XXx Aya xXX
I'm awake before my alarm goes off in the morning.
Burrowing deeper into my convers, I tighten my grip on Usako until my arms tremble, crushing my face into her soft white fur. My heart beats wildly in my chest, making it impossible to relax. It's been like that all night.
Eventually I just give up and decide to get ready. If I have extra time to get ready then I should really use it to disguise the fact that I hardly slept a wink last night.
"This really sucks Usako," I mumble as I look down on her indifferent bunny face. "Is it too much to ask for just a normal romance without all the Shoujo manga plot twists?"
Usako just stares at me blankly, offering no response.
"Well," I grumble as I shift into a sitting position. "Big help you are."
Groaning, I just decide to resign myself to whatever karma chucks at my face as I sluggishly roll out of bed. I can already tell that today is just going to be one of those days, so I pull out my favorite baggy but warm black sweater. I need to make sure I'm comfy when all hell breaks loose.
After a quick shower I throw on my uniform along with my favorite black and white platform boots.
I wipe the steam from my mirror with my hand and get to work on making myself look worry free and well rested. Which really just means tons of peach concealer, a coral blush and a shit ton of bright blue eyeliner on my lower lash line. By the time I'm done it looks believable. But looking awake is one thing…
Acting awake is another.
Raking a hand through my bangs I grab my phone and stuff it in the chest pocket of my flannel. I flip the bathroom lights off as I shuffle back into my bedroom, only to find Honey leaning back in one of my love seats.
"Morning," he says with a smile. "Kimi-chan left the door open after she finished making your bed."
I glance to my right, and sure enough, my bed is made and Usako sits between my many pillows traitorously calm in comparison to me.
"Morning," I sigh as I plop down on the couch next to him.
"Rough night?" he asks as he reaches out to brush some stray locks of hair from my face. "You look pale."
"I'm just tired," I mumble. "I couldn't sleep last night. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm honestly scared shitless to go to school. I really wish I wasn't, but I am."
Honey cups my face in his hands and forces me to look at him. His eyes are soft but stern and set with determination.
"It's going to be fine Aya-koi," he says confidently. "Whatever rumors are flying around school when we get there won't matter. The only thing that does matter is that we know what's real and what isn't. I know that you didn't cheat your way into my heart, so it shouldn't matter what you hear. Ok?"
"Ok," I reply with a small nod. "Thanks."
"We have a while before we need to go down for breakfast," he says as his hands trail softly down from my face to my arms. "Why not try and relax a little?"
I smile and kick off my shoes before curling up next to him on the love seat. His arm rests lightly on my waist as I rest my head in the crook of his neck. Exhaling heavily, I let my eyes close and my mind drift off.
XXx Honey xXX
Aya is out like a light as soon as she leans against me. I feel myself smiling slightly as I brush her bangs from her eyes gently. Her nose twitches in her sleep, and I find myself laughing to myself. She's like a human rabbit.
Soft fluffy hair, big bright eyes, sensitive ears, the twitching nose, and quick to nip if provoked.
Grinning, I lightly run a finger down the shell of her ear, taking more delight than I should in the way she squirms away from my hand burrows her face deeper into my neck.
Tightening the arm wrapped around her waist, I decide to just let her sleep. After a few minutes she groans and slumps down in the seat, her arms snaking around my torso and resting her head in my lap. My hands move from the small of her back up to her head, and begin to stroke her hair absentmindedly while I keep an eye on the clock.
Honestly, I'd stay like this all day if I could. After yesterday, I'm more than a little bit worried about what will happen with the picture.
It was just so careless of me to put us in that situation. I thought we'd be safe from prying eyes in a middle class neighborhood, but I really should have known better. And on top of everything, even though I don't know what happed between the two of them in that alley, I'll have to be nice to Meirika at the club later today.
I sigh heavily before my hand trails down to her shoulder and I try to wake her up.
"Aya-koi," I murmur as I try shaking her shoulder gently. "You gotta get up now."
She groans and curls into a ball, her hands fisted inside the sleeves of her jacket. With a shake of her head she burrows deeper into the material until only half her face is visible.
"We've gotta get to school," I try again as I push the hair away from her face.
"Can we not and say we did?" she finally mumbles, her voice muffled by her shirt. "I'm comfortable."
"If you stay here you'll miss breakfast," I tease.
As soon as the words leave my mouth she rolls onto her back and looks up at me. She still looks half asleep, but she looks way better than she did half an hour ago. Aya tiredly blows a small strand of hair out of her eyes before reaching up to pull herself up into a sitting position.
"Fine," she grumbles as she rubs her eye with the heel of her palm. "But I was having a nice dream so you've gotta make that up to me somehow."
"Alright," I say happily as a remove her hands from her face and press a kiss to her forehead. "I'll let you have first pick on the cake at the club room."
"You always do that," she says.
"Ok…" I trail off as I grab her hands and pull the both of us to our feet. "Just give me a little while to think of something good."
XXX
The ride to school was only made tolerable by Satoshi, who kept talking like any other morning. The only one who wasn't completely oblivious to our slight (or in Aya's case…immense) unease was Takashi. His eyebrow raised a fraction of an inch, but seemed to realize that this wasn't the best place for me to give an explanation.
So instead we let Satoshi talk the entire trip, hoping for anything that could distract from the bubble of fear lurking in the back of our heads.
"So what do we do?" Aya mumbles as our limo comes to a smooth stop in front of the school. "Do we hold hands? Or do we act normal?"
"I thought our acting normal was holding hands now," I only half joke as I look down at her.
"I guess, people have gotten used to that," she replies as I step outside. "Should we just stick with acting like everything is normal?"
"Seems the safest bet," I reply as I lean back inside of the limo and I offer my hand to her. "After all, here I'm just a silly kid that's not mature enough to be in a real relationship."
Her eyes harden slightly as she takes my hand. But instead of letting me pull her out, she pulls me back inside the limo. We're almost nose to nose, and I'm surprised at the anger in her eyes. But it drains away slowly, and she averts her gaze from me.
"Please don't talk about yourself that way," she says softly. "We both know that that's a load of crap."
She presses a soft kiss to my lips, but doesn't give me a chance to respond to her before finally moving to get out of the limo.
Takashi is standing a few feet away, studiously ignoring us and keeping Satoshi from trying to watch. When Aya finally steps out, Satoshi and Chika walk off towards the middle school and we walk off to the high school.
XXx Aya xXX
As we walk across the main quad, I give my wrist a little twist and lace my fingers through Honey's.
I can practically feel my anxiety bubbling and swarming inside me like my stomach is host to a swarm of bees.
I can feel Honey squeeze my hand gently and I return the gesture without thinking. My eyes dart over to see s she Honey's large brown eyes looking down at me, and I can feel heat rushing to my cheeks. I glance away quickly and take in the horribly disturbing fountain that seems to keep getting worse every time I look at it.
"AYA-CHAN!"
I glance over my shoulder to see Shiori bounding up to us, the skirts of her uniform billowing out around her and her hair bouncing around her body in loose ringlets.
I turn back towards her as she comes to a sudden stop in front of me, nearly tripping over her own feet in the process. With my free hand I reach out to steady her and she grips my forearm tightly as she regains her balance.
"Thanks," she says with a bright smile before she glances to Honey and Mori.
She tilts her head to the side as her eyes travel across my body to my other arm, and down to the hand that clings on to Honey for dear life. She makes a small sound of realization in the back of her throat before looking back up at me with her large brown eyes gleaming gleefully.
"I guess I never really noticed before but you do always show up and leave school together don't you?" she muses innocently. "Shows how much I pay attention to things."
I can't help the fragment of the laugh that escapes my mouth and Shiori smiles brightly as she clasps my free hand in hers.
"Hey Aya-chan I heard we were going to be switching seats today," she says excitedly. "Let's sit together ok?"
"Alright…" I trial off as she bounces up and down gleefully on the balls of her feet. "If you really want me to then sure."
"Of course I do dummy," she teases as she lightly flicks my forehead. "We're friends now right?"
"Right," I finally mange as she begins to pull me towards the school building.
"Come on!" she gushes. "I want first pick!"
XXX
"So what do you think we should write?"
I glace over to see Shiori has pulled her chair up to the left side of my desk. She taps the end of her purple pen to her cheek as she stares down at the blank sheet of notebook paper in front of her.
"Sorry?" I reply, only slightly confused about what's going on.
Around me, students are pairing off. Some scramble to get with their most ideal partner, so pretty much all the smart and popular kids have been taken. A quick glance to my right shoes me that Honey's paired up with Mori and they're already writing.
"We're supposed to pair up and discuss what we think the poem means for the rest of the period," Shiori quickly explains as she points to the board with her pen.
"But that's barely ten minutes," I mumble after a quick glance at the clock.
"Don't worry, I've got this one," Shiori says as she begins jotting down a bunch of sentences. "It's not really that hard. Just talk to me so it looks like we're discussing stuff."
"Talk about what?" I ask as l lean forwards on the desk to look like I'm also writing.
"You're distracted," she says without looking up from the paper. "Way worse than usual. I don't think you've paid any attention to anything sensei has said today."
"Really?" I ask absentmindedly. "I guess I'm just tired. I hardly got any sleep last night."
"Did you have some kind of sleepover hangover?" Shiori asks with a smirk. "Or just a hot date after you got back?"
Heat floods my face and I'm pretty sure I sat there for a full minute before I have enough sense to at least cover my cheeks with my hands. I can hear Shiori struggling to stifle her giggling as I slump over onto the desk and duck into the safety of my arms.
"I knew it!" she chirps happily.
"Just shut up," I wail as I hear her drumming the table with her hands.
"Ok, ok," she sighs. "Just calm down while I go turn this in."
I hear her chair scrape the floor as she gets up and leaves. Squeezing my eyes shut I try and distract myself from the burning in my face. Shiori's right, I don't even remember what happened this morning. I've gotten through half the day without paying any attention because I can't stop thinking of that stupid picture.
As far as I can tell, no one has been looking at us differently. But then again, Kisa has shown me she's more than a little bit of a drama queen. She'll probably wait till we're at the club to drop the bomb on everyone. Would the rest of the club get mad that we haven't told them we're together?
And then after that, people will start putting two and two together and notice things like Shiori did. We go to and from school together, we sit together in class, we eat together…well sometimes…
I just really hope Honey doesn't have any other violent customers.
"You ok?"
I shift my head to the side to see Shiori through a small gap between my arm and my hair. Her eyes are wide and she's looking more than a little bit guilty. I push myself up farther as she collapses in her chair, her puffy skirts rippling out around her.
"I overdid it didn't I?" she asks softly as she stares down at her loosely clasped hands. "I'm sorry."
"No it's not that!" I reply a little too quickly, waving my hands for emphasis. "Really, its fine it's just…"
The bell cuts me off and everyone begins getting up and heading out, leaving only a handful of people left in the classroom.
"Honey, we're going to borrow Aya-chan for lunch today," Shiori says with a bright smile.
She sounds polite enough, but you can still hear the underlying 'this is nonnegotiable' undertone. Honey glances over to me, and I shrug lazily. He just smiles and nods at Shiori before taking a quick step towards me.
"Have fun," he says softly before placing a feather light kiss at the corner of my lips before quickly bouncing back to Mori's side and heading to the dining hall. Turning back towards Shiori I see her trying to cover up her smirk as she gets up from her seat.
"Should we put the desks together?" Shiori asks as she puts her stuff back in her bag. "They'll be here quick. Or at least Setsuko and Akina will be."
"You've got that right."
I nearly jump out of my seat, and a cackle comes from behind me. Setsuko waltzes up to Shiori's desk and helps her bring it back while Akina gathers some chairs. I get up to help, and by the time we get it all set up Aiko here and is unpacking her lunch from her bag. And she seriously brought enough to feed an army.
"Long time no see," she says with a polite smile.
"Hey Aiko," I reply as I push a chair over to her.
She takes it and sits, before she begins handing out food. Aiko tosses Setsuko a hard-boiled egg, which she catches effortlessly and begins to eat the whites but tactfully avoids the yolk. I watch her slump into her seat and kick her feet up on a chair.
"You made all this Aiko?" I ask as Shiori helps herself to some fried pork cutlet and steamed rice.
"Yes I did," she says as she offers some grilled shrimp to Akina. "Go ahead and try some. I made extra since we were going to be eating together this time."
As I try some of the pork cutlet Aiko places eight more eggs and a pile of rice in front of Setsuko. Setsuko sighs as she reaches for another egg and breaks it in half. She begins to pile the yolks off to the side and begins to pick at her rice.
"You don't do this every day do you?" I ask Aiko in awe as I reach for some shrimp.
"I do," she replies simply as she picks up a mandarin orange wedge.
"How do you have the time?" I mumble as Akina piles some orange slices next to Setsuko's eggs. "I barely have enough time to get my shit together and you do all this?"
"You wouldn't believe what they'd eat like if I didn't," Aiko replies. "Most of our parents are too busy spending money to leave us some to buy lunch. And I'm pretty sure none of these guys know how to cook, and the staff doesn't always have time to make lunch for us. And since my mother was forcing me to learn anyways, I just thought why not?"
"That's kind of amazing," I reply around a mouthful of rice. "More than kind of actually."
"Who knows where we'd be right now without Aiko mothering us like this?" Setsuko says with a lopsided smirk. "I would toast to you but the tea isn't out yet."
"I'm working on it," Akina says as she pulls out a large thermos and some small cups. "So how's your Monday been so far?"
"Well someone's been distracted," Shiori says as she takes her cup from Akina. "And you were about to tell me why before the bell cut you off."
My hand goes limp and my shrimp falls from my chopsticks onto the desk. The four of them eye me curiously, and Setsuko begins to drum her fingers on the table top, her long nails making sharp clicks against the wood.
"Well?" Aiko asks as she blows on her tea. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing really," I mumble as I pick up the shrimp with one hand and pick at my rice with the other.
"Please don't pull that shit with us," Setsuko says bluntly. "You look awful."
"You can talk to us you know," Akina says quietly as she hands me some tea. "We're friends aren't we? It's what we're for."
I lick my lips and set down my cup. I guess they are right. With a heavy sigh, I rake my fingers through my hair and slump back in my seat.
"Let's just say that my new relationship status might be made public sooner than I'd like."
"You mean senpai wants to go public and you don't?" Akina asks, looking slightly confused.
"No," I sigh. "I wish it were that simple. One of his regulars saw us out on a date yesterday and decided to play paparazzi."
"So you think she's planning to leak a picture," Aiko says evenly. "That's what's got you all anxious."
"More or less," I reply. "I managed to talk to her and bluffed the fact that I didn't care what she did with it…but I'm scared shitless. So far nothing seems different, but I'm wondering if she's just waiting for the club to start."
"I don't know what else you can do other than just brace yourself," Akina murmurs after a moment of silence.
"You can always kick the crap out of them if worst comes to worst," Setsuko says with a grin.
"Just tell it like it is," Aiko says as she sips her tea. "She'll expect you to deny it. So don't. Be proud if you really do care about him."
"Am I the only one who wants to actually see this picture?" Shiori muses, suddenly shattering the serious atmosphere.
"Not exactly," Aiko says with a small smile. "I'm actually a bit curious myself."
"What exactly did she take a picture of that has you this worried?" Setsuko asks as she leans forwards and props herself up on an elbow.
"If they were in public I doubt it's anything you're thinking Setsuko," Akina sighs tiredly.
"Come on!" Shiori giggles as she bounces in her seat. "Tell us."
"It's pretty much what you saw at the beginning of lunch Shiori," I slump forward and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Nothing scandalous, just a kiss."
"Wait…" Setsuko trails off. "It doesn't sound like you were trying to keep anything hidden if you kissed right here in the middle of the classroom."
"I just can't believe we had the chance to see for ourselves and we missed it," Aiko sighs. "Some people get all the luck."
"That just means we need to keep a closer eye on them then," Akina says as she exchanges a smile with Setsuko.
"Definitely," she replies.
Groaning I rest my face down on the surface of my desk. My forehead presses against the cool wood and a barking laugh escapes my lips. My friends…they're really something aren't they?
XXX
"You ready?" Shiori asks me as the rose petals begin swarming.
We're all prepped in our new dresses, and the tulle skirts are beginning to feel natural against my legs. When did I get so used to wearing dresses? I guess that's just one other thing that's changed without me realizing it.
"It's time for you to head to your stations," Kyoya says as he steps away from us. "Your first clients will be with you shortly."
"Aye aye," we both say with a salute before we part ways to our respective stations.
I plop down in my seat and prop my feet up on the coffee table, the rhinestones on the toes of my blue pumps catching the light beautifully. The tea was brewing in a small pale blue teapot with a white cherry blossom pattern. I had put in a request for pomegranate oolong, hoping the scent would help calm my stomach. I could feel my shoulders gradually relaxing as I lay back in my seat, hoping I wouldn't get Minato as a client again today.
"Ummmm…Aya?"
I flinch internally at the sound of Meirika's voice. I'm frozen in place as I hear the clicking of her heels on the tile floor, making their way around the seat I'm in. this is it.
"I'm your first client today."
The girl now standing in front of me looks nothing like the Meirika I've spent the last few months tolerating.
Her ash brown hair that until yesterday grazed the small of her back is now in a spikey chin length pixie cut, with the top layer now dyed a platinum blonde. Her eyeliner is even thicker and heavier than mine, and she has two new piercings on both of her ears. It all looks really out of place coupled with her puffy yellow school uniform.
"Woah…" I trial off, which is really all I can bring myself to say.
"Can I sit?" she asks as her eyes flicker to the seat across the table from me.
I nod and she sits stiffly, smoothing her skirts with hands who's previously square cut French tipped nails are now short, rounded, and painted a deep mauve.
"It's a big change isn't it?" she asks, trying to avoid looking directly at me. "I've thought a bit about what you said yesterday….and I uh…"
She trails off, biting her deep berry lips and finally looking up at me. I nod of her to continue and she slumps forward, resting her elbows on her knees and looking me straight in the eye.
"I've decided to stop trying to be cute," she says sharply. "I've taken pride in what I like, and I'm sorry about yesterday. I've deleted the picture."
I exhale heavily and sink deeper into my chair. Relief washes over me and breathing becomes a million times easier. When I open my eyes again, Meirika looks slightly worried, but a smile gradually makes its way across my lips.
"I just wanted to apologize," she continues. "While I don't know if we can ever be friends, I'll respect you as a rival in love. Wow that sounds cheesy…"
A laugh escapes my throat and the seriousness finally melts from her face, a small smile playing on her dark lips.
"Ok then," I reply as I reach out my hand over the table. "This is going to be interesting. I've never really had a rival before."
"Well this will be the first time I'm going to fight for what I want," Meirika replies as she grips my hand tightly. "I won't let anyone else walk over my feelings like Kisa did, so don't expect me to give up without a hell of a fight. But I will promise you one thing. No more underhanded tactics from either side from this point on, ok?"
"Sounds reasonable enough," I reply. "Do your best."
"You too," she says as we shake.
"Well, well, well, what have we here?"
I don't even need to turn my head to know that Kisa and Sumi are standing right next to me. I'm amused to see that Meirika is rolling her eyes right along with me at the sound of Kisa's voice. Even she can't get over how utterly annoying it is and they were supposedly friends.
And she came back with the same like from last time- WAIT….!
"Sandy Claws, huh? Oh, I'm really scared."
Kisa and Sumi look at me like I'm speaking gibberish. I cock an eyebrow, suddenly horrified with their lack of recognition. I mean Kisa totally set herself up for that one and she doesn't even get the reference. That's just sad…
"What? You've never seen The Nightmare Before Christmas?" I ask.
"So you're the one everybody's talkin' about, ha, ha. You're jokin', you're jokin' I can't believe my eyes!"
I glance over at Meirika, suddenly extremely excited that she knew the next line. She glances back at me, her blue eyes sparking with amusement at the joke we're sharing.
"You're jokin' me, you gotta be! This can't be the right guy!" I continue, laughing through the lyrics.
"He's ancient, he's ugly. I don't know which is worse!" she sings.
"I might just split a seam now if I don't die laughing first!" we finish in unison.
We collapse in a mad fit of giggles as soon as the line is finished, slumping deep into our seats and clutching our sides in mirth. It feels weird to think that this happened because of Meirika who until yesterday hated my guts, but I seem to have taken a new delight in our new relationship.
"So you're all buddy buddy now?" Kisa interrupts. "And here I thought you had standards."
Meirika's eyes harden and she fixes Kisa with a bone chilling stare.
"I do," she says sharply. "And you no longer fit them Kisaki."
Kisa visibly flinches at the use of her full first name. For a second, her confidence wavers and she looks like she's at a loss for how to respond. But her grey eyes narrow dangerously and match Meirika's intensity.
"And this two faced bitch does?" she all but snarls. "You said it yourself Meirika, she thinks she's too good for us. She has the whole club wrapped around her finger and we all take a backseat to her."
"If given the choice I'd rather take a backseat to her than to you," Meirika snaps. "My supposed enemy shows more respect for me and my feelings than someone I've called a friend for nearly three years."
Kisa's face goes slack and Sumi puts a hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong with you?!" Sumi hisses as she goes to shove Kisa behind her. "What happened to the Meirika we were friends with?!"
"She grew a personality," Merika says casually as she reaches for a teacup.
"And a backbone," I pitch in as I pour some tea for her.
"That too," she says with a bit of a smile. "Sumi if you ever get tired of being used as a doormat you know where to find me. If not then I probably won't be seeing you around."
Sumi gives Meirika a conflicted stare as she calmly sips her tea. Without another word she steers Kisa away from our station and over towards Honey and Mori's. Kisa turns on the waterworks halfway there, and I can see Honey struggling to act sympathetic.
He meets my eyes for a second before his gaze flickers over to Meirika. I give him a smile and thumbs up before turning back to my client.
"Has he ever said anything about clients that complain about you?" Meirika asks suddenly.
She glances over a Honey. But the soft look in her eyes doesn't bother me at all, and I feel bad about leading her on about this rivalry. My thumb glides over my ring and I feel another stab of guilt. I really don't want to crush her hopes, I want her to experience working for what she wants instead of idly and watching someone take it.
"All he's ever said is that all the hosts have different ways of dealing with difficult customers," I reply. "So will you still request him?"
"Yeah," she sighs. "Just at a different time than Kisa and Sumi. I may pay for some extra sessions too. That way I can make up for lost time."
"Just be assertive and yourself," I sigh as I lean over to slice the cake.
"Well here's to us," Meirika says.
I look up to see her cup raised up. Quickly getting the message and pick up my own cup, raising it so it's level with hers over the table.
"To an interesting and respectful rivalry," she toasts.
"Cheers."
She smiles and our glasses clink delicately. Well…I know I might regret this someday, but I'll try to enjoy it while I can.
XXx Author's Notes xXX
Well I dunno what to do with Merika now. Maybe she'll be back…
Lotsa love, Krystal