~~Matt~~



For the hundredth millionth time, I couldn't help wondering why all of a sudden my life seemed like a talk show gone wrong. Well, if they ever needed anyone for "My love life is pathetic" or "I had the date from Hell", I could certainly nominate someone. Myself. Fifteen minutes into the biggest soccer game in Odaiba High history, and I knew that I, Matt Ishida, had made a huge, run-like-hell mistake.

"Matt!" Jun exclaimed, her excited voice grating on my nerves. "Oh my God, they scored!" She started screaming and clutching my arm tightly like there was no tomorrow. Like I didn't have eyes and couldn't see the fact that Tai Kamiya, of all people, had just kicked the ball into the goalie net with smooth, swift precision. Or that Mimi was running towards him, cheering, and Tai picked her up and whirled her around, laughing at his teammates' good-natured complaints.

"Rah rah," I muttered, futilely trying to disengage my arm from Jun's iron grip. My sarcasm was obviously lost on her because she scooted closer to me, if that were possible, and smiled coyly. "Is it just me or is it really cold out here?"

From loads of experience, I knew this was an attempt to get me to wrap an arm around her or something equally touchy-feely. I was extremely tempted to say "it's just you" but I didn't. Sure, Jun was a little "whacked" as Tai would say, but she was nice and I would be a jerk to take out my anger on her. So I pulled her closer, shutting out her giggles of delight and focusing instead on the field where Mimi was acting like Tai's personal cheerleader.

God, she was beautiful. I couldn't seem to look away. My eyes were drawn to her beautiful now-pink hair, that gorgeous smile, soft lips, sweet personality...and I had thrown it all away. Like an utter fool, I had broken her heart yet again. And part of it had been stupid, because I had closed myself off from loving someone again after she had left and my whole world had collapsed. Maybe it had been instinctive, my refusal to allow either of us to get hurt again. But it had been wrong too, because if loving someone was truly worth it, then you had to be willing to get hurt and open old wounds. And staring at her bleakly, I knew that without a doubt, she was worth it. And I had lost her.



~~Tai~~



I was bursting at this point. We had just won! We won the City Championship! Man. Our coach was actually happy! He smiled and cheered! That alone was worth the months of backbreaking practice. But I wasn't just happy about that. Mimi was there, cheering me on, louder than anyone. I was so transfixed on her face that I sometimes forgot I was playing a soccer game.

She did that to you. Made you forget everything. All your problems and worries. I think that's why I love her so much. I love her for multiple reasons, but that being the number one.

"Come on Tai! You're gonna miss the party!" Genevieve shouted at me. She was the one who had organized the whole event. Her and Alissa.

Alissa. I thought about her for a minute. I really thought we had something going for us. Like she said, guess, I was wrong.

"I'll be there later Genevieve!" I assured her. "I just gotta take a shower first."

"Fine." she said placing her long dark hair behind her ears. Her brown eyes fixed on me, filled with doubt. "I gotta change anyway." she said walking over to the girl's locker room.

I smirked. Everyone knew Genevieve had the biggest crush on Matt. Almost as big as Jun. I think she really put the party together so she could get closer to him.

I stopped smirking as I realized this. Get close to Matt. Why did all the girls want to get closer to that jerk? If they only knew the real him, they'd flock away from him faster than Izzy can type.

But he was good. He wouldn't show the hurtful, son of a bitch, that he really was to people. He just would never do that. Whatever. His lose, is my gain. I got Mimi, and he's stuck with Jun. Nice girl, but a complete whack job. Not my problem. Right now, all I was focusing on, was getting the nasty grass stains off my knees.

About 20 minutes later, I heard the door the locker room, click shut. Since nobody else was with me, I guessed that some other player had finally grown tired of the praise from the crowd, and decided to change and shower like me.

I grabbed the towel that was hanging on the small rail, and wrapped it around my waist tightly. As a force of habit, I grabbed another towel, as I began walking out, and started drying my hair.

Kari had told me a few years ago, that my hair was too big to blow-dry. That is, unless I wanted to be there for four hours. I didn't listen, and was determined to prove her wrong. And I did. It only took three hours. After that day, I just use the ago old towel. Simple, but taken for granted.

I laughed at myself. I was sounding like a wine critique or something. The towel, is robust, not bitter. Even though this was the absolute lamest thing anybody could be thinking, I started to laugh out loud.

As I existed the shower stalls, I stopped laughing, and almost had a heart- attack. "Alissa!" I cried, as I tried to back up, and hid myself. Unlike what people would think, I was the most modest guy at our school. "What are you doing here? This is the guy's locker!"

"Really. I hadn't noticed." she said sarcastically, as she approached me. I backed up some more, but I was almost touching the wall of the shower. Needless to say, I was trapped.

"What do you want?" I asked. I wasn't exactly scared, just really shocked. I mean, you see things like this in the movies, where the guy tries to sneak a peak at the girl's locker room, but it never actually happens, and it's certainly not the other way around!

"I thought I wanted you." she said venomously. "But I was so wrong." she said shoving me back.

"Ow!" I said, as I made contact with the bricks. She just stepped closer to me. Her green eyes flaring with anger and hatred.

"You are the biggest jerk at Odaiba High!" she said harshly. Tears were rolling down her cheek as she yelled at me.

Even though I should have been super offended, I wasn't. Cause all I wanted to do, was reach out, and wipe away her tears. The night I had kissed her in the coffee shop, pushed itself back into my mind.

All I could clearly remember, was how good it felt to have her lips touching mine. I was happy at that moment. I was happy with her. But then I had ruined it all by saying Mimi's name.

At this point, she had started listing the ways I was the lowest lowlife in Japan, but I wasn't paying attention. I was just focusing on how beautiful she looked.

"Um, Alissa, maybe we could continue this enlightening conversation when I'm, oh say, wearing clothes." I said rather dully. Not intentional of course.

She stopped yelling at me, and smirked. I could tell she was trying to stop herself from laughing or smiling, but she wasn't doing such a great job.

She turned her head sideways, in an attempt to hide the massive grin that was plastered on her lovely face. I took my left hand, and brought her face back in front of mine.

"Listen." I said softly. "That night in the coffee shop..."

"Was a mistake." she said softly and sadly. Her eyes filling with tears again. I could tell she didn't believe it, but was trying to convince herself it was.

"No. It wasn't." I said truthfully. "I screwed up. Big time." she smiled. "But I never meant to hurt you. Why would I? You're smart, fun to be with, caring... beautiful." I said looking into her eyes, completely melting. "I really care about you."

"Yeah. As a friend." she said remorsefully.

"No." I said demanding. "You're much more to me than that. Much, much more." I said airily.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to kiss her. Mimi had seemed like a past memory, as I kissed her soft lips. She didn't pull back and slap me, like I originally thought she would have.

She kissed me back. I just held her so tight, never wanting to let go. And in that one perfect moment between us, I fell in love again.

It hit me hard. I knew I shouldn't be doing this, because I was with Mimi, but my heart told me too. I think it was preparing me for what was to come later, so I didn't have to go through that incredible heartache you go through, when you know the one person you love the most in the world, doesn't love you back.

Alissa wrapped her arms around my neck, drawing me closer to her. She got no complaint out of me, whatsoever. I just hugged her waist, pulling her closer to my wet body.

Yeah, then something else hit me. I was still very much naked and only covered by a towel. "Alissa." I muttered, breaking away slightly.

"Yeah." she whispered, as her bottom lip quivered slightly. Her eyes still closed.

"You're not carrying any coffee are you?" I said goofily. She pushed me back against the wall, and giggled.

"Shut up and get changed." she said throwing me my shirt. My heart was racing madly in my chest, to the point I thought it would explode, and kill me.

'Yep.' I thought proudly. 'This is definitely love.'



~~Mimi~~



I knew I should be happy, overjoyed. And I was. My boyfriend, who I was madly in love with, had led our soccer team to the biggest victory in years. And yet, out on the field with the other cheerleaders, I hadn't been able to stop shooting glances at the bleachers where he was sitting. Matt Ishida, my ex-boyfriend. I felt like dying every time I saw him, the way he smiled mysteriously, or the sarcastic look in his azure eyes. And how he and that girl Jun had been all over each other during the game.

I exhaled sharply, telling myself firmly that I would not be jealous. Why should I? I had a boyfriend who was nice, funny, drop-dead beautiful, and all around the perfect guy except for the fact that he took a really long, long time getting ready. I shot an impatient look at the boys' locker room and decided to go take a little walk around the school just to give him a couple more minutes. I always teased Tai about getting his hair cut because it would save him time but he knew I loved it anyways.

I was walking down the east wing when suddenly I saw him. I frowned and gave myself a mental shake. Same blonde hair, tall build, but it was Takeru I was staring at, not his older brother. He was talking with another boy who had unruly brown hair and goggles, and I almost mistook him for Tai but he was obviously younger. Daisuke, I recalled. One of Tai's teammates and a very good soccer play too.

"Hi Takeru," I said, forcing a casual note into my voice. I knew Takeru didn't hate me for what had happened between me and his brother, but looking at him, sometimes I couldn't help feeling more than a little guilty.

Both boys swung towards me and I was startled to see the angry, flushed expressions on their faces. As if they had been arguing. Daisuke was the first to speak. "I have to go," he said stiffly, giving me a strained smile before walking off.

"What was that about?" I asked Takeru, giving him a concerned look.

The blonde boy actually looked embarrassed. "Uh, nothing."

I frowned. "That didn't seem like nothing. I know you two are normally friends. Come on, Takeru, you know you can tell me."

"Jeez, now you're starting to sound like Sora," he complained, grinning.

I ignored his attempts at changing the subject and gave him a gentle smile. "It's Kari, isn't it?"

"What?" Takeru laughed nervously. "Huh? What makes you think that?"

"Tai told me," I replied. "How Daisuke's madly in love with her."

Takeru's azure eyes were shadowed. "Yeah. Something like that."

And staring at him, it suddenly seemed like I had stepped back three years ago to another terribly similar situation. Except in three years, I thought despairingly, so much and yet so little had changed. And I wanted more than anything that Takeru wouldn't have to go through so much pain and heartbreak. I swallowed painfully. "Just be careful," I managed.

Takeru gave me a concerned look before smiling reassuringly. "Thanks, Mimi. I won't."

I smiled back and watched him leave to go look for Kari before heading back to look for Tai.



~~Matt~~



I blinked, taken aback. Sure it was crowded with everyone heading for the party, but I could recognize my own little brother in a heartbeat. Especially when he and his girlfriend were making out madly near a row of dimly lit lockers. I was about to push through the hordes of students to give him one of my priceless older brother lectures, but then I realized I had lost Jun. Cursing profusely, I started looking around, thinking how pathetic it was that my thirteen year old brother had a perfect, blissful love life when mine was shot to hell.

The throngs of students was more sparse near the locker rooms and I wondered if Jun had slipped into the girls' bathroom to freshen up or gossip about me. "Jun?" I called out tentatively, but there was no response. Running my hands through my hair, I was getting a little panicked when suddenly someone bumped into me.

"Hey-" I began, but the words froze in my mouth. Because me and Tai were staring at each other, and I could clearly see the disbelief and anger in his eyes.

I decided to try for civility. "Hey Tai, have you seen Jun around?" I asked.

He paused, eyes narrowing. "What's the matter, Matt?" he replied. "Decided to diss another girl?"

The barb hit home and I felt my fists clench in anger. "Just shut up, Tai," I bit out. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Oh don't I?" he shot back, taking a step forward. If I didn't know any better though, there was a strange hesitance in his voice. It almost sounded like guilt, but I dismissed the thought. "Don't I know how you broke Mimi's heart? Again? Tell me, does being a self-righteous bastard come naturally or did you have to learn it?"

I barely kept myself from punching him. Barely. "Like I give a damn about your opinion, Kamiya," I spat, lying through my teeth because honestly, we were best friends even though we rarely acted like it. I guess girls can have that effect. "You can-" I broke off because suddenly, there was this loud screeching noise that seemed to echo throughout the school. "What the hell?" I breathed.

"The locking mechanism!" Tai shouted, running for the nearest exit. He slammed himself against the door but it refused to budge. "Shit!" he cursed, pounding on the door with his fist.

"No kidding," I agreed, wondering silently if things could get worse. Predictably, they could.

"Damn, Mimi's here," Tai said, and started heading for the locker exit. I made to follow him but he whirled, glaring. "Just stay away from her, Matt," he commanded in a low voice. "She doesn't need to see you."

I barely kept myself from flinching at the truth in his words. The last thing we needed was all three of us locked up together. "Fine," I muttered. "Fine. I'll call the cops, okay?"

Tai didn't answer, just stormed off. "Ah hell," I cursed, slamming my fist against a locker. It barely defused my anger. Taking a deep breath, I picked up one of the payphones and dialed the police.

"Hello? What's your emergency?" the tinny male voice asked.

"Okay, me and some friends are locked in Odaiba High," I said, trying to put some panic into my voice so he would feel sorry for me. "We need help getting out."

There was an ominous pause before the dispatcher started laughing uproariously. I stared in disbelief at the phone as he choked out, "You call that an emergency? Listen kid, all the cops are stationed for the huge celebration tonight. So if you can just sit tight for an hour, we'll get you out, okay?"

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to stay calm, which was difficult when all I wanted to do was scream at him that he didn't understand, not a single thing, because I was stuck in the building with my ex-girlfriend and my ex-best friend so could he please get me the hell out? Instead, I sighed. "Okay, sure. Thanks." I put the phone back on the hook and muttered, "Son of a bitch. My dad's gonna hear about your slow response time." I was about to get out of the locker room when I heard his voice again and realized with horror that I hadn't really hung up. He sounded pissed and said, "Make that two hours," before slamming the receiver down.



~~Tai~~



This was great. I was trapped in the school, with my girlfriend, and her ex. To make matters worse, every time I saw Mimi smiling at me, I felt a hundred times more guilty.

I kept telling myself, that what happened with Alissa, was nothing. That it meant nothing to me. But I was only lying to myself. That kiss couldn't have meant more.

As much as I cared for Mimi, I couldn't deny the feelings that were in me. Something was tearing me from her, and straying me to Alissa. And I felt like the biggest jerk.

Jerk. That's funny. I called Matt that, so many times. I never thought I'd actually be one. I mean. I'm different from Matt! And I thought I always would be.

But tonight, I found out we were cut from the same wood. And that made me hate myself.



~~Mimi~~



Something's wrong here. I'm not sure what it is, but everybody is so uptight. Tai won't even look me in the eye. And it's scaring me. Earlier, when I kissed him, he seemed hesitant. Ashamed. Guilty?

I wasn't sure, but it made me worried. Then there was Matt. God. This wasn't easy. I was trapped in my old school, with the two guys I love the most in the world.

"Tai, I'm going to go get some water." I told him.

"Okay." he smiled at me. "I'll be waiting here for you!" he said chuckling.

I jumped off the bench we were sitting on, and took a stroll through Odaiba High. The place that I left behind.

Now that I look back, I realize how much I actually left behind, when I moved to America. I left my friends. My family. My life. My heart. But I thought that, that was safe with Matt. I thought that if I were to ever come back, he would be there. Smiling, ready to hand it back to me.

But I obviously gave it to the wrong person. Even after all these years, Tai has still stuck by my side. Always staying true to me.

I think that's the part of him that I'm attracted to the most. Even though he's an absolute treat to look at, his personality is a thousand times more beautiful.

I was soon approaching the old water fountain on the third floor. I think I had memorized that area to a tee. Probably because my old locker was just around it, but mostly because Matt and I used to meet there every day after classes.

Make a left, then a right. Walk straight 32 steps, then jump down the steps. I shut my eyes, wondering if I still knew the way. I took my first left, and didn't hit any walls, so I guess I hadn't forgotten.

But I was soon approaching my jump. I decided to be careful, and opened my eyes. Sure enough the steps were there. I smiled happily as I jumped them. 5 steps isn't exactly a high jump, but the impact still makes you a little nervous.

But I wasn't alone. Matt was leaning against the wall, his beautiful azure eyes shut. He was thinking. About what, I didn't exactly know, even though I used to be able to read his mind practically.



~~Mimi~~



My mind screamed at me to go and run away before he saw me but for some reason, I just couldn't. I was frozen on the spot, unable to tear my eyes away from the figure who was leaning against the lockers, his eyes slowly opening as he pushed himself up. He was unaware of my presence and so the casual, cool façade he adopted was gone, leaving only a tired seventeen year old whose azure eyes were sad and weary. I swallowed, my heart stopping for a breath as I felt an irrational urge to go run to him and hold him. To feel his arms around me once again, and to hear him telling me that he loved me.

"Mimi?" his quiet voice startled me and I actually gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.

He was giving me an unreadable look but at least he didn't move forward. I nodded, trying a smile. "Hi, Matt. I guess you're waiting too, huh? I wonder when the police will get here..." I trailed off, realizing I was on the verge of babbling.

"So you knew I was here?" he asked, eyes widening in surprise. "Tai told you?"

"Yes," I replied. "I mean, I didn't know you were here," I indicated our water fountain, "but I knew you were stuck here with us."

"Oh," he said. He actually looked nervous. "Mimi, I want to tell you-"

"You're sorry?" I finished angrily. I couldn't help it and closed the distance between us, glaring at him. "When have I heard that before?"

He winced. "That's why I came here, to the soccer game. Because I wanted to see you, and tell you that...that I love you."

"That's nice," I snapped, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. "That's why I came to America. To tell you that."

I heard his sharp intake of breath. "What did you say?" he said. I turned away, shrugging off his hand when he tried to touch me. "I said that's why I came back. Because I missed you...and...and because I realized that I needed you. That I love you." I wiped away tears, angry at my lack of control. "But I guess I was wrong."

"Then why did you leave?" he demanded. I turned around, staring wide-eyed as his words hit me like physical blows. "When you had everything here? Your friends. Memories. Us. God, did you know how hard it was for me, after you left?"

I didn't think, just slapped him, hard. He stared at me, bringing up a hand to his bruised jaw. "How dare you?" I said in a low voice. "How dare you throw that at me? You know why I left! It was because of us, Matt. We both needed time. Maybe I was afraid. Fine, call me weak, I don't give a damn." There was a long tense silence and I quickly turned away, unable to bear his anger. " I think I'd better leave," I said unsteadily.

I had taken only a few steps when I heard his voice. "Mimi, I love you," he said softly. There was no anger in his voice, only some deep sadness that was a perfect mirror to mine. And those four simple words spoke volumes. I turned and saw him watching me, blue eyes pleading. He was actually crying. "Matt," I whispered, and without thinking, ran towards him, tears streaming down my face, and felt his arms go around me. We hugged each other, laughing and crying, and I had never felt so happy, so alive. Something just felt right, and then he was gently tilting my chin up and our lips met, and I felt like I could just drown in those azure eyes. And for just that moment, there was no bitterness, no anger or jealousy, only an aching desire and happiness because everything finally made sense.



~~Tai~~



Mimi was walking back. I had gotten really worried, because her 2 minute water break, had turned into a more than 20 minute affair.

I had thought she had gotten lost, but she knew the school, just as well as anybody.

She sat back down beside me, with a star struck gaze on her face. She was smiling goofily, and she looked as if she was in a trance.

Now I know I didn't put that smile on her face, and the water here wasn't that good, so it could only be one other thing. I sighed heavily, because I knew that this was bound to happen sooner or later.

"You were just with Matt, weren't you?" I asked her, as I let my head fall back on the bench. My eyes were focused on the ceiling, so I didn't have to see the look on her face.

She didn't bother making up some lame excuse, that I would see right through and she just told me the truth. "I'm so sorry Tai." she whispered. "Please understand. I do love you, and I don't like seeing you like this."

I felt as if a mountain had been lifted from my shoulders. Namely the guilt, but a small part of me was majorly depressed.

She chose him over me, for the second time in a row. I felt like a huge idiot, because I kept crawling back to her, but now, I had someone else to love.

"Mimi, I have to tell you something." I said looking at her. "Before I met you in the park that night, I had just been with Alissa." I said slowly. She was hanging onto every word. "And I had kissed her, and really enjoyed it."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked a little hurt.

"Because I did it again. Tonight in fact." I turned to her, and grabbed her hands, that were trembling. "Mimi, I will always love you. Nothing can change that fact." she started to cry a little, so I brushed off her tears. "But you love, and always will love Matt. No matter how hard I try. I can never have your heart. Simply because he's always had it. And trust me, he'd be a fool to let it go."

"Tai," she whispered to me. "I do love you. And I'm so sorry for putting you through this hurt again."

"No." I whispered, putting my finger to her lips. "You did nothing that hurt me."

At this moment, Matt decided to appear. He seemed to have known what we were talking about, and he was grinning ear to ear.

Mimi looked at me, and I nodded. I couldn't keep them apart. It would just be cruel. I had to let her go.

"Thank you Tai." she said as she kissed me for the final time. It must have been the best kiss we ever shared, because I knew that we were finally both going to be happy.

"Love you Mimi." I whispered, as I hugged her tightly.

"Love you too." she whispered back. After we broke our, what seemed like, never-ending hug, she practically jumped into Matt's arms.

"Tai." he started to say. But the look in my eyes obviously shut him up. "Thank you. I mean, really thank you."

"Just take care of her." I instructed him. "She's the best thing that happened to me, and if you ever take her for granted..."

"I won't. You know I won't." he promised, as he extended his hand. I shook it proudly, knowing what I just did, made my best friend extremely happy.

"Just promise me, I can be best man at the wedding." I joked.

"For all I care, you can be the priest." he said smirking, as I punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"But Alissa won't like that too much." Mimi said smiling mischievously at me. It was back to old times, like nothing had ever changed between us. It was Matt and Mimi. But now, Tai and Alissa.

In that defining moment in my life, when we heard the glass from the door smash open, I knew that things would never change. Well, except now I had a totally hot girlfriend, and I was helpless in love with her.

Matt and Mimi walked hand in hand out the door, as I followed close behind them. Almost immediately, Alissa came flying through the crowd, and into my arms.

"I was so worried about you." she whispered in my ear. "Don't ever do that to me again!"

"I swear to you. I won't ever leave your side." I whispered secretively, as I kissed her again.

"Go figure. He just gets out of being trapped in a building, and he goes straight for the girl." Matt chuckled, as I shot him a dirty look.

"Leave him alone." Alissa said clinging to my shoulders. "He could get the girl anytime he wanted."

"Am I not going to love dating this one?" I said, as I slipped my arm around her waist.

"Oh, your families are over there. They've been worried sick about you guys." Alissa stated.

"Great, I can't wait to tell Kar..." I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. Kari was standing by a tree, and Tk was close by her. Now, I use the phrase 'sucking face', lightly, because her head was half down his throat.

"Tai." Alissa said, as she noticed my fists clench, and my face burn.

"You better star running Takaishi!" I barked loudly. It startled them so much, they practically jump 5 feet away from each other. Tk, being smarter than Matt, took off, as I followed in close pursuit.

Even though we were several meters away, I could still hear them laughing. Mimi. Matt. And the woman I now loved. Alissa.

All in all, it was a story, that you could tag, as "Happily ever after." but we still use the term lightly. Cause we know that the word happily, is not the best word to describe ourselves. Tk would use the expression, "Swollen and banged up," but for the rest of us, it was more "Too good to be true."

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