Recap:
"You don't have to pee, do you?" asked Riku.
"Of course not. Just wanted to see if she'd get out or not," snickered Sora, looking smug. "Look at Roxas' face! Aww…"
Roxas' face was still blushing as he glared at his two friends. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, it's going to be a really awkward summer…"
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Naked?
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Chapter 2: Bold
It had been 3 weeks since the hot tub incident, but Naminé was still living it like it happened 3 minutes ago. The boys wouldn't stop laughing at her boldness. Sora's mom had asked the guys why Naminé was naked but at least didn't question it too much. However, even with all the jokes, Naminé was convinced that she was going to win this one.
"So, what's tonight?" asked Riku, referring to the next nude destination.
"Tonight? But I have things to do…" Sora said, his face falling.
"Cancel or forfeit, Sora. That's how these things work. Kairi will understand," Naminé said with no sympathy.
Roxas snickered, "What did you tell Kairi?"
"Uh…"
Naminé raised an eyebrow at Sora's unwillingness. This wasn't going to be good.
"I just… told her that we can't talk about it, but its nothing too crazy," Sora sighed.
"Did she understand?" asked Riku.
"Better than Selphie did, that summer of cross-dressing," snapped Sora.
Naminé sighed as they reached their destination. She rang the doorbell and a second later, the door swung open.
"Hey! My favorite freshman!" Axel said, ruffling Naminé's hair as he let them in.
"I'm not a freshie anymore, Axel," laughed Naminé. "We're sophomores now."
"Not 'til the beach trip, you're not," Axel remarked. "What can I do for you, anyway?"
"I wanted to see Larxene," Naminé explained, looking around at the apartment.
"Uh…This probably isn't the best time to visit… She's a bit cranky," Axel said awkwardly.
Naminé gave him a look. "Axel, she's pregnant. She's gonna be cranky," she deadpanned.
Axel rolled his eyes. "So, what are you guys doing here? I doubt it's to see the she-devil," he asked.
"Actually, we were hoping to get a ride," Sora piped up. "We need to go to Sunset Terrance."
"Why?" Axel asked, taken back.
Riku answered while Roxas shrugged. "Summer dare. It's classified."
"Oh… classified…" Axel sneered. "Well, you're in luck. Normally, I'd say get someone else for your classified business, but I'm bored at home and can do with some fun. Let's ride."
Getting to the lake safely with Axel's crazy driving was a miracle. Naminé jumped out of the car and could've kissed the ground in gratitude. Riku told Axel to wait inside while they hurried to the murky lake. Naminé was having second thoughts about getting dirty water completely nude. Sora's hot tub was a different story; Naminé knew Sora (however forgetful he was) was a very clean person.
Glancing over to Roxas, she was sure she wasn't the only one rethinking this.
But before she could voice her opinion, Sora opened his mouth.
"Okay… 5 minutes? In and out?" he asked the others. They all nodded back, weakly.
"Lady first?" offered Riku, trying not to laugh.
Naminé glared at him. "Um, I did the last one. I think you guys should man up and go first."
Riku rolled his eyes and they started to remove shirts. Naminé tried not to stare but it was too funny. Riku looked like he was trying to get it over with as soon as possible, so quick as a flash; he was completely nude and in the water, not even a pause to breathe. Naminé clapped at his bravado and followed suit, but going a little slower.
Sora was next in the water, but Roxas was acting like he was dry swallowing a pill, it was taking him way too long to get nude. Naminé was down to her underwear when she looked over at him, still in his boxers.
"After you, dearie," she smirked at him, trying to psyche him out.
He just glared at her before pulling down his underwear and running into the water. Naminé could feel the annoying blush creeping up on her cheeks as she looked away and got to work to join the guys.
"Oh god… I can't believe I'm doing this…" sighed Naminé.
"Damn, Nam, do we need to put on some music or something? Just get into the water!" shouted Roxas impatiently.
Naminé glared at him before removing everything quickly and running into the water. It was cool but thankfully not too cold. They all tried not to look at each other but after a while, Naminé just started laughing.
When Roxas looked at her, she explained.
"I'm gonna need therapy after this. I'm sure Mom and Dad didn't have me bathing with you guys when I was little with the intent that I'd be jumping nude into public areas," laughed Naminé.
They all looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. It was stupid laughter, the kind that made no sense but it made your ribs hurt. The kind that made you wish it would last forever...
However, it only lasted for a minute before Naminé screamed.
There was Axel, crossing his arms and looking at his protégés in the water. The smirk on his face told her that he had been there the whole time. Naminé looked at the guys: Sora put half his face into the water, Roxas looked like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was and Riku just crossed his arms. Naminé automatically tried to cover her lady parts but as soon as she brushed her arm, she felt something slimy. Naminé's stomach dropped.
"Just to let you know… this isn't the best place to do your… uh, dare," Axel started. "It's filled with leeches."
"What?!"
"Leeches. You know… those worm things that suck blood and are a bitch to get off? I would've told you but its classified information," Axel said smugly, laughing evilly.
"Shit!" Naminé cursed, smacking her forehead and climbing out of the water. The others followed suit.
"I don't feel anything," Sora said, shaking his head and water spraying everywhere.
Naminé looked over at him after slipping back on her shorts and shirt and her eyes widened the size of saucers. Sora was slipping on his bottoms but right on his face was a small, thin, black leech. Naminé covered her mouth to keep from yelling and looked at Axel, who just doubled over in laughter.
"Uh… Sora? You got a little…" Naminé tried to say, gesturing her face.
Sora's fingers followed her gesture but when it squished the leech, he made a horrible sound. It was like a cross between a dog bark and Selphie when she was drunk.
"Get it off! Get it OFF!" Sora shrieked, running around and clawing at his face.
"Sora, get back here! Leeches are harmless…" laughed Axel, but Sora didn't listen, he just kept running in circles.
Naminé sighed, grabbed a branch, and stood at the ready. As Sora ran past her, she swung with all her might, the branch contacting with his middle. Sora fell to the floor, the leech still stuck to his face as he groaned.
"Nice arm, princess," complimented Axel. "Don't worry, I can get the leech off you guys, but it'll cost you."
"What else can go wrong?" sighed Roxas.
After Axel got to burn off all the leeches off their skin, he dropped them off in Destiny Islands to meet up with their small group. Naminé rubbed at the dry singed hairs on her arm, annoyed. It seems like all their dares were ending in bad luck for all of them. She was just starting to wonder if it was worth it when Roxas slug an arm over her shoulder.
"Giving up?" he sung-said in her ear.
She looked up at him. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. How's the ass?" she asked sweetly.
Roxas and Riku ended up coming out on bottom with the leech attack. While Sora only got a leech on his face and one on his neck, resulting in an angry red mark, and Naminé got only one on her arm; Roxas had three on his back and one on his butt. Riku had the worst of the group… 5 on his back, two on his arm, one on his foot…
And one on his thigh that was way too close to his junk that it made them all uncomfortable.
"Its fine," he said equally as sweet. "Why; worried?"
"Yeah, Roxas, cause I worry about your cute little ass," said Naminé sarcastically. "It's the center of my world."
"I knew it!" he laughed. "I saw you kept looking at it."
"Ugh, Roxas!" Naminé said exasperated, pushing him off her. "I was not."
Roxas just kept laughing at her brushing face until they reached Kairi's beach hotel. They made it to the front and asked about rooms when Kairi came marching down the hall.
"Where have you been? Why didn't you answer your phone? Why are you late? I told you it was important that you'd be here on time!" Kairi screeched, her hair bellowing behind her like fire.
"She kinda looks like her mom when she's angry, huh?" muttered Riku.
"Not now, Riku," Naminé murmured back.
Sora looked the guiltiest of them all. His head bowed, he looked so pitiful that Kairi actually softened her tone.
"Well?" she asked, looking at all of them.
"It was the dare. It had some… consequences," Sora said, looking at her.
Kairi balked as she took his face. "Sora… what happened to your face?" she asked outraged.
"Leeches," offered Naminé when Sora didn't answer. The guys looked at her. "What? It's not classified information."
"Leeches…" echoed Kairi. "Seriously, you're not going to tell me what kept you when you were supposed to be having dinner with me and my parents?"
"Ouch," Riku whispered, and then he cleared his throat. "Well, Kairi, nice to see you. If you don't mind, I had a traumatic experience and like to lie down if I could be excused…"
Kairi just glared at him before nodding to the concierge. The employee pulled up the rooms and gave them appropriate keys. Naminé walked with Roxas on one side and Riku on the other, but couldn't help but look back at Sora, who looked at them longingly as he faced his livid girlfriend.
A soft knock woke Naminé out of her sleep. She groaned and looked at her phone to see that it was 2 a.m. Maybe she dreamt the noise? It was a long day of joking with friends.
However, when the knock happened again, her roommate, Olette, spoke half-awake.
"Nam…get the damn door…" she moaned, rolling over and putting a pillow on her messy mob of hair.
Naminé grunted again before lifting herself up and looking over at the door. After debating for 5 seconds, she kicked herself off her warm and comfy bed and slowly trekked over to the door. Her feet were freezing and she was blinking the dream out of her eyes. But when she opened the door, her demeanor completely changed as she locked on to her friend's tearstained face.
"Kairi?" Naminé asked, stepping outside her door and shutting it.
Kairi gave a small sob and Naminé hugged her, confused but still trying to be a comfort. What could've happened? Kairi wasn't one to cry over nothing…
"Me and Sora… we got into a fight," Kairi said sadly, her voice muffled against Naminé's shoulder.
Naminé raised an eyebrow. "You guys have had fights before…" she said.
And it was true. Although, everyone in their group votes that Kairi and Sora was the permanent honeymoon couple: the couple that would stand the test of time and drama, it wasn't unusual that the two would fight.
What made them different than other couples was that they'd always work it out amongst themselves.
"It's this stupid dare! I just can't get it out of my head," Kairi said bitterly. She pulled away from Naminé, her sad demeanor quickly moving to anger.
"Is winning really that important that he'd blow off meeting my parents? I felt like an idiot in front of my dad! But he won't even tell me what's so important! I deserve to know what's making me not matter to him," Kairi angrily said. She furiously picked at her chewed nails, her face in a deep frown.
Naminé grabbed at her hand, examining her fingers. "Kai, you need to stop. You're bleeding," she said, holding her hand so she could see.
Kairi looked up, shocked. Her usually perfect nail beds were bright pink, slight blood coming from the ripped skin. Kairi sighed.
"I thought I was over this habit…" she said exasperated.
"So did I…" Naminé said, thoughtfully scared. In middle school, when Kairi was new, she could chew 'til there was no nail left due to stress from her parents. With Naminé's and Olette's help, she was able to break the habit before getting into high school. Guess it was back.
"Kairi," Naminé started gently. "The dare, it's not that big of a deal. Certainly not worth you getting in a fight with Sora… or start up hurting yourself again."
"Then what is it?" Kairi asked sharply.
"I can't say."
There was silence.
It was deafening. The look on Kairi's face made Naminé feel like she was being sucked into a black hole with nowhere to go.
"Nam… we're friends. Best friends. Don't make that stupid dare more important than that," Kairi said.
"Don't do that. Don't play the friend card. You know how Riku, Sora, and Roxas are like. You know what we do every summer," Naminé snapped. "Kairi, Sora's not cheating on you; he's not going behind your back… he's not doing anything you need to worry about."
"That's where you're wrong," Kairi said. "I've known everything. All the stupid shit you and they do. And even though I really don't agree to some things, I let it go because I understand that they and you have a weird but close relationship that I can never get between. But this? You want me to sign off on something that I don't know about? Or better yet, you don't need or want my sign off. It doesn't matter what I think. Like I'm not even part of anything!"
"Now you're getting hysterical," Naminé said, calmly. "Kairi, you'll know what it is after its all over."
Kairi took two breathes before glaring. Never had Naminé seen her look so vulnerable. "You know, forget it. It doesn't matter. I'm done with this group and its stupid traditions. You want your secrets, keep them. I want no part."
And quickly, she turned her foot and walked back down the hall.
Naminé gave her a puzzled look before looking back at her door. She wasn't sure what to feel at that moment. Kairi, while not her best friend like the guys, was a best girl friend at least. To see her so upset hurt her heart. But she couldn't just give up her place because she was out of the loop. Kairi would get over it all at the end when she knew that the dare was harmless.
With that thought, Naminé tried to open the door before realizing that she didn't have a key card…
"Motherf—Olette!" Naminé shouted, starting to pound on the door.
A/N- I'm alive! :D I think it's almost been a year since I've typed something! Wow…
But I've been reading all your beautiful reviews and watching the awesome alerts and favorites. It's truly uplifting to see. Even after an almost year, people are still commenting saying that Casual? and Naked? are great and that they reread them. To an aspiring author, that's the best compliment you can give so I thank you! :D
As many of you know, NaNoWriMo is coming up. And since I don't have an original story lined up yet, I decided to just write the sequel of Casual? (the true sequel, not a prequel). And trust me, its gonna have higher stakes.
Let me know if you have any suggestions or what you wanna see in the sequel (or prequel since I have only one more chapter to go on this one). And I'll be updating as soon as I can. Midterms in college is a beast… but so far, this year I got a 4.0 so we'll see! Wish me luck!
Butterfly kisses (You know what that is, thanks to Casual?) ~Ice
