Chapter 13

I sat at my writing desk scribbling in my sketchbook. I had already pulled Riku's stupid red notebook out and had it under mine. I'd occasionally take peeks at it remembering all that had transpired between us. It was like an electric current that always ran through me. There was just something about him that had me going crazy inside. Crazy of doubt that he could ever love me, fear that he might stop one day, and fear of my own love that I knew was growing stronger. I jumped slightly when I heard a soft knock on my bedroom door. I turned to see Kairi, arms folded across her chest the saddest look on her face.

"What wrong? Is it Riku? Did something happen?" I asked instantly jumping out my chair and placing my hands on her arms. Leading her to sit on my bed, she looked as if she would fall.

She nodded making me crumble inside, oh God, why didn't I just say yes earlier and run into his arms? I shook Kairi making her look at me with a shocked expression, "What happened to Riku?" I yelled shaking her still.

"Naminè…Riku's safe, he's fine" I felt myself relax a little. "It's Ventus" Kairi said shaking her head on the verge of tears. Her red hair began falling her face without her noticing.

I felt my heart tighten…I felt sorry for shaking Kairi so hard now. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders as she laid her head on mine. We cried together through we only met the sweet animal once. She cried for Sora, who was so upset at the loss. I cried for Riku…We jumped as Kairi's cellphone went off in her pocket. We giggled at eachother's jumpiness as Kairi flipped the dark pink Razor cell to her ear.

"Hey Sora…Yea I just told her…Yea…Riku is burying him in the Dog graveyard in town?" Kairi nodded and peeked at me. "He wants me and you to be there." My shoulders fell as I heard that I hadn't been invited. Well I guess I did tell him I needed time...

"Sora asked if you would have had enough time to think by tomorrow" Kairi asked snapping her fingers in my face to bring me back to reality.

"What?" I jumped.

"You know…You told Riku you needed a day to think? He really needs you right now though…" Kairi placed a hand on my arm.

I thought to myself for a moment, then placing my hands on the red notebook, if anytime was right, it was now. I told Kairi, "I'll be there". Kairi smiled widely as she retold what I said to Sora. She gave me a thumbs up before pushing her dark pink phone back into her jean pocket.

(*******)

*RIKU*

"What?" I asked shaking Sora by the shoulders; he was actually wearing a goofy smile. The first smile since I had to tell him about Ventus.

"Nami said she'd come" He said smiling cheekily up at me.

I smiled a little to myself before sitting on the couch with a sigh. Was it too weird to ask the girl you loved to come help you bury your dead dog? I hoped she didn't think so… Sora came to my side instantly turning the tv on a low volume. Life was defiantly going to be noisier with him living here. I was glad I wasn't alone though… We both got into our pajamas. Sora actually wore a matching shirt and sweatpants pajamas with smiley faces on them. I normal just put on a pair of sweatpants…

"Riku?" Sora asked before he entered his room.

"yea?" I clicked the tv off and stood up.

"Tomorrow's going to be a better day" He said confidently wrapping me in a hug.

"I think your right" I said smiling at him before turning the living room light out.

I knew Sora was probably fast asleep. I was more of a night owl myself. I walked over to my drawing table sadly as I pulled the seat out to sit down. I was going to miss Ven…Now the apartment was the only thing I had of my grandfather's. I grabbed one of my favorite notebooks hoping some sketching could put my mind in a little bubble. I was right. I suddenly found myself in a world I had come to love. I ran my 2H pencil over the clean sheet of paper hearing the light purr of the lead. My 2B pencil shading in the dark aspects of her skin. I used a colored pencil for the coloring of her sea blue eyes. It was the only color other than the usual grey graphite of my drawing pencils. I bit my lip in concentration as I got the exact line of her mouth from memory. Her beautiful light lips that seemed as if they never smiled.

I sat back from my work haunted by an unnaturally real version of Naminè peering into my eyes. I just couldn't get her out of my head…and she had promised to come tomorrow. What was I going to say? Thanks for helping me bury my dog? What if she decided not to show? I knew better than that. If she said she'd come…she'd come.

(*******)

Life had defiantly become weirder when Cloud had come home the hospital in the morning. Not having to go to school on a saturday I was able to help Aunt Tifa get him inside and to the brown leather recliner that use to be his favorite.

"Thanks ladies" He said giving us a grateful look. Aunt Tifa walked outside to get some more of his things.

"No problem…Happy to do it" I said fluffing the pillow that was holding his legs straight.

"So…Naminè…How have you been since I…well you know" Cloud asked settling in.

"I've been good. I'm still into art, I really want to get into Twilight Town's Art Academy…I'm going to start the enrolling process in the summer" I said standing back admiring my work with the pillow and checking to see if anything else is wrong.

"Sounds like you got yourself a plan" Cloud said impressed. I shrugged. When you knew what you wanted to do you worked for it.

"I hope you know…that Your aunt and I will always be here for you" He said getting serious for a moment.

"Oh I know…thank you" I said awkwardly.

"Can I ask you something…just between us?" He asked motioning for me to bend down…

"Sure" I said bending one knee so he could whisper…

"Do you think your aunt would agree to actually marry me? And not just be engaged to me?" He asked lightly almost worried.

I smiled at him and leaned in too, "I think it's what she's always wanted" his face suddenly became easy as he leaned back, hissing at the pain.

"If I did marry your aunt…are you going to call me Uncle Cloud?" He asked winking at me. He never lost his spirit, I could see how aunt Tifa fell in love with him...

"You bet your gold wedding band I am" I said standing up and giving him a hug.

I was able to break the hug before Aunt Tifa walked into the house and noticed something was up. Uncle Cloud and I were already scheming on how he should propose for the second time. She gave me a quizzical look but dropped it once I skipped to my room to spend my regular hour of practice drawing. "Good Skill requires constant practice" as Miss Aerith says every time she ends class.

I had two hours before the funeral for Ventus. Kairi was already swarming my closet trying to figure out the perfect outfit to wear to a dog's funeral. Which I informed her was something black. I got a smirk and a toss of the head as a reply. She ended up grabbing a black dress with a silk outline. It was short and came up above the knees. She placed it up above me to see how it would look and I shook my head.

"That was my mother's" I said turning away in my desk chair.

"Come on Nami, you'd look really good in it! It's black, very beautiful. And with a scarf it wouldn't look too fancy!" She whinned placing it softly on my bed. She quickly skipped towards my dresser drawers and grabbed my white scarf. She lightly placed it on the dress and stepped back to admire her handy work. She quickly turned and grabbed my black leather wedge boots and placed it infront of the bed.

"Tada!" She exclaimed smiling at me. I had to admit…it did look like a very cute outfit.

"I don't know Kai…a dress in December?" I asked trying to think up of any excuse I could.

She snapped her fingers and ran to my drawers again quickly grabbing a pair of black leggings.

"See, now you have no reason to object. You will look gorgeous Nami! Oh your mom would be so proud" She said placing a hand on my shoulder. I gently nodded…If I was going to see Riku, I might as well look nice while doing it.

"Wow" Uncle Cloud gasped as I walked out into the living room.

"Honey Bee…"Aunt Tifa called me by my nickname from my mother, with a tear in her eye. "You look just like your mom" She took a stray hair and put it in place for me.

"I'm going to the funeral. Then I think we were thinking about going out to eat…Maybe at Xalden's Lancer Café" I said grabbing my small black handbag that Kairi let me borrow.

"Here" Cloud said pulling his wallet out. I declined but he pushed it in my hand and told me to enjoy myself. He was a hard one to argue with.

I stepped off the porch into the warming sunshine. It was still pretty cold, and I could see my breath. But nothing felt better than that warm light on my face. I started to walk down the street hearing my heels click with each step I took. Riku had offered to pick us up, but I really wanted to walk. There was something I had to do before the funeral anyway. He was picking Kairi up in thirty minutes. I walked by the small park that we had went to yesterday. I felt a shiver as I remembered the kiss…and it wasn't even on the lips. I'd hate to see what an actual kiss would do to me. I'd be dazed for days. I laughed at myself shaking my head as I walked into The Graceful Nymph Florist. Stopping when I saw a familiar head of pink hair greet me in the doorway.

"Naminè!" Marley said as the silver bell on the door jingled. I blushed thinking of how I had pushed by him yesterday without a word. He must think I'm so immature.

"Hey Marluxia, You work here?" I asked eyeing the light blue apron that he adorned with fresh picked roses.

"Yea…you know, saving up for a car" He said with a shrug. "What can I do for you?" He put his watering can down and walked up to me.

"I need three red roses" I said feeling lightheaded from all the fresh aromas of the flowers. If that wasn't enough I began to get in a daze with all the colors that each petal had. It was so breathtaking, I could see the charm of working in the cute little florets shop.

"Sure thing" He said going over to the rose section and hand selecting each one. "Um Naminè" He said stepping behind the desk as I took my wallet out. "I'm sorry about yesterday…when I had mentioned a kiss…I was talking about you kissing Riku on the cheek a couple days ago " Marley said uncomfortably.

I looked up at him a little surprise, "How did you know about that?" I asked handing him six munny.

"Riku told me when he came in to French class that morning. He was all excited about it" Marley said with a shrug pressing little buttons on the old fashioned cash register.

I tired to ask Marley more, but he kept telling me they're wasn't much to he mentioned that Demyx had called him and told him what happened.

"He really does love you, you know. I have never seen a girl hold his attention like you 's talked about you ever since you came to Twilight Town high."

Marluxia was a lot like Demyx when it came to listening. He wasn't as good with the advise, but I knew he meant well. He in turn asked my help when it came to a new girl he had liked for a while.

"Her name's Larxene, she's my boss's daughter" Marley said with a light laugh.

"I've heard of her...she use to bully Kairi around in elementary school"

"She's not like that anymore, she grew out of it" Marley was quick to say.

"I've never met her, but she seems...nice" I said struggling to find the right word.

"Well...The problem is, I have never liked a girl like I like her. You could almost call it love. But she doesn't give me the time of day, she only texts me when her daddy needs me to make a delivery or work in the shop. Marley huffed in frustration, blowing his pink bangs out of his face.

"Have you tried to spend some time together? Like outside of school and the florets shop?"

Marley shook his head, "That's a good idea though, thanks Naminè".

"Marley can I ask you something?...What's with the hair?".

"Meant to dye it red" he said rolling his eyes. "And this is how it turned out".

I laughed lightly before turning turning back to him again "I like it".

He winked at me, "Most chicks do".

I laughed lightly waving goodbye.I stepped back into the glorious sunshine and I strolled down the busy street of Twilight Town.