Why yes, I am aware that I am a lazy piece of shit. There's no excuse for my lengthy absence.

If none of you knew already, I'm on hiatus, so it shouldn't be a surprise that updates are rare. I won't make any promises to update soon or anything either. We all know that only disappointment awaits when I do that. But I will try to keep writing.

Here's the next chapter. I was going to make it longer in order to make up for my absence, but we've already stated how lazy I am.

********************************* (where the heck did the divider go? Damn formatting)

Needless to say, chemistry was a nightmare.

I couldn't focus on anything Professor Merlin was saying at the start of class aside from a semi-ironic comment about paying attention in class in light of my accident yesterday. My chest ached as I sat next to Riku, still numb from our fight, waiting for him to acknowledge me. I missed Merlin explaining today's experiment, but the lesson number was on the board and Riku was already flipping through his text book.

He was pointedly ignoring me, averting his eyes at all costs. He took over the experiment, hoarding the chemicals and mixing them in the proper order without sparing me a single glance. I recorded the results dutifully but despondently. I wanted to apologize but I knew Riku was too pissed to even listen, so I kept quiet and half-heartedly (and probably incorrectly) described the reactions occurring in the test tubes.

I was a rollercoaster of melancholy and rage for the remainder of the class. Naturally I was upset about Riku's response to everything, but I was also furious at the way he attacked the Strife boys and tried to tell me what to do. Riku was my best friend, my brother, and to have him order me around and tell me what was best for me was too much. It was one thing to be protective; it was another to dictate my actions.

But at the same time, the space between us was palpable. We'd never had a fight this large, and the way we both seemed broken by it made it that much worse.

A wet splotch dropped onto my loose-leaf, muddling the words I'd written. I quickly rubbed the water that had gathered in my eyes and dabbed at the page, frustrated with my emotions. I was in class. I had to get a grip. Riku and I would be alright. We just needed to cool down and then talk it out. We always did.

From the corner of my eye I caught Riku's glance. It was focused on my tears with concern, but quickly turned hard and darted away.

My vision blurred and the bell rang.

Shoving my materials into my bag, I bolted from the classroom and hightailed it to Home Ec. I didn't bother checking to see if Riku was following or watching me leave, I knew he didn't care. Not now anyway.

It was strange— horrifying really. I'd never seen Riku this cold. He was usually the level-headed one. I was more often than not the one throwing the tantrum. Riku would always give me a little bit of time and space to cool down before coming to apologize and talk things over. He was always so patient with my moods, to have him essentially shun me was heartbreaking.

My eyes were still red when I hustled into the Home Economic room. I rushed passed Selphie and Titus flirting in their kitchenette, too distracted to even think about congratulating her on her budding romance. The classroom was relatively empty aside from the blossoming couple and spiky-haired boy that loitered in my kitchen space.

The smile Sora greeted me with immediately disappeared when his gaze landed on mine. He stood up straight and looked at me, alarmed.

"Kairi, what happened?"

I sniffed a little despite myself. "First period sucked."

He reached for my arm, his fingers grazing the skin. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"I had a fight with," I paused, "a friend." Sora and Riku were good friends. I didn't want to put him in the middle of things.

"I'm sorry to hear about that," he said sincerely, still concerned about the redness in my eyes. "Are you okay?"

"It's just kinda… fresh. I'll be alright soon. We'll work it out."

He hesitated a moment before nodding in acceptance. "If you say so. Let me know if you need to talk about it, okay?"

I gave a rueful smile. "Okay." I set my bag down and wiped the residue tears away, feeling Sora's eyes on me the entire time. Straightening, I wrenched a grin onto my face and willed the tears gone. "What are we making today? Apple pie?"

"You know how Miss White feels about apples," he said, voice even and cautious still, gauging my stability. "Today is cheesecake."

"This'll be a piece of cake then," I joked. It came out forced and awkward, but Sora smiled anyway.

Miss White arrived shortly after the rest of the class filed in, and we began working on baking our cheesecake. Sora suggested we do a hazelnut/chocolate blend with cookie crumb base and the prospect perked my mood moderately. We chatted and teased each other a bit while we worked, taking advantage of the leftover cookies while we waited for the crust to finish in the oven.

"We should add a more concentrated layer of hazelnut and chocolate on top of the cake when it's done," I suggested. The sweetness of the cookies and the delicious thrill of our impending masterpiece helped break me out of my stupor. Sora's company helped even more. "We could swirl in some milk chocolate to add visual interest."

"There's a few strawberries left from yesterday too," Sora pointed out. "A splash of colour would really add to the aesthetics."

"That's a great idea."

"I know," he said, a playful, haughty smirk morphing his face into something superior and confident. If I had been in a better mood, I would have even called it hot. "We're a shoo-in for A+."

"Dibs taking home the leftovers."

"Doesn't matter to me," he grinned. "No matter who takes them, they're going to end up in my fridge, and ultimately, my stomach."

"Don't be a pig. Share!"

He leaned in, all discrete, and stage whispered, "I say we hide the leftovers and eat them for ourselves when no one is watching. I mean, we did do all the work."

"I like the way you think."

He smiled and reached for another cookie. Biting it in half, he regarded me. I could tell he was thinking back to my bloodshot eyes and the seriousness he watched me with reminded me of my fight with Riku. My smile faded and I looked away, chewing somberly.

"Hey," he said, laying a hand on my knee, "don't worry about it. I'm sure everything will be alright with your friend."

"Yeah," I said lamely.

"I'd like it if you talked to me about it, you know. I want to help if I can."

A tiny smile. "Thanks. Maybe later. I don't want to start crying again, not in school."

"When we get home then," he said. "Not that you have to or anything, just a suggestion."

"Yeah, I got it. It's okay. I wouldn't mind talking to you. Might help, you know?"

He offered a comforting grin. "That's what I'm saying."

"It just… it might not be a very pleasant conversation."

"It's okay. I've had more than one rough chat in my lifetime. And I'm more than willing to sit through another if it helps get stuff off your chest."

I met his eyes and saw so much gentleness and care that I almost started to cry again right then and there. "Thanks, Sora."

"No problem, Kairi." He whirled around when the oven timer went off. "That'll be our cookie base. Open the fridge and I'll put it in. Have we got the batter mixed?"

After we got our cheesecake put together and back in the fridge, we cleaned our area just in time for the bell to ring. Sora grabbed my wrist as I finished gathering my things, stopping me for a moment. He gave me a gentle Sora-smile. His other hand twitched in my peripheral vision. "It's going to be okay, Kairi."

My words failed for a moment and all I could do was nod while my throat tightened. He released his hold gingerly, giving me a significant look of understanding that made me rush out the door before I started crying again.

Heading to Professor Porter's class, Xion caught up with me in the hall.

"Hey, Kairi. How are you feeling? How's your head?"

"Hi, Xion. I'm doing fine. I haven't even thought about my headache." I'd been a little too preoccupied.

"That's great! I was worried you'd be in pain for a while. You've been taking it easy though, right?"

"More or less," I mumbled as we arrived at the classroom. There was no sign of Van.

Xion's bat-ears must have caught my muttering, because next thing I know she's dragging me over to her desk and frowning. "What do you mean, 'more or less'? What happened? Was it Vanitas? I swear if he did something—"

"It wasn't Van."

"Was it Flames? He's almost as bad as Vanitas."

"It wasn't Axel either, okay? I just had a rough night and an even rougher morning."

She caught the mist in my eyes and turned both horrified and livid. "Oh my god, Kairi, what in the world happened?"

"I had a fight with…" my throat burned as I willed the tears back. "Look, can we talk during lunch? I really don't want to cry right now."

"Of course, sweetie, whatever you want. Deep breaths."

I nodded in acknowledgement, offering a watery smile as Xion rubbed my arm comfortingly.

"What on Earth is happening here?"

I looked up to find Vanitas. His wide-eyed expression a dead-ringer for the one Sora gave me an hour ago.

"Go away, Vanitas," Xion warned. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Like hell it doesn't. You're not the only one who cares about Kairi, Crow." He peered around her and brushed my bangs aside, trying to see my eyes. "What's wrong, love? Why the tears?"

This was going to get old real fast. "I had a fight with my friend. I'll be fine."

"With a friend?" Xion said, confused. "Who could you have even had a fight with this early in the morn—" She froze. A second later you could almost hear her rage switch being flipped as her features melted into a scowl. "What did that bastard do, Kai?"

Vanitas blanked. "Who?"

"It's fine, Xion. Leave it alone."

"I won't. That guy knows no matter how close you are, if he does anything to hurt you, I'll beat him to within an inch of his life."

"I can't do this right now, Xion."

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Vanitas said, lost.

Professor Porter strode in through the doorway, stopping behind our accidental traffic jam. "Children, what in heaven's name is going on? You're blocking the way. Oh, Kairi. I'm so sorry, dear, I didn't see you. I heard about your accident. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, Professor," I said quickly.

"That's good to hear!"

"Sorry for being in the way, We'll go sit down." I hurried to my seat, covering my reddening eyes.

Vanitas followed me cautiously and Xion reluctantly went to her desk, watching me in a way that told me she wasn't through grilling me yet.

Professor Porter nodded in satisfaction at our obedience and proceeded to walk to the front of the class to start the lesson. As he was marveling the assignments we handed in yesterday, Vanitas leaned close.

"Who did this to you?"

"It's nothing."

"It obviously isn't."

"Look, for the hundredth time, I'm fine. Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk about it."

"Don't be so selfish."

I sputtered, "Excuse me?"

"Your friends are concerned about you and they're going to keep worrying until you tell them what has got you so upset. Did you think just saying 'I'm fine, it's nothing' is going to make us stop caring? You're clearly troubled by something and we want to help. Keeping things to yourself just makes us feel worse."

I looked pointedly at Professor Porter as he began prattling on about today's lesson. "I can hardly open up to you right now."

"Then write everything down. It'll calm me down if I know what happened. It might help you too."

"I love how you don't want me to pay attention to the class. You're a terrible influence."

He gave me a little, mischievous grin. "I try."

I spent the next ten minutes writing, erasing, and rewriting the events of this morning on a piece of scrap paper. I tactfully kept names out of things and downplayed the drama to keep Van from going on a rampage as soon as the bell rang. I did put in a few concerns, like how 'my friend' and I never fought to this extent before and how 'my friend' had never been this angry before. I also mentioned my own frustration at this friend's attitude toward some other friends. It was all very vague, but Van didn't need specifics. He needed reassurance, and the truth to stay his wandering imagination.

I slid the paper towards him and he quickly snatched it. It took him less than a minute to read it through and he immediately began scribbling something on the opposite side of the note. He slid the page back. I'm so sorry, darling. That must have been rough.

As I read his neat scrawl, I felt his hand rest above my knee. He gave my thigh a comforting squeeze and then returned to jotting down notes on Professor Porter's lecture.

A soft smile wrenched its way to my lips. I ripped a new piece of paper and wrote back, thanks.

He grinned and tore his loose-leaf to write, any time, princess.

We both turned our focus to the lesson after that. My pulse was back to normal and I felt calm enough to give the Professor my full attention. Every now and then my eyes would be drawn back to Vanitas' words and I felt a reassuring warmth. The fingers on my free hand fiddled with the edges of the scraps absentmindedly until the bell rang.

I began packing up my things like my classmates. Glancing at the notes, I pushed them into the plastic of my binder and quickly shut the cover. I shoved it and my pencil case into my bag, but out of my peripheral I caught Van slip something into his pocket before slinging his satchel over his shoulder.

His hand brushed against my arm as he leaned in. "I'm always here for you if you need to talk, Kairi." He paused, smiling. "See you fifth period." For a split second, I thought he was going to kiss my head, but he simply walked around me and straight out the door.

My face felt a little warm as I rammed the last of my things into my bag and made to head to music class. However, I stopped short at the sight of Vanitas' totally cleared desk. The paper I'd sent him was gone.