Summary: It's TK and Kari's senior year in high school and they take a surprise Thanksgiving trip to America where things get super complicated. It doesn't look good for TK and Kari's relationship when Kari decides to move back to America and have nothing to do with TK. Can their relationship survive the test of time or will Kari's stubbornness keep them apart forever?
Hard to Love You
'I Don't Wanna Be In Love'
(don't own Good Charlotte either)
Jeff was driving the black rental Cadillac Escalade back to the track while Jimmie sat next to him in the passenger seat. Jimmie had paid the security guards a hundred dollars each not to arrest Brian and TK for causing a public disturbance. Brian and Kari sat behind them in the luxurious car. Kari's left eye was swollen shut and had turned black and blue. She sobbed as Brian held her hand, comforting her the best he could while TK sat by himself in the backseat with the luggage.
Kari wouldn't even look at TK or even let him get near her. She was terrified and scared of TK. This wasn't the first the time she saw TK suddenly get angry. This reminded her of the time TK punched Willis after Jessica's party almost two years ago. Just looking at him brought back the fear and pain of TK hitting her again.
Jeff pulled into the motor coach lot where all the drivers, crew chiefs, owners, and famous Nascar broadcasting people stayed. They stopped at a black and silver motor coach where Jimmie and his wife Chandra stayed during the racing weekends. Chandra knew they were coming and waited anxiously by the door to see her old friend again. When Jimmie and Brian helped Kari in the motor coach, Chandra was shocked to her in such a horrible condition. Seeing Chandra again made Kari smile for the first time since the incident at the airport.
"Oh my gosh Kari! What happened? Do you need ice? Do you want some aspirin?" Chandra asked. When Kari nodded her head, Chandra went to the freezer and brought her an ice pack and Jimmie went to get her some aspirin.
Jeff, Jimmie, Chandra, Brian and Kari all sat down on the couch while TK preferred to stand near the door. Jimmie preceded to tell the story of what happened in the airport. He purposely made TK sound like an evil monster but TK didn't even bother or try to defend himself. He felt so bad, he wanted to wallow in his own guilt and regret.
"How could ya hit your own girlfriend?" Jimmie asked TK in disgust when he finished the story. TK didn't answer, he simply looked away. "Kari, ya deserve better than that!"
Kari also looked away and laid her head on a soft pillow near by. A million thoughts were running through her head. Her heart still loved TK and wanted to over look this mishap but her head hated TK for starting a fight with Brian and yet was scared he would hit her again. There was an awkward silence before Jeff received a text message from his wife, Ingrid.
"Well, I suppose I better go" Jeff said as he got up and walked toward the door. He walked passed TK and turned back to the others. "Where is he gonna stay now?"
Kari's parents had made sleeping arrangements so Kari and TK would not be staying in the same motor coach at the track. Kari was going to stay with Jimmie and Chandra while TK was going to stay with Brian. However, after their little fist fight, it was apparent they wouldn't be staying together.
"I don't know," answered Jimmie, trying to think of a solution.
"There is no way he is staying with me," Brian retorted. The drivers spoke like TK wasn't even in the motor coach.
"Well maybe he could stay with Brad (Keslowski)?" Jeff suggested.
"Maybe. Are ya sure he can't stay with you Jeff?" Jimmie asked.
"There is barely enough room with Ingrid, Ella, Leo and me in our motor coach," said Jeff. "There wouldn't be enough room for one more person."
"I bet Brad would let him stay just for the weekend," replied Jimmie.
"Maybe. Come on TK. Let's see if we can find a place for you to stay," Jeff said and TK reluctantly followed him out the door.
Shortly after, Jimmie and Chandra went out for their walk around the track. It was a little ritual they started a few years after they got married. It was their time to spend together while getting some exercise. Brian stayed with Kari as they laid on the couch together. Brian held Kari protectively in his arms. They laid there in silence both trying to think of something to say. Kari hadn't said a word since the incident at the airport. Her mind kept replaying the fight over and over again. She kept seeing TK's fist flying at her and it made her even more scared of TK.
Kari eventually fell asleep in Brian's arms. When Jimmie and Chandra returned, Brian gently laid her head down on a soft pillow. She woke up from the subtle movement but pretended to still be asleep. Chandra went and got an extra blanket and carefully laid it over her fragile little body.
"Poor thing," Chandra whispered to Jimmie and Brian. "She must be traumatized."
"Who would hit their own girlfriend?" Brian angrily whispered back.
"I don't think he did it on purpose Brian," replied Chandra. She might not have known TK but she just couldn't have seen him just punching Brian for no reason. He seemed way to nice to purposely hit Brian. It wouldn't surprise her if Brian said something to provoke him.
"Still...who does that?" Brian retorted.
"Brian, I know ya too well. I know this is exactly what ya wanted. I hope ya don't go and try to break them up," said Chandra.
"Do ya think I want to date a seventeen year old girl? Cause I don't! I don't wanna be in love but I am and I can't help that!" Brian angrily replied
"Well ya better try harder than cause you're doing a shitty job of it," said Jimmie and Brian angrily left.
Kari was shocked. She always kinda knew Brian liked her but she didn't think he loved her. As if her head and heart weren't already hurting enough, hearing Brian profess his love for her only made things worse. Kari really did care for Brian but she wasn't sure if it was just a close friendship or if she really loved him too. There was a certain connection Kari shared with Brian that she didn't share with anyone else, not even TK.
Kari laid on the couch until she was sure Jimmie and Chandra were asleep. She got up and went to the front of the motor coach and sat in the driver seat. She tapped the light above her and looked in the mirror. Kari couldn't even look at herself. She could barely open her left eye. It was almost swollen shut and was deeply bruised. It was one bruise not even her giant sunglasses could cover up.
She went back to her suitcase and grabbed her laptop and D-3. She held the D-3 up to the screen and the digi-gate immediately popped up. Kari whispered the famous words that opened the gate. She landed in the Digital World and walked to the nearest TV portal and transported back to the real world. She was going to portal hop all the way back to Japan. Kari finally made it back to her room back in Japan. The loud thud woke Gatomon from her catnap. In the broad daylight, it didn't take Gatomon long to notice Kari's black and blue eye.
"Oh my gosh Kari! What happened?" Gatomon exclaimed as she rushed to Kari's side.
Just thinking about the incident back at the airport made Kari cry. Gatomon hugged and comforted her partner as she broke down in tears. Gatomon knew something serious had happened.
"Is there anything I can do?" Gatomon asked and Kari nodded her head. She pointed to the bruise on her eye and Gatomon knew exactly what she wanted her to do. "Ya want me to get rid of that bruise don't ya?" Kari nodded her head again. "I suppose I can do it."
Gatomon digivolved to Angewomon and used her healing powers to help heal her bruise. The process used up all of Gatomon's energy and she dedigivolved back into Gatomon. Kari's swelling had gone down considerably and it made Kari feel slightly happier.
"Thank you Gatomon," Kari managed to say. "I'm sorry for showing up like this."
"It's ok Kari. I know ya will tell me what's wrong when the time is right," replied Gatomon which made Kari smile.
They hugged before Kari portal hopped back to America. Kari was back on the couch before sunrise and before Jimmie and Chandra could even notice she was gone. Kari looked in the mirror again to see her eye looked much better. Now her giant sunglasses covered her black eye, which made Kari even happier. The sun was starting to rise and Kari knew Jimmie and Chandra would be up soon. She quickly and quietly walked back to the couch and fell asleep.
She woke up a few hours later. Chandra was sitting at the kitchen table with her laptop watching her husband's lap times during first practice. When Chandra noticed she was awake she got up to sit down by Kari.
"Oh my gosh Kari," exclaimed Chandra. "Your swelling has gone down! I've never seen a black eye heal so fast!" The compliment made Kari smile. "Do ya want to talk about it?"
"I don't know what to do Chandi" Kari replied, using Chandra's popular nickname. "I still love TK with all my heart but part of me hates him for even starting that stupid fight. And every time I see him, I get these horrible flashbacks of him hitting me. I'm so scared he'll hit me again."
"I have a friend who was in an abusive relationship and she says that she gets flashbacks of her boyfriend hitting her too. So its normal if ya get flashbacks too. I think ya should try talking to TK and hear his side of the story because as much as Jimmie loves to tell stories, I know he likes to over exaggerate them. And then talk to Brian because I'm sure he has a different version of it too, which I'm sure is probably gonna sound a lot like Jimmie's version. Then use your heart and do what is best for ya," said Chandra
"Thanks Chandi," replied Kari. "I think I'm gonna do that."
"You're more than welcome Kari," said Chandi as she gave her a hug.
As the two friends hugged, there was a knock at the door. Kari knew exactly who it was. She knew the drivers were still practicing for qualifying later that day. Chandra got up and answered the door. TK looked up at her. He looked absolutely horrible, as if he hadn't slept in days.
"May I come in?"