Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Just a Digivice, and a laptop with a Digiport!
Can't Speak
Sitting on her bed, Mimi Tachikawa was bored out of her mind. It was a beautiful summer night, yet she was alone.
She simply stared at her phone, hoping that it would go off with someone on the other end asking her to hang out.
Her prayers were answered when her phone gave a small message alert. Excitedly, she grabbed her phone only to be disappointed.
Can you come to the kitchen? Need you for a sec- Mom.
She stuck her tongue out at the phone in a playful way, but decided that at least her mom was going to give her something to do.
When she walked into the kitchen, she saw her mom busying herself away with some dishes.
"Hey mom." She said trying to get her mother's attention.
"Oh there you are! Can you do me a huge favor?" Her mom asked.
"Uh sure what do you need?"
"Can you run to the store and grab me a few things?"
"Ummm mom, it's like 11:30!"
"I know dear, but I really need some groceries. Besides, that convenience store down the street a few blocks is open 24 hours."
"Ughhh fine," Mimi conceded finally. "But only if I can get some chocolate."
"Deal," Her mom laughed. "The list is on the counter along with some cash."
Mimi nodded and grabbed them on her way out.
Hopefully, she might run into some people from school while she was there. After all, with school out, a lot of kids would just walk the streets of the city aimlessly.
Sure enough when she got to the store, there were two boys she recognized immediately.
One of them had wild brown hair, which stuck out in every direction imaginable. She recognized him as Tai Kamiya, the captain of the school soccer team. He was easily one of the hottest guys at school, but also loved to goof off constantly. But that was definitely a part of his charm, she considered thoughtfully.
Next to him, was his best friend, the lead singer and guitarist of the most popular band at school. With his perfect blonde hair and eyes as blue as the ocean he was the heartthrob of every girl at school, every girl except Mimi Tachikawa that was.
Mimi despised him. It all stemmed back to one day years ago, when the two were only in elementary school. Matt Ishida had just moved to the city, and was the new student at school.
The kid didn't really have anyone there that he knew, and was really shy. During recess, he would just stand alone in a corner of the playground watching all the other kids.
This fact didn't escape young Mimi, who already at just the young age of 6 was the most popular girl in school. So feeling it was her duty to become friends with everyone around, especially the one boy who had no friends, she walked up to him.
She looked him straight in the eye and with her best smile said:
"Hi, I'm Mimi. What's your name?" Offering out her hand, as she had seen her father do whenever he met someone new.
Instead of saying anything, he took one look at her, then her hand and bolted running as fast as his little legs could carry him.
All the other children saw this and the story around school was that Mimi scared away the new kid!
As annoying as that was, Mimi could deal with it. The issue for her was the complete snub. How dare anyone ignore her like that!
Since that day she hadn't even attempted speaking to him. Then one day in 8th grade, her best friend Sora threw a huge party. Sora was also best friends with Tai, who was also best friends with Matt, which meant he was invited too.
Towards the end of the party, when the number of people had fallen to about 8 people, the group went into Sora's room. There things became a little steamy as someone suggested they play spin the bottle.
Naturally, Tai and Sora ended up having their first kiss together. Next up was Mimi and the bottle landed on none other than Matt Ishida.
She just took it as God's way of giving Matt another shot with her, especially considering this would be her first kiss, not to mention the fact that despite not wanting to admit it, she had to say he was pretty hot.
She closed her eyes and leaned in towards him, but she kept pushing forward into nothing but air. When she heard Tai's unmistakable laughter, she opened her eyes to see that Matt had actually gotten up to avoid kissing her.
She had never been so embarrassed in her life! When everyone started laughing, she felt hot tears fall down her face and she ran out of the room crying.
Since that day, she had never forgiven him. She staunchly refused to attend any of his concerts. In fact, she refused to ever say his name or even acknowledge his existence.
All of high school, she simply acted like he didn't exist. And yet a part of her was still hung up on him. He held something over her. She was the most sought after girl at school and yet he was the one guy who never even tried to get to know her.
It wasn't like he was gay or anything. He had a new girl on his side every week. He wasn't hung up over her like she was on him. To this day she felt cheated out of her first kiss. In fact, she was still saving it, although that was a secret she guarded with her life.
As always, her disdain for him won out and she chose to ignore their presence in the store. She tried to get everything on her list as fast as she possibly could, just so that there was no chance that she would linger there and run into them.
She finished up in record time, even getting through the checkout in less than 15 minutes. And as soon as she paid, she basically ran out of the store.
"Mimi! Hey Meems!" She heard someone call out her name.
Turning back, she saw Tai who had apparently been running to catch up and get her attention.
"Hey Meems, you forgot something!" Tai explained to her, while turning slightly so that his best friend could join them.
Up walked Matt Ishida holding a bag, a bag that she had forgotten in her haste.
Along with the bag, he had this smirk on his face. A smirk that infuriated her to no end, as if he was mocking her. While Tai had been running to catch up, Matt had taken his time leisurely walking, maintaining his aloof and cool reputation.
As he reached them, he simply stuck his hand out, so that she could grab the bag from him. As she reached to grab it her hand brushed his and he immediately pulled it back. Luckily, she had already gotten hold of the bag, but she definitely did not miss the way he reacted.
"Anyways, Mimi what are you doing out so late?" Tai suddenly asked.
"I just had to grab a few things for my mom, that's all. Thank you, but I really should get going." She responded.
"Yeah, it's not safe for you to be walking out alone," Tai replied. "I still have to pick up Sora from her dance rehearsal, otherwise I'd walk you home myself."
"Oh no, thank you Tai, but I'll be fine." She tried reassuring him.
The way he bit his lip made it clear he wasn't thrilled with the idea of her walking home alone.
"How far do you live from here?" He asked.
"Six, seven blocks maybe." She answered.
"Matt, why don't you take her back?" Tai suggested.
Matt raised his eyebrows at Tai, but didn't say anything, simply shrugging and then nodding.
"Oh there's no need!" Mimi hastily said. She had no desire of walking home with Matt Ishida of all people.
"Don't be ridiculous! Even with all that gel in his hair, Matt still knows not to let a girl walk home alone at this hour!" Tai said giving Matt a nudge forward towards Mimi.
Matt didn't really protest, and instead started walking towards Mimi's house. When Mimi didn't move an inch, he turned back and gave her a look that plainly said are you coming or not?
Reluctantly, Mimi began walking towards him and ultimately home.
Once she had drawn even with him, they both turned back to hear Tai call out,
"Use protection!" And with a wickedly mischievous grin he bolted.
Mimi immediately blushed, but Matt gave no outwards display that he even heard what Tai had said.
They walked slowly in silence, neither wanting to talk to the other. Unfortunately for them, the silence wasn't a comfortable one. It was almost unbearably awkward, but they couldn't break it because that meant that they'd actually have to talk to one another.
"Watch your step." Matt suddenly said, pointing to a puddle that was left from the previous night's rain.
"Oh, so you do talk?" Mimi replied in surprise.
When he didn't respond, Mimi got irritated and stopped walking.
Matt turned around after walking a few steps, and let out a sigh.
"What?" He asked.
"I asked you something, why didn't you respond?" Mimi asked angrily.
"I don't answer stupid questions." He responded coolly.
"Stupid?" She began. "What the hell was stupid about that question? I've never heard you say a word in your life!"
"Well, you did just there, but you still asked." He responded, opting to be a smartass.
"No, asshole! The whole reason I was surprised was because you did!"
"Ok, well whatever." He replied turning back towards their destination, and beginning to walk again.
"Why?" She asked, as she caught up with him again.
"Why, what?"
"Why are you always so quiet around me?" She questioned.
Instead of responding, he looked at her and then away to the right as if remembering something. The corner of his lips twitched almost as if he was about to smile. And with that he just kept walking.
"Ishida! I said why the hell are you always quiet around me?" She demanded furiously because of he had ignored her again.
"Troublesome woman." He muttered.
"What was that?" Mimi asked in a menacing voice. This guy was really pushing her buttons now.
"I didn't say anything." He responded.
"Bullshit," She snarled. When it was clear he wasn't going to respond, she calmed down and almost pleaded him to answer. "What's wrong with me? What is it about me that you hate so much?"
"I don't hate you." He replied.
"Then what's wrong with me? What is it that you don't like?"
"There's nothing wrong with you." He replied again the corners of his lips twitching.
"Then why the hell won't you ever talk to me?" Mimi asked confused.
"I don't know what to say to you." He responded, coming to her apartment building.
The elevator ride up to her floor was spent in silence.
Then as they were approaching her apartment, she asked,
"What do you mean? You talk to girls all the time, why wouldn't you be able to say the same things to me?"
"It just seems stupid to say it to you." He responded after a few moments.
"What?" Mimi replied even more confused than before.
They were now standing outside her apartment.
"I mean like nothing I'd say seems good enough to tell you," He responded quietly, evidently regressing into the shy little boy he was when he first met Mimi. "It just sounds stupid."
"Wait, you mean you get nervous about what to say to me?" She giggled.
Matt simply nodded.
"Why?" She said clearly amused at this display of humanity from the perfect Matt Ishida.
"I don't know." He mumbled.
"Oh come on!"
"You were the first girl, who ever talked to me." He recounted embarrassedly, rubbing his arm.
"And?" She pressed.
"I thought you were the prettiest girl, I'd ever seen." He whispered.
"Thought?" Mimi asked, turning red.
"Still do." He said after a moment with a small sad smile, before he looked at her again.
Mimi flashed him the same smile she had the day she first tried talking to him. And then gave him a quick peck on the cheek before going into her apartment, leaving Matt to touch his cheek and smile as wide as he ever smiled.
I was going to start the next chapter of Walking Alone, but I noticed this one-shot in my Mimato folder and I had no idea what it was or when it was from. So I opened it and saw that I was almost finished with a one-shot I had completely forgotten about, so after a very focused 20 minute writing session, I had cranked out the rest. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please leave a review!
