It All Started With a Bet

Crimson Rain

I am back! Waaah! I am really sorry guys, for delaying this chapter. I was busy for the past weeks. Gomenasai, gomenasai... I hope this worth the wait... Domo... :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis. Capiche?

Chapter 18: Crimson Rain

Chapter Summary: There were things she needed to do first and she didn't actually know where to begin. Deep inside her mind, she knew what she must do first but her heart was blocking her to it...

Everything was supposed to be okay. She wouldn't have been facing the problems she was experiencing right now. She was popular, pretty, and considered to be the girl next door. All boys would turn their heads wherever she went. She supposed to have the famous tennis player her age as her boyfriend.

Yep.

Everything was supposed to be okay... not until she appeared from the picture.

She didn't know why she played hard to get at first, knowing that the person she longed to be with was also in love with her. That was right. Echizen Ryoma was in love with her. The thing was, she didn't accept his feelings not until he proved something to her.

And that was how the bet was made.

The poor victim was none other than Ryuzaki Sakuno, their coach's granddaughter. The pick wasn't an impulse. She did that on purpose. She just couldn't stand the braided-pigtailed girl meddling with the regulars... especially to Ryoma. As a girl also in love, she knew every stare Sakuno was giving to him.

The girl was also in love with him.

That realization and the girl herself were bringing up some nerves to her system. She didn't like that scene whenever she saw them together. That was the time she brought the bet up. She wanted Ryoma to date her and after three months, he would dump her. She wanted to see the girl crawl at her feet during those months. Although it didn't happen, she managed to break the girl's heart with the help of Ryoma. They were finally together. She got the boy as he got her.

But that was only for a short time.

She never expected that Ryoma would fall for the girl after that bet. She knew, he fell in love with the girl all along and it was her doing why did it happen. She made the two fell for each other. Only if she didn't make that bet and accepted his feelings in the first place, she wouldn't have the problem right now.

The morning was cold for her. She knew that it was going to rain later. Perhaps because of the tropical storm that warned the sides of the country was the reason of the bad weather. And from where she was standing, the girl's tennis court, she could see him on his side of the court gazing at a particular building... where the art club was.

She knew... she was about to lose everything.

Meanwhile:

She sighed for a lot of times that day. There were times she wanted to crumple the paper and start anew. She just couldn't get the shade right to her satisfaction. Sakuno dropped the brush for the umpteenth time. Standing up, she needed a fresh air. That was the time she realized she couldn't concentrate. She felt heavy inside and she felt that her eyes would fall off anytime.

Walking to the window, she felt at ease now that the open air welcomed her. The breeze was cold like it was going to rain any minute now. She heard about a typhoon would enter the country so the weather would not be getting better any time soon.