"Cheer up, Tai," She said, in attempt to lift his spirits. She climbed
down the stairs, picking up the remote control and switching to the weather
channel. As always, Joey Mizuno, Tokyo's favourite weatherman, was giving the
day's forecast. The weather was typical this season: clear skies, gentle sea
breeze, and lots of sunshine. Tai would've loved this because it was a perfect
day for soccer practice; today, he was thinking on skipping it. I can't
believe I'd feel this rotten the day after my prom, he thought. The events
of the night before were fresh on his mind.
"Hey Sora!" Tai approached the pretty girl in the red dress. She
smiled at him and returned his greeting.
"Hello Tai," She said, taking a look at his tux and his black shoes,
"I see you ditched the sneakers, huh?"
Tai laughed, "Yeah, I'd be the only guy wearing them. I don't want to stand
out or anything,"
They both chuckled a bit then silenced. There was an awkward moment and it was
making Tai more nervous by the second. He would have to tell her sooner, rather
than later.
"Uh Sora," He mustered up all his courage and decided to do it,
"I gotta tell you something important. Can we go somewhere private?"
A weird expression spread about her face as her eyes darted to the gym doorway,
then back at Tai.
"Alright, but can you get me some punch first?"
"Sure thing, Sora," Tai shrugged and walked over to the tables where
the punch bowls were sitting.
As soon as Tai left, Sora made her way to the entrance to meet her date.
"Hey Matt!" Sora smiled at him brightly.
"Hey yourself, gorgeous," Matt said as he entwined Sora's hand in his
own, "Sorry I'm late. I had to fix the button on my tuxedo and I picked
this up for you..." He hid his hand behind his back and presented her a
corsage.
"Oh my!" Sora blushed madly and looked at Matt, "Thank you so
much! It's absolutely beautiful!!!" She practically jumped on him and
wrapped her arms around him.
On the other side of the room, Tai had just returned from getting two cups of
punch for him and Sora. He looked around the gym for Sora. I could've sworn
this was where I left her... he thought, puzzled. As people danced back and
forth, he was pushing his way through the crowd, holding the cups in both hands.
He sighed; it seemed as if she just vanished. Just when he thought it was time
to give up, Sora was spotted near the doors...with Matt! Not just holding hands
but standing close, as if they were-- together. The sight of those two shattered
Tai's heart. He could see Matt whisper in Sora's ear and kiss her cheek. At that
moment, Tai's world came crashing down; so did the cups of punch in his hands.
The juice spilled all over the floor-- and on Tai's new leather shoes, but that
was unimportant to him at the moment.
The sound of glass breaking startled everybody; Sora and Matt turned to see what
the ruckus was about.
"You planned this, didn't you?" Tai said to Sora, betrayal and sadness
triggering his outburst, "You asked me to get punch for you so you could
meet up with Matt! GOD! I can't believe I was so gullible!" Sora's eyes
were getting a bit misty; he couldn't bear to look at her anymore, so he ran
outside, slamming the doors behind him. Everyone in the gym, who had stopped
dancing, fixed their gaze on Matt and Sora.
"I better..." Sora said to Matt, who nodded at her in agreement.
"You should talk to him, set things straight," Matt replied.
Sora ran outside the school premises, searching high and low for Tai. With guilt
and remorse eating away at her soul, she just had to find him, to make it all right.
She would never be able to live with herself, knowing that she ruined years of
friendship over nothing.
