woohooo!!!! first update in i dont know how long, sorry about that haha. i started re-reading all of the reviews, and realized i was doing to other poeple what so many authors were doing to me, not updating!! so here it is, chapter nine. next chapter i might (might) reveal the whole namine/sora/yuffie secret. and yes, i do know what it is hahahah, for once, i am not mking my plot up on a whim. this is actually kind of based on real life experiences..

thanks to everyone that reviewed!!!

"AHA! SUCKERRRRR!!!!" I jumped triumphantly up from the couch, my controller held high in the air. Riku slumped back onto the couch, burying his head in his hands. I continued my little dance of glee, parading around the dorm area.

"That's the 4th time! How is that possible?" Riku said to his controller, before throwing the offending item down in disgust. I cackled maliciously, before plopping down on the couch next to him. He glared at me out of the corner of his eye.

"How did you get so good?" Riku scanned me for some sort of reasoning for my amazing ness at Halo 2, and I smirked. "My older brother and I---," I stopped short, and closed my eyes as a pang of hurt ran through my body. Riku sensed my sadness, and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. I smiled at him, before standing up.

"I probably should get going," I managed, before turning away. "Oh, and thanks." Riku nodded, and flashed me his million, no make that BAJILLION, dollar smile. I resisted the urge to melt into a Kairi puddle on the floor, and stumbled out of the dorm. The pathways were slippery and glowing from the recent rain, and I carefully picked my way around the puddles. As I rounded the corner, though, I found myself face to face with the one person I really didn't want to see right then. I'll give you one guess.

He was leaning against the wall, his cell phone pressed against his ear, and a frown on his face. "No! Dad, stop…. No! Why the hell would I get a job to pay for your beer money? Here's an idea, get your own job!….No. No…….Yeah, Yuffie's fine, I have to go, Dad… No. Bye." He clicked the phone shut just as I came into his view. Ok, Kairi, just keep your head held high, and don't even look at him. NO! STOP LOOKING. In the midst of arguing with my brain, I managed to catch a crack in the sidewalk, and found myself face planting on the ground. Smoooooooooth. I pulled myself up and stood purposefully in front of Sora, still avoiding eye contact, before continuing on.

I was almost there, almost around the corner, when I felt myself flinging forward again, but this time catching myself. REALLY?! My back went rigid when I heard a quiet snickering from behind me. I turned around against my own will, and saw Sora still standing there, his dark brown locks falling in glowing blue eyes, eyes that were directed at me. Oh god.

I mustered up my best Stop-looking-at-me-its-not-like-you-have-never-tripped-twice-in-2-seconds-before stare before stomping off. I hate my life.

As soon as I opened the door to my room, I was attacked by a mass of blonde hair in a pair of boy boxers and sweatshirt. "KAIRI!" Namine hugged me tightly, pulling my flustered self into the room and slamming the door.

"I am so sorry, so sorry about everything," she said, still hugging me. Wait, what? I pulled away from her with a look of distrust on my face. "Why? Why are you all of a sudden coming around?" I asked, my suspicion evident. She guiltily lowered her bright blue eyes, picking at the carpet with her toe.

"Well?" I pressed, becoming annoying. "I kinda…. Found that memo about your brother, and then I was going to go find you and I overheard Yuffie talking to some of her friends about the note, and how she figured you would transfer schools in no time…" She trailed off, glancing up at me.

"Not like I would be able to transfer anyway.." Suddenly my vision swam, and I shook my head. I couldn't cry, not in front of Namine. She didn't need to see me sad, nobody did. My whole life I lived in a family that suffered, and I hated it. I didn't want to put my own friends through it. So I just held it in.

I flashed a brave smile at Namine, and she looked relieved. "So are we cool?" I asked, and she nodded. "Hey! I have an idea! Tonight Riku and Sora's band are playing at this little club a few blocks away. Want to go see them?" She asked, jumping up and down excitedly.

Hot boys, cramped space, loud music… I could go for a little of that right now. I nodded excitedly, and allowed Namine to pull me out of the dorm. We half walked half jogged to the club. It was decorated in dollar store Christmas lights and a shabby sign that looked like it was done by a two year old. The inside was considerably more impressive. There were a lot of kids from school milling around, some with water(it was an under 18 club) and others waiting anxiously by the stage for the band. Namine and I pushed our way to the front of the stage, where Roxas was busy setting up his drums.

"Hey Roxas!" I shouted over the noise. He looked up through his blonde bangs and grinned, waving his drumsticks enthusiastically. Just then, Riku, Sora, and an older blonde I recognized as Cloud from school, piled onto the stage. Sora pulled his black guitar strap over his head, and nodded at Roxas. Riku was flashing a grin at some people from the audience, his silver bass gleaming in the lights. Cloud stood idly on the side of the stage with his red guitar, staring out into the excited audience.

"Hello everyone!" Sora spoke through the microphone, flashing a grin. The crowd cheered, me and Namine cheering the loudest. Hey, just because Sora had pissed me off more than I could handle, I could still cheer Riku and Roxas on….even if my eyes were glued to Sora the whole time. His….guitar looked cool. Yeah, that's it. Shut up.

"We are the Darkness Falls. Are you ready for a fun night?" he asked, his eyes glinting. The crowd responded with impatient cheers, and Sora glanced back at his band before starting up the first song.

Heavy guitar filled my ears, accompanied by an irresistibly smooth and husky voice, and I found my eyes glued to Sora, completely entranced.

I've been changin' but you'll never see me now
(I've been changin' but you'll never see me now)
Now I'm blaming you for everything

No more holding it in
How many years can I pretend
Nothing never goes the way it should
No more sitting in this place
Hoping you might see it my way
Cause I don't think you ever understood
That what I'm looking for are the answers
To why these questions never go away

Sora had his eyes closed, and rocked into the microphone, completely engrossed in his music, his voice carrying through the crowded club.

I'm so far away
I've been changin' but you'll never see me now
I'm so far away
Now I'm blaming you for everything

No more waiting for the end
Of every day that I will spend
Wishing that I only had a choice
No more pushing you away
Cause I will be busy watching things going my way
Never looking back on this anymore
Because what I'm looking for are the answers
To why these questions never go away

The band finished the song with a strong note that echoed through the room, and Sora opened his eyes and smiled at the screaming crowd. I cheered right along with them. The band played a few more songs, and then gave the stage to a pair of nervous looking girls who used they're "punk" attitudes and slutty clothes to capture the male portion of the audience. Namine and I, however, found our way behind the curtain.

"Nice job guys!" Namine exclaimed, hugging them each. Roxas beamed and Riku smirked, while Cloud gave a half shoulder shrug. Sora was once again on the phone in the corner of the small room, his shoulders hunched in aggravation. I gave Roxas an extreme high five (as he called it) and ruffled Riku's hair.

"I was worried for a second there. It would have been awful if your music skills matched your Halo skills," I grinned as he gave me a mock glare. I turned back to Sora to see him tossing (more like chucking) his stuff into his guitar bag, before turning to us.

"I have to run. Nice jobs tonight guys, I'll see you later," he said, before storming off. "What is up with him?" I asked. Riku shook his head, sighing, and Namine suddenly became fascinated with her shoe. I glanced over to where Sora was once standing, and spotted a notebook stuffed with papers, the front of it bearing the message Sora in thick permanent marker. I picked it up, and held it up to Riku.

"Sora left this," I said, waving the notebook in his face. He glanced at it before sighing again, this time aggravated. "He's going to need that. I guess I'll go find him…"

"No. It's okay. I'll bring it to him. I need to be getting back anyway, I have a ton of homework," I said, before making a dash for the door.

Out on the street, I glanced around before spotting Sora's tall, spiky head under a light. I jogged to catch up with him.

"Sora! You forgot this," I said, somewhat breathless, when I reached him. He glanced at me sideways with a slight glare on his face, before spotting the notebook. He snatched it, mumbling a quick thank-you, before starting off again. I sped up to walk next to him, my eyes following the sidewalk.

"Is there something you want?" he asked suddenly, stopping to face me. His blue eyes bore into my own, and I fought the blush rising to my face. His skin was so smooth… and his bangs fell in his eyes in the most adorable way.. wait! Stop! I hate this guy. Absolutely 100 hate him. That doesn't stop him from being 100 gorgeous. I shook my head to rid the thoughts, before frowning.

"Is it a crime to walk back to the dorm?" I asked, my temper rising. He glanced at me before shrugging, and continuing on. We walked in silence for a few awkward moments.

"You guys were awesome tonight.." I said, still looking at the ground. "Thanks." Well, so much for that conversation. I sighed, before running a hand through my hair, irritated. Why was he such a jerk? I just didn't understand it.

"Why are you such a jerk?" Crap, did I just say that out loud? Sora stopped short, glaring at me again. Heaven save me. I glared straight back at him, my hands on my hips stubbornly.

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" he spat. That does it. "Excuse me? Since I've gotten here, you have been nothing but rude to me. I haven't done anything to you except get on your cousin's bad side, which I'm not even sure how I did. It's not my fault that things aren't going peachy in your family, so don't you dare take it out on me."

We had a staring contest for a few more moments, before Sora began walking again. "You don't know anything about family problems."

"Excuse me?" I grabbed his arm, whipping him around to face me. "Where the heck do you get off saying that? You don't know me, you don't know what I've been through. I have my own problems at home, and all I was trying to do was find a place for myself here, since obviously I don't have one at home. And now that my brother is gone, I'm pretty much stuck here for the rest of school; so let's get one thing straight. Don't you dare tell me I don't know anything about family problems, when they are what got me here in the first place."

I turned away from him then, and began walking away quickly, hiding the tears that were threatening to fall. Stupid family, stupid Sora, stupid school. Suddenly, a strong hand wrapped around my arm, stopping my power walking breakdown. Sora's voice caused shudders to run up my spine as he whispered in my ear, "I would let you go off and have your tantrum, but you're going the wrong way. And pretty soon you'll be sharing the sidewalk with prostitutes and child molesters."

I blushed, pulling away from him. I looked at his guitar, the café behind him, his black shoes, anywhere but his face. Eventually, I brought my eyes to his, and suddenly the azure was swimming in my vision, and the tears coming down faster than I could handle. I just stood there, crying my eyes out in front of the kid I was supposed to hate, in the middle of a town I never wanted to be in, over something that wasn't supposed to happen until I was old.

Warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, a comforting hand leading me to a small alley where I sank down against the wall. When I was done ending dehydration for all the ants, I wiped my eyes, and buried my face in Sora's shirt.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, my voice muffled by the soft fabric. I barely missed his low voice, "Me too."