The Stolen Football

It was a very sunny day in the city of Paris, France. The harsh sunlight beat down on the people below. At the constabulary, Charlie, they private eye, stood as if she were waiting for something. But she wasn't at all. There was something troubling her. Not long ago, precisely the day before this day, her football had mysteriously vanished. Charlie thought through the events of yesterday, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Charlie wiped the sweat off her forehead as the thought, tapping her chin with the second knuckle of her finger.

"Where could it's be?" She scrunched her eyebrows together.

The day before today, yesterday, she was in her 'regular' form. It started off with rising for breakfast, eating breakfast, putting on her clothes, taking her now lost soccer ball with her out of the house and walking to the cafe. She could recall the day like it was yesterday...because it really was yesterday. So, there she was, sipping some nice, cool, iced tea and eating her lemon cake. She didn't notice anything different then- She was sure of it. As she closed her eyes for a sip of her tea, she never realized that the Rhythm Thief sat across from her. She opened her eyes with a startled expression, even scooting further away from the table because of the sudden shock.

"Phantom R!" She growled loudly, staying in a position she couldn't move from, "What are you doing here?!"

"Is it illegal for me to go out to the cafe for some coffee?" He asked with a teasing smirk.

"Seeing that you're a criminal, YES, it MIGHT be illegal!" She hissed, and scooted back towards the table.

The thief let out a deep chuckle, kicked his feet on the table and leaned back in his chair. Charlie looked away, as if she were annoyed, which she was, partly, but, in reality, she deeply enjoyed his company.

"Well," She grumbled, "What is it that you want?" She asked.

"I wanted to see you." He said, stroking her cheeks and causing her to blush a deep red.

She swatted his hand away with her flustered expression and glared at him.

"Keep you're hands to yourself!"

Phantom R chuckled again, lightly this time.

"Oh, Charlie...Why do you despise me so?" He asked.

"Don't try to be poetic to me!" She growled. And I don't despise you. She wanted to add.

She finished off the last of her tea and pushed the plate of lemon cake to him. She took her soccer ball and placed it on her hip.

"Finish that for me." She insisted, and walked away from the cafe.

"Charlie, I-"

But it was too late. She was far away from him. In fact, she started running, yes, in her dress. After that little episode, she went back home to change into her soccer uniform for practice, which she almost forgot of that day. Hastily, she made her way to the football field.

"Hello, Charlotte!" Urbain, her rival, waved to her.

Charlie scoffed and stuck out her tongue to him.

"Besides," She said harshly, "it's Charlie!"

Urbain laughed loudly and walked over to her.

"Ready for another round?" He asked mischievously, with a stupid smirk on his face.

"Fine," Charlie agreed.

The match started quickly after that. Charlie sprinted to get the ball, then she kicked it to the goal, hoping it would go in. SCORE! Halfway through the game, Charlie noticed a familiar figure on the bleachers. It was Phantom R...

"What does he want?" She asked, frowning and scrunching her eyebrows together.

"Charlie, do you still want to play?" Urbain asked, running up to her.

"Of course I do! Why would you think I-" She paused. Well, of course he would think that. She was standing in front of the ball, in the middle of the field, staring at Phantom R who was staring right back at her and laughing, too. Wait, LAUGHING!? He was laughing at her. "URGH!" She yelled angrily, and kicked the soccer black to the thief's head.

Snapping out from his laughing craze, he expertly kicked the ball right back, making it hit Urbain's chest and sending him down to the ground. Charlie laughed this time along Phantom R.

Not long after that episode, Charlie packed up her things and went back home. At her house, she made herself lunch and ate it. Later, she went to the constabulary to check it there was anything she could do. Nothing. So she went home, wrote in her diary, read a book, played her DS, and then made dinner. She ate dinner alone, since the inspector, or her father, was still at work. After the dinner, she went upstairs and brushed her teeth, took a shower, put on her pajamas and brushed her hair. She plopped tiredly on her bed. Beside her, her bag she usually brought to football practice laid. She dumped it's contents onto the bed, and put them back where they belonged. That's when it hit her. Her soccer ball was no longer there.

So here Charlie was, tapping her chin wildly, engrossed in the question: 'Where was my football?' There was nothing different from yesterday and today, except that today was exceptionally hot, but that didn't matter. Charlie took out her pencil and notepad, then scribbled down some things:

What did she lose? She lost her soccer ball

Why is it missing? She didn't know, so she just left that empty.

When was it missing? Yesterday, she thought.

How did it go missing? She didn't know this one, either.

Who is the culprit? She didn't know that either.

Charlie was perplexed. What had happened yesterday? Why? Who did it? She put the notepad and pencil away. She was Charlie the private eye, and she WAS going to find out what happened to her soccer ball. Charlie dashed off to the football field. Her first suspect was Urbain- He was always the one to trick her.

"Urbain!" She called to the ginger, waving her hands in the air to catch his attention.

His attention did turn to her, and he stopped bouncing his ball on his knee. Instantly, through the look on her face, he knew something was wrong. He rushed over to her and smiled worriedly.

"Are you okay?" He asked, wanting to cradle her cheek in his hand.

"No, well, yes, but no." She sighed, "I lost my football."

Urbain blinked at her, not really sure what emotion to convey to her.

"What?" He finally spoke, "When? Where? Why? How?"

"Stop asking questions!" She snapped abruptly, flailing her arms in the air. She pointed accusingly to Urbain, "I was about to ask YOU questions!"

"Okay, okay!" He held up his hands in surrender, "What is it?"

"I'm going to cut the conversation short. Did you steal it?" She asked as calm as she could manage.

"No," He replied truthfully- even Charlie saw he wasn't lying.

Charlie 'hmph-ed' in annoyance and crossed her arms angrily. If her prime suspect wasn't the culprit, who was it? Charlie wiped off some jewels of sweat that hung on her forehead.

"Thanks," She muttered, barely audible, and left the red-head along on the field.

Charlie shook off her coat and sat down on a public bench. She looked up at the sky, sub-consciously grimacing, and sighed. Maybe her father knew where it was? No, she didn't see him yesterday. And he would never steal her soccer ball. And if he did, for what purpose. Charlie entwined her fingers together and started that the pavement, annoyed at everything. She huffed and fiddled with her fingers. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap... Charlie looked up. A black and white ball bounced up and down a bit on the sidewalk and slowly rolled towards her. She stared at it blankly, and it hit her right foot not long after. She kept on staring at it, until if hit her. Charlie's eyes widened with surprise and her mouth hung slightly agape. It was...her soccer ball? Charlie picked it up, still bewildered at the sudden appearance of the ball. What had happened? Charlie looked up, and there he was. Phantom R, laying on a tree with his fingers on the brim of the hat. His greenish-brown eyes looked into her blueish-green ones. He smirked at her, let go of his hat and walked slyly to her.

"Ph-Phantom R?!" She exclaimed, "YOU were the culprit this whole TIME?!"

Charlie was angry! How dare he? He stole he ball, made her waste her time, and made her sulk for nothing?!

"Now, now, Charlie," He cooed, "I didn't steal it, if that what you think."

"Excuse me?!"

"I held onto it, you forgetful girl."

"Ferme ta bouche!" She shouted angrily, "That's stealing! What happened?!"

"Charlie, Charlie, dear," He laughed gently, "allow me to explain."

Charlie shut her mouth and pursed her lips, glaring daggers at Phantom R. She nodded her head to tell him to start.

"It's not much of a story, really," R laughed, "all there is to it is that you accidentally left it behind in the football field, so I took it with me. I tried to find you today to give it back and here we are! See?"

"That sounds too innocent to be true." Charlie narrowed her eyes in doubt.

"Well, I also thought of the advantages."

"Advantages of what?" She growled. Her heart beat faster with every word he spoke.

"To see you."

She could have fainted right there if she could of. Her cheeks instantly flushed into a bright pink color. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth to stop from uttering a word.

"W-what?" Her voice trembled.

The thief said not a word. He smiled happily and slowly leaned in to kiss her. Their lips connected, making Charlie's heart leap into her throat. Her heart in her throat pounded quickly and intensely. She couldn't help to return the kiss...that was, until she noticed what he was doing. She gasped, then shoved him away as hard as she could.

"Oof!" He grunted, and fell onto the pavement of the sidewalk.

Charlie wiped off the kiss from her lips and bared her teeth to the Rhythm Thief.

"SINCE WHEN DID YOU LOVE ME?!" She cried out angrily, balling up her hands into fist.

The phantom chuckled, and got up, dusting himself off.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out." He smirked, then suddenly vanish from her view.

"I'LL GET YOU PHANTOM!" She shouted to him, hopefully, "And hope that at our next encounter I won't destroy your chance of having kids."

Then, with her ball on her hip, she sprinted to the direction of her house, now that the case was complete.

-Le Fin-