A.N.- "What?" you say, "She is still alive?" Yes, I am. I am SO sorry it took so long to update, really. Really sorry. But it is here now, right? (dodges death glares from pissed off readers.) Eh, well, enjoy. (REALLY SORRY!) Oh, and I've been having problems with the symbol for though, you know, the squiggly. So, now thoughts are going to be italicized. like this. Thanks.
Chapter 2: Feel Beautiful
Tai arrived at school with Kari, apprehensive of what everyone would think of him. All worry was erased when he walked into the building and the girls' thoughts floated to him.
Oh, my, God! Is that Taichi Kamiya?!
I love his hair! I can see over his head in math now!
He's still single, right?
Tai smiled happily, and Kari noticed. "The girls like it, don't they?"
"You are now officially the best sister in the world. Although, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be going through this right now, you know."
Kari smirked. "That is more the reason to call me the best sister in the world."
They reached the usual meeting place, and everyone was there, except Mimi and Sora. Everyone was talking, but kept casting glances at Matt, who stood there staring out into space.
Matt wore wrinkled black clothes and it looked like he still hadn't combed his hair. As Tai walked up next to him, he caught the briefest smell off that awful stench from his room. Tai tried smiling happily at him.
"So, its good you came to school. You look great for a guy who just got dumped on his anniversary."
God Tai! Don't remind him! Yolie thought and scowled at Tai.
Tai! Show some tact! He is in a sensitive state right now. thought Kari.
Matt looked at Tai. "Thanks, man." He said seriously. He lifted his eyes upward. "What the hell happened to you're hair?"
Kari and Yolie watched as the boys briefly discussed the hair, then dove right into the baseball game from last night.
"Boys are so repressed. Matt didn't even say he was hurt that Tai brought all of that up." Kari said.
"That's because he probably wasn't. Guys are odd creatures, Kari. Don't try to figure them out. You might be scared of what you find." Yolie said wisely.
Tai was watching the girls laugh when behind them he saw Mimi and Sora round the corner. Unlike Matt, Sora's clothes were not wrinkled, and she looked completely like her normal self, except for the sadness around her.
Aw, crap. Mimi thought.
Oh, no! I don't want to talk to him yet! Its going to be so awkward, Sora thought glumly.
Tai nudged Kari in the ribs as the guys continued talking. She shot him a dirty look.
What?
>Tai nodded over to Sora and Mimi, who were hovering away, not sure on whether to join the group or not. Kari understood, and she pulled Yolie over with her to Sora and Mimi. Tai watched as they hugged her and walked away. As he turned back to the group, he silently wished that he could be with Sora too.
Sitting in chemistry class, Tai stared out the window, trying to block out all of the girls, who were starting to give him a head ache. He got it down to only small glimpses of conversations, until a familiar voice perked his attention.
He is Matt's friend...Maybe I shouldn't sit next to him...
Tai turned around and smiled at Sora, who looked a little startled that he turned so suddenly. He smiled brightly.
"Hey, come sit down. I don't bite, you know."
Sora smiled and sat on the stool next to him. On the outside, it was hard to tell anything was bothering her. She looked at his hair and clothes, then spoke what she was thinking.
"So, you look really different. Where did they find room for all of the hair they chopped off?" she joked.
Tai rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha. Like you're the first person to say that. It was all Kari's idea. You know, sometimes you just need a change, you know? And then you say, 'well, I need to do something different!' and then..."
Is Tai babbling? I've never seen him do this before. Oh, he's probably self-conscious, poor thing.
Sora put a hand on Tai's arm. "I think that you look really good, Tai. The girls are gonna be all over you. You better watch out!"
Tai felt his heart lurch in his chest and happiness flood him. "Thanks, Sora. That really means a lot, to hear that."
Sora smiled brightly.
Tai has gotten so perceptive and sensitive. It happened even before the image change. Before the break up... Sora shook her head real quick. Ah! Stop thinking of him. Tai does look good...Matt always looked good. All the girls are gonna be all over him now too...He is so perfect. No WAS! Oh, man, this is so stupid, to still think of him every second... Sora stared of into space sadly, unaware of Tai watching and listening to her.
Tai felt his heart slow and his previous elevation deflated. He looked away and flipped through his notes in front of him.
"She just needs time, Tai. And she thinks you look great. Don't feel so bad for yourself." Tai scolded himself silently. He pulled at the hem of his shirt, wondering how stupid he looked.
"Stop it!" he yelled mentally again, "She thinks you look really good, and what Sora thinks is the only thing that matters..."
Tai stepped out of the locker room, relaxed after a long practice and no girls for three hours. The silence was a rare treat. He started walking out to his car in the parking lot, when something caught his eye.
Mimi sat on a bench under a cherry blossom tree, swinging her feet and gently kicking a box in front of her. Tai walked up and sat down next to her.
Wha- Oh! Its just Tai, she thought and a soft smile came to her lips.
"Hi. What are you doing out here after school?" Tai asked.
"Jay dropped off all of my stuff from his house," she said.
What a bastard. Him and that whore deserve each other, she thought bitterly.
Tai sweat dropped. "Eh, are you a little sad that he cheated on you?"
Mimi looked incredulous. Sad? She tilted her head back and laughed, then trying to control herself, held a hand over her mouth and giggled.
"Oh Tai. I didn't really like him that deeply. We weren't that serious. I didn't even consider him my boyfriend, I guess."
Tai waited for her to think what she really thought, but nothing came. He could see it on her face though. "Mimi, you are worth ten of that other girl. Jay is moron for leaving you when any guy would kill to date you. I believe there was once a fist fight, actually..."
Mimi looked surprised at Tai when he said this. How did he know? I didn't even know what was wrong until he said it. Tai...
She smiled at him. "There was not a fist fight."
"There was too! Kyo and Mirku, in the gym, my sophomore year..." He smiled wickedly. "I think there was blood..."
She hit him playfully. "There was not!"
They laughed together, and then Mimi regarded him.
"What made you decide to change?"
Tai shrugged and said, "Everyone needs a little change. It's an improvement, right?"
Her thoughts and words were parallel. "Tai, it has never been the outside that mattered. It's always what's inside, no matter how cliché that sounds. You have always been a beautiful person."
Tai felt his cheeks warm, unsure why. "You make me sound like a chick, calling me beautiful."
Mimi rolled her eyes. "Whatever, don't take the compliment. Can you give me a lift home?"
"Sure," Tai said. He picked up the box and her feet and led her to the car.
"So did I pass?" Tai asked Kari later that night.
"Yeah, you have officially felt beautiful. Congratulations. So who made you feel beautiful, Tai? Was it Joe? Or did Davis sweep you off your feet?" Kari teased.
Tai stuck out his tongue. "Shut up, twerp. I got black mail on you." Kari glared at his devilish grin. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed. Anyway, you know it was Sora. It was in chemistry today." Tai smiled off into space.
"During school?" Kari looked confused. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," he said, annoyed at being interrupted from his daydream. "Why?"
"Nothing. Never mind," she said quickly, and walked out of the room before he could hear what she was thinking.
"Girls are so odd," Tai said to no one in particular. He got in his pajamas and glanced in the mirror. He brushed a hand over his short hair and let his thoughts drift over the day.
Oh, my, God! Is that Taichi Kamiya?!
I love his hair! I can see over his head in math now!
He's still single, right?
"What the hell happened to you're hair?"
"I think that you look really good, Tai. The girls are gonna be all over you. You better watch out!"
...Tai does look good...Matt always looked good. All the girls are gonna be all over him now too...He is so perfect. No WAS! Oh, man, this is so stupid, to still think of him every second...
Tai's hands clenched in a fist and he turned away from the mirror and jumped into bed. He turned on his side, and his face was reflected in a trophy on his bed side table. It appeared twisted and disfigured.
"What made you decide to change?" Mimi's voice asked. "You have always been a beautiful person."
Tai relaxed and fell asleep, a smile on his lips.
A.N- AHHHHHHHHHH! I finished the chapter. Now that no one wants to read this anymore. Well, unless you are reading this, because that means you probably just read the chapter Yeah. So I'm going to update soon. I swear on my cat's life, and I really love my cat. You can send me hate mail if I don't update within two weeks. You can stalk me, kidnap me and force me to write the next chapter if you want. I promise, I will do it this time. Please Read and Review, because if you don't, then I'll just assume no one is reading this, and then I really won't update, and the whole cycle will repeat. So please let me know you are alive! Thanks
Starlilly
