A/N: You know I don't own KH. If I did, then approximately three characters would be straight.
I'm sorry about this. I should have THS6 up soon.
Shutting the door to the classroom with a bang, I collapse against the wall. I can't do this anymore. None of this. Not the schoolwork, not the drama, not being around her every day and not being able to tell her.
I hear the rain falling in the courtyard in front of me, the pitter-patter of this morning morphing into a solid drumming as I listen. The paopu trees are in bloom, but the blossoms are being ripped to the ground by the daggers of rain that plummet to earth. I slam my forehead against the wall, the impact jarring my brain. My vision goes black for an instant, replaced immediately by a dizzying sensation of floating colors.
She comes up behind me, slips her hand into mine. "Hey, you." She whispers softly, her free arm wrapping around my waist. "What is it?"
I don't even ask why she's out of class during this period, knowing that she probably wandered out to talk to me. "Nothing," I say, tilting my head so my hair falls into my eyes, trying to keep her from looking at me. I don't want her to see the tear that escapes the corner of my eye, the trail it leaves as it slips down my cheek and into nothingness. "It's nothing." I repeat, hoping that if I say it enough times it will be true.
"It's not nothing." She pronounces, stating a fact rather than posing a question. She knows me, knows what every possible change in my body language could ever mean. She knows me, knows everything about me, except for how I feel about her. And I doubt she'll ever know. Because no matter what happens, I'm not going to let this interfere with our friendship.
"Kairi, talk to me. Please. You know I'll listen, no matter what it is." She pleads, entwining her fingers with mine. My heart breaks at the note of desperation in her voice, knowing that she's worried about me. Knowing that she cares about me above most people, but never in the same way I care about her. "Please, just talk to me."
"I… I can't." I can't even speak when I'm around her anymore. She thinks I've been distant, listless, apathetic. She's right. I've been trying so hard to push her away, trying to stop love. Trying to stop the way my heart quickens when I see her, the way my pulse threatens to jump out of my veins when she links her arms with mine. Trying to stop feeling all of this for her, my best friend. I can't do it. I just can't do it anymore.
"There's something I need to tell you." I murmur, my voice barely making a sound over the rain pouring down outside the classrooms. I don't even know if she heard me. I try again, this time raising my voice up above the rain. "Yuffie, I… I need to tell you something." My voice quivers with anxiety. I know that no matter what her reaction is, things are going to be very different after she knows how I feel.
"Hmm? Of course. What is it? Oh, and once you're done, remind me to talk to you about this weekend, okay?" She says, her voice back to sounding cheerful, the cheerful she almost always is nowadays. I suddenly change my mind, loving the sound of hearing her happy. I can't bear to tell her, can't bear to break what semblance we have left of a normal friendship. I don't want that happy tone to leave her voice when she discovers that her best friend is in love with her.
"No, it's fine." I say, half anguished and half grateful that I didn't tell her. "You go ahead."
"You sure?"
I turn and smile regretfully, knowing that the one tear I allowed to fall is covered by my bangs. "Of course. Go on. What were you saying about this weekend?"
Erm, yes. Sorry about this. I know most of you probably wanted Chapter Six up rather than this, but this popped into my mind and kind of exploded. I don't know whether this is going to be a one or twoshot, but either way it's not going to be a very long story. It's just emotions, really. Anyway. I'd love to get some feedback, but if you're giving me the silent treatment because I can't get THS6 up that's understandable.
