Stand By Me
~Disclaimer: Digimon are not mine…
Edited: 11/29/'10
Chapter 4: Another Girl
~Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you I had no control over.~-x-
The smell of pancakes woke me up. My drowsy eyelids slowly began to open.
Wait a minute. Pancakes? In the morning?
My head lifted quickly and I heard something crack.
"Ow." I said and rubbed the back of my neck. I knew I shouldn't be so reckless. My neck was sore, but somehow I was hoping the pain would go away. I smelled the air again. Yes, there was no doubt about it.
Blueberry pancakes, my favorite. I carefully got up and glanced to the clock on my night table. 7:30 am. Great, I have some time before school. I peeked out of my room, just to spot my mom singing and baking pancakes.
"Mum?" I said and yawned.
"Oh, T.K., you are up! How appropriate. Now you can enjoy the breakfast I made for you!" She said and grinned.
I sweatdropped.
My mum hasn't cooked in while, and her cooking has always been terrible. But-
"Say mum, how come you are not in a hurry? You're not going to work?" Nancy Takaishi smiled gently and shook her head.
"Nope. I got a day off t'day. Isn't it great? Now we can have a mother-son day. We can play games, go shopping-"
Shopping? Oh, no.
"Mum, I'm not a girl. I don't enjoy shopping. She stopped and her eyes were sparkling.
"Oh, yeah. Hey, you can invite that girl. That best friend of yours. Let's see what is her name? Hiroko? Hotaru? Or maybe...Hideko. Mm?" She looked at me, expecting the answer.
"Her name is Hikari. Hi-ka-ri. Or Kari for short." I sighed, but she didn't seem to notice. My mum was lost in her own thoughts. And then she looked straight into my eyes.
The deep blue met the gaze of baby blue. Then, it was clear to me that she knew. She knew about Kari. About my feelings for her. About everything.
It was strange how mothers could be observant. She blinked and averted her gaze, returning to the pancakes.
"Takeru, come on and eat now." I could feel the sadness in her voice, although I didn't know why. Strange. But she was amazing, my mum. And lately, she had mood changes quite often. I was lost in my thoughts, but her voice brought me back.
"Come on, eat. Or you will be late for school." She held the pan in her hands and made more pancakes. Soon, my plate was full of them. I sweatdropped again.
"Do you expect from me to eat all of that?" She pinched my cheek and said cutely.
"Of course baby. I tried hard and also you must gain few kilos. You are just too thin. Look at you. " She said and caressed my hair. I started eating. The blueberry flavor filled my mouth.
'Mmmm' I thought. Few minutes later, I was full. I sighed and my mum just smiled.
"Are you full? If you are not, I've got more." She said and cheerfully lifted her pan up. Instantly I said.
"No, mum. I'm full." I pointed on my belly. It was slightly round. My mum giggled and touched her belly too. I tried to remember the last time she acted like this. Probably when she was still married to dad. I don't remember that clearly, but I have memories of happy times.
Just the four of us, Matt, mum, dad and I. I smiled softly at the memory. Yes, just the four of us.
My mum widened her eyes as she glanced at the clock.
„T.K.! What are you thinking! It's 8 o'clock." Eight o'clock? Oh, crap. I totally forgot about time. I quickly dressed and ran out the door. My mum was shouting behind me.
"Be good Takeru. And take care." Of course, mum.
-x-
Beep beep. The signal announced a message on my cell.
From: Kari 3. I smiled as I saw the heart beside the dearest name in the world. Heart, yeah it made me blush. And I nearly missed my bus 'cause of it. I gasped as I got into the bus. Uf, I was sure breathless. I looked at my cell once again and read the message.
U gonna B late? I smirked at looked at the watch. Twenty past eight. Then, I quickly typed the message.
Do I get a kiss from U if I'm not? I knew that was a bit brave, but really, I wanted to know the answer. Her next message arrived just as the bus stopped in front of school.
IF you R not late I'll see 'bout that. Then, I'm getting there on time.
-x-
I rushed into the classroom just as the bell rang.
"I'm not late. Now where's my prize?" I grinned happily. The brunette turned to me and giggled.
"I said I'll see about that. Glad you made it." She smiled and winked. Hopefully, she turned away, so she didn't see my face turning red. I put my history books on the desk and tried to pay attention. Actually, I tried not to look at Kari's hair and imagine how soft it was. The smell of sakura trees made me numb.
Kari. I would do everything to know what you think. Just a quick visit to your mind, just to know should I try...
"And, you now our official Spring Dance is next week on Friday. Listen to me, that's only eight days away. Do you all have you partners?"
Our History teacher, Miss Saiki, happily asked at the end of our class. She often did that. She liked to know her students personally, not to mention she called us by our names, not the usual 'miss' or 'mister'. She was the kindest teacher I had.
"Let's see, Yolei? What about you? You sure have a bunch of guys chasing you." A silent laughter was heard in the class. Yolei blushed and quickly glanced at Ken.
"Um...I have a date." She blurted silently.
"Now, now, don't be shy. Who is it?" Yolei blushed deeper and the black haired boy beside her answered.
"I'm taking Yolei to the dance. In addition, we're assigned for the drinks." Miss Saiki clapped her hands.
"Oh, that's wonderful, Ken. So young and already in love. It's so sweet." Ken turned red as Yolei was.
The teacher continued.
"Does anybody else have a date?" A girl from the back row answered cheerfully.
"I have. Davis Motomiya is taking me." The whole class turned to the girl. Her name was Chiba Mari.
Mari had beautiful black hair, which reached her elbow, and stunning deep emerald eyes. Her high cheekbones and naturally pink cheeks gave her face a mild expression, but we all knew that wasn't true. She was the rotten apple of the class. At the start of the school year she came to Odaiba High from some boarding school in America. Nobody really knew why she transferred.
Some gossip said that she was kicked out because she had an affair with a teacher. Other claimed that she put the school on fire. Nobody really liked her here and she didn't have any friends still. But now, Davis is taking her to the dance?
I heard a whisper in my ear that made me shiver.
"Teeks, I think Davis has lost his mind. But, maybe we should befriend this girl." At the sound of my nickname I lightly blushed. I nodded my head in response.
"Kari, maybe the googlehead has really lost his mind, but hey, he got himself a girlfriend." An angry gasp.
"She isn't his girlfriend." I looked at her, looking for the reason for that statement. I found none.
Finally, the silence was interrupted by Miss Saiki.
"Oh, that is great Mari! I'm happy for you. You finally blended in." Dark shade flashed Mari's face as the teacher said 'blend in'. In the next moment, she just smiled and said.
"Yeah, I guess I am."
"Now, we have few minutes before the end of the class, so anybody else? Perhaps... Oh, Takeru, what about you? Tell me if you don't have a date, I have a niece of mine..."
Did she just try to set me up a date? .God. I answered with annoyance in my voice.
"Thank you, Miss Saiki, but I already found my girl."
"Oh, please Takaishi, call me Asami. And that includes the rest of you. 'Miss Saiki' just sounds too old." I sighed. Saiki Asami was in her mid twenties at most. She lectured History for a year and a half now.
"You know, my niece will be very disappointed, but tell me, who is this lucky girl?" She asked and smiled gently. I turned pink and the class laughed again.
"Well, I'm taking a certain brunette who is sitting in front of me today." I said and grinned. Kari smiled.
"Yes, I'm the lucky one." Asami's eyes widened.
"Great, I'm happy for you all!"
"Hey Miss Asami, do you have a date?" The History teacher smiled gently and blushed a little.
"Actually, I have."
"And who is it?" Someone asked. The bell rang and interrupted our conversation.
"Children, children. Calm down." Everybody laughed.
"Sure Miss Asami. Goodbye."
"Bye Miss." The students said as they went out of the classroom. I stopped at my locker and collected my English book for the next class. As I closed the door, someone appeared behind them.
"Hi." She said quietly. It was Mari. But what does she want?
"You are T.K. Takaishi, right? Do you know Davis?"
"I do, he happens to be my friend." She smiled. Damn, she is gorgeous. A voice scolded me in my mind. She wasn't prettier than Kari.
"Well, could you talk him to ask me to the dance? Of course if he hasn't a date already."
I widened my eyes in shock. Mari was actually influencing me to talk to Davis. I didn't know what to say, so I just answered.
"Um, sure." Her green eyes sparkled and she hugged me.
"Oh, thank you thank you thank you."
"Yeah, sure." Through her black hair I saw the figure turning and walking angrily.
"Um, Mari, I have to go." She let go of me.
"Oh, sorry about that. I don't want you to be late for class." I left Mari and ran after the brown figure.
-x-
"Hey Kari! KARI!" She was by her locker and I saw by her red eyes that she had been crying.
"What?" She yelled at me. I stopped in confusion. This is not good.
"Hey, I was thinking."
"I don't care." She turned and left.
"Hey Kari, stop."
I suddenly felt a grip on my shoulder. I slowly turned and saw my big brother.
"Let her go, she will calm down."
He advised. I sighed and rushed for English.
-x-
I didn't saw Kari for the rest of the day. I didn't even saw her at lunch. I felt a strange feeling in my stomach and it was telling me something was wrong. But I didn't know what. At least, I caught Davis at lunch to talk with him.
"What's up, T.S.?" He asked, clearly confused that I wanted to talk with him. I ignored him and started telling him.
"I don't know if Ken has told you, but something happened at History." His face was confused.
"And that would be...?"
"So he didn't tell you. All right, I will. Do you know a girl named Chiba Mari?"
"Oh, that's the chick that burned her last school. Of course I know her, I have Algebra and P.E. with her. She is hot." He exclaimed.
"It is good that you think so, because...um...she wants to go with you to the dance." His eyes widened in surprise.
"Mari? With me? Wait, this is some kind of prank, isn't it?" I calmly shook my head.
"No, she told me that herself. In addition, the whole History class heard it. She claimed you were her date." He went with his hand through his spiky hair.
"Jeez, I didn't think I would go to the dance with such girl. I was preparing myself to go alone actually." I grinned and encouraged him.
"So, go and ask her." He nodded and went away. I heard him shout.
"Thanks T.K."
I gasped. That should keep him away from Kari. For now. And I have to figure out what is wrong with her. The day passed quickly without her. I noticed she didn't appear neither on Biology nor Geometry. I was worried sick. I confronted Tai at the way out after school.
"Hey Tai. Do you know what the matter with Kari?"His eyes met mine and I could see he was angry.
"She left after the first class. She was obviously upset about something, but I don't know what it was."He punched the door lightly in anger.
"Okay, tell her to call me. Please." He nodded absently. Something else was clearly bothering him.
"Of course T.K." I waved him goodbye, but he did not see me, because Sora was coming. I sighed and took out my cell phone. I dialed Kari's number and waited. No answer. Then, I send her a message.
Please Kari, what is wrong? I sighed again as I pushed the send button.
This was going to be a looong day.
-x-
Author's note:
Finally, updated (every Saturday, new update)! In addition, I decided to put my notes below the story, so you don't have to read it. xD
Just push the fancy red X button if I'm getting boring.
To Mira94: thank you ^^
Therefore,...I decided to create a character, as you noticed. This is a Takari story, so I felt sad for Davis ending up alone. So here's Chiba Mari*. Grammar is still horrible. The quote is a fancy one I think. I like it very much, so I think I'll put one every chapter.
*In Japan the surname is written first. I decided to go along with that.