Chapter 9:
Catnapped
Cat- CAT IS BACK! *cough cough* With a cold… I'm still technically grounded, but I decided to update for you guys anyway. Enjoy!
"There are some questions that shouldn't be asked until a person is mature enough to appreciate the answers." ~ Anne Bishop
When she woke up, Ichigo was in a dark room, sitting by one window; looking up at the girl that held her captive for who knows how long. She had an evil look in her eye, glaring at Ichigo with all her might. Then she spoke.
"Now, before I kill you, I'm gonna give you the information that your 'boyfriend' hid from you."
"Ichigo-san! Wake-up!" Lettuce said as she shook the red-head's shoulder.
"5 more minutes…" Ichigo mumbled as she pulled the covers over her head.
Lettuce sighed as she came to a conclusion. She walked over to the foot of Ichigo's bed and yanked the covers off.
Ichigo's eyes shot open and glared at the smiling Lettuce. "What the hell was that for?!" Ichigo shouted.
"Cause today is the day of the dance! And I want to spend the whole afternoon getting ready with you…" Lettuce said as she smiled shyly.
Ichigo's eyes softened and her lips formed into a smile. She had completely forgotten about the dance over the week. Considering the school let the students have the day off to get ready, she treated it like a Saturday and slept later.
Ichigo jumped up and skipped over to Lettuce. She pulled her into a tight hug, surprising the greenette. "I would love to spend the day with you! Just let me get ready and we'll leave out, k?" Ichigo asked as she broke the hug. When Lettuce nodded, she smiled and got some clothes out; heading towards the bathroom.
When Ichigo was done getting ready, the duo headed out toward the bus stop that was half a mile away. The bus came ten minutes later, so they got on, put twenty-five cents in the box in front of the windshield, and sat down next to each other.
They sat through three bus tops until they finally reached their destination. They got off the bus after saying a quick thanks to the driver and walked to the building. They stopped after a few steps and gazed at the enormous, five-floored building known as the mall.
Ichigo and Lettuce walked inside and instantly gaped at how big the inside of the building seemed. Their dream-like state was interrupted when the sound of Ichigo's stomach sang in their ears. Ichigo flushed and placed a hand on her stomach as Lettuce giggled. "Somebody's hungry." She said.
Ichigo laughed awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, I haven't eaten anything yet…"
Lettuce smiled softly. "Before we go shopping, we could go get something to eat at the IHop in the food court."
Ichigo's eyes widened as she moaned in hunger. Without a second thought, she ran off into the direction of the food court, dragging a protesting Lettuce behind.
"Good morning. I'll be your waiter today. What would you like to order?" A kind man asked as Ichigo and Lettuce looked at the menus.
"Can I have the strawberry pancakes?" Ichigo asked sweetly.
"You sure can," the waiter said. "How about you, miss?" He asked as he directed his attention towards Lettuce.
"Can I have the chocolate chip and banana pancakes, please?" Lettuce asked shyly.
"Yes ma'am. I'll be right back with you orders." The man bowed and walked away.
Their food came ten minutes later, two pancakes each, hot and fresh with the requested fruit on top and three pads of butter. They said thank you and began to eat. "Mmmm…" Ichigo hummed after taking a bite of her pancakes. "They make the best pancakes.'
Lettuce smiled as she chewed, nodding in agreement. They sat in a comfortable silence as they ate, savoring the fluffy pancakes and the sweet taste of fruit and maple syrup. When they were finished eating, they paid the bill and left the restaurant.
Ichigo and Lettuce walked up to a directory and scanned through the listed stores. When Lettuce spotted the store she was looking for, she grabbed Ichigo's hand and dragged her over. The store was called "Morp," (prom spelled backwards) and it was fully dedicated to formal dresses, suits, and suitable accessories. It was on the top floor, which were four flights of stairs. Lettuce always had a phobia for elevators, so they walked. By the time they got there, Ichigo was already whining that her feet hurt.
Lettuce immediately shushed her and ordered her to start looking for dresses. They decided to look for dresses for each other, so Ichigo looked for green while Lettuce looked for pink. It took almost an hour, but they had three picked out for the other.
Lettuce tried on her dresses first after Ichigo handed them to her. The first was a sleeveless, knee-length dress that flowed out around the waist. It showed off her curves really well, but Lettuce decided against it, because she thought it showed too much.
The next one was floor-length with a V-neck. It was pretty plain, but beautiful at the same time. Lettuce claimed it showed too much cleavage and made a simple gesture to her chest. Ichigo shrugged and pushed her back into the dressing room to change into the last dress.
When Lettuce came out, Ichigo was rendered speechless. It was floor-length with a V-neck, but it was a lot higher up than the last one. It was the same color as Lettuce's hair and the bottom was bejeweled with ocean-blue rhinestones designed into swirls.
"So…how do I look?" Lettuce asked, feeling a bit bashful at her companion's staring.
"Lettuce…you look amazing." Ichigo smiled brightly.
Lettuce returned the gesture as she said, "I think we may have wandered into the same section." She giggled as Ichigo cocked her head in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.
"One of the dresses I picked for you is the exact same except in pink and gold." Lettuce walked over to the pile pf dresses and took out the one she was talking about. As she showed her friend the dress, Ichigo gasped and squealed at the sight.
"We'll take both!" Ichigo shouted as she took the dress and ran over to the accessories.
"Wait, Ichigo-san," Lettuce started. "You didn't try it on yet."
Ichigo smiled. "Somehow, I know it's perfect." Lettuce smiled back as a light blush dusted her cheeks.
When they finished picking out accessories, they paid for their stuff and left the store. They just barely made it in time for the bus as they ran inside, paid the driver, and sat down. During the trip back to the campus, they both dozed off, Ichigo leaning on Lettuce's shoulder and Lettuce leaning on Ichigo's head. They almost missed their stop.
It was five o'clock by the time the duo got back to their dorm. They had exactly an hour and a half to get ready before their dates came.
They both got in the shower and washed their hair. When they got out, they put their undergarments and robes on and met up in Ichigo's bedroom.
Lettuce sat at Ichigo's vanity as Ichigo took her braids out. When she was done, she got her curling iron out and began to curl Lettuce's hair. "So, who's your date to the dance?"
Lettuce blushed deeply as she said, "His name is Shirogane Ryou. He's a year older than I am."
"Oooh, Lettuce has a boyfriend~" Ichigo sang. She giggled at her flustered friend as she finished curling her hair. The duo switched places, Ichigo sitting down and Lettuce standing behind her. Lettuce scanned Ichigo's hair, trying to think of a suitable hairstyle.
She gasped in delight at an idea of hers and grabbed a ponytail holder. She took Ichigo's hair gently, leaving some strands in the front out. Lettuce pulled Ichigo's hair into a bun and marveled at her work. She then grabbed the remaining hair in the front and curled them, leaving them at the sides of Ichigo's head. Ichigo smiled in the mirror at her new hairdo and Lettuce smiled back.
Lettuce then retreated to her own room to put her dress on. After Ichigo put her own on, she gazed at herself in the mirror. This is the first time I dressed up like this… She thought. Then, Ichigo sat at her vanity and put a golden headband on with golden dangly earrings. To finish her look, she put on black eye-liner and light pink lip gloss.
When she was done, she stepped into the living room and instantly gaped at how gorgeous Lettuce looked. Lettuce blushed lightly and looked down at the floor. "Lettuce…you…look…AMAZING!" Ichigo squealed.
Lettuce looked up and smiled shyly. "As do you." She said.
"So when's your date coming?" Ichigo asked. When Lettuce was about to answer, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" Ichigo exclaimed. She walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hello, I'm Ryou. Is Lettuce ready?" The blonde stranger asked.
Ichigo smiled. "Hi. Yes, she's just getting her purse. Come in." She replied as she opened the door wider. Ryou stepped inside. Ichigo closed the door and went over to sit on one of the barstools at the kitchen counter.
Ryou had the brightest bluest eyes Ichigo had ever seen. His hair was so blonde to the point where you almost needed sunglasses to look at it. Out of curiosity, Ichigo asked, "Is your hair radioactive?"
Ryou looked at her strangely. "No, why?" He asked.
"No reason…" Ichigo mumbled. Luckily, Lettuce came in the room. She smiled brightly at the sight of Ryou, his face struck with awe.
"Lettuce…you-um-uh…" Ryou stuttered.
Lettuce giggled. "You look great, too." Ryou was wearing an all-black tux with a green tie to match Lettuce's dress.
"Ready to go?" Ryou asked.
"Yep. I'll see you at the dance, Ichigo-san!" Lettuce said cheerfully as she walked out the door with Ryou in tow.
"See you!" Ichigo called after them. When she heard the door close she sat back on the stool and looked at the clock on the microwave. It said 6:45. Kish should be here soon. Ichigo thought.
Just then, she heard a knock on the door. Speak of the devil. Ichigo stood up and straightened her dress as he walked to the door. She smiled brightly when she saw Kisshu standing in the entrance. He froze with his mouth wide open as he stared at Ichigo.
Ichigo giggled as she said, "You look great." Kisshu was wearing a black tux with a gold tie that complimented his eyes. "Y-You-um…-l-look…uh…" Kisshu's voice trailed off as he looked at the floor.
"Thanks. So…whatcha hidin' behind your back there?" Ichigo asked.
Kisshu snapped out of his gaze and smirked as he moved his arm and held out his hand. Ichigo gasped at the sight before her. Kisshu held a beautiful pink tulip in his hand. "You told me your favorite flower was a tulip, so this is for you." Kisshu smiled.
Ichigo blushed as she took the flower and sniffed it. "Thanks. It's beautiful. I'll be right back." She went inside the kitchen and got some scissors. She cut a little of the stem off from the bottom of the tulip and stuck it in her hair. Then, Ichigo walked back to the front door.
"Ready." She said to Kisshu.
He smiled and held out his arm. "Shall we?"
Ichigo giggled as she hooked her arm in his; her fingers on his biceps. "We shall."
And the couple was off to the dance.
The school's administrators really outdid themselves with the dance. Of course, it still smelled like cafeteria food, but who cares? There were balloons everywhere; a giant, multi-colored disco ball hung from the ceiling, there was music playing, and a lot of food choices.
Most of the students were dancing in the middle of the room with their dates or friends, having a ball (AN- Get it? Cause it's a Snowflake BALL. Ha..haha…I'm sorry XD). The teachers were walking around, scolding students on how some of their dancing was "inappropriate". But soon as the teacher left, they went back to dancing how they wanted; so the teachers might as well just leave them be.
In the middle of the dance floor was everyone's favorite couple, unless you were in their school, Kisshu and Ichigo. Kisshu's hands were just above Ichigo's waist, and Ichigo's hands were on his shoulders as they swayed to the music. The girls around them gave Ichigo nasty death glares but she just rolled her eyes at them.
"So, did I tell you how sexy you look tonight?" Kisshu smirked.
Ichigo blushed lightly. "Thanks…"
Kisshu chuckled. "You didn't seem so embarrassed when I saw you completely naked a couple months ago." As Ichigo's whole face turned beet red, Kisshu continued. "Will I be able to get some tonight?"
Ichigo gasped. "Pervert!" She shouted. Then she "accidentally" stomped on Kisshu's foot. He yelped in pain as he hunched over. Luckily, the music was too loud for anybody to hear them.
"Alright, everybody!" The DJ yelled through the microphone. "Let's do something a little differently. I want every one of you to dance with someone that you didn't come with tonight. But try not to fight about it, I'd rather not be sent a bill for damages."
Ichigo looked at Kisshu with her eyebrow raised in question. He answered in a shrug as she felt somebody tap her shoulder. Ichigo turned around to find Masaya behind her. He held out his arm as he said, "May I have this dance?"
Ichigo giggled. "I'd be delighted." She sent a reassuring smile Kisshu's way and took Masaya's arm. As they walked away, Kisshu felt a twinge of jealousy in his chest. When he felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around only to see Mint. "Hey." She said.
"Hi…" Kisshu said distantly.
"Wanna dance?" Mint asked with hope in her voice.
Kisshu took one last glance to Ichigo and looked back. "Sure." Mint placed one of her hands just below Kisshu's shoulder as she held his left. Kisshu put his right hand above Mint's waist.
"So…I wanted to apologize for the way I acted when we broke up." Mint said.
"Its fine, I understand." Kisshu said with a small smile.
As Ichigo was dancing with Masaya, she noticed over his shoulder that Kisshu and Mint were dancing. She felt uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, thinking that something bad might happen. Then, she saw Mint glance over at her with a smirk on her face. Mint stopped dancing and looked up at Kisshu. She smiled and kissed him right on the lips.
Ichigo froze as she watched them. She let her arms fall at her sides, receiving a concerned look from Masaya. He turned around and saw what Ichigo was looking at. He turned back around and gave Ichigo a sympathetic look. "You want to go outside and get some fresh air?" He asked.
Ichigo nodded as her eyes swam in unshed tears. She turned around and half-walked/half-ran to the exit of the building. Before he left, Masaya gave a wink to Mint who winked right back before she got pushed away by and angered Kisshu.
"What the hell, Mint?!" He shouted.
Mint looked into his amber eyes and frowned with fake tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just wanted one last kiss so I could finally accept that we're not together anymore."
Kisshu sighed deeply as his eyes softened. "Okay, but next time, warn me."
Mint smiled and wiped her eyes. "Excuse me…" She said as she strutted off into Ichigo and Masaya's direction.
With Ichigo and Masaya…
"I can't believe he would do that to me…" Ichigo sobbed as she sat on the curb next to Masaya. He had his hand on her back, rubbing small circles.
"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I'm here if you need me."
Ichigo turned toward him and gave him a tight hug; Masaya soon following the gesture. "Thank you, Aoyama-kun." She said softly. When they broke apart, they sat there for a few seconds, looking into each other's eyes. Then, Masaya said, "Now."
Ichigo scrunched her eyes in confusion, only to feel a cloth cover her mouth and nose. Her eyes started drooping until she passed out.
When she woke up, Ichigo was in a dark room, sitting by one window; looking up at the girl that held her captive for who knows how long. She had an evil look in her eye, glaring at me with all her might. Then she spoke.
"Now, before I kill you, I'm gonna give you the information that your 'boyfriend' hid from you."
Cat- Yay, it's finally done. *cough cough* Well, this took a lot longer than I expected to write, but the next chapter should be easy, cause your questions will be answered about Kisshu's super-secret agency :D Please leave me a review! Ja ne!