"Here you go Talia!!!"

"Thank you," I smiled as the 12th grade class president handed me my graduation invitations. I can't believe next Saturday I'll be graduating from high school and moving to Atlantica to start college life!

Things are happening so quickly.

"Talia?"

I'm sure gonna miss everyone.

"Tally?"

I have to admit this too… I'm gonna… miss Sora.

"Tally-Chan?!"

"What?!?" I jumped and turned to look up at Sora.

"Class is over," he grinned at me.

"Oh…" he was right. Class was over. In fact we were the only 2 in here.

"So what are you doing after school?" He asked me.

"Ugh… I got to work until 7," I made a face that caused Sora to laugh a little.

"Oh… so I guess you're not going to the festival are you?" Sora asked.

"What festival?" I asked him as I grabbed my books and walked ahead of him out the classroom.

Sora blushed and ran up to me.

"The annual Destiny High festival. It's fun! We have like games and stuff."

"And stuff…" I repeated.

"Oh like there's the Test of Courage."

"Oh…" My eyes widened when he mentioned "Test of Courage."

Scary stuff and I do not mix. At all.

"Yeah!"

My face paled. There was absolutely no way I was gonna go into a Test of Courage. No way man, I don't think so.

"Er… I don't think I can make it…" I smiled nervously at Sora.

He blinked at me and I blinked back.

"Liar," he simply said and smiled slightly at me.

"Nuh uh! I'm not lying!" I frown at him.

"Uh huh, so what you have to do that cause you to miss the festival?" Sora got real close to my face.

I blushed and blinked as my eyes went crossed eyed.

iThump!

Thump!

Thump!/i

Why is my heart beating fast?

Oh well.

"Uh… I have to um… er… I'm hanging out with Hayner and the guys after work?" I tried to make it sound more of a statement instead of a question.

"Okay yeah… sure Talia…" Sora walked ahead me before turning back around with one of his infamous grins, "But… I hope you know they're going to!"

And with that he ran off laughing slightly to himself while I stood there cursing myself for forgetting my friends LIVE for scary things.

Darn it. I guess I have to go after all.

center~*~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"So Tally, you going to the festival after work?" Melanie batted her eyes at me.

"Yeah…" I let my head fall onto the check-out desk.

"Are you gonna go in… the Test of Courage?" Melanie's voice suddenly dropped dramatically and sounded eerie, causing me to quickly lift my head up in fright.

"Shut up!" I yelled at her.

"… Are you?"

"If Hayner or Roxas or somebody goes in with me…"

"Oh, okay hun. Well…"

She suddenly appeared behind me.

"Have fun," she said in another eerie voice.

This time I grabbed the nearest book and smacked her on the head with it.

"Meany…" She slithered away while rubbing her head with a pout on her face.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Going out again Talia?" My dad asked me. I finished tying up my shoes and looked over at him.

"Yeah… why?" I raised a brow.

"Oh no reason… do you happen to be hanging out with that Sora kid again?"

I frowned at him. This was no time to go "over-protective" father on me. I have to get to the festival and hide from my friends and Sora! That way they can't find me and I won't have to go into the Test of Courage. Just the thought of it made me shiver.

"Nah…" Hm… maybe I should mess with my daddy a little, "I'm going out with Roxas!"

"WHAT?!?!"

Guess who.

My mom came running into the living room from the kitchen and grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me crazily.

"TALIA ARISA KISARAGI IS WHAT MY YOUNG EARS TELL ME THE TRUTH OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID?!?!"

Damn… how do I tell her it was just a joke to upset my father? Oh well… guess I better keep playing around. Good thing my friends aren't coming to pick me up.

"TALIA ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! YOU AND ROXAS ARE A COUPLE NOW?!?!" She screamed in my face with a scary looking grin on her face.

"Er… yeah?" I nodded my head awkwardly.

"Oh this is great! Vincent lets hurry up and plan the wedding!"

"Wedding?" My dad and I said in unison while glancing at each other.

Whelp… its official. My mom has completely lost her 24 year old mind.

"And here I thought you were going to get together with that popular boy! Now I see you were fated with Roxas."

"I guess?" I said unsurely.

iDing dong./i

I walked to the door and answered. Gee… my luck just keeps getting better and better.

"Hey Talia! Ready to go? Hayner and the others are waiting. They sent me to pick you up."

"Roxas shut up!" I hushed the blonde boy. He blinked at my hand over his mouth.

"Talia? Who is it?" My mom called from the living room.

"Uh… mom gotta go! It's um… er… bye!"

With that I pushed Roxas out the door and slammed the door behind me.

"Keep walking and don't look back," I continued to lead Roxas.

"Hey Talia!"

Oh great. It's the other one!

Sora came to a halt as I had Roxas in a position that looked as if I was arresting him for killing a 65 year old woman.

"Er… hi?" I said awkwardly.

"Um… are you perhaps heading towards the festival?" Sora asked, completely ignoring the death glares Roxas was sending him.

"Yup! Roxas and I are going to meet up with my other friends."

"Oh! I'm meeting up with Riku and Kairi."

"Okay, wanna walk with us then?" I asked him as I still held Roxas in a threatening position.

"Sure…" Sora smiled at me. Roxas just rolled his eyes.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

My eyes widened at how huge the festival was. They had games, shows, and then of course… was the test of courage. Sora had ditched Roxas and me after he took notice of Kairi and Riku at a ring toss stand. So now it was just Roxas, Olette, Hayner, Pence, and me!

"So Talia, walk here with Roxas?" Hayner smirked at me.

"Yeah… why?" I asked.

"Oh no reason…" he rocked back and forth on his feet.

"So Tally, going in the test of courage?" Olette smiled at me, already knowing the answer.

"Hell no! You guys know I'm terrified of scary stuff!" I frowned at them.

"I'll be with you Talia," Roxas said reassuringly.

"I'm pretty sure you all will, but I still don't want to go in it."

"Whatever! Let's just go get something to eat! I'm starving," Pence whined while holding his stomach.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Hey guys…" Sora said once he reached over where Kairi and Riku were.

"What up?" Riku smirked at his friend.

"Hey Sora… you walk her by yourself?" Kairi asked as she focused on throwing the ring on the pole.

"Her?" Sora blinked confused.

"I-I mean here! Did you walk here by yourself?" Kairi stuttered.

"Um… no, I walked here with Talia and Roxas."

Kairi missed her target once she heard Sora say Talia. She tightened her fist and lightly growled under her breath. Riku raised a brow at the steaming redhead as he saw her reaction.

"Kai… you okay?" Sora patted Kairi on her shoulder.

Kairi blushed under his touch. "J-just fine. Where is Talia?"

"She's with her friends. Why?"

"Just wondering is all…"

"I thought maybe her friends and us could walk through the Test of Courage together…" Sora said in a questioning voice.

"Sure!"

"No!"

Kairi and Riku glared at each other.

"I'm a girl! So whatever I say goes!" Kairi debated with Riku.

"I don't give a damn Kai. I'm the oldest out of all you guys. I say sure!" Riku argued back.

"I want it to just be us 3! Like how it used to be!"

"Well there is always room for new friends, right Sora?" Riku turned to Sora.

"Sora tell him that we need to spend quality time together iwithout/i Talia and her posse."

Sora looked back and forth from Kairi to Riku. He surely did not want to choose from hanging with Talia to just entering the Test of Courage with just them 3.

"C'mon Sora! Choose already!" Kairi began to make a face she was absolutely Sora could not resist.

Riku rolled his eyes at Kairi and looked at Sora with an "I could care less" expression.

"I guess… us three could just go." Sora said.

"YAY!!!" Kairi began to jump up and down while clapping.

"Well then, let's go," Riku said as he began to walk ahead of them.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"No! Don't make go in there you guys!!!" I tried to pull back as my friends pulled me towards the entrance of the Test of Courage.

Olette and Roxas were pulling my arms towards the entrance while Hayner was behind me pushing me from my back. Pence was walking beside me, munching on some sea salt strawberry ice cream.

"Help Pence! Please!?!" I turned my attention to him as he licked his ice cream.

"Sorry Tally, I'm eating. I would help but…"

I pouted as we reached the line of the Test of Courage.

"Look its Sora and his friends!" Pence pointed out towards the trio.

My attention suddenly turned towards Sora. He was waiting in line with Kairi and Riku while talking to Kairi. Kairi was grinning at him while he made a face at her.

Kairi sure does love him, doesn't she?

i"…But you love him more!"/i

"W-what? I do not!" I suddenly said aloud.

"You don't what Talia?" Roxas looked at me who had abruptly stopped struggling and waited in line patiently.

"Uh… didn't someone say…?" I looked confused.

"Say what?"

"Eh… never mind!" I shook my head and forced a smile to my friends.

"I bet she's just stalling because we're next in line to go in!" Hayner said.

Wait… next in line?

I looked up and sure enough, we were next in line to go in.

"Well well well, if it isn't Talia and her friends?"

We looked over to Riku who was standing in front of us and smirking at me for some strange reason. Why was he smirking at me in the first place? I have no clue.

"Hey Riku…" I said slowly.

Kairi glared at me when my attention went over to her. I gladly returned the look towards her.

"We should go in together!" Pence said as he threw his ice cream stick on the ground.

"No!" Hayner, Olette, Roxas, and Kairi yelled in unison.

"Aw why not? I want to go in with Talia so I can scare her!" Sora grinned.

I blushed. "S-shut up!"

"Whatever, let's just go in together."

Our small group of 8 walked in together to meet up with a bigger group of people. Everyone was talking and carrying on while some were looking quite a bit pale from the little light that surrounded us. I was one of those people.

"Settle down everyone! We have to begin the story now!" The story-teller said to the group of people.

Everyone immediately quieted down and started to listen intently to the story-teller guy.

"Several years ago, a girl by the name of Amanda Heartily attended this very school. She was the one of the prettiest red-headed girls in the school and all the guys took advantage of her except for her guy best friend. Amanda was in love with her guy best friend but he never felt the same and made sure she knew about it. One day, after seeing her guy friend making out with another girl, Amanda ran into these very woods behind this school where she hung herself from a tree branch. Several days later her body was discovered by her guy friend. After his discovery, no one ever saw him leave the woods. Now they say, whoever enters these woods will never return. As Amanda will haunt and kill you slowly."

"All right let's go!" A random guy shouted.

"Okay everyone get together with a partner." The story-teller guy said.

"Wanna be my partner Tally?"

I looked up at Sora and nodded my head. Heh, as long as someone is going in with me, I could care less who my partner is.

"Riku! You're my partner!" Kairi whispered to the silverette.

"No thanks…"

"You iwill/i be my partner! You have no say in this!"

Riku gave Kairi a look that said "Who do you think you're talking to like that?"

Kairi glared at him in response.

"Yo Pence, wanna be my partner?" Riku called over to the short chubby guy.

"Sure… I guess," Pence shrugged.

Kairi's face literally turned red from anger.

"Fine… I see how it is! I'll just go in with Hayner!"

"Nope. I'm with Olette. Go in with Roxas," Hayner smiled sheepishly at her.

"Fine…" Kairi rolled her eyes.

"If it makes you feel any better… I really don't want to go in with you either," Roxas stared as Talia and Sora walked together in the Test of Courage.

"Hm… wanna get your girl Roxas?" Kairi smiled slyly at him.

Roxas raised his brow at her as they began to walk into the woods.

"Here's what we need to do…"

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

I was truly TERRIFIED of everything. Every now and then a shadow figure would quickly run past me and Sora, causing me to scream. Then children's laughter and screams could be heard everywhere. The path was invisible due to all the fog and little light. Only light we had was this small lantern they gave Sora before we entered.

How Sora put up with this, I have no clue.

"Talia you do know this stuff is all fake right? None of it is real." Sora reassured me.

"I-I know…" I unnoticeably stood closer to him, causing are arms to brush against each other.

This time I felt something cold and slimy touch my arm that wasn't close to Sora. My reaction? I jumped and quickly wrapped my arms around Sora's neck, causing him to stop in his tracks.

"Um… Talia, I can't really walk with you holding on to me like this…"

I quickly let go and blushed. "S-sorry."

"If it makes you feel better, I can hold your hand?"

I grabbed his hand and we continued to walk through the scary maze.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Let's just get this straight. I am not gay. I'm only your partner because I didn't want to partner up with Kairi." Riku explained to Pence.

"I understand… I didn't walk with one my friends either… I get sick of their little shenanigans," Pence rolled his eyes.

"Shenanigans? Like what?"

"Like trying to break up Talia and Sora. They want Talia to like Roxas not Sora and they think Sora is interfering. I personally think Talia and Sora are cute together, no homo."

"Wow… Kairi is trying to get me to do the same thing. I don't want to get involve but she's so… demanding. I think Sora really likes Talia…"

"How do you know?" Pence asked as he accidently ran into a headless body hanging from a tree limb.

"He talks to her nonstop when he's not around her."

"I think… we should team up!" Pence said.

"What," Riku turned to the short boy.

"Like… my friends and Kairi are like on the same page, so if we break from their book and start a new one, maybe we can throw their book off the market."

"Okay… what the hell did you just say?"

Pence sighed. "I mean we should stop getting involved with their plans and we should team up and make sure they don't ruin Talia and Sora's relationship."

"Oh… that makes sense. Okay… sure."

"Excellent."

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Kairi can you iplease/i stop walking so slow." Roxas complained.

"No… we want to keep a safe distance from them so I can jump out and scare them."

"You mean Talia…"

"Whatever! Just make sure you grab Talia when I scare her and then I'll kidnap Sora!"

"I got it."

"Good…" Kairi shined the light in his face. Her frown suddenly turned into a light smile.

"Hey Roxas… ever noticed you look like Sora?"

"No…"

"Oh… well… anyway, let's continue on."

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

Finally Sora and I have reached the middle of the forest, where that Amanda or Samantha girl hung herself. I was still holding onto Sora's hand.

Sora had to walk slowly with me because I was scared something was going to jump out at me.

"Talia they said this is the least scary part… so it's okay."

"Yeah… sure," I said.

He laughed slowly as he shined the light closer to me. His smile slowly faded as he could see my face.

"You're very pretty Talia…" he whispered quietly.

"What?" I quickly turned to him.

"Ah… nothing, let's go!" He said nervously.

I smiled as we continued to take baby steps towards the exit of the forest. I heard perfectly well what he said.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Ready Roxas?"

"I still don't get how we passed them without them seeing us."

"Whatever. Do I look scary?"

Roxas shined the light on Kairi. All she did was cover her face with powder, darkened her eyeliner around her eyes and heavily put blood red lipstick on her lips. Not really scary, but to Talia; it would be terrifying.

"Alright, get behind that bush," Kairi directed Roxas.

"…Fine…" Roxas sighed and got behind the bush like he was ordered to do.

"Time for plan: Scare Talia to Roxas and get Sora to Kairi!"

"Wow… that's the longest plan I ever heard." Roxas said.

"Shut up! They're coming!" Kairi hissed.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"See it wasn't that bad. We're almost to the exit."

"I guess…" I shrugged.

I was not so scared now. After we left the middle of the forest everything seemed to calm down. Not too many people popped up at us. It was still as dark as hell, but not too bad. I wonder how Roxas and the others are doing. Olette is probably hanging onto Hayner for her dear life.

Ha… I'm not scared anymore.

"Talia stop!"

"Huh?" I blinked. I turned around and saw Sora had stopped walking and had a terrified face on.

I turned back around and came face to face with the ghost of Amanda. Too frightened to move, I stared at the girl as she slowly started to reach out for me. As soon as she was about an inch away from me I felt someone quickly pick me up bridal style and run off. Tears of fear were already spilling from eyes.

I couldn't even see who picked me up.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Kairi!?!" Sora said as he recognized the redhead through all the make-up.

"Who is this Kairi," she said in a ghostly voice.

"Kairi… stop playing. It's obviously you because Roxas just came and kidnapped Talia."

"Fine it's me."

"What are you doing?" Sora asked.

"I… um… thought we could play a little joke on you guys. No harm. I didn't know she was that much of a scaredy cat," Kairi laughed slightly to herself but stopped once she saw Sora run past her.

"Where you going?" Kairi asked.

"To find Talia," Sora called back at her.

Kairi's eyes glared at Sora as he ran off in the direction Talia and Roxas had gone.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

"Roxas!?!?" I glared at him. He smiled sheepishly at me.

"Hey Tally…"

"Don't "Hey Tally" me! How icould/i you? And was that Kairi!?!" I asked.

"Kairi…? How'd you-"

"I'm not dumb. I can't believe you did that! I guess I should have expected it though… you, Hayner, and Olette have been constantly trying to ruin me and Sora! And I'm sick of it! Listen, if you like me so much… then you should be able to trust me."

With that I walked off into the woods, hoping that I could get back on the right path to outside this stupid Test of Courage thing. While walking I ran into some scary looking people. Was I going backwards in this place?

I got scared again. First I have no freakin clue where I am and now scary people are popping out at me. And what's worse is that I don't have a small lantern with me so I can see, so it's pitch black.

"Talia…?"

I heard my name being called from a distant. Of course, I got scared as it sounded all ghost like.

Then I saw a small light come out of nowhere along with the person calling my name. I froze as it got closer and closer. I felt my tears coming back.

Well… this is the end of me. I knew this place was really haunted from the moment I stepped foot in here.

"Talia!"

The ghost touched me and I broke down crying.

"Tally-Chan why are you crying? It's okay…" the ghost suddenly set down the lantern and hugged me.

Wait… this isn't a ghost.

It's Sora.

I slowly wrapped my arms around him, hugging him back. We stopped hugging and I looked confused.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"The beginning of the maze."

"Oh… that explains why people were jumping out at me again."

Sora laughed slightly at me.

We heard laughter coming from behind us and the sound of running feet. I soon saw some young kids running quickly behind Sora.

"Sora watch out-"

Too late. The kids bumped into Sora hard causing him to fall over.

That's not all what happened.

He had accidentally kissed me.

My eyes were widened but they were slowly coming to a close.

Why… were… they… coming to a close? I couldn't think straight. My mind was completely blank. And… why was neither of us pulling back from the kiss?

Finally my senses came back and I pulled away. My face completely red and confused.

"Ah… sorry-"

"I-it's okay… I um… have to go," I quickly said and started to run out the Test of Courage.

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

As I ran out the Test of Courage, I had run into Roxas and the gang. Riku and Kairi were standing their also, waiting for Sora I guess.

Hayner caught my arm as I ran past him.

"Talia what's wrong?"

They all saw the tears running down my face.

"Let me go please… I'm going home…" I said quietly.

He let go of me and let me run off towards the direction of Twilight Town.

When I got home I went straight to my room. My mom was constantly knocking on my door, wondering why I came home so early and why was I crying.

Tell you the truth; I had no clue why I was crying either. All this emotions came over me after I kissed Sora. I suddenly got nervous around him and my heart was beating uncontrollably.

Am…

Am I in love with…Sora?

center~*~*~*~*~*~/center

Kairi sat one of the outside tables with Riku in front of the café in the festival. Sora had suddenly decided to go home early like Talia. She couldn't help but get the feeling that something happened between those two while they were in there.

"Tidus you ran into Sora and caused him to kiss that girl, ya!" Wakka frowned at his younger friend.

"So? That girl sure didn't oppose to pulling back from the kiss anytime soon and Sora seemed too shocked to do anything, but he was blushing big time!"

Kairi's cup that was in her hand dropped to the table. Riku looked at the redhead carefully.

"Kairi… stop…"

Kairi looked over to Riku and frowned.

"Riku… I'm gonna make the rest of that girl's high school year a living hell."