Disclaimer: I still don't own these characters, they belong to SquareEnix/Disney, I merely enjoy writing about them and occassionally dressing up as them.
Rose Buds
Chapter Four:
ThePast,the Present, Where is the Future?
She walked into school that morning with her best friends and her love, a smile radiating from her face. They wore navy blue sweaters to school now, as was allowed in their school's uniform code. The girls were also permitted to wear tights as opposed to the knee highs. The girls were warm though, they're respective objects of affection saw to that, an arm wrapped around their shoulders and holding each girl close.
Then they broke apart, each of them was in a different homeroom, so they said their goodbyes, grinning and laughing, telling each other where to meet after each class.
Naminé stepped into her homeroom, cornflower hues taking in the familiar, though boring atmosphere. She took her seat, third row, fourth seat back. The bell was getting ready to ring when the rest of her homeroom classmates arrived.
She gave a small 'here' as the teacher took role at the head of class and was barely paying attention, too busy doodling in her notebook, when the teacher announced a new student would be joining their homeroom. She didn't even look up as the apparently new male student took the empty seat next to her per the teacher's direction.
She was finishing a sketch of the ideas for the decorations for the winter ball. Her artistic talents had given her the position as the director of the decorations. She wanted to make sure things were perfect.
"…Naminé?" The voice next to her said and her head lifted to peer at the boy with a raised brow.
"Um, yes, that would be my name, can I help you?" She didn't mean to be so bold; honestly, Riku, Sora and Kairi must've really started to rub off on her.
"Oh, well, I just wondered." She doesn't remember me… well it has been a while… about six years I'd say… "Sorry for interrupting your art time." She always was that way with her art, I just can't believe she's living here too now, I wonder how long she's been here… The spiky-haired blonde sat, staring at his backpack and occasionally sneaking glances over at Naminé.
Soon the bell rang for first period to start, and he wanted to say something to her before she left, but she was gone in a flash. He headed out of the room and to his first period class. Unfortunately it was biology, not one of his strong points, and he'd spend another class being introduced and having to sit in the last seat of the class. Basically, he wore a red flag all day.
Naminé left and went to her first class, film studies, which she had with Kairi. Since it was around Christmas time, they spent the class watching movies from the 50s and 60s like Frosty and Rudolph, laughing and chatting the entire time, as was almost the entire class.
By fourth period lunch, the friends had more than their share of news to spill.
"Hey, guess what guys? There's some spiky-head blonde guy in my biology class today, must be new!" Sora said, shoving some fries into his mouth.
"He's in my second period algebra 2 class!" Kairi said with a grin. "You say he has spiky hair Sora? I wouldn't talk." She giggled, playfully poking one of the boy's pointed locks.
"He's in my homeroom." Naminé said, eyes still gazing at the decoration plan.
"Oooo! Naminé let me see your decoration plans!!!" Kairi didn't wait for an answer; she simply grabbed the book and looked. "Oh my gosh! BEAUTIFUL! The decorations are going to be AMAZING with these plans!"
She grinned, and passed the book over to Riku, who looked at the page. "Awesome, this dance is gonna rule." He kissed her forehead softly, smiling.
"Thanks!"
"Now, this new guy, he's in my third period study, I talked to him a bit, his name's Roxas."
Naminé, who had been sipping from a bottle of water, choked on it and coughed for several moments choking out, "His… name is…. ROXAS?!"
"Are you ok? Yeah, what's the matter?" Riku asked, rubbing her back gently.
"Remember, on our tour of the islands way back in November, I told you I only had one true friend during all of my moves, only one I ever really got to know and get along with in Twilight Town?" She said looking at Riku. "His name was Roxas, and that boy earlier… knew my name… even though he wasn't there for role, so he couldn't have known it unless he knew me already! Why didn't I catch that sooner?!"
"Seriously, Naminé? Then, that means he moved here with his family, maybe you guys could catch up! I mean if he was your only friend that whole time, you owe him some catch up time!" Kairi said with a grin, and Sora, with his mouth stuffed mumbled something that sounded somewhat like 'I agree with Kairi!', then resumed his shoving food into his mouth.
"Well, I think you should too, I mean, he was your only friend until the islands, and I honestly would like to thank him for being a friend to you, so that you weren't always lonely." Riku smiled kindly, kissing her on the temple before getting up.
"Well, you and I have English Lit. next; so we should get ready to go since it's on the other side of the building and the bell is going to ring soon." Naminé said, standing up and lacing her fingers with Riku's before waving bye to Sora and Kairi and jumping the gun as the bell rang. They got to the hall outside their Lit. class early; and spent that time just talking for a bit, leaning against the lockers, smiling and holding hands.
Then she saw him. He must have English Lit. with us… But, she didn't feel like talking just yet, and Riku nudged her. "Why didn't you ask him?"
"Not ready to yet. I'll catch him later or tomorrow." She gave a small smile as they walked into the class and took their seats, Riku next to Naminé. To say the least, English Lit. Class was Naminé's class of the day.
"Ok class, we have a new student with us today and for the rest of the year." The teacher announced while Roxas stood at the front of the room. "Please introduce yourself to the class, let them know a bit about yourself."
"Hey, I'm Roxas. I moved here recently from a cool little place called Twilight Town. I like skateboarding and I think I'll try surfing now that I live on an island." He grinned a bit, cerulean eyes beaming. The teacher instructed him to take the next empty seat, which coincidentally was next to Naminé.
She looked over to Riku, who nodded as she pointed with her eyes over towards Roxas. So she turned, and looked at her old friend.
"Roxas, I can't believe I forgot who you were…" She said with an apologetic smile.
He shrugged. "It's been six years, yet you haven't changed much from your ten year old self. I've changed a bit I guess. A bit wilder hair, taller, more mature… I hope." He gave a grin and chuckled slightly.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. This," She said with a smile, "Is Riku, he's been super sweet to me since I got here in October, he even thinks I know the islands as well as he does and he's lived here his entire life." She looked over at Riku, and then leaned back so Roxas could see him.
"Thanks for being so good a friend to Naminé when you guys were younger, I appreciate it man." Riku lifted his hand in a slight wave, grinning to Roxas.
"Well, we met in study hall though didn't we? So there wasn't really a need for an intro." He smiled, spiky hair shaking slightly and he shook his head.
"Oh, right, I forgot, sorry about that guys." She smiled, and the teacher told them to shut it or go to the principal's office, so at this point, the conversation ended.
The three exited the class together talking before parting ways until the end of the day.
Naminé rushed to the gymnasium right after her final class without Riku or anyone. She wanted to look at the gym and her sketch for the dance's decorations alone for a bit; however, she had no such luck in doing this. Out of nowhere, Roxas popped up at her side and she jumped slightly.
"Sorry Nami!" He said with an apologetic grin, she couldn't help but smile back, his grin brought back so many memories.
"It's ok Roxas, why are you here?" She asked, raising a brow, cornflower-colored eyes giving off the slightest hint of confusion.
"Well, we are supposed to decorate the gym for the dance tonight right? Well I signed up to help, I guess I'm early?" He blinked slightly, shrugging his shoulders. "Figured I'd better be early, you know me, usually late for everything."
She smiled a bit. "Yes, I remember that part of you. Well, since you're early, give me your opinion on my decoration plan." She extended the sketch to him and he took it from her hands, looking from the sketchbook to the gym then back again.
"I think they're perfect." Roxas seized his chance alone with Naminé knowing that others would be arriving soon. "Listen, Naminé…" He handed her back the sketchbook.
She looked up at him with a quizzical expression. "Hmm, what's up?" She asked, clutching her sketchbook to her chest.
"Nami… we were the best of friends, and I knew I'd miss you the day you told me you were going to move… I never thought…." he gulped, trying to gather his thoughts and courage, "I never thought that I'd miss you as much as I did… I never had another friend like you, and when you left… I realized that I love you, and I hated that I never realized it until after you'd left. I still love you, and I just had to tell you." His gaze shifted to the ground as they stood in awkward silence.
Finally, Naminé broke the silence. "Roxas…. I...-"
"Hey! I thought decorating started at 3! It's only 2:30 you two!" Kairi called from the other side of the gym, waving an arm cheerfully in greeting.
"Oh, well, I wanted to make sure my decoration plan would work and well, Roxas didn't want to be late… like he usually is!" Naminé grinned and inwardly thanked Kairi for showing up. He loved her? What was she going to do… she didn't want to hurt him, he was her best friend for so long… but she loved Riku…
She continued to smile cheerfully as though nothing had happened between herself and Roxas, and he seemed to be doing the same. As the others arrived and they started their decorating, only one thought ran through the petite blonde's mind:
…My past, my present… both are here… Where does my future lie?
So so SO SO sorry for the lack of updates, I've been rather busy with school this year. Who knew, junior year really is the busiest year. Well, I know it's short and such, but I hope you'll all still enjoy it! As usual please feel free to guess what will happen next! I liked what ideas some of you had, and would love to hear some more!
Thanks for still reading!
A Memory Artist
