Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, all of the events expressed in my work are purely my own ideas

The Princess and the Pauper

Olette was in love with Pence.

She loved the way he laughed, the way he frowned, the way he cocked his head to one side like a confused puppy when something confused him. The sparkle in he deep brown eyes, the nervous way he pulled at his collar, everything pointed to love.

Olette wasn't ready to admit this. Why would she?

Here she was, a Daddy's girl with the power to charm any boy she chose. If she wanted to, of course - Hayner often threatened that if she left their group for some rock head boyfriend he'd break bones and black eyes to get her back. So why wasn't it Hayner she was in love with, eager to protect her, shooting death glares at any other male that even glanced "too long" at his group's princess?

Because that's what she was, wasn't she? A princess of their club, their posse, their clique, or what have you. She was the only female, she held them all together, she called the shots when no one was looking. Olette wasn't a bossy person, though her friends treated her like a princess, a title she accepted with embarrassed grace.

Roxas, especially, made her feel this way. As a soft-spoken, thoughtful kind of guy, Olette always imagined that by the time she hit puberty he would be her first pick. He was the kind of guy who would sit in his room and write poetry about his thoughts and feelings, he was the kind of guy who never purposely started trouble but was never afraid to stand up for himself, the kind of guy that turned in his homework on time and make straight A's.

But though Roxas treated Olette like a respected older sister, a princess, by the time she reached the age where boys no longer had cooties and girls were getting bumpy in odd places, she knew he could never consider her as a girlfriend. Too many girls already pursued him, and he was even oblivious to them, that adorable head of his always stuck in the clouds.

So should it have surprised Olette that she found herself falling for the short, chubby member of their group with the thick black hair and the oversized orange shirt?

It certainly did, Olette told herself one night as she finished writing Pence's name in her notebook for the thousandth time - an symbol of love that she had read in a romance novel once - tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. Girls were supposed to love the tall guys, the protective guys, the strong guys, the guys with deep voices and a strong grip that could grab her around the waist and pull her close forever. Girls didn't fall in love with the underdogs. Girls didn't fall in love with the chubby, goofy boys who made silly faces and told corny jokes.

But why, Olette asked herself that night - why him?

The more she thought about it, the more the brunette realized - why not him? He was always kind to her, and volunteered to go shopping with her when the other guys rolled their guys and clicked their tongues. He always gave her his most sincere smiles, especially when she snapped at Hayner for making fun of the shorter boy's weight. He gave her a present on every holiday - even Valentine's! - and confined in her when he in turn needed advice.

Tears were streaming down the 15-year-old's cheeks in a small stream as she realized there was nothing wrong with Pence. He may not physically protect her like Hayner, or have long, dark eyelashes like Roxas, but he was everything the princess wanted, the pauper among all the princes that were also seeking her hand, for the wrong reasons.

And though the princess realized that many hearts claimed their love for her, one question would remain, lest she swallow her pride to answer it.

Who would love the pauper?