Thirty One Days
Chapter 8: Something Real, Make it Timeless
Fact: When it's meant to happen, there's no stopping it.
-x-
July 9th, 2007
So maybe I'd been rash in my decision to cut Matt out of my life. This epiphany came to me late last night when I found myself dreaming about him. He was the Leonardo Dicaprio to my Kate Winslet in our epic romance. Okay, now Titanic is not the best analogy to define a relationship, I agree, especially since the leading guy dies. But it did remind me that maybe we have a little ways left to go.
That maybe I shouldn't have believed Zoe so quickly, after all, the girl has a pretty vicious vendetta against me (but puh-lease, like Ken is even worth all that) so it would be fitting that she'd sabotage any chance me and Matt had. But there's a part of me that doubts every intention he has towards me. And that scares the hell out of me. So where does that leave me, back at square one, with two boys and whole lot of mixed feelings.
"Hey, you okay?" Tai puts a hand on my shoulder.
I blink up at him, "Oh yeah. Just thinking." I slip my hand into his as we walk along the pier.
He hesitates, "You sure?" He asks, slightly skeptical.
I nod immediately. "Sure." I smile up at him. "It's really pretty here." I hastily change the subject.
I see the makings of a frown before he looks away. "Yeah, it is." He agrees, staring out at the setting sun. "How was shopping?"
I shrug a shoulder. "The same. I expected the sales to be a little better but I was disappointed." I answer. "But I found a really nice dress for Davis's birthday party." I don't feel like leaving here, but I promised my mom I'd be back by tonight.
He puts a finger to his lips. "Surprise party." He grins.
"Right. Right." I acknowledge. "Don't worry he doesn't have a clue." I assure him. Kari and I had spent the majority of this two day vacation verbally planning it. We want it to be awesome, especially Kari. She really wants him to have a good time.
I lay my head softly on his chest. "Will you be my date?" I ask quietly.
He grins into my hair. "Shouldn't I ask you that?" He jokes. "You're takin' some of my thunder here."
I laugh. "Fine, forget I asked." I propose.
"No, I can't. You asked and now I have to accept." He sighs.
"Or decline." I point out.
He shakes his head. "I'd be crazy if I did." He says softly. "Yeah, yeah." He scratches the back of his head. "I'll go with you."
I stop, reaching up to grab his forearm so I could stop him too. "As a date?" I ask into his eyes.
He gives a small chuckle. "As a date." He accepts.
I throw my arms around him. "We're gonna have so much fun." I say into his ear. And it won't be like the last party either, where I'll get drunk because he was making out with some girl and end the night with Matt. It's going to be special and proper and we're going to have a great time because I won't let anything ruin this. I have to prove to myself that Tai's the guy I should be spending my summer with. Not Matt.
As if on queue though, my phone began to vibrate against my pockets. I'm no psychic but I know whose calling. The same person that's been calling and texting all weekend (aside from my mother).
Matt Ishida.
-x-
"So tell me again, why I should be flattered that Zoe Ishida hates me?" I ask Kari as we pack up our room.
Kari throws me a patient look. "Well, firstly, Zoe hates everyone. She's just a hag bitch from hell like that." She says quickly. "But she specially hates you, M and that's because you challenge her alpha girl status." She explains.
I'm still not following this logic. "Huh?" I ask confusedly. "I don't get it, K. You're gonna have to dumb it down a little more." I advise her.
She sighs. "Mimi, you're super gorgeous and you're new." She begins. "Before you got here, every guy wanted to get with Zoe Ishida and that was great for her because it kept Ken coming back. Now all of sudden all these guys want you and Ken just interested anymore." The light bulb goes off in my head now.
"Hold up. Malibu Barbie is jealous of me? Seriously?" I ask, my jaw is just about hitting the floor.
Kari rolls her eyes. "As if it's so hard to believe. Come on, Meems, you're hot." She says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
Okay so I'll admit, I know I'm hot. But Zoe is seriously pretty, like I hate her and all, but credit where credit is due and the girl is supermodel material. Not that that's a surprise since the entire family is amazingly good looking.
"But it's just, Zoe is probably prettier than I am." I admit, not that I'd ever tell the hag bitch that. "So why is she worried?" I ask, I'm still not clear on the whole "jealous" thing.
Kari shoves a shirt into her duffel bag. "Because, M. Not only are you hot but you have a personality that people can actually stand." She throws me my pajama pants.
"Oh, well thanks." I say with a grin. "I dunno K. I just think she's spiteful and wants to mess with me." I disagree.
Kari raises a shoulder. "Whatever the case is, the girl has some serious issues." She says with a mirthless laugh.
"Definitely." Now that's one thing I can attest to. But still, I couldn't help but feel like there was more to Zoe Ishida then meets the eye. When I first got here, I thought she was a bitch because she's pretty. But the more I see her and the more I feel like I get to know her, it's like something deeper is the reason for the way she is. Like the confrontation with Ken, I mean it didn't look like a game to her. It looked like she really did have feelings for him and if only she could let him see that, maybe things would be different.
And maybe it's a little weird to think but I almost feel sorry for her.
I sigh. "Enough about her though." I say finally. "I need to talk to you about the other Ishida." I grin when she groans at the mention of him.
"What's there to talk about? Mimi, I already told you everything!" She persists.
"Maybe so. But I've had all night and all day to think about it." I ignore her protests. "And I've come to a decision." I tell her smugly.
"Oh you have, have you?" She asks with a roll of her eyes. "Then enlighten me, how should I handle my love life." She says sarcastically.
I laugh, "Okay so here's what I think. I think you like TK." I zipper my bag shut. "I also think you like Da—
"Don't." She cuts me off sharply. "Don't even go there." She's damn serious about this.
"Fine but me thinks the lady doth protest too much." It's the only line by Shakespeare I can bother to remember.
And I ain't missin' you at all
She sticks her tongue out at me. "And I think you're focusing on my guy problems to get away from yours." She says with a shrug.
Since you been gone…away
And yeah it's harsh but damn it she's not wrong. I've been avoiding thinking about Matt and Tai (especially thinking about them at the same time) all weekend. But it hasn't worked and I've tried to convince myself that I don't miss Matt but I do. I really do. In the short time me and him spent together, he did something to me. Something I don't understand and something I can't explain. But there's that one thing that I can't put my finger on, that I can't decide but it's there.
The way I am with Tai is completely different than with Matt. Tai brings out the light, fun side of me and I love him for that. But Matt? Well he has just a completely different effect on me. I become this stuttering, stupid, love-struck little girl and I hate it. But I can't complain. Because the more I try to stay away from him, wipe him from my memory and say goodbye, the less I want to. To the point where staying away from him for good almost makes me hyperventilate.
And God damn it, it's not right. It's not fair and it's infuriating.
And I ain't missin' you
Because no matter how much I want to let go of him, write him off as the past and move on. I can't.
I've been trying for days to convince myself that he isn't good for me. That he doesn't care about me. That he's absolutely the worst thing for me. Yet, I can't seem to believe a word of it. And now? Now, I'm just tired.
Tired of pretending, tired of acting and tired of believing that I don't miss him. Because, in reality, I do.
No matter what I might say
-x-
The ride back from Dallas is quiet and peaceful. It was dark and we were tired so while Tai drove, Kari and Davis slept and I just hummed along to songs on Kari's CD. The girl had pretty good taste in music, once you got past the screaming that is. Tai kept giving me secret glances when he thought I wasn't paying attention but I caught every single one. Probably coz I was looking at him too.
How lovesick is that?
But he just makes me feel so special. Even though he barely knows me, it's like he sees right through me and into the person I wanna be. It's a funny feeling but I like it. And more than that, I'm comfortable with him. Like I don't have to be anything or anyone other than Mimi. That's someone I haven't been a while and he brings it out in me. It's something I'm grateful for and it's the best thing about him.
"I can be me when I'm with you." I utter quietly, it's a line from a song.
I'm sure he doesn't get it, I doubt he listens to Taylor Swift, but he gives me a smile anyway. "That's nice." He murmurs, leaning over to press a kiss the side of my forehead.
"But I mean it, Tai." I say quietly. "You make me want to stay here and not leave." That's the first time I've ever said that out lout before. In fact, I didn't even know I felt this way until it came out. But I guess it isn't all that surprising, I've gotten real close to him and Kari these few days, it's only natural to feel some kind of attachment.
He chuckles. "Well, then I guess I'm doing something right, huh?" He asks with a smirk.
I lightly push his face back to the road. "Don't let it go to your head." I say with a roll of my eyes.
He laughs. "I've said this before but Mimi Tachikawa, you really are something." He says with a shake of his head.
"Well thank you." I nod curtly; I'm taking it as a compliment.
He looks ahead. "Did you have fun?" He questions.
"Yeah, it was great. Thank you." I smile up at him.
He nods. "I'm glad then." Tai says honestly. "You're different, Mimi. I like that about you." He goes on to say.
Why does everyone keep saying that to me? Am I like a freak or something? "Oh…" I trail off, for once at a loss for words.
"Not in a bad way at all." He corrects quickly. "It's just, when everyone is all the same for your whole life. It's nice when someone—
"Different?" I supply with a kinked eye brow.
He gives a soft chuckle. "Yes. Comes along." He finishes. "And in a lot of ways, it's nice to know you haven't really changed." He says.
"What do you mean?" I ask him confusedly.
He shrugs a shoulder. "You're still the girl you were the last time I saw you and that's…" He pauses. "It's hard to do, Mimi." He says after a minute.
He just isn't making any sense to me. "I don't get what you mean, Tai." I frown.
He glances at me. "Well, I mean, when we last met, right? You were this kind of loud, a little annoying, but completely adorable girl." He starts. "You always said exactly what you were feeling and you really didn't care what anyone thought of you. I was always impressed by that." He admits.
Now here's where this gets tricky. Because not only do I have no idea who this girl he's talking about is, I barely remember talking to him at all the last time I was here. So what does that say about me?
"You always looked more interested in Sora, than me." I confide softly. "You guys got along good."
He doesn't deny that. "Yeah but that's cos she played soccer better than any guy I knew." He laughs. "I was so surprised and embarrassed. She almost beat me!"
I try to laugh it off but his words stick in my head. I've become so much less of the person I used to be that it hurts.
-x-
July 10th, 2007
"Of course my mother was waiting up for me." I inform my redheaded best friend through the phone. Which is the only way I can speak to her.
"And did she go into super bitch mother mode in two point five seconds?" Sora asks expectantly.
I laugh. "Surprisingly nope. She just asked me if I had a good time with Tai." I explain, flicking on red nail polish onto my toe.
I cradle the phone between my ear and shoulder. "Wow. Now that's huge. Any idea why?" She asks.
"Nope. Except that she's really trying with me." I say simply. "She wants to be my friend first sort of thing." I tell her.
"Well there's a three sixty in the span of two years." She notices.
I thought so too. "But hey, it's not like I'm gonna complain." I say complacently. "Whether she's doing it for me or for her, I don't care, as long as we're not fighting." I sigh.
"Fair enough. Now would you please just tell me what you're hiding." She says quickly. "And don't try to deny it because I am your best friend I can see through your crap." She says sternly.
I give a nervous laugh. "Sora, I have no idea what you're talking about." I play off, pretty badly though.
Sora snorts loudly. "Okay. Come on M, you have to tell me." She presses. "And I think it has something to do with a certain uber hot blonde who shall remain nameless." She hints.
Another laugh. "Seriously, Elmo. I really am not hiding anything." Is it lying when you're withholding information?
"Mimi." She says firmly in the motherly tone she tends to take on. "Seriously chick, out with it." She prompts.
I sigh loudly, there's no use pretending any more. "I guess you could say it's about Matt." I say grudgingly. "Well him and his sister." I clear up.
"That skinny blonde bitch?" Sora specifies.
"Sounds about right." I answer. "She pretty much told me Matt had no feelings for me and was using me to get his girlfriend jealous." I give her the cliff notes version of the altercation between me and Barbie bitch.
"Pfft. I call bull shit!" Sora says loudly. "She's just trying to get in your head Meems, you know it!" She says heatedly.
I wish I knew it, but I don't. "I told you about what people say about him, Sor. I mean he's got a bad rep and my own mother isn't comfortable with me—
"Mimi, obviously your mom won't be comfortable with you and him but who cares?" She interrupts. "She probably isn't all that comfortable with Tai either." She points out.
"Okay, fine. But Sora, he just, I dunno…" I don't really have an argument.
"Meems, I love you and if I thought someone wasn't good for you or good enough for you I'd tell you straight away." She reminds me. "It's just, Mimi he hasn't given you any reason not to trust him, nothing. He's only ever been good to you…" And damn it. She's so right, so incredibly, positively, absolutely right.
Like a punch to the gut, the air is knocked out of me. "How could I be so stupid!" I yell in frustration. "Sora, you, like always, are right! And now, he probably thinks I'm such a bitch!" I say in aggravation. I want to pull my own hair out I'm so mad.
"You got caught up and you wanted to protect yourself, that's fine. I'm sure that manipulative whore planted all sorts of horrible things in your head." She says sympathetically. "It's really not your fault, but now. Just go make things right, hmm?" She suggests.
"Like I could even face him now!" How retarded am I? "I mean, S, I totally blew this one." I sink into a pile of defeat.
Sora clicks her tongue. "No way, you are not giving up." She forbids.
But doesn't she get how totally mortified I am at this point?! "Sor, you're not getting it. He's been calling and texting me all weekend and I ignored him. Hard core!" I moan in despair.
And fuck! He's so hot.
"Tell him your phone broke." She says smoothly.
"And lie? Yeah that's great start." I say sarcastically.
"What do you care, you're leaving in a month!" She keeps reminding me of the same thing.
I shake my head. "But S, what about Tai? What do I do about him?" How hard it is being torn between two.
"Nothing. Roll with it, babe. You've been dealt a good hand." She giggles.
But she just doesn't get it. The game gets hard when there are feelings involved, which I hate to say, but there are. I think I've really fallen for Tai.
And with Matt? Well I see myself falling for him too and that's another thing that scares the shit out of me.
"I don't know, Sora." I say distractedly. "I wish there was some way—
My mom interrupts me mid sentence with a knock to my door. "Mimi?" She peeks her head in.
"Hold on S." I mumble, putting my hand over the mouth piece.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"There's someone at the door to see you." She says and before I have the chance to ask who, she's gone.
I'm really not in any mood for visitors, at all. "I have to call you back, Sor." I sigh.
"Everything okay?" She asks cautiously.
"I think so, I've just got a visitor." I ensure. "I'll let you know when I get back, kay?" I get off my bed carefully (I spent a while on my toe nails).
"Okay, but please do." She requests.
I laugh lightly. "I will. Love you Sor." I smile.
"Ditto."
"Bye." I click off the phone and throw it on my bed.
Slipping my feet into flip flops I leave my room to go downstairs so I can ask my mother who's at the door. But once I get down the stairs she isn't in the kitchen and I get the sense she did this on purpose. She always liked surprising me, even though I hate them.
I groan before walking out towards the door.
For the second time in two days, I have to pick my jaw up off the floor. "M-matt?" I'm a dork. A stuttering dork.
He gives me a head nod. "Come out? I have to talk to you." His voice is so pretty and God is he sexy. I just wanna…
"Uh, oh. Sure." So among other things, this boy must be psychic. How the hell else could he know how bad I needed to see him?
He smirks at my eloquence, I'm sure, as I close the door behind me. "So, it's been a while." I start off lamely, feeling my cheeks getting hot.
He glances at me. "Unfortunately." He murmurs.
"I guess that's my fault." I own up sheepishly.
He gives me a knowing look. "Yeah, so why is that?" he questions, his tone seems a bit annoyed. But I don't blame him, I'd be majorly PO'd too if a guy told me he wanted to see me then left me high and dry.
As much as I understand his curiosity, I really don't wanna tell him the reason. At all. Because it would A.) make me look like a total idiot and B.) embarrass me to death. "It's complicated?" I say instead.
But he doesn't look like he's buying it. "I called you, texted you, left you messages? What happened to you this weekend?" He's seriously pissed. Damn it.
"I was um, I was in Dallas." I squeak. What is it about this guy that makes me act like a total girl. And by that I mean, pre-pubescent and in middle school.
He looks at me with raised eye brows, it's the first time in days I get a good view of his eyes. They're even more breathtaking than I remembered, right now they're a brilliant cobalt like the sea before a storm. "By yourself?" I know what he's getting at.
I reluctantly shake my head. "With Kari." I don't know if I should mention Tai…
"Oh." He seems okay with my answer.
So I don't bother letting him know Tai and Davis were there. "Yeah. Sorry about that. It's just i…" My speech falters. What do I say? Do I tell him about what his whore of a sister told me? Or should I lie, like Sora said.
He stares at me expectantly, my mouth still open.
"I left my charger at home." I'm lying. God Damn it, I'm lying through my teeth. "I only got your messages this morning." But it doesn't stop and in the pit of my stomach, I feel like this will come back and bite me in the ass.
"All right." He nods and it kills me even more that he believes me. At least if he looked skeptical, I wouldn't feel as bad about lying to him.
"And then I was on the phone with Sora, my best friend, all morning and I didn't have the chance to get back to you." I say quickly, at least that part is basically true. If you overlook the fact that it was Sora who pointed out I should talk to him in the first place.
But he doesn't look like he minds. "Well, at least this way I got to come see you." He smiles a half smile and I'm surprised I'm still standing.
Did I mention this guy is super freakin' Hot!
"Thank you, for coming." I say softly. "I don't know if I would've had the nerve to come see you." I admit.
He stops in front of me. "Why?" He asks, a playful gleam in his eye.
"Coz, I didn't get back to you and all." I say, my cheeks glowing pink in embarrassment. "I didn't want you think I was ignoring you and then I jus thought it was too late. I wasn't sure what to say…" What's the phrase Lindsay Lohan used in Mean Girls when she couldn't shut up?
Oh yeah. Word Vomit.
Matt chuckles, probably at my stupidity. "Well, then I guess you're happy to see me." He says, his voice his husky and deeper.
I nod slowly. "Yes." I say shamelessly, he just has no idea how happy.
He runs a hand through his hair, his other hand closing over my upper arm. "Feelings are mutual." He says, his voice is barely above a whisper.
I bite my lip and look away. "Really?" I ask cynically, staring at my feet.
I feel a hand tuck under my chin as he firmly brings me up to look into his eyes. "Yes." His voice is hard and sure.
I swallow thickly. "You're not…you aren't just trying to get." The words die on my lips, I can't bring myself to ask him about all the horrible things Zoe told me. "Sorry."
"Ask me." His voice is almost commanding.
I don't know if I should, but I do know I would have to sooner or later. Why not make this even more humiliating? "Are you trying to get your girlfriend back?" I don't put it in the words that Zoe used, because they sounded harsh.
He looks taken aback, he drops my arm. "No." He says after a minute. "Didn't I make that pretty damn clear the night I took you out?" He asks, a little angry.
I take a few steps back. "Yeah but I just wanted to make sure." I narrow my eyes at him, he has no right to get mad at me. I mean he does, but not for this.
He nods after a second. "No, you're right. Sorry." He says gruffly.
"It's fine." I waive off.
I walk closer to him again. "So, did you miss me?" I ask him more to flirt than anything else. I can be pretty charming myself.
He gives a short laugh. "What do you think, princess?" He retaliates.
"I think you wouldn't be here right now if you didn't." I say with new found confidence.
He laces an arm around my waist. "Yeah?" His face is awfully close to mine.
"Yeah…" I trail off softly. "I'm sorry for no—
He cuts me off in the most shocking way possible. Just when I think he's all out of surprises, he goes and kisses me!
It's completely different when I'm kissing Matt than when I first kissed Tai.
This kiss is confident and passionate. It's rough and hungry and amazing. With in seconds I can feel myself pressing into him, feeling him against me. I hear his heartbeat in my ears and feel his hands on my back, on my waist.
I tangle my fingers in his soft blonde hair as one of his hands steadies behind my head. When his tongue darts over my bottom lip, my mouth opens under him.
"Mimi!" My mom yells from down the street and immediately we pull apart.
I'm so annoyed at my mom I could… "What?!" I turn around, slipping my fingers in Matt's.
He laughs quietly dropping a kiss into my hair.
My mother jogs up to me and Matt. "Hey, I was looking for you." She informs me. "Hello again Matt." She greets.
"Mrs. Tachikawa." He says politely.
"Well, I'm right here." I gesture around the neighborhood. "So you can go back home." I smile sweetly but I make sure my eyes tell her to go.
She gives me a wink. "Okay sweetheart." She pats my hand before walking back.
"Sorry…" I trail off.
"Quit apologizing to me."
I forgot, he hates it when I say sorry. "Right. Sor—" I cut myself off this time.
"Look, I didn't come here just to kiss you." He grins and when he does, I just wanna squeal.
But I maintain my cool, for once. "Oh really? Then what did you come here for?" I raise an eye brow.
"To ask you out again." He says plainly.
Boy… "Sure, when?" I make sure I don't sound too eager.
He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Saturday?"
Shit! That's Davis's party! To which, might I add, I'm going to with Tai! "Friday instead?" I ask meekly.
"As in tomorrow?" And I forgot that tomorrow's also Friday! Damn it!
I nod. "Yeah."
"That anxious to see me again?" He asks and if it wasn't so hot I'd smack him for being so cocky.
I roll my eyes. "Don't inflate your ego." I smile.
He smirks. "Fine, fine." He concedes. "So tomorrow at eight?"
"It's a date."
He drops a quick kiss to my lips. "See you then." He touches my face before turning to leave.
Something real, make it timeless,
An act of God and nothing less will be accepted.
Now if you're calling me out,
Then count me out.
-x-
Fact: I'm screwed.
-x-
A/N: We are sorrier than you all know for this way too long delay. It was all too much and way too long. SORRY! I hope this makes up for it, regardless of how short it might be (we just wanted to get it up!) lol.
Okay, so many of you were begging for more Mimato and there it is! We think Mimi was being a bit too cold to Matt, he didn't really do anything. And it's not his fault he's got a horrible, conniving, bitch for a sister.
Allusions: -Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio played "Rose and Jack" in the romantic tragedy Titanic.
-"Hag (Bitch) From Hell" is what the twins call Aphrodite in the House of Night series. Liya is kind of completely and totally in love with the books so obviously the subtle reference was her doing.
-Taylor Swift is a country singer, the song Mimi was referring to is called I'm Only Me When I'm With You.
The Soundtrack—
Divine Intervention: Taking Back Sunday
Missing You: Tyler Hilton
Hope you guys aren't too mad and hope you like this chapter. We did work rather hard on it!
Reviews are great so drop one and make us happy!
Love, love and more love!
-Chris&Liya
