And Then, They Fell in Love

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Will Ferrell's version of "Music of the Night" which is sung by a character in this story. Do not sue me. You'd only get lint.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amanda Adams' arms were around Sara's neck before she had time to think. "Hi Mom," she choked out, staring at her father in distress. He merely chuckled and tugged on the back of his wife's shirt, pulling her away from their daughter. "I'm happy to see you too."
It was great to be back in the United States. It was great to be back home.

Kara was already introducing herself to Osamu, who was nodding and answering questions already. "I love this airport" he had informed her earlier. "I don't have to worry about people snapping pictures of us every five seconds. No one knows me here. It's amazing."

"We are so glad that you are home!" her mother exclaimed, and without warning, drew Osamu into a hug. He tensed for a moment, his eyes wide. Then he grinned and hugged her back. "Welcome, welcome!"

"I like your family," Osamu stated, grinning.

Sara's father was throwing their bags into the trunk of the car, raising an eyebrow as one of Sara's refused to fit. "I think you have come home with more stuff for the two weeks than you did when you left for almost a year!" he exclaimed, finally stuffing the bag into a tight spot and shut the trunk lid. "Anyone hungry?" "Starved" were the first words from Osamu's mouth. Amanda grinned.

"Now I have to hungry boys to feed."

Sara stared at her in confusion. "Two boys?"

Kara perked up instantly. "Mom didn't tell you? Caleb Motomiya is staying with us this week. Apparently, his parents are going out of town for Christmas --"

"They didn't trust him not to burn the house down," Amanda added.

"So he's staying with us."

“Is this the Thriller Caleb?” Osamu whispered to Sara. It took her a moment to figure out what he was referring to. Finally, she nodded, and grinned.

“I can’t believe you even remember me telling you that.”

Osamu tapped his head. “Awesome memory, remember? I’m not known as a genius for nothing.”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snoring came from the couch. Caleb Motomiya lay sprawled across the living room sofa, a pillow placed over his head to shield his eyes from the light. Kara rolled her eyes and nudged him with her hand. The lump groaned and mumbled something in Japanese, before pulling the single sheet over his body. Kara poked him again. “Up, Caleb” she demanded of him. “Sara and Osamu are here.”
A blue eye peeked open, squinting. Caleb sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and groaned. Blearily he stared at Sara, before breaking into a grin.

“Mornin’ Caleb.” Sara greeted, chuckling at his disheveled appearance.

He was off the couch and around her before she could blink. “Are you home for good?” His voice sounded hopeful.

“Sorry to burst your bubble,” Sara laughed, hugging him back. Caleb rested his head against the crook of her neck and suddenly became a rag doll. She detangled herself from his arms and pushed him away. “I’m only here until the New Year.”

Caleb’s face fell. “Sad day.” His disappointed look only lasted for a moment as he spotted Osamu. “Hiya. Caleb Motomiya.” He thrust out his hand.

“Motomiya?” Osamu repeated, nervously taking Caleb’s hand. “Japanese name.”

“My father,” Caleb agreed. “I’m half-Japanese, half-French, born in Tokyo, and I’ll be a nationalized American soon.” He shrugged. “Basically a mutt. I take it you’re the prodigy dude?”

Osamu frowned. Like Caleb, he shrugged and looked at the floor, clearly uncomfortable. Caleb clapped a hand on Osamu’s shoulder. “No worries. Everyone here is smarter than me.”

“In the common sense area, sure.” Kara muttered from behind. Caleb ignored her.

Their mother entered the room at that moment. She frowned at Caleb’s appearance, but apparently wasn’t surprised by it. “Shower time.” she informed him.

Caleb gave her an insulted look. “Do I stink that badly?”

“Your clothes. . Smell.”

“Fine, fine.” Caleb grumbled, waving at the group before making his way into the bathroom. The moment the bathroom door was shut, Amanda Adams let out a small groan.

“I love that boy to death,” she said, gathering his pillow and sheet from the couch. “But I don’t understand him. Why someone with such a future and personality about him would choose to do things like that . . . He acts as if we can’t tell. The smell is all over his clothes! I swear, if a drug dog walked in at this moment, they’d arrest us all!” She grumbled all the way into the laundry room, leaving the remaining teens to glance at each other. Osamu raised an eyebrow.

“It’s a pretty well known fact that Caleb is the town druggie,” Kara explained with a shrug. “Don’t think we haven’t tried to help but. . Well, talking only gets you so far, and I really don’t want him to end up in jail. . .” She trailed off as she stared at the bathroom door.

Caleb emerged moments later. “Clean!” he announced happily.

“That had to be the fastest shower on record.”

Sara earned a shrug. “I don’t waste my time. Unlike someone,” he gave an exasperated look at Kara. “She, on average, spends at least an hour in the shower. I don’t know what you’re doing in there - frankly, I’m not even sure I want to know. What could possibly take an hour to do?”

Osamu choked back a laugh and received a glare from both Sara and her sister. Caleb wrapped an arm around Osamu’s shoulder’s, leaning against him. “I have a feeling,” he announced. “That we will be great friends. Welcome to America, Ichijouji.”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Remind me again how we were conned into going to this party,” Osamu commented dryly. He sat on Sara’s bed, playing with one of the many stuffed animals that littered the bedspread. “I understand that I drug you to one once, but this is almost completely different.”
“How?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Caleb had bounced into the room earlier, announcing to everyone present that Joseph McGowen was hosting a party tonight. When Amanda cringed, Caleb personally assured her that there would be nothing illegal at this one. “Joseph is an old friend of ours. You know him.”

“I know you too.”

“Good point.” Caleb agreed, settling himself on the arm of the couch. “But he’s dating Adelle. . Again. And she’s completely anti-alcohol, and none of the rest of the people there like any other illegal substances. . . I assure you, Mrs. Adams, I will keep Sara and Kara completely safe. If it makes you feel any better, Shannon and Joshua will be there as well.”

Hearing Joshua’s name had apparently swayed her opinions. She agreed to let them go, on the promise they would be home by at least eleven.

Osamu picked at her bed sheets. “I don’t know anyone here,” he mumbled to himself, his eyes hooked toward the floor. Sara turned from her place at the mirror to stare at him, thinking he was joking. When she saw the uncertain look on his face, her eyes became wide.

“Ichijouji Osamu!” she exclaimed in utter joy. “You are nervous about something!”

His head shot up, and his eyes narrowed. “I am not.”

“Yes, you are.” Sara argued, resting her curling iron against the cloth on her desk and making her way across the messy room. She situated herself on her bed and rested her head on his shoulder. “There is no need to be nervous,” she whispered. “They’ll love you. I love you. That should be all that matters.”

“It is,” Osamu confirmed with a nod of his head. But instead of the confident look she was always used too, he looked almost petrified. “But I want to make a good impression on your family. Your friends. I fully intend to live here with you when we graduate from high school. .” His eyes met hers, and he shrugged. “There is no way to dance around the subject, Sara. I love you. I want to marry you.”

“Osa-”

Osamu placed a finger against her lips. “Please, don’t say anything. That was hard for me to admit. I am not very good with sharing my feelings. . But I thought that you needed to know that. I’m not proposing to you . . Yet. But keep it in mind. I fully intend to. Someday.”

Sara smiled. “And I fully intend to accept.”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sara didn’t realize how much she had missed her friends from Oklahoma until she walked into Joseph McGowen’s back yard. Like the her mother and Caleb, Shannon O’Conner threw her arms around Sara’s shoulder’s, hugging her closer and grinning. “You’re back!” she exclaimed.
Osamu raised an eyebrow in amusement. “You’re popular, aren’t you?” He was obviously enjoying her discomfort. She glared at him, and instead, concentrated on her friend.

Behind her, Shannon’s boyfriend, Joshua, wrapped an arm around her in a one-armed hug. “Nice to see you back, even if it’s only for a while.” He gave her a smile. “You look nice.”

Sara blushed, and introduced Osamu, hoping for once to get the attention off of her. Osamu took everyone’s greetings in stride, even laughing when one girl swore she recognized him from something on YouTube. Caleb rescued him, by grabbing Osamu’s arm and dragging him else ware.

“She’ll stalk you for the rest of the night if I tell her who you are,” He explained in a short whisper. “She’s obsessed with Japan in every way. I can’t tell you how many time she had decided to make me teach her Japanese.” He rolled his eyes. “She can’t learn it, and she pronounces everything wrong. Thinks it’s stupid that we don’t use ‘l’s. . . Just bleh.” He caught sight of something, and it made him grin. “Excuse me for a moment. I have business.”

Caleb put down his drink and walked up beside Shannon, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Hello, my dear friend Shannon. You look beautiful tonight. Has anyone told you that?”

Shannon stifled a laugh and shook her head. “Besides Joshua? No.”

“Rubbish. You look gorgeous. You know, you’ve always been one of my favorite people in the world. Amazing girl. If Joshua hadn’t nabbed you, I would have. I think I should actually just take you from him. I’m better, I can assure you.”

Shannon smiled. “I’ll take your word for it, Caleb.”

“I have a gift for you!” Caleb exclaimed. He stood back from Shannon and cleared his throat. In a voice that surprised everyone around them, he sang

“Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation.
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination.
Silently the senses abandon their defenses. .”

Caleb made a little hum.

“Slowly, gently, night unfurls it’s splendor.
Grasp it! Sense it!. . . Ja lib oh gaaa”
Turn your face away from the garish light of day,
Turn your. . . . . “ Caleb paused momentarily, then shrugged and continued with his interesting version.
“Listen to the music of the night!


I am the Phantom, my real name is Jerry!”

Osamu choked back a laugh. Sara nudged him in the side.

“I’m really lonely. . I’d love to have a girlfriend!
Something happened to my face. . . That’s. . why I wear a scary mask.
And I think I take it off, but I haven’t seen the rest of the movie so I’m not sure. . Lalalalalala, music of the niiiiiiiiigggghhht!”

At his finale, Caleb grabbed Shannon in his arms, dipped her, and proceeded to plant a kiss on her lips. Joshua choked on his Dr. Pepper, looking torn between cracking up laughing or killing his best friend. When it became apparent Caleb was not going to pull away from his kiss, Joshua rolled his eyes and pulled Caleb upright. “That’s enough.”

A snort of disgust came from behind Sara. Adelle Richardson stared at the scene between Caleb and Shannon with narrowed eyes, her foot tapping against the ground. “He really thinks he’s cute, doesn’t he?” she muttered.

“He does make life interesting for everyone.” Sara agreed.

“Not everyone.” Adelle pushed her blonde hair from her eyes, and focused her attention on Osamu. Immediately, her demeanor changed. Never taking her eyes from Caleb, she slinked up to Osamu and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hello there. I don’t believe we have met.”

Osamu stared at her with little interest. “Ichijouji Osamu.” he muttered, turning back to Sara. Adelle’s eyes narrowed, but she was determined not to give up. She leaned her head on his shoulder and rubbed her hand across his back. Osamu tensed and jerked out of her reach, his eyes wide as he stared at her. “What the --”

“No need to be afraid,” Adelle purred.

A groan came from behind them. The host of the party, Joseph McGowen, stood rolling his eyes. He grabbed Adelle’s wrist and sent an apologetic look toward Osamu, and proceeded to drag Adelle off, talking to her in whispered tones. Adelle didn’t look thrilled.

“What was that about?” Osamu demanded.

“Adelle Richardson,” Caleb explained, appearing completely out of nowhere. “Our school seducer. . Or so she says.” He rolled his eyes. “Adelle attempts to put her moves on anything that is male and has two legs. She’s also known for being the school bitch. She thinks she’s popular and has a following. . But most of the school can’t stand her at all.”

Osamu’s gaze softened a bit, and once again landed on Adelle. “I’ve been in her situation before. .” he muttered so quietly Sara wondered if he were talking to himself. Caleb shrugged it off, taking another sip of his drink.

“Believe what you want. I’m the one who gets the brunt of her anger. It’s an old rivalry between the two of us. Still. . .” Caleb gazed at Adelle again for a brief moment. The girl was now leaning on Joseph, her head buried in his shoulder. “Still, she’s hot. I’d get with her if I had the chance. . . .and you know what I mean by that.”

Kara choked on her Dr. Pepper, and Caleb cracked up laughing. She smacked him upside the head, glaring at him. Caleb grinned at her and dodged her other attacks. Osamu leaned closer to Sara, placing his lips against her ear and whispering. “How many drinks has he had tonight?”

“God only knows,” Sara groaned. “Honestly, he’s probably not drunk at all.”

“So!” Caleb announced cheerfully, clapping his hands together and looking between the four of them with bright eyes. “Which one of you is driving me home?” His eyes fell on Sara. “Osamu can’t drive here, so it must be one of you.”

Kara snatched the keys from Caleb’s pocket. “Get in the car,” she demanded.

“I like your friends.” Osamu decided, wrapping an arm around Sara’s waist as they followed Caleb and Kara toward the car. “I think we’ll have an amazing home here.”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: You met Caleb, who stands as one of my favorite characters in all of my stories. He's a little. . odd here, but he's rather deep, actually. You'll find that out in a few more chapters. I also apologize for so many 'breaks' in this story. . there was really no way I could get it to flow all together. Also! I have two things I would like to ask my readers. PLEASE reply to this. I beg of you.

1) I might be starting a blog, to give you clips of chapters, or upcoming stories, or whats going on if I suddenly go missing. Would you read it? Be honest.

and

2) I want to have an interview with one of my characters! Osamu seems to have a rather large liking here. . . so, in the enxt chapter, I will let him answer your questsion. Send them this way (in a review or a private message. Seriously, I read one of these in a novel, and I loved the idea. Maybe it's stupid to you, but I've ALWAYS wanted to be able to 'talk' to my favorite characters in the novel). Trust me when I say this now, and for those who have read the other story you know what I mean. If you want to have contact with Osamu DO IT NOW. I can say nothing else.