Rukia's POV

What was I thinking? I thought I knew all of the answers and how things are supposed to go and what I was supposed to feel all the time. How naïve I was. Such a stupid, insecure, little girl. So that isn't completely accurate. I did know what I was thinking and what I was feeling; well, for the most part I knew what I was thinking. Is it so wrong for someone so young to just want something and then go after it, even if that person doesn't truly know the meaning behind everything they chose to do? I don't believe that it is so wrong.

I had this fairytale image of my life growing up. I figured that I was going to be a beautiful, strong woman and that a prince was going to come sweep me off of my feet and we were going to live happily ever after. He wasn't going to be just any ordinary prince, he was going to be my best friend, my worst critic, my number one fan, and of course, my prince. Everything was planned out. Every detail of my life was planned out, how it was going to happen, when it was going to happen, and whom it was going to happen with. Everything was going to be perfect, heck, it still could be. My life is far from being over.

Before I can begin to move forward with my life, I guess there are some things that I need to clear up, get off my chest. I graduated high school with honors, had a great 4 year college lined up to begin that fall semester and had my future all planned out. What I didn't have planned out was him. He was never supposed to be a major part of my life, yet there he was, just as plain as day. He was no stranger, quite the opposite actually. I've known Ichigo practically my entire life. We went to elementary and middle school together, played together all the time after school and we were always having great adventures together. He wasn't my best friend, but we were really good friends until High School. Ichigo ended up going to a different high school than I did, in fact, he ended up going to my high school's rival. We definitely didn't see each other as often as we did growing up, but we would see each other on the weekends, at a mutual friends' party, or simply around.

One weekend, in the fall of my senior year in high school, Ichigo and I were at the same party.

"Hey Ichigo! Didn't expect to see you here. This isn't your normal crowd."

Ichigo was more of the loner in high school. He had his friends, sure, but they never really went out much, if they all weren't there, none of them were there. It was a bit strange, but then again, most people preferred it that way since him and his crowd weren't exactly the 'good' kids.

"Yeah, well, my dad kind of needs a driver tonight and since I got in trouble at school, well, lets just say that I'm at his beck-and-call."

"Oh. What did you do this time?"

I wasn't trying to be mean, or to even insinuate that he did do something wrong, though he usually was guilty. I simply wanted to talk to Ichigo. It had been quite a few weeks since the last time I saw him and really got to talk to him alone. Sometimes I missed my childhood friend.

"Sure, blame it on me! I always do something wrong and I'm always guilty, right!" His brown eyes were looking all around him, looking anywhere, and everywhere, but at me.

I could tell that whatever it was that happened, it really bothered him to have me think that he was in the wrong.

"I didn't mean that you actually did it, I just wanted to know what it is that they think you did?" Hopefully that calms him down a bit. Hopefully that will ease us into just having fun with each other, like we used to.

Ichigo got a little smirk on his face and I knew that everything was okay now.

"Yeah well, it doesn't really matter anymore, my sentence is up on Monday, so I'll be back at school and causing more trouble in no time." His smirk was now a full-blown smile and it made me happy to see him smile. "Besides, why would I want to talk about my problems and school when I've got you here to talk to about everything else."

I smiled back at him and let out a little laugh. "You make a very good point."

That was the first night that I started to see Ichigo in a different light. He was still my friend, but different. I wouldn't say that I started liking him at that point, but I definitely had some feelings brewing that weren't completely friend related. I really wanted to put those feelings aside because I had a lot of other things going on with my life and I didn't need unnecessary feelings towards a friend of mine to add to my plate and I knew that Ichigo only every saw me as his little childhood friend and that would probably never change.

Over the next couple of months I didn't really see Ichigo that much. The few times that I did see him I always had some sort of excuse to make a quick getaway. The fall semester went by in the blink of an eye and before I knew it, it was Prom season. It had been a total of 6 months since the party that I talked to him, since I had talked to him at all, other than a 'Hello' or a 'Goodbye.' There he was. Sitting on a bar stool, drinking a coke and talking to some of his friends. It was my friend, Renji's birthday party, so I couldn't just turn around and leave, that would have been rude, besides, Renji was my friend before he had started dating Ichigos' friend Orihime. That would explain why Ichigo was there though, because Orihime was dating Renji, how convenient. Wait, why did I care so much if Ichigo was here? We're just friends, we've only ever been just friends and will always be just friends, in fact, we'll probably drift apart after I leave this town and never talk again.

"Hey Renji! Happy Birthday!"

"Hey Rukia! Thanks. If you want anything to drink or to eat the food is over on the porch and the drinks are in the cooler by the tables."

"Thanks, I think I'll head over there now."

"Okay."

I wasn't really hungry, but I just didn't want to be at the bar counter where Ichigo was sitting. It just felt too awkward. I'm sure that he wouldn't have thought it was awkward, he probably would've just thought I was being weird or something.

"Hey Rukia. How's it going? Haven't talked to you in a while."

I can't believe it; I came over here to avoid him, yet here he stands, right next to me. He was so close that I would have to just lean a little to the left and we would have been touching. Nothing major though, just our arms, but it didn't matter, what mattered is that I wanted to be able to touch him, I wanted to feel the warmth of his skin on mine, and that was unacceptable.

"Hey Ichigo. Yeah, it has been a while. I've been really busy with school and work and stuff." Stuff? I can't believe I just said that I've been busy with stuff. A ten year old says that they are busy with stuff, not an eighteen year old.

"And stuff huh? What kind of stuff?"

There it was. That smile that I have permanently embedded in my head. Every time I think of him he is always wearing that smile. Why does he have to flash that smile at me now?

"Oh you know, the usual, hanging out with my friends, visiting with my brother since I won't be seeing him much of when I go off to college, deciding on what I want to major in, getting ready for Prom and making the arrangements for getting there, where to eat, where to stay afterwards, you know, stuff." Okay, so I was clearly trying to bore him and flirt at the same time. I don't think I did a very good job of either because he was still just looking at me with the same look, completely unfazed by anything that I just said.

"So you're going to your prom then?"

His question completely baffled me. Of course I'm going to my senior prom, it's like a right of passage. It's something that every senior has to do before they can graduate from High School, just so they can say that they went to their High School senior prom.

"Um, yeah, that was the general idea."

"Oh, yeah, um…. so who are you going with?"

"Oh just my normal crowd, Renji, of course Orihime, Rangiku and Tatsuki."

"Wait, so you, three of your girlfriends and Renji are all going to prom together? Is Renji the Pimp or something?"

"NO! Geeze, how could you even think something like that? Rangiku and Tatsuki don't have boyfriends, Orihime, well, it's a given that she'd be going to Renji's prom with him, and Renji and I always said we would go to our senior prom together, to finish out our high school days together. That and I didn't want to go to prom alone."

Ichigo just stared at me for a moment. His expression stayed the same, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking about.

"Well…that sounds like it'll be a lot of fun, I hope you have a really good time at Prom with all of your friends." He quickly flashed me another one of his smiles and then turned to walk away.

I reached out to grab his arm before he could walk away. Something inside me didn't want to end this conversation. Looking into his brown eyes, and the way he kept nervously running his fingers through his bright orange hair. No girl could deny that Ichigo had grown into a very handsome man. His broad shoulders and what I could only imagine a very sexy abdomen radiated sex appeal. No! I need to stop thinking about him like this. It will never happen. Never!

At the feel of my tiny hand grasping his arm, Ichigo turned back to look at me, almost glaring.

"So what about your Prom? Are you going?" I spit out before I regretted even making him stop from walking away from me.

"Nah, Prom is something that I never want to have to experience. If I'm going to spend money on a Saturday night and have fun, then I'm going to do something that I really want to do and not attend some school party." He turned around once again and then he was gone.

Ichigos' POV

Fuck! I was so close to finally asking Rukia out. I've only been pining over this girl since we were kids, but she was always out of my league. She's always been so perfect, so kind to everyone, but to me, well, she treats me like a brother. She's never looked at me the same way she looks at other guys. But then again, why would she? I'm constantly getting into fights, my family isn't exactly swimming in riches, and well, look at me…bright freaking orange hair, I tower over just about everyone and, well okay, I can't really find any faults with my muscles, but still. She'd never go for a guy like me. Though, she did grab my arm when I was about to walk away, what the fuck was that about? She probably just felt bad for me, or something. Next time, next time I'm definitely not going to be such a pussy and just go for it. What's the worst that can happen? She'll be gone in a few months anyway and then I'll probably never see her again or have another chance to touch that beautiful porcelain white skin, or run my fingers through her dark raven hair. Oh fuck! I have got to stop thinking about her like this. I have to get out of this party.

"Hey Renji, great party man. Wish I could stay longer but my dad is trying to get a hold of me, guess it's time to pay for my crimes."

"Oh sure, thanks for coming, I'll see you around!"

And with that I ran out of the party, leaving Rukia behind to probably chat it up with some other guy.