Chapter 10

"Are you serious?" Riku cried, not expecting the answer.

Sora smiled back, and turned to look at the field, which was fading fast from the setting sun. Outside would soon be plunged into night, and the bright lights would flare up on the field. "Yeah, I mean it. Go for it."

This was the answer that led to his downfall, why was he re-orchestrating events to turn out the same way?

It was because he wasn't expecting things to turn out the same. The last time he gave his answer, it was because he didn't have the confidence to ask her out. He didn't believe in himself and entrusted Kairi with Riku instead. It wasn't a genuine blessing, but a blessing born out of fear.

This time was different.

He gave the same answer because he had confidence now, not in himself, but in Kairi. He trusted her, and with all the time they spent together, she had to say "no," for his sake. It would be a true test to see if he really did change this time, enough to catch Kairi's attention and reject Riku. Things could backfire on him, but he was willing to take that gamble.

"Don't worry about me, just go for it," Sora encouraged.

Riku's face brightened. "Have I ever told you that you're the best?"

"Not enough times," he remarked back.

Riku laughed at the small joke and folded his hands. "Do you think you could help me though?"

Sora raised his eyebrows. "How?"

"I know Kairi must be super-busy with being president right now, but do you think you could convince her to come to the homecoming game? My plan is to ask her to homecoming, right after we win."

Sora smirked. Riku's optimism was infectious. It was hard not to get caught up in his pace. "The victory's a foregone conclusion?"

Riku's grin answered the rhetorical question.

"Yeah, I can. It might take some convincing, but I can be very persuasive. Just so you know, I probably won't be there, especially if I convince Kairi to come."

"You'll be there in spirit," the silver boy countered.

"Definitely." They fist bumped and parted ways.

Everything came to down to the homecoming game. Kairi's response would determine whether or not this extracurricular excursion back in time would be a complete waste of time. He'd like to think that he was putting things up to chance because of faith, but perhaps it was because he still didn't believe in himself, and that he would rather trust Kairi to make the decision for him. No, he couldn't think that way, going down that road led to nothingness. Things had changed this time. He made sure of it.

In the days that followed, Riku pestered him about it constantly. Sora reassured his friend that she was going to show, he was just waiting until the last moment to convince her. The week finally approached its end.

Everybody would probably be at the game, but knowing Kairi, she would be in the council room trying to squeeze in more work. She was a raging workaholic. It was simultaneously her best and worst quality. He was the same, but they immersed themselves in their work for different reasons. Kairi worked hard because she genuinely believed in her cause. He worked hard because he wanted to distract himself from life. On the outside, they were similar, but on the inside, they were worlds apart.

As soon as he walked into the student council room, Kairi was already face-deep in some maps.

"You look like you're busy," he greeted, catching her attention.

"Sora," she grinned. She was by herself, just like he thought.

"Thinking about pulling another all-nighter?" It was just an expression; they didn't actually stay in school the whole night. It was autumn though, which meant faster days. By the time the school closed at eight and they had they to leave, it would be night.

Kairi stretched her arms back and yawned. "This is my first time throwing such a big event. It's a bit nerve-wracking and stressful. I just want everything to be perfect," she explained. "Things are coming down to the wire." Exhaustion was evident in her face. Tell-tale raccoon eyes were beginning to show.

"Is being president what you expected?"

"Temp President," she corrected. "I think I regret raising my hand. It's a lot more work than I expected, things are way bigger now than they were in middle school. If you weren't here to help, I'd be completely lost. How did you get so good at this?" It was a softball question.

"I picked it up from a…summer internship." It was a lame answer, but he threw out the first thing that came to mind.

"Really? Where at?" she probed.

"With uh...Cid."

"You mean with the same Cid who you absolutely hate working for, where all you do is carry machine parts and get made fun of?"

"Yes."

She laughed. "Well, wherever you got your skills from, I'm just glad you have them. You've been a massive help. You always seem to know exactly what to do." She had great respect for him. He went beyond what she thought he was capable of.

"If that's the case, you want to switch places?" he proposed.

"What?" It was time to spring the trap.

"I can be prez, and you can be VP," he explained simply.

"And why would I want to do that?" she said, not sure if he was serious.

"Because the homecoming game is today."

Memory finally struck her. "I forgot..." she gasped.

Sora shrugged his shoulders and took a seat. "We've been doing a lot of work lately, so Riku's been feeling a little lonely. I think he could use some moral support, and that you, could use a little break."

Her eyes tilted upwards. "I don't know, I mean there's still a lot of things I have to review and—"

"I'll take care of it," he interrupted.

She gave him a hesitant glance.

"Trust me."

"I..."

"Come on, weren't you just praising my skills a minute ago?" he reminded her.

She finally relaxed, sinking into her chair, and giggled. "You're right. I'm relying on you then. Don't let me down."

"Never," he declared, smiling. "Alright Kairi, time to get out of the cave. I'll hold the fort down in your absence." His hands went to the papers but she stopped him.

"Just before I go, do you mind if I could have just one little look at—"

"Get out of here woman!"

"Going, going!" she sang.

Sora grabbed the documents, stood up, and led her to the door. "Go out and enjoy yourself. Don't forget to cheer hard for the team!"

Kairi nodded and set off for the gym.

He shut the door and put his back against it. "Time for some work," he told himself.

He sat down at the desk and looked over the hotel floor plans, making note of the entrances and fire exits. Other locations were also marked on the map, such as the photo booth, the catering table, and the security posts. As his eyes wandered the 2D space, his mind drifted to Kairi. He was anxious to know if Kairi would say "yes" again. Unlike Destiny High's victory, the result of this situation was still very much in the air. He hoped that it wouldn't be a repeat of last time.

The memory that he fought so hard to suppress bubbled back to the surface. He blotted this incident out for the last decade of his life. He tried to drown it under years of unfounded altruism, but he found himself in the same situation now, and his only frame of reference was this memory.

Back then, Kairi wasn't the temporary president; she was a lowly intern charged with mundane tasks, and Sora was working as team manager for the blitzball team. They were both able to come and watch the game. He remembered watching the match unfold with great anxiety. It wasn't the game he was worried about; he was worried about what would happen after the game. Would Riku really ask Kairi out?

When Destiny High claimed victory and the stands emptied into the gym floor, Kairi ran up to Riku to congratulate him. Sora remained still, watching the events unfold from the sidelines. He didn't want to interfere he told himself. He was far away and could only see their lips move. Riku seemed to be thanking her and it looked like he popped the question. Kairi's face registered a small shock, but Sora read her lips clearly.

"Yes."

In that moment, all love for the couple in front of him was lost. He hated them, but most of all, he hated himself.

Riku turned to him and gave a thumbs up.

His heart shattered at the sight. Most people can't pinpoint the exact moment their lives took a turn for the worse, but for Sora, this was that moment. His legs wobbled, the energy sucked out of them from a mere thumbs up, he collapsed against the bench, and did the only thing he could think of:

Smile.

After an intense internal debate, he came up to them and offered his congratulations. From that point on, it was excuses, excuses, and more excuses.

High school relationships were usually fleeting, but that wasn't the case with Riku and Kairi. There was an instant connection that anyone could notice. They always smiled around each other and they emitted an aura of pure bliss. It was something special, something far beyond your standard high school relationship.

It was true love.

In the face of true love, what the hell could Sora do?

Absolutely nothing.

Kairi was his everything, his world, and for her to be snatched away just like that—there was nothing left. So he fell in the heaviest depression of his life. He couldn't let them know, so he acted, and maintained a cover of indifference. He decided to change outside, forced himself to become more outgoing, fixed a permanent grin on his face, and tried his best to laugh at life. He'd always had a tiny voice in his head with witty remarks on command, so he unleashed that voice in the classroom, not caring if it got him into trouble; after all, he already lost the most important thing in his life.

Once he got home though, he disappeared. He locked himself in his room and cried, stared at the ceiling, dazed, and refused to eat until absolutely necessary.

Alive at school, but dead at home.

His horrendous grades prompted an intervention by Tifa, which then inspired his subsequent academic zeal. Then he met Yuffie, who made him realize that there were better ways of ignoring the two best friends who have stuck with him for most of his life.

Yuffie was only the first.

"Hi, my name is Olette; do you think I could interview you?" She was an aspiring writer working for the school newspaper who wanted to interview him about his exploits regarding the female blitzball team. She approached him early in his project, before it really got off its feet. He was surprised he made enough noise to draw out a reporter—albeit, an extremely green one. She was a cute brunette, with long wavy hair, and wandering emerald eyes. A notepad and pen was firmly attached to her hands, a plain show of her journalistic aptitude.

Sora looked around to see who she was talking to but realized that it was him. "You're straightforward aren't you?"

Her cheeks reddened. "Was that too forward? I'm sorry."

"Its fine, it's fine. Its okay with me, but you probably won't get too many interviews talking like that. For one, did you even address me by name?"

She gasped, realizing her mistake. "Oh, sorry, sorry! You're Sora, right?"

"Yeah, I am. You have to realize the value of a good introduction. Do you know how hard it was for me to get meetings with the school administrators? I didn't even get to talk with them half the time. I had to plead with their secretaries just to get a timeslot," he revealed.

Olette hung on to his every word.

He gave her an odd look.

"Ack! I'm sorry. It's just that I'm new to this. Interviewing people seems so...daunting." He felt sorry for her, but if it was so daunting, why was she trying to do it?

"Okay. Let me give you some advice. Interviewing is all about listening. You have to make me comfortable enough to talk, so first, let's find a nice and quiet place to sit down," he instructed.

She stood there and expected him to say some more, but he was waiting for her to find a place. She quickly caught on and looked around, spotting a shady bench under a tree. She had caught him while he was leaving school, which explained why they were outside. "How about here?"

"That's just fine."

She appeared exceptionally happy for that one small victory.

Sora sat down and crossed his arms. "The next thing, you have to look interested in what I'm saying. So don't write in your notepad like you're doing right now."

"But," she started to protest, "How am I supposed to record anything?"

Sora pointed to her ears. "By listening. Now look at me and maintain eye contact."

She had extreme difficulty gazing into his eyes. "Oh no, I blinked!"

Sora cracked in amusement. "This isn't a staring contest. Just maintain eye contact. Don't lean back, lean forward. It makes you look more interested, and the most important thing, always wait for the other person to finish talking before asking another question. So, with that out of the way, you got any questions?"

"Um...do you think you could repeat all that for me?"

Though she could be exasperating at times, it was fun teaching her all the tricks that he learned when it came to talking to people. He was her first story, and ever since that interview, she would periodically check in to see his progress or pick up a few new tips. On the momentous day that Headmaster Ansem announced the formation of the female blitzball team; Olette was the first to break the news and wrote a feature detailing his entire journey. The story won an award for excellent school journalism and garnered her much attention. It was then that she transformed into an excellent writer and reporter. In their senior year, she broke another splashy story—the Xehanort-Xemnas scandal.

Then there was Pence, who was secretly taking and selling locker room photos of the school girls. He was trying to raise funds for a new camera but Sora put a stop to his shady business. Through his mom's contacts, Sora hooked Pence up with a job at a wedding photography agency, putting an end to the sordid affair.

Then there was Selphie, whom he foisted the team manager job upon, under the pretense that she could meet a lot of hot guys there. He just really hated the job. As far as he knew, Tidus and Selphie were still together in the future.

And finally there was Hayner. He really didn't do much for him, but they hung out.

All these new "friends" served but one purpose for Sora: diversion. He did it all, just to avoid having to deal with the truth: that Kairi and Riku were together. He had a good run with it. Riku was busy with blitzball and Kairi was busy as president of the Student Council, but he couldn't get away with ignoring them forever. They noticed that he was drifting away.

Enough was enough, and Riku finally confronted Sora. It was on the one day that Sora truly had nothing to do and that everybody was busy doing something else. The blitzball star cornered his estranged friend on the way home.

"Sora, we need to talk."

"Hey Riku!" he greeted back with his careless demeanor. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I got some business to attend to."

"No you don't, cut it out with the bullshit excuses already! I know you're free right now because I've talked to all of your friends. You don't think I haven't noticed? You don't think we haven't noticed?"

Sora didn't waver from his plastered grin. "Notice what?"

"That you're avoiding us! That you're shutting us out of your life. Why Sora? Is it because you still like Kairi?" the white-haired boy accused.

Sora threw his head back in laughter. "You still on about that? Wasn't I the one to tell you to go for it? I'm over her dude, she's all yours. It has nothing to do with her." That was the end of that, so Sora turned his back to get away.

Riku's firm hand stopped him. "I'm not so sure."

Sora pulled the offending appendage off him. "All I ever had for her was a crush. Nothing more. You're the one that's trying to turn this about Kairi." His eyes narrowed at Riku. Why couldn't he just leave well enough alone? Riku's very presence was a persistent reminder of his failure to act! Riku should be spending time with Kairi, not bothering some poor kid who already gave up on life.

"If it isn't about her, then what is it about? Why are you running away from us?"

Sora was at his wit's end. He couldn't ignore them now, but he had long ago prepared for a situation like this. If they weren't willing to let him go, he would just have to give them a good reason for doing so. He had to make them hate him. "Because I've found better friends now."

"Bullshit." Riku didn't believe him for one second. This was Sora, their best friend, they were practically brothers!

Sora laughed darkly. He knew what he was about to say would hurt. Even in the hardest lies, there was a tiny bit of truth. He just had to take this small truth and blow it up, embellish it to enormous heights, and Riku and Kairi will forget all about him. "Get off your high horse, when was I anything but a way for you guys to feel good about yourselves? You were always getting into fights for me and Kairi was always making decisions on my behalf. You guys never cared about what about what I thought. I couldn't so much as breathe without you guys on my ass. What's bullshit is this thing you call friendship between us. This isn't friendship, this is just obligation."

Riku was speechless. The words were harsh and bitter. They were spat with the most venom he ever heard Sora speak with. Had he been harboring these feelings all these years? "But we do care about you Sora!"

"Don't," he warned. "Just care about yourselves. We'll all be better off that way."

Riku shrank in response, unable to say anything because of the shock.

Sora clenched his teeth and walked away. He thought it would be hard to lie straight to his friend's face like that, but it was a lot easier than he thought. Was it because he was starting to believe in his own bullshit? In either case, he hoped that it would be enough to keep them away.

That was the formula. Be nice to everyone else, but be an asshole to Riku and Kairi. By the time they figured out what he was doing, it was too late.

Sora was watching over the school courtyard from the rooftop when the door behind him exploded open.

"You're a real asshole you know that?" Riku insulted as he approached the brunet. "This entire time, you were just pretending!"

It took him that long to figure it out? It had been months since their last confrontation. They never saw each other too much. His academic excellence had given him a reprieve from Riku with all the AP and honors classes on his schedule. "What makes you say that?"

"I've talked to all your friends, and they all say the same thing: you're a good guy."

He knew his plan had a loophole. If he really wanted to, he could've treated everybody like shit, but it just wasn't in him. But he wasn't going to let go of the illusion he so carefully constructed that easily. "No, I'm not." What kind of good guy abandons his friends? "What if the ones I've been pretending to all along are those 'friends' you've talked to? What if you and Kairi are the only ones who know my true nature?" It was his last ploy, a desperate attempt to throw them off his trail.

"I don't believe you. How long will you keep acting like this?" Riku wanted his friend back. Not this…hideous creation before him.

"Fortunately for you, not long." Sora pulled out a letter from his pocket and held it up. Riku snatched it away and read it. It was an acceptance letter to Twilight Town University.

"What's in Twilight Town?"

"My cousin Roxas," he answered simply, although the real question was, "What isn't in Twilight Town?" Answer: Riku and Kairi.

"So that's it? Act like a bitch for all of high school and run away?" Riku summarized.

"When you put it like that...aren't you glad your not friends with me anymore?" the boy joked.

"Fuck you."

"Elegant response, if you have nothing else to say—" Sora fell back against the rail, having been decked in the face.

It hurt, a lot.

Sora fell against the rooftop mesh and laughed. He rubbed his cheek, wincing in pain. "Ah, since you can longer fight for me, you can just fight me instead!" Sora didn't let up at all. He would continue to play for as long as he had to.

"Riku!" It was Kairi. She ran from the rooftop entrance and crouched before the brunet. "What are you doing?"

"Forget this jerk, he's not worth it." Riku clenched his fists and turned his back to them. "Congratulations Sora. You've done it. I don't give a shit about you anymore. I'm over it. You win."

"Riku…" Kairi called softly. Her boyfriend disappeared from the roof. She looked back at Sora, whose face was beginning to swell. "Are you okay?"

"Don't you have a boyfriend to look after?" he shot back.

She recoiled slightly. "Why...why are you freezing us out?"

He avoided her gaze.

"Riku may have given up on you, but I won't. I know the old Sora is still there." She held his head and turned it so that they would look at each other. His eyes wouldn't cooperate though. "I won't give up on you Sora, no matter how long it takes."

He laughed in giddy fashion. "Good luck with that." He pulled her hands off him and got up. "Don't talk to me anymore."

You lie long enough and it becomes the truth.

Despite her attempts to connect with him, it was always the same. Though he could hide from Riku in his AP classes, Kairi was also there with him. He did everything to keep her away. He ignored her, sat in front to discourage her from talking, and sacrificed the image he built from his outgoing days. He no longer discriminated and acted like an asshole to everyone. He was even starting to lose his "new" friends. He became an apparition, an illusion, and then, nothing at all.

Kairi was right though. The old Sora was still in there, somewhere, beneath the darkness, crying out for freedom.

The last few months of senior year were nothing but darkness. He had alienated everybody who had cared about him.

He gave Riku a call.

"Sora? What is it?" Riku's voice sounded tired.

"Can we meet? Just you though. If I see Kairi, I won't show up at all."

"What?"

"At the secret place." Sora hung up, without waiting for confirmation.

That night, he rowed his way to the secret place and waited. It was a full moon, and the moonlight filtered through the rock ceiling. A shadow was coming in from the entrance. It was Riku.

"Sora." It wasn't a greeting. It was just a statement of fact.

"I'm sorry," Sora apologized.

Riku's face scrunched in anger. "What?"

"I'm sorry," the brunet repeated.

Riku wasn't sure if this was just another game from Sora. He was tired of playing. All he wanted was the truth. "It's too late for apologies, you've hurt us, you've hurt Kairi!" His accusations reverberated, bounced off the stone surfaces, each echo a pang in Sora's heart.

He finally let his mask fall. The haughtiness, the self-satisfied smirk, the ever evasive wittiness, the mock hatred, all of it, melted off his face, revealing nothing but a sad smile. He threw everything away and for what? "I know...I know that you can't forgive me, but I want you to understand my reasoning. But first, you have to promise not to tell Kairi." He gave Riku a hard glare that held no room for negotiation.

Riku knew not to tread lightly. Despite his apologies, Sora was still unpredictable. "I promise."

"As you know, the graduation ceremony is tomorrow. I won't be there."

"Wai—"

"Let me finish," he warned. "I'm flying to Twilight Town tonight. This is my goodbye to you."

"But…why?" He was leaving tonight? Things were moving too fast! How could Sora call him out of the blue just to say he was going to leave?

"Because you were right Riku." Sora took in a deep breath and exhaled. He looked up at the moon through the small opening in the ceiling. "I am still fucking in love with Kairi."

"Sora—"

"Are you going to let me finish?" Riku grimaced. Sora had finally confessed what he held in for so long. It wasn't a confession under ideal circumstances; it was just an excuse for his horrid behavior now. "I can't be around you guys. Its killing me so I...I'm leaving. That way, I can get over her. Do you understand? I'm leaving so that...you guys can be happy together. The sooner you forget about me, the better."

"Are you really going to do this?" He knew the answer, just from the way Sora carried himself.

"I have to. For my own sanity's sake. You love her don't you? Take care of her and make her happy for me." That was all he wanted to say. Everybody else might hate him, but at least Riku would know the truth. Sora began moving towards the cave entrance. He was done here.

"You make yourself sound so noble. Aren't you just running away?" Riku yelled after him.

"All my life, you guys have looked out for me. I'm just returning the favor."

"You're an idiot you know that? Do you really think I'll just let you go like this?"

Sora stopped by the entrance. He didn't bother to turn around. "I didn't have to tell you this Riku. I could've just disappeared and not said anything. The only reason I'm talking to you right now is because of the same reason that you've guys have always looked after me."

"And what reason is that?" he managed to choke out.

"Obligation. Goodbye Riku. I won't be seeing you for a while; hopefully the next time we meet, we'll both be smiling."

Sora left.

Riku wanted to chase after him, but he didn't.

After Sora rowed back from the secret place, he went home to finish packing his bags. His mother asked him if he was sure he wanted to go. He had already gone this far, there was no turning back. The taxi cab was waiting outside and he put everything in the trunk.

"Are you sure you want to do this Sora?" his mother asked one more time.

"For the last time mom, yes," he answered exasperated.

She smiled back and hugged him. "You'll always be welcome back here. This is your home, never forget that."

"I won't. Goodbye mom, and if anyone asks where I am, just say I'm on vacation!"

"Goodbye son."

The taxi drove through the streets undercover of the night. It would be the last time he saw the island. There were a lot of good memories here…and a lot of bad ones too. He needed a fresh start. Even if it was his home, the environment was far too toxic for him now. It was own fault, but home was no longer hospitable. It was time to move on, to greener pastures, and to forget it all.

"Flight 10 to Twilight Town boarding in 15 minutes."

Sora looked up at the display and back at his ticket. Just 15 more minutes before everything was done. He was noticeably agitated. He could still come back home and forget this ever happened. Unknown to Riku, he had two letter of acceptances, one to Twilight Town and another to Destiny Islands University. He could just make up with Riku and Kairi and apologize. They would understand, right? But the thought of Kairi twisted his heart.

No, he couldn't return. It was impossible. He had to go. There was nothing left for him here.

It was a midnight flight, but the airport was still very busy. Since the graduation ceremony was tomorrow, relatives were probably flying in to support their graduating family. Destiny High graduations were always a big deal, plus, it was an excuse to vacation at Destiny Islands.

He opened his phone and saw more than fifty unread messages. Everybody was probably wondering where he was. He turned it off and disassembled the casing, taking out the SIM card and battery, and finally threw it in a garbage bin. He already deleted his old e-mail and Instant Messaging accounts. He wanted to start fresh, and that meant destroying everything that tethered him home.

"Sora!" Even now, her voice haunted him. Will he ever be able to let her go? "Sora!" That wasn't…his imagination was it? He turned around to see Kairi running after him.

No.

She couldn't be here! Did Riku break his promise? That bastard.

Sora collected his luggage and began moving quickly towards Gate 10 for his flight. It wasn't fair. He had to lug around his carry-on while Kairi could run unencumbered. Come on security, shouldn't you be stopping her? Running wasn't supposed to be allowed at airports!

She finally caught up to him, grabbing the back of his shirt, twisting the material in her hand, and keeping him in place. If there was one person that could keep him from leaving, it was her.

"Sora, don't leave," she pleaded.

He knew that if he saw her face, he would lose the nerve to get on the plane, so he looked at his feet, and closed his eyes. "Come on Kairi, I'm just going to a new school. This isn't goodbye. You'll hear from me," he offered, like a mother soothing her newborn.

"Don't leave."

"I have to. I'll keep in touch. It'll only be four years," he lied.

"Stay. We can just forget about everything. All I want…is the old Sora back." He could hear sniffling and sobs behind him. He was sure tears were running down her cheeks as well.

"It'll be fine Kairi. I won't leave you alone. You have Riku remember? I just need a break, from everything. Can you let me go now?"

"Promise me then. Promise that you'll call me, that you'll e-mail me, that you'll text me everyday. Promise me Sora!"

"I promise."

It was his last words to her.

And they were a complete and utter lie.

He felt something wet on his hands and quickly realized that water drops splashed against the map he was holding. He blinked off tears that leaked out against his will, wiped his eyes, and chuckled nervously, the weight of emotion distorting his laughter. What the hell was he getting sad for? That was in another time and in another place, not now. Great, his tears made a mess of the map. He was in the Student Council room, reviewing the floor plans for an upcoming homecoming. Forget about that past. It wasn't real, and if it was, it was just a premonition, a premonition he was changing right now.

"Sora? Are you okay?"

He almost fell off his chair at the sound of Kairi's voice. Where did she come from?

"Are you…crying?"

"What? No! I just yawned. My eyes get really glassy when I do that," he lamely excused.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She looked worried.

"I'm fine. It's just real boring in here by myself; I don't know how you could do it. Anyways, why are you here? Is the game over already?"

She nodded back. "It ended an hour ago."

"It did?" Time flies when you're thinking about horrible futures.

"Yeah, which is why I'm surprised to see you still here. I thought you would've left a long time ago."

"Thanks for the heads up, I think its time for me to leave."

"Okay, I'll tidy up things here and lock the room." Kairi made a move for the documents but Sora shoved the tear-stained papers away.

"I'll handle it; you can just wait outside prez." He left no room for discussion as he pushed her out of the room and closed the door. A few minutes later, he emerged. "Alright, let's go home!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the school. The sooner he got out of there, the better. Memory was beginning to sour him. When they were clear of the school grounds, he let go. He turned around to check on her, but she held her head low. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing," she said hastily. "Ahem, anyway, why are you in such a rush? Did something happen in there?"

"No, nothing happened. Just reliving some rather unpleasant memories. Anyways, how did the game turn out?" he asked, changing the subject.

"We won."

"Yaay," he said with mock enthusiasm. The result was never in question. "Was that it?"

"Well, something unexpected did happen." His heart sped up by a few notches. He was already nervous. It all came down to this answer. "After the game, Riku actually came up to me and asked me something surprising."

"Was it something awkward?"

She smiled, remembering their earlier conversations. "I guess you could say that. He asked me out to homecoming."

"Is that so?" he answered disinterestedly. His fingernails were digging deep into his palms. So what was your answer? "What did you say?"

"Aren't you interested?" she teased. Damn it Kairi! You cannot torture me over this! I've waited too long for this! He kept his mouth shut, trying his best to keep any trace of curiosity from leaking out. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

"Not really. I don't care." Yeah right.

"Aw, you're no fun. I'm feeling generous today though, so I'll tell you what I said."

"Which is…?"

"No."

"No?"

"Yup, no."

"Wait, did you say 'yup' or 'no?'" he asked, confused.

"No, you dummy!" she giggled. "I told him that I'd be too busy trying to run the homecoming dance." He let out a massive mental sigh of relief. Of course he knew she would say no!

"He must've been crushed."

Kairi shook her head. "I don't think he was crushed, but he did seem a little disappointed."

"I can imagine." Heck, he didn't have to imagine, he remembered it.

"What about you Sora? Are you going to homecoming with anybody?"

"Who's the curious one now?" he laughed.

"I'm just extending the courtesy," she shot back.

"I'm the VP too. I'm also going to be running the show, and everybody knows, it's the VP that does all the real work," he joked.

Kairi laughed. "I guess the two of us are gonna be dateless for that night huh?"

"I guess so," he said, smiling.

His gambit paid off.

Not that he was worried or anything.