Price of admission

Price of admission Part 7

The day had continued onward for a few periods to the point where P.E. had just ended, and Nisshikata and the others were getting changed into their regular clothes. "Man, why did we have to go outside in this heat?" Nishikata asked as he put him normal shirt on.

"Yeah." Kimura replied, as he desperately tried to breath. "I know how you feel. I'm just glad the lunch is next."

"Seriously Kemura, how can you think about food after working out?" Takao asked.

"Easy, I'm hungry." Both Nishikata and Takao looked at him slightly uneasy, as he finished changing and walked out of the changing room.

"Well, can't argue with that logic." Takao said as he also finished getting changed.

"You guys almost done?" Asked Hamaguchi as he rounded a corner.

"I think we're finished." Nishikata replied as he grabbed his bag.

The three of them set off to the school yard, and though none of them would admit it, there was a tension in the air. Eventually, the three of them caught up with Kimura and found a place where they could sit.

"Man, am I glad it's finally lunchtime." Kimura said as he pulled out a lunch box.

"Yeah so am I." Nishikata added as he opened his bag. As he reached to pull out his lunch box, he felt something in his bag that was out of place. As he looked inside, what he saw made his heart skip a beat; it was a pink letter, sealed with a heart sticker and with his name written on the side. 'This can't be ... can it?' He slowly closed his bag and stood up. "I actually need to use the bathroom first."

"Why didn't you just use it while we were the locker room?" Takao asked.

"No reason." He walked away from without so much as another word, and began making his way to the bathroom. 'Could this be a love letter?' He thought to himself. 'It is pink ... and has a heart on it. Though it could probably just be Takagi trying to tease me again.' He continued into the bathroom and took a quick look around to make sure no one was there.

"Looks like the coast is clear." He said as he placed his bag onto the counter and opened it. He pulled the letter out again and gave it another once over; it was bright pink with his name on it, only there were hearts in place of the dots in the I's. "This is definitely a prank, most likely from Taka- no" He began to think to himself, going over the day once more. "This doesn't sound like her. She wouldn't make something that's a lie, though I guess I have to actually read it to see if it could be a lie."

He peeled off the sticker and took out the letter itself; it was white, unlike the envelope, and was on a folded piece of line paper. "Not very appealing for a love letter." He unfolded it and began to read.

Nishikata

I would like it if I could talk to you about something later today in some place private. Could you meet me after school on the roof? Also, please don't show this letter to anyone, I swear it's not what you think, I just want to talk.

A friend

Nishikata had to read over the letter a second time as he had a hard time believing what he was looking at. "So ... what is this?" He shoved the letter back into his bag and walked out of the bathroom. 'Now that I think about it, it couldn't have been from Takagi. Only time my bag was unattended between now and the last time I checked it was when it was in the locker room, and girls can't go in there, at least, they're not allowed to. It's most likely some guy trying to play a trick on me.' He stopped walking as a thought occurred to him. 'Then again, Takagi could have somehow slipped it in without me noticing ... it is Takagi after all.' He shook his head. 'No, I can't get ahead of myself, I'll have to see what she does next time I see her.'

It didn't take him long to return to the school yard and his friends who watched him as he sat back down. "Everything alright?" Kimura asked.

"Yeah, I just ... had to use the bathroom is all." He said nervously. "Anyway, let's eat lunch."

They all shrugged it off and began to eat, though all the while, Nishikata couldn't get that letter out of his head. 'It said it's not what I think, and it looked like an obvious love letter, so it can't be that. Thought what could whoever wrote this want? And why not just ask me face to face?'

"Hey, Nishikata!" Kimura shouted interrupting his thought process. "You paying attention?"

"Uh, sorry, I spaced out there for a moment."

"I asked if you managed to get those tickets yesterday."

Nishikata paused as he glanced to Takao and Hamaguchi who also looked at him with a knowing look. "No, they sold out too quickly."

"Well that's too bad." Kimura said before taking another bite of his sandwich. "Maybe next time."

Nishikata shrugged with a smile. "Well I'm just going to have to find another way to get back at her."

"Yeah, I don't think that's happening."