Christmas Cake (part six)

[dd]

Kaname saw the card in Sousuke?s hand.

At that moment, to her mind, he could just as well have had his finger on the trigger of a gun aimed straight at her heart.

She didn?t have time to feel relieved that the errant card invitation had turned up.

This was not the place and the time for Sousuke to say anything about the note, not with a class full of rambunctious teenagers listening in.

She knew Sousuke.

There had been plenty of opportunities to learn just what he was capable of.

Kaname?s Shoulder Angel popped into view to the sound of harp music, a cloud of imaginary white smoke ruffling its glittering sequined robe. ?Don?t you think that he might realize the importance of the offer? Wouldn?t it be reasonable to expect him to show some discretion under these unique circumstances??

A puff of hot black smoke heralded the arrival of the Shoulder Devil. A tight-fitting body suit might as well have been painted on. The pint-sized member of Kaname?s conscience just spun her tail like a baton, trying to keep a straight face. It was too difficult a task. Breaking out into laughter, she fell backwards and plummeted to the floor.

?This ought to be REAL good?.? a small voice said from far below.

Kaname broke a nail by squeezing the edge of her desk too hard.

?I have your card, Kaname.?

No! He had already done enough. He had said ?your,? ?card,? and ?Kaname.? If anyone had been paying attention?.

Her eyes zeroed in on Sousuke?s face. His jaw was set. His eyes were intense. His mouth was opening.

?Have faith, Kaname?.? The Shoulder Angel ran her hands across the strings of her harp.

?Better move fast or you can kiss it all good bye?.? the Shoulder Devil appeared behind its unsuspecting counterpart. A quick shove sent the other imaginary construct flying towards the tiles.

Gulping, Kaname began waving her arms about, trying to get Sousuke?s attention. There was no time for a better plan. Too late, she realized that the only thing she had accomplished was to get everyone else in the class to look her way. Great!

There was one universal signal that was bound to work. ?Shhhhhhhhhh!!!!?

Sousuke closed his mouth.

The Shoulder Devil folded her arms across her chest and said ?Hmmmpppfff!?

Kaname began to smile. That had been close. Much to close.

?Miss Chidori. Mr. Sagara. Is there something you?d like to share with the class?? The teacher?s voice caused the entire class to go dead silent. The girls in the class all sat forward in their chairs. The guys looked at each other and grinned.

No one knew what was coming. They didn?t have to. It was bound to be good.

Kaname flinched.

The Shoulder Angel---looking somewhat disheveled--- turned an accusatory glare on the Shoulder Devil.

The horned figure just shrugged and disappeared.

Kaname pleaded with her eyes, hoping that Sousuke would get the point just this once.

?Yes.? Sousukes affirmation carried with it the sound of a tomb door clanging shut.

Immediately thereafter, Kaname found herself on the floor.

?Serves you right!? The Shoulder Angel faded away.

Kaname felt her heart fall like a lead weight.

?Pssst?. the big idiot was looking at YOU when he answered? not the teacher?? The Shoulder Devil had opened a window out of nothingness, spoken, and winked.

Sousuke stood up and offered Kaname a hand, helping her to her feet. His hand was firm and strong. Did it stay on hers for just a moment longer than it had too? Was their an ever so subtle caress there at the end?

Kaname?s eyes went big. Her lips parted slightly. She held her breath. For that brief moment, she didn?t care who was watching.

That ?Yes? might have been the answer to her invitation!

She realized that she did not want to rescind her request.

?Well?? The teacher was tapping a long wooden pointer against his leg, looking a little annoyed.

Mouth fully open now, Kaname began to say ?No.?

?Yes, Teacher. I apologize. I have something to announce.? Sousuke?s voice was no different than usual.

?I?d hit him with the halisen,? the Shoulder Devil said. ?He almost sounds cheerful, the jerk. ?Something to announce,? he says.?

The Shoulder Angel stayed away.

?Mr. Sagara?? The teacher rested the pointer on one shoulder. The student tasked with keeping the class? ?Sagara Journal? quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil.

Sousuke?s words all seemed to come in fragments rather than cohesive sentences, or that?s how it seemed to kaname. Parts of her mind were already nailing boards across windows, preparing for the storm to come.

?Halisen?.? The Shoulder devil whistled a happy tune.

?This???. morning???. I???. received???.? Sousuke?s voice sounded like a 78rpm record played at 33rpm.

It felt as if Kaname?s stomach suddenly vanished, allowing gastric acid to fall deep down within her belly.

?Hit him?.? The Shoulder Devil sat back doing her dagger like nails.

??.a..??. pleasant???. invitation???. from?.?

Kaname?s limbs all went limp. It was just what she had feared would happen. He chest began to tighten up.

?Hard?.? The Shoulder Devil practiced a couple of golf swings.

??.a???. tireless???. young???. lady???. who???. wanted???. me???. to?.?

Anger began to flare up within the blue-haired girl.

?NOW!!!? The impish red caricature gave Kaname a thumbs up sign. The end of that finger was on fire.

Kaname?s arm began to move in an overhead arc.

??.choose her company?s products for use by the class in next week?s?.OOOPPFFF!!!?

The paper fan hit Sousuke square across the back of the head. His face bounced hard off of his desk top.

?Bingo!!!? The Shoulder Devil shouted, now wearing a party hat.

?I can?t believe you would tell everybody! I trusted you. Give me the card BACK!!!? Tears threatened to well up in Kaname?s eyes. Only too late did the actual words that Sousuke said filter into her turbulent thoughts.

?This morning I received a pleasant invitation from a tireless young lady who wanted me to choose her company?s products for use by the class in next week?s?.?

??.Civil Defense demonstration.? Sousuke?s words slurred around swollen lips. ?As Deputy Vice President in charge of Security, I judged her company?s items to be adequate for our use.?

?Miss Chidori!!!? Under normal circumstances, the teacher?s voice would have echoed across the room. But, at that moment, too many people were already talking. It seemed that everyone had something to whisper, shout, or laugh.

?Dude, a CARD!!!?

?Chidori gave Sagara a card.?

But, she wants it back.?

?She?. gave?. him?. a?. card?.?

?You know what THAT means.?

?Chidori? And Sousuke? Whooooo?.?

?It might be something else?.?

?No way! Not with Christmas Eve coming up.?

?Baby, baby, baby. Lucky guy.?

?Poor girl!?

?No. Poor guy!?

Wolf whistles filled the classroom.

?She gave HIM a card? Sagara?? That voice was easily recognizable. ?Damn you Sagara. You will pay NOW!!!? Tsubaki Issei stood up, tied a sash around his head, and broke a leg off of his desk.

Head still down on his desk, Sousuke raised his Glock and fired. Rubber bullets knocked the irate karate Club leader back against the wall. He slid slowly to the floor.

?Mr. Sagara!!!? The teacher fought valiantly to regain control of his class. To no avail.

If anything, the commotion became louder and louder.

Kaname sat at her desk, looking at her halisen, mouth still open. Why? Why did it always happen to her? Things were supposed to be special. Now they were broken beyond repair.

The Shoulder Angel led the Shoulder Devil away in handcuffs. Stepping out of character for a moment, she materialized a police baton out of nowhere and began beating her adversary.

Face tight and eyes blank, Kaname stood up so abruptly, that she knocked both her chair and her desk over.

The room feel deathly still. Everyone stopped in mid-syllable.

The distraught girl focused her anger, disappointment, and sorrow on an all to easy target. A familiar target. ?Sousuke,?.. I hate you?.? Beginning to cry, she ran out of the class room.

The young soldier looked down at the card. He did not understand. What had he done this time? Why did he suddenly feel like he did when he saw a comrade?s name on the M.I.A. list after a battle?

?Well, Mr. Sagara. What do you have to say for yourself?? The teacher obviously needed to point the finger at someone.

?Sir??

?I take it you have a card from Miss Chidori, the one which prompted all this nonsense?? The teacher looked somewhat cross.

?Affirmative.?

The class began their discussions again, this time in whispers.

The teacher slammed a book down on his desk, silencing everyone.

?Bring it to me. We do NOT need that kind of thing during class!? The teacher held his hand out.

Sousuke had no doubt that the teacher intended to read the card out loud, just as he did any note he confiscated.

?No. I will not.? Sousuke placed the card inside of his shirt.

The girls in the class began whispering again. Kyouko took a number of pictures.

?Excuse me? I must have heard you incorrectly? Did you refuse me?? The teacher?s face clouded over.

?You hearing is functioning correctly. You request has been denied.?

This time the boys began whispered conversations. One gave Sousuke a ?V for Victory? sign.

?It was not a request, Mr. Sagara. It was an order. The card? to me?. immediately.?

?No.?

The teacher stood stunned. The students all looked at Sousuke.

?If you do not give me the card, you will be staying after school for detention, young man!? The teacher took out a Demerit slip.

?It is not a problem.?

Sousuke leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

[Perfect Soldier]

>< why is this chapter so short!!!? Ahhhh! Everything was getting so good... *sniffles* i'll be waiting for more.

Zero