I would just like to thank those who took the time to write reviews for the first chapter! It really made my day-nothing could ruin my fantabulous mood coz I got reviews!! Your input helps a lot with how I plan out the next chapters! Not divulging any couples yet! You gotta read and find out! But Takari is a definite!
Oh, and to Light-of-Hope-07, this is your chapter especially for your top couple! Although you might be disappointed about the Taiora pairing, (Checked your profile) I'm not entirely sure how the relationship plot for them is gonna go, but I do sincerely hope that you'll continue reading the story despite that and that you won't write me off if I do decide to pair Tai with an OC. I'm sorry sweetie!
Enjoy the second chapter!
*Chapter 2* Thoughts, feelings and flowers
One week later…
The bathroom filled with steam. The warm spray of the shower sent rivulets of water streaming down Sora's head and pretty face. She leaned her back against the one wall of the cubicle, positioning herself directly under the shower head. There was nothing like a nice shower after soccer practice. Judging by the amount of steam everywhere, she had been in the shower for a while. She could hardly find the soap! Not that she cared. Her mind was on other things… I saw him today… Her beautiful big hazel eyes deepened with feeling. She looked down, allowing the water to travel off the short strands of her reddish brown hair. He didn't even notice I was there. But then again, he was a little distracted…
Sora thought back to when she'd spotted her childhood friend in the hallway and in the few classes they took together-each time he was surrounded by a multitude of adoring girls. The least he could've done was acknowledge my existence! He hasn't even said two words to me since we got back to school! She frowned. Maybe by being angry at him for something-however stupid it may be- would help her squelch these strange, not-so-new feelings taking hold of her heart. It so wasn't helping. But then again, you could've gone up to him and said something, too. Argh!! What's wrong with you Sora?! He's your friend! You can't avoid him forever!
Sora turned off the water faucet. She wrapped a blue towel around her slender figure, and dried her hair with another. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror after wiping it clean of steam. Her hair was flaring out at the back more than usual after being towel dried. Sora fingered a few strands. Maybe he'd like it if I grew my hair longer…Maybe then he'd notice me.
Quickly getting dressed in a pair of her favorite blue jeans and a light green sleeveless shirt, she made her way to meet her closest friends at their regular spot. A café on the promenade that overlooked Odaiba Bay and the Rainbow Bridge.
X
The classroom was empty and quiet-something that seemed out of the ordinary for TK when most of the time it was filled with the rowdiness of ninth graders. TK enjoyed the short silence before class began for the day. He stood before her desk near the large windows and could just picture her in his minds' eye with the rays of early sunlight streaking her hair bronze and lighting her eyes when she smiled. TK's heart warmed. His fingers fidgeted with the petals of the tissue paper cherry blossom bouquet he held.
It was April, and Cherry Blossom season. The school had made a tradition to celebrate the bloom of Asia's popular flowers by selling tissue paper cherry blossoms to students who would then exchange them with each other. Over the years, the tradition had changed to incorporate a more romantic element into it. Nowadays the boys would give the girls (friend or girlfriend) the delicately crafted flowers as a token of friendship or love. Sakura Matsuri was a favorite time for couples. What could be more romantic than an evening stroll with your sweetheart beneath the blossoms of the lantern lit trees?
TK had gotten all three of his closest she-friends a crafted flower, and set them on their desks early that morning. Now, standing before her desk, he felt his muscles tense. Why was the simple task of putting something on somebody's desk so damn difficult? His pulse quickened when the answer came to him: because it was Kari's desk. Because he'd been in love with her forever and needed to find some way to tell her before the weight of it all crushed him.
So he'd chosen now. This cherry blossom replica was a special one because it came with a note that asked Kari out on their very first date. Under the cherry blossoms' soft vigil, he would tell her how he felt.
"Hey TA! Head's up!!" Davis' loud greeting startled TK as he barged into the classroom. It would still amaze TK how after all these years Davis couldn't pronounce his name… TK spun around to see a soccer ball soaring his way! Blue eyes widening, TK instinctively threw the flower he held aside to catch the careening ball before it hit him in the face! From that moment on, it was as if God pressed the slow speed button on life and everything went by in slow-mo; no-one could stop what ensued next!
Letting go of the flower to save his face, TK had unwittingly thrown the thing out the window! TK leaned out of the open window and watched as the light pink item and attached note floated three floors down to the street, and like a series of misfortunate events, it landed in a rain gutter. The current then sent it to its watery end down the nearest storm drain. Seeing that flower vanish was like seeing himself go down that drain…
"Great catch, dude! Hey, what's up?" Davis casually strolled over to a silent TK at the window.
"Davis! Has anybody ever told you what a total idiot you are?!" TK shouted after finding his voice again through all the rage he felt.
"Yeah. Everyday. But thanks for telling me again! What's your problem?! Did your mom throw out that stupid hat of yours?!" Davis countered with as much venom as he could, knowing that TK hated it when he insulted his beloved accessory.
TK was so angry that he threw the soccer ball at Davis without bothering to aim. It hit the goggle-wearing teen square in the face! TK stalked out of the class muttering angrily to himself. This was one of those times when he wanted to cram Davis in a crate and ship him to Antarctica-without a fragile sticker!!
X
"Wow Rena! You sure got a lot of paper flowers today! Who're they from?" Yolei remarked during lunch. Rena blushed, embarrassed that all the attention of her friends now focused on her. She really hated it.
"Um, well, I can't really remember everybody…but I did get one from Aaron and TK."
Upon hearing TK's name mentioned, Kari's face drained. He'd given her a flower too? He'd given everybody else except her! Get a grip, Kari! It's only a silly paper flower…nothing special…then why am I so upset?! She felt angry, confused and hurt all at the same time.
"Well, Aaron's my cousin and TK's my friend, so it doesn't really count." Rena added, uneasy. Kari took a sip of her water to try and look like she wasn't fazed by anything.
"You're right. They gave me one, too. Even Ken put one on my desk. Hey, Kari? How many flowers did you get?" Yolei turned from the golden blond haired Rena to look at Kari.
Kari gave a jump when she realized she was being addressed.
"Oh, sorry, what did you say?"
"Are you alright?" Rena could see her best friend was distressed, and had a sneaking feeling she knew why.
"Yeah. It's not like you to space out like that." Yolei frowned.
"Hey there! You're lucky I found you!" Davis joined them at the lunch table with the usual cocky grin on his face. Kari was grateful for the shift in attention.
Yolei and Rena greeted Davis with a friendly smile.
"And why are we lucky that you found us, exactly?" Yolei wanted to know.
Remembering why he 'd been looking for them, Davis dug in his grey school trouser pockets and pulled out two slightly crumpled paper flowers.
"These are for my two girls!" Davis' grin widened, a pink hue coloring his cheeks when he presented the pink and white little flowers to Kari and Rena. He still had a massive crush on Kari, and he also took a fancy to Rena. He just couldn't decide which girl he wanted so he decided on both! That was Davis for you.
"Your two girls? What am I? Genderless?!" Yolei's expressive brown eyes flashed beneath an arched eyebrow.
"Of course not, Yolei. I'm not saying that. But you know I only give flowers to pretty girls." Davis retorted slickly, enjoying watching Yolei's temper rise like a stoked fire. And there it was…the eye twitch thing she did when she started to grind her teeth in fury.
"That's it! Now, you DIE!!" Yolei roared and stood up ready to attack a snickering Davis with all the likeness of a lioness in full fury!
"Relax! You know he was only kidding around! Don't let him get the best of you." Rena pulled Yolei back by her green school blouse. Yolei still clawed the air with her arms in an attempt to scratch Davis.
Davis still laughed evilly like he always did after succeeding in pushing Yolei's buttons. Yolei was definitely a pretty girl, but Davis just enjoyed getting her all riled up. Kari wasn't paying attention to the two. All she could do was stare at the pink flower Davis had gotten her with an aching heart. Davis even got me a flower...I don't understand… even if TK doesn't care about me that way, he could've still given me a flower as a friendly gesture. Could he be in love with Rena? Or Yolei? No…they're just really good friends. Maybe I got it all wrong. Was I misreading things because of my feelings for him and seeing things I wanted to see? He has been acting a little distant the last couple days…
Davis' voice brought her back to the moment at hand.
"I was wondering if Kari and Rena would like to go with me to the Sakura Matsuri this weekend. Just not on Friday, I'm gonna be racing with your brothers' motorbike team." Davis popped the question with a confidence only he possessed.
Kari and Rena's eyes rounded with a look of surprise on their lovely faces.
"So. What do you say? Is it a date?" He was so hopeful.
They were speechless. Kari's emotions were a mess. Her hopes were crushed. It should've been TK asking her out to see cherry blossoms and all the other things that feature in the festival! Not Davis! She wanted it to be TK! So what if she was being immature! She was hopelessly in love with the guy! And the thought that he might not feel the same way absolutely terrified her!
"Ok, firstly, you're not on their bike team, you're too young to even ride a motorcycle yet alone race one! And secondly, you can't ask both girls out on a date at the same time! That's just wrong!" Yolei was still fuming and needed to get back at Davis for his earlier comment any way she could.
"That's just a formality! I'm going to be the next member of the team very soon! And I call it being smart, Yolei. Think about it. By asking two girls at once you're bound to get a date. If one girl says no, then there's always the other girl left."
"So, genius, what happens when both girls say no?"
"Then it's time for my last, and I do mean last, resort: I ask you."
Suddenly, before Yolei could get her hands on Davis and kill him for such a remark, Kari got up and pushed past Davis with a muffled apology.
"Excuse me, I have to go." Not being able to handle the crowded lunch room anymore, Kari ran off. The three stood there staring after her.
"Kari…" Rena considered going after her, but she doubted she could make Kari feel better-she was no good at that sort of thing. She was almost sure she'd glimpsed a tear in her friends' eye, and had a feeling it had something to do with a certain handsome golden haired, blue eyed boy and a paper cherry blossom flower.
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What do you think? Remember, your reviews matter!! The more you review the quicker I update!
Author's Notes:Okay, that might've been kinda sucky for the second chapter…I was sorta battling a bit with ideas. If I'm favoring an OC please tell me (nicely please or I'll cry :D) coz I just read up on this mary-sue term thingy and now I'm terrified of being guilty of it!( can you say paranoia?) Please know it's not my intention and I always try to give all the characters (original and made up) an equal amount of attention!
Next Chapter!
Here's a useless factoid for any body who's interested:
Sakura Matsuri translates into Cherry BlossomFestival. It's held in March to April and varies depending on the blooming time of the trees, but the mentioned dates are about correct. The festival includes tea ceremonies and traditional Japanese dance and music. Trees are normally lit up with lanterns for evening viewing-very romantic!
Happy reading-lah!
