So lately, I've been wonderin'

Who will be there to take my place?

When I'm gone, you'll need love

To light the shadows on your face…

Hikari walked home alone that day from school, for the first time in a long time. With every step she took, she was becoming increasingly depressed and frustrated with herself, and her book bag seemed to become heavier. She sighed heavily, and stopped for a moment, wishing she were someplace different, with a different identity.

No, she thought to herself almost immediately, even if I was someone else, somewhere else, there would be someone like Takeru in my life. I'm sure of it.

She remembered the words that came out of Takeru's mouth just that morning, while they sat in physics class together.

"So," Takeru had drawled, almost nervously. "I asked out Akira today."

If there was anything that Hikari was expecting, it certainly wasn't that. Her face dropped, but she quickly smiled at him after that, and said, "Oh, really?"

He nodded, looking adorable as he did so. "Yeah. What do you think?"

Hikari tried very hard to clear her throat, as she found that the words were sticking. "She seems nice. I don't really know her though."

They sat in silence for a moment, until Takeru said, "She said that she would date me."

Hikari said nothing, but forced up a smile and nodded mutely.

She was absolutely disgusted with herself. She should have told him how she felt about him right then and there. He wouldn't have cared, but at least she would have had some sort of relief. Right now all she could do was hold in her feelings for who knows how long.

Hikari resumed walking again, still slowly, as though she had no where to go and no reason to hurry. She didn't really, but when she heard Takeru and Akira a short distance behind her, she began to quicken her pace.

She was positive that she and Akira wouldn't get along. Hikari promised that she would at least try to be nice to Takeru's girlfriend, but she wasn't sure how long that would last.

"Hikari! Hey, Hikari!" she heard Takeru yell. She pretended not to hear, and walked even faster away from them.

~*~

Takeru came from a very good line of genetics, Hikari had decided a long time ago. He had golden blonde hair that was very tempting for Hikari to run her hand through; and cerulean colored eyes. He was fairly tall, at least a head taller than herself, and had very nice arm muscles from playing basketball.

He was everything that Hikari had ever wanted. He had amazing morals; as he didn't smoke or do drugs, and when he drank he drank casually. He was funny, and smart, and…

Hikari willed herself to stop thinking about him. He was the only thing she wanted, and she couldn't have him, so there was no use in dwelling over it. She knew that – but she seemed to do it more than ever since she met Akira.

She was actually pretty nice, when she was with Takeru. She had long ebony hair that twisted into spirals and violet colored eyes. Hikari didn't think the two of them looked right together, though.

She was biased. Very, very biased.

The telephone rang, interrupting Hikari's thoughts. She picked it up tentatively.

"Hikari?" God, she loved hearing from him. "I have some bad news."

Hmm, maybe she didn't want to hear from him after all. "What is it, Takeru?"

"Akira broke off our date."

Hikari cleared her throat, trying not to smile for his sake. "That's too bad."

"Do you want to do something instead? We could go to a movie or something." He said, sounding disappointed.

She sighed, clearly not wanting to be second fiddle, yet she said, "Sure."

He sounded a bit happier, "Great. I'll pick you up at 7:00?"

"Sure."

She hung up, incredibly nervous, as it was the first time in a long time that they had been out together by themselves; as in alone. Takeru and Akira hadn't even been going out for a week, and she had already broken a date. Maybe it was serious though…

She didn't have time to think that over, Takeru would be at her door in half an hour.

At five to seven she was ready, and Taichi commented on it.

"Where are you going?" He demanded, raising an eyebrow. He ran a hand through his thick hair. "If it's Daisuke I'll – "

"It isn't Daisuke." Hikari said laughing. "If you must know – "

"I must." He interrupted.

"Takeru and I are going to a movie." Hikari said smoothly.

Taichi looked puzzled. "What about Akira?"

Hikari's mouth dropped. "How did you know about her?"

Her brother shrugged. "Sora told me."

"Akira broke off their date, so we're doing something together."

Taichi crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at her funny. "So really, you're just the rebound."

She looked up at him, wanting to deny the fact that she was the rebound, but she couldn't. She just continued to look at him helplessly.

The phone rang.

"Hikari?" Taichi said into the phone. "Yeah, she's right here."

"Hello?" Hikari said with a bit of difficulty.

"Hi, Hikari?" Takeru's voice came clearly over the phone. "I'm sorry about this, but Akira just called, and our date is still on."

She said nothing, but continued to listen.

"Maybe we could do something another time?"

"…Yeah…"

She heard the other end click, and she hung up numbly. She wiped off her lip-gloss, with the back of her hand, and took her hair out of the two clips she had put in.

"Taichi," Hikari said, choking on her words. "Who was I kidding?"

If a great wave should fall

It would fall upon us all

And between the sand and stone

Could you make it on your own?

END OF CHAPTER ONE. I don't own anything to do with this story, not the characters, not the names, only the plot. Read and review, please.