Modern girl chapter 6

guys I've gone 24 hours without sleep, going from plane to bus to car to train so as you can imagine I'm really tired! My schedule will be back tomorrow with a chapter every other day or every day if I can write quick enough. Love Ya!

"You got your place! Ayumi, that's great!"

Yoshiki had been surprised at her sudden appearance but nonetheless pleased that she had come over. He had stuck to the timetable as promised, but had skived off all the three sessions of maths he should of done since he got Ayumi's serious revision rota. It wasn't that he just struggled with it, which in all fairness he did, but he also found it dull and annoyingly boring compared to the other subjects that weren't even much better. Ayumi had just told him that she had gotten a place for her course, which made her happy, so Yoshiki was also happy for some strange reason he couldn't figure out. Maybe something's were contagious, like a yawn or a laugh or something. It definitely just the fact that Ayumi had gotten the place, right?

"I know," she replied, flopping down on his couch with a nervous smile. "Shame I didn't get the special scholar ship..."

"Life's to short to dwell on that!" declared Yoshiki. "Your parents wouldn't of let you apply if they didn't want to pay for it right?"

"Right."

He came and sat next to her, all lazy grins and chit chat. She felt oddly comforted by his presence, but of course, didn't say anything about her conflicted feelings.

"So, why d'you come over?" He asked, making her blush slightly. Of course he wanted to know why she had unexpectedly turned up on his doorstep; she probably looked stupid.

"Erm, I just wanted to check you were studying for the exam," she bluffed, her blue eyes sliding away from his steely ones. "Your exam is next Friday you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm doing okay."

Ayumi got up and searched the room for his timetable and books, successfully finding them in a messy, unorganised heap, paper sheets scatters near it. Yoshiki gulped as she picked up the maths book and started flicking through the empty pages, her mouth drooping with the lack of work.

"Yoshiki?!"

"Sorry sorry, but I find maths hard and boring, so I-"

"You've missed out three study sessions!" Ayumi reminded him strictly. "I'm ashamed of you!"

Ayumi expected for him to look defeated or even hurt, however he raked a steady hand through his bleach blonde hair and chuckled, making Ayumi even more infuriated.

"That's the first time I've been lectured by a girl," he admitted with a grin. "Oh apart from my sister, who once told me off for skipping lunch for three days straight!"

"That's bad!"

"I know, girls can be so-"

"I mean you skipping lunch! You need a nutritious diet with three meals a day if you want to be as energised as possible for each day and especially for your exam."

"Right. But I only have to go to work though..."

"Lemme guess, a check out worker?" she questioned with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"No, actually, a music shop."

"Whatever. Get working!"

Reluctantly Yoshiki took the bare maths book from her outstretched arms, rolling his eyes and tutting. Ayumi shook her head, walking towards the kitchen and starting to route through the various draws and the fridge.

"I would help you," she called from the other room. "But I'm not that good at maths, I only got a B-, but my...friend, Naomi is much more clever, she'd be much more use to you."

"Oh really?" he said, not really listening to her. "What are the other people in our class like?"

"Don't get too cocky mister!" laughed Ayumi, retrieving a pot of noodles from the lowest cupboard and a few veggies from the colder section of Yoshiki's slightly grubby fridge. "Your not even in our class yet!"

A few silent moments passed as Ayumi heated up the noodles and vegetables and Yoshiki 'studied' in his maths book, when in reality he was doodling notes for a new melody that had popped into his head down the margin. He had no idea what Ayumi was doing but really didn't care since he enjoyed her company a lot. She was a sweet girl and although they hadn't known each other that long, Ayumi was starting to feel like a good, special friend, of which he honestly didn't have many.

"So this Naomi..." he called, picking up on her slightly bitter tone when she had mentioned her name. "Do you like her?"

Ayumi stiffened, reaching for two bowls that were stacked in one of the lightest draws.

"Well," she said, considering her words carefully. "She's my friend I suppose, and she's always a little bitter towards me whenever Satoshi's around."

"Satoshi?" Yoshiki repeated with a slight frown. "Mochida?"

"Yeah! How do you know him?"

"We've been mates for ages," he said briskly. "I knew he went to your school!"

"Well, Naomi doesn't appreciate it when Satoshi's around me. I think she's jealous."

"Of what? Your relationship?"

"Huh? No! We're not really like that, but I guess I kinda like him...but so does Naomi, and she's in the way!"

What was that sinking feeling in his chest he suddenly felt when she had just admitted her crush? He brushed it away, trying to stop the strange feeling of hurt showing on his face, but he couldn't control his eyes. He gave Ayumi a slow, sad eyed look before turning back to scribble down the margins. Ayumi was to thick skinned to notice, and went back to telling Yoshiki all about her classmates and how they'd all like his rebellious nature. Maybe. As she served up the small meal she had managed to put together, she wondered whether she should be getting his hopes up because after all he might not even make it through the exam. Getting rid of the thoughts, she walked back into the living from with two steaming plates, catching Yoshiki's eyes at the welcome sight of it.

"At least you've come to make up for it..." He mumbled, taking the plate from her hands.

"Sorry, what?"

"...Nothing, never mind."

"Okay."

They ate in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, more of a peaceful one, with both of them mulling over their individual thoughts and occasional troubles. Ayumi was cursing Naomi in her head; wishing that she didn't get in the way of her and Satoshi. He liked her surely, otherwise he wouldn't have been so nice to her last week. Yet he acted like that around Naomi all the time, and sometimes even the other girls. It wasn't fair! How could she get his attention now, especially with all the prettier girls practically lining up for him? She sighed suddenly, just as Yoshiki was doing so and their eyes met, a strange sizzling sensation between their eye contact. They stayed like that for no more than a few minutes, both staring intently at each other with mixed feelings, neither saying a word to each other. Ayumi could see Yoshiki's mouth forming a subtle 'o' as if quite shunned, she found herself doing the same until she was jerked out of the trance by a ping from her phone. Geez, she really needed another new ringtone. Her eyes slid away from his again as she looked at the text. Predictably it was from Sakura.

/

To: Ayumi From: Sakura

I got a place! Woo hoo!

/

She smiled as she read the joyful text. That meant her new friend was doing the course too, so she wouldn't a alone.

"Something happened?" asked Yoshiki, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Oh it's from my friend. Turns out she got a place too!"

"Oh, well that's good as well."

Ayumi picked up her stuff from the hall, apologising for disturbing him without announcing herself before she came. Yoshiki just laughed, saying she as free to come anytime as long as he wasn't on a work shift or anything like that. Finally she stood by the door and said goodbye, but Yoshiki grabbed on to her shoulder for a second and gazing at her beautiful sapphire eyes. Ayumi didn't even try to pull away, and that made him smile a small, secretive smile to himself.

"Has anyone told you how lovely your eyes are?"

Ayumi shook her head, totally breathless. She couldn't even reply. What was going on with her head recently? So instead she just smiled nervously and bolted out of the door, leaving Yoshiki alone in his flat, shaking his head with disbelief, but he was still grinning, his arched eyebrows relaxed...

Ayumi was leant against her locker, sighing as she remembered yesterday's visit to Yoshiki's. Why had she suddenly ran way like that; she must of looked like a spaz to him? She was sure he was going to...well, maybe she thought he was thinking about it, but he obviously wasn't. It was still a few days to go until the exam, so she hoped that he would be studying enough to pass the entrance exam.

"Hey Shinozaki!" Mayu and Morishige were also at their lockers collecting their books, both smiling as Mayu's shrill greeting pieced through Ayumi's thoughts.

"Oh, hi Suzomoto. Do you know where Mochida is?"

"Sure," she replied uncertainly, her smile turning nervous as Morishige hastily rolled his eyes with impatience. "He's over there, with Nakashima and Shinohara."

Ayumi pursed her lips and smiled in return, clutching her books in her hands and walking towards them. Satoshi was leant against his locker, her disheveled hair and chocolatey brown eyes making him look extremely dreamy to most of the girls who were giggling as they shuffled away to the classes. Naomi and Seiko were chatting happily to him, but he didn't seemed to be listening probably. As soon Naomi caught sight of Ayumi walking towards her, she nudged Satoshi and Seiko, and quickly pelted away, leaving Ayumi staring after them. Satoshi did glance back to through her a sympathetic look, but didn't struggle to break free from Naomi's grip. Why was she avoiding her? She knew she wasn't Naomi's favourite person in the world because of their shared love for Satoshi, but she didn't have to totally blank her. At least Satoshi didn't seem to be ignoring her, and that made her feel good inside. Suddenly, as she was about to enter the art room, she felt a sharp tug at her shoulder. Two girls were behind her; Ayumi recognised them to be some of the giggly girls who had been walking past Satoshi a few moments ago.

"Hey! Your Shinozaki aren't you?" asked one curiously, stepping in front of her with a pretty smile.

"Yes that's right. I'm also class rep of class 2-9, just saying."

The other girl snorted, but she received a warning look from her friend and shut up instantly.

"I'm not accusing you of anything Shinozak-San," she started, giving Ayumi a worried pain in her chest as she breathed. "But I just wanted to warm you there's been some...rumours going around about you recently."

Ayumi's heart sank. Were people being mean enough to talk about her behind her back, and is so, who started it anyway?

"It's mostly been about you and Nakashima and you having cat fights over Mochida-"

"We weren't cat fighting!"

The snorty girl rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"...And apparently you've been making rude remarks about her appearance too. I just wanted to tell you that, okay?"

Now that certainly wasn't true, Ayumi was actually jealous of Naomi's feminine curves, since her in her self was skinny and flat chested. But then, she could see all the more reason for her to lash out on Naomi.

"It's not true," he exclaimed angrily, walking into the art room. "You can tell everyone else that, and Nakashima can back me up on it."

The two girls exchanged worried and awkward glances, but Ayumi told herself she couldn't care less about it. Gossip comes as fast as it goes, Hinoe had once told her when she had come home crying whilst she had been in middle school when a girl had spread around that she was a dirty, homeless gypsy. She had the same feeling in her, of anxiety, nervousness and constantly feeling that someone was watching her. It was freaky. As she sat down in her desk, she glanced at Naomi, who was scribbling something down in her art book, a sly smile on her pink lips. That look...she must of seen the girls corner her. Ayumi was sure of it now, there was no other option. Naomi Nakashima, the smiley, intelligent and sensible girl from class 2-9 was spreading nasty rumours about her all around the school.

Ayumi Shinozaki wasn't one to stand for that.

No Ayumi! It's not what it looks like...