take back everything I said to you when you were obsessing over Lovi in that first week. I know exactly what it feels like now."

I couldn't stop smiling. Francis was talking as we made our way to lunch, but all I could see was Roderich; his eyes, his smile, his hair, the little tinge of pink he sometimes got on his cheeks. He really was perfect. And now he was mine.

We got to the table, and I sat down in my usual seat. A few minutes passed before I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned around to see Roderich. I smiled, and he smiled too.

"Gil, Yao says she vants to see you. She's just over by the stairway," he said, and I got up to my feet. I leaned forward, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and walked off to find Yao. I looked back over my shoulder for a second to see what everyone's reaction was; Roderich had sat down next to Vash, who was talking to him, completely oblivious to the silence. Arthur was sitting with an open mouth, his tea held in midair, and Alfred had frozen with a bit of ketchup on the side of his chin. I laughed, and turned back to spot Yao at the bottom of the stairs, crying.

"Yao!" I said, running towards her and putting my arm round her. "What's wrong?"

"He- He asked m-me to the dance, aru," she stuttered, and I steered her away to the corridor, where we could talk freely.

It was hard to deal with Yao's personal crisis when I was on cloud 9, but I had to help her, that was obvious.

"Who?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"I-Ivan," she sniffed into my jacket. "He asked me just after class, and I- I- I just ran off," she wailed. "And then, I was sitting with Mi Cha, and I realised how stupid I've been, aru. 'Cause I couldn't stop thinking about him. And I worked it all out; I love him, Gil. But I messed it all up, aru." The Chinese girl covered her face with her hands.

"Oh, Yao," I sympathised. "Listen, I know Ivan, and he's not one to give up or be discouraged by anything. In Home Ec, he was working with Arthur. Well, typical Arthur burnt all the muffins they were making with fifteen minutes until the bell! And what did Ivan do? He put together the tiny bit of cake mixture they had left with other people's leftovers, and they both passed the class." I smiled, remembering the day. "You just need to be open with him. Tell him the truth, tell him that you love him, and if he makes the wrong decision then that's his loss. Okay?"

Yao nodded uncertainly.

"Good. He's over by the music hall. Go get him," I grinned, pulling Yao to her feet. She turned and ran off to the park near the music hall. I knew I really shouldn't, but I followed her. Ivan was sitting outside in a heap, his eyes puffy and red. I could see what Yao saw in him now; he was nothing compared to Roderich, but he had a rather good-looking face, and was at least a foot taller than Yao. She approached him, and slid down the wall to sit next to him. He turned around, and immediately began to apologise.

"Yao-," he began, before she placed a hand over his mouth to stop him.

"No," she said gently. "Don't say anything. I was an absolute moron, aru, and I can't believe I didn't know it. I love you, and it took so long for me to realise. I love everything about you, everything. And… if you still feel the same way, I'd love to go to the ball with you."

Yao had just stopped talking when Ivan leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, pulling her onto his lap. Yao closed her eyes and kissed him back, snaking her arms around his neck. I sat still, watching them, grinning, until I heard a sigh from behind me. I spun around.

Francis was sitting behind me, with his 'Aww, it's so cute!' look on his face. I could see he was going to have a freaking nosebleed if he stared any more, and I shoved him to the ground, looking down at him.

"So?" I said, raising my eyebrows and smiling. "You impressed, or what?"

"Mon cher, I never doubted you," he said, grinning back up at me. "Zey truly are the sweetest! Ask zem if zey can–"

"No," I said, knowing what Francis was going to say. Pervy minds think alike, I guess. "Oh shit, they're talking again, I gotta hear this."

Ivan pulled away, still holding Yao to him, his chin resting on her head, her face buried in his chest. He was smiling softly, with his eyes still closed.

"I wouldn't let you go for the world, Yao," he whispered, and I was forced to put my hand over Francis' mouth to stop him cooing. "I love you. How do you say that in Chinese?"

Yao looked up at him, smiling back. "You are strange sometimes, Ivan. It's pronounced 'wa-i-nee'. What is it in Russian?"

"Oh, never mind. You'd never be able to pronounce it anyway," he laughed. "I don't want you to speak Russian anyway, Yao. I just love your voice, in whatever language."

Yao grinned at him, and stood up, pulling the taller boy by the hand. And Francis and I scrambled in case they came towards us and spotted us. When we were at a safe distance, Francis turned to me and sighed.

"What?" I asked, concerned.

"They're so cute together," he said sadly. "And you and Roderich are perfect. Antonio and Lovi were made for each other, Ludwig and Feli too, and now Ivan and Yao. When's it my turn?" he said half-heartedly.

I hugged him tightly. "Sweetie, don't worry!" I said smiling. "I promise, one day a girl will come along who you will fall crazy in love with, and she'll love you too, and all will be good! You just have to keep hoping. I take it this means you're gonna ditch Sophie?"

"Yeah," he smirked. "Nice girl, but not my kind, tu sais?"

I smiled and pulled my friend up to his feet. "Francis, you need to be careful. You're completely gorgeous sometimes, and you need to just find your type of girl already, and stop breaking everyone else's hearts. I swear, if I didn't know you and already have a boyfriend, I would have kissed you ages ago. Thankfully, the chance of that happening is the same as Elizabeta apologising to Tino for everything she's ever said to him." We both laughed and walked off back to lunch.

Poor Francis. He really needs a girlfriend. Maybe it would get him out of my hair too.

Review, guys! Review, and I will try and complete this. Promise!

The dance begins in the next chapter, so stay tuned!