Hmm…I don't really remember what happens in this chapter lol. I guess I'll find out after editing. Two more chapters after this and I'm done for the night.

Disclaimer: I don't own KH.

Shattered Dreams: Chapter Eight

XXX

"Let go of her!" Sora growled at Ryou, while Selphie glared, and Riku looked as if he was…scared?

"Aw, but I wanted to have a little fun with her first, " I felt myself being whirled around to face him. I quickly noticed he had dyed the tips of his silver hair jet black before I felt his lips and tongue on the side of my face.

"Stop…" I pleaded as I shut my eyes tightly and attempted to escape his grip, but I could feel his lips slowly moving closer to mine, "St—Stop it!"

"Ryou, stop! Don't you think you've done enough to her already?" I heard Riku yell out from the left side of me.

"Whatever," I felt myself being pushed into someone. Feeling arms immediately wrap around me, I knew it was Sora.

"I'll finish with you later," Ryou whispered into my ear and walked away with a twisted smile upon his lips.

Sora made a low growling noise before turning his head back to me, "Kairi, are you okay?"

That was a stupid question. Of course I wasn't okay. "No…No, I'm not okay." I let out a shaky sigh and removed myself from Sora's arms, "Selphie…Can you call your mom? I don't think I can handle staying here."

"Yeah, of course. C'mon," Selphie gave a weak smile, leading me into the school and into the nurse's office where the phone was. I let out another long shaky sigh, listening to Selphie's side of the conversation with her Mom. I noticed Sora standing just behind the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with a look of uncertainty in his eyes.

"Sora, what are you thinking about?" I almost squeaked as I asked my question, noticing him twitch at the sound of his name. He was not mad, was he? 'But, why would he be…?' I asked myself mentally.

"Well…" He sighed, placing his left hand on his forehead, his fingers just barely going through his bangs, "I was thinking about what I should of done to help you instead of just standing there like an idiot."

"Sora it's okay, really…" I responded, deep inside knowing what I just said was not true.

"No, it's not, Kairi, and you know it." Sora replied, no tone in his voice; which really scared me. I opened my mouth to reply but quickly shut it, knowing he was right and it was pointless to argue. Just as I took a seat in one of the chairs of the nurses office, the home room bell's screech rang throughout the school and Selphie immediately slammed down the phone and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"I'll see you at home, Kairi," Selphie said softly before hurrying out the door.

Sora started to leave before I exclaimed, "Wait!…I know what happened was more than nothing, but I just…I just want to forget…"

"It seems like you want to forget a lot of things lately…" Sora replied quietly, tracing the lines in the wall with his index finger.

I bit my lip, "Aren't you suppose to forget about the bad things?"

"If you were suppose to, a lot of us would have barely any memory left." His normal tone returned, and he looked up at me.

"That makes sense but…" I sighed. I was obviously getting no where, "Can't you just forget some things?"

A sigh escaped from Sora's lips, "I guess. But, you know, no matter how much you try to push it away, it'll always come back."

"I guess…I guess you're right." I let out another sigh, giving a grateful smile to my boyfriend, "Thanks, Sora."

"No problem. But, Kairi," Sora kneeled down and lifted my head with his index finger so that I would be looking at him directly in the eyes, "I know I've said this before, but I would do anything to protect you…anything…"

"Sora…" I smiled and closed my eyes, shaking my head as I said, "I don't see how I could ever go through a day without you."

Giving a small peck on the lips, he replied, "Same for me."

"…Sora how much of theatre have you missed by being here with me?"

Sora grinned sheepishly, "Like all of it."

"Oh, so that's why you stayed with me; to skip your classes." I joked as I crossed my arms.

Rolling his eyes, he answered sarcastically, "Of course, you caught me." Standing up and throwing his backpack over his shoulder, he leaned down to kiss my forehead, saying, "See you tomorrow then, I guess."

"Bye," I replied as he walked out into the main hallway of the school.

"Kairi!" I could hear Selphie's Mom exclaim from the front office as she ran into the room, "Oh, Kairi! I knew you weren't ready to go back to school yet!"

"Um, yeah." I replied, not really knowing what to tell her.

"Well, come on, lets head back home…" She suggested, brushing a strand of hair that was in my face behind my ear, but she kept her hand placed on my forehead, "Whoa, Kairi, you're burning up! When we get home, you go strait to bed and I'll make you some soup or something to eat, okay?"

I nodded as I stood up, dragging my feet as we walked out of the school to her car. "Are you sure I have a fever?" I asked in doubt, feeling my forehead with my hand.

"Pretty sure." She replied, looking over to me for a moment.

"Great…" I sighed and remained in a daze the rest of the car ride.

Five minutes later as we pulled into the garage, she asked, "So, do you want me to start cooking your soup?"

"Um, no thanks. I don't really want to eat right now, just sleep." I answered as I jumped out from the car and slammed the door shut.

"You sure?" She asked me, staring with shimmering emerald eyes.

"Uh-huh." I nodded again as she opened the front door. I went straight for the stairs and up to the room that Selphie and her mom were letting me stay in. I scanned "my" room with tired eyes, taking in the plain white walls and the sunlight beaming in through the only window, directly behind the bed.

I plopped myself down on the bed and starred at the ceiling and muttered, "This room really needs some decoration…" I yawned and turned on my side. I turned over again, and repeated the process for a few minutes. I groaned before I finally sat up and leaned back against the wall.

"I don't even know how I thought I'd be able to sleep with everything that's happened today." I muttered as I tucked my bangs behead my ears. "Wish I had a radio…" I complained in a sigh. I glanced at the alarm clock sitting on my bedside table, the time being only ten thirty. I sighed as I laid down again, my eyes wandering back to the ceiling, "Ugh, I wish it was close to time for school to end…"

"Sora, Selphie, either of you would be great right about now." I yawned, not really tired but I still yawned anyway…well actually I was tired…I dunno really, I felt wide-awake, but my eyes wouldn't seem to stay open. Until finally it was impossible to keep them open at all.

XXX

My eyes fluttered at the sound of voices speaking in a low tone around me. "Hey, look, I think she's up!" I heard Riku exclaim still in a low tone from across the room.

I sat up slightly, leaning against the bedpost and replied with a, "Yeah, I'm up."

"Hey, how you feelin'?" I heard Sora ask, suddenly at my side.

I gave a weak smile, "Not exactly perfect, but a whole lot better than earlier."

"Great! Let's go get ice cream or something!" Selphie exclaimed, jumping up out of the computer chair she had placed near the door.

"Ice cream? Its still winter, Selphie!" I laughed knowing that the season would not stop her.

"Yeah, plus Kairi's sick, remember? We really shouldn't make her walk around in the cold, that would make it worse." Sora added on to my comment. I had to smile realizing how much he cared about me.

"Aw, I guess you're right…but what can we do then?" Selphie sighed, her hyper-ness dying down for the moment.

"Watch a movie?" Sora suggested, shrugging, "Since it seems like we do that every time."

"I can't stay for much longer…I'm not even suppose to be here in the first place." Riku replied with a weak smile. He then slightly rolled up his sleeve to reveal various cuts and bruises, causing all of us to wince.

"Riku…" I trailed off, staring in disbelief.

"Guess we aren't that different, huh Kairi?" Riku laughed in a hollow tone.

"Whoa, not you too!" Selphie exclaimed in disbelief.

"Riku, I'm so sorry…" I started again, not really knowing what else to say.

With a weak smile, he replied, "There's nothing to be sorry about. It's not like you're the one beating me."

"I know, but my whole life I've always thought I was the only one who had to suffer like that. I've been so selfish…" I responded in a low tone my eyes starting to well with tears.

I felt Sora pull me closer to him until I felt my head on his chest, "Kairi, please don't cry."

"But that's one difference we do have. You've always had friends who love you more than anything to help you through it; I've had no one." Riku began to head for the door.

"Riku, wait!" I lifted my head and yelled out to make him turn around, "Don't forget, we're your friends and we're here for you."

"Thank you." Riku smiled before walking out the door.