Tittle: After School

Universe: AU

Rating: T

Genre: Highschool Romance

Summary: "Hey, let's make a bet, whoever gets the lowest score for the midterm test should date Orihime Inoue." After school, Inoue overheard the guys were talking about her. She couldn't do anything, after all this could be the only chance for her to have a boyfriend…

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Ichigo growled.

He didn't know why he was friend with these guys. These horrible guys who were always pestering him, asking him questions and annoying him. Like what happened right now, when these guys, his so-called-best friends, decided that his private life was interesting. He thought they knew better than this, that he didn't like it when people asking him question, especially if it were about his private life.

"So?" the red headed guy smirked, "you haven't said anything at all. We just want to know how far your relationship with the Princess."

Ichigo didn't say anything but his eyes told the taller guy that it was not his business. Ichigo knew, soon he would have to say something or these guys would keep bothering him the whole day. But still, he didn't really want to talk. He liked to keep it private. Besides, why would they suddenly want to know about his love life?

"It's about the bet, you know," as if he could read what had been in his mind, Ishida smirked, "we are wondering, when you would end it, the fake relationship. We are curious about what method would you have to break up with her. It would be heart broken for her and it could be worse if you do it wrong. I know Inoue-san is so kind, but I do think that she might cry."

Grimmjow snorted, "Not if she didn't like him. She was scared of him, it was clear, the poor girl had been forced into the relationship. I guess, she might feel relieved when they break up."

The orange haired guy gritted his teeth. How wonderful his friends are. Even Ulquiorra had managed to piss him off by saying nothing. The green eyed emo guy just stood there, looking at him with an expressionless face as usual. He had had enough. He had to say something. Not the truth because he knew it would be the end of him if these punks knew about the truth. He couldn't even tell them about his plan. No, he knew these pathetic friends of his would ruined his seems-to-be perfect plan if they knew about it. He had to give them a smart answer, a really smart one so they would stop asking stupid questions.

Ichigo was deep in his thought when Ishida decided it was right for him to say something, "don't tell me you don't plan to break up with Inoue-san."

That was not something he expected to hear so he was startled and choked. His reaction was funny but none of his friends laughed at this. It was amusing to see Ichigo's expression like this but they would keep a straight face. They need to get the answer out from him and it would do no good if they laughed at him now.

"W-what are you saying?" his face was red. He thought he had hid his blush but he was wrong. His friends could see it clearly. Even his ears were red.

"I think," this time, Ulquiorra joined in, "you may have fallen in love with the girl."

It was supposed to be impossible but Ishida could swear that Ichigo had become few shades redder than he had been.

"I am not! Do you want me to kill you? This is all about the bet! I am just waiting for the right time to dump her, so stop asking me weird questions!"

She knew it.

It was all about the bet. She knew it since the beginning. It was not like she wished for something more because she knew, yeah she knew... He didn't, wouldn't, love her.

She was standing there, behind the half opened door of the roof top. When she was climbing up the stairs, she was thinking about having her lunch alone on the school rooftop but instead she overheard those guys, again. She forgot how long had she stood there, she focused on hearing whatever had the guys said. She knew this was a bad habit but she just wanted to know. She had fallen in love and somehow she wanted to know about his feeling for her.

She should have known not to expect too much from him. It was all started from a cruel bet they had made and she knew it. She had decided to let them used her because she didn't want to ruin their fun. She thought it would be okay to let them use her like this, as long as she did not use her feeling, it would not be so bad. Besides, she already knew that this was just about the bet. She thought, things would be alright.

She was wrong.

She had fallen in love with him.

It was impossible to tell him though. Though he had kissed her once. Though he had held her hand. Though he had been really nice to her... It was all about the bet for him.

At first she thought she would wait. She thought, it would be okay if she could be together with him, though he would dump her later, as long as she could stay by himself a little bit longer, she did not care. At first, she just want a little more time to be with him. Though it was a fake relationship, she didn't care. But now, she realized that it would hurt her a lot when the day had come, when he decided it was the right time to ask her to leave. She didn't know if she could stand it. Maybe, it was better if she ended it before he dumped her...

Besides maybe he had planned to dump her but he didn't know how... Well, she could do it for him. She could help him. She didn't really understand about the conditions of their bet, but Ichigo had been considered winning so it wouldn't matter if she asked him to break up with her, right?

Orihime sighed.

She had decided.

Slowly, she turned around and walked away.

She would do it. She would be his girlfriend until the day when he finally dumped her.

They had been walking for fifteen minutes but no one of them had said anytihng. Both of the orange haired high school students were deep in their own thoughts. They weren't even holding hand like they used to do on their way home. Apparently, this time, there were many times in their mind. They didn't know it but actually what they had in mind was about the same thing.

Orihime sighed secretly and pouted. She didn't know why she felt like this. It was not that unexpected to hear that thing from him. It was not like they're really dating. It was not like he was betrayed her. No, it was not something like that. She nodded, secretly told herself not to feel down anymore. It wasn't working though, she was upset and she hated herself for feeling that way. She knew it was not her right to feel this way since she was not his real girlfriend.

Kurosaki Ichigo was a great guy of course he wouldn't want a girl like her. She was so sure that someone like him, someone like Kurosaki Ichigo, was too good for her. He might be scary but he was kind and handsome, and he was... She couldn't describe how amazing was the guy, there were just too many things she adored from the guy, she even loved his scowl. If only this was a fairy tale, and she was a princess... Maybe it would be a happy ending for her.

Unfortunately, this was not fairy tale and she was not a princess.

She let out another sigh, this time he realized it.

"Why are you sighing?"

She looked at him and shook her head. She forced an awkward smile, "I was just... thinking."

"Oh yeah, about what?"

"The school festival," she lied and giggled, hoping that he would not realize that she was lying, "I am so excited. You know, there would be the dance..."

Ichigo snorted. Of course. His school and the stupid custom. The dance. He had always managed to skip the event. He never thought that this kind of event was fun. What was fun from dancing like fool near the bonfire? He didn't want to look like a stupid person doing stuff like that. There were many cooler things to do.

This year, however he would have to attend it.

This was going to be the last time...

He sighed.

He hated the word "last".

"You would say it right?"

Ichigo frowned. The raven haired girl had been asking him the same question, again, for the fifth (or was it sixth?) time since she came to his room. It was unusual for her to come to his room. It had been six or seven years since the last time and Ichigo was sure she didn't come to his room only for a chit chat. He was right, because from the look in her eyes, he knew that this was no a joke. Plus, she had been asking the same question again and again. He knew, of course, what was it about.

"Say what?" he growled, he knew what it was about but he just wanted to make it sure.

Tatsuki sighed. She had known him for years and she knew he was pretending right now. The girl was sitting on his carpeted floor while he laid in his bed.

"Okay, my bad, let me rephrase it," she rolled her dark eyes, "you would tell her, right?"

Ichigo knew he would have to give up eventually but he was being stubborn, "I would tell who about what?"

Tatsuki surprised herself that she didn't smack his orange head right then and there. Apparently she had become more patient these days. Folding her hands on her chest, the tomboy furrowed her brows, she hoped Ichigo got that she was being serious.

"You know, confession? You're going to confess to Orihime, aren't you?"

"Well," Ichigo shrugged, "I don't know. Am I going to?"

"Ichigo!"

"Okay, I get it!" Ichigo laid on his bed. Closing his eyes. He had so many things in his head and now it hurt so much. He had thought too much today and it was so not like him. He was not designed to think.

Tatsuki, however, seemed not to realize, or care about Ichigo's headache. She forced Ichigo to said it, "You would do it. Right?"

Ichigo still closed his eyes. He just wanted her to leave him alone. He needed to think.

"I'll think about it."

Yes. He would think about it.