A/N: Minor dedication to someone I've recently become close with who feels ALMOST the exact same way as I've written it. The major dedication is to a person who's become like an older sister of mine and her birthday was just yesterday. Even though we lost our way towards one another I love how we found our way back.
Take Your Sweet Time
It's okay… I'm okay.
I understand.
I'll wait.
No matter how long, because it's you and only you who I want to be with. No one else. I swear. I'll prove it to you. I'll prove to you that I'm not like any other guy. I'm not like any other guy because I'd do just about anything for you. Anything. I can't stand seeing you hurt, especially from heartbreak. I'd hurt even more if it was from me. I don't want to see you unhappy. Your face is suit for a smile. That smile, alone, makes you look beautiful.
I know I can't fix his mistake. I can't change his feelings. I can't hate him, either. He's my best friend. But I know that this is for the better. That he did this for a legitimate reason, and not just for "shits and giggles" like some other bastards told you.
I'll make everything better. I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy again.
So it's all right, don't feel guilty.
I'll be here whenever you're ready.
It isn't a crime to want
A little space to breathe
But you will be fine
The sun again will shine on you
Whatever you do
No one expected this much of a soft side from me. I'm recognized as the "cool" guy with my "dirty blonde" locks and "ocean" blue eyes. Or even my "hypnotizing" singing voice that seem to put girls on their feet for me. So I pretty much seem like a rock star, right? I have the looks, I have the talent, and I could have any girl.
…but the only girl I want is sitting on the swing in front of me crying about her breakup with my best friend.
Take your sweet, sweet time
I will be here when you change your mind
Take your sweet, sweet time
I will be here for you baby
Anytime
I look into her auburn eyes that seem to sway me a little from what I'm supposed to be focusing on. Her eyes are apologetic, and I know she means it. "Matt…" I hear her say in a soft voice. I can't stand seeing her hurt like this, but what am I supposed to do? I can't do anything comforting without making it look like something more.
She had been in a relationship with my best friend, Tai, for months now. I can't blame either of them for hurting me so bad when I found out, I mean, they didn't even know. And besides, if someone is gonna date Sora other than me, I'd choose Tai. Coz I know he'd treat her right, but sometimes… I can't help but envy him whenever their presence comes around. I can't help but be irritated.
But in this case, in this moment, I'd rather myself be irritated than Sora looking so down like this.
Earlier today, I was doing absolutely nothing in my home. My home was nothing fancy, like others might think. Sure, I'm famous around, but not that famous. It had things that most homes don't have, but it wasn't anything flashy… or nothing I'd show off, at least. I heard the landline ring, but I was honestly too lazy to get up from my comfy little couch to answer some annoying ring, so I let the voicemail pick it up. Then that's where I heard her voice…
"…please leave a message after the beep."
*beep*
"…oh, uh… Hi. U-um, this is Sora Takenouchi, I-I'm calling for Matt Ishida. Uh… I didn't really plan this message properly… I, um, I need to speak with you. I'm at the park near your house. Come once you get this message, I really need you right now. I don't know what to do…"
-pause-
"Just come when you have the time."
"End of message."
I'm feeling you pull away
'cause letting go isn't easy for me
But you'll never fly
With someone else's wings, I know
Wherever you go
By the time the message ended I was already off the couch, slipping on my shoes. I glance outside and predict that it might drizzle, so I quickly grab a light jacket and glide out the door.
I run over to the park and try to catch my breath. But all the while, I'm desperately looking for Sora, concluding what I first thought the time I heard her voicemail. I spot her swinging on the swings, but really slow. It wouldn't really be called swinging, maybe just… moving back and forth. Her head was towards the ground, looking at her feet which were playing in the ground. She still managed to look alive, so I had a sigh of relief that she was all right. I walk over to her until she looked up after she saw my shoes.
"I'm sorry… this was so last-minute, but… I didn't know who else to call," she whispers, but you could still hear the quivering in her voice.
After my heartbeat went back to normal, I replied, "Sora… what the hell happened?"
I see her lips give a small, fake smile, "Mimi happened."
I felt a light bulb go on in my head.
"So… he—"
"Tai broke up with me," Sora stated quickly.
I observed her reactions to what her own mouth revealed. Her hands were gripping the chains of the swings pretty tightly, and I wasn't sure if she was shaking or if that was the natural movement swing she was affecting. If that wasn't enough, I could hear the faint sniffle coming from her. And it was then when I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Sora… I have to tell you something."
Take your sweet, sweet time
I will be here when you change your mind
Take your sweet, sweet time
I will be here for you baby
Anytime
She quietly stared at me, waiting for me to say what I had to say, but the sentence was staying inside my head. Heck, they were fucking screaming inside my head that I was surprised that I'm pretty sure she could've heard it. But knowing that she didn't, I had no choice.
"Matt, is there something wrong?" she asked softly as few seconds passed.
I shook my head, "Depends what you think is wrong."
Sora's reaction was just tilting her head in confusion. "What do you me—"
"Sora, I'm in love with you."
…I can't believe I just blurted that out. And she was in mid-sentence, too! Oh God, maybe I should've thought this through more. Shit, shit, shit! She's probably thinking that I'm a complete lunatic for saying something like that while she's venting to me about her breakup! Holy crap! I'm an idiot!
She gives me a wide-eyed look, like the sentence I've said reached her veins and shocked her from their and throughout her whole entire body.
Great, Matt, now she thinks you're a fucking retard. Might as well say something.
"Look, Sora. I apologize about the about, that was completely uncalled for… seriously. But I meant what I said, and honestly, it's a relief to finally get that off my chest. It's been there for a while now, and don't worry about returning an answer, it was really just a confession and all."
"…I'm sorry."
I will never stand in your way
Wherever your heart may lead you
I will love you the same
And I will be your comfort every day
Do you hear the words I say?
My heart stopped for a moment, I swear. "Wait, what?"
She continues to look at me like she's said the most painful words she could ever say, "I said I'm sorry… I don't know if I can return your feelings."
All the words suddenly came rushing out. "Is it because you think I'm like every other guy you've dated? Coz I am not, heck, I'll prove to you I'm not. I'll be every inch better than they ever were to you. And I can change Tai's mind about you, I know that, I know how much he made you happy and abruptly choosing Mimi over you was really out of the blue, but I'm sure Tai doesn't mean to intentionally hurt you. And Mimi might as well feel more bad than Tai does so don't be like that. I'm sure you should know that they love you enough to be completely honest with you and that's why everything's like this. And—"
"Relax, would ya?" Sora smirked. "You really need to breathe between monologues," she laughed. I smiled that she was able to really laugh like she used to. I was afraid she might be in a depressed state for weeks.
"Gosh, you didn't even let me explain," she said, disappointed.
"Oh… well, what is it, then?" I asked, curiously.
She paused, then went back to her serious tone, "It's just… I'm not ready. I don't know how else to explain it but, it is possible that I have feelings for you and I just don't know it yet. It's probably because I'm focusing so much on Tai and our breakup that I'm not allowing myself to think about anyone else at the moment."
"Then I'll wait," I say, confident of myself.
Sora sighs, "It's not that easy. I've liked Tai for a good long while now. I was attached to him since he was the first guy to treat me like how I wanted to be treated. I'm not sure you can wait that long…"
Take your sweet, sweet time
I will be here when you change your mind
Take your sweet, sweet time
I will be here for you baby
Anytime
"Watch me."