xxPICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND NIGHTSxx
XX
XX
OO
"We should do something," I complained, fanning myself with an application form. Deadlines for collage admission were sneaking up fast, on all of us, but I had no desire to spend yet another lunchtime in the dry, stale air of our school's grounds, filling out tedious paperwork.
"Okay. I don't think I have any plans this afternoon, except maybe doing the laundry," Namine wriggled out of a backpack, putting it on the springy grass beside her plastic yellow lunch tray. She unzipped it and pulled out a manila folder chock full of the last thing I wanted to see – more applications. As she clicked a pen, I set the one in my hand down and mooched a chip off of her plate.
I watched her cautiously. Surely she had applied to all the colleges in the world by now. Maybe she was looking to go offworld. I'd heard of some green nature-oriented college somewhere in the Pride Lands, two units over, but somehow I couldn't see Namine so close to nature.
"Well then, let's make some plans! What sounds good to you?" I drew my legs to my chest, rapping my knuckles against the rubber toes of my shoes.
I watched as Namine reached absentmindedly for a chip, crunching down on it. She tore her eyes away from the paper, thinking. "How about this? We can stay and run a lap or two on the track after the bell, hit the showers and then, um, we can get smoothies and do our Calculus at my place."
I shrugged. "Oh boy, and doesn't that sound like fun," Before she could feel honestly hurt about it, I amended, "But it's only Friday, and you know I wait until Sunday to do any real work."
"Oh fine then. Due to your procrastination, my plan is null and void," She paused. Her mouth was moving, but her eyes skimmed question after question on the sheet. It made her distracted, like a three-way phone call. "So what do we do?"
I did a once over of the rest of our group. "I was actually thinking we do something with the guys,"
With the metabolism of a marathon-runner, Sora had already inhaled his own tray and was now dozing it off on the grassy hillside where most of the school, including us, ate their lunches. Namine was propped between Riku's knees as he filled out his own application, writing on her back. I had a funny feeling that he'd only half been paying attention.
The day was muggy, tropical bugs droning around me as I watched my lazy circle of friends. Why did they all have to be so boring?
"What 'something with the guys' did you want to do?" Namine air-quoted me, a pen in one hand and her stack of pages in the other.
"We should go out. It's the weekend, and I side with Kairi, for once," Riku surprised me by speaking up. With his long leg, he prodded Sora's head until the brunet pulled himself off the ground.
"Wha— Oh, yeah, of course," Sora grinned, feeling where Riku had jabbed him with mock horror. "Watch it! This hair took hours to create! I'm warning you, Mr. I-Only-Need-a-Straightener, if you touch me again—!" He threatened his friend (who really did use a straightener, I'd heard).
Riku scoffed, "Sora, it's only a wonder your hair isn't plastic by now! Do you realize the effect your hair's very existence has on global warming? Every time you style it, the ice caps beg for mercy!"
I matched Sora's wide-toothed smile. This was more like it. Namine stayed silent, re-reading something with a puzzled look on her face. Apparently, she too had learned long ago that this was something you didn't get into the middle of, just ignored.
"Okay, guys!" I clapped my hands once for attention. "So we're all in agreement. We need to do something authentically teenager this weekend, and I'll be darn skippy if we don't drag Namine along by the hair!"
She looked up at me and raised an eyebrow, but smiled and shook her head. "You guys, this is so unfair! You know how important getting into a college is for me! I'll party after I'm sure I get in,"
"Well jeez, Namine. How many places have you applied to, thousands? One of them will choose you," Sora shrugged. Riku, setting down his form, rubbed her shoulders in agreement.
"He's right, Nam," Riku put in simply.
"If anything, I'm the one that should be worried. My grades are so much worse than yours." I grimaced, and Namine tittered nervously. Nobody contradicted my statement. It was true; I was an awful student. As it was, I was nearly scraping by. I should be the one worried about college.
Namine sighed as Riku pried her application away too, and then held her hand as he used the pen to draw inky stars on her palm. "So where are we going?" She acquiesced, reluctant.
I sighed too. "Good point. Um…well, we could go to Warehouse 29. They don't ask for ID." None of us were of legal age, and though Riku looked tall enough to be, he wouldn't have ID either.
Riku blew air on Namine's hand, drying his artwork and dropping the pen. "No offense, Kai, but 'no ID' means 'no crowd control'. We'd be looking at mosh pits and weirdos. Not the best."
"I know! Let's go to Shack Up!" Sora scooted forward, obviously pleased with his idea. The rest of us stared.
Sora blushed when he realized the obvious reason for our surprise. "N-no, it's a place. My Mom's friend Cid owns it. He'd let us in if I asked him, I bet."
Namine squirmed in Riku's lap, obviously uncomfortable with the idea. Even I had to admit the place sounded a little iffy. "Sora, I'm not sure going to a place called Shack Up! is the best idea either. It sounds a little, I don't know…"
Riku coughed something to Namine, finishing my sentance. I couldn't make it out, but got the picture when Namine swatted his shoulder and laughed nervously. I exhaled reproachfully, but Riku ignored me. "Grow up!" I coughed out as well.
Sora shook his head hurriedly, "No, really, it's cool! Today is Friday, right? On Fridays, they have bands playing! There are TVs and a bar, some game machines and even a foosball table. I helped him set it up! They have a dance floor and stuff like that for parties too. It's pretty big too; it used to be a—" He hastily reassured us.
"And your mom's friend will let her and her son's friends into his night club, just like that?" Namine interrupted skeptically.
Sora nodded. "He's been a friend of the family for a long time. I'm sure he won't mind. I'll text you guys the address when I get home, okay? Just show up, simple as that!" There was a beat.
"Oh, you guys should probably know one more thing." Sora pulled his eyebrows together, debating how best to tell us the catch. Because I knew there had to be a catch, right?
"It's a college joint, not far from some campus. Cid told me it was pretty popular with the students there," Sora's tone was apologetic.
Riku waved it off. "Don't worry; it definitely can't be as bad as Warehouse 29. We'll stick together, and we'll all be really careful. Right?" We all chorused our agreement quickly. None of us looked at Namine, though we all knew our assurances were for her.
"Guys…Thanks, but I think I'll sit this one out. I've got too much to do, anyway." Namine said hesitantly, not meeting my eyes. Good thing too; I would've fried her with my glare.
"Come on, Nam. You should come this time! You could really use it." Riku nuzzled her neck, trying his best to be convincing.
It was true. The orderly, calm, witty Namine we all knew was, well, spazzing out. The closer we got to the end of the year, the more hectic she became. She forgot things more often, and spent every waking moment teetering on the edge of the "PANIC" button. I hadn't seen her this stressed since seventh grade English.
"Come on," Riku repeated pleadingly, "for me?"
"Sorry, Riku," Namine apologized guiltily. "But you have to take plenty of pictures for me, okay?"
"Alright," I sighed. "As much as I think she needs it, Namine is excused. For the rest of you, a party tonight at Shack Up! is mandatory. Just don't forget to send the address, Sora!" The reminder was necessary. Sora was commonly forgetful.
Namine left in order to get to class early, so Riku walked her there. Sora, being the only one who has actually finished lunch, left next. As I re-slung my backpack over my shoulder, I felt a sense of pride. Even without Namine, it sounded like a party waiting to happen.
That's because it is, silly!
xxAUTHOR'S NOTExx
BAM BADA BOOM! Another story that I will never keep up with! This was originally going to be a one shot, but the plot bunny had a friend...er, friends. So now, this will probably be four to five (longer) chapters. Not like my other stories, which have relatively short chapters.
Unless the plot bunny invites yet another friend to the tea party.
So, each chapter will be told from a different POV (point of view). Below are what I think will be the POV's in each chapter...
oo1. Kairi (obviously)
oo2. Roxas
oo3. Namine (Roxas and Namine might be switched, depending on the plot bunnies)
oo4. Axel (I think this one will be my favorite!)
oo5. Epilogue (I'm keeping this one under wraps...but there's no POV in this one)
Until next time, please send reviews to keep the plot bunnies at bay. Bet you thought they ate carrots, didn't you? I'll let you in on a secret (come closer...)! THEY EAT REVIEWS.
So please, review so they don't eat ME.
-- catchxx22