Chapter 7: The Party Posse

"Flick your risk…and straighten up your posture."

"Sorry!"

"Don't pinch the sticks. Relax the hold."

"Sorry!"

"Good. That's much better!"

"Sorry!"

I cross my arms over my chest. More in admiration than annoyance, really. Skipping across the small, sound-proof room, I open the door, welcoming in the sweet of aroma of coffee and cheap perfume.

"Lessons over for today. But I still want you to keep practicing the first song out of book 4 when you-"

"B-But I've been playing the same song at home and here for the past 5 classes!" he blurts out helplessly, as the stick in his left hand clumsily clatters to the cool, grey laminate. Quickly grabbing it from the floor, he stares at me with a red, nervous face as he wipes the sweat off from his forehead.

"There's a reason for that. Trust me. Play the song a couple of more times and the next time we see one another, you'll notice a significant change. Alright?" I reassure, as I smile gently at the meek, critical boy in front of me.

Nodding his head, he swiftly makes way for the door past me, causing a few strands of hair to wisp softly around my face, one strand getting into my left eye. Frowning with disgust and annoyance, I peel the hair out from my eye, yanking it out of my head as I toss it on the floor.

This was the reason as to why I rarely ever wore my hair down.

Sighing, I push the door behind me as I begin to tidy up the room a bit. It was a fairly new, clean room but it lacked the extra space. The drum set had to be set right in the middle, leaving not much room for manoeuvring for the instructors that used this room. But luckily for myself, my small body had no problem fitting through small crevices. I'd occasionally think of myself as some tiny, curious mouse on an expedition rather than a boring drum instructor.

Outside of basketball, I found myself needing some extra cash, seeing as how although my family was quite well off, my dad refused to pay me through life. So my mother had suggested at trying for a job in a nearby music store, but there wasn't much to choose from by our house, so I had to take the bus in order to find my now current job. It wasn't so bad. Most of my students were all eager, ill-tempered children. They reminded me a lot of myself, oddly enough. Learning the drums from a young age, it was an interesting thing at first. I had difficulty doing pretty much everything at first. I couldn't even sit right while I tried to coordinate my hand and eye movements. It was a disaster. I was ready to give up. Until I saw a rock band on TV when I was in America. The way each and every person held their instrument, cherished and loved it, I had decided that I couldn't just give up so easily.

Now here I was. Having somewhat mastered the drums and now passing my knowledge on to kids who wouldn't listen to me, but instead climbed onto my back and stuck the drum sticks through my pigtails, entangling them to the point where I had to get the receptionist of the business to take them out. I had a feeling he had something against me from the first time I started working. My suspicions were proven when I winced in pain from him not entangling, but yanking the worn out sticks out of my hair. I would've pounced on him if it my job wasn't on the line. I didn't mind the kids though, really. Until they started to shove the sticks up some other, unappealing places.

As I begin to lay some notes out for the next instructor to use the room, I feel a light, chilly breeze flow into the warm room, sending a deep shiver down my spine. Turning around, I find the same, tentative boy from before.

"Sakurai? Did you forget something?" I ask, as I keep my back to him trying to quickly finish my scribbles on the loose leaf of white, old paper.

"S-Sorry. But, I had a question to ask you!" he asks, as he helplessly stares at me with those soft, innocent brown eyes of his. Sakurai was my only student that wasn't a child. But the look on his face had me always thinking otherwise.

"What is it?"

"Oh, ugh. I was wondering if…if…if you, ugh-"

"Sakurai," I whine out, as I place my hands on my hips in annoyance.

"S-Sorry! My school's having a festival tomorrow in spite of Halloween coming up. A-And there's a prize going out for best dressed. But, but the thing is that the costumes have to be coordinated with two individuals and…and they can't both be from the school so I was wondering if maybe you'd like to be my partner!" he quickly blurts out, as he begins to wheeze out of breath.

"I-"

"The winners both win cash prizes and seeing as how you need extra money and I need it to buy those Jordans I was wonder-"

Raising my hands up, I motion for the flustered Sakurai to calm himself down. Walking towards him, I grab his forearms and raise it to his sides. I begin to coach him through a few breathing exercises, but that only seems to worsen the problem.

"Sa-"

"S-Sorry! I know it's a lot to-"

"I'll be there."

"…but everyone from the team is pairing up and-"

"Sakurai, I said-"

"…if I don't find a partner they'll make fun of me and, and-"

Grabbing the sticks out of his sweaty palms, I smack it on his head, hoping he would calm down. And he does, rubbing his head in response as the brims of his eyes begin to water, threatening to spill over.

"I, will be there. A-"

"R-Really?"

"Yes. Trust me, alright?"

Sakurai sighs a breath of relief, as he begins to laugh while continuing to rub his head.

Walking towards the light switch that was behind him, I flick it downwards as the room grows vacant and ghostly. I usher us both out, as I lock the door and sling the red lanyard around my neck.

"So, what're we going as?" I ask, as I lead us both down the long, never ending hall.

"H-How about a magician and show girl?" he suggests.

"Don't you think it'd be a little odd?"

"What would?"

"Wouldn't your team mates make fun of you if you came dressed as a show girl?" I ask smugly, as I gently elbow Sakurai in the side.

He begins to laugh nervously, as he grows embarrassed at the joke.

"Why not…superheroes?!" I ask excitedly, as I begin to contemplate the idea. There was a few, good possibilities to come out of that. Sakurai could be either Superman, Batman or Spiderman. In return I could be Wonderwoman, Catwoman or Mary-Jane Watson!

"Sorry. I thought of the idea too but Aomine-kun and Momoi claimed the theme first."

Well, there were two names I wasn't expecting. That's right. I forgot the two went to Touou as well as Sakurai. Well, there was no way to avoiding it, I suppose.

Sakurai and I exit the music store, as we begin to talk in front for a few more minutes, coming up with a few more ideas until we finally agree upon one. It wasn't too bad. The best we could do in such a short notice. I just wish he had mentioned it sooner until waiting for the last day. It would all fall upon Sakurai to find the costumes, which he was going to do right now. I told him that all I needed was a set of ears for my part, and that I'd figure out the rest for myself. He hesitantly nodded his head, but something told me he had much more on his mind other than a pair of ears glued to a headband.

Waving goodbye to him, I figured that I'd stop by the fast food joint nearby for a quick lunch.

Pushing open the door, I let a young mother and her excited child go in first, smiling at them as they do so. Immediately I'm welcomed by the soothing, blasting heat and the warm, comforting smell of fried, unhealthy food.

As my order comes up to the counter, I grab my tray graciously as I decide to eat by myself, as sad as it may sound. Searching for a vacant seat by the window, I can't help but spot a somewhat oddly familiar patch of red, dark hair off into the corner. Walking with my red tray in my hands, I follow the patch of red light as I begin to gravitate towards the man. Someone who was more than just a familiar face.

"It's nice to know I'm not the only one who eats alone," I muse out loud, as I sit across from the tall, grumpy man in the seat across from him. About to place my tray on the small table, I find that there's no room due to the over pushing amount of a pile high of burgers. I watch as he quickly pushes the burgers aside, making room for myself.

"Tor-"

Taiga begins to choke out of shock and happiness as he tries to talk and chew at the same time. Reaching over the table, I flick him in the forehead, hoping he would calm down. As I sit back down, the ring around my neck hits my chest lightly, making a quiet, clasping noise.

"What was that for?!" he yells out, as he wipes his mouth in annoyance.

"For still being such a kid."

Ripping open a packet of vinegar, I hastily dump the salty contents over my unsalted, hot fries. Picking one up, I hold it up to my face, where I carefully examine the concentration of vinegar on the golden log. I refused to eat my fries if they weren't drenched in the tantalizing, sour solution.

"At least I still don't look like one."

Flicking the fry at Taiga, I watch as he peels it out from his hair, a disgusted, grotesque look on his face as he does. He lets it fall to the ground from his fingertips.

"Don't make such a mess," I warn out, as I begin to eat my still, warm food. I'd most definitely regret it later, but I didn't care now.

"Weird meeting you here," says Taiga, as he begins to unwrap a burger from the plentiful abundance of them in front of him.

"This is where all the crazies come, seeing as how you and I are here, right?"

A small, gentle smile makes it's way up Taiga's face as he looks out the window in thought. A barely audible chuckle escapes his lips.

Holding my burger with two hands, I take a large bite as I begin to examine Taiga. He looked good. He'd matured into a fine, strong man. While I remained pretty much the same. Japan had been good to him. That's for sure.

But there was something different about Taiga. Something I couldn't place quite yet. And I wasn't sure if it was for the good or bad.

"Can't believe you play for Yosen," he scoffs, as he goes to unwrap yet another burger. Funny, I didn't even see him eat the previous one. Was he stuffing them underneath the table? Perhaps feeding a lonely, stray dog? No way, Taiga hated the harmless canines. Maybe it was a child?

I unconsciously look under the table, making sure there wasn't a scruffy looking kid underneath.

"I can't believe you play for Seirin," I counter back, as I pick up a greasy, wet fry. I toss it up in the air, catching it successfully into my mouth.

"Why's that?" he asks, narrowing his already slanted, dark eyes at me.

Smiling at him, I take another bite before answering him through a mouthful. "The same reason why you can't believe I play for Yosen."

Taiga scowls in response as he leans back into his seat, wrapping his arms tiredly behind his head. I watch like old times as his eyebrows furrow together, causing his rough gaze to become much more softer and vulnerable to the eyes of the innocence.

"You haven't changed a bit," we both say in unison, as we eye one another intensely. The only thing between us a pile of now, cold food.

We begin to stare down one another, our gazes unwavering. I pick up my untouched soda, holding it up to my mouth as I continue to stare down my old friend. Trying to wrap my mouth around the pesky white straw, I accidentally poke it roughly into the left side of my nose.

Whimpering in slight pain, I look back up at Taiga who covers his mouth, trying very hard not to laugh.

Blushing, I slam my pop down in front of me back onto the table.

"Got something to say, wise guy?" I yell in embarrassment. I stand up in annoyance, reaching over to grab the collar of Taiga's shirt. Suddenly I feel something very cool and very much wet begin to run down in places it shouldn't ever be running down into.

Letting go of Taiga I look down slowly, in fear that my suspicions would be right. And they were.

I had managed to spill my soda all over my grey, pleaded skirt as the brown liquid runs over my white legs, leaving a stain right in the middle of my skirt.

"Have an accident?" muses out an over-happy Taiga.

Blushing, I quickly sit back down, squeezing my legs together in humiliation.

Why, why did this type of stuff always have to happen to me?

But I still think the cake on top had to be during practice with the boy's at school. I was aware that my time of the month was on it's way, hitting it's mark soon. I didn't pay much attention to the thought as I woke up and noticed that it wouldn't be coming that day. But I was very wrong when my coach had to pull me aside from the middle of practice to warn me about what could be seen through my white shorts. I booked it to the change room, almost crying in embarrassment. My coach, who I thank to God this day was a woman, had come in to reassure me that none of the guys, or anyone else had seen.

But this was still pretty bad.

"Come on. Let's go," says Taiga, as he stands up from his seat, cracking his neck as he gets up.

"W-What?" I stutter out, as I find myself shaking nervously. There had to be double the people since we had first entered. Not to mention the large group of males sitting by the table right by the door. No way could I walk out like this!

Sighing, I watch as Taiga pulls off his maroon, hooded sweatshirt revealing a short sleeved black t-shirt underneath. Ushering for me to stand up, I do so attentively. I make sure to hide the front of my skirt with my fists. But what was the point? My fists were much too small, even when placed together.

Taiga stands in front of me, shielding my small body with his much larger one. Thankfully there was no one sitting beside us.

"Put your hands up," he orders, as he begins to turn the front of his sweatshirt towards him.

Confused and still mortified, I begin to profusely shake my head from side to side.

Groaning, Taiga pries my hands away from my body, raising them up in the air. Stubbornly I begin to squirm in his grasp. Suddenly my gaze grows dark and an unfamiliar, but inviting thick, strong scent enters my nostrils. But I find that it's hard to breath because of the overpowering scent.

Just as quickly I was engulfed into this new "world", I was brought back into the present, inhaling deeply at the inviting fresh air.

"Wear my sweater for now, I guess. You're lucky that it's big enough to cover your skirt," he says casually, as he digs his hands into his jeans.

Looking down, I raise up my hands as I watch the extra, long sleeves flim downwards. They were so long! Not just that, I could practically wear Taiga's sweatshirt without wearing any bottoms! But by no means did I intend on doing that.

"Like dressing a child," mutters Taiga, as he begins to lead the way.

"What was that?" I pipe up in annoyance, fully aware of what he had just said.

Waving his hand in the air, I follow the tall man out of the joint, completely forgetting about my hunger and his still awaiting pile. My mind was currently set on Taiga's sweatshirt. The heat that was already in it, the overpoweringly, husky scent that was just the right amount to make any girl swoon. It was making me feel really special, for some odd reason.

I felt even more tiny with this on me.

Quickening my pace to catch up with Taiga, I begin to chide him. "Slow down. You're forgetting I have short legs!"

Taiga immediately slows his pace, sighing out as he does so.

"Won't you be cold?" I ask meekly, as I nod towards his thin, black shirt.

He shrugs his shoulders, "I'll run home to warm myself up if I have to."

I'm about to ask Taiga about his parents, but I know better than to do that. The relationship he shared with the two was…difficult, to say the least. It was complicated. To the point where Taiga was sent to live on his own. By himself. Knowing Taiga from a young age, I knew he had to be lonely from time to time.

"Taiga?"

"What?"

"Come over for dinner."

"Fine," he quickly replies, not even double thinking about the question. I knew that if I mentioned anything about Atsushi, he'd immediately decline, seeing as he and him didn't really mesh that well. And I really wanted Taiga to come home, so by no means was I going to bring the other male up.

"That's gre- Oh. Then I guess we have to go shopping for you."

"H-Hey! At least try to sound nice about it!"

xxxx

"What do you mean you won't be home for dinner?" I ask my mother, as I hold my phone up to my ear while I try to walk past a bustling woman, her basket full of vegetables, or was it fruit? Whatever it was, it was all new to me.

"I'm sorry honey, but if I knew Taiga-kun would be coming over then I wouldn't had picked up the extra shift at the hospital. And with the way things are going around here, they could really use the extra help," she says, as I hear someone in the background begin to yell that they wouldn't "eat this crap".

"What about-"

"Your father will be late at the office tonight. I told him to pick up some food on the way home for himself."

Groaning in response, I hold up a large, cold head of cabbage. Inspecting it, I begin to think about what to make with it.

"You can handle dinner, right?"

"I know how to cook, thanks to your Saturday night lessons. But…you place all the pots high up in the cab-"

My mother begins to laugh on the other line, as I hear her begin to tell some people that she was with about my predicament. Hearing their laughs, my mother's voice re-emerges back on the line. "Just ask one of the boys to do it, honey. Look, I have to go. I hope dinner comes out as a success, alright? Call me or your dad if anything goes wrong! Love you!"

The line grows disconnected, a slow hum travelling into my ear. Sighing, I flip my phone shut as I shove it into the pocket of Taiga's sweater.

Tossing the head of cabbage before me, I decide that I'd make Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet) for the three of us.

Placing the vegetable into my basket, I turn around to find a waiting Taiga. I bite my lip in hysteria as I discover what was in his hands. Meat. Just meat. Chicken, beef, duck, lamb and pork. Taking the pork from his grasp, I plop it into the metal wired basket.

"That's it?"

"What do you mean? Do you-"

Suddenly I realize that it wouldn't be enough if Taiga was with us tonight. Suppose we'd need something else to fill him up a little before hand. I order for Taiga to go run off and grab a couple of boxes of already diced octopus. Wouldn't hurt to make some Takoyaki as well.

As Taiga runs off to find me what I wanted, I begin to wander throughout the supermarket, finding a few other ingredients for tonight's feast, if you could call it that. Should we get dessert? Should I make it? Cake? Yes, we'll have cake today. But what type? Atsushi wouldn't eat anything with fruit on it, while the last I remembered Taiga still hated anything with dark chocolate. But then again, Atsushi wouldn't eat cake that wasn't anything but dark chocolate. For a man who loved sweets, he was really picky when it came to cake.

Almost pulling out my hair at the overwhelming decisions, I had to give my mother credit as to how she managed to deal with Atsushi, my father and I. She'd be getting a big surprise for her birthday, that was sure.

"Tora?"

"Not now!" I yell back in frustration. Most of my current stress was all because of-. It suddenly clicks in that the voice beside me didn't sound much at all like Taiga.

Turning to my left, I find Aomine giving me a confused look, but that sly grin still on his face as he crosses his arms over his chest. He was dressed in a black, fitted sweatshirt in beige slacks.

"S-Sorry," I quickly mumble, as I find myself growing flustered by his appearance. Oh the world was very cruel to me.

"Picking some stuff up for dinner?" he asks, as he lightly kicks my basket.

I nod my head. I was too afraid that I might say something highly inappropriate.

"W-What about you?"

"Oh. I came here for dinner as well."

I stare blankly at him, noticing that he didn't even have a basket with him. Realizing this, Aomine begins to scratch his head.

"Ya' got me. I actually have no plans for dinner. Satsuki's busy and my mom's still working. So…" he trails off, as he pretends to look at a product on the shelf. He was looking at a women's hair removal lotion. Noticing this, Aomine begins to stumble back, bumping right into some feminine products. Jumping in terror, he grabs my arm, pulling me out of the aisle. As soon as we're out, he begins to breath heavily, holding his chest. As if we had just came up from the depths of the ocean.

"Then what're you going to do?" I ask, as I try to ignore his boyish behaviour right now.

"Well, Satsuki wouldn't give me your number-"

My heart begins to flutter nervously at this part.

"…so I decided to come find you. I was wondering if I could have dinner with your family," he finishes, as I watch no look of guilt overcome his face. Instead, he flashes me a smile, hoping to win me over. And he does. I try to forget the fact that he only wanted to "hang out" for the free food. Now I knew why Momoi wouldn't give him my number. What a smart girl she was.

"My parents aren't home either, actually. But I suppose I can take in a third free loader," I grumble in annoyance, as I make him hold the heavy basket. He takes it with no effort, about to swing it over his shoulder like it was a gym bag. I quickly grab his arm, stopping him from do so.

"Who's the other guy?" he asks.

"It's-"

"Hey Tora, can we get these?!" yells a voice behind Aomine. Craning to look over him, I find Taiga holding a large, oven roasted pig. Just…just where did he find that?

I shake my head, while crossing my arms over my chest.

"Why not? It sort of reminds me of you," he says, a large, joking smile overcoming his face.

I smile in response, happy to have my Taiga back. Happy to see him so full of life, love and strength. But that didn't mean anything right now. Not after that joke. Grabbing the large head of cabbage from the basket, I fling it towards Taiga, watching as it nails him in the face.

I still had more anger to let out because I had just agreed to have dinner with two Generation of Miracles' players, with one who seemed to have little tolerance for my hot headed, childhood friend. And the other was one who I seemed to be in love with.

"Dumbass. The hells that bastard doing here?" mutters Aomine from my side, as he shoots Taiga a heated look.

Scratch that. Dinner with two Generation of Miracles' players, both whom each hated Taiga, by the take of Aomine's grumpy scowl. And I'd be in the middle of it all tonight. I mentally prepared myself for a few heartbreaks.

A/N: Hello lovelies, thrilled to read all your reviews. A lot of which make me smile and laugh. My readers are such a sweet and funny bunch. I really appreciate all the lovely, kind feedback and I'm gladly you're enjoying the feisty little Tora. Who knows, she might just have to kill some in the oncoming chapter. Most likely Aomine. Haha. Stay posted for the next chapter. I'm going to hope it'll be tomorrow. Love you all. xx