Kari

I ditched school. Instead, I hung out in the digital world with Gatomon all day. We stayed in a forest area. It was kind of weird being here just the two of us. Especially for safety reasons, none of the digidestined traveled here without another pair, but today had been peaceful. I almost would've welcomed the arrival of some crazy Digimon on the warpath just to take my mind off my situation with TK.

I had brought a sack of picnic food before we left, and after we finished it, Gatomon and I sat under a shade tree. For the most part we were silent. There was nothing I could say that she didn't already know, and nothing she could say could help the aching in my chest. But, at least I still had her. I could lose everyone else but never her. That thought comforted me a little bit.

The silence ended when I heard footsteps approaching us. I looked up, unsure of who I would find, but I sighed with relief when I saw Ken, Yolei, Hawkmon, and Wormmon emerge from behind some trees. Ken and Yolei were holding hands. It never really bothered me before, but now I had to look away.

Ken's eyes widened. "Oh, Kari, we weren't expecting to see you here."

I forced a smile and stood up. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone here, either."

"How is everything?" Yolei asked, releasing Ken's hand as she approached me.

I crossed my arms, not sure if I should tell the truth or not. But then, Yolei placed her hands on my shoulders. "Okay, what's wrong?"

I smiled weakly and pushed her hands away. "It's nothing."

I shouldn't have wasted my time lying to her. She always saw through me. But, before she could say anything else, Ken interrupted.

"I came yesterday and thought I saw someone, but I couldn't get a good look at him. A Digimon I hadn't seen before was with him, though, and I got a good glimpse of it."

"What did the Digimon look like?"

"It looked like . . . Patamon, except it was purple, not orange. I asked Izzy about it, and he said he'd never seen it, either."

I frowned. "So now Digimon come in different colors?"

Ken smiled lightly. "Looks that way."

I looked down at Gatomon who seemed worried. I frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know what's going on, but if whoever it is is a digidestined with a Tsukaimon for a partner, we might be in trouble."

"What do you mean?"

"Tsukaimon aren't usually the friendliest Digimon," she explained. "We need to be on the look-out for them. It could be nothing, but we don't want it to turn into something."

Ken nodded. "Right."

"Kari, did you and Gatomon come here alone?" Yolei asked.

I nodded. "Why?"

"You didn't even go to school today, did you?"

I shook my head.

She grabbed my wrist. "We'll be back, Ken. Just wait here."

Gatomon and Hawkmon stayed with Ken, much to my dismay. Now there would be no one to save me from Yolei's interrogation. We walked for a few minutes, and then Yolei released me. "Okay, talk to me."

"It's nothing, Yolei."

"You never ditch school. It is something."

I bit my lip. I really didn't have a choice. "It's just . . . I think I'm losing TK."

Yolei stopped walking and gave me a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"He's hardly been talking to me, and when he does it's only to blow me off." Tears pulled in the corners of my eyes. "He came to my apartment this morning. He said he doesn't want to hurt me, but he needs time away from me. Something is wrong with him but he won't let me help him."

Her expression softened. "Kari . . . You know he cares about you."

"I used to think so, too, but now I'm not so sure." I looked away. "I love him, Yolei. I just wish he loved me, too."

"He'll come around. He has to," she said. "Boys can be dumb, but I see the way he looks at you . . . He doesn't look at anyone else that way."

"I don't know what to think anymore." I sighed. "I just wish this was easier."

"You guys have been through worse. You'll get through this, too." She smiled, her expression full of confidence. "And if things get too bad, I'll tie him upside down to a tree until he stops being dumb."

I forced a smile. "Thanks, Yolei."

"Anytime." She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a hug. "I'm always here for you."

We returned to the others, but I decided to head home. I came to the Digital World to be alone, and I wasn't much in the mood to be their third wheel. Gatomon and I had been there long enough for today anyway, and it was soon time for my family to start coming home.

When we got home, no one was there yet, so I wouldn't get asked a million questions. As I walked around, something felt off, like a presence was lurking that I couldn't see. I didn't know how to describe the feeling, other than it didn't give off good vibes.

"Someone was here," Gatomon said, as if reading my thoughts.

"I know." But, who?

Gatomon

Kari had another bad night. She was sweating in her sleep, clutching the blankets, and breathing hard. She muttered things like "no" and "don't" several times. I was afraid to know just what she was dreaming about.

Around 1 AM, a soft tapping came from her window. I looked up, surprised to find Patamon. I lifted the window and jumped onto the balcony. It wasn't cold out, so I figured Kari wouldn't really notice a temperature change.

I followed him, far enough that Kari shouldn't have been able to hear us. Then, Patamon started talking.

"So, what were you and Kari doing all day?"

"We went to the Digital World. Why?"

"Were you back when TK came by?"

Wait, what? "Why was he here?"

Now Patamon really seemed worried. "TK was upset when Kari wasn't in school. He wanted to check on her. That new guy, Malik, was here when he came by. He told TK that Kari didn't want to see him, they got into an argument, and Malik slammed the door in his face."

"I swear, Patamon, we weren't home yet," I said. "What was Malik doing here?"

"Supposedly dropping off Kari's missed homework," he said. "I have a bad feeling about him, and not just because TK doesn't like him."

"There's something going on, that's for sure. And I don't know how much Kari would appreciate Malik being here uninvited, especially when no one was home."

"Right," he said. "I'll tell TK you guys weren't home. He was really worried."

If he cared about her so much, why was he pushing her away?

I didn't voice my thoughts to Patamon. It was our job to protect Kari and TK, not interfere with their personal lives. Besides, unlike TK and Kari, our friendship wasn't complicated by teenage hormones, and I'd like to keep it that way.

"I think TK loves her," he continued, snapping me from my thoughts. "But I think he's also afraid to love her."

"Kari loves him, but she's not afraid of it." I stared at the ground. "She's only afraid that he doesn't love her back, and he's only making that fear worse."

"These two are going to need a lot of work," Patamon said. "Anyway, I better get back before TK wakes up. I'll see you tomorrow."

He flew away, and I hopped back inside Kari's room and closed the window. She was mumbling something, and she was shivering. I pulled the blankets over her more and touched her forehead. She was warm, and her cheeks were flushed. Was she coming down with something?

I hopped off her bed and flicked on her dim light. Something seemed off about her. Her skin was pale. It could've been from being sick, but my gut told me something else was wrong.

I watched Kari for the rest of the night, but nothing changed until she woke up after her alarm sounded. She sat up, and her face returned to its normal coloring. She stood up as if nothing had happened over night.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Fine. Why?" She walked over to her closet and grabbed her uniform.

"I thought you were getting sick. You shivered a lot and your face was pale."

She looked at me, clearly confused. "I didn't notice anything."

"Did you have another dream?"

She shook her head. "Not that I can remember. Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because you had me worried all night," I said. "Did you know Malik was here yesterday?"

She started putting her uniform on. "So?"

"He was here, in the apartment, when no one else was," I clarified. "Patamon said TK had come by and Malik told him he was dropping off your missed homework, and then he slammed the door in TK's face."

She shot me a glare. It sent a chill up my spine, not because it was threatening but because it was a look I'd rarely seen on Kari, and she'd never sent it in my direction.

"Please, never say his name to me again." Her voice shook as she fumbled with her shirt.

Now I was really alarmed. "Kari, I know your friendship is in a rough place, but I know you don't really mean that."

"He's a jerk. I don't want to hear his name ever again."

She went to open the door, but I blocked her path. "Where is this coming from? Kari, TK has been by your side since the first time you went to the digital world. He helped me save you from the dark ocean. He was always trying to protect you. Don't you remember?"

Her bottom lip quivered, and when she spoke, her voice didn't carry as much confidence."Move, Gatomon."

"Not until you snap out of whatever this is."

"I'm not snapping out of anything. This is reality. TK and I aren't friends anymore. Accept it. I have."

I stepped away, too stunned to argue. Something was definitely wrong with her.

Kari

I didn't talk to Gatomon on the way to school. Not that I had anything to say to her. I myself was still trying to swallow 'the truth'.

I didn't necessarily lie to Gatomon about not having dreams last night, but this wasn't exactly a dream. It was just TK's voice laughing at me as he told me we were never friends and that he didn't care about me and never wanted to see me again, among other things that I did my best to push to the back of my mind.

At school, Gatomon went up her usual tree. I turned around and met the baby blue eyes that used to fill me with happiness, but now all they filled me with was despair and lonliness. I couldn't remember a time I had ever looked at him and not felt joy.

He approached me, looking nervous. Couldn't he tell that I didn't want to talk to him?

"Kari, can I talk to you?"

Before I could say no, another voice interrupted.

"How many times do I have to tell you she doesn't want to talk to you?" Malik stood beside me and threw his arm across my shoulders protectively. TK's eyes widened at the sight. I didn't say anything as Malik led me inside.

"You just stick with me. He won't hurt you again."

I nodded. "What do you know? I have my own personal bodyguard."

TK

I tried multiple times during the day to talk to Kari, but Malik was always there, hovering over her and watching me. My only real chance was in last period. I tapped her on the shoulder and she whirled around.

"What do you want?"

I tried to stay calm as she turned her hard gaze on me. The warmth was gone. "I want to talk to you now that your friend's not here."

"There's nothing to talk about," she said. "I'm done being some pathetic girl you manipulated into being your doormat."

Manipulated? Doormat? "What are you talking about? Kari, I would do anything for you."

"Then, I want you to never speak to me again."

I looked down. "Is the damage I did so bad you want me out of your life for good? I hoped our friendship was stronger than this."

Davis turned to us now. "As much as I hate to admit it, Kari, he's got a point. Why should one mistake lead to throwing away a friendship like yours? I've messed up a thousand times but we're still friends."

"I can't be friends with someone who plays with my head," she said.

"Kari, what are you talking about? I've never done that." I wouldn't do that to anyone. She knew I wouldn't.

She turned around just as our teacher started talking. I groaned. What was going on?

I tried again after class. It was the last chance I would have for the day. As she stood up, I touched her shoulder. She shrugged my hand away.

"Kari, I messed things up and I'm sorry. Can you please forgive me?"

She shook her head. "It's too late. Now leave me alone."

"I can't, Kari," I said. "We're digidestined. That will always bring us back together."

We were the only ones left in the room now. She looked me up and down, but what seemed odd was the fear in her eyes.

"Remember when I went to the dark ocean looking for you after you disappeared? You always told me how afraid you were of it happening again, and I would always tell you that I would always find you if it did. It's because I care about you, and I'd never let anything bad happen to you."

She turned back around, looking angrier than I'd ever seen her. "If you cared about me, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

I searched her eyes, but there was no sign of her usual gentle self. "Kari, what's gotten into you? What has Malik been telling you?"

"He has nothing to do with this," she said. "He's been good to me. He actually cares about me."

"Kari, he's bad news," I warned. "You've only known him a few days. You've known me for seven years. Do you really trust him more than you trust me?"

She was silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was broken and barely above a whisper."I don't trust you anymore."

I felt as though she had just slapped me. She walked away, but I was too dumbfounded to stop her. She didn't mean that, did she?

Once I regained my bearings, I stepped into the hall, just in time to see Kari wrap her arms around Malik.

"This is getting bad, huh?"

I turned to Davis. "What do you know about this?"

"Kari's been ignoring anyone who's tried to talk to her all day," he said. "Except for yelling at you, and of course this Malik guy."

I frowned, watching them walk away. This guy didn't just have a thing for Kari. He was doing something to her, and I wouldn't rest until I figured out what.

Thanks for reading!