Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 07:34:22 EST
From: ArislansKeeper@aol.com
Subject: The One. Part 3.

Disclaimers. Same. Belated as usual; Zetsuai & Kouji Nanjou belong to
Minami Ozaki.

The One. (P3)

     If there was one thing I was relieved to learn about him, is was that
he had not yet developed a sexuality. Now was the time for the bee to
strike the flower. The fact alone that he was afraid to bee seen naked in
the boy's locker room gave me encouragement.

     I followed him into the locker room after his game. He looked so cute
in my oversized tank. The one I took must have been the only one he had. I
was reluctant to give it back, but it was part of the plan & my only excuse
to actually meet him. Please don't let me screw up!

     I slowly approached him from behind as he undressed. I realized that
he was about 1-1/2 to 2 feet shorter than I, as I had suspected. I
remembered seeing him wearing platforms often in the halls. The elegant
walk & the way his tight jeans fit him. I realized I was spacing. I made
sure no one was watching & took a deep breath before I tapped him on the
shoulder.
     He abruptly turned to face me, holding my tank over his bare chest, &
looked at me nonchalantly. His eyes were sharp, & large like a child's. He
had on pale grey contact lenses.

     I scratched my head, as I do when I'm nervous, & presented his tank
top. "I...think our tank tops got mixed up awhile ago." He slowly took it
from my hands & gave me mine, not taking his eyes off me even one
second. He seemed intimidated by my size. I was tall & chiseled in
comparison.
     Well, that didn't go to well.  I turned to leave when he spoke to
me. The very first time I heard his voice. It was very youthful but deep &
soft, like a deep woman's voice. In a few years he would trade that voice
once his adams' apple kicked in. "Why did you take so long to return it?"
     I stopped wide-eyed in my tracks. Alliyah hadn't planned for this. I'd
kept his shirt for 2 whole weeks without saying so much as a thing. I
couldn't think of a legitimate excuse. Any excuse. I reluctantly turned in
his direction with a somewhat pained expression on my face. What must he
think of me now?

     He looked at me curiously. I suddenly I couldn't bear to look at him
anymore & walked out. I stopped just outside the locker room when I saw
Alliyah standing down the hall. It hit me that I had completely left out
something important. I had screwed up Alliyah's plan & my chances of
getting a lover.
     I looked down at the floor. She was at my side in a moment. "I screwed
up. I forgot my lines 7 then he asked me a question I couldn't answer."
     She messed my hair up. "Looks like my forgetful mind is wearing off on
you."
     I felt angry. "But it would have worked! Why didn't you call me
yesterday so I could practice it?!"
     She crossed her arms, shifted her hips, & glared at me. I beeped her
on the nose & smiled.  "Sorry. I shouldn't blame you. I just can't do
this."
     She leaned against the wall. "& what did you forget?"  I
chuckled. "Naturally, I forgot the art of conversation."

     She came up with a split-of-the-moment-plan, I could see it on her
face with that distant expression in her eyes. & she wasn't telling me what
it was either.
     My thoughts switched to the tank top Masahiro had returned to me. It
was wet & was fresh with his sent.
     The sound of her chortling brought me back to the real world. "You're
acting like a wild cat in heat."

     The next day after wrestling class I went out to the courts to watch
him play basketball.  Alliyah ran up & dragged me onto the court. My guess
is that her adoration of modern Japan impressed Masahiro & they became
friends. She introduced us. He gave me the same wide-eyed look he had
yesterday.
     Alliyah forced our hands to meet. "This is Masahiro Gakuto, exchange
student from Kyouto. Masa-kun, kore wa Schenkenberg Luca wa idou no
Youroppa."
     Masahiro smiled. "Hajimemashite, Ruuka."
      I liked the way he said my name; Ruuka, like he was pronouncing R & L
at the same time. "Bonjourno." We bowed politely, but bumped heads.

So the introductory part of the story is done. Now that we've reached the
friendship level, I'll spend the rest of it trying to get into his pants^_~