Authors note: Once again, I had to change the geography and culture of Japan to fit the plot (Summers Sensei would murder me if she saw this ^_-) so no, Odaiba isn't 4 hours from Tokyo, but in this fic it is! ;)

Dedication: To Litanya, kawaii-Q, Vixen of Light, and BudgerigarLT. A thousand, million thanks to each of you ^______^. Your continuous support means more to me then I can express.

Now….

Chapter 2!

Sora shoved her last shirt into her suitcase. "That's all," she announced sadly to Taichi, who sat crossed-legged on her stripped bed. The empty room suddenly seemed intimidating to the two teenagers. Sora rubbed her arm, trying to keep the tears from escaping. "I can't believe this is actually happening…" she said softly. "Neither can I," Tai replied, honestly unable to comprehend a life without his best friend.

She sat down on the bed next to him. "I always knew…I would have to leave…but…I never believed it," she whispered, her shaking voice came close to tears. She leaned her head on Taichi and he squeezed her tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much Sora," he admitted, his own voice beginning to falter. "You'll be fine. You'll still have everyone here and I'll only be a few hours away," she tried to smile. "It's not the same, and you know it," he told her seriously.

At this, she hugged Taichi tighter and allowed for a few tears to role down her face. Stop it Sora, she told herself firmly. She hated when Tai was around to see her cry, afterwards, she would always realize how awkward it must have been for him and feel terrible about it. She wouldn't let awkwardness be the last emotion he had before she left. Quickly, she wiped the few tears from her cheek and sat up with a smile.

"Well," she sniffled, trying to sound cheerful, "Let's get the last of the stuff down the stairs." Tai grimaced, finding Sora's faked happiness more awkward then her crying. He wished she would let him in on more things and not try to hide what she was feeling, but then, that was what the note in his pocket was about.

About a half an hour later, a group of teens stood on the sidewalk, awaiting the big bus from TAGAT that would cart their friend away. Sora stood with her bookbag slung over her shoulder and suitcase sitting next to her, trying to make casual conversation, laughing about the change to city life; basically doing anything that would prolong her having to say her actual goodbyes. But everyone has to say goodbye sometime and there were pained faces as the speck of a bus could be seen coming from far on down the road.

"I guess this is it," Sora said, her voice cracking much more then she had intended. The group remained silent, unsure of what they could say to better the situation. She walked to each one and gave them quick hugs, wishing them goodbye and promising she would write. Last, but definitely not least, was Tai.

Throughout the whole ordeal he had stood uneasily, hands in his pockets, waiting for his turn with anticipation and dread. As Sora walked towards him, he silently prayed he wouldn't have to speak, as his voice couldn't be trusted to keep hidden the tears threatening to surface any moment. "Bye Tai," her voice cracked and on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back with enough force to break her bones,  thinking that maybe, if he held her tight enough, she wouldn't be able to leave.

Finally, Sora gave in and started crying into her friends shoulder. Tai rested his head on hers. However, their moment was short lived and interrupted by the sound of the bus breaks. "He…he..here…" Tai stuttered, trying hard to down play his red eyes and fumbling in his pockets for a folded piece of paper.

"Like I promised," he tried to smile, pressing the piece of paper into her hand. "Wait till you get there to read it…I don't want anyone…to like…steal it on the bus…" he finished, itching the back of her head.

Sora, still crying, nodded, quickly hoisted up her suitcase, and made her way on to the waiting bus. She sat down quickly and waved out the window to her friends until they were completely out of view.

"Your boyfriend?" casually inquired a boy sitting in the seat across from her.  Sora looked up from the window and then glanced down at the folded piece of paper she held tightly in her hand, realizing to whom the boy was referring.

"Tai?" she asked in surprise. The spiky blue haired teen raised an eyebrow (complete with piercing) at her. She looked down at the note again; Sora, scribbled on it in Tai's sad chicken scratch. She blushed, "Oh, no. He's just my friend."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't hug my just friends like that," the boy remarked with a grin. Sora laughed nervously, a bit taken back the boys forwardness. "My name's James," he smiled, sliding to end of his seat and shaking Sora's hand, "and you are…?" "Sora," she smiled back.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Sora, but we've got a four hour trip ahead of us, so I'm going to get some shut eye. See you when we get there," James said, resting his head on the side of the window. "You too," Sora mentioned quickly, before her new friend closed his eyes.

When the boy had nodded and it was clear the conversation had ended, Sora went back to staring at the note. "Wait till you get there to read it" he had said, and normally, she, like anyone else in her position, would completely disregarded his wishes and opened it the first chance she got…but this time, it was different.

For months and months, Tai had been saying he had something to tell her that he couldn't say. The more she begged and pleaded, the less likely it seemed he would ever tell her until finally, she had struck a deal with him.

"Tai! You've got to tell me eventually! Why don't you just tell me the day I leave so that I'll be on the bus, and you won't even have to see my reaction! Pllleaasseee?" she begged. He looked over at her and laughed. "Alright," he said, "I promise."

So it was as simple as that, and from that point on, she had been waiting to find out the secret he had kept from her for so long. She had been wishing and hoping that it might be the same secret she had been keeping from him. Everything seemed to indicate that it would be….and that was exactly why she couldn't open it.

She saw this as her only chance. If Tai wasn't going to tell her how he felt about her now, he probably didn't feel anything for her at all. The fate of her heart was folded inside a crumpled up piece of notebook paper, clutched tightly in her hand. Her blood raced even at the thought.

The paper, like some kind of kryptonite, began to make her dizzy and her breathing sped up. Quickly, she shoved it into her bookbag, where she hoped it could harm her no more and distracted herself by gazing out the window. Just four more hours, she promised herself silently, heart still racing, just four more hours…and then I'll finally know.

~

hehe, okay, that was a strange chapter, I know :\ and the next one is probably going to be…even stranger…because I'm using the note from the actual story the fics based on…and it gets a little…weird. But I guess that's the problem with basing things off reality, it gets a little crazy sometimes ;) Anyway, just stick with me, this baby's gonna be a long one ^_-  Also, you've probably noticed I've been referring to "the group" as "the group" and never really naming the people in it. It's not just me being lazy! I have my reasons ;) Anyway stay tuned, for chapter 3!!

Reviews, if you have the time, are greatly appreciated :)

Best wishes,

Soragirl

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