Four years after their first meeting, not once did Hebe Tien and Aaron Yan get along like good children. You'd think that after being rivals for so long, Hebe and Aaron would let it down. But no, they just had to keep it up for the sake of their pride. Eventually, their friends gave up on trying to make them get along and simply ignored them when they were at it (again).

"Hey, it's the short weird kid," Aaron sang merrily. While Hebe had initially been taller, he'd somehow sprung a growth spurt in the past year, and was now three inches taller than her. Since then, he'd found a nickname that nobody found original, but nobody but Hebe really cared.

"Screw off, creep." Hebe returned, her cocky smile parting lazily, showing off her white teeth. Selina and Genie groaned as they backed off--they, at least, knew when to get off the battlefield. Ella, however, sat up straight in her seat with her usual lively face, anticipating their latest argument.

Of course, while they weren't very decent to each other, Aaron and Hebe knew what lines they shouldn't cross--in Aaron's case, it was his past basketball 'career', and in Hebe's case, it was her mother.

"Grumpy today, aren't we?" Aaron leaned down onto the chair beside Hebe's; resting his elbows crookedly on the seat back. Hebe's eyes darkened and became hooded; she looked the other way in a hopeless attempt to keep her temper down. Selina had lectured her for hours last time she blew up in public.

"Aaron," Genie started hesitantly. Her voice was low, and while Hebe nearly missed it, Aaron heard clearly and raised an eyebrow at her, urging her to go on. "I think you should leave Hebe alone. She's not in a good mood today." Her own eyebrows knitted up, creasing her pretty face. Aaron softened and sighed dramatically, reaching up and patting her head.

"Fine, fine. I'll leave," He announced--but not before leaning down to whisper something in Hebe's ear. Her eyes widened; her face flushed, and she stood up abruptly, shoving her seat back with an unattractive screech in the process. Ella's grin widened as she predicted what would happen next.

Well; it wasn't that hard to guess anyways, judging by Hebe's mood earlier that day. Of course, she slapped him. "!" She cussed, as Aaron recovered from the impact. She grabbed her bag, ignoring the few papers that slipped out of it, and stormed out of the shop, with Genie at her tail.

At this, Selina stepped in, her hands on her hips and her head cocked, her eyebrows raised and slightly open, obviously preparing her scolding. "Aaron Yan, what did you do this time?"

--

"Idiot. Moron. . Buttface. Bully." Hebe scowled as she sped down the street.

"Hebe, stop!" Genie cried as she lengthened her steps in a frail attempt to keep up with Hebe. Hebe stopped suddenly, and Genie crashed into her. "What did he say?"

"Why don't you go ask him, if you're so curious about it?" Hebe said, stark sarcasm at the tip of her tongue. At the sight of Genie's hurt face, she warmed her mood. "Sorry. He just said something about my mom, is all. I'll get over it."

"Uhm, okay." Genie whispered awkwardly. She lifted her eyes to look at Hebe's expression. A few minutes ago, her round face was an expression of rage; now, it had softened into a hurt face, her eyelashes fluttering shut painfully. was set in a grim line, like she was hoping to hide her anger from the rest of the world. And then her face lit up, shocking Genie inevitably. Positively glowing, now, Hebe turned heel and walked back toward the shop--except that, instead of going back into the shop, she turned into the café. Uncertain of what she should do, Genie waited patiently outside, humming calmly to herself.

Pulling a scrap paper out of her bag and a pen, Hebe grinned wolfishly. While her plan was short and unoriginal, it still gave her some satisfaction that Aaron would read this and be at least a little hurt, like her.

She left the note in his cubby and left.

--

'well, at least i'm not a faker like you. pretend permanent injuries are stupid--i guess that suits you, though; fake and stupid and temporary.'

She'd known all along. His leg had been fine after the surgery. He chickened out of basketball because of fear, not the noble injury that everyone thought. He dropped the papers he'd been meaning to return to her and ran out of café.

Aaron found her in the bookshop Selina worked in. So much for apologizing like Selina said to do--now his mind was spilling with anger. He strided over to her, throwing the book from her fingers onto the floor and picking her up by the collar. While she trembled, Hebe's eyes were calm, almost prepared for this. This made Aaron all the angrier; that she'd anticipated his reaction, and he slammed her against the wall of the quiet room, towering over her.

"How did you know." It wasn't a question.

"I talked to the doctor while I was visiting my 'retarded mother'." Hebe answered viciously. "Turns out Aaron Yan, star player, is nothing but a chicken."

"Screw you; it's not like you know the whole reason. Don't talk about it like you know."

"Doesn't the same go for you?" Hebe asked icily.

Now it was silent, as both sides contemplated their battle. It had been dirty and unfair. Hebe hung her head, finally, the guilt rushing through her mind. Noticing the change in her behaviour, Aaron dropped his hand from the wall beside her head.

"Sorry," they murmured in unison. Another few moments passed before Hebe raised the corners of her small mouth, her eyes lowered to his shirt, and then Aaron lost it.

He kissed her, of course, and it was really all the apology that Hebe needed, because she knew he was sorry, even though he probably didn't know why. So maybe those four years of immature arguments was over--maybe Hebe and Aaron both missed it a little. But they'd taken four years to get to dislike each other; hopefully it wouldn't take as long to begin to like each other. The thought made Hebe kind of happy, and at this point, she smiled as she stood on the tips of her toes to kiss him back.

--
hahahhah, this one was a little more intense than i'd hoped for. but hey, i kind of like its melodrama.
my fingers are cold.

march 10, 09.
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