HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You know you love me for making you suffer! But I am back! Huzzah! Break out the noise-makers and the GOOD wine! Or just the wine. In fact, why don't you leave and leave me and the wine alone? Or better yet, leave me and the wine, and you go read. Shoo! Shoo! slr_europa@yahoo.com http://www.geocities.com/slr_europa/ AIM :: SeeShelliRun ************************************************* Teachers Pet 5 / ? By Sailor Europa 8:22 PM. The murky twilight had swallowed up any semblance of natural light that would have illuminated the horribly silent classroom. Mamoru had stood by the window for 7 minutes on end, watching the blonde scramble from the building's imposing stature, book-bag trailing behind as she jogged into the night. She had disappeared into that same fog of darkness a few minutes prior, but Mamoru knew that if he turned around he'd just relive that scene again; and that was definitely something he was not willing to do just yet. Possibly ever. He moaned woefully as he let his forehead lag against the cool window pane and closed his eyes. What in the hell led him to think that kissing her was a good idea? Where had such a ridiculous notion ever come from? He couldn't even comprehend why or how or when the event had begun or ended; it was all a huge blur. He simply remembered an awkward silence afterwards and the young student not being able to leave fast enough. No words were exchanged and Mamoru couldn't help but wonder if this was something that he could get his butt fired over; putting the moves on a student who claimed to hate him. And even worse; finding out that neither one of them had put up much of a fight. His cobalt blue eyes opened slowly again, and he watched the stillness play out before him on the campus grounds. This was the very definition of insanity. It was obscene and impossible and terrifying and it seemed to be swallowing him whole. He didn't know where he stood and even worse, he knew he'd have to see Usagi in school within less than 12 hours. He wasn't sure he could make it through the day without hyperventilating or going into a shock-induced state of numbness. He exhaled slowly and turned so that the upper part of his back now faced the icy window. He fell back against it dramatically and ran a hand through his already messy hair. His nerves were not calming one bit after the fact, and he knew that it would be impossible to sleep once more this evening. Just what he needed – something to make him even more anxious. ***** "Usagi…. Usagi?" "Aaaammmffffhhhooooddd…" "Nani?" Tsukino Ikuko stood impatiently at her daughters bedside and prodded her once more. She glanced at the clock and shook her head. This was late, even for Usagi who rolled out of bed at the last possible moment every morning. Even if she could get her out of bed, she wouldn't make it to class in time for the late bell. She tapped her foot impatiently until the blonde's head poked up from the covers and she frowned openly. "I don't feel good, I said…." The young girl moaned and buried her face into her pillow frantically. Ikoku could feel her brow knitting together at the red, bloodshot eyes Usagi had glanced at her with. She honestly did not look well. Her mothering instinct took over and she sat gently on the side of the bed and stroked her daughters head lovingly, cooing her name. "Usagi, it looks like you didn't sleep a wink…." Her voice was pained and the pathetic looking teenager frowned into the soft fluff of the pillow. 'That's 'cause I didn't….' her mind wailed. 'As if it would have been possible.' "I'll just call you in sick this morning." "Domo, 'kaa-san." She finally raised her neck enough to smile genuinely at her mother, and with one last pat, Ikuko stood and departed, closing the door noiselessly and leaving her daughter alone. It hadn't been a bold-faced lie, Usagi reasoned. She did feel wretched, even if it wasn't physically. Although she was pretty sure that if she had to sit in that class all day and see him and think about him she would go insane and eventually put herself in the hospital. No, wait, she was already insane. She had not only found her arch-enemy as her new teacher, but she had somehow let him tutor her, befriend her (in a way) and then practically shove his tongue down her throat. And to top it all off, she couldn't say she didn't enjoy it. "Call the men in the white coats, I'm ready for the looney bin." And to think she had already been wondering how she could get anymore confused; that had been just asking for trouble. Inviting the fates to prove her wrong. And they did. Now her heart had been thrust into the mix of things, and that was something she had wanted to avoid. Maybe that was futile; every since Mamoru had been helping her, she was having trouble quelling the emotions. She couldn't live in denial forever. She frowned, sat up and pressed her back against the headboard. Why did this have to happen now? Things had been going so well between the two of them. Why did he have to screw things up by making her fall for him? And did she really? Or was she just dazzled by his charm? His smile? Or his annoyingly cute chuckle? She inadvertently smiled, but caught herself just in time. She didn't like this one bit. She wasn't in control, and worse than that, this man was insufferable and she still didn't think she could trust him with her friendship, let alone her heart. The memories of the previous night danced in her mind, taunting her with realities she wasn't ready to accept. He had been so physically close for what felt like hours and in hindsight she remembered the soft sound of his breathing, the slight flare of his nostrils when he concentrated on her face, the warm air the two exchange the few seconds before contact. She wasn't sure what had a bigger effect on her; the actual event taking place, or the heart-stopping remembrances she was assaulted with on a regular basis. He had admitted that he had been foolish to ask for her trust on such a whim. She had been taken aback, and let her resolve slip. But he seemed to genuinely want it, and slowly he earned it. They both knew it. It had fluctuated, but he had proven his honor and she was so relieved that they could act civil towards one another for once. She had enjoyed their verbal wars, but this was much preferred, at least on her end. Had she wanted all along to be closer to Mamoru? Was Ami right? Was all this just a ruse in order to keep each other at bay, but still allowing them communication? Usagi moaned and slid back into bed. It was 8:30. Class had started. Ami and Mako were probably wondering where she was. Mamoru was probably…. 'Probably what?' She wondered. Was he worried? Should he be? Where were the two of them in each others eyes now? She had been greatly effected by the kiss, it had meant so much more to her. More than she was willing to admit. But what had it been to him? Had it given him butterflies too? Was he thinking about the slight blush that had taken over her complexion just afterwards? Or did he dismiss it as nothing? Her stomach lurched at the last thought. Could she have just been a whim he had played with? Mamoru wouldn't do that to her… Despite their quarrels, he wouldn't toy with a young girls' emotions like that… Would he? ***** It was no use. Each student was diligently working on their essays, and he should have been preparing the answer key for the upcoming test. But that empty desk in the third row from the back was driving Mamoru nuts. 'She didn't show up….' Mamoru chewed on his bottom lip and his eyes burned holes in the barren seat. He wasn't stupid. He knew that he, inevitably, had frightened her. Or maybe she had been so distraught when she left she had wandered off and gotten lost… Or been injured. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. 'This kind of thinking isn't getting you anywhere, Mamoru.' He chastised himself. Like he hadn't thought about the situation enough last night. He'd had plenty of time to mull over it when he was busy fighting insomnia. And now he added this to the mix. The lunch bell rang, thrusting Mamoru into the present. The students bolted up from their seats and Mamoru suddenly got an idea. "Mizuno-san!" He called and the blue-haired intellectual turned innocently around. She had no idea of how he had assaulted her friend. He cringed. "Hai?" "…Uh, where's Usagi-san today?" He hesitated, trying not to sound too nervous. He was sure she could sense his sweaty palms, or at least smell his fear and anxiety. Didn't girls have some sort of sixth sense? Woman's intuition? "Her mother said she just wasn't feeling well. She stayed home ill." "Ah." "Did anything happen last night?" "Eh? N…Nani?" Mamoru sputtered and choked openly. 'She knows.' His mind was screaming obscenities while the young girl stared at him, slightly perplexed. 'Oh God, oh God, oh God….Usagi called her and told her everything….She's waiting for me to crack…..Son of a-.' "I wondered if she looked well to you when you were studying." Ami sighed and looked down. "She's been working so hard. I hope she isn't pushing herself too much." "…." Mamoru couldn't manage a reply. He inhaled, gasping in air, wondering if it was possible to go home sick himself. He was feeling suffocated, and now completely ridiculous as well. "No… I mean, yes. She seemed fine." He answered quietly. Ami nodded. "I hope it isn't anything serious then." Ami smiled at Mamoru gratefully. "I'm going to take her homework to her after school. I'll tell her you were concerned." "No!" He croaked. Ami snapped to attention, her eyes suspicious. "I mean, don't go to any trouble on my account." "It's not. I'll be there anyway." She said slowly, still eyeing him oddly. He smiled and then shook his head, hoping to soothe his shot nervous system. "Ah, OK then." He motioned towards the door. "I don't want to keep you from your lunch, Mizuno-san." He stated and she turned without giving him another look, although he could imagine the wheels turning in her head. Ami wasn't the gossip type, but he was pretty sure she would pump Usagi for information this evening about his strange behavior. "You certainly covered your butt well, Mamoru." He shook his head. ***** "Usagi-chan…." "Whaaaaaaat?" Came an estranged whine from the other side of the door. Ami rolled her eyes; Usagi must be feeling better if she could exercise her vocal chords so easily. "It's Ami. I just came to check up on you." The blue-haired senshi pushed the door open slightly and, to her great relief, found a slightly exhausted, but otherwise fine, Tsukino Usagi propped up on her bed, arms folded. "Are you feeling better?" "Hai." She replied brusquely, and Ami raised a defiant eyebrow, an action she would only dare with her close friend. "I didn't think that after spending a whole day away from school would make you so cranky…." Usagi sighed. "I'm sorry Ami. I didn't sleep much. I guess I'm just a bit…. On edge." "Sleep deprivation has been known to cause that." She stated, and her friend stifled a half-smile. Ami grinned. "Will you be back tomorrow?" "Yeah." Usagi's voice was tight, and Ami hesitated in pressing the issue, although she was almost positive she could sense something more brewing. "That's good. You really shouldn't miss so much work, especially with that test at the end of the week." Ami said after pausing for a moment. She stopped again, and added without a thought. "Mamoru asked about you." "N…nani?" The blonde's eyes widened to an impossible size, and now Ami was sure something else was going on. She tilted her head to the side and looked at Usagi quizzically. "What did he say?" "Just wondered where you were, that's all. He was concerned." She blinked and then asked as ambiguously as possible, "Why?" Usagi immediately turned her attention to the bed spread and picked at one of the little puffy bunnies on it, feigning distraction. "No reason…." Ami let her gaze rest on her friends face for a few moments, trying to pick out a break in façade. Something was odd here… "Well, I just hope you'll be OK for the exam on Friday. You certainly have been studying hard enough. I'm sure you're anxious to put your new found knowledge to the test." She began, hoping a change in subject would drop Usagi's defenses. It seemed to work. "Yeah, I guess so." Her eyes fell a little. "I just hope you guys aren't getting your hopes up for nothing. I mean, I don't have the best track record, after all…" "Usagi, don't say that! You've been doing so well keeping up with the work in the past week; we're all incredibly proud of you!" Ami squeezed the blonde's shoulder reassuringly and smiled warmly. "Even if you don't ace it, you tried, and that's all we can hope for. No one will be disappointed in you, I promise." "Arigatou Ami-chan." The petite genius was startled slightly by a few lone tears shining in her friends eyes. Her grin widened and she shook her head. "For what?" "For believing in me." She sighed and let her shoulders droop as if she were exhausted by even thinking about this subject again. "Even when I don't." "Usagi, I can't believe you haven't noticed before how many people are behind you on this. The only reason we nagged you so much is because you have so much potential and we hate to see it squandered. We knew you could do better." "I know, I know…" Her gaze was cast downward and she seemed thoughtful for moments on end. Ami just tilted her head to the side. "Even Mamoru-san has been extremely supportive, oddly enough." Ami had to smile as she thought back on how improbable that situation had seemed at the beginning. She questioned Mamoru's motives herself a few weeks ago, but now there was a whole new side of this man none of them had seen before. She blinked. It was a shock to her and she could only imagine how the change was affecting Usagi, whose relationship with him had never been positive. That had never even occurred to her, but now as Ami watched the somewhat pale blonde stare wide eyed at her sheets, she was beginning to wonder exactly what affect it WAS having on her. "…Hai, he has." Came a muted reply, barely above a whisper. A teensy smile crept to her cheeks, obviously meant for her own private enjoyment, and Ami felt a little out of place taking part in it. It was like Usagi had momentarily forgotten she had company. "I even have to concede that he genuinely cares about you, Usagi." With that, the blonde's neck snapped to attention, and Ami shrugged. "Who'd have thought, ne?" "Yeah, who'd have thought…." ***** The blue haired senshi left shortly there after, leaving the still sleepy blonde to her own thoughts, whatever they may be. Ami had been curious about what this tension was she was feeling, but had decided that time and patience were the best courses of action to take when snuffing out the answer. No one would be pleased if she prodded when she didn't need to. So Usagi sat, alone again, head against the wall, brow furrowed, even more confused than before. " '…he genuinely cares about you….'" That was what Ami had said. Usagi exhaled loudly. "Well what the heck is THAT supposed to mean?!" ***** "Usagi-chan!" Naru exclaimed when she plopped down in her seat early the next morning, only to find her best friend already in her usually vacant desk. "You're early today! If you hadn't already used the excuse yesterday, I'd ask if you were sick…." The red head giggled. Usagi scowled. "Ha ha." She mumbled and Naru jumped up, her face changing to concern as she changed seats to sit closer to her friend. "Are you all right now, though?" She asked in a grave voice and Usagi did her best to put on a brave face. "Hai, I'm feeling much better. I just needed to rest." She swallowed and hoped Naru didn't catch her rubbing her sweaty palms on her navy skirt. She was so nervous she wondered if she would even be able to hold her pencil, let alone write with it. She had wanted nothing more than to play sick for another day and avoid facing Mamoru once more, but she knew that the longer she waited, the harder it would be. Besides that, her mother had already rejected the idea before she even had a chance to ask. She glanced at the standard wall clock above the blackboard. Two minutes until the late bell rung. Most of the students were in the room, mingling about until the door would open to reveal…. "Ohaiyo gozaimasu." Usagi's heart stopped when the creak of the hinges sang out and in walked Mamoru. He looked so intelligent with his black sports coat and wire rimmed glasses that framed his eyes perfectly…. Cobalt blue eyes…. That were, incidentally, staring intensely right back at her. Her cheeks tinged red and she sank down in her seat. What was wrong with her? 'When did he start affecting me like this?' She thought inwardly, seething in embarrassment. 'Duh, baka. When the two of you shared a passionate lip lock, that's when.' She frowned as she answered her own question, and so cynically at that. So now she was talking to herself. Great, she would never be able to concentrate at this rate. Her cheeks grew darker and she stared down at her lap. In front, Mamoru cleared his throat and placed his attaché on the desk top. Only a few whispers remained now. "I'd like to begin this morning by collecting your Arithmetic homework assignment. If you could all please pull that out…." Usagi busied herself with digging through her notebook, hoping the activity would distract her. Everything seemed to be spinning around her though; she prayed it would stop and she could regain her equilibrium. He reached her desk without fanfair and was sufficiently surprised to find the paper completed and sitting atop her desk before her. Having Usagi do her homework was rare, let alone when she was sick. Mamoru paused though; he knew she hadn't been sick, therefore probably had a lot of time on her hands. Maybe this scenario made perfect sense. He tried to appear oblivious, but he wasn't sure he hid the shudder in the fingers too well as he reached to retrieve the paper. He wanted to look down at her, but to what reaction? And what would be his reply to it? Things were too awkward for direct communication right now, and the added pressure of 29 other students present didn't help matters. It would just have to wait. Usagi watched his back retreat. He had paused beside her and her breath had caught in her breath. Was he going to make a scene? A snide comment? She stared at his hand while it seemed stopped, hovering above her desk, almost deciding what its next move would be. Then all at once time sped up again and he was already another two desks ahead. She blinked, wondering where the time went and why she felt so drained. Her eyes fell closed and she exhaled. 'I guess I shouldn't be so shocked.' She thought ruefully. 'It's not like things were going to just return to normal after… that.' She sighed. She couldn't even put a name to it; not a serious one, at least. Why couldn't she just say it; think it? Deep down she knew the reason. Calling it by what it really was, laying it all out there, would be accepting it as just that; reality. Once it stopped being a coy phrase or a sarcastic reference, it began to take on life. Once she starting referring to it as what it REALLY was, then, well, the potential was endless. She would have to take the situation seriously. And who knew where that would lead her? He had kissed her. And there was no getting around that. And to make matters worse, she was pretty sure she had replied in the like. Or, in the very least, wanted to. Her eyes narrowed at that. Oh, heaven only knew that she didn't want to accept the latter revelation. But if she was going to own up to her emotions, she had to take them all on. Which meant admitting she had wanted it. If she hadn't the gumption to respond at the time, she couldn't hide from the fact that she really, really, REALLY wanted to. "Tsukino-san?" Usagi actually had to mentally prod herself from the daydream, and look up. She had been so caught up in her self-evaluation that she had forgotten that, in all likelihood, it was Haruna-sensei standing in front of the class. That was, after all, the central cause of her problems. "H…hai?" She squeaked out. She felt humiliated, absolutely sure that she was flushed like a tomato at that point. But she took some comfort in knowing that, as bad as she felt, Mamoru looked three times worse. "Did you have the answer? Number three on page 162?" He asked. Usagi tried to make a show of opening her Japanese notebook out and flipping madly through the pages. "Uh, no, Usagi…." Mamoru paused, almost catching himself as he used her first name, but then continuing. "We're doing math." He held up the teal Algebra book and she looked downwards, the mistake briefly registering. She pursed her lips, wanting nothing more than to die right then and there. Maybe even be cremated, if possible. Nothing, not one thing, could top this. As if having to face this classroom wasn't bad enough. Now she had to prove, as if there were any doubt, how anxiety-ridden she was. "We'll just come back to you Usa- Uh, Tsukino-san." He said, almost sounding embarrassed for her. Which, incidentally, was the last thing she wanted. Even if this WAS all his fault, she could handle her own humiliation, thank you very much. "Doomo." She mumbled gratefully. While she didn't want his pity, it was nice to be saved before she wound up somehow disgracing herself even more. She couldn't imagine that being possible, but then again, she didn't want to tempt the fates. ***** The dismissal bell for lunch rang and 30 junior high students jumped to their feet simultaneously and bolted for the door. The normal squeals and rustling of papers cluttered the air with noise, and Mamoru had to raise his tone in order to be heard over the din. "Minna, we'll be doing the rest of your Japanese on page 267 when we get back, so if you haven't completed it, I highly suggest you go to the library for lunch!" He practically bellowed almost absently. His eyes and concentration were both trained on the petite blonde that was trying her best to blend into the middle of the retreating crowd. "Usagi, I'd like to see you." He wasn't sure he actually spoke the words aloud. He didn't really WANT to see her, but if he didn't try to straighten things out post-haste, he would never make it through the rest of the day. Usagi was having trouble of her own, trying to decide if she should just pretend like she didn't hear him. All she wanted to do was drown herself in peanut butter and jelly, and possibly some of Mako's amazing boxed treats. The only possible remedy for her stress was mountains upon mountains of food. Talking to this man was not going to cure anything she was feeling. In fact, it showed all the symptoms of making it worse.