The next day everyone was buzzing with excitement about the dance. Roxas sighed when the representative for the Junior and Senior class came up to Roxas, he knew what she wanted, she wanted him to plan the dance and be on the committee, that was the only time someone really talked to him, "Roxas! We need you to plan the dance! You're the only one who does a good job!"
"Whatever." Roxas looked away and shut his locker. "When is the first meeting?"
"Well, you're the only member so far, I can't do it because I'm, not going to be able to stay after. So you have to pick the dates and where you meet. You also need to get people on the committee or there will be no dance!"
"But people don't even talk to me!"
"You only need like five or six people! Ask your brothers, Zexion, and your new friends! And if you need more I'm sure Cloud and Sora will be happy to get people. I have to go." The girl hurried down the hall just as people were starting to walk into the hallways. The minute Roxas caught sight of his friends he ran up to them.
"I need your help!" Roxas paused and smiled at Axel "Hi Axel."
"Calm down Rox. What do you need our help with?" Cloud asked looking at him with a puzzled look.
"The representative put me in charge of the schools dance and no one else but me is on the committee! Please! I need your help!"
"Alright, Rox, calm down, of course we'll help. When and where are the meetings?"
"The first one is today after school and it's in the library."
"Alright, we'll be there."
"Thank you guys so much! You're life savers!" Roxas said with a smile. Cloud and Sora couldn't help but notice that its one of the first times Roxas has actually smiled in school. In fact, he's been smiling much more ever since they met Leon, Riku, Demyx, and Axel.
Even though the name calling and insults haven't stopped, the abuse has. And with Axel around people have stopped a bit, he now had Axel to protect him, and they shared every class together, which was even better. After school everyone met in the library and Roxas explained what the past dances were like.
"So at the past dances we had a DJ but this year Mr. Isa asked HEArtS and I to perform so I guess, we'll perform and then just hook an iPod up and let it play for the remander of the time." Roxas said. Everyone nodded. "So are we going to have a theme? Or just have it casual like last year?" Roxas asked, directing the question mostly towards Sora Cloud and Zexion.
"Well last year sucked," Cloud said,
"Yea, almost no one showed." Sora said
"We spent so much money last year on the DJ and everything too." Zexion said
"I think it would be best to have a theme," Cloud said
"Yea, the people that did show up, dressed like bums, and all the colors were wacked, it sucked last year." Sora said.
"Okay, so what theme should we use? It can't be something extravagant because then prom would suck…" Roxas said writing something down on a piece of paper.
"Hmmm, how about Music night?"
"No, too… expected."
"Yea, I mean, you guys are here and everyone knows you're performing, it seems just a bit too obvious." Roxas said, "Sorry."
"Nah it's cool, you guys are right." Axel said with a smile. "Hmm…"
"Wait, Rox, they may be on to something, though it's true Music Night is expected, what about A Night in the Stars?"
"Woah."
"That actually seems like a good idea!"
For the rest of the afternoon they searched for decorations and posters and other things they needed to make this dance happen, some stayed at the school on Zexion's laptop while the others went from store to store looking for decortations, although they didn't know their budget they found a lot of things that they could use, and luckily a lot of the things were cheap and affordable. When they noticed it was five they decided to go home and get ready for school in the morning and finish their homework.
"So Cloud did you guys find anything for the dance?" Roxas asked once they were home. Roxas and Cloud sat on the couch in front of the window and Sora sat on the recliner next to the couch.
"Yea, Zexion saved the websites on his computer so we can re-visit them with everyone, we'll probably continue tomorrow at free period okay?" Roxas and Sora nodded. "What about you guys? Did you see anything in the stores you think we could use?"
"Yea, we wrote down the stores right here." Sora said handing Cloud a piece of paper with at least 40 stores written down.
"I think this dance is going to be better than prom!" Cloud said with a smile.
"Well, we don't want that." Roxas said with a small laugh, "Besides, I'll probably be on that committee too, I'll probably be the one in charge, like always, so I can make this prom the best prom this school has every seen."
"Just like this dance?"
"Just like this dance."
"Rox, I'm so proud of you! You've come a long way since the beginning of the year, you've really stepped up." Cloud said as he ruffled Roxas' hair.
Roxas smiled and looked out the window watching birds fly past. He suddenly found himself wondering where their father was. "Hey where's dad?"
Cloud shrugged and Sora mumbled, "Beats me."
Roxas stood up, shrugged, and walked to the kitchen. As he was pouring himself some orange juice there was a knock on the back door. He put the juice back and picked up his glass on his way to the door. He opened it and smiled at the person. "Hey, you're…"
"Now is not the time Roxas. Where is your father?" the man asked pushing Roxas out of the way. "He's in trouble." The glass dropped out of Roxas' hands and splattered all over the floor.