Gotta love the Ritz.....Crackers (Izzy Tag Any)

[Izzy Chen]

[Character Name: Izzy Chen]
[Location: New Paper room]

Izzy had fun yesterday talking to Thad. It was nice to be able to stomp out her frustration and not have someone think she is crazy. Most people probably thought that, but not Thad. He was a good kid. However, her problem still existed. She still had to write the damn column. Although she was not going to , but still. The editor had yet to know that. So for now Izzy let him think that she was going to write it.

Izzy had not gotten Taki's text until the morning. More like texts, but either way that was cool. She felt bad for not replying sooner. But she had not checked her phone last night. She had been so tired that the idea of checking her phone was too much like work. Instead she went home and went to bed.

Today Izzy got an early start. She grabbed a package of Ritz crackers. Her favorite and headed to school. The newspaper room was always quiet in the morning. Which was good. So Izzy ate her crackers and worked on her column in piece. Izzy was so busy working and eating that she did not notice someone in the door way. Until they knocked. Which caused Izzy to jump and that sent her crackers to the floor. Little orange circles spread all over the floor. "I am a dead duck." Izzy said. "Care to say any last words before I die." Izzy said with a small laugh. Her editor was going to kill her for making a mess.

[fryn]

Takumi's phone warbled with the poppy-rocky bubblegum kind of tone associated with Japanese kids. He snatched it out of his pocket and muttered something less than complimentary about his younger sibling who had obviously changed ring tones just to embarrass Taki.

It worked too!

His annoyance evaporated as soon as he read the text.

Izzy!

'Hey sorry I did not text you back last night, but I was dead tired. I am so in for this weekend. Can't wait. In the newspaper room now...if you wanna stop by. XO Iz'

"Sugoi!" he breathed and pushing the phone back into his pocket he jogged to the newspaper room...

* * *

He saw her right away, eating some kind of cracker that he hadn't come across before. He grinned and rapped on the door frame. She jumped and the crackers flew in all directions, causing him to laugh loudly as he stepped inside. A crunching sound told him he'd found one of the crackers right away and he lifted his left boot.

"Oops," he offered with a grin. "I will tell them this was all my fault and if anyone needs to die then it must be me," he replied. He dropped down to help her scoop up the rest of the biscuits. "They seem a little dusty.... Are they supposed to be that way?" Maybe it was part of the cracker and not what ever had been on the floor...

[Izzy Chen]

"Now how can I refuse when you are offering to die in my place like a sacrifice." Izzy said with a kind smile, "Thank you, that is so sweet." She started picking up the crackers as well. Thank goodness she did have more in her book bag, "No they are not suppose to be dusty....its more like crusty I guess you could say. They are suppose to feel rough because of the salt on them. Here. Hold on a minute." Once they were done cleaning up Izzy stood up and grabbed her book bag.

Izzy opened one of the zippers and took out a brown cylinder looking package. She opened it up. "I guess I never learn, but these are way to good not to have. Here." She took out a cracker and handed it to Taki. "My favorite. Most people like ice cream as comfort food I like crackers. Call me weird." She said with a smile. Izzy hoped Taki liked them, although most people did like them, but there was always a first for everything.

Izzy took one herself and ate it while Taki ate his. "Again sorry for not texting back. I saw Thad list night and we decided to have fun stomping our stress out and I did not think to check my phone until this morning. It had been one of those days. The days where you just want to crawl in bed and sleep it away." Izzy told Taki. "Although Thad did help. Poor guy. It was funny watching him beat the paper with his crutch." She explained. "So how have you been? I have not seen you in a while. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me." Izzy said joking.

[fryn]

"Avoid you?" He shook his head. "No, no, Izzy-chan. I would never do that!" Was he blushing? Perhaps... a little bit. Takumi nibbled one edge of the cracker. "This is good!" he stated in surprise. Salty and crunchy... very different to the rice crackers he knew from Japan. "And I don't think you are weird," he added. "Don't tell anyone else but..." He broke off and leaned closer but not before glancing left and then right to make sure they were alone. "... I really hate ice cream." He straightened slightly. "Now you think I am odd instead!"

Taki threw Izzy a grin as he ate a bit more of the cracker. "I met Fallon at the carnival last night," he told her. "It was there that I sent you that last text." He knew he'd been sending far too many but he'd so wanted to hear from her. "I hoped to also see Thad but Fallon told me he was... ah... grounded." He frowned slightly. "What is grounded? I didn't like to ask Fallon..."

Izzy explained and it all became far clearer. "I was unable to see him but she measured me for a jacket she is going to make." He looked pretty pleased with that thought - and, rightly so, was. "But your text said you are ok for Saturday?" She nodded. "Sugoi! I was hoping you would be able to come... I... ah... " He ran his fingers through his hair, unsure how to proceed. "Will you be bringing anyone with you?" That seemed a safe way of asking if she'd be alone.

[Izzy Chen]

"Good to know. I was about to come find you." She winked as he leaned in close. Izzy leaned in as well so Taki could whisper in her ear. She smirked as she heard what he had to say, "That is not odd at all. There are other ways to get your sugar fix then ice cream. Besides ice cream is too cold on the teeth." Izzy laughed as she thought of the cold hitting her teeth, "Plus the brain freeze. Not fun." She said with a laugh.

Izzy did not even notice the blush. She was oblivious at times. "I guess Thad must have snuck out because he did not seem grounded last night. Then again sneaking out of my house is very simple, so I am sure anyone can sneak out of their house, but grounding is simple." Izzy began to explain the concept of grounding, which basically boiled down to not being able to leave ones own home for a period of time.

"A jacket. I would love to see it when it is done." Izzy did not know Fallon very well, but if she could make a jacket then that was okay in Izzy's book. Izzy was not good with making anything. She had a gift for writing. "Yes, I am so in fro Saturday. Sounds fun." She said with a smile. Izzy did not mind the texts. She herself could sometimes send to many. Izzy thought a moment, not thinking anything was behind the question. "I might ask my brother if he wants to come, but he will probably say no. So no...I will be going alone." Izzy stated. "What about you...bringing anyone special?" Izzy asked.

[fryn]

"Your brother? That would be great!" Taki replied. No-one else... her brother. His shoulders sagged slightly in relief, only to tense once more at her next question.

"... anyone special?"

The two words reverberated around his brain. Clanging together. It reminded him of the cartoon he'd caught a glimpse of the other day. Something about a mal-formed man who lived in the tower of some famous Parisian cathedral.

Anyone...

Special...

He blinked to try and drag his brain back together.

"I... that is... " He swallowed and closed his eyes for a fleeting few seconds before he jerked to his feet, back ramrod straight.

"Izzy-chan, I would be honoured if you would be my... ah... someone special on Saturday."

The words came out in a complete rush as if their speaker feared he would lose his courage before he'd finished. It almost happened but he finally finished speaking... and opened his eyes once more.

"A... date...?" he tried uncertainly. "That is the right word... isn't it?" He'd surely set himself up for the biggest fall he'd experienced so far in his life. Izzy couldn't possibly like him in that way... could she? Had he just ruined their friendship completely? What if he'd handled the situation in the wrong way? He didn't know the customs here in America and perhaps he'd asked incorrectly. He half winced and peered at her through narrowed eyes, bracing himself for her response...

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy nodded as Taki spoke about her inviting her brother. She did find it odd when Taki seemed to be struggling with telling her if he was bringing anyone special. It was kind of cute too. Izzy could not help, but smile as Taki finally stood up trying to speak. However, what Izzy did not expect was the words that came next. He….wanted her…to be his someone special. For a moment Izzy thought Taki might mean he just needed a ride of something for Saturday, but no. Then Taki had to shock her once again when he said the word date. Thank god Izzy did not have a cup in her hand, because it would have gone crashing to the floor. Izzy was shocked. Was Taki asking her on a date?

He said date. He said someone special and he said it to her, so in Izzy’s mind that meant Taki was indeed asking her on a date. For a moment it seems like time had stopped. Izzy had been on dates before, but usually it was one date and it was only because the guy asked her out and Izzy felt bad saying no. Never had she been asked out by a guy she felt she might like. The memory of her dream of the kiss was back in her mind. When she had reasoned that the dream meant nothing, because Taki could never like her like that.

Now she was thrown for a loop. Taki seemed to like her back. A guy she had a crush on liked her back. Izzy felt her heart speed up in her chest. Any faster and it might jump out of her chest. Izzy looked up at Taki and smiled as she looked into his eyes, or what she could see of them since they were narrowed. “I would love to be your date. your someone special."

[fryn]

"You would?" He mentally told himself to try and act just a little less surprised by Izzy's response but Takumi had to admit he'd been fully prepared for a hasty retreat on her part... however politely worded. "Subarashii! I mean, that's great! Really great," he said with a smile. "I have to tell you, though, that I have never tried bowling before and so you may be... ah... embarrassed," he added with a wink. "Perhaps after the meal and film I could take you back to your home? Ya know... with all the gang trouble I'd feel happier if I knew ou were home safely." He was babbling a little but perhaps given his relief that was understandable.

"The others are taking cars but I only have my scooter. I have a spare helmet, though, and drive slowly. Would you be ok with that?" Perhaps her parents wouldn't like that idea. "I reall need to start lessons in driving," he said with a wry shrug.

He was still coming to terms with the fact that she'd said yes. Actually said yes, she'd go out on a date with him. So what if half the school would also be there - a slight exaggeration - it was still a date. Izzy would be with him and no one else on Saturday night.

Subarashii indeed.

"There's another one," he said as he pointed beneath the desk and to the cracker he'd spotted. He ducked down, just as Izzy did likewise. Their heads connected beneath the table and he threw her a grin. "Gomen," Taki apologised...

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy smiled a big smile as Taki talked, "Yes I would. I have to admit I have had a crush on you since the Ghost hunt I just never thought you liked me back." Izzy admitted in a shy manor. "Oh I can teach you how to bowl, although if I do teach you, odds are you will get gutter balls. I suck at bowling, but I love to bowl anyway. Its fun." She told Taki. "So do not worry about being embarrassed, we can be embarrassed together," She said with a small laugh.

Izzy had no idea Lia had entered the room and over heard, or that she also liked Taki. Right now Izzy was over joyed that a crush was being returned for once in her life. She always crushed on unavailable guys, but now she had been asked on a date. Izzy just hoped that it would not be the only date they went on. "A scooter, thats fine." Although Izzy had a car, but Taki was offering her a ride and she had never been on a scooter. it would be an adventure. She needed more of those. "i would be honored if you escorted me home. It would make me feel much safer since everything that has gone down." Taki was just amazing. No one could blame her or Lia for liking him.

Izzy looked down at the cracker and bent down. As she did her head collided with Taki's. It hurt but only for a second. It was more embarrassing then anything. Her cheeks flushed crimson. Izzy smiled at Taki, "Sorry." She said softly. Now Izzy was not the girl to take initiative. She never admitted her feelings until she knew how the other person felt. She was never one to make the first move. Ever. However, right now. It just seemed like the perfect moment to make a small move. Izzy would not lie, she had been tempted to kiss Taki since they kissed in her dream.

So for once in her life. Izzy took the initiative. She just hoped it did not bite her in the ass. Izzy prayed that it did not scare Taki off and cause him to no longer want to date her. Izzy leaned forward just a tad and placed a small kiss on Taki's lips. Nothing over whelming. Just a small kiss.

[fryn]

A crush? Takumin's eyes widened a little. Didn't that word mean something like to squash or squeeze something until it was flattened? Did Izzy want to flatten him? It had to mean something else. He'd ask Thad or Fallon as soon as he found them but rather than look a stupid baka in front of Izzy he merely smiled back as if he completely understood.

"Domo arigatou... If you can at least show me how not to make myself look an idiot I would be eternally grateful!" he replied to her offer to show him how to bowl.

They both pounced on the cracker, smacking their heads. Each offered an apology and Takumi had been about to assuere Izzy that it didn't matter when she leaned in and brushed his lips with a light kiss.

His eyes widened once more before he pressed a little more firmly against her lips with his, just a little to make it a two sided affair. They drew back a little, both blushing... Takumi not quite as much as Izzy but the colour still was present in his cheeks. The kiss had been gentle but very, very nice.

"It seems fate saw us miss picking up the cracker earlier," he finally said with a smile that lit his eyes and his fingers curled around the biscuit in question. This one wasn't going to end up in the rubbish bin with its siblings. No, this one would be saved as thanks for the kiss.