Chapter 8: News
A few months had passed since Namine arrived to Traverse Town. In those few months she learned a few things. The first thing she learned was that everybody at TTH was a skater. There weren't any preps and she soon became very popular. The next thing she learned was that she and Ian had become friends with "benefits". They weren't officially dating, but they could still kiss. The third thing she learned was that Riku didn't believe in long distance relationships. He called her two weeks after she left the message and ended it. He said he didn't know how long she would be there and didn't think that their relationship could "survive the distance". Namine immediately locked herself in her room that night and didn't eat dinner. However, while her mom was sleeping she snuck into the kitchen and grabbed some Ben and Jerry's. She hadn't gone to school the next day either. And as if she hadn't learned enough, she would soon learn one more thing while in Traverse Town.
It was now close to Christmas and not a single snowflake had fallen to the ground in Traverse Town. One day her mom found her staring out the window and asked what was wrong. When Namine said she was frustrated that there wasn't any snow, her mom told her that it never snowed there. Now Namine really missed Twilight Town. Winter was always her favorite season because of the snow. She remembered all the times that she, Rikku, and Roxas would go out in the snow together while Kairi and her friends watched from the other side of the windows and wondered why they were so weird. Playing in snow; who did that kind of stuff? But now Namine missed it more than ever.
One night after going to the mall Namine, Ian, Lina, and Jack went back to Namine's apartment. As they were heading to her room, Namine heard her mom crying in the study.
"Umm, you guys go ahead to my room. I'll meet you there." Namine said. The others nodded and headed down to Namine's room talking. Namine quietly entered the study. Her mom was on the phone with someone and she was definitely crying.
"Alright. Of course, I'll tell her. Ok, I will see you soon, then. Alright, bye." Her mom said hanging up the phone.
"M-Mom? Is everything alright?" Namine asked. Her mom spun around in her chair to face Namine.
"Oh, Namine! It's the greatest thing that could happen!" her mom said getting up and walking to Namine.
"What is it?" Namine asked eagerly.
"Your father just called, and well. He and I decided to get back together!" her mom said happily. Namine's face lit up.
"A-are you serious?" Namine screeched. The three burst into the room after hearing Namine scream like that.
"Namine! What's wrong?" Ian yelled running to her.
"My parents. They're getting back together." Namine said.
"Oh my gosh! Namine, Mrs. Johnson that's great!" Lina said hugging Sheryl.
"Oh, and Namine. You and I will be moving to Twilight Town to live there." Her mom said. Namine's smile got bigger. She'd be able to see Roxas and Rikku again. She'd be able to see Kairi and Sora and Riku again! All these thoughts started spinning though Namine's head until she saw Lina's face. Lina's smile faded and she looked almost on the verge of tears.
"Lina, what's-" Namine started.
"Namine, I'm happy for you. Really! It's just that…you have to move now." Lina said.
"I know." Namine said with her smile now fading too. Namine and Lina hugged each other tightly and Lina started crying into Namine's shoulder. She had really liked Namine and didn't want to see her go.
"Mom? When do we leave?" Namine asked.
"Well, we'll leave this weekend and then we'll arrive on Saturday in Twilight Town." Her mom explained.
"That's Christmas." Ian said sadly. He planned to take Namine out for Christmas. The four went back to Namine's room and the girls cried together for two hours. Namine was happy that she was moving back in with her dad and with Kairi. And that she was going to be able to see her friends again. But, now she had to leave her new friends and her potential boyfriend. This was definitely going to be a hard leave. Not as hard as her leave from Twilight Town, but still a hard one.
It was Christmas morning when Namine stretched and yawned sitting up in her bed. This was the last time she'd be seeing this room. All of her things had been packed up. She had just been lying on her mattress last night. Her bed frame and all had already been shipped off to Twilight Town. She got changed into jeans, a gray Volcom shirt, her Three Days Grace hoodie, which Roxas gave her, and her black Chuck Taylor's. She brushed her hair into a side part and brushed her teeth. She put on some eyeliner and mascara. She walked out of her room and into the living room where her mom was waiting by the door.
"Good mornin', Darlin'. Alright, we should get to the airport." Her mom said. Namine nodded and followed her mom out the door. They met Ian, Jack, and Lina in the lobby. The three couldn't come to the airport, so they had to say their goodbyes there.
"Call us, alright?" Lina asked as she was pulling away from her fourth hug with Namine.
"Of course." Namine said. She and Jack hugged and then Ian came up to her.
"Be careful, alright?" he asked.
"Yes sir." Namine said jokingly.
"Make sure you come and visit sometime. Or maybe we'll come visit you." He said.
"That would be nice." Namine said. Ian gave her a kiss on the cheek and hugged her. She hugged him tight and reluctantly let go. Lina gave her one more hug before the two headed to the car. They drove to the airport and delivered the car to a special area so that it could be sent to Twilight Town.
They arrived in Twilight Town at noon. Namine looked out the window at the familiar airport as they landed. She rushed off the plane and they got into an airport car to be driven to their house since Sheryl's car would arrive a little later. The two got out of the car at Namine's former house. God, how she missed it. They entered the house and found her dad in kitchen.
"Dad!" Namine yelled running into his arms. He hugged her tight.
"Namine! I missed you so much! How were things in Traverse Town?" he asked.
"Oh, they were great." Namine said happily.
"Well, your mother and I have got a present for you. So you can have that right n-"
"Umm, thanks, Dad. But, where's Kairi?" Namine asked.
"Oh, she's over at Sora's." her dad replied.
"Oh. Great! I'll just go there now! I'll get my present later, Dad." She kissed him on the cheek and walked outside. She walked down the sidewalk and started getting really excited. How lucky was it that her sister was at her best friend's house. And she knew Rikku would be there too because the three always used to go to Roxas' house for Christmas. She took in a deep breath of the cold air around her. It wasn't very cold in Traverse Town, but it was freezing here. But Namine didn't mind. She was just glad to be back. She cut across Roxas' front lawn and loved hearing the sound of her Chuck's crunching the snow under her feet. She ran up to the door and rang the doorbell.
"I'll get it. Since all you lazy asses have apparently lost your legs." Namine heard Roxas say. She knew he was talking to Sora and Kairi and whoever else might be there from that group. She smiled knowing that Roxas was coming. He opened the door and Namine threw herself into his arms.
"Roxas." She whispered into his chest as he embraced her.
"Namine. Never leave me again." Roxas said stroking her hair.
"Damnit, Roxas! Shut the door! It's freezing out there!" Kairi yelled as she and the entire popular group walked from the living room to the foyer. "Seriously, what is you prob-Namine." Kairi said.
"Kairi!" Namine yelled leaving Roxas' embrace.
"What are you doing here?" Kairi snarled.
"Didn't Dad tell you?" Namine said as her smiled faded.
"Tell me what?"
"Mom and him got back together. Mom and I moved here." Namine said.
"So I have to live under the same roof as you again?" Kairi hissed.
"Yeah. Isn't it going to be great?" Namine asked.
"Yeah. Great." Kairi said bitterly grabbing Sora by the hand and leading him back into the living room. He sat down and she fell into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. The others followed and they continued whatever conversation they were having before Namine arrived.
"Sh-she wasn't happy to me." Namine said quietly.
"C'mon." Roxas said grabbing her hand and taking her up the steps.
"Where are we going?" Namine asked.
"Well you wanna see Rikku, don't you?" he asked. Namine's face lit up. She couldn't wait to see Rikku! Roxas held his finger to his lips, signaling to be quiet as they reached his door. He went in first.
"Rikku, I got you a present." Roxas said smiling. Rikku paused her game and looked at Roxas.
"Roxas, you already got me presents." Rikku said.
"I know, but I got you another one. This one just arrived."
"Ok?" Rikku said confused.
"Alright. Now stand up." Roxas said. Rikku did as she was told. "Now close your eyes and put out your arms." Rikku again did what she was told. Roxas gestured Namine in and put her in Rikku's arms. Namine threw her arms around Rikku's neck and hugged her tight.
"Roxas, what are you-NAMINE!" Rikku screamed as she opened her eyes. She grabbed Namine in a back-breaking hug and the two stayed like that for a minute. They finally pulled away. "I-I can't believe you're back!" Rikku said happily.
"I know! And the reason I'm back is awesome! My mom and dad decided to get back together!" Namine squealed.
"Oh my gosh! That's great!" Rikku squealed hugging Namine again.
"I know! So, how were things her without me?" Namine asked.
"Sucky. All Ryan did was ask us where you were and when you coming back. It got quite annoying actually." Roxas said.
"Ryan! I totally forgot about him!" Namine said.
"Yeah. Well, he didn't forget about you." Rikku said.
"Yeah." Namine said. Then she thought about Kairi being mad at her and turned around to walk out the door.
"Where are you going?" Roxas asked.
"I need to know why my own sister was mad that I'm back." Namine said tearing down the stairs. Roxas and Rikku shared glances before dashing down the hall after her. Namine ran into the living room with Rikku and Roxas at her heels.
"Kairi, can I ask you something?" Namine asked stepping in front of Kairi.
"Ask away." Kairi said.
"Why are you so mad that I'm back? I mean, you were bawling your eyes out begging me not to go." Namine said.
"Yeah, but then you hurt my friend." Kairi said.
"What are you talking about?" Namine asked.
"How could you do that to Riku?" Kairi yelled.
"Do what?"
"Break up with him over the phone! I mean, how shallow can you get?" Kairi yelled. Namine looked at Riku knowing that he was the one who broke up with her, but he just glared at her with those piercing aquamarine eyes.
"I-I never did-" Namine started.
"Oh, save it. Like I'll ever believe you again." Kairi said. Namine gave Riku the coldest look she could muster before storming up the stairs into Roxas' room, slamming the door shut, and throwing herself onto his bed crying her eyes out into his pillow.
Rikku just glanced at the popular group. Then her eyes fell to Riku. He felt her gaze and looked up at her. He gave her a flirtatious look, but Rikku just glared at him, flipped him off, and grabbed Roxas' arm and lead him upstairs. The two reached Roxas' door and heard Namine sobbing inside. They entered slowly and Roxas saw Namine sprawled across his bed with her face in his pillows. He sat down on the bed next to her and rubbed her back. Namine shuddered at his touch, but then became calm again. Rikku sat backwards in one of his chairs.
"So, what happened?" Roxas whispered to Namine. She slowly sat up and put her back against the wall with a pillow in her lap. Roxas stayed by her side and sat next to her.
"I never broke up with Riku. What Kairi said about me breaking up with him over the phone, that's what he did to me." Namine said.
"Oh my God! That bastard!" Rikku said getting up and about to walk out the door, but Roxas sprung up and grabbed her back.
"Rikku, just let it go." Roxas said. Rikku became a little less tense and Roxas let her go. Even if she wanted to kill Riku, there was no way she could get out of his grip unless she was calm. She eventually joined Namine on the bed and then Roxas sat back on the other side of Namine.
"I can't believe he did that to you." Rikku said.
"And then he lied and told the popular group that you broke his heart." Roxas said. Namine gasped.
"What?" Roxas asked looking at her.
"It all makes sense now." Namine said.
"What makes sense?" Rikku asked.
"Ok, so after I left things probably went back to normal. The popular group completely ignored you, right?" Namine asked. The other two just nodded. "So Riku was reminded of how it used to be. And he liked it. He wanted to keep it that way. So that way if I came back, then things would be the way they were before I became friends with them. So he called me and broke up with me. Then he told the popular group that I broke up with him, so that way they'd all hate me and things would go back to normal." Namine finally finished.
"Wow. How do you figure that out so rapidly?" Roxas asked staring at her in astonishment.
"Well, I mean, it does make sense, doesn't it?" Namine asked.
"It makes perfect sense. So now all we have to do is get proof that Riku was the one that broke up with you and then they won't hate us." Rikku said.
"No, they won't hate her. And then things will be like they were before Namine moved." Roxas said.
"Don't worry, Roxas. We're not gonna do anything. If Kairi's gonna believe her friend over her own sister, then I don't wanna be affiliated with any of them." Namine said.
"Yeah!" Roxas said punching the air with his fist.
"Ok. So, usual Christmas dinner?" Rikku asked grabbing the phone.
"Absolutely." Namine said smiling.
The three locked themselves in Roxas' and never left besides answering the front door to get their two pepperoni pizzas. Then they grabbed ice cream from the freezer and went back upstairs. Roxas had a mini freezer so they stashed the ice cream in there. Namine flipped open the box to the first pizza and they all dug in. And then came the second pizza. They played a bunch of video games and watched TV. They each grabbed a carton of Mint Chocolate chip ice cream from the freezer and went back to their spots in front of the TV. They normally all slept over at Roxas' but since Namine didn't have any extra clothes and Rikku did, they decided that they'd relocate the sleepover to Namine's just this once.
