WOO! I am BACK! And it isn't that epic of a return, either, but oh well. I is what I are and I are what I is. And that is back. So anyway, I hope you all had happy holidays and I hope you all have a good new year, and I'm almost done rambling, now, I swear.
The songs I listened to were citizen soldiers [by 3 doors down, Hide and Seek [by Imogen Heap, and the sound of pulling heaven down [by Blue October.
I know now. It was the way her hair fell in her face with the rain. No. The way her eyes sparkled. No. The way her smile came to life when she laughed for me. No. It was the way she looked at me. Not even that. It was everything, but at the same time, nothing. Nothing I had ever seen in her before. But it was there, and it always had been. I guess I should probably rewind a little, I'm not really making sense.
Earlier that day: 7:15 A.M.
My hand fell hard on the alarm clock by my bed, the only thing was, it wasn't going off. No. There was some other noise waking me up. Some other sound... My hand searched the bedside table, knocking several things onto the ground as it did. Finally, I looked, still dazed. I simply dragged my head up from the side of the pillow and found my cell phone vibrating on the table. Sighing, I let my head fall back to the pillow. Who in God's name...? This early? On a Saturday?
Taking in a deep breath, I gathered what little consciousness I had at the moment and flung my legs over the side of the bed. By then, the phone had stopped, but whoever called me must have had something pretty freaking important to tell me, so I decided I better call him back. Her. When I flipped my phone open, I clicked the button on the right. One missed call. View? Another click of the button, and the name appeared, followed by the phone number. Kairi. That woke me up.
I dialed her number, my fingers moving quickly to the familiar buttons, in the perfect order. It rang a few times before she answered. "Hello?"
"Kairi?"
"Sora?"
"Hey, did you call?"
"Um... yeah. Yeah, I did."
"You need something?" It was quiet for a minute. "Kairi?"
"Huh? Oh... no. Sorry. Are you um... busy... or anything?"
"Not really. Why?"
"Did I wake you up?" Whatever she had called to say, she was hesitant about it.
"Yeah. Sorta. Seriously, though. What's up?" That's when I heard it. I bright streak was visible through my dark blue curtains, and then a loud crash. I could hear a small squeak on Kairi's end of the phone. It was quiet, but I could hear that she was close to tears. "Kai–"
"I'm really sorry, but do you mind coming over?"
"No. Not at all. But... what? Are you parents not home?"
"They're on a business trip in–" She drew in a sharp breath and the thunder shook again.
"I'll be right over, okay?"
"No wait!"
"Huh?" I had already started pulling on my pants and a sweatshirt, but I paused. "I thought you wanted me to go to your house?"
"I do... I just... I need to at least hear your voice. I can't... I can't be alone right now." Ever since we were little, Kairi had been horrified of storms. But, you know, only the really big kind with like, heavy wind, and lightning, and thunder, and junk. Usually she called Namine, or somebody, because she was the closest to her house, but any time there was a big storm, and I do mean a big storm, she would call me. Unfortunately, this one was pretty big, and it was still early in the morning. When I went outside, holding my cell phone in my hood to keep it dry, I noticed how dark it was. The clouds were so heavy that it looked like night, and the rain stung when it hit me. "S-sora?"
"Kai? Don't worry, I'm already on my way." I could only picture her, curled up on the couch, all alone, probably under a blanket, and the thought alone made me sad for her. Even more sad, though... I had to walk pretty dang far to get to her house... and in this kinda weather? Forget it.
It took me long enough to get to Kairi's house and when I finally did, she couldn't even come to the door.
7:28 A.M.
"Kairi!" I yelled, the phone now closed in my pocket. The battery had died when I was about half way there. Now she was probably freaking out. "Kairi!" I banged on the door, but it was locked.
"Sora?" It was her voice, quiet, because it was far away.
"Kairi, it's locked!" I tried to keep my voice over the rain, but it was pretty hard. "I can't get in!" Another streak through the air. I heard her scream from inside, and I just knew that she had covered her ears, and pulled her legs closer to her. Now I was really screwed. But I was more worried about her than myself. I walked around to the side of the house, pulling my hood a little farther over already drooping, spiky brown hair. I tried the back door, and it was stuck, but I managed to push it open after a few tries.
"S-sora? Is that you?"
Sighing, I replied yes. Who else was she expecting? "Yeah, Kai. I'm coming." I walked slowly into the front room, and took off my sweatshirt. My pants were still pretty wet, but my shirt was dry. I walked in to find Kairi, huddled up, exactly how I had imagined, and with a tear-streaked face to boot. I tried to smile lightly at her, but she wouldn't have it, and she motioned for me to sit next to her. I motioned that my pants were wet from the rain, and yet again, she scooted over a little more, and lifted her blanket, signaling that I should get under it with her. I smiled, a little more and moved to where she was. I let her keep the blanket to herself, because I didn't want to get her wet, but it didn't really matter, because as soon as I sat, she clung to me.
I have to admit, it wasn't really like I minded, or anything, but it was a little weird. Out of all the times I had sat with Kairi through a storm, she had never really clung to me. Maybe a light hug here and there when the thunder crashed, or maybe crying into my shoulder, but this... After a while, she retreated and laid her head in my lap, staring up at me. Tears were still coming from her eyes, but not nearly as much. She sniffled, and the next time the thunder crashed, time seemed to slow down.
She reached up around my neck, and pulled me down to her. Her breath was warm on my neck and her cheek was soft against mine. She kept me there for minute and then spoke. "Thank you for coming, for me, Sora." Her voice was down to a whisper, and I was already nervous in the current situation. I had to pull back, out of her hold and turn away, trying to hide my blush in the dark. I glanced down at her, but she was looking out to the side, her hair now sticking to her face from it's wetness.
I sighed, having lost my chance, and we sat in silence for a long time.
7:42 A.M.
By now, the rain was letting up, just a little, but it was still almost dark enough to be nighttime. Namine had called, to check on Kairi not too long ago, and I could still hear her in the other room.
"No, I'm fine, really. Sora's here." A pause. "Yeah." Longer pauses. "Oh, really? Why didn't you say something before? I'll let you go. Good luck with whatever. Bye." In a moment she reentered the room. "Do you think it's over?"
I looked at her, at a loss for words. The way she asked it, staring out the window, with her arms around herself... it made me think she was talking about us. "No. I don't think it is..."
She wheeled around to face me, horror stricken. "You don't?"
"Uh... what I meant was... I don't know. Sorry." I tried to change the topic quickly, but I fumbled a bit over my words. "How... who was... what did Namine say?"
"Oh. Roxas is at her house. He was worried about her being alone in the rain."
I smiled. "Yeah. Okay." She, for the first time today, smiled back at me.
"Hey, Sora. I think I have some of your clothes here, if you want to change." I froze, staring at her.
"W-wha–"
"Riku said you left them at his house the last time you spent the night. He asked me to give them to you." She wiped her eyes. "They're dry."
"Why didn't you tell me, earlier?"
"I needed you. I'm sorry." Her expression changed, but it wasn't all sad. I couldn't tell. But it didn't matter. I stood up and went to where she told me. When I was in the room alone, I pulled my shirt off, thinking about what I would do. If the rain let up... I didn't really have to stay with Kairi... but... would I, just because? And if it didn't... could we really just pretend like we had nothing to talk about? It wasn't going very smoothly. "Sora?" Her voice came through the door.
"Yeah?" I pulled on the other shirt.
"Are you gonna be quick?"
"Yeah, I'll be right out." I didn't really know why, there wasn't any thunder, which meant there wasn't any lightning... but whatever. I quickly changed my pants, and opened the door. Kairi was standing there, waiting for me, and she smiled.
"Better?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"Not a problem. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"It's okay. I know you don't like to be alone when it's like this."
"I want to be with you, when it's like this."
"Yeah. And I want to be with you, too. To make you feel better."
"Yeah."
It was quiet, and tense. The repeated phrase 'I want to be with you' was kind of getting to me. At the same time, we started to talk, but stopped, and urged the other on. Finally, I decided to go first. "Is something bothering you, Kairi? Other than the storm?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I don't really know. I just... something seems sad about you..."
"I... wanted to tell you something."
8:03 A.M.
"Huh? Okay. Anything." She looked uneasy, almost like she was breaking up with me. But then again, we weren't going out...
When she turned her eyes back up to meet mine, her smile dazzled me. "Never mind it. Just... thanks, I guess. For coming."
I shrugged. "Always."
8:04 A.M.
Kairi and I walked back to the couch, and she kept starting sentences, but cutting herself off. I sat down, but she didn't. "Kai?"
"No. No, Sora, I think I really should tell you this, now."
"What is it?" I asked, then, awkwardly, I stood.
She looked up at me, and opened her mouth, and lightning struck outside, thunder crashing, and she jumped.
8:05 A.M.
"Sora, I love you!" She shouted, quickly, her voice blending with the crashes of thunder, her eyes shutting, and her arms wrapping around me in all her fear.
"K-Kairi," I didn't know what to say. I loved her, too. I should say that. Gentle sobs came through my shoulder, she was crying again. I placed one hand on the small of her back, and gently guided her to sit with me, her legs tucking up beneath her and her head still resting on my chest. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" She shook her head, drawing back to wipe her eyes and she smiled over at me, weakly.
"Sorry to always be troubling you. You must think I'm ridiculous, huh?" She sniffled. "Scared of such stupid things."
"Everyone's scared of something stupid, Kairi, and everyone loves something stupid, too. Don't worry about it."
She blinked a few times before looking up at me again. "What's you're stupid thing, Sora? That you're scared of?"
I blushed. "Um... I was always kind of scared of... making the first move."
"On who?" She asked.
"On... you."
"Well, know you know how I feel. You don't have to make the first move. You're stupid thing is gone," she pouted, tears starting up again.
"But isn't that why I'm here?" She looked up at me, and I smiled at her. "To make your stupid thing go away?" Still sobbing, she nodded, and I hugged her close again.
8:08 A.M.
"I love you, too, Kairi," I murmured. "And I'd love to be your stupid thing."
---
aw!
How... stupid!
Yes, this was my return!
God awful, though it was.
I've been so caught up in writing my own original stories, that I haven't even thought about doing fanfics. I thought I'd knock one out real quick [in honor of the weather I WISH I was having and so here it is.
Hope you enjoyed!
Thanks, by the double-u, for not totally rejecting me in my absence, I've still gotten a few reviews here and there and it feels nice to know that people are still reading.
Thanks especially to lebrezie, who recently left me a very VERY nice review. :)