My Notes:

Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it.

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :) 

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On' instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic!

                                      ::.::Pretty Baby::.::

                                                                                                  By ~*Jasmine*~

                                             Chapter Two: Beautiful Dreamer

                      "Alright, boys. This was a pretty good practice but next time, I want to work on our defense. For now, go home and do some homework. Lord knows I need all the players I have without having half the team on academic probation," shouted Mr. Gensingi, the boy's soccer coach. His silvery thick mane of hair glistened in the bright afternoon sunlight and Mr. Gensingi picked up his black clipboard. Muttering to him self about how stupid the high school's new policy was he marched off to his car.   

"Your lucky I didn't get a chance to kick that butt of yours all over the field today, Besay," boasted Tai as he began to kick his soccer ball down the grassy field.

                      Besay, a tall black haired young man, laughed and skillfully kicked the ball away from Tai. " In your dreams, buddy... Hey, I don't have all that much homework tonight, why don't I wipe that cocky grin off your face right now?" the young man playfully bragged as he began to trot down the green field with the soccer ball safely in his possession.

                      Tai snorted haughtily and chased after Besay. "Sorry buddy..." Tai caught up with Besay and faced off with him, each trying to out skill the other. "As much as I'd like to give you a lesson on how a real player does it, I'm afraid I promised Sora I'd meet up with her after practice," spoke Tai. Then with a flourish of his feet, the captain of the soccer team snatched away the ball. The brown haired boy kicked the ball straight up in the air and caught it smugly.

                      Besay stood up and spoke, panting slightly, "You still going out with Sora? I thought you guys would have broken up by now."

                      "Yea, we're still together... Why would you think a thing like that?" Tai tossed the ball from one hand to the other nonchalantly.     

                      Besay grinned from ear to ear and said, "Dude, I knew you were pretty thick but even you couldn't miss the looks the girls in our school have been giving you. They all would sleep with Mr. Prom King in a minute! I mean, Sora is pretty hot and all but I know she ain't giving a dog like you any tail..."

"Hold up!" Tai threw the ball forcefully at Besay, interrupting him in mid sentence. "A matter of fact, I have seen the way those girls throw themselves at me and I could get Sora any time I want! She just... wants to wait until after prom to go all the way, that's all. Don't tell anyone Besay but I think I'm gonna dump Sora after prom. Just so we can still be on good terms for the dance ya know?"

                      Besay rolled his eyes. "And to score. O yea, how kind of you."

                      Tai laughed, "Yea well you aren't exactly a gentlemen yourself... But I gotta go Besay, Sora is probably mad at me already for making her wait."

Tai jogged to the end of the field and snatched up his black duffel bag, completely forgetting the fact that Besay still had his soccer ball.

-_-

Sora felt tears rush down her cheeks and her world come crashing down. 'O my God! Please tell me what I just heard was a lie! Tai can't be using me just to get some action and that he's planning to dump me after Prom,' the teenage girl thought desperately.

The future Prom Queen had heard all of it; Tai's blatant confession drifted to her ears in a harsh wave of nauseous jesting laughter, as she hid behind the row of wooden school bleachers. 'How could the only boy I thought I ever loved treat me like that?' she wondered in silence, the tears welling up in her garnet gem eyes. Sora's knees buckled under her sobbing weight and she had to clutch onto the back of the bleachers for support.

Just then Tai came back from practice, blissfully trotting towards the school's parking lot. Tai was whistling to himself until he caught sight of Sora with liquid tears flowing down her face. Tai stood still, his chocolate brown eyes wide, and asked, "Sor... Sora, what's the matter?"

The auburn haired teen turned to Tai, her lips quivering in grief. Her eyes were like two deep crimson suns drowning in a suffocating salty sea. Her body trembled and all she could sob out was, "Tai... How could you do this to me?" Then feeling a wave of tears fall onto her cheek, the girl buried her face in her hands and ran off into the parking lot.

Tai reached out to her in an attempt to stop her from fleeing. The young man stood for a moment in shock before dropping his duffel bag to the ground and taking off after his girlfriend. "Sora, wait! Please, it wasn't what it seemed!" he shouted after her. But it was of no use; the young woman had already disappeared behind a throng of red sports cars and black SUVs.

Sora kept running as Tai shouted her name. The girl's long legs were use to running, since she did do track and tennis, and her legs now propelled her foreword as if she were in a race against the fastest person in Tokyo. She just kept moving, trying to concentrate on dashing onward, as the tears stung and blurred her vision, instead of what just happened: how her heart had been broken. The desperate young woman didn't know were she was going and the sidewalk kept winding forward, twisting together in a confusion of gray cement. Then Sora slowed down and fell to her knees, her throat burning for breath and releasing sobs all at the same time. 'What am I going to do?' her mind asked, 'Tai... I'm nothing without him... For as long as I've been in Obidisha I've been Tai's girlfriend... I'm nothing without him... Everyone always said that we're perfect together... Tai and I were perfect together... All I'll ever be is his girlfriend.'

The girl looked up through a hazy veil of tears and saw she was sitting in front of a tall three-story brick apartment. It had a very desolate solemn look to it, there were no pretty colorful flowers hanging from the building nor lacy curtains in the windows as the case was with Sora's apartment. Instead there was a few trailing vines crawling up the dark red brick surface and stark white blinds pulled down over the windows. Shadows could be seen just on the other side of one of the slanted windows, the faint silhouette of a thin framed boy with somewhat long hair sitting on the edge of his bed. The young man held a sort of guitar cradled in his arms and he was playing his instrument with such care.

Sora recognized the boy immediately. It was Matt Ishida! Her face brightened at the comforting sight of the young man who had been her friend a few years back, in the Digiworld. Yet it had been so long ago... and after the way their friendship had been broken, it was very unlikely Matt would ever want to see her again. Tears flowed anew from her crimson eyes; Sora felt so much heartache and regret that she couldn't bare its weight any more. The young woman stood up and began to run home, her thoughts swimming in a sea of lose.

When Sora finally got home, she slammed through the front door. Mrs. Takenouchi sat at the small kitchen table, a tiny dinner of noodles and a dinner roll set before her as well as one for Sora. A warm smile flashed over the kindly woman's face and she said, "Sora! I'm so happy your home! Your dinner's all ready for you."      

                  Sora dashed right past her and up to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Ms. Takenouchi's face clouded with sadness and worry for her daughter and she called up after Sora. "What's the matter honey? You know you can talk to me about it!" But there was no answer and Sora's mother sighed. 'Usually Sora is so cheery, what jerk could have made my little girl so upset?'

                      Sora flung herself atop her bed and sobbed into her pillow. She hated not being able to tell her mother about this but she was far too upset to talk about what Tai had done. 'Tai's never done anything remotely mean to me during the entire three years we've gone out. Yet now, I find out he's only been going out with me to appear as if we're the perfect popular couple and get some play. I can't believe it!' she thought as she buried her face deeper into the moist downy pillow.

                      Yet as her body grew tired and her breathing slowed to a soft lull, Sora felt herself drifting to sleep. The tears from her cheeks dried like deserted summer riverbeds and her heavy eyes closed. The last thought to pass through her mind was why, of all the places in Tokyo, had she run to Matt's doorstep?

                      Then a dream of her childhood overcame the girl:

It was just becoming sunset; a magnificent scarlet sun was disappearing below a beautiful indigo sea of lapping waves. A warm wind blew and caressed the cheek of a young blond boy sitting beneath a canopy of lush trees just a few feet from the ocean's sandy coast. Matt sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back upon the trunk of the tree.

                      A beautiful innocent eyed girl came walking over from the shore of the sea; her short auburn hair fluttered in the wind and fell onto her angelic face. Sora's bare feet tread lightly over the warm shifting sand and once she caught sight of her childhood friend under the tree, a warm smile lit up her features. Matt loved her smile; just a quick glimpse of it offered as much love and caring as a friendly hug. "Hi Matt," the girl said cheerily and she came to sit beside him, pulling her knees up to her chest.

                      "Hey Sora," the boy said and a small grin came over his young handsome face. "Whatchya up to?" he asked.  

                     

                      Sora sighed and shook her head. The girl said glumly, "Well I was looking for sea shells but then it started raining!"

                      Matt sat up straight and reached his hand out just beyond the leafy shelter. Sure enough, a few chilly drops of rain splattered over the flesh of his palm. He shrugged, "So? You can still go get some shells."  

                      The girl furrowed her eyebrows. "Nu uh! I don't wanna get all wet!" she argued.

                      "O come on, it's just a little water. Don't be such a baby!" the boy laughed and then a mischievous grin came over him. Standing up and taking her hand gently in his, he jogged down to the beach with the girl in tow.

                   Sand was kicked up in a spray of glimmering grit. Sora shrieked as the first few cold drops poured over her but soon she was giggling with joy as she began to feel refreshed by the onslaught of rain.

Matt laughed and kept running until he caught sight of a beautiful glistening shell just a few inches below the shallow seawater. The boy ran into the foamy surf and the cold liquid soaked deep into his sneakers and drenched the cuffs of his jeans. He reached down and picked up the seashell with his numb fingers. Sora followed him, her naked feet sinking far into the icy water, and came to a halt at were Matt stood. By now, beads of rain rolled off the strands of their hair and their skin glistened with moisture. Matt took Sora's hand in his and placed the seashell gently upon her palm. Sora examined the creamy shell with its long spiraled ridges and said happily, "O wow, thanks Matt! It's beautiful!"

Matt was staring at Sora; her stunning dark red hair limp with the water stuck to her damp forehead and drenched her bright yellow tank top. Droplets hung on the tips of her long eyelashes and the usually practical girl's crimson eyes were wide with a joy for life and this feeling of being free. Sora looked up from her shell to see Matt staring at her intently. He was so handsome, so unusually gentle and liberated. His hair, most of the time well placed and gelled, now was lying wild on his head and his azure eyes seemed so focused and intense. To Sora, Matt never looked more magnificent then right at that moment in time.

Matt pulled his face closer to Sora and she gave no resistance as their warm wet lips met in a soft adoring kiss.

^ _ ^ Awww!!

                  Matt placed his guitar in its case and yawned. Then the young man glanced at his bedroom alarm clock and it read 11:00. 'Jesus! I played that thing all night! Guess I won't get a chance to do my homework tonight... O well, its not exactly the first time,' Matt thought to himself as he got up and slid into his night wear, a pair of dark blue boxers.

                      Suddenly a knock came from Matt's door and Matt knew exactly whom it was. "Come in T.K. and this better be good, I was just gonna go to sleep."

                      A young adolescent boy with shaggy blond hair and an adorably sheepish smile entered Matt's room. "Hi Matt. Don't worry; what I have to ask will only take a sec... Can I... uhhh... borrowyourguitar?" T.K. asked his brother, spluttering feverishly, already knowing the answer.

                      "Lets try this one more time. And use actual words please," Matt commented with a smug smile.

                      T.K. nodded and gulped solemnly. "Can I borrow your guitar?" he asked, slower this time.

Matt furrowed his eyebrows. This was his guitar they were talking about; Matt nearly had a heart attack the last time he left it over one of his band mate's houses. Matt inquired, "Why exactly do you want me to entrust to you my one-of-a-kind, really expensive instrument? So you can pass it around during Show-And-Tell?"

T.K.'s shot his brother a mock icy glower, "No! Unless you haven't noticed Matt, I'm a freshman in high school now. I kinda have outgrown the whole Show-And-Tell thing." Then a pale pink flushed over T.K.'s cheeks as he added hesitantly, "I've... Well, ya see, I kinda got in a fight with Kari... And I think... Well, if I serenaded her with a song she'd probably forgive me..." 

Matt chuckled to himself. 'Wow. Each day T.K. seems to be getting more and more like me... Scary, huh?' thought the young man with a smile. "Sure T.K. If it will help you to get back on Kari's good side, then you can borrow my guitar. But if there are any scratches on it, I'll make you pay with your life!" Matt said.

T.K. leapt foreword and snatched up the instrument. Putting it under his arm and going out the door, the young man cried over his shoulder, "Thanks bro! You're the best! I promise to take really good care of your 'pride and joy'." 

                  As his brother left, Matt shook his head and jokingly sighed, "Kids these days." Then Matt got up to shut off the lamp on his desk and as he neared his hand close to the switch, something caught his eye. It was a lovely smooth seashell. The smile vanished from Matt's face at the sight of the shell and all the painful memories brought with it. 'But that's over now. I've forgotten all about what happened,' the young man tried to convince himself. Taking the creamy shell in his hand, Matt dropped it forcefully in his waste paper basket and watched its glossy surface disappear beneath a shower of crinkled papers and sticky candy wrappers. 'See... I'm through with that part of my life now... I'm through with her.'

Then Matt climbed into bed, yet he felt troubled. He knew he was kidding himself in believing he could pretend what happened between him and Sora never existed... And now, his dreams showed him the things that he wished to forget and threw them in his face, laughing at how grief stricken his heart was. 

                      A young Matt ran up a hill, a large smile on his face. The Digiworld was sunny and singing today, and the boy's soul mirrored this joy. Only a day ago he had shared a kiss with Sora, the girl who his heart belonged to. She'd left to go wash her hands after lunch in the cold ocean water and Matt wanted to go join her, maybe even steal a few of those smiles. The smiles that were fringed with laughter and sun. 

                      Now as he rounded the top of the lush grassy hill, Matt came to a sharp halt. There, sitting under the tree he and Sora had occupied only last evening, was a dark brown haired boy and an auburn haired girl. They were laughing together and flirting. Matt's stomach churned in nausea as he realized the boy was Tai, one of his not-so-close friends, and Sora, the girl he thought he loved. Then, to Matt's horror, Tai neared his face closer to Sora and kissed her hungrily. Matt's blue eyes brimmed up with tears and he wished that Sora would break away from the kiss, maybe even punch Tai in the face, or at least push him away. But Matt's beloved only returned the kiss, letting Tai take full control of her angelic face.

                      It was too much for Matt to bare; this wasn't the first time he had been betrayed yet it was definitely the most painful. The young boy turned and ran back down the hill, tears falling onto his cheeks.

Sora heard someone gasp and then she heard running feet. Breaking away from Tai, Sora saw just the top of Matt's golden head before he disappeared behind a hill. Sora's crimson eyes grew wide and she shouted, "Matt wait! Let me explain!" The girl leapt up and began to run after her friend.

                      Tai said, "Sora, don't go after him. He'll get over it," and reached out to grab the girl's arm. Sora shook off his grasp and continued to dash after Matt, her heart beating with fear and shock. 'How could I have ever let this happen?'

                      Matt ran until he was unable to smell the salt of the ocean in the warm air. Unable to carry himself anymore he sat down upon the soft grass and buried his face in his hands, trying to stop his tears from falling. He was so full of grief that he grew angry, the only emotion he wasn't embarrassed to show. Rage boiled up within him along with tears. 'Stupid Sora for kissing Tai! Stupid me for even caring about her!' the boy silently sobbed.

                      Suddenly a gentle hesitant hand rested upon the boy's shoulder and a familiar feminine voice began, "I'm... I'm really, really sorry Matt... It's just-"

                      Matt jerked his body out from Sora's touch and looked up at her miserable face with anger flashing in his rebellious blue eyes. "Save it, Sora. I don't wanna hear your lies," he hissed.

                      Sora knew she deserved that. The girl swallowed down her tears and spoke, "Matt, what I have to say is the truth. I care for you, I truly do. It's just that, well, I only like you as a friend..."

"What about the kiss? You can't pretend that meant nothing to you!" Matt said, anger rasping in his throat. 'Why does she have to say that? Go and kiss him, go and marry Tai for all I care! But as long as I know you feel the same then it doesn't matter, then I can deal. But if you don't love me...' 

                      The girl looked confused now too, as if she was grasping for an answer, "I-It was the rain... And then you held my hand and gave me the seashell... It was just all so romantic, Matt, like a dream... I was swept away by the entire thing and I never meant to hurt your feelings."

                      Matt shook his head, his anger dissolving a little into sorrow. "No... No Sora. When I kissed you, I felt something. I bet Tai's kiss never felt like that!"

                      Sora bit her lip to stop herself from crying even though her eyes were growing moist. She said, her voice trembling, "Matt, you don't understand. I've loved Tai since I first met him and even if his kiss wasn't... like yours, I know I'm... supposed to be with Tai. He and I make sense, and you and I... Well we don't, Matt." When Tai, her long-time friend and secret crush, had touched his lips with hers a moment ago, it had felt like her dreams suddenly came true. Even if her kiss with Tai had been not at all passionate and even felt a little fake, over time it would grow to be more romantic... right?

                      Then, stealing up all her nerve, the young woman took something out of the back pocket of her jeans and whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm doing this for both of us; you can get someone much better then me... Here, you can have this to remember that I still care about you no matter what, Matt." Sora dropped a small item into Matt's lap and ran away, finally giving in to the tears, which smeared down her cheeks.

The young boy peered down and saw the shell lying against his lap.

:*o(

Closing Notes: Well what do you think? There past is revealed and its not very pretty. The present however is turning out to be just as ugly, with Tai's confession to using Sora for his own gain. Next chapter Sora gets her revenge on Tai! And there may even be a little Sorato finally developing! Wee!