"Roxanne!"
"Hold up, I am coming Riku!"
I ran quickly to catch up with the silver haired boy. My coal black hair flew behind me in the ocean breeze, and my feet slipped on the grainy sand.
The weather was bright and sunny just like it always was here on Destiny Islands. The sun shone brightly on the water making it shimmer and dance. A sweet, cool breeze swept across the island bringing the waves with it.
"If you don't hurry, I won't teach you how to swim."
"Riku that's not fair," I said catching up to him.
He slowed to a walk as I caught up with him. The two of us walked along the beach soaking up the warmth of the sun, until we met up with a spiky-brown haired boy, and a brown-headed girl.
"Hey guys, this is Roxanne. She just moved here a month ago. Roxanne, this is Kairi, and this is Sora," Riku said pointing the corresponding people.
"Wait you kept her from us for a whole month," exclaimed Sora.
"Nice to meet you Roxanne," said Kairi with a smile to you and a glare for Sora's rude behavior.
I smiled back at her. She seemed rather nice. Though Sora, well he was another story entirely.
"So are we going to swim or what? I don't want to just stand around all day talking," Sora said impatiently.
"Sora you're so impatient. I need to teach Roxanne how to swim first. You and Kairi can go out to the island first if you want."
"You really don't know how to swim," asked Sora as he looked at me in amazement.
"Where are you from that you've never been in water," asked Kairi.
I looked at Riku, blushing deeply. It sounded stupid in my head, but the truth was I could not remember.
"Hey you two, let her settle in before asking all the questions ok?"
They shook their heads, dove in and started swimming to the small island.
"Sorry about them. They are just curious," Riku said facing me.
"It's ok," I said sweetly.
"So, you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"Ok then."
Riku took my hand and led me out until the water had crept up to my waist. He then helped me keep afloat so I could learn to use my arms and legs.
"Okay, are you ready to try on your own?"
"Sure."
He let me go and I kept myself afloat. I kicked my legs, and stretched my arms out one at a time.
"I am swimming!"
Riku smiled.
"Are you ready to go to the island? I'll swim with you."
I looked at him nervously.
"I guess, as long as we take it slow," I said standing up and looking at the long distance between the island and me.
"No problem."
The two of us started swimming towards the island. I slowly made progress but he kept with me the whole way.
Once at the island Sora and Kairi started in again with the questioning. Riku attempted to stop them but it was no use.
"So where are you from," asked Kairi for the second time.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know," Sora blurted out.
"I am adopted. Nobody knows where I came from," I said quietly staring at my feet through my bangs.
"Oh sorry," said Sora hastily.
An awkward silence stood in the air for several moments.
"Hey it's almost time for lunch! Why don't we eat at my house," said Sora attempting to break it.
Riku looked at me for a second, and then turned to Sora.
"You two go ahead. I promised to have Roxanne back for lunch."
I gave a look of relief to Riku, but quickly hid it so the others didn't see.
"Ok. Well see you after lunch then," said Sora.
"We'll meet in the secret place," called Kairi as they ran across the bridge to the beach.
"I am sorry Roxanne."
"It's okay. Wow the view is so pretty from here."
"Do you want to stay for a bit longer before I take you home?"
"Yes please."
He smiled and hopped up on a tree. The tree resembled a palm tree with the same green palm leaves, and brown trunk but instead of coconuts, it had yellow, star shaped fruit.
"Riku what are those" I asked pointing to the fruit.
"Oh, these," he said picking one. These are paopu fruits. Legend has it that if two people share one their destinies become intertwined."
"That's interesting. What does it taste like?"
"I don't know, want to try it?"
"Sure why not? If it works then we can be friends forever right?"
"Right," he replied with a smile.
The memories of Riku and I growing closer ran like an old-fashioned movie with no words. I watched the film. It showed Kairi and me growing closer, and then Sora and me despite all their questions, and constant nagging. In fact, the clips showed Kairi and me becoming friends and even having a couple of sleepovers. It ran at fast forward pass until two years came to pass, and so did my eighth birthday came. It all shattered like glass on a tile floor. The film slowed down. I knew I was dreaming. I knew I wouldnt remember the names when I awoke.
"But I don't want to go! I want to stay with Riku, Sora, and Kairi," I screamed in rage.
"Roxanne. You have to go. It is where you belong. You need to be with your real family, and in your real town," my adoptive mother said.
"Besides, you're the princess. They need you to run their country," said my adoptive father staring at me.
I ran from the house in tears, and down to the beach. Riku offered a shoulder to cry on, while Kairi tried to calm me down, and Sora tried to make me laugh. Eventually I calmed down and they walked me home so they could say goodbye.
When we arrived at my house, I hugged everyone goodbye. Sora had to take Kairi home because she got so upset, she made herself sick.
Before I went inside Riku grabbed me and hugged me tightly for one last time.
"Don't worry Roxanne; we will see each other again. I know we will. Just remember the paopu fruit," he said handing you a necklace with a seashell from the beach of the island that Riku helped me swim to when I had first arrived.
I put the necklace on immediately.
"I'll never take it off. I promise!"
"Goodbye," we yelled to each other as I was escorted inside.
Once inside, a large, mouse like creature, and two female knights took me onto a spaceship. One of the knights took the necklace snatched the necklace from me and breaking the chain in the process. Tears welled in my ocean blue eyes.
"You can't have this anymore. You must forget everything and everyone," she said with stern urgency.
She had long blonde hair tied up in a neat orderly bun, and some kind of uniform on. It had a heart shaped symbol, and was silver, and blue. Her stance was very tight, and her face showed no emotion, only a stern business type demeanor. The other knight whom had escorted me onto the ship had brown hair and chocolate covered eyes. Her eyes held a softer look than the other's eyes did but her face was just as stern and emotionless as the other knight was.
Suddenly the blonde-haired woman put her hand in my face. Her hand glowed and I saw a blurred vision of the second brown-haired night came behind me to lay me down. Soon all I saw was darkness. The darkness made all my memories of the past two years run backwards, deteriorating as they went. Then finally, a small light appeared at the end of the memories that were running like a filmstrip in rewind. Then finally, everything went black.
A small voice in my head told me not to worry. That all this was just a simple dream. Nothing more. Just a dream
I awakened in my bedroom instantly with cold sweat dripping down my face, and back giving me shivers. I knew it was all a dream. I knew I remember only the pictures and none of the words. Yet, I still fought myself over the idea of it just being another dream.
"Roxanne, are you ok," said Lilly, her chocolate eyes full of concern.
Lilly was perched on the chair of my vanity next to the bed.
The End
Elizabeth R. Austin