VII

Getting where I wanted was more difficult than I had imagined. Ami's mother while promised to talk to me, was a very busy woman. Most sought after surgeon in the nation and with all the work associated with it, it was an impossibility to imagine Ami got much time with her and they lived in the same house. Not that Ami was a slacker just hanging around the house either, as she too had a busy day, the time I saw her with Odango was really the only free time she had, the rest was jam-packed.

Mizuno-san senior had taught her daughter well, how to keep the busiest as possible without burning out. Again I wondered at why she would waste valuable down time with the likes of Odango, but I made sure not to say any of this near Ami-san. That's something I didn't need to be taught twice, I was a quick learner. Talking negatively about Odango to anyone was a bad idea, but I could still taunt her to her face. That was passable, and so I took that to heart, my daily gatherings probably harsher than normal, but unable to let off steam elsewhere, meant that Odango got it all.

Ami sighed in annoyance when I asked her again, if there was another way I could get a meeting with her mother. She pulled down her reading glances and slanted a look at me in annoyance. "I don't know Mamoru-san." I had used my full charm to get her to agree, but she still didn't like me, that much was obvious, but she couldn't help but be curious when there was a brain in the room as big as hers, if not bigger. So I had used that to my full advantage. Generally speaking, I never cared if someone else was smart, as long as I still got where I wanted, what they did, didn't matter to me. So it never occurred to me to see what they knew, if they had something of value to me, then I might care. Like Ami had, but it wasn't her I was interested in, it was her mother.

"Surely someone as smart as you can think of something." I used her flattery against her and she blushed, but not in praise, rather as if she was trying to solve a big puzzle and had just been called out that she wasn't getting anywhere and was disappointed at the lack of progress.

"Well..." Ami's nose twitched at the thought she'd just slowly come to. "There is one thing she never misses... but... you won't like it and neither will I." She quickly backtracked as she realized exactly where that thought would go. "So forget I said anything."

"No, no, I'm curious. I'm sure it's a good solution, what is it?"

Ami shook her head and pushed her books to the side so she could get at her bag. I picked them up, not allowing her to escape on me again. She tended to do that when she was angry at me, but I wanted something, and I was not going to give up. "Would you leave her alone? Just because you irritate me, doesn't give you free reign to bother my friends."

I sighed in annoyance as I turned to the Odangoed one. "Watch what you say, I'm your sempai."

Odango rolled her intense blue eyes at me. "You're not my sempai. You're just some jerk from another school."

"Fine, but I'm still your elder." I tried a new tactic on Odango, but it didn't get me anywhere as she turned her attention to Ami.

"Ready to go? Rei's going to bust my butt if we're late again."

Ami squeaked as if she'd forgotten all about it. "Oh sorry, Usa-chan, it'll be my fault, let her blame it on me. I totally lost track of time. I'm glad you reminded me."

"Eh, I'm used to it, don't worry, but we are getting later by the minute." Usagi glanced at Ami's watch, to see just how late they were.

"We're not done yet, Mizuno-san!" I called after them, but I was ignored by both girls.

"Going after a sophomore now, are we?" Motoki asked, coming to clear up the table, most of his college help all took the week off as they had midterms to study for. So Motoki had more duties this week than normal. I almost volunteered my time, but thought better of it, perhaps some other time.

"As if you're so much better. I saw you panting over the tall one's chest just yesterday."

Motoki cleared his throat uncomfortably, and turned his back to me as he picked up the remaining items. He spoke, still not facing me. "I thought she was older."

"Even though she's friends with the Odango and Ami?"

Motoki walked and I followed closely behind to hear his muted answer. "She has been wearing another high school's uniform for the last few months, sorry I never asked. Apparently though it had to be custom made as she was too... big... for this High School's uniform and it had to have time to come in." He disappeared before I could make fun of him. It was plausible, but it wasn't as if it was a sin to date only a couple of years younger either. We always tended to date older though, college girls. That was probably my fault with the whole models thing.

When he returned, it was only to receive more dishes before he retracted back. I sighed, obviously I was going to get no-where today, in any case and so I picked up my books and called out a goodbye to Motoki before heading out the door and going back to my apartment.

There was a message waiting for me on the voice-mail. "I thought it over, and while I don't like it, maybe it'll get you off my case. Meet me at the arcade next Saturday and I'll take you there personally." Ami's voice came over the line as I played her message. I glanced at the calender, it was in another six days. I could handle waiting six days to see my dreams fulfilled.

Six very long days later, I ran a hand through the tousled strands on my head. I had not dreamed in those six days, Ami would make me jump through hoops, sending me on missions and not offering me reasons for the items she had me collect. A lot of them were rather embarrassing and those Ami glanced at the bag and shoved into the less obvious one at her side, without even looking in to see if they were right. The program I had agreed to at the school as well had kicked up a notch and was becoming more intense and burden heavy. The classes as well were preparing me for the life outside of school, and to prepare for college as well. I had three more semesters left, but it felt suddenly as if it was the very last week of my life.

Saturday came, and I met her at the Crown, Motoki had taken the day off, he and Makoto were going to go to a movie and have coffee, a very non-invasive, non-date, friendly type of thing to do. I did not know why I had to meet Ami at the Crown, but that was where she had desired my presence. She glared at my outfit, I was wearing a nice suit, dark, to bring out my eyes' unique coloring and compliment my hair. She pulled off the jacket, and frowned even deeper seeing the gray shirt I had worn with the black pants. She grabbed a hold of my hand and dragged me to the nearest men's store. There she proceeded to pull out a soft knit polo and made me charge it on my credit card.

I had to put it on and remove any trace of the disreputable outfit I was wearing and wear only what she deemed fit. Ami had never stroked me as a fashion-able girl, and her simple blue dress, buttons down the front and a thin red belt added weight to that idea. Not that it looked bad or anything, but it wasn't exactly on the tip of style. Her blond friend- to an extent- on the other hand, was. "Am I presentable?"

Her lips tugged down as she looked me over, and shook her head in the negative. "No, but you'll have to do." She glared once into my eyes before speaking again. "Whatever you do, talk nicely to everyone that will be there."

"When have I ever not?" She did not answer that, as the most notable exception was her best friend. I had not realized this party was so casual, I had clothes that would have fit the occasion, if I had been adequately informed. Ami made me drive to the place we were going, so I stowed the clothes I had arrived in, into the trunk.

She'd given vague directions and when we passed the Juuban schools, I had an equally vague upsetting feeling in my stomach but I could not imagine why that was. We pulled up to a fairly decent house, the size wasn't large, and it was well kept at least from outside appearances, and what I could see above the gated area around the outside.

Ami took the honors of knocking and a petite woman with almost violet hair answered the door with a grin at the small pixie-like blue haired girl at my side. She incorporated the warmth to me, and invited me in, as if I were some vampire that could not come in unless given permission. She chatted idly with Ami for a little while, before informing her that her mother was in the next room. There was a small amount of merry-making and happiness buzzing in the hallways and I could hear noises from the other rooms, even if I could not yet see them.

"Thank you Tsukino-san."

It should have been my second warning of the night, but the first one was coincidence, the second one, I had never once in my life pained enough attention to the words coming out of other people's mouths when it did not pertain to what I wanted, so I had missed Odango's last name and even Ami's only to come to find out later on that she's exactly the in, I had always wanted.

The woman left us to go attend to other guests that were arriving, but not without giving Ami an approving look. She'd obviously took us to be dating, and I held back my tongue to correct her, let her think so, maybe the rumor would get to Ami's mother as well, and she'd be forced to give me a boost in recommendation. Not that I would need one, as once she met me, I would receive the highest and most insistent recommendation all on my own. It just didn't hurt to have a backup plan.

I followed Ami into the other room and stopped dead in my tracks as a blond girl came out of the other door, carrying a tray of snacks, refilling the depleted one on the table.

Ami tensed and she could not handle the atmosphere that suddenly closed in between the two of us. What had the Odango been doing here? Ami bounced on her toes for a moment, attempting to say something to ease matters, but instead bolted for a young brown haired boy's side and dragged him out of the room. "What'd you do, crash the party?"

"From the looks of things, it looks as if that act of culpriticy would fall upon you." She'd responded dryly, clearly not happy to see me here.

"I was invited actually, unlike you, whose only job could be attending to the snacks, you no doubt couldn't touch as you are too poor and simpleton not to mess them up." Odango bristled and looked as if she was going to say something when a woman near my shoulder cleared her throat.

It wasn't the woman who'd answered the door, this one had hair darker blue than the girl I'd convinced to bring me here, and I immediately realized who it was. This wouldn't look good, but if only I could explain- I turned to do such a thing but the look in her eyes, clearly told me not to bother, and I realized too late what Ami had told me long ago when I first found out who her mother was, that she was very good friends with Odango's parents. I hadn't realized the extent that ran, I had figured it meant they saw each other during Christmas, not a frequent gathering, as her parents weren't exactly that standout themselves, a mother who stayed at home and a father freelancing in photography.

I wouldn't know where or how they met unless her father worked one of the parties Mizuno-san attended. I had not realized that the only thing she never missed was an event at Odango's place at least once every year. Odango's parents came up behind her and stood there, offering her their silent support. "I would like you to leave, young man." The man spoke, and before I could put my foot in my mouth even more so, Ami came back, the wimp.

She took my arm and pulled me away. "I told you this wouldn't work. I told you to be nice." She was saying as she dragged me to the front door. Over her shoulder she called back to the three adults and young girl. "I'm sorry everyone, I don't know how I got talked into it." There were tears smarting her eyes as she pushed me out and closed the door in my face. I almost felt bad for the blue haired girl, but then I remembered the color of her hair and was scoffing instead, how could a mother and daughter both support such a look? Especially in the professional field, and Odango's mother! Her hair was purple! She stayed at home, so nobody would have to see it, but still, how could anyone leave the house looking like that.

I stormed down to my car, how dare Odango make me look the fool in front of one of my only chances to ensure my in with the dean! I would get her back for that, I wouldn't rest though until I secured an interview with Sir Rupert himself! So I lost the support of one very important doctor, I could wiggle my way into the other doctors who'd passed with high marks and were taught by him. Mizuno-san did not know my name, and so she could not warn the others, even Ami was probably dim to the last name I held.

With my hopes lifting, this would not be the end of my road, Odango would not stop all of my hopes and dreams. She didn't have that kind of power over me. She could barely walk two steps without ending up on her face, how would she possibly be able to effect my life?