A/N: Poor neglected fanfics. How I've missed you. ;-;
Anyway. I've finally decided to finish this fic, after a month or two of letting it sit there. XD
Eh, I kinda made a tiny plot change to this, which you'll see later. LATER. XD
Anyway… on to the fic… :D
Disclaimer (holy shizzle, I forgot about these in other fics XDD): I don't own Kingdom Hearts, bish. RUB IT IN, WHY DON'T YOU? ;; I also don't own the song "Nobody's Home" by Avril Lavigne. Yeah. She owns it.
Beyond These Walls
Chapter Two: A Brunette Stranger
Kairi grabbed her pillow, throwing against the wall in fury, sobbing and gasping for air. She envied all those with families that cared for their children. Those who had loving parents, who'd always be there to protect them. But… what would protect her against her father?
Kairi threw herself onto her bed, wailing into her bed covers. She knew it was childish, and though she was used to it, nothing could stop the tears from coming.
She sat there, taking deep breaths, wiping her eyes and trying to calm down. She tried to think of something to do, but there was nothing. Her dad didn't allow her to have books (besides History and educational books), a computer, a television, a game system, a radio… nothing. Kairi grabbed her pad and pen, staring at the blank sheet, words processing in her mind. She hugged her soggy pillow, hoping some sort of inspiration would come, some sort of words that would transform themselves into some lyrics Kairi could use.
That was Kairi's secret ambition – to become a singer. She didn't let her father know… he'd have a fit. She wouldn't let anyone know but herself. It was just another secret she'd let linger in her mind, a secret that would never come true. Ever.
Kairi couldn't think of anything, nothing at all. Her feelings were melting away, putting her in her blank state. That state of mind usually came after a beating, after pouring out the tears, after letting the world know what she was going through.
She pulled out a lyrics sheet from her drawer. The only song she'd ever heard of, as a matter of fact. She'd been outside once, and found a piece of paper with words—no, lyrics—that also had scribbled notes written on them. Kairi remembered the feeling—she was very good at singing notes seen on paper, so she decided she'd sing the song when she was alone. She'd tucked the paper into her jacket, and fell in love with the song the first time she sang it. It described exactly how she felt…
Kairi stood up, and, smoothing the front of her long skirt as if she was performing in front of an audience, took a deep breath, reciting the song from heart.
"Well, I couldn't tell you
Why she felt that way
She felt it everyday
And I couldn't help her
I just watched her make
The same mistakes again
What's wrong, What's wrong now?
Too many, too many problems
Don't know where she belongs
Where she belongs
She wants to go home
But nobody's home
That's where she lies
Broken inside
With no place to go
No place to go
To dry her eyes
Broken inside
Open your eyes
And look outside
Find the reasons why
You've been rejected
And now you can't find
What you've left behind
Be strong, be strong now
Too many, too many problems
Don't know where she belongs
Where she belongs
She wants to go home
But nobody's home
That's where she lies
Broken inside
With no place to go
No place to go
To dry her eyes
Broken inside
Her feelings she hides
Her dreams she can't find
She's losing her mind
She's falling behind
And she can't find her place
She's losing her faith
she's falling from grace
She's all over the place, yeah
She wants to go home
But nobody's home
That's where she lies
Broken inside
With no place to go
No place to go
To dry her eyes
Broken inside
She's lost inside
Lost inside, oh ohhh
She's lost inside
Lost inside, oh ohhh yeah"
Kairi stopped singing, falling to her knees. Burying her face in her hands, shaking violently with sobs, she curled up into a ball and quietly cried herself to sleep.
Kairi was shaken awake by her father, any look but concern on his rough face. His muscles were etched with age and anger. "Let's go." He grunted. "It's time for you to go outside. I have to make a trip to the market, but you are not to leave the yard. If I find out you have, you can be sure you'll hurt by tomorrow." And with that, he left, leaving his eerie presence to haunt Kairi. Shaking, Kairi got to her feet, silently trudging up the wooden stairs.
She grabbed her opaque cardigan from the coat tree, and stepped into the fresh cold air. She took it all in, smiling, sadness melting. The autumn air felt simply amazing, not to mention the crispness of the fallen leaves smelled like a new beginning.
Kairi kicked up some of the brick red and orange maple leaves that had fallen, singing a tune to herself. One of the songs she'd written, one that she loved, one that provoked her thoughts.
Smiling, she leaned up against an old oak tree; closing her eyes, quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. She was getting lost in her dreams again, but it didn't mind her much.
After about an extra five minutes outside, she decided it might be best to get back in before her father came home. Reluctantly, she helped herself up, shielding herself against the cold wind that was nipping at her rosy cheeks. She was about to start walking to the back porch when she heard a rustling behind her.
Strange. Thought Kairi. Nobody lives for miles around here… then again; it could just be a little animal. She thought nothing else of it, shrugged and leaned forward to begin walking, when the bush behind the fence sneezed. Funny, bushes don't sneeze. Kairi laughed to herself at the thought. She walked to the fence cautiously, deathly scared of what was behind it, only because she'd been raised under such strict precautions. She peeked through one of the holes in the fence, only to find a boy. Kairi gasped.
The boy had brunette, spiky hair that stuck out in all places defying the laws of gravity. His eyes, as Kairi found, were a deep, gorgeous blue, sparkling with mischief and mystery. Flecks of turquoise and green added warmth to those eyes. Oh, how Kairi wanted to get lost in those eyes…
She shook herself out of it. The boy was blushing now… or was it just the cold? He took a breath. "Hello." He whispered. Kairi opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She'd never met another person her age before. The boy laughed quietly. "How are you?"
Kairi bit her lip before speaking. Could she trust him? "Er… cold, I suppose, and yourself?"
The boy smiled. "I'm fine, thank you." He was polite, and she was making fair conversation with him. A plus. He could probably be trusted.
"Who are you… and what are you doing here?" She blurted out nosily, before wishing she could slap herself in the forehead.
The boy went to say who he was, when a voice called out. "KAIRI!" It was deep. It was her father's. Her face froze in fear.
The boy sensed this, whispering quickly. "Look, when can I see you again?"
Kairi didn't know what to say, but, her mouth working faster than her brain did for her. "Next Wednesday." She blinked. "I… I have to go. Now." And she ran, only to reach the inside before he entered the house.
A/N: REVIEWS ARE NICE, YES? They're what I want for Christmas. x)
