Target Acquired - VOLUME 1

CHAPTER 8 - "Midterms Time, Part Two"

"What do you mean 'nothing happened'?!" I yell, slamming my hands onto my desk.

Shinobu rolls his eyes and answers back, "Nothing happened!" He has to be lying! He would never miss the opportunity to hang out with a hot guy! I'm getting to the bottom of this!

"You're lying to me," I grumble, regressing. Some of my classmates look up from their conversations and stare at me. Ugh, I hate backing down, but I shouldn't make a scene.

"Why bother?" Shinobu asks, sighing. He pulls out his phone and starts typing on it, apparently done with this conversation.

I groan and sink into my seat, twirling my hair in my hand. What am I missing? He showed interest in Ren, and Ren showed interest in him. Then, Ren invited him to his house. Did Shinobu ghost him, or... damn it! Did Ren read his sappy poems to him? What a turn off!

"You really have a way with words," someone jokes, interrupting my train of thoughts. Well, not that it was going anywhere. I turn over to see Karma grinning. He has a strawberry milk carton in his hand. I always figured he was more of a chocolate guy. Well, not that it matters because everything I figure is wrong!

"Coming from you," I shoot back. I'm not in the mood to deal with a douche like Karma right now!

Karma winces and says, "Geez, what's up with you?"

"I've been awake since one in the fucking morning, Karma!" I snap loudly. Korosensei, who has been speaking to some of the front row students, looks up and exclaims, "Language!" Seriously?!

"Piss off!" I yell back at him, silencing the classroom. I realize that I've been standing up, so I take a deep breath and slouch back into my seat. Okay, I can't freak out. I just need to...

"Calm down," someone to my right comments. I lean forward and glance past Karma to see Terasaka leaning back in his chair, arms folded. His eyes are shut, and he seems... peaceful?!

I blow my bangs out of my face and do as he says. Let's focus on happy thoughts! Let's see, midterms are... TOMORROW?! Oh my god, I haven't studied at all! I'm going to get disowned!

"Aw," one of Terasaka's friends jokes. I believe his name is Yoshida - he does mechanic stuff, I think. "Get a load of this sweetheart."

I glance up to see Terasaka banging on his desk whilst yelling. Guess some things stay the same, huh? Karma starts sarcastically cheering him on, and soon the whole class joins in. What a riot. I have to admit - this shit is way funnier than what went down in the A-Class.

~

Shinobu kicks a pebble off the pavement as we walk past a convenience store. We're walking home from school together and have been pretty quiet. Shinobu looks deep in thought, so I don't really want to bother him. Eventually, though, he clears his throat.

"So," Shinobu starts. "Are you into Karma now?"

I stop walking and stare at him like he's just stabbed me in the gut. He shrugs and says, "Okay, so I was wrong on that bet. How about Terasaka?"

"No to both of those questions!" I exclaim. Where on earth did he come up with those ideas?! I shudder just thinking about dating either one of those guys. I don't want to be rude but Terasaka? Where'd he even... ugh! And then, Karma Akabane?! Yeah, no thanks - I don't want to wake up with a knife lodged into my chest!

"Really? So you're just, like, a little social butterfly then?" Shinobu asks, glancing at me. I look up at him and shake my head. He tilts his in a puzzled way. "Then, how come...?"