Alrighty here's another update! Thanks so much for all your reviews and input! Sorry i don't have time to answer them personally this time but know that they motivate me greatly:)
"Wake up Natsuki!" Mai's cheery voice reverberated through the dimly lit dorm. Natsuki groaned and rolled over to the other side of the bed clutching her comfortable body pillow even harder, wishing the red head would just let her sleep. "Seriously Nat, we gotta go. You've got a pretty important day remember?"
Natsuki grumbled something incoherent as she begrudgingly released her pillow and sat up in bed. "Whoa mutt you look like shit." Nao came over and tousled her already disheveled blue locks which earned her an icy glare and a solid swat to the hand.
"Shut it, spider." Natsuki growled as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. She stretched her arms as she turned to the alarm clock. "Holy eff!" She ran jumped out of the bed grabbing her uniform and leaping to the bathroom. "Five minutes are you guys frickin' kidding me!"
"We tried to wake you like five times." Mai called. "I left you some breakfast on the table when you're done. We got to go."
"Yeah, we got your 'business' to take care of." Chie added as she high fived Nao. "Remember to be there at lunch Natsuki!"
"Gah, fine. I'll be there." Natsuki replied while washing her face. "You guys better not embarrass me!"
"Ha don't worry Kuga, everything we do will be in your best interest." Nao said the last word rather seductively.
"Oi! What does-" The door shut informing the bluenette that her friends had left the dorm. Damn it, I have this feeling that today is gonna suck for me. She finished her usual morning rituals and looked into the mirror. Holy frack! I do look like shit! Wait 'frack'? What the hell is that? I know I told Shizuru I'd work on swearing but that is just- ok no more 'frack'. Natsuki examined herself in the mirror poking the rather noticeable bags under her eyes. Well, it's not like I could sleep. Scenarios of how those three would try to make Shizuru jealous were running through my head all night. Most did not end well for me. She quickly finished dressing, shoveled in the toast Mai left her, grabbed her bag popping in her head phones, and took off towards the school.
She reached the school just as the first bell rang signaling the students to head to their first class. Hells yeah, don't have to ditch the stalker bitches! She was bobbing her head to Day's Go By from The Offspring as she made her way to her English class when her teal-haired nemesis came into view. Emerald eyes narrowed as Tomoe came closer and inspected Natsuki contemptuously. "Wow, maggot you look especially disgusting today."
"Well, at least I'm not a green-haired freak." She smirked as she strode confidently passed the annoying girl. "Sorry I can't stay and kick your ass but Shizuru will be waiting for me in class." She chuckled when Tomoe visibly flinched. She knew that Tomoe was obsessed with Shizuru and was extremely irked at the friendship that had developed between them, and she never failed to use that to get a reaction from the green-haired leech.
"If you know what's good for you, you'd stay away from Shizuru-sama." Tomoe threatened as Natsuki walked away.
Whoa, this girl is psychotic. Like mental institution caliber. "Tch, what are you gonna do about it?" She called over her shoulder. Natsuki didn't wait for a reply as she entered the class. Most of the students were already in their seats as she walked to her assigned spot in the front row. She scanned the classroom until familiar crimson eyes met hers. The owner smiled and gave her a small wave. Natsuki grinned back and tipped her head in acknowledgement before taking her seat. Butterflies assaulted her stomach, Today I find out if Shizuru could possibly have feelings for me. The thought made her head reel and her chest tighten. This is going to be a long day.
The closer lunch got the more nervous Natsuki was becoming. She watched the clock tick steadily while in her Japanese History class, the last class before lunch. She fiddled with her pencil as she gazed out the window trying to calm down. Natsuki closed her eyes and focused on steadying her rapid heartbeat by taking deep breaths. She was finally starting to make some headway when something light smacked her in the back of the head. Growling in annoyance she looked at the offending piece of wadded up paper. The hell? As she unfolded the paper ball she looked around for the perpetrator. Of course Nao was grinning at her like a Cheshire cat. Scowling, Natsuki turned her attention away from her friend and looked at was she assumed was a note.
Ready for lunch mutt? It's gonna be good…like really good, so be prepared ^.^ Oh and stop breathing like that- it sounds like you're going into labor!
Her scowl intensified as she crumpled up the paper and threw it back at the red head smacking her right in the face. Bullseye! Annoying spider, that's what you get! Nao looked back at her shaking her first which Natsuki answered by discreetly flipping her off. Soon enough the bell rang and the students were dismissed for their lunch break. The rebel slowly gathered up her things and walked out of the class. Here goes nothing.
Eventually, she made her way to the cafeteria. She gazed around for anything suspicious, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Ok, so far so good. Her stomach was churning so violently that she couldn't bring herself to go get some food so she walked slowly and carefully to the table in the far corner of the lunchroom where they usually ate lunch. Mikoto (who had taken to sitting with them after becoming friends with Natsuki) sat there inhaling her food and an incredible pace but her friends were nowhere in sight.
"Hey Mikoto," Natsuki said as she let out a sigh of relief. Nothing too weird yet. "How's it going?"
Mikoto looked up from her feast and smiled at her teammate. "Nothin' much really." The catlike girl said as she looked around the table curiously. "But uh, where are the others?"
"I don't know, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know." Natsuki said as she took a seat. Her fingers idly played with her cobalt tresses and she warily glanced around the crowded cafeteria. Everything looked normal, her fanclub was a couple tables away watching her every move. Creepy yet normal. All the usual cliques and groups were where they would usually be. Ok maybe this won't be too bad.
"Hey are you not eating?" Mikoto asked looking at Natsuki questioningly. "You usually eat almost as much as I do."
"Heh, I guess I'm not hungry today."
"Oh, ok whatever maybe I'll beat you in practice today then." Mikoto joked.
"You wish." Natsuki countered confidently.
Mikoto laughed a little before checking the table once more. "Ok fine, but it'll be close. But hey if they aren't coming can I ask you something." The normally happy go lucky older girl suddenly became very serious. Natsukis sensing the sudden mood change looked at the other girl.
"Sure shoot." This is weird, Mikoto's never serious. Shit I suck at this comforting friend crap. Hopefully it's not too serious.
"Well, it's kinda about Mai." Mikoto began. Her eyes nervously looked around the cafeteria. "And I couldn't really ask you in practice cause Ishiko is always around listening so I figured now would be a good as time as any." The older girl took a deep breath. "I was wondering if Mai liked someone or had like a boyfriend or anything."
Natsuki tilted her head to the left trying to process why Mikoto would as her a weird question like that. "Uh, I don't think she has anyone in particular." Natsuki racked her brain for anything her motherly friend might have said. "I mean she's always spouting out stuff about great love is and all that jazz but I don't think she's with anyone right now. Why do you wanna know?" A very light blush crept up Mikoto's cheek as she looked down at the table. Why is she blushing? The cogs in Natsuki's brain starting to turn. I only blush around Shizuru or when I'm thinking- The light bulb finally went off above Natsuki's head. "You like her?" Natsuki said a little too loudly causing people to look their direction.
"Keep it down," Mikoto whispered. "I don't want the whole to know about it." The bluenette looked around at all the people looking at them. Baka now you have to cover!
"I like her too, her music is awesome!" Natsuki shouted the first excuse that came to her head. The girls who were suddenly interested turned away disappointed that a juicy piece of gossip turned out to be a declaration of music tastes. Cover up successful! Natsuki smiled apologetically to her friend.
Mikoto pulled a face at the bluenette. "Nice excuse, but I really do think I like her." She got a far off look in her eyes. "But I don't know if she could feel the same."
Wow her problem sounds similar. Is this all high school is? Drama that messes with people's emotions? Natsuki looked at the Mikoto as she sadly played with her ramen. But they would be good together. "Ok, just so you know I really suck at this kinda thing but I will try to help you out."
"Really?" Mikoto's mood brightened instantly.
"Yeah, I'll talk to Mai k? Just don't expect much cause I don't really know what I'm doing."
"Thanks, you don't know how great that is!" Mikoto thanked her enthusiastically and went back to shoveling in her food.
"What's so great?" Mai asked as she, Nao, and Chie suddenly came and took their seats. Mai next to Mikoto, Chi and Nao both sat on the left side of Natsuki leaving the chair on her right conspicuously open. They each smiled at Natsuki smugly causing Natsuki to sweat drop.
"Nothing, just talking about soccer." Mikoto saved Natsuki from trying to come up with another excuse.
"Oh yeah, your first game is coming up soon right?" Mai answered calmy.
"Yep, it's in like a week and a half." Mikoto said as she paused to look at Mai who was staring intensely at the entrance of the cafeteria. Her eyes followed where Mai's were and then widened in shock. Nao and Chie looked that way and began laughing wholeheartedly. Natsuki turned around to see what was causing such a reaction.
"Shitdamn!"
Shizuru happily strode into the cafeteria and got herself a nice Caesar salad and canned tea. She strolled to her usual table gracefully sitting down next the Haruka and Yukino. The table was towards the back middle of the spacious room and was the perfect place to discreetly watch her Natsuki, which had become one of her favorite pastimes.
"So bubuzuke, anything new?" Haruka asked. Lately Haruka had taken it upon herself to monitor the relationship status of Shizuru and Natsuki. Shizuru recalled when they first figured it out Haruka told her 'That's what friends do, and I'm going to be the best and being a friend.' Haruka and her competitive streak. Ara, I'm glad her speech impediment only comes out when she's very angry or stressed. That would make these conversations much harder.
"Nothing as far as I know." Shizuru answered politely before sipping her tea. Her eyes searched for the bluenette rebel. She found her sitting at her usual table having a rather animated conversation about some musical artist with another girl from the soccer team.
"Shizuru-san, have you considered telling her?" Yukino asked shyly. "It might be easier than this waiting game."
"Ara, I just don't want to lose what we have." The brunette smiled sadly. "If I say something and she doesn't feel the same way she'll distance herself. And I'm not sure I can take that."
Haruka harrumphed loudly. "If you don't speak up someone will." She said bluntly. "I have no idea why, but that delinquent is pretty popular. And the boy's school hasn't even seen her yet."
Shizuru felt a sudden stab of panic and anger. No one would dare take my Natsuki. Especially not some teenage boy.
"Yes, after the First Chance Dance, I'm willing to bet her following will double." Yukino reasoned. She saw the look on the kaichou's face and quickly back tracked. "But who knows? Maybe she'll scare all of them off. She does a pretty good job at keeping those girls at a distance." Yukino glanced in the direction of Natsuki's fanclub.
Shizuru felt a little better and began eating her salad pausing every few moments to make small talk with a few of her braver fangirls that stopped by their table.
"Shitdamn!" Suddenly the husky voice of her crush interrupted the light conversation she was having. She looked up to see another girl sauntering over to her Natsuki, swaying her hips and flipping her reddish brown hair rather seductively. Shizuru immediately recognized her as Aoi Senoh. Hmm what is this? I always thought that she and Harada-san had something going on. Then she noticed Aoi's attire. So that's what is caused Natsuki to curse so loudly. Aoi's uniform had been slightly modified, her skirt was so high it barely covered the necessary parts while her blouse was undone enough to see plenty of cleavage.
"Kuga Natsuki, it's been so long." The girl strutted up to their table and sat right next to Natsuki, like right next to her, brushing up against her right arm. Her hand was then placed on the rebel's knee caressing it softly. This action caused the still shocked bluenette to stiffen dramatically.
"Wha- uh, hi er…." Natsuki stuttered trying to form a complete sentence. Shizuru tried to continue eating while the whole ordeal was taking place, to keep her from marching over there and demanding that hussy get her hands off her Natsuki.
"Oh, Natsuki-kun don't tell me you don't remember my name." Aoi said while continuing her caress. "We had so many good times in primary and our first year of middle school together."
It looked like Natsuki had finally snapped herself out of her daze and grabbed the girl's hand stopping the movement. "Aoi Senoh," Natsuki said growled. "What are you doing?"
"Oh so you do remember? Hmmm, and you don't like my greeting? Do you wish I was a certain boy that also went to school with us?" Shizuru heart wrenched causing her to drop her fork with the piece of lettuce still attached. Her eyes were now glued to the scene in front of her. A boy! Natsuki liked a boy?
Her Natsuki seemed confused by the insinuation. The bluenette stared blankly at Aoi before tilting her head to the side and asking "What the hell are you talking about?" Shizuru internally cheered. Natsuki doesn't know what she's talking about. This girl doesn't know Natsuki at all.
Aoi snapped her fingers a couple of times as if she was trying to recall something. "Oh what was his name, you know the one who was really good with his stick?" She uttered the last word sensuously.
To Shizuru's dread recognition flooded Natsuki's face. "Takeda? That moron? Why would I wish he was here? Trust me he's terrible, I completely dominated him every time we got together." The whole cafeteria who was eavesdropping was shocked at this admission. Many were grabbing napkins and holding them over there profusely bleeding noses. Shizuru gasped softly at the revelation while trying to fend off the dirty image of a dominant Natsuki. The surprised look on Natuki's group of friends was the priceless. "I mean it really sucked cause the dude pushed himself as hard as he could ya know? Getting himself all worked up and sweaty and it did nothing for me. Total waste of time."
People were now scurrying around the cafeteria searching for napkins. Massive nosebleeds were all over the place, some fangirls were even passed out on the ground from blood loss. And for once in her life Shizuru Fujino openly gaped at what just happened. Ara, that was unexpected. Her mood took a turn for the worst when she realized exactly what that story meant. Natsuki is straight. It felt like her heart had shattered, it hurt to breath, it hurt to think, it hurt everywhere. So this is heartbreak. In the midst of this pain Shizuru looked at the girl who had just sent her world crashing down.
Natsuki had the same blank confused look on her face. Nao and Chie were laughing uncontrollably, while Mikoto's and Mai's faces were tomato red. The cursed Aoi girl who started all this just looked highly amused. "What the hell is going on?" Natsuki asked looking at the chaos of the cafeteria. She glared at her two laughing friends. "What's so funny?"
Nao sniggered before looking at Natsuki mischievously. "Well I don't know mutt, it could be how you 'dominated' him every time you 'got together'." The emerald eyed girl looked even more confused.
"What?"
This time Chie answered through her laughter. "Or when he 'pushed as hard' as he could and got all 'worked up'. But 'it did nothing' for you!" Chie put air quotes around some of the more inappropriate parts to emphasis her point. Natsuki still didn't seem to understand what her friends were implying. She looked towards her hugely blushing red headed friend.
"Mai what are they talking about?"
Mai looked utterly horrified at the question. "Natsuki, you're so dense!" She leaned in and whispered something into her friend's ear. Whatever was said caused Natsuki to blush even harder than her counterpart.
"Oi! What the-" Natsuki started to stutter. She looked at the reactions still happening around her causing the blush to envelop her entire face. The bluenette looked like she was about to die from embarrassment. "IN KENDO!" She abruptly stood up and shouted to the whole area. "I DOMINATED HIM IN KENDO!" She shook her head disgustedly while glaring fiercely at those still watching. "PERVERTS! THE LOT OF YOU!" She huffed and left the table quickly. "School of HENTAIS!"
"Natsuki wait! Don't you want to know-" Chie called as Natsuki stormed away. "Well, I guess we can tell her later." She reached over and gave Aoi a high five. Unknown to Shizuru she whispered "Well done, babe."
Aoi just smiled at her coyly before whispering back "When do I get my payment?"
Shizuru released a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Ara, so there's still a chance. Natsuki was not with some boy. She looked at her hands that were still shaking as the hurt started to ebb away. Ara, Natsuki you invoke the most unreasonable and intense emotions from me. She watched her rebel stomp away feeling a little bit of hope well up inside her heart. A loud cough tore her from her inner musings. Haruka was looking at her expectantly while Yukino was just smiling knowingly. "What?" Shizuru asked, not really sure if she wanted to know.
"Well, if that display said anything it says 'Shizuru woman up and tell her'." Haruka commented frankly.
"I concur." Yukino added.
Shizuru looked at her two best friends before looking of in the direction Natsuki had left in. "Well, I think I might agree with that assessment."
No one went near the fuming bluenette for the rest of the day. The hostile aura radiating from her was extremely obvious so people kept their distance. Screw my friends, screw classes, screw this school, today has probably been one of most embarrassing days of my life. I'm going to kill them all. She thought as she kicked the soccer ball into the net with ease. Everyone was trying to stay away from the girl so practice was hardly challenging. Even Mikoto who usually joked around with Natsuki kept her distance today. Midori soon dismissed them all but not without stressing the importance of the next couple days of practice before their game.
Natsuki trudged to the locker room where she spotted her three used-to-be friends waiting for her. She ignored them completely and tried to walk by them but Nao stepped right in front of her, blocking the entrance. "Get the hell out of my way." Natsuki growled menacingly.
"No, you'll want to hear what we have to say mutt." Nao growled back bracing herself against the door.
"Come on Nat, we were just trying to help you." Mai said soothingly. "At least let us tell you what we found out."
"Fine, you have one minute." Natuski said coldly.
"Well, if our observations at lunch hold any merit. I'd say the Kaichou is totally one hundred percent interested in you. I mean my gaydar was off the charts! She's usually a hard one to read but when Aoi got all close to you her annoyance and anger was clear." Chie said in an uncharacteristically precise way. "Also, the hurt she felt was easy to see when there was that whole uh misunderstanding with Takeda."
Natsuki panicked. I hurt Shizuru? Guilt washed over her completely. Way to go Natsuki, you like the girl and then you make her feel terrible. You BAKA! Her inner turmoil was put to an end when Chie said, "but her relief was easiest to see after you clarified what really happened."
Natuki's mood did a total one eighty. From the brooding angry rebel to the completely giddy and smiling Natsuki. "So she likes me?" She asked hopefully.
Her friends looked at her incredulously. Nao smacked her on the back of the head. "Well duh! After all of that you still had to ask?"
Natsuki didn't even react to the assault from Nao. She looked off into space, a goofy smile taking over her face. Shizuru likes me! How should I tell her? Or should I wait for her to tell me? Never mind the main thing is that she likes me! Natsuki shot her fist into the air, doing her own little victory pump.
"So when are you gonna confess?" Chie asked earnestly.
This shook Natsuki out of her happy place. "Uh, I don't know. Shit! I have no idea!" She started to pace back and forth nervously. "I'm not romantic, I don't know this kinda crap."
Her friends laughed at this strange behavior. Seeing Natsuki act like an ordinary love struck teenage girl was not a very common occurrence and her friends found it very entertaining. Mai grabbed her pacing friends hand gently. "Well, the First Chance Dance is this Thursday. You could do it then." She offered.
Natsuki's eyes lit up. "Yeah, that'd be perfect! I'll do it!" She looked at her friends approvingly. "Well, I guess I could thank you guys, but since you embarrassed me beyond all reason I think we should call it even." She quipped before rushing past Nao into the locker room.
"Natsuki!"
Hey so I know this probably isn't the possessiveness that you guys were expecting but it's just how things worked out. And Natsuki's gonna confess at the dance? We'll see! I already have the next chap almost complete so if expect it soon. Please let me know what you think!