Chapter 7 – Miscommunication
Disclaimer -- As much as I like Digimon, I don't have the willpower or the $$ to buy rights to it.
A/N: sorry it's been so long since my last update. I've actually had this chapter written for quite a while but haven't posted it... I don't really know if I'm going to continue this story. I'm not really into it anymore. sorry guys :(
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Sora --
We remained there in the darkness for quite some time. After the moon had risen and the sky had faded almost completely, Matt said, "I guess we'd better go back inside."
He led me back to the excitement of the gym, where everyone was glowing with music and laughter. As we settled at the table again, I glanced at Mimi and Izzy, who were still dancing the night away. Izzy looked happier than I'd seen him in a long time… as if his dreams had finally come true. Perhaps all of our dreams had come true in this one night.
Tai was approaching the table, but alone. His mystery girl seemed to have disappeared.
"Hey guys, where've you been?" he asked.
"Outside," I responded.
"You are positively glowing, Tai," said Matt, grinning. "Who was that girl you were dancing with earlier?"
"Oh, you know - the girl of my dreams!" Tai laughed. "Funny, smart, beautiful…"
"How come I've never seen her before?" I wondered.
"Yeah, what's her name?"
"Uh…" Tai's face suddenly adopted a semi-shocked, semi-puzzled expression.
Matt laughed. "You didn't find out her name, Tai?"
Tai gave a sheepish chuckle, his eyes still wide and surprised, and immediately tried to change the subject. "Oh, look, there's Mimi and Izzy!"
"Hey guys!" said Mimi. "What did I miss?"
"Tai's found himself a Cinderella," I answered. "Haha…"
I trailed off as I witnessed what was going on in Tai and Izzy's faces. Izzy furrowed his brow for a moment, thinking, then outstretched his hand towards Tai. It seemed so very much like Izzy – a reserved and subtle way to apologize… yet so frank and easy to comprehend. Tai cocked one eyebrow and hesitated a moment. A couple of years ago he'd gone through this same situation… having to be mature and just step aside. I don't know if I could have done that, but Tai was much too noble to be selfish and become angry with Izzy for taking Mimi away from him. Besides, there was still Cinderella.
Tai shook Izzy's hand and slapped him on the back. (A/N: you know… that thing that guys do. Can't really describe it ).
"Alright, now that we're all civil again," said Matt, "I think I'll disappear for a second and come back with a little something for you, Sora."
I was puzzled by this, but before I could open my mouth to speak, Matt had flashed me a grin and disappeared
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Matt –
I left Sora and the rest of the group finally to seek out a freshman selling flowers. There were less than 20 minutes of the dance left, and unless I hurried all the flowers would be sold out. Near a punch table, I saw the freshman that had asked Sora out to the dance that one Monday. He was peddling a small bouquet of flowers, but it seemed that nobody wanted to buy any.
"Hey, kid," I said. "Can I have some?"
"Oh, it's you, Ishida," he said in a rude tone. I wasn't very used to people being rude to me, the celebrity that I was. I guess he was still mad that Sora came to the dance with me instead of him.
"Uh, yeah," I answered, wanting to get this over with. Who cared if some kid was mad at me? I just wanted to get back to Sora quickly. "So? Will you sell me some flowers?"
"Alright. 50 cents for three."
I reached into my pocket… but I couldn't seem to find my wallet. The only things there were my driver's license and a paperclip.
"Oh shoot. I don't have any money. Can I have one for free?" I chanced. "I'll do anything."
"Anything?" the freshman's face portrayed a sly smile.
"Well not anything," I replied, a little fazed. From his expression, "anything" probably wasn't very pleasant.
"Okay, well I just need a small favor. I'll give you the whole bouquet if you do it. I've been trying to get rid of it for a while."
"Thanks, man!" I said. "Wait…what do you need me to do?"
"Okay, see that girl over there? That's Cecilia. She said she'd go out with me when I could get Matt Ishida to dance with her," he said. "I don't think she was being serious, but do you think you could…?"
I looked in the direction he pointed. There was a slim blonde laughing with some friends.
I sighed skeptically. "Fine, uh… Mike."
I went over to where Cecilia was. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Care to dance?"
"Aaaagh! Yes, I do!" she shrieked delightedly. "I do, Matt!"
Stifling a laugh, I led her to the dance floor as she giggled and squealed some more. That Mike kid owed me. Big time.
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Sora –
A while after Matt had left, the freshman – Mike --that had asked me to the dance approached the table where I was sitting.
"May I have this dance? Just this once? I have something to tell you."
I agreed, though hesitantly.
"So, what'd you want to tell me?" I asked.
He drew a sharp intake of breath. "There's no easy way to say this… but Matt doesn't really like you."
"What?"
"It was all a bet. He was paid to take you to the dance… that kiss you had tonight got him a wad of cash."
We stopped dancing. I looked at him at disbelief. "Matt wouldn't… he didn't…"
"I'm sorry, Sora, but it's true. The person he really likes is that girl, Cecilia. See? He's dancing with her right now," he said.
I looked over where Matt was. It was true! He was dancing with a tall, skinny, blonde girl and looked genuinely amused. How could this be? All the things he had said… and he was supposed to be one of my best friends!
"I don't believe you," I said to Mike.
"Ask him yourself," he replied. He handed me some flowers. "Here. For you."
Numbly, I took the flowers. This was ridiculous. Matt wouldn't do such a thing… would he?
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Matt –
I had just finished dancing with that girl when I saw Mike giving Sora the flowers. "I see Mike delivered the flowers himself," I laughed as I neared Sora.
"He told me everything," she said, with an odd tone in her voice. "About the deal and Cecilia and everything."
"Really? I'm glad. Saves me some talking," he said. "I must say… as horrible as it was for me – it was worth it." Of course. Just to see a smile on her face was worth being squealed at by Cecilia for a whole day. But… why wasn't she smiling now? Instead, her face blanched for a second, then it reddened in fury.
"What!" she screamed. I could feel faces turning from all over the room to look our way. "You mean… it's true! I – I – Matt Ishida, I cannot believe you!"
She stormed off through the gym doors. All the chatter in the room suddenly fell silent. In a moment, whispers of gossip sprung up from all the corners of the gym.
Mimi rushed over amidst the hushed whispers. "What did you do, Matt?" Not waiting for an answer, she rushed off out the doors after Sora.
I stood there -- absolutely bewildered, unaware of the eyes of all the people in the gym on me -- still staring at the spot where Sora had been standing only moments before.
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TO BE CONTINUED... i think.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A/N: hmm... after editing the chapter and rereading it i actually think i might continue to write this story. maybe :)