Author's note :
Sphinx & Ayrmed : Ok.
Chapter Two
Disclaimer : Nothing's mine, anything related to bleach's universe is the property of Tite Kubo.
"Sure thing, midget."
She stayed dumbstruck for a few seconds. She had been so sure he would decline, probably make fun of her. Meanwhile, the tall boy had took a look back, intending to simply take a look at her to try and remember who he was going to the prom with, before resuming his strut to the gym class. He stopped dead in his tracks at her frozen figure, and hesitated between sneering discreetly and bursting out laughing.
He opted for his usual and frowned at her, cocking a eyebrow and crossing his arms : "What? You wanted me to say no? Make up your mind, tiny."
This second insult was enough to get her out of her daze, and she took in his uncaring deameanour. Had she really wanted him to say no? She had intended to make Renji jealous. The red-headed boy had rudely stated that most times, he could hardly remember she was a girl. She was more of a "bro", so taking her to the prom was way too far-fetched to be a serious demand, all the while laughing like it was the best joke in the world she just cracked. Well, her suggestion had actually been earnest.
She didn't get him : clearly, he had liked her for a long while and until not long ago, despite her being totally unaware and thus unresponsive. It had took Rangiku's tirade, then pictures as proofs of his numerous sappy loving stares and finally a drunken admission from Renji to the buxom girl, who immediately shared it with the object of his passion, to finally believe it. So, as a teenager slowly accepting her feminity and growing interest in the male population, her best friend and coincidentally one of the most gorgeous guy of the school - at least in her judgment - had seemed like a good choice for her first lovestory. She was not so sure now, as she realized the length she was going to make him regret having rejected her.
Her first reaction had not been sadness or humiliation, but anger. She didn't believe him, and she came to the conclusion that he was just trying to keep his act together, to not look too eager. Yet she couldn't exactly confront him with all the evidences she had collected of his affection since she had picked up on it. Thus, she borrowed the thinking pattern of her friend Rangiku - she didn't feel yet confident enough to consider this strange "relationship thinking" hers - and decided that challenging him was the most efficient way to force his head out of his butt. And what best than faking interest in the boy he considered his rival? Not only the carrot-top kept beating him in every damn sport contest, but he performed rather well in class, and was a notorious badass delinquent - she first thought it was all hair color stuff, but then she saw him from afar on her way home, smoothing his shirt as he exited a narrow alleyway as she finally passed by, she discovered several gang-looking guys lying down, out for the count. Moreover, she heard from Rangiku that he could qualify as « ruggishly » handsome. She was first sceptical on that point, until she caught Shuhei drooling enough to fill to the brim a small swimming pool the day of the running competition, his glazed eyes not fooling anyone on the subject of such desire.
Yet she didn't care for sports jerk, was first of her classes and not a bit threatened by the guy, and disapproved rude and unlawful conduct. Furthermore, since seeing him on the first day of highschool, Renji had been so focus on hating him - he had encoutered him before on some kind of championship and had his ass wiped - that somewhere along the way she picked up the habit to despise the giant. She suspected that the hate of Renji had been partly nourished by the obvious uninterest Kurosaki displayed to anyone, when for his part, he badly took being ignored and tended to look for attention. She had to admit that in a distorted view, Renji's view, the attitude of the carrot could be perceived as maturity or coolness, two things Renji craved for, but in her own head, she found it very haugty, hurtful and deeply disrespectful.
And here she was, asking Mister Indifferent to take her to the prom, in the hope of stinging Renji's pride and stirring his courage.
What the hell did she thought she would accomplish?
The guy was sure to say no and make a fool out of her, she hadn't even doubted it, as proved by her instant reaction to his agreement. So why even try if she knew she couldn't bore her revenge this way? Did she hope that Renji seeing her with him would suffice? Ahah, not nearly enough! The tattooed boy was just short of being as stubborn as her. But she clearly hadn't wanted the orange-head to say yes neither. She couldn't bear the idea of being stuck with him even for the ride to the ball, for goodness sake!
Ah. So she had actually been plotting a scheme that was sure to fail, and that she didn't want to work to begin with. Well done, Rukia! So much for Rangiku's way of thinking, eh? But hey, good news, the plan was working. She shook her head : Kurosaki was really a freaking idiot, not even able to act as he was supposed to, the brat.
Her thoughts sorted out, she leveled her sight to the eyes of the boy she just insulted in her head, and barely restrained her anger at the comeback of the amused dancing spark in his eyes, a mocking smirk perfecting the smug look. The boy was too damn expressive for her sake, used as she was to his straight frowning face. She sighed, remembering he had been speaking to her some seconds ago now, searching for the answer that would make him loose the sneer. He was faster than her though, upon realizing he had once again her full attention.
"I'm not sure if it's in any measure more lady-like to not answer a gentleman's question?"
She hold back a f**k you, and carefully composed once again her face. "My bad, I just thought I hadn't heard correctly and was waiting for you to take back your agreement. Pardon my curiosity but, why?"
He looked a little startled at her fast changing attitude and control, but she would have bet her stuffed chappy that it was the unintentional honesty in her demand that was the death of him. Or of his coolness, at least.
"Wh-what?", he tried to straighten himself a little better, but still looked slightly flustered and embarassed, "I mean, do I need a reason? And, well, for the record, I do not break promise, so I don't intend to take back anything, crackpot."
She cringed at the guts of the boy who nonchalantly insulted her, but she was not going to take the bait, and stray from the subject at hand. Not yet, anyway. "So you just say yes to anybody who ask you out?"
"Ask me out to the prom to be precise. And to answer you : sort of. But now that I said yes to you, I am to say no to anybody else. See the difference? You know, gentleman's stuff and the likes." He smirked.
Before she retaliated, he shot back, curiosity sparkling in his eyes "So now, your turn. Why did you ask me out, when you so blatantly can't even stand me? I might say yes a little offhand in your regard, but your behavior looks to me a whole more inappropriate."
She stared at him intentionally widening her eyes and batting her eyelashes "How's that? What make you think I can't stand you? I was the one to ask you to be my date at a PROM ball, for crying out loud!"
"Don't bullshit me, my ears are gonna bleed from all your poor lies. You're so damn obvious it hurts to see you try to pretend otherwise. What's your name anyway? Obvious Hateful Midget the Third?"
"No, dead-brain, it's Rukia fucking Kuchiki! I can't believe you agreed to a date with a girl of whom you didn't even know the name! What a jerk!" Despite her little act of Miss Perfect - actually she wasn't so sure if anyone around them was still buying it -, she couldn't restrain her eyes to just once roll back in her skull in contempt. She didn't even notice the little foul word that had managed to worm its way in her honourable name.
"Well, my pleasure to have met you, Rukia fucking Kuchiki. No if you allow me, I have a class to attend while you wash your mouth. See you at the ball!" He turned finally as Rukia was practically eyeballing herself at his comment.
Pleased with himself for having once again managed to shut her up, and this time intentionally, he allowed himself to add over his shoulder while still in ear shot : "If you're so worked up on finding why I said yes, maybe you should consider I was purposely trying to piss you off?" Then he mumbled, but clearly enough that Rukia caught it "You Mad Stomper of innocent feet crazy midget", before disappearing conveniently behind the corner of the building.
There were only a few individuals around, and nobody had actually been paying more attention than the usual Carrot Staring and Drooling Contest to their little "talk". If you omitted the red-haired tattooed bulky guy in the grass, out of earshot but just close enough to observe the interaction and start fulminating. Yet everybody else heard her high-pitched holler "WHAT THE F**K?"
So much for her Miss Perfect Actor Award.
Author's note :
Two-shot? (Well, more like one-shot badly cut?)
Ayrmed & readers : fit your view? I'm curious how you've like it ; I'm obviously fond of their arguments, but the feel of it here is way too OOC. Any clue for improvement?