Yay for surprise updates! :) I'll be out of town for a few days so this chapter is a bit early. I hope you all don't mind!

It's not me, it's not you.
There's a reason
I'm just trying to read the signals I'm receiving.

Let me take you higher,
Let me prove it.

'Cause hey, hey, pretty girl,
I believe it.

Another World - One Direction

Chapter 11: Surprise Feelings

-Rukia-

"Rukia! Everyone's going swimming; want to come?" Tatsuki called up the stairs, breaking Rukia's concentration on her newest picture in her sketchbook of a happy bunny walking around the huge Churaumi Aquarium. She had spent the last few hours in her room, trying to figure out her feelings towards the idiot she currently called a housemate and trying to forget about him all at the same time.

Maybe some relaxation on the beach is what I need.

"Coming!" Rukia called. She donned a new swimsuit, a bright purple bikini that her maid had insisted was very high fashion in France, and stuffed her sketchbook and a towel in a tote.

Stepping on to the hot sand, Rukia quickly scanned the scene in front of her. The boys had set up a high volleyball net and the girls were working on arranging towels and umbrellas off to the side.

Rukia pulled her towel out and added it to the assortment.

"Now we have a perfect square! Good thinking, Rukia!" Orihime beamed and Rukia, pleased that she had made her new friend happy, didn't bother mentioning that the shape was actually a rectangle.

"Are you girls ready to play?" Uryuu had a volleyball under his arm and Rukia felt her stomach twist.

"I thought we were swimming." Rukia looked over to Tatsuki who was already making a show of stretching her toned arms.

"The guys wanted to play volleyball first. You know how to play, right?"

"Umm," Rukia tried to remember the rules they learned in gym class, "It's been a while."

Tatsuki laughed. "If Uryuu can play, you can. Don't worry; you can be on Chad and Ichigo's team."

How lovely…

They separated into their respective teams and Rukia tried to take a position towards the back out of the way.

Chad noticed her uncertainty and gestured towards the front right corner. "The top is actually easier. Just let Ichigo get the fast ones."

Rukia felt relieved when she noticed Orihime across from her. Surely the peaceful redhead couldn't deliver anything too difficult.

"Ready?" Uryuu looked around before lobbing the ball upwards and serving it easily over the tall net.

Chad had no trouble passing it up to Ichigo who spiked it over the net. Tatsuki managed to save it though and Chad passed it to Ichigo again, this time resulting in a point.

Maybe this won't be so bad after all…

If Chad and Ichigo could keep up their system, Rukia wouldn't have to touch the ball and they might just win.

"Got it!" Orihime called, stepping out of bounds to try to save a rogue pass from Uryuu. Before the ball landed, she managed to knock it over the net directly to Rukia.

Desperately trying not to humiliate herself, Rukia locked her arms and prepared to bounce the ball right back to the other team. Unfortunately, the ball somehow landed on her elbows and flew sideways instead of forwards.

Ichigo moved quickly, getting a fist under the ball and popping it higher in the air so that Chad was able to run up and slam it into the sand on the other side.

The two boys exchanged high-fives and Ichigo grinned at Rukia teasingly. "I didn't realize we had such a skilled player in our midst."

Rukia stuck her tongue out. "Shut up. They're about to serve."

-Ichigo-

So she looks kinda cute trying to play volleyball in her little swim suit. Doesn't make her any less annoying or-

Ichigo dove to save the bad pass from Rukia, popping it higher in the air for Chad to spike.

"I didn't realize we had such a skilled player in our midst."

Damn, did she have to do that with her tongue?

"Shut up. They're about to serve."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and effortlessly sent the ball back over the net, proving that Ichigo Kurosaki does not need to focus to play a simple game of beach volleyball.

And then, Rukia bent over to retrieve a low pass from Uryuu.

Maybe more focus would be a good idea after all.

-Rukia-

Is he staring at me? Am I really that bad?

Rukia wasn't at Tatsuki's skill level, or even Uryuu's for that matter, but still, she was playing decently. After that first bad pass, most of her attempts had at least gone over the net.

Maybe if the damn thing wasn't so freaking high…

Rukia shook the distracting thoughts from her head and hit another ball to Orihime who, with surprising athleticism, passed it to Tatsuki.

The game went on for a while longer until Tatsuki claimed it was over. She said Chad, Ichigo, and Rukia won by 3 points but Rukia had lost track after the first few rounds.

"Let's go swimming!" Orihime took Rukia's hand into her own and pulled her towards the water. Happy to be away from the volleyball setup, Rukia followed the girl into the greenish blue.

-Ichigo-

"Rukia looks nice, huh?" Uryuu commented slyly as they were taking down the volleyball net.

"I guess. Kinda skinny if you ask me." Ichigo shrugged, refusing to give his friend the satisfaction of being right.

Chad had already put the two poles back in their bag and was now in the water with the girls, staying a good few feet away from the splash fight that had erupted.

Ichigo watched his friend, envious of his ability to feel so at ease when Ichigo himself got flustered at the sight of a midget-sized girl in a swimsuit.

Since when do girls in bikinis bother me? If anything, it should be Orihime I'm staring at; Rukia's not even attractive.

"You coming?" Uryuu had stuffed the net in the bag as well and was heading towards the others.

"Yeah." Ichigo told himself to stop thinking such weird thoughts but as he entered the water, and suddenly became another target in the splash fight, he found his eyes continuing to wander towards the petite raven-haired girl.

Her movements had a certain elegance to them. He liked the way her eyes seemed to sparkle when she was excited and her dark hair shined in the sun.

And then she splashed him. In the face.

And that, according to the official splash fight rules, was considered cheating.

He moved before his mind could realize what he was doing and tell him to stop. Scooping the small girl up in his arms bridal style, he lifted her above his head and tossed her into the air, letting her fall back into the water a few yards away.

She made a larger splash than he expected and for a moment, he was worried he had gone too far. He looked at Tatsuki for the usual reproach but she was speechless.

Oh, shit…

But before he could move to go after her, she surfaced. Her hair was plastered against her head, dark bangs covering her eyes, and Ichigo wasn't sure if she was horrified or furious.

Then, Rukia Kuchiki did something that surprised everyone. She pulled the hair away from her face and laughed.

Ichigo let out the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding in and relished in the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

"Are you ok, Rukia?" Orihime was the first to recover from the shock.

Rukia nodded, still overcome with laughter, and Ichigo found himself laughing too. He had been surprised at how genuinely scared he was that he might have hurt this girl but now, there she was, dripping wet and laughing her throaty laugh because of something he had done.

Ichigo Kurosaki just made Rukia Kuchiki laugh harder than he had ever seen her laugh before.

And for some reason, this made Ichigo happier than he could explain.

I did love writing this chapter but honestly, the next chapter is another one of my favorite favorites; you should be looking forward to it ;)

Please review!