This is how it should have been
Authoress note: I just randomly thought of this one shot out of nowhere. While reading a story for a friend of mine. (An Altar of Heaven, Made of Broken Glass highly recommended!) so here's the disclaimer and I'll get on to the plot!
TADA! Disclaimer: I DON'T own KH, if I did I wouldn't be writing this disclaimer, unless I was using reverse psychology! Any read further if you still have the will too.
If things had gone the way they should have maybe things would have been easier.
Riku…I'm sorry.
XXXXXXX
Chapter one: Alternative
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we never questioned what was beyond our little islands. If we had just stayed and grown up. Would I have fallen in love with Sora? Or would I still have a girly crush on you? I can't really say for sure but, I guess we'll never know will we?
----
"Hello?" Kairi answered indifferently on the phone.
"Hey, Kai! I was wondering: do you want to see that new horror movie that just came out this Saturday?"
"Sure."
It was Sora, her boyfriend. Normally she was happy when he made such an offer, especially since they normally just went to his place. Riku was always the third wheel, and she always felt bad for him. But…now, when she looked at him she noticed that it wasn't really boredom she saw, but something hidden beneath the pale greenish-blue surface of his eyes. Something far and distant.
"Do you want it to be just you and me or should I get Riku to tag along?"
She bit her lip, it wasn't that they hadn't ever had a ''date-date'', it was just that she didn't really know. Riku seemed to always be alone without them. He didn't have a girlfriend, and well…never really EVER had one.
"Um…Hey Sora..." she began.
"Yeah?"
"On second thought never mind, you know horror movies aren't really my thing and I just remembered that I promised Yuffie I'd take her shift that day. I'm so sorry" liar.
"Oh it's ok. Mr. Folkner was getting on me about that History PowerPoint on the history of the islands anyways…it's kind of overdue…" he said sheepishly, trying hard not to make it sound TOO bad.
"How overdue is 'kind of'?" she asked a little irritated by his excessive failed test grades and the like.
"Um…Two weeks…." Sora said in a small voice.
"SORA!" Kairi boomed into her head set.
"I'm sorry, Wakka challenged me to a game of Blitz ball, and how could I pass that up?" He whined innocently.
Sora, Sora, Sora, so childish. You haven't changed a bit… If you hadn't saved my life so many times, I would have probably gone out with some one more on my maturity level…like Ri-
"So that's a definite 'no' then? "
Her train of thought was lost by his sudden answer.
"Yeah, I'm sorry."
I'm sorry, but I need to spend some time without you.
"Well, ok. Let me know if you change your mind."
"Ok."
"I love you."
She froze. They had said this simple phrase so many times without a thought about it.
"Hello? Kai? Hello?"
"Oh, sorry! I um…I love you too."
"Bye."
"Bye…"
"I love you" is that really true? I don't know anymore. What about Riku?
She froze again. She didn't want to answer that question. His calm thoughtful expression came to her mind.
Riku…
"I should call him." She thought aloud.
The phone rang for about 2 minutes.
"Hello?"
"Um…hi, Riku."
For some reason this felt difficult. Now more than usual, had it always been this way with him?
"So, what's on your mind?"
"Oh…uh, I was just wondering if you wanted to do something Saturday."
She was biting her lip again, and twirling the cord connecting her head set to her cell phone on her finger.
"Well, what have you and Sora planned?"
"Sora…oh, he's not coming."
"Really? Well, that's odd. Usually he's the one begging me to join you guys. "
She noticed that she liked the way he talked, smooth and calm. Maybe it was because he's usually so passive now.
"He, uh…He got tired of Mr.Folkner hassling him over that PowerPoint two weeks ago."
She stammered.
"Oh. Do you mean the one on the history of the islands? That was due over a month ago."
"I knew there was more to it than what he said."
"Well that's Sora; personally I think he's more afraid of you than the teacher."
Riku let out a soft chuckle.
Kair found herself blushing, but shock it off.
"So, how about it? Want to have some one on one time this weekend?"
It was quiet a minute, the only sound she heard was the crackle of the bad reception on the other line (For some reason Riku didn't get good reception at his house).
"Sure."
Was all he said simply and indifferently.
"Cool, ok. See you then."
He just hung up the phone. No ''see ya" or "good bye." Just the sound of a hung up phone.
----
It was Saturday morning. Kairi sprong out of bed awkwardly -her hair in disarray and her eyes crusty. Unfortunately she was only half awake when she got up and instantly fell back down clumsily on the bed. She picked out her clothes: A Scarlett polo with a black camisole underneath, some dark blue jeans, a light jacket and her black converse sneakers. She bunched up her clothes and proceeded to the bathroom. While she was in the shower, she was alone with her thoughts.
Hmmm…I wonder why he just hung up like that. He didn't show the least bit of interest in what I was saying. Is he like this with Sora?
She scrubbed down, blew her hair dry and put her clothes on. She would have dressed up a little more, but she just wanted to keep it casual. She put her hair up in a pony tail and put her make up on.
"Ok, now I just need to call Riku."
She picked up the phone and hit speed dial. It rang.
"Hey Kairi."
"So, uh…do you want to meet at the bookstore?"
"On Cobble Street? Sure, I was meaning to stop by there to pick up a book I ordered."
"Ok. See you at 1:30 then?"
"Sure."
"Bye."
Again, he just hung up the phone without a word.
----
1:30 at Cobble Street. Kairi sat at one of the black iron café tables outside the bookstore and looked out at the cross walk as people went by. Red light, green light, red, green. It went on like this for awhile. She looked at her wristband watch: 2:07. He was late. She let out a sigh and proceeded to watch the light change and the people go to and fro to get to their destinations. Suddenly a hand came in to focus, with a cup of pumpkin spice frappacino. She looked up shocked.
"Sorry, I'm late; I had a little errand to run."
It was Riku in his normal black trench coat and creamy white turtle neck. He had a book under his arm.
"Oh, it's ok. Don't worry about it."
She was very thankful for the warm apology coffee, her hands were frost bitten.
"So how are things?" She asked, she already knew the answer, and also that that's really not the question she wanted answered.
"Fine."
"Oh, ok."
She took a sip of her coffee and thought.
Don't want to be too up front and direct with this, I guess I'll just have to find away to slip this into the conversation.
"Why did you want to spend time with just me today?"
He interrupted her thoughts.
"Oh! Just to you know…catch up."
"We have the same lunch hour at school."
"Yeah, but Selphie is there."
"What's wrong with her being there?"
"Well, nothing, it's just…it's just I thought we should talk."
He let a small calm half grin stretch on his face, his eyes hardly changed.
"What are you thinking?"
That was a question she actually wanted to ask.
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking."
"Ok…so what would you like to do, I'm sure Sora never let you have a say when he made you tag along."
"I don't know, how about we go for a bite to eat, my treat."
"Let's go Dutch. Split the bill 50-50"
"If you'd like."
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Hmmm…how about some Italian?"
"Sure."
----
As they were being seated and looking at the menus laid out before them, Kairi noticed Riku peeking at her from behind his menu, eyes lowered in her direction.
"What?"
"Do you know what you want?"
"I don't know the Laconia sounds pretty good, you?"
"I guess I'll have the same, with a side of bread sticks."
He said sliding the menu to the side, she placed her's on top of his.
"What can I get you two? Drinks? Ready to order?"
The waitress seemed more animated than necessary.
Riku looked over at kairi meaning she could order first. She turned her head to the waitress but keep her eyes glued to Riku's.
"Um…I'll have the Laconia with a coke."
"And you sure, what would you like?"
"The same, only with a side of breadsticks please."
"What dipping sauce would you like?"
"None thank you."
His eyes never left Kairi's and the expression they held never changed. Calm but foggy with hidden thoughts. Desire…possibly, but not definitely.
"Ok, we'll get you your food as soon as possible."
The waitress's smile looked so fake, so painted, it almost disturbed Kairi.
As they waited Riku leaned forward and rested his chin on his laced fingers.
"So…why were you starring at me?"
"When? "
Obviously she was playing dumb, she knew darn well that she her eyes were glued to his face not but a moment ago.
"Just now."
"Oh, I was…sorry."
"Don't be."
He said with the same half smile he had before.
---
As they ate she found herself occasionally looking up at Riku. They said nothing throughout the meal. He never looked up once.
Oh my gosh, this is so awkward…I wonder what he meant by "don't be."
---
As they walked out after paying Riku's knuckles gently brushed up against Kairi's hand. She blushed a little, and then she looked up at Riku who was looking down at her, with a smirk.
Oh no! Did he notice?
He didn't say a word about it, he just simply said:
"Where to next?"
"Um…how about the park?"
"Ok."
As they turned the corner to go to the cross walk that led to the park, Riku looked at her.
"What?"
"Oh", he sighed," nothing…"
As they reached the cross walk Riku took her hand and led her to the other side to the park.
Kairi's light purple eyes widened as her thoughts engulfed her.
What's going on? Why is he holding my hand? I don't understand this at all…am I blushing?
She was, her face was beet red, and before she knew it they were on the opposite side of the street.
"What was that face for?" He asked.
"Well, why did you suddenly take my hand like that?"
She looked down at her hand as she spoke, seeming to be examining it.
"Well, you seem pretty absent minded today, didn't want you getting hurt."
As they walked passed the modern art of brass figures in rhombus like windows near the water fountain Riku spoke:
"Why did you choose him?"
"Who?"
"Sora, it seems everything chose him, the key blade, the door to the light, and you."
"Oh…well, I don't really know. What brought this up?" Her eyes were filled with concern.
"It's just, I-I liked you first, and that day when we were making the raft…I thought you liked me too…" His eyes looked longingly and sadly into hers.
"Why are you saying this now?"
"Well, I was going to a while back but, then when I became one with the darkness I didn't think you could ever love a freak like me, and I noticed Sora started to show his feelings, I thought then he deserved you more than I did."
He stopped for a moment and looked at the display of brass figures they passed.
"I'm sorry, this is so random, but I thought that this might be the last chance, seeing as how Sora is so crazy about you and you two always seem to be together so I thought I'd just stay silent. "
She felt bad for him in that moment the signs were so obvious. How could she have been so blind, they were right there all along?
"But then you called me and proposed a day alone together. So I thought that I might still have a chance."
Kairi thought a minute.
This is all so sudden, and what about Sora? Could I really just forget about him and go off with Riku? Well I guess this is the question I should really be asking myself: "Am I happy with Sora?"
"I don't get it though, why are you telling me this now? "
"Well, I realized that I had sacrificed so much for him and even though I was content with that, I wasn't really happy. It was maddening to sit there at a coffee shop or movie and watch you two together. I realized how lonely I am now and that this really isn't fair."
"Riku…"
She really didn't know what to say to this, it was so huge. So she took his hand and they kept walking in awkward silence.
"I'm sorry."
He said, his voice low and his eyes glued to his feet.
"Don't be."
After they reached the end, they called a taxi and Riku walked her to the door, Kairi turned around.
"Riku" She called after him as he took a step back towards the cab.
"Yes?"
She then walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.
For once she realized that she was happy, that this is how it should have been, she should have said something before, but this embrace was what she was making up for.
This is how it should be…
XXXXXXXX
I know, I know that sucked, but hey: I tried at least. :P Sorry if you didn't like it, it was just a surge of inspiration and my Muse left me half way through it. Oh well thanks so much for reading
-DH ♥