"Taichi get up!" his mother called she was standing just outside his bedroom door.
"Yeah...I will," he answered groggily. He didn't even get enough sleep last night and his tossing and turning didn't do him any good either. He turned over his face in front of an empty bottle of vodka, "Maybe that is the reason," he said he took the bottle and threw it underneath his bed then he slowly got ready for school.
When he came downstairs into the kitchen his father asked him, "Do you want to go see a soccer match?"
"Um, no," he said still bitter about his father not letting him go to the skiing.
"I suggest you get an attitude change now." Kevin said while Hikari and Anna watched an argument unfold.
"Yeah well, just don't bother asking me anything," Taichi replied angry.
"Yeah and I bet you don't want to go to Sora's party," his dad said.
"What! You're not going to let me go to my best friend's party!" Taichi shouted.
"You're under house arrest Taichi you are not going anywhere tomorrow night," Kevin said strongly.
Taichi looked at him in disbelief, "WHAT THAT IS NOT FAIR!" Taichi yelled.
His father got up from the table excusing him self then went to the stairs when Taichi got up too with his mother following him concerned.
"YOU HAVE TO LET ME GO!" Taichi shouted at him as they were now in the foyer.
"Not with your attitude problem," Kevin said then continued up the stairs.
Taichi grabbed a medium sized glass statue that was sitting on the mantle. Then was about to throw it at his father when his mother stopped him grabbing the statue out of his hands, "Are you absolutely crazy!" his mother yelled at him quietly.
"Mom please talk to him, I have to go Sora is going to be upset if I don't!" Taichi said pleading his case to his mom.
His mother sighed, "I don't know what I can do. However, I will try to change his attitude toward you and going to the party. You do have to change your attitude that is what is wrong. You have been acting like this ever since that Christmas dance," Anna said truly concerned about her son's emotions.
Taichi frowned a little annoyed and then shook his head, "I promise to try harder at my attitude problem. But please help me out mom I want to go," he said begging.
"All right I'll see what I can do but I can't make you any promises that he will allow you to go," Anna said honestly.
Taichi nodded, "Okay I'm going bye mom."
She watched as he left the house shaking her head.
Sora's House…
"Sora there is someone at the door for you," Karen called to her from the door.
"I'll be right down," she hollered then finished fixing her hair and putting her uniform on then came down the stairs, "Hikari?" Sora questioned.
"Hi Sora, " Hikari said giving each other a hug.
"How's everything going?" Sora asked.
"Fine but I got a question for you," Hikari said.
"Okay what is it?" Sora wondered curious of what she had to ask her.
"It's about Taichi," she said looking at Sora to see if she could read anything from her.
"What about Taichi?" Sora asked wanting to know what this was all about.
"Well he's been acting kind of strange lately I was wondering if you knew why, " she said.
"Yeah I guess, you could say that. We got into a pointless fight the other day," Sora said hoping it helped her out.
"No I mean---never mind who did you go to the dance with?" Hikari asked.
"Yamato, he asked me so I went with him," Sora answered confused.
Hikari looked at her in surprise, oh my God and here I was thinking that Sora turned Taichi down and that's why he was all moody the day before the dance.
"Hikari are you okay?" Sora asked she seemed spaced out for a second.
"Nothing I was just thinking. Well thank you so much Sora I'll see you at school," she said.
"Hey Hikari! Let me drive you there since you are here," Sora said.
"Okay thanks Sora," Hikari said smiling at her then they both left the house.
At the School...
"Yamato, would you quit bothering me!" Taichi yelled.
"No man, your still drinking aren't you," Yamato said angrily.
Taichi walked away from him to his locker, "Don't forget I had the Crest of Friendship and I learned the hard way to understand it!" Yamato said standing behind him and watching him waiting for a response.
"Oh yeah, I forgot because of your stupid lame excuse 'I have to find myself ' I could have all most died! One hell of a friend you are Yamato!" Taichi shot back bitterly. Yamato was taken back at the comment, "If I'd never meet you, I would have never been in that position," He said.
"Why are you rehashing the past!" Yamato said shouting as well.
"I'm tying to get my point across. YOU WERE A LOUSY FRIEND AND I DON'T NEED YOUR LOUSY ADVICE!" Taichi growled at him then stromed out of there angrily. Shortly after a teacher came from a classroom they were both just outside of, "What is all the commotion out here Mr. Ishida," he asked.
"Nothing sir just a minor disagreement," Yamato said.
"Very well don't do it again argue outside of the school," The teacher said then reentered the class room.
"Right" Yamato said he leaned against his own locker when the bell rang students exited out of their classrooms.
Takeru saw his brother and went over to him, "Are you okay Yamato?"
Yamato looked at him, "Yeah fine," he said sounding like he was somewhere else far away.
"Are you sure I heard you guys, you never fought like that's since well you know..." Takeru said.
"Well at least it wasn't a physical fight, it was more a battle of words," Yamato said.
"Takeru, Yamato!" Hikari said calling them.
They both looked to see Hikari coming up to them with Sora trailing behind, "Hey what's wrong with you? You look down," Sora said coming up to Yamato.
"It's nothing really," Yamato said then looking up at Sora who had a concerned look on her face.
"Excuses us you two," Sora said to Takeru and Hikari who both nodded and Sora took Yamato by the arm and brought him a little further away from the them, "What happened?" she asked.
"Nothing Sora, really it wasn't anything," Yamato said.
"It's Taichi isn't it? Did you get into another fight?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said.
"I'm sure it will fade then you'll be friends again like any other fight you both get into," Sora said trying to comfort him.
Yamato shook his head, "No he was being a total jerk not listening to me at all then he brought up the fact that he all most died in digital world and that it was my fault. All I was trying to do was help him with this drinking problem he's having."
"Drinking? Are you serious?" she asked.
"Yes, I told you that he was putting alcohol in his coffee remember," Yamato said.
"Yeah," Sora said thinking back to when he had told her but she didn't really care because she had been angry with Taichi, "Come on I'm sure he didn't really mean it and he knows your trying to help. Let's go to my locker so I can get my stuff."
Yamato nodded and the two went to her locker.
Somewhere else in the school...
"Ha, I don't need any help at all. I'm totally under control," Taichi said to himself.
"Taichi I know what your problem is," Hikari said.
Taichi turned to face her, "You know what my problem is? Okay what is it?" he said waiting for her to speak up.
"You're upset because you are in love with Sora and you can't have her because she is going out with Yamato," Hikari said smartly watching his expression change from smug to shock.
Taichi frowned, "In love with Sora? No way I'm not in love with her," he said angry with his sister.
Hikari smiled, "Really, you are just saying that to make yourself believe otherwise but I know Taichi that you can't lie to yourself much longer," Hikari said and with that, she walked a way from him to her next class.
Yagami house...
"Honey, maybe we are being a bit to harsh on him," Anna said to Kevin.
"No, we are not being that harsh on him he deserves it for giving us that kind of attitude, maybe if he learns how to act like an adult then he could go," Kevin said matter of fact.
"How about I chaperone the party then he can go," she suggested.
"That won't be necessary I trust him enough to go alone. If only he could change his attitude then I'll let him go," he said.
Anna gave her husband a hug, "I know you are upset with him but this is Sora's soccer party and she is expecting him to be there."
Kevin sighed pulling away from his wife, "I know they are close, but I have my reservations about tomorrow night."
"He is our son we should be able to trust him," Anna said.
"The trust point is not what I have with him its his inability to think rationally before doing something that is what worries me," Kevin said.
School hallways...
Mimi and Taichi were making out in the hallway then they stopped, "Taichi, we should take our relationship to the next step."
Taichi looked at her surprised a bit, "The next step? As in..." he said knowingly.
"Yeah how about we go soak in the hot tub tonight?" Mimi said.
"I can't I have to do something tonight," Taichi said quickly.
Mimi looked at him disappointed a bit, "Can't it wait?" she asked.
He shook his head, "School work you know I got to study and all, can I reschedule?" he asked.
"Sure," Mimi said then looked at the time, "It's almost time for class I'll see you later," she went up to him and gave him a kiss.
Taichi watched her leave then sighed, this is not working, he thought. Even if he wanted, too he wouldn't have been allowed since he is under house arrest.
Evening…
At The express Taichi and Mimi are sitting at a table with Jeff and Deanna, "Okay, the party is planned and ready to roll tomorrow night," Jeff said.
"That's good, Mimi and I will come a little late but will be there," Taichi said putting his arm around her.
"Any ways I'll see you later because I got to get home bye guys," Taichi said getting up and paid for their drinks then left.
"Why is he going so early," Jeff questioned Mimi.
"He said that he had to do homework," Mimi said.
Yagami's...
Taichi arrived home took off his shoes and jacket off and when he looked up saw his mother and father he sighed, "Okay I suppose that you are going to tell me that I can't go and I'm grounded for life, right?" he said.
"No, actually I'm allowing you to go to Sora's party I know she would want you there. I was being hard on you before but I think we know enough to trust you to go to your best friend's party," Kevin said.
Taichi was surprised he didn't
know what to say, "Thank you so much Mom, dad," he said then
ran up the stairs to his room.
To Be Continued...