NOTE: Once upon a time, there was an author named Psycho Weasel, who stayed up until 2 in the moring writing this chapter, despite the fact that they had to get up at seven later that day, and then they saved the finished product ff (dot) net. When they were going to go proof-read the chapter, they had no available computer until now. The end.

Sad story eh? Well, it has a happy ending because I post it up the chapter now! Yay! :D I hope you all like this chapter, I kind of like it...maybe because I know what happens next. Hee-hee. :D

WARNING: Language and slash. No like slash? No read slash!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Digimon...at all...brings sadness to my heart. :(

CHAPTER 9. Collide

"Last Thursday, on January fourteenth, Spill It! magazine tracked down young band leader, Yamato Ishida, with a strapping, handsome, young man at a local coffee shop. To no surprise, the two young males were bundled up, not only to warm themselves from the weather, but also to avoid photos from the paparazzi (Nice try Yamy, but we can spot that gorgeous face of yours from a mile away). While undercover, I observed that the young couple bought their own cup of hot chocolate and then happily conversed with one another for what seemed like an hour or two, though their conversation was inaudible. However, it got to a point, where the mysterious young man took the lead singer's hand and pressed it against his lips (see picture above). Obviously a sign of affection!

"As mentioned in earlier magazine issues, the subject of Ishida's sexuality arose when auditioning for the up-coming band competition, 'War of the Bands.' The judge, Hiro Yalo asked the band leader of The Teenage Wolves if he was homosexual. After a moment, the band had left the stage without a confirmation or a denial. When Ishida would be asked the question of his sexuality, he would reply with 'no comment,' or quietly slip away.

"Spill It! magazine asked about Ishida's sexuality to his friends, family and band members. Most all of them dodged the question with rapid speed. Some of them say that it is a privacy issue, while others honestly have no clue about the young rock star's love life.

"'I never talked to him about his relationship status before,' fellow friend and classmate, Mimi Tachikawa admits bashfully. When asked about the mysterious man hanging around Ishida, Tachikawa simply replied, '…there's a mysterious guy involved?'

"It almost seems like the mystery of the band leader's sexuality, and his main squeeze, may never be discovered. In my opinion, I do believe Ishida is gay. Let's face it, not a lot of males would be as happy as he was that day with the young man. Ishida's sense of fashion and style is beyond those of his fellow peers. And who could forget that luscious head of hair that he carefully styles to perfection and wears with such pride around the town. This is only one author's opinion, now what about yours? We want to hear what you have to say about this attractive young man's sexuality. Is he straight? Is he gay? Just Spill It!"

I dropped the magazine on the table, and buried my face in my hands. Taichi sat there for a moment, then pulled the magazine closer to him to re-read the article. I mentally scolded myself to how open Taichi and I had been last Thursday…only, we weren't truly being "affectionate" at all. I mean, sure, we had gone sledding before hand and so we decided to buy some hot chocolate to warm ourselves up afterwards. As for the photo, what had really happen was that Taichi had told me that his nose had gotten cold again and made me touch it so that I would believe him. The reporter positioned themselves at the right spot to make it seem like Taichi truly had given me a kiss on the hand.

"That's the latest update," Taichi sighed as he closed the magazine and pushed it farther away from him. "I saw this magazine while buying a few things in the grocery store." I nodded, but didn't look up at him. Taichi's parents were out of town to visit and check up on Taichi's father's parents for the weekend, and Hikari had gone off to a slumber party with some friends. My own father was out of town for a business trip and I didn't necessarily feel like staying alone for the weekend. So I called Taichi up and he agreed to spend the weekend at my place. He informed me that he would have to make a stop at the store, and when he came over, he brought the magazine with him.

"This thing has been going on for weeks now," I huffed through my fingers. "Guess they needed a new story and I just happened to let my guard down." I absent mindedly started to tap the scar on my left eye. Taichi watched me for a moment, then sighed and rested his head on his arms. I looked at him and he had his eyes closed.

I smiled at my burnet friend as he sighed deeply. He looked very peaceful as he rested there. So peaceful, that I was almost convinced that he had fallen asleep. Taichi had stayed up with me the night before, when I called him about a nightmare I had. It was the same nightmare over and over again and it would always scare me to death. Taichi seemed to be the only medicine for this. He always made me feel safe and happy when I am around him. I knew that if I ever needed someone, then I could always count on him…I wonder if he knows how much I appreciate him…Hmm...I leaned forward and poked him on the shoulder. Taichi stirred a little and then his eyelids slowly opened.

"Come here," I stood and motioned for him to follow me. He did so and followed me to my room. I pulled out my guitar that my father had given to me for my fifteenth birthday from its stand and started to tune it up. He tilted his head as I tightened the third string on my guitar.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just sit down on my bed or something," I playfully ordered him. He smiled and sat down on the edge of my bed. I finished setting up the guitar and pulled up my own chair to sit on. "I just wanted to treat you with your own private performance of me playing my guitar. It's…kind of my way of saying…thanks for everything…" I was about to start the song I had picked out to play, but then stopped. I looked up at him, as he waited patiently. "It…might not be that good. I'm sorry if I suck…"

"You don't suck," Taichi replied. "You can never suck. At least, not to me…" I blushed and then started to strum the beginning part of the song. I felt my face heat up when within the first two measures, I mess up the chords. Taichi smiled reassuringly at me and I started to sing the first chorus. His head was rested on his hands, which were resting on his knees, and that he had closed his eyes again. This time however, he was listening to the lyrics I could tell. I smiled to myself and finished the chorus before continuing to the next verse.

"I'm quiet you know
You make a first impression
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find
You and I collide."

I continued with the song, but thought carefully about the second verse. I felt that it seemed to describe my relationship between Taichi and I well. We were completely different…and yet, he was in love with me. Madly in love. I felt slightly guilty because I didn't know if I felt the same way about him…or did I? I glanced up at Taichi once again. His smile was slowly fading, but his eyes were still closed. I always had a funny feeling arise from the pit of my stomach when I would look at him. It was a mixture of excitement and happiness…I almost missed the last chord because my mind had been occupied elsewhere. I shook my head and played the last note.

"Well, that's it," I sighed. "That was 'Collide' by Howie Day, a popular song over in the United States when I went over." I placed my guitar back to its stand and turned to look at Taichi. His eyes were open now, but he looked sad and distant. "What's wrong Taichi?"

"It's…nothing…"

"Of course it's something. What's wrong? You can tell me anything." Taichi smiled sadly as he looked at me. Then he moved his gaze down to the floor.

"…You know how my parents are gone?" he asked. I nodded. "Well…I kind of told Hikari to leave the house for the at least the night…you know, so she could have some fun?"

"Ah…well, that was nice of you." He nodded.

"Yeah…and besides…if you're whole family is not here to celebrate your birthday, then there is almost no point in celebrating it." I froze to the spot where I had been standing. "It's not my parent's fault for leaving though...they had to check up on my grandparents. They're kind of struggling right now..." My heart seemed to have sunken deeper than the Titanic itself.

"I…I-it's your birthday?" I panicked. How could I have been so stupid and forgotten my best friend's birthday? I hurried over to him and lifted up his face up so that he was looking into my eyes. "Holy shit Taichi! I'm so sorry! I'll make it up to you I promise!"

"It's ok Yamato. I'm fine," he laughed. Then he wrapped his arms around my waist. I allowed him to pull me closer to him and to bury his face into my stomach. "Really…I'm fine." We stayed like that for a few minutes. I hesitantly, lifted my hands and placed them on the top of his head. We stood there for a long time. He sighed once I started to run my fingers through his hair. "…Feels good…" That encouraged me to start using my other hand too. Taichi seemed to purr as I reached the back of his neck and made my way back to the back of his head. I smiled at what seemed to be the most perfect moment I have had in a very long time.

And then it was ruined…my phone buzzed and rang loudly from my pocket. We both jumped, but didn't remove our hands from where they were. I reluctantly pulled my phone without my right hand, but continued to caress his hair with my left. The caller I.D. was Masaru. Taichi slyly slid his hands down from my waist to my butt and kept them there as I answered Masaru's call.

"Hello?" I answered as I felt myself blush.

"Yamato! You've got to come down to the studio quick!" Masaru sounded as though he was slightly panicking.

"Masaru, what's wrong?"

"Someone broke into the studio!"

"What? You're kidding!"

"No! I'm not! I don't know if they took anything or not, but you've got to come down here and check it for yourself!"

"I'm on my way. Call the others and tell them to get their asses down there faster than the speed of light!"

"Anneke is here with me, but I'll be sure to call the others! See ya."

"Bye." I hung up and handed Taichi my phone. "Hold this." I rushed to my closet and pulled out my jacket. Then I hurried over to the front door.

"What's going on?" Taichi asked as he watched me fumble with my shoes.

"Someone broke into our studio," I answered as I finished tying the lace of my shoes. "Who knows what the hell they might have taken and what not." I stood and was about to leave, but stopped. I turned back and looked at my friend, who had been left alone for his birthday. I was about to do the same thing to him. I walked over to him and took his hands. "Come with me?" He tilted his head slightly. I looked down at the ground. "I know that an old television studio is probably not the place you want to be for your birthday…but…I don't want to leave you by yourself...Besides…I...I want you to come with me." I felt him squeeze my hand tighter. I looked up and he nodded before he hurried to get his coat and shoes on. Then we were off to inspect the damage of the break in.

oXoXoXoXo

"Well, all the equipment is still here," Anneke sighed as she walked back onto the small stage.

"Nothing seems wrong out of place or anything," Shino said as he and Hayato came from right stage. Masaru came back, holding a large brick in his hand.

"I found what they had broken in for," he murmured darkly. He handed me the brick. On it was a piece of paper that was attached with a rubber band. It read: "Run Faggot, run!" "They went into the dressing room and tore the place apart. I guess they were looking for evidence or something to prove that you are gay." He tapped on the piece of paper. "They wrote that on the dressing room wall as well."

"Is there any way we can fix the damage these retards made?" I asked the group. A strong breeze entered through the window where the vandilizers had made their entery. I folded my arms across my chest. "Especially that broken window."

"My dad could probably take a look at it," Hayato replied shivering. "Who knew that one little window could let in so much air?"

"Who knew one little brick could be so harsh?" Anneke blew into her hands to warm them up.

"…I don't have time to deal with stupid hate people," I growled at the writing on the brick. I handed the brick back to Masaru and started walking back to where Taichi was waiting for me. "It's Taichi's birthday and I forgot it, so I want to make it up to him. I'll see you guys later." Shino and Hayato whooped "encouraging" words at me as I left. I rolled my eyes and smiled before opening the door to the main office room. My smile vanished when I saw that Taichi had my phone pressed against his ear. I had forgotten to take it back after Masaru called me about the break in. "Taichi? Who are you talking to?" I walked over to him and tried to retrieve my phone, but he held his hand up for me to wait.

"Oh, he did now then?" he asked. His tone sounded bitter and hurt. I started to get worried as I saw that his eyes were starting to water up slightly. "Oh…right…of course." I reached up again to take the phone from him, but this time he pushed my arm away roughly. I was taken aback by his harshness and immediately knew that something was very wrong. "Alright…well, I'll be sure to tell him. Yeah…no, no…I'm glad you told me…somebody had to sooner or later." The last sentence dripped with venom and was aimed to me. "Ok…ok…bye." He hung up the phone and then looked up at the ceiling. He was trying his best not to cry.

"Taichi," I said quietly. He looked back at me, his dark caramel eyes flamed with anger and hurt.

"Is this some kind of sick joke to you Yamato?" he spat at me as he shoved my phone back into my hands. "You think it's funny to do this to people? Because it's not! It hurts like hell!"

"Wha...What are you talking about?" I asked nervously and quite confused.

"Don't pretend you don't know! You know damn well what I'm talking about!" I took a step back and shrugged. He took a step forward to me. "That was your boyfriend back in the U.S. I just got off the phone with!" My heart sank and I felt immediately sick. "Oh yeah, now you remember huh? Yeah, he called just barely, asking for you, and he told me everything."

"He…he did?"

"Yeah! He told me everything you guys did together in complete detail! He told me how much you two were in love and how…" He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth. "How much you…hated me! He told me that he was the best thing that has ever happened to you in your life, ever since your parent's split up and all. He said that my personal nickname was the 'immature bastard' and that you'd get a kick of hearing that name anytime he meantioned it to you. He also told me how you told him that you were so glad to be rid of the 'stupid air-head of a soccer player' and that if you were to ever see my face again, you'd throw up. Oh! And the best thing he said was that you said that when it comes to kissing, you'd give me a negative twenty five out of one-hundred!"

"N-no! Taichi! T-that's not true!" His eyes opened once again and he glared at me.

"How am I supposed to believe that when you didn't even tell me the fact that you had a boyfriend?" I opened my mouth to try and come up with an answer, but the rest of the band came out to the room.

"Hey Yamato, we just wanted to…" Masaru didn't finish what he was about to say. He saw that Taichi looked as though he was about to kill someone and that I was terrified beyond belief. "Is everything ok here guys?"

"Did you tell him about your boyfriend?" Shino asked. I flinched and looked down at the ground. Anneke slapped a hand on Shino's mouth so that he wouldn't add anything else.

"Could you give Yamy and I a minute please?" Taichi growled through gritted teeth. I cringed at the nickname, and then looked up at the band. Everyone, even Anneke to a point, looked scared stiff at Taichi's hostility. They didn't move. "Now?" The band obeyed him immediately. I could tell they were becoming worried about me, but they also feared their own health. After they all exited through the main door, I finally looked at Taichi.

"They knew about Peter?" He hissed. "And you still didn't even bother to tell me?" His jaw was tight, due to the fact that he must have been clenching his teeth hard. His fists were also clenched and his whole body seemed ready to just start throwing punches at me. All the safety and happiness I felt with Taichi before was ruined now…because of the lies of my jealous ex.

"Taichi," I whimpered and backed up slowly. "Taichi, please…please…"

"Please what Yamato?" he snarled at me. "'Please don't be mad?' 'Please don't care that I don't give a shit about you while you're killing yourself over me and waiting to see what the hell I have to say about you?'" He slammed his fist down on a nearby counter top and I defended my face instinctively. "I was such a jackass! Actually believing that…that…I ever had a chance! With you!" He turned and stormed off to the door. My hope...my peace...my best friend...it was all going to walk out of my life if I didn't do something, and fast. I found myself going after him.

"Taichi! Please!" I begged again.

"I really love my birthday present Yamato. Yeah, finding out that the person you love has just been playing with your emotions is something that everybody wants for their birthday. I'm so luck! Happy fucking birthday to me!" He grabbed the handle of the door.

"NO! PLEASE!" I threw myself on him and held on tightly to him. He tensed up and it felt like he was about to push me away and start beating me up. Nothing happened however and I started shaking. "I'll…I'll tell you…everything…just please…listen…" I felt him relax slightly and then he let go of the handle. He pulled away from me and sat down against the wall.

"Well?" He grumbled. I bit my bottom lip and cautiously joined him. I tried to think of the words to say to him…but I knew that…if I were to tell him the whole truth…he would leave me. He would call me weak and stupid and then...I would be left alone. That's what Peter always told me anyways...and I believed him..."Look, if you're not going to say anything, then I'm just going to leave." But, if I don't say anything, then he would leave me too. I was facing a lose-lose situation and I couldn't make up my mind to which was worse: losing him because I am weak and stupid, or losing him because I couldn't say anything to defend myself about my "boyfriend." I took a deep breath to calm my nerves as best as I could.

"…Peter Klein…" I started. He stiffened at the name. "He…he was the head boy at the boarding school. When we first met, he immediately took an interest to me. I don't know why but…he would always want to be around me. A few weeks later, he told me that he was gay and that he had liked me since the first day he saw me. I told him that I was gay too but…that I was in love with someone else. The next day after I had said that…you sent me that letter saying that you were going out with Sora.

"That…that really killed me. I cried for days and would write you letters to see where the hell Sora came into the picture. I never received a letter back from you and that hurt me even worse. Peter knew what was going on and…he was there for me. He was my shoulder to cry on and the support I needed at the time. A few weeks after that whole thing, he told me that he only way to get over you would be to find someone else. He kissed me and...after that we were a couple.

"Peter was a really nice guy to begin with…but once we became a couple, he got more possessive. He didn't want me going out for long periods of time with other people or by myself. He would give me what he would call 'tough love' and told me that this was the only sort of love his family would have given him. After a few months however…that 'tough love' became abuse…

"My grandmother knew what was going on between Peter and I. She would try her best to keep me away from him, but it would only result into more cuts and bruises showing up on my skin for the next visit. My grandmother was really worried about me…but…she couldn't do much anymore because once school ended, she started to get really sick. I know I should have gone straight away to her house, but Peter tricked me into staying with him in his apartment. He would promise to take me to her house, but the weeks passed by and nothing happend...except for more hitting. It finally got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I would try and leave to go take care of her, but Peter would never let me. If I tried to sneak out, he would alwasy find me and tie me up in the closet for a day or so. The longest he did that for was three days…with no food or water either...

"One day finally…I managed to run away. I felt so happy to be able to be free from him for at least a short period of time…That happiness was crushed however when I found my dying grandmother alone in her house." I stopped for a moment to whipe away the tears that were starting to fall down my face. How the hell could Taichi be in love with someone like me? I felt so dirty and low...I looked at Taichi to see if he was reacting. His face looked interested in the story. I sighed and decided to tell him the "final chapter" of the story. "Takeru and mom came for the funeral…afterwards, they insisted that I come back home with them on the day they would leave, which would be in a week or so. I agreed but…I felt like Peter had the right to know that I was leaving. Since he was still my boyfriend at the time and I'm just plain stupid. I went to the apartment that he was renting and where he kept me in, but when I got there…it was empty. The door was open, but he wasn't there. I saw…on his desk, a stack of letters. I assumed that they were letters that were received late to the school and so I looked through them. I found your letter and I read it. Curiosity had gotten the better of me…you know? Then…then Peter found me with your letter…and...this is what happened…'that night…'"

-X-X-X-X-

Even the best fall down sometimes

Even the wrong words seem to rhyme

Out of the doubt that fills my mind

I somehow find you and I collide

-Collide, Howie Day

End of chapter nine. FF (dot) net's editing system creates anger in my heart sometimes. X( So if anything looks a little off (like someone pointed out that the last chapter was all in italics (GRRR!)), please let me know so I can fix it.

Yeah...the only thing I don't like much about the chapter is the song I picked. I feel like it needed a more intense song...but I couldn't think of anything...meh...

Please review this chapter and give me some feed-back! I always love getting feed-back from my reader, it makes me want to update even more chapters. :) No flames please, I might run out of weenies.