Chapter Nine: Red Faces, Blue Shorts, And A Surprising Date
Sora
I looked at my new... Girl's uniform.
"Coach Luxord? Is there a boy's uniform I could wear?" I asked.
"No, mate- I told you the other class is bloody full. That means there's no spare uniforms. Sorry, mate- you just have to make due," he said. I looked at the panty-shorts... My face got hot. "Alright then, mates- we're going to sign up for our sports, and I'll be ordering the uniforms tonight. Let's go Lady Heartless!" Luxord cheered. Yeah- I forgot to mention that they changed Sunset Hill High's mascot to a Shadow Heartless. So I signed up for cheerleading and track, since they were the only available sports for me and my mix-up. I got an athletic bag that said 'Lady Heartless' on the side... They were treating me like one of the girls. Eventually the final bell rang and everyone headed for the trolley, Demyx now complaining quietly to Sïax as they sat in the same spot as this morning... In fact everyone sat in the same spots as this morning, and Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus just sat in the empty seats near the front. Then Fuu got on and sat next to me.
"Remember the deal. One and that's it. If I find you to be worth the waste of my time I might give you another. So that's how it will be," she said.
"Fuu, you lucky girl- you have a catch there! Is that who you wanted, Sora?" Larxene called back to us as the trolley started moving. Riku was working on signing all the spaces he was supposed to on the school forms, and Roxas was hissing something to Naminé that made her have a sad look on her face, then he started to apologize and fret.
"Y-yeah..." I said shyly, looking back to the front.
"Xion tells me he's a good kisser," Larxene called to Fuu. All heads turned to me.
"It was a mistake..." I mumbled to myself. "She has no idea," I called back.
"So you weren't even trying?" Larxene asked.
"She wasn't the one I wanted... So no," I said.
"Oh, really? Well let me tell you something, So-ra; I got a peek at what you've got and just let me say- I've dated bigger!" Xion called angrily.
"But you didn't even see it outside of clothes, and trying to embarrass me with 'I've dated bigger' just makes you look like more of a whore!" I shouted at her. Everyone was silent, and Xion just gave me an angry five-year-old pout/glare and slowly sat back down. That's when someone hooted, raising more from Axel's gang. I knew then Axel was the first cheer, and he must really not like Xion for some reason.
"Alright, Sora- fight fight fight!" he said as more hoots from his gang, oh-no-you-didn't's, and 'ooooooh's' rang out around the trolley. I noticed Larxene trying to comfort her angry friend, Kairi still looked fairly upset, and Zexion did his crazy glare at me for two seconds. Fuu looked at me in awe.
"Fuu, let me say that Xion was a mistake- it happened a while back and I was only trying to get over-" I said before Fuu clamped a hand over my mouth.
"Shut up!" she hissed. "You'll ruin it!"
"Hmm?" I said under her hand, confused.
"I like dating a jerk... You may be submissive, but the way you just mouthed your ex was amazing... Your mouth may be your ticket to date two, and I don't want you using it too severely on me but mouth others as you please," she whispered. Okay, so maybe Fuu is a little crazy. She had me pressed against the window. She had this crazy look in her eye. And with her silvery hair and unsmiling mouth, I could see a Riku in her. It might be mean of me to use a girl as replacement for Riku, but in a way, Riku was using a girl to replace me- I mean, he may not know he likes me yet, but he will if I get the chance to nudge him the right way... Or just shove him really hard. But if I never got that chance I would for sure be hanging on to Fuu- she was probably the closest I would ever get to her brother. And, I can get into being with a girl- I was fine with that, and I wasn't necessarily 'gay', because the only guy I was interested in was Riku. But I wasn't all too keen on dating a girl, either. I mean, there was Fuu, and then there was Riku. And those were the only options I had left. The trolley stopped, and I realized she'd had me pinned nearly the whole time.
"See you soon, Sora- and you better beat me to it," she said, patted the side of my face and got up. I sat there a second and remembered I had to beat her to the ice cream shop. I got up, grabbed my bag and darted off the trolley. Riku caught up to me after a minute.
"Why are we running?" he asked.
"I have a date! I can't be late for it, either!" I answered.
"Okay... Well, the sooner I get my license, then. So, umm... My sister I just found out about today? That's your girl?"
"Yeah... I have to be first to the date- I guess we're racing."
"Ahh... Good luck," he said.
"Thanks." There was nothing more ironic than talking about a date with someone who you wish could be the person you were discussing the date with. We ran in silence the rest of the way and I darted into the house and towards the staircase, grabbing the halfway point's railing and throwing myself over it. I ran up the stairs cleanly for the first time; determination could make you do the coolest things. I ran into my room, threw my bag on the floor, and started pulling my clothes off as quickly as I could. I grabbed my blue swim trunks from a pile of clean clothes that had fallen on the floor from laundry day, and a button up shirt- the same one I was wearing when I first met Riku. I put it on and rolled up the sleeves to above my elbows, then I peeked under the bed. I saw a pair of black sandals I didn't remember having; truly I was looking for my green and purple flip-flops. I slipped the sandals on, grabbed my wallet (which was green camouflage colored and really cool) and put on my sunglasses. Then I ran out of my room, hurried down the stairs, and vaulted over the halfway point's railing. Mom walked out of the kitchen.
"Sora! Why the rush?" she asked.
"I have a date!" I called, running out the door. I ran across the road and started towards the ice cream shop. I reached the shop- it was more like an ice cream stand parked under a patio with picnic tables, but we called it the ice cream shop anyway. I sat down at one of the benches, seeing Fuu wasn't even here yet. I decided to unbutton my shirt a little- I went about halfway down. Then I decided all the way would work. I adjusted my sunglasses and stuck my wallet in my pocket- awesome fact about my blue swim trunks is that they had a back pocket and a side pocket, and I always kept my munny in the side because pickpockets go for the back most of the time. After about five minutes of waiting I started suspecting she had stood me up. Or... Did I get here too late? Did she show and leave because I wasn't here? Just as those thoughts were crossing my mind I saw a sight I would never forget. Fuu walking towards me, short hair in a tiny fluffy ponytail, most of the shorter strands falling around her face, framing it in a way that made her look like the cutest Vampire ever. She was wearing a large jersey with two zeros on it under the words 'tornadoes', and blue flip-flops. I would never forget this because 1.) it was my first date, and 2.) her aura in that outfit was so much like Riku's; intimidating, mysterious, and a little hot.
"Wow... How long have you been here?" she asked.
"About ten minutes..." I admitted. She started laughing.
"You ran, didn't you?" she asked, laughing.
"Yeah," I admitted, embarrassed. So much for being cool. I saw my dad and Riku drive by, obviously about to go get Riku's license.
"So, wanna grab an ice cream?" she asked, gesturing to the stand. I noticed she had a little waist bag- a tiny purse attached to a string that went around the waist. She unzipped it as we reached the stand. I grabbed her hand to stop her and pulled out my wallet.
"What do you want?" I asked. "I'll get you anything."
"Oh... Um... I can get it," she said.
"But you won't because I'm paying," I insisted.
"That one," she said, pointing to the list.
"Make it two," I said. I pulled out a five munny from my wallet. The man grabbed the rounded crystal-colored ball from my hand and gave me back several little ones that I dropped in my wallet. He handed Fuu both of the rainbow-colored ice-cream cones. The ice cream looked like a ball of rainbow- perfect straight stripes of every color. And the cones were a bright color, too- mine was purple, Fuu's was green. We sat at one of the tables and ate our ice cream quietly for a minute.
"Can I ask you something?" she asked.
"Yeah, anything," I replied.
"Why did you run? I mean, I'm hardly worth any trouble. When I was going out with Siefer he made me show up first, he told me I had to pay for my own things, and he told me that if I broke up with him that was the last relationship I'd ever have."
"Well, firstly I'm not Siefer, second I find you very attractive and I like your personality. Also, you might have a relationship with me," I said.
"Well... That's why I'm trying to limit the dates... You see, I haven't broken up with Siefer yet. I was waiting for someone else to come along and ask me out. If you can prove to me it is worth it to cheat on him, you'll have saved me from the biggest dickhead to walk the halls."
"So you're using me?" I asked. It actually wasn't a question- it was a statement. And I guess I deserve it, too seeing how I was doing the same thing.
"Well... Not really- I mean... Yeah, I guess so... But you're doing the same thing," she said. I was shocked.
"What?" I said- still not a question; just a statement.
"Yeah... There's someone else. You're dating me for one of to reasons- to make this person jealous, or to settle on the nearest thing to this person. Because you aren't all lovey with me in public, I figure it's the second one. And I must have a lot of attributes in common with this person because you have more than one girl with their eye on you, all of them trying to show off to make you notice them but you pay no mind to any of them. Therefore I have to rule out all their attributes, leading my conclusion that the person you're after is male, seeing all the girls have some thing or another in common. Since you settled with me, someone who has nothing in common with anyone but one person in the entire school, it leads me to figure the one person you truly desire is off limits, or you would've moved in long ago. What cancels him is the fact that under law of a document, he is your brother and any actions trying to advance romantically would be easily spotted by your parents, so you settled with me, the closest thing to him, as compensation for him; Riku. Check. Mate," she said, flicking over the sugar shaker that resembled a salt shaker, but it contained sugar. I was astonished. She had me completely figured out and I've only talked to her twice.
"H...how...?" I asked meekly, sounding breathless.
"I'm on the chess team, Sora. I have to be able to anticipate the move of my opponent and you are so easy to read that by just watching you for three hours has told me so much about your thought process," she explained. "And I promise I won't tell. I have no one TO tell. In this case, I guess I am the only person that you can date between our brother, but even in that case you are my brother, bound by the same document and I am also your cousin by a different, yet similar, document. And this entire time I've been able to focus on your conversation with me and text Siefer under the table; it's over with me and him, and I'm a freed woman. For that, I thank you, Sora. I had fun, but I ought to get home soon, so I'll reward you for being so good to me on this date. Shall we swim?" she asked, standing up, her ice cream gone. I had eaten mine, too, so I stood up nervously. She grabbed my hand and led me down to the beach. She took off her jersey to reveal a nice, sleek body that was only wearing a red bikini. My mouth fell open. Would I get another date? I hoped so; if not I would be left to subtly lust over Riku. I slipped off my shirt, grabbed my wallet, and threw them next to her jersey and our shoes. She slipped into the water and waited for me. I joined her and she watched me through those bright, intelligent red eyes.
"Just know I'm not offended," she commented.
"What?" I asked.
"I'm not offended at being a replacement. Guys do that often so I don't really care because you, though a strange one, are a guy."
"Oh... Yeah... Hey, I'm sorry about that," I said.
"Shh... Apologizing is for sweet guys. You aren't sweet- you were a little jittery this morning, and I knew you went into the bathroom, so I figure that you... Need I say more?" she asked. So she knew about that, too.
"No... I know where you were getting at..."
"I should apologize- I've destroyed your self confidence."
"What? No you-"
"Yes I did- you're talking way less than you normally would."
"Oh... I don't really have anything to say... What all you've said this whole time has left me speechless."
"My conclusions are shocking and freakishly accurate, huh?"
"Yeah..."
"You know when I had you pinned on the trolley? If I was as slutty as Larxene or Xion I would've started kissing you right there. Want to know why?"
"S-sure," I stuttered.
"Because you had this look in your eye that said you were fighting, which was kind of hot, and when you started to look at and talk to me, I saw the most adoring look in your eyes. You were subconciously making me into Riku, weren't you?"
"I guess I was..."
"Well, if I were Riku I would've given you a chance if you had asked."
"Thanks..."
"I'm going to have to cut the relationship romantically- technically we are related."
"Fuu, it's only a piece of paper," I said as she got out. She slipped on her shoes and jersey and waist bag. She turned around to look at me with one eye.
"Exactly," she said, and started walking away. Now what was that supposed to mean? I got out and slipped on my shirt and shoes, then grabbed my wallet. I ran that piece of conversation in my head over and over until I got home. When I got there, Mom was waiting.
"So, how'd it go?" she asked cheerfully.
"I won't be out with her again," I said. Then I started up the stairs.
"I'm sorry, Sora," Mom said sadly.
"No, it's fine... Just a conflict of interest so we just left it be."

Later, I was laying in my bed, still thinking of how she could have put all that together with such little information. Then my bedroom door opened. I looked at the face in the light of my bedside lamp- I was waiting for dinner, but here was someone who had turned my life upside down from day one. There he was, silver hair covering up most of his eyes, grinning at me from around the door.
"Guess who just got his license," Riku chimed.
"You did," I said boredly, even though my insides were fluttering like crazy that he was smiling at me. I noticed he didn't typically smile at people... He would for Naminé, and Squall, and me, but he mostly kept it to himself.
"What's wrong? Bad date?" he asked.
"No, it's just she wouldn't let me have another."
"Well, maybe it's for the best- she is my sister, and that makes her yours, too."
"Yeah..."
"So I'm going to go out with Naminé tomorrow- wanna wish me luck?"
"You're gonna need it to get her by Roxas," I said, sitting up and smiling a little. So now I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and it was killing me. Like, seriously crushing me to the point where I was going to die there. It was better than being trapped between a Larxene and a Xion, though.
"Dinner's ready; thought I'd mention that when I got up here," he said.
"Riku? Can I ask you something?"
"What's up?"
"Say there's someone you love, but you can't love them, someone you need, but you can't want them, and this someone means a lot to you, but keeps hurting you? What should I do about it?"
"Well... You could start by either telling them or if you can't do that, try moving on."
"What if I tried moving on but it didn't work?"
"Then you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, Sora. I don't know what else to tell you. Come on- dinner will help take your mind off of her," he said. Yeah... Her.