Author's Note: hooray! Another exciting chapter of my story! I'm so glad you all like it- and gomen nasai I haven't updated faster! . Sumimasen! However, I don't think you will be too disappointed- for all those Yuki fans out there, he takes his shirt off- and our main character Therese gives a rather detailed description. >. I'm bad, but you love it! Now then- ROLL FILM!
Disclaimer: The snack that smiles back, Goldfi- WHOOPS! Sorry, wrong one! You know the drill- not mine.
CHAPTER FOUR: I could get used to this…
Sliding the door shut behind her, muffling the sound of Hatori's car as it drove away, Therese was bout to have a heart attack.
OhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygod! Therese was thinking, panicked, leaning against the door for support, He KNEW! He knows I'm a girl! It's all over now- I can't believe I thought I could pull this off! Now I'm going to be sent back to St. Jude's, probably be on probation, if not expelled, my parents will be in disgrace, and I could be arrested for falsifying documents! I'M TOO YOUNG TO GO TO JAIL!
"Hey!"
"No, I'm innocent!" Therese cried out.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Huh?" Therese said, realizing what she had said, and she turned around.
It was Kyo- and he froze. What on earth…? He thought. What's with him? Kyo looked at Therese and his stomach dropped- there was just something about the way the new boy looked; the way the exchange student's cheeks were blushing, making them pink, the way Thomas' eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and the expression of sadness that he was giving Kyo now. It startled him into silence.
"Sohma-kun?" Therese asked, afraid maybe Kyo had just figured out that she was a girl.
Kyo shook his head, reached into his pocket, and handed a handkerchief to Therese.
"You could at least stay here for a couple days before you start crying to go home." Kyo said harshly, "Look- I just came to tell you that you're gonna be sleeping in that damn Yuki's room, alright? And lunch is gonna be soon, so get your crap put away!"
Kyo began to walk off, but Therese said, "Wait!" and reached out to stop him. She got a hand full of his shirt, and Kyo jerked back in surprise.
"Hey, What's the big idea?" Kyo shouted, turning on Therese.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Therese yelped, and letting go of his shirt, stepping back, putting her hands up, "I just wanted to ask…why you were mad at me…"
Kyo blinked, before heaving a deep sigh, and putting his hands in his pockets.
"I'm not mad at you- It's just…Look- I lose my temper real easy, so if I get mad or yell at you, just know I'm not really mad at you, ok? Now hurry up- lunch will be starting soon."
Kyo stalked off, and Therese wasn't too convinced. Either he's mad at me….or REALLY mad at someone else…I wonder who it could be….
Oh well, I guess I'll find out soon enough, Therese said to herself as she sighed, and picked up her suitcase, heading upstairs in Kyo's wake…
Once Kyo had shown Therese around the house, he disappeared into his own bedroom, leaving Therese outside Yuki's bedroom door.
Therese gulped.
Okay, now, I know he and I didn't quite get off to the spectacular start I thought we would, and he's not exactly as I pictured him- but that's no reason we can't become good friends now! I'm sure once I get him to open up a little, he's really a good guy and a loyal friend. He's right on the other side of this door, and all I gotta do is just swing this door open, smile real big, and be the nicest person I know how!
After she got her self pumped up with her little pep talk, Therese grasped the handle of the door, slid it open, and said, "Hey, there, roomie!" with a big grin.
But Therese's eyes flashed open and her mouth dropped-
There was Yuki, half naked. Therese saw his discarded shirt rumpled carelessly on the floor, but her main focus was on Yuki's body. Therese had to admit- no other boy she knew had a body like that. His chest was much more defined and toned than most teenage boys- he was broad in the chest and shoulders, and his pearly skin only made him more appealing. She was slightly behind him, and Yuki- without knowing she was there- proceeded to pull his pants zipper down. Therese caught a flash of navy blue boxers before she turned away, knocked loudly on the wall and said in an unnaturally high voice, "Hey, there! Sorry to intrude, but Kyo-san said I should just come in, But I apologize, I didn't know you were changing, I'll just come back later when you're decent-"
"Oh, no-that's quite all right," Yuki said, holding up his pants with one hand as he walked over, and shut the door with the other- before Therese could leave.
"Eep!" Therese squeaked softly as his strong arm brushed her shoulder.
"I'll be done in a minute- I hope you don't mind. You can go ahead and unpack while I get changed. Besides, it's not like it's anything you haven't seen before, right?" Yuki said teasingly.
"R-Right!" Therese peeped, turning her back on Yuki while he changed, spending an exaggerated amount of time putting her clothes in the chest of drawers.
"There we go," Yuki said finally, and Therese turned around. She was relieved, yet slightly disappointed that the prince was dressed, but she suppressed both feelings, smiling at Yuki, and giving him a thumbs up. "You look great. I bet all the girls just LOVE you!"
Yuki gave her a polite, yet distant, smile and nodded saying, "Yes, I suppose they do. . ." before leaving the room, and shutting the door behind him.
Arching an eyebrow, Therese thought, Okaaaaay- a little creepy, yes- but I'm sure he's a real nice guy deep down!
That's gotta be it- he's just shy! Well, I promise you, Yuki Sohma- by the time I leave here, you and me will be best friends!
Therese locked the door securely before pulling off her own clothes- the last thing she needed now was unwanted interruption. Therese looked in the mirror, studying herself from all angles. Lana had shown her how to strap her boobs down- not that they're that big to begin with, Therese thought despondently. Therese saw her reflection in the mirror as she turned around looking at herself in her underwear- and she tugged irritated at the long, stretchy cloth that kept her breasts down. Damn thing! So itchy!
Y'know- Therese thought, turning her head to one side,- I really don't look half bad as a boy. In fact, I think I look pretty handsome! Maybe it's good that I'm not as curvy as Lana. . .I'm a little on the short side though- especially compared to Yuki and Kyo. But I don't think anyone will think about it- they'll just chalk it up to me being American or something. There is my voice though. . .Do I sound a lot like a girl? I don't know- I've never really considered that before. . .I guess I kinda do- and Lana always said my laugh was really girly. But I don't want to lower my voice and end up sounding like the Terminator or something. . I dunno- I guess I'll go with what I have for now- and I'll think about it later if someone says something. But for now- I need to find some clothes to wear. . .
Therese turned, and looked around the room. She had only unpacked her less-feminine clothes, and now she locked up her suitcase with her dresses, bras, skirts, and blouses in it, and hid it in the back of he closet. Digging through her clothes in the two drawers Yuki emptied out for her, she finally decided on a plain black t-shirt, and some boy's cargo shorts she had swiped from Lost and Found at St. Jude's. She normally paired the shorts with a cute halter top- to show off her petite figure, but now, they helped disguise her girlish body. They were loose on her, and hung down to her knees like most boy's shorts did- and coupled with her short hair and flattened chest, Therese was confident that no one would be any the wiser about her real gender.
Stepping out in the hallway, Therese bumped into something hard and fell over.
"WAAAAAUGH!" Therese cried out as the ground rushed up to meet her. She landed hard on her butt, and knocked her head against the floor, and she heard the thing she bumped into fall over as well.
But then the thing spoke- or rather- yelled.
"GODDAMNIT!"
Looking across from her, Therese saw Kyo fallen on the floor in the middle of what looked like a dozen scattered towels.
"Oh- I'm so sorry!" Therese said, sitting up, "I really didn't mean to run into you, it's just I opened the door, and there you were, and I guess I wasn't really paying close attention-"
"JUST SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled, rubbing a spot on his head where it had hit the floor, "Will you stop babbling? You give me a headache! Jeez- I try to be nice and bring you the damn towels like Shigure tells me to, and what I get? I get pushed to the ground! Can't I take two steps in this house without ramming into you?"
"Hey!" Therese cried out indignantly, "That's not fair! I already apologized! And besides- I've hardly been in this house an hour- so you can't say you always run into me! I mean, can't I take two steps in this house without you ripping my head off about one thing or another?"
"What did you say?" Kyo said angrily, advancing on Therese and clenching his fist, "WHY DON"T I REALLY RIP YOUR HEAD OFF, AND SEE IF THAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER?"
Therese's eyes flashed in fear, and she scrambled to get away, still on the floor. So much for the guys here being nicer than in America! This guy's LOST it!
Kyo advanced, gritting his teeth and thinking angrily, Who does this new guy think he is! Does he think he can just waltz in here and start ordering me around? Well, I'll show him who's in charge here! Kyo raised his fist, about to punch the new guy as hard as he could across the face.
HOLY SHIT! He's really gonna hit me! Therese thought in alarm. It was too late to move out of the way, so Therese turned her head, and raised her right arm across her face to protect herself as best she could. Shutting her eyes as tightly as possible and bracing herself, Therese waited for the blow--- but it never came.
Blinking her eyes open warily, Therese looked up at Kyo- who was looking right back at her.
What the-? Kyo said to himself, What is this? He. . looks so. .The new guy just looks so. . I can't describe it- he's so . . .scared- but there's something else that I can't quite put my finger on. . .What is it about him?
When he realized that the new kid was looking up at him, Kyo gasped, and blushed a bit.
"KYO!"
Therese looked behind Kyo- and to her relief, there stood Yuki- though he looked less than pleased to see Kyo.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You imbecile! Right after our guest gets here you try to PUNCH him? What's your damage? Are state certified insane, or something?" Yuki admonished, lending a hand and helping Therese off the floor.
Kyo lowered his fist, looking angry with himself more than he was at Yuki.
"Just shut up! Stop going on like you know what you're talking about!" Kyo said in reply.
"Well, excuse me if I stopped you from beating our guest to a pulp when all Shigure told you to do was give him a few towels!" Yuki retorted, placing an arm around Therese protectively.
Therese looked down hard at the floor, trying not to show how bad she was blushing. OhmyGOD! His arm's around me! I can feel his muscles- he feels so strong! I guess he does do martial arts. Wow- Yuki is so. . .noble! To have saved me like that! I really thought I was done for. .
Kyo noticed the way the new kid blushed, and instantly a flame of rage engulfed his heart and his anger blew up again.
"Whatever, you damn rat! Just-- take your new boyfriend there and get outta my sight!"
And with that, Kyo turned on his heel, went into his own bedroom, and slammed the door HARD behind him.
Though Therese blushed harder at Kyo's gay remark, Yuki wasn't phased at all. He merely sighed, and kept his arm around Therese before saying, "Let's get some lunch, shall we?" and he steered her downstairs into the dining room.
Walking down the hall, Therese pondered, I wonder why Kyo just stopped like that when he was about to punch me? Why did he hesitate? He looked . . .shocked about something. . Gasp! Has he figured out I'm a girl?... Therese snuck a glance over at Yuki, and a small grin flickered across her face. Well- I don't care what Kyo does- so long as Yuki will always be here to protect me. . .I could get used to this!. . .
Back in his room, Kyo flopped across his bed, feeling frustrated.
Why did I hesitate, damnit, he thought darkly, And why did I just snap like that when the new kid blushed? I'd blush, too, if that damn rat put his arm around me. . .but- his blush was different. The new kid blushed like. . .he was enjoying it. . .
Kyo shook his head, realizing he was blushing himself. That guy, though--Thomas--that face he made- when I was about to hit him. . .it was so- sensitive. . .He looked almost. . .pretty, I guess would be the word.
I just HATED seeing that damn rat's arm around him, though! I just got so ANGRY!
Gasping, Kyo thought in alarm, Wait. . .am I. . .jealous?
And Kyo sat silently on his bed for a long time. . .deep in thought. . .
My Two Cents: Sorry it took so long for an update- I'm in Japan right now, and I just keep putting it off and putting it off- but now I've finally updated. Hope you all likey-likey! I'll try and get the next chapter up soon- sweatdrops but I'm not making any promises… Also- I don't quite know where to take the story line from here! HELP WOULD BE IMMENSLY APPRECIATED! Help me get some inspiration here, people!