Disclaimer: NO FELLOW FAN FIC BUDDIES, I DO NOT own any of the Kingdom Hearts stuff nor the song lyrics I used in the story. I clearly stated the name of the songs (if I used bits of it) and the band that sang them.

Closing the door behind him Sora kicked off the slippers and began to unzip his sweater when the phone began to ring again. Sora checked the caller ID first, it was Cloud. "What does he want?" Sora thought and then answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's mom?"

"Uh…probably in the kitchen, what do you need?"

"Give her the phone. I wanna tell her I'm coming home for Christmas."

"Really?"

"Yes, Sora. Hurry up and give the phone to mom."

"Ok, ok. GEESH!"

Sora leisurely walked into the kitchen and handed the phone to his mom.

"Who is it, dear?" She said glancing over her shoulder as she continued cooking.

"It's Cloud."

His mom took the phone and Sora flopped himself down into the booth seat (the kitchen table had chairs on one side and the other, against the wall, had a booth style seat). He toyed with his utensils and made a beat on the table as if he were playing the drums. "Sora, can you stop that?" His mother hissed from across the kitchen. Sora laughed and whined,

"OK. Geesh. I'm bored!" He got up and headed up to his room. He picked up his acoustic guitar and started playing "The Best Deceptions" (Dashboard Confessional). The song made him think of Kairi, for some reason unknown to him, so he stopped playing it. He lifted his right hand and observed the guitar pick he was using. It was a hot pink one that Kairi got him a long time ago. The date was a blur he just remembered receiving it from her. He then dropped it on the floor. Stepping back away from it, he slowly set his guitar down and then still backing up he lightly collided into the wall. He let himself slump down to the floor and sat there for a while. So many memories and flashbacks—the room was dark and quiet (the only source of light in the room was seeping through the partly opened blinds…the sun was not out though-it was completely covered by the clouds, a typical cold December day). The silence was soon broken by the Good Charlotte ringtone of his cell phone. He got up and walked over to his bed stand. The phone said "Incoming call from Riku".

"Yeah?"

"You're up?"

"Uh…yeah. I didn't get to sleep quite as long as I wanted to."

"Why didn't you?"

"I don't know, weird dreams..."

"Oh, then why didn't you answer when Kairi called?"

Sora kind of laughed, "Uh…" scratching his head, "Long story, I'll tell you later." (He didn't intend to tell Riku of his hot pocket incident though. He just wanted to change the subject)

"Oh, yeah. But I talked to Kairi about the whole depression state you're going through and she-how do I put it." Riku hesitated, "She can't be with you cause she's really a MAN."

Sora half-freaked, "WHAT!"

Riku laughed so hard, "I'm kidding, Sora. HAHAHA, she says she feels bad about it. But eh—what can she do? Just up and leave Tidus?"

Sora narrowed his eyes at the nothing he was looking at, "YES."

"That's kind of mean, man. Tidus really likes her—"

"Well, I really love her; I've known her since we were kids; I know practically everything there is to know about her; I'd do anything for her; My world revolves around her…I doubt Tidus can really say the same." Sora picked up a sock that was on his alarm clock and tossed it in his laundry hamper.

From the other end of the phone line Sora could hear someone hang up. "Riku?"

"Yeah?" he responded.

"Who hung up?"

"That was Kairi."

"Why didn't you tell me she was listening on the other line?"

"She didn't want me to. She wanted to hear what you'd say."

"Thanks, Riku." Again he said this sarcastically.

"Yeah—so where did you wanna go later?"

"I don't know. Who have you invited to come with?"

"Uh…let's see. I invited Yuffie, Leon, and…uh—Selphie."

"Why Selphie?"

"What's wrong with Selphie?"

"I thought you didn't like her."

"What made you think that?"

"Uh…last year. She turned you down cause she wasn't into skaters and you were totally talking crap about her."

"Heh, you remember that?"

"I'm pretty sure everyone else does, too."

"Well, I think she's cool now."

"Sure…" Sora's thoughts trailed off now thinking about Kairi. If that was really her—what's she thinking now? After hearing what Sora said. Thank goodness he didn't say anything dumb.

"Sora?"

"Uh…I'll call you back later ok." He closed his phone and went downstairs.

After dinner Sora got dressed and then went out with his friends. Meeting Selphie at last, she seemed to be a really cool person. She was a huge prep (head cheerleader at school) but it wasn't like she was super stuck up and junk. Walking out of the theatre Sora was actually having a lot of fun and enjoying himself, but then they ran into Tidus and Kairi. Everyone greeted them cheerfully except Sora. Standing there with his hands in his jean pockets, He only saw Kairi. In his mind Tidus wasn't there. Kairi then looked at Sora, their eyes locked on each other. Sora, after a few seconds, looked to Tidus and narrowed his eyes.

Yuffie noticing this all called out to Sora, "Hey, I wanna go get some Starbucks. You wanna come with, Sora?"

"Uh, yeah." He shrugged, "Sure."

"We'll be back you guys." She said as they walked away from the crowd and towards Starbucks. Yuffie kicked a soda bottle on the floor and it bounced into the street, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," He replied still looking ahead of them. He clicked the crosswalk-button, "Why?"

"You didn't look too happy when Tidus and Kairi showed up. So, I figured I'd 'save you'." She chuckled. They then crossed the street and inside the coffee shop they both lounged on the couch. Sora sitting on the opposite couch from Yuffie, observed her. She was in a black Volcom tee, torn jeans, and a pair of checkered vans slip-ons. She didn't look so bad… actually she was really cute. Almost like Kairi—-which was kind of scary. Sora shifted and then looked up at the menu. Yuffie picked up their order and then they headed back to the theatre. Once again they met up with their friends and they all went to play pool. An hour and a half into the game, Tidus and Kairi showed up again.

"GEESH. Are they stalking us?" Sora grumbled.

Hearing his statement, Riku answered, "No, I invited them. They ARE our friends, Sora. Just pretend to want their company, though you really don't-cause the rest of us do." Riku took his turn and shot (missing his the eight ball). He furrowed his eyebrows and seemed disappointed, for they were betting 50 dollars on this game.

Sora took his turn and eyed Kairi and Tidus sit down next to Yuffie and Leon. He had hoped to get her off his mind that night and enjoy himself but with them everywhere he went, it just wasn't going to happen. After the game, it was Tidus's turn to play against Leon—the place was really crowed and he notified Yuffie that he was leaving early and then began to walk out. When he got outside the crammed pool hall he checked his phone, the time was 11:38pm, he sighed and continued walking with his hands shoved his pant pockets.

"Sora." He spun around with a smile on his face thinking it'd be Yuffie.

To his surprise it was actually Kairi. It seems she had followed him out without anyone noticing. Sora didn't say anything he just stood there and made Kairi feel a bit awkward.

"Why don't you ever talk to us?" she crossed her arms to keep warm (she was in a brown knit-sweater, a jean mini-skirt note that it's winter and she had on a pair of those Eskimo shoes, well, that's what Sora called them. The boots with fur in them…ah whatever). Sora hadn't seen her in a couple of months, she had her hair down a little past her shoulders now—still auburn, unlike most of the girls at school that were fake and didn't' walk around with their natural hair color.

Sora cocked up his head a bit to look down on Kairi, "Who's us?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

Sora sat on the curb (they're in the parking lot outside), "No," He tossed his gum rapper a few feet in front of him. "I don't."

"That's littering, you know."

"What'd you come out here to talk to me about, Kairi?" Sora snapped a bit agitated.

Kairi sighed, OK…so he wasn't up for small talk, "Me and Tidus. Why is it that you don't talk to neither one of us?" she sat down next to him.

"Gee Kairi. If one of your best friends went out with me, would you still talk to her?" Sora said, turned and fixing his eyes on her now. Kairi hesitated a bit…

Then the door opened and Leon stepped out, "Why aren't you guys in there with the rest of us?" he lit up his cigarette.

Sora looked away from Kairi and up towards Leon, "I'm gonna go, I'll see you guys later." He replied as he got up.