A/N: Soooo I've been rewriting this story since I was in the 6th grade.

I'm soon to be a junior in college.

YEAH.

Well, I hope it turns out to your liking. I've been a fan of Digimon for a long time (I still watch it!), so I think this will be fun to finally get down. Thanks to everyone who has liked and reviewed my other stories; I really appreciate it. It makes me want to write.

I've always been a huuuuge fan of Izzy, and have always thought that he needed more love on . So, that's what this story is for! GIVE IZZY SOME LOVE!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Wish I did, but, unfortunately, I do not.

Prologue

Senior year. The big one. The year that, according to the teachers and the guidance counselors, decides your future. Where every path you take may just affect what paths will be available later. Just yesterday, it seemed like you were 5 years old, running around in some God-awful maroon overalls in your backyard, and here you are: faced with the reality of being an adult. I always thought I would be happy - relieved even - when I reached this point.

Turns out, I'm not happy at all. Turns out, it totally sucks.

"This is our last year together." My best friend Mimi was lying right beside me. We were on her bedroom floor, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars she had stuck to her ceiling. It's been our tradition since the day before our sophomore year to spend the last day of summer together, ending it by staring at her makeshift night sky.

"Don't say that, Chloe," she said, rolling over on her side, her strawberry-blonde hair spilling over her eyes, "that just sounds really negative."

It did, but I couldn't help it. Mimi had been my best friend since freshman year. I didn't know if I would be able to survive without seeing her every day.

"It's true, though, Mims," I said, sitting up on my elbows, blowing a few strands of my dyed black hair out of my face. "I mean, after this year, it's done. We won't see each other every day anymore. You'll be off at Brown, and I'll be at God knows where."

"If I get into Brown."

"Why are you still second guessing it? You said it yourself that they were practically drooling all over you in that interview you went to. Besides, you got like…what…a 2300 on your SATs?"

"2170," she said quietly.

"That's right. See? Nothing to worry about."

Mimi sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I guess so. I just really don't want to go to university in Japan, you know? I've gotten so used to the American school system that I don't think I could ever go back."

"It's why you're so smart, though."

Mimi smirked, rolling over on her stomach. She looked me straight in the eyes. "If you knew any of my friends over there, you'd think twice about the truth of that statement."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, whatever. You've said that before."

"Yes, and I'm going to say it again. When you meet them, you'll see."

I scoffed. "More like 'if'."

Mimi shook her head, her hair bouncing. "No 'ifs'. You're coming back with me this break."

"Yeah, whatever." I rose up, dusting off my pink-with-Scottie-terrier pajama pants. "We'll see if that happens."

"You going to bed?" Mimi asked, a hint of concern in her voice. She knew that I always got semi-upset when she talked about us going to Japan.

I nodded. "I'm kind of tired, and I want to get a fresh start tomorrow."

"Okay," she got up and followed me to the guest room. "I guess I'll see you in the morning, then."

"All right. Good night, Mimi."

"Oyasuminasai, Chloe-san," she said with a smile. I smiled back, and then closed the door.

Hi.

I'm sure you're confused by what all just took place. I mean, I don't blame you. To just have some random conversation, full of little side things that you don't understand, thrown at you like that? I would be a little lost, too. So, let me liven things up a bit.

I'm Chloe. Chloe Gates. I'm 17 years old, and I go to Grayridge High School, a little high school outside of Garden City, New York. I've got long, curly, bottle black hair and blue eyes. I'm about 5'4", with a size 10 shoe. I'm pretty pale, but it's not for lack of trying to get tan. I just burn. I live with my dad and my cat Serena. Yes, she is named after Sailor Moon. My mom passed away of cancer when I was in 6th grade.

Oh, and to give you more of a visual, I'm also a size 16/18.

Yeah, I'm overweight. Chubby. Husky. Curvy. Voluptuous. Heavy. FAT. Whatever you want to call it, that's me. Always has been me, and probably always will be me. I've been told I make a great pillow. And that's fine with me. I kind of find comfort in my extra layers. Of course, there are always days where I would KILL to be a pencil of a person.

Like my best friend, Mimi Tachikawa. She's so pretty. She's about 5'1" with dyed pink and strawberry red colored hair, in which she puts little sparkly star clips. Her brown eyes glitter at the mention of chocolate and boys. She's also incredibly thin, and has tiny little dainty feet.

Jealousy? Nah, none at all.

Sarcasm? Of course not.

Anyways, Mimi and I. We've been best friends since our World History class our freshman year of high school. She had just moved to New York from Odaiba, Japan, and was scared out of her mind. I had just graduated from Grayridge Elementary, a school I had been at since kindergarten, so I was scared out of my mind as well. World History was our first class, and we ended up sitting next to each other.

"Hi," I said, meekly.

"Konni- I mean, hi," she said, blushing slightly.

Just then, our teacher came in. He was a rather small old man – maybe 5'6" if he was lucky – but he commanded the class like a military drill sergeant. You did not MESS with Mr. LaRoux. He would point you out in class and yell for about a half an hour about how you disrespected him and history. He was like every world dictator wrapped into one little man.

We survived the class, and, after comparing schedules, discovered that we had choir together as well. We were both sorted as sopranos, so we were able to sit next to each other. She has a beautiful singing voice.

"I'm Chloe Gates, by the way," I said, sticking my hand out at her as we walked through the gym to get to the main floor.

"Mimi," she smiled, shaking my hand vigorously. "Mimi Tachikawa."

I smiled back. "I think we're going to be great friends, Mimi Tachikawa."

"I would like that, Chloe Gates." She said my name like Ku-ro-ee. I loved the way it sounded. Exotic, somehow.

The next weekend, we had a slumber party at my house. Dad made us a huge bowl of puppy chow (gotta love that stuff!) and we rented a bunch of American 80s classics that Mimi hadn't seen. The only one we got through was the Breakfast Club, though, because she and I started talking.

"I hope this isn't too blunt…but…where are you from?" I asked, hoping to not offend her.

"Japan. Odaiba, to be exact."

"Wow, that's so cool!" I said, clapping my hands together in excitement. I had been hoping she had been from Japan. I loved Japan – had since around the 4th grade. I was very heavy into anime for a while, and I loved listening to Japanese music, particularly Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru. I could even sing along to a couple of their songs, even though I had no idea what I was singing.

"Yeah, I guess." She sighed. "America is…very different from home. I guess I will just have to get used to it."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "How long ago did you move here?"

"Two months ago."

"Wow. That's not that long."

"No, it isn't." She leaned back, resting her back against the front of my couch and laying her head down on the couch cushion. She muttered something to herself in Japanese.

"What was that?" I asked.

"I just said that I was happy to have met you, only in Japanese."

"I'm happy, too. You're a great person."

She blushed. "Thank you, Chloe."

"You speak English very well, too, if you don't mind me saying. How long did you study it?"

She sighed. "Ano (which is 'umm' in Japanese – I knew that much)…about 6 years. I'm hoping that living here will help with it."

"I'm sure it will."

"Hey," she said, touching me on the hand, "I can teach you some Japanese, if you would want."

I felt my eyes light up. "You would?"

She smiled a toothy grin. "Yes! First lesson…what time is it?"

I looked over at the DVD player. "2:30 in the morning."

"All right. I am going to bed. So, I would say good night. Oyasuminasai."

"Oya….sumi…nasai."

"Exactly. So….oyasuminasai, Chloe-san."

"Oyasuminasai, Mimi-san."

I turned off the light, and we both crawled into the sleeping bags my dad had set out for us. We looked over at each other in the darkness, the stars in her hair glittering in the moonlight, and started giggling. I knew in that moment that we were best friends.

Mimi soon made other friends at Grayridge, as did I, but we were still inseparable. Japanese proved a little more difficult than I had imagined, so our lessons grew spare. Her English improved majorly, to the point where she was able to pronounce the 'l' in my name like a native English speaker. She even started calling me "Chlo". I called her "Mims".

Every teacher knew to separate us in the classrooms because we wouldn't pay attention during class if we were near each other. The only class we were ever quiet in was World History, which, as I said above, was run by Napoleon Bonaparte incarnate.

That night, the night before our senior year, I lay in Mimi's guest bedroom, arms behind my head, staring at the ceiling, wondering about what was going to happen. I had a feeling it was going to be a big year, but I had no idea what was in store for me.

Boy, was I in for a surprise.