Ya-haw! We~ell I managed to come up with a new chappy faster than expected! Meh, I finally took a break from writing too much drama and guess I'm back to the whole humour gag after this :p a bit unreal on the 'Saving Nami' scene but seriously guys, I've seen how it is done before and it is spectacular! Well you gotta read first to know what it is actually... Nyway for the first time in my days of writing I've never gotten the hang of fighting scenes :p truth be told I enjoyed writing em up but I can't seem to find the right words to picture them. Nyway' I am sooooo thanking all of you for your comments! It's quite a spectacle for me to see that I've reached and surpassed the 50 mark for comments (...wow...) and now lesse' if we can reach the 100 mark! (^^) a lil' too much to ask I guess, but one could always dream! Oh and this is a good time as any to tell you guys that pairings would be subjected to change based on how the story unfolds (mainly in my head) but I like to keep them if possible :p nyway thank you guys in advance for your reviews (I take each and every one seriously!) and I enjoy reading every one of em ^^ as usual- flame me if you want muahaha! Sorry for my usual grammatical and spelling mistakes though, I kept making them out of blunderness. We-ell, without further ado~ The 9th chappie! Ya-haw!
CHAPTER IX: Of Angels & Drawings...& Maid Uniforms?
Lightning
"Really Demyx, I can walk just fine on my own!" I told the boy in annoyance, but he just wouldn't listen.
"Can't risk it Light, what if you fall down again? Are you feeling light-headed now?" Demyx asked with concern in his voice.
After getting discharged from the hospital I've had a couple of relapses and sudden, surprising times when my legs would just give away and I would fall down...hard... Serah was extremely worried this time, fussing about it like it's the end of the world and forcing me to go have a medical check-up again.
I'm fine! All I had was a couple of bones broken and now I'm back on my own two feet! Serah had gone her way to call Demyx up (since he's one of the club members that I know) in order to watch over me.
Demyx here has been an excessive case of pain in my...rear. Seriously, the way he fusses about what I eat and even the way I'm breathing. He thinks I'm going to drop dead any moment!
"I'm here if you need me." Demyx said. "If you feel like fainting jes' make sure to tell me quickly so I can catch you when you fall!"
I face-palmed myself and resisted the urge to strangle the overly-concerned boy. Really, he's just worried about me, there's nothing wrong with that really...it's just...I'm not really used to the attention, really.
I smiled at myself at the count of 'really' I've used in my train of thought. Maybe I'm over-thinking things, it might be a good idea to have Demyx around, just in case.
"OMG you're smiling to yourself! You're sick!" Demyx said, sounding really, and truthfully, shocked. The blonde boy pressed his hand on my forehead but I slapped it away quickly.
"I'm not sick, dolt. I'm just laughing at my own-"
I stopped myself as my 'spidey' senses started tingling. I noticed that the two of us had walked straight to the entrance of the school but no one was around.
Funny, I'd thought the Enforcers would be around to make sure no students play hooky...
The Enforcers are the law-upholders of Destiny High (also known as prefects, in simple terminology). They are made up of the collection of both Jocks and Culties alike, selected by Ansem himself. And they're usually around to poke into something that's NOT their business, so why the hell is it so quiet now?
"Hm~Hm~Hm I believe I can fly~"
I immediately froze at the sound of that voice. I know that tone! Why the hell is here? I inwardly groan at the thought of facing that lunatic just when I got out of the hospital...and it hasn't even been an hour yet!
I merely stood there as Demyx too had seemed to stop moving. We waited for awhile before the bush on the right shook. I held my fists out in battle mode as a figure pops out from behind it.
A masked boy appeared while dragging along two people in his wake. They were unconscious and the boy seems to be enjoying himself, humming to his own, weirdly bizarre tune.
"I believe I can touch they sky~ Oh yeah~"
He hummed as twirled around and held a hand out into the sky.
"Vanitas." I hissed under my breath. Why the heck is he out here walking free? Wasn't someone from the Jocks supposed to look after him?
The maniac finally took notice of us as he was performing the most unearthly dance in front of the doorway.
"Lightning! And chicken-butt!" Vanitas waved at us, sounding really happy all of a sudden. The boy let go of his victims and rolled (he rolled!) towards us at high speed. He leapt a couple of metres away and stood right in front of me (I can see my own reflection on his visors).
"Aww don't look at me like that! Aren't we friends Light?" He said in a hurt voice as I stared at him.
"In all my years of knowing you, I've never known you to regard any of your fellow schoolmates a 'friend', Vanitas. And don't call me Light, ever." I said icily.
Vanitas clutched his chest and pretended to be gravely hurt by my comment. "T-That's really cruel Lightning. I've always thought of you as a friend!"
"Oh really?" I scoffed. I knew him too well to know that he's just humouring me at this topic.
"Of course! Don'tcha know? You, Fang and Cloud! Well, Xaldin was one too but I crossed him out and put him into my 'List of people I'm going Death Star on' since a couple of weeks ago..." He ranted on. "Oh, and I suppose that new chick too, that busty vivacious chick...Aqua."
He's smirking! I know this bastard is smirking right now! "If you lay a finger on her..." I growled, protecting my friend. "You have to go through me first!"
"Yeah, you heard her!" Demyx suddenly said, sounding brave. Why, I might have just changed my perspective of you Dem- "If you want to hurt Aqua you have to go through Light first!" He said, jumping behind me for protection.
I rolled my eyes and mentally slapped myself. "Thank you, for the assist...chicken-butt."
"Hey, I'm really interested in her now! She's the chick Terra's been going after right? The 'melodious bluebird'." Vanitas jumped up and down in excitement.
"Not your business. Anyways, how the hell did you manage to escape this time?" I quickly changed the topic. I didn't want Vanitas' interest on Aqua to grow.
"Oh that." Vanitas said, suddenly interested. "Got off after telling Xemnas I'm gonna' go to ice hockey practice every day after that lil' incident. Now I'm a free and new man! I'm not gonna' hurt the Freshmen anymore!" He said unconvincingly.
"And what's that behind you?" I peered behind him at his two victims.
"Training accident." He lied (I just know it!) "They slipped on the ice, y'know how people can be, careless."
"Slipping on the ice won't get you black eyes or rip your clothes like that!" I hissed.
Vanitas merely shrugs as he scratched the top of his helmet. Suddenly a thought hit me like a bullet.
"What are you doing here anyways?" Really, if he wanted to create accidents on people then shouldn't he be around the least likely places the Enforcers would be? And now that I think about it, they still haven't shown up yet...
"Enjoying a show." He said shortly, looking at the sky. "You guys can stay if you want, it's gonna' be a bloody fiesta." He smirked (I know he smirked!).
"What the hell are you talking about?" I' confused, what does he mean by that?
"I ran into a freshie just now on the stairs. Seemed really depressed y'know? She was looking really ragged and her clothes were thorn up and crap. I didn't even lay a hand on her but man, does she look like one hell of a shit! Someone bullied her first, and cuts her up in her skin and all that blood really lights my blood." Vanitas said excitedly.
"What're you going on about here? And who was the freshman?" I squinted, not making heads or tail of the story.
"Just listen, here comes the good part. She was crying and shit about it right? Said that she had enough, wants it all to end. So I figure that being the Good Samaritan that I am, I should help her out right? So I gave her the keys to the roof that I swapped from Barret and told her that a fall from that height might just kill her in an instant." For the first time, there was no mistaking the evilness that emits from his voice.
"Vanitas! You didn't!" I stared at him in horror. "So up there right now is-"
"A girl on the brink of committing suicide, yep." He said it so easily, almost casually.
Up on the roof now is a girl that's really depressed...and never mind the fact that she's a freshman, she's committing suicide? Who could be that stupid?
"Lookie' up there, there's the little bugger." Vanitas pointed to the sky.
I looked at the direction where he's pointing and I nearly fainted again as I immediately recognized the familiar blonde-haired girl standing on the ledge.
"Naminé!" I screamed, suddenly tensing up and focused all of my attention at the miniscule figure on top of the roof (It's really quite high up there). Why is she up there? Where are the others? What am I doing right here when I should be up there!
"Man~ From that height she'll fall down and splat!" Vanitas made a 'splat' noise as he had taken a chair out of nowhere and sat down.
I have no time to humour the deranged kid, right now I have to make it up there before Naminé does anything stupid!
"Lightning!"
My head snapped towards the school entrance and saw a familiar-looking girl who wore a fisherman's hat and a blonde-haired boy running closely behind her. Talk about perfect timing...
"Aqua! Cloud!" I called them. They looked like they were running against time and judging by the troubled look on their faces, I knew it had something to do with the young girl on top of the roof right now.
The two came nearer to us and Aqua bent over to catch her breath. Cloud looked unfazed by all the running, however he does looked a little bit disturbed.
"Pant* Glad to see you Light." The girl panted, lightly touching my shoulder as she did so. "But we have a big problem here, have you seen Naminé?" She asked urgently.
Before I could reply to that, Vanitas had done the answering for me, "Look up." He pointed with his hand.
"Vanitas." Aqua hissed, suddenly alarmed by the masked boy (did she just noticed he was here?). She took a step back from him and Cloud shielded her from his sight.
"You looking for trouble?" Cloud looked at him blankly, but there was a clear sound of anger in his voice that means he wasn't entirely comfortable with the maniac too.
"Au contraire, trouble came looking for me. Nah, I'm just waiting for the show to begin." Vanitas waved him off and again pointed up to the sky. None of the two bothered to look up (probably because they thought it might be a trick...) but I nudged them and finally, they did so.
The two of them looked up and for awhile, they couldn't register what they were seeing. After much squinting did they finally notice the small shape of the young girl standing on the ledge of the roof.
"NAMI!" Aqua screamed, completely beside herself with terror.
The young girl was still standing there, as if contemplating whether she should jump or not. Aqua had frantically begun her search for the stairs to the roof while Cloud had immediately took out his cell phone and (I assume) contacted Axel.
"We have to go up there! She's not in her right state of mind!" Aqua said with urgency.
"Wouldn't make it, the stairs leading to the roof is on the other side of the building." Demyx noted, the boy had looked quite pale himself.
"Then what should we do? The girl could- Naminé!" Aqua suddenly screamed again.
I looked up in alarm and saw that the girl had jumped of the ledge. Everybody was panicking; Cloud had dropped his phone while Demyx was clutching his hair and Aqua was screaming and finally Vanitas was clapping his hands while laughing gleefully.
I picked the wrong day to get discharged.
Fang
"Did you hear something?" I suddenly tensed up and looked around. It felt like something bad just happened...
"I'm a lil' busy here Fang." Larxene said in annoyed voice.
Larxene had led us to the school's backyard (quite empty, what's up with this school and empty places?) and we heard voices coming from the back. Soon, we reached a clearing where a group of girls were spotted lounging about on the old sofas that the school had thrown out back. Some of them were smoking while others looked like they were high or something.
Straight into the witch's den is right...this place looked like one kinda' Hell...
They noticed us approaching and immediately their conversations stopped. There were a mixture of fear and cockiness in the looks that they gave us but both Larxene and I stared at them back with a look of pure loathing.
"...Which one of you did it?" Larxene asked quietly.
None of the girls spoke up, they were merely staring at us. Larxene was starting to get pissed (I know cuz' her veins are popping) and smashed an empty crate next to her with a swift kick.
"I'M ASKING WHICH ONE OF YOU BITCHES DID IT!" She yelled, causing them to flinch and the mutterings started.
"Trust me when I say it'll be a lot easier if you just answer her." I folded my arms as Larxene began tapping her foot impatiently.
"Did what exactly?" One of them finally spoke up.
"That blonde girl in the toilet, who the hell were the ones that messed her up?" Larxene said through gritted teeth.
They looked at each other confusedly before a chorus of laughter broke out.
"You mean that whore?" One of them jeered.
"We all did it." Another one spoke up.
"She deserved that, after we strictly warned her not to talk to Roxas anymore."
"She wouldn't listen."
"So we had to teach her a lesson."
They began talking with each other again and laughed at Naminé's expense.
"Okay, so who's the jackass that cuts her up?" I asked, trying my best not to lose my cool.
"I did." A girl with a funny looking ornament horn sticking up her head said. She took out a knife from her pocket and, "Did it slowly too, and deep so that whore wouldn't mess with us again." She sniggered.
"What's your name?" Larxene questioned. I looked at the blonde girl and I was quite surprised to see her being this calm all this time.
"Ultimecia."
Oookkkaaayyy, that's one hell of a name. Sounds like some corny boss character from some R.P.G.
Suddenly Larxene threw her knife at the girl and it hit her squarely on her hand which was holding the other knife. The knife pierced her hand and the girl screamed as blood gushed out.
"B-Bitch!" Ultimecia cursed as her friends looked into her condition.
Larxene gave her a sadistic smile and cracked her knuckles. "Oh I'm so going to enjoy this~"
Maybe she wasn't as patient as I thought she was...
Naminé
I'm falling.
I noticed the sky, the blurry surrounding, the birds... They're all moving so fast... Maybe it's better if I close my eyes... That way I won't be so scared when I hit the ground...or feel anything...
As if right on cue, my whole life flashed before my eyes. I remembered the time when I had first discovered the wonders of crayon. I was five at that time, but I had enjoyed the first moment I started to draw. I drew a picture of dad...of mom...of Larxene... Everyone was so happy at that time, dad was praising my drawing while mum had pinned up the picture on our refrigerator's door...and Larxene had actually kept the drawing in her room.
"It'll be my lucky charm." She had smiled at that time, I remembered. I also remembered her patting my head for the first time.
I started to draw everything from that moment on... I stopped talking, and all the kids in the playground thought that I was weird...They threw rocks at me for the fun of it...While I cried and protected my sketchbook from getting damaged I saw her...I saw Larxene staring at me from a distance. Why won't you help me sis? Save me, save me, save me...
A few years later dad had grew sick and tired of me 'behaving' this way, and scolded me for not 'acting' like a normal child. Why won't you talk? Why do you always have to have that sketchbook with you? Say something you no-good daughter! He took away my sketchbook after that and burnt it in our living room's fireplace... I remembered screaming and having fits of tantrum, and dad...he hit me...for the first time in my life.
It grew frequent after that...and finally mum started to vent out her anger at me too...and Larxene...she just stood there, just looking at me as usual... They forced me out of my room and live in the attic after that, where the window is my single way of seeing the outside world... I was allowed to draw after that, thankfully. But whenever I complain or ask for something the beating always arrived swiftly...by dad...by mum...and Larxene...just looking at me and stood idly by, as usual...
I was saved my grandma a few years later, when she came around for dinner on my thirteenth birthday...She found out about me when she knew something was wrong... "Why are you covered in bruises dearie'? Did something bad happen to you?"
Grandma took me away forcefully, saving me from my parents and my sister...just stood there and watched, as usual. I became sickly after that, not used to being around the sun anymore, and the fact that I was homeschooled for the past few years didn't really help at all with my condition. I was weak, always had been, always will be...
Grandma took care of me since then. She had no complains whatsoever about my obsession with drawing, she even encouraged me and said that it was a talent. I knew that she was the one who threatened my dad and mum to post my allowances to me, either that or she'll report them to the law. It didn't matter how much I got, all that matters is that I'm with Grandma...but she left me too, two years after that... Taken away from me, by some disease.
So I'm left all alone again, in my castle of solitude and loneliness. A dorm this run down, surely no one would stay here anymore...not when my Grandma's not around to take care of it. I never went out after that, always depending on the money my parents would send me and have the delivery boy from the grocery shop to send the food to my doorstep... A life of loneliness, yet again.
But somehow I managed to muster the courage to enter Destiny High...I didn't know why I entered in the first place...Probably because I saw the girls that had stayed in the dorm when Grandma was around... All of them had gone to Destiny High...and they were all so happy. I wanted that same feeling too. I love drawing, but I also want to know how it feels like to make friends, to fall in love.
The first day of school was a nightmare. I put my hopes up too high and tried to see the best in people...How stupid was I to believe in that? I was bullied right away...pinned as the best target for people's malice, a source to vent out all their anger. Just like how mum and dad used me. I don't like it here anymore... It's scary... Someone save me.
Then Roxas came into the picture. He flashed that smile that he's shown to so many others and treated me in a different way than the others. He showed concern over me, he made me feel safe, as if I'm loved. But all that affection had its consequences... And the bullying intensified from simple jeering to physical abuse. Whore, whore, whore. Naminé the whore! I grew scared, so I asked Roxas for help...but he just laughed! He thought I was being paranoid, and that there's no way any of our classmate would do such a thing! He always looks into the best of people, like how I did before... I stopped believing in him after that, there's no way that this boy can ever help me... And I was left alone, all alone again...
"Just let me die." I sobbed and surprisingly, I felt myself crying again.
"Now why would someone so beautiful speak such disheartening words?"
Suddenly, and quite surprisingly, I felt two arms wrapping themselves around me and before I knew it, a sudden jerk was felt and I was dangling in mid-air. I bobbed up and down like I was hanging onto some kind of bungee rope. I blinked several times and looked at the ground. There were a few people shouting and among them was...Aqua! My heart lightened up as I saw her and there were also Cloud...is it Cloud or Demyx there? I couldn't really see...but that pink-haired girl must be Lightning. Why are all of them there?
Why am I not falling? That would've been the right question to ask right now... I should've hit the ground, but here I am hanging in the air with...wait, how exactly am I dangling in the air here? I remembered feeling a pair of arms around me and...
I slowly looked up to see a pair of bluish-green eyes looking at me. My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the most beautiful face I've ever seen. His long silver hair lazily swayed around, his bangs covered his eyes and when he tilted his head is when the colour of his eyes was shown in full. He flashed a serene smile at me and I wonder...have I actually hit the ground and going to heaven now? If so, then he must be...
"An angel..." I breathed wistfully, eyeing the silver-haired angel with admiration.
The angel chuckled and shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm no angel miss, I'm just a normal seventeen-year old." His voice was so gentle and...sexy? Can I say that about an angel? Wait, he just said that he's a normal boy...
I noticed that only one of his hands was holding onto me while the other was holding a...rope of some sort. It really was a bungee rope...wow...
So I'm alive? I'm still breathing...so I must be. I didn't notice it but I was crying again, and the miserable feeling flooded my heart.
"I want to die." I sobbed as I wiped my face. "Just let me fall." That way, everyone will be happy, especially me.
"Don't speak of such words." The angel/boy spoke, "I'd give you a prep talk but I don't think this is either the place or time...wait one moment..."
Effortlessly, he pulled on the rope and slowly, we made ourselves back to the ledge of the roof. I didn't fight back against him, rather, I just stopped moving at all. I let myself get dragged back up and he gently pulled me into his arms. I felt the gentle, beating of his heart when my head was pressed onto his chest and I noted how warm it was when he had wrapped himself around me.
We stayed there for awhile, and I was comforted by his presence somewhat but that doesn't change my thoughts on committing another freefall again...
"You should've just let me fall..." I mumbled, feeling the fresh set of tears falling down.
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did." He answered truthfully, stroking my hair gently.
"I don't want to live, just let me die." I sobbed. "No one wants me around, I'm just a burden..." Before I knew it, I poured out every bit of misery that I've kept for the past years and told my whole history to a totally unknown stranger. I sobbed and sniffed quite a lot, but he was kind enough to listen to me till' the end.
"...and I couldn't take it anymore...They even left their mark...look..." I showed the boy the part of my flesh which was cut, and I felt ashamed of it so I immediately hid it away.
The boy gazed at me sadly, and hugged me tighter in his arms. "I don't know who would be evil enough to do such a thing to such an angelic being in front of my eyes right now."
I noted how weird his way of talking was but I don't mind...He is somewhat comforting... "I don't deserve to live, I just get in everyone's way like always." I said miserably. It was partially the truth, but I felt like crap whenever I became the damsel in distress that someone has to rescue. Just like right now...
"Do you really think so? Do you truly believe that by killing yourself the world will be a much better place? There would always be someone you left behind that's going to be sad if you're gone, didn't you think about that before?" It wasn't a question, more like a direct, piercing echo shot straight into my heart as his eyes burnt fiercely with passion.
I chuckled lightly at his words. I couldn't help it, I ended up having fits of giggles despite my depression and held a hand pressed against my lips to stifle the sound.
"What's so funny?" They boy raised an eyebrow. He looked totally confused and had no clue why I just started giggling.
"I-I'm sorry, it's just that...You reminded me of someone I know." I ended my giggle as I wiped a single tear from my left eye. He sounds totally corny and his English is kinda' swanky but...his words sounds just like what Aqua would say.
"I meant what I said though." He said, sounding somewhat relieved now that I've calmed down. "You gave me quite a fright, if I haven't come up here to practice my bungee jumping you would've-"
"NAMI!"
Suddenly a piercing shout interrupted the silver-haired boy and I turned to see-
"Aqua..." I mumbled, staring at the panting girl. She was breathing heavily and had bent over to catch her breath as she adjusted her glasses (she found em'?) and clenched her bangs (no luck with the hat though...it's missing).
She staggered haphazardly towards us and stood in front of us silently (somehow she's still standing...) to catch her breath again.
I quickly pushed the boy away gently and stood up to face the girl. She looks really bad...had she been running the whole time?
"Aqua I..."
SLAP!
My words were cut short as I felt a painful slap across the face. I swayed to the other side and touched the spot where Aqua had just slapped me. It really stung and my eyes were wide with shock as I just stared at the blue-haired girl dumbly.
Aqua was breathing really weirdly and it looks like she's gonna' collapse any second. "You-idiot!" Was all she managed to say as her eyes were immediately filled with tears.
"Why'd you even- Of all the things Nami you- At least tell me if- Oh dear..." Aqua didn't manage to finish any of her sentences as she hiccupped and wiped the still running tears in her red eyes. Finally she managed to regain some of her composure and gave a look so frightening (She never scowled at me like that...) that I withdrew my steps and bumped into the boy who had stood up behind me.
"A-Aqua I-I-" She's really scary right now! I squeaked as she slowly inched closer to me and instinctively I hid behind the boy's back. He raised his eyebrows in a surprised way before chuckling lightly (Oh sure you can laugh, you're not the one getting the death stare!) and raised his left arm to reveal a part of my face.
"Riku- move away." Aqua hissed (She hissed!). The boy dropped his smile and quickly stepped aside, abiding the demoness without a second thought. I wanted to say "Don't leave me!" but I was too busy cowering in fear from the girl in front of me (Is it just me or does her shadow has horns on them?).
Aqua raised her right hand towards me (Somehow it looks totally like she wanna' strangle me) and I flinched, shutting my eyes close and raised my own arms over my head to protect it.
"You dummy..."
Suddenly I felt two warm hands wrapped around me as Aqua rested her head above mine, one of her arms stroking the back of my head.
"Don't ever do something like that again...Please...You really gave me a heart attack y'know that? I-If Riku hadn't caught you just now I-I...I don't want to imagine what could've happened to you." I felt her warm tears dropping to my head. "I'm here for you, I'm always here for you..." She mumbled on and on until she stopped and merely embraced me in her arms.
"There would always be someone you left behind that's going to be sad..."
I cried. Someone cried for me even though I'm still alive. For the first time I cried for that very reason. Someone was here for me. I hugged her back and let the tears drop down silently.
"Thank you..." I sniffed and smiled (I didn't know why, it just seems appropriate).
"Let's go down now Nami, everyone's gonna' want to scold you too now." Aqua sounded stern suddenly, frowning at me but she had a small smile plastered on her face.
"Mmhmm..." I mumbled agreeably, burying my face in her ample chest.
"I don't know how I can thank you enough for saving lil' Nami here Riku but if there's anything I could do..." Aqua said over my head, assumedly to the silver-haired boy. So his name is Riku...
"We-ell there is one thing you could do I guess..." Riku answered quickly, a little too quickly perhaps.
I looked behind to see the boy smiling at me, his serene blue eyes gazing at me with...I dunno'...passion? (I think so...). My heart skipped a beat as he inched his face closer to mine until we're a breath away from a-a kiss...
"Think you can help me with my art project?" Was what came out from his mouth.
Maybe I interpreted the look wrongly... Oh well...
Aqua
The intense and suspenseful Naminé drama ended quite shortly after that. Seriously, it's like it never happened in the first place. After we got down to the ground floor everybody was already hanging around waiting for the two of us. Greeted by cheers and a wave of relief washed over us as Naminé apparently got a stern earful from Aerith and a really, really long lecture from Cloud about committing suicides (Even the gruesome details of a splattered head).
Fang appeared shortly after that, spotting a black eye and appearing in the messiest of state (shirt and skirt all torn askew, much to the other guys' pleasures). Yuffie though, had been rampaging around school and disturbing classes so much that school was cut short and she got suspended for three days as a result. Roxas looked relieved for a moment but his smile dropped when Naminé had moved towards Riku and even more shockingly, had hugged him in front of everyone. As a finishing blow, the silvery-haired boy had taken in his stride to bravely kiss her on the forehead. The scene proved too much for Roxas, who was just staring at the two dumbly as if all senses had left him.
In the end all of us made a group hug, promising to come to each other if we were ever in need of advices, or just someone to talk to. Cloud and Axel were very reluctant, but somehow they got dragged in by Demyx and cringed at the slightest touch of the others.
I noticed Larxene hiding behind a pillar nearby and wondered what she's doing there (Maybe she's the real bully after all?) but Fang patted my shoulder and as if reading my mind, shook her head. "She's alright." Fang said with a grin on her face. I don't really get it but I guess it's fine if she doesn't have anything to do with it.
I smiled a bit as I looked at everyone (It kinda' reminded me of the first time all of us met). While the others were busy interrogating Riku (Yeah well...He wasn't exactly a usual clique of ours was he?), Axel had took my hand and gently dragged me away from the commotion.
We arrived at the clubroom and I sat on the sofa as Axel had lighted up a cigarette (I immediately threw it away before he even had one whiff).
"You wanna' get suspended?" I frowned at the redhead. He merely shrugged and sat on the swing (we have a swing people!) and swayed back and forth, looking out the window absentmindedly.
After awhile he stopped swinging and looked at me seriously. "You were great out there." A compliment? That's kinda'...nah, he always compliments me.
"That sounds like a cheesy line from a cop movie." I teased him. I don't like it when Axel started off all serious, cuz' if he does then the next thing that comes out of his mouth will definitely be-
"I was really useless back there."
Bingo. He'll bash himself for the mess. I sighed and took off my hat and glasses, scratching my nose and thinking of a way to cheer him up.
"Oh sweetie..." I walked towards him and soothingly stroked his hair. I bent my knees and gave him an encouraging smile while putting a finger on my lips. "Not another word from you kay'? I don't want to hear anything about it being your fault or that you could've done something about it or anything." I raised one of my eyebrows up and cupped his cheeks. "So cheer up kay'?"
I rested my forehead on his (I seem to be doing this quite a lot these past few weeks...) and stared back at his acid green eyes. "...I dunno' how I've been able to live without you all these while." Axel joked...or so I thought. I chuckled at his words, thinking it was another one of his attempts to make me blush but...he looked really serious right now.
The atmosphere has suddenly turned quite heavy, not in a bad way but...I had a tingling sensation that it was the same as the time a certain SOLDIER boy confessed to me...(Geez, is it just me or is it getting hot in here?). I gulped and wanted to pull back my face but Axel had grabbed the back of my head, holding onto my strands of hair.
"A-Axel..." Okay, if this is another one of his pranks then I'm sooo gonna'...
"Aqua I..." Axel began. Please don't say the love word, please don't say the love word. I shut my eyes and feign deafness. "...Really think you ought to go see an optometrist, your eyes are really pretty y'know?"
...Wait, what? I opened my eyes and immediately frown at the boy. That was it? The thirty second of suspense was for that one lousy comment? That sounds sooo like you Axel...
"Thought you were the one who said that I should hide these babies? And those glasses are just for show y'know?" I huffed at him, crossing my arms and pulled myself away from the redhead. Stupid Axel...
"Yeah well...waitaminute, I forgot that those were just decoration glasses..." He mumbled absentmindedly.
I stare at the boy for a moment, studying him in detail. Axel can be quite sharp most of the time but...I have a suspicion...If ninety percent of the time he's intelligent then could the other ten percent be impossibly dumb? I mean look at him! He's practically staring into space right in the middle of his speech!
I shook my head and massaged my forehead. Really now...
We didn't stay long inside the clubroom, school was out and Axel had to go to the Headmaster's room for yet again another attempt on Amarant and Beatrix.
"I swear if that dreadlocks makes another pun on my tattoos I'll pulverize him, with or without that idiot's consent..." Axel muttered darkly (I assume 'that idiot' refers to Terra).
"It won't be that bad, just...keep your temper in check and you'll do fine." I patted him on the back and waved him goodbye as he continued muttering darkly while walking off.
I hurriedly packed my stuffs away, waving goodbye to Garnet and Kairi in the process. They were really worried about Naminé too but I told them she's fine and that I'd go into details this evening (We're having a slumber party, yay!).
I walked halfway home with Naminé (of course!), Lightning, Serah, and Demyx. The sisters had decided to accompany Naminé in case the bullies show up again and Demyx...I dunno' really, he just seemed to fuss around on Lightning.
"Seriously you should've seen how Vanitas went crazy after Riku saved your butt. If Terra hadn't come along we would've been in serious trouble." Lightning retold the story to Naminé.
"Terra was there?" My interest piqued at the mention of the Herculean boy. So he was around ey'?
"Yeah, he got a call from someone I think...about the Enforcers going missing and all that so he dragged Vanitas away before he could do any real damage. We sent the two casualties to the infirmary later though, turns out they were the Enforcers..." Demyx shivered as he plucked a string on his guitar.
"Who are the Enforcers?" I asked curiously. Besides the Jocks and Culties, I'm kinda' surprised we've got another faction in our school and it's the first time I've heard about them.
"They're like the prefects of the school. Trained for combat and strict upholders of the law, they're a group of strong people led by a guy named Leon. He's in my class and word on the street is he's one kind of hell-raiser." Lightning commented and strangely she looked out of colour quite suddenly.
Before I could ask more about this 'Leon' character, Serah had started to fuss on Lightning who had apparently stumbled on her own feet and dropped some of her textbooks.
"Are you really okay Claire? I'm really worried about you, maybe we should do some more check-ups..." Serah mumbled worriedly as she helps her sister out.
"No, I don't like hospitals Serah and I definitely dislike check-ups." Lightning said defiantly as she looks away. I caught a glance of Lightning's face when she turned...she looked kinda' worried actually, I wonder if she's really okay...
"C'mon Light, you should do what Serah said. It wouldn't hurt to get some help from the docs huh?" Demyx tried to persuade her, but Lightning shook her head.
"No way...And I don't really like needles..." Lightning mumbled as she stood up.
We walked until the junction between going to town and our dorm where I bid farewell to the three and headed towards the Princesses of Light. Finally it's my big, first day at work! I'm so excited! I finally got to do some decent job and earn some Munny (Finally able to buy that bikini I wanted!). Best of all, it's a perfectly normal job with no whack jobs involved.
"...What is this...?" I mumbled to Lulu as I held up my uniform...or whatever amount of cloth more like.
"It's your new uniform. You should be proud, you're the first girl we ever tested...I mean, given the opportunity to wear that outfit." Lulu smiled (evilly I might add) and patted me on the shoulder.
"I'm the guinea pig you mean! W-Why can't I wear the normal uniforms like the other girls?" I protested. Why can't I be normal just this once? Wwwhhhyyy?
"Uh-ah, no arguments. You've skipped quite a lot of days and think of this as a sort of punishment. Besides, a lot of male customers are into this kind of thing right now." Lulu made a 'tut-tut' sound as she took away my hat and glasses. "As per our agreement, no funny-looking accessories too. I'll put them in the employee's locker until you finished work."
I sighed and admitted defeat. I've been called the 'Ice Queen' back in Middle School but Lulu here takes the cake for being the evillest of evil. "I'll go change..." I mumbled and hunched my back as I tottered towards the employee's changing room.
"W-Welcome b-back M-Master." I'm definitely not enjoying this! I was in charge of greeting the customers today and worst of all is that I'm wearing this ridiculously tight outfit...a maid outfit! The dress is a little tight-fitting and the skirt is really, really short, as in, if I dropped my pen and bent down everyone could see my... Let's not go there shall we? I had to wear a frilly headband and a bell for a necklace, but at least the apron has a front pouch to put in the pencil and notes for taking down orders. At least I'm not showing much cleavage, which would've been the end of everything morally righteous.
"Uh...Ah..." Was the only response I got from the two males as I bowed and chauffeured them to their seats. I dunno' why but the number of guys in this cafe suddenly increased tenfold, more than usual. Lulu was looking really pleased and Wakka had to pitch in to cook the dishes.
I felt kinda' uncomfortable with the way the guys are looking at me...it's kinda' perverted. Eww, I bet some of them are having some kinda' lewd fantasy about me right now. I shivered but managed to smile at the new customers as I took down their order. I handed the piece of paper to the counter and resumed my position as the call girl- I mean, waitress.
The next few hours passed by and I began getting used to the working environment. Well, I am kinda' adaptable to these kinds of situations so it's no big deal. Although Lulu had to chase out a guy at one point for feeling me up...he should've paid for that kind of service sigh*. The other girls who worked there were really nice, like that girl Terra Branford (Coincidental names huh? The girl's name was the same as Terra!), who showed me the ropes around the cafe. She was nice enough to sympathise me as she knew of the manager's crazy schemes.
The cafe's doorbell rang, signalling another new customer coming in. I quickly assume my posture and bowed. "Welcome back Master, how would you like me to serve you today?" That line could really cause a misunderstanding right?
"Hubba~Hubba~" The voice whistled.
Waitaminute, that voice...and that whistle...it sounded totally familiar...I inwardly groan and shut my eyes...Please don't tell me it's...
"Hey there cutie-pie, mind if I have you for dessert instead?" Axel wolf-whistled again, giving me a smirk so wide I swear his face is about to stretch. Beside him was...I inwardly groan again- Terra (Not the female Terra unfortunately...).
Why in Kingdom Hearts' sake are these two maroons here? Are they lost or something? Shouldn't they be on the other side of town right now? Whatever the reason might be I'm gonna' go to the sea right now and drown myself in it before I die of embarrassment.
"W-What might your reason for visiting us today be, M-Master?" I forced a smile and wanted to throw up at the last part of the sentence. Axel looked like Christmas came early for him and Terra was just staring at me with those same eyes the other customers were giving me (Well I suppose I could forgive him, he is a growing boy...).
"Blunder boy here was hungry so he dragged me for a bite to eat. Wasn't really liking the situation one bit but seeing you right now..." Axel studied me from top to bottom (I unconsciously shielded my chest). "...But seeing a sexy-thang' like you right now makes it all good." He smirked and sneakily used his fingers to climb up my bare shoulders.
"Stop that, the manager's watching." I whispered dangerously. "A guy was chased off with half his face purple cuz' he was feeling me up." And I don't really want to get fired on the first day of the job honestly.
"Somebody touched you?" Terra suddenly snapped out of his daze. "Who was it? Was it that guy?" He pointed at a shifty-looking boy sitting near my post. "I'll teach him a thing or two. I'm gonna'-"
"TABLE FOR TWO! OF COURSE, RIGHT THIS WAY MASTERS!" I announced loudly and pushed the two boys into the far corner of the cafe out of reach from the other customers (At least they won't cause much ruckus here).
Axel was still smirking and watching me while Terra desperately tried his best not to look at my chest but...he just keeps on looking... I handed them the menu and waited patiently for them to order (Just like how a real maid should!). "W-What would you like to have?" I asked stonily, although I'll admit I was gritting my teeth.
"You forgot to put 'Master' at the end." Axel corrected me.
I stared at the boy in disbelief. He's clearly enjoying this! "...I-I'm sorry, Master." I'm sooo gonna' murder him when I finish my shift later.
"That's better." He smirked again. "I'll have the Hot Mocha, extra whipped cream and go easy on the milk kay'? Not too sweet and I like my whipped cream to look like fluffy clouds." I want to whip you right now you porcupine, tomato-coloured rodent...You...
"I-I'll have what he's having." Terra mumbled, putting down the menu. "Y-You look really cute y'know?"
Oookkkaaayyy, another random compliment from Wonder Boy! Oh yeah, it wasn't enough of me blushing from wearing this embarrassing outfit, now I have to turn even redder from his out-of-place flattery. Terra grew bright red too, suddenly ruffling his hair madly but his eyes were still locked on me. However I spontaneously grabbed the menu and began twirling my hair nervously.
"T-Thanks." I mumbled and looked down at the floor (Hey, that tile is really interesting! Let's look at it!). "J-Just wait a sec, I'll go grab your orders." Why am I stuttering? Maybe I should get away from here quickly...
"Oit' you totally dropped your act just now y'know? Geez..." Axel sighed as I made my way to the counter.
I returned a few minutes later with their drinks. As I put down their cups Axel sneakily grabbed me by my bell and pulled me closer to him.
"Axel!" I hissed. This is sooo not the place to be acting childish! "Let go!" I whispered urgently, feeling unconsciously airy at the back of my uniform.
"This is one kinky outfit y'know that? Can really turn a guy on." He stared pointedly at Terra.
"I think that's the real purpose of this costume." I agreed miserably. In a way Lulu had thought up the most effective way of luring in Munny-spending guys by having me dressed up like this... I sighed and tried to pull away but Axel ran a finger up my neck, which sent chills down my spine (Seriously!).
"Maybe I should really have you for dessert...You look good enough to eat right now, what with the rosy smell and all..." I know that Axel was just teasing me, but I couldn't help feeling embarrassed by his comment. I've put up against more perverted comments before but not in this kind of outfit! This is in absolutely no way a Superhero outfit!
Suddenly I felt myself being pulled away from him. Terra had stood up and firmly held me in his arms, his eyes locked into Axel's.
"Got something to say to me Herc?" Axel raised his eyebrows, his smile died down.
"Yeah, I don't like how you're drooling all over this girl." Terra objected as his grip tightens on me. Hmm, somehow he smells really nice though. I chanced a sniff as both the boys' attention was on each other and man oh man! Terra's actually wearing cologne!
"What? I'm drooling over her? You're the one who clearly wants to get it on with her!" Axel gave an evil grin while folding his arms.
"I don't want to get it on with her! Stop putting words in my mouth!"
"I haven't put anything in your mouth yet dumbass! And what's with you playing hero all the sudden huh?"
"I'm always there for a student in need of my help!"
"Don't give me that bullshit, you left me alone back in third grade when we got chased by those dogs!"
"I went to get help! And besides, that was your fault in the first place for opening a hole in their pen!"
Their argument strayed further and further away from the intended topic and I wanted to stop these two from their silly little banter but...something feels wrong here... Something's been pressing against my chest for quite awhile now and it's really rough...
I looked down and saw what made me squirm...Oh dear... "Terra..." I mumbled the boy's name, tugging on his shirt.
"Yes?" The Herculean boy snapped his head towards me.
"Could you...move your hand away please? I-I don't think this is the right place to be doing these kinds of things..." I mumbled embarrassedly, my face turning red.
It took him a good few seconds before he cottoned on what I'm saying. His left hand had been groping me all these while and neither of us noticed it...Well I kinda' felt it but... Oh dear... He quickly stumbled away from me and waved his hands around frantically.
"I-I didn't mean it! I swear! It was an accident, I didn't really mean to-!"
"It's okay..." I let out a sigh. "I know how growing boys are, what with your hormones and all that...Zack was like that too once... I guess you're just as lecherous as the other boys are (no malice intended)." I shook my head while the heat on my face cools down.
Terra's eyes grew wide with shock as he shook his head violently. "No! I'm telling you it wasn't on purpose! I'm-!"
"It's really fine Terra, just don't do it on other girls kay'?" I gave him a comforting pat on the back while Axel was laughing gleefully for some reason.
The boy looked like he swallowed a goldfish as he yelled out loud; "I'M NOT A PERVERT!"
