The Game of Life
By theladyknight
Disclaimer: Digimon—not mine!
A/N: This story is so much fun to write! Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter one; please remember to review this one! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
tehee: glad u like this!
SilentStalker: School is stressful, ahh, I go back in four days! Hope this is updated soon enough
violet eyes rika: Yeah Tai would have a problem throwing away the hair gel!
Yume-dream: I'd stay away from a zoo if Taichi was in charge of the animals!
dragongirl18: Thanks!
Aino Yuy aka Usagi-Hater: I've never been called a genius before, wowz, I kinda like the sound of that, j/k! Your idea about the careers, exactly what I was thinking...except I had to add a few changes.
Yama-sama: I don't know how I manage to do it either...glad you like the story!
Armitage: Drag queen, don't ask me how I thought of it, but I thought it was funny...sounds like everyone agreed with me!
maiden-of-dreams: thanks!
Lonewolfsblossom: thanks, expect a new chapter of To the Highest Bidder soon!
sorato4eva: Thanks, hope you like what's to come!
B E P Fergie: here's the next chapter!
crazyamzy: We never did anything that exciting in junior high, but we did once get jobs and have to make "career" decisions about stuff to buy and all that.
Chapter 2: Wedded Bliss
I walked into my Child Development class with Taichi and Yamato, listening to our classmates talk excitedly about what was on the lesson plan for today. Curiosity was in the air, as everyone seemed to have different ideas about how we would get paired up. I spent every class yesterday, after finding out about the project, daydreaming about what kinds of things she would have in store for us.
Anticipation and fear were the two emotions that plagued me. In all my years of school we have never done something like this as a project. The whole idea was an ingenious masterpiece on the part of Ms. Greene. Seriously, she is a cool teacher. While most of our teachers would assign ten-page long research papers and get very nitpicky when handing out the final grades, in here we actually get to play a game.
Yet I am afraid. Afraid of whom I am going to get paired with. Afraid of the twists and turns she will throw in. Afraid of the emotional stress this game could bring. Okay, my fear of the random selection of spouses is an obvious one. What if Ms. Greene decides to just take out her grade book and match people up? Believe me there are some guys in this class I would not wish anyone get stuck with, though it will have to happen. Hopefully, I am not one of those girls. There are the most wanted guys, with my two best friends being on the top of the list. I wouldn't complain about getting stuck with Taichi or Yamato. Tai would make me laugh, and it would be like fulfilling my secret desire to go out with my blond friend, but there's no possible way I'll end up with one of them.
The two guys and I took our seats after discussing how we thought the weddings were going to take place. Taichi insisted, jokingly heswore,that Ms. Greene would go on the Internet and print out a certificate stating she had gotten her license to perform marriages, a la Joey off of Friends. (Not mine!) Then, he explained, we would all legally be wed to the person we were paired up with, be forced to live with each other, and be forced to engage in the act of reproduction. Taichi's mind works in very odd ways.
Yamato thought she would call in the principal to perform the ceremony and explain to us, though in this classroom we were "married", outside we were not, meaning we can't be forced to engage in reproduction. I'm just going to try to forget the comment Taichi made in regards to Yamato's statement; but in the classroom…
My thought? Well, I think Ms. Greene is going to be performing the faux marriages, but she'll throw in some sort of surprise, though I have no idea what. The bell rang and for the first time all year, every single desk was occupied and no one was tardy.
"I'm impressed…you all must want to get this game underway. Well, I have no problem with that!" Ms. Greene pulled a stack of playing cards out of her bag along with a big poster. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we will start the game off by selecting your jobs and salaries. In my hand are fifty-two cards, each in a different suit with a different number or face on them, though you all knew that. Each card corresponds to one of fifty-two different occupations you each may get. I'm going to let you each pick a card and when everyone has one, the jobs will be revealed."
Our teacher walked up and down the aisles, fanning the cards upside-down and allowing us to choose which career we would end up with. When she got to me, I grabbed a card from the middle hoping I didn't end up with one of the jobs Yama and I had teased Taichi about yesterday. Koushiro, who sat in the very last seat, had the last choice of cards, though there were plenty left. With a class of twenty-four and there being fifty-two cards to start out with, you do the math.
"Okay. Koushiro, what card did you choose."
"The five of clubs." He responded. She hung a large poster with each card suit and number listed up on the board and pulled off the sticky note she had under five of clubs that hid the occupation from us.
Ms. Greene smiled at him. "It must be fate. Computer programmer." How the hell did he end up with the perfect job for him? Ms. Greene moved on to the people in front of him. After finishing the row, it was Hikari's turn.
"Jack of hearts."
"Teacher." Hikari smiled at her job. That was something she had always talked about considering for her future. Maybe this thing's rigged! Maybe I'll end up with athlete or something like that!
It was Taichi's turn now, and I was eagerly awaiting his occupation. "Nine of diamonds."
Ms. Greene coughed as she revealed Taichi's career. "Political ambassador."
Yamato and I burst into laughter followed shortly by the rest of the class, including the teacher. I love Taichi to death, but I could absolutely never see him doing that. I don't think he even knows what the word ambassador means! Maybe it's not rigged after all.
We all regained our composure, allowing the selection to continue. It was soon Mimi's turn. "Three of clubs."
"Cook." Mimi's face blanched. She can't even boil water; how in the world could she end up being a cook! Holy cow, I'm starting to get afraid of what my job will be! Takeru came next from my group of friends. "Author." Ms. Greene announced after he told her he possessed the queen of diamonds.
The selection worked its way up and down the rows and it was Yama's turn. He sat there waiting patiently for her to call on him. "Eight of spades."
"Astronaut." Ms. Greene said. Yamato gave her a funny look but nonetheless accepted it. My turn was coming up. I sit three desks behind my blond friend and could feel my legs start to shake, something that happens to me not out of nerves but out of anticipation.
"Sora, what card do you have?" She asked after giving the three people in front of me their careers.
"The ace of spades." I answered.
She smiled at me. "Fashion designer." I could hear Taichi and Yamato both snickering at my job. Fashion designer? Me? That was something Mimi would do, not me. I'm not a fashion guru. Sure I know what colors go with what colors and what looks good, but fashion designer? Oh my God!
Ms. Greene finished up with the rest of my classmate's jobs. Unfortunately drag queen was not an option. She walked back to her desk and pulled out a stack of paper, cut up in small pieces.
All we had to do was select a card and it would tell us our salary. She explained it wasn't as creative as the career choices, but there were a few more imaginative things to come today. Each card had a number between ten and one hundred thousand dollars for our yearly salary. I drew my card and breathed a sigh of relief, sixty thousand, that's not too bad. I can't wait to see what the others got.
Now it was finally the time everyone was waiting for: the selection of husbands and wives. "Okay, I'd ask all the men to come to the front of the classroom at this time, please." The guys all stood up and quickly made their way to the front of the room. "In my hand I hold twelve Popsicle sticks, one for each of you with the name of one of the twelve girls in the room on it. On the count of three, I will ask you to draw one of these sticks and you will have the name of your partner. Please listen closely, though; do not reveal whom you have. I will tell you more after everyone has made their selections. Ladies, if you would please start the counting."
"One, two, THREE!" we yelled and the guys grabbed wildly at the Popsicle sticks. Immediately looks of happiness filled some faces while disappointment was etched on other faces. Taichi looked absolutely horrified, and Yamato's eyes were darting towards the other side of the room. I guess, neither of them picked me, oh well…
"Okay, gentlemen, each of you needs to pick an engagement/wedding ring to give your partner and in the next ten minutes, find a creative way to propose to the girl you chose. I will be roaming around the room, making notes of the way you handle this situation. The guy with the most creative proposal along with his partner will get a surprise tomorrow." All ears perked up. This could be interesting.
"Um, can we switch partners?" Taichi asked. "Cause I'll gladly trade with Koushiro."
"No, Taichi, there is to be no trading."
"But…um, uh…I picked my sister." He tried. Ew…wait a minute, Taichi's ears are turning red, a sure sign that he's lying. That and the fact he always stutters when he lies. I wonder whom he got that's so bad he'd want to trade?
"Mr. Yagami, I can tell you're lying. The ears give it away. Let me repeat myself, there will be absolutely no trading." Taichi flushed.
"Shit." He muttered quietly but followed the others over to select the rings.
"Go ahead, boys, start proposing." I watched as he males of my class made their way to different girls. I hope I end up with someone decent who isn't going to embarrass me.
"Hey Sora." My friend Tony, the captain of the guy's tennis team said, walking up to me. I guess he wouldn't be too bad to get stuck with. "I have a question, you're friends with Danielle, right?" I nodded. "How could I propose to her?"
That surprised me. "Um, she loves sports…maybe you could institute some sort of sports phrase or lingo to make it creative."
"Thanks Sora! I'll give it a try!" he headed over toward Danielle's desk. I guess he's not my partner after all. It's only been a minute, not all the guys are going at once. I guess my partner is waiting.
"What's up?" Yamato's voice asked bringing me out of my thoughts as he took a seat in the desk in front of me.
I smiled. "Hey. Do you know what's up with Taichi? He was acting really strange; a lot stranger than usual."
Yama chuckled. "Just watch." He pointed over to where Taichi, Koushiro, and Takeru were. Koushiro was down on a knee proposing to…Gwen?
"Oh my God!" I exclaimed as Taichi got down in front of Mimi."Meems, I know you love Koushiro, but unfortunately we're stuck together for this class. Koushiro is going to be asked to interfere a lot to keep me from going crazy so basically you can think of it as you're married to me but cheating on me with him, and I'm completely cool with it. So what do you say?" Okay, that has to officially be the most unique proposal. I'd say Taichi and Mimi have one the contest.
Mimi sighed. "It's not like I really have a choice in the matter. Alright." Taichi put the ring on her finger and she squealed. "Oh, at least it's a nice big ring!"
I rolled my eyes. That marriage would definitely be interesting to watch. Koushiro would be asked to interfere more than one time I'm sure. Taichi and Mimi get into petty arguments about all sorts of things. Something caught my eye, causing me to look away from them. "Aww! Your brother is proposing to Hikari! Maybe this will finally get the two of them together!"
"I'd say friendship is an awfully strong basis for love, wouldn't you?" I turned toward Yama to agree and I gasped. He was grinning at me from the ground on one knee. "Sora, you want to make me one hell of a lucky man? I'm definitely not complaining about choosing you; in fact I can't think of anyone better than you to be married to for the next month? So what do you say—marry me?"
I melted right there in my desk and felt my face turn an attractive shade of red. "God, why do you have to have so much damn charm?" He winked at me. "Yes, Yama, I'll marry you."
He smiled and slipped the ring that most likely came from a machine in a shopping mall onto my finger. "Good, it'd be pretty awkward if you didn't." I laughed. Oh my God! I'm so going to be loving the next month of this class. He sat back down in the desk in front of me as Ms. Greene clapped her hands.
"Okay people, we need to keep moving! Time is of the essence! It's now time for the marriage ceremonies to begin. I'd first ask each of the ladies to go pick up a ring for their soon-to-be husbands and then return to their seats."
I got up and grinned at Hikari. "So, prince charming proposed, huh?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." She responded. "But you're one to talk."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Come on, you mean you don't know?" Hikari asked. I shook my head. "The gang and I have been making bets on when you and Yamato would get your act together and hook up since back when you were freshmen. You guys are already past the last guess, Taichi's. He said he was positive you two would be together by the end of freshman year. Maybe this will be the push you two need."
I picked up a ring on the table and placed it in my hand before turning around. "Hikari, I can't believe you guys were making bets about my love life! Seriously, where do you get your basis for saying he and I should hook up?"
Hikari rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, where have you been for the past four years? I guess that's why they say love is blind."
She went back to her seat next to Takeru, and I sat back down in my seat feeling very confused. "What's wrong?" Yama asked.
"Nothing." I lied as Ms. Greene stepped forward again.
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, we are going to start the ceremony with the first guy who proposed, meaning Taichi. Mr. Yagami, would you and Mimi please come forward and put on the vest and veil." Taichi and Mimi walked forward, both sweating, and put on the articles of clothing, the vest on Tai and the veil on Mimi.
"Here's the drill. I'm going to ask you the whole will you take him/her thing and then once the I do's are done, we need to see a kiss. To make things a little interesting, I'm going to be giving a surprise tomorrow to the couple that kisses the longest…so you all may be thinking about that now."
Yama smirked at me. "Wanna go for it?"
"We've got nothing to lose." I answered. Oh my God, he gets to be my husband during class, and I get to kiss him shortly! Wait, why am I thinking like this...
"I'll say! She's giving me the chance to make out with you and get rewarded for it. I'd say it's a good choice."
I laughed and felt my face heat up again. "Sounds good to me." Why am I getting all these butterflies in my stomach? It's just Yamato I'm talking to. Yamato, who I've known for a long time and never had this feeling before…okay, maybe I have, but it's never been this strong.
Taichi and Mimi recited the I do's and when it came time for the kiss Taichi kissed his hand and put it up to Mimi's cheek. Ms. Greene rolled her eyes, but nonetheless accepted it. It was so much fun watching my classmates get hitched together. Koushiro gave Gwen a kiss on her hand, Takeru and Hikari pecked each others lips lightly, both looking like sunburned lobsters the whole time, and it seemed hardly anyone was going for the whole longest kiss thing. The only real competition it appeared was Danielle and Tony who put on one long lip lock. Finally it was time for the last couple, Yama and I.
We walked up to the front of the room slowly and put on the wedding attire set out. Ms. Greene asked me to take off the ring and hand it to her along with the one I picked out for Yamato. "Yamato Ishida, do you take Sora Takenouchi to be your temporarily lawfully wedded wife in this classroom and for any assignment extended outside this room?" She asked handing him my ring.
"I do." Yamato answered giving me a lopsided grin as he placed the ring on my finger. I smirked back at him.
"And do you Sora Takenouchi take Yamato Ishida to be your temporarily lawfully wedded husband in this classroom and for any assignment extended outside this room?"
"I do." I answered trying to control my heartbeat as I took the ring from Ms. Greene and placed it on his hand.
Ms. Greene smiled. "Now, by the power invested in me by well, me, I pronounce you temporarily husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!"
Yamato pushed the veil over my head, and I closed my eyes as his lips connected with mine, gently applying pressure to them. He wrapped his arms around me, and I locked my around his neck. I kissed him back, figuring we needed to make this longer than Tony and Danielle's in order to get the prize. The kiss grew deeper, and I gasped as Yama's tongue brushed against my teeth. I let it in and surprised myself by returning the favor. Our mouths battled it out for what seemed like an eternity before slowly he pulled away from me. I've gone out with guys before and been kissed before, but from the moment Yama's lips touched mine there was like a spark or something that I had never felt before.
I opened my eyes to see his smiling face and hear Ms. Greene announce we had won the prize for longest kiss, while Taichi and Mimi had won for most imaginative proposal. Yamato and I took off the veil and vest and returned to our seats. "Good class today, everyone. Your first assignment as husband and wife is to find five things you didn't know about your spouse and record them in your notebooks." The bell rang. "Have a good day!"
Yamato and I met up with the others outside the door. "Well, I know one thing I can put on my list." Yama whispered to me.
"What's that?" I answered back.
"You're one hell of a kisser." I blushed. "It's true." He winked as he walked over to save his brother from the wrath of Taichi, who was yelling at him for kissing his little sister. Hikari meanwhile walked over to me.
"Was that a good enough reason for you?" she asked referring to the question I'd asked her earlier.
"Just because he's a really good kisser doesn't mean it's a reason we should go out. I still have yet to hear a good one." I reasoned trying to get myself to believe it. Damn, what's happening to me?
"I'll let you figure that out on your own. I have a feeling this game is really going to be good for letting you know." She answered mysteriously.
As she walked off with Takeru, who had finally gotten free from Taichi, I couldn't help repeating her comment to myself. If that's so, I definitely can't wait to see what kinds of things I'm going to be finding out in the future…
A/N: Thoughts? Please review and let me know! And in case anyone is wondering, this isn't going to be a Michi; it's still a Koumi. I just thought it would be awfully funny to see Taichi marry Mimi. Please review!