Friends and Lovers
Ssj_hotaru
Chapter Two
Sora sat on the trunk of her car, on the side of a narrow road in a remote forest, feeling more than a little ridiculous.
She had only wanted to make sure she looked her absolute best. As much as she would like to deny it, she admitted that she wanted to show Matt she had changed. She couldn't show up in the active-wear she wore to work and have him see her as the same awkward tomboy he'd so easily dismissed in the past. She wanted to walk in and see his jaw drop when he saw her.
Now, looking sexier than she had ever looked in her life squeezed into a tiny black dress, here she was. Perched on the back of her smoking car, in the middle of no where.
She stared morosely down at the shattered IPhone cradled in her hands and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Maybe this was just fate's way of telling her not to make a fool of herself a second time. She sighed and leaned back against the rear windshield to stare up at the branches overhead. She rarely felt so stupid, but, she mused, at least the tree she'd crashed into offered enough shade that she wouldn't get sun burned. A valid concern as a red head.
"That's me" she said aloud, "always thinking ahead." She laughed and looked back at her broken phone. With a snort of disgust she tossed the useless thing through the window into the backseat behind her.
She had gotten herself into a bit of a dilemma, she acknowledged, looking around. She was just off the road, but thanks to the tree she'd run into she hadn't gone completely off the road and into the forest below. Instead she was clearly visible to anyone driving from both directions. Her phone had somehow flown out the window and was now worthless, so calling anyone was out of the question.
The only real solution was to walk. She must be close to the lake house Taichi rented for the weekend since she'd already been on this road for close to an hour, the problem was in her footwear. She lifted her feet into the air and studied her brand new six inch black heels. They looked amazing, but hardly practical for trekking along the side of the road, for that matter neither was her dress. Her bags were in the back seat with the rest of the clothes she packed for the weekend, but she hadn't prepared for hitchhiking.
She sighed again and crossed her arms behind her head, enjoying the late afternoon sun filtering through the leaves.
Maybe it would be best if she just sat tight for a bit. If someone else was running late they couldn't help but notice her stranded as they drove by. Besides, Joe would no doubt come looking for her with his duct tape handy. She smiled at the image that conjured. At least she would make an entrance, she thought, all trussed up with duct tape.
She was feeling surprisingly good for having just driven her car into a tree, she realized, which probably said a lot about her mental state.
She let her eyes drift closed as she enjoyed the sun dappled warmth and she wondered dreamily what Matt would think of her after all these years...
"Sora?"
Slowly she blinked up at the golden sky peaking through the trees towering over her. Where was she?
"Sora?"
With a start she scrambled into a sitting position and jerked her head towards the sound of her name. Her startled eyes met Joe's so close beside her that she let out a squeak of surprise before she registered his familiar face.
She stared disoriented for several heartbeats while she tried to understand what was going on.
"Are you alright?" he asked. She could see that he was genuinely concerned. She looked around, noting the road, the trees, and finally realizing she was sitting on the trunk of her car. Instantly it came back to her and she realized she must have dozed. She started to laugh, which only made poor Joe look even more distressed.
"I'm fine." She rushed to assure him through her giggles, "I just hit a tree." She gestured towards the front of her car.
"I can see that." He snapped, pushing his glasses back up with a hard jab. "Why didn't you call me?"
His hard tone surprised her, but she could only shrug. "My phone broke."
She slid off the back of her car and landed in the loamy soil on the side of the road. Her unusually high heels sank right in and she teetered, fighting to regain her balance. She reached out to cushion her fall, but two strong arms caught her from behind and pulled her close.
She hadn't seen him, hadn't even suspected that he was there, but the touch of his hands on her stomach sent a thrill coursing through her that could only mean one thing. She cringed.
With awful certainty she wished the ground would swallow her whole as she turned her head and met the cerulean eyes that had stolen her heart twelve years ago.
She struggled to compose herself before stepping away to stand on her own, careful to keep her weight on the balls of her feet. He released her and she hated herself for the emptiness she felt at their loss.
"Thank you." she said, grudgingly, putting more space between them.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, and just the sound of his voice, deep and smooth, made her shiver.
She forced herself to turn around and really look at him. Her heart stopped for just a moment, and when it resumed the beat was painful in her breast. He was no longer the lanky teen she remembered, instead his black shirt stretched across his chest in a way that suggested he was no slouch at the gym. His skin was a healthy, sun kissed bronze that made his already remarkable eyes seem impossibly blue and his golden hair was long, just brushing the collar of his shirt. Her fingers shook with the desire to touch him and she balled her hands in to fists in an effort to fight the urge.
She was completely unprepared for the rush of emotion and temptation that threatened to overwhelm her from just being near him again. Was it too much to wish he had grown fat and bald in six years? As a teen he had been a heart breaker... as a grown man he was devastating.
If she had felt mortified before it was nothing to the shame she felt now.
Had she really thought to make his jaw drop? How pathetic was she? Suddenly she felt cheap and exposed in her too small dress and too high heels. She never stopped to realize she still thought of him as the boy she knew in school. She was looking at the man, the stranger, and she no longer had the advantage of being his best friend.
The pain in her chest was like a fist clenched around her heart and it felt impossible to breathe. He asked her something, but she couldn't have spoken, even if her dazzled brain could translate his words. She knew she was gawking like a fool, but try as she might she couldn't help but stare, dumbfounded by the sight of him.
Joe grabbed her arm, breaking the spell. She jumped at his touch, so different from Matt's that it made her skin crawl.
"I'm fine." She snapped, finally understanding what they'd been asking her. She made to brush his hand away, but then felt instantly guilty. She was angry at herself and embarrassed, but it wasn't fair to take it out on them. It was clear they'd been worried about her.
"I'm fine." she said more kindly, forcing herself to smile up at Joe, "I'm just embarrassed, but really, I'm okay."
"Are you sure?" He asked, stepping closer. "You looked like you'd seen a ghost."
Sora flushed bright red and glanced self consciously at Matt before she could stop herself. He stood with his hands in his pockets and his eyes were guarded as they met hers. She shrugged apologetically as she thought of a convincing cover.
"I was just surprised," she explained, "I didn't expect to see you."
At her words his expression grew colder. "We all know you don't want to see me." he said, his tone hard. He turned and walked to an unfamiliar sports car parked in the road that she realized must be his.
Hurt, Sora looked to Joe for an answer, but he just shook his head as if to say "don't ask" before he followed Matt back to the car.
She was now thoroughly confused, but she grabbed her bags from the back seat and hurried after Joe.
She didn't think Matt would leave without her, but with the attitude he'd just given her she didn't want to tempt him.