Chapter 6: Yes, you ARE a girl!

"You have a motorcycle?" I exclaim. Not that I'm too terribly surprised.

"Yup," Keiichi responds, handing me a helmet. I look up at him nervously.

"We're gonna ride it... Together?" I blush, imagining myself with my arms around his waist, riding across the bridge into town. Keiichi chuckles, as I apprehensively take the helmet into my own hands.

"Don't worry! I'm not a bad driver," he winks at me.

"O- okay..." I say, putting the helmet on. It's a little big, but I'll be fine. Just before we take off I swear I see someone staring at me beside the bushes, but when I looked back again they were gone.

*Point of View change: Keiichi*

As I weave through the other students and island residents meandering across the bridge, it's hard to focus on steering. Ayumi's arms wrapped around me are clamped tight. It makes me smile. She's so cute the way she's so timid and quiet. Although I have a million questions for her that I can't wait to ask, starting with 'Why is she here?'

She looks shocked by my sudden question. We had hardly just gotten off the bike. "Why? Don't you know? It's the best school in the world!" Of course I already do know this.

"Yes, but why not just go to a girl's school? There's one that's also one of the best."

"I know, it's just... it's more complicated with girls. I haven't exactly had the best of times with them..." She looks.. pained. What happened? I want to know more about her past, but I can tell she doesn't want to talk about it yet. She puts on a forced smile.

"Wait here," she says, "I'm going to go change." I sit down on a nearby bench and wait, questions just firing away around my brain. I almost don't notice when Ayumi walks out. I'm stunned.

"Wow... You look.. wow!" Her short (usually spiked) hair is clipped back and brushed down into a "girlier" look. She's wearing light make-up and a cute yellow sundress with frills.

"I know I look stupid, but I have to look different or else someone will recognize me." She says, blushing and averting her eyes. I take her chin with my thumb and pull up her face to look at her eyes.

"Are you kidding? You look so beautiful," I can't control my actions. My head is dizzy and my heart is beating fast. Next thing I know I've fallen into a kiss.