Disclaimer: I do not own Eyeshield 21 or any of its characters. I don't get any money for doing this. Eyeshield 21 belongs to Riichiro Inagaka and Yuusuke Murata. Suzuna's nickname was borrowed from Jill Leonhart, with her permission.

A/N: I want to thank EVERYONE who's been reading this small story of mine. I am really grateful for everyone's reviews, Story Alerts and Favorites. Thank you very, very much! I feel really happy!!

I hope you like this chapter!! *bows* (This is quite a long chapter! Kyaaa~! :D)

Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 3: AND THE WINNER IS...

Previously...

The weird feeling was replaced by nervousness and confusion. A whole new mixture of emotions boiled inside her heart. She had to ask herself the question, whether she liked or not, that maybe...just maybe...the fuzzy warm feeling was her heart's way to tell her she was falling in love?

--

Was it really "love" or something more like a "crush"? Mamori was about to ask herself said question when suddenly the door of the clubhouse busted open. In the blink of an eye the young manager was surrounded by the whole American football team. Time sure flies when you're having fun... she thought sarcastically. Oh well, at least keeping herself busy with the team will surely relax her a bit. Everyone was sweaty, tired and thirsty; demanding towels, bandages and water. They didn't called it the 'hellish training' for nothing.

"Hey fucking manager! Need the shitty tapes now!!" Among the crowd's civilized conversation, a rather annoyed growl found its way to the manager's ears. Oh dear. She forgot about the tapes. Wait a sec! Did Mamori Anezaki actually stray away from her duties as a manager?! Truth to be told, she did. She knew he'll get pissed about it, and to make things worse she had no excuse to use on her favor. She wasn't a very good liar after all AND she couldn't reveal the true reason why she didn't worked on those damn tapes! Her sapphire hues landed over the lanky figure across the room while the recent memories carved the deepest corner of her mind making her feel quite uneasy.

She was nervous; her brain working at full speed trying to find a convincing argument to why she didn't had the tapes edited. Oh dear! He's going to kill me... Well, he would not kill her literally, obviously, however it was a fact he'll get pissed about the whole issue, because for him efficiency was the key to success. So, if everything was so simple, rational and predictable, why in the world was Mamori Anezaki so nervous that she didn't want to meet Hiruma's intense gaze? Was she afraid of him? No. That can't be the true reason. Then why?

Mamori was about to speak when suddenly and unintentionally Musashi dragged Hiruma into a God-knows-what kind of conversation that made said demon to temporally lose his interest on the shitty tapes, Mamori took this opportunity to leave and start working. Phew, that was close; Gosh, why did I became so nervous when I saw him? It's not like he looked different than usual, I mean he is the same potty-mouthed captain we all know and love... Mamori thought, as she worked on the task she left unfinished.

Meanwhile, Yukimitsu, Doburoku-sensei and Hiruma checked over a few strategies and game plans for the next practice. And certain manager who was supposed to be there too, was nowhere to be seen. The devilish boy looked around trying to find the missing manager. He spotted her inside the little studio editing the tapes he gave her a few hours ago.

"Fucking manager, what the hell are you doing?! Bring your fucking ass here RIGHT NOW!!"

"Hiruma-kun! I'm currently finishing the tapes! Can't you wait a little bit? Besides, you have Yukimitsu and Doburoku-sensei to help you! Geez..."

An annoyed grunt was his only answer. This goddamn woman! Man, he was pissed as usual; she on the other hand was acting rather...¿odd? She, the fucking goody-two shoes, remarkable member of the disciplinary committee, the always responsible mother-like figure in the whole fucking club, had not finished the task he assigned her like four or so hours ago? The sharp mind of Hiruma Youichi detected something on the girl's behavior that was a little amiss, but he just couldn't put a finger on it. Hmm... so, fuckin' super mom also gets tired once in a while...He finally concluded, not actually caring about the girl's personal issues, he had more important things to worry about right now; like the team's next practices, games and strategies on which Mamori was supposed to help him.

Besides, it didn't matter how smart or experimented, Yukimitsu and Doburoku were, they just lacked potential and initiative. Hiruma's strategic mind needed someone who could match his level; sure, fucking baldy was pretty smart but never reckless, too straightforward and too safe, the fucking manager on the other hand was creative and her strategies were well balanced, not too safe so the enemy would not take advantage, and not too risky to assure a complete pass or a run. Mamori's mind was indeed brilliant and usually came up with some interesting ideas. Unlike Yukimistsu and Doburoku whose plain train of thoughts ended up frustrating Hiruma even more.

Eventually the day must come to an end. It was almost six 'o clock when the whole team parted ways to their own homes.

"Ya! Mamo-nee, see you tomorrow! And don't forget about our little secret ok?" Suzuna waved her good byes to Mamori winking and smirking devilishly.

"Uh...Yeah. See you tomorrow!" Mamori replied sweatdropping. "What secret?" Asked Sena a little puzzled, he was standing beside Suzuna, also getting ready to leave. Nosy men... Suzuna thought giggling.

"Girl's stuff, can't tell you!" Suzuna replied as she took Sena's hand and started walking. Sena was a little bit surprised by the girl's sudden action.

"C'mon Sena! Don't tell me you forgot your promise to walk me home today!" The pretty cheerleader giggled again and Sena's face became completely red. A small smile crossed through Mamori's lips as she saw the young couple walk away with the hyper idiot Taki happily swinging behind them, clueless as always. She then, went to the locker's room to pick her stuff and finally go home.

Inside of said room she found the quarterback ready to leave too.

"Hey fucking manager, here, take this with you. I'm going fucking home" The young boy handed her a rather large envelope. Mamori took it from Hiruma's slender digits.

"These are the fucking strategies that fucking baldy, Doburoku and I came with. We will have a fucking meeting tomorrow. And by "we" I mean fucking baldy, fucking drunkard, myself and you, fucking manager so...Hey! What the fuck are you staring at?!"

Ha! Mamori got caught! She didn't notice at the time, but she was staring at him with a rather weird look. Hiruma felt quite uncomfortable but shook that annoying feeling away.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry Hiruma-kun! I was just thinking and-" Her cheeks felt warm, she realized she was blushing. Hiruma just stood there, annoyed. Yeah, you better make that little brain of yours work, fucking manager...Today her efficiency dropped about five percent...

"Tch. Whatever, fucking manager. Just read this shit and prepare the fucking training session for tomorrow. That's it, I'm off!" With that, he walked away from her and left. Mamori sighed, embarrassed. Ugh...What's wrong with me?! But...

As much as the facts she recently discovered, annoyed her she simply couldn't deny it. Hiruma-kun is rather good-looking...

***

Mamori made her way home lazily; she felt her feet grew tired and clumsy with each step. She had a quite long day.

"I'm home!" She announced to her mother who was in the kitchen.

"Oh, hi honey! How was your day?" Asked Anezaki-san to her daughter, as Mamori unpacked her stuff in her bedroom.

Ugh, horrible mom... "It was fine! We worked really hard today!" Mamori had dinner, chatted a little with her parents and worked on the tasks Hiruma gave her before going to sleep.

"Oh, honey I almost forgot! I bought you a small box of your favorite creampuffs..." Ah, creampuffs. Right now she needed a good ration of those. A sweet thing always helps you to think better, because, right now her mind felt and was like a huge turmoil.

"Geez...since when Hiruma-kun seems good-looking to me? Maybe it's all because his clothing? (I must admit it, he knows how to dress) His emerald gaze or his wild blonde hair?...Who knows?!" Mamori threw herself over her bed. She was exhausted.

"And to think everything started because that stupid magazine!" Oh, that's right! The magazine Suzuna gave her that afternoon, the little piece of paper that made her day so miserable!

Mamori took the teen magazine from her stuff and started to flip its pages. Trying to find the article she was previously reading...

Well, coming to think about it, she didn't answer the question that lingered in her head before the team busted inside the clubhouse. Am I falling for Hiruma-kun? Nonsense. Of course not! Maybe she thought he was good-looking and smart but, he was her partner; maybe even her friend! That's it! Maybe this whole mess was only in her head; is not 'love', but friendship. She loves him as a friend. Now, with that clear, let's continue with the last point of the article.

"Ah, here it is!"

However while her fingers played with the pages, deep, deep inside her an epic battle was unfolding; her rational mind versus her heart. Round one. Her brain told her this was her last chance to prove Suzuna she IS NOT in love with Hiruma. On the other hand, her heart told her the total opposite...

Mamori made a decision. It was now or never. I will have to deal with the final result...

She began reading.

4. He's forthcoming. He wants you to know more about him. He'll casually cough little pieces of his personal information, like phone numbers or even his address. If he isn't giving up this kind of info, then he simply doesn't want you tracking him down--or he's a superhero! . So if he doesn't live at Gothic City or works at the Daily Planet, give it up...Probably he's not that interested anyway…

She couldn't keep reading. There it was the proof to claim her victory. "But...why am I feeling so sad? ...I-I knew this would happen right?... This was supposed to happen" Her voice cracked. There was no logical reason for her to feel so broken. Her mind told her it was her victory; she had the evidence to prove Suzuna (and herself) she didn't love Hiruma...

Ya-ha?

"I don't love him..." Do I?

This was her choice after all. "...I don't love him..." It was rational to think that way; he was the captain of the football club and she was the manager of his club. Her mission: To control and manage the team's practices and games. Period. She could not allow herself to develop romantic feelings towards him; Deimon's most feared student, the commander from Hell, the infamous one, Hiruma Youichi. He was a bad boy, she was a good girl…He just wasn't her type. They were not meant to be.

A small crystalline drop fell into the magazine.

"I'm such an idiot..." The young manager whispered to the shadows, as more diamond-like drops kept falling from her sapphire eyes, as the moon remained as a silent witness of her forbidden secret.

***

When Suzuna got to the practice field, the training session was already started. Her day at her own school was heavy but she had to do everything on her power to get at Deimon on time.

"Today is the big day..." She was really excited! Finally the moment she had been waiting for so long will arrive. During practice, the cheerleader observed from the corner of her eye Mamori's every movement. Oh dear! She couldn't wait any longer!

"Ya~! The epic moment it's right behind the corner, and if I'm not mistaken...everything's going according to plan..." A devilish smirk spread through her face and started clacking Hiruma's style.

"Ahaha! My sister! It seems you imitate Monsieur Hiruma really well!" Taki happily said as he lifted his leg and started swinging.

Suzuna waited until practice finished. She usually helped Mamori in every way she could. This time though she had to wait a little longer since Mamori had a small meeting with Hiruma and Doburoku. What are they discussing? Maybe about who'll be our next opponent? Or maybe about new strategies and game plans? Suzuna wondered. Despite her happy-go-lucky attitude, Suzuna was a really observant person. She knew Mamori was acting oddly but no one, except her, actually noticed. Mamo-nee seems nervous...I wonder why!... Suzuna thought sarcastically and smiled to herself. Victory is mine! Ya!

Mamori on the other hand felt quite uneasy, the final hour was slowly crawling its way through the long path of time in order reach her. How ironic, isn't it? At first, she was looking for strong evidence to silence the rumors, to show the world her relationship with Hiruma was purely professional; but instead of said 'evidence' she discovered a truth completely absurd and opposite of what she had thought. To Mamori this whole experience felt as if going into a torture session to extract information from her. Mamori left the clubhouse and found Suzuna already waiting for her.

"Suzuna-chan, I'm sorry I kept you waiting but Hiruma-kun wanted to discuss some strategies and it took us more time than expected" Mamori apologized as the two of them made their way home.

"Don't worry. By the way, thank you very much for letting me spend the night at your place. Is it ok with your parents, Mamo-nee?" The young girl asked politely.

"Oh, they're ok with it. You're always welcomed Suzuna-chan" Mamori smiled warmly at the younger girl.

Once at Mamori's house, both girls were getting ready for sleep when Suzuna popped the long awaited question.

"So Mamo-nee, Are you ready to confess?" That...wasn't exactly the question Mamori expected from Suzuna.

"Uh...What?" Yup, Suzuna's plan was working perfectly! Now, time to make things even more interesting!

"I mean if you're ready to lose this bet!" Suzuna said teasingly.

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A/N: Yay!! Finally the third chapter!! I'm sorry for the long wait, but because of my damn laptop, I lost some of the chapters…So I had to re-do 'em all over again, that plus school…*sigh* Anyways I want to thank all of you for taking the time to read, review or fave this small text of mine. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!