Sorry for the wait! All that wait just for a two-shot! Come on, girl!

Yeah, I know it's just been chaotic! I secretly believe that my teachers all ganged up on me. And on another note I've updated "Bleeding Love" so check it out!

Chapter 2, "Lesson 2"

~Previously~

She slams the door close leaning against it. Her hand flashes to her chest, feeling her heart beat faster than normal. "Holy hell what's wrong with me?"

"A boy is a magical creature—you can lock them out of your workshop but you can't lock them out of your heart."

~Allan Beck

"You touch my hand

These colors come alive

In your heart and in your mind

I cross the borders of time

Leaving today behind to be with you again

Please say my name

Remember who I am

You will find me in the world of yesterday."

"Sup." Butch says sliding next to Kaoru. She sighs, "Leave, please."

"Is that how you treat your friends?"

"Scram, Jojo."

Butch rolls his eyes skywards, "Okay, what's up Matsubara?"

Kaoru glace up at him, staring blankly. "You're not giving up are you? Fine, it's soccer."

Butch nods understandingly, "Got in trouble and the coach grounds you from participating in the finals."

Kaoru's head snaps up again, "How did you know?" The green Ruff laughs softly, "Ah, words gets around."

"It wasn't even my fault! Stupid Suzan, she's the one who came up with the idea of pranking Clarissa not me! I wasn't the one who shoved the roach down her shirt was I?"

"And yet you're the one who got the roach and pulled her shirt for Suzan to shove it in."

She raises her eyebrow, "You're point, Jojo?"

He's hands shot up in a mock surrender. "Jjjjuust sayin'. Come on, cheer up! The coach can't ground you forever; you're the best player in the team! He needs you to win!"

Kaoru sighs quietly, "Not so sure about that."

"Pffft! I am! You're amazing on the field, he has to let you back in!"

He then picks up Kaoru's apple core and throws it to the trash can. It bounces on the rim and lands on the side.

Kaoru giggles, "Nice one, Kobe."

"Haha, watch I'll get it." He goes and picks it up returning to his seat next to her once again. He throws it again it bounces off the rim again.

"Dammit!"

Kaoru involuntarily laughs, feeling more relief than before. "Now I know why you didn't join basketball!"

"Whatever!"

After another horrible attempt, Butch, with a heavy sighs, picks up and throws it directly into the trash can while Kaoru laughs hysterically behind him.

"Wow, dude! You suck at basketball!"

"Whatever, Matsubara. Hey, aren't you late?" She gasps, "Crap! See ya!"

As she scurries along she doesn't know why she has the urge to look back at Butch, when she does she sees him throw away a milk carton into the trash can, it goes in flawlessly.

Kaoru snorts shaking her head turning back down the corridor.

8. Boys make you laugh even when you tell them to scram.

~0~0~0~

"Crap! Crap!" Kaoru chants while rushing to finish her history homework before next period. Besides her a binder slams down and Butch swiftly sits next to her. "Matsubara, I have a confession to make."

"Not now, Jojo."

A pregnant pause fills the lunch table. "I have a crush."

Kaoru stops writing immediately feeling like someone just hit her in the gut. "What?"

Butch nods looking everywhere but her, "Yeah, I have a crush thing is that I don't know if she feels the same way."

She blinks, picking up her pen again the pain in her chest is still there. Who is he talking about? What girl? Vanessa? What dumb girl from history? I've seen him talking to her a lot lately. Is it me? No! God what's wrong with you, Matsubara! Its defiantly not you!

"Who's the girl?" she asks casually resuming on her writing.

"Well she's funny, sarcastic at times—loves sports like I do, -' Yup, Kaoru thinks grinding her teeth. Definitely Vanessa.

"—problem is telling her, cause I can be blunt at times."

She snorts a bit stronger than usual, "At times?"

"Fine…most of the time, so any ideas for me?" Kaoru stops writing again and turns to look at him. He still doesn't look at her directly, staring at his binder. "I could say it depends on the girl."

He turns to her, his green eyes piercing into her own Kaoru feels her heart leaping off her chest. "How you like it?"

"Huh?"

"How do you like a guy to ask you out?"

Kaoru pauses analyzing his question. After a full blown two minutes she answers,

"I-I don't know to be honest. I've never been ask out, well appropriately at least and by the guy I like, so I couldn't tell you. I never had a boyfriend; not many guys find me attractive and if for some crazy reason they do it's badly just to get an easy target and not…me. You get it? So, sorry but I can't help you in the love department…ask Momoko or Miyako even, they'll know more than me."

Butch Jojo stares off for a while occasionally blinking rapidly like he forgot to blink at all. Then he stands up, grabbing his binder and walks off.

Kaoru frowns, "Alright then, bye."

~0~0~0~0~

Kaoru knows she'll have to face him in history class—along with Vanessa, the girl he might have the crush on.

"Alright class," Mr. Kato said as the class fills in. "Today we're presenting the projects you worked on yesterday and the day before. So I'll give you five minutes to regroup for a final discussion."

Kaoru sighs, hating two things: presenting in front of the class and having both lovely dovey to-be couple in her group.

Butch suddenly takes the chair next to her, "Alrighty, what do I read?"

"Wait for us!" Vanessa calls out sitting next to him and Karla, the other girl in her group (at this moment she never been so happy that someone else in with her even though they don't really talk) at Kaoru's right.

Butch smirks at her, "You're a bit slow today for a track runner, been eating cheetos lately?"

"No way, Nakamura will kill me! I'm just sore and tired, had a race yesterday and I beat my usual record time!"

The green Ruff grins clapping silently as possible, "Great job, Vans."

Oh so we're down to nicknames now, Kaoru thinks pretending to read their project.

Vanessa giggles, "Thanks Butchie Boy!" Kaoru abruptly coughs hysterically and all three teens stare at her. 'I'm fine, it's the A/C" she chokes out.

Butch blinks, "So," he scouts closer to Kaoru. "What do I read?"

"Mmhmm this."

"Aww why do I get the long one?"

"'Cause we did most of the work well apart from Vanessa."

Butch coughs silently while Vanessa glares at her. "Well if you did most of the work why don't you present it yourself?"

"I have a better idea, we can all present except you, besides you're always on your phone-that's what you're good at."

Karla gasps and Butch's eyes go back and forth between the two girls. Vanessa laughs vigorously, "At least I'm good at something, Matsubara," her eyes settle on Butch. "I'm good in a lot of things."

Kaoru narrows her eyes gripping her pen tighter, "Oh I'm sure you're good at other things, Vans after all you had a lot of practice. Who was the last one? Oh yeah, Akio."

A high-pitch huff comes from Vanessa, Butch then leans forward both hands outward at either girl,

"Stop! As much as I like a cat fight here is not the best time, let's just give each equal parts and practice, sounds fair?"

Vanessa glares at Kaoru for a moment then smiles at Butch, "You're right Butchie Boy. So, I'll take the second and third paragraph, Karla takes the first, Butch you're the fourth and fifth and Kaoru takes the last one and explain the graph. There we're done."

At that moment before Kaoru could protest Mr. Kato claps his hands,

"Times up, everyone back to your seats," everyone quickly scrambles back to their assigned seats. "Now let's have Riko's group come first."

As the presentation moves on, Kaoru couldn't stop glaring at Vanessa who in return is staring star struck at Butch. She grips her pencil tighter knuckles turning pale as chalk.

Arrrggg who does she think she is!? Slut! I hate her!

While Kaoru gives daggers at Vanessa, Butch gives her a quick confuse look at Kaoru and smirks turning back to the front of the class.

"Perfect, "says Mr. Kato. "Next is Vanessa's group."

Kaoru silently growls making her way to the front of the class where Butch is already holding up the poster, hiding behind it. Karla takes the introduction and the first paragraph and while she reads Butch sneaks closer to Kaoru, she couldn't help but smirk at Vanessa.

"Remember when I said I like someone?" Butch whispers to her, she merely glance at him.

"Not now, Butch."

Butch nods leaning back, only to speak again in a few minutes while Vanessa reads the third paragraph.

"Kaoru, I have to tell you."

"Not now!"

He frowns and let's go of the poster for Karla to take for him to read his parts. After he's done he grabs the poster once again, in these seconds of switching the poster Kaoru can hear his faded voice in her ear, and "I like you," escapes his lips.

Kaoru breath hitch, her whole being seem to freeze in that instant unsure of what to do, how to react, what to say. Her eyes dart over his beautiful green ones in shock.

Had she heard him correctly?

"Kaoru!" Vanessa hisses nudging the poster.

"Um," Kaoru blinks rapidly coming back to reality. "In 1864 during the end of the Civil War he was admitted…"

She reads monotone off the poster her mind racing miles per second of what Butch said. He likes her…he likes her!

9. Boys pick the dumbest times to tell you who they like.

The week passes by in a blur for Kaoru and still she couldn't face Butch Jojo in the eye. She's been intentionally avoiding him as much as possible (though it's hard when majority of her classes are with him) she knows what she's doing is the most stupidest thing ever!

She should be happy! After all he chose her, her out of the beautiful Vanessa. How can she be avoiding him!

She likes Butch, likes him a lot so what's the problem?

The problem is that she's afraid. Kaoru never been in this type of situation before; she's just afraid, afraid of the unknown.

Ultimately she's afraid of getting hurt. Over and over she's seen her friend get hurt with pretty, popular bad boys like Butch, and face it he looks like the type what will do that to her.

She doesn't know his pass relationships, she's not even sure if he's a player or not!

Kaoru sighs sinking deeper into her chair, she's a bit early for math but she doesn't care, recently she's been not caring for anything. Her mind is too rap up with Butch Drama that studying has not been in the schedule.

Worst she has a test today.

Butch comes suddenly into the room, ears plug with earphones he scans the class quickly then his eyes meets her own.

Kaoru never thought they can go from light green to emerald rich dark green, his dark bangs brushing lightly against them he looks like something that can down from heaven.

Or up from hell.

He looks down taking his seat to the other side, farthest away from her. She sighs again, curse this shyness, this insecurity! She has to do something about it, and fast.

That's when it hit her. She knows what to do know.

~0~0~0~

"Butch, can I talk to you." She whispers unsure at his table. He looks up from his friends, the genuine smile he had on seconds ago disappears. "Please." She adds. Butch nods, getting up from the bench and Kaoru leads him away from the cafeteria, through the hallways, outside of the building and into the bleachers in the football field.

They sit there in complete silence for a moment watching some boys play football and the cheer squad practicing in one corner. Kaoru sighs figuring out a way to start this conversation.

"I get it." Butch suddenly says looking down on his shoes. Kaoru frowns taken by surprise, "You get what?"

"Why you freak out when I told you I like you. I get it, really Kaoru. I'm not the guy you want or just not the type what you want.

Look I know the way I act sometimes is well player-ish but I'm not really. I just flirt with all these girls so one day, the one who doesn't fall for the flirts…will be my girl."

Kaoru looks away for a moment, knowing his eyes are on her. "Is that what made you decide I'm the one?"

"Among other things, I really like you for who you are Kaoru. You know the first moment you got my attention? When you kick that soda can to my head and walked off uninterested when I started calling you names."

Kaoru chuckles slightly, "I remember that day, it was funny you trying to get me to stay and fight back."

Butch smiles, "Yeah."

"Look," she starts at last, looking him straight in the eyes. "The reason I've been avoiding you is different. I-I like you, Butch, I really do! It's just, oh god how can I explain it. Okay what I'm about to do, do not comment it to anyone."

Butch frowns, "Sure but what are you talking about.

Kaoru ignores him closing her eyes.

I never thought I'd be in love like this
When I look at you my mind goes on a trip
And you came in and knocked me on my face
Feels like I'm in a race
But I already won first place

Butch stares intensely at Kaoru, who still has her eyes close unsure of his reaction.

I never thought I'd fall for you as hard as I did
(As hard as I did, yeah)
You got me thinkin' about our life, our house and kids (yeah)
Every morning I look at you and smile
Cause boy you came around

And you knocked me down, knocked me down

Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)

Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)

Kaoru opens her eyes slowly meeting green intense ones, "So yeah, I used to like this guy and he said he liked me but...he just used me and now…I'm afraid, Butch. I'm scared you'll do the same thing."

He continues to stare, "Kaoru I wouldn't do that to you, I like you so much Kaoru, hurting you is never on the list. Trust me."

"It's hard to trust, Butch. It's hard."

Butch nods understandingly, he then grabs both of her hands.

I've never thought I
Would hear myself say (ooh)
Ya'll go ahead
I think I'm gonna kick it with my girl today (Kick it with my girl today)

Kaoru blinks; he has the most beautiful voice! He smiles slightly at her coming closer.

I used to be commander and chief
Of my pimp ship flyin' high (flyin' high)
'Til I met this pretty little missile who shot me out the sky (oh shot me out the sky)

He lets go of one of her hands but to cup her cheek affectionately rubbing it with his thumb.

(Hey) 'til now I'm crashing, I don't know how it happened
But I know it feels so damn good
Said if I could go back, and make it happen faster
Don't you know I would baby if I could

He's lips come closer to her own, slight brushing them as he sings.

Miss independent (oh, to the fullest), the load never too much, she helping me pull it
She shot the bullet that ended that life
I swear to you the pimp in me just died tonight

Then he kiss her and Kaoru never felt anything so powerful so full of love, she smiles against their lips and he laughs before kissing her again.

"I love you, Butch."

"I love you, Kaoru."

~0~0~0~

Boys are stupid and in the process they make you stupid. And when you're stupid enough, you look back at the boy and say, "How in the world did I end up falling for you?"

The 10th reason—Boys are stupid, because in the end the dumbest one of them all, is the one you fall deeply in love.

"So I gotta put the good with the bad, happy and the sad
So I'll bring a better future than I had in the past
Oh Cause, I don't wanna make the same mistakes I did
I don't wanna fall back on my face again
Whoa, whoa
I'll admit it, I-I was scared to answer loves call
Whoa, whoa
And if it hits better make it worth the fall
(When it comes around)"

~ Keri Hilson, "Knock you Down."

~The End~

Tada! If anyone what's a one-shot or two just leave me a message in the review or PM me. Oh another reason why I didn't updated yesterday is because I saw Thor 2 and I absolutely fell in love with it! And I fell more in love with Loki, damn him!

Thank you for reading!