A Lonely Heart Chapter 4
Chapter 4: Just This Once… Usagi sighed and sipped her coffee, already immersed in her studies when a light knock was heard on her door. She looked up distractedly to see the door being pushed open by someone she hadn’t been expecting…Mamoru. Usagi sat up hurriedly and stared at him in surprise. “Wha…?” She left the question unsaid. “Usa…what kind of person do you think I am? That I wouldn’t come back? I was hoping that you might have more trust in me, but I understand you have been through a lot. Please remember the promise I gave you and try to believe that it’s true, and that I truly am your friend, as is Rei from what I can tell.” The words he said to her went through her head, “I promise to always be there when you need me, Tsukino Usagi.”, and she sighed. “Mamoru, I’m so sorry! It’s just automatic to assume the worst, and I hope that you will forgive me!” She looked at him pleadingly, her blue eyes gazing into his own. “Well…I’ll forgive you if you can get some chocolate chip cookies from your mother!” Usagi laughed in relief and picked up her books so they could go to the kitchen and study with the aid of chocolate chip cookies and milk. Two days later, Usagi saw Ami coming her way and decided to make a rash decision. She walked up to Ami, “Ami, can I please have a moment of your time?” She asked politely and was surprised when Ami agreed readily to speak to her. “What did you want, Usagi?” Ami asked curiously. Usagi looked around them, only seeing several lockers and no other students. She didn’t want to be interrupted before she finally told Ami why she was talking to her. “Ami, I have something to ask you! Are you interested in Mamoru?” Ami turned a light tint of red and looked down once, then trained her blue eyes on Usagi before answering, “Yes, I am interested in Mamoru. Is that going to be a big problem? I don’t want you to be upset with me, but I didn’t know if you guys were dating or if you were just friends…” “Wait!! I’m not mad or anything! I’m actually quite glad that you answered yes to my question. Mamoru and I are just really good friends, and I heard through the grapevine that you might be interested, and I thought that I should butt in. I think that you and Mamoru should date. He, however is a little shy, and I think needs some encouragement.” “So…” Ami pondered this incredible news for a moment before replying, “you think that I should ask him out? Is that what you are telling me?” “Yes!! That is exactly what I am telling you! You should just go up to him and ask him out. I just know that he will say yes, and I also believe that you two will make a fantastic couple!” Usagi said enthusiastically. Inside, she was crying, * Oh Mamoru, the one thing that I really want for you to be is happy…please be happy with Ami. * After discussing when and how Ami should ask Mamoru out, the two separated, and Usagi wondered if she would ever talk to Ami again. The next day during class, Usagi absentmindedly doodled on her notebook before Ms. Haruna entered and called the class to attention. Her thoughts were interrupted when a soft, feminine voice was heard to her right. “Thank you, Usagi! He said yes, and we are going out this weekend! I’m so excited!” Ami chattered to Usagi, not noticing how the class had gone incredibly quiet as she spoke. Usagi, never missing when she was being stared at, ducked her head before mumbling a “You’re welcome.” She continued to listen to Ami talk about her plans about what she and Mamoru were going to do on their date, and soon forgot that they were the center of attention in the classroom, and actually laughed at one of the silly plans Ami had thought up to ask Mamoru out. Giggling, she asked, “You actually planned on using chloroform on him and KIDNAPPING him to get him to date you?! I don’t think you need to be that drastic!” The door being slammed open and a very blond, very vivacious body entering the room interrupted their moment of levity. Her shoulder-blade length wavy hair was left to fall freely as she bounced into the room, her pale blue stretch knit shirt and black skirt flowed around her. She smiled at the room and introduced herself. “I just happen to be the highest paid actress in my age group, and I get to spend some time doing “research” with you average high-schoolers. I am Aino Minako, and I don’t plan on signing any autographs, so don’t ask!” After her introduction, she flounced to the empty chair at Usagi’s left, and casually flipped her hair over her shoulder. The entire classroom was silent after the introduction. Minako was the target of several glares from her classmates. She appeared to be oblivious to their glares and looked out the window, propping her head on her hand. Ami patted Usagi’s shoulder and smiled before heading back to her own desk. After Ms. Haruna entered, the classroom returned to normal. Usagi glanced several times at the new mysterious girl. She was the only one to notice her discreetly wipe a tear from her eye. * I doubt that she is really that mean. Why would she be crying if she was? What is she hiding? * Usagi met Mamoru for lunch beneath the tree where they had first met. She smiled at him before teasing, “I hear that you got yourself a date!” Usagi laughed as she watched him turn a bright red. “I thought that you might have been behind that.” Mamoru replied before sitting himself down beside her on a tree stump. Usagi smiled like a cat that had a mouth full of canary feathers. “Of course I had something to do with it! You never would have asked her out, and she still thought that we were dating. So… I interfered. I hope it works out well for the both of you.” “We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Mamoru asked as he took a bite out of his sandwich. “So what are you planning to do?” “Just dinner and a movie. Nothing spectacular.” He replied around a mouthful of his sandwich. Usagi giggled at him and listened as he explained what he was planning to do. A movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned her head to see the new student-Minako-leaning against the school building with her arms wrapped around her waist. Concerned, Usagi stood up from her comfortable seat at the base of a large tree. She waved down Mamoru’s questioning glance and approached Minako cautiously. “Um…Are…are you okay?” Her voice remained soft and full of concern. Minako straightened up immediately and turned toward Usagi with eyes filled with anger and fear. Usagi didn’t see the fear, only the anger and backed up several steps. “What do you want?” She asked Usagi angrily. “I’m sorry! I just noticed you bent over and well, I didn’t know if you were in any pain.” Usagi stuttered out. “Pain! Hah! That’s a new one. Normally your kind of people just try to get close to me-being the superstar I am-for money. I’m just sick of it! Just…just stay away from me!” Usagi stared at her in complete shock. Her left hand had risen to her throat and her right hand was holding on tightly to a single brick in the wall for support. * What can I say? What did I do wrong? * Several seconds ticked by before she finally got her voice back. “How can you say such things about me? Why would I come up to you to ask if you were ok for MONEY? You don’t even know me! Don’t worry about me staying away from you. It’s you who had better stay away from me.” Usagi turned away, her eyes filled with tears and saw Mamoru standing a couple feet behind her, his fists clenched with anger. She shook her head, attempting to keep him from saying anything to Minako. He ignored her and moved a few feet closer. “How dare you say something like that to Usagi! That was incredibly horrible of you. You don’t have to worry about us coming near you again. We don’t need your money. We don’t need to have you around so our status around here rises because you are some sort of “superstar”! Lose the ego, or never expect to have people want to be near you. I’m surprised that you have any fans at all, you egotistical little brat.” Minako stared at Mamoru in shock, her own conscience slapping her for the horrible things she said. * Good move, Mina! You just ruined a great chance! She was trying to be nice to you. * But then her own insecurities crashed in, causing her to forget her conscience and to instead act like she was in the right. * I know that she was just using me! She probably thinks that because she lives here that she should “help” the new girl to fit in…become her friend so she can use her for all she can. Well, I’m NOT going to be treated like trash ever again. No. Never. Not ever again will that happen to me. Too many people leave me because of my career. My father left me, thank God that my mother still hangs around me, but that may only be due to the fact that she is my manager… NO! I won’t think that… she loves me. I know she does. I have to believe that she does. If I believe that, then I know that someone out there, who knows me, loves me. Can’t I believe that? Can’t I… * Minako then straightened her shoulders, raised her chin and walked swiftly back to class, ignoring all the other students that were already heading back into the school. Usagi turned to Mamoru, her troubled eyes gazing into his own determined ones. “I know you want to Usagi, but you can’t! Give her time, maybe then she will realize that she should treat you better than that.” She sighed and nodded, acknowledging that he was right. Her own thoughts were blaming her for Minako’s sudden outburst. * You can’t seem to do anything right, can you? You always mess up! Get it straight girl, she put up the warning signs when she introduced herself to class, why try to help her? You only will cause yourself more hurt in the future. Best to not get involved. But…you want more friends, don’t you? You need to fight for them, and your own respect! If you don’t respect yourself, then who CAN you respect? You know yourself, and its time you respected yourself and were treated the way you should be treated. Oh…who am I fooling? I will just wait out this storm and see what happens…* Usagi finally broke from her thoughts, gathered up her leftover lunch and followed Mamoru back into school. Usagi walked quietly alongside Mamoru on their way to her house to study after school. Mamoru looked at Usagi out of the corner of his eye, hating to see her look so defeated. It was only several moments later when they both heard an odd noise coming from behind a tree and went to investigate. Usagi pushed aside some of the brush next to the tree only to find Minako leaning against the tree, sobbing quietly. Should I even bother? Will she turn me aside again? * Usagi pondered, biting her lip in indecision before realizing that there was no chance she was going to leave Minako the way she was. “Minako?” Usagi queried quietly, not wishing to scare her. Minako started and turned towards Usagi, trying to wipe her face free of tears before meeting Usagi’s eyes. Her face puffy and red from crying, with her eyes still misty with unshed tears; she reluctantly turned to the girl who once again offered her friendship. “Yes, Usagi?” “Are you ok? Is there anything I can do?” She asked with a smile. Minako gazed into Usagi’s blue eyes and then looked at Mamoru, seeing him still angry at him, and flinching at what she saw in his eyes, she turned her eyes downcast and stared at her hands. She waited several more seconds before replying. “I…I don’t kn…know why I said those horrible…things! I feel s-s-so bad now. I wish that I could take them back. Please forgive me. I will n-never say so many bad things to you again. Never!!” Usagi looked up at Mamoru, and he turned away from the look in her eyes. The haunted look in her eyes was enough to tear out his heart. * She shouldn’t have to put up with this! She should be happy…not like this. * He could hear Usagi reassuring Minako that it was all right. * Can I turn around and say, ‘It’ll never be all right? You can’t say things like that to Usagi and expect them to be all right! I know that I’ll never forgive you.’ GOD! Usagi deserves better than this. * He finally turned around, his hands no longer fisted to see Usagi hugging Minako. “Listen, Usagi, I never meant what I said before. I really never did. Most people don’t talk to me, or try to help me out like you did. Most people do like to use me for social status because of who I am. Please, can we just be friends? I need a friend here since I’m certain that I really upset the entire classroom with my entrance. It’s just that…being mean and snotty always seems to be easier to deal with than being used. “ Minako explained as she separated herself from Usagi. “Mina…can I call you Mina?” After receiving her nod, she continued, “Mina, I would love to be your friend. Not many people here like to be my friend either, so I guess that it all works out, right?” “What? But I thought that you and he…and he is so popular…?” Laughing lightly, Usagi replied, “Oh, we aren’t dating, he’s only a friend. Just because he is pretty popular doesn’t mean that I have to be. I will understand if you don’t want to be friends with me. I’m certain that if people get to know you better, that you will find many friends here.” She stood up and glanced at Mamoru before starting to head home. “Wait! That’s not what I meant. I just assumed that since you hung out with him, that you were popular as well. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be your friend, in fact, it makes it easier to be your friend! I’d rather not be very popular, myself.” “Really?” A small spark of hope lit up Usagi’s blue eyes. “Yes, really! With so many people to have to impress, it’s easier to only have several close friends. I’ve also learned that it is the quality, not the quantity of friends you keep close to your heart. You don’t appear to be the kind of person who will bad about me as soon as my back is turned.” Mamoru and Usagi simultaneously rolled their eyes when Minako spoke of impressing people. “Well, do you want to study with us for tomorrow? We are heading to my house now.” Usagi invited and smiled happily when Minako agreed. Everyone began talking the next day when Tsukino Usagi, also know as “the Freak”, entered Azubu High School along with Aino Minako, now dubbed as “the Prima Donna”. The gossipers still couldn’t understand the reason that the Freak fascinated Mamoru so much. They had assumed that his distraction would have faded by now and that he would realize that she wasn’t that important, but he persisted to spend the majority of his time with her, much to their frustration. Knowing that she obviously could _not_ be as interesting as they are, they went on their merry way, certain Mamoru would soon come to his senses. Besides Mamoru’s preoccupation with this freak, one of the most popular girls, Ami, was beginning to speak to her more often. What was this odd fixation that they seemed to feel towards her? It obviously wasn’t for better grades (although it remains to be said about this Minako girl) for Usagi, Mamoru and Ami are the school’s three top students, in that order. Could it be her money? No. Ami’s mother was a doctor and thus rich; Mamoru was only staying in Japan for an undetermined length of time. Why is it? They needed to find out soon. “So Mamoru, how did the date go?” Usagi asked as she jogged to catch up with him before their study date at the library. Mamoru turned around and began to walk backwards as he answered her question, his schoolbag slung carelessly over his left shoulder. “It went just fine.” He replied with a grin. His deep blue eyes sparkled with merriment as he waited for her to ask more questions. “Oh come ON!” Usagi exclaimed with a laugh. “You know that I’m dying to know what happened.” She said as she tugged on his gray polo shirt. Laughing, Mamoru led Usagi to a wrought iron bench that was in the shade of a willow tree. “Fine, here is exactly what happened…” Mamoru rubbed his damp hands nervously on his black dress pants and loosened his gray tie before beginning the long stroll up the walkway leading to the blue-gray house, its white door a beacon. As he cleared his throat, he rang the doorbell and heard the chimes ringing softly throughout the house. It wasn’t long before Ami opened the door wearing a yellow flowered dress, her hair flowing freely and a large smile on her face as she ushered Mamoru into the entryway. The crystal chandelier cast odd shadows within the narrow entryway, reflecting off the marble floor. Ami shyly looked at Mamoru before talking, her voice cracking with her nervousness. “Mamoru, my parents aren’t here tonight, so you don’t have to worry about meeting them. So, where are we off to?” “Well, I made reservations downtown at the best place I could think of! It’s called, Kalisto. I have heard good things, have you?” Mamoru asked nervously, fidgeting as he stood in the entryway, looking everywhere but at Ami. “Uh...yep. Yes, yes I have, and I can’t wait to go. Just let me get my coat, ‘k?” Ami walked over to a heavy oak door and opened it to pull out her coat. The soft brown leather coat hung to her knees and she turned to Mamoru and smiled, slipping on her blue and gray gloves, “Let’s go”. Mamoru led Ami to his car, its red surface shining with the light from the moon, and he opened her door for her before entering the car himself. He smiled nervously at her as he pulled away from the curb. “So, uh, Ami…how is school?” Mamoru finally stuttered out. As Ami fidgeted with her hands, she stared at her hands as she replied, “Just fine, thank you.” Complete silence filled the car, and an intense tension began to be felt between the two occupants. Both stared straight out the windshield, the glass occasionally receiving a small glare from the streetlights and oncoming cars. Mamoru cleared his throat several minutes later, causing Ami to jump. “Um…so what kind of movies do you like?” He asked. Ami smiled nervously at him before replying, “Well…I like lots of different kinds! I especially enjoy comedy and action. I tend to like action because it is so energizing, I think. After I watch the movie, I want to go out and beat up some villains!” She giggled in nervousness, causing Mamoru to laugh with, releasing any tension that was within the small car. They finally reached downtown Tokyo, its bright lights overshadowing the headlights on his car. Turning off onto a side street, Mamoru parked the car in a crowded parking lot and walked with Ami into the busy restaurant. A very hectic hostess led them to a more secluded corner booth, the soft candle glowing lightly in the dim restaurant. After they ordered some calamari to start off their dinner they talked about school, their friends, and common interests. “So, Mamoru…when did you meet Usagi? Are you two just really close friends?” Ami asked curiously, fidgeting a bit with her dark blue napkin. “Usagi? OH! Well, I’ve been friends with her since I first moved here. She was kind to me the first day and we became close friends. She helps me out when I really need someone. I’ve really leaned on her a lot since I arrived here and I don’t think that I would have adjusted as well if it weren’t for her.” He replied, speaking from his heart, his gratitude to her apparent to all. They stopped talking as the waitress arrived with their food. Ami began to play with her fettuccini alfredo as she waited for Mamoru to have his food served. It was only moments later that the waitress left, and Mamoru had a heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs in front of him. “I thought that maybe we could check out the new action movie that has Tom Cruise in it.” Mamoru commented as he began to help himself to the generous serving of food sitting in front of him. “Oh, I love Tom Cruise! He is such a great actor, isn’t he?” Ami gushed. “Uh… I guess he is. I like him in action movies. But…I just can’t seem to find him that attractive. Ok. Time for an honest question. Who is more good looking- Tom Cruise or me?” “Um…gee…that’s a difficult one. I think that I’d have to choose Tom Cruise! He has just been my favorite actor for such a long time!” They continued to banter back and forth as the meal continued. They soon left the restaurant and began their walk to the movie theater several doors down from the busy restaurant. Mamoru paid for their tickets and they picked up a soda before trying to find a seat in the packed theater. Once settled, they struggled to find something to talk about before the movie began. “So…um…are you busy with school now, Ami?” “Yes…yes I am. Very busy. Yes.” She replied and quickly took a sip from the soda. “What do you keep busy with?” Mamoru continued, not wanting the date to be this uncomfortable. “Lots of things: student council, homework, photography club, and writing club. What about you?” She turned to look at him with her dark blue eyes, curious. “There is soccer, student council, and homework mainly for me. Usagi and I work hard together to keep our grades high.” Their conversation was cut short as the lights dimmed and the movie began. “Did you like the part where he punched the guy and the guy fell down? Or…when he saved the woman? Or maybe his expression when he knew he was tricked?” Ami continued to speak excitedly about the movie as they walked to where Mamoru had parked his car. He let Ami in her door and walked around the front of the car to let himself in, and Ami must have waited as well, for she began to chatter about the movie incessantly the entire ride home. * I just wish she would stop! Yes…it was good, but definitely not THAT good. * Ami began to slow down her talking as they neared her home, suddenly becoming shy and soon the only sound in the car was of their breathing. Mamoru parked the car smoothly along the curbside and then ran around to Ami’s side to let her out and escort her to the door. “Well…” Ami began, her voice only a whisper, “That was fun. I hope that we can do it again sometime soon.” “Yes, lets.” Mamoru answered as he tilted her head up so that her blue eyes gazed into his own. He leaned down and Ami closed her eyes, her lips parting expectantly.
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