"A thing worth having is a thing worth cheating for"
-x-
Chapter Two: Same Old Game, Brand New Rules
-x-
A week had come and gone since Zoe's 'start of summer' party, where things not only got complicated but damn near impossible.
Matt couldn't help but think so as he plays a few meaningless notes on his acoustic guitar. He's lost in his thoughts, as much as his band mate can tell. Which really isn't surprising, for Matt would brood all too often.
Usually it worked in his favor, considering some of their best material came from him. But right now, seeing the look on the blonde's face, he knows no decent song would come of this. "What is it?" He asks finally.
Matt looks up at his friend. "What's what?" He asks.
"I dunno, whatever it is that's got you playing like shit." He clarifies bluntly.
"You don't know what you're talking about." He defends all the while knowing that Ken's right.
Ken leaves that alone. "Can you just say it and we'll move on?" He requests.
Matt gives a short laugh. "It's nothing, dude." He insists, putting the guitar to the side.
"Is it coz Sora's leaving?" He asks.
Matt hadn't even thought of that in weeks. She had told him about the trip she was going to take with her dad around Europe but in truth he hadn't paid much attention. Now he recalls that the exact date of the flight is for tomorrow. Shouldn't he care more than he does? Because lately, he's hardly ever thinking of the redhead. Unusual for him, since she'd been the object of his affection for so long. Now, she was almost insignificant. And that scared the shit out of him.
He opens his mouth then closes it. "I…" He trails off, he needs advice, he needs perspective and from someone not directly involved. He needs an unbiased opinion he can trust and the guy sitting in front of him is probably the best person to ask. "If I tell you something, you'll keep it between us?" He asks cautiously.
Ken nods. "Yeah…" He says suspiciously. "Why, is it serious?" He's getting a little nervous now. "Sora isn't pregnant or something is—
"No!" Matt interrupts hastily, if that were the case he'd be a mess. He likes Sora, but not to the point of having children with her. "Nothing like that." He assures.
Ken lets out a shaky breath of relief, if there was one person who shouldn't be a father it's Matt. He knows that all too well. "It's different from that." Matt admits.
Ken nods at him to proceed.
"So you know the night of your girlfriend's party?" He begins carefully.
Ken nods again.
"I might've done something, well let's just say, morally incorrect." He words it as best he can. "I really shouldn't have done." He continues.
"So what is it?" Ken prompts.
"Fuck, man. I slept with Mimi." He gets out.
Ken's eyes widen in surprise before recollecting himself. "Seriously?" He asks.
Matt nods gravely.
He lets out a low whistle. "You never do anything half ass, do you player?" He grins.
Matt breaks out into a grin too, bumping knuckles with the brunette. "That's not how I roll." He laughs.
Ken's grin doesn't falter. "How was it? I mean were you drunk or do you remember?" He asks. "Coz I've always wanted to know, how is Mimi Tachikawa?" He smirks.
Matt isn't about to divulge anything of value, he knows she wouldn't want him to. "We'll just say, she's more enthusiastic then Sora." He's glad Ken's taking it so well. Not that he expected a speech but the fact that he doesn't seem like he's completely appalled makes Matt feel better about it.
"Don't tell Zoe though." He requests. "I like your girlfriend and all but she's got a big mouth." He says frankly.
Ken shakes his head. "You think Mimi isn't gonna tell Zoe?" Ken asks with a snort.
Matt shrugs.
"You're fuckin' delusional, man."
-x-
"I deserve to know, M!" The blonde insists as she sunbathes next to her friend.
"Trust me, Z, you don't wanna know." The brunette sighs. "The truth hurts, baby." She pushes her sunglasses into her hair.
The blonde closes her eyes. "Mimi, it was my bed. I think that entitles me to some authority over who does what in it." She argues. "Emphasis on the who." She adds.
Mimi knows the girl has a point there, if Zoe'd done the same thing to her she'd wanna know what happened too. "I dunno, Z. It would be like breaking a promise." She's dancing between letting the blonde in on her dirty little secret or keeping her out forever.
She disregards Mimi's statement with a waive of her hand. "Was it Sam?" She asks for the fifth time.
Mimi shakes her head.
"Tell me what happened, M!" She prods. "Come on, you can trust me." She goads. "Was it someone super lame like…that nerdy kid from our science class? The one that got kicked out of lab because he tried to liberate the frogs?" She's obviously kidding.
Mimi lets out a laugh. "Yeah, you got it Barbie. How'd you know?" Mimi says sarcastically.
Zoe laughs along. "Come on then…M, I really wanna know." She pouts. "I'll let you borrow my red pumps." She dangles an offer she knows the brunette would never be able to refuse. "The Steve Madden ones." She goes on to lure.
"I…I slept with Matt!" She blurts out hastily as the blonde whips around in surprise.
"What?" She asks sharply.
Mimi sighs. "Me and Matt, we…you know." She looks away, slightly guilty and a little angry that Zoe of all people would be judging her.
Zoe is quiet for a moment, speechless almost. But then breaks into a smirk. "Score, bitch." She grins.
Mimi laughs, hearing the response she'd been expecting. "It can't happen again Z, I'm so serious about it." She says immediately, trying to push the memory of him away from her mind. How good he felt on top of her, the way he moved inside of her. It all just made Mimi weak in the knees.
Zoe laughs at her this time. "Give it up M, I'm willing to bet you'll be under him again by next week." She winks. "Coz from what I've heard, Matt Ishida isn't easy to forget." She smiles wickedly.
Mimi can't deny that. He's been running through her head all day, the way his skin felt against hers, how his lips made her tingle from her head to her toes. The way his eyes gazed down into her intently, his pools of blue looking into her soul. Making her feel naked in a way she'd never been before. "I think not, Z. He got lucky last night, I was wasted." She contradicts everything she believes in that statement. "It won't happen again." She says her voice dangerously certain.
The blonde rolls her eyes. "Lie to me all you want, M. I can see through your bull shit." She shrugs a careless shoulder in the air. "But please, don't lie to yourself." It's more than a request, it's a statement.
Mimi rolls her eyes. "You're too dramatic for your own good, Barbie." She notes. "It was a fluke, a one night stand, nothing more." She's adamant.
Zoe doesn't press it. "Whatever you say, darling." She concedes, she's not going to argue with Mimi about her own feelings. She knows her friend is as stubborn as a mule, resistance is futile. So she just skillfully changes the subject. "Davis's party Saturday, you're gonna come right?" She asks.
Mimi shrugs a shoulder, a party two days from now seems like exactly what she needs. "If you and Sora go, why not." She answers.
Zoe gives her a weird look. "Sora's not gonna be there." She says.
And Mimi feels like she's missing something. "What do you mean? How do you know?" She wonders, it's no secret that Zoe and Sora don't exactly see eye to eye so how could Zoe know something about Sora before she did?
"Mimi, she's leaving to that Europe trip with her dad…didn't she tell you?" Zoe asks genuinely.
Mimi shakes her head slowly. "…No." She admits, feeling the sting of being out of the loop. "She didn't." She says firmly.
"Well, that's S for you." Zoe says flippantly. "I'm glad she'll be leaving OBA for a while. It'll be a way better summer with out all her moodiness." She says honestly.
Mimi bites her lip. "Come on, Zoe. That's not true." She says half heartedly, in the name of defending her so called best friend. "I'll miss Sora." She says firmly.
Zoe rolls her ocean blue eyes. "You cut her way too much slack, M. She doesn't deserve it." Zoe mutters. "Seriously, chick. She's such a bitch."
Mimi narrows her eyes at the girl. "Come on, Z. Like I'm not?" She argues. "Like you're not?" She points out. "We're all allowed to have our days."
"Sure, but hers are every single day." Zoe stares out to the ocean. "She doesn't care about anyone but herself, Meems." She makes a face.
But Mimi doesn't buy it. "No, Sora's my best friend, okay?" Her voice is stern. "End of story." There's an air of finality in her voice.
"Oh whatever, I call bull shit. She hasn't treated you like a best friend ever." She isn't trying to be mean to her brunette friend, she just wants her to see Sora for what she really is. "She's selfish Meems and thinks she's so much better than everyone else when really—
"Zoe!" Mimi interrupts her hastily. "Stop it. You won't talk about Sora like that, not in front of me." After everything the redhead had done for her in the past, she won't have anyone bad mouth her when she isn't here to defend herself. "She's like a sister to me and she always will be." Her tone is icy and clear.
"Yeah? Well where was your family loyalty when you got in bed with her boyfriend?" With that Zoe gets off the sand and walks away from the brunette.
-x-
Breath in now and breathe it out
He convinces himself that his intentions are of the most noble nature. That he means to speak with her for a just a few moments, do the gentlemanly thing and check she's okay. He knows it isn't necessary, Lord knows Mimi Tachikawa can take care of herself. Yet he has this overwhelming feeling to protect her. And if she's having any doubts, he'd like to quell them. If she's confused, he wants to help her understand.
But it's clear the second he sees her enter the door that his intentions have changed. Most likely, for the worse.
The forecast? A car crash
The way that sinfully short red dress hugs her body brings back memories of the past. Their tryst still very fresh in his mind, he's beleaguered by want. And consumed by desire. Recalling how smooth her skin was, the subtle smell of her perfume and the softness of her lips.
He balls his fists and shoves them into his pockets, his impulse is to drag her into a secluded room, hell he'd even settle for a dark corner, and fuck her senseless. But he reminds himself that it isn't an option and tears his gaze from her.
Lost to her, all thoughts of conversation seep from his brain, along with all thoughts of his girlfriend. For which, he immediately feel guilty.
She's halfway to France by now, you know she's doing the same! An impious voice runs though his ears. And while he isn't convinced Sora would cheat on him, he does acknowledge she isn't here. What she'll never know couldn't hurt her.
It's looking like another breakdown, rebound
-x-
"You're dressed to kill, M. Might I ask why?" Zoe tips back her drink as they lean against the dining table.
The brunette lowers her own glass. "You might and I would tell you that I'm always dressed to impress." She says smoothly. "You however," She stops to give the girl a look over. "Have looked better." She gestures to her disheveled appearance.
It's playful, their insults to each other. Knowing it doesn't mean anything. "Courtesy of an overly enthusiastic boyfriend." She replies just as smoothly. "Too hot for his own good." She flips her long blonde hair off her shoulder.
Mimi clicks her tongue. "Unfortunate." She murmurs.
"How quiet is it with out S and her bitching?" Zoe asks good naturedly. "Redhead's got some serious relationship issues." She says with a shake of her head.
"Well, we can't all live in happy-town with you and Ken." Mimi nods towards the beer pong table, where her boyfriend is currently dominating.
The blonde gives her a look that says "Puh-lease". "Yeah, we're the poster children for a functional romance." She says sarcastically.
Mimi laughs.
"But you do know what this means, don't you?" Zoe kinks an eye brow mischievously.
Mimi shakes her head. "What?"
"While the bitch is away boyfriend will play." She winks.
Mimi nearly spits out her drink at Zoe's implication, "No way! It's not gonna happen!" She says immediately.
"You're good, you almost had me fooled M." Zoe persists.
Mimi shakes her head. "He's faithful and I'm a good friend." She says, yet she doesn't believe it. Not a single word.
A brunette makes his way over to the girls. "Glad to see your feeling better." He says a gesture of good faith.
She dazzles him with a smile. "Sorry if I was short with you, you know how I get." She swiftly apologizes in an effort to keep the peace.
He laughs it off. "Very formal tonight." He mentions.
Mimi shrugs an impassive shoulder. "It's what we've come to, I suppose." She answers automatically.
Zoe passes a glance between the exes. "Wow, a minute of conversation and no blood shed!" She mocks. "I am truly amazed."
Mimi makes a face at the blonde. "You're witnessing a miracle, Z." She plays along.
"And it isn't even Christmas." Tai tips his cup into his mouth, his head tilting back in the process. "Damn, Ken and Tk are kicking ass." He notices as Ken sinks the last ball into the last cup.
Cheers erupt around them as they pair declare victory. "I got next!" Zoe calls over the crowd. "Me and Ken are kind of unbeatable." She smirks, turning to leave.
Mimi grabs the blonde's wrist. "Not a word about…you know." She whispers so softly that only Zoe catches it. "Not even to Ken." She says seriously.
Zoe turns around. "I know, M. Jeez, lighten up." She pats the girls hand before turning to leave.
"And me and Tai beat you at this game every time, whore!" She yells behind the blonde.
Tai chuckles behind her. "Those were the days, huh?" He muses.
"Not really." She contradicts. "We were always fighting." She says honestly.
"But there were some good days." He disagrees. "Come on, admit we had a good thing." He persists.
She looks at him, permits herself to really look at him, in what feels like ages. That strong jaw, subtle chin, dark gaze and tan skin, she remembers why she fell for him in the first place. That rugged handsomeness that he had gained over the coarse of time had attracted her. It still did. But his personality was what kept her attention for so long. She was never bored when she was with, he always kept her entertained.
"We did." She finally concedes. "You probably were too good to me." She smiles.
He reaches out and strokes her cheek. "I don't think so." Tai returns her smile.
She lets his hand cup her cheek, it feels nice to be regarded so tenderly again. And a part of her missed him, a part she didn't really even think existed. "Maybe we didn't try hard enough." She mumbles, though she knows it was meant to end.
"Maybe." He says thoughtfully. "But probably not." He decides.
Mimi nods, forced to agree. "If we were different people." She suggests.
He seems to like the thought. "In a different time." He adds.
"Do you ever miss me?" she asks lightly.
He doesn't answer right away, instead stares ahead. "You want the truth or would you prefer a lie?" He questions.
She doesn't know how to respond. The correct answer should be the truth, but it scares her sometimes. Because honesty brings with it consequences and she's got too many of those already. So instead she says, "A lie will suffice, for now."
"Never, I don't ever miss you. Or think about you." And with in his "lie" lay the truth.
She shouldn't really be happy about it but she can't help but be. "I never miss you either." She says softly.
-x-
It's half past ten when he approaches her, she's refilling her drink and he sees this as his opportunity. For what, he still isn't sure. What he does know, is he has to get her alone. He encloses a cool hand around her bare arm.
She turns around, surprise etched in her features.
He brings his lips on to her ear, less to be intimate and more because it's necessary. "We need to talk." He mumbles.
And she's even more shocked now than before. "Why?" She questions suspiciously, doubting every intention.
As she should. "We just do." He says firmly, he's used to control and he doesn't like answering to anyone.
She doesn't argue with him, just lets him lead her around the house. In and out of messes of drunken teenagers and still being discreet. It's a hard, but he manages to get them out of the house with out being detected by a soul. To say she's impressed would be an understatement. But more than that, she's curious. What could have possessed him to lure her out here tonight? Because as far as she's concerned, they'd said all they needed to say the night they were together.
"Get in." He motions to his car.
She stares at him. "What are you doing? Where are we even…" She doesn't bother finishing her sentence because its clear she won't get any answers. Not until she gets in to the damn car.
With a dramatic huff, she opens the door and sits, slamming it behind her. He winces at her harsh treatment of the car he regarded as a child. "Easy." He murmurs.
She rolls her eyes, they were all the same when it came to cars.
He puts the key in the ignition and starts it. "I didn't want to leave, you know." She says plainly. "And I really don't want to talk to you." She says honestly, she was never one to beat around the bush. Blunt and straightforward, that's her style.
And maybe that's what he liked best about her, because it was a quality they shared. "I know, but I do." He says simply, yet he has no idea what he has to say to her. All he knows is he has to get her alone.
"Look, Matt. What happened that night it was a mistake." She sighs. "It shouldn't have ever gone so far and I feel horrible." But she doesn't. She hasn't felt a single thing close to horrible in the days that have passed. No real guilt, nothing even close to remorse. No actual regret.
He doesn't look surprised by her perfunctory response, he'd rehearsed the same speech in the bathroom mirror.
He nods mutely.
His car stops in front of a big house and a long driveway. She recognizes the place instantly. "We're at your Dad's house." She says flatly, having attended quite a few of his parties she knows how grand his house is.
Another nod. "I wanna talk inside." He says cutting off the ignition.
She opens her mouth to protest but closes it a minute later. For some reason, the thought of her and Matt alone in this house excites her. And truth be told, she'd rather be here than Davis' party anyway. Not that she'd ever admit it.
She pads up his porch steps, walking through the door he'd so graciously held open for her.
She's barely two feet in before she turns around. "So talk." She's getting impatient.
"Last week…" He begins. "It, wasn't." He struggles for words, trying to find the right ones to say. But seeing her, there in front of him and with in touching distance, his thoughts begin to cloud with lust.
Her crimson lips purse in annoyance and he has to will himself to look away, the sight alone is enough to send the blood rushing south. "Mimi, I don't think it was." He can't say it.
Mimi brings her gaze to meet his, once a brilliant blue, right now they're hazy and dark. She knows enough to realize it's because of want. And as much as she hates it, the thought makes her legs shake. "Wasn't what?" She breathes out, not concerned so much with what he has to say.
Matt takes a step closer, now barely an inch separated his torso from her breasts and the heat is enough to send shivers through her spine. "It wasn't. It…" He doesn't finish his sentence, he doesn't care anymore.
In a moment of rampant desire he dips his head and devours her lips. She doesn't respond right away, but when he pulls her to him, she tangles her fingers in to his hair. He's kissing her fiercely and intensely now, time and circumstance no longer a concern. The only thing that mattered now is she's in his arms and she's real.
She presses herself closer as close as she can get, feeling him through the fabric of his jeans. "Matt." She barely gets out as his tongue trails along her neck.
He's backing them up the stairs clumsily leading her to what he believes to be his bedroom, at least this time they'd be doing something right.
She pulls his mouth back to hers, her tongue darting out to lick his lips. Matt puts his hands under her, pulling her up. Her long, bare legs wrap themselves around him, squeezing his hips in anticipation. He hardens painfully as he registers that only a thin piece of fabric separates her from him, that if he were to take off his jeans, he could take her against the wall with out so much as wrinkling her dress.
His hand flies backward, reaching hard for the doorknob. Finding it, he flings open his door and kicks it shut behind them. "You want it?" He asks, much like he did the last time. Only this time he's teasing her. "Hm?" He kisses her collar bone before lightly throwing her on the bed.
She fists his shirt and pulls him on top of her, "Answer the question, princess." He grins and it's enough to make her want to rip off her clothes.
She swallows thickly. "Yes." She refrains from telling him just how badly. "Come on, stop teasing." She whines, tugging on the hem of his shirt.
Something about her makes him smile, he doesn't know what though. And right now, it didn't even matter.
Matt all but tares the dress off her.
As much as he'd liked it on her he preferred it on the floor.
-x-
She lays beside him in a mess of sweat and an odd sense of relief. Not just from the sexual tension she'd been feeling all night, but from everything else too.
She knows this isn't ideal and she knows it wouldn't ever last. Their too different for their own good, the two of them together could only mean disaster anyway. She isn't naïve, she knows all this.
But she can't think of how she can stay away from him now. Not when the fates had tempted her with such an irresistible offer. Because here they were again, in the same position and with the same concerns. Yet this time, there's no alcohol to shoulder the blame.
She inches closer to him, running the tip of her finger along his bicep. "We're wrong for doing this." She says softly. "We're going to hell."
"Hell is a while away." He shrugs a shoulder. "It was a long time coming, I guess." He answers simply.
She stares up into his eyes. "How?" She doesn't understand.
Matt glances down at her. "Only that the attraction was inevitable." He says, his answer equally as vague.
She shakes her head, wanting to get up but not being able to. She knows she should, god help her if he's the one to leave her alone in his bed but she just can't. "We can't do this, it can't keep happening." She isn't even half as determined as she's trying to sound.
"Why not?" He understands it's deceitful to Sora and he doesn't like it. But he can't control how much he wants the girl beside him, he just can't. He gave self-restraint a good, faithful try and it was damn near impossible.
Mimi doesn't have an answer for his question. She doesn't want to find one either. So instead, she comes up with a plan. "Are you and Sora together?" She asks, it's off topic but completely expected.
He takes a minute to respond. "Technically no. But…" He trails off, she knows as well as he does that the cycle never truly breaks itself.
"So that's when we can be together." She says slowly.
Now he's confused, is she really purposing a non-monogamous relationship with both her and her best friend? It's all too good to be true.
She notices the look on his face. "What I mean is, obviously we've tried not hooking up and look where it got us." She gestures around his room. "I can't be with in two feet of you with out wanting to…" She lets her sentence die with an air of mystery.
He understands the feeling completely, seeing from across the room was enough to make his blood boil hotter. "Yeah…" He acknowledges.
"So we can be together, kind of like friends with benefits." She says, a naughty glimmer in her eyes. "While the two of you aren't together." She might be scrupulous but she isn't devoid of a conscience. No matter how small or annoying.
He's beginning to see the makings of a perfect arrangement. "And if me and Sora never get back together?" He asks playfully, he's sure the situation won't arise though.
"Than we never have to leave your bed." She replies huskily.
The thought mixed with the sultry quality of her voice causes him to get hard all over again. "Anything else?" He asks, he's sure there will be other stipulations.
"Yes, this is a private affair." She says with a small laugh at her choice of words. "So there won't be any bragging in the locker room." She warns. "It's a deal breaker."
Matt nods. "So if I'm with Sora we can't see each other but what if you get a boyfriend?" He wonders.
She laughs. "Come on, Matt. Me?" She says flippantly as if he'd asked her if she had a third hand. "Yeah, right." Tai had been the only guy she'd ever dated and that was over before it had even started.
He takes her word for it. "No expectations though, I won't need you to drive me home or call me afterwards." She says briskly. "Strictly business." She smirks.
And it's okay with him. In fact, this is any guy's dream, a girl willing to sleep with him and expect nothing. "You're awfully accommodating." He notices.
"And you're awfully good in bed." She says wickedly.
With a kiss to his shoulder then one to his jaw and finally to his ear she says, "So, show me again." She hooks a leg around his waist, pulling herself on top of him.
-x-
A/N:
My, my, you are on class act, M. Because what you have managed with three boys most girls probably couldn't with just one. Now how do you make time for them all?
We can start with Tai, the chivalrous yet simple boy who'd won the affections of our girl from the very beginning. Yet something went horribly wrong and they found they weren't suited for each other after all. What a shame.
Then family loyalty and friendship are thrown to the winds, as our favorite non-couple has just begun their descent down the slippery slope of "friends with benefits." I think Zoe said it best, while the bitch is away boyfriend will play, indeed. And who better to take care of S's boyfriend than her very best friend M. Now there's dedication.
With S temporarily out of the picture and Z oblivious to almost everything but her boytoy, who's going to talk M out of her deal with the devil? One thing's for sure, it definitely won't be Matt.
But wait! Isn't there someone we're forgetting about. Ah yes, college boy and uber hottie Sam, he didn't make an appearance this time but why would he? One high school party a week is more than enough, I'm sure. However, something tells me we'll be seeing a lot of him in the coming weeks.
While three boys and one girl might be all fun and games now, M, when the shit hits the fan…will you be covered?
Here's to hoping you won't because its just more interesting that way!
Stay tuned for a look at the next chapter!
The Soundtrack—
Up Against the Wall: Boys Like Girls
Must Reads:
The Maiden by Sincere Friendship
Taming Of Soraby Princess Jaded
One Stolen Night by PaochiCute
Thirty One Days by
Theory 101 by Cassandra'sDestiny
-x-
The ringing in her head becomes ringing in her ears as she slowly registers that it's her phone making the most annoying sound known to man. "Hello." She answers, still barely awake.
"Hey stranger." It's a voice she recognizes but in her tired and delirious stupor can't recall.
"It's early, who is this?" She all but growls.
He laughs. "Sam." And the name jogs memories of stolen moments in a dark corner.
She sits upright and unsteady in her bed, the six o clock morning dusk still comfortable settled across the sky. "Oh. Hi." She says meekly. "It's early." She repeats and curses herself for being so stupid.
"I know, I like seeing the sunrise." And it sounds terribly romantic coming from him.
She subconsciously sighs at the thought of watching a sun rise with him, then realizes how girlfriend-like it would be. "Poetic." She murmurs.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" He asks softly.
She nods. "Yes, why is that?" She can't help but wonder since he'd seemed so eager to see her again the last time they'd met.
"I wanted to give you a bit of time, weigh your options." He replies and she's sure he's smiling.
"All right." She says warily.
"So how it? Tomorrow at seven?" He proposes.
She's have to cancel dinner plans with Zoe but she'd do it for Sam. He's just too hot to turn down. "It's a date." Leaving just enough time to close off the day with a visit to Matt.
-x-
And there it is, hope it keeps you interested kids!
Ciao!
-Christina