Saturday August 21, 2004

Ebacusta: Hi, and welcome to the second chapter of this fanfic. Thank you all who reviewed including: msshadylane, spirit of virtue, Malcom Yuy, LittleHikari542, RogueSummersLover, Says TB, Candice, Rayless-Demon, mandy2412, crazymzy, miaow227, Final Genesis, ArchSeraphimon, sorato4eva, angewomonandme, Fallin Dark Angel, Hikari-4-Takeru, and .

To answer some questions:

Says TB: Yes, she was rather blunt, and that was my error. And yeah, it was kind of obvious who the girl was, but hey!

Sorato4eva: Don't worry, Matt, Tai, and Sora, as well as all the other DigiDestined are in here. And sorry, it's already been written as a Taiora. But I hope that won't stop you from reading it.

Hikari-4-Takeru: Hmmm... I read one of your fics, or the beginning of it at least, but I haven't reviewed yet. What stopped me was I saw Gta-Jake-II's or whatever the heck his name is, review, and I was just so upset at the way he just blantantly called you and according to his review seven other people "horrible authors." I just couldn't stand for that. After all, is suppose to be a site where people who like to write can meet and give others constructive critism so they can become better authors. Isn't that right?

(Blank): Well, that's the thing. Nobody but TK and this mysterious (not so mysterious anymore I guess) girl no about the feelings he has about love. He's never told anyone, and nobody knows what he went through and he plans to keep it that way. Your right, Daisuke would be a pal and tell TK he was being immature, if he knew what TK was doing.

One thing before we get started. I'm really sorry for not updating this sooner. My cat had kittens and I've been so busy with her. And, I really hope you guys will check out ArchSeraphimon's fic: Will Love Survive The Ultimate Test? It's really good. After that: Thanks for the reviews and critism and please keep reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Now let's get started shall we.

{ } = thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A Mistake Can Last A Lifetime

By ebacusta

Chapter 2

The New Kid

TK woke up and rubbed his eyes. He yawned and stretched before getting up to go take a shower. As soon as the water touched him, he jolted awake, and once he was clean, he wandered out for breakfast. He looked around the apartment, thinking of how it used to be littered with his and Matt's toys. He turned his head away and saw a note sitting on the counter. He picked it up and read:

TK-

Good morning. We're going to join your father and brother for dinner with some old friends tonight. Please be dressed nicely by 6 pm. I'll be home by 5:45.

Love, Mom

{Dinner with old friends huh? I wonder who.} His mind automatically flashed back to a little girl he'd known when he was younger, which got him thinking about his parents' divorce, making him sulky and bitter. But, he cheered himself up by making his favorite breakfast. A vanilla milkshake with chocolate chip cookies. After finishing his "nutritional" meal, he grabbed his school bag and left, running into Davis and Cody on his way there.

"Hey TK," Cody said.

"Hi," TK replied.

"Did you hear?" Davis asked.

"Hear what?" TK asked.

Cody spoke with a small smirk on his face, "The rumor that's got Davis all worked up."

"No, what?" TK replied.

"Well, Ryan, told me that a new girl is coming to our school today," Davis said.

"Oh, I get it," TK said. "You'll finally have a chance to hit it off with a girl before she discovers that you have no brain power."

"WHAT?" Davis yelled. "WHY YOU!" TK raced into the school with Davis in hot pursuit. Cody smiled.

"Hey Cody," a voice said from behind. He turned to see a girl with lilac hair and brown eyes hidden behind circular glasses, smiling at him. Next to her stood a boy with indigo hair and eyes.

"Hi Yolei, Ken, how's it going?"

"Good and you?" Ken asked.

"Same old, same old," Cody said shrugging. This meant that TK had said a witty comment to Davis and Davis had run into the school building after him.

"What was it about this time?" Yolei asked.

"Hitting it off with the new girl before she sees Davis's grades," Cody said. They all laughed as the three entered the building.

- - - 8:00 a.m. - - -

TK sat in class, a bored expression on his face. He stared ahead with glazed eyes imagining himself back at home sitting on the couch watching TV. Quite a few others had sunk into a stupor as well. The teacher was thoroughly boring everyone in the classroom with the same old announcements she said everyday. But then, the teacher said something new, knocking the class out of its daze.

"I'm sure you all heard the rumors about a new child joining us this year," she said. This got TK's attention. "And indeed, the rumors are true. I would like you to give a warm, and helpful welcome to your new classmate." The door slid open and in walked a girl with shoulder length brown hair, with long bangs clipped out of her face, and red eyes. She faced the class.

"It's her," he gasped silently. She seemed to have noticed him as well.

"Good morning. My name is Hikari Yagami. I am very pleased to meet you," she said, with a smile on her face. "I enjoy hanging out with friends, listening to music, and taking pictures. I also enjoy reading and writing poetry, and I have one brother."

"Questions?" the teacher asked.

A hand raised, "Will you go out with me?"

"No joke questions Ryodo," the teacher said sharply.

"I'm serious," he said as the class laughed.

"You'll all be able to enjoy Hikari's company during your break," the teacher said.

"Oh," she said suddenly. "I almost forgot, you can call me Kari."

"Very well, Kari, would you go sit in the empty seat beside TK?" The teacher pointed. TK's heart began to thump wildly. {Oh no. What if she remembers who I am and spreads my secrets all throughout the school?} With a smile, Kari went and sat in the chair beside him. She didn't look at him once through out their whole first lesson, which led him to believe that she in fact, did not remember him.

But during their first break of the day, she turned to him and said, "How are you TK?"

Davis gaped, "Do you know her?" He didn't reply. If he ignored her, maybe she'd stop trying.

As if she'd read his mind she said, "I'm sorry. I won't bother you." He was starting to feel bad, already.

- - - Lunch Time - - -

It was a special day today, so the students were let out of their classrooms to eat lunch on the grounds. TK took his lunch, and went outside to sit under a tree. Nobody, not even Davis (who he suspected was hounding the new girl for every aspect of her life) or Cody sat, with him, which was fine with him. After a minute, he heard footsteps. {Maybe not.} But the voice that greeted him was feminine.

"May I sit here?" He looked up. Kari was standing, indicating the spot next to him.

"If you want to," he said.

"Thank you." She kneeled and folded her legs neatly underneath her. As she opened her bentou set (1) and took out an onigiri (2), the two remained silent. TK watched her out of the corner of his eye, wondering why she had set next to him so suddenly. And then she spoke.

"Do you remember me?"

"No," he lied.

"I see," she held out her hands, and in it was a flower and a chocolate heart. He took them.

"Do you remember me now?"

"All you did was give me a flower and a chocolate heart. How is that suppose to help?" She was silent for a second. She knew he was lying.

"TK, how has life been treating you?"

"Decent," he said shortly. He was still watching.

She smiled, "I'm glad. How is Matt?"

"Fine," he replied.

"That's nice," Kari said "And your mother?"

"Good."

"That's good," she said. "And your father?"

"Peachy." They were silent for a moment. And then Kari asked, "Do you still have the picture?"

He was confused at first. What picture was she talking about? And then it hit him. "Yeah." They were silent for a while.

Kari broke the silence, "TK."

"Yes?"

"It's okay to feel sad. But eventually you'll have to move on with your life."

He angered at this statement. What did she know, looking all calm and collected as she stared out across the grounds? "No."

"Tell me TK, why is it, that you desire to love no longer?" she said calmly, as if she hadn't heard his defiant statement.

How the heck did she know about how he felt about love? "I never said that."

"Has someone hurt you in the past?"

"No."

"Have you been advised against it?"

"No."

"Then why?" she asked.

"Because," TK spoke, "all relationships end in failure."

"Is that so?" she asked. He felt like she was mocking him. "And why do you feel this way?" He didn't reply. "Is it because, one relationship that you knew of failed? Is it because many relationships you've known of have failed? Or is it because you're afraid to be hurt?" He was taken aback. And then he angered even more.

"What does that have to do with it?" he asked.

"You have closed off your heart, to all who try to get closer than you want. Even your close friends you keep at a distance," she said, her hands folded in her lap. "So tell me, why is it, that you don't love?"

"NO!" he practically yelled.

"TK," she said in a small, yet firm voice, "I am not asking you to love me. I am asking you to reconsider why you don't love anyone, and ask yourself if you now hold valid reasons?"

"You have no idea how I feel!" he said.

"Maybe not," Kari said, "but at least be glad you can still see and talk to your parents and brother." He dropped his lunch. It toppled over into the grass.

"Here," she said, handing him hers, before walking back towards the school building.

- - - Still Lunch Time - - -

When he entered the classroom, he saw Kari sitting at her desk, writing something. As he approached, he saw it. It was a poem that he remembered well. She had given it to him 8 years ago:

Sometimes, things don't go our way

But we have to rely on friends who care

Friends that hug, friends that smile

Friends that laugh and dare

Do not close yourself off from them

They only want to help

But rather pull them closer

Until they've whimpered and yelped.

People were reading it over her shoulder, and she folded it up neatly, and was about to address it. He couldn't risk everyone knowing, so he grabbed her by her wrist, pulled her out of her seat, and out of the classroom. Down the hall, he pulled, and she did not resist. Once in a deserted hallway, he pushed her against the wall and said, "Promise me something."

"What?"

"That you will not tell anyone, about my parents' divorce. I mean everyone already knows they're divorced, but they don't know what I went through and I implore you not to say anything?"

All she did was smile and reply, "They were not my secrets to tell." TK looked at her, amazed. I mean, here she was, with perfect blackmail material, and she could have blackmailed him into doing anything she wanted (which most girls in her situation would have) and all she said was that she wasn't going to tell them in the first place?

"Okay, thank you," he said. "And, um, sorry for ignoring you earlier, I'm doing well."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said. She pushed the paper into his hand. "I was wondering if you would remember this." He opened it, and read the all to familiar poem. He smiled, "Yeah."

She turned and walked to the end of the hall when she stopped suddenly and said, "TK. Do not keep things bottled up inside. It won't do you any good."

He angered at that statement, though not as much as he would have liked. The thought that what she'd said was strangely comforting at the same time, freaked him out. He pushed it aside and went back into the classroom.

- - - 5:55 p.m. TK's House - - -

{Something nice huh?} He reached into his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a relatively unwrinkled shirt. He put them on. His mother knocked and peeked in.

"Oh no, you're not wearing a T-shirt," she said, marching into his room. She reached into his closet and pulled out a blue button down. He reluctantly changed out of his shirt and into the collared button down. And then upon seeing how bad the button down and the jeans looked together, forced him into a pair of khakis.

"That's better," she said. "Now go wash your face." He moped into the bathroom, still thinking about his encounter with Kari at lunch. How was she able to remain so calm, even when he yelled at her? He washed his face, and put on shoes, and left the house with his mother. He had secretly brought his portable CD player out of the house.

They got on the subway, and took a five minute train, and then got out, and walked a little ways down the street. They stopped out side a very fancy restaurant. TK always felt a little out of place in these places, no matter how dressed up he was, but wearing khaki pants and a button down, he felt like some child delinquent who had escaped from prison and this was the best he could come up with. They entered.

Matt and his father were already there, sitting in chairs, as were the old friends. It was getting close to 6:30 and when their name was called, they asked if they could hold the table a little longer.

"Why are we waiting if the old friends are already here?" TK asked.

"Their children aren't," his mom told him, and then, suddenly, a girl wearing a knee length black dress and black high-heels, burst into the restaurant, breathing hard, followed by a taller boy wearing an outfit similar to TK's and Matt's.

"Sorry, we're late," she said grinning. "It was my fault. My shoe came off in the station and we missed the train, and had to run here, because the next train wasn't going to be at the station until 6:30. Please forgive me." She bowed but since she was already leaning on her knees, there wasn't much of a distance. TK couldn't really see her face.

"Hikari, Taichi," their mother scolded, "you shouldn't ever keep your guests waiting if you can help it."

"Sorry mother," they said in unison. TK wasn't listening. Taichi? He'd heard those names together before. He thought back to when he was younger. That was Hikari's brother, he had completely forgotten.

"TK," Kari, who had apparently just noticed who their guests were, said, "nice to see you again."

"Same to you," he said automatically.

Natsuko looked surprised. "You've seen each other before now?"

"Yeah, we go to the same school now," TK said. He wasn't certain if that was a good or bad thing. He looked her over, now that she was standing upright. He had to admit, she looked beautiful.

{NO!} his mind said firmly. {You are never going to fall in love remember? Don't look at her like that.} But his eyes betrayed him. The dress, seemly enhanced her figure, hugging her curves, complimenting her eyes, and the beautiful brown hair that framed her face. He was having an inward battle. Finally he tore his eyes away.

"TK, is something wrong?" Kari asked.

"No!" he nearly shouted. Embarrassed he lowered his voice, "No, no."

"Well, good. Come on then," she said. "The others have already gone back to the table. And you didn't really move, when they all got up to move. Stuck in a trance."

"Sorry," he mumbled, ashamed at himself, for breaking his creed not to look at any girl because looking at girls meant love would soon wiggle its way in and he did not want that. They joined the others at the table. There was a decently sized dance floor in the middle of the restaurant, where some couples were dancing.

{Why did mom bring me here?} he moaned inwardly. {Is she trying to tempt me or something?} After ordering, the adults took to having a intense conversation. Matt and Tai began talking about one thing or another, leaving Kari and TK, who stared at each other.

{I hope I don't hurt his feelings by doing this.}

{I hope I don't hurt her feelings by doing this.} At the exact same time, they both pulled out their concealed CD Players, and began to listen to music. No sooner had they put it on, then their mothers spotted the headphones on their heads and snatched them away.

"But mom," they said in unison.

"Talk," the mothers replied. Both blushing profusely, Kari and TK turned back to each other. For fifteen whole minutes, not one word passed off their lips. When TK's mother noticed this, she whispered quickly and harshly into TK's ear. He groaned but said, "Alright." He sighed. "Kari, would you like to dance?"

Kari was surprised at first. She didn't think he would really do that, even though his mother told him too. She had expected him to at least put up a fight. But, she hid her amazement, and smiled, "Sure." And so, like a gentleman, he stood, and held out a bended arm, for her to hook with his. And she did so, and the two proceeded out to the dance floor. To Kari's surprise, he was a fairly good dancer; he knew how to lead without using too much force, something a lot of boys were unable to do.

"So, TK, I'm surprised. I thought you would have at least put up a fight," Kari said. TK barely heard her. He was concentrating on where his hands were located, fitting so perfectly, around her waist.

{SHE'S TRYING TO TEMPT ME!} his mind screamed. {SHE'S TRYING TO TEMPT ME! RESIST! RESIST!}

"TK are you alright? You look kind of pale," Kari said.

"Y-Yeah," he stammered.

And then Kari popped the question, "TK, have you thought about what I asked you about this morning?" TK couldn't decide what to do, so he chose to ignore her. "TK, I have one question, how are you supposed to progress with your life if you can't get past something that happened 8 years ago that was out of your control? You did what you could, you begged your parents, and they still weren't able to get past their problem."

TK looked at her, "You don't know...what it felt like, as my parents let my cries and pleas for them to stay together just dance past their ears as if I were some mannequin. I tried everything. I reminded them of good times we'd had, of things we used to do as a family, I wrote them loving messages. I tried everything, and it all went unheard. You, were the first person, who ever really tried to help. You listened, even though you didn't have too. I think to some degree, Matt felt obligated to listen to me, but you didn't. And yet, in all the wonderful gifts you gave me, none of them had any effect on my parents."

Kari looked into his eyes. "That must have been rough." He could see the sadness swimming in her eyes.

"It was," TK said. By the end of the evening, TK, felt a little differently about his situation and Kari's intentions.

- - - - Preview - - - -

A weird dream keeps haunting me, and I don't know, if it has to do with what Kari said to me. Reluctantly, I told her what it was about, and to my amazement she knew exactly what it meant.

"TK, stubbornness, will not help you. Sometimes, you have to give up and admit when you're wrong."

That's not true. I'm not stubborn am I? But then, in a moment of weakness, I spill to her all my secrets, and now she knows me inside and out, furthermore, the school dance is coming up and my mom wants me to go with someone.

Kari has all the means to blackmail me, but she won't, and to my horror, I find myself becoming more and more attracted to her.

Author's Notes:

(1) Bentou set: a boxed lunch Japanese students usually make and take for lunch. Some students though will fight to get bread from the shop that sets up at schools during lunch.

(2) Onigiri: a packed rice ball with a filling in the middle, often found in bentou sets because they're easy to make and don't take long to prepare.

REVIEW - - - REVIEW - - - REVIEW - - - REVIEW - - - REVIEW - - - REVIEW

11