Ch 3: Rollercoaster

I picked up the phone, and dialed Kari's number.

"Hello, Matt." She answered the phone.

I laughed; her caller I.D. probably would say 'Matt'.

"Kari, it's me, T.K."

"What are you doing at your father's house, T.K?"

"Give me a moment; I'm going to explain."

"Alright, take as long as you need, handsome."

I laughed. She couldn't even see me at the moment, and she was calling me 'handsome'.

"Alright. So, to start with, it seems that there's someone targeting the Digidestined's parents. Your parents have gone missing, my mother has been kidnapped. My father was arrested, accused of kidnapping my mother. He has an alibi, but sadly, the cops seem out to get him… he broke a corruption scandal a few weeks ago."

"So what happens to you?"

"Matt is taking me in, taking my dad's house until Dad can take care of it again. Matt will also take you in, as well. Should I tell him you're ready to come over?"

"No. I need to pack some stuff."

"Should I call you later?"

"Yeah. I'd love to stay on the phone, but I need two free hands"

"Maybe I can Matt to drop me off and I could help you pack."

"That would be wonderful."

"Alright, I'll talk to Matt about it. I'll call you again if I can't."

"Sounds good to me."

"See you in a bit."

"Talk to you later."

I pressed the end button.

Apparently, Matt was done talking to Sora, and had been for a while, because he was leaned on a wall, seeming to be waiting impatiently.

"From what I heard, you want me to drop you off so you can help her pack?"

"Yes."

"Alright. You go get in the car; I'll be out in a few minutes."

I got in the car, and sure enough, Matt was there just a few minutes.

"Dude, what was it that you needed to talk to Sora about, anyway."

"I'd… rather not talk about it."

"Do I not want to know, or do you not want me to know?"

"I don't want you to know… Sora probably wouldn't want you to know, either."

"You two are fighting?" I guessed

"Were fighting" Matt corrected, turning the keys and beginning our drive to Kari's house.

"You seemed awfully confident about your relationship with her when we were in the car."

"Yeah, we fight a lot, T.K… Most of them involve me saying something that she finds offensive but that I won't take back… The only reason I really cared if she found out that I called her a whore was because I was already fighting with her."

"Wow, you really don't give a shit about how she feels. That's really kind of disturbing."

"She knows I don't love her… Or at least, I've told her that I don't love her. It's not my fault she won't get over the idea that I love her, somewhere deep down inside."

"Matt… Please stop."

"Why?"

"I don't really want to know what you think about Sora, because to be honest, she's putting up with you when she SHOULDN'T, refusing to just walk away, even though you fight, from how I understand it, nearly constantly. Instead, she just keeps forgiving you, and hoping that you'll come around.

And yet even then, you simply use her more. You treat her as if she's meaningless to you. You practically LAUGH at her love for you, taking advantage of it, and giving absolutely nothing back. You don't act the same way as you did when I was younger, you've become a monster… and I REALLY don't want to hear about the way you see things now. I'd rather be naïve about why you really act the way you do, then to have to put up with the anger you cause me when you begin your rationale." My rant finally came to an end, and Matt seemed unfazed.

"Whatever, T.K." he said, as Kari's house came into sight.

"Whatever? Whatever?" I shouted, outraged.

"You said my rationale makes you angry, so I won't rationalize at all. You're right. I do give nothing back. I don't think it makes me a monster, I don't love her, and really, she would be more hurt if I just left."

"You don't have to take advantage of her in the first place, though! Just because you can't leave her, you don't have to mistreat her!"

"True… But I'm not sure I'm mistreating her, T.K. Anyway, we're here." He said, as he parked his car next to the sidewalk.

"See you." I said, as I got out.

"You too." He replied.

I began walking towards the front door, and Matt drove away. Before I even reached the door, Kari had opened it.

"Hey T.K… You look really angry. What's wrong?" She asked, seeming worried.

"Matt. He's such a jerk!"

"What do you mean? He's taking us in, how is he a jerk?"

"I didn't mean towards me. He treats Sora like… I'm not sure I have words for it." I said, as I went inside.

"How so?" She asked, walking towards into her room.

I noticed it was immaculately clean, very different from my room back home.

"I … Alright, can you promise not to tell Sora?"

"Why?"

"Because I told Matt I wouldn't tell Sora what he called her if he shut up, because he was offending me."

"Sorry, no promise."

"Sorry, but I'm a man of my word."

"I thought you said Matt was being a jerk. If he is, and he won't listen to you, which, from the way you were acting when you arrived, he won't, why don't you do something about it?" She picked up a book as she said this, and put it in a bag.

"Because it's really none of my business. Yeah, Matt is mistreating Sora. But it's not like he's beating her or something! It's really not my place to get involved."

"I would want Sora to get involved if you were mistreating me." I really wasn't doing much to help her pack, she was doing it all herself.

"That's only because I'm not."

"I don't understand you're logic."

"Please, Kari, can we drop it?"

"I guess. Can you go get me that? And DON'T open it." She pointed to a book, which, from the looks of it, was her diary.

I did, without opening it, "That's your diary?"

She blushed, and stopped what she was doing "Yeah."

"You're embarrassed because…?"

She was unable to look me in the eyes, "Because… Because…" She trailed off.

"Because you write a lot about me?"

"Yeah..." She was blushing even more fiercely now, and looking at the ground as she spoke.

"For some reason, I really like that, Kari."

She looked up from the ground, "You do?"

"Yeah."

The blush was fading from her cheeks now, "Really? You don't think I'm too obsessed with you?"

"I don't mind you being obsessed with me, Kari. I'm a little obsessed with you, myself."

She lost her grip on the dairy. When it hit the ground, it fell open to a page that was covered in hearts, and in text I couldn't have read if it wasn't so familiar. As it was, it was my name, written over and over again. She picked up the book, closed it, blushing again, and put it in her bag.

"You didn't read that, did you?"

"Uh…" I wasn't sure what to say

"You did?" She was blushing more fiercely then ever, now.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"You knew it was my dairy!"

"I said I was sorry… Besides, you really shouldn't be some embarrassed."

"Is my handwriting really that bad?" She asked, looking vaguely relieved, although still bright red. More than anything else, though, she looked like she was angry.

"No. I could read it. I'm sorry I looked, because it could have fallen open to somewhere far more… private. Something that you SHOULD be embarrassed about, rather than something that's silly to be embarrassed about. To be honest, I love the way you think about me… No, to be honest, I love you."

I could tell she wasn't angry anymore, even before she began to respond. "I forgive you. And… I love you, too."

She stood there, too far apart, yet close enough to touch, facing me, looking like she was waiting for something. I leaned in, hesitated for a moment, looking into her red-brown eyes. She was, as always, beautiful, to the point that she took my breath away.

And then, I kissed her, putting my hands on her shoulders as I did so. In the heat of the moment, I knocked over her bag, spilling its contents on the floor.

I noticed, although it didn't change my course of action at all. She seemed to notice, but she didn't seem to care.

The kiss ended, and as we moved apart, she laughed, "Very graceful, knocking over the bag."

"I should pick that up, shouldn't I?" I said.

"No, it's all right. If you don't mind, there are some things I need to pack that… um… are…" She flushed, "Private. Once that's done, I should be ready to go, so you should probably call your older brother and tell him to come pick us up."

"Alright. I'll leave you to your packing… Love you." I said as I left her so she could pack the things she'd rather not mention.

"Love you, too."

I closed the door behind me, and I heard a drawer open in her room as I walked down the stairs.

I picked up the phone, and called Matt.

"Hey, T.K." Matt said as he picked up the phone

"Hello, Matt." I replied.

"You're ready to be picked up then?" He asked

"Yes, and so is Kari, or at least she will be by the time that you get here."

"Ah… She got rid of you so she could pack something? I didn't think she was that sneaky."

"She TOLD me she didn't want me to see what she was packing, Matt. Unlike you, my girlfriend has reason to TRUST me."

"Alright, alright. I'm on my way, and I'll keep my comments to myself."

"Good."

"See you soon"

"You too."

I hung up. I wasn't going to rush Kari; I'd wait until she came downstairs. This left me time to reflect on the events of the day.

I was REALLY unsure what to feel. On one hand, I was mortified. My mother kidnapped, my father, who couldn't have done it, arrested as her kidnapper. The girl who was now my girlfriend, and had at the days opening been my best friend's parents were missing. Who was next?

On the other hand, I was walking on air. Kari felt the same way about me as I felt about her. She said she loved me. I'd kissed her. The page in the dairy, covered in my name, written down a page, with little hearts by it every time, popped into my head. It left me feeling warm, comfortable when I thought about this.

So I was a wreck. Terrified; exhilarated, like being on a rollercoaster. But this coaster wasn't tested. Its thrill wouldn't be in its danger, but in the wonders that flew by as I rode it. Of course, unlike any other rollercoaster, I only got to ride it once, and I was the only person who would ever get to ride it.

Kari tapped me on the shoulder.

"Earth to T.K?"

I turned around, "Huh?"

"I've been standing here behind you for almost a minute now. What are you thinking about?"

"Reflecting on the events of the day… It's been utterly chaotic."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Kari… If I hadn't gone over to comfort you, do you think I'd have disappeared, too? Just like all those people on the boat?"

"I don't know. I'd hope not, but sadly, I think I'd be down one more person who I loved."

"Kari…" I began to stroke her hair, "If I can help it, I'll never leave you like that."

"T.K. 'if I can help it'? That's not very reassuring."

"I'm sorry I can't promise you more."

"I understand." She put an arm around me, just as the doorbell rang.

She released me, and blushed slightly.

"You ready to go?" I asked quietly

"Yes." She said, and we walked to the front door. I had to help her get about half her stuff, but it didn't take us long to load the car.

Kari and I got into the back of Matt's car together.

Matt was different again, this car ride. He was silent; perhaps he recognized that he couldn't get away with saying the things he'd said to me to Kari.

"Kari, what's wrong?" I whispered to her.

"Nothing." Yet I could see that she was looking at something, and I could see that she was crying.

"Something reminding you of your parents?"

"Yes, T.K… an old picture, from when I was young… A year or so before Tai went off to summer camp."

A year before we all ceased being normal children and started being Digidestined. A year before we shouldered the responsibilities and shared the joys that made us more mature than our peers.

"They'll be alright, Kari. I… I'm sure of it." I lied. I wasn't sure. I was uncertain; my optimism had begun to waver.

"Are you? Or are you just trying to make me feel better?"

"I… I'm-" I paused for too long, thus making it clear that I was lying.

"You're lying."

"Sorry. I was trying to help."

"Don't lie to me, T.K."

"I'm sorry." I repeated, probably coming of as a little defensive.

"It's alright, I'm not angry, I understand you were trying to make me feel better, but I really would rather know the truth then believe a lie, whether or not it makes me feel good."

Apparently, Matt had been listening, because I heard him laugh.

"Matt, shut up. Nobody really cares what you think." I said

"Seriously." Kari added, "I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything any sane person would think was funny."

"Did I say anything?" Matt replied, still laughing slightly, "More to the point, I don't really have anything to say, so telling me to shut up is pointless."

"Yeah, yeah… I don't really care; just keep whatever it is you're thinking to yourself." I said

"I will." Matt said, sounding vaguely amused.

"Where were we before we were interrupted?" Kari said, sounding playful rather than serious now.

"You'd just told that you'd rather know the truth, whether or not the truth will hurt. I was about to say that I'd keep that in mind."

"Alright then, say it."

"I'll try to remember that in future."

"You'd better." She said, sounding serious again. Seriously, I wish she'd make up her mind as to how she felt… Then again, I wasn't totally sure how I felt right now.

"I promise."

We reached Matt's house, which was now my house and Kari's house, too.

"Alright, T.K, you're going to sleep in your old room. I'm going to take over my father's bedroom, and Kari, you can sleep in the room that I'll no longer be in. Anyway, my band and I are going to be practice today in about 30 minutes, so I'll have to leave as soon as possible." Matt said as we exited the car.

I laughed, and then turned to Kari and said, "Do you mind if I help you get your stuff up to your room?"

"Thanks, but I really didn't pack that much… Anyway, Matt, you'll need to clear out first, right?"

"Not really. I did that while the two of you were packing." Matt said.

"Alright. T.K, will you show me where my room is?"

"Sure." I said.

"Alright. I'm off." He said.

No 'don't-try-anything' at least, for once.

I lead Kari upstairs, point out my room, and then, a few steps further down the hall, her room. She opened the door, and went inside, motioning for me to follow, which I did.

"I'm… worried." She whispered, she said, sitting on a sleeping bag she'd set up.

"Don't be. It'll be alright." I sat down next to her, and tried to put an arm around her. To my surprise, she pushed my arm away.

"Thanks, but you've already told me you weren't sure of that, and then you promised you wouldn't lie… And you're lying again."

"I didn't say 'your parents will be alright', I said 'it'll be alright'. Like, 'No matter what happens, we'll pull through this'. And with you by my side, I know that I, at least, will pull through this… and I hope that you know that I'll do my best to help you pull through, as well."

She smiled. "Thank you. That really makes me feel better." And she kissed me on the cheek.

"You're welcome… To be honest, I'm a little nervous."

"I know that… I'd be a little angry if I thought you weren't."

"Only a little? If I seriously thought you were heartless enough to not worry at all, I'd be really angry…."

"I'd only be a little angry at you if until I was sure that it wasn't just your optimism clouding your judgment… If I learned it wasn't, then I'd be angrier, T.K… But I know you are worried."

I smiled. She smiled, and we sat there, staring into one another's eyes, until I leaned in. She didn't lean away, and I kissed her on the lips for the second time today, but also only the second time in my life.

As the kiss ended, she whispered, "T.K… Without you, I'd be having the worst day of my life… I'd be worrying and fretting, and I'd probably be taking years off my life. Thanks for being here for me."

"No problem." I would have added, 'that's what friends are for', but she was more than just my friend now, she was also my girlfriend now, "I'd be terrified if I didn't have you with me."

"I'll always be here for you." She whispered, making my 'no problem' sound weak.

"I know." I said, putting my arm around her shoulder. This time, she didn't push it away. Instead, she leaned her head on my shoulder.

We were silent for a moment. I broke this short-lived silence, "I love you." I whispered in her ear.

She smiled, and lifted her head enough to look at me.

"I love you, too." She whispered, and kissed me on the cheek. She looked … sad, somehow.

"Something wrong?"

"Besides the obvious? No… But I miss my family."

"I know. It's hard… Harder for you than for me, I guess, since all of your relatives are either missing or are somewhere else."

"Yeah" She was crying, "I'm sorry for wrecking the moment."

"It's alright. Your feelings are worth more to me than 'the moment'." I said, stroking her hair gently.

"Thank you." She whispered "It still… doesn't feel right to make you put up with me crying."

"It's alright. I really don't mind."

She didn't stop crying for a few more moments, but she finally managed a weak smile, and said, "Thanks."

I laughed, "I've already told you it isn't a problem. Anyway, should I leave you alone so you can unpack your bag?"

"If you would."

"Alright. I haven't eaten anything since that ice cream cone earlier, so I'm going to go order pizza."

"You'll share, right?"

"Of course."

End Chapter 3: Rollercoaster

A/N: Not counting this author's note, according to word, this is 3326 words long. I came up with the title when I was doing a quick run through for obvious grammatical errors and notes to self… because I hit T.K's comment about it being 'like being on a rollercoaster.'