Chapter 1
(Roxas' PoV)
The day we first met, I would never forget that. I tried but I couldn't. I thought she was an angel sent from heaven.
I was 8 years old back then and she was 6. I was walking on the way home from my friend's house when I saw someone drowning in the river. I plunged into the river and grabbed her hand. I desperately swam with one hand, the other clinging on to her's. I thought we were doomed, but I succeeded. I swam to the edge of the river and sat there, exhausted, but feeling a little proud since I saved someone's life. She was breathing heavily next to me. Gradually, her breathing returned to normal and she muttered, "Thank you. You saved my life. I owe you one." Her voice was like the sound of angels singing in heaven. I turned to look at her and she was smiling. Immediately, I knew that I will never forget this girl's face. Before I could muster up the strength to give a reply though, somebody ran up to us and said, "Dear, you're dripping wet! Did you take a swim in the river?"
"Yes I did!" she replied.
"Sweetie," her mother chided. "It's too dangerous for you. Come on. We should go back to the house now."
"Yes mum!" She turned to me and said, "I should go now. Bye!" and walked with her mother. After she left, I realised that I forgot to ask her name. I felt really stupid and frustrated with myself as I walk home. I thought I was never going to see her again.
The second time I saw her, it was raining, and I didn't bring my umbrella with me. I was too upset and frustrated with my parents for making that stupid choice to divorce so I ran, without any idea where I'm going. I sat on the cold pavement with my head down when I realised that the rain stopped pouring on me. I looked up and saw a girl who's smiling down on me, shading me with her umbrella.
"Being alone is never a good thing. People need others to talk about their problems." she said. I tried to feel annoyed. I mean, who does she think she is? But I can't persuade myself to be annoyed. Still…
"What's your point?" I asked a little harshly than I meant to.
"My point is you have to talk to people about your problems." she replied, bending her knees so that we were on eye level with each other. I looked at her, and suddenly, I started spilling out what's troubling me. She nodded like she understood.
"That happened to me too, three years ago. My mum and dad divorced and my mum took custody of me. It was especially hard on me and like you, I ran away too. I thought that if I run away, I would escape the hurt and the sadness. But as it turned out, I was wrong. I came back to my mum." she said. Then she straightened up. "C'mon. We should take you home. I don't think you'll find the streets a lovely place to take a nap. Besides, the rain stopped." She walked a few steps and turned to me, motioning for me to stand up. I don't know why, but I followed her.
We walked together, though I kept my distance from her. She's a stranger. I don't even know what her name is. But something about this girl is familiar. Then it started to hit me, this is the girl I saved when I was 8. The girl who almost drowned. I hardly notice where we are when she said, "Where do you live exactly?" I looked around and said, "Just a few blocks from here."
We walked to my house in silence. Then we stopped. I stared at the familiar blue-painted wall of the house. It's grand black gates, the Grecian columns standing proud on either side of the door. I turned to thank her. "Thank you, um…"
"It's Xion Farron. It spells x-i-o-n but it's pronounced as "Shi-on". I can't stand it when people mispronounces my name. I mean, is it too hard to pronounce?"
"Xion's a nice name." I said. "I'm Roxas Strife."
A phone rang and Xion pulled out a blue cellphone.
"I should go now Roxas. It was nice to finally meet you. Nice house by the way." she smiled and ran off.
Those flashbacks ran in my head for no apparent reason. I'm lying on my bed, looking at the ceiling. I heard a soft knock on the door. "Roxas, dinner's ready. Mum told me to fetch you! Don't make us wait! I'm starving already!" Xion Farron, oh sorry, I mean Xion Strife called. Another flashback came to me. One that left me in a state of shock.
"Roxas," my dad said. "I've told you about this woman I fell in love with. I've decided to propose to her and she accepted. I would like you to meet her and her daughter, your future step-sister, personally."
I wouldn't have cared less. My dad started dating a woman named Claire for three years. I never saw her but I talked to her on the phone for a few times. As far as I know, she's divorced like my dad, but I never knew that she had a daughter. I shrugged and said, "Yeah, sure." My father smiled and checked his watch.
"They'll be here in a few minutes. Go upstairs and change your clothes." he said.
I did what I was told. I went upstairs and changed my clothes. I decided to wear a simple blue shirt and jeans. No need to be too formal when you're only meeting your future mum and sister inside your own house right? I went downstairs and saw somebody with short, raven-black hair, and when she turned to me, I recognised who she is immediately, which shocked me.
"Xion Farron." I said.
She smiled at me and said, "Hello Roxas. So you're gonna be my older brother huh?"
"ROXAS! Are you going down or what? I'm starving!" Xion shouted outside.
I shook out of my reverie and started to get off my bed.
"Okay! I'm coming! Geez Xion, try to be more patient!"
"Be patient? You are so slow Roxas! You're slower than a turtle!"
I opened the door as quickly as I could, and raised an eyebrow. "You were saying?"
She rolled her eyes. She looks cute, I thought. Then I shove the thought away. She's my step-sister now. I shouldn't think like this.
"What are you trying to prove?" she asked.
"That I'm actually fast and that you're the slowpoke." I said.
"You-" she was cut off by mum shouting, "Xion! Roxas! Get down here! You shouldn't make your dinner wait! It's getting cold!" We both went down to dinner.
I ate my dinner fast, which surprised my family. Usually, I was the last one to finish.
I turned to Xion. "I told you I'm not slow." Xion laughed, which sounds remarkably like the voices of angels singing in soprano, high-pitched but melodious.
"Yes. And it surprised me as well. You usually take your time in eating." she turned to mum and said, "See mother? See what my insults had done for my big brother? It's doing him an advantage! Now I'm sure you're going to let me tease him more!" My mum laughed at that.
"Yes well, I'm pretty sure it's doing him more disadvantages than advantages to have such a very noisy little sister like you."
She pouted and I had the sudden urge to defend her. "I don't mind her." I said. She chuckled. "Sure you don't."
I didn't reply. I just finished my dinner and jogged upstairs.
I closed the door behind me and lay on my bed, arms spread wide, desperately not trying to think about Xion.
The shock of finding out that she's going to be my step-sister still hasn't worn off and I have a feeling it will never will. The girl whom I thought I was destined for, was, however, destined to be my sister.
I sighed. I stared at the ceiling for a long time, then I decided to pay Xion a visit.
Xion's room is just beside mine. I knocked softly. "Come in." she called inside. I opened the door and found her sitting on her bed, a dozen paper cranes were strewn all around her.
"What are you doing?" I asked as I walked to her, carefully avoiding some cranes that fell on the floor.
"I'm trying to create a thousand of these things." she replied, finishing the crane she's making and crouching over to get another piece of origami paper.
"And why would you want to create a thousand paper cranes?" I asked, curious.
"You know the story about the Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki or some other?" I shook my head. "You know I hate to read too much."
"Yeah and that's why your head is full of air."
"Respect your older brother." I said.
"Oh please," she snorted. "I thought you don't want me to treat you like an old man."
"I told you not to treat me like an old man. I never told you not to treat me like your older brother." I argued.
"Whatever. So back to the story. After World War 2 was over, a lot of people got sick and Sadako's one of them."
"Wait," I said. "Isn't Sadako like, the ghost girl who comes out of tv and kills people?" She smacked my head.
"No dummy! That's a totally different story! Your head is really full of air."
"Okay, okay! Continue!"
"Well anyways, she made a thousand paper cranes and created a wish. So like, if you created one thousand paper cranes, you'll get one wish." she finished.
"What's your wish?" I asked, trying to mask the curiosity, but I don't think it fooled her.
"Well, if I told you that then it wouldn't come true so I'll just keep my mouth shut."
"You're so unfair." I said. She stuck her tongue out at me. "Ugh. You're really unfair. Fine. I'll leave you."
"Yeah, go now so that I can concentrate on my cranes again. I can't have airheads infiltrate my room any longer."
I threw her her pillow and walked out of the room.
