Chapter two- Rivals!

Next period was gym, for the boys, while the girls did home economics. Well... most of the girls. Uo was another case.

She'd bullied the teachers into letting her have gym with the boys. Although they had managed to get her to wear pants instead of shorts, as they deamed her showing legs

inappropriate.

One of the boys chuckled as Uo came into the changing room. Sure, there were naked men everywhere, but she ignored that. She walked passed them, to where her curtain was set up

Kyo hissed,"What's a girl doing in here?"

One of them smirked. "That's Arisa Uotoni," he said, as if THAT answered it.

Kyo stared at him blankly. "Yeah. So?"

The guy gasped. "What? You don't know that girl's past?! Everyone knows her past."

Kyo continued to stare at him blankly.

The other guy groaned. "You don't know anything, do you? That girl's an ex-yankee, ya know, gang member?"

"Heck," said another one, "I heard she RAN the gang."

Both Uo and Kyo rolled their eyes, one from behind a curtain, the other out in the open.

"You mocking me?" The second guy grunted.

Arisa stepped out from behind her curtain, fully dressed in a red tank top and baggy jeans. "So what if he is?" she retorted. "You know the rules; fresh meat is mine."

Kyo hissed. "Hey, I'm not fresh meat, you stupid [brat]! I bet I could take you down with one toss."

She smirked, falling into a fight position. "I doubt it. But if you're so eager to lose, by all means."

He assumed a similar position and jesting expression. "I'll make you eat those words,"he warned.

Her smirk only widened. "Come at me, then."

The boys ran out to tell some of the others students. Akito, Yuki, Hiro, and Hatsuharu were among them.

They all gathered around. "Make it a formal challenge!"one guy called.

"Yeah," agreed another, "Do it in the open so everyone can see, or how else will we be able to bet on the winner?!"

Uo rolled her eyes, but then an idea hit her."On second thought; that's perfect. That way, I'll get to beat you in front of everyone."

"Just don't go cryin' to mama when I wipe the floor with you," he jeered.

The crowd cheered as they filed out the lockeroom doors. The challenge had been asked and accepted.

Uo wasn't scared. She had never been scared in a fight. Especially when one was as important as this one. This new guy- this fresh meat had to know his place.

Kyo fought with Hatsuharu and Yuki on a daily basis. This stupid girl wasn't about to beat him, he knew that much for sure.

The gym teacher had been warned of the fight. He hadn't been too fond of the idea at first, until Uo "suggested" he reconsider. Needless to say, he reconsidered.

Now he was watching the two circle each other like two hungry wolves fighting for alpha. A thick energy of sweat and suspense hung around the two.

"Ready, Orange top?" Uo barked.

The orange top rolled his eyes. "More ready than you'll ever be," he retorted.

His fists already itched to fight, as did her's. It was now Black belt vs. Ex-street thug. The same question was asked over and over in everyone's head.

Who would win?

Uo tossed a fist at his face viciously. He side-stepped easily. "Gonna have to be faster than that, Uo!" he teased.

She hissed furiously. She kicked her leg out, missing yet again. He caught her in the shoulder, sending her back a step.

Everyone immediately began muttering. "Did you see that?!" One gasped.

"No one's ever been able to touch Uo!" Cried another one.

Uo tried to keep her focus but it was fading fast. She went down as his foot sailed over her head. She punched out into his stomach.

Kyo felt pain blossom from where she'd struck him. But he ignored it. No wonder they're all afraid of her! He realized. She hits hard!

He grabbed her wrist, sending her over his shoulder. She recovered quickly, swiping his leg with her's. He fell onto his butt roughly.

God, she gasped to herself, he's strong. No human should ever be able to throw someone the way he did me!

She refused to let it get to her. Kyo groaned. He could feel something wet dripping from his nose.

They both jumped to their feet. Uo felt dizzy, but no way would she lose to this guy! Kyo's nose throbbed, but he couldn't quit to a girl like her!

The crowd cheered. They liked the sight of blood. They didn't care who won, so long as the loser bleed out. The thought of being their puppets peeved him off.

He kicked his foot into her side. Uo sprawled briefly on the floor. Her dizziness was getting worse. Aw, what the heck?! She closed her eyes.

Kyo frowned. Something was wrong. What was Uo doing? Was she trying to play him?

He dismissed the thought. No. Her eyes slid open slowly, her eyes and head clear, to her relief.

But something confused her. He could have easily have finished her off when she closed her eyes. She had been at his mercy, yet he didn't take advantage of that. That was more than any of these other jerks would do.

"Come at me!" She growled.

He almost sighed in relief. Yep, this was the Uo he'd just met and hated.

She grabbed him and judo tossed him before he could move. "Too slow, Kyo," she taunted, "You won't catch up with me at that speed."

He jumped to his feet. "Dirty street thug," he muttered.

"Pampered princess!" She hissed back.

Kyo could hear people snicker and jeer. They really were acting like the crowd's puppets.

And it just peeved him off.

He sent daggers into her body using his death-stare. "You really wanna get into it, yankee? Good, it's on!"

Uo grinned. "Now you're mad. It begins here."

It ends here, too, Kyo realized, but refrained from saying so.

They sent a few more fiery sparks each other. Glares and insults were tossed among the blood and bruises that were taking over their bodies.

Kyo kicked vicious. It's time to end this, he realized. He pulled a slippery movement- falling onto his back, grabbing her legs with his own, and pushing her to the ground that way. Uo gasped as her legs abandoned her.

Three seconds down, and the coach called it.

She was the loser. Kyo had won.

She got to her legs shakily, but almost fell to the ground again in defeat. She'd lost?!

In the awake of her distruction, a single cry of joy could be heard, soon to be followed by many others. The yankee wasn't so scary, after all!

Kyo looked at the frowning girl. She wasn't crying, but he could tell that she was admitting her loss. "Hey," he said, going over to her, despite the other boys' annoyance. "I was wrong, ya know. I think I had a harder time defeating you than I thought I would."

"Go away, and stay out of my life!" She lashed out, scooping herself off and storming off.

Kyo watched her leave with confusion. Had he said something wrong?

"I lost," Uo grumbled to herself. She was hiding behind her curtain. She was sad, but she wasn't about to cry about it. "I just can't believe it. And to orange top? Pathetic!"

She forced herself to her legs as she heard someone come in. She dressed quickly, walking from behind her hiding place.

She fumed at the intruder.

Kyo, who had stepped back in surprise, when he'd seen her, snapped, "God, could you not do that?!"

She rolled her eyes, taking on her tough persona again. "Aw, did the mean yankee scare you?" She retorted snarkily.

Kyo felt his teeth clench at her insults. "Shut up, yankee. I was surprised, that's all."

She pursed her lips and shook her head, as though thinking about it. "No. You see, I don't believe you. I think you're a scaredy-cat." She shrugged her shoulders. "And that's ALL you'll ever be."

Kyo felt what little control he had over himself slipping. And slipping fast. "Shut up, [brat]," he warned. "Or I'll floor you. Again."

Uo bared her teeth at him, then seemingly changed her mind. "You know what? You're not worth my time. See ya around, orange top."

Kyo watched her leave again, with even more confusion and relieved than before.

Yeah, whatever, yankee, he replied to himself.