A Catgirl's Last Chance for High School Romance - COMPLETE

[X] Yeah! I think I made friends with Akane.

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You should be positive, right? Being all gloom and doom wouldn't be good and besides, you don't want to shove all your problems on Erika. She doesn't need to deal with your stupid crap. No one else cares about it except you, anyway. So you shove yourself up into a sitting position and smile over at your kouhai.

"Oh, I'm fine! Just a long day, you know?" Guess any rumors about you leaving class haven't gotten around yet, thankfully. Erika snorts quietly from where she's fiddling with the DVD player. She looks over at you, peering over her glasses--which is stupid because she actually needs them.

"You think every day is a long day. And you said that cats wanting to sleep all the time was just a stereotype!" She's smirking at you now, knowing just how to push your buttons sometimes... You give an exaggerated scowl. and shake your head.

"It IS just a stereotype. I just happen to have very tiring days, I'll have you know," you reply with all the snooty arrogance you can muster. "Besides! I think I made friends with Akane today!"

"Wait, the girl you practically ran over last week? How'd that happen?" Erika is disbelieving. Dismayed, even.

"Uh..." Oh. Crap. That means talking about why you were out of your class room. Better to just brush over that for now! You do your best not to let your tail puff up.

"I ran into her at the school garden! She was actually super nice. I think she's pretty cool, honestly. Super understanding, too."

"Oh. Okay. I guess she is, huh? She's all... volley ball and stuff." Erika purses her lips for a moment at your reply, then shrugs as she looks back to the DVD player. "Didn't know that were into like, sports and stuff. That's cool." That seems weird. Usually she's quick to give a sarcastic remark or tease you (such lack of respect from kouhais these days) but now she just seems a little awkwardly resigned. Before you can pursue the conversation any further, your new members come tumbling loudly into the room, chatting away happily and you have to turn back to club business and getting the new kids settled in for the movie.

The three new members, a human girl named Hikari, a fox girl named Miyako, and their friend, a boy named Osamu, are just the sort of shot in the arm the club was needing and they are enthusiastically terrified by the afternoon's film. By the time you leave, you're feeling much more refreshed and the day's earlier events are far behind you.

The next few days go by quickly. Or as quickly as school CAN go, though Mari seems a little more distant than usual. Which... you don't really mind for now. You're just glad to have her off your back about Jesse. It also means not having to do any more big thinking about yourself or who you like or any of that crap, thank goodness. Of course, it's probably too good to last.

The following Tuesday proves that's the case.

Tuesday, April 16th.

It's after clubs and people are filtering home. Mari is still here, which is kind of weird, but hey you're not going to complain too much if she wants to walk down to the station with you. As you reach the entry hall of the school, she comes up short and spins around. As you look at her with a touch of confusion, Mari smiles.

"Oh! Don't mind me--I just forgot something in the classroom. I'll be back in a minute!" She waves and hurriedly makes an exit back the way you came with a wave. She's gone before you have a chance to interject and you're left impatiently waiting for her to get back. As you sigh and leans against the row of shoe lockers, there's a soft cough off to your side. Turning your head, you find yourself looking at Jesse. The slender cat looks distinctly awkward, still in his athletic get up dressed for the baseball club.

"Hey. Jesse. How've you been?" You haven't actually sought him out recently, thanks in part to how awkward you feel about this whole thing. He shuffles his feet, seemingly unable to meet your gaze.

"Uh. Hey Hanako," his voice sounds taut and strained you have a sudden sinking feeling that plummets into the bottom of your stomach. You feel suddenly sick as you realize what's about to happen. Jesse swallows, then speaks in a hurried rush.

"Hanako I really like you! Do you want to go out sometime?" He stumbles over the words, and his face is bright red in embarrassment as he looks at you. You don't want to look at him. You don't want to be hearing what he's saying. You want to scream. This has to be Mari's fault. She must have talked to him, pushed him to do this. You feel embarrassed and angry and nauseated all at once.

Fuck.

You should probably answer him.

[ ] Turn him down. Now. You can't believe this is happening!
[ ] Accept. Maybe if you try dating him you'll start to like it and be normal. Maybe feeling like this is what other girls go through, too?
[ ] Ask him for some time to think about it so you can put off answering. Avoiding an answer as long as you can is clearly the best thing to do.