I sat in the library with several books of poetry open in front of me. I chewed absently on the pen cap, reading over line after line and looking for inspiration. I'd never written a poem before, but I felt the need to. A thought struck me and I began writing it down, scribbling it as fast as I could onto the white paper for fear that my mind might lose the line and I would be at square one again.

"Ami-chan, there you are!" a voice said, "I've been looking everywhere for you. Why weren't you at the study session?"

It felt like my body jumped five meters at the sound of Minako's voice. I took a breath and looked up at her, then to my watch. I apologized, scolding myself inwardly. I had been so wrapped up in reading poetry that I had forgotten all about the study session at the shinto shrine. I glanced back up at her, ready to apologize again, and noticed her staring at the sheet of paper that I had been writing on. My face went cold.

She reached down and picked up the white sheet of notepaper before I could stop her. I sat helpless as her blue eyes read over the dribbles of love poetry that I had been striving so hard to make sense and order. I waited, holding my breath, and trying to come up with an excuse for writing it all out. I could tell her that it was for school, but I wasn't really into lying to my friends.

"Ami-chan, this is beautiful," she said after she had read it. She set the paper down in front of me again and seated herself in the chair across the table. "Who's it for?"

I had known that was coming. I glanced at the words written along the neat blue lines, the black of the ink standing out boldly against the white. I wasn't sure if I should tell her who I was labouring over the poetry books for, but I couldn't just sit there and blatantly lie to one of my best friends. I focused on the words, trying to find an answer that wouldn't give away my feelings.

"Is it Urawa-kun?" she asked.

I could feel hot blood rush into my cheeks as I shook my head "no". I sighed and looked at her, decided on my answer. Gripping my pen tightly, I took a breath. "It... it's for Usagi..." I said quietly.

She blinked and stared at me. There was a long pause that was full of silence and I figured that she was trying to come up with a response. 'It isn't every day that your fellow soldier tells you that she is in love with your princess...' I mused to myself. I sat patiently, dreading her reaction. In the back of my mind I kept hearing her yelling at me while the librarian stood by trying to shush her. Words of contempt and scolding poured from her mouth as she told me what an idiot I was for falling in love with Usagi.

"I think she'll like it," she said finally.

I gasped. This was not the comment I was expecting at all. Before I could think I heard myself arguing in a quiet, but adamant voice with her, giving her reasons why I could never be with the moon princess. My reasons ranged from the fact that we were both girls to the point that Usagi was already destined to be with Mamoru. It was as if I was watching myself throw away my heart.

She sat there silently as I spouted off reasons, bobbing her head every now and then. When I finally made myself stop, I sat back in my chair as if I had been defeated by some great power. She smiled gently at me, pushing a loose piece of bang out of her face.

"Ami-chan, if you love Usagi, you should tell her," she said, "Despite the reasons, if you love her, you should have the curtousy of letting her know. Don't you think?" She stood up and slid the chair back under the table. "I'll tell everyone that you were here at the library and lost track of time. See you later."

I watched as she walked towards the exit and open the door. Before she left she turned and held up two fingers in the victory sign. After she was gone I sat for a while, thinking over what she had said. Her advice made some sort of sense, actually. Even if it could never be, Usagi had the right to know. I sighed and glanced down at my paper.

Hiding behind the tears of rainstorms gone past,
I watch you from within the bounderies of my mind.
I long for your touch, to hear your voice,
To soar with you above the highest cloud.
And though the days and nights pass us by,
And I watch you from far away,
I want you to understand this feeling in my heart,
This love and caring that I feel for you.