It was snowing outside.
Finally.
I shifted my eyes from watching the pure white flecks drifting down slowly through my window to my clock.
Kairi will be here soon.
I'd better get dressed.
I walked over to my closet silently thanking Whoever had been kind enough to make the weather so perfect.
Now I can finally wear my new jacket.
It's been too warm until today!
I slipped on my new gray jacket with all the cool buttons over my white sweater that I had bought a few weeks ago.
I glanced at myself in the mirror.
Perfect.
No need to mess with my hair, I guess… not like it would do anything anyways.
HONK! HONK! HONK!
I peered out my window to find a long awaited Kairi looking up at me, waving amusedly.
I waved her off as I turned off the light and ran downstairs.
Alright, its time. Brace yourself, Sora. You promised yourself you'd do it today! Can't back down today, gotta man up!
I blushed as I turned around from locking the door when I found Kairi staring at me with her mouth gaping open.
If Kairi likes how I look, I wonder what Riku will think!
Wow, wait. Did I really just think that?
…I think I just did.
I decided to shrug it off and giggled excitedly as I stepped into her car.
"Wow, Sora!" Kairi mumbled, looking away.
"Lookin' good."
"Thanks!" I flashed her my biggest smile.
"Hahaha! Sora you're such a dork! No wonder Riku likes you so much." said Kairi as she stifled her laughter.
My face flushed.
"What…?"
Her eyes widened as she stammered, "Oh, uh. Uh, nothing! Haha, don't mind me any…"
"Okaaay…" That was weird.
I contented myself with looking out the window as she drove our car to our destination.
As I stared out at all the blurred images, I caught myself in another one of my "Riku Daydreams."
This time he held me close against his chest as he almost whispered those three sweet words that I was longing to hear. "Sora, I've always wanted to tell you…I lo--"
"--WHOA!!"
I shot a look at Kairi, worried that maybe, somehow, she had just read my mind and was silently freaking out in her own.
"Oh my god! Sora, did you see that?! I almost ran that poor kitty cat over! Phew! That was so scary…"
Oh my god, I am SO paranoid.
I need to quit doing this…
"Yes, we're finally here!" exclaimed a now squirming Kairi.
"Gee Kairi, mood swing much?"
"Psht. Yeah right Sora, like you're really one to talk. You went from being bright and happy to completely quiet and spaced out in a matter of seconds…"
I jumped out of the car in search of a certain silver headed boy.
"…Sora? Hey, where are you going!" shouted the redhead, now quite some distance behind me.
But Kairi wasn't the one on my mind.
I went off towards the house, finding upon entering, that the whole place reeked of sweat and alcohol.
I was making my way through the front door into the living room when I thought I had noticed a familiar streak of silver.
…Riku?
"…ra! Sora?" I heard that familiar voice once again calling out to me from the distance.
Sorry, Kairi, I've got much bigger fish to--
*bump*
"Ow…?"
It seemed I had just knocked myself into…
"Whoa? Oh, hey man!" shouted another familiar voice, clapping a hand on my back.
"Hey Sor, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine."
I turned around to greet the voice.
"Ah, Roxas. Um…Have you seen--"
"Yuffie's the name!" said a young woman with short black hair, peering down at me with a shining smile.
"Oh uh, pleased to meet you…But I-"
Was cut off. Again.
"Why the pleasure's all mine! Roxas here has told me a lot about you, Sora! I hear you two are living together?" she said, gazing at me expectantly.
Urgh, I SO do not have time for this!
"Yes, we are…but really, he just comes and goes as he pleases…"
"Ahahaha, Sor!" Another slap on the back. What was with him today?
I looked up at a nervously smiling Roxas.
A nervous Roxas?…That's weird.
"…Ahh, what was it that you were asking earlier?"
Oh yeah! I'm looking for…
"Riku."
Wait, did that make any sense?
"I-I'm looking for him. Have you see him?"
I looked back and forth between the two, hopeful that they had chanced upon the boy.
Roxas frowned at me, shaking his head.
"Nope, sorry…" Yuffie shook her head at this also. "Me neither!"
I looked down at my feet, discouraged, as if they were somehow going to tell me where to find Riku.
Damn it! That was pointless.
"Oh. Ok. Thanks. Nice meeting you, Yuffie."
"Oh, of course! Same to you!" said the young woman smiling as she took hold of Roxas' arm to drag him off somewhere.
Man, where could Riku be?!
I started zigzagging my way through the crowd of somewhat familiar faces of people who attended my school, but…
No Riku.
"Sora! Hey! Soraaa!"
Ah, she found me.
I slowly turned around to find the redhead scowling at me, hands on her hips.
"That was so rude of you to leave me like that, Sora! And you were acting weird in the car and…"
Not another lecture.
That was not what I needed.
What I need is to find Riku…
"Hello? Are you even listening to me, Sora?"
"Hey, where's Riku? You seen him?"
She sighed while showing a certain reluctance, rolling her eyes up to stare at the ceiling for a minute or so before answering me.
"Well, yeah, but-"
"Where?!" I looked at her expectantly as she frowned at me.
"Well, he said something about waiting for you. He mumbled something about the noise, and took off to find 'someplace quiet', but-"
"Thanks, Kai!" I turned around to go look for him. Now, if I knew Riku, I'd bet "someplace quiet" meant--
A small hand grabbed my shoulder to swiftly turn me around.
"Now wait just a minute, Sora! You've been acting weird all day, and have basically blown me off . Twice. Now, I don't think I've done anything to deserve this. What's going on with you lately?"
Now I felt kind of bad for leaving her so abruptly in my quest to find Riku.
"…I wanted to find Riku."
I stared down at the floor while she tapped her foot in impatience, waiting for me to continue.
"I've been thinking about him a lot lately. I think we need to have a talk, that's all."
I looked up to find that her expression had lightened a bit as her hand slowly slid off of my shoulder.
"…Oh. I see." She gave me one of the weird, sinister smiles.
She leaned forward and almost whispered,
"So, I was right, wasn't I? You really DO like him, don't you?"
I could feel my face flush again." Ah, no. It's not like that! I just, uh…"
Or was it? God, what was I saying?
She smiled another one of those sly smiles. "I get it. It's okay, Sora. I know you do, you talk about him nonstop. It's actually kind of cute. Heehee!"
I looked away.
What was she saying?
I do not either talk about him all the time…
Do I?
I looked back at her to find her slowly turning away.
"Kairi?"
She partially turned her head back to speak.
"It's okay, Sora… I know he's the one you want. Better run after him."
What?
What was with that look on her face?
It almost seemed like…she was sad.
What was with her?
…Urgh, no time for that now!
If I don't do this tonight, I won't ever do it! Tonight's the night!
I hastily went around this unfamiliar house in search of a quiet area in which I might find Riku.
Man, why do all the rooms in the house look the same?!
I'll bet he's…
Ah! An open window.
Bingo.
I made my way across the hall into a bedroom, heading straight for said window.
As I climbed through it, I heard yet another familiar voice--the one I was searching for.
"Gee, Sora. What took you so long, huh?"
I was so startled that my hands started to sweat and I lost my grip.
"Whoa! Sora!"
I immediately found myself being pulled up onto the roof by a very warm and smooth hand.
Being pulled up until…
"Sora…"
I found myself to be staring straight into those gorgeous aquamarine eyes, shielded by strands of shimmering silver hair.
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come out.
All I could do was stare…
Then, I suddenly noticed just how dangerously close we were and that he had not yet let go of my hand.
Some strange force tugged at my insides, forcing me to pull myself away from him.
Man, what's wrong with me?!
I've been waiting all day for this moment, this chance, this opportunity, and now that it's here, I can't seem to talk?
After a failed attempt to collect my thoughts, I looked back at the silver haired boy.
He was staring directly into my eyes.
"Sora…I think we need to talk."
I straightened up a little at this.
"Yes! …Uh, yes, we do…"
I nodded a little at him for him to continue on.
"Sora, there's something that I've been wanting to tell you…"
My heart started to beat a little faster.
I caught myself staring at him with wide eyes as he moved a little closer…
"…These past few weeks, I've noticed more and more that my thoughts have been, basically…"
He looked away, gazing into the far off distance.
"About you…"
Whoa, what? About…me?
My heart flipped.
He turned back quickly to look at me.
"I mean, nothing bad, of course!"
He looked away again.
"No, no," I started to say.
"I…"
Why wasn't my mind functioning properly, dammit?!
"I understand completely! In fact, the same thing has been happening to me lately too."
He shot his head back towards me and looked at me with wide, perhaps hopeful, eyes.
"R-really Sora? Oh, I'm so glad to hear that… I thought for a minute there that…"
He looked down slightly and… Wait, was he blushing?
He slowly moved closer to me and gently pushed me back against the slant of the roof.
My face was beginning to feel hot now.
"Sora…I'm so glad you feel the same…"
His face was well within inches from mine now.
I was starting to feel dizzy…
What…is this I'm feeling?
I could feel his warm breath on my lips now as his were slowly getting closer to mine…
I felt so dizzy… I felt so…
"I-I can't Riku! I'm sorry!"
I quickly pushed him off, hastily trying to find my way off the roof.
I looked back at him, hurt, disappointment and confusion written all over his face.
What had I done?
The rest of the night was a blur.