One School, One Destiny
Lonely means sad
Roxas ran as fast as he could through the halls. 'Why are they bugging me? I just coughed! Is it such a big deal?' He continued to ran, but stopped when he almost tripped. Roxas noticed a book on the floor and stopped centimeters away before he fell on top of it.
"Whoa!" He almost slipped. The book was black. He couldn't notice the full name, but he quickly got the word 'anymore'. There was a picture there; two hands holding each other. One hand had a white cloth around it and black marks were seen through it. "Who…?" He asked the air, not expecting an actual respond.
"It's mine." A low voice answered.
"Agh!" Roxas jumped when he noticed a silver-haired guy on the staircase. He was sitting on the third stair, horizontally, and one leg was brought up to his chest. "Oh…" Roxas said. "Here." He handed the book over.
The guy made a cancel sign with his hand. Roxas nodded, looked to his sides, and eventually put the book next to the boy on the stair.
"Thanks."
"S-Sure…"
Roxas and the student just continued to stare at each other, neither of them saying a word. Roxas scratched the back of his head nervously, while the guy looked at him as if he wanted to kill him. Roxas gasped. 'Maybe I should go away now…'
"Riku."
"W-What?"
"My name."
"Oh! Right. Huh… Roxas."
The guy changed his position, so that he was sitting on the third stair and his legs were on the ground. "Sit, Roxas." He tapped the space he made with his left hand.
Roxas thought quickly and decided that the guy was fine so far, so he sat next to Riku. "Why are you out of class?" He asked but immediately changed his mind. "I-If it's not too personal and…"
"It's okay. You see this book? You can say it brought me lots of troubles."
"Umm…" Roxas fell quiet. Only then he read the entire title.
"I know what you're thinking. Yes, I am sick."
"I'm… I'm sorry." Roxas lowered his head in shame.
The guy weakly laughed. "Don't be. You have nothing to do with it, now do you?"
Geostigma. Obviously, Roxas had heard the name of this awful disease every once in a while. For the past 12 years it took big steps and threatened to hurt many people. But not just people. Animals and plants were affected by it, too. He remembered his Mom always telling him to keep himself clean and not wander around the streets for too long, when he was little. Maybe he was nine years old, when the disease put the entire state in an emergency position. Everyone was hopeless back at those years.
He could have sworn that once he saw an old man, sitting at the corner of the street. His right sock had a big hole in it, and he wore a hat. His head hung down low. Roxas had thought that he was probably sleeping. Little Roxas back then noticed many white cloths around the man. His mother covered his eyes and merely said: "Hurry up, Roxas. Don't you want me to buy you an ice-cream?"
Roxas lifted his head up. "Yeah, I guess not…"
But people were mean, selfish, foolish. They pushed the sick and desperate people away, they were intentionally blinded to their needs and pain. Simply because almost everyone was positive that this dreadful disease is contagious. If they saw a sick one crawling on his knees, begging for help, they'd immediately push him over, yell, call names, run away—
Because the world was young back then. People weren't well-educated. Or maybe they were just scared.
Nowadays, it is assured that Geostigma is not contagious, and being in touch with a person who is sick will not make others sick, as well.
Sure enough, there were still some people who refused to listen and kept on torturing the already devastated human-beings.
"Now, just to be even, why are you out of class?"
"Oh…" Roxas flushed. The school year has started only a few days ago, and he already hated this place. Maybe if he'll tell the guy, he'll take the advantage of Roxas' weakness and will start to bug him as well. But the guy didn't seem like a bad person. In fact, he was probably the only person who paid attention to Roxas (in the good way, that is) from the first day. Roxas sighed. "Hooliganism victim."
"Oh, I understand. Not the best thing, huh?"
"Jerks. All of them. Think they can pick on me only because I'm poor. Well, they are wrong!" Roxas raised his voice. He never yelled at school, if ever, so he was surprised by his sudden action. Roxas blushed, embarrassed by the situation. "Umm..."
"I understand. I guess… I used to be popular once. Of course, everything changed when…" He looked at the book. "All my friends," he titled his head at the word, as if laughing at it, "Became distant, and eventually I lost them all."
"Ouch. That is… Harsh." Was all Roxas could say.
"Sure, I never considered them as real friends. I was just with them because… We were at the same class, if you know what I mean. They were never real friends. I did have two best friends though, but…" Riku scratched his cheek.
"They turned on you, too?" Roxas' eyes widened and Riku merely chuckled.
"No, of course not. When they entered high school, they just… Changed. Started to hang with the wrong people and here I am…" He sighed. "Or maybe those people were not all that wrong..." He whispered to himself, but quickly stopped.
"I see. I have no friends here. Ever since I entered, I was just an item for the Football Team."
"That's not true. You do have one friend here." He offered his hand.
Roxas stared at him, with a slightly surprised expression. 'Finally, a nice guy in this sinful place.' He smiled and shook the guy's cold hand. Riku smiled back.
"So huh…" Roxas tried to think of something to talk about. "Aren't you cold?"
"Hm?" Riku looked lazily at the blonde's eyes.
"You don't wear a sweater; just the school uniform's T-shirt. I know I am freezing, and I am wearing the uniform's sweater…" Roxas played with his fingers as he tried to explain his bizarre, stupid question.
Riku smiled with an 'humph'. Then he looked down at his leg. "Trust me, I am never cold because… The cold of the outside is never a match to the freeze of my insides."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Are you talking about your cold hand? I've noticed it's cold when I shook it, but..."
"Yes… Usually, people who suffer from Geostigma have cold hands."
"O-Oh…" Roxas looked down again.
"What's this pout about? Psh, don't tell me you feel sorry for me." Riku rolled his eyes.
"I—" Roxas searched for the right words, but his gaze was still directed to the floor. He hated to admit it, but Riku was right.
"Oh, come on, Roxas. It's just a cold hand." Riku took a deep breath dramatically. "I think… I can survive it." Then he smirked.
Roxas looked up and saw Riku's smile. He had the perfect white teeth, like the big movie-stars had. He took a short second to eye Riku. The guy was definitely handsome, and he could easily imagine him as a popular guy, whom all girls want to date, and all guys want to befriend.
He then chuckled back at his new friend with the cold hands. "Oh, are you sure?" Roxas grinned, continuing with the act.
"Sure thing! You know what they say; I am a hold cold hand… I can live by using what I got."
"Huh?" At this point Roxas couldn't act anymore, so he just looked at the other male with confusion. "What are you talking about? Who says that?"
"Oh? Don't you know that song? ~You try to make a living by using what you got, but the way that it's been going—well, you gonna get shot. He's an old cold hand.~" Riku sang quickly. Actually, he barely even sang; he was just voicing those words as quickly as possible. He probably hated singing, but had quite the voice.
"Ah, I see. I just… Never heard that song before."
Being next to Riku felt weird. Maybe because he was the first person who made friends with Roxas at this school, or maybe because he was sick and his life was different from the popular guys' lives. Or maybe it was some weird combination of the two situations. He felt bad for Riku; Roxas heard many times the phrase 'it's better to love and to lose, than not loving at all', but he never agreed with it. He thought that it's better not to know what you had lost. But Riku… He lost his friends. His so-called friends. Roxas felt somehow un-easy being around him. He wanted to help Riku, just like Riku had helped him.
To Roxas, this simple thing—talking nicely to him—was a big deal. To others, it may seem like a regular, un-important matter, but for him… It was an all different experience—both at this school and at the previous one. That's why he wanted to help the silver-haired teenager.
"Why don't you talk with your friends? Maybe they'll turn the way they were…"
"No! Believe me, I'm done with them. I'm fine alone."
"Really?" Roxas doubted.
"Huh?"
Roxas stood up and took his bag with him.
"Where are you going, Roxas?"
"I need to go home now." He turned around and smiled at Riku. "Oh, and Riku?"
"Yeah?"
"I want you to remember something I've learnt by myself. Lonely… Means sad." He said, shot one final awkward smile, and left.
Tuesday, September 9
After school, Kairi entered her house quietly. She took a deep breath and walked quickly around the house, in search of her Mother. She knew she was supposed to be at home that day. As she let her tiny feet walk around the place, she heard soft shuffles from the balcony. She went there and faced the woman.
"Mom?"
"Hm?" The brunette turned around with a soft smile on her delicate face. "Oh, you're home, darling. How was your day?"
Kairi nodded in respond and took a step closer to her. "How was yours?"
"Tiring." Mrs. Gainsborough giggled.
Kairi eyed her Mother carefully. She slid her eyes along Aerith's long, luscious pink dress. The woman often wore pink, though Kairi never understood why. Even the ribbon that tied her amazingly long hair was pink. The girl also noticed that she was wearing her brown boots which she often wore as she was gardening and planting seeds carefully around the backyard. Later she looked at her emerald green eyes. Kairi let a soft laugh out. She had always wanted her Mother's green eyes. She didn't complain about her blue eyes, and she even kind of liked the color; but always found green more appealing. She wondered whether her Father had blue eyes, but Aerith always changed the subject gracefully when Kairi questioned about the unknown man.
"What's bothering you?"
"Can I go to this party on Friday?" Without noticing, she blurred out.
"A party?" Aerith's mood immediately changed and she seemed upset. "You know I don't like when you go out."
"I know…"
"No."
"What?"
"The answer is 'no'." Her Mother turned around and looked at the view of the street ahead of her.
"But Mom!" Kairi whined and flatted her foot on the ground angrily.
"Hm?" She turned around again. "What is it, dear?"
Kairi's cheeks flushed. She knew her Mother was playing a game; a game she disliked greatly. "I really want to go! I've already promised Leon I'd go with him!"
"Leon?" She asked tiredly.
"You know…" Kairi hesitantly chewed down her nail. "My boyfriend?"
"Don't chew your nail." Aerith sighed. "I know who he is, silly. I just don't understand why you agreed before asking for my permission."
"I just… Thought you'd agree."
"Really, now?" She raised an eyebrow in mock and disbelief.
The girl sighed in defeat. "No… B-But, Mom, please!"
"Kairi, enough!" She raised her voice. "I don't understand you! Why do you always ask for permissions, if you end up not listening to my word?"
"I don't know! Why can't you be like the rest of the Mothers out there?" Kairi felt her throat tightening.
"Oh? And how would that be?"
"Being more cool? Understanding? Modern?"
The brown-headed smirked. "You want me to be like the rest of the Mothers, so that you could be like the rest of the children?"
"Yes!" The blue-eyed girl exclaimed desperately.
"What's with you and your need of being like everyone else? If everyone were to jump off a—"
"Mom!" She cut her off. "Why the Hell would everyone jump off a cliff? And even if so, it's better than to be stuck in this prison!"
"Prison, huh?" Aerith massaged her temples. "Prison… You know what I think about those parties."
"I know. But you know me." Kairi spoke softly this time. "I won't drink. Leon would be there to protect me."
"Even since you've started dating him, it seems like all you do is partying."
She winced. "That's not true. You know my grades are the same. Nothing has changed."
"Maybe you don't see it." Aerith leaned against the rill. "Two days ago you had your sixteenth birthday, yet you refused to do a thing. You didn't even go out with Leon. But you want to go to a meaningless party?"
"Consider this party as my way of celebrating my birthday." Kairi smiled, knowing that she is on the right path of winning this argument. "Please, Mommy, please!" She played with her eyelashes and pouted sweetly.
Aerith cracked a smile and chuckled. "You're annoying! Where is the party being held at and by who?"
"At the house of a girl from school." Kairi lied smoothly. She didn't enjoy it, but she knew her Mother would feel more relaxed if the host was a girl. Moreover, if Seifer's name was brought up, Kairi could kiss the party goodbye.
She sighed. "Oh, okay—"
"Yes!" Kairi jumped happily.
"Wait, Missy! No drinking. No staying alone with strangers, especially boys. No taking funny stuff. Understood?"
"Mom." Kairi stared hard but had a hint of playful attitude in her eyes. "Do you really think Leon would let me do any of these stuff?"
"Thank God I have Leon, then." She smiled fondly. "He'll be with you all the time, right?"
"As always. Aw, thanks, Mom, you're the best!" She ran and gave a quick hug to her Mother, before entering the house quickly.
"Yeah…" Mrs. Gainsborough turned around to face the suspiciously quiet street again. "You say that now, but on our next argument…" She whispered painfully. "You'll yell how much you hate me, again…"
Friday, September 12
The week had passed by quickly and Friday came. Seifer invited all kids that were considered being 'popular', but he let other kids come to the party as well, if his guests invited them. 'The more, the funnier!' He always said. Everyone was talking about the party, picking dates and telling about their new clothes. People already knew that Seifer is throwing the best parties at the beginning of the year.
Kairi and Leon were obviously going together. Sora would be in Seifer's house two hours earlier to help with the music and food. Xion and Marluxia still haven't decided whether they'd show up together, or not. She still had to convince Naminé to go to the party.
'Naminé should enjoy. She is always coming back from school and locks herself in her room. Isn't she bored of it? She is not meeting friends or goes shopping… It's like her life is: school, home, school, home, school… You can die from it!' Xion thought to herself every day during the week before the party.
Nevertheless, part of Xion didn't want to invite her. 'How can Axel like her? Like, she is awesome and amazing, and the best girl ever. But she is not his type! Plus, he'd just break that sweet little blond.' Xion wasn't jealous, it was just that… She didn't even know.
"I'm home!" Xion entered the house and threw her bag in the living room. Then she began to sing to herself, as she usually did when she was bored. "~I heard you're really out here all along, I'm stuck in limbo and you're perched atop a throne. You try to make a living by using what you got…~ Mom?" She called once she got bored from singing.
"She is upstairs." Naminé quietly answered from the kitchen.
"Oh, here you are, Nami girl. Listen, I need to ask you something."
Naminé opened the microwave and was about to put the pizza in, but the moment she heard Xion's words, the plate flipped over and the pizza fell to the ground.
"Naminé!" Xion went to the kitchen and helped Naminé to clean the floor.
"Sorry…" Naminé lowered her head.
"It's okay." Xion quickly said. She knew that Naminé did nothing wrong, but she also knew her better; she always apologized. "Anyway, we need to talk. Have you heard about Seifer's party?"
"Y-Yes."
Xion smiled. "Are you going?"
"No."
"Aw! Why not? Come with me, it'll be fun."
"I am not invited."
"Psh, everyone is! You can come with me." Xion continued to pressure.
"I'm not going to parties…"
"Then it's time you should!" Xion said happily.
"No."
"Naminé!"
"What's all the noise about?" A blonde haired woman entered the living room. She eyed the two girls with her blue eyes, as she waited for one of them to answer.
"Mom!" Xion whined. "Tell Naminé to come with me to the party!"
Their Mother sighed. Quistis flipped her long, blond hair. Her hair was tied up at the back, but two, long fringes framed each side of her face, hinting that though her hair is tied up, it is quite long. She narrowed slightly her eyes and curled her lips, which were colored in pink, to the side. Then she stared at Naminé. "It's time for you to listen to your sister, don't you think? Go with her."
"But… I don't like to go to parties."
"Naminé! You are sixteen! You can't stay home your entire life. Go to this party and maybe you'll make some friends."
Naminé bit her bottom lip as her Mother went back upstairs.
Xion felt a little guilty for what had happened. "Nami girl…"
"Why do you want me to come?"
Xion smirked, quickly recovering from the guilt she had just felt. "A friend likes you."
Naminé blushed like crazy and tried to hide it by turning to the refrigerator to get more pizza. "W-Who?" She asked with shaky voice. She placed another slice of pizza on the plate and headed to the microwave.
"Axel."
Yet once again she started to shake and the plate flipped over to the ground.
Xion sighed. "Oh, Naminé…"
"Axel? Your ex-boyfriend? Axel, Axel?" She asked in panic.
"That's the only Axel I know." Xion answered blankly, though she had to admit that she reacted the exact same way when Marluxia had told her the news.
"But… You…"
"We broke-up, remember?"
"You are lying, right?"
"No. Marluxia told me, that Axel told him that he thinks you are cute and that he wants you to come to the party. Come on, it'll be fun. I'm sick of you being in your room. And besides, you heard Mom!"
Naminé sighed. "Fine."
"What?" Xion grinned and put her hand around her ear to hear clearly.
Naminé bit her lip. "I said fine."
"Sorry, can't hear you."
"Xion!"
Xion laughed. "Relax, just kidding. Well… I get to pick your outfit!"
"Oh boy…" Naminé put a hand to her forehead as Xion ran happily up the stairs. She could hear her black-haired twin singing again, only this time—Xion sounded happy and not just bored. "~But the way that it's been going, well you better run fast! He's an old, cold hand!~"
Music: Cold hands, by Black Lips.
New, un-Kingdom Hearts characters: Quistis Trepe (Final Fantasy VIII). I used her because her looks seemed to fit the role I had in mind for Xion and Naminé's mother. Don't worry if you don't know her, it's not that critical.
Thank you all for reading! Hope you liked it! -hugs-