The phones of Odaiba
"I've had nearly every phone in Odaiba ringing, just trying to get a hold of you."
"Uh huh?" I said with a dry sarcastic tone. I had other ideas as to why she was calling here.
"I didn't say you had to believe me."
"And I didn't say I would."
"Gees Tai! Why do you have to get so hard arsed on me?!"
"..."
"Well, just so that you know?, your parents are worrying themselves sick, not knowing where you or your sister are."
"Oh shit...Kari." I had completely forgotten about her. She wanted me to tell mom and dad that she was going to Satami's house and was going to get a lift back with her mother. She was probably stuck, because of the blizzard, like I was. But I didn't really mind being trapped in the same building with Matt. Especially now that I knew he liked me enough to plant the first kiss. Like? I don't think 'like' was the right word, but that was entirely for Matt to decide.
I looked over my shoulder with the receiver to my ear and smiled at him.
He smiled back at me and mouthed the words -Who is it?- in silence.
"Hey! You never told me you had a sister."
Sora's shrill voice brought me out of my often occurring, morpherotic state.
"Huh? What?"
"Taichi! Are you even listening to me?!"
"Yeah, yeah I'm listening. Wait how'd you get MY home number?"
It was really strange that she was phoning my house when I didn't even know the number.
"Oh that was easy. I just phoned the school; pretended to be a nurse from a hospital and said that I needed the number for the Yagami family immediately.
That stupid secretary was all to eager to hand it over, thinking it was a real emergency."
"Uh huh. So what's so urgent that you have to phone every house in Odaiba just to get a hold of me?"
"I... don't remember actually."
"Well it probably wasn't that important then."
" No no it was. It's on the tip of my tongue.... I bet I'll remember as soon as I put the phone down, that usually happens to me."
"Okay, can you give me the number to my place? I moved there just yesterday and I don't know the number yet."
"Yesterday? That explains why you're so edgy with me."
"Look Sora I'm sorry; a lot's happened lately and..."
"And that's why you're at Yamato's place, right?"
"Ummm, maybe....."
"C'mon Tai. What's going on over there? Everyone knows Yamato hardly lets anyone go over to his house. So?"
"..."
"Tai!!"
"Nothing's going on Sora. And besides I didn't go over…..I was kind of invited…. Maybe I can tell you at school."
"Has it got anything to do with the fact that you think he's cute?" She was starting to get annoying, but she wasn't doing it on purpose. I could just see her smirking on the other side of the line.
" I didn't say that I thought he was............."
"Yes?" She asked in a sweet and flowery yet annoying voice.
"Okay maybe I did." I whispered into the phone.
"Finally! I don't know why you have to make it out to be such a big deal. Boys, I'll never understand them. So?, have you told him?"
"Told him what?"
"Oh c'mon, don't play stupid with me."
"Sora! I said I'd talk at school okay!"
"Who knows, maybe he thinks you're cute too."
"Sora!"
"Okay, okay I'll go now."
"No wait."
"Yeeeees?"
"I still need the number remember?"
"Oh that, sure, it's 555-0112 Got it?" a dull tone leaving her breath, obviously unsatisfied leaving with no gossip.
"Yeah, got it. Now no more questions please?"
"Okay, no more questions…..for now."
"Bye"
"See ya at school."
*click*
Matt was sitting at the table waiting for me to take my place at the table.
"So why was Sora calling here? Wasn't she the one I saw sitting with you at lunch?"
I took a seat opposite Matt at the table.
"Yeah that's the one. She had something to say to me but she said she forgot what she wanted to say. She said she'd been calling every number she had to get a hold of me."
"She's strange."
"Yeah you could say that, but she's not as tough as she sets out to be."
"She's cool with me if she's a friend of yours."
"She's not my friend." I said, rather hastily.
Matt frowned. "Oh, I didn't know you and her were….."
'The nerve of this guy!' "I'm not going out with her! She just hangs around me okay."
There I was denying everything that was all too obvious for anyone to see.
Sora was my friend. Only, I wouldn't admit it. It was just another attempt to shut everyone out of my life. It was just easier that way not to get hurt.
"Am I your friend?" He said in a hushed voice, while he played, half-heartedly, with the noodles in his bowl.
I was dumbstruck by the simple question. If he only wanted to be my friend then why…….why did he kiss me?
In all honesty I didn't know how to react, But then my mouth started off on a mind of it's own.
"I don't know what you are to me right now." And I truly didn't.
How could I know anything so soon? I had only just met him that day so I couldn't know. My feelings on the matter didn't help either.
His silence made me uneasier than I already was; I had to do something to break the ice.
"Can I use the phone?"
He nodded and started playing with his food again.
"Matt," I said feeling a pang of guilt fill the pit of my stomach. "It's not like you don't mean anything to me…I'm just not sure of anything yet."
His eyes brightened but he didn't smile.
I dialed the number Sora had given me and glanced back at the table. Maybe being too cautious around people wasn't such a good thing.
"Yagami residence."
"Hi dad it's me."
"Taichi, thank god! Where the hell are you! Is kari with you? Your mother and I have been worried sick about the two of you!"
" Dad I'm okay I'm at a…. I'm at someone's house. Kari's at a friend's house. She asked me to tell you."
"Oh and you couldn't have done this two hours ago!?"
Actually I couldn't have. At least not when I was freezing to death.
"…"
"Whose house are you at?"
He started to calm down a little.
"Just some one from school."
He paused for a second. I knew he was brooding over the idea of me over at a schoolmate's house.
He spoke again.
"What are you going to do about clothes? I don't know how long this blizzard is going to last, you might be there a few nights."
"I'll sort something out, Dad."
"Well, okay then. But phone home tomorrow alright?"
"Yeah okay"
"Bye"
"Bye"
*click*
"What did your dad say?"
"He was worried about where I was, so I told him I was staying here." I said looking around at the inside of the house again, only just realizing that if I stepped just outside of the flat that I'd have no idea of where I was.
"You don't mind me wearing your clothes do you?" Shyness clear in my voice.
He merely tilted his head and smiled at me with that cute frown. "Now why would I mind that?"
I shrugged. " I just guessed that….well you know….you saw my clothes. We can't afford expensive stuff and…"
"Tai," He shook his head. "Do you really label me as one of those spoilt kids whose parents give them everything they want? I don't care what sort of lifestyle you've been living, it's you I'm interested in." His cheeks went pink as if to signal that he'd unconsciously said too much.
I couldn't help blushing either but I was happy with his words.
"Are you still hungry?" He asked looking at the untouched food.
"Um…no offense but not really. I'm just tired. And so much has been going on and…"
"I understand…… Oh that reminds me; Where are you gonna sleep tonight?" Leaping from the table he hurried down the hallway, with me following at a slow pace.
Standing in the door way I watched him fuss around with bed sheets and pillows.
"Matt?, what are you doing?"
" I'm setting you up for the night."
"In your bedroom? Um…I can use the couch it's okay."
"What? I don't think so. You're my guest so you're gonna at least sleep comfortably."
I smiled at his gesture. "Is there any point in me arguing about this."
He tilted his head, smiling broadly. "Nope."
I shook my head.
"Well if you need me I'll be in the living room, okay?"
I nodded and just flopped down on the bed, releasing my body of its exhaustion; that night I slept like a baby, never stirring.
I'm so sorry this took a while to post. The truth is I'm having problems bringing this story to an end, mostly because I can't think of one. Not much of a writer am I? So this will be the last chapter for now. The story is going on hold until I can beat some Ideas out of my tiny little brain.
But I do have plans for a new Title, which I wont be posting until I've finished it. That way no one will have to wait like they had to for this one.
Gomenasai (please forgive me) I really messed up with this one. Sorry.