Well, here is a new chapter, I apologize to anyone I didn't respond to. Truly, it is two AM here and I'm exhausted.
Disclaimer: Must you make me rub my own face in my disclaiming of ownership? Fine! I am own-less as usual…
[Chap5]
Natsuki stood on the side, quietly examining Shizuru's body language throughout the phone call with her very familiar teacher. "Yes, I just realized I had them too,"
There was a nod and careless shoulder rolling. Natsuki heard the muffled voice from the other end and wished she could understand what was being said- then she caught herself. Why should I care? "I am at the office right now, I'll be heading back though… uh huh… right, I'll be right over. See you in a bit, Tomoe."
Shizuru hung up placing her phone in her pocket, as she arranged her things, Natsuki couldn't help but awkwardly shift on her feet. "So… that was your teacher?" Shizuru glanced at her, "You're pretty familiar with her, huh?" What the hell am I asking?
Shizuru took a second to think about the statement before nodding and turning back to her things, "Yes, I've been in her class since freshman year."
Natsuki mentally smacked her forehead at this, feeling extremely uncomfortable when she remembered Shizuru was a senior… in high school non-the less. If only she was in college. For what? Why do I want her to be in college for?!
Then, a quiet voice interrupted her thoughts, "Who?"
"Um… what?" Natsuki asked, confused.
"Ara, who does Natsuki want in college?" It took a while for Natsuki to realize what Shizuru was talking about as a slow teasing smile began spreading across the younger girls face. She said the last bit out loud and now the bluenette was hyperventilating. It was then that Natsuki saw something sparkle in Shizurus eye before she spoke again, "And for what purpose could it be?"
Crap! Why am I always getting into these situations? Shizuru started to turn in her direction and Natsuki found herself trying to come up with excuses only to end up with incomplete sentences, so she started to look around for any sort of exit.
The younger girl's smile widened, "Ara, Natsuki couldn't possibly be referring to-"
"Your father!" She interrupted, watching as Shizuru stared at her in confusion this time. She pointed behind the brunette and hastily added in, "Look he's heading this way, you want to ask him to leave right?"
Shizuru turned around and found her Father following behind an irate Mrs. Maria, carrying a rather high stack of papers in a rush. "Hurry now, Mr. Fujino, I won't be able to start without those documents." Maria said without looking back.
Natsuki caught the slight narrow of Shizurus eyes after spotting the pair.
"Right, lead the way!" Her boss said enthusiastically as always, squaring his shoulders and huffing in spirit. He spotted the two girls and hurried excitedly over to them completely ignoring the turn his secretary made. Maria quickly noticed that her boss disregarded her lead and tiredly came to stand behind him. Seriously, that man has the attention span of a three year old, he can never sit still!
"Shizuru! How are you doing? Whoa, Kuga, that's some serious color you have there, I know I always ask but are you feeling alright?" Every now and then he noticed his employee had moments of… well, this.
"Y-yeah, nothing to worry about, it was a minor allergic reaction..." Natsuki assured feeling her face going back to normal. Thank god.
Mr. Fujino blinked, Ahhh, well that explains that, satisfied, he turned to his daughter, "How was school?"
"Ara, about that…" It took her a couple of minutes to get a straight cut version of the story to her father, Shizuru was careful to use brief sentences and small answers. It was like she wanted to get out of the conversation as soon as possible.
"I see, ok." Mr. Fujino nodded, then he started balancing the stack rather ineffectively in one hand until he gave a huff and pushed the stack onto Natsukis space, "Here, would you hold these for a sec?"
"Ooof!" Natsuki caught the stack hastily, Why is it always me? "Sure." She grumbled.
He reached for in his pockets and began fumbling around, then his face brightened and he pulled out some car keys. He handed them to Shizuru. "Hand those to Kuga will you?"
He then reached to take the stack off Natsukis hands, "Could you take her back to class? I'm a little caught up here." He smiled yet again, in a charming manner ignoring Marias snort in the back ground. "They're for the same car; you should know where I keep it."
Natsuki nodded in defeat, she should have seen this one coming. "Thanks, I owe you! You both drive safe." He waved his good byes while Maria only nodded in their direction. As soon as they walked out of view Natsuki turned towards Shizuru for the keys. A prolonged brush of hands, a teasing smile and Natsuki already felt exhausted.
As she turned to leave, expecting the younger girl to follow, she felt a tug on her arm. Natsuki turned to see Shizuru push the cup of coffee onto her, "Ara, I do believe Natsuki needs this more."
Wordlessly she accepted.
[Chap 5]
They were walking down the school hallway in silence, Natsuki decided not to wait in the car this time. A few turns latter and Shizuru pulled a door open. There was a woman with a short, green haircut sitting at her desk. She looked up, smiling easily. "Shizuru, thanks for coming by." Then she noticed Natsuki, "And you must be Kuga, thank you for bringing her here." Tomoe smiled pleasantly, while all Natsuki did was level her stern stare.
"I've heard quite a bit about you Kuga, I am glam Shizuru has someone like you looking out for her." Shizuru has spoken about her before? Tomoe held her hand out to her for a shake and the blunette did not like it one bit. She nodded in the teacher's direction, grunting, "I… see," Tomoe retracted her hand, Facing Shizuru, "Thanks for remembering, I don't know what I would have done for tomorrows test if I hadn't contacted you."
"Ara, no need, it was my mistake after all." Shizuru said, handing the papers to her teacher. "I am just glad to fix it." She smiled pleasantly, more natural than Natsuki had ever seen her before. The blunette found herself staring intensely in the younger girls direction without noticing, Tomoe on the other hand looked between the two briefly. She took the papers with a pleasant smile, thanking Shizuru again, before reaching for something in her desk.
"Before you go, Shizuru, could I ask you to pick up this list of books? The librarian should still be around at this time." She said ever so pleasantly, handing the brunette her list. Shzuru nodded, quickly saying it would be her pleasure. The younger girl looked at Natsuki before leaving, saying it wouldn't take long before she left.
Natsuki remained quiet and leaned on a random desk, while she waited she had almost wanted to say that she wanted to go with Shizuru, just to not spend time with this teacher. There was just something about a grown woman being so close to a teenager. Even if said teenager was mature beyond her years.
Tomoe was taking care of the test papers as she gathered her thoughts, Natsuki did not seem to like her and she wanted to know the blunette better. "I am sorry about Miya, Shizuru told me what happened, and honestly I thought she was over her infatuation." Tomoe shook her head, "I had a talk with her though, she really is a good girl, and she is just confused. Please inform me if he misbehaves again." The teacher attempted to break the ice.
Natsuki leveled her blank stare, "Thanks, she did stop after a few days." She said, not wanting to share words with the woman, honestly she just wanted to take Shizuru and go back to work. There was just something about this woman that Natsuki did not like.
Tomoe cleared her throat and tried again, "Shizuru has told me a lot about you." She said slowly, "I am glad she has friends at the office, age gaps can be tough on her."
"Doesn't seem like it." Natsuki answered quickly, earning a confused stare from Tomoe, "I mean, she gets along with you just fine," She leaned in Tomoe's direction, an accusatory look on her face, "Or, do you get along with her, I wonder?"
Tomoe looked startled, "Why, Kuga, I don't understand what you are talking about? I am only glad she has someone to share the troubles of being new in her environment, " Grey eyes looked deep into green, "I mean, doesn't she get along with you?"
Natsuki growled quietly, glaring at the teacher now, "Yeah we do, however; our interactions stop at the work place." Natsuki leaned closer a few more steps, standing before Tomoes desk, "As a teacher, isn't weird to be so invested in a single student? Seriously, you call her cell phone."
Tomoe stayed quiet for a few moments, most likely thinking of an answer to make her sound better, Natsuki had met her kind before. This teacher was probably only a few years older than her. The only noise in the classroom was that of the clock ticking, and both of their breathing.
Finally Tomoe looked up at her, "Natsuki, I have been her mentor for nearly four years, Shizuru is a very bright young girl. I only wish to guide her in the right path."
Natsuki took in the words; she looked Tomoe over, critically searching her for lies or deceit. The only thing she could digest was that this teacher did care about her student. However deep that care went, Natsuki could not help but remain skeptical.
Tomoe had a great angle going for her, the caring teacher, guiding her student the best that she could. Everything fit and yet there was something inside of her that wanted to yell, it wanted to strip Tomoes intention bare and reveal her real intent. As soon as she realized that she had no idea what said intent was, Natsuki took a step back, realizing just how much of her animosity was seeping out through the cracks. What is wrong with me? So she has Shizurus number, I had Sakumitzu's at the same age.
Natsuki cleared her throat. "Umm right, that's… good." Tomoe looked up surprised at Natsukis sudden step back, both metaphorically and literally. The blunette backed of slowly, leaning back on the same desk she had been on before. Natsuki crossed her arms, looking at the corner of the room, "Shizuru deerves it." Natsuki finished awkwardly.
How far away is that freaking library? I wanna get out of here, now! Natsuki adjusted the collar of her button up, feeling cornered.
"I am glad we understand each other." Tomoe said carefully, yet confidently. She looked Natsuki in the eyes again, gauging if there was another challenge, something Natsuki noticed immediately. Was this teacher daring her or something? "I truly do only want what is best for that girl."
Do you mean yourself? Natsuki was about to say it out loud when the door opened, revealing a pleasant Shizuru walking over to Tomoe with a stack of books. Tomoe's demeanor changed instantly from gauging to pleasant as she looked at the younger brunette. Her whole body loosened, into a friendly slouch as she took the books from the younger girl.
The grey eyed teacher thanked her student and they both shared pleasant words, all the while Natsuki felt ill. There was more to this 'Tomoe' than she was letting out at the moment and she couldn't help but feel the need to just take the brunette and go. As the pleasantries went on, Natsuki felt numb. Don't get involved, don't get involved.
Then Tomoe reached to place a hand on Shizurus shoulder, and before she knew it Natsuki acted on instinct- *Snatch!*- She latched onto Shizurus elbow without thinking, drawing the attention of both women. Tomoes eyes widened momentarily before narrowing in her direction. The youngest of the three looked at her in surprise but made no move to loosen her grip.
"We should get going," Natsuki spoke through gritted teeth, "it was a pleasure to meet you Tomoe." She met the narrow grey eyes head on her grip on Shizuru still tight, "But we must cut this meeting short, duty calls."
"Of course Kuga, I wouldn't dream of interfering." Tomoe easily responded, and then she looked at Shizuru directly and added, "I will see you tomorrow." Only to find that much to her displeasure, Shizuru was still looking at Natsuki and only nodded a shaky affirmative towards her. The blunette nodded in her direction before letting go of Shizuru and walking out of the classroom. Shizuru said a last good bye before following the older woman and Tomoe seethed.
[Chap 5]
"Mutt!"
"What do you want Nao?" Natsuki asked exasperatedly, she had already had a bad day with that creepy teacher, after all.
"Where have you been? Your costumer wants to meet you today!" Nao said, throwing a sticky note on her desk with a time and phone number, "And why the hell am I acting like your secretary anyway?"
Natsuki held her forehead tiredly, "I didn't have much of a choice, the boss dumped his kid on me again." Babysitting did not sit well with her.
Natsuki could not remember the last time when her life had become as random as it was now. Seriously, not even when her father had remarried to that… woman, had she felt so scattered. One drunken night and her life completely changed.
"Whatever, just pick up the damn phone and find her car, If she wasn't the boss old business partner I'm sure she would have looked in another dealership by now." Nao shrugged.
Then the words hit Natsuki, "Nao, what did you just say?"
"Ummm, she would have looked somewhere else?"
"Before that."
"You suck?"
"I'm serious, asshole!" Natsuki yelled, annoyed, "She was an old business partner you say?"
"Yeah, I remember the boss and that lady signing documents like partners a lot in the past. I was a delivery girl first so I kind of read a lot of things." Nao shrugged like it was the most common thing in the world.
"Well, ignoring your breech in privacy, I think you just gave me a great idea!" Old partners, this was great! Natsuki had shown this woman the whole dealership twice over, never finding something worth her taste, however there was only one other place that existed only to be seen by her boss' family members and old business partners; and she believed that she had the perfect car for her costumer to try.
[Chap5]
Next chapter there will be more office characters and Natsukis first sale? Oh snap! Thanks for reading, drop me a line and stick around