Raising a Tomboy (Pm to Play)

[Kuuroinochou]

RAISING A TOMBOY
{PM TO PLAY}​

Julian Smith was just your typical girl, watching sports as a pass time until a particular sport caught her eye. Though it was more like the player... tennis was the sport and the player was an upcoming star in the tennis community. Starting at a tender age the young man had grown over the years as Julian watched his every move.

From sports drink commercials to cameos in tv shows and small parts in various movies, Julian was there to watch him closely. It wasn't until one faithful day that her idol would meet his match. In a champion ship game he made a fatal error which in turn caused him to throw out his knee. The injury as stated by physicians was irreplaceable, there was no way for such an injury to heal properly. As such, the young player was out before he'd gotten started.

When she heard the knews of her favorite idol's departure from the game of tennis she was definately irate, outrage and completely ashamed that he would simply quit over a mere injury.. (one she neglected to realize could be repaired..at least that's how she saw it). Even so, with help from her dear sister, Julian decided she would visit her idol as she'd managed to win a scholarship in tennis as well. Go figure...

Following in her idol's footsteps she managed to fool the Board of Directors into thinking she was actually a "he". Cutting her hair short as was the requirements of the school (though some of the guys didn't obligue most of the rules), she donned the school uniform: being an all boys private college, she hoped that all would go well and no one would learn her secret at least until after she got her idol back in the game.

As it just so happened her luck had reached its peak when she learned that the private dorms for sports scholars was fashioned in similar terms to condos. Even more so was her luck when she entered her room and found none other than her idol... dropping her bag she blinked a few times before stuttering trying to come up with a means of greeting... alas that was not to be. Instead she just stood there in the doorway staring.

"Uh.. hi?" Smooth move...smooth move.


===SUMMARY====
Basice plot of this story is that Julian Smith has digiused herself as a male to enroll in an all boys private college. Her mission: To get her sports idol back on his game. Of course being a female in an all boys school is very awkward but not as awkward as the mixed signals that she often gives off to the guys in the way she acts and speaks.

Of course she's not the only one in this as the all girls private college down the block houses a platoon of busy bodies who are curious of the new "boy" in school. Can she keep her secret from even women.

This game promises to be silliness and mayhem but that's all up to you the player. Just PM with a breif profile of your character and what school they go to.

We definately need the following persons:
School Physician (who could possibly learn her secret and use it to blackmail her)
Coach
Teachers
Students
And female students from the sister college...

 

[Kuuroinochou]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/Kuuroinochou/anime287.jpg

Name: Julian Smith
Age: 20
Personality: An all out tomboy, not easily offended by male antics but quite a bit more emotional then a man would allow. Her view in life is that of absolute justice. She's an honorable person, loyal and kind, and it sucks that she sends a platoon of mixed messages to the boys in her school... *sigh* She can be a bit clueless but that's only due to her naivete on life. She'll learn...​

=====IC

Julian smiled as she entered the room noting the grumpy man before her. Was this truly her idol or had she gotten the wrong room. Just to be sure she looked at the leaflet in her hand and went back outside to check the number on the door. Sure enough 405...

Chuckling nervously she shrugged it off and took her bags to her room. The place was set up nicely a common area then two adjecent rooms. She had watched him for a quick moment he seemed to be reading something..newspaper of sorts. Probably the sports section as she noted but said nothing only a smirk on her face as she slipped past with a snort.

"Can't even say hello?" she snapped despite herself she had decided she would be her usual self and not try to imitate a man's personality. If she acted normal (the tomboy that she was) then it would be easy to co-exist with a campus full of men. Only she'd never been around guys quite in this state... Gods help me but my virtue is soon to be lost... she thought but then chuckled as she realized it was about as safe as could be in an all boys school. Yes definately protected if any of them had a homophobic complex.

At any rate she continued on to drop her bags in her room before coming back to the common area to glare at her new roommate. Idol or not he was definately rude...

[ooc: Looking for Julian's idol ... that is if my friend does not wish to take the spot. Pm with information.]

 

[Ahren1]

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/Narume13/Anime%20Guys/addazk1wx3.png
Name: Leo Rayner
Age: 20
Personality: Determined, confident, competitive and energetic, Leo was a perfect role-model for athletes everywhere, and his Tennis skill was only surpassed by the enjoyment he received from playing. Though since the accident, he has become much quieter and often depressed, still he tries to remain himself when amongst other people, especially previous fans.​

---

The common area was definitely higher class and better kept than most you would expect, and this room was no exception. It partially belonged to a star on the Tennis scene, and evidence of it was apparent with various posters related to the sport lining the wall, plus a few of attractive female athletes. Though, this person was a bit more modest than most, and kept his own merchandise visible to a minimum, in fact the only picture of himself that was noticeable would be the one with his arm around Natalia Waters, a similarly aged female Tennis champion and a quite gorgeous one at that. Sadly, she was already involved with someone, but it was a nice memory for this athlete nonetheless.

The crimson haired student casually laid back on a sofa, newspaper in hand, his similarly colored eyes reading the crumpled paper with a rather vexed look. Though, he wasn't aware of his outward appearance, considering his mind was now lost to various thoughts, especially on the subject he was reading about. Of course, he thought he was alone, so it didn't matter. He hadn't even noticed the door open and a new student walk in as he continued to read on.

Jade City Tennis Championship effortlessly won by current champion, Matthew Erickson. The headline read bluntly. The known rival of this very student, Leo Rayner, was now continuing on undefeated, all because Leo was now done with the sport forever, and it was one of the few things that truly managed to upset him. Matthew was rude, unsportsmanlike, and just plain selfish. Leo had played for the thrill, the enjoyment, the feeling of actually being alive, and now that was gone. Matthew would get his wish, not because he earned it fairly, but because of a stupid mistake that Leo had no one to blame for but himself. At least, that's what his mind would tell him.

~~

"Tired yet, Rayner?" A cocky voice called out from across the court, though through the murmurs of the crowd, it was only heard by Leo. Leo's eyes shifted to his opponent but he remained silent, his hand gripping the racket tightly. Finally he was up against Erickson, and finally the guy would get shut up. Though the match up till now had been more intense than he expected, Leo was confident. He had the advantage, and all he had to do was win the next point. Erickson would need two more, and even if he managed to get one point, he'd never get both.

With a few swift steps, Leo tossed the ball into the air and served with a powerful strike, nearly throwing Erickson off already, but he was a bit too skilled for that. The volleys were traded back and forth, and the crowd was now silent with anticipation, the only noise echoing through the air was the sound of the ball smacking against the rackets. Leo could see it in his opponents eyes, the look of agony that he was about to be shown up, but this didn't discourage Erickson, rather just made him fight harder. That was probably the one place where these rivals were alike, but their main difference was the reasoning behind playing. Erickson just wanted money and attention, and it just so happened he could get it by being skilled at tennis, which by some act of fate he seemed to be. It was such a shame people like him were blessed with skill when all he wanted was material nonsense. Worst of all, he didn't care about his fans in the slightest.

The trading hits had gone on a surprisingly long time, but after a particular volley, Leo noticed an almost wicked smirk in his rival's eyes. There was something Erickson was known for, which was a devilishly strong double backhand, but he could only perform it with the right conditions. Now was that time, and Leo had always planned a counter to it, but the advantage of the move was there were times when that just wasn't possible. Erickson was going to get this point, but the probability of him pulling off such a move again in the next point would be almost impossible. The right thing to do now would be to let it go. Something came over Leo at that point, however, and he wanted to really get the asshole for the way he treated him, his fans, everyone. With a daring pivot, Leo dashed with uncanny speed to the incoming ball, angling his racket out to stop it. To the shock of his opponent, the next thing he saw was the ball being thrown back in his direction. Such was unexpected to the point where he nearly missed returning it, but as he did, something else caught his eye. Leo was on the ground, and the ball easily sailed past him this time.

The dive was too risky, and Leo had paid the price when he failed to regain his balance, his knee slamming with immense force into the court below. Every part of him wanted to get back up, but the pain nearly caused him to pass out. The next thing he knew, he was being rushed to the ER, and his worst fears would become reality.

Leo would soon learn the damage to his knee was rather severe, and though he would walk again, the likelihood of ever being able to play tennis again at his previous level of skill was impossible...

~~

Some time had passed, and through some rigorous physical therapy, he was walking almost as good as new, but in Leo's case, he may as well had been paralyzed. Without being able to play, he had no idea what he would do. Ever since he was a child and his father had introduced him to the game, he knew that's all he wanted to do, and with that dream crushed, he felt an emptiness that would maybe never be filled.

The paper crumpled in his hands even further as he read the fake comments of his rival about how proud he was, and such, but as the paper lowered, Leo finally noticed the other student enter the room. A boy about his age with jade eyes and sky blue hair. New student perhaps?

"What is it?" He replied to the slightly effeminate boy whom had already noticed his accidental rudeness and replied accordingly with an oddly higher, softer voice than one might expect. Leo wasn't quite in the mood to do introductions at this point, but he took a deep breath and stood up from the sofa, straightening his messy uniform a bit before holding his hand out.

"Oh.. Sorry, uh hey. I'm Leo." He began, knowing that even though most people knew him, it would only reinforce the idea that he was rude if he didn't properly introduce himself anyways. As he spoke, he made eye contact with the boy and got a vibe that momentarily threw him off, but was gone as soon as it had arrived. "New here?"

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Julian sighed placing her hands on her hips as she watched him. It appeared he'd been in his own little world and wasn't completely without reasoning. Trying not to seem as agitated as before she smiled, "Yeah... its been pretty rough up until now but I'm fairing okay. Nice to meet you, Julian Smith." She smiled slightly trying not to seem to eager with herself but that was almost too hard to do when her idol was standing right in front of her.

Part of her wanted to squeal like the groupie she was but she knew that wasn't going to fly. Sighing mentally she went to sit with him though in a chair across from his current position. Maybe a little idle talk would lighten things a bit. She had caught a glimpse of the paper but wasn't sure what it was... going reaching for it she opened the crumpled paper and read the title.

Ah so that explained his sour face. She giggled slightly almost forgetting herself before coughing to cover the slip. "This guy is a joke if you ask me... wouldn't get all worked up over it though." She said absentmindedly as she too tossed the paper aside. "If all goes well I'll be next in line for the championships and if he's still winning big I'll be his next opponent..." While she was no glorified pro she had her name in the papers from time to time, it seemed the new rising star of tennis Julian Smith was quite an enigma. Going so far as to beat some of the top atheletes of today without so much as breaking a sweat... well that's what the papers say, she had no control over that.

Looking around the room once more her eyes lit up at all the different atheletes that filled the walls. None of them showed Leo himself except the one which a twinge of jealousy caught her but that was to be expected by a die hard fan. Man wouldn't it be wild to get his autograph? She had thought of this but refrained he was no longer her idol but fellow roommate and collegue there was no room to be a groupie here. "At any rate I'm not going to lie by telling you I've been a big fan of yours for some time. I suppose you were the reason I picked up the sport so I was hoping to personally thank you." Though said casually she couldn't help the sparkle in her eyes as she waited for a response worthy of her idol.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo nodded slightly as the boy introduced himself. There was a slight familiarity when he first entered the room, but he brushed it off initially, however the revealed name renewed that. Leo sat back down on the sofa and crossed his arms casually. When Julian commented about Erickson and tossed the paper aside, a smile finally snuck its way onto his face.

"Ah, I've seen your name before. Always glad to meet someone else who enjoys the sport as I do.. and not being a fan of Erickson earns you some points as well..." He chuckled a bit. It was possible Julian was just perceptive of his mood and being nice, but once he revealed the fact he was actually a fan of him and not Erickson, that skepticism faded. Another skilled player around gave him mixed feelings. On one hand, they'd have shared interests and probably become friends, but on the other hand, did he really want a constant reminder of what he could no longer be right in the next room every day? Even if the latter bothered him, it was no fault of the boy's, and he'd have to deal with it regardless.

Julian thanking him made him even more uncomfortable, as he was never good at taking that sort of praise to begin with, but especially now he didn't feel like he deserved it. Most people were nice and supported him, but there were some fans that abandoned him as soon as they learned he was done. And could they be blamed? What point was there in following a washed up player? Despite this, Leo smiled again and nodded.

"Well thanks.. But if it's what you truly enjoy doing, then I'm confident you would have discovered it on your own eventually. Though if I assisted in any way then I'm glad I could help." He responded politely. He hated saying those things because they sounded like they were written by a publicist, and having had one in the past might have been why he worded it in such a way, but the feelings were genuine, Leo simply had a hard time replying to comments such as those.

"Just do me a favor and take the bastard out for the both of us when you finally get the shot. He just wants money and it really sours the thrill and competition. Especially since he gets so damn cocky." He sighed a bit, letting his thoughts surface a bit more than he probably would have liked. During this time, he couldn't help but notice a bit of excitement in Julian's eyes, but it was simply attributed to the boy's admiration. He still couldn't understand why he'd be admired even now, but he wasn't going to argue it at the moment. Though, other topics didn't exactly jump to mind, and the last thing Leo enjoyed was awkward silences.

"Well, welcome to the school. Most people are pretty cool, but the one drag I'm sure you're well aware of is the lack of female presence. Don't worry too much though, the sister school to this one not too far off is actually all girl. During breaks and time off, it's pretty easy to meet them. Maybe I'll take you by later." Leo smirked, motioning with his thumb in the direction of the school he referred to. Surely girls would be another interest they had in common. Leo was now interested in finding a girlfriend now that he had time, but there were still plenty that were only interested in his status, as he still had money and connections, so discovering the girls with true heart was always a mission fit for a secret agent.

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Listening to Leo speak sounded like some form of recording. While she knew he was genuine it just didn't hit home with her in the way he spoke. Sighing she placed a hand on her hip getting to her feet. "You know, relying on me to kick that pansy's ass isn't going to be good enough. I got years to go before I can go up against him and actually win... I'm not so naive to assume I'm ready." she watched him but turned to look out the window noting they were on the highest level.

"I was kinda hoping you weren't in this state... feeling sorry for yourself." she turned to glare at him though a twinkle in her eyes took the venom from the glare. "So tell me, you gonna sit on your ass while Erickson continues to wipe the floor with all those uneducated atheletes?" More or less she wanted to appeal to his side that didn't like giving up, that's assuming it was still active. "At any rate its not my place to say but I see a guy feeling sorry for himself rather than using his strengths. I remember watching you on the courts no matter how the odds were up against you some how you pulled through." chuckling slightly she smiled warmly. "As I see it this is just like tennis you got something in your way what options can you choose to retify it?"

"It sucks really cause you'll never know just how many fans out there believe you'll be coming back." she sighed and left it at that. Only barely registering his comment about girls... "As for the females I'll leave them to you. I' need to focus on my game if I'm going to take your place." Was it a challenge probably but more or less an out right cocky declaration. She really wanted him back on his game but in this state he'd be more than a little useless. "Hmm what's in the fridge?" she asked heading for the kitchen to check out the digs.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo grimaced slightly that this person he met literally moments ago was already giving him crap about his mood, acting like Leo had never even tried to get back in the game. Of course he tried, the game was his life, how could he not? This wasn't about desire or skill, it was about simple fact that he messed himself up too bad this time. Now hard work and determination wasn't going to save him. He had made a mistake, a stupid mistake, and paid the ultimate price.

There was difference between stacked odds and impossibilities. The doctors said there was no chance of ever playing like he used to, and if he couldn't play like that, there's no way to beat Erickson or the next guy who shows up like him. He didn't want to hear it at first either, and tried anyways only to make it worse. Trying again could mean ending up in a wheelchair, and that was when he decided better to bow out with what he had. Leo was not a religious guy believing in a miracle was not an option. He needed to work on accepting what's happened instead of dwelling on false hopes. He was partly right, in tennis you can always overcome the odds with practice and determination, but tennis isn't life. In life there are things that are beyond fixing and this happened to be one of them.

When Julian mentioned other fans, he felt a sting in his heart as he was reminded how many people he was probably letting down by talking this way, but there was nothing he could do about it. This wasn't Star Trek where injuries like this would be fixed up in seconds. He was lucky to be walking. "I hate letting people down, and I'm sorry, I really am... But unless you have any great new ideas that are more than just 'try harder' then pouring the guilt on doesn't help. I guarantee whatever you thought of, I did too and already tried." Leo shrugged. The answer probably wouldn't satisfy the boy. If their positions were switched, the crimson haired player wouldn't like hearing about someone give up either, but he wasn't about to give the boy any false hopes by saying 'maybe' either. Like him, Julian would be better off the sooner he accepted reality.

As Julian walked to the fridge, Leo followed as his new classmate would find a fair amount of various products, especially a helpful quantity of sports drinks Leo had once advertised. Getting stuff for free was far from a goal, but it was a nice perk. "Help yourself, I already had trouble dealing with it on my own." He chuckled. Julian's disinterest in meeting girls was a bit puzzling, but it was likely he was shy, considering his smaller stature. "And we can compromise. Ah, having a new guy to introduce to the girls is always a good excuse to go over there. Besides, perhaps you'll change your mind once you see some of them, and in turn, I'll help you with your game if you want." Leo gave a smirk, the one other guys just saw as him being mischievous, but caused the girls to blush.

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Julian only shrugged at his statements no sense throwing salt on an open wound. But she was far from giving up on him, she'd saw a slight twinge of guilt that was the only spark she needed to know he still wanted to play. And she knew perhaps just maybe if he watched her play and helped her improve her game he'd want to take a racket to ball again. It was wishful thinking but she was allowed to dream right? After all that dreaming she finally got to meet her idol... no less live with him.

As he continued on about girls she remained uninterested more or less using her guise of practicing as her major reasoning. "Yeah well I guess if it gives you an excuse." She offered but as she looked up of course his smirk caught her off guard one she never could get over even when seeing him on tv. The blush came to her cheeks easily to which she quickly looked away going into the fridge for a drink. That probably was mistake number one she hadn't thought pretending to be a guy would be so hard but being around Leo wasn't a walk in the park either. After taking a quick gulp to cool her cheeks she felt confident enough to face him again. "I suppose I'm a bit shy around girls being as short as I am... I don't get to much play." she tried explaining finally deciding her guise of being more about the game wouldn't cut it when the off seasons came around. She'd have to part at some point and it was probably a good idea to meet some of the girls... only she wished she could befriend one of them rather than pretend to be a potential date. Such was the life of a die-hard tennis fan. God but she was pathetic.

Looking at her watch she jumped up suddenly excited. "Ah! I almost forgot the class orietation is going to start soon. Uh.. think you could show me where the auditorium is?" though she had a rough idea going out there alone again seemed a bit overwhelming the campus was far too big to be house nothing but men.... she shivered.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo continued to observe the boy curiously. There was something off about him, and it was hard to place. When he responded about not having much luck with girls, Leo nodded in understanding, smirking again. "Eh, I'm sure that bad luck won't last much longer. Not with me here to help, at least." Leo chuckled confidently, giving Julian a friendly pat on the shoulder. The boy might be a bit effeminate, but plenty of girls would probably squeal over him.

There wasn't a lot of time to explain what his intentions were with that last statement as the light haired boy jumped at his impending lateness. With a nod, Leo led Julian out of the dorm and outside towards the main building where the auditorium was held. Various male students were now wandering about and chatting. Some new entries hurried to the auditorium as well, while Leo walked casually with his hands in the pockets of the uniform's pants as if he didn't have much regard for Julian being on time, or figured the orientation wasn't as important as it was made out to be. Students often waved or called out to him, to which he would respond similarly, but he didn't actually stop until a familiar voice came from behind.

"Leo! Where you goin'? Didn't you want to go see the new shipment of ladies?!"

Leo turned with slightly narrowed eyes to the student whom rushed up to them with wasted breath. The guy was their age and with short, spiked blond hair and a goofy grin apparent on his face. "Vince, If you say things like that around girls, you're going to get slapped, and then I'll get slapped for being seen with you, and that's actually the compete opposite of the desired reaction."

"What? What did I say?" Vince scratched his head curiously, glancing to Julian and accidentally making eye contact. Vince stood silent for a moment before Leo raised an eyebrow and waved his hand in front of his friend's face.

"What's your problem? Anyways, this is Julian, he's staying next to me this year. Julian, this is Vince, female deterrent extrordinaire."

Vince shook his head, trying to remind himself he didn't just stare at a boy like he was an attractive woman. The thought alone made him wince, and feel the need to be somewhere else. "Oh uh hi nice to meet you I just remembered gotta do something see ya around bye."

With that Vince dashed in the opposite direction, leaving Leo dumbfounded. "I knew he was lying when he said he gave up weed." Sighing, Leo shrugged and turned to Julian and resumed leading him to the auditorium. After they entered the main building and took a few twists and turns, they finally arrived in the large room already busy with students.

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Julian could only laugh on the inside at Vince's reaction to her. She'd gotten that a lot reacently since enrolling. The only thing she could do was remain unmoved on the outside as the other boy ran off as if he'd caught on fire. "Intriguing friend there..." she commented but remained silent much after that.

They eventually continued their venture to the auditorium where a plethora of other new enrollments were gathered. Many of them about as small as she but a good majority of them looked like knuckleheaded jocks. She rolled her eyes snorting dismissively. It really sucked no one she could really talk to or confide in from a female's stand point. Sighing she sucked in a deep breath as she entered the room... the expression on her face taken quite off guard by a few of the guys in the room.

Many seemed to take Vince's cue and high tail it to another area of the auditorium. Sighing Julian looked to Leo unsure of what to really say about that but rather than speak she left it alone. Let them feel how they wanted it wasn't anything she could do about it. It only remined her of back when her sisters was against her doing this.

-----
"YOU'RE WHAT? I forbid it! Absolutely not! No go, not gonna happen... Julie Ann Smith I will definately not approve of this nor with mother. You were sent out here to go to college with me not some fancy all boys college. And how do you plan to pay for it?"

"Calm down I got it covered sis... my scholar ship works on any school and considering no one really can tell my gender at first glance I'm sure I can get in with no problems. Sides what better person than a tomboy to pretend to be a guy right?"

"You are going to regret this but if its what you want... "

---------

From then on things had been all downhill from there. With her decidely boyish good looks, Julie Ann had changed her name to Julian and managed to fool even the most upstart of scholars.

As they stood in the auditorium it seemed things were getting underway. Julian smiled as she waited eagerly for all the festivities to begin.

"Welcome one and all... as you know your stay here at Britwell College promises to be a most enjoyable of course you have to make the best of it. As new students I'm sure some of you already used to this orientation by now, you know that our pride is our honor. Each one of you can contribute... "

From there everything was a blur. A few times Julian had yawned falling half asleep standing up. She even wobbled a few times leaning against Leo who seemed a bit out of it as well. Probably used to this lame speech by now. The only thing that really woke her up was... "Also we'll need your physical papers and other medical records. We'll be going over those and each one of you will have a thorough physical to make sure you're as healthy as can be."

A physical? Wait! This wasn't in the brochure... she had already had a physical before coming to the school but had her family doctor mask it for her, still they would do work on her? Nooooo... The fear in her heart was evident on her face more or less in the form of having a fear of doctors. That wasn't the case but maybe she could play that off. "I hate doctors.... " she whinned, the action oddly cute for a guy if one looked at it that way. "I must escape.. it is the utmost importance that I escape before they draw my life's blood." Now she was just being plain rediculous. "Quick Leo where's the escape plans I gave you...?" She glared up at him but then calmed down, the most of her fear coming from her secret. The physician would definately find out and her secret would be out... the board of directors would be contacted, news all across America...

This just in: Upcoming tennis prodogy found out to be a girl.. that's right Julian Smith was born a Julie Ann Smith... the shock! Julian screamed causing the auditorium of students to glance at her. "Ah... I uh... forgot to say goodbye to my mother on the plane." she commented ducking low and hiding behind Leo. What could she possibly do now?

 

[Ahren1]

Leo had mostly been distracted by saying hello to various friends to notice every once in a while another boy would look at Julian like Vince had. Once the orientation started, Leo immediately wanted to just turn and leave, but he didn't want to leave Julian alone in case he was lost. Still, the speech was especially boring this year, and he couldn't help but let his mind wander. Every so often, he'd catch Julian nearly dozing off against him, despite the fact that they were standing. He'd smirk, but push him away, not wanting people to get the wrong idea.

Everything seemed nearly over, and just in time before he fell asleep himself, until something said in the speech that made Julian react quite oddly. His muttering about disliking doctors was oddly cute, but Leo didn't dwell on that thought, as he didn't even have time. Julian was progressively getting more nervous at the idea of the physical, even beginning to talk nonsense. Life's blood? Was he a Jehovah's Witness or something? Then something about escape plans. "Julian, calm down, man. What the hell are you talking about?"

A sudden yelp finally brought attention to Julian, and subsequently Leo whom he had decided to take shelter behind. It was now to the point where Leo chuckled nervously then comically dragged Julian from the room into the empty hall. "What's wrong? I can understand having an issue with doctors, but you needed physical papers just to apply, so you must have had one just before. It's the exact same thing, not a big deal." Leo tried to be calming, but wasn't very good at it. "Besides, if you ever want to be a tennis pro, you'll need to take physicals pretty regularly, you must know that... Is there something you're not telling me?"

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Faint. Just faint... she wanted to but how could she possibly keep her secret with all this talk about physicals. They'd know instantly and she'd be kicked out of the school before even acomplishing her mission.

Holding a hand to her head after acquiring a big headache she managed an awkward chuckle. "Yeah.. I know.. I just... " sighing there's no point in going bonkers over it. Perhaps she could call her sister and have her work things from that end. The idea helped lessen the tension in her head but it didn't ease her troubles.

"I'm alright sorry.. I just get freaked out when doctors and physicals are spoken in one breath." She managed to say trying to play it off. Finally looking up at Leo she managed a genuine smile. "Can we get outta here... maybe grab some food or something. I don't think that orientation's going to have anything that I won't learn eventually. The usual..keep grades up play hard in sports, stay out of trouble.. am I right?"

 

[Ahren1]

Leo continued to watch Julian with a genuine look of concern, but as he calmed, Leo began to write off the event as just a phobic reaction. Plenty of people had them, and doctors wasn't really an odd one. Though his words before needed to be listened to, as more physicals would be required, especially for a pro sports player. Leo wasn't sure how else to comfort him, however. He'd likely just have to find a way to deal with that fear.

"Well.. Maybe I can pull a few strings. After all, I brought this place a lot of recognition, they're pretty willing to listen to my requests, especially since I never make any." Leo tapped his chin with the idea. He wasn't bragging or anything, rather just trying to ease the boy's fear. When he inquired about food, it was a welcome change of subject, to which Leo nodded and began to guide Julian back out of the building.

"Oh yeah, typical stuff, no girls, no drugs, mind control devices will be implanted in your sleep. Nothing major." He chuckled a bit, just glad to get away from the boring talk. "I know a pretty decent place for lunch, c'mon."

Once off the school grounds and into the small town nearby, things were finally feeling a bit less stuffy. Leo instantly loosened his uniform tie and took out a stick of gum, offering one to Julian afterward. "This place is locally owned, but once fans heard I went there, business boomed. What I like about them is they didn't let it get to their head. It's still a small, friendly place. Now that I'm not in the game anymore, they won't get overwhelmed either." He spoke as he walked, casually chewing. A blond and brunette pair of girls walked on the other side of the street, wearing the sister school uniform. They immediately noticed Leo and waved with a giggle. Leo nodded back, smirking and winking flirtatiously before glancing to Julian. "See what I mean? Stay with me and you'll definitely meet someone."

That also wasn't meant to boast, it was simply a fact that most girls knew of him, at least in this area. Finally the two reached the small restaurant Bigdogs, a popular hot dog and hangout spot which thankfully didn't get mobbed by private school students who usually considered themselves too rich to go. Upon entering, Leo was immediately greeted by the middle-aged man at the counter and the two chatted idly for a little bit until Leo took Julian by the shoulder.

"It's on me today, get whatever you like. What's your poison?" He smirked again, curious to see if this boy would even accept the place. If he did, it would just be another reason to support him as his successor.

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Thankful to be off campus grounds, Julian took in the local town. She loved how the atmosphere worked with the two joining schools. The girls were rather cute but not as cute as their uniforms which Julian had to quail the urge to squeal with delight at their make. She instead just used it as a means to show interest in other girls though she didn't at all feel that way.

Watching as Leo worked his magic she could all but roll her eyes and chuckle. "I suppose it would be wise to remain under your tutelage for now, eh." She said marginally eyeing the uniforms again she turned back to their travels and took in the other various sights. The gum offered to her was put in her pocket for later use while they entered a local diner of sorts.

Looking around her eyes lit up instantly as she couldn't help but squeal with delight. "Ah.. its so cute!" Remembering herself she blinked mouth still open in surprise of what she'd said but then she coughed and glanced around again. "I mean well...yeah its nice here. I like it..." she settled down only blushing slightly when Leo had taken her by the shoulder in a buddy-buddy format. This was definately getting awkward but she covered and went to look at the menu, green eyes scanning intently until she came across a tripple chili cheese dog.

"I want that!" she pointed excitedly. "The tripple chili cheese dog with extra cheese please... and a strawberry shake as well." It was pretty much a foot long and then some, and as she continued reading the menu she saw that a prize was given to whomever could eat the whole thing. "Oooh.. can I take the challenge too?" she asked excitedly looking to Leo then the man behind the counter.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo paused for a moment, followed by a slight chuckle after hearing Julian's order request. He may have been small, but he definitely had the appetite of a guy, that was for sure. There was still something curious about his attitude, though. It was almost childlike at times. Maybe he lied about his age to get in and that's why he was afraid of physicals? That didn't seem quite likely though as those sorts of tests didn't really look for that sort of thing. There was something different about Julian, but it was nothing more than a hunch, and he would likely have to wait for any other odd behaviors before becoming too suspicious.

"Uh.. Yeah sure, knock yourself out..." Leo finally responded, wondering just how this guy would devour such a meal. The promise of a prize seemed to seal the deal, but even Leo wasn't quite sure what it was. The cashier just shook his head and laughed as he rang up the order. Leo himself ordered his usual, 2 hot dogs with relish, mustard and ketchup with a Coke. Nothing as crazy as a cheese dog with extra cheese. After that was set, they made their way over to a booth where they sat across from each other, awaiting for their food to arrive.

"So, what, have you not eaten since... last Tuesday or something? Anyways, name me your favorite movie, band and activity, other than tennis of course..." Leo didn't so much as ask as practically demand an answer.

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Julian chuckled at his comment but for the most part said nothing until he demanded information. "Hmm? Activities... shopping..er.. well uh yeah I guess I like to shop around for nicknacks. As for my favorite band, that's a bit hard to say. I like Mindless Self Indulgence but I've always been big on L'arc en Ciel. My favorite movie Fifth Element at least its an old time fav..." She said watching him a moment.

"What about you? What's your flavor?" It was only fair if he were going to ask though she had to take a wild guess what he liked. Even so, the stuff you read in papers weren't all true. He might not like any of what was published. If so she'd get to know first hand his favorite topics. A elated expression came across her face as she awaited his answer.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo nodded upon hearing the replies, finding nothing out of the ordinary about the choices, other than just a bit more insight into Julian's personality. If he had something like rap music, he might have walked out of the diner right then. Thankfully that wasn't the case. Despite having just asked the questions himself, Leo wasn't quite prepared to give his own reply. It was always difficult choosing favorites of things, especially when before now he had paid little attention to things other than tennis.

"Hmm, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Groundhog Day and I guess I've always enjoyed photography. Now that I have some time, I might look into that a bit mor-" Leo was interrupted before he could finish his sentence by another voice calling out to him. This time, his reaction was less favorable than when it was from Vince.

"Leeeeeeeeooo!!" An upbeat female voice cheered into the diner as a cute blond girl with shimmering blue eyes in the just-seen uniform popped in. Most guys would probably be glad to see such a girl jump over to them, but this case seemed to be different. As such would seem when the girl had no respect for privacy or personal space as she dashed over to Leo and tossed her arms around his neck. "I thought I saw you come in here! I barely saw you ALL summer, it was like you were going out of your way to avoid me!" She giggled again, not realizing the truth to that joking statement.

"Never, Ally..." Leo replied unenthusiastically. Before she could talk more, Leo motioned to Julian in hopes of getting some of the attention off of him. "Oh, Ally, this is Julian. Julian.. The Unstoppable Godzi- I mean Ally."

"Leo, you're too silly!" The girl nuzzled the crimson haired student's cheek as he slowly tried to slink away. Finally she took the introduction to notice and glanced over at Julian. "Oh, how cute!" She squealed, shifting over to Julian's side and giving him a squeeze. Ally raised an eyebrow afterward and stared intently at Julian. "Wow, are you really a boy? You're so little and soft!"

"Ally!" Leo snapped, realizing this could only get worse. "We've gotta eat then head back to school, isn't your break nearly over, too?"

Ally frowned, glancing toward the clock. "Ahh, I'm always willing to be late for you! But if you guys wanna be alone, I guess that's okay too! Come see me soon, Tiger." Ally gave a wink before skipping back out of the diner, her previous words causing him to wince a bit. He didn't want to be alone with Julian, that sounded a bit awkward, he just wanted her to be away.

"Sorry.." Was all Leo could mutter. He wanted to reassure Julian that didn't happen often, but because of his status, it was fairly common. He didn't really have time to explain it as the food arrived, and Leo observed the huge meal laid out before Julian with a nervous chuckle.

"I still don't know what the prize is, but my guess is a date with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol."

 

[Kuuroinochou]

The interaction between Ally and Leo was ... cute to say the least. His annoyance and her cheerful glee was a much needed distraction as the day seemed to get a bit repetative. It was only when Ally's attentions had been directed her way that Julian wasn't feeling Ally's vibe. Her blatant remark got a squeak out of Julian but other than that she said nothing.

The whole time, Julian's face was red. With anger or embarassment? Perhaps both either way she made a mental note to string the girl by her blond strands and see what may...

Sighing as the girl finally gave in to leaving Julian could only cough a bit at Ally's final statement. Not that being alone with Leo was bad but she was pretending to be a guy so it wouldn't look right spending that kind of time with him. "Its okay really..." she commented trying to seem uneffected the the blush to her cheeks didn't seem to go away until her food was placed before her.

"Holy..." she breathed realizing the picture did it no justice. Leo's statement didn't go unnoticed as she let out a soft chirp of laughter. "Yeah well whatever... I'm not backing down now." And with that she got to work on the dog. To say Julian was lady-like was definately far from the truth the girl had been a tomboy for as long as she could remember and her appetite was infamous... well to those who knew her growing up. She had been thankful the school was farther away from old friends it would seriously suck if someone just popped up and...

"Julian?"

What now? She looked up to find the familiar voice almost choking on her food when she saw her best friend. "Robbie Michaels?" Holy shit! If anyone knew her secret it was him but then he'd always called her by the combined name thankful for that she jumped up instantly pushing Michaels out of ear shot from Leo. "Oh gods Robbie... please please please don't say anything..."

He only laughed holding up a hand. "Calm down I got the skinny from your sister. I had called recently to get in touch with you but when I heard you were going to this college it threw me... why you doing this? It don't make sense..." he asked looking over her shoulder to Leo then back at her. "Oooh.. him. You've been a big fan of that guy for years. Wow! So you actually did all this to be near him... you got balls I'll say that. One step closer to being a man." He joked but then shook it off. "Alright I won't tell but you gotta do something for me.. I'll let you know what it is later for now introduce us."

Whincing Julian watched Robbie slip past her to engage Leo. With a sigh she followed and did as told. "So yeah... this is my close friend Robbie, we sorta grew up together."

"Sorta? Puleeze gr...guy I know everything about you." He said realizing his sudden slip up. Damn if it was gonna be hard to keep this girls secret. An all boys school? What was she thinking? he smiled holding out a hand to shake Leo's. "I've heard lots about you. You're quite the pro... well at least you used to be. Well if its all the same to you maybe you'd give this knuckle head friend of mine some pointers. He'll definately need it... look at'em so scrawny. Robbie pinched Julian's cheek much like a guy would do to his little sister to tease her. "At any rate I'm running late so I suppose I'll catch you guys later. Nice meeting you Leo... glad to see I won't be alone here in school.. Julie...ann." he said playfully knowing it was a risk but he couldn't help teasing the girl whenever he got.

With that Julian found her place in her seat again staring at her food. Suddenly she didn't feel much like eating.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo watched with a mix of surprise and amusement as the small Julian actually began to show the feast in front of him that he did not fear it in the least. It was almost enough to vicariously satisfy his own appetite. Though not entirely, he was a guy after all, and he was prepared to finally eat his food when yet another familiar person entered the establishment. Though this time, it was someone familiar to Julian and not himself. The reaction Julian gave was fairly odd, jumping from his seat to intercept the person before he could approach. It was puzzling and it made Leo wonder just what they were whispering about. He figured it might be him, and maybe he was a fan of his, so Julian was possibly stopping him from saying something foolish, but the concern on Julian's face suggested something else. Whatever it was, he couldn't quite figure out it yet. The way he acted at times was almost cute, for a guy at least.

Finally, the pair headed back to the table and Julian introduced the boy as a long time friend. When Robbie reached his hand out for a shake, Leo took it with a nod.

"I've heard lots about you. You're quite the pro... well at least you used to be. Well if its all the same to you maybe you'd give this knuckle head friend of mine some pointers. He'll definitely need it... look at'em so scrawny."

"Uh, thanks.." Leo started, not quite sure if that was the correct reply. It was a bit annoying for people to keep finding the need to add 'used to be' after commenting on his skill, but that's just how things were now. The way the guy treated Julian was amusing but a bit embarrassing at the same time. It sort of made Leo feel sorry for Julian, knowing it was probably hard for people to take him seriously sometimes. "Yeah, I'd be happy to help.." He continued, but the guy seemed to be in a hurry to head out, so Leo didn't get much chance to say anything else. Leo didn't pay much attention to the way Robbie referred to his friend as he left, figuring it to be just another joke between them, but the way Julian sat staring at his food afterward was a bit curious.

"Well, He seems... annoying." Leo joked, with a smirk, first trying to get Julian to smile. "What's wrong, man, that dog already turning against you?" He added, wondering if the oversized meal was possibly making him sick.

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Julian poked at the hotdog a few times before almost inhaling the thing in one gulp. Of course he chewed and wrestled with the dog a bit but for the most part dispite his sour look on his face the dog stood not a chance against him. "Its just that guy makes me so angry some times. I just wanna punch him but all I can do is eat this though I'm not really hungry anymore..." he commented. His plate however was empty. The whole dog gone in almost a blink of an eye.


Pouting Julian looked up without skipping a beat. "Can I have another?" he asked with a straight face nevermind the fact he just wolfed down the dog that no one else seemed to be able to concure.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo sat in awe that despite Julian's facial expressions just moments ago while staring at his food implied he wouldn't be able to finish, the meal was now gone, and even more surprisingly he requested another right after. It took a few moments for Leo to correctly find the words.

"Well.. I'd say yes, but we've got a class fairly soon, just a small homeroom gathering to go over some basics and address questions, stuff like that. Uh, let me get Jase to see just what you get for devouring that thing." Leo finished with a chuckle, waving the diner manager over and inquiring about the challenge. When he arrived, he seemed almost as shocked, if not more, than Leo about Julian managing to finish the thing. He too hesitated before finally speaking with a grin.

"Both of you eat for free, of course! Congratulations!" Jase said cheerfully, but Leo just rolled his eyes, expecting more.

"Man, after all that? Jase, I'm disappointed." Leo chuckled.

"Hey, I run a hot dog restaurant, what did you expect, a Camaro?"

"Ok ok, fair enough. We've gotta be running anyways. Thanks Jase, delicious as always." Leo nodded, standing from his seat and waiting for Julian to follow before heading out the door back toward the school. With a glance to his watch, Leo turned to Julian as they walked.

"Actually we've got a few minutes, I wanna grab a quick shower first." He said as they returned to the dorm building first and subsequently to the rooms. In the small common area, Leo switched on the TV before grabbing a change of clothes and tossing them into the bathroom. The volume was up enough to where he'd be able to hear it with the door slightly opened, and naturally the station was turned to a sports station reporting on some recent tennis matches, figuring Julian would probably want to watch as well. As Leo showered, the sports commentator began going over a few recent matches.

"And in our Championship match, Matthew Erickson narrowly beat out current favorite, Natalia Waters for the spot in the next National Tournament. The score was 3 games-"

"Oh come on!!!" Leo shouted from inside the bathroom, then suddenly dashed out, completely nude and dripping wet to observe the match replays on the TV, not even caring that Julian would be right there. They were sharing the same common area for the year and possibly longer, what point was there in avoiding what each other would see eventually anyways, right?

 

[Kuuroinochou]

Julian nodded absentmindley as she followed Leo to their next class, however he changed up after realizing they had time. At his reply she nodded deciding a quick clean up was definately welcomed.

When the returned she headed for her room looking around for her robe and other necessities to keep her identy safe. It wouldn't do to slip up now. When she came back to the common room she sat in front of the tv to watch the highlights. Leo's cry from the bathroom brought a giggle but it was quickly swallowed and almost choked upon when he came out stark naked.

Her first response was to scream at him to get back in the bathroom and at least put a towel around him. But words wouldn't form as she simply blushed beet red sitting there. Hands over her mouth she eyed him and his package then turned to look away. Her face completely off the charts now the action definately not something a guy would do. Turning back around she glared at the tv madly hands fisted in her lap. "Please could you not do that?" she asked barely above a whisper. The only thing that was keeping her from looking again was the fact that she was suppose to be a guy. Sure she could play it off and just let him think she were gay but then she would have to deal with homophobia.

But gods was he not a perfect male specimen. If things were different maybe... just maybe...

 

[Ahren1]

Leo had been too upset by that bit of news that he simply didn't really care about clothing for that moment. Though, the request Julian made which he barely heard made him realize it a bit more. He didn't know what the big deal was, but the shy person just probably found it uncomfortable for a number of reasons, which was understandable. He chuckled lightly and quickly ran back to the bathroom.

"Sorry! I'll be done in a minute." He shouted back, finishing washing up. He couldn't help but wonder now if perhaps Julian was gay, seeing he gave off a different vibe at times. Leo knew a couple of gay guys though, some who even went to this school, and it didn't seem really the same, though it would explain the reaction and the earlier apparent disinterest in meeting girls. Still, he wasn't about to jump to any conclusions like that. The most likely thing right now was he was just immensely shy, though there was evidence to counteract that too. Julian certainly was a puzzling individual. After a few more minutes, Leo exited the bathroom again, this time with a tower on as he took a seat on the sofa to watch the rest of the reports.

"All yours. We've got about 15 minutes, then we need to be in class. They're kind of strict about tardiness around here, but it's not too far so you should have enough time."

 

[Kuuroinochou]

"Thanks." Julian said as she waited for him to finish up. She was watching the television more intently now, finally able to deal with herself around Leo after that. She hoped he didn't seem to misleading of her by her reaction but it just didn't suit her to have him flapping around in the wind. Even if she were a guy she'd probably get offended too.

Even so as he exited the bathroom this time covered she sighed in relief. Taking his cue she hurried to the bathroom not before gathering her things from the other room. In such a hurry she forgot to lock the door and quickly began preperations for a shower. Slipping out of her cloths and tossing them to the side in a pile. She stepped in and began washing up happy to finally get herself clean.

The shower didn't take long at all to which she quickly dried off and put on her robe entering the main room for a moment. She only breifly caught a glance of Leo sitting on the sofa before dipping into her room only closing it slightly behind her. Slipping out of the robe she began to apply lotion to her skin wanting to keep herself from becoming to masculine. Soon she was finished with that and quickly got dressed. By the time she was finished she was only just fluffing through her hair not really worried about how it was styled more than making sure it was dry.

Exiting the room she went to find Leo but figured he'd disappeared to his room to change as well. The tv was still on so she flopped down on the couch to watch it only dozing slightly due to the days festivites, and it was only just begining with classes starting shortly.

 

[Ahren1]

Leo had dressed again and resumed observing the television, awaiting Julian to finish his shower. It wasn't until a few minutes after he heard the water stop that he checked his watch, seeing it was now dangerously close to class time. It would be pretty bad for Julian to show up late on the first day, so he decided to approach the common room once again to check on him. Upon doing so, he was quick to notice the boy already dozing off on the sofa, despite their lack of time. Grumbling softly, Leo approached Julian to shake him awake.

As he got closer, he couldn't help but notice how peaceful he looked. He didn't want to wake him now, but there wasn't much of a choice. Reaching his hand out to shake him by the shoulder, Leo now noticed how cute his face was. It wasn't really like a guy's at all. He felt awkward for thinking so, but it was the truth. Long lashes, full lips and small nose. Perhaps Leo himself wasn't gay, but a couple of the guys around who were would probably be interested. Just then, he noticed Julian's eyes crack open and immediately Leo jumped back, a bit embarrassed to be staring, and hoping he wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"Ah uh.. We gotta go." He looked to his watch in order to hide his slight blush. "C'mon."

With that, Leo headed out the door, hoping Julian was behind him, but he wanted to wait for his face to stop being red before turning back to check.