I Still Remember You
"Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard."
"It's not the same... without you..."
At the top of the Clock Tower, an eighteen year old boy with spiky blonde hair sat, weakly licking at a blue popsicle, known as Twilight Town's famous Sea Salt Ice Cream. The boy stared at the ground, large bags under his eyes, tear stains on his cheeks, his windswept hair more unkempt than usual. He sighed as another couple passed by, his heart breaking when he watched them kiss.
"It's not fair..." he muttered. "Why do they get such happy lives?" He bit into his ice cream defiantly, only to wince as a brain freeze formed. Once the cold had gone, he threw the ice cream over the tower, secretly hoping it hit one of those dumb couples.
"Heh... she would've scolded me for that..." Another tear slid down his cheek at the memory...
"Roxas! Don't throw your ice cream off the tower! You'll hit someone!"
"But wouldn't that be funny?" Her glare gave him his answer. He held up his hands, showing her his palms. "Alright, alright, I won't, okay?"
Suddenly an annoyed yell came from the bottom of the Clock Tower, after an unmistakable splat. Both teens peered over the edge at the now ice cream-covered boy. Roxas couldn't hold back a small chuckle, only to have her nudge him.
"Sorry, Hayner!" he called down. She glared at him again, her arms crossed, but he could see the tiniest twitch at the corners of her lips indicating her amusement. He grinned back, and the two, after a moment's pause, burst into laughter...
As fate would have it, the ice cream hit no one. "Figures..." He stood up, glancing around the place, as if expecting her to be there so that he could help her up. A minute passed before he sighed and headed down the steps.
"If I could do it all again... I'd tell you... how I feel..."
He was in Twilight Town Park, sitting on one of the swings. He barely rocked it, though his hands gripped the handles as though he were shooting through the air.
"Do you remember...?" he mumbled. "We met here, thirteen years ago..."
"Momma, why is that boy all alone?" she asked, slightly cocking her head to the side.
"I'm not sure... Why don't you talk to him?"
Nodding, she skipped off to a five-year old Roxas. He sat on the swings, lightly rocking back and forth as he stared at the ground. The girl walked up to him and held out a hand.
"Hi! What's your name?" Slowly, the boy looked up, then blinked a few times at her. No one had noticed him before...
"R-Roxas..." he mumbled, quickly looking down again. She giggled.
"Why are you by yourself, Rocks-Iss?"
"I... Nobody likes me..."
She cocked her head again. "Nobody? Not even your parents?"
"D-Daddy yells at me..."
"And your momma?"
"I-I... don't got one..."
"Oh..." After thinking a moment, her face broke into a smile. "Well, I like you!"
He glanced up again. "You... do?"
She nodded. "Sure!" Grabbing one of his hands, she pulled the shocked boy off the swing. "Let's play a game!"
"W-What game?"
"Tag!" She poked his nose, giggled, then sped off. "You're it, Roxas!"
"W-Wait! You didn't tell me your name!" Shaking off his surprise, he ran after the laughing girl.
"It's been so long, yet still I see your face perfectly in my mind's eye..."
They had told him he'd get over it. That everything would be okay. It would just take time. He'd forget about her and bounce back. …But he didn't. Nobody could replace the way he felt around her. The way his heart would beat faster when their hands brushed against each other, the way his mouth went dry every time they made eye contact, the way just her voice could send shivers down his spine...
"Look, Roxas! A seashell! Isn't it beautiful?" The nine-year old girl showed him the bright pink-and-yellow shell proudly, a wide grin on her face. Not waiting for a response, she placed it in her bucket and continued searching for more as they walked along the shore.
"You and your seashells..." the blonde laughed.
"You and your ice cream..." she mimicked, sticking her tongue out.
"Hey! I can't help that it's good!" he defended, crossing his arms. She only laughed. Glaring for a moment, Roxas noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He reached down and picked up another seashell, this one black and white. He offered the shell to her, a light blush on his cheeks. "F-For you..."
A smile lit up her face as she took it from him, staring intently at it. "It's amazing! Thank you!" She gave him a quick hug, darkening his blush. He scratched the back of his head nervously.
"N-No problem..." he mumbled.
"It was a miracle... that I got the guts to ask you..."
"Roxas? What's up?"
The blonde revealed the items he held behind his back, his cheeks tinted pink. "I-I... got you flowers..."
She smiled gratefully, gently taking the bouquet and setting it on a table, trying to hide her now red face. "T-Thanks..."
"C-Can I come in?"
She nodded and held open the door for him, allowing him to walk in. He grinned sheepishly at her.
"S-So... uh..."
"Umm..."
"N-Nice weather we're having, huh?"
"Y-Yeah..."
Mentally smacking himself, he focused his gaze on the ground. "Ur... you wouldn't happen... to be doing anything... tonight... would you?"
"N-No... why?"
Forcing himself to look her in the eye, he gulped down the lump in his throat and said, "I-I... was wondering if... you might wanna... get some dinner... and catch a movie... with me?"
"Y-You mean... like a date?" She blinked innocently, slightly cocking her head.
"Uh... if you... want it to be..." His heart was pounding so loudly he bet she could hear.
"Hmm..."
"I understand if you don't, I mean, who wants to go out with me? I just-" She placed a finger on his lips, cutting him off.
"Yes, silly. I'll go out with you." His eyes widened.
"Weally?!"
She giggled. "Weally. Let me get ready real quick, okay?" He nodded and she headed to her room. As soon as he thought she was out of earshot, he jumped up happily.
"SHE SAID YES! WOOHOO!"
"I still remember... our first kiss..."
Winter. It meant many things. Snowball fights, snow-angels, cozy fires, Christmas, presents... and hot chocolate on a cold night like that one. The two were curled up on the couch, sipping their hot cocos as Frosty the Snowman played on the TV screen. She snuggled into Roxas, sighing in content.
"This is nice..." she mumbled sleepily. It was almost midnight, and both were half asleep.
"Mm, yeah..." He wrapped an arm around her, careful of her drink. She took one last sip, then handed him the empty cup. After he placed it on the table near them, he couldn't help but smile at her.
"...What?" she asked, cocking her head.
He tapped his upper lip. "You've got a mustache," he chuckled. Her eyes widened and her face went beet red. She was about to wipe it off when he stopped her. "Wait, let me get it."
She raised an eyebrow. "Being awfully cliché, huh Rox?"
He didn't answer, only lowered his head to hers. He blushed as his nose bumped hers. "S-Sorry..."
"S'okay."
Nervously, he pecked her top lip, tasting the hot coco there before pulling away, his face completely red. It was completely quiet after that, save for the TV, until...
"...Roxas?"
"H-Hmm?"
"...You missed."
"Why... Why did you have to go?"
"I... I'm moving."
His eyes widened. "W-What?!"
"D-Dad got a new job... it pays better..."
"Where?"
"Radiant Garden..." She tried to wipe away the tears, but they continued to fall.
"You can't... what about us?"
"I-I don't know, Roxas! I'm just as upset but... there's nothing I can do!"
He pulled her into his arms as he pressed kisses into her hair. She cried into his chest, clutching the back of his shirt.
"I-I don't w-want to g-go..." she whimpered.
"I don't want you to go either. But it'll be okay... I'll... I'll come and visit. And you can visit. And-"
"No, Roxas, you can't. It's too far..." She pushed away, wiped her eyes, then looked up at him.
'I love you.' It should've been so easy to say at that moment. Right there, just say it. "I... I-I... I'll miss you."
She looked a bit disappointed at his words, but quickly shook it off. "I'll miss you too, Roxas."
"You'll come back one day?"
"Yeah... I promise."
"I miss you..."
Three years. He had waited three years. And still she hadn't come back. No letters, no email, no anything. Just silence.
"How long do I have to wait?!" he yelled. Sighing, he continued rocking on the swing. "I miss you so much..."
Roxas gazed at the mulch sadly, barely noticing the crunching of someone's footsteps as they walked next to him. There was a creak as the swing next to him was sat on, but he ignored it. The silence was deafening after that, until...
"...Hey."
"Leave me alone..." he muttered. Another period of silence.
"...Hey."
"I don't want to talk! Just leave me alone!" He sniffed, trying to hold in the tears that threatened to spill over.
"...I've missed you too, Rox."
He froze, then slowly turned to the person on the other swing, his jaw dropping when he saw her. "Y-Y-You?!"
She giggled. "Yep. Me."
He shot up, tugged her off the swing, and hugged her tight. "You're back! After all this time... I-I thought..."
"I had forgotten you? Seriously, Rox?"
He pulled back to look into her eyes. "I never told you..."
"Huh?"
He smiled. "There was something I should have told you three years ago... that I never did say..."
Her eyes shone with curiosity. "What?"
Lowering his head, his lips brushed hers as he spoke. "Xion..." Their lips met.
"I love you..."