AN: hi kids. don't drink and drive

Chapter 13

After Yuuta, Sakuno and Ryoma left she had her brothers do the dishes and Tomo went upstairs to start on her neglected homework. Even if she was feeling crummy lately, school stopped for no one. She'd just have to continue putting in her best effort.

As she worked, her mind wandered off and soon she found herself remembering her encounter with Oishi-sempai. It had been nearly a year since she last seen him. It was at the Kikumaru-sempai's graduation party. At that time, she and Momo were dating already for two years and both her and Sakuno were still on good terms with the older boys, though they couldn't cheer so much for them since they were on the girl's team.

It was such a coincidence to run into him again, and they talked so easy as if no time had elapsed. It was only as if a day passed. Tomo smiled to herself at the thought. She wished they could talk again some day. Before she left, Oishi-sempai had invited her to feel free to come to him if she ever had any problems and that he was only a phone call away, but then Tomo later realized she never had his number to begin with. Tomo felt a little disheartened by that revelation, but quickly brushed it off reasoning that she wouldn't have much to say anyway and she'd only be a bother. He only said that she could call him because he's nice.

Tomo tried to steer her thoughts away from her encounter with Oishi-sempai and returned the her work with vigor. But soon enough her mind found itself wandering away. This time it was the subject of Sakuno and Yuuta. Did Sakuno really break up with Yuuta on the way home. If Sakuno did? Tomo wouldn't know what to make of the decision. It seemed as if everything was so chaotic lately and her mind never had a moment to just rest.

Tomo sighed and looked down at her half finished assignment… it would be a long night.

--

When Tomo woke up the following morning she checked her phone to see that she hadn't missed any calls from Sakuno or Momo so maybe that just was to show her day would be calm. Tomo could only hope so.

She dressed, grabbed her tennis bad, school bad and lunch and rushed out the door, sprinting down to the schoolyard.

She walked through the gates and around the building and towards the clubroom for the girls tennis. When Tomo drew closer to the courts she noticed that all the girls were out, including Mieko and Sakuno, but Kiyoko and Isumi were nowhere to be seen.

Tomo knitted her brows in confusion but proceeded to the locker room. When she entered Kiyoko-buchou and Isumi-fukubuchou were seated on the bench, talking in a hushed voice, but as soon as Tomo came in they stopped talking.

"Aa…" Tomo began. "Sorry I'm late."

Isumi merely forced a smile, "Well hurry and get dressed."

She stood ready to make her way out of the room. Kiyoko made as if to follow her sister, but as soon as she stood she again dropped onto the bench covering her face with her hands.

"Kiyoko-buchou?" Tomo began tentatively.

"Tomo-chan, just get dressed," Isumi said, sending Tomo a warning look.

Tomo nodded and dressed silently. The only sound in the room as Kiyoko's muffled cries. Tomo didn't understand. If this was some act to get Tomo to feel sorry for her then it surely wasn't helping. In fact it made Tomo more angry if anything else. She yanked her uniform shirt over her head roughly and slammed her door shut, biting back a growl. It just wasn't fair.

And yet Tomo's angry motions only made Kiyoko cry harder.

Why was Kiyoko behaving like this? Why was Kiyoko-buchou crying? Wasn't she the one who got Momo and the one who should be happy. She was the one who was a national ranked girls tennis player and who was top in the class and who had a really cute boyfriend… though Tomo hated to admit Momo to be desirable after all he'd put her through but it was the truth.

Tomo decided not to pursue the train of thought any longer. She grabbed her racket from her bag and went to the door, swinging it open and slamming it loudly as she left. Her attitude did not change as she stomped over towards the courts, noticing that a greater part of the team were loitering and not warming up in any way.

"HEY!" Tomo shouted. "What are you all doing? Just because Kiyoko and Isumi buchou-tachi are not here you're lollygagging!?"

A few girls jumped up and began doing stretches at the sound of Tomo's angry voice.

"Aa, Tomo-chan!" Sakuno giggled when Tomo neared. "You're not Buchou yet!"

"You guys really lack discipline," Tomo frowned. She turned to Mieko. "Mieko-chan! You should have scolded them."

Mieko giggled. "Guess I'm not cut out for this after all. Good thing I talked to Isumi-fukubuchou. She and Kiyoko agreed to appoint you as the next captain."

"She what?"

"It's true," Sakuno said.

Tomo rolled her eyes. "I don't even care anymore, but ok."

"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno fumed. "You've wanted this forever."

"Well, people change," Tomo replied. She knew she was being hard to deal with, but that locker room scene had really unnerved her.

Mieko walked off to stretch with some of the other regulars, leaving Sakuno and Tomo alone. Tomo decided this would be a good time to change the subject to something not concerning her.

"Sakuno-chan," Tomo said as she began to stretch.

"Yes?"

"I didn't get a call from you. I'm assuming you didn't break up with Yuuta," Tomo stated.

Sakuno merely reached down to touch her toes and replied. "We did."

"What?!" Tomo exclaimed, stopping mid stretch. She bent down to try and meet Sakuno's gaze but there was little sign of stress in the girls face.

"I slept with cucumbers over my eyes," Sakuno blushed when she noticed Tomo eyeing her. "I didn't want grandma to worry."

Tomo's mouth dropped open.

"What!?"

She grabbed Sakuno's shoulders and pulled her up so they were facing each other.

"What happened?"

Sakuno sighed and closed her eyes a moment before she began.

"I told him that it seems like he cares more about Mizuki-san than he does about me."

"And?"

"--and… I was hoping he'd deny it." Sakuno began. "But he never did. He just looked away."'

"Oh my god, Sakuno-chan…"

"Long story short, we broke up and we agreed to stay friends."

"Aren't you upset?" Tomo asked.

"Of course I'm upset Tomo. But I can't blame him or anyone else so what do I do. I cry a little but I'd rather Yuuta not feel guilty or anything or that he hurt me too much… I'd rather not talk about it right now."

Sakuno turned away and resumed her stretches.

Tomo could respect Sakuno's words, but they would really have to talk more about it later when they weren't in public.

The rest of practice went by as normal. They were doing conditioning to select the regulars for the next tennis season and Isumi-fukubuchou was taking the lead along with another 3rd year. When asked where Kiyoko-buchou was, Isumi replied that her sister wasn't feeling too well.

"I guess with entrance exams and everything, Kiyoko-buchou must finally have cracked!" Mieko mused as they walked to class after practice.

"Maybe," Sakuno said quietly.

Tomo had saw Kiyoko crying earlier, but she decided to keep mum for now. She didn't want Mieko to know so Tomo decided to just tell Sakuno some time later.

After walking with Mieko and Sakuno to their class, Tomo shuffled down the hall thinking to herself. So Sakuno and Yuuta really did break up after all. At this rate, it seemed like Ryoma and Tezuka would be the only happy ones now. Tomo sighed and stopped by the large hall window to look out at the school yard.

It was spring, a happy season, and yet Tomo didn't feel alive at all. She felt her body sag beneath some unknown weight and then the heavy feel of a familiar hand on her shoulder. Her eyes widened, recognizing the touch and she spun around, finding herself cornered.

And that's when her body reacted on its own. Tomo thought that she had more self control, she thought she was smarter than this but apparently she wasn't. Her cheeks flushed, her heart began beating rapidly and her eyes glossed over against her will. She was standing face to face with her demon and her god, her tormentor and her savior. Before her stood the beginning and the end of all that ailed her and she always imagined she'd want to hurt him and all she wanted to do was touch him. She backed away, frightened, pressing her palms against the window sill behind her, and yet again her feet shuffled forward.

"Ta..takeshi-kun," she managed to splutter out.

"Tomo-chan," he nodded.

A brief second passed between them and then a deep sigh issued from both mouths,

"We need to talk."

-to be continued-

AN: hmmm so now Momo comes out to talk huh? why was kiyoko buchou so sad? why is tomo suddenly captain? why!? WHY!? WHY? and when can oishi come back!? maybe next chapter will be a momo chapter. where it'll catch you all up to what he's been up to. or maybe it'll just be their talk. we'll see... thanks for reading. please review.