~*~
"Hey, Ames, you're looking especially cheerful today," said Usagi.
I acknowledged my friend and nodded. I must have been a real sight. I
had walked into the Sweet Shoppe that day after work humming a tune,
feeling like I was walking on air. The sky seemed bluer, the air
smelled sweeter, and every color seemed more alive and vibrant than
ever before.
"I guess I am," I said.
"So what's the good news?" asked Rei.
"I know what it is," piped in Minako, looking straight at me.
"Oooh! Oooh! What is it?" asked Makoto, leaning over Rei's shoulders to
get a better view of my reaction.
"It's...nothing, really," I said, blushing. "It's just that-"
"You've been kissed!" interrupted Minako.
"Do you MIND? You're hurting me!" yelled Rei, whipping her head to face
Makoto.
"Sorry," said Makoto sheepishly, removing her hands from Rei's
shoulders. "Well, is that true, Ami?" asked Makoto.
I nodded, my face becoming even redder
"Ohmigosh! Our Ami is becoming a woman!" crowed Usagi.
"Can it, Odango, she's over twenty," snapped Rei.
"Like you should talk. You've never even held hands!" Usagi retorted.
Rei fumed, but was silent.
"So what was it like, Ami?" asked Usagi.
"Fireworks," I said.
"Wow! Really?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Come on, Ames, you can't leave us hanging like that," said Minako.
"You know I don't kiss and tell," I said.
"Since when?" asked Makoto.
"Mako-chan! If she wants to keep it to herself, let her do that!" said
Usagi, but her eyes shone with unhidden curiosity, telling me she was
dying to hear all the details.
I sighed. "Okay, it was like this..." I began, telling the story of my first
date with Zoisite. When I told them how Zoisite had handed me his
jacket when it was cold out, I heard sighs from everyone except Rei,
who rolled her eyes. 'That girl is such a cynic,' I thought. I went on
to tell them about how I had fallen asleep during Spaceballs, at which
Usagi burst out laughing.
"You fell asleep? Get out!" she yelled.
"Yes. And when I woke up, I was in the same bed as Zoisite."
Everyone gasped.
"Oh, Ami," said Usagi.
"You didn't....did you?" asked Rei.
"No, I didn't. My clothes from the previous night were still on, and
there wasn't any...evidence...left behind."
"Evidence?" asked Rei. Minako whispered something in Rei's ear, at
which the fiery priestess turned bright red.
"Then he made me breakfast. I'm telling you, the man can cook!"
"Wow," said Makoto. "I have to meet this guy."
"Mako!" said Usagi, elbowing Makoto.
"Just kidding. Sheesh."
"Then he took me home, walked me to the door and he kissed me."
"I'll bet he can't kiss like my Mamo-chan," said Usagi, swooning, at
which point Rei stuck her tongue out and gagged.
"Well, I don't think I can compare the two, seeing as how I haven't
been in your position," I said, smiling. "But I'll tell you this much;
he's really, really good. I mean GOOD."
"Come ON Ames! You HAVE to tell us more!" squealed Minako.
I sighed. Obviously, I wasn't going to hear the end of this until I
divulged every detail. Half an hour later, after my romance life had
been thoroughly dissected, my friends seemed satisfied, especially Rei,
whose body language said that she had received too much information a
long time ago.
"And that's that," I said.
"When will you see him again?" asked Minako.
"Friday night, unless something else comes up," I said.
"Something else? Ami, don't be silly. I haven't seen you this happy in
a long time," said Usagi.
"Or maybe I'll see him before then. I'm almost finished with his
picture."
"Cool. So, anyone up for a movie? Mamo-chan should be here any minute
now, and I saved the paper so we can see what's playing," said Usagi.
Everyone looked over Usagi's narrow shoulders and babbled on about
which movie they wanted to see. Finally, Mamoru came in, announced that
The Mexican was on, and that was that.
"Even though," said Usagi, as she walked out, arm in arm with her
husband, "Brad Pitt's not half as sexy as my Mamo-chan."
Rei made more gagging noises, causing me to laugh at my friend as we
left the Sweet Shoppe.
Honestly, I've never known anyone as cynical as Rei when it comes to
the opposite sex. I guess I can't blame her. Her mom died when she was
really young, and her father was never around very much. I can see how
her view on men is fairly tainted, as well as that she hides the pain
behind a mask of sarcasm. Jaedite was just the right man for her;
easygoing, practical, sexy, but very, very patient. If Rei would ever
admit that she likes the guy, they might make a cute couple. She has
admitted that he's not as vile as she once thought. As it is, they
tentatively have Saturday nights scheduled as their date night.
I got home and ran the water for a nice, long, hot bath, where I
planned to curl up with a good book and a chocolate sundae. Not exactly
health food, I know, but we all have our vices, ne?
I grabbed the phone and sat it next to the tub like I always do and
sank into a state of peaceful oblivion, wiping the suds from my hands
as I turned the pages of my poetry book. Lately, I've gotten into the
classic poets, especially those of the Romantic era. I've even acquired
some antique books from a book shop I like to visit. This particular
book wasn't an antique, though; I never let them near water. That
night, I was squishing the cherry blossom-scented bubbles between my
toes as I flipped through a Byron collection.
I was shattered from my state of oblivion as the phone rang, something
that seldom happens when I bathe. My friends know me, and they know
that every night, I bathe from 7:15-7:45, regular as clockwork. 'I
wonder who it could be?'
"Is Ami there?" I heard a male voice say.
"Speaking."
"Hi, it's Zoisite."
I suppressed the urge to gasp, and my cheeks flushed bright crimson,
remembering our last encounter. "Is it about your picture? I've made
most of the necessary modifications and I-"
"Well, I have another change I'd like to make."
"Okay, but you realize this is becoming an expensive project? I charge
by the hour, and I've spent a lot of time on this."
"That's not a problem. I was wondering, could you stop by my office to
discuss this? And could you bring your camera?"
"That might be a problem. I usually have my clients come to me and
provide the photos," I said, arching my eyebrows.
"Oh, okay. Would there be a time of day that's good for you?" he said.
"Hm....it's usually pretty slow around noon."
"Noon it is. I'll have my car come to pick you up."
"You don't need to do that," I said.
"I insist." Over the line, I cold practically see him grinning.
"Okay. Ja ne."
"Ami?"
"Yes?"
"We're still on for Friday, right?"
"Of course."
"Good. I get to pick the movie this time. Something that's guaranteed
to keep you awake."
"I can't wait," I said dryly. "See you then." With that, I hung up the
phone, spooned the last bit of ice cream into my mouth and decided it
was time to get out of the tub.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
It was proving to be a busy day at the photo shop. I was just
finalizing an order for a client who wanted to be placed next to Gwen
Stefani when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that it was getting
near 12. 'I haven't even eaten yet,' I mused.
As if on cue, a Mercedes-Benz pulled over to the curb. I quickly
gathered my camera, tripod, cable release and other photography
materials, as well as Zoisite's file, and rushed out the door, briefly
stopping to flip the sign to "Out to Lunch." I opened the passenger
side door of the Mercedes and saw Zoisite waiting for me in the driver
seat, hair pulled into a loose, low ponytail, Armani suit spotless,
jazz music playing, poised and ready. And that's how the only photo
shoot I ever did for any client began...
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