Chapter Six: Building Triangles and Circles
Summary: A life of glamour and riches, Naminé has all she could ever ask for. Meeting Roxas in the most unlikely of circumstances, will Naminé see the fine line between romance and friendship before it's too late? Or has she already crossed it?
Author's Note: I finished writing the entire outline of this story a while ago and it seems like this story will be over 30 chapters by the end of it. It'll be longer than any of my chaptered stories to date and I'm a little shocked that it's going to be so long! I really hope not to rush anything in this story hence why it's going so slow, but I hope none of you will mind. It gets rather romantic after the inevitable break ups and hook ups of certain characters, and I'll leave it at that. Enoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own or am affiliated to the Kingdom Hearts series.
Roxas sat awkwardly next to Naminé. He never knew how suffocating the silence could feel when no words were being lashed back at one another. Roxas was actually starting to miss their petty arguments. Anything was better than this. The two had been sitting on the couch soaking up in their own silence, but the earlier situation was still somehow making them anxious but mostly confused.
Naminé only tried to stop any emotion from escaping with the help of the alcohol. Music continued to boom from the bottom floor, but it wasn't enough to erase this feeling. She had long given up her search for Sora and the rest of their friends. To go through that rowdy crowd again would only bring a migraine to Naminé. Hanging out with Roxas though was better than nobody.
"So…" Roxas began. Was it just him, or did everything seem to feel more narrow?
Since Roxas was struggling for words, Naminé decided to help him out a little, "Why are you up here all by your lonesome self?"
He looked good, Naminé thought, but she would never say this out loud. Like most of the male guests he had worn something slightly formal. Roxas had worn a navy blue jacket suit and matching slacks with a pin-striped dress shirt inside sans necktie. He had left his a few of dress shirt's buttons undone to reveal his appealing collar and neck—Roxas looked stylish.
"I couldn't find the others," he admitted dejectedly.
Naminé nodded as if agreeing, "Me neither."
"You know…" Roxas paused but continued, "I was thinking we started off on the wrong foot, want to start over?" It was the words Naminé had been trying to send out to him since the beginning of the year, but with so many interruptions and uncouth exchanges with her, it was hard to bring back the topic.
"I think I agree with your old opinion the more I think about it. Isn't it too hard to be just friends?" Naminé had probably ran this situation through her head so many times already.
"Why would you say that?" Roxas felt a bit down. He didn't understand. What was stopping them from becoming friends? Now that she was more tolerable, everything seemed possible.
"Even though I can hardly remember anything from that night, you saw everything. And we've done stuff that I haven't even done with most of my boyfriends…" Unlike the majority who let out their dark secrets, Naminé didn't feel lighter at all. She only felt worse. Her cheeks flooded with color from the embarrassing confession.
"You mean you and Sora haven't--?" Roxas found it hard to even say the word. When Naminé nodded, Roxas felt a wave of panic rush over him, "You don't mean to say I…I didn't take it, did I?"
Naminé felt her face heat up more; "No!" she had almost yelled it at the top of her lungs, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! God, you're such a guy! Is that all you ever think about?!"
Roxas' knew his face was as red as hers now, "Well I couldn't remember anything from that night either. Of course I'm only assuming the worst!"
"Well I take the pill, so don't even assume that." Naminé was referring to pregnancy, but she didn't even want to mention things like that any further, "And yet again, no, you did not take away my chastity!" Naminé could feel her head spinning from all the blood rushing to her head.
She had lost her virginity at the miserable age of fifteen. Naminé had her first taste of liquor after sneaking out of her house with Olette and Riku to a house party that took place at a senior student's house. She drank too much that one night and woke up the next morning with a blaring head ache and a burning sensation between her legs. The older and unfamiliar boy beside her smelled of alcohol and Naminé just rushed out of the house, grabbed a taxi and cried her heart out as soon as she reached home. It was a horrible experience, loosing it in such a stupid way. Naminé wanted to make those moments special, but sometimes at her worst moments she would try to drink all her problems away and make the same mistake again—whether with a boyfriend or a stranger.
Naminé made a pact with herself that she would never overindulge in drinks again, but with more and more misfortunes dropping themselves on her, and seeing Olette bawling her eyes out that night she made the same mistake again. What was worse was that it just had to be Roxas, a boy currently attending her school.
"If it helps: I couldn't remember anything from that night. I would never do something like on a regular occasion, ever. I swear my life on it," Roxas swore. Naminé eyed Roxas suspiciously, but she could see the sincerity in his eyes. "Since it was pretty far back, I don't know why I drank so much that night…" Roxas knew full well why he had, but Naminé knew he wasn't ready to reveal anything and respected that.
"That night," Naminé began with a regretful tone. Roxas' eyes flickered, attention all on her, "My father and mother were having some problems. Mother found out that father had a mistress and worse—that woman was pregnant. That day my father had left home, and to add to the mess Olette came to me crying. She and Hayner got into a really bad fight. I don't remember what it was about; she kept slurring her words and insisted we go out to just forget about the whole matter."
"I-I'm sorry," Roxas was not giving her sympathy, but his words were filled with empathy, "My parents didn't separate on similar circumstances, but the divorce was pretty hard on me too."
Naminé was a little surprised at Roxas. She had never really found someone to relate to, and he was the last person she would have ever thought of. It was strangely comforting, but there was something that didn't quite fit, "But isn't the Schaeffer company--?"
"They had left each other on good terms. Work seemed more important and since they hardly saw each other, and my mom and dad just drifted. They're still co-workers and heads of the entire business, so they won't ruin the corporation based on feelings," Roxas explained, "It's been four years, so I think I'm pretty much over it. I just don't like how it's so difficult to spend time with the both of them in the same room. I mean sure there are holidays, but it's still hard."
Naminé could see the love and closeness between Roxas and his family. She couldn't help but envy him. While she may have been close with her father, it was not the same with her mother.
"Sorry," Naminé felt like she was giving condolences.
"It's alright, and I'm sure you'll manage to get through it too," the saying 'time will heal almost anything' seemed perfect for this situation. Roxas wanted to change the subject, "So what happened with Olette? She seems so smitten with Hayner when I saw her right after summer."
"They made up. Hayner needed to do a lot of apologizing, but they got back together later that week."
"I see."
"As for us," Naminé said, "we can try and be friends, but I'm not making any promises. Just make sure to slip none of this to Sora."
"Of course I won't, but you better not tell a soul either!" Roxas looked appalled.
"Why would I?"
"You and Sora…were already together before that night happened, right?" Roxas found it a little funny that they continued to refer it to 'that night' when they didn't even recall each other's presence until the following morning. "Sorry."
"No, we weren't like that yet. But to tell him that I hooked up with a guy the day before we became boyfriend and girlfriend still seems kind of bad to me, doesn't it?" Naminé laughed darkly.
"True, true." Roxas knew that there were some things even guys like Sora won't forgive.
"So it's a truce," Naminé held out her hand as if to confirm the deal.
Both Naminé and Roxas probably would have never done this in a sober state of mind, so they would have to thank the alcohol later.
"Truce," Roxas smiled in agreement as he shook her hand. Naminé couldn't help but smile back.
If Roxas had thought the red headed girl's smile was charming, then Naminé's smile was dazzling. There was something about her smile that made him yearn for her to smile at him like that more often.
When they had shook hands, none of them were letting go, waiting for the other one to do it first. Naminé shouldn't have wanted to make any physical contact with him, especially since that brush of skin earlier had caused such an unwelcoming electrical surge. They were not even shaking hands anymore, but instead holding hands.
Eyes went from their hands to staring back at one another's eyes. Even as they stared back at each other in confusion the touch was like a magnet, compelling them towards each other.
Staring back at those sapphire eyes, Roxas could remember a little bit from that time so many nights ago. The way Naminé had approached the bar where he sat, she already drunk but still buying more drinks for her friends; she had a ridiculous smile on her face, as if she was still recalling a joke from the busy table of friends she had just come from. There was something so captivating about her that night.
The click of the doorknob must have been what caused them to shuffle away from each other. Both embarrassed and faces flushed, they hoped the intruder would just think it was the liquor's doing.
"Riku!" Naminé felt a wave of relief wash over her. Whatever had beckoned her closer to Roxas, she just wanted to forget all about it.
"Naminé," Riku felt elated at the sight of her, but a look of suspicion swept across his face when he saw the companion she was spending her time with. "Roxas?"
"Hey?" Roxas' head was still spinning from the earlier situation.
"Riku, let's go," Naminé staggered from her seat. Roxas would have helped her, if Riku didn't immediately come to her side first.
With Riku walking her out of the room, Naminé gave one last glance at Roxas before making her leave.
Roxas sat there, both overwhelmed and highly confused. Just what was that?
Around the same time Roxas and Naminé had been spending some time with each other, another pair was animatedly chatting away.
"…and then, and then after I tripped I just looked at everyone like they were crazy and started laughing," Sora finished off the story.
Sora and Kairi were laughing maniacally by the bar and if no one knew any better, onlookers would have thought they were drunk. While Sora may have taken a couple sips of his beer, he had completely forgotten about the bottle when Kairi came in. Kairi on the other hand hadn't even taken a single drop of the fruity cocktail she ordered after their conversation started rolling off course.
"Oh my gosh Sora, that was stupid. Really stupid," Kairi just couldn't stop laughing.
"I know, I know. Even Naminé hasn't heard that story yet," Sora was still trying to catch his breath. His stomach hurt so much.
"You better not," Kairi looked scandalized but was still shivering with laughter, "She'd never look at you the same way again. You don't want that happening with your girlfriend and all."
Sora sighed, "So much for Riku."
"Weren't we supposed to look for him so he could be my date?"
Both Sora and Kairi stared at each other for a long time then suddenly burst into another fit of laughter.
"Oh, if only I was supposed to meet you tonight Sora," though Kairi had a smile across her face, she had really meant it.
"Oh…" Sora didn't know what to say; he had a girlfriend who was still lost somewhere in this colossal home, but deep down he kind of wished he was Kairi's date too.
He had never felt this way, even with Naminé; heart pounding, palms sweaty, incoherent words slipping out of his mouth without a second thought. Sora felt like a kid around Kairi, she was something so different and he hadn't even spent an hour with her yet. It was the good kind of thrill, but at the same time he felt guilty whenever his thoughts drifted back to a certain someone.
Hands slipping into his pockets, he glanced at his phone, shocked to see how many times Naminé had texted him. He must have been too caught up with his conversation with Kairi to even notice the vibrations from his phone.
"Ahh…I have to go," if Sora stayed any longer with Kairi, it would be hard to hold back.
"Aww, so soon? Can we exchange emails? You can call me up if you ever have any girl problems," Kairi insisted.
"As friends?" Sora was already feeling as bad as it is.
"As friends," she assured.
Exchanging phones, they typed down their information before switching back. Sora felt like he would never forget this night.
"Before you leave, want to help me find Riku while you look for your girl?" Kairi suggested.
Though hesitant Sora opened his mouth and was about to answer until he heard someone calling his name. He turned to see Naminé with Riku.
"Well, I found our respective partners," Sora grinned. There was something else pounding against the back of his mind.
"Well then, let's go."
As Sora and Kairi approached Naminé and Riku, Naminé raised a brow in suspicion. Who was this dashing girl that was following her boyfriend? Though she couldn't really say anything back since she was spending some time with Roxas, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy.
"Hello Naminé," when Sora stood by her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, she felt a little assured. He turned his attention to Riku, "Riku, this is Kairi and Kairi this is Riku."
"Hello," she smiled at Riku.
"Hey," Riku greeted back out of courtesy.
"She's a friend of Olette's from middle school. Since Olette decided to ditch us for Hayner, I've been digging up some secrets for you, Riku," Sora grinned.
Kairi rolled her eyes, "Yeah right! All night long you just kept going on about your idiocy."
The playful banter caused Naminé to feel uneasy. Just how much did she miss from this?
"Anyways, you two enjoy your night in getting to know each other," Sora ushered Riku towards Kairi before waving them a good night so that he could spend the rest of the evening with his girlfriend.
As Sora made his way through the crowd with Naminé to go back to the bar, he couldn't help but think back to his unspoken answer when Kairi had asked to go around the party with him. If he had gone around with her to look for Riku and Naminé, one thing might have led to another. Even though, Sora would have answered yes.
A/N: A thank you goes out to SorasKey, SaphireWaves, Illusion of Purgatory, rocketsneakers, Destiny'sHeroine, Redeeming Endeavor, chibixbabe, Apple Bear, and XStayCloseToMeX! Please let the reviews keep coming in you guys. As my policy states: the more reviews, the faster the updates (as you can see I'm a very greedy author xD).
P.S. The preview for the next chapter can be found in my blog as usual. For those new readers, you can find the link in my profile. :)