Disclaimer: 's nt mine
I watched Roxie as she sputtered. From the look on her face, it was as if she had had a slip of tongue and had said something she shouldn't have.
"What do you mean, Rox?" I asked once again, voice lowered in warning.
She froze as she looked into my eyes, which now shone with anger and concern. What happened to Riku? I thought anxiously.
"... Nothing... It's nothing..." Finally, after a moment of peace between us, she said with a sigh.
"How could that possibly be?! You're the one who said it – 'at least he's okay'!" I shouted, gritting my teeth to suppress the anger building inside me.
I could see Roxie flinched with the harshness in my voice before letting out a deep sigh. "Sora, Riku's sick. He had always been. Axel was the first to find out when Riku was in one of his attacks and told me about it. We didn't tell you because... he made us promise not to. He didn't want you to worry..." Roxie said, lowering her gaze to the floor.
"He- He is? Ho-how serious?" I asked, voice quivering out of worry. Why? Why now? Why when I finally remember what happened between us and found a new light upon my dark life?
"I'm not sure about that. We left, remember? Since then, it was only Axel who's with him... but even he lost contact with Riku ever since..." Roxie paused and bit her lower lip, before taking a worried glance at me.
"... Ever since?" I asked, though from the knot forming in my stomach told me that it was a bad idea.
"...ever since ... we came back... He came, Sora. He came to see us. But... you..." Roxie started, her voice trembled. "You didn't recognize him at that time... and I don't think you remember the incident of that day, did you? You were too preoccupied with Tidus." She said as she smiled wearily.
I stared at Roxie blankly. Memories of that day came swirling into my mind, and nausea took over me. Looking past Roxie, who watched me worriedly, guilt started to gnaw at my heart and regret came to stab at the ragged heart of mine. Shaking my head slightly, I opened my mouth, but no voice came out.
"Sora? You okay?" Roxie asked, her eyes shone with concern and lament.
"I'm – I'm fine..." A croaked came out.
"Sora, you need to have some rest." Roxie said, guiding me into the bed as I followed her like a lifeless doll.
----
"Sora, quit joking! It's me!" the silver-haired teen shouted.
"Who's joking? I don't know you, so quit bothering me and get the hell out of my way" I replied coldly.
"What happened to you, Sora? How could you change this way?" he said, shaking his head unbelievingly.
Irritation built up inside me as he had just mentioned a forbidden topic. "Why do you care? It's not your business, so just fk off!"
"Sora!" a voice cut through the cruel silence that followed the previous statement.
Turning my head, I saw Tidus on the end of the bridge the silver-haired stranger and I stood. "Tidus!" I smiled back at him brightly.
Said stranger stared at me unbelievingly. "You're with Tidus?!" He muttered angrily.
Giving an unfeeling glance at him, I spat. "Whoever I'm with, it's none of your business. I don't know how you know my name, but I'd rather not know that. Just buzz off, stalker, and don't follow me again. It's sickening."
Facing Tidus, who watched the scene with a smug smirk on his face, I walked past the stunned stranger and straight to Tidus' opened arms.
Tidus draped his arms around my shoulder and walked away with a haughty smirk after taking a glance at the shocked stranger. Little did I know that after we left, said stranger left the place quietly, a silent tear fell from his face, and past Roxie and Axel who watched the scene anxiously.
---
"No!" I wake up abruptly, tears falling down my cheeks. Seeing from the crimson-colored light that seeped passed through the closed curtain, it seems that the sun is beginning to set. "No..." I whisper, running my hand through my damped brown locks.
"Is that really me over there? How could I do something like that?" I asked myself.
Being with Tidus had changed me, and now I could finally see what happened during I was dating him. I've turned into a monster. I didn't even recognized myself anymore.
Hopping onto my feet, I changed into my casual clothes – a worn out jeans and a yellow sleeveless shirt. Throwing my used pajamas to the bed, I ran out of the door, out of the house, and ran further into the bridge.
"Riku!" I shouted. "I know you can hear me, wherever you are! Listen, I-"
"Sheesh, lower your voice. You wouldn't want the whole neighborhood listening to your proclaim of love to me, would you?" a teasing voice came behind me, along with the silver-haired owner of said velvety voice.
I could swear my heart missed a beat at the line. I know it's supposed to be a joke, but ever since I remembered what happened between us... Sighing, I turned to look at him.
"Riku, I'm so sorry..."
"What for?" He asked.
"For treating you... the way I did when I was with Tidus..." I replied, locking gaze with his beautiful aqua orbs.
"..." He stared at me with an unreadable expression, before smiling softly. "Don't worry 'bout it. It's long past and forgotten."
"But it's my fault! I may have forgotten about you, but I have no right to treat you that way! I didn't know what came over me that time..." I retorted.
"Sora," he sighed. "I told you, don't worry 'bout that."
Shaking my head, I replied. "No. I didn't know what came over me when I dated Tidus. I didn't have a problem when I talked to you the second time, did I? It's not because you're a stranger, that's for sure. Maybe I just..." I paused. I just what? Irritated? Frustrated? Annoyed by people who claim themselves as my friends and all? That is still not a reason to treat people the way I did... What have I done?
The sudden realization came dawning on me. When I'm with Tidus, I've acted like a total bitch. Treating people like trash simply because I didn't want people to sympathize me... while in fact, they're just trying to catch up with me. I couldn't believe I bought it when Tidus said those people are just feeling sorry for me. And Kairi... It's possible that Tidus was the one who flirted with her, and I've blamed her for it... to think I've thought that TIdus was the only good thing that ever happened to me...
"... Dated?" Riku's voice cut through the train of thoughts passing through my head, and I looked up to meet his questioning aquamarine eyes.
Nodding, I replied with a firm voice, no longer feeling any remorse of breaking up with the jerk. "Yeah, we broke up the day we first – I mean, the day we met for the second time."
"I'm sorr-"
"Don't be. Besides, I know you're not," I said, grinning mischievously at him.
"Huh?"
"Best friend, huh? I didn't know any best friend who kissed their best friend, Ri." I replied, smirking.
"...!" He looked quite taken aback, and quickly, he averted his gaze towards the crimson horizon that mixes with the soft blue of the river, hiding the blush in his face for it is mixed with the crimson-gold light of the sun.
"... I'm sorry; I just remembered it last night." I said in a whisper.
Shaking his head, flipping gold-tainted silver haired in the process, he looked back at me with a soft smile adorning his lips.
"I'm happy as it is that you remembered," he said. "But, Sora... I'm afraid it's too late..." He added in a whisper.
"Huh?"
