Chapter 14

Pretty Picture

Of course he betrayed us, he always was a conniving douche bag. I never really trusted him anyway, and I shouldn't be giving a shit that he's working against my gang, but I am. Why the hell can't I go one day without having someone betray me?

Suddenly (and unsurprisingly) I was pissed off all over again. The first thing I did was punch him in the face. Xemnas didn't seem very fazed, in fact he just grabbed my hand and bent my fingers back. My knees buckled and I was trying my best to hold in my screams. I had to get him to stop before he broke my fingers, I had to play dirty. I rammed my head into his balls as hard as I could.

Xemnas doubled over and let go of my hand, and so I took this moment as the chance to get payback for all of the bullshit Xemnas has caused. I don't care if he knew about Xion or not, this was all his fault!

I slammed my knee into Xemnas' face, then grabbed his head. I threw him to the ground and sat on his stomach, preparing to just knock him out right there. I went wild on his face, throwing punches left and right at him. It felt so good when the skin on my knuckles split, when countless bruises formed all along my hands. It felt so right.

"Fuck you...fuck you...fuck you...fuck you...it's all your fault!" Those were the words I kept repeating under my breath in-between the punches. Xemnas went unconscious a while ago, but I didn't stop. I never want to stop. But I've learned that all good things must come to an end.

Demyx came up to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. I ignored him, and kept on going. Demyx sighed, pulling me off of Xemnas. Only then did I realize I was out of breath. I was panting hard. Slowly I slid to sit on the ground next to where Xemnas lie still. I could see his chest rise and fall, which was good and bad news.

I assumed the other people Xemnas had rounded up have all been knocked out, including Xion.

"I'm going home," I say mostly to myself than to my gang. I stood up, rubbing my eyes; no one said anything while I walked away, I was glad for that. I'd rather go be a raging douche bag on my way home than have to listen to their words of wisdom.

-Underpasses-

I had very nearly passed through the underpasses undisturbed when they were standing there. Riku and Hayner. Hayner looked as ugly as ever, his dirty blond hair in that same ugly style, but Riku was much different. A cast was still on the arm I broke, his nose seemed a bit more crooked than I remember, and a scar split one of his girly eyebrows in half.

I walked past them when I Riku spun me around and smashed his fist into my nose.

"Hello to you too, Fuck Face," I said, trying to contain the anger Riku sparked all over again. Riku punched me once in the stomach. I didn't even bother to punch back, he didn't deserve the time of day.

"You're one for greetings aren't you?" I asked, my voice dripping with the sickly sweet sarcasm I had become so fond of over the years. Riku looked into my eyes, his glare already set.

"Why the hell aren't you punching back? One of your "people" is breaking the rules, don't you want to fix that?" I laughed, well, it was more of a cackle.

"If you really insist, the King will put his people back into place," I said through a smile. I grabbed Riku's shoulders, using that as leverage to get my one of my feet up onto his chest. I shoved him as best I could from that awkward position. He fell to the ground with thud. I turned around, walking away from the pathetic scene behind me.

-At home-

Mom didn't ask too many questions when I walked in, all battered and bruised. A fast learner she is. I just washed myself up and taped some gauze onto my knuckles, as I've done so many times before. I lied on my bed, something I don't do much anymore.

My thoughts went to Xion. I hate her. I don't want to, but I do. I hate her with all of my being. She made me weak and she was the beginning of my downfall.

Then there's Xemnas. He was never to be trusted. He always had a grudge against me ever since I replaced him as leader. I had always passed off his childish glares as a one sided rivalry that would pass with time. I never thought that he would try to turn me in, if he knew about Xion, that is.

There was a knock on my door, interrupting my thoughts.

"Who is it?" I called out.

"It's Namine," the person replied. Why would she be here? Last time I really spoke to her I pissed her off by saying her face was ugly.

"Come in."

The door creaked open, the first thing I saw was Namine's blonde hair all around her face. She slipped into my room and closed the door behind her.

"Hi," she said, trailing off a bit. I gave her a slight nod.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, sitting up. She walked a bit closer, shurgging.

"Axel said that you left in a hurry," she replied. I scoffed. Damn that Axel.

"Yeah, so what if I did?" I replied.

"He said you were pretty upset, and so, I wanted to cheer you up, me being one of your best friends and having that be a best friend thing to do," she said quickly. I rose an eyebrow.

"Go on."

Namine took her hands from behind her back and she was holding a piece of paper. It had a drawing on it, a pretty simple one too. It was a pencil drawing, and it was just a big old building. I got up and grabbed the paper from her hands.

Upon closer inspection I saw that the building was none other than the clock tower. I saw too figures under the clock tower, one looked like me, just standing there, looking at the ground. Not far behind me looked like Namine, though I didn't trust myself to be sure.

"It's me and you. I'm running after you. I'm sorry for how cramped and suckish it is, I whipped it up in a hurry," she said, shaking her head slightly. I smiled and hugged her.

"Thanks, Namine. No one really ever bothered to make something for me, especially a drawing like this one," I said. I admit, I was being surprisingly nice to her, but she just did something unbelievably kind and uncalled for. She at least deserves me to not be an ass.

Slowly she hugged me back.

"It's the least I could do," she replied. I detached myself and studied the drawing.

"Can you at least tell me why you're running after me?" I asked. I know that some artists like to put deeper meaning into their drawings. Whether or not Namine was one of those, I have no idea.

"Well, I guess it's because I feel like I'm running after you in everything that I do," she replied simply.

"Why would you be feeling that?"

"Because I just want to know you. You tell me everything but you haven't told me the real you," she said. And with that I lost the need to be nice.

"The real me isn't for anyone but me to know. You don't have much business in that, so I suggest you stop talking about it," I managed to say that without sounding like too much of a raging douche. Namine gave an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, I won't talk about it again. Just know that if you ever want to talk, I'll be here," she said.

"I'll keep it in mind," I reply without intending to even give it a second thought.

Namine stayed for a while longer, not too long. We laughed and told joked I heard many times before. I took special care to not stray onto the topic of Xion or Xemnas, not really in the mood to become an asshole in front of Namine.

"I'll be going now, and yes, I forgive you for all of your raging asshole moments," she said without my having to half apologize half insult. Namine started walking towards the door, I made a sudden decision, something I've been doing often as of late.

I grabbed Namine by her elbow and turned her around to face me. I brought her face close to mine, slowly, oh-so-slowly pulling her close. My forehead was against hers and she was looking me in the eyes in a heavy lidded fashion. I closed the gap between us, finally giving into the feelings I've been trying to bury for months, trying to lie about so I wouldn't have to get hurt again.

Namine pulled back after a moment, a small smile gracing her lips.

"I've been waiting for another one," she teased. I shrugged.

"Today was the day I stopped lying to myself." I gave a small head shake like it was nothing.

"So, I'll be going now," Namine awkwardly stated.

"Have fun imagining my hot body all night," I replied. Namine laughed, letting go of my shoulders, giving me a coy smile. She walked out of my room and out of my house. I waltzed to my bed and collapsed onto it.

I could always leave it to Namine to bring out this unpredictable part of me. She made me think about all of the things that hurt, the "real me" as she kindly put it.

The real me doesn't have any business being known, no business being there, really. I don't know why I have this inner self that whines and cries all the time about all of the people betraying me. The little part of me that wants people to like me, to stop being targeted by the cops, the part of me that just wants to be normal.

All I have to say to real me is, "Fuck you."

-The Next Day-

I woke up at noon, a rather common occurence. It was a Wednesday but I already slept in and I'm not in the mood to deal with the pretentious teachers anyway. I crawled out from my bed and padded over to my door, slipping on my shoes. I changed my shirt but kept on the pair of jeans I usually slept in. Of course, I couldn't leave without my signature black sweatshirt.

I walked down the stairs, spotting my parents talking near the kitchen table. My mom turns a worried gaze to me.

"You should really go to school more often you know," she said in an obvious disapproving tone. I shrugged, walking past the two of them without as much of a second glance. She scoffed and I could just see her shaking her head, my dad with a comforting hand on top of hers.

"Why should we keep paying for you to go to school if you never go?" she mused to herself. I turned back to look at them to see everything I had envisioned was in fact true.

"How about you stop paying? I wouldn't give a shit," I said before turning around and opening the door. I walked out just as I heard my dad start a fatherly rant. I rolled my eyes. Fucking parents, they're pretty useless most of the time.

I walked down the street, not having a destination in mind. Wandering was fun yet boring at the same time. I didn't have to listen to my nagging parents (an obvious plus to this situation) but I have no one to boss around (the one pitfall). I found myself in tram common, standing right in front of the general store. I contemplated going inside, but didn't in the end.

The next place I ended up was on the clock tower. I was alone, which was good. I didn't expect my gang to be there this early. I sat down on the spot I had grown plenty used to these past 3 years. I dug into my pocket and fished out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I light up a cigarette and take a large breath in. I puff it out, watching as the smoke slowly disperses.

Imagine if I come down with cancer and die just like Sora did. Just fucking imagine. How ironic that would be. I wouldn't be all too upset if I died right now, though I wouldn't want to die. What a contradiction! I chuckle at the silly thought and shake my head. Roxas Strife thinking about his death, a rather silly thought for me. My death won't be coming for a long time, that much I know.

I heard footsteps on the single staircase leading up to this spot. I turn and I see Axel staring at me, a slightly surprised look on his face.

"Well, well, well, look at what we have here. A stray Roxas," he said while chuckling.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Don't you do anything else with your day?" I asked him, turning away to look at the train tracks. Axel sat next to me and produced a box of sea salt ice cream. He took one out and started noisily eating it.

"I'm just doing what I do on most days," he said. "Want one?" he inquired, pointing at the box between us. I grunted in distaste.

"I stopped eating those shit sticks three years ago." Axel shook his head.

"Let me guess, you stopped eating them because Sora liked them so much? It makes you guilty just seeing them, doesn't it?" I snapped my head to Axel, giving him a glare intended to make him cringe. Axel didn't even flinch.

"Don't you dare bring him up," I snarled at him. Axel let out a bored breath.

"Whatever, Roxas. Forget I said anything," he said. I let out another puff of smoke, wanting to mask the smell of that sickly sweet ice cream that Sora loved so much. I admit to having liked them too, until Sora began obsessing with Paopu fruit after he went on a school trip to Destiny Islands. He never stopped talking about them, about how tangy they were and how much he liked them. I've only had them once and they never really did it for me, but I somehow managed loved them just like Sora did anyway.

I stayed there until the schools let out. I didn't want to be there once the trains came rolling around, bringing the students back. I didn't want anything else to piss me off.

Yay, Don't Mess with the Rules is back! So, while I post this I'm going to be going back and checking other chapters for major, major mistakes. Like the one in chapter one I never bothered to fix, or where I kept spelling Adidas as Adias (that one is freakishly embarassing).

This story is nearing an end. Don't worry about the lack of mushy gushy RokuNami more than a few people enjoy, it's coming in a few chapters. As for the projected length of this story, I'd say about 20 or so chapters. I have quite the ending planned for you all, whether or not you will enjoy it is another question.

Another boring chapter, not much happening. More insight on the person Roxas used to be with Sora, what Sora was to him (you sort of have to pick at some of the hints I gave in the last few paragraphs...) Slight RokuNami, not much.