Kari stood on the porch of the school, leaning against the wall with Tk and Davis surrendering her. I caught sight of her chocolate brown eyes as they searched over Davis' shoulder. She waved to us and grinned openly as we approached.

"Good morning!" She was beaming and she looked stunning. I could not pin point it at first glance, so I stared which, unknown to me, Tai was glaring at me.

"Your hair?" I frowned, ignoring Tai's looks. "You did something different."

"I had it curled slightly. Mimi said that once it grew out she would be able to do more styles with it."

"And your cloths have changed." I glanced up and down her length, just admiring how she looked but Tai took it wrong and pushed me against Tk's chest.

"Stop pushing Izzy," Tk glared at the older boy.

"Once he stops checking out Kar, then I'll stop shoving him."

"I wasn't checking her out." I gave Tai my own glare. "I just was noting how she looks."

"That's checking someone out." Davis warned me.

"But I wasn't thinking of her like that. You look beautiful by the way Kari." I gave her an apologetic smile.

"She always does." Davis also smiled.

"I think you look really great too, Kari." Tk hurried up and gave Tai's sister his own complement.

"Thanks guys." Kari slightly blushed, adding to the man made blush that highlighted her cheeks. "Mimi took me shopping yesterday."

"Sorry to hear that," I joked, giving her a friendly wink. I received a little giggle from her and I received even more glares from her over-protective brother.

"Hey bro." Tk waved at the tall blonde that approached him. Sora lingered at Matt's side.

"Hey." Matt greeted everyone in his cool, relax way.

"Good morning." Sora smiled.

I stared at her for a moment. Kari was not the only one who seems to change her appearance but with Sora, I could not place it. I couldn't figure out what was different that is, until she looked up at Matt. I hurried to glance over at Tai to see if he saw what I saw. Sora and Tai, ever since I have known them that was how you spoke when you were talking about them. The two did everything together, there was no way to separate them. Which made Tai go into protective mode with Sora as well; she was so close to him.

To my relief Tai didn't seem to notice. He was harassing her, trying to find her reason for not meeting him as they always do every morning.

I glanced around the small circle to see if anyone else noticed the vibe Matt and Sora were throwing off. Tk and Davis were too involved in trying to get into Kari's favour that they were not even away of anything around them, not even the angry looks from Tai.

Kari noticed, I saw it in her eyes but I am sure it was not the same look that mirrored in my eyes. Instead, she looked disappointed. Almost heart-broken. I glanced down at her fingers as they played, now uncertainly with her new blouse buttons. She flicked her chocolate eyes away from my own, but it was too late I so the tears swell up in her eyes.

"Excuse me, I um. I have to go now." Kari forced a fake smile and excused herself.

"Great, you just made her cry Tk!" Davis shouted at the young blond.

"Me? You kept going on about her painted toe nails!" Tk shouted back.

"Kari?" Tai started to follow, concern for his sister marked his face.

"Leave her." I pulled his the back of his shirt.

"Leave her? She started to cry! Did you see that? One minute she was all happy about her outfit and those two flatteries then the next she is heading to the bathroom!" Tai pulled free from me.

"Right, she's in the girls' bathroom. You can't go in there." I told him.

"Watch me!"

"Tai, if she wanted you to follow her then she would go somewhere that you are also able to go. She didn't. She needs time alone." I gave him my stern look. I could see him fighting with the need to find his sister and my reasoning.

"We all better get to class." Tk broke the silence. "Or we can finish this discussion in detention."

My friends each parted their own way and the day went normally for the most part. That is until our last class, Home Economics Class. I was heading for the door when I saw it all fall apart. It happen in slow motion, as if someone had a remote to time slowed us all down to where we were barely moving.

Sora stood beside the door of the classroom, she stood under Matt, looking up to him. Matt had an arm braced against the wall beside Sora's shoulder and he started to lean into her.

I turned my head and spotted Tai coming down the hall towards class. At first he was looking over at one of his friends from the soccer field, his laughter filled the halls. He slowly looked away from his friend, looking ahead and saw the new couple as they kissed. He stopped moving, junior slammed into Tai's back but the older boy ignored him. He was rooted with a shocked expression on his face. Tai's friend stopped walking a few feet in front of him. He looked puzzly at Tai's expression until he followed the stare. Tai's friend quickly took off to his class, helping to clear the hallway.

I turned in the other direction to see Jun coming out of the girl's bathroom. I heard her books echo as they fell from her hand. She covered her mouth with her hand, her face grew pale.

Behind me, I heard a shoe squeak as the person came to a halt. When turning I found myself staring at Kari. She took it a little better; she stiffly pushed passed me, sniffling and her eyes red from crying all afternoon.

As I said, all this happen less then a split second but the kiss seem to go on for ever, the last bell kept ringing, Tai continue to stand in one spot, Jun still didn't breath and it seem as it took Kari minutes to get into the classroom.

Suddenly time was unfrozen and life sped up, flashing before me. I was last to enter the classroom. I sat at my normal spot and glanced over at my classmates. Tension was in the air and everyone felt it, everyone except for Matt and Sora. They seemed to be in a world of their own.

"Alright class." Mrs. Amberson cheerfully looked at the students seating before her. "Everyone is so quiet this afternoon and with another school day almost at an end." This class is usually high strong."

No one spoke.

I caught Matt's eyes fall on Tai who sat at the other end of the classroom, as far away from Matt as he could. I thought this was very wise of Tai. However, Matt was unaware of his dangerous situation and kept trying to get Tai's attention.

"Matt is there something you want to share?" Mrs. Amberson stood next to the blonde's desk. Matt shook his head and turned in his seat. Our teacher looked at him for a moment before looking back at Tai who sunk low at his desk and arms folded over his chest.

"You two having an argument?" Mrs. Amberson asked, walking back to the front of the classroom.

"No ma'am." Matt mumbled, looking back at Tai.

I felt sorry for Matt. He had no idea what was going on.

"Jun, Kari? Something going on between you two?" Mrs. Amberson asked.

Both girls looked at each other in puzzlement before shaking their heads.

Mrs. Amberson nodded her head as she started down the rows slowly looking at students. She stopped at Mimi's desk to take the nail polish from the high maintains girl before continuing to walk towards the back of the room.

If the situation between my friends were not so serious, I would have laughed as Mimi just sat at her desk, her mouth slacked open and her fingers still spread out to do her nails.

"Um, excuse me Mrs. Amberson but I have one nail left to do. I can't go around with only one nail done!" She held up her fingers for the class to see.

"You can and you will in this class." Mrs. Amberson didn't even look behind her. She now stood beside Tai's desk.

"You are pretty quiet, Tai." Mrs. Amberson looked down at Tai's fuzzy head. "Are you and Matt having an argument?"

"No ma'am." Tai said hoarsely.

Mrs. Amberson nodded her head, and she started class but if you ask me what had been discussed, I would not be able to tell you. I kept trying to find a way to fix everything in my head. Then, when the bell rang, Mrs. Amberson held up her hand for everyone to stop gathering his or her books.

"I would like the following students to stay behind." She looked around the room. "Matt…"

"Me?" Matt looked up. I too was confused, the only interruption the class had was when Sora throw Tai a note and he didn't even bother to pick it up.

"Yes you. Kari, Jun, Mimi, Izzy, Sora and Tai."

"Me?" I asked. I never stayed behind in a class unless it was for a project or my own reason. Never had a teacher ever ask me for a purpose I was unaware of, not in all my school days had this ever happen!

"Yes you too, Izzy." Mrs. Amberson nodded her head. "The rest may go."

The class empty rather quickly. Davis and Tk walked away, confused as they glanced at the friends they had to leave behind.

"Well, I must say that this attitude you are all expressing is very gloomy." Mrs. Amberson said right after the last student walked out of the room and the door shut with a soft click.

No one spoke; we all put our heads down to look at the top of our desk.

"Would someone like to say anything at all?" Mrs. Amberson asked.

Mimi was first to raise her hand.

"Yes, Mimi?"

"I would like to say that I should have my nail polish back. I have cheerleading practice in a half an hour and I cannot go with only one nail done. This is such a poor fashion statement!"

"Mimi, I asked you to stay behind because of your attitude towards this class."

"My attitude? I don't have one." Mimi pouted.

"You are not allowed to paint your nails in my classroom. You know better. I would hope you don't pull this stuff in other classrooms."

"I don't, Mrs. Amberson."

"Then why do you feel you can get away with it in this class?"

"I'm sorry." Mimi put her head down and looked all-pretty.

"I'll excuse you for now but next time you will receive detention, do you understand?"

"Yes." Mimi nodded her head.

"You may go now."

"Can I have my nail polish back?" Mimi looked up hopefully.

"No, Mimi." Mrs. Amberson shook her head, "No you may not. I have taken things from other students among your class and you will not be any different. Go now, before I change my mind."

Mimi blinked back her tears as she gathered her books and left the room.

"What are we doing here?" Matt asked.

"I'll let you on a little secret. All day I teach and I love all my students but this class I look forward to then all the others. You are my favourite class to teach and it has nothing to do with the fact that you are the last class of the day. I love how you work together and whom you can play around with each other. Of course there are times when

You do get out of hand but most of the time it is in good nature. I would rather you lighten up on the under classmates that share this class with you, like Davis for insistence." She looked us each in the eye. "Now I find my favourite class is now like all the others. There is a problem between you and I'd like to help sort it out if you will let me."

"There isn't a problem." Matt frowned.

"Then why is your best friend sitting way over there?"

Matt turned to look over his shoulder at Tai; he could only shrug out an answer.

"I would rather not discuss my problem." Jun spoke up. "There isn't anything really to do but move on and not linger. I know what is wrong and it is not anyone's fault but my own. I am not sure what is going on with the others, but I do not believe I am not involved in their problem. My problem is that of my own."

"I have to agree with Jun." Kari spoke up softly. "Mine is very silly, so childish that I wish not to bring it up in front of others. It is merely measured as a lesson in life and I will too over come it."

I wanted to cheer the two girls on, but as far as they knew, no one knew what was bothering them this day. Of course, people will guess Jun is once the word is out that Matt and Sora are together, but no one would know of Kari's secret crush on Matt. It was all normal, I have heard that most young siblings' first crush is often of their older bother or sister's friends. Tai would have never had guessed, nor would Matt who only viewed Kari as Tai's baby sister or his brother's love interest.

"Alright then." Mrs. Amberson smiled and dismissed the girls.