CHAPTER ONE

Graduation

TK and Kari were laying on their old school basketball court looking up at the stars, they had been doing this ever since they were little and they used to watch Tai play soccer on the field next door.

Tonight was graduation and TK and Kari were settled a few feet away from the party being held on school grounds, both were laying shoulder to shoulder, fingers brushing slightly as they stared up at the sky.

TK turned to look at his best friend;

"Hey Kari..." he whispered

Kari turned her face to him

"Hmmm..." she answered

"There's something I have to tell you, but before I do I just want to know that no matter what we will always be best friends and nothing can come between us" he finished turning his body onto its side and resting his arm at an angle to support his head.

Kari struggled to hide the look of worry as she rolled over onto her stomach and propped her chin up on her elbows and stared into his beautiful face.

"always TK" she replied with a forced smile, her stomach churning butterflies

He mimicked her actions by rolling onto his stomach and staring at her "god she's beautiful" his mind wandered and he had to mentally shake himself as he saw that her lips had parted slightly.

"I got a basketball scholarship to a college in LA and I leave next Friday" TK finished feeling his breath catch in his throat as he awaited her response.

Kari rolled over and sat up unable to believe what she had just heard. They had been best friends since way back when and now at the age of sixteen she had been in love with him for just over half of that time and she had always pictured them going to college together and growing old together and now that her best friend had said what he had just said she felt it all start to crack and fall around her.

"But I thought that..."Kari bit her tongue and held back all that she was about to tell him as she knew that if she told him he might rethink going.

"What?" TK looked at her desperately wanting to hear what she had to say. He was hopelessly in love with her and had been since they were little. He really thought that when he told her about his leaving she would ask him to stay. He watched as she stood up and brushed herself down.

"Well we have a short time left before you go and you'll be home for breaka and stuff right? She asked as she reached down for his hand to pull him up to join her.

TK rose to stand beside her and smiled "of course" and he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

They started to walk home with their arms around each other side by side both wondering how the next few days were going to pan out and how the other was going to cope once they were alone.

The two friends got close to the apartment Kari shared with her older brother Tai and TK removed his arm from her waist and stopped in front of her also stopping her in her tracks, Kari quickly bent down as though to tie her shoes and brushed the tears from her cheeks, she stood back up and forced a smile onto her face.

"Il only be gone for a few years until I finish school and come home" TK told her in what he hoped was an encouraging voice.

Kari nodded and took a step towards TK, he looked down at her and noticed the small black mascara smudges under her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on his chest feeling him wrap his arms around her and hold her like he never wanted to let go.

"I have to go in, it's late" she told TK as she went to remove her arms from him

TK held her closer and kissed the top of her head. Kari froze as his lips stayed on her hair, she felt his chin move slowly across her hair and his cheek slide smoothly down hers until his lips were settled just next to her ear

"Il always be here Kari, you mean too much to me to lose you over a few thousand miles" TK whispered in her ear.

Kari shivered as she felt his warm breath against her skin and tilted her lips up towards his ever so slightly, the corners slightly touching each other. Her hear skipped a beat as he moved his lips to cover hers and lightly pressed them down before quickly moving them away

"Goodnight Kari" TK said as he removed his arms from around her and turned to walk away.

"Goodnight TK" Kari whispered as she leaned against her door watching him walk furthur and furthur away, all the while wanting to yell at him to stop, run at him and kiss him and never let go but she knew that for his sake she couldn't.

Kari turned the door handle and walked into her apartment straight into her brother Tai.

"Hey Kari...what's the matter?" Tai asked as he looked into his sisters face noticing the smudged mascara.

Kari looked at her brother, his face full of concern for her and broke down

"TK is leaving next Friday and I can't find the courage to tell him I love him..."she trailed off bringing her hands to her face to cover her falling tears