Marmalade Mercury: Ep 1b

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	*_* MARMALADE MERCURY *_* EP 1b: TROUBLE BEGINS... A VISIT FROM OVERSEAS

<commercial break; Ami, Greg and Urawa skating, they trip over Ami's computer>

"Don't tell anyone you're living with me," Ami requested. "I'd like to avoid... gossip."

Greg nodded. "Okay, whatever," he agreed.

It was Monday and the two of them were walking to school. Sunday had passed pretty much without incident... Greg had spent the time adjusting to Japanese time and trying to acquaint himself with the neighbourhood. Ami's mother had seemed to hit it off well with Greg, but Ami wasn't quite sure how she felt yet.

"I heard you're the greatest student in the school," Greg commented, conversationally.

"Well, I do tend to have the highest academic marks," Ami admitted.

"You do well academically too?" Greg said, seemingly surprised.

Ami paused, and shook her book bag at him. "Try and be serious...," she chastised, feeling her cheeks becoming a bit warm.

Greg just smiled back, and Ami sighed. He was nice but she was never sure if he was teasing her or complimenting her. She had been somewhat chagrined to find out they'd actually be going to the same school. And although he was a few months older than her, they were both positioned in the same grade.

Ami sighed again... there were definite mixed feelings about the whole thing, especially about possibly being in the same class as him.

As they arrived at the school, Ami heard a voice call to her from down the street. Ami did a double take as she pinpointed the source. "Usagi! You're going to be on time today!" she said, startled.

"Yeah, well, my mom came down hard on me considering I was late every day last week...," Usagi answered, running up. "And she said unless I got up early today she'd ground me. Since me and Mamoru made plans for the coming weekend I decided I'd try and humor her this once," she added with a yawn.

"I like what you've done with your hair," Greg commented.

Usagi blinked. "Hey, Ami, who's your friend?" she asked.

Ami paused, wondering how much to say. "He's an exchange student from Canada," she revealed. "He's going to be at school with us for a couple of months. I agreed to show him around." She could always explain the rest later if it seemed necessary...

Usagi grinned at her. "I see. That was nice of you."

"Don't get any funny ideas," Ami warned her. "This... wasn't exactly my idea," she explained.

"Wasn't exactly mine either," Greg added.

Ami spun around to keep him from saying more, but he was already walking away from them.

"Anyway, I'll let you two chat, I have to go complete my registration," Greg said with a wave, and he hurried off towards the school.

Ami watched Greg as he ran off. She couldn't quite figure him out.

"Hello? Earth to Ami?" Usagi uttered, waving a hand in front of her eyes. Ami blinked, then sighed as the two of them proceeded into the school.

"So, what's the story there?" Usagi asked.

Ami shook her head. "Things have been getting a bit... weird recently," Ami admitted to her friend. "But I don't think it's anything to be overly concerned about yet." She smiled. "Come on, race you to class," she suggested.

"Oh yes... can't wait for class to start...," Usagi said, rolling her eyes as she returned the smile.

*****

Ami checked her watch as she arrived home that evening; she was a little bit later than she'd intended. She'd spent some time helping Usagi with her math work after juku. She quickly took off her shoes and headed for the kitchen. But it wasn't her mother she found there.

"Hi," Greg said, waving to her from where he sat at the table. "Where've you been? Your mother's already eaten and is upstairs phoning people about some medical conference."

"I was at juku - cram school - and then talking with a friend," Ami answered, washing her hands at the sink. She hadn't seen much of Greg during the day... at least, not directly. She had noticed how they had ended up in the same homeroom, but she certainly hadn't gone out of her way to talk with him... it still felt weird having him at home with her.

She turned. "What are you eating?" Ami inquired.

"Take out," Greg indicated, gesturing at the food on the table. "Your mom didn't have time to cook anything, and I didn't feel up to it."

Ami nodded. 'I should have expected that, the way this day is going,' she mused, sitting down across from their house guest.

"So, what friend was this?" Greg asked conversationally. "That girl with the interesting hairstyle from this morning?"

"Yes, if you must know," Ami answered, picking up a fork and beginning to eat.

"She wasn't bad looking," Greg mused. "What's she like? Popular with guys?"

Ami choked. "If you're thinking of dating her she already has a boyfriend," Ami noted, as she reached for a glass of water.

"Ah... well I don't know if I'd want to go out with her," Greg commented. "I can think of other girls I'd rather do that with," he added with a smile.

"Yes, I'm sure you can," Ami mumbled, returning to her food. He was doing it again! Why was she even giving this guy a second thought?

"Anyway, I'll leave you in peace," Greg said, picking up his now empty plate and moving to put it in the sink. "By the way, what cram school is it you go to?"

"Crystal Seminar, why?" Ami inquired.

"No reason. Just thinking about other academic horizons," he said, airily.

Ami blinked. "What? Don't come to my juku!" she protested.

Greg raised an eyebrow. "How rude. Don't tell me what to do," he answered.

Then he shrugged... and Ami could have sworn he actually looked serious for a minute.

"I don't join things like that anyway," Greg admitted. "Anyway, enjoy your meal," he concluded, leaving the room.

Ami stared after him. Trigonometry is easy compared to boys, she decided, returning to her dinner. She soon finished and washed up before going upstairs to complete her homework. When that was out of the way, she took a moment to stretch out on her bed and think.

Greg, Greg... what was it about him anyway? Why was he on her mind? Just the fact that he was living in her house? The fact that his actions made him somewhat of an enigma? He'd certainly shown no real sign that he liked her at all, and she wasn't sure she was all that crazy about him either. And yet there was something... Could she handle the next few months with him?

Ami's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. "Come in," Ami called out. Her mother poked her head around the door frame.

"Hi dear, hope dinner was okay," Mrs. Mizuno said. "Sorry, I may not be around much of late, this conference is taking a lot of my time... but I'll be able to cook a nice dinner tomorrow."

Ami smiled. "Don't worry about it. We all have things on our minds," she observed. Her mother smiled back and nodded. "Well, just stopped in to say goodnight... sleep well!" she said in parting.

Ami lay back on her bed as her mother closed the door. She thought about changing into her nightgown but she didn't really feel tired yet. Maybe if she made herself a sandwich or something... supper hadn't really been that filling.

Ami wandered back downstairs and, after making herself a couple, she took them into the sitting room to leaf through the TV Guide. There was an old movie on that might be interesting... sitting back on the couch and flipping on the television, Ami consumed her evening snack.

Fifteen minutes later, Ami felt herself becoming a bit drowsy... and the movie didn't look as good as it had first seemed. She was about to turn off the television and go upstairs when she heard someone else coming down. Her mother was probably asleep... she had an early shift the next morning... so it was probably Greg. And she really didn't feel like talking with him right now. So she remained quiet, willing him to go back upstairs.

She heard him go into the kitchen, then back towards the stairs... but then she heard him pause. "Ami? You in there?" she heard him call in the direction of the sitting room.

'Great, he heard the TV...' Ami thought to herself. Well, maybe if she pretended she was asleep he'd just leave her alone. Ami quickly lay back on the couch and closed her eyes.

She heard his footfalls as he entered the room and called out "Ami?" She waited for him to go, but instead she heard him come right up to her. "Ami, are you asleep?" he asked.

'What is he doing?' Ami wondered, keeping her eyes closed, not daring to make a move. There was a pause, then suddenly Ami felt a pair of lips brush against hers. She almost cried out in surprise at the contact, but forced herself not to react to the kiss.

Kiss?!? Greg was kissing her??? How... what... why... But even as Ami processed this, Greg straightened up. And without a word, Ami heard him leave the room and continue upstairs.

Ami sat up in shock, eyes wide as she pressed a hand to her lips. "N-- N-- Now what's he up to??" she gasped out.

There was no answer except for the sound of her heart pounding in her chest. "What do I do..." Ami murmured. "What do I do?"

<closing theme>