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. OK?

Sora continued walking in the direction he headed before Kairi stopped him. She was still sitting where he had got up from and watching him go, Leon flicked his cigarette off and gave Kairi a hand in getting up. They both went back inside and joined the rest of the group.

Still walking on his way home Sora (as usual) had his hands in his pockets; he just thought the whole walk home. Was I too harsh back there? I think I was. Kairi was just trying to talk to me and I was SO PMS-ing on her…if that's even possible for a guy to do. Eh…whatever. When he got to his house, he looked out at the beach and decided he'd go to the dock for a while. When he got there he just sat on the edge of it and peered out at the ocean like he used to do—-with Kairi. That was all different now. Nothing was about the simple things, everything became complicated: School work, Friends, Family, jobs, and love…? Sora shook his head and emptied his mind of those thoughts. He didn't need that right now. He just needed to chill out and get things off his mind.

The next morning was Christmas Eve and his older brother Cloud returned home from college, with his new girlfriend. She was a tall girl with blonde hair, hazel eyes, fit, and really attractive. Sora always envied Cloud for getting all the hot chicks. Sora was a frosh when it was Cloud's senior year in high school. Every time he walked through the halls all the girls would smile, fix their make up/hair and try to get noticed. It was quite funny, but still the life all the guys wanted.

After dinner and celebration Sora slipped upstairs away from all the cheerfulness and the party. He noticed he had 7 missed calls. He dialed his voice mail and listened,

"First message: December 25h at 12:26a. Hey Sora, It's Riku you bone head. Where'd you go yesterday? Hah ha. Well, I'll talk to you later—Merry Christmas. (In the background you could hear people and music.)

Second message: December 25th at 12:30am. Ey nerd, this is Yuffie. Hah ha. Just calling to say Merry Christmas! I'll see you after winter break. ADIOS!

Third message: December 25th at 12:45am. Hi don. OH honey, I can't wait to see you. I'm feeling so horn—"

"WOW." Sora said as he deleted that message. "Wrong number."

"Fourth message: December 25h at 12:49am. Hey punk. When your brother gets there tell him to call me ok? I haven't seen that guy in a long time. Oh yeah—hah ha. It's Rodney. (His cousin)

Fifth message: December 25th at 12:57am. Um…hey. Sora? This is Kairi. I'm just calling to wish you a Merry Christmas. And uh—I bought you a gift. I was thinking of coming by—but I guess I'll just send it. K. Hopefully we can talk later?

Sixth message: December 25th 1:08am. Yeah Becky, and I was like 'Na uh' and she was like 'Yeah huh' and I was like 'Na uh' and she was like…is this thing—oops. Hey Sora, nerd. This is Lauren, Merry Christmas. Hah ha. And you'd better be ready for our project coming up for Chem.

Seventh message: December 25th at 1:26am. Hey, it's Leon. Your cousin Rodney says Cloud's in town. Does he have a cell phone? Whatever—tell him I said 'what's up?'

END OF MESSAGES."

"Geesh. Freakin' idiots." He laughed and then sat on his couch. He rested his head back and looked up at the ceiling. Then he remembered Kairi's message. She bought me a present? But…I didn't buy her one. That'd be…weird. And Tidus probably wouldn't like that. WAIT. When did I start caring how Tidus felt? Sora turned on his radio and the song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (Green Day) started playing. While sketching out a picture of the pier and the ocean he sang along to it. He finally went to sleep and didn't wake up 'til 11.

After his shower and getting dressed he decided to go buy a late gift for Kairi, just to piss Tidus off. He chuckled at his evil plan, it wasn't totally evil but doing something just to piss off an old friend was at the same time mean and funny. He trotted down the stairs and jumped over the last three steps. He grabbed his Hollister track jacket and his keys and opened the door. Shocked to see Kairi there, she was just about to ring the doorbell with her left hand and in her right, was a wrapped gift. Sora stared at her a bit,

"Um…Hi?" He tried not to seem too excited to see her, though he really was.

Kairi smiled, "Here's you gift. I was kind of debating on whether it'd be nicer to really send it or just bring it to you."

Sora nodded, "uh huh?" (Translation, stop rambling and just gimme the gift!)

"Heh, ok—I'm like…rambling. Here." She handed him the gift like she read his mind or something. She knew him too well.

"Thanks." Sora didn't know whether to kiss her or shake her hand. But abiding by the rules, he did neither.

He then began to open the gift, which was in a medium size box. In it contained two guitar straps (one for his acoustic and one for his fender), a silver belt buckle that had the word "dork" engraved in it, and a Volcom trucker hat.

Sora grew, now from too nonchalant to overly excited. He hugged Kairi (his usual bear hugs) and squeezed her so tight she could hardly get out a laugh at the sight of Sora practically jumping up and down. Which only occurred rarely.

"So you love it?" Kairi asked, already knowing the answer.

"YES!" Sora shouted still beaming with joy.

Again Kairi giggled, "And that's not it."

Sora looked from the presents to Kairi, "That's not?" he raised and eyebrow.

From her back pocket she pulled out and flashed two tickets to the Dashboard Confessional concert that was coming up. Sora's jaw nearly dropped. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. My dad bought these, and I thought since Tidus (that name brought Sora's excitement down a bit) doesn't like that group anyway, I decided to give one of my tickets… to you."

Sora pouted a bit, "So I was your second choice?"

"No, my dad bought these after I made up my mind to give you one." Kairi replied.

"Hrmm…but technically you thought of Tidus first and he wouldn't go and you didn't want to go alone so you thought you'd just take me for the heck of it."

"Huh?" Kairi shook her head, "You want to go with me or not, nerd?"

"Yes, I do." And he snatched one of the tickets and placed it in his back pocket.

(Now totally not even abiding by the BACK OFF YOUR FRIEND'S GIRLFRIEND RULE at all, Sora didn't seem to feel like he was being THAT bad. He and Kairi went from Not even on Speaking Terms to building up a buddy-buddy system. Which to him wasn't a bad idea. He did intend on trying to win her back anyway, starting out as friends again would just be making the job easier to accomplish later on.)

"Where are you going?" she asked as Sora locked the door

"Oh yeah, I was actually on my way to the mall."

"Oh? What for?"

"Um…to get you a late present." He laughed staggering down the steps, Kairi walking by him.

"You mean you haven't got me one yet?"

"Heh…uh—not quite."

Kairi shrugged, "You don't have to get me one."

Sora laughed, "Yeah, right. TRANSLATION: You'd better get me one or I'll kill you!"

Kairi socked him lightly on the arm, "HEY!"

He laughed even more "Don't worry. I'll get you a present—which do you prefer? Clothes or accessories?" he opened the garage door.

"Aren't you supposed to surprise me?"

"Well, unlike you PERFECT GIFT GIVERS I don't know how to pick out good presents." Sora unlocked his (1981 silver Transam) car door.

Kairi thought a bit, "Um…I don't know! Hah ha. Just buy whatever."

Sora shook his head "Get in the car."

"Why?"

"You're going with me to the mall. I'll let you pick out your gift."

"Is this one of those 'Oh, come here kiddies. I'll give you candy if you hop in my car' things?" she joked.

Doing what Kairi had done to him earlier, "You want the gift or not, nerd?" He snickered and got in the car.

Kairi laughed but eventually got in the car. Half way to the mall Kairi turned the volume of the radio down. Sora tensed up a bit knowing that meant she wanted to talk. He glanced over at her and lifted his eyebrows.

"So Riku told you the other night on the phone I was listening?"

Making a left turn at a stop sign Sora answered, "Yeah, he did. Was that you're idea or his?"

"Heh…it was his." Kairi toyed with a lock of hair around her finger. She looked out the window now. "So…you're world revolves around me?" She tried not to laugh, the corners of her lips slanting upward slowly, though.

Sora was kind of embarrassed but tried to laugh it off, "Yes, don't you feel special?" (A rhetorical question)

"Oh yes, VERY."

Where was this conversation leading? Did this mean they were friends now? Or on the pathway back to…where they were before? Geesh. This is confusing. It is awkward buying a gift for my 'ex' but it's the nice thing to do…right?

When they reached the mall the first store they went into was Hollister next was Abercrombie, then AE, and eventually hot topic, which shocked Sora. Afterwards, Sora and Kairi both got back into the car and headed towards Sora's house. When he pulled up in front of his house and got out Kairi asked, "Where are you going?"

"In my house—" she didn't let him finish

"You're not taking me home?" she leaned on the door where the window should have been (it was rolled down).

Sarcastically Sora replied, "Yes Kairi. I'm gonna let you WALK home so you can carry your presents and probably get mugged."

She pouted then giggled at Sora's face expression. He shook his head and walked into the house to drop off his things that he ended up buying for himself and picked up a list of errands his mom had asked him to do for her.

Now at Kairi's house Sora helped her carry her things inside, the two were greeted by Kairi's mother.

"Hello, Sora. I haven't seen you in a long time, dear. How are you?"

Sora set the bags on the floor. "Hi Mrs.—" the phone rang.

"Opes…one second dear." She answered the phone and walked into the other room.

"Uh…I gotta get going, but um…tell you mom I said 'bye'." Kairi nodded and thanked him for the gifts and giving her a ride home. Sora hesitated to give her a hug before he left.

A/N: You guys notice I never use last names in this story? Does it say anywhere that these kids have last names? Cause I feel weird having to make some up for them, Yuffie's is the only last name I know, but eh…whatever.