Receiving Without Asking

Namixas

All around me, the lights were going crazy making colorful patterns on the wall. Blue, yellow, purple, red, all these colors blinded eyesight changing as quickly as a person could blink. Loud, powerful music was controlling the air, choking any other sound out of the room. The bass was pounding, pounding into my head where I couldn't even think.

But that's the point, isn't it? The whole reason behind why clubs like these are created. They are created so people can let go of any rational thought and just let their body go with the flow in rhythm of everybody's bodies around them. In these places, everybody is the same as you. Just looking for some escape from the outside world.

And right now, that's I was really looking for. Life hasn't been unkind to me, at least so far in my little existence. But, I can't shake off the feeling that soon, something was going to happen to me. Call me paranoid, but I jus couldn't relieve myself of worrying.

Sure, I could just talk to my friends about what was bothering me. They are always there for me when I need them, but with my moving out and all at the end of the week, I would feel bad to burden them with these petty fears when they were so upset.

Or at least, that's what I thought they were feeling. Olette was obviously unhappy with my leaving, but Hayner has been pretty stoic about the whole move which is pretty unlike him. Maybe he's thinking that if he doesn't react to it, it won't really happen.

That's his way of escaping the problem I guess, and this is my attempt at escaping mine. Except, it's not really working all that well. This is my first time that I've entered the club here in the little quiet town called Twilight Town.

I'm plenty old enough to be in here, but I will admit that I'm surprised at who was in here dancing, especially some people I would have never expected. From my seat at the bar, I could see a whole group of people that I knew.

I took a sip from my club soda, nothing hard to drink for me. Yet. Over in the corner I could see Setzer with a whole group of people, mostly ladies fawning over him.

Seifer and his little gang was manning over the DJ position. They figured that they could take care of any troublemakers best if they put themselves around what they showed up most of them appeared. And believe it or not, Fuu had good taste in music.

However, the people I was most surprised to see was the older crowd of the shop owners in Twilight Town. Watching them dance now, made me realize I could never take them seriously again. Which was convenient anyway I guess since I was leaving by the end of the week.

Oh yeah… I was here to try and forget about that.

I wasn't doing a very good job apparently. I just sat that by the counter, just taking small sips of my drink. I felt bored despite all the excitement around me. It was pathetic…

"Hey, bar keep, give us a shot." A voice I had never heard before said in very close proximity to me. I was surprised by the sudden noise, it was then that I realized I had been draining all the loud music out in my mind. The voice had to shout loudly for barkeeper to hear her.

It was then I realized the owner of the voice, a beautiful woman with bright blonde hair wearing a white dress, was talking about me along with her. I was shocked, and sadly the first thought that came to me was.

"I don't drink." Which was true, I hadn't had a hard drink my life. She looked at me quickly and looked at the barkeeper who was bringing us her order. Two shot glasses filled. She took one in her hand, and smiled at me.

"I don't either." She stated simply, thinking nothing of it as she chugged her shot in one gulp. After a deep breath and pained look, the woman opened her eyes and smiled at me.

"Your turn." She motioned to the drink in front of me, telling me to take it and do the same as her. I figured why not? I took the shot and chugged in the same way she did. For a second, I wasn't sure what happened. I felt pain in an odd way, but as the sting went away. I felt a lot better for some reason…

"Thanks." I gasped out to her. Even if I didn't ask for it, I figured that I should thank her anyway. She just responded with a nod, and I went back to my original position, looking back at the people dancing in the club. Then I felt her hand on my shoulder and I could tell without looking at her face, the hand looked so delicate.

"Do you wanna go somewhere?" She asked me, a complete stranger to go away with her. At this point in my life, I didn't really care about anything. I decided… to just go along with anything tonight. Apathetic to the fullest. Wherever life decides to take me next.

"Sure."

"My name is Naminé." The blonde woman told me as soon as we sat down on park bench. We decided to get away from the club to a more peaceful place, like Sunset Terrace. It was night time, so all that was out was the many plentiful stars in the sky.

"Roxas." I answered told her in response. She smiled gently, before looking at the sky. She was staring at it with such blue eyes, they were really similar to mine I suppose…

"So, what's your story?" She asked me suddenly, and I was caught off guard by the question.

"What do you mean?" I asked back in confusion to what she specifically.

"I mean, why were there in that club? You weren't dancing, you weren't drinking. I'd understnad if you were with a girl, but you were by yourself. So, obviously, something's big has come up and you were trying to escape it."

I'll admit, I was caught even more off guard. Why had she been watching me so closely? Then again, I was just there watching the other people as well. Maybe it's just a hobby of hers to try to figure other people out… She was good at it.

"I'm moving." I answered with a sigh, seriously hoping that she doesn't ask why. I didn't have answers. That was probably part of the reason my friends were mad at me at the moment.

"When?" She asked a different question, one that I could answer and I was thankful for it.

"The end of this week." I told her, and she looked back at me, tearing her eyes away from the beauty of the sky. She really did have eyes like mine.

"So soon? I was hoping to get to know you more." She explained, giving me a smile before looking back at the sky. Surprisingly, I was finding myself flustered by her reply.

"What, what about you? What's your story?" I asked her as well. I was curious about this woman named Naminé… I had never seen her around before, and I've lived here in Twilight Town for a long time.

I saw her shrug slightly, and this time she didn't turn to look at me. She kept staring in front of her.

"I'm just escaping my house. I'm kept at home a lot. This is one of the few times I've gotten out of there." Her tone surprised me, most of all. She treated it with such indifference and she apparently saw the shock on my face.

"It's not a big deal. I just need to get out sometimes. I think it's kind of lucky that you are moving. You aren't stuck in one place." I didn't agree with her at all. I probably could live here all my life, with the people that I care about.

"I don't want to go away and be all alone." I didn't realize I said this out loud until she looked at me again with a curious eye. She seemed to be thinking about something.

"What?" I asked, hoping for her to say what she was thinking about.

"It's just… I would have thought you were moving so that you could be with someone." She admitted, she looked embarrassed for thinking that.

"That would have been fine, but I'm not so fortunate." She gave me another look, but took my answer and yet again looked at the sky.

We sat there, talking for hours. I learned all about her, what she liked, what she did in her spare time. She told about her home, and how they used her… It pained me to hear what she had to say, and I tried to imagine going through that. But she was happy now, at least she looked happy.

And she wanted to learn all about me. I told her about my friends, about Hayner, Olette, and Pence. I told her about growing up here and what I had planned for in my life. And how that was all going away with the move.

This time spent with her, it was wonderful. I had never felt myself be so open with a stranger, but she didn't feel like a stranger. Maybe that's why I was able to be so open. Because I was hurting the people that was close to right now.

And perhaps that's why she was able to open up with me so much too. All I knew was that she was someone I was not going to forget. However, it made me feel worse about moving. For now though, I was happy.

"It's really late, huh?" Naminé commented, as soon I was starting to realize it as well. We decided that it was time for us to depart, for if she stayed out any longer, her family was going to realize she had left the house.

"I was very happy to meet you tonight, Roxas." Naminé smiled at me, she did that a lot. I suppose that's why it surprised me that she lived so unhappily.

"I was very happy to have met you too." I told her, meaning it completely. With this parting, she turned around and walked away from me to her home. But then I realized something very important.

"Wait! Can I see you again, before I leave?" I shouted to her. She turned around and gave me a large smile.

"We'll see!" Was all that she said, before she disappeared from my sight.

I thought about her a lot, all that week. Hoping that she did plan on seeing me again. Within the week, I had packed up most of my stuff, only keeping the things I needed to live until the last day.

And the gang began to accept that I didn't have any answers, and wanted to make our final days last as long as they could. We spent most of our time together hanging out in the usual spot finding things to do like we did all the time when we were younger.

Also, we got sea-salt and sat on top of the clock tower for hours. That was going to be another thing I was going to miss for sure. These were best times. Besides that night with Naminé of course.

Before I knew it, moving day had come. I packed up the rest of the stuff for the movers were coming early that day. I had said my good byes to the gang that night before.

For Olette it was very tearful. Pence gave me a large photo album filled with pictures with all of us from when we all became friends. I was going to cherish that album. And Hayner, I think this was hardest on him. We were best friends for so long…

I have to put that behind me now though… I have to put all of it behind me. My friends, this town, even Naminé. I didn't get to see her before I left after all…

Quietly, I took the last of my things and walked out my little apartment. I turned the key out of the lock, securing my home for the last time. Now some one else will probably live here…

I walked down the hallway, going outside to where the movers were waiting for me. I would leave my stuff with them, and then leave by train by myself. I put my remaining belongings in their vehicle. I motioned to the movers with a thumbs up, signaling everything was ready.

They waved back and went on their way. Then I began my last journey through town to reach the train station. Once I was in the plaza in front of the station, I took once last look around. I gazed at the clock tower, admiring it once last time. It really was a wonder.

Finally, it was time. But as I turned to the station, I heard a voice calling me. One that I had learned recently.

"Naminé?…" I look around me, hoping it was her, and sure enough there she was running towards me. With a suitcase in hand.

"Roxas!" She was running as hard of she could, with something so heavy in her hand. My mind was going crazy, wondering how she knew I'd be here. But most of all, I was happy to get to see her again before I left.

"What are you doing here?" I asked once she was close enough to me. She was panting hard, and it looked like she hadn't slept much. Still, she was as beautiful as I remembered her.

"Please! Please, Roxas, let me go with you." She pleaded. I was shocked by her request. She wanted to go with me?… I had planned to leave alone, and be alone once I reached my new home. I was prepared to be lonely.

"You want to go with me?.." I had to ask to make sure that is what she wanted. She nodded in response.

"Yes. I want to go with you Roxas. I can't stay here any longer. And… I want to know you more, and more. This is the only chance we'll have… I have to take it." She explained to me fully, and my heart felt full. This felt like the answer to all my fears. I wanted to be with her.

If she could go with me, then I would go with her.

"Okay. Let's go, together." I smiled at her, signaling for her to take my hand. She took it, looking embarrassed while doing so and together walked to the station to leave this place.

We were both two people, with hopes and dreams. We both had to dream, for some different. But it was okay now, because we were together. However unexpected it was, the best gifts are the ones we receive without asking for them.

Yes, those were the true blessings. I squeezed Naminé's hand as we entered our train. And thus, we began our journey together and now I didn't really mind to see what fate had in store for me.

"They took the midnight train, going anywhere..."

Fin