It was the summer before my junior year of high school, and I had decided that that year I would make some changes. I had signed up for the tennis team, something new for me, and I had gotten my school uniform all ready…and this year, I had a skirt to go with it instead of pants. That summer I had still played soccer with Tai often, but I had begun to work in my mom's flower shop more and more.

On the first day of school, I was a few minutes late: my mom had gotten a big shipment of flowers early that morning, and she had needed a lot of help to get everything set up, so I had volunteered to work early in the morning. The time had gotten away from me, though, so I ended up being a little bit late to school.

As I walked up to the teacher's desk to hand in my late slip, I heard gasps of surprise. I quickly glanced down at my clothes to make sure I hadn't forgotten to put pants on…and then I remembered: today, for the first time in years, I was wearing a skirt.

I felt my cheeks warming, and knew that I was blushing—not badly, but blushing none the less. I dropped the note on the teacher's desk and hurriedly found a seat--right in front of Tai. The murmuring and whispering continued, and I wished that I could sink into the ground. Tai, behind me, leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "Just ignore them, Sora. They're just jealous. I think you look great!"

I felt my face flaming, but I gave Tai an embarrassed-but-grateful smile.

Then the teacher started explaining something about our homework, and I managed to lose myself in the schoolwork for a while.

A couple days later, Tai called a Digidestined meeting. It was great: the whole team from four years ago was back together again (except for Mimi, who was living in America). That was when it all started; that was when everything essentially fell apart.

It had been so long since I'd seen Matt…he looked so different. I mean, he'd always been popular, and he'd always been "cool," and the years hadn't changed that at all. But to my immense bewilderment, I actually found myself blushing when our eyes met, and I looked away hurriedly, trying to fight back the sudden heat that pulsed through my entire body.

Matt had always been a cute boy, but…I wasn't prepared to see him looking so…handsome.

The meeting was over soon, and I fled, but I could not escape the feeling that something had changed.

I wasn't at all surprised when Matt called me after school the next day--"just to catch up" he was quick to reassure me, but I could hear the embarrassment in his voice. The awkwardness didn't last long, however, and we both went away from the conversation happy with our renewed contact, as well as a promise to talk again soon.

I only realized later on that I had completely missed the soccer game I'd been meaning to go to—I hadn't missed one yet, and I knew Tai always looked for me in the stands—but when I saw him at school the next day, his smile still seemed as easy and laid-back as ever, if just a tiny bit sad. I felt a pang of guilt at this, but didn't offer any explanation as to where I'd been; if he wanted to know, he'd have to ask. It wasn't like we'd made any sort of promise to each other anyway…Tai had never really said anything about liking me as anything more than a friend, and you can't expect a girl can't wait around forever, especially when there's a drop-dead gorgeous rock star who's obviously interested in her.

…But actually, it wasn't Matt's fault at all. I was the one who really started it.

It was Christmas Eve, and Matt's band had their first really big show that night--they were actually going to be on television! I had baked him some cookies, and Biyomon and I were going to take them to him when we ran into Tai outside of the auditorium:

"Sora—wait up!"

"Oh, Tai," I said, then, remembering exactly why I was there, I made a half-hearted attempt to hide the cookies, coloring slightly and attempting to shrink away. "Uh…"

"Something smells good!" Agumon exclaimed, sending him into a quick but unheated argument with Biyomon and Gabumon about the cookies.

"So, um, Sora? Are you goin' to the concert with anybody? I mean, not that it matters to me, just wondering."

I could tell that it really did matter to him, that he was just trying to be "cool," but that knowledge still didn't change my answer, though I hesitated before giving it:

"No, I wanna be available in case Matt is free afterwards."

"Oh, I see…Matt, huh?"

I blushed and let out a nervous little laugh, then swallowed hard as Tai approached. "Uh…" To my surprise, he rested a gentle hand on my shoulder, brown eyes looking unwaveringly into mine.

"It's okay," he said softly.

I blinked. "You're not mad at me, Tai?"

He gave a soft sort of chuckle. "No, of course not." He turned me around and gently shoved me towards the door to the auditorium. "Now get in there and say 'hi' to Matt for me."

I gave him a grateful little half-smile. "Thanks, Tai."

Biyomon and Gabumon had already disappeared through the doorway, but Agumon was still standing beside Tai. "The least you could do is leave us the cookies!" he exclaimed.

I laughed quietly. "Tell you what. I'll make some special ones for you."

"Thanks," Tai answered.

…And then he said one last thing as I turned my back on him and walked away. Three words, spoken barely above a whisper: "I'll be waiting."

I'll be waiting.

Not "I don't believe you" or "You can't do this" or even "Why, Sora?"

Just "I'll be waiting."

Those words hurt to think about now, for they show how much he loved me. He didn't try to make me stay: he let me go. He wanted me to be happy more than he wanted his own happiness. He knew that if I walked through that door, I wouldn't walk out the same. And still he didn't try to stop me.

They say if you really love someone, you'll set them free.

That's what Tai did.

And still I didn't see it.