Woo, third chapter.
I'd like to thank my only two reviewers, KHfan4ever9 and twilite-soul14, because their reviews really compelled me to finish (besides my friends on forums where I posted this and real life friends X3).
This is actually the second version of chapter three. I have another one, but it's not at good, in my opinion. D:
Anyways, chapter three.
Chapter 3: Destiny Dreams
"Savor the good memories, because happiness never lasts long."
...oOo...
Weekend at last. Finally, freedom!
The typical teenager will sleep until ten in the morning until rousing themselves up painfully, but though I wasn't that typical teenager, I still slept in that Saturday morning.
I was still slumbering when the doorbell rang, and I was jolted out of my fantasy. I yawned, sitting up, and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Taking a quick glimpse across the room, I could Sora was untangling himself from his bed sheets, in which he had taken the liberty to wrestle with them last night. Sighing, I pulled myself out of bed, put on a white bathrobe, and headed for the door.
I passed a clock as I scurried toward the main hall, and I saw that it was already forty-nine minutes past nine. The doorbell rang again, and reaching the door, I threw it open.
Riku stood there in his cool designer clothing, and smiled.
"Hey, Naminé," Riku said casually, and then looking me up and down, added, "Just woke up, huh?"
"We got home so late last night…" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes again. My eyes could barely focus. "Anyways, what do you need?" I sidestepped to let him in.
By this time, Sora had saved himself from his strangling blanket, and teetered down the hall, looking worse for wear than I was.
"Riku?" he asked, as though testing out the name on his tongue.
"Hello, Sora. You could be used for a spear, with all that spiky hair." Riku commented, smirking. "What, do you put on hair spray before you go to bed?"
"No," Sora paused to yawn, oblivious to his teasing, "it's naturally like that. Got it from my dad."
"I notice you tease him more than me," I remarked dryly. Riku swatted me on the shoulder playfully.
"Anyways," Riku said lazily, "I was wondering if you two would accompany to downtown later today."
"Juuuust a second," I said. "First of all, where did you find out where we live…?"
"Phone directory," Riku said mockingly. "Ever heard of one?"
"And what are we going to do downtown?" I inquired, ignoring his biting sarcasm. Though I already knew the answer, I had to hear it for myself.
"Oh, window shop, get some ice cream, watch a movie – put those little hamsters in your brain to work, girlie!" Riku said disdainfully.
"These hamsters want to chew out your eyeballs," I muttered.
"Um, guys…?" Sora asked, intervening since he knew that Riku was a self-centered jerk and I was a sarcastic quiet midget. I think he figured out by now sometimes that combination doesn't go too well. "How about… We just go with you, no questions asked?"
"You're asking one right now," I pointed out. He scowled at me.
"Let's just get dressed and go," Sora retorted.
-oOo-
New York City, downtown. A line of stores, restaurants, and body-accessorizing shops (barbers, nail salons, etc.), if you will.
We strolled along the sidewalk, careful to avoid the street – you know, with the crazy drivers and all. Occasionally one of us would point out something interesting in a store and go check it out, only to realize that it was too much money. Even if Riku worked at a popular coffee shop, he didn't have the type of cash to get the stylish, blue-rimmed stereo system that we saw in the window of a popular electronic gadgets shop.
"This is boring," I muttered.
"What do you want to do then?" Riku asked pleasantly, though there was an edge in his voice.
"I want some ice cream," Sora said suddenly, pointing at the small ice cream shop across the street that got a steady stream of visitors.
"In November?" Riku puzzled at Sora's sugar intake.
"Please?" he offered his puppy eyes. Riku melted instantly; not many could withstand Sora's deliberate cuteness.
"Sure thing," Riku said in mock affection, though I knew he was hiding a true smile.
One crossed street, three large cones of vanilla (me), chocolate chip (Sora), chocolate mint (Riku), and $7.08 lighter from Riku's wallet ("No, I'll pay for them," Riku said stubbornly, ignoring Sora's and my own frequent protests.), we were standing outside in the cold air, licking an even colder treat.
"After this, I'm getting some coffee," I shivered, trying to finish my cone without getting a severe brain freeze.
"How about Destiny Dreams, then?" Riku said; Destiny Dreams was the name of the coffee shop that he worked for. Apparently he had applied the day he arrived, since he had been eager for a job. "You'll get either free or discounted coffee, being my escortees, and all."
"Sounds cool. Maybe I could work there, too," Sora said thoughtfully.
"You know how to make coffee?"
"…No, not really."
"Excellent. You can work my cash register, then," Riku smirked.
"Your cash register…?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"My job, technically. I don't actually own the cash register," Riku waved off my question. I sighed and shook my head.
"Boys will always be boys… Thinking they own whatever they love or interact with," I said, smiling affectionately.
"That means I own you?" Sora said dumbly.
"Aw, I'm happy you love me, Sora, but quite frankly, I think you belong to a certain someone, and it's not Kairi," I giggled as Riku shot me a look of warning and alarm, while Sora just stood there, a perplexed expression clouding his normally cheerful façade.
"Who is it?"
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," I smiled brightly, then skipped off, leaving the two of them behind before they had the nerve to catch up.
-oOo-
Destiny Dreams. A warm, cozy haven with the scent of vanilla, chocolate, and coffee wafting about the air. The coffee shop looked more like a pleasant book store than coffee shop; large, comfy armchairs dotted the back while near the edges and at the window were glass-top tables with padded matching chairs.
Three girls were already there behind the counter, each dressed in faded white-and-orange T-shirts, black jeans, and a green apron and chef's hat, decorated with a bronze border.
"Hello, welcome to Destiny Drea – oh, hey Riku," a girl with wild blonde hair that seemed to squirm with trailing braids. I vaguely recognized her as Rikku.
"Hi, K.K.," Riku said in response. I raised an eyebrow, so Riku explained, "We don't want to get our names mixed up, so everyone calls her K.K. now and I'm just Riku. Anyways," he direction his attention back at Rikku, "I was wondering – do my two friends here get discounts if I buy them some coffee?"
"No, but I think it comes out of your paycheck," Rikku said, shrugging. Riku cursed, which brought giggles out of the blonde.
"It's basically the same thing, you know," called a female voice from the back.
"Shut up, Yuna!" Riku said back. This drew the teenager out, who smiled and stuck her tongue out.
"So, anyways, are you willing to pay or not, unless you want less paycheck money?" Rikku asked, business-like. Then she winked at Sora and me.
"Sorry for not acknowledging you two earlier," she smiled. "Name's Rikku. Call me K.K. Anyways, so you two are Naminé and Sora? I've seen you around."
Sora and I both nodded.
"Okay, so what do you two want?" Riku growled.
"I want a vanilla cappuccino, decaf, size medium," I replied, looking up at the coffee list. "And I'm paying for my own, thank you very much." I added, before Riku could reach into his pocket for his wallet. He shrugged.
"Um… I want a strawberry-banana yogurt smoothie, size large," Sora mumbled, glancing at the beverages menu.
"Holy crap, those are a lot," Riku muttered.
"That's why I'm paying for my own," he replied coolly, but after bringing up his wallet, found that money was indeed a thing to covet. I know from the look of sheer alarm on his face.
"I'll pay for yours, but you owe me," I sighed. Sora wasn't exactly a saver.
"No, I'll pay for his," Riku frowned, testing me. I brought up my hands in mock surrender.
"Whatever. Go for it."
As Rikku, Yuna, and whoever else was back there, fixing up our drinks, I saw Riku glance repeatedly at my twin brother, who seemed to be oblivious to Riku's constant looks, and was thumbing the hem of his jacket. I coughed, feeling uncomfortable, and then Riku, picking up my hint, tried to bring some conversation into the wait.
"So, you really want to work here?" he directed this at Sora, arousing the boy's previous hopes of working there.
"Yeah! It's a nice place, and I'll have y– er, people to talk to." Sora finished, flustered. Apparently he meant to say "you," as in "Riku," but obviously it would've been just a smidge awkward. I mean smidge by Sahara desert-sized.
"You don't get free coffee, though," Riku teased.
"No, but you get discount coupons every week," Rikku said, bringing our attention to the two heavenly delights she slid onto the counter expertly without spilling a drop. Then she came and capped them, and as I and Riku paid (Riku was still trying to pay for mine, but obviously failed), I picked mine up and tasted a sip. I felt warmth and sweetness wash over my taste buds, and it tasted like paradise.
"Anyways, anything else? A nice little snack to fill you up?" Rikku asked, smiling at the look of contentment that had spread on Sora's and my own face.
"A job, actually," Riku replied.
Rikku looked nervous at this.
"Well, you know… My dad… He's…"
"Touchy about who works here? Well, Sora's adorable, sweet, and knows when to stick up for himself. That, and I really hope he knows how to greet crazy teenaged girls."
"I definitely do," Sora grinned cheekily, and I smacked him a good one, but which he dodged.
"Well… Just a moment then." Rikku disappeared deeper into the back, and seemed to be going up stairs hidden out of site.
"She lives over the shop with her dad," Riku cleared up my confusion.
"So, we're going to get the last spot filled, huh?" Yuna came up and leaned on the counter.
"I hope so," Sora and Riku said at the same time. I saw Sora struggling to hold back a fuchsia cloud surging across his cheeks. He failed.
A few minutes later with much small talk said and done, Rikku reappeared with an older guy with spiky blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, much like his daughter. A chipped, well-worn toothpick sat between his teeth, and a look of irritation settled on his rough features.
"Okay, who 'pplied?" he growled.
"This guy, dad. His name is Sora." Rikku indicated my brother.
Rikku's father swung a small door open and stepped out from behind the counter and came closer to Sora to inspect him. Sora stood straight, trying to look like a good candidate.
"You're cute, kid," he grunted. "Women like that."
"I – I don't need an ap-application sheet?" Sora stammered. Rikku's father looked mildly amused.
"Not here, kiddo. Anyways, know how to make coffee?"
"Um…"
"He makes coffee that tastes like sweaty gym socks," I offered. Rikku's father belted out a rough laugh, which made Rikku sigh and touch her forehead, as though embarrassed to be related to him in any way.
"So, what yer sis is sayin', you wanted to work at a coffee shop withou' knowledge of how to make a decent cup of coffee? Now, that's rich, real rich," he just continued to roar with laughter.
"Yeah, Cid – that's his name – is scary like this sometimes," Riku whispered to us, which made us break out in giggles.
"Shut up, punk," Cid said, though good-naturedly, after his mirth was drained.
"Mr. Highwind, could you please hurry it up with this 'interview'?" came a testy voice from behind the counter. "We do have customers, after all."
I glanced toward the voice, and I found piercing crimson eyes boring into Cid's. The teenager had wavy-yet-spiky silver-blonde hair and seemed to have the aura of a very freaky goth; her two customers seemed rather edgy around her.
"Sure, sure," Cid waved her off and then turned back to Sora. "You're hired, kid-"
"It's Sora."
"- Sora." Cid smiled, and his course features suddenly seemed handsome. "I s'pose you'll work the cash register then. Well, I'm back to my retreat upstairs."
And he swung open the counter door and left our vicinity.
"Um, wait a moment – do I have to walk to work every day after school?" Sora asked, the most basic facts now making a cameo appearance.
"I'll drive you," Riku said with an air of exasperation. Apparently he had already had it all thought out.
"Cool."
"…Um, so, may I please have a small iced latte, decaf…?" a timid-looking fourteen-year-old girl repeated to the platinum-blonde, red-eyed girl, who had been listening to us more than her customer.
"Oh, yes, of course. That'll be $1.59, please." As they exchanged the beverage with the money, and the two rather frightened girls left, I heard Riku chatting with Sora about how they would be going to Riku's house most of the time after school, so they could finish their homework before setting off to work. Sora seemed rather excited.
"See you guys later!" Rikku called as we were about to exit.
"'Bye," we all replied, and the two other girls, Yuna and the silver-blonde both waved in response.
"Who was that silver-blonde girl with the red eyes? She was a bit… I dunno, intimidating," Sora asked once we were outside. A nervous look crossed his face at the thought of her; she didn't seem too friendly, and he'd soon be working with her.
"Oh, that's Paine," Riku said airily. "She's cold at first, but once you get to know her, she uses less and less sarcasm with you, and if you're lucky, you might just get her to smile. I've never seen it happen, actually. Yuna and K.K. both say she's 'LOTS O' FUN,' but then again they're girls. Girls open up better to girls."
"I should've gotten the job, then," I said.
"You're not jealous, are you?" Sora asked anxiously. Aw, how sweet. He was worried about me.
"No, I'm fine." I smiled to reassure him. "Besides, go have fun with them." I really meant Riku, but Sora didn't know that. Before Riku could catch on, I took a great swig of coffee to shield me, and sighed in following waves of relaxed ecstasy.
"Good, isn't it? K.K. makes the best hot coffee around here. At least, that's what her dad claims," Riku smirked.
"Parents will be parents, but that is seriously the best coffee I've ever tasted," I said, taking yet another sip. A perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness, all tinted with the flavor of vanilla and a rather spicy aroma, topped with whipped cream which was lined with caramel.
Mm-mm-mm. Pure delight.
As the day drew to an end, Riku dropped us off in his sleek silver convertible, and drove off in the night. Sora swung one arm around my shoulder as we advanced toward our floor up the stairs, both of us feeling the first real lasting happiness that we had wanted for months.
But would it last?
…oOo…
I hope I didn't bore you to death. XD
lol Cid is Rikku's father. How creative am I or what?
Anyways, read and review and I'll update faster. ;3