Chapter Two

School the next day, and Eri was worried about how she would approach Sanji with an apology. Would he accept? Probably. Would he get a hint for once and leave her alone? Probably not. She sighed in frustration, 'There is no way to keep that creep away from me is there?' She thought.

"Eri-Swannnnnn!" Eri looked up to see Sanji, joyous as ever, his hands clamped to the side of his face and his body rippling top-to-bottom with excitement. "Have you made up your mind yet my sweet?" He asked pleasantly.

"Oh, um, about that Sanji I-"

"Hey Eri!" She heard Tenma's voice call. "How are you doing this morning." She giggled. Mikoto, and Akira behind her.

"Oh, hey Tenma!" She smiled brightly in Tenma's direction, she was glad to see her friends at a time like this.

"Hey, isn't that Sanji?" Tenma paused, looking down at the blonde man kneeling on the side walk.

"Yeah come to think of it he has been harassing Eri for some time now." Mikoto commented.

Akira simply nodded.

"Oh Yeah!" Tenma said playfully, "I wonder if she's gonna accept him on a date?" She looked at the other two ladies, her finger pointed up in the air as though she came up with a brilliant idea. Her eyes were like black dots while her mouth was small and smiling cheekily.

Mikoto and Akira only stared at her, for a few moments they just looked at Tenma as though they were thinking 'are you stupid?' But then Mikoto's face grew weary and frightened as she began to notice that Eri was in ear shot of this whole conversation and so was Sanji.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TENMA!" Eri yelled furiously, her face was bright like a red rose.

"AHHH! I'M SO SORRY ERI!" Tenma shrieked, holding her hands over her head in defence, "Please don't hurt me!" She whimpered.

Eri stood there glaring menacingly at Tenma, her fist raised ready to punch someone.

"Ok, ok calm down Eri." Mikoto said, sweating from concern, her hands waving in the air.

Eri turned back to look at Sanji, he wasn't even flirting with Mikoto or Akira. His eyes had not even moved from her.

She decided to ignore Tenma for now and to punish her later.

"Look Sanji," She began wearily, "I only told you I would think about it today because I just wanted you to leave me alone." She paused feeling guilty. "I wasn't really going to give you an answer."

Sanji only stared at her for a moment, a twinkle of sorrow in his eyes. He shot up from the ground, stood casually and said, "Ok," and then walked off.

"Wow, that was... odd." Mikoto's expression was just as gobsmacked as everyone else's, besides Akira who never really showed much emotion. "Oh boy, I think you really hurt him Eri. I think you should apologise."

"I WAS JUST DOING THAT!" She shrieked, but then realised that in fact she had never said sorry. She only admitted to lying to him. All her friends were looking at her.

"Go on Eri." Mikoto prompted a cheeky but devilish grin on her face.

"I-ah- OH FINE!" Eri ran to catch up with Sanji, there was only one way to make it up to him but she wasn't sure if she wanted to do it.

"SANJI!" She called. He turned around, with a curious expression.

"Fine!" She yelled, "I will go out with you! ONCE... GOT IT!" She blushed embarrassingly.

Two of the three girls behind her gaped at her response, Akira simply commented, "Well that wasn't what I was expecting at all."

Sanji stood there in shock, he had no idea that his efforts would pay off so soon, and a large goofy grin grew on his face.

"REALLY ERI SWAN?!" His body started to ripple again with excitement.

Eri sighed, "Yes really." But deep down she was secretly content.

He was still rippling with excitement for a few minutes until his joyous disbelief died away and he happily offered her his arm.

"Would you like to walk with me to school today?" He asked.

Eri gave no reply. She simply blushed and took his arm.

Mikoto and Tenma were winking at her behind them and Akira was lazily waving a flag that said 'Go go go!'