Author's Note: Woah! Another update! I think I win. Anywho, here's the next chapter of Face, in which Sora stops being a whiney emo bitch! Hooray! Oh, and guess what! In about a month it's FotSBL's birthday! Wheeee! Confetti time! Dance party! I am so tired. Ramble, ramble, ramble. Wooooo! I like cheese.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Kingdom Hearts? Poppycock!

Chapter Four: "It's Sora."

"C'moooon!" Selphie whined, pulling at my arm.

"No," I stated, pouting resolutely.

"Soooraaaa! You have to come to the party! Have to Sora!"

"No, I don't."

"What are you gonna do?" she asked, finally freeing me and sitting on the floor, matching my pout with one of her own.

"You can't just sit here all night. You'll be doing more than enough of that next week."

"Next week?" I asked, my pout dissolving.

Selphie nodded, smiling up at me as her hair bounced with the enthusiasm of her action. "I'm going to visit my mother for Christmas."

Selphie had never really mentioned why she lived on her own, though she had mentioned that both parents were alive and well. I didn't press the matter. If she wanted to talk about it, she would.

"Christmas?" I squeaked pathetically instead. I had completely lost track of time. Christmas was next week. What the hell was I going to do? I had no home to go to, no family to visit. I barely even had any friends to buy presents for or exchange greetings with.

"Yes, Christmas, Sora," Selphie cooed, "and I'll be gone so come to the party and have your fun while you can!"

Sighing I sat behind her and she scooched towards me to pull at the hem of my shirt.

"I don't know anyone who'll be there," I explained.

"You know me! And you can get to know the others," she whined, once more resorting to arm pulling.

"You're hurting me," I said, trying to wrestle my arm free.

"Say you'll come and I'll stop."

"I don't want to, Selphie."

The girl smirked up at me and her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Riku will be there."

"Even more reason for me not to go!" I said, groaning and fighting off a blush.

"Ugh. Gross Sora! You'll get nowhere with an attitude like that, least of all in Riku's pants!"

"Selphie!" I cried as the blush broke past my restraints and stained my cheeks.

"Sora!" she retorted, half whining as she latched on to my body, causing me to flop forward and fall off of the couch.

"What?" I asked, voice muffled by the carpet my mouth was pressed against as Selphie sat on my back, smashing me into the floor.

"Come. Do it."

"No."

"I hate you, you know that?"

"Selphie that's a bit. . ."

"You're being a coward, Sora," she chided.

"By not wanting to go to a party where I don't know anyone?"

"No, by not being willing to get to know them!"

"I just don't see any point in it! I'm leaving – "

"Once you get enough money, I know," Selphie interrupted, "But it's going to take you a really long time and you'll need friends during that time."

"I was fine without them in San Francisco."

Selphie raised an eyebrow at me, "Were you now?" she asked, obviously doubting the validity of my previous statement.

But I had been fine. I hadn't minded working all week and all weekend, and I hadn't minded not having anyone to wish me Merry Christmas or Happy Birthday, or worry about me when I was sick or notice when I was upset. I'd been perfectly content spending my few free hours sitting in my room in a house full of people who hated me, doing absolutely nothing. . .

I'd been perfectly. . .perfectly. . .content.

"Fine," I said, defeated, "I'll go to Tidus's party.

"Yaaaa-aaaay!" Selphie squealed and jumped up, bouncing around the room.

"Let's go! Let's go! We're already late," she continued, dragging me towards the door, stopping only to throw on a jacket and allow me to do the same.

As we stepped outside of the apartment building, into the cool air and light flurry of snow, Selphie looped her arm through my own.

"You know," she said softly, as if afraid to break the quaint hush that I imagined often fell over small towns when it snowed, "I wouldn't have gone to the party without you."

I blinked slowly, glancing over at Selphie as she smiled warmly at me.

"Oh?" I asked, smiling back, "Even though Tidus is throwing it?"

The girl gasped and a faint blush creeped into her cheeks, barely noticeable due to their already rose hue, a result of the cold air.

"How did you know!" she whined.

"Selph, his name was written all over the first three pages of the notebook you lent me a few days ago."

Selphie giggled, rubbing the back of her neck, "I forgot about that."

"That wasn't the only name either," I said with a laugh, "you seem to be keen on some of our teachers."

"Well can you blame me?" she cried, "They're just so yummy!"

Selphie pulled me to the left and lead me up to a nearby doorstep before removing her arm from mine.

"Here we are," she explained, ringing the doorbell.

I took a deep breath as the door opened and Selphie ushered me inside.

"You got him to come, eh?" Tidus asked as I entered, slapping me on the back as Selphie nodded her reply, "Glad you decided to show up. Riku's around somewhere."

"Tidus!" Selphie warned as I blushed and hung my head.

"What? What did I do?" I heard Tidus ask as he and Selphie walked into the other room. I followed reluctantly, sitting in an empty armchair in the corner as Tidus and Selphie joined a circle of teens, a few I recognized, but most I did not.

"What's going on here?" Selphie asked, ignoring Tidus's previous question.

As I sat in the armchair, picking at a loose thread at the hem of the shirt Selphie had loaned me, I heard several voices reply with an answer of "spin the bottle", which, I admit, surprised me. Seventeen years old and they were still playing spin the bottle? From the little knowledge I had of teen parties, spin the bottle was something they retired after middle school. Not that I was one to lecture on mature behavior, after my lovely breakdown earlier that week.

The game continued, and as I continued picking at my hem, I found myself incredibly regretful that I had not stayed at the apartment, and ardently wishing that I were anywhere else but at the party. And so, as Selphie pouted to herself because her spin did not land on Tidus, I walked into the kitchen and slipped out the back door onto the porch.

I was greeted by a rush of cool air, somewhat welcome after the stifling artificial heat of Tidus's house, and a piercing gaze.

A froze and my eyes found the source of the gaze, and I shivered, again unsure if it was because I was cold or if it was because of Riku.

"Sorry," I whispered, looking down at the thin layer of snow that had coated the porch and hoping that my hair was unruly enough to somehow cover the blush that was coating my cheeks.

"I didn't know anyone was out here. I'll go," I murmured, stepping backwards and starting to close the sliding door.

"No, it's okay," he said softly, and I stopped, looking at him questioningly.

"Really. Stay."

Blinking, I stepped back onto the snow-covered porch and closed the door behind me before taking a seat on some patio furniture near Riku. I hardly noticed that I was sitting in a pile of snow.

"They still playing spin the bottle in there?" Riku asked, gazing off into the serene wooded landscape beyond the porch. This soft flurry was considerably different from the blizzard we'd met in, and its quiet, calm nature seemed to make his beauty more apparent and his eyes harsher. His hair fell about his shoulders gracefully, its silver color and his pale complexion making him seem as though he were sculpted of snow, and had come outside to feel more at home, even as his iridescent eyes shone like a beacon of warmth.

"Yeah," I murmured finally, pulling my gaze away from Riku and smiling to myself.

He laughed softly and my heart gave a small contented flutter.

"Pretty juvenile isn't it?" he asked, and I nodded reluctantly, still smiling a little, but no longer really meaning it.

Silence fell between us as Riku again become absorbed in his own thoughts, and I continued to fiddle with my quickly, and now almost completely destroyed, fraying hem.

"Listen," Riku said finally, "I tried to tell you this the other day, but you interrupted me."

I swallowed hard, knowing he was about to bring up my stalking him. I was tempted to interrupt him again and assure him that I'd be gone as soon as possible, but decided against it.

"Anyway, the point is, I'm sorry."

I furrowed my brows in confusion, "Sorry?" I asked. What could he be sorry for? I was the one who should be apologizing to him.

"Yeah. I was a little harsh on you the other day. I admit this whole thing does creep me out a bit, but most of what I said to you was sort of me taking out some pent up anger, which was pretty shitty of me. So, I'm sorry."

I smiled a little and shook my head, before falling silent. There was a slight blush warming my cheeks and my small smile adamantly refused to melt away, even though a corner of my mind protested this moment of happiness. Riku may not have hated me, but he had admitted that I creeped him out, which meant I'd still find a job, and I'd still leave Belleview as soon as possible.

"You look cold," Riku noted, though with more intent towards breaking the awkward silence than showing concern for me.

"A little," I admitted.

"Let's head in," he offered, rising to open the sliding door and usher me back into the house.

We walked through the kitchen and into the living room where I resumed my seat in the armchair. Riku stood in front of me, taking place in the circle as Kairi and I boy I did not recognize shared a chaste peck of the lips.

"This is the lamest game of spin the bottle I've ever seen," Riku declared, "you guys aren't even actually kissing."

"Then why don't you do something about it?" Tidus asked, motioning towards the bottle in the center.

"Fine," Riku said with a shrug. "I'm making out with the next person this lands on, but then I'm out."

I breathed a sigh of relief safe from this humiliating game as I hid, nestled just outside of the circle, secured even more by the fact that I was behind the spinner. I wanted no part in this.

The bottle spun quickly, making soft "shushing" sounds against the plush carpet as it slowed to a stop.

"Awwww! No fun!" I heard Selphie whine, followed by several mutterings of "re-spin" and a rather loud "make out with yourself" from Tidus, before Kairi cheerfully piped in.

"It's Sora."

"What?" I cried, looking up quickly.

As I did so, Riku whirled around and cupped my chin in his hand.

And then, everything disappeared, melted into darkness, except the soft, warm lips that pressed to mine and the slick tongue that darted in to caress my own before swiftly slipping away.

The darkness was shattered as my eyes flew open and I struggled to catch my breath and control the blush I knew was rapidly coloring my cheeks. Then, without thinking, I burst into nervous giggles and Selphie ran over, latching on to me and squealing.

When I managed to pry her away from me, I was still in a daze, with a wide grin plastered across my face, and I stayed that way through out the night, despite the fact that Riku had completely disappeared.