AN- Sorry for the wait! I've been busy working on other fics. But anyways, I'm back, and I hope my taking forever didn't like discourage you from reading. Enjoy~!

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure we all know that I own nothing. So, the point of this disclaimer is pretty much moot.

Warning: Ling Tong. As a slightly---just slightly, I swear! It's mostly an act!---flamboyant gay. You have been warned. Also, you might notice my writing style is just a bit different. Mostly, it's in her italicized thoughts that it comes out. Her first couple of layers are sugary sweet determination, but deeper inside, she has some snark to show. That's what the italicized thoughts are for. Now if only she had a target other than herself...

The Beginnings of a Battle Plan

I couldn't exactly go dashing to my room. It's too close, and Zhou Yu might try to yell apologies at me through the door, alerting everyone else of what's happening, and I do not want them knowing of what I've just found out. I'd rather not know myself! And waiting for the elevator's also a no-go. He'll catch me while I'm waiting for it to come up or for the doors to close. So, the only option I have left is… the stairs.

Hardly ever used, the stairs were built in a corner of sorts, so they were out of the way. After all, who in their right mind would choose stairs over an elevator? But, for once, I'm glad they're there. It gives me another escape route.

I thrust open the door to the staircase, and without looking back---if I see his face, I might hesitate. And… I don't exactly want him to see the look on my face, either, as that puffy near-tears state is never attractive---start rushing downwards. Down, down, in an endless spiral…

Three whole flights of stairs later, I stop, tired and dizzy to the point of nausea. It's only then that I realize: I can't hear another pair of footsteps following me. Zhou Yu… he… he never even bothered to follow me.

To me, this thought is the equivalent of having a knife run through my chest. And twisted.

Holding back tears, I stagger to my feet, still fighting back waves of vertigo and the urge to hurl up yesterday's lunch, before opening the door leading to the second floor and stumbling through the hall. Truthfully, I have no idea where I'm going: I just know that I'm going.

I want to stop right there in the hallway and cry, but my tattered pride remains stubborn, refusing to let me do that in public. I'm not gonna last much longer, so I've gotta find a place nearby where I can have a little peace and quiet to cry my eyes out in.

Every floor has a broom closet.

Since my father owns this hotel, I even know exactly where to find it. So, I rush towards it as quickly as I can and tear open the door to find…

Oops. My bad.

It's already occupied.

Now, normally, in a situation like this---this being me basically walking in on a couple making out---I'd hurry and apologize before rushing away, embarrassed, especially considering it was two guys who I'd caught in the act. Not this time. Considering the circumstances that had brought me here, seeing those two guys going at it caused the tears I'd been holding back begin to spring to my eyes once more and overflow.

Barely resisting the temptation to break down right then and there, I snapped, "Get a room!" and promptly slammed the door in their surprised faces.

Then I crumpled to the ground and sobbed quietly. There's only so much a girl can take! I mean, how could Zhou Yu do this to me?! If his conversation Sun Ce meant anything, then surely he knew---they both knew---how I felt? But still, he'd go behind my back and make out with his best friend? I mean, I know it wasn't official, or anything, but we were almost dating…

…Right?

I just don't understand… what do I do now?

I could hear the door opening behind me, but couldn't bring myself to care. A deep voice mumbled, "What's wrong with her?" but, for some reason, sounded distorted… The vertigo was back, and it was stronger than ever. I felt… like…

I picked myself off the ground slowly, wobbling. My vision was blurring. A few words slipped out of my mouth without my even realizing it: "I think… I'm gonna… pass out." Yeah, way to state the obvious, Xiao. What brilliant last words…

Then all I saw was black.

When I awoke, I was on a bed, there was a cool washrag on my forehead, and a presence beside me. I glanced around the room, my vision adjusting slowly.

The boy beside me noticed me, then. "Oh, you're awake?"

I nodded slowly, and another wave of dizziness overcame me. "Yeah… ugh." Not only did I feel crappy, but my voice was hoarse and dry.

The boy smiled and got up to walk over to the small fridge found in all the rooms here, ponytail---that's right, a ponytail. It's the first time I've ever seen a guy with a true ponytail, Sun Ce's shorter semi-ponytail not counting---swishing as he did so. When he returned, he had a glass of water ready for me. "Here you are. This should make you feel better!"

I sat up slowly, and reached for the glass before drinking greedily. The water took effect immediately, and I already felt immensely better. Until my stomach protested with a large growl and terrible hunger pangs, that is.

Mr. Ponytail chuckled. "I figured you'd passed out because you hadn't eaten. I've actually already got food ready for you, so just let me heat it back up."

Again, he left my side to wander, this time actually venturing into another room. When he came back, he had a steaming hot plate of spaghetti for me. I could already feel my mouth watering, it looked that good.

The moment that plate was in my hands, I started devouring it swiftly. I know, that was like really gross and unladylike of me, but I was hungry.

The boy watched me the whole time, amused. "So, am I to assume that you're one of those girls who starve themselves on diets?" He paused to appraise me. "Though you seem plenty thin already, hon."

I blushed under his scrutiny. "I swear I'm not that type of girl. I just…" I stopped to think, and blushed harder as I realized something. "…haven't eaten since last night, is all…" But I'm not that kind of girl. I swear. Honestly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And why, pray tell, is that?"

"I just forgot, okay? I was too nervous and excited about-" I cut myself off as the memories came flooding back to me. Suddenly, I was once again resisting the urge to cry. And the mere fact that those small thoughts brought me to tears, was, well, pretty pathetic…

Mr. Ponytail settled onto the bed next to me and put his hands on my shoulders, rubbing them gently. "…About…?"

Maybe it was the fact that whatever he was doing to my shoulders felt really good, or perhaps I just really needed to tell someone---or maybe it's because he's so feminine I might as well be talking to another girl, and it's so easy to tell a friendly girl everything---but I stupidly decided to start spilling my story to him. A complete stranger.

Yeah. I'm just the most brilliant, anorexic person in the world! Whoo!

Sniffling, I began, "…I was nervous and excited about spending two whole weeks with the guy of my dreams."

Again, he raised an eyebrow. "I take it things didn't go too well?"

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry…

"Ugh! That's the understatement of the century!"

Mr. Ponytail rolled his eyes. "Now you're being just a tad melodramatic, don't you think, sweets?"

I simultaneously flushed red from anger at his blasé response and internally cringed at his overly-flamboyant words. In the end, the latter emotion won out, and I found myself asking, "Why do you talk like that? It's just weird! I mean, are you trying to let people know you're gay? Because, well, if I hadn't found you and your boyfriend in the closet---" Insert his eyebrows leaping way up as he catches on to my completely intended double meaning here, "---and had met you normally, I'd still realize you were gay by now!"

He mutters a, "Rude!" in response---and I'm forced to admit, he's right. I'm not nearly this mean, generally. I guess it's true that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned---but it's almost completely drowned out by nearby laughter.

It's The Boyfriend. His laugh is reminiscent to a horse. His hair looks like a bird's nest. Seriously. I gawk at his hair for a good few minutes, giving Mr. Ponytail the time he needs to formulate a response.

"Call it a defense mechanism."

This not only catches my attention, but also shuts The Animal up as a nice bonus.

Then, I kindly say, "Come again?"

He frowns. "A defense mechanism. Years of experience have taught me that you women are far more persistent than men. If I acted indifferent, they'd chase me anyway, as they would if I claimed to have a girlfriend. Acting so outrageous really is the only way to get them to leave me alone, sadly enough."

For some reason, I take offense at that. Probably because it makes me feel like the guilty party in the Xiao-Zhou Yu-Sun Ce triangle. "Hey, now! I'm sure guys can be just as annoyingly unrelenting as girls!"

He rolls his eyes again. "Think again, princess." Ooh, biting sarcasm. It suits him, actually…

"Hey. Still in there?" I snap out of my daydreaming and nod, looking anywhere but his face. "For instance, in the pursuit of… someone, I tried almost everything to get him. My last resort was to impersonate the so called 'fairer sex', because that's what I thought he liked."

"Wait! You mean… dress up like a girl?"

"No, a monkey. Of course a girl! But, the thing is, I've still got my pride, and I refused to go through with it in the end."

Here I have to ask. "…So did you get the guy?"

He glares. "No." Hah! See, perseverance is better! If you would've just tried that last ditch effort, maybe you would've… "I got something better, because I waited for someone who didn't need me to be so outrageous and untrue. Patience is key."

I slide my glance towards the smug goliath blocking the door, and bite my lip so I can keep from saying that if that is better, his judgment must be seriously skewed. "…And what does this have to do with your previous argument, exactly?"

He sighs. "Sometime after all this, I acquired a rather… fixated fan in the form of a girl about three years my junior. Much like I had earlier, she tried everything in her power to tear me away from my current partner. Can you guess what her last try was?"

My eyes widen as the imagery comes easily. A young girl, probably about my age. Long silky hair, a crush on an upperclassman, and a truckload of determination. "No way…"

He levels his stare with mine. "Yes way. Though she made a rather sloppy boy. Had no clue what she was doing." A baggy shirt to hide her breasts. Long pants to hide her clean shaven, creamy legs. Hair tucked messily under a hat. Unperfected dude-walk. Speaking in low tones, with idiotic slang thrown left and right. All for the man she loves, because---to give up this far in the game just isn't an option.

That could be me.

I stand. Deliver a parting shout: "O-one case doesn't prove that you're right, ya know! And even if we are more perseverant, so what? It's a good thing!"

I shoved The Boyfriend out of the way, ignoring his angry and startled shouts---and expletives---and rush out the door. I'm smiling, tears long gone.

Come tomorrow, it's game time.

AN- ...But before that, it's dinner time. With "Daddy". And now that I've finally continued (I bet y'all thought this was a dead fic, didn't ya?), whadaya think? I actually really dislike the first part of this, but I kind of like the ending… Hopefully I'll update sooner next time. At least things are finally starting to get rolling (I'm trying to slow down a bit, actually. I think I rushed into things last chapter).