SIDELINES

"Come on Riku! Do better than that!" Sora said, as I watched my two boys. "You're just trying to impress Kairi!" Riku replied, a smirk appearing on his face as Sora blushed. I played the part, and giggled, if only for them.

Sora asked once why I never "spar" with everyone else. Then Riku appeared. I smiled, once again playing a part. I always have. To Wakka and Titus, I'm Selphie, Riku, and Sora's friend. To Selphie, I'm the other girl in the group she can talk to. And to Riku and Sora, I'm the girl of the group, the one who balances earth and sky.

I once heard some of the grownups talking when I was younger. I couldn't believe what I heard, and, at that time, I wouldn't believe it. "Kairi is the third person. All she is doing is breaking Sora and Riku apart."

But, what they didn't know is that, yes, I'm the third person, but that isn't always bad. I am the ear and shoulder to Riku when he becomes depressed over the past; Sora doesn't understand Riku's pain. Or maybe he doesn't want Riku sad either, but tries to fix it the wrong way.

I am the one Selphie can talk to for hours on in about Titus and everything perfect about him. I listen, nod, and agree. She thinks it's the greatest thing in the world when I agree and tell her Titus is perfect for her.

And then there's Sora. Sora is the one who comes closest to removing my mask. My fake "outward always smiling mask." With him, we talk about anything. From serious to both of us almost hyperventilating from laughing so hard, and it's my time to unwind from Selphie's " 'Titus is the best' Chats" to "Riku's 'Why don't I kill myself now' Chats."

But even when I'm with Sora, I am still stereo-typed as the "girl who's always happy." But, truth in whole, I'm not. I get mad. I cry. I cried so hard when I remembered Sora. I laugh, though usually only its only a real laugh when I'm with Sora or Riku. I get bored, I get impatient.

Some people think that because I'm a Princess of Heart, that I can't feel negative emotions. That I can't feel jealously, or I can't do wrong. But, that is wrong. While I guess you could say I'm "pure-hearted," I'm not devoid of anything but happy emotions.

I have a whole other person, that only shows herself in the rarest moments. When Axel tried to kidnap me, when I saw Sora as a heartless, when I saw Sora the first time in a year, all these are times when I wasn't the "happy 7th Princess of Heart," but "Kairi."

Back to the point of why I don't spar...

Truthfully, I'm not that athletic, but more academic. In other words, I get straight A's in everything but the extra-curricular things. I would fail at chorus, except that I can sing half-way decent, though still not that well. I can't play a instrument at all though. P.E. I pass because the teacher sees I try hard, even if I'm almost always last in laps, or can't catch a ball.

Do you know why Riku HANDED me the keyblade? It wasn't for my protection, I'll tell you. He knew my ability to catch, and didn't want me to miss and it hit him.

And then Art... I am not that artistic, at all. I can draw okay, if I have a reference. The paupu drawing came out okay because Sora was beside me, but as for not seeing something and drawing it, like Naminé does, it might as well be impossible.

I'm best at English and math. I could write all day, but then, I wouldn't see Sora or Riku. Then again, while they were missing, I almost did write all day.

Also, I can see how things work just by looking at them sometimes, but I can't actually do it, even though I see how to. I can see Riku's pattern by watching, but I couldn't do better than Sora, who hasn't noticed the pattern through the ten minutes they have been fighting.

The few times I have stepped away from the sidelines have been rewarding, but I can't get enough courage to do it every day. I think that in the end, to the parents, I'm the third wheel, to Wakka and Titus, I give them time to talk without Selphie. Titus doesn't know we talk about him. But when I'm with Sora and Riku, when he isn't depressed, it's nice to just talk.

Then I'm "Kairi" and not a princess, not a orphan, not a third-wheel. "Trinity" is what best describes us. Without one, the other three are incomplete. I was incomplete when Sora and Riku were missing, Sora only wanted to find Riku so that we could all be home. And Riku was off helping Sora to wake up, for whatever reason he was asleep.

The boys want to teach me how to fight, but I told them no. I don't want to learn. For one reason, I'm not athletic, but there is also another reason. If I learn, then that means that we can be separated, because we can all fight. I would rather not learn and know that, at least, I have two-thirds of the trinity complete.

"Hey! Islands to Kairi! Wake up!" Sora said, waving his hands in front of my face. "Huh?" I looked up. Both of the boys were sweat-covered. "We wanted to go clean off, but you have the keys!" Sora aid, adding extra emotion. "Sorry! Just thinking about somethings!" I said, once again having my smile on my face, but this one was inward also.

Riku's smirk was on me as I handed, well, lightly tossed and watched Sora stare in horror as the keys went backward of where I thought I was throwing them. "He he. I'll go get them," I said as I went into the ocean behind us, where they keys went. Yep that's my luck with throwing.

"Wow, you were spaced, what were you thinking about?" Riku asked, and as always, being a little sarcastic. "Nothing either of you would like to hear," I responded, again smiling as I got out of the water, soaked.

This time I handed the keys to Sora, as I needed a bath too. Wait a minute. It was a three-bed room, one half-bath room, and one bathroom. Hmm. Let's think about this for a moment. Riku spends AT LEAST an hour and a half in the bathroom, because his hair is naturally wavy, and he likes it straight. Perfectly straight. Sora will also spend an hour and a half, getting his already spiky hair spiked perfect. Meanwhile, poor Kairi would be stuck waiting three hours to get a bath.

So, I waited till Sora unlocked the door, when I slightly jogged up to get my clothes, then ran to the full bathroom and slammed the door, locking it. I heard Riku say, "Come on Kairi! Open up!" "And wait while you two take two hours? I think not! Besides ladies first!" I said smiling. He he. It was nice to get them back every once and a while . Every though I would pay for it tonight.

I heard Sora and Riku start to try and convince me to let them go first, but, well, for a moment anyway, I'm not on the sidelines. I turned the shower on and yelled to them one time before I got ready to get in. "I can't hear you!"


AN: Well, I thought I would have a humorous ending. This was made for people who don't like Kairi because they say she's "too nice" or "she laughs too much." I hope this could change your mind at least a little. And for typos and small grammar errors, I wrote this from 11:30 to 1 AM. I'm tired. But, the few Kairi fans have to work all the time!

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