Chapter Ten

Something's Going on with Him – Naminé

"Ok, I think that's all the singing that I can take for today." Naminé gasped as she rubbed her throat, sitting down. She looked over at Roxas and frowned when she saw that he was shaking his head. "Oh come on, Roxas. We've been practicing all afternoon. My voice is going hoarse."

"I don't care!" Roxas suddenly shouted, slamming a hand onto the table. The loud sound caused Naminé to jump. Her eyebrows furrowed together when Roxas started to pace back and forth, grabbing onto the ends of his hair. "You have to be perfect! You can't be anything less than perfect! If you're not perfect then you fail and life and I'm not a failure!"

"I never said you were, Roxas." Naminé replied quietly. But Roxas continued to pace back and forth, ranting as if Naminé wasn't even in the room.

"I can't fail at anything, I can't afford to. I'll prove to him that this band will go along well. I'll show him, I'll show my dad that I can get this band off the ground and become successful."

"Your dad? What does your dad have anything to do with it?" Naminé asked quietly. Roxas still continued to pace back and forth, talking to himself. "Roxas? Roxas!" she shook her head when she realized that he wasn't paying attention. Sighing, she stood up and grabbed her backpack, starting out of the room.

"Hey, where are you going?" Roxas asked in a startled tone. Naminé looked over her shoulder and saw that he looked confused. He cocked his head to the side.

"Aren't you going to help me with schoolwork?" he asked.

"How about…we hold off on it for a day?" Naminé replied slowly as she started to back up, just in case he got angry again. "I have some stuff I have to do. I completely forgot that my mom wanted me to help her pick out some maternity clothes."

"Right, how's she doing?"

"Great, fine, I have to go."

Naminé turned and shoved the door open before charging down the hallway and out the double doors that led to the entrance of the school. She stopped running when she was halfway down the street, suddenly remembering that Roxas lived in the same direction and could easily catch up to her if she wanted to.

"I don't even get why I'm running away in the first place." She said to herself and then continued to walk at a slower pace. "I mean, it's not like people aren't allowed to get mad. But…" she trailed off as she thought. "There's something wrong with him, I know it. First off, he was nice to me, and then he is ranting and raving about his dad, whom apparently he hates. I wonder what's going on."

"You know, the first sign of insanity is talking to yourself, right?" Sora said as he walked over to her. Naminé stopped walking and blinked, at first not realizing who she was talking to. "What's going on?"

"Where did you come from?" Naminé asked in confusion, still thinking about what had happened at school.

"I was just in the neighborhood and-"

"Neighborhood huh?" Naminé asked with a grin when she saw a familiar looking notebook in Sora's hand. "Just trying to give Kairi her notebook, right?" she grinned when she saw that Sora started to blush. "Or you just stole it because you wanted to have an excuse to give it back to her just to see her again. Besides, this isn't even her neighborhood."

"I know," Sora nodded confidently, although he was still blushing. "I just thought that you two would have been walking home together, like you usually do."

"Sora, why don't you just ask Kairi out?" Naminé asked as she placed her hands on her hips. "I mean, it's extremely obvious that you like her, so you might as well just go ahead and try. I'm almost positive that she likes you too."

"Really?" Sora's eyes lit up and Naminé couldn't help but smile back. She knew that Kairi would probably be mad at her for admitting her friend's secret crush, but she felt that this was going to help them get together. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." Naminé nodded and brushed her blonde hair behind her shoulders.

"Wow, cool, thanks Nami." Sora grinned and nodded. Then he looked peaceful and said something that completely shocked Naminé. "You know, I never thought that you would ever come out of your shell. You used to be extremely quiet and shy, always studying. But since you joined the band, I think things have been better for you. You're more outgoing. And, if I didn't like Kairi I think I would be giving Roxas a run for his money."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naminé asked in confusion. Sora cocked an eyebrow back at her, a teasing smile on his face.

"Roxas has a thing for you, I know you probably don't believe me-"

"Because I don't believe that we can ever be friends." Naminé interrupted. "Sorry Sora, but Roxas and I even being civil to each other is as far as we're going to get with each other. Not trying to make a reference with that one." She added quickly. "Now, go ask Kairi out, or I'll do it for you. But I think she'd want to hear it from you."

"Alright, alright" Sora held his hands up defensively. He laughed and gave Naminé a friendly hug before starting down the street.

"Oh, wait, Sora!" Naminé called after him. He stopped and turned around, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah?" he called back.

"Do you know what's up with Roxas…and his dad?" she replied. Sora hesitated and looked up and down the street before walking back over to Naminé, a serious expression on his face.

"I can't tell you about that, Nami. Rox is going to have to be the one that tells you what's going on. Whether or not he decides to tell you is his decision." He replied and then took a deep breath and let it out. "I know what it is, but I promised that I wouldn't tell, so like I said, you're going to have to ask him."

"Alright" Naminé replied and watched as he walked away. She shook her head. "What's going on?"