Author's Comment: I appreciate the one following and I apologize for the slow updates. Life has been crazy. Please anticipate my original character in the next chapter. Read, review - and most importantly - enjoy!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners, Square Enix and Disney.
Chapter 2 - Gossip
As Riku and Kairi exited their bus and entered through the welcoming doors of Destiny Islands' High School, students were running around like animals bouncing from one friend to another. The air seemed filled with excitement over the new student. The islands didn't get many new people who visited the pristine beaches, and with a transfer student joining the junior class in a matter of hours, much had been left to be speculated as to why the student had chosen their tiny island to take residence. When Riku walked past a group of giddy girls on his way to his locker, he found himself self-consciously listening in on their conversation.
"Did you hear about the new girl?" a freshman with blonde braids asked.
"Does anyone even know her name?"
"Well I heard she moved here because she got expelled from her old school."
"Are you serious? I was told something completely different."
The debate continued between the chatty underclassmen as they all speculated their theories, hoping conjure the real story in the process. Riku quickly walked up to his locker as he departed from Kairi and started to enter his combination into the lock. However, as he finished putting in the last number to the security device, a familiar manicured hand planted itself on the door just as he was about to open it. There was no doubt as to who was standing behind him. He had seen the same perfectly sparkling hand a thousand times before and the scent that always followed her was making his nostril hairs cringe. Riku took a deep breath, folded his arms across his broad chest, and turned to find Liz Mihada looking intently at him.
"Why hello, Riku. Long time, no see?" Liz smiled deviously. Riku didn't bother giving her the benefit of the doubt - refusing to connect eyes with her - instead he focused on the groups of students rushing by over her shoulder. Liz waved an impatient hand in front of Riku's face, but he remained cold and standoffish.
The junior put her hands on her cocked hip and scoffed, "Where have Sora and you been? You've been gone for like two years!"
Riku's icy stare startled the blonde-haired person with fierce intent, meanwhile giving her the pleasure of gazing at him. Liz's straight golden hair was slightly ruffled and her sapphire eyes seemed to stand out more that day for some reason. Could it be the white vest matched with her blue plaid skirt that made her appear attractive? As he considered her looks for the first time in all the years he had known her, a thought came to his mind, "She's pretty, but a real bitch. I don't have time for drama."
"I should be getting to class," he shrugged, indicating that he was not interested in telling her the reason for his two-year disappearance. As he started to walk away, Liz rushed to his side as her heels clicked on the marble floor, and tugged on his arm to stop him from leaving.
"I'm going to find out one way or another," she proclaimed, pointing a finger right at the tip of his nose.
Riku swatted her hand away, having lost his patience with her a while back. Ignoring her warning, the keyblade wielder continued down the hall that still had a remaining strew of people straggling to their morning class. Some students were at their lockers, collecting their books or throwing stuff in for the start of the day. As Riku observed one student take out a large history book, he realized he never had gotten any of his books because of Liz's interception; then again, it wasn't such a humongous problem. He was sure of himself that the teachers would excuse him for the day.
Still a little dazed by being back in school, he made a turn he was not supposed to make and collided with a teacher, making her drop all her materials. Immediately, he bent down to help the woman up, but she smacked away his help. Riku pulled back in a slight discomfort, than began to gather the sprawled books across the hallway.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized. The teacher dusted herself off and took the pile Riku had collected from his arms.
"Mr. Yunng. I didn't know you were back in school," she stated. Riku shoved his hands back into his pockets and looked down shyly.
"Today's my first day in a while," he explained, "You wouldn't happen to know where Mr. Honiara's class is, would you?"
The young woman flashed a gentle smile and pointed behind her, "The second door labeled Class E."
Riku bowed to her and gratefully took her advice, heading in the direction the teacher had told him.
With in no time, when Riku approached the maple door, he could already hear the noise of students laughing and talking. He grabbed for the round doorknob, but then hesitated for a brief moment. He did not think he could possibly walk into the class and pretend everything was all right, because there were worries he had even though he was never one to show it around his friends. Actually, deep down, Riku did not know what he would say to people once they asked what happened to him. He always could lie, he had no problem with that, it was just that school didn't seem like the best place to be at that exact moment in time. He's rather be out exploring the worlds he had grown so accustomed to through the years, Riku grabbed for the doorknob once more, sat his hand on it for a second, and turned the handle. He pulled it with much force, almost putting a crack in the door, and let the block of wood slam against the wall. As soon as he entered the room, all heads turned in the path of him and gawked.
A short, gray-haired man with glasses walked up to Riku and stuck out his hand.
"Glad to have you back, Mr. Yunng," Mr. Honiara smiled. Riku politely returned the kind gesture, and shook the man's hand. As he walked to the front of the class, he saw Sora waving his hand like a mad man and quietly chuckled.
"Same old Sora," he thought to himself. Awkwardly, he shuffled over to best friend and took the empty seat that was left open next to him.
"Now class, lets start off with the country of Japan during World War II," Mr. Honiara clapped his hands together. The entire class groaned, including Riku.
