A/N: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry!  Vacation really throws a person off -_-!  Anyway, now that I'm settled back into the normal school pattern, here's the next chapter!

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~Her Injured Heart~ Chapter 7

By: Valentine Taylor

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~Monday, first day back to school after the tide-turning concert ^_^~

Sora walked into her first period class felling extremely refreshed.  Now free from the chain that was Troy, she could do whatever she wanted, within reason, again.  Her heart still needed mending though.  She spotted Tai and Matt on the other side of the room.  Matt was finally hanging around with his real friends again.  Needless to say, he was much happier.

"Sora!  Good morning," Tai yelled across the room.  Sora headed towards the boy.

"Hi Tai. 'Morning to you as well.  What's up?"

"Not much.  We were just telling these guys," Tai said, indicating the other boys, friends, sitting around, "about the after concert events."  He leaned closer to the red head.  "Don't worry," he said quietly, "we aren't mentioning anything personal."  He gave the girl a reassuring grin before turning back to the group.  Sora smiled and shook her head while heading to her desk.

Matt's eyes followed his friend.  He noticed she seemed less down and more confidant.  'I guess my job was well done,' he thought to himself.  'Now I just have to hold out a little longer.'  His closed his eyes tightly, trying to block out the slight ache in his chest.  He seemed to get that same ache a lot.  Whenever he thought of 'Phase 2', or how he had to wait out her broken heart.  He wanted Sora to be able to fully heal comfortably, but he admitted to himself that he was getting impatient.  "Just a little longer," he repeated out loud quietly.

"You say something Matt?"

"It's nothing Tai."  This was Matt's problem now.  Tai had given all the advice he could: to wait.  Matt wasn't going to bother him with it anymore.

The teacher entered the room then, and class began.

***

Mimi walked down the hall on her way to the cafeteria alone.  Her mind was on her brown haired friend.  She had already figured out that he was extremely protective of Sora.  She had also known how he had felt when Matt told him about his feelings for Sora.  She had found this out while 'stalking' her friend.  Her curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she had followed him around.  Of course she hid it by telling him after the concert that she would resume stalking him, when she had never stopped.  It was all in fun anyway.

"Mimi!"

The girl turned at the calling of her name.  "Hi Tai!  I was just thinking about you!" She exclaimed.

Tai gave her a strange look, then his lips curved up in a smile and he wrapped his arms around her waist.  "Well, considering this new information…I'm free Saturday night, and no one will be home at my place," Tai said suggestively.

Mimi giggled and pushed on the boy's chest, forcing him to release her.  "And it's going to stay that way!"  Tai laughed.

"Really, what's up?" Tai asked as the two continued to the cafeteria together.

"I was just thinking about your relationship with Sora," Mimi replied.  "I was just thinking that maybe it's time for you to give up your brotherly claim on her heart, and give it to Matt."  Mimi glanced at Tai to see his reaction.  His face showed nothing.  "He can handle it.  I don't see Matt as the type to hurt Sora, ever.  If Matt's there to protect her, you can concentrate more on watching out for Kari.  She may really like TK right now, but she's still young."

Tai frowned.  "Mimi," he started.  "Until I know Sora is absolutely not going to get hurt by anyone, I would feel better watching out for her myself.  It's not that I don't trust Matt: I do, but… you know what I mean."

"I'm not sure I do, but I see where you're coming from."  Mimi opened the door to the cafeteria and let Tai walk through in front of her.  "Whatever makes you happy I guess.  Just try not to interfere if, when, Matt and Sora end up together."

"I promise," Tai replied, and with that, the subject was dropped.

***

Tai and Mimi joined Matt, Sora, Izzy and Joe at the table in the corner.  Matt, Mimi noticed, was looking at the table he had sat at with Troy and the rest of his fake friends.  Troy had just walked in with a bandage on his nose.  Matt stared at him, eyes cold.  He caught Troy's eye, and the injured boy glared back.  Troy then mouthed something that looked suspiciously like 'She's mine'.  Matt shook it off and turned back to his lunch.

"AHH!  Mimi!"  Izzy's voice cut into Matt's thoughts.  Matt looked up to see that Mimi had spilled her soda, and there was a large brown patch on Izzy's green blazer.

"I'll get you some napkins, or something," Matt offered.

"Thanks.  Please hurry," Izzy replied.  Matt got up and walked towards the actual kitchen part of the cafeteria.  As he passed Troy's table, he saw the boy turn towards him.

"Forever, Ishida," Troy's voice was low and menacing.  Matt was about to question as to what he was talking about, but two things happened.  Troy turned back to his table, and Matt made the connection.  'She's mine' is what Troy had mouthed.  'She's mine Forever'.  Ishida was surely added as a challenge.

'Well, if that's what he wants, that's what he'll get,' Matt thought to himself.  He got the napkins as quickly as possible, and returned to the table.

***

After school, Matt offered to drive Sora home.  "Sure, I just have to stop at the library, if that's ok," she replied.

"Sure thing.  Come on."  The two got in his BMW and sped towards the library.  "So what's going on with you?  I haven't really talked to you since Saturday night.  Actually, I didn't really get to talk to you then either…" Matt let his statement hang.

"Right.  Nothing has happened.  Sorry, I don't have the exciting life that you do Mr. I'm-a-popular-rock star-and-everybody-loves-me," Sora replied jokingly.

"Why Sora, I don't know whether to feel hurt, flattered, or tingly inside.  Everybody loves me?  Are you included in that everybody?" Matt teased.  'Stupid, Stupid, STUPID!' A voice in Matt's head screamed.

"Matt…" Sora looked out the window without saying anything else.

"Sor, I was just kidding."  'Sor' was something she was almost never called by her friends.  Only her family called her that.

"I know.  Sorry, I'm just not one for 'love' jokes right now."

"No, I'm sorry.  I should have thought before I said that.  Completely my fault."  Matt changed the subject.  "How's the shop?"

"Oh, it's great.  We're getting more business then usual now for some reason.  Everyone has someone they really care about, it seems.  Which is good.  It's good to have people you care about."

"Sure it is," Matt replied.  The two then sat in uncomfortable silence for the remainder of the ride to the library, then for the ride to Sora's apartment.

"Thanks for the ride," Sora said, getting out of the car.

"No problem.  See you tomorrow," Matt replied.  He watched as Sora walked into the building, out of sight.  "Careful Yamato.  You've gotten yourself involved in an impossible situation," he said out loud to himself.  It hit him like a brick wall.  He had been a normal teenager, living a normal life.  But then, he just had to fall for one of his best friends.  And she just had to be: one, the one he couldn't be with at the current time, two, the one who had been through more emotional hell then him, and three, the friend who probably wouldn't be interested anyway.  'How did I know I would end up like this?' he thought silently.  'I just had to fall hard for her, didn't I?'  Out loud he exclaimed, "God, I didn't ask for this!"

TBC…

A/N: OK, that's another chapter done.  I'm going to try to keep this to ten chapters.  Sorry, not much happened here.  Matt just realized that he didn't want to be in love with his best friend.  I hope this wasn't too bad.  I'll try to make the next chapter better, K?  Thanks to everyone who has reviewed; I'll try to do individual thanks' next chapter as well.  R&R, please!

-Val ^_~