A/N: Hey y'all! Ciel and Lizzy 4ever here! May I just say that it is an honor and a pleasure to be writing with my best friend IRL, Irony'sFriend. This all started out as a simple roleplay when we were in a major SoMa mood, and it turned so good that we were like, "Why don't we turn this into a collab story?" AND BAM. Here we are. Anywhoozle, this is anticlimatic because this story is written on Jess's account and all, but I actually wrote this prologue - and had great fun doing so. I'm not used to writing in the first person POV, and I thought it would be REALLY funny to see things from Maka's viewpoint. And we've had so much fun with it! Anywho, I hope y'all enjoy this story! Reviews would be appreciated, whether it be constructive criticism or helpful advice! Ciao!

Hey there, this is Irony'sFriend! So my dearest Taylor has already said all the important stuff, and I'm just glad to be doing this with her. It's been a ton of fun so far, and we're not even finished! I can't take any credit for the genius prologue, but I'll see you guys later on! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Neither of us own Soul Eater.

Maka Albarn's Day Off

MAKA, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!

That's probably what you're thinking right now, isn't it? Yeah, well, me, too. In fact, I probably couldn't tell you how many times I've thought that from then until now. I've repeated it in my head over and over like some kind of mantra.

Wait, some of you probably don't know what I'm even talking about, huh? Okay, back up.

I ditched school.

There. Yeah, I said it. You heard me (or, uh, read that) right.

And it wasn't just a single class either. It was an entire day of school that I purposely skipped.

Yes, that's right, folks. Purposely. I did it on purpose.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Me, who puts all the stock into perfect attendance and my studies (I even study for exams a month beforehand in thorough preparation), played hooky - on purpose. "How uncharacteristic of her!" you're probably exclaiming in horrified shock. "The Maka I know would never do that! Is she becoming a daredevil, a rebel, a badass?"

Well, all no to those three disturbing questions. I'm pretty sure you're thinking of my partner, which is exactly the person you have to thank for my break in perfect attendance.

But you know, as much as it pissed me off to be forced to skip school, it didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would. It was... really fun, actually. Not that I'd ever do it again, of course. I do have a reputation to uphold.

It's a long story. And, if you're thinking what I'm thinking, you're probably wondering how Soul could ever be able to convince me to do something like that. ...Like I said before, long story. Never would I ever have thought in my fifteen years that Soul would be able to influence me in such a way either. It was a spur of the moment thing, and Soul can be convincing when he wants to be, but it wasn't necessarily because of that. It was.. what he said. The pros and cons of having a best friend: they know everything about you. What makes you tick. And well.. he said just the thing that he knew would get me thinking. And then, just like that, I was roped into it. I really need to work on that.

I'd had no idea what was coming that morning. It started out like any regular morning, me making breakfast and waking up Soul for school. Usually he'd get right up at the smell of food when I awoke him, but this time was different. He didn't budge. Noticing how uncharacteristic it was of him, I decided to go for a different approach to make sure he was actually awake. I walked to his bed and shook up, trying to rouse him. "C'mon, Soul, I cooked your favorite," I'd said in hopes that would work better, even though I hadn't. I'd just made pancakes. His favorite breakfast is a couple of BLTs.

Okay, this is where this story takes a turn for the weird. Soul didn't so much as crack an eye open or even try to respond to me, the jerk. He just blindly reached out and grabbed me, then - get this - pulled me down to the bed. My first initial thought was that he was either dead asleep or just really insane and needed a book to the head. Of course, my body was too stunned to follow my brain's orders to try to scramble away, but by the time it actually got the message and started to struggle, Soul had a death grip on me.

"Soul, wake up right now!" I snapped, writhing. "We're going to be late!"

And then finally he spoke, his mumbling voice slurred with sleep. "God forbid you ruin your perfect attendance record."

"Exactly! Which is why we need to leave in the next ten minutes! Now get your lazy butt up right now!" Usually by now my pestering would win the argument and he'd get up, complaining all the while, but he didn't budge. I wondered what the heck was wrong with him.

"It's Friday, not like we're missing anything."

"Listen to me, Soul Eater Evans! Unless you wanna stay a one-star weapon your entire life and not become a Death Scythe, we need to go right now!"

And then finally, Soul dropped the bomb on me. "C'mon, Maka. Live a little and play hooky for once."

I stopped, gaping at him as if he'd asked me to do the limbo in my birthday suit, which he might as well have. "... What?" I finally managed to respond after being stunned into silence for a good eight seconds.

"You heard me." Soul finally opened one red eye.

"Okay, I don't know if you had a bowl of stupid for breakfast when I wasn't looking or whatever, but you'd have better luck convincing Liz to chew her nails. There's no way I'm skipping school."

"Bowl of stupid? That's the best you can come up with? Funny," Soul remarked, his voice laced in sarcasm as he gave his eye a roll upwards.

"Well, whatever. Let go of me. Even if you're not going, I am." I tried to wiggle my way out of his iron grip.

Soul made an irritated sound, starting to get more awake. "You're already late enough as it is. You'd be late for school even if we drove there on my bike, much less if you go on your own by foot."

I gasped. How had the time slipped by me?! Stupid Soul! I hadn't even brushed my teeth yet! "Which is why I should get going now!" I cried out, wildly thrashing now. Soul lifted his arm, granting me freedom, and just like that I ended up on the floor.

Soul tsked. "Too bad.. and to think I was even gonna take you out. Oh well, more sleep for me." He turned over.

I stopped cold in midstride out the door, slowly turning to face his blankets-laden form. "W...What did you just say?" I remember thinking that I must've misheard, that there was no way in Death City, Nevada, or even on this earth, or in this universe, that my partner would say something like that. He'd said once himself that he'd never settle for a flatchested girl like me. There was no way. But I couldn't deny the annoyingly warm feeling that crept up in your chest, like when you're reading a romance novel and the climax comes when the boy finally confesses the feelings that he's been coming to terms with the entire introduction to the girl or vice versa. But there's no way that would ever happen to me. No.. it couldn't be. I covered up the sudden flush of heat that filled my face with a glare. "Stop playing around, Soul. This isn't funny!"

Soul turned over to lay on his back, arms behind his head, raising swift white eyebrows at me, obviously fully awake now. How could he always look so unintentionally hot like that?! Wait.. no, I didn't just think that. No. I was sleep deprived and stressed and needed to leave for school now. But something kept me rooted to the spot. "I was serious."

My mouth suddenly felt so dry and I considered running to get a glass of water and a shred of my dignity before responding, but words were out before my body would obey my brain. "What are you saying?"

"I like a little girls with edge. That's what I'm saying." One side of his mouth quirked up in one of his small trademark lopsided smirks.

I studied him suspiciously for Lord Death knows how long. And, what do you know? That was all it took. "Don't make me regret this, Soul." As much as his words made my heart do some kind of crazy flipflop spastic dance (figuratively, that is, obviously), I wasn't sure what to believe. How could I expect to take his words seriously when it was obvious he only put stock into anything that had boobs?

"You won't," Soul said with such smug certainty I wanted to whack him over the head with a book. But before I could, he added, "Now change out of your school clothes."

Now, don't think I was peer pressured into this, that I only agreed to look "cool" in his eyes, to look like I had edge. I could've easily turned him down, believe you me. It wasn't any of that. I didn't accept to make him like me.

It's just... maybe it's good to trust your partner's judgment instead of your own sometimes, you know?

Maybe.

And that's where our crazy story begins.