Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon
A/N: This chapter was suppose to be on here sooner only I didn't have a chance to get it on. It happens, so here it is now!
My Best Friend's Girlfriend
Chapter 4: Mimi to the Rescue
Tai Kamiya
Exactly one hour later, Tai found himself seated in a booth at a fast food restaurant with Matt, Mimi, Joe, and Izzy.
Tai sat against the wall, feeling miserable, next to Izzy with Joe on Izzy's other side.
Matt sat directly across from him next to Mimi.
"I can't believe you guys made me walk all the way over here!" Mimi complained, pulling off one of her boots and rubbing her foot.
"Why didn't you put on some shoes? No offence, Mimi, but a short skirt and knee-length boots are not exactly the ideal thing to wear when walking long distances," Matt said, eyeing her outfit.
"What would you know about fashion?" Mimi snorted, poking him in the ribs.
"Way to much considering he's a guy!" Tai laughed. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Matt kicked him hard under the table, and Tai glared at the blond, but Matt merely smiled at Mimi and ignored him.
"Besides, Mimi, it wasn't even that long of a walk!" Joe sighed, shaking his head.
Tai chewed on his hamburger and fell into a sullen silence. He did not really feel like talking to anyone. How often had he and his friends hung out like this, just enjoying each other's company, and yet today it somehow seemed so wrong. How could they sit there joking and laughing, especially Matt, while deep inside he was hurting so much. He felt like his soul was being ripped in half and stomped on by his best friend.
Matt must have known how I felt about her, so why would he do something like this? I know I never actually said it right out to him, but he's my best friend. I thought he knew me so well, but I guess I was wrong.
He sighed and looked up to find Mimi glaring at a group of girls that were heading just past their table.
The girls were eyeing Matt, Joe, Izzy, and himself with interest and giggling loudly.
"What are you looking at?" Mimi snapped at them.
Mimi's beauty and powerful presence must have intimidated them because their giggling broke off, and they quickly scurried away.
Mimi crossed her arms and sat back with a smile of satisfaction on her face.
"You're scary sometimes, you know that?" Joe said, his voice sounding rather weak.
"No kidding!" Tai grinned, despite the pain in his heart.
Mimi ignored their words. "Tai, don't ever date a girl that I don't approve of, and that goes for the rest of you, too," she said, giving them all a stern look.
Tai stared at her in disbelief. "Why not?"
"I'm only looking out for your best interests," Mimi said patiently. "You're my friends, and I don't want to see any of you get hurt."
"But, Mimi, Matt's already dating someone," Joe said in confusion, his face pink with embarrassment.
Tai winced, but he managed to keep his face blank.
"Of course he is," Mimi replied, rolling her eyes. "Have you forgotten that Sora is my best friend? Naturally I approve of her."
Mimi turned to look at Matt and smiled at him. "I promised Sora that I'd look after you so you can see why I had to get rid of those girls."
"What?" Matt shouted, sounding indignant. "Do I look like I need to be looked after?"
"All men need looking after," Mimi sniffed. "Especially when they look like you."
"You're starting to sound like Yolei," Matt mumbled, blushing slightly. "Doesn't Sora trust me anymore?"
"Of course she trusts you," Mimi said in a soothing tone and patted his arm. "It's them she doesn't trust." The rosy haired Digidestined sent the girls who were now seated in a corner booth a dark look.
Matt sighed and leaned his head against the back of the booth. "I feel like I can't go anywhere anymore without somebody gawking at me."
"It was your choice to be in a band, so deal with it!" Tai snapped.
What's wrong with you, Matt? You're suppose to sense these kinds of things about me. You're suppose to know me better than anyone. I shouldn't have to say anything! What kind of a best friend are you?
"You supported the fact that I was in a band!" Matt replied, sounding angry. "Just because you had a bad soccer practice doesn't mean you have to take it out on me!"
"This isn't about soccer!" Tai shouted at the top of his lungs.
The restaurant went dead silent, and Tai realized that everyone was staring at him. Even Izzy had looked up from his laptop long enough to gape at him.
He quickly lowered his eyes to the table and fell silent, his face turning red.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Matt asked quietly, ignoring the stares of the other people in the restaurant.
"Er...nothing. I'm just tired. Sorry," he mumbled and quickly shoved the rest of his hamburger in his mouth before he could say something really stupid.
"Tai..." Mimi looked like she was about to say something, but then she turned towards the door and let out a gasp.
"Matt! Get down!" she squealed, grabbing the blond by the shirt and pulling him down so fast that Matt's forehead smacked painfully into the table.
"Ouch! What is wrong with you, Mimi? Have you gone completely insane?" Matt groaned, rubbing his forehead and trying to sit up.
"Jun's here!" Mimi whispered fiercely in the blond's ear.
Matt let out a yelp and quickly ducked below the back of the seat so that Jun would not spot him from the door.
"Hide me!" the blond moaned, trying to cower behind Mimi. Seeing as Matt was six inches taller than Mimi at a standing height of five feet, nine inches, it did not work very well.
"Quick! Get under the table!" Mimi whispered, giving Matt a push to get him going.
Tai was finding it very hard not to laugh at how ridiculous the whole situation was. He was almost tempted to tell Jun exactly where Matt was just so he could watch his friend suffer with great pleasure.
It's not like he doesn't deserve it after what he did to me.
"You better watch out, Matt," Joe warned, standing up to get a better look at the door. "Jun's heading this way. She's definitely spotted us."
That was enough to get Matt moving. The blond quickly ducked under the table, and Tai could feel Matt's back brushing up against the leg of his blue jeans. He had to fight a very strong urge not to kick Matt hard, right between the shoulder blades.
"Don't make a sound," Mimi whispered to Matt, glancing anxiously at Jun who was now only a few feet away from their table. "I promised Sora that I would protect you from Jun, as well, and I'm not about to break that promise!"
"Mimi!" Matt squawked from under the table. "Will you be carefull with those boots? You almost kicked me right in the-"
"I said be quiet!" Mimi hissed, and Tai looked under the table just in time to see Mimi kick Matt in the shoulder with one of her deadly boots. He let out a sigh of regret. I wish I could have done that.
Matt let out a grunt of pain and promptly fell silent at the sound of Jun's voice.
"Hi, guys!" Jun said cheerfully, stepping up to their table.
Joe, Mimi, and even Izzy, quickly stretched out their legs to block Matt from view incase Jun decided to look down.
"Hi, Jun!" Mimi said brightly, nervously pulling on a lock of her pink hair.
Jun barely spared her a glance before turning to stare suspiciously at the rest of them. "Where's Sora?"
"She had to help her mother out in the flower shop today," Joe replied, trying to smile. The soon to be doctor was dressed in black pants and a short-sleeved white button shirt.
"Oh." Jun's dark eyes narrowed into a frown. "So, where's Matt then? Shouldn't he be with you guys?"
"Matt's at band practice today," Izzy said calmly, without even looking up from his laptop.
Tai rolled his eyes and elbowed Izzy in the ribs, but the computer expert did not even notice.
Jun straightened her shoulders and nodded. "Well, if you see him again today, let him know that I'm looking for him, okay?"
"Will do. See you later, Jun," Mimi replied, waving to Davis's sister as the other girl left the restaurant.
The minute Jun was out of sight, Matt crawled out from under the table. The blond remained seated on the floor and hugged Mimi around the waist. "Mimi, you're my hero," Matt mumbled into her stomache. "How can I ever repay you? I swear I'll do anything."
"Well," Mimi said thoughtfully. "You can start by rubbing my aching feet!"
She rested her bare foot on Matt's knee and wiggled her toes.
"How do I get myself into these things?" Matt sighed.
Tai shook his head and rubbed his eyes. His head hurt, and right now all he wanted to do was go home.
Leaving his garbage on the table, he quickly stood up and scrambled past Izzy into the aisle, almost tripping over Joe.
"Where are you going?" Mimi asked, frowning up at him in confusion.
"Home," he muttered.
"Hey, do you want to come over to my place tonight?" Matt asked, standing up and catching the sleeve of his orange shirt.
"Actually, I can't. I'm...um...I promised Kari that I'd help her with a school project."
"Oh," Matt said quietly, his blue gaze growing cloudy. "How about tomorrow then?"
"Soccer game," he mumbled, avoiding Matt's eyes and quickly heading to the door.
"Did someone say something?" he heard Izzy ask.
"Izzy, you're hopeless!" Mimi groaned. "Matt, you'd better get under the table again incase Jun decides to come back."
"How did she even know that Matt was here?" Joe asked.
"She's probably stalking him!" Mimi giggled.
Tai let the door close behind him and a sigh of relief escaped his throat. He ran his fingers through his dark hair which was cut a lot shorter than it had been in his younger years. Now that he was alone, he felt a little bit better. It was definitely a step up from the anger that had been growing inside of him in the restaurant.
He spotted Jun up ahead and hesitated.
Should I say something? No way, that's too mean, but it's no worse than what he did to me.
"Hey, Jun!" he called out, making his decision.
Jun stopped and turned to face him. "Oh, hey, Tai," she said, giving him a distracted smile.
He snuck a quick look at the restaurant and leaned closer to her. "Matt's hiding under the table," he whispered in her ear. "Just don't let him know that I told you."
Jun's eyes lit up, and she gave him a quick hug. "Thanks, and don't worry, I won't," she called out, heading back towards the restaurant with a determind look on her face.
Tai felt a small stab of guilt, but he quickly shrugged it off. I don't have anything to feel guilty about. Matt's my best friend, and he hurt me. It's only fair that he should feel a fraction of the misery that I'm feeling.
He turned his back on the restaurant and started towards his apartment with a heavy heart.