Amethyst Blizzard: Ok, since you guys seemed to like my last chapter, I have decided to continue. This chapter won't be very long cause I don't want this fic to be very long but just to let you know this is the second last chapter (I said it would be short).

And in case the last chapter gave you the wrong idea about Ryo (no, he's not a perverted guy who just wants to get Rika alone, that was just Rika's perception of him since this is in her point of view.)

Floramon: Since I seem to be committed to do the Disclaimer, I will. Amethyst does not own Digimon and she knows she niver (no this is not a typo, it's just my strange way of making up a new word with a cool pronunciation) will. Now with that said I think all of you get the point, right. If ya don't then there's something seriously wrong with you. -_-

A/N: Hmm, right. Next chappie coming ya way!

The Attic That Night

Chapter 2: Discoveries Of The Heart

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"Rika, you know I didn't intentionally push that ladder down, don't you?"

I looked at him again. He was now sitting down on an overturned wooden box he probably found in a corner or something. He was no longer smiling but wearing a hopeful, somewhat apologetic expression. It was hard not to believe what he had just said as the words slowly started to seep in. I absorbed them almost immediately but still didn't allow myself to believe him. What was I thinking? Of course he intentionally pushed that ladder down, otherwise how could it have fallen. And anyway, it was just the type of thing he'd do. I shook my head, clearing the unwanted thoughts out of my mind. I saw him cock his head sideways slightly, almost challenging me to say something, to respond to his very justified statement. I just glared at him harder and turned away from his puppy-dog eyes. Puppy-what eyes?! Ugh. Why did my mind always revert to those unwanted thoughts?

I looked around me for the first time. The attic was rather large and it was about three metres high. Pretty good considering this was an attic, although I hadn't been in many before in my lifetime. The room was illuminated only by the faint glow of light streaming in through the small manhole we use to climb up here.

Oh and in case you're wondering why we don't just jump down from the attic and land Matrix-style on the base of the library, well it's because the library is rather tall. In fact it's probably about ten metres tall, and a jump from the attic would cause major tragedy (for me, not for Ryo cause he's too perfect for any injuries, as I found out when we spent time with him in the Digital World).

Anyway, back to the very exciting landscape of the attic. The four walls were stone grey and not very attractive. With the little light I had to see, I could faintly make out shadowed objects in a few of the corners, I think they were boxes and empty cartons and stuff like that. Not very appealing. There was a small wax candle in a holder and next to it I could make out a box of matches. How convenient. This made me think. Why would there be a candle and a box of matches right next to each other just sitting on the cold, stone floor of an attic. And then the answer came to me fleetingly. Ryo Akiyama. He had been here before, hadn't he?

I looked over at him again to find him staring at me. He had a peculiar expression of his face. It was like he wasn't really staring at me but through me. Freaky, I know. He was still sitting on the box, his legs making a V-shape. I sighed and inwardly scolded myself for thinking. If I could shut my brain off and be like a robot, programmed to do something without thinking about it, I would.

I was a weird atmosphere. The both of us weren't talking much, if fact we had only said one thing to one another since we came up here. It wasn't that I was afraid to talk, afraid that I would say the wrong thing; it was more like I didn't know what to say, or how to act. I guessed it was the same for Ryo, although it was unknown as to how many girls he had actually taken up here before. See, there I go again. It's like those thoughts just come automatically. What right do I have to think like that? Actually, it was better if I didn't think like that because then I wouldn't think about things that I shouldn't. Okay, now I'm really confusing myself.

I suddenly saw a movement from in front of me and I froze. I must have looked pretty stupid because I heard a small laugh from Ryo. I blushed when I realised I was starting to become uptight and freak out at every movement and sound, and I really didn't want to do that.

I heard a foot shuffle and then another movement. Ryo had obviously changed positions and I somehow knew he was starting to get anxious and a little nervous from not speaking that much. I decided to break the ice with a thought that suddenly cam to me. "Don't you have your cell phone?"

The answer came as straight as possible. "No reception."

This really wasn't going anywhere and Ryo wasn't making this easy for me. It was actually as if he didn't want to start a conversation but start something else. I shivered at my own thoughts, again, and shook me head decisively. Ryo certainly was not the type to take advantage of someone, especially not me. He cares for me………

These thoughts just bombarded me at every opportunity they had, never retreating to give me a break. I decided to say something else, get some answers. "Ryo, why exactly did you want to take me up here. I mean, what's up here to see?"

I saw him draw in a big breath and I could tell he was trying to find the right words to say. "Rika, a couple of weeks ago there was a report on the news about teenagers and the changes they go through. Do you remember that?"

I nodded carefully and came to sit next to him on the limited space there was left on the box. Instantly he shuffled over to make room for me. A small smile crept up on my lips as I realised Ryo would never change when it came to being polite. I guess it was just too much in his nature. I nodded again for him to continue.

He took another deep breath and I could tell he was actually nervous. "Well, my dad used to have a problem with alcohol. That's why my parents divorced years ago, because he was an alcoholic. Anyway, when I saw the report, I started remembering all the horrible things he used to do, to my mother and me." He stopped abruptly and looked at me. Although I did not turn around fully to meet his gaze, I could feel the pain in those eyes. I could feel them boring into me. I could feel the intensity.

I shuddered at my own thoughts and realized it must be pretty late already. We had been up here for quite a long time, but that hardly seemed relevant since I knew it would be a while until we could ever get out. We were probably going to be stuck here until morning and then be found out by the librarian and possibly given a detention and a lot worse for breaking into school property. The police might even be involved if our parents were worried or somebody just happened to notice evidence of a break-in.

I heard Ryo sigh beside me and he stirred a little. He was nervous and suddenly I realized he was only half way through explaining why he brought me up here. I looked at him briefly and saw him draw in a breath. He was ready to continue.

"I needed some time out with a friend so that I could clear my head a little. And I also wanted to prove to you that my life isn't so perfect after all. In fact, I'm no different from any normal teenager, apart from the fact that I spent at least a year in the Digital World trying to tame a lethal creature who has a very bad temperament."

I could tell he had added this for a little bit of humour, but in his voice I could hear the bitterness that was inside his mind and heart. Ryo was not some kind of an artificial alien that was so perfectly programmed that he could do no wrong. He was just like everyone else, no different. I could see that now, and I could feel the sadness and pain in his voice when he spoke of his mother, who I had learnt had died a couple a years ago for some reason that was unknown. Ryo was no robot, he was human.

I could feel my own bitterness and jealousy dissipating with the minutes that passed by. We both sat in silence for a while, until it became too much for me. "Ryo, I don't mean to sound like some brainless bimbo who would pass out or scream at the sight of you but I'm sorry for all the times I was mean to you. I never actually thought about what your life might really be like, I only thought about my life and my problems. It was like that with Jeri, too. I kept thinking about my problems and I guess I even felt sorry for myself because of them, but then I learnt about Jeri's real life and her pain." I paused, not really sure of what to say next but the only thought that was running through my mind was of how I had blamed Ryo so much about the ladder incident. How bitter and accusing I was to him.

I turned slowly to find him looking at me intensely. And from that moment, I could not look away. I was drawn to his gaze by some invisible force and although it was dark, I could see perfectly those crystal blue orbs staring into mine with such feeling, such emotion that I was actually scared. I was scared at the depth of emotion in his eyes and I was scared of what I might do next. There was no backing down once my mind or heart had made a decision and right now, they were both battling. My mind wanted me so badly to turn away from his gaze and not look back, but my heart wanted me to go for it, to tell him what he meant to me, to kiss him.

And I guess my heart overruled my mind because I felt myself slowly leaning towards him so that I could feel his soft breath caressing my face. It felt so right, and yet I was so scared but I didn't think about anything. I just shut my mind off and thought of nothing except what I was about to do.

But Ryo beat me to it. He leaned forward so I could feel his nose on mine and placed his soft lips over mine, his hand coming to rest on the side of my cheek. All at once I felt as if I could do anything, as if Ryo had taken away my fears, my apprehensions and my doubt. I began to kiss him back and then the strangest thought came to me. I did not want to go back to the outside world; I just wanted to stay here forever, with Ryo.

I felt him press harder, deepening the kiss with fiery passion that was almost too much to take. I could not think of anything but the kiss. His kiss. His soft lips that were covering mine.

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A/N: OK, so that was really short, but still review and tell me what you thought. As I said before, there will be one more chapter after this one. And I really didn't intend to make this chapter the "intimate" one, it just sorta came out that way………Don't kill me. *looks nervously around* Please………

Floramon: Wimp………