WELL, EXAMS ARE OVER. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Anyways, everyone just keeps getting more and more OOC, so I hope you manage to suffer through this sad little chapter.
If neither of them end up killing me, I swear, I'll finally get to polishing the finish on my guitar.
Remembering the tennis team often had games and practice on varying days, Matt set off for the courts. It wasn't a bad day to play, with the sun twisting its claws into his hair and the gusts of wind skipping through the school yard.
There.
Matt's eyes hooked onto the court, onto the flash of the unique shade of orange her hair was. Onto Sora. Standing before the court's serve line in the standard school uniform's green top and skirt, she glared across to a blue-shirted tall sneering brunette with an eyebrow contemptuously cocked, as if having already predicted her opponent would lose.
Smirking came naturally to Matt. I can't wait to see Sora knock her off her feet. Even though the bleachers were nearly empty, he chose a seat in the first row on the side closest to Sora and sat back for the show.
And was all but disappointed- Sora utterly swept her opponent. Each of her shots were a little swifter than her opponent's, executed with more aggression, strength, precision. And with every successful hit, she seemed to unwind a little more. By the second set, she was clearly at ease in her serves and her gracefulness showed in each return, but the spirt burning in her amber eyes never diminished.
Matt found himself proudly grinning in her stead.
When the game concluded, (Sora's win by a fair amount), Matt jumped to his feet, stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way down.
Leaning over the team's bench to tuck her racquet into her bag, Sora kept modestly dipping her head as she accepted compliments from her teammates beginning to crowd in on her, crowing,
"Great job, Sora!"
"There's our girl, queen of the court!"
"We're definitely going to be regional champions this year!"
Not completely understanding their amusing enthusiasm, Matt let out a light cough, raising his fist over mouth. "Yeah. Great game, Sor."
Sora zipped her bag shut. "Oh thanks, Matt- Matt!" Once she actually registered his name, her head snapped up and she stammered, "What-what are you here? Why are you doing?"
He grinned but decided to let her off. "Hey, can't a guy cheer a friend on?" He cast a look over the other side of the court where a team wore matching sky-blue uniforms and scowls. "Didn't see the rest of the matches, but your game was pretty amazing. You were so intense."
He took careful not of her ears coloring. She turned away, leaning back over the bench to fiddle with her bag's straps, and mumbled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing... you just looked like you really had your head in the game." He cocked his head to the side.
When she didn't immediately reply, still pointlessly fidgeting over her perfectly fine bag, he frowned. Okay... Where's your head now? He could find out of course, through a simply method, one who had yet to fail him. Matt cleared his throat, and rolled, "Which of course, was a huge surprise, y'know, because you've always been such an airhea-."
Sora whipped around. "What did you say?"
Just like that, Matt had his goal, the real Sora, this fiery tigress spitting at him. But he'd nearly forgotten how scary she could be; the only reason he didn't back down was the interested gazes of their spectators weighing on his back.
He forced his fingers to uncurl from their instinct driven closed position before he tipped his chin back, pretentiously drawing out his advantage in height- he knew this further infuriating gesture would really push her towards speaking her mind. He drawled, "I said, you're an-"
Her eyes flashed. She suddenly grabbed his collar with both hands and tugged, forcing him to dip his head. She hissed, "Yamato Ishida, take it back."
He grinned gleefully. "Make me." Pushing down the growing instinct screaming run! Matt stood his ground and let his gaze drop from her brows knit to her darkening eyes, and then to her lips tightly pressing together. He nearly missed the high-pitched voice shouting, "Kiss him, Sora!"
And then this collective burst of giggles and shrieks of, "Jasmine, you can't just say that!"
And the way Sora suddenly jerked away, eyes wide, mouth open...cheeks tinted red.
But then the wires in his brain reconnected, and he blinked, completely caught off guard. "Uh-"
More giggles.
"I-I-" Trying to ignore them and holding a conversation at the same time was downright impossible, Matt decided. Even his fans weren't this fricken... weird? Unhelpful? Good at making situations awkward?
"Sor, I, uh- wanted to tell you something-"
She let out an audible squeak. "That's okay, it can wait!" She spun on her heel and began striding away, taking steps fast and furious.
Matt blinked again, feeling exactly about idiotic as he presumably appeared to the onlookers. He turned to them with a frown mixing annoyance and confusion. They immediately collapsed in yells,
"Go get her you idiot!"
"You better treat our girl well or we'll have something to say!"
"What are you waiting for? Move your ass!"
He petulantly frowned, but they clearly outnumbered him in ranks and exasperation. So he snatched up Sora's forgotten bag, slung it over his shoulder, tossed them one last annoyed look over his shoulder (which they were all more than happy to return) and started after her.
She was sure everyone she walked by could just take one look at her and guess the reason of her chagrin. Okay, perhaps she was overreacting a little, but if she was, she had reason to! Her friends had just completely embarrassed her in front of Matt- one of her friends.
Thank god school's over.
And with that relief bringing thought, Matt in all his unwanted glory appeared in her peripheral vision, right before he slid in front of her.
Sora stopped walking. What was with him? Searching for her after school, chasing her when she tried to ditch him, saying he had something to tell her- oh god. Oh god. A wiggly, uncomfortable pit of nervousness dropped into her stomach. Could Mimi have actually been right? Could Matt... have feelings for her? Was he going to confess, right now?
She wasn't quite sure why she felt so bothered by the possibility; she'd been confessed to before and she'd always gently turned them down- so why was her mouth dry now? Why did she have the instinct directing her to flee?
But before she could open her mouth, throw out some stupid excuse and duck away, Matt put his hands up, fixing her with an imploring, blue gaze. "Sor, I just need a minute." When she didn't object, he inhaled slowly. "So... Uh, back at the court, I was just trying to get you to tell me what was wrong. I was totally kidding about you being-"
"I know that, stupid." She snapped, but she couldn't find herself giving any real bite in the bark.
Maybe he could tell, because his gaze softened before he continued. "Anyways, I just wanted to tell you I'm the messenger. My boy Tai wants to talk to you-"
Sora's eyes widened. "Oh my god,I completely forgot about helping him practice!"Just like she'd nearly forgotten she even had a game today. Was he still waiting for her? "Shit, I'm late! I have to go find him! See you later!"
"I'm coming y'know! I wouldn't miss this for the world." She had no idea what he was talking about, so she opened her mouth, only to be cut off by a airy, "So you know where we're going? Lead the way."
She stopped, for what felt like the umpteenth time of the day. Pivoted around to glare into the signature smug face of Yamato Asshole Ishida. Bared her teeth, said, "Tell me, or so help me, I'll rip out all your pretty blond hair and-"
"So," Matt hurriedly inputted, "Tai's waiting for you at Highton View, and I know it's a bit of a walk there-"
"Our old elemantary school?" asked Sora, puzzled. "I thought he just wanted to practice soccer? Why go all the way there?"
"Who knows?" Matt diverted his gaze to the ground. "Now c'mon."
She had no choice but to follow.
His watch read 4:50.
Tai felt a little awkward, kicking an old soccer ball alone in the back field of an elementary school. But Matt had yet to pick up or respond to the dozen of texts Tai had, asking if he could leave. After all, he had homework in need of aggressive procrastination. And his pre-planned rendezvous with the nice piece of chocolate cake in his fridge.
He tried to brush off his impatience with a shake of his head. He said he'd pick up Sora along the way and explain, whatever the hell that means... But why does he have to be so slow? He stuffed his hands into his pockets and settled for mindless trotting, tapping the ball almost languidly.
"Yo! Jockhead!"
Tai didn't even glance up. He pulled his right leg back, sarcastically saluted, "Music dork!" His kick sent the ball curving nicely, the way he'd been perfecting his shooting all through the school year.
Matt raised his leg reflexively, but he'd misgauged; the ball grazed his shoe's sole before dully hitting ground and dejectedly rolling away.
"Rusty a bit?" Tai grinned. It melted away when Sora walked into his vision. And suddenly, there was this odd, little anxious flutter in his chest, that brought up, 'Shit! Sora's here!" But then there was an instant follow up of a warmer, accepting emotion of ...Sora's here.
How was this possible? This- hernew ability to make make him feel self-conscious over his actions, turn all of his confidence upside down... And yet he was enjoying it. He wanted his mouth dry, his heart thumping faster, he wanted this tinge of uncertainty she was able to inject of, oh god, I'm making a huge fool of myself aren't I- screw it all.
God, Matt really had been right. He really was in deep.
He watched Sora looped past Matt and picked up a dribble. It wasn't as at ease as it used to be, if his memory served correctly, but the fixed glint of determination was impossible to doubt, the one and the same.
"Like you can talk, Mr. Soccer Star. I think your shot was a little off." Sora retorted.
Huh. I guess so is the sass.
She flashed him a small wink. "You should've just aimed at Matt's stupid face."
A laugh danced out of him. "I'd like to see how his fans would react when the found out his 'good looks' aren't so good anymore."
"Ex-friggen-cuse me?" Matt scoffed. "This," He gestured to himself. "piece of perfection can't be destroyed-"
"Perfection, my ass." Sora clipped the ball swiftly, launching it in a clear beheading attempt. "And why are you here again?"
Matt ducked and the ball sailed right past his head. "That," Matt straightened. His smile had lightened. "is unimportant. What is important though, is Tai has something to tell you."
"I do?" Tai asked dubiously.
"Yeah you do," Matt grinned wider.
"Isn't that why you sent Matt to get me?" Sora arched a brow in curiosity. "Because I was late?" She hurriedly added, "Oh, and sorry I was late- I had a game that I completely forgot about."
"I didn't send Matt to get you," Tai frowned. "I was going to text you to ask if we were still on for today, but Matt asked me to come to Highton View and- oh god, you son of a bitch." He growled.
You can't be serious.
Matt shrugged but there was nothing apologetic there. "Remember what we talked about? There's no running away now, Tai. Courage is just taking one step at a time. Are you gonna take the step?" His expression read, or am I going to have to push you?
Tai didn't know. Didn't like either option.
After all, this was Sora. He took a good, careful look at her, took in her fondly amused, if somewhat confused expression. She didn't look like she was in love with him. She just looked like Sora, one of his friends, someone he knew would support him through thick and thin, someone who would have his back any time he asked, even if they both knew he was wrong. (Unless of course, this was an argument between them- in which, she would most definitely win because of her stubbornness)
She was his best friend, someone he'd had for most of his life. They were close, yes, but it had always been strictly platonic. If she needed him, he'd be there in an instant, she didn't need to even say the word. And Tai knew she would unquestionably do the same for him. There were days when he was sure she knew him better than he knew himself. There were times when he felt he could read her mind, know exactly what she was thinking, what she was feeling-
They were already like extensive parts of each other. Being together would just mean he'd care more about her than he already did, if that was possible.
But if he screwed things up right now, everything that was their friendship would crumble and go down the drain.
Is our friendship worth the risk? He chanced a glance at Matt. Would you really tell her if I didn't?
Matt's cool gaze said yes.
Sora let out a gentle cough. "So what are the two of you children fighting about? Do I get to know about it?"
Matt set his jaw, and slowly, in a controlled voice, said, "Tai, the next bus gets here in half-an-hour." He turned around with an air of finality, and began walking away.
"Matt? Matt?! Where are you going?" Sora called after him, looking bewildered. She turned her gaze to Tai. "Tai, I was joking... were you guys really fighting?"
"Nah, that's not it." Tai inhaled, long and slow. He needed it. Really needed it for what he was going to say. "Let's walk. I'll explain." He picked a direction that strayed away from wherever Matt was going. After catching up, Sora fell in step with him.
"It's been a while since I visited here." She spread her hands. Deadpanned, "Wow. I'm old."
"I think we both are." Tai laughed. "Remember everything we did here?" He'd never been too sentimental but the uncut grass rippling against his ankles reminded him, "Remember when we played capture the flag with Matt for the first time?"
"And he pretended he had no idea how to play?" Sora's eyes twinkled. "Yeah."
"And we were too impatient to teach him-"
"So we started the game anyways,"
"And then he proceeded to kick our asses."
"The good old days, huh?" Raising her arms, Sora stretched comfortably. "Remember the first time we all went to summer camp?"
They trudged through the field, trading light chat. Tai knew with certainty Sora wasn't pressing him on his behalf. But she didn't seem all too frustrated of his lack of explaining, not if the soft smile on her face meant anything, anyways.
They'd completely circled the field twice before Tai could accept to himself stalling wasn't an option anymore.
Matt would definitely go through with his threat, considering how serious he'd been in coercing both of them here. And even if Sora was tiptoeing around him right now, it didn't mean she was going to let him go without telling her. And there were the goddammn memories of everything they'd been through, everything they'd done together were rising, swirling through his head like a wind gust reviving fallen leaves.
It meant something, that they were still friends after all these years, didn't it? That their friendship had yet to take a strain it couldn't handle?
Tai sighed. Summoned what little courage he had, and said, "Sora,"
She met his gaze, half-expectant, half-comfortably content from the reminiscing.
"I'm in love with you."
Like the damn holding down his feelings had broken, everything spilled out, "Have been for a while. I mean, I was looking for someone who'd like me as much as I liked them, but then I realized I didn't want anyone other than the person who'd shared everything with me. You. "
She didn't say anything but he knew she'd heard.
"We've spent a lot of time with each other, considering I basically grew up with you, and you've been with me for every important event I can ever remember, for days when I wanted to celebrate a win, or just felt like I'd lost it all. I know without you, I wouldn't be the same person I am today. I know that with you, waiting isn't a pain as much as it's fun, studying isn't the boring waste of time it's supposed to be, and no matter whatever we're doing, I keep wanting time to slow down, just so I can spend another second with you. I know you rely on my as much as I do to you.
I think our friendship's always had these elements of a relationship, we just never discussed it. But I've started thinking about it... and here we are." He shrugged helplessly. There wasn't anything else to say. If she'd already had her mind set on a decision, she wasn't going to change it. "So... Sora, will you be my girlfriend?"