disclaimer- don't own digimon! that simple!
*~*~*~~~&*~*&~*~*&~&*(lazy ^^)
*(an- yah, it's italics, but my computer won't do that.)Tk had protected Kari through battles everywhere- they were best friends forever. Davis had come to understand that. Tk had given Kari his coat at the slightest breeze, and always gave her the bigger half of the chocolate piece, or umbrella. Yolei, Kari's other best friend found all this cute. Kari insisted they were just best friends, because, afterall, they had known each other since second grade.
Tk felt much the same. He was a little protective of Kari- he knew how prone to sickness she was- or used to be. There was pondering at whether it was all those double layers of coats, or Kari's maturing (physcly), that had built up her immune system's strength. They really were best friends forever- and they could share anything and everything with each other.
When the pair reached seventh grade, their friendship saw it's biggest test. Kari was being tugged away from this dimension. Tk fought, but he couldn't do anything, from outside the battle field- which was Kari. Tk thought there was something Kari was hiding something- he told her the only he'd been hiding.
"Kari, I really care for you, and..." It might have seemed obvious that they cared for each other's well-being to anyone else, but it took them longer to reconize this. Once Kari was back to her normal state, she shared her own secret, in a left-handed sort of way. She explained she "cared for you too" to Tk. She had a crush on him, but for now, enjoyed her best friend, not boyfriend.
Yolei, of course, found this somewhat funny, and tried to set them up together. Any time they went to a movie though, it was as friends because, for fear of breaking their trust, Kari wouldn't speak up.
In eigth grade, Tk suprised Kari- he asked her to their eigth grade dinner dance. She, glad to be completely open with him at last, accepted, and they had a blast. Tk was very glad he had hadn't looked twice at Courtney- espically because he and Kari remained a couple through high school- and senior prom.*
And Kari hit print on her computer. As the printer made noises, Yolei Inoue, Kari's best friend, came in the door of the Kamiya house wearing a maroon cap sleve shirt and dark flared jeans. A year seperated the two- Yolei was a freshman at Odiba High, and Kari was still at their middle school. They could only talk on afternoons and weekends, but Kari and Yolei still shared *everything* with each other. From boys in the different social lives to the fact that 'those awesome pants make your butt look big' to exactly WHY it had taken so long to build the Trancontinental Railroad, these two had talked about everything.
Now Kari had invited her over to a sleepover, and she wanted Yolei to read her latest story- Yolei didn't know what she was in for, but Kari thought she could trust her. She might blab about other people, but not Kari, afterall- Yolei really didn't want to ruin her reputation at keeping this kind of secret.
"What's that?" Yolei asked Kari now.
"A story of mine- care to edit it for me?" Yolei had edited papers for Kari before, and enjoyed reading her writing.
"Sure," and with that, Yolei settled into a poufy chair to read while Kari set out two sodas and some chips.
Yolei spoke when she finished- "It's non fiction, except for the end. Kari, you might not want to hear it, but you know it- Tk *is* looking twice at Courtney- much more than twice. With the eigth grade dinnerdance coming up, you have two choices- tell Tk how you feel, and hope he doesn't ignore it, or actually reacts; or you can try to set him up with Courtney, who is oblivous to his existence and watch him enjoy himself all night, while only dancing with your friends, to the fast songs."
Kari winced, but knew hearing from Yolei was better than hearing it from anyone else.
"Sorry if I was too blunt." Yolei saw *everything* about Kari. "No, someone else could have been worse. And you're right, I just didn't want to admit it to myself."
And Tai came home. In the middle of their wonderful disscusion. "Admit what?" Tai went to Odiba High, same as Yolei. Before Yolei had made friends, the older digidestined had welcomed her to their lunch table. Yolei didn't have any problem being open around Tai now, even though she did have other friends. "*cough* clueless Junior *cough*" She choked now. Tai had interupted many such conversations during the lunch periods Yolei sat with the digidestined.
"Hey! I happen to know what you said, which doesn't make me too clueless!!" "Uh-huh, sure."
" I *also* happen to remember what you and Sora were saying a week ago about a certain redheaded 'computer wizard' and coul-"
"I'm so sorry," Yolei cut him off, "You aren't clueless Tai- You are amazingly smart, and you know everything you need to know." Yolei added under her breath- "which is probably why you've stopped paying attention in class..."
Tai ignored her, and turned to his sister. "Admit what?" he repeated.
"Oh," Kari sighed, rising her eyebrows at Yolei, who was making motions to shut up behind Tai's back. Kari was actually going to explain to him!
Yolei cut in, "Kari needed to admit that she might not get head cheerleader." Yolei said the first that came to her mind.
"Oh, well, I'm sure you'll do well. Maybe next year!" and Tai headed down the hallway. "Wait! Does a middle school even have cheerleaders?"
Yolei thought. She and Kari traded glances. "No! That's why she needs to stop worrying! She's already looking at next year!" Yolei shouted.
"Oookkk." As Tai walked into his room, he asked himself
Kari breathed easily, "Thanks." "Hey, it was a chance to make fun of Tai- how could I turn it down?" Yolei laughed.
"But, um, what was this he was saying about a certain redheaded 'computer wizard'? What did you tell Sora exactly?"
Yolei blushed a deep red. "It's a high school thing. Now, what were we talking about?" Kari just noddded, knowing by the morning she'd know everything, and waved her paper around.
"Oh, yeah. So, which way do you think you'll go?"
Kari thought out loud- "well, Tk *did* say he 'cared for' me, but I think that was as a friend. I don't want to be too embarressed to talk to him, if I confront him and he doesn't feel the same, and I don't think he does, considering how he's been head over heels for Courtney. I also don't think I could stand watching them go the the dinner-dance together, but I don't want to miss that. I *do* have a couple of friends who are planning on going alone, even though it's still two weeks, and they could be asked. It'd also be really sweet if Tk saw me, and forgot about Courtney, but that's so in my dreams."
Yolei looked exactly like Izzy as she raised one finger and shared a fact with Kari- "Hey, Kari, you know what Walt Disney said, right? He said 'If you can Dream it, you can do' or something along those lines. *Now* I'm playing with your words, but anything you want hard enough, you can get eventually! Now everyone knows 'Walt Disney'! Mimi just saw one of the movies on a babysitting job."
"I guess so. So, I need your help! I'll go single- that includes refusing everyone who asks if there are any- Davis giving up in my story is non-fiction afterall- and then look *really* nice. I'll hang out with my friends, and maybe dance with some others. If he doesn't notice me at all, that means he doesn't like me and I should be content with his friendship- if his full attention isn't on Courtney- I have a chance."
Yolei was amazed at the sense Kari was making. "Since when did you become a Mimi on boys? Ah well, I'll have some fun dressing you up!" Kari rolled her eyes- she wasn't one for makeovers, but for Tk... She ran to her bedroom to get everything that could prove useful. They spent the rest of the night fooling around, chosing Kari's outfit for the next day- afterall, Tk hadn't asked Courtney yet!- and the dance. Tomarrow she would be sporting cute jean shorts, a white tank top, and a pink plaid cover-up.
Kari spent a lot of that night teasing Yolei about Izzy- who actually put up with it, somewhat. If it took Kari's mind off Tk...
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Tk noticed Kari's outfit, but also rambled on about Courtney to her. They really were best friends- he told her everything. Sometimes that was too much for Kari; all she could do was to keep her mouth shut- she didn't trust herself to speak.
"Well, it's obvious enough who I want to take... what about you?" TK asked Kari, for no matter how head over heels he was for anyone else, he'd always care about Kari. Thought it seemed to never go past friendship.
"No one so far. Believe, you'd be the first to know, except maybe Yolei, if there was someone I wanted to take." Kari assured him.
"You know, it's obvious you like Courtney to everyone. She's not doing anything. If I were you I'd check out anyone else who seems like they like you. There's more than you think." Kari almost put her foot in her mounth.
Tk nodded gravely, though he still glanced longingly at Courtney in the hallway.
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"Nothing like a good glob of grey mush to brighten up your day, eh?" Justine asked Kari with a twinkle in her brown eyes. Kari smiled up at her friend as Justine sat down at a lunch table Kari sat at. "EEEWWwww! there's a HAIR in here!"
"Um, Jus? I believe this is yours," Kari pulled it out to examine, "See- it's red and very crooked"
"Crooked? That's a new word to describe this stuff." Justine gestured to her thick, frizzy mass of hair, which, when dry, was to just past her chin. Wet, it came to her shoulders.
Kari smiled at her energetic friend. Her happiness faded into happy puzzlement as someone passing by dropped a note on Justine's plate. About to point it out, Kari noticed another 'someone' approaching.
"Jus! It's a NOTE!" Amanda squealed, practically jumping into a chair. Justine looked up from prodding the grey lumps are her tray called "cafeteria food".
"Oh, hi Amanda. Yeah, you'd notice that, it's at *your* eye level," Justine was always teasing the short vetinemese girl about being so short.
"Sooo? What does it say?" Kari was curious.
"I think you guys need to breath," Justine informed Kari and Amanda(who was almost falling off her seat) as she opened the crumbled bit of looseleaf.
"So, Justine, shall I tell them, or will you?" a third friend of Kari's announced herself. She was looking over Justine's at the scrawled letters.
"I think I can handle this Meghan, but thanks for the offer," Jus told the blue-haired girl settling in across from her.
"Billy Bob Joe just invited me to his family's hoedown. His nick name for me is "Sally Sue" I guess. So you guys should get some air. Whoever delivered this note was a table off. I think that's Sally Sue at that table, in the overalls," and Justine got up, went over to the next table and gave the note to Sally Sue.
Amanda let out a breath she had obviously been holding. "We really get all types here, don't we?" she said to Kari and Meghan.
When Justine seated herself again, there were a couple giggles. A couple more. Then they all cracked up.
Once they had gained control of themsleves, Kari, ever curious, asked Justine, "So? What's the deal with the hat?"
The girl Justine had been talking to, whose name was actually Caitlin, just gave Jus a strange look, and asked her what the joke was. On the way back to her own table, with a confused look on her face, *another* someone had slipped a big cowboy hat on her head, with a sign taped on it that said "Sally Sue".
Justine was just as confused as her friends. "I don't know," she explained, "wait! There's something in here." Indeed there was.
A note (again!) fell onto her hand-
*I'm saving myself face, using notes. So, will you? go to the dinner dance with me that is. This should be Justine who's reading this... aka Sally Sue.
-Billy Bob Joe (better known as Nick)*
Jus smiled, and passed the note on to Kari, who passed it to Amanda, who promptly squealed.
Justine scribbled something on the note and held it out to Kari. "Will you do the honors?"
Kari nodded, took the note, and stood up. On her way to deliver it onto Nick's tray, she read what Justine had writen- took you long enuff :).
She smiled, grabbed one of the many pieces of trash on the floor (a perfect excuse to pass the table- the trash can) walked behind him, and dropped her friend's note on his lap. By the time he turned around, she had thrown out the trash, and was seating herself again.
"Nice," Meghan approved. "So, Amanda, thinking of anyone?"
"Well, you know I've had my eye on Will-" "Yeah, that must have hurt your neck." Jus jumped in. Will was very tall. He and Amanda would make a very interesting looking couple.
Amanda gave her clever friend a sarcastic smile and continued. "I still think he doesn't notice me."
Kari gave Amanda a "I'm sorry" pat on the shoulder. Kari changed who was under the heat... "Meghan? and you?"
"Got it all under control. you see, I've got a friend in the business."
"What business?"
"Match-making. Leah has garunteed me a date with one of our guy friends by the end of the day."
Leah was one of their friends with a different with B block lunch, while these had A block. The guy friends she mentioned all had either B or C
"Maybe I should ask her too." Kari suggested to her friends.
"But, aren't you and TK going together?" "We're just friends- have been for years," Kari said firmly, tring to convince herself as well as her friends.
"I'm *sure* Leah could help you!" "I'm sure she could too. I'll talk to her after Algebra."
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"Yay!" Leah was delighted that someone was *asking* her. So far only Meghan had. Many times she had to persuade people into letting her set them up.
"No amount of time either- just so long as there is still someone left- Someone good."
"Okie dokie!" Leah was in a *very* good mood. Kari was giving her more than a day! "This'll be fun!"
"I'm sure it will. See ya soon!" Kari turned off into her next class.
"bye!" Leah called over her shoulder, almost *skipping* down the hall.
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"Hello?"
"Yolei! great. I solved my problem!"
"Great. Wait- let me switch to the phone in my room."
"ok"
Kari sat on her bed, waiting, when she heard, distintly "HANG UP THE PHONE!!!"
"Ok, what?"
"You remember Leah?"
"Sure"
"She's setting me up with one of my other friends that's a guy!"
"You're hugely disapointed. I know that voice"
"Urg. But it's better than nothing!"
"Sure it is. Cept TK might not ask you to dance at all now."
"I doubt he was before."
"Pessimist"
"Maybe, but- Oh, I'll just ask Leah to make sure we go *as friends*"
"That's what you are"
"Exactly. Oh, freak. I really wante-
"You really want my sister to hear you?"
"Huh?"
"Speaker phone dearie"
"She's heard this whole thing?"
"Well, her room's next to mine. She could have."
"Why am I on speaker phone?"
"I'm, uh, working on something."
"Something for a- I quote- "re-"
"No! she could've heard that too!"
"Oh. but is it?"
"No. but i doubt you'll believe me"
"Yaha. well, talk to ya later!"
"yeah."
"Bye"
"Bye"
and they both hung up, as Yolei continued to paw through her closet. "urg! Nothing's right"
"Nothing's right for what? or should I say who? Maybe, Re-" Yolei's sister was standing in the doorway.
"No, it's not..." Yolei continued to explain what she was doing to her sister, who actually believed her, and put in some opions.
"Thanks!" Yolei said before heading to the kitchen for a snack.
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"Jono!" Leah cried out the next morning.
"Huh?" Jono, or Jonothan, turned around, blonde hair ruffling as he went.
"Got any ideas on a date for the dinnerdance?" Leah asked him in a suggestive tone. "Should I? You all know very well I don't like anyone" Jonothan replied. By "all" he meant his and Leah's circle of friends. "'Course you don't. Kari doesn't either." Jono gaped at her. "A- what's that supposed to mean and B- Uh, TK! geez, Leah, you're getting stupider by the day. That brunette wig isn't working too well. Why don't you take it off and be the dumb blonde you are?"
Leah rolled her eyes."Back to the subject? Kari needs a date, you do too."
"First of all, who said anyone *needs* a date, and, well, you can't count past one can you? Second- 2, it comes after 1- I wouldn't want to go with her, incase she thought I really, like, had a crush on her. She's just a friend, like you."
"I'm touched." the girl muttered, thinking about something. "Fine! You'll go as friends."
"No." "WHY NOT?" "Cuz I don't want to!" "I'm gonna follow you around till you agree." "And that's soo terrifying!" Jono was mad now. He had to get to his locker. "It'll slow you down, like it is now." "Fine, just cause Kari's my friend." "You won't regret it!!!" "I better not. Now, I got to go, I assume you'll tell her." "Of course"
Jonothan was already dashing away.
Leah walked in the opposite direction, grinning from ear to ear. On the way, she wrote a note to Kari and slipped it in her locker explaining and saying they'd talk same time as the day before.
The note went along like this-
*Kari- got date for you, ttyl- Leah*
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Justine was already at the lunch table and Kari came next, grim faced.
"What kept you? Mr. Miller usally lets you out first."
Kari nodded, seating herself. "Bathroom."
"So it wasn't a failed test." Jus was geuninly concerned.
"Nope. I wanted to go with someone as friends. Look at this." There was no question where Kari had wanted to go, so her friend leaned forward.
"Another note!" Amanda squealed (again). "I swear, you practice that," Justine told Amanda. "Amanda, Kari's very unhappy. She only wanted to go as friends." Kari nodded glumly.
"Talk to Leah- we all know she can fix *anything* in this kind of situation."
"Yeah, I guess so..."
"Hey, maybe Meghan can help. She's certainly in a good mood. 'Course, she's also really late. What's up?" Jus asked the fourth friend who sat with them.
"Leah rocks!"
"So we've heard," Amanda said dryly, explaining Kari's situation. "Just talk to her- she'll fix it." Meghan knew Leah best, so they all nodded, then hounded on her- "Who?" Amanda puffed out. Meghan laughed, and replied, "Kif". Amanda squealed. "Do they ever end?" Jus asked Kari, who smiled weakly. She survived lunch, thinking only of talking to Leah.
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"Leah! Don't wanna go with Jono, 'less it's just friends, got my reasons!"
Leah grabbed Kari's shoulders. "That's great! I didn't explain corecctly in my note- you ARE going as friends. got it?"
"running, late" Kari explained, nodding and puffing.
"ok, bye." Leah said, releasing her friend, who immeditaly dashed off.
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The next day brought only good news- Jonothan was much happied to be Kari's friend, not boyfriend. Her other friends were in high spirits too, as Kari learned guess where! LUNCH!-
Amanda was last this time, though they usally kept the order from two days before, depending on their fourth period teacher.
Amanda plumped herself down next to Justine, on the end, grinning from ear to ear.
"Don't tell me!" Jus said as Amanda opened her mouth. "SQEAL! no, no, you would have done that before you sat down, then it must be..." she paused dramacticly. "You just found out that Oshkosh wants you to model for them!"
"No," Amanda said, pouting a little, but then grinning again. "Will just asked me-" She stopped as a "pancake" or so they were called, landing on top of her lunch bag. "What was *that* for?" she glared at Jus, who had thrown it. "It's still warm- put it on the back of your neck- it should dull the pain. Knowing Will, he took forever, and you've got a horrible ache.
The meal was deposited in her lap. "I guess I deserve that." "I'd say so," Kari said, laughing.
"Hey!" and Kari got a sausage on her salad. "You know," Kari said with an evil grin, "Meghan, you look very tired. Need to wake up?" and the sausage was flying towards Meghan's face. As expected, Meghan caught it with no problem, lobbing it to another table, watching it land in someone's lasnaga from home. Laughing, she turned back around. The rest of lunch was a very enjoyable affair.
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Kari relaxed for the next week- she had a date, of sorts, her friends did too, and everyone in class- including the teachers- was goofing off. More than once small explosions came from the science lab, but no one really cared. Saturday saw Yolei and Kari at the mall.
"Why can't I just wear my christmas skirt?" Kari was asking as Yolei herded her into a department store. "Jono's no one special."
"And TK is."
"And TK is sooooo out of my reach, and I just want to enjoy myself." TK had been very pleased to hear Kari was going with Jono, but couldn't understand why they were only friends.
"Ok, fine, how about this- I want to help you shop. Besides, anything from christmas is going to be too warm." Yolei was already taking some stuff off the racks.
"Yolei- it's going to be a skirt- I don't want to be that *dressy*!"
"Sure you do." Yolei was heading towards the changing rooms, Kari in tow. "Look. I've got 1 dress in there- the rest are skirts and shirts, ok?"
A resigned sigh came from behind the door. "This dress is a last resort, ok?"
"Kari! just try it!" Yolei's patience was wearing thin. "You've got nothing to lose!"
The girl sitting next to Yolei put her fist in her mouth, shoulders shakeing with laughter. Yolei hadn't noticed her till now. Justine waved her free hand and Meghan stepped out "let-" and she stopped. Jus's hand was on her mouth.
Yolei explained by calling out again "Come on, Kari, hurry up!"
"WAIT!" Kari yelled. Meghan kneeled over, trying not to laugh out loud. As the handle turned, Meghan and Jus became totally serious. Well, as serious as the could be. They *did* manage to swallow their laughter.
"I got the worst over with first," Kari explained, wearing the dress. She turned at the sound clapping.
Once she was breathing again, Kari muttered to herself "nothing like a good suprise to brighten up your day"
"Yup!" Meghan exclaimed, coming over to examine the dress. She had just finished choosing hers. "Good timing, eh?" Justine asked from a seat she had chosen next to Yolei's.
"Hey, you got the worst over with, right?" Yolei said, grinning. "Fine. I guess you guys are gonna stay till I've been through em all?"
"Great friends, aren't we?" Meghan said, sitting down on the floor next on Yolei's other side, while Justine nodded. Kari worked her way through the skirts while the three other girls talked- Justine and Meghan were Yolei's friends too!
"I still like the dress best."
"Me too."
"Me three."
"I don't" Kari crossed her arms. "You aren't the people. Majority vote." Yolei said stubbornly.
"I can veto! It's my money." The dress they were exclaiming over was a nice pink shade, down to the knees, sleveless(an- not strapless, sleveless). It looked great on Kari.
"We don't care. You'll thank us, I promise." Meghan told Kari.
"FINE! If I regret this, you guys owe me." "YES!" All three of them jumped up, and almost *carried* her to the cash register, where Kari and Meghan paid for their choices.
Walking out, Kari muttered "I think I'm regretting it." Her friends just rolled their eyes.
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Everyone Kari knew, including herself, was delighted that week. Except TK. TK, who was sweating through his shirt every day- before gym- trying to make himself ask Courtney. She was still completely ignoring him.
Kari was as reasuring as possible. She had given up on him- that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was he countered everything she said. On Wednesday, she lost it.
"But you know Cou-" SLAP. "Tk! If you keep telling yourself that, it'll be true! Now, I order you to go ask her the dance. Before someone else does." Tk, apalled, decided it was best to listen the Kari. He walked over and-
"Courtney, will you go to the-th-the di-d-di," he stuttered. Suddenly he couldn't see, for a head of blue hair was in the way.
"Courtney, will you go to the dinnerdance with him?" Meghan pointed back at TK, and stepped out, walking back.
"Sure," Courtney said, with a small smile. "Great, I'll see you there then?" TK found it *much* easier to talk now. "Yep." They both walked their own ways. Tk headed back to Kari who just asked him, "Now, was that so hard?" "Yes! thanks Meghan." Meghan stood next to Kari, and replied, "Your welcome, but Kari asked me to."
TK gaped at Kari. "What's so hard to believe? You weren't getting anywhere by yourself." Kari said, enjoying his amazement.
"Yeah, but, but, but why?" "Because I didn't want Courtney to think you were a blubbering idiot." Kari told him sensibly. "Though you looked like one anyway" Meghan teased him, earning an elbow in the ribs from Kari.
"Listen, we got to go- you tell Kari how much you worship her later, ok?" Meghan continued, checking her watch.
"Uh, yeah, sure." and they split off, Meghan going down a center hall, TK and Kari walking left and right.
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ok, i can't put the end in here, there's not room on my computers memory to have it in this document- the next chapter is the dance. PLZ review. I don't mind if you reveiw the second chapter only, but put something in for both (esp. since this is most of the story) I usually reveiw stories at the end of chapters. So you don't have to reveiw this. NOW, what about that chapter? Huh? |
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*~*~*~~~&*~*&~*~*&~&*(lazy ^^)
*(an- yah, it's italics, but my computer won't do that.)Tk had protected Kari through battles everywhere- they were best friends forever. Davis had come to understand that. Tk had given Kari his coat at the slightest breeze, and always gave her the bigger half of the chocolate piece, or umbrella. Yolei, Kari's other best friend found all this cute. Kari insisted they were just best friends, because, afterall, they had known each other since second grade.
Tk felt much the same. He was a little protective of Kari- he knew how prone to sickness she was- or used to be. There was pondering at whether it was all those double layers of coats, or Kari's maturing (physcly), that had built up her immune system's strength. They really were best friends forever- and they could share anything and everything with each other.
When the pair reached seventh grade, their friendship saw it's biggest test. Kari was being tugged away from this dimension. Tk fought, but he couldn't do anything, from outside the battle field- which was Kari. Tk thought there was something Kari was hiding something- he told her the only he'd been hiding.
"Kari, I really care for you, and..." It might have seemed obvious that they cared for each other's well-being to anyone else, but it took them longer to reconize this. Once Kari was back to her normal state, she shared her own secret, in a left-handed sort of way. She explained she "cared for you too" to Tk. She had a crush on him, but for now, enjoyed her best friend, not boyfriend.
Yolei, of course, found this somewhat funny, and tried to set them up together. Any time they went to a movie though, it was as friends because, for fear of breaking their trust, Kari wouldn't speak up.
In eigth grade, Tk suprised Kari- he asked her to their eigth grade dinner dance. She, glad to be completely open with him at last, accepted, and they had a blast. Tk was very glad he had hadn't looked twice at Courtney- espically because he and Kari remained a couple through high school- and senior prom.*
And Kari hit print on her computer. As the printer made noises, Yolei Inoue, Kari's best friend, came in the door of the Kamiya house wearing a maroon cap sleve shirt and dark flared jeans. A year seperated the two- Yolei was a freshman at Odiba High, and Kari was still at their middle school. They could only talk on afternoons and weekends, but Kari and Yolei still shared *everything* with each other. From boys in the different social lives to the fact that 'those awesome pants make your butt look big' to exactly WHY it had taken so long to build the Trancontinental Railroad, these two had talked about everything.
Now Kari had invited her over to a sleepover, and she wanted Yolei to read her latest story- Yolei didn't know what she was in for, but Kari thought she could trust her. She might blab about other people, but not Kari, afterall- Yolei really didn't want to ruin her reputation at keeping this kind of secret.
"What's that?" Yolei asked Kari now.
"A story of mine- care to edit it for me?" Yolei had edited papers for Kari before, and enjoyed reading her writing.
"Sure," and with that, Yolei settled into a poufy chair to read while Kari set out two sodas and some chips.
Yolei spoke when she finished- "It's non fiction, except for the end. Kari, you might not want to hear it, but you know it- Tk *is* looking twice at Courtney- much more than twice. With the eigth grade dinnerdance coming up, you have two choices- tell Tk how you feel, and hope he doesn't ignore it, or actually reacts; or you can try to set him up with Courtney, who is oblivous to his existence and watch him enjoy himself all night, while only dancing with your friends, to the fast songs."
Kari winced, but knew hearing from Yolei was better than hearing it from anyone else.
"Sorry if I was too blunt." Yolei saw *everything* about Kari. "No, someone else could have been worse. And you're right, I just didn't want to admit it to myself."
And Tai came home. In the middle of their wonderful disscusion. "Admit what?" Tai went to Odiba High, same as Yolei. Before Yolei had made friends, the older digidestined had welcomed her to their lunch table. Yolei didn't have any problem being open around Tai now, even though she did have other friends. "*cough* clueless Junior *cough*" She choked now. Tai had interupted many such conversations during the lunch periods Yolei sat with the digidestined.
"Hey! I happen to know what you said, which doesn't make me too clueless!!" "Uh-huh, sure."
" I *also* happen to remember what you and Sora were saying a week ago about a certain redheaded 'computer wizard' and coul-"
"I'm so sorry," Yolei cut him off, "You aren't clueless Tai- You are amazingly smart, and you know everything you need to know." Yolei added under her breath- "which is probably why you've stopped paying attention in class..."
Tai ignored her, and turned to his sister. "Admit what?" he repeated.
"Oh," Kari sighed, rising her eyebrows at Yolei, who was making motions to shut up behind Tai's back. Kari was actually going to explain to him!
Yolei cut in, "Kari needed to admit that she might not get head cheerleader." Yolei said the first that came to her mind.
"Oh, well, I'm sure you'll do well. Maybe next year!" and Tai headed down the hallway. "Wait! Does a middle school even have cheerleaders?"
Yolei thought. She and Kari traded glances. "No! That's why she needs to stop worrying! She's already looking at next year!" Yolei shouted.
"Oookkk." As Tai walked into his room, he asked himself
Kari breathed easily, "Thanks." "Hey, it was a chance to make fun of Tai- how could I turn it down?" Yolei laughed.
"But, um, what was this he was saying about a certain redheaded 'computer wizard'? What did you tell Sora exactly?"
Yolei blushed a deep red. "It's a high school thing. Now, what were we talking about?" Kari just noddded, knowing by the morning she'd know everything, and waved her paper around.
"Oh, yeah. So, which way do you think you'll go?"
Kari thought out loud- "well, Tk *did* say he 'cared for' me, but I think that was as a friend. I don't want to be too embarressed to talk to him, if I confront him and he doesn't feel the same, and I don't think he does, considering how he's been head over heels for Courtney. I also don't think I could stand watching them go the the dinner-dance together, but I don't want to miss that. I *do* have a couple of friends who are planning on going alone, even though it's still two weeks, and they could be asked. It'd also be really sweet if Tk saw me, and forgot about Courtney, but that's so in my dreams."
Yolei looked exactly like Izzy as she raised one finger and shared a fact with Kari- "Hey, Kari, you know what Walt Disney said, right? He said 'If you can Dream it, you can do' or something along those lines. *Now* I'm playing with your words, but anything you want hard enough, you can get eventually! Now everyone knows 'Walt Disney'! Mimi just saw one of the movies on a babysitting job."
"I guess so. So, I need your help! I'll go single- that includes refusing everyone who asks if there are any- Davis giving up in my story is non-fiction afterall- and then look *really* nice. I'll hang out with my friends, and maybe dance with some others. If he doesn't notice me at all, that means he doesn't like me and I should be content with his friendship- if his full attention isn't on Courtney- I have a chance."
Yolei was amazed at the sense Kari was making. "Since when did you become a Mimi on boys? Ah well, I'll have some fun dressing you up!" Kari rolled her eyes- she wasn't one for makeovers, but for Tk... She ran to her bedroom to get everything that could prove useful. They spent the rest of the night fooling around, chosing Kari's outfit for the next day- afterall, Tk hadn't asked Courtney yet!- and the dance. Tomarrow she would be sporting cute jean shorts, a white tank top, and a pink plaid cover-up.
Kari spent a lot of that night teasing Yolei about Izzy- who actually put up with it, somewhat. If it took Kari's mind off Tk...
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Tk noticed Kari's outfit, but also rambled on about Courtney to her. They really were best friends- he told her everything. Sometimes that was too much for Kari; all she could do was to keep her mouth shut- she didn't trust herself to speak.
"Well, it's obvious enough who I want to take... what about you?" TK asked Kari, for no matter how head over heels he was for anyone else, he'd always care about Kari. Thought it seemed to never go past friendship.
"No one so far. Believe, you'd be the first to know, except maybe Yolei, if there was someone I wanted to take." Kari assured him.
"You know, it's obvious you like Courtney to everyone. She's not doing anything. If I were you I'd check out anyone else who seems like they like you. There's more than you think." Kari almost put her foot in her mounth.
Tk nodded gravely, though he still glanced longingly at Courtney in the hallway.
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"Nothing like a good glob of grey mush to brighten up your day, eh?" Justine asked Kari with a twinkle in her brown eyes. Kari smiled up at her friend as Justine sat down at a lunch table Kari sat at. "EEEWWwww! there's a HAIR in here!"
"Um, Jus? I believe this is yours," Kari pulled it out to examine, "See- it's red and very crooked"
"Crooked? That's a new word to describe this stuff." Justine gestured to her thick, frizzy mass of hair, which, when dry, was to just past her chin. Wet, it came to her shoulders.
Kari smiled at her energetic friend. Her happiness faded into happy puzzlement as someone passing by dropped a note on Justine's plate. About to point it out, Kari noticed another 'someone' approaching.
"Jus! It's a NOTE!" Amanda squealed, practically jumping into a chair. Justine looked up from prodding the grey lumps are her tray called "cafeteria food".
"Oh, hi Amanda. Yeah, you'd notice that, it's at *your* eye level," Justine was always teasing the short vetinemese girl about being so short.
"Sooo? What does it say?" Kari was curious.
"I think you guys need to breath," Justine informed Kari and Amanda(who was almost falling off her seat) as she opened the crumbled bit of looseleaf.
"So, Justine, shall I tell them, or will you?" a third friend of Kari's announced herself. She was looking over Justine's at the scrawled letters.
"I think I can handle this Meghan, but thanks for the offer," Jus told the blue-haired girl settling in across from her.
"Billy Bob Joe just invited me to his family's hoedown. His nick name for me is "Sally Sue" I guess. So you guys should get some air. Whoever delivered this note was a table off. I think that's Sally Sue at that table, in the overalls," and Justine got up, went over to the next table and gave the note to Sally Sue.
Amanda let out a breath she had obviously been holding. "We really get all types here, don't we?" she said to Kari and Meghan.
When Justine seated herself again, there were a couple giggles. A couple more. Then they all cracked up.
Once they had gained control of themsleves, Kari, ever curious, asked Justine, "So? What's the deal with the hat?"
The girl Justine had been talking to, whose name was actually Caitlin, just gave Jus a strange look, and asked her what the joke was. On the way back to her own table, with a confused look on her face, *another* someone had slipped a big cowboy hat on her head, with a sign taped on it that said "Sally Sue".
Justine was just as confused as her friends. "I don't know," she explained, "wait! There's something in here." Indeed there was.
A note (again!) fell onto her hand-
*I'm saving myself face, using notes. So, will you? go to the dinner dance with me that is. This should be Justine who's reading this... aka Sally Sue.
-Billy Bob Joe (better known as Nick)*
Jus smiled, and passed the note on to Kari, who passed it to Amanda, who promptly squealed.
Justine scribbled something on the note and held it out to Kari. "Will you do the honors?"
Kari nodded, took the note, and stood up. On her way to deliver it onto Nick's tray, she read what Justine had writen- took you long enuff :).
She smiled, grabbed one of the many pieces of trash on the floor (a perfect excuse to pass the table- the trash can) walked behind him, and dropped her friend's note on his lap. By the time he turned around, she had thrown out the trash, and was seating herself again.
"Nice," Meghan approved. "So, Amanda, thinking of anyone?"
"Well, you know I've had my eye on Will-" "Yeah, that must have hurt your neck." Jus jumped in. Will was very tall. He and Amanda would make a very interesting looking couple.
Amanda gave her clever friend a sarcastic smile and continued. "I still think he doesn't notice me."
Kari gave Amanda a "I'm sorry" pat on the shoulder. Kari changed who was under the heat... "Meghan? and you?"
"Got it all under control. you see, I've got a friend in the business."
"What business?"
"Match-making. Leah has garunteed me a date with one of our guy friends by the end of the day."
Leah was one of their friends with a different with B block lunch, while these had A block. The guy friends she mentioned all had either B or C
"Maybe I should ask her too." Kari suggested to her friends.
"But, aren't you and TK going together?" "We're just friends- have been for years," Kari said firmly, tring to convince herself as well as her friends.
"I'm *sure* Leah could help you!" "I'm sure she could too. I'll talk to her after Algebra."
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"Yay!" Leah was delighted that someone was *asking* her. So far only Meghan had. Many times she had to persuade people into letting her set them up.
"No amount of time either- just so long as there is still someone left- Someone good."
"Okie dokie!" Leah was in a *very* good mood. Kari was giving her more than a day! "This'll be fun!"
"I'm sure it will. See ya soon!" Kari turned off into her next class.
"bye!" Leah called over her shoulder, almost *skipping* down the hall.
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"Hello?"
"Yolei! great. I solved my problem!"
"Great. Wait- let me switch to the phone in my room."
"ok"
Kari sat on her bed, waiting, when she heard, distintly "HANG UP THE PHONE!!!"
"Ok, what?"
"You remember Leah?"
"Sure"
"She's setting me up with one of my other friends that's a guy!"
"You're hugely disapointed. I know that voice"
"Urg. But it's better than nothing!"
"Sure it is. Cept TK might not ask you to dance at all now."
"I doubt he was before."
"Pessimist"
"Maybe, but- Oh, I'll just ask Leah to make sure we go *as friends*"
"That's what you are"
"Exactly. Oh, freak. I really wante-
"You really want my sister to hear you?"
"Huh?"
"Speaker phone dearie"
"She's heard this whole thing?"
"Well, her room's next to mine. She could have."
"Why am I on speaker phone?"
"I'm, uh, working on something."
"Something for a- I quote- "re-"
"No! she could've heard that too!"
"Oh. but is it?"
"No. but i doubt you'll believe me"
"Yaha. well, talk to ya later!"
"yeah."
"Bye"
"Bye"
and they both hung up, as Yolei continued to paw through her closet. "urg! Nothing's right"
"Nothing's right for what? or should I say who? Maybe, Re-" Yolei's sister was standing in the doorway.
"No, it's not..." Yolei continued to explain what she was doing to her sister, who actually believed her, and put in some opions.
"Thanks!" Yolei said before heading to the kitchen for a snack.
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"Jono!" Leah cried out the next morning.
"Huh?" Jono, or Jonothan, turned around, blonde hair ruffling as he went.
"Got any ideas on a date for the dinnerdance?" Leah asked him in a suggestive tone. "Should I? You all know very well I don't like anyone" Jonothan replied. By "all" he meant his and Leah's circle of friends. "'Course you don't. Kari doesn't either." Jono gaped at her. "A- what's that supposed to mean and B- Uh, TK! geez, Leah, you're getting stupider by the day. That brunette wig isn't working too well. Why don't you take it off and be the dumb blonde you are?"
Leah rolled her eyes."Back to the subject? Kari needs a date, you do too."
"First of all, who said anyone *needs* a date, and, well, you can't count past one can you? Second- 2, it comes after 1- I wouldn't want to go with her, incase she thought I really, like, had a crush on her. She's just a friend, like you."
"I'm touched." the girl muttered, thinking about something. "Fine! You'll go as friends."
"No." "WHY NOT?" "Cuz I don't want to!" "I'm gonna follow you around till you agree." "And that's soo terrifying!" Jono was mad now. He had to get to his locker. "It'll slow you down, like it is now." "Fine, just cause Kari's my friend." "You won't regret it!!!" "I better not. Now, I got to go, I assume you'll tell her." "Of course"
Jonothan was already dashing away.
Leah walked in the opposite direction, grinning from ear to ear. On the way, she wrote a note to Kari and slipped it in her locker explaining and saying they'd talk same time as the day before.
The note went along like this-
*Kari- got date for you, ttyl- Leah*
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Justine was already at the lunch table and Kari came next, grim faced.
"What kept you? Mr. Miller usally lets you out first."
Kari nodded, seating herself. "Bathroom."
"So it wasn't a failed test." Jus was geuninly concerned.
"Nope. I wanted to go with someone as friends. Look at this." There was no question where Kari had wanted to go, so her friend leaned forward.
"Another note!" Amanda squealed (again). "I swear, you practice that," Justine told Amanda. "Amanda, Kari's very unhappy. She only wanted to go as friends." Kari nodded glumly.
"Talk to Leah- we all know she can fix *anything* in this kind of situation."
"Yeah, I guess so..."
"Hey, maybe Meghan can help. She's certainly in a good mood. 'Course, she's also really late. What's up?" Jus asked the fourth friend who sat with them.
"Leah rocks!"
"So we've heard," Amanda said dryly, explaining Kari's situation. "Just talk to her- she'll fix it." Meghan knew Leah best, so they all nodded, then hounded on her- "Who?" Amanda puffed out. Meghan laughed, and replied, "Kif". Amanda squealed. "Do they ever end?" Jus asked Kari, who smiled weakly. She survived lunch, thinking only of talking to Leah.
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"Leah! Don't wanna go with Jono, 'less it's just friends, got my reasons!"
Leah grabbed Kari's shoulders. "That's great! I didn't explain corecctly in my note- you ARE going as friends. got it?"
"running, late" Kari explained, nodding and puffing.
"ok, bye." Leah said, releasing her friend, who immeditaly dashed off.
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The next day brought only good news- Jonothan was much happied to be Kari's friend, not boyfriend. Her other friends were in high spirits too, as Kari learned guess where! LUNCH!-
Amanda was last this time, though they usally kept the order from two days before, depending on their fourth period teacher.
Amanda plumped herself down next to Justine, on the end, grinning from ear to ear.
"Don't tell me!" Jus said as Amanda opened her mouth. "SQEAL! no, no, you would have done that before you sat down, then it must be..." she paused dramacticly. "You just found out that Oshkosh wants you to model for them!"
"No," Amanda said, pouting a little, but then grinning again. "Will just asked me-" She stopped as a "pancake" or so they were called, landing on top of her lunch bag. "What was *that* for?" she glared at Jus, who had thrown it. "It's still warm- put it on the back of your neck- it should dull the pain. Knowing Will, he took forever, and you've got a horrible ache.
The meal was deposited in her lap. "I guess I deserve that." "I'd say so," Kari said, laughing.
"Hey!" and Kari got a sausage on her salad. "You know," Kari said with an evil grin, "Meghan, you look very tired. Need to wake up?" and the sausage was flying towards Meghan's face. As expected, Meghan caught it with no problem, lobbing it to another table, watching it land in someone's lasnaga from home. Laughing, she turned back around. The rest of lunch was a very enjoyable affair.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kari relaxed for the next week- she had a date, of sorts, her friends did too, and everyone in class- including the teachers- was goofing off. More than once small explosions came from the science lab, but no one really cared. Saturday saw Yolei and Kari at the mall.
"Why can't I just wear my christmas skirt?" Kari was asking as Yolei herded her into a department store. "Jono's no one special."
"And TK is."
"And TK is sooooo out of my reach, and I just want to enjoy myself." TK had been very pleased to hear Kari was going with Jono, but couldn't understand why they were only friends.
"Ok, fine, how about this- I want to help you shop. Besides, anything from christmas is going to be too warm." Yolei was already taking some stuff off the racks.
"Yolei- it's going to be a skirt- I don't want to be that *dressy*!"
"Sure you do." Yolei was heading towards the changing rooms, Kari in tow. "Look. I've got 1 dress in there- the rest are skirts and shirts, ok?"
A resigned sigh came from behind the door. "This dress is a last resort, ok?"
"Kari! just try it!" Yolei's patience was wearing thin. "You've got nothing to lose!"
The girl sitting next to Yolei put her fist in her mouth, shoulders shakeing with laughter. Yolei hadn't noticed her till now. Justine waved her free hand and Meghan stepped out "let-" and she stopped. Jus's hand was on her mouth.
Yolei explained by calling out again "Come on, Kari, hurry up!"
"WAIT!" Kari yelled. Meghan kneeled over, trying not to laugh out loud. As the handle turned, Meghan and Jus became totally serious. Well, as serious as the could be. They *did* manage to swallow their laughter.
"I got the worst over with first," Kari explained, wearing the dress. She turned at the sound clapping.
Once she was breathing again, Kari muttered to herself "nothing like a good suprise to brighten up your day"
"Yup!" Meghan exclaimed, coming over to examine the dress. She had just finished choosing hers. "Good timing, eh?" Justine asked from a seat she had chosen next to Yolei's.
"Hey, you got the worst over with, right?" Yolei said, grinning. "Fine. I guess you guys are gonna stay till I've been through em all?"
"Great friends, aren't we?" Meghan said, sitting down on the floor next on Yolei's other side, while Justine nodded. Kari worked her way through the skirts while the three other girls talked- Justine and Meghan were Yolei's friends too!
"I still like the dress best."
"Me too."
"Me three."
"I don't" Kari crossed her arms. "You aren't the people. Majority vote." Yolei said stubbornly.
"I can veto! It's my money." The dress they were exclaiming over was a nice pink shade, down to the knees, sleveless(an- not strapless, sleveless). It looked great on Kari.
"We don't care. You'll thank us, I promise." Meghan told Kari.
"FINE! If I regret this, you guys owe me." "YES!" All three of them jumped up, and almost *carried* her to the cash register, where Kari and Meghan paid for their choices.
Walking out, Kari muttered "I think I'm regretting it." Her friends just rolled their eyes.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Everyone Kari knew, including herself, was delighted that week. Except TK. TK, who was sweating through his shirt every day- before gym- trying to make himself ask Courtney. She was still completely ignoring him.
Kari was as reasuring as possible. She had given up on him- that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was he countered everything she said. On Wednesday, she lost it.
"But you know Cou-" SLAP. "Tk! If you keep telling yourself that, it'll be true! Now, I order you to go ask her the dance. Before someone else does." Tk, apalled, decided it was best to listen the Kari. He walked over and-
"Courtney, will you go to the-th-the di-d-di," he stuttered. Suddenly he couldn't see, for a head of blue hair was in the way.
"Courtney, will you go to the dinnerdance with him?" Meghan pointed back at TK, and stepped out, walking back.
"Sure," Courtney said, with a small smile. "Great, I'll see you there then?" TK found it *much* easier to talk now. "Yep." They both walked their own ways. Tk headed back to Kari who just asked him, "Now, was that so hard?" "Yes! thanks Meghan." Meghan stood next to Kari, and replied, "Your welcome, but Kari asked me to."
TK gaped at Kari. "What's so hard to believe? You weren't getting anywhere by yourself." Kari said, enjoying his amazement.
"Yeah, but, but, but why?" "Because I didn't want Courtney to think you were a blubbering idiot." Kari told him sensibly. "Though you looked like one anyway" Meghan teased him, earning an elbow in the ribs from Kari.
"Listen, we got to go- you tell Kari how much you worship her later, ok?" Meghan continued, checking her watch.
"Uh, yeah, sure." and they split off, Meghan going down a center hall, TK and Kari walking left and right.
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ok, i can't put the end in here, there's not room on my computers memory to have it in this document- the next chapter is the dance. PLZ review. I don't mind if you reveiw the second chapter only, but put something in for both (esp. since this is most of the story) I usually reveiw stories at the end of chapters. So you don't have to reveiw this. NOW, what about that chapter? Huh? |
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