Chapter One

The contract was written across a page in her sketchpad with the stubby end of a black crayon. The words were fat and sloppy, but she could read what they meant; what they would cost her. She looked it over, gathering the courage before finally signing at the bottom in her faint, curvy script. She had bought one day—one—and that was it. It was all a nobody like herself could afford.

I'll sing it one last time for you

And then we really have to go

You've been the only thing that's right

In all I've done

He woke up as if coming out of a gray, hazy fog. His throat was sticky and thick with it. In his mind there was the sound of keyblades grinding against each other. He clenched his right hand instinctively, but only grabbed a handful of hot sand. It slipped through his fingers and trickled back to the ground. His skin felt like it was on fire.

"You awake?"

He opened his eyes and was immediately blinded by the sunlight. He raised his left arm over his face to shield himself, but a shadow moved into the sun's path. A white dress caught the rays and lit up brilliantly. A girl stood before him, glowing. He mistook her blonde hair for the sun itself. She knelt down beside him and stroked the dirt away from his face. Her hands were cool.

"Hello Roxas," she smiled. "Have a good rest?"

And I can barely look at you

But every single time I do

I know we'll make it anywhere

Away from here

"Naminé?"

Roxas jumped, sending sand flying out of his hair as he sat up. He felt his head, torso, back. He was there. He was really there! How was that possible? He grabbed Naminé's hands and realized she was really there too.

"You're real!" he said in surprise. He looked from side to side, but they were the only ones there. He seemed panicked. This type of thing wasn't supposed to happen. "I don't get it! Where's Kairi? Where's So—?

"Shh," Naminé hushed him by putting her finger over her mouth. Roxas suddenly realized he was holding her other hand and released it, face red. The breeze of the ocean blew in around them. Roxas become conscious of the fact that they were on the beach of Destiny Islands. Green-and-purple palm trees bent over the hills that led down to the beach with its brown sugar-sand and starfish. The water lapped over the land with the rising tide. The sky was clear and blue. It was the most gorgeous thing Roxas had ever seen.

"Today's their day off," Naminé explained. She winked at Roxas as she stood up. "This day belongs to us. Look around you, all of Destiny Islands. Just for us. Just for today." Roxas could catch the hint of sadness in her last words.

"Just for today?" he asked.

Naminé smiled again and extended her hand. Roxas took it and stood up. He tried not to think of where they would be tomorrow. Would they fade back into nothingness? Or settle for a life of looking out through the tunnel vision of someone else's eyes? Either way, they would be separated without ever having a say about it.

Light up, light up

As if you have a choice

Even if you cannot hear my voice

I'll be right beside you dear

"C'mon!" Naminé ran off towards the water. There was a wooden pier off to the right where a small red flag tied around one of the posts was flapping around in the wind. Naminé's sandals smacked against the ground and sent a spray of the seashore behind her every step. Roxas stood there, dumbfounded. Naminé ran faster until she was at the end of the pier. Without hesitating she dived down into the dark water.

"Naminé!" Roxas cried, finally moving his legs according to his will. He sprinted to the pier's end and looked desperately for her shadow in the water. When he didn't see it, he held his nose between his fingers and fell feet-first off the landing. The next thought to strike him was: Can I swim? He couldn't say. He'd never really tried. If Sora could do it, he could too, right?

The water came up around him icy cold. His sun-kissed skin felt relief. He kicked hard until he surfaced again, Naminé waiting there for him. She laughed at the sight of his deflated, soggy hair. It was the first time Roxas had heard her real laugh.

Is this real…or not?

"Naminé, you have to tell me what's going on." Naminé splashed Roxas in the face as a response. She laughed again, but Roxas grabbed a hold of her arms. He was tired of his destiny pulling him where it wanted. He was tired of being the last one to know about what has happening to him! He had to know!

"What is going on?!"

Louder, louder

And we'll run for our lives

I can hardly speak I understand

Why you can't raise your voice to say