SPIN THE BOTTLE By Princess Destiny [princessdestiny@hotmail.com] Chapter Three She waited for Mamoru-or Brad to come back, but neither did. Usagi frowned, then pushed herself away from the balcony railing, looking inside. Mamoru was still standing there, looking deep in thought and his forehead was creased in a thunderous scowl. For a moment, she hesitated. ["Do I really want to be near that jerk when he's obviously in a way scary mood?"] she wondered to herself, biting her lip. Then, Usagi's frown deepened. "Hey, am I a Senshi or a mouse? No creep is going to-freak me out AND take away a real cute guy!" She announced to the night air. Usagi straightened, plastered a smile to her face-and stormed inside. She stopped a foot from Mamoru, then glared up into his startled eyes accusingly. "Eh? What's wrong now, Odango?" He said with amusement and exasperation. ["She really is cute when she frowns like that"] "What's WRONG?" She fairly shrieked at him. Usagi gestured furiously around, then pointed an accusing finger into his face, a centimeter from his nose. "You just DID something to Brad! The only guy who talked to me here and really cute too! How DARE you!" She knew it was childish-but Usagi stomped one delicate foot into the carpet, thoroughly irritated. A smile spread over Mamoru's face, a second before he could hide it from the fuming little blonde. Then he frowned down at her, like a chastising older brother. "That guy I got rid of, has a reputation a mile wide-for treating girls like crap, Odango Atama" He informed her smugly. "Did you want to be just another notch on his belt?" "What? Notch? Mile wide?!" She shouted. Usagi pulled back her accusing finger, dropping it to her side. "You're LYING, Chiba" She accused him. "Me?" He pointed at his chest, giving her an incredulous look. "Oh please, Odango! Why on Earth would I lie about a thing like THAT exactly!?" "Jealousy!" She blurted out. Then, Usagi gave him a horrified look, before her hands slapped over her mouth. ["Oops? I really didn't mean to say that out-loud"] She dropped her hands cautiously, waiting for him to make some crack. Mamoru gave her a searching look, eyes glinting strangely. He moved closer, smiling down at her superiourly. "Of YOU?" He demanded quietly. "Umm-umm-" Usagi stuttered, looking up at him nervously. She summoned her pride and gave him a smug look. "Of course! That I can attract an older-GORGEOUS guy-and you can't even KEEP a girlfriend-oops!" Her hands again slapped over her run-away mouth, eyes looking around nervously for Rei. "Are you talking about-someone in particular, Odango?" He asked suspiciously, looking around the room also, to see what she was so nervous about. "Uh-no!" She said, hastily backing away. "No one. Really. Bye!" She turned and bolted into the crowd, desperately looking for her friends. She ran into Makoto near the kitchen, which was spacious and elegant- looking. Once again, Usagi was consumed with jealousy. ["Why can't I have a nice place like this?"] she asked herself silently, watching Makoto and the guy, Rick. They seemed to be getting along great, if their faces were anything to judge by. Makoto looked dreamy-eyed and Rick just couldn't take his eyes from her. Usagi backed away carefully and went to look for Ami. But when she found the blue-haired girl, she was deep in conversation with a cute-looking guy. "Her too?" The blonde turned and went to look for Rei. She found her with Reika, talking in a corner of the room quietly. "Okay! Attention all!" Someone boomed. Usagi turned quickly and looked at the blonde guy standing in the center of the room, cheerfully holding an empty alcohol bottle over his head for the rest of the room to view. "We're playing spin the bottle! Who's in?" He yelled. There was a mad scramble towards the center of the room, but most of the males and a few of the girls. "Spin the bottle?" Usagi asked, perplexed. She'd never heard of it. "Are you playing, beautiful?" A voice purred into her ear. She turned quickly to see Brad standing there, grinning mischievously. In his eyes was a strange expression that she didn't understand. "I- don't know what it is" She said truthfully, biting her lip. Brad's eyes opened wide, then narrowed. "It's-a game, Usagi. A really fun game" He stressed, taking her arms and steering her towards the center of the room with the others. Usagi let him, a smile beginning on her mouth. A game, she could DO! It was MUCH easier to do, than mingle with a bunch of strangers-right? "It sounds good" She said, but nervously. Her eyes skimmed over about 25 people, who had gathered in a circle in the center of the room. She frowned, but let Brad push her in beside a strange guy and a girl. She sat down cautiously, looking for instructions. Mamoru frowned from his position a few people down from the blonde. "She's too young for this-what is she DOING?" he asked himself quietly. He didn't want to play personally, but it WAS his party, after all. Brad grinned, threw a triumphant look in Mamoru's direction, then sat across the way from Usagi. "Lets start, Michael" he prompted the guy who had called them all to the 'game'. "Right" Michael grinned slyly. "I've decided to change the rules a little bit though everyone. Instead of the usual kissing-the couple picked has to be locked in the bedroom closet for-five minutes!" There were gasps from all around, sounding excited and thrilled. Usagi flushed, then gaped all around. "THIS is the game?" She demanded, half-rising. "Oh come on, Usagi. There's no harm" Brad called across to her. Everyone looked at her, making her uncomfortable. Usagi sank back onto her bottom, nibbling on her lip nervously. "It's all fun and games. No harm in it-right everyone?" Michael added his vote for Usagi staying. There were nods and murmurs from all around. "Unless you're scared" Mamoru's voice came clearly from a few people down. "You CAN back out. You may not like this game, Usagi" He taunted. Usagi's head spun in that direction, her eyes blazing wrath. "ME? Scared?" She scoffed. "Hardly" She looked at Michael firmly. "Spin the bottle!" "You heard the lady" Brad drawled. "Don't say I didn't warn you" Mamoru told her calmly. "Don't talk to me" She snapped, eyes on the bottle, which was placed in the center of the circle by Michael. "I'll do the honors" Michael grinned around at the girls, then spun. Usagi watched it spin around and around, then come to stop on a girl across from her. "Well, well. Just the girl I was hoping for" Michael said slyly, getting to his feet. He looked at another guy, who wasn't playing. "Just so you all know that we kept the rules, the closet has to be LOCKED behind us-okay Steve?" The girl giggled, taking Michael's hand. Steve followed them both into Mamoru's room and then there was a short silence. Brad sighed. "Can someone turn on the music again?" He complained. "They'll be five minutes in there!" Immediately, the room was filled again with techno music and the party resumed. Usagi sat there, nervous. ["What are they doing in there exactly?"] she wondered, eyes on the closed door that Steve was leaning against. Mamoru looked down at Usagi, smiling mockingly. He noted the nervous way her hands were clenched in her lap. "Scared Odango?" He taunted loudly, to be heard over the music. A few people turned their heads to listen. Usagi frowned, then glared at him. "Don't CALL me that you creep!" She yelled at him. "Now, now" Mamoru said lightly, crossing his arms and looking superior. "Manners, manners. This IS my party after all" "And I can act how I want to!" She told him fiercely. "So quit telling me what to do" "I'm only trying to WARN you, little girl" "Who's little?!" She fairly shrieked at him, totally embarrassed. "You JERK!" "Odango Atama!" he yelled back. "Wow, are they like fighting?" a girl asked her friend. "I don't know. I guess so" "A lovers tiff?" Steve drawled from his position against the door. Usagi flushed with embarrassment and shame. "With HIM?!" She shouted incredulously, pointing a finger towards Mamoru. "Are you joking? NOT in a million years!" "Ditto on that, Odango" Mamoru said coolly, amusement in his eyes. "Can't you two ever stop fighting?" Makoto demanded, walking over with her new guy. "He started it" Usagi said, somehow managing to sound more childish than cutting. "Hmm" Mamoru murmured, smiling slightly. "I was merely trying to warn her about her stubborn refusal to leave this game" "Game?" Makoto looked around the circle and then at the bottle laying innocently in the center. "OH!" She gasped, grinning. "Spin the bottle? Cool!" "With a difference" Steve said, grinning also. "The couple gets locked in Mamoru's closet for five minutes" "WAY cool" Makoto breathed, turning to Ricky. "You want to play, Ricky?" She asked slyly. "I'm game, Makoto" He said, smiling at her. Makoto slipped in beside Usagi, while Ricky went to the other side. "So" she said, looking at Usagi. "I never thought you'd go for this sort of thing, Usagi" "What sort of thing? it's a game-right?" Usagi said, completely confused. Mamoru laughed out-right. "You'll find out, of course" He told Usagi, shaking his head. "I'm hoping that she will" Brad said silkily, smiling over at Usagi. Usagi blushed, not knowing why. "Go girl" Makoto whispered, grinning. Steve stepped away from the door, then opened it and disappeared inside. Michael and the girl emerged, both grinning. "Next?" Michael said. His eyes looked the circle over, coming to rest on Usagi. "Since we're not playing the original game, let's give the pretty little blonde a go next, hmm?" "Sounds good" Brad drawled. Mamoru sat up straighter, glaring at Brad warningly. His hands clenched on his knees. ["If he touches her-"] Usagi knelt forward, trembling slightly. Her fingers touched the bottle and she spun it around, then sat back quickly. Her heart was beating furiously. ["What happens now?"] she wondered, suddenly scared. The thought of being locked in a dark closet with one of those strange guys was abruptly frightening. Makoto watched the bottle eagerly. "Too late to back out now" Mamoru said, shaking his head again. ["She'll learn from her mistakes"] he told himself, trying not to worry,. She was a pain-but his friends were much older and likely to take advantage of Usagi. She was so innocent- Usagi held her breath and the bottle slowed. She watched with wide eyes as it passed her at a crawl-and then stopped. There was a dead silence in the room, as everyone followed the pointing bottle up to the winner. It was Mamoru. "Oh no!" Usagi gasped. "They'll KILL each other!" Makoto gasped too. "You've GOT to be kidding me!" Mamoru fairly roared, blue eyes wide with disbelief. He and Usagi looked at each other, faces shocked. "Rules are are rules, Mamoru" Steve said calmly, motioning Usagi and Mamoru to their feet. "Usagi-you don't have to do this" Rei's voice came from the side, sounding faint. Usagi looked quickly at her friend, noting the tearful eyes and drawn features. "It's too late to chicken out NOW, Blondie" Michael said, looking between her and Mamoru. "It's a shame that you two obviously hate each other-but too bad. Closet!" he ordered. Usagi swallowed, getting reluctantly to her feet. She was both nervous and relieved that it was Mamoru that she would be locked in with. She KNEW the jerk! And she hated him! "I don't believe this" Mamoru muttered as he lead the way into the bedroom. Usagi trailed behind, throwing her friend's a nervous look. "What happens now?" She asked Steve quietly. He gave her a lecherous look, pushing her into the open closet. "Use your imagination, little girl. You have Mamoru here all to yourself. You might hate each other, but whatever you do in your five minutes is YOUR business" Usagi stumbled into the closet, eyes wide. ["What does he mean?"] She thought frantically, watching with wide eyes as Mamoru was thrust after her. The space in which they were, was barely tall enough for his head- and CLOSE! His body squeezed in next to hers, both facing each other and plastered firmly along each other's length. "Have fun!" Steven laughed, then slammed and locked the closet, leaving them both in darkness. Usagi swallowed, her entire body stiffening with panic and a strange excitement. "So-what now?" "NOT what they're thinking" Mamoru drawled, sounding annoyed. He breathed in, his chest inflating. Usagi could feel his steady heart-beat and realized that he could probably feel her panicked one. "Calm down, Odango Atama!" he instructed curtly, breath stirring the bangs of her fringe warmly. Usagi shivered, then glared into the darkness, face tilting up towards where his was-there abouts. "Don't call me that you utter creep! This is all YOUR fault!" "MINE?" He said incredulously. "How do you figure that exactly? I warned you away from this-you're really lucky it was ME you ended up with. And YOU spun the bottle" He told her angrily. "Ugh! Everything is your fault! This is YOUR party! And I didn't deliberately aim for you anyhow!" She screeched at him. Usagi raised her hands and thumped them onto his chest with fury. He responded by grabbing both of her wrists in a firm grip. "Don't hit me, Odango" He warned. "I won't hit back, but you'll regret it all the same" "Why did you send Brad away?" She said through gritted teeth. Her eyes rolled to the side, as she tried to release her arms-to no avail. She struggled a little more, glaring. "Why couldn't it have been him I got stuck with?" "You wanted HIM? Are you crazy?" Mamoru almost roared into her face. "Have you any idea of what he might have DONE to you, locked in here alone?" "He's a nice guy!" Usagi yelled back. "Let me go, you jerk!" "Then stop struggling, you ditz!" he yelled back. "And HOW can you say such a dumb thing? Boy, I really thought you had more sense, but I see that I was wrong" "What is that supposed to mean?" She hissed at him, tilting her face back further. She frantically tried to see his face, but there was nothing but darkness-and the annoying weight of a certain jerk pressing her into the wall! "You honestly don't KNOW?" He said, seemingly stunned. "This is spin the bottle,you klutz" "And?!" She demanded. "That means WHAT exactly" She glared more, frustrated with the situation. "And what is the point of being locked in this closet anyway?!" There was a short silence and then the grip on her wrists tightened almost painfully. "This" Mamoru said swiftly. Before Usagi could even blink, she was pressed further into the wall and a pair of warm lips had claimed her own in a searing kiss.